Journal of Discourses Volume 19

BY PRESIDENT BRIGHAM YOUNG, 
HIS COUNSELORS, AND THE TWELVE APOSTLES.

REPORTED BY D.W. EVANS, GEO F. GIBBS, AND OTHERS.

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

VOL. XIX.

LIVERPOOL: 
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY WILLIAM 
BUDGE, 42, ISLINGTON.

LONDON: 
LATTER-DAY SAINTS' BOOK DEPOT, 20, 
BISHOP'S GROVE, BALL'S POND ROAD, ISLINGTON.

1878[p.iii] 

Preface

Vol. 19,  p.iii
THE Nineteenth Volume of the is not a whit
behind its predecessors in the simplicity of its contents, or the
advanced character of the truths contained therein.

Vol. 19,  p.iii
It is impossible to give monetary value to the past volumes of this
publication, and the best evidence that they are appreciated, is to be
found in the fact that they are sought alike by non-members as well as
by members of the Church, and in contrast with many works of greater
pretentions, book-stalls are searched in vain for even solitary
copies.

Vol. 19,  p.iii
This volume contains the last discourses of our late venerated leader,
President B. Young; here, with those delivered by his associates of
the Twelve, they are enshrined to show to unborn generations the grand
development of progressive man when subject to the teachings of the
Eternal Spirit.

Vol. 19,  p.iii
Years shall enhance the interest and importance of these volumes as a
library of reference and repository of truth.

THE PUBLISHER.[p.1] 

Brigham Young, April 29, 1877

Enjoyment in the South—the Blessings of a Temple—Need 
of Chastisement—the Redemption of the Earth—the Christian 
World Concerned in Regard to the Priesthood—Those Who 
Persecute Will Be Visited—the Ten Virgins—the 
Wise Will Understand

Discourse By President Brigham Young, Delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday Afternoon, April 29, 1877.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.1
I am thankful to my Heavenly Father for the privilege of meeting with
you again and am happy to say that I am as well satisfied with my
labors during the last six months as any of the labors of my life.
Here let me ask, are you, my brethren and sisters, satisfied with the
labors you have performed during the same length of time? This is a
question you will have to answer for yourselves to your own
consciences. If you have done well you will be blessed, and you will
feel satisfied; if you have suffered yourselves to do that which is
wrong towards yourselves or towards any other person on the earth, or
to the providences of God, or to our Heavenly Father, your consciences
will judge you.

Vol. 19,  p.1
I am aware that you wish to hear something of our labors in the South.
I will say that we have had a blessed time, such a time as no other
people on the earth have enjoyed for many centuries, that we have any
knowledge of. We have been permitted to enjoy privileges for the
possession of which we have been striving and laboring for many years.
For almost half a century we have been exerting ourselves that we
might have the privilege of entering into a Temple of God, there to
officiate and receive the ordinances of his holy house, both for
ourselves and for our friends that have slept without the Gospel. This
privilege and blessing we have not enjoyed until within a very few
months past. The feeling experienced by those who have participated in
the blessings administered in the Temple is something which cannot be
described to your understanding. Those only who have shared with us in
the Temple ordinances know for themselves the satisfaction there is in
realizing that we are indeed co-workers with our Lord and Savior; that
we bear a humble part in the great work of [p.2] salvation; that we
have the privilege of receiving and obeying the truth, and of securing
to ourselves that happiness which the Gospel alone affords; and not
only of performing these ordinances for ourselves, but of doing the
necessary work for our parents and forefathers who have slept without
the Gospel, that they may partake also of the waters of life, and be
judged according to men in the flesh. This is a privilege, a blessing,
which no one can sense unless he is in possession of it. We are happy
to know by our faith and feelings through the spirit of revelation
within us that our labors have been accepted of the Lord. We have
enjoyed ourselves exceedingly in the society of each other; the aged,
the middle-aged and the youth have rejoiced and been made glad in this
glorious work.

Vol. 19,  p.2
When I look upon the youth, our young brethren and sisters, who are
more or less unacquainted with the great principles of life and
salvation, I wish that they could enjoy what a few of our young people
did this past winter, their minds would be detached from the trifles
and follies of this weak world, and they would be placed upon more
sacred things, upon the principles that are calculated to exalt them
and ennoble every feeling and desire of the heart.

Vol. 19,  p.2
The Latter-day Saints present a strange spectacle to those that enjoy
the spirit of revelation. To see them following after the spirit of
this world and gratifying the lust of the eye and of the mind, like
the rest of mankind who have never enjoyed the spirit of the Gospel of
life and salvation; and yet not so very strange when we realize the
power of the enemy and the thousands of snares which he lays for the
feet of the unwary, to draw the people astray from the things of God.
Still, when we view the great object of our life, our being here upon
the earth, being brought here expressly to receive that experience by
which we can discover between right and wrong, between good and evil,
between light and darkness, and obtain that experience that angels
have, that the gods have, and that all exalted beings have, and
remember that we are put in possession of those principles that make
us wise unto salvation, that we should stoop to the sinful deeds and
sinful reflections that many do, is marvelous and strange. When I
think of these things I am impressed with the great importance of this
life and of exercising ourselves in the privileges that God has
granted to us to prepare our hearts through obedience to the Gospel of
the Son of God, for a high station, for a high exaltation in worlds to
come, such as we cannot receive whilst clothed in this mortal
tabernacle. But still, in this life we can receive little by little,
and more and more, growing in grace and in the knowledge of the truth,
until our minds are able to comprehend many of the great things of
eternity; and thus prepare our hearts, by overcoming sin and the
weaknesses of humanity, for that exaltation already awaiting the
righteous.

Vol. 19,  p.2
Sometimes I am so exercised that I chastise the people very severely;
but I will say to the Latter-day Saints that I have no chastisement
for any unless they deserve it, and if I myself am found guilty of the
same wrongs, I receive to myself a portion of the rebuke which I give
to others. But my feelings are very acute; what I see and hear
ofttimes causes me sorrow and wonder, and I feel to exclaim, "0 Lord,
have mercy upon us, thy people!" How easy it is for us to forget the
Lord [p.3] who atoned for us, and to depart from his ways, giving way
to the false influences that are continually prompting our minds to
lust after the things of this world in their corrupt condition. All
this is strange to the mind opened to see and understand the things of
God and the things of eternity as they are. If we possessed that
power, that influence over ourselves, a proper portion of that
stability that belongs to the heavens, when we once embraced the truth
there would be no necessity for our being chastened, no necessity for
our being called upon to refrain from this or that wrong; but the
weakness of the flesh is so great that we need continually the
influence of our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to
hold us to the truth, in order that we may not fall away therefrom and
finally wander into the darkness of the world, forsaking God and the
faith we have embraced.

Vol. 19,  p.3
It is astonishing that men should do so when we consider things as
they are, and witness the continued love and kindness of our Heavenly
Father, in again speaking from the heavens, revealing himself and his
everlasting Gospel to the children of men, as well as the ordinances,
laws, rules and regulations of his House which effect the salvation of
both the living and the dead.

Vol. 19,  p.3
How is it with my brethren and sisters here? Are they awake to the
things of God? If they are we shall have no need of calling upon them
from day to day, from week to week. Brethren, will you put forth your
hands and rear these Temples, these buildings wherein we can enter and
officiate for ourselves and our progenitors, preparatory to the coming
of the Son of Man, which coming draws near? Will be build up the Zion
of God before entering into the millennium of rest, when wickedness
will be taken away from the earth? Then the Latter-day Saints will be
able to go forth without being persecuted by their enemies, and
opposed on every hand by the alluring spirits that are constantly
tempting them away from the things of God to follow after the things
of a fallen world. Then the Saints will enjoy the privilege of
building their Temples unmolested, redeem their friends, and make
ready for the time when the nations shall come up to the presence of
God the Father, to be judged according to the deeds done in the flesh.
There are a few of the brethren and sisters who understand things as
they are, and who are ready and willing to devote their time and their
means for the salvation of the human family. If there are any hearts
or spirits in this city, or elsewhere, that are fearfully wondering
whether or not we are going to be destroyed, or whether this Church
will endure and become the mighty power in the earth, according to the
predictions of the servants of God, I will say to all such trembling
souls, You need entertain no such fears. You need have only one fear,
and that is with regard to yourselves, lest you should leave the light
that the Lord has imparted to you and wander into darkness, returning
to the beggarly elements of the world, lusting again after the things
of the world in their sinful state. The earth is the Lord's and the
fullness thereof; even the very things which we are so tempted to
covet, through lustful desires, in and of themselves are pure and
holy, for they are the Lord's; but we wish to possess them
unrighteously and not according to the will of God. This is the sin
which is upon man. Everything which we see and which pertains [p.4] to
this little earth, belongs to the Lord, and the whole of it will be
given to his Saints and they will enjoy it forever and ever. But at
present the earth is groaning under sin in consequence of the
wickedness of the children of men, and it is longing to be delivered,
as are the Saints that have slept, whom the Apostle John saw and
heard, when he was an exile on the Isle of Patmos. When will the earth
be redeemed, when will Jesus come to receive the Church as a bride,
when will he come to reign King of nations as he now reigns King of
Saints, when will he banish wickedness from the earth, and when will
the Saints have power to overcome sin? When we learn to sanctify the
Lord God in our hearts. As fast as we learn to conform our individual
wills to his will, overcoming sin within ourselves, will we have power
to subdue sin in those that surround us, and in this way the whole
earth will be redeemed from wickedness. The curse which has been
brought upon the earth through the Fall will be removed through the
faith and virtues of the Saints. When we become sanctified in the
truth, and our faith, through the Gospel of the Son of God, becomes
sufficiently powerful we will be able to remove the thorns and
thistles and obnoxious weeds that grow immediately around us, and to
bless and sanctify our gardens and farms, so that they will bring
forth spontaneously the fruits and flowers, the cereals and vegetables
that sustain life; and upon this principle as righteousness extends
will the whole earth eventually be redeemed and sanctified, when all
things will be as they were in the beginning, when the Lord finished
the earth and pronounced everything to be "very good." This is the
nature of the great latter-day work in which we are engaged, and were
it not for the confident assurance that we have of successfully
accomplishing it, I would tremble, and fear might enter my heart.

Vol. 19,  p.4
Why is the whole Christian world concerned about your humble servant?
They say Brigham Young is not fit to live, that he ought not to be
allowed to remain upon the earth. Would they remove him if they had
the power to? Yes, many who call themselves Christians would join in
the act, and many others would consent to his death! Not the
highminded and honorable of the earth, and those who serve God and his
Christ; but the bigot, the hypocrite, the wicked and the ungodly
would. Why? Simply because they represent their master, the devil, who
is carrying on a warfare with the heavens, and their hearts are
opposed to God and to all that represent him. This conflict always has
been, and will be until the winding up scene. If I had to depend upon
my own wisdom and power, in connection with that of my
fellow-laborers, I might well tremble and fear. But I depend not upon
human wisdom or human power. I occupy the position that God our
Heavenly Father has placed me in, and while I exercise myself in the
duties that he has committed to me, seeking to build up his kingdom
and establish righteousness upon the earth, holding the dominion for
him and for the family of Christ, I tremble not, I fear not, neither
do I care for the insults of the world, for the Lord is my bulwark, my
shield and my deliverer. But have not some of the wicked succeeded in
removing others from the earth? Yes, they killed Joseph and Hyrum
Smith, while under the pledged faith of the State of Illinois; and at
Haun's Mill, Missouri, they massacred about eighteen of our [p.5]
brethren and sisters, innocent men, women and children, without the
first cause or provocation; and furthermore, the perpetrators of these
and other murders were never brought to justice; in fact, the press of
the nation advocated the destruction of "Mormonism," and on the death
of the leaders of our Church, all the consolation that public opinion
afforded their bereaved families, as well as the members of the
Church, over which they presided, was that that would put an end to
"Mormonism." But will the Lord overlook and forget such crimes? No,
for the blood of the innocent is continually crying unto him for
vengeance, which he will administer in his own due time. He has
already vexed this nation and given the people time to pause and
consider their conduct; and if they repent not by turning from their
corruptions and wickedness, he has only to say to the innocent, and to
the Latter-day Saints, "Wait a little, wait a little, and their cup
will be full to overflowing." I have said to my brethren and sisters,
and I say it now, Go to Jackson County, and to Caldwell County, where
the lives of Latter-day Saints have been taken and from where they
have been driven; go to the region of Haun's Mill, where so many were
massacred because they had come up to the western part of Missouri,
and it was said they were "Mormons," and you will find that we, in all
our persecutions, have not suffered so much as the characters who
executed judgment upon the innocent. If I were asked to-day if we as a
people had sailbred persecution, I would say, "No, nothing worth
mentioning." This has ever been the case with the righteous, and it
ever will be. For when their lives are taken for the Gospel's sake,
they go to the Father, to the paradise of rest, where they are free
from the influence and power of sinful and wicked men. But how
different with the wicked and ungodly! When they die their sufferings
which cannot be described, only commence. But we have received enough
to understand that the wicked are a rod in the hands of God to chasten
his children? If you do not, it is time that you had learned it, for
it is even so; and if we are chastened, it is for a purpose, probably
to bring us to a sense of our duty, that we may know the hand-dealing
of the Lord towards us. But were we ever destroyed? No, neither will
God permit us to be, so long as we are desirous of being his servants,
and of doing the work given us to do. Although it was necessary that
Jesus should suffer on the cross for the sins of the world, still it
might be said of those who took an active part in the deed, as well as
those who consented to it in their hearts, "Woe unto them by whom this
offence came." Many of the Prophets have sealed their testimony with
their blood, that their testament might go forth with force and not
return void. As in ancient days, so in modern days. When Joseph Smith
sealed his testimony with his blood, his testament, from that moment
was in force to all the world; and woe to those who fight against it.
What will we do to them? Nothing at all, but preach the Gospel. They
may lie about us as they please. If we will faithfully mind our own
concerns, live our religion, do good to all men, preach the Gospel to
the nations of the earth, gather up the honest in heart, build up and
establish Zion in the earth, send the Gospel to the House of Israel,
and live and serve God in all things, all will be well with us, we
have no cause for fear in the least. When the Lord deems it necessary
that his servants [p.6] should seal their testimony with their blood,
in order that his word may be strengthened and of greater force in the
earth, so let it be; they are received into the arms of Jehovah, they
rejoice in the society of those who are waiting patiently until the
trump shall sound, when the sleeping nations shall awake and their
bodies come forth to be reunited with their spirits, and the faithful
enter into a fullness of his glory. With them all his well, all is
right.

Vol. 19,  p.6
But do we live our religion? The only fear I have is that we are not
as faithful as we should be. We give way to passion, we yield to
temptation; whereas, we ought to live so that the Lord can strengthen
the position of his people and multiply the righteous, how fast and to
what degree is not for me to say. But if the Latter-day Saints were as
righteous and as holy as we are capable of being by reducing to
practice the doctrine we have received, I am sure that the Lord could
hasten his work, and he would cut it short in righteousness, it would
be consummated much quicker than he can in our present condition. The
acts and condition of the people here on the earth must be considered,
the same is held in remembrance before the throne of God, for he
requires of his people to act with him in all things pertaining to the
building up of his kingdom upon the earth. But his grace is always
ready, his Spirit is always waiting, and the light that Jesus brought
into the world is always with the people, teaching them the right from
the wrong. He is the light of the world that lighteth every man that
cometh into the world, and if the whisperings of his Spirit and its
dictates were hearkened to and obeyed, all men everywhere would grow
in the truth, much faster than we Latter-day Saints are doing. It is a
source of mortification to know that men and women who have been in
this Church from twenty to forty years should still be so prone to the
weaknesses of the flesh. What do I see? If I do not witness it with my
own eyes, I hear of it through those who do—men, ofttimes of long
standing in the Church, drink a little, they swear a little, smoke or
chew a little, and indulge their appetites in those things which the
Lord has warned us against, and which he has said are not good for
man. They, too, can spend their time wandering about these mountains
hunting for gold and silver, they can mingle and associate with those
whose lives are records of vice and immorality, and who are ready to
oppose God and traduce the character of his servants. Can Saints of
God, Elders in Israel, who are exercised by the power and spirit of
their holy calling, who have within them the gift of eternal life, can
they be guilty of such things and stand approved before God? No, they
cannot; and I say, shame upon such men, they are a disgrace to
themselves, and their actions are a disgrace to the name of Saint. It
is a disgrace, too, to the sisters, as well as the brethren, who
thirst after the vain fashions and foolish practices of the world.
Cease to pattern after those who know not God. How would such conduct
compare with the conversation and deportment of the angels whom we
expect to meet? Would they want to adopt the practices and fashions of
the wicked world? No, they have higher aims and holier aspirations,
they live above vanity; so should the Latter-day Saints. Our hearts
should be pure, entertaining such things only as are comely, chaste
and praiseworthy before him. This is the course of life that he
expects of us.

Vol. 19,  p.7
I have a great many reflections, [p.7] especially when alone, I
converse with myself upon these eternal things, things which the
frivolous, the vain, and those who are engaged only with the things of
this world, never think of. With regard to the society of heaven,
their conversation and deportment, consider the magnitude and
greatness of the character of holy beings, contemplate the expanse of
eternity and the life that is before us, and then how insignificant
appears this world as it now is! Still, in our humanity, in our fallen
condition, that divine influence is more or less with us, and if we
would preserve ourselves to dwell with the holy ones of heaven and
have joy in our being, we must faithfully adhere to and practice the
principles of eternal life; and in doing so, he will add for our
comfort and enjoyment all things necessary pertaining to this life.

Vol. 19,  p.7
Fear not with regard to the success of this Church and kingdom. Rather
fear you should not be counted worthy to be numbered among the
sanctified when Jesus comes to make up his jewels; rather fear lest
you should be found in the condition of the five foolish virgins whose
lamps had gone out and who were unprepared to meet the bridegroom
because they had no oil. Remember, Latter-day Saints, there were five
wise and five foolish, an equal division, and yet they were all
virgins. The application is a just one and has a direct bearing on us,
as Latter-day Saints. The wise among us will take heed will hearken to
the instructions and counsels of the servants of God, will pattern
after Christ, and thirst after the things of God, and our lamps will
be trimmed and burning, and we will be prepared to meet the bridegroom
when he comes, and they that are ready will enter in with him to the
marriage; and whether or not the door be shut upon those not so well
prepared is a matter that belongs soley to him, and he can do just as
he pleases about it. I want to have oil in my vessel, so that in case
I should, in consequence of the weakness of the flesh, slumber a
little, on arising my lamp would be trimmed ready to burn. This is
doubtless your desire. Then live for it; mingle not your voices with
the wicked, seek not after the delusive things of this world in their
present state. But is not the Lord going to give the earth and the
riches thereof to his Saints? Yes, that is the promise, and he has
spoken it by the mouth of many of his Prophets. But when will this
inheritance pass into the hands of his people? When we shall have
sanctified the Lord in our hearts, sanctified our bodies and spirits
in the truth, and we become pure and holy, free from selfishness and
from every sin; and until we shall have reached this state of
perfection, we never need expect these things committed to our care,
for he will not do it. When the judgment is given to the Saints, it
will be because of their righteousness, because they will judge even
as the angels and as the Gods, and not as the wicked do at the present
time, who care not for God nor for justice, who care not for truth nor
mercy, love nor kindness, who judge according to the wickedness of
their hearts. I am very thankful that it is not our province, in our
present condition, to judge the world; if it were, we would ruin
everything. We have not sufficient wisdom, our minds are not filled
with the knowledge and power of God; the spirit needs to contend with
the flesh a little more until it shall be successful in subduing its
passions, until the whole soul is brought into perfect harmony with
the mind and will of God. And we must also acquire the [p.8]
discretion that God exercises in being able to look into futurity, and
to ascertain and know the results of our acts away in the future, even
in eternity, before we will be capable of judging.

Vol. 19,  p.8
Let us live so that we shall be ready for any dispensation of
providence. It is said He will come as a thief in the night. We had
better be on the watch-tower, waiting in readiness for him, than to be
putting off the time, for peradventure we might put it off until it is
too late.

Vol. 19,  p.8
I have something to say to the Latter-day Saints about their temporal
affairs, how we should live temporally, taking proper care of that
which is committed to our charge, and using it for the benefit of
ourselves and others, which I will tell you on some future occasion.

Vol. 19,  p.8
On the second Saturday and Sunday in May, the 12th and 13th, we will
hold a two days' meeting here, or, if you choose to call it so, a
District Conference of this Stake of Zion, to which you, and as many
as can make it, convenient to attend, are invited. If you will come
with clean hands and pure hearts, full of faith, so that the Lord can
pour out his spirit upon us, we will have a time of rejoicing. God
bless you. Amen.

Orson Pratt, May 20, 1877

Revelation Gradual—Hyrum Smith's Experience—the Lord 
Has not Shut Down the Gates of Revelation—the Church Organization 
not Perfected at Once. the Estabishment of Zion—Building 
Temples—Their Style and Character Progressive—
Diligence Will Secure the Blessing

Discourse Delivered By Elder Orson Pratt, at a Special 
Conference, at Logan. on Sunday Morning, May 20th, 1877.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.8
I will read a few items from scripture spoken by Mormon, which will be
found on the 484th page of the Book of Mormon, European edition—"And
now there cannot be written in this book, even a hundredth part of the
things which Jesus did truly teach unto the people; but behold the
plates of Nephi do contain the more part of the things which he taught
the people; and these things have I written, which are a lesser part
of the things which he taught the people; and I have written them to
the intent that they may be brought again unto this people, from the
Gentiles, according to the words which Jesus [p.9] hath spoken. And
when they shall have received this, which is expedient that they
should have first, to try their faith, and if it so be that they shall
believe these things, then shall the greater things be manifest unto
them. And if it so be that they will not believe these things, then
shall the greater things be withheld from them, unto their
condemnation. Behold I were about to write them all which were
engraved upon the plates of Nephi, but, the Lord forbid it, saying, I
will try the faith of my people; therefore, I, Mormon, do write the
things which have been commanded me of the Lord."

Vol. 19,  p.9
The reason why I have read these words is to show to the people more
fully, or to impress upon their minds the way and manner in which the
Lord deals with his people. It is within his power, if he see proper
to do so, to pour out upon the people a vast amount of knowledge all
at once, that their minds may be completely surfeited with the
abundance of the knowledge communicated to them. But the Lord has not
seen proper to thus deal with the Latter-day Saints. He has another
object in view than this. He intends to instruct them little by
little, here a little when it is needed, and there a little when it is
needed; giving them a line upon this subject when it is necessary, and
there a line upon another subject, leading them along, step by step,
just as a wise, careful parent would his little children, until they
become instructed in every principle that would be for their good. It
is not because the Lord is not willing that his intelligent children
should enjoy this greater amount of knowledge; it is not because he
does not desire the human family to placed in possession of all the
wisdom that their hearts are prepared to receive. He is willing, on
his part, that the people should become very intelligent in regard to
everything, pertaining to their future welfare. He is willing that
they should know more concerning himself, his attributes and their
own, to learn concerning the glories of his kingdom and the mysteries
thereof and everything that would be essential for their comfort and
happiness in this world. This the Lord is willing to do in behalf of
his children. But he knows far better than we do, what the people are
prepared to receive, and what they are not prepared to receive; and we
can see this illustrated by the words which I have read. Mormon
informs us that he was about to write all the things which Jesus had
taught, but the Lord expressly forbade it, and the reason, as given to
Mormon for not permitting this was, that, he intended to try the faith
of his people in the latter-days, and of whom he said that if they
would believe these things and hearken, then should the greater things
be made manifest to them; but if, on the other hand, they should not
believe these few things, then should the greater things he withheld
from them, to their condemnation.

Vol. 19,  p.9
This reminds me of a certain saying, given in 1829, before the rise of
this Church. Hyrum Smith had left his home in Manchester, N.Y., and
had gone down to Susquehanna, Penn., about, a hundred miles, to visit
his brother Joseph, the Prophet, who was then in the act of
translating the Book of Mormon. When Hyrum arrived he felt very
anxious to know about his calling and ministry—whether he could not go
forth to preach these glorious things. It would be very natural for a
person to feel very anxious about this, for the things contained in
the manuscript, so far as he had become acquainted [p.10] with them,
were so glorious, that he wished everybody to know about them. As will
be found on page 98 Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord told Hyrum not to
be in a hurry. In other words, the Lord had his own time to ordain to
the ministry, his own time to send forth missionaries among the
people. "Don't you be in a hurry in this matter." But said the Lord to
him, "I will tell you what you may do; you should study my word which
has gone forth among the children of men, and also that which shall
come forth, even that which is now being translated." "Seek first to
obtain my word, then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire,
you shall have my spirit, which shall enable you to convince men of
the truth." Another lesson to be learned from this is, that Hyrum,
instead of being in a great hurry in this matter, was required to
store up the word of God in his mind, to be thoroughly acquainted with
the Jewish record, as well as that which was then being translated,
until he had obtained all that the Lord should grant to the children
of men in the generation that was then living—1829. We may learn that
the Lord did intend to give only about so much to the generation then
living.

Vol. 19,  p.10
A great many have supposed that there must be a great lack on the part
of the Latter-day Saints, because spiritual knowledge is not all the
time being poured down from heaven, like a flood in their midst; some
become doubtful and feel to murmur and complain one to another,
carrying the idea among the people that God has forsaken Zion, that
God has, in a measure, withdrawn his spirit from us: saying, "Where
are the revelations such as were given in the days of Joseph? The Lord
then poured out upon us of his spirit continually; we then received
record after record, book after book, etc." The reason is clearly
defined here; the Lord, in his own time, will fulfill and accomplish
his purposes, and he was determined, not only in these days, but he
had the same determinations some fifteen centuries ago, when he talked
with Mormon the Prophet, that a people who should live on the earth in
the last days, should have just about so much information, and no
more, as far as sacred records and books are concerned. Do not
misunderstand me by this expression, and carry it to the other
extreme, and say, that God determines to give about so much, and then
shut down the gate and give no revelation at all. But he intended, so
far as the great principles of the Gospel are concerned, the
fundamental principles of salvation, that we should have the Bible and
the Book of Mormon. Then he determined, still further, that there
should be a sufficiency given from year to year, during the life-time
of the Prophet Joseph, to know how to properly organize the Church.
These further revelations were published in the Doctrine and
Covenants. These having been given as a pattern, for the commencement
of the organization, the Lord has seen proper to withhold, for the
time being, the giving of additional sacred records, that the Saints
might show their faith. "I will try the faith of my people, I will see
whether they will be obedient to my commandments, and the laws which I
have revealed to them. If they will be faithful—if they will practice
upon that which I have given, then shall the greater things be made
manifest to them. But if they will not do this, they shall be withheld
from them, to their condemnation."[p.11] 

Vol. 19,  p.11
There will be a point, in the history of this people, when they will
be counted worthy to receive all that knowledge and intelligence which
the Lord has held in reserve for them, from before the foundation of
the world. Such is the glorious destiny of this people, to be realized
in due time. But our present work is to comply with that which God has
already given, and which he may hereafter give, through the living
oracles that he has placed within our midst.

Vol. 19,  p.11
Now the Lord has not shut down the gate; he has not closed up the
spirit of inspiration, as all these people are witnesses. What man,
unless he had been under the spirit of inspiration, and the wisdom
that comes down from heaven, could have led forth this people from the
midst of the wicked, and established them here in this mountain
desert, and created the wonders we now behold? No man, however great
might be his natural wisdom and ability, could have accomplished a
work of this nature, unless aided by direct revelation. The Spirit of
the living God, from the time of the death of Joseph to the present,
has rested upon President B. Young, urging him forward, first to
organize the people and lead them forth from the midst of their
enemies, and, second, to establish them here in these mountains. He
had not the experience, beforehand, to do this; he had never lived in
a country where the people were accustomed to irrigate their farms; he
had never lived in a country where the people necessarily were
compelled to live compactly together, as we have to do here. But he
had been accustomed to live in a country where the people spread
abroad wherever they took a notion to; consequently it was just as new
to him, when entering these valleys, as to the rest of us. And nothing
but the Spirit of the living God, the inspirations of the Holy Ghost,
could have enabled him to do what he has done, and to direct all this
people throughout this Territory, in regard to their settlements, not
only here, but wherever the Latter-day Saints have been located.
Consequently, you perceive that God has not forsaken us, the spirit of
revelation has been with us. But then it has not been wisdom in God,
that all this revelation should be written and published; because many
things the servants of God are inspired to do under one set of
circumstances, would not be required of them, under a new condition of
circumstances; hence, such revelations would not become a standing law
for all future time. For instance, in order to form new settlements,
the circumstances are very different from what they are after you have
enlarged your settlements and become numerous in population, and other
duties become necessary. Consequently the Lord has imparted a little
here, and a little there, and instructed and counselled the people,
through his servants, what should be done in the incipient stages, or
in the forming of settlements, in this mountain region.

Vol. 19,  p.11
In the midst of all this continuous organization that has been going
on, ever since the rise of the Church, it is not to be wondered at,
that many things have been left apparently at loose ends, for the time
being, in order that the people might prove themselves. Men have been
sent, year after year, to form new settlements, and to do this kind of
work, and that kind, without being specially ordained to accomplish
those particular duties. What for? To see whether they would manifest
that the Spirit of the living God was with them, and [p.12] that they
were worthy of ordination; and if so, then afterwards they should be
ordained and set apart, as Bishops, as presidents of Stakes etc. But
one may inquire, "Why not perfect these organizations at once?"
Because there is a day of calling, which is distinct from a day of
choosing. And when the Lord has called his servants and appointed them
to peform a certain work, if they manifest a willingness, on their
part, to exercise the wisdom that comes from God, in the performance
of their duties, then perhaps the day of choosing may come, and they
be set apart and ordained, according to the law contained in the Book
of Covenants. It means, at this present stage of the work, having
toiled now about thirty years in these mountains, that the Lord is
about to "right up" the people; and he has inspired him who presides
over us, to organize us more fully. Let those be chosen who have
fulfilled their appointments in faithfulness; let them be ordained,
and have their counselors; let them act now in a higher sphere, with
more power, because they have proven themselves faithful over a few
things, therefore let them be made rulers over many things. This is
after the order of heaven; this is after the order of that judgment
that will be more fully carried out in the great day of the Lord.
Things will pass along here in time, as a pattern of things in regard
to his future kingdom. They will pass along for years, until, by and
by, in the great judgment day, these persons will have gained an
experience and knowledge that will qualify them to act efficiently in
the duties and callings to which they have been called; and they will
act, not as those who are ignorant, but as men who have had a
practical experience, year after year, having used their stewardship
to the glory of God.

Vol. 19,  p.12
Brother Erastus Snow spoke to us very plainly, last evening, in
relation to all the officers, from the commencement of the Church down
to the present time. When we have done all we can do, towards
organizing as far as possible, according to the written law of God, as
given to us in our weakness, have we completed the organization? By no
means. The organization is only perfect as far as the people are
prepared to receive it, and no further. To say that there will be a
stated time, in the history of this Church, during its imperfections
and weakness, when the organization will be perfect, and that there
will be no further extension or addition to the organization, would be
a mistake. Organization is to go on, step after step, from one degree
to another, just as the people increase and grow in the knowledge of
the principles and laws of the kingdom of God, and as their borders
shall extend. For instance, to illustrate my ideas more fully upon
this point. We read, in the Scriptures of truth, concerning the
latter-day Zion; we read that Zion is to become a great people, "a
small one to become a strong nation." We also read that out of Zion
shall go forth the law. We also read that Zion is to become so
glorious, in times to come, that the nations that are afar will say to
one another, "Surely Zion is the City of our God, for the Lord is
there; his power is there, his glory is there," etc. Now if there be a
time, in the history of the latter-day Zion, that the power of God
will be made manifest in their midst, so as to stir up the nations
afar off, causing them to exclaim that Zion is truly the City of God;
her laws are divine; let us become subject to her laws; do you suppose
that [p.13] we, with our present organization, after perfecting it as
much as we can expect to, could be ready and prepared to send forth
laws to foreign nations for their government? No. There would then be
persons ordained and set apart for various purposes, not to bestow any
new Priesthood, for it is all included in the everlasting and eternal
Priesthood, after the order of the Son of God; but to set apart
persons already holding the Priesthood in the great organization; to
receive divine laws; or, in other words, to regulate the nations,
according to the laws of Zion; that they may understand her laws, and
know what the divine government is, by which they are to be governed;
in other words, ministers or plenipotentiaries are to be sent forth to
transact business among all nations and peoples who willingly shall
become subject to the laws of Zion. As to the rebellious nations,
there will be none left alive. As it is written, "that nation or
kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish." "Those nations shall
be utterly wasted away;" consequently, the nations left, who are not
totally destroyed will be anxious to be governed by the laws of Zion.
Hence there will be an organization before the winding-up scene that
will control the nations politically, giving them the privilege of
remaining in their own land if they choose to do so, but subject to
the laws of Zion.

Vol. 19,  p.13
I will not, however, confine the future organizations of the Church of
God to the political matters of the nations. There is to be a more
perfect organization between the living and the dead of all former
dispensations, which organization is just as necessary as that which
exists among the living, on this side of the grave. This organization
will be fully completed, at a certain period, pointed to by the
Prophet Daniel, who says, that he saw in a night vision, and beheld
until the Ancient of Days came; and he describes his great and
glorious appearance: his face was like a flaming fire, and the hair of
his head was white as wool; his chariots were like unto chariots of
fire, and thousand thousands ministered unto him and ten thousand
times ten thousand stood before him; and the books were opened. And
many things are to be accomplished when this great general assembly of
immortal beings come from heaven, communicating with those who are
mortal here upon the earth. In other words, every man in that immortal
host, among those that shall come down from heaven, and every man
among the mortal host will understand his place and calling in this
great, grand organization of the Ancient of Days; and you will find no
unbroken links there. The Ancient of Days is the father of all; he is
our first progenitor, and when he shall reveal himself, to set in
order all of his righteous sons and daughters, he will not forget
those who have already passed through former dispensations. Every
dispensation will be connected; and the last dispensation of the
fullness of times will have given to them the keys and powers,
knowledge, and understanding, and revelations to know how to weld
every link, in order that the entire chain may be completed and made
perfect.

Vol. 19,  p.13
Moreover let us now come back to the living. We are commanded to build
Temples? Why? what is the great object of building Temples in this
dispensation? It is to effect the accomplishment of the very work I
have hinted at; the very work of organization that must be completed,
by the time the Ancient of Days shall come; the very work that must
[p.14] be introduced, that the children may be more perfectly
connected with the fathers of all the former dispensations; and that
the Saints of all former dispensations may understand the work that is
being done by their children on their behalf, so that when the heavens
shall reveal them, they will find things ready to receive them. Before
that time, I have no doubt, the generation will have passed away that
were living in 1829; but all things will be added to those revelations
that the Lord gave to that generation, namely, the records of the
ancient Nephites; they existed in great numbers and are of great
importance, records kept by their Kings, records of the history of the
Nephites for over a thousand years, records of their proceedings and
of the things that God had revealed to them, records that were secret,
and not permitted to come forth in the days of weakness, records that
revealed all things from the foundation of the world to the end
thereof, records that were kept when Jesus administered to the
Nephites, the ninety-ninth part of which was not written by Mormon,
all of which are to come forth. What for? To teach the Latter-day
Saints how to organize, how to be prepared for the things that are
coming. Then we will know something about what is termed the United
Order, when we get hold of these records of the experience of the
Nephites for 165 years in the Order; the experience of the people of
this great western hemisphere, from the northern to the southern
extremily; they will have left some records of their acts and doings
that cannot fail to be of great worth to the people of these latter
times.

Vol. 19,  p.14
But first, says the Lord, "I will try my people; I will perfect them;
I will see whether they will be obedient to my commandments; I will
reveal to them little by little; I will give them line upon line; I
will impart a little light upon this subject and upon the other
subject: and if my people shall enquire of me, in relation to these
things, then I will teach them still more, giving them another line
and another precept, I will issue forth another commandment; but if
they do not inquire of me, and their hearts be found full of
covetousness, and they feel in their hearts to slight these things
which I have given to them, then I will withhold the greater
information; I will not let them know the law which I gave to the
ancient Nephites; I will withhold many things calculated to benefit
them, until they learn the things that they are already taught. But
when they become obedient students, obedient men and women of God,
obedient to my commandments, hearkening to the voice of my servants,
giving heed to the whisperings of my spirit, doing away with
covetousness, then I will reveal more; I will introduce more and more
of the principles of the United Order, necessary to govern the people,
and to prepare them for the great day of the Lord, which is to come.

Vol. 19,  p.14
In the beginning of the dispensation it is necessary that there should
be chosen vessels, raised up on purpose to bear witness of the things
of God, to lay the foundation, and to establish the Gospel in the
earth. To do this, it is necessary that these witnesses, though
inexperienced, should receive revelations and administration of
angels, that they may testify, that there may be sufficient evidence,
or sufficient number of witnesses sent forth, that the Lord may be
justified, in the great day of judgment, in judging the people. But
how dangerous it is for people to see heavenly visions, and receive
the ministration of angels in their [p.15] ignorance. How dangerous
for people in their ignorance to obey the Gospel! Yet shall we say
that they shall not obey it, because they are very ignorant? No. Let
them step forth with all their hearts and obey the Gospel, that they
may be put in possession of the Holy Ghost; then if they will seek to
cultivate their minds, cherishing that Spirit in their hearts and
developing every principle of righteousness, and doing away every
iniquitous practice, they shall receive more and more of the Holy
Spirit, with its gifts. So in regard to these heavenly manifestations.

Vol. 19,  p.15
In the year 1829 Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris were
chosen as witnesses to behold the angel of God; to behold the plates
in the hands of the angel; to gaze upon the ancient engravings, and to
hear the voice of the Lord, at the same time, proclaiming to them,
that the plates had been translated correctly, and commanding them to
bear record of the same to all peoples, nations and tongues, to whom
the work should be sent.

Vol. 19,  p.15
Now this was truly a great manifestation. But who was Oliver Cowdery?
who was David Whitmer? who was Martin Harris? Poor, weak, frail men;
two of them quite young, one of middle age. They had but very little
experience; they knew nothing about the arrangement of the
organization of the Priesthood, as we now know; they had no Teachers
to visit them from week to week. Yet in the midst of all this
ignorance, what a glorious manifestation they received from heaven!
They lacked experience; they had not been prepared as Joseph was. He
was prepared by a series of years of experience, in beholding visions
and angels.

Vol. 19,  p.15
In the year 1823 the angel first came to him, telling him about the
plates, also telling him that he would return one year afterwards,
when he would give him further instruction. Why this delay? why not
commit to his charge the plates at once? It was because of his want of
experience. It is true, he had previously received a heavenly vision
some four years before, in which he had seen the face of God, the
Father. But he lacked all other qualifications; he was left more or
less to himself, and the angel was determined to impart to him
experience, year after year, for the space of four years; during
which, whenever Joseph needed chastisement he received it at the
appointed time; his failings were corrected; he was shown wherever he
had erred; and he was taught what to do: he was instructed little by
little, until he learned, by practice, to do the will of God. Then the
sacred records were committed to him; but not so with the three
witnesses referred to, and hence they kept not the holy commandments
as they ought to have done. They had too much knowledge for their
limited experience. You recollect what the Lord has said upon this
subject—Where much is given, much is required; and where but little is
given, but little is required. Much was given to these three
witnesses, and much was required at their hands. Hence a sin that they
might commit would throw them into tenfold more darkness than any man
who had never seen so great things. This accounts for their apostacy,
not for their denying the truth, for they never did that; they held
fast to the truth; they declared that the Book of Mormon was true and
never denied their testimony. It is not a matter of mere faith with
them; they knew it. But how great is the darkness in them that sin
against so much light! The Lord told us,[p.16] when we were living in
the State of New York, to go to the Ohio; there to build a Temple to
the name of the Most High. And there the Lord condescended to bestow
upon his servants and people a great endowment, a blessing such as was
not known among the children of men. And from thence they should go
the nations of the earth and publish these things. We went to the
Ohio; and after we had been sufficiently taught and instructed, the
Lord commanded us through Joseph, to build a Temple, giving the
pattern thereof, and the size thereof, the size of the inner and outer
courts, the size of the several rooms and apartments, and the form of
the pulpits and everything pertaining to it, was given by the
inspiration of the Almighty that rested upon Joseph, and upon those
associated with him.

Vol. 19,  p.16
When the Temple was built, the Lord did not see proper to reveal all
the ordinances of the Endowments, such as we now understand. He
revealed little by little. No rooms were prepared for washings; no
special place prepared for the anointings, such as you understand, and
such as you comprehend at the period of the history of the Church!
Neither did we know the necessity of the washings, such as we now
receive. It is true, our hands were washed, our faces and our feet.
The Prophet Joseph was commanded to gird himself with a towel, doing
this in the Temple. What for? That the first Elder might witness to
our Father and God, that we were clean from the blood of that wicked
generation, that then lived. We had gone forth according to our best
ability, to publish glad tidings of great joy, for thousands of miles,
upon this continent. After this we were called in, and this washing of
hands and feet was to testify to God that we were clean from the blood
of this generation. The holy anointing was placed upon the heads of
his servants, but not the full development of the Endowments in the
anointing. These administrations in the Kirtland Temple were revealed,
little by little, corresponding with what I have already been saying,
that the Lord does not give the fullness at once, but imparts to us
according to his own will and pleasure. Great were the blessings
received. We were commanded to seek to behold the face of the Lord; to
seek after revelation; to seek after the spirit of prophecy, and the
gifts of the Spirit; and many testify to what they saw. But yet they
were inexperienced; they had not proven themselves in their religion
long enough. They obtained blessings greater than some of them were
prepared to receive. They perhaps might have been faithful if they had
exercised the agency which God gave them. But how easily are mankind
toppled first this way, then that way, and are led astray, even after
the heavens were opened and chariots and horses of fire, as well as
angels were seen: still many of these brethren apostatized.

Vol. 19,  p.16
Now perhaps some of you may say, "Withhold these things; do not send
angels; do not bestow the gifts of prophecy, if by being so blessed we
are in danger of apostatizing from our religion." This is the other
extreme; on the other hand, we are commanded to seek the face of the
Lord always, that we may possess our souls in patience. Again, about
three years after the organization of the Church, the Lord gave a
revelation contained in the Doctrine and Covenants, saying, "It shall
come to pass that every soul that comes to me, obeys my commandments,
and hearkens to my [p.17] voice, and calls upon my name shall see my
face, and know that I am." He has ordained that in his holy House, in
a Temple built to his name, these great blessings shall be made
manifest to his servants and people. He has told us also the
privileges of these two Priesthoods. The privilege of the lesser
Priesthood is to see angels. How should they seek after this blessing?
By merely praying, and acting dishonestly, full of covetousness, and
all manner of evils clinging about us because of our traditions? Is
this the way to seek for so great blessings? It is by giving heed to
the instructions and laws that pertain to the teaching of this lesser
Priesthood; and when this is done, we may claim the ministrations of
holy angels.

Vol. 19,  p.17
Again, what are the promises made to the high Priesthood of the order
of the Son of God? We are told, in the revelation given on the 22d and
23d days of September, 1832, that without the ordinances of this high
Priesthood the power of godliness could not he made manifest to men in
the flesh. For, says the revelation, "Without this Priesthood, no man
can behold the face of God the Father and live." Again, says the
revelation, "this Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in
the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people, that
they might behold the face of God. But they hardened their hearts, and
could not endure his presence."

Vol. 19,  p.17
Here then we perceive that one blessing of this high Priesthood is to
behold the face of God the Father and live. And this blessing is, not
merely for the persons holding the Priesthood, not merely for those
who have been ordained, after the order of the Son of God; but every
one that keeps "my commandments and obeys my voice," etc. This is the
privilege of the whole Church; it is the privilege of all the people
of God, to sanctify themselves, to be obedient to his laws, and to
behold his face, not only the face of Jesus, but of God the Father,
and still live.

Vol. 19,  p.17
What means, says one, that passage in the Book of Moses, where the
Lord, speaking to Moses, says, "Thou canst not see my face: for there
shall no man see me and live," etc. This very passage is explained by
new revelation. The Lord at that time became angry with the children
of Israel, and he decreed that no man of that whole congregation
should behold his face at that time. Hence the Lord said to Moses,
"Thou shalt not behold my face as at other times." How plain that
little sentence of new revelation is, showing that Moses had, at other
times, enjoyed that privilege, and that it was the privilege of the
Children of Israel to become sanctified, and to behold the face of
God; but at that time, in consequence of their wickedness, he in his
anger, forbade them that privilege. Soon after, he made a decree that
all that congregation should be left without this privilege, and he
took his presence away from them, because of their transgressions and
rebellions, that, had not the Lord withdrawn his presence from them,
they might have been totally destroyed. The Lord desired to remember
his covenants with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; for he promised them that
he would bring up their seed to the promised land; and in order that
he might do this he determined not to go up in their midst; for should
he do so, he might break forth upon them, and utterly destroy them.

Vol. 19,  p.18
Now we have a promise given to us, that when we are redeemed, and
[p.18] permitted to return to our promised land, his presence shall go
with us.

Vol. 19,  p.18
We have a promised land, as well as Israel. The Lord said, on the 2d
of January, 1831, "And I hold forth and deign to give unto you greater
riches, even a land of promise, a land flowing with milk and honey,
upon which there shall be no curse when the Lord comes:

Vol. 19,  p.18
"And I will give it unto you for the land of your inheritance, if you
will seek it with all your hearts:

Vol. 19,  p.18
"And this shall be my covenant with you, ye shall have it for the land
of your inheritance, and for the inheritance of your children forever,
while the earth shall stand, and ye shall possess it again in
eternity, no more to pass away." Here, then, was a covenant made, that
the Latter-day Saints should have for their particular portion a
promised land. We were commanded to purchase the land for the time
being; for it was to be signally our land of promise, and our
children's land of promise, while the earth should stand, and then
they should have it to all eternity.

Vol. 19,  p.18
We are at present cast out of that land, the same as the Israelites
were in the land of Egypt, being away from their promised land. We are
here in these mountain valleys. It is a goodly land which the Lord has
pointed out for us. We are making preparation for our great redemption
to go back to the promised land, the same as the Israelites are to
gather back to their promised land. And a further promise is made unto
us, in this connection, that when the time shall come, the Lord will
raise up a man like unto Moses who shall deliver this people out of
bondage, the same as the children of Israel, their fathers, were
delivered. And he tells us that he will do this with a mighty hand and
an outstretched arm. And he also says, that his angels shall go before
us, and also his presence. Here then is a promise made to the
Latter-day Saints, that the presence of the Lord, as well as his
angels, should go before their camp.

Vol. 19,  p.18
I mention these things to show you what the Lord intends to bestow
upon you, that your hearts may not faint, while encountering the
trials of reclaiming the desert country; that you in the midst of
difficulties and tribulations may still have faith in regard to the
promises of the future.

Vol. 19,  p.18
In another revelation given in an early period of the history of the
Church, the Lord commanded his people to build unto him a House,
promising that if they built a house unto his name, according to the
commandment and pattern which should be given, and providing they
suffered no unclean thing to enter it, so that it should not be
defiled, the Lord himself would appear in it; his presence would be
there; his glory would be there; and all that should go into that
House, who were pure in heart, should see him. Here then you perceive
that there are certain places appointed, and certain provisions to be
complied with before the face of the Lord can be seen. He has said
that his people are always to build unto his name a house. What for?
That his name might be there; that his angels might be there; that his
presence might be there; and that there the fullness of the holy
Priesthood might be more fully revealed, and that there all the
ordinances might be performed, that were ordained from before the
foundation of the world. This is the object of Temples. It is to
connect the children to the fathers: it is to bring about an
organization between the living and [p.19] the dead. It is seen that
when the seventh angel shall sound his trumpet, preparatory to the
coming of the Son of Man; when the Saints shall receive their
inheritances and be made equal with him, they, the dead, as well as
the living, receive their inheritances; that will be a perfect
organization. When Adam, and Enoch, and his Zion, and all the
righteous men before the flood, and all the holy patriarchs and
Prophets of the eastern and western Continents, men who lived on the
earth as strangers and pilgrims, but who through the eye of faith were
permitted to behold, that in the dispensation of the fullness of
times, all things would be gathered in one that were in Christ, even
all things which are in heaven and which are on the earth; I say that
when all these receive their inheritances, this will be an
organization that takes hold of eternity, that takes hold of the
children of God in all ages, that unites all dispensations in one,
that brings all the kingdoms. and authorities, and powers, of all
other dispensations, and unites them in one; and upon whom knowledge
like a flood will be poured out even upon the vast congregations of
the Church of the First Born, the living and the dead, for the dead
will then be living.

Vol. 19,  p.19
Ought not these things, Latter-day Saints, to stimulate every
individual to be diligent in the work given him to do, lest he fall
out by the way; lest his crown be taken front him and placed upon the
head of another; lest the talent he may have hidden in the earth be
taken from him and be given to him that hath more abundantly? How
diligent we should be! How faithful in the performance of our several
callings, and how willing to hearken to the counsels and instructions
of those placed over us? By and by we will have Temples, with a great
many things contained in them which we now have not; for with them, as
with all other things, the Lord begins little by little; he does not
reveal everything all at once. He gave the pattern of these things in
Kirtland, Ohio, as the beginning; but there were not rooms for the
washings, no rooms such as we have now, and such as were prepared in
the Nauvoo Temple; and in other respects, there was something added to
the Nauvoo Temple. Why; Because we had greater experience, and were
prepared for greater things. There was no font in the basement story
of the Kirtland Temple, for baptismal purposes in behalf of the dead?
Why not! Because that principle was not revealed. But in the Nauvoo
Temple this font was prepared, which was something in advance of the
Kirtland Temple. We have, of late, constructed a Temple at St. George.
Blessings have been administered in that Temple, that were totally
unknown in the two former Temples, namely, endowments for the dead.
Again, by and by, we build a Temple in Jackson County, Missouri. Will
it be built according to the pattern of our present Temples? No. There
will be, according to the progress of this people, and the knowledge
they receive, and the greatness of the work that is before them, many
things, pertaining to the pattern, that will then be given, which will
differ materially, or will be, at least, in addition to that which is
in these Temples now built. I think if you will go and search in the
Church Historian's office, you will find a plan of a Temple, that is
to be built in Jackson County, which will be very different from the
little Temples we now build. By and by [p.20] there will be a Temple
built at Jerusalem. Who do you think is going to build it? You may
think that it will be the unbelieving Jews who rejected the Savior. I
believe that that which is contained on the 77th page of the Book of
Mormon, as well as in many other places, in that same book, will be
literally fulfilled. The Temple at Jerusalem will undoubtedly be
built, by those who believe in the true Messiah. Its construction will
be, in some respects different from the Temples now being built. It
will contain the throne of the Lord, upon which he will, at times,
personally sit, and will reign over the house of Israel for ever. It
may also contain twelve other thrones, on which the twelve ancient
Apostles will sit, and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. It will,
very likely, have an apartment, with a table, on which food and drink
will be prepared, such as are suitable to the taste and happiness of
immortal resurrected beings, thus fulfilling the words of Jesus—"Ye
that have followed me in the regeneration shall eat and drink at my
table, and sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of
Israel." Amen.

Joseph F. Smith, April 2, 1877

Belief and Knowledge—Personal Knowledge 
Indispensable—Possession of the Holy Ghost Necessary 
to the Knowledge of the Truth—How to Obtain the Holy Ghost—
His Office—the Enmity of the World Towards the Prieshood 
An Evidence of Its Divine Authority—Always Was and 
Always Will Be So—Conditions Upon Which 
Blessings Are to Be Obtained, or Lost

Discourse By Elder Joseph F. Smith, Delivered in 
the Tabernacle, at St. George, Sunday, April 2, 1877.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.20
During the time I may occupy, I desire to express my feelings with
regard to my faith in the Gospel, and the great latter-day work in
which we are all more or less engaged, that you as well as my brethren
may know how I stand before God and man.

Vol. 19,  p.20
I was born in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but not
under the sealing covenant; that principle was revealed to this Church
subsequent to my birth. I have been reared in the midst of the people
called Latter-day Saints, receiving most of my limited education in
their society, and that during my childhood under the guidance of my
mother. Since the age of 15 years, I have been engaged more or less in
[p.21] the ministry, and have received instruction through having the
counsels and teachings of the servants of God, as you all have; but
some, perhaps, have not enjoyed this priviledge to so great an extent
as others who have been less abroad. In my childhood I learned to
believe the Gospel, and in the divine mission and calling of the
Prophet Joseph Smith, in the visitation of the angel Moroni, in the
establishment of the kingdom of God on the earth, and also in the
gathering together of the people of the Lord, and many important
things connected with this great latter-day work.

Vol. 19,  p.21
On my first mission I began to learn something for myself; I had
hitherto believed the testimonies of the servants of God whom I had
heard converse and preach, as well as the instructions I received from
a most kind and affectionate mother, as also what I could comprehend
through reading the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and
the Bible. But in the ministry, where I labored earnestly, I began to
comprehend more fully, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit,
what I had read and been taught, and so they became in my mind
established facts, of which I was as absolutely certain as I was of my
own existence; and from the beginning of my experience as an Elder in
the Church until the present, if there has been a moment in my life
when I have doubted the divinity and truthfulness of these things, it
has escaped my notice, and it is to-day as much a matter of fact with
me, as it is that I live.

Vol. 19,  p.21
I long ago learned to prize the principles of the Gospel, as of far
greater importance than all earthly things; they are of more value
than this present life, for without the Gospel it is valuless, the
grand object and purpose of life being attainable only through being
obedient unto the Gospel.

Vol. 19,  p.21
A saying of the Savior is here forced upon my mind, "For what shall it
profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?
or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Again, "I am the
door, by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved," but only upon
this plan can he be saved.

Vol. 19,  p.21
By the principles of the Gospel, as revealed through the Prophet
Joseph Smith, we are privileged to secure unto ourselves the gift of
eternal life, which is the greatest gift of God. Without these
principles we are as the dumb animal, so far as relates to the
knowledge of God, for our fathers were unable to teach us, they knew
no more of the ways of God, or the plans of salvation, than the
children, notwithstanding their boasted enlightenment and their
possession of the holy Scriptures. They were not acquainted with the
principles of life, they knew not the law of the Lord, and neither did
we until we received and obeyed the Gospel, thereby obtaining heavenly
light through the channel of the Priesthood. Before this we were as
they were, clinging to dead forms, puzzled to divine the meaning of
many things which under the light of inspiration have become plain and
easy to be understood. "And this is life eternal, that they might know
thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent."

Vol. 19,  p.21
It behooves the Latter-day Saints, and all men, to make themselves
acquainted with "the only true God, and Jesus whom he hath sent." But
can we through our own wisdom find out God? Can we by our unaided
ingenuity and learning fathom his purposes and comprehend his will? We
have, I think, witnessed examples [p.22] enough of such efforts on the
part of the intelligent world, to convince us that it is impossible.
The ways and wisdom of God are not as the ways and wisdom of man. How
then can we know "the only true and living God, and Jesus Christ whom
he has sent?" for to obtain this knowledge would be to obtain the
secret or key to eternal life. It must be through the Holy Ghost,
whose office is to reveal the things of the Father to man, and to bear
witness in our hearts of Christ, and him crucified and risen from the
dead. There is no other way or means of attaining to this knowledge.
How shall we obtain the Holy Ghost? The method or manner is clearly
marked out. We are told to have faith in God, to believe that he is,
and that he is a rewarder of all who diligently seek him; to repent of
our sins, subdue our passions, follies, and improprieties; to be
virtuous, honest, and upright in all our dealings one with another,
and enter into covenant with God that we will from thenceforth abide
in the principles of truth, and observe the commandments which he has
given us, then to be baptized for the remission of our sins, by one
having authority; and when this ordinance of the Gospel is complied
with, we may receive the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of
the hands of those clothed with the authority of the Priesthood. Thus
the Spirit and power of God—the Comforter, may be in us as a well of
water springing up unto everlasting life. He will bear record of the
Father, testify of Jesus, and "take of the things of the Father and
reveal them unto us," confirming our faith, establishing us in the
truth, that we shall be no longer tossed to and fro by every wind of
doctrine; but shall "know of the doctrine" whether it be of God or of
man. This is the course—it is simple, reasonable, and consistent. Who
is there with common abilities that can fail to see, or comprehend it?
Indeed, in the language of the Scriptures, it is so plain, that "the
wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err therein."

Vol. 19,  p.22
Having entered into this covenant being cleansed from sin, and
endowed, with the gift of the Holy Ghost, why should we not abide in
the truth, continuing steadfast before God and firm in the great work
he has established on the earth? We should never cease to serve Him,
nor thwart his mercy and goodness towards us; but ever live so that
the Holy Spirit may be within us as a living spring, calculated to
lead us to perfection in righteousness, virtue, and integrity before
God, until we accomplish our earthly mission, performing every duty
that may be required at our hands.

Vol. 19,  p.22
In this way I have learned the Gospel which I was first taught to
believe, which belief is now superseded by knowledge. For now I know
that God lives, and that Jesus Christ was sent into the world to atone
for the original sin, and also for the actual transgressions of
mankind, inasmuch as they themselves will repent of their sins and
humble themselves before Him in their pursuit of the gift and blessing
of eternal life. We should not be satisfied with the testimony alone
of our brethren. It is well and good, it is indeed encouraging and
cheering to the heart to hear the testimonies of the servants of
God,—to believe that God has raised up men in this dispensation and
made them witnesses of Him and his Son Jesus. and who have been shown
the mysteries of heavenly things, and commanded to bear record of what
they saw and heard; yes, it is a joy to the soul to have men among us
who are [p.23] inspired by the Holy Spirit and full of the light of
truth and of the power of God, bearing their testimony unto us that
this is the work of God, that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ—the
Savior of the world, and that he has spoken to the inhabitants of the
earth in the day in which we live, but is this sufficient to satisfy
me? No. It will not suffice me to believe that you know the true and
living God, etc. I must receive this knowledge for myself as you have
received it. Is not the way open to me to comprehend the purposes and
the will of God concerning my salvation, as to you? Certainly it is.
It is for all, yea, every son and daughter of Adam to learn the will
of God, to receive the testimony of the Spirit for him and herself,
and not to depend alone upon the testimonies of these good men that
God has raised up to fill the positions they occupy. And if we should
pin our faith to them, although we might realize consolation and even
joy and satisfaction in hearing their testimonies, yet, unless we
receive the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the time will undoubtedly
come when the winds will blow and the storms beat upon the house, we
thus may build and it will fall. What a deplorable condition we would
then find ourselves in!

Vol. 19,  p.23
Is it not necessary for all to be capable of judging as to whether the
testimonies of these men are of God or man? How can we know that what
they testify of, is true? how can we know that they bear witness of
the Almighty, or that they possess the holy Priesthood authorizing
them to minister in the ordinances of the Gospel? I answer, only by
and through the inspiration of that Holy Spirit which is given to all
who diligently seek and obtain it according to the promise.

Vol. 19,  p.23
Then if we would know the Lord Jesus Christ, and his servants, who are
in our midst, and that their testimonies are true, we must enjoy the
light of the Spirit of the living God individually. The possession of
this heavenly knowledge is absolutely necessary to keep us in the
paths of life and truth, for without it we cannot distinguish the
voice of the true shepherd, which is spiritually discerned; and
although we may be in fellowship with the Church, fully believing the
counsels of our brethren to be dictated by wisdom, yet without
something more than mere belief or supposition we cannot stand; and
furthermore under such circumstances we cannot consistently claim that
we have part or lot in the kingdom of God. For as it is written, "An
actual knowledge to any person, that the course of life which he
pursues is according to the will of God, is essentially necessary to
enable him to have that confidence in God without which no person can
obtain eternal life. For unless a person does know that he is walking
according to the will of God, it would be an insult to the dignity of
the Creator were he to say that he would be a partaker of his glory
when he should be done with the things of this life. But when he has
this knowledge, and most assuredly knows that he is doing the will of
God, his confidence can be equally strong that he will be a partaker
of the glory of God. Then let us search after truth—for the light of
the Spirit which leadeth into all truth, that we may comprehend the
Gospel, be able to sustain the hands of the servants of God in their
efforts to build up Zion, and work out, our own salvation. Though all
the world should be saved but ourselves, we being excluded from the
kingdom, what will it profit us? To see our [p.24] fellow-creatures
enter into salvation and be exalted into the presence of God, and the
door closed against us, would indeed be poor consolation or comfort.
But if we would enter in, we must do the will of the Father, keep his
commandments, possess the gift of the Holy Ghost, enjoy the testimony
of Jesus, and become witnesses of the truth for ourselves; we then may
build upon a foundation more lasting than the solid rock. That when
trials come and temptations surge against us, as they will do, we may
stand and endure to the end. For not every one that saith Lord, Lord,
shall enter into the kingdom, but he that doeth the will of the
Father, etc.; or, as the wise man once said, "the race is not to the
swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise,
nor yet, riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of
skill." Nevertheless, "he that endureth to the end shall be saved." I
cannot believe for a moment that any of us will attain to the gift of
eternal life, unless we shall qualify ourselves through the truth, in
the manner God has prescribed, and in that way become worthy of it. We
most obtain this light by revelation, we cannot do it by our own
wisdom. God will give us knowledge and understanding, he will lead us
in the path of truth if we put our whole trust in him and not in man.
He then can and will preserve us, and all the powers of the earth
combined cannot destroy us, for we are in His hands. Here are our
fathers and leaders that have passed through the school of experience;
they have seen what the enemies of this kingdom have tried to do, and
know full well what they would do if they had it in their power. It
has ever been the desire of the wicked to destroy the people of God.
They have never slackened their efforts, nor failed to use all the
means in their power, nor hesitated to resort to the most cruel, foul
and fiendish acts to accomplish their nefarious purpose. This same
cruel enmity, although for the time being, to some extent subdued or
held in check by the Almighty, still smoulders and rankles in their
hearts, awaiting a favorable opportunity to burst forth as fiercely as
at any time during the life of the Prophet Joseph. This is one of the
strongest evidences we can have of the divine mission of President
Brigham Young. Because of the inspiration of the Almighty and power of
God which has rested upon him and accompanied his administrations, he
has been the very centre of the target at which all the deadly weapons
of the enemy has been aimed ever since the death of the Prophet
Joseph. I say this is one of the strongest evidences we can have of
this fact, aside from the testimony of the Holy Spirit, which bringeth
knowledge. It is unmistakable. The hatred of the wicked always has and
always will follow the Priesthood and the Saints. The devil will not
lose sight of the power of God vested in man—the Holy Priesthood. He
fears it, he hates it, and will never cease to stir up the hearts of
the debased and corrupt in anger and malice towards those who hold
this power, and to persecute the Saints, until he is bound. He
delights in apostacy and in apostates, and uses them for his purpose,
but what does he or his emissaries care for their organizations? Do
they hate them? Is the world moved with anger or malice against them?
No. They become a part of the world, fraternize with the people of the
world and lose their distinction or identity, as the people of God
notwithstanding their [p.25] claims and pretentions to being believers
in the Prophet Joseph Smith, and the Gospel which he was instrumental
in restoring to the earth.

Vol. 19,  p.25
What a host of apostacies there have been since the organization of
this Church! There have been Rigdonites, Strangites, Benemites,
Wightites, Gladdenites, Cutlerites, Morrisites, Josephites, and the
duce knows what ites? But what does the world care about these?
Nothing. Why? Because they have forfeited the Priesthood, they have
not the power, nor the principles of salvation only in part; they have
deserted the cause, have struck hands alike with the infidel and the
bigot, and formed an alliance with the maligners and persecutors of
the Saints, and therefore they are harmless in the eyes of he world
and of their master whom they have blindly listed to serve. While
these men who hold the keys of the Priesthood of the Son of God, who
have lead forth the Saints out of bondage and oppression, such as
could not be endured in the States, who have gathered the people from
afar, and planted them in happy homes and peaceful dwellings, who have
reared cities, towns and villages well organized, well governed and
prosperous, and in short wrought miracles in the deserts, and who
still counsel and direct the Saints in the paths of life, are held up
to the ridicule and contempt of the world. Their peace, good names,
honor, possessions and lives as eagerly and persistently sought after,
but with less effect, by the blood-thirsty hearts and crimson hands of
relentless persecutors as during the lifetime of Joseph Smith the
martyr, when the Saints were driven from Ohio, expelled from Missouri,
or banished from their homes in Illinois. Such has always been and
such is to-day the spirit of the world towards us. This alone is
sufficient evidence to demonstrate the loyalty of this people to the
kingdom of God, and their possession of the Gospel which is the power
of God unto salvation. Do you want any stronger proof of this, when
you contemplate the sayings of the Scriptures, "If ye were of the
world the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the
world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world
hateth you." (John xv, 19.) "And ye shall be hated of all men for my
names sake." (Matt. x, 22. "If they have persecuted me they will also
persecute you." (John xv, 20.) "In the world ye shall have
tribulation." John xvi, 33.) "Blessed are ye when men shall revile
you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely
for my sake." (Matt. v, 11.) "Yea and all that will live godly in
Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." (2 Tim., 3, 12.) Therefore,
"Marvel not my brethren if the world hate you." (I John iii, 13.) "Yea
the time cometh that whoever killeth you will think that he doeth God
service.', (John xvi, 2.) This was the nature of the legacy the Savior
left his disciples and followers. Is it strange that we should inherit
the same? Certainly not, if we are the disciples and followers of
Christ, for the same warfare continues between him and Belial, and
will until Satan is bound and righteousness triumphs upon the earth.

Vol. 19,  p.25
It is a consolation therefore to know, that, notwithstanding our many
shortcomings, frailties, and imperfections, the Evil one, with the
world at his back, considers us of sufficient importance to oppose and
persecute us with such bitter hatred as he does. Yes, I say it is
encouraging to know, that, as a people we are sufficiently faithful
and worthy before the Lord,[p.26] notwithstanding our opportunities
for improvement, to arouse the indignation and hatred of the wicked,
and to entitle us to the chastisement of God, through his servants,
for our improprieties, for "whomsoever the Lord loveth he chasteneth."
But we should not provoke the displeasure or incur the chastisement of
the Almighty—presuming upon his forbearance and mercy by neglecting to
perform those duties and responsibilities so justly required of us—but
we should be most diligent, putting forth every energy in our power to
correct our ways, and thus increase our faith that we may become more
worthy of the blessings and protection of God, than hitherto. He is
more willing to bestow blessings upon us than we are to use them
properly when we obtain them, thus by our unworthiness we may prevent
ourselves often from receiving the very blessings we desire, and that
he is not only abundantly able, but willing and ready to shower upon
us if we were worthy, for he cannot consistently bestow "pearls upon
swine." No blessing or good will be withheld from those who are
prepared and worthy to receive and make a wise use of it. The kingdom
of God is to be enjoyed by the Saints—those who are righteous, not
those who are wicked. If we prove unworthy, Zion will have to be
redeemed by our children, who may be more worthy, while we may be
kept, like the ancient children of Israel, wandering in the
wilderness, enduring hardships, persecution and trials, until we shall
have suffered the penalty of neglected, not to say broken and
unfulfilled covenants.

Vol. 19,  p.26
May the Lord bless us all that we may prove ourselves faithful and
efficient servants unto him, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Charles C. Rich, May 12, 1877

Saints Should Be Whole-Hearted—Seek First the 
Kingdom—the Latter-Day Work a Revelation—Joseph Smith 
Illiterate—Our Agency Accepts or Rejects—Love of the Truth 
Proved More By Example Than Precept—An Important Generation

Discourse By Elder Charles C. Rich, Delivered in the New 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Saturday Afternoon, May 12, 1877.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.26
I am glad to enjoy the opportunity of meeting with the Latter-day
Saints in this Tabernacle in Conference, under circumstances so
favorable. I have been much interested in listening to the
instructions we [p.27] have heard this day. They are words of
encouragement to the faithful, they strengthen the weak, they enkindle
within us all the fire that burns yet not consumes; and we are
stimulated to continue in the good fight of faith despite every
opposing power.

Vol. 19,  p.27
We embraced the principles of the everlasting Gospel in various lands,
and we gathered here for the express purpose of learning further of
his ways that we might walk in his paths. It therefore is plain and
easy to understand the great obligation that we have placed ourselves
under, an obligation that becomes the more serious and important as we
count the years of our membership in this Church, and as we have had
opportunity. To become efficient laborers in the kingdom, is that we
learn the mind and will of God concerning us, and then go forth and do
it to the very best of our ability and power. Unless we seek the Lord
with our whole heart, willing to sacrifice all for him and his cause,
we cannot be wholly accepted of him.

Vol. 19,  p.27
We are told by revelation that all blessings are to be enjoyed upon
the principles by which his kingdom can be built up, and upon no
other. It would be in vain for us to imagine that we are going to
enjoy the blessing of the celestial world by adopting any principles
we may choose, or that may be suitable to our own peculiar ideas and
feelings. Then the first lesson for us to learn is how we can best
become acquainted with the wishes of our Father, how we can best use
our time and our talents to subserve the interests of his cause here
upon the earth. We have entered the door of the kingdom, and that is
about all. The actual work we have only commenced, and who cannot see
that it is of the greatest importance that we organize ourselves that
we may the better prosecute our labors! We pray that the will of God
may be done on earth as in heaven. What does it avail us if we do not
seek first the kingdom of God and all its righteousness? And how can
we obey this divine injunction unless we seek in the right and proper
way to establish its principles in our hearts and lives, giving that
kingdom and its government a foundation, a chance to develop itself
into the proportions it eventually will do.

Vol. 19,  p.27
The tendency of mankind generally is to gratify a craving for this
world's goods, adopting such ways as will best secure to them their
heart's desire; this really is their aim and object of life. When we
reflect that we live in this important age, when God our heavenly
Father has again spoken to the children of men, revealing to them his
designs and purposes and the only way to be saved, it is time for us
to awake to a sense of duty and prepare ourselves in all readiness,
for he does not speak in vain; all must be fulfilled even as it is
written, whether we individually take part in it or not.

Vol. 19,  p.27
The Lord will have a people trained in the school of experience until
they shall be prepared to receive him when he shall come to dwell upon
the earth for the space of a thousand years. This we understand; we
have been taught it by divine instruction, and it is for us to be
willing to be taught and to be used in accomplishing the preparatory
work. He has also declared by the voice of his servants whom he has
raised up, and by his own voice, that the wicked and those who delight
in abominations he will overthrow as individuals and as nations; and
in the place [p.28] thereof he will have a righteous people who will
fear and obey him in all things. This has been preached to the world
now for nearly half a century, and we are still declaring it. We know
not how many will hearken to this warning voice, but we do know that
history informs us that Noah preached one hundred and twenty years,
warning the people of threatened judgments, preaching to them the way
of life, with but very little success. The word of the Lord throngh
Noah was verified and fulfilled even as he had declared it.

Vol. 19,  p.28
The words of the Lord were lamentably fulfilled on the heads of his
chosen seed, because they rejected the same Gospel message which was
sent unto them. And the Lord has said that in the last days his word
should be verified as in former times. True, the message might be
lightly esteemed, and they that bear it, as well as those that receive
it, may be set at nought, just in the manner that his word and people
always have been treated by the world of mankind generally.

Vol. 19,  p.28
This Latter-day work has been commenced by an illiterate, unlearned
boy; but like the leaven that was put into the measures of meal, it
has worked until already it attracts not only the attention of men of
high and low birth, but of nations. And although its advocates have,
as a general thing, been persons of humble birth and of limited
education, where has appeared the man that has succeeded in gainsaying
them, and proving false the principles they teach? That individual is
yet to be found; he cannot be found nor never will be, for it is the
truth, we bear the new and the everlasting Gospel which is
incontrovertible. And still, with all this before the world, how few
comparatively hearken to and obey the message! and how many
imperfections we find existing among us! We need careful and gradual
training, to be taught a little now and again; and many times we find
ourselves almost ready to relinquish our hold on eternal life, having
need to be converted again to the truth; and yet we call ourselves
Latter-day Saints.

Vol. 19,  p.28
The question that oft times arrests my attention is, if we receive not
the truth as it is presented to us here, will we be willing to
hereafter? Some people imagine that when we pass from this stage of
our being we shall all be in a condition to receive truth whether we
received or rejected it while upon this earth. It is by reason of our
agency that we reject truth and accept evil; and we will find when we
go hence that we shall still be possessed of the same agency; and if
we were not willing to receive the truth in this world, what assurance
have we that our agency will not lead us to reject truth hereafter. If
Latter-day Saints cannot endure to the end, if they cannot in their
hearts receive as well as practice all of the principles of the Gospel
as they are made known to them by his servants, it is folly in the
extreme for us to allow ourselves to believe that by rejecting certain
principles here we will be able to practice them in the world to come.

Vol. 19,  p.28
We will also find that there are certain things that can be preformed
in this world, that peradventure cannot be attended to anywhere else.
Baptism by immersion is an ordinance essential to salvation; it is the
door to the kingdom and none can be saved without it; and it is an
ordinance that strictly belongs to this life. There are also certain
ordinances essential to our exaltation in our Father's kingdom that
can be performed only in Temples, except in [p.29] certain peculiar
circumstances; and in order that we should derive their benefit we are
called upon to erect these sacred edifices. These are ordinances
all-important in their nature that belong to this life, they must be
attended to here, that we might be prepared to enter upon the duties
of the life to come.

Vol. 19,  p.29
There is one matter that has received a great part of my attention
particularly of late, that is the conforming of my will to the will of
God, not only pertaining to things spiritual but also to things
temporal associated with my every-day life. And it appears to me that
we as a people have now reached that stage of the latter-day work when
this same question is brought right home to the minds of all who claim
membership in the Church and kingdom of God. There is one thing he
will require of us, that is to prove by example as well as precept
that we love him beyond any and everything else; he will require that
we establish beyond a doubt that our affections and hearts are his,
and that to do his bidding and further the interests of his cause is
our greatest and fondest desire.

Vol. 19,  p.29
There seems to be throughout the world a great love for wealth. It is
true that riches oft-times secure ease, comfort and enjoyment. But
then these are indulgences that belong only to this life; as no man
brought anything into the world, so none will take anything away. What
then may we expect to enjoy in the hereafter? Such blessings only as
are secured unto us through the sealing ordinances of the holy
Priesthood which reach behind the veil. While reflecting on this,
would it not be well for us, as Latter-day Saints, to also imagine, if
we can, our feelings if through unworthiness on our part we should
find ourselves in the next world disappointed. I think that when we
consider these things, that compared with our eternal happiness
everything else is small and of little moment.

Vol. 19,  p.29
There is much required at our hands, we have not only to labor for
ourselves, but for our dead friends, whom we shall meet sooner or
later. If when we renew our acquaintance with them we can tell them
that we officiated in the Temple ordinances for them, it will afford
us joy as well as them; but if when we shall meet them we are not the
bearers of such welcome intelligence, feelings of remorse will
overtake us in not having done our duty, when opportunity was afforded
us to do so. These are some of my reflections relative to some of our
present and immediate duties.

Vol. 19,  p.29
I am pleased to say that wherever I go I perceive a willingness on the
part of the people to build Temples, and also to become united in
establishing ourselves upon such a basis as will make us independent
of the surrounding world, producing and manufacturing everything we
need for use and wear, and thus become self-sustaining; so that when
Babylon shall fall we may sustain no loss.

Vol. 19,  p.29
There has never been a generation of time so important as the one in
which we live. Our prospects too are peculiarly and unusually
encouraging, for the Gospel we preach will never be taken away from
the earth, and as long as we prove faithful we will maintain our
rights which God has given us. There is a prospect too of our
posterity living when peace for the space of a thousand years shall be
on this earth, when the Savior and holy beings will visit with men in
the flesh, and then his glory will surround the habitation of the
Saints. I know of no previous dispensation that had such encouraging
and glorious prospects.[p.30] 

Vol. 19,  p.30
Then let me say to the Latter-day Saints, let us practice the
principles of our holy religion, be willing to be directed and used
for the good of our Father's cause, in whatever capacity we may be
placed, and be servants and Saints of God in very deed. And that this
may be our happy lot is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Orson Pratt, May 18, 1877

Prayer By Elder Orson Pratt, on the Occasion of Dedicating 
the Temple Site at Logan, Cache County, Utah, on 
Friday, at 12 M. O'Clock, May 18, 1877.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.30
O God, the Eternal Father, in the name of thy Son Jesus Christ, thy
people and thy servants have met together upon this ground, for the
purpose of dedicating the same unto the Lord our God, for building a
house to thy name, even a Temple, wherein thy servants and thy
handmaidens may receive such blessings as thou hast ordained to be
bestowed upon thy people, that are pure in heart. We desire, our
Father, that we may do this work with holiness of heart, that we may
have the Spirit of the Lord our God to rest upon us, that we may
dedicate and consecrate this place to be most holy—a sacred and holy
place unto thee, whereon may be erected a Temple that shall be
acceptable in thy sight. By virtue and authority of thy holy
Priesthood, we do dedicate and consecrate this Temple site, and its
immediate surroundings. We pray that it may be sanctified, that the
foundation thereof may be steadfast, that it may be permanent, even as
a rock.

Vol. 19,  p.30
We pray that thou wilt bless those who shall labor thereon; those that
shall make the necessary excavation for the basement story; those that
shall quarry the rock, either from the quarries of the mountains or of
the valleys; those who shall be engaged thereon and have the
superintendence of this place; those that shall shape and cut the rock
and prepare them to be placed in their proper places on the building;
those who shall be engaged in drawing the sand, the lime and the clay,
and in working the mortar; and all those that shall be engaged in any
way on the erection of the building, whether in cutting and preparing
the timbers, in quarrying rock, or in whatever work they may be
engaged, pertaining to the building of this Temple, that they may be
preserved by thy power, that thy protection may be over them, that thy
holy angels may be with them, and that they may labor with their
mights upon the edifice, until it shall be finished, until it shall be
prepared for a still further dedication; that it may be built
according to the instructions and inspiration and revelations of thy
[p.31] Holy Spirit, that shall rest more especially upon the First
Presidency of thy Church; that thou wilt reveal to them the pattern of
this building, and all things appertaining to its entire construction,
that the same may be given to them by the inspiration of thy Spirit;
that thou wilt raise up those who shall be skilled workmen to adorn
and beautify the various apartments, and beautify and adorn the
pulpits that shall be made for the various orders and presidents of
thy holy Priesthood, and for all the work that shall be placed upon
this holy Temple; that for strength, and for grandeur, and for beauty,
it may be a house which thou shalt delight in. For, O Lord, we know
that thou hast promised to place thy name in the House that thy people
build to thee, if they shall do the work with holiness of heart. But
thou, O Lord, dwellest in heaven, in thy celestial abode, and thou art
clothed with greatness, glory and power, but yet thou dost condescend
to have holy places here upon the earth, where thou canst more fully
manifest thyself to thy servants and handmaidens. We therefore pray
that the house which thy people shall erect upon this spot may be a
holy place, where the inhabitants of Logan, of Wellsville, of Hyrum,
and of all the towns and counties round about, that shall assist in
the work of building, may be abundantly blessed therein; that it may
be a place, a holy place, a holy sanctuary to them; that those of thy
people who shall seek thee in thy house, and shall offer their prayers
and their supplications to thee, may be heard in heaven, thy dwelling
place, and their petitions be answered to them, according to the
righteousness of their hearts.

Vol. 19,  p.31
We pray that thy blessing may be upon all those upon whom thou hast
laid this duty of erecting this Temple, that they may be stirred up
with great energy and much faith, to devote their means, and their
ability and talents, and all that thou hast given to them, to perform
the work that thou hast, through thy servants, required at their
hands; that they, when it is completed, may have a place in this
House; that they may receive ordinances therein; that it may be a
house wherein they can minister for themselves, in their washings, in
their anointings, in their endowments, in their baptisms for their
dead, in their confirmations, and in their sealing ordinances; that in
all of these things thy people may accomplish the work which is
required of them, in this House; and that records thereof may be kept,
and that there may be a place in thy House for the holy records of thy
Church—records that shall be acceptable in thy sight, records that
shall he most holy, and stand to the justification of thy people who
adminster therein, and those who receive ordinances therein, whether
for themselves or their dead; that out of all these books thy people
may be judged, according to their works, according to that which they
do, in thy name, with uprightness of heart.

Vol. 19,  p.31
Now, holy Father, we ask thee to bless this Temple site, this land on
which this House shall be erected. Bless the elements thereof, that
the same may be sanctified and purified and made holy. Bless the
waters that come down from the mountains, whether they shall be
conveyed in ditches, or aqueducts, or canals, that they may be blessed
and made pure, for the purposes for which they shall be used, in thy
holy Temple. We pray that thou wilt not only bless the place of the
building, but all its [p.32] surroundings; bless this plane or bench,
and the streets around, and the shade trees which are for the purpose
of ornamenting, that thy blessing may be upon them, that they may grow
to beautify the place of this sanctuary, that there may be a place
where thy people shall delight to congregate themselves, and wherein
they shall delight to enter into holy communion in supplication to the
Most High, and to hold holy converse one with another.

Vol. 19,  p.32
May thy blessing be upon all those of thy people who reside in this
county and the surrounding counties, that shall do this work, that
they may be blessed in their basket, and stores—blessed in their
orchards and gardens, in their farms and fruits. Wilt thou, O Lord,
restrain the coldness of the climate, the frosts and the snows, that
they may not fall upon the earth out of season, that the earth may not
fail to yield to thy people rich harvests, that they may reap and
gather in great abundance? May thy blessings be upon all the labors of
their hands, and grant that their flocks may be greatly increased and
multiplied. Wilt thou bless their labors in their endeavors to
beautify their habitations, and in planting out shade trees to make
this a delightful place, upon this thy footstool?

Vol. 19,  p.32
O Lord, bless him whom thou hast inspired, even thy servant, President
Brigham Young, to say to thy people, "Build to the Lord a house in
this part of the Territory." Bless him, O Lord, with long life; bless
him with exceedingly great health and strength of body. Remove from
him all the infirmities of old age. Grant, O Lord, that he may live to
see this House erected, finished and set in order, according to thy
righteous will, that within its walls he may rejoice in the midst of
his brethren, and not only live to see the finishing of this Temple,
but to behold the completion of the Temple to be erected in Salt Lake
City, and the one commenced at Manti, in Sanpete County; that he may
rejoice and be made glad in all thy goodness, and in beholding the
beauty of the works of the hands of thy people, and thy blessings that
shall be in their midst. Bless, O Lord, his generations after him,
that they may rise up and be mighty men in the earth; that they may be
clothed with the power and the spirit, so abundantly manifested upon
their respected father; and may his descendants, in all generations,
enjoy, even more abundantly, superior wisdom and knowledge and
understanding from the heavens, to discern in their several callings
all things which shall tend to the blessing and glory and future
exaltation and progress of mankind on the earth; and that there never
may be a time or period, in all the generations of this world, when he
shall not be represented by a numerous posterity, who shall enjoy the
fullness of the holy Priesthood, and the powers, blessings, and keys
thereof.

Vol. 19,  p.32
Bless, O Lord, his Counselors and the Council of the Twelve Apostles,
and bless all who preside, not only in this Stake of Zion, when it
shall be more fully set in order, but in all the Stakes of Zion
throughout these mountain regions. Bless this whole community, that
they may be prepared to enter into thy House, when it shall be
completed, with clean hands and pure hearts.

Vol. 19,  p.32
May blessings, and heavenly manifestations, and excellency of wisdom,
and fullness of knowledge be the portion of thy Priesthood and of thy
Saints, throughout all their dwelling places, but more especially in
these holy places, appointed and dedicated unto thy great name,
wherein thou [p.33] wilt dwell among thy people forevermore. Hear, O
Lord, these humble petitions of thy people, and mercifully accept the
dedication of this ground, by thy servants. All of which we humbly do,
and ask for, in the name of thy beloved Son, even Jesus Christ. Amen.

Brigham Young, May 18, 1877

Remarks By President Brigham Young, Made at the 
Close of the Foregoing Dedicatory Prayer.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.33
Brethren, if you will give me your attention, I will say a few words
to you. We have dedicated this spot of ground upon which we expect to
erect a Temple, in which to administer the ordinances of the House of
God. Into this house, when it is completed, we expect to enter to
enjoy the blessings of the priesthood, and receive our washings, our
anointings, our endowments, and our sealings; and the brethren will be
sealed to brethren to connect the links and make perfect the chain
from ourselves to Father Adam. This is the object of the Temple which
we are about to commence building at this place. We require the
brethren and the sisters to go to with their might and erect this
Temple; and from the architect to the boy that carries the drinking
water to the men that work on the building, we wish them to understand
that wages are entirely out of the question. We are going to build
this House for ourselves, and we shall expect the brethren and
sisters, neighborhood after neighborhood, ward after ward, to turn out
their proportion of men to come here and labor as they shall be
notified by the proper authorities.

Vol. 19,  p.33
This may be called a temporal work, but it pertains to the salvation
of ourselves as well as our friends who have passed behind the vail,
and also to the generations that are to come after us. We can carry
this Temple forward with our labor, without any burden to ourselves if
our hearts are in the work, and we will be blessed abundantly in doing
so. We will be better off in our temporal affairs when it is completed
than when we commenced, or than we would be if we did not build it.

Vol. 19,  p.33
The time we enjoy is the Lord's, but we have the permission to dictate
its use according to our own good pleasure. When the brethren come to
work on this Temple they may expect to be blessed of the Lord, in
proportion to their faith. We feel to ask the brethren to go to as
they may be called upon by those who shall be placed to take charge of
the work, and complete the building in three years from next fall—I
think it can be done within that time—that[p.34]  we may come up and
commence to give endowments. This work can be done with all ease in
that time if we are disposed to.

Vol. 19,  p.34
We pray for you continually, that you may be blessed. I feel to bless
you according to the power and keys of the holy priesthood bestowed
upon me, and my brethren with me, heart and hand, and all the Saints
feel to say "Amen," feel to bless each other, feel to do the work of
the Lord, and dismiss the narrow, contracted, covetous feelings that
are so interwoven with the feelings of our natures. It seems hard to
get rid of them, but we must overcome them and unite ourselves
together in the holy order of God, that we may be Saints of the Most
High, with our interests, our faith and labors, that our hopes and the
results of our labors may be concentrated in the salvation of the
human family.

Vol. 19,  p.34
Brethren and Sisters, try to realize these things. Awake and lay these
things to heart. Seek to the Lord to know his mind and will, and when
you ascertain it also to have the will to do it.

Vol. 19,  p.34
God bless you, Amen.

John Taylor, May 18, 1877

Remarks By Elder John Taylor, on the Temple Ground.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.34
I feel to rejoice to see the work of God progressing as it is today,
and to witness the spirit and feeling that are being manifested among
the Saints everywhere throughout the Territory for the advancement of
His Church and Kingdom on the earth. In my visit south to attend
Conference, I felt to rejoice exceedingly in seeing the Temple
completed at St. George. It is a most beautiful building, pure and
white as the driven snow, both outside and in. It is elegant in
design, and there is a manifest propriety and adaptability in all its
arrangements. The labor and finish exhibit talent and artistic skill
of the highest order, and it is chaste, exquisite, appropriate, and
beautiful in all its appointments.

Vol. 19,  p.34
Approaching from the north, with the black basaltic lava mountain
frowning on the background, and the grim red sandstone nearer its
base, relieved indeed by the beautiful city of St. George, with its
shrubberies, its gardens and orchards, its vines, its trees and
flowers, it stands as a chaste memorial, a sweet elysium, a haven of
repose, in this beautiful oasis of the desert; and is a proud and
lasting monument of its originator and designer, the fidelity of the
architect, the skill of the mechanics, and the faith, self-denial,
[p.35] liberality and devotion of the Latter-day Saints.

Vol. 19,  p.35
When I visited that holy Temple, accompanied by my brethren who were
with me, we experienced a sacred thrill of joy, and a solemn,
reverential sensation. As we entered its sacred portals, we felt that
we were standing on holy ground, and experienced, with one of old,
"Surely this is the House of God, and the gate of heaven." That is not
simply a metaphorical expression, but a reality, for it is in that
House, and it will be in the House to be built on this ground, that
the most sacred ordinances of God are to be performed, which are
associated with the interest and happiness of the human family, living
and dead. I felt to rejoice in my heart that we had been thus far
successful in the building of one temple to the name of our Father and
God.

Vol. 19,  p.35
On our return from St. George, when we came to Manti, in Sanpete
County, we found a place dedicated and set apart like this ground has
been. Again I felt to rejoice to witness the spirit and feeling that
were manifested among the brethren in that district of country;
everybody seemed desirous to commence the work of building the Temple.
When I heard of the one to be erected here my joy was still greater,
and I am indeed very happy for the privilege of meeting with you, of
taking part in this dedication, of listening to the prayer of Brother
Pratt and the remarks of President Young, all of which were dictated
by the Spirit of the living God, all of which have their meaning, and
ought to influence our hearts and minds, and lead us to take a deep
and abiding interest in the great and important things that are going
on in our midst and around about us. They are things in which the
angels and gods are interested, and in which God our Father is
interested, and all the ancient prophets and holy men of God that have
ever lived; all feel interested in these things which we are now
engaged in, and all stand ready to approve of our works. If we go to
work with all our hearts and with all our souls, we can accomplish it
within the time the President has given us. Yes, I will venture to say
we can do it in two-and-a-half years, instead of three-and-a-half
years. If we can lay aside our narrow, contracted ideas, and feel that
we are servants of the living God, that we are operating and
co-operating with Him and with the holy Priesthood behind the veil for
the accomplishment of this object, then the power and blessing of
Almighty God will be upon us and be within us, and we will feel like
giants refreshed with new wine, and the work of God will roll on, Zion
will arise and shine, and the glory of God will rest upon her.

Vol. 19,  p.35
I say "Amen" to the prayer of Brother Pratt, and to the remarks of
President Young, and I say God bless our President and his Counselors,
God bless the Twelve, and God bless the Presidents and Bishops and
every good man that fears him and keeps his commandments. Amen.[p.36] 

Brigham Young, June 17, 1877

Trying to Be Saints—Treasures of the Everlasting 
Hills—the Hill Cumorah—Obedience to True Principle 
the Key to Knowledge—All Enjoyment Comes From God—
Organization—Duties of Officers—Final Results

Discourse By President Brigham Young, Delivered 
at a Special Conference Held at Farmington, for the Purpose of 
Organizing a Stake of Zion for the County of Davis, on 
Sunday Afternoon June 17, 1877.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.36
I esteem it a privilege to meet with the Latter day Saints. I have
visited Farmington many times, and I can say that, as a general thing
in attending your meetings, I have felt much of the peace and
blessings that flow from heaven to this people.

Vol. 19,  p.36
I have no doubt that the majority of the people called Latter-day
Saints desire really to be Saints; were it not for this I might feel
partially discouraged. The people who are honest, who are seeking to
know and to understand the truth, they are the ones who, so far as
their faith and good works, and their influence and ability are
concerned, sustain the kingdom that God has commenced to establish on
the earth. When we consider the condition of the Latter-day Saints,
and see how many there are who seem to have their eyes fixed upon the
things of this world, things that are not lasting, but that perish in
the handling, and how anxious they are to obtain them, how do you
think I feel about it? We see many of the Elders of Israel desirous of
becoming wealthy, and they adopt any course that they think will bring
them riches, which to me is as unwise as anything can be—to see men of
wisdom, men that seem to have an understanding of the world and of the
things of God, searching after minerals throughout these mountains;
they traverse the hills, and they dig here and there, and keep digging
and picking, and rolling the rocks from morning till night. This chain
of mountains has been followed from the north to the south, and its
various spurs have been prospected, and what do they find? Just enough
to allure them, and to finally lead them from the faith, and at last
to make them miserable and poor. Ask the brethren why they do this,
and the ready reply will be, "Is it not my privilege to find a gold
mine, or a silver mine, as well as others?" As far as I am concerned I
would say, "Yes, certainly it is your privilege, if you can find one."
But do you know how to find such a mine? No, you do not. These
treasures that are in the earth [p.37] are carefully watched, they can
be removed from place to place according to the good pleasure of Him
who made them and owns them. He has his messengers at his service, and
it is just as easy for an angel to remove the minerals from any part
of one of these mountains to another, as it is for you and me to walk
up and down this hall. This, however, is not understood by the
Christian world, nor by us as a people. There are certain
circumstances that a number of my brethren and sisters have heard me
relate, that will demonstrate this so positively, that none need doubt
the truth of what I say.

Vol. 19,  p.37
I presume there are some present who have heard me narrate a
circumstance with regard to the discovery of a gold mine in Little
Cottonwood Cañon, and I will here say that the specimens taken from
it, which I have in my possession today, are as fine specimens of gold
as ever were found on this continent. A man whom some of you will well
know, brought to me a most beautiful nugget. I told him to let the
mine alone.

Vol. 19,  p.37
When General Conner came here, he did considerable prospecting; and in
hunting through the Cottonwoods, he had an inkling that there was gold
there. Porter, as we generally call him, came to me one day, saying,
"They have struck within four inches of my lode, what shall I do?" He
was carried away with the idea that he must do something. I therefore
told him to go with the other brethren interested, and make his claim.
When he got through talking, I said to him, "Porter, you ought to know
better; you have seen and heard things which I have not, and are a man
of long experience in this Church. I want to tell you one thing; they
may strike within four inches of that lode as many times as they have
a mind to, and they will not find it." They hunted and hunted,
hundreds of them did; and I had the pleasure of laughing at him a
little, for when he went there again, he could not find it himself."
(Laughter.)

Vol. 19,  p.37
Sometimes I take the liberty of talking a little further with regard
to such things. Orin P. Rockwell is an eye-witness to some powers of
removing the treasures of the earth. He was with certain parties that
lived near by where the plates were found that contain the records of
the Book of Mormon. There were a great many treasures hid up by the
Nephites. Porter was with them one night where there were treasures,
and they could find them easy enough, but they could not obtain them.

Vol. 19,  p.37
I will tell you a story which will be marvelous to most of you. It was
told me by Porter, whom I would believe just as quickly as any man
that lives. When he tells a thing he understands, he will tell it just
as he knows it; he is a man that does not lie. He said that on this
night, when they were engaged hunting for this old treasure, they dug
around the end of a chest for some twenty inches. The chest was about
three feet square. One man who was determined to have the contents of
that chest, took his pick and struck into the lid of it, and split
through into the chest. The blow took off a piece of the lid, which a
certain lady kept in her possession until she died. That chest of
money went into the bank. Porter describes it so [making a rumbling
sound]; he says this is just as true as the heavens are. I have heard
others tell the same story. I relate this because it is [p.38]
marvelous to you. But to those who understand these things, it is not
marvelous.

Vol. 19,  p.38
You hear a great deal said about finding money. There is no difficulty
at all in finding money, but there are a great many people who do not
know what to do with it when they do find it. This is the great defect
with the human family. I could relate many very singular
circumstances. I lived right in the country where the plates were
found from which the Book of Mormon was translated, and I know a great
many things pertaining to that country. I believe I will take the
liberty to tell you of another circumstance that will be as marvelous
as anything can be. This is an incident in the life of Oliver Cowdery,
but he did not take the liberty of telling such things in meeting as I
take. I tell these things to you, and I have a motive for doing so. I
want to carry them to the ears of my brethren and sisters, and to the
children also, that they may grow to an understanding of some things
that seem to be entirely hidden from the human family. Oliver Cowdery
went with the Prophet Joseph when he deposited these plates. Joseph
did not translate all of the plates; there was a portion of them
sealed, which you can learn from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants.
When Joseph got the plates, the angel instructed him to carry them
back to the hill Cumorah, which he did. Oliver says that when Joseph
and Oliver went there, the hill opened, and they walked into a cave,
in which there was a large and spacious room. He says he did not
think, at the time, whether they had the light of the sun or
artificial light; but that it was just as light as day. They laid the
plates on a table; it was a large table that stood in the room. Under
this table there was a pile of plates as much as two feet high, and
there were altogether in this room more plates than probably many
wagon loads; they were piled up in the corners and along the walls.
The first time they went there the sword of Laban hung upon the wall;
but when they went again it had been taken down and laid upon the
table across the gold plates; it was unsheathed, and on it was written
these words: "This sword will never be sheathed again until the
kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our God and his Christ."
I tell you this as coming not only from Oliver Cowdery, but others who
were familiar with it, and who understood it just as well as we
understand coming to this meeting, enjoying the day, and by and by we
separate and go away, forgetting most of what is said, but remembering
some things. So is it with other circumstances in life. I relate this
to you, and I want you to understand it. I take this liberty of
referring to those things so that they will not be forgotten and lost.
Carlos Smith was a young man of as much veracity as any young man we
had, and he was a witness to these things. Samuel Smith saw some
things, Hyrum saw a good many things, but Joseph was the leader.

Vol. 19,  p.38
Now, you may think I am unwise in publicly telling these things,
thinking perhaps I should preserve them in my own breast; but such is
not my mind. I would like the people called Latter-day Saints to
understand some little things with regard to the workings and dealings
of the Lord with his people here upon the earth. I could relate to you
a great many more, all of which are familiar to many of our brethren
[p.39] and sisters.

Vol. 19,  p.39
Now, should you go prospecting for gold or silver, you will find just
enough to allure you and to destroy you. But it might be said, "Are
not the earth and the treasures the property of the Lord who created
them, and will he not, according to the promise, give them to his
faithful disciples?" O yes, this is strictly correct; but you mark
this—the man who is faithful to his calling and to this holy
Priesthood, never goes hunting for gold or silver unless he is sent.
Such men are found following their legitimate pursuits, working in
their fields, in their workshops and gardens, making beautiful their
habitations; in other words, engaged building up and assisting to
establish the Zion of God on the earth, with their minds centered on
the true riches and not upon the things of this world. People do not
know it, but I know there is a seal set upon the treasures of earth;
men are allowed to go so far and no farther. I have known places where
there were treasures in abundance; but could men get them? No. You can
read in the Book of Mormon of the ancient Nephites holding their
treasures, and of their becoming slippery; so that after they had
privately hid their money, on going to the place again, lo and behold
it was not there, but was somewhere else, but they knew not where. The
people do not understand this; I wish they did, for they would then do
as I do, pay attention to the legitimate business that God has given
them to perform. Do I run after mines or digging holes in the ground?
No, not at all. It is like the will-o'-the wisp, a jack o'-lantern.
You ask our business men, or go to California, and enquire there
whether it pays to hunt for gold. I will venture to say there never
was a dollar taken from the mountains of California, neither from
these mountains west, nor from out of this Territory, but what cost
from ten to one hundred dollars. Do you believe that? It is said a
great deal of money has been made here and there. Who has made it?
Considerable lead has been taken from here, and a little silver; but
when you count the time that has been spent, and after putting a fair
valuation upon it, you will find what I say to be a fact, to say
nothing of the lives and property that are lost. A little town
directly west of here, some fifteen months ago, contained a certain
number of men, who followed mining. We calculated their time at the
rate of what was paid for common labor; and then we ascertained the
amount realized from the treasure taken out of the earth, which was
well known; and it was shown that they spent in the neighborhood of
seven hundred dollars a day, and got in return about thirty. What they
did get was just sufficient to allure them.

Vol. 19,  p.39
The Lord has permitted our enemies to come among us, who would destroy
us if they could. They are only allowed to allure the minds of the
foolish and those who lack judgment and who know not the things of
God. But when we, as individuals and as a people, learn things as they
are, we will find this fact—all truth is worthy and worth possessing,
while all untruth is not worthy nor worth running after, nor working
for, nor spending our lives for. The Gospel of life and salvation
which God has revealed to us, incorporates all the systems there are.
Every true principle and every true science, and every truth there is,
are incorporated within the faith [p.40] of the Latter-day Saints.
This is something worth possessing, this is worth spending our time
for; but the religions of the day, independent of their moral worth,
are nothing but a myth, a shadow; there is no reality in them. But
when you come to the philosophy of the religion of heaven, you have
facts in your possession that are worth having, they are worthy the
admiration of the wise, the prudent, the noble, the great and those
that seek after the wisdom that comes from God, and the Latter-day
Saints are in possession of this treasure! What are we doing? If we
were the people of God, as we profess to be, there would not be a
dissenting voice in all Israel in obeying the Priesthood It was
observed this morning by brother Cannon with regard to yielding
obedience, that we were called upon to yield obedience because it was
a command of God, and our faith demands obedience. To what? Why?
Wherefore? Obedience to every principle of truth. What for? So that we
may become possessors of all truth. Why should we do it? Because it
gives us health, it gives us wealth, it gives us knowledge, it gives
us power, it gives us beauty, it gives us excellency, it gives us
treasures on the earth and treasures in heaven, it gives us a
knowledge of God and of the love of God, it gives us fellowship with
the Saints that are sanctified and glorified, and it gives us all
things that will promote happiness and peace. These are the reasons
why we do it. Should you take the other road, what do you get?
Nothing. When persons turn away from the Gospel of the Son of God,
what do they turn to? Nothing. And what do they turn from hereafter?
All things worth possessing, everything that men and the Gods can
possess in time and in eternity. Take the other road, and you get a
shadow for the time being, and you may think you have the substance,
but sooner or later you are left as a feather floating in the air, or
worse than a ship upon the ocean, without compass or rudder, deprived
of the light of the sun, the moon and the stars, tossed hither and
thither until it sinks to rise no more. In order to yield obedience to
the truth, you must love the truth and have the fear of God in your
hearts. All who feel the true spirit of this latter-day work delight
in the truth, they delight to hear the truth, and they delight to obey
the truth; it is their delight to know the mind and will of God, that
they may render obedience to it. This is the experience of every
faithful man and woman in this Church. But take the experience of the
apostates, and the experience of those who have risen up in opposition
to the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Gospel brought forth and contained
in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants and in the Book of Mormon, and
the revelations that he was the honored instrument in the hands of God
of revealing to the people; those that rise up in opposition to this,
who are they and what is their end? You will hear one fact from
them:—"Brother——, have you enjoyed yourself since resigning
'Mormonism?' Now speak the truth. Come, tell us just as it is. Have
you experienced joy and happiness since leaving the kingdom of God?
Come, now, don't lie!" Brother——answers, "I have not enjoyed one day's
peace sinee I left the Church." This is the declaration of the
apostates today, when they tell the truth about it. Look at their
countenances—is [p.41] there happiness depicted there? No, it is
sorrow; they choose error instead of truth, they love darkness rather
than light, and the end thereof, to use Scripture language, is death.
The sorrow thereof they feel every day, for man's spirit is operated
upon continually. We are as independent in our organization as the
Gods are, but still we are creatures of circumstances, influenced by
the spirits and by the powers of eternity that are here and round
about us. We are here and are operated upon by them in our
organizations. This is the place where every man commences to acquire
the germ of the independence that is enjoyed in the heavens. These
influences, in comparison, are like the cooling breezes from the
mountains that are so grateful to us, that revive and refresh us, that
give us life. But on the other hand, here comes the miasma from the
swamp, bringing disease and death, and without knowing we inhale the
poisonous air, we become conscious of weakness, we feel that we are
taking fever, that we are getting sick—we become a prey to the enemy,
and death ensues. That is the difference between the two influences
that operate continually on mankind. It is either enjoyment or
suffering. All are subject to these elements in which we live. Here is
the good operating, all the time telling men and women, before passing
the ordeals of redemption, that they must repent, that then the light
of Christ will be upon them from time to time, to operate upon their
minds, teaching them—you are doing wrong, you are saying that which is
not right, you have renounced the Book of Mormon, you have renounced
the Doctrine and Covenants, you have renounced Joseph, your
endowments, or Celestial Law. When they reveal the truth of their
hearts, they will say, as Lyman E. Johnson said, at one of our Quorum
meetings, after he had apostatized and tried to put Joseph out of the
way. Lyman told the truth. He said, "Brethren—I will call you
brethren—I will tell you the truth. If I could believe 'Mormonism'—it
is no matter whether it is true or not—but if I could believe
'Mormonism' as I did when I traveled with you and preached, if I
possessed the world I would give it. I would give anything, I would
suffer my right hand to be cut off, if I could believe it again. Then
I was full of joy and gladness. My dreams were pleasant. When I awoke
in the morning my spirit was cheerful. I was happy by day and by
night, full of peace and joy and thanksgiving. But now it is darkness,
pain, sorrow, misery in the extreme. I have never since seen a happy
moment.."

Vol. 19,  p.41
Lyman E. Johnson belonged to the Quorum of the Twelve; he was the
first man called when the Twelve were called; his name was first,
Brigham Young's second, and Heber C. Kimball's third. The testimony
that he gave of his bitter experience is the testimony that every
apostate would give if they would tell the truth. But will they
acknowledge it? No, because they do not want to tell the truth.

Vol. 19,  p.41
There is no enjoyment, no happiness, no comfort, there is no light to
my path, for me there is no real pleasure or delight only in the
observance of truth as it comes from God, obeying it in every sense of
the word, and marching forward as a good faithful soldier in the
discharge of every duty. The man or the woman—perhaps you may think it
presumptuous in me, but I will [p.42] promise you that what I am going
to say is the truth—who has embraced what is called "Mormonism," but
which is nothing more or less than the Everlasting Gospel of the Son
of God, who when counseled by men of God holding the eternal
Priesthood to do thus and so, and who will indulge in a spirit that
will prompt him to say, "O yes, I think I will use my own judgment. I
think I have discretion as well as you, and I will take my own course.
I can attend to my own business as well and perhaps a little better
than any one else, and therefore I don't need any one to advise me." I
say the man or the woman that will do so, thereby taking to himself or
to herself strength and wisdom to counsel themselves, unless they
repent, turn round and do better, they will go into darkness, and
sooner or later each person or persons will apostatize and go to
destruction. Do you believe it? It is just as true as the sun that
shines. Is it hard to believe? No, it is the easiest thing in the
world to believe the truth. It is a great deal easier to believe truth
than error. It is easier to defend the truth than to defend error. It
is necessary that the religions and creeds of the Christian world be
defended by the most able and learned students, in order to make them
popular and to appear as true. But after these Christian students have
been through academies and colleges; and the most famed seminaries in
the world, and after they have studied and studied, spending a
life-time in the acquisition of a theological education, it takes but
one of our boys, with the aid of the Bible and the little Catechism,
to wind them up as you would an old clock. This has been the
experience of many of our boys, and when they started out from their
homes to preach the Gospel, they did not know that they could say
anything at all about its principles; but when they have come in
contact with those who have professed much and who have undertaken to
disprove the Gospel as taught by the Latter-day Saints, their minds
have become enlightened and passages of Scripture have come to them
and they have discomfited their opponents, so that they have had
nothing to say. I have done so many times myself, and that too with a
few words; and the conversation would be turned to something else.
With all their study and learning, and with all the philosophy and
science there is brought to the aid of false theories, how easy it is
to believe the truth! It is much easier than to disbelieve it. Truth
commends itself to every honest person, it matters not how simply it
is told, and when it is received it seems as though we had been
acquainted with it all our lives. It is the testimony of the majority
of the Latter-day Saints that when they first heard the Gospel
preached, as contained in the Bible and Doctrine and Covenants,
although entirely new to them, it seemed as though they already
understood it, and that they must have been "Mormons" from the
beginning.

Vol. 19,  p.42
Well, before I sit down I will present to the congregation the names
of three of our brethren whom I shall recommend to form the presidency
of this Stake of Zion, which will comprise Davis County, and the name
of which will probably be Farmington Stake of Zion. (Here Pres. Young
proposed the names of Wm. R. Smith of Centreville as President, and
Christopher Layton of Kaysville as his first and Anson Call of
Bountiful as his second Counselors). I know some of you wish it
otherwise, or that some one else was chosen for President; but as we
cannot suit [p.43] everybody's desire in a matter of this kind, we
have to centre on one, and I have felt to suggest the name of brother
Smith. (Each name was put separately, and each vote was unanimous).

Vol. 19,  p.43
Before presenting the names of brethren to compose the High Council,
which would be in order to do, I propose for President of the High
Priests' Quorum the name of Thomas S. Smith, who was once Bishop of
this place. (Brother Smith was unanimously sustained; and brothers
Thomas Steele and Job Welling were elected as his Counselors, without
a single dissenting vote. The names of the brethren to act as members
of the High Council were also presented and sustained in a similar
manner).

Vol. 19,  p.43
The Wards will be organized hereafter; Bishops will be placed over
them, with their two Counselors, all of whom will be ordained High
Priests, if not already so ordained, and then be set apart to act in
their several offices. they then will form a court; and then all the
other quorums of Priesthood will be set in order. For what? Paul says,
"For the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for
the edifying of the body of Christ." But whether this will be the
result here I do not know. All I know is that it should be so, and if
every one does his duty and lives his religion, it will be so. (The
brethren chosen and elected to fill the several offices herein named,
were then set apart to act therein. The President then continued—)

Vol. 19,  p.43
Just a few words to the Presidency of this Stake of Zion. It is now
their duty to see that the officers within their jurisdiction perform
their several duties, it is sufficient work for them too if they will
attend to it. The High Council I hope will not have much business to
do. I am told that there have only been three cases during the last
twenty-three years, that have gone for trial before the High Council
from Farmington. That is doing very well. To the now acting Bishops,
who will be ordained Bishops, as well as to brother Hess, who I
believe is the only ordained Bishop in the county, I will say that you
will now be required to look after your several Wards more assiduously
than heretofore; see that Teachers are diligent in the performance of
their duties, and that all difficulties that may arise among the
brethren of the Ward be settled, if possible, by the Teachers; and
also see that all who claim membership in this Church observe the
moral law of our religion. We shall not expect to hear of people
breaking the Sabbath, and a hundred other things all of which are
inconsistent with our holy callings, and opposed to the accomplishment
of the work that the Father has given us to do. You are culled upon
now to make yourselves familiar with the revelations and commandments
that have been given us of the Lord for our perfection, for our
sanctification preparatory to our exaltation, and so live that our
acts and conversations may conform to the same. We expect to see a
radical change, a reformation, in the midst of this people, so that,
when the proper authorities shall call upon you to do thus and so,
every one may be found willing and ready to respond, placing himself,
with all he commands, for the up-building of the kingdom of God. This
is in accordance with a revelation given to this Church before the law
of Tithing was revealed; but in consequence of unbelief and
imperfection on the part of the people it was not observed, and hence
a law more adapted to their condition was given, namely, that of
Tithing. You are called upon [p.44] now to improve your ways, to seek
with all earnestness for an increase of faith that you may live
according to the higher laws, which is your privilege to do, and which
is so necessary for our peace and comfort and for the good order of
society and for the salvation of the Latter-day Saints. We shall look
for this change, and I do not think we shall be disappointed; if at
all, I believe it will prove a happy disappointment to all Israel,
because of the great reformation that will be effected among the
Latter-day Saints.

Vol. 19,  p.44
Brethren and sisters, we feel to bless you, we are blessing you all
the time, and God is blessing you. See how he has tempered the
elements; how he has held our enemies in check, and delivered us out
of their grasp and power; how he has prospered us when we have
confined our attention to our legitimate business; and I can say with
all propriety that, if we had strictly followed the counsels that have
been given from the commencement until to-day, instead of being in
such poverty, as we are in one sense, we would be a self-sustaining,
independent people, commanding millions just as easy as we now command
thousands. But how unwise, how foolish some of our brethren are! I am
ashamed of them, and their condition is deplorable. Instead of
beautifying their homes and improving their farms, and helping to
reclaim the community and build up the Zion of the latter-days, they
have done—what? Dug holes in the ground? and, I do not know how it is
with you, but go to Salt Lake City, and you will find men whose
experience and judgment should have taught them better reaping the
results of their folly—their houses and lots mortgaged, their farm,
also many are in this condition, and most of them will lose their
property. They wanted a little more money, they allowed themselves to
be allured and they lose all. I myself was the means of making several
brethren by employing them, letting them have business to attend to
until they became wealthy; and now they are in poverty. Whereas, if
they had taken my counsel they could have added to their wealth and
been in good comfortable circumstances to-day, success and prosperity
would have attended them, peace and blessing would have been their
portion, and they in turn would have been in a position to bless
others of their brethren. This I say, with all confidence and
assurance; but no, selfishness and covetousness blinded them, they
wanted more and they coveted that which was not their own; and if they
have not already sensed it, I can tell them that weeping, mourning and
lamentation will overtake them, and this they bring upon themselves.

Vol. 19,  p.44
Let us take the course pointed out and we will avoid trouble; if we
pay attention to our calling we will be blessed abundantly, both
temporally and spiritually; and when it shall be said to the people,
Let us do this or that, it will be done. We require nothing more of
the people than the Lord requires of us. And what is that? It is this,
"Son, give me thine heart." Let us truly and in reality be servants of
God, holding ourselves with all we have subject to the will of God, to
be used, it necessary, for the building up of his kingdom on the
earth. This is what the Lord requires, this is what the Priesthood
require, and is the course I endeavor to pursue.

Vol. 19,  p.44
I say God bless you; I bless you. I say peace be with you. Brethren,
one and all, be faithful, be diligent. We have all plenty to do; it
remains for us to live so that by the light of the Holy Spirit, we can
see the work [p.45] before us. Do not let our minds run after gold and
silver, nor upon houses and lands; what the Lord gives us take the
very best care of, putting the same to a wise and proper use, or our
hearts cannot be for the kingdom.

Vol. 19,  p.45
Never have I seen to so great an extent that willingness to labor for
the cause of righteousness, as was witnessed in the Temple, at St.
George, last winter. The Spirit of God pervaded the hearts of the
brethren and sisters, and how willing they were to labor! This work
will continue, and the brethren and sisters will go into the Temples
of the Lord, to officiate for those who have died without the Gospel
from the days of Father Adam to the winding-up scene, until every one
is officiated for; who can or will receive the Gospel so that all may
have the opportunity and privileges of life and salvation.

Vol. 19,  p.45
Don't you think we have a work to perform? Yes, and it will take a
thousand years to accomplish it. In the Temple last winter the
brethren and sisters enjoyed themselves the best that they ever did in
their lives. So they said. And our children, just old enough to work,
how happy they were! They would exclaim, "I never knew anything about
'Mormonism' before!" If you were in the Temples of God working for the
living and the dead, your eyes and hearts would not be after the
fashions of the world, nor the wealth of the world. Yet the whole of
this world's wealth belongs to the Lord, and he can give to whomsoever
he pleases. Amen.

Brigham Young, May 27, 1877

The Work of the Priesthood the Improvement 
of the Human Family—the Gospel More Than Morality, 
It Includes Redemption—Differences Between the Ideas of the 
Saints and the World—the Prophets in Regard to the 
Increase of Mineral Wealth—Teach the Children

Discourse By President Brigham Young, Delivered in the 
Tabernacle, Ogden, Sunday Morning, May 27, 1877.

(Reported by James Taylor)

Vol. 19,  p.45
I can offer a few of the reflections of my own mind with regard to the
discourse of brother Geo. Q. Cannon. I will take his text: "We have a
great work to perform." Not that. I have time to take up item by item,
and explain and give you correct views, so that you can understand all
things pertaining to this great work; but I will give a few words,
hoping that you are prepared to receive them in good and honest [p.46]
hearts, and digest them by the spirit of revelation, and understand
what I have in my own heart.

Vol. 19,  p.46
The improvement that we are undertaking is not, a small labor. It is
not the work of a day, or a week, or a month, but the work of a
lifetime; and when we end our career here, we hope to leave those
behind us on the earth of our own posterity, who are better calculated
to go on with this work, and who will do so until it is completed.
What is this work? The improvement of the condition of the human
family. This work must continue until the people who live on this
earth are prepared to receive our coming Lord, and dwell with the
sanctified, and to associate with angels and with our Savior,
preparatory to entering into the presence of our heavenly Father.

Vol. 19,  p.46
Now this is the work; and how are we to perform this work is the
question which I hope you will be able to understand. I wish you had
the spirit of revelation. I would delight in the Latter-day Saints
living so that the Spirit of God would be within them, so that they
could see and understand and judge all these things for themselves.

Vol. 19,  p.46
I will commence by drawing attention to the philosophy of man here
upon the eartth. We see ourselves here to-day. Here are old,
grey-headed men, aged ladies, infants in their mother's arms, and
persons in the different conditions and stages of life, with varied
looks, feelings, sympathies and passions. We see this variety before
us today. But we all commenced at the foot of the hill. We see the
infant in its mother's arms. What is this infant here for? What is the
design in the creation of this little infant child? It lies here in
its mother's arms; it would not resist, in the least, if it were
dropped into a cauldron of boiling oil; if it were thrown into fire it
would not know it until it felt the flames; it might be laid down
here, and the wolf might come and lick its face, and it would not know
but that its mother was soothing it. You see this foundation, the
starting point, the germ of intelligence embodied in this infant,
calculated to grow and expand into manhood, then to the capacity of an
angel, and so onward to eternal exaltation. But here is the
foundation. Sent to school, the child learns to read, and continues to
improve as long as it lives. Is this the end of the knowledge of man?
No. It is only the beginning. It is the first stage of all the
intelligence that the philosopher in his reflections, taking the
starry world before him, and looking into the immensity of the
creations of God, can imagine. Here is the first place where we learn,
this is the foot of the hill.

Vol. 19,  p.46
Now the object is to improve the minds of the inhabitants of the
earth, until we learn what we are here for, and become one before the
Lord, that we may rejoice together and be equal. Not to make all poor.
No. The whole world is before us. The earth is here, and the fullness
thereof is here. It was made for man; and one man was not made to
trample his fellow-man under his feet, and enjoy all his heart
desires, while the thousands suffer. We will take a moral view, a
political view, and we see the inequality that exists in the human
family. We take the inhabitants of the civilized world, and how many
laboring men are there in proportion to the inhabitants? About one to
every five that are producers, and the supposition is that ten hours
work by the one to [p.47] three persons in the twenty-four hours will
support the five. It is an unequal condition of mankind. We see
servants that labor early and late, and that have not the opportunity
of measuring their hours ten in twenty-four. They cannot go to school,
nor hardly get clothing to go to meeting in on the Sabbath. I have
seen many cases of this kind in Europe, when the young lady would have
to take her clothing on a Saturday night and wash it, in order that
she might go to meeting on the Sunday with a clean dress on. Who is
she laboring for? For those who, many of them, are living in luxury.
And, to serve the classes that are living on them, the poor, laboring
men and women are toiling, working their lives out to earn that which
will keep a little life within them. Is this equality? No! What is
going to be done? The Latter-day Saints will never accomplish their
mission until this inequality shall cease on the earth.

Vol. 19,  p.47
We say but very little about politics. If we have laws, we should have
good laws, and we should get good men to adjudicate those laws. And if
we are at variance with our neighbor, and are in want of better
judgment than we have to settle our difficulties, let us call three or
twelve men, and leave it to them to decide between us. Adopt this
course, and it would save an immense amount of time, and set the
lawyer to raising his own potatoes and wheat, instead of gulling the
people. The non-producer must live on the products of those who labor.
There is no other way. If we all labor a few hours a day, we could
then spend the remainder of our time in rest and the improvement of
our minds. This would give an opportunity to the children to be
educated in the learning of the day, and to possess all the wisdom of
man.

Vol. 19,  p.47
But we are to revolutionize the world. Do you think these Latter-day
Saints can do it? I do not know. It is the work of the Almighty; and
if he sends forth his Spirit to teach the people true principles, we
have a right, a moral right, a religious right, to tell the truth to
the people without interruption; and men have no business to raise
their anger against this people, when we are merely telling the truth
to the inhabitants of the earth, and instructing them how they can
better their condition.

Vol. 19,  p.47
But we have something more than morality alone to teach the people.
What is it? It is how to redeem the human family. In Adam—that is, if
we believe this book (the Bible), and believe the history that Moses
gave of our first parents, and of the inhabitants of the earth, which
indeed we have to depend upon, for we are not in possession of any
other history of our first parents, and are consequently obliged to
refer to this history—if we believe this, I can say that as in Adam
all die, even so in Christ all are made alive. If we can believe Moses
and the Apostles, we die in consequence of sin in the conduct of our
first parents, in eating that which they were forbidden to eat; that
we are shut out and cannot see and understand heavenly beings. We
cannot see their faces. We cannot hear their voices. We cannot behold
their glory. We are shut out from this. The vail of mortality being
dropped between us and the Creator, something has to be done so that
we may return and behold those that are exalted.

Vol. 19,  p.48
There is a difference between the Latter-day Saints and the professed
[p.48] Christian world. Shall I remark on this difference?	We teach
our children that we are serving a God who has an ear to hear, an eye
to see. He has a mouth to speak, a hand to handle. He has a body. He
has the component parts of man. He moves in his own sphere. He dwells
at his own dwelling-place. His presence and his power fill immensity.
He has filled the heavens and the earth with his works, and placed man
here upon the earth, and brought forth in the latter days his greatest
work. It is the greatest work for the salvation of the human family
that has been revealed to man since the fall of Adam. I hope you teach
this in the Sunday school, that we are serving a God who has a body,
parts and passions, and who has feelings, and a fellow-feeling. Well,
you startle at this. You have a fellow-feeling. If the Christian world
were to hear me declare that our Father in heaven could know and
sympathize with this mortality by experience, and has a
fellow-feeling, and deals kindly and sympathetically and mercifully
with those who are froward, they would be startled. Yet this is our
Father. We believe in him. Yes. Ask the Christian world, Do you
believe in such a God? No, they say. What kind of a being do you
believe in? Such as was described in the inscription which Paul saw
written on the altar at Athens, "To the unknown God." "We worship that
unknown God." But the God that the Latter-day Saints are worshiping,
and that we teach our children to worship, is the God and Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ and the Father of our spirits, the author of the
existence of our bodies, He who placed them here upon the earth. He
gave existence to us all. He gave breath and being to all. And yet man
has his agency; this truth we must never lose sight of. We must teach
our children that Christ came in the meridian of time; that he
suffered and died for the original sin Adam committed in the Garden of
Eden, and tasted death for every man. He suffered for every man upon
the earth.

Vol. 19,  p.48
This is the character of him whom we receive as our Savior.

Vol. 19,  p.48
We want you to believe in Him, my son, my daughter. Believe in His
Father, and that they have compassion upon us, and we should hearken
to His counsel. What is required of us as soon as we come to the years
of accountability? It is required of us, for it is an institution of
heaven, the origin of which you and I cannot tell, for the simple
reason that it has no beginning, it is from eternity to eternity—it is
required of us to go down into the waters of baptism. Here is a
fountain or element typical of the purity of the eternities. Go down
into the waters, and there be baptized for the remission of sins, and
then have hands laid upon us to confirm us members of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Then receive the Spirit of truth,
or the Holy Ghost. Then live according to every word that proceeds out
of the mouth of God, through those men whom he has appointed here upon
the earth, until we are perfect.

Vol. 19,  p.48
If we go and preach the Gospel, men and women of age, youths and
children believe our testimony, come forward and desire to receive a
remission of their sins by obeying the ordinances of the house of God,
that are placed in that house for the express purpose of remitting
sins. Then they commence to live moral lives, as becometh those who
have embraced the truth, and continue [p.49] to live by the truth
until they are prepared to enter into an exaltation. How long will
they live here? No matter if they live as long as Methuselah lived, if
they commence that moral reform required in their lives. Those who
have been in the habit of swearing, swear no more. Never use the name
of the Deity without his authority. If we are in the habit of telling
that which is not true, learn to speak the truth. If we speak evil of
our neighbors, cease to speak evil. Covet not that which is not our
own. Keep the Ten Commandments, and then go on until we are perfect,
loving our neighbor more than we love ourselves, imparting to all that
kind fellow-feeling, that we can take those who are in this poor and
stricken condition of life, and raise them, that they may come up and
possess the fruits of the earth, and enjoy all that we can enjoy in
raiment, food and possessions. Raise our own horses, our own food, and
let every one be a producer, and then we can with a good grace, be
consumers. Infringe upon no one. Instead of making any poorer, make
all wealthy.

Vol. 19,  p.49
A few words upon the minerals found in our mountains. We have had a
great many men examining among the mountains, and through the plateaus
and ranges in the south. The whole scientific world, a few years ago,
would have pledged their reputation that there was not any mineral in
the sandstone range along the Rio Virgen River. Now they are finding
it in many places. A great many have told me that there was no mineral
there, but it is now found in various parts of the southern portion of
this Territory. What can I say about it? The Lord, in Isaiah, says,
"For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and
for wood brass and for stones iron." I can attribute it to no other
agency than the power of God diffusing it in these mountains. I will
refer it to the scientific world. You may as well take a piece of wood
and say that it shall become a piece of sandstone, as to say that you
will find silver in sandstone. Did you ever know sandstone to become a
petrifaction. It is hard to say where it will not be found, now that
it is found in the barks of petrified trees. It is no matter, the Lord
is managing all this, and he does just as he pleases with regard to
the treasures of the earth, and we may look for them, but if we are
not to find them, they will be hid. When God says to his agents,
remove this gold, this silver, this copper, it will be done. You do
not understand this philosophy, but I do. And my philosophy outreaches
the philosophy of men that study books. I have said enough with regard
to the minerals of the earth.

Vol. 19,  p.49
I see a man grow up from the infant stage to be a scholar, and by and
by he has an empire, and can give laws to the people, that can
equalize them, and bring them to a state of happiness and excellency,
and give them all the advantages that man can possess upon the earth,
and make every man happy and comfortable. This is the work that we
have upon our hands. Teach the people the faith of the Gospel. Teach
them what God is, and what His work is, and that there never was a
time such as many of our philosophers speak of, who drift back and
back, and come to this theory and that theory, and go back, and back
to the time when we were all reptiles. When was there a time when
there was not a God? But, say they, there must have been a time. Then
you declare to me, do you, that there was a time when there was no
time. And this is the philosophy of a great [p.50] many of the
scientific in this day. They see the heavens stretched out but they
comprehend them not. And why do they not say, if there was a time when
there was no time there will be a time again when there will be no
time. What a condition for man to be in! Can we look onward and upward
through the immensity of space, and behold the worlds on worlds that
we call stars, and imagine that they will be blotted out forever? What
an idea! What a philosophy! Why, it ought to be laughed at by the
ignorant, and those who are children in their reflections. A time when
there was no God, no eternity! It cannot be possible, and the
philosopher who tries to establish such a doctrine cannot possess any
correct ideas of his own being. Will there ever be such a time? No.
But forever onward and upward. So it is with the religion we have
embraced.

Vol. 19,  p.50
Teach the Sunday School children with regard to the heavens, with
regard to their faith, with regard to their mortal lives, and reach
out to that higher life, far above this, that we may, if we will,
enjoy upon the earth. This is the condition of man. This is the road
for men to walk in, to be obedient to the principles of eternal truth,
those immortal principles that God has revealed to us.

Vol. 19,  p.50
With regard to the ordinances of God, we may remark that we yield
obedience to them because He requires it; and every iota of His
requirements has a rational philosophy with it. We do not get up
things on a hypothesis. That philosophy reaches to all eternity, and
is the philosophy that the Latter-day Saints believe in. Every
particle of truth that every person has received is a gift of God. We
receive these truths, and go on from glory to glory, from eternal
lives to eternal lives, gaining a knowledge of all things, and
becoming Gods, even Sons of God. These are the celestial ones. These
are they whom the Lord has chosen through their obedience. They have
not spurned the truth, when they have heard it. These are they that
have not spurned the Gospel, but have acknowledged Jesus and God in
their true character; that have acknowledged the angels in their true
character. These are they that work for the salvation of the human
family.

Vol. 19,  p.50
I say to the Latter-day Saints, all we have to do is to learn of God.
Let the liars lie on, and let the swearers swear on, and they will go
to perdition. All we have to do is to go onward and upward, and keep
the commandments of our Father and God; and He will confound our
enemies. It is for you and me to improve our children, and teach them
to bring forth the elements here, until we possess all things that are
on the earth, and then prepare to possess the things that are in
Heaven, and go on from glory to glory, until we are crowned with God
the Father.

Vol. 19,  p.51
May the Lord bless you, Amen.[p.51] 

John Taylor, June 17, 1877

Order of the Priesthood—Duties of the Several 
Quorums—Difficulties and Their Settlement—Duties of 
the Teachers—Discipline in the Church

Discourse By Elder John Taylor, Delivered at 
Farmington, on Sunday Morning, June 17, 1877.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.51
The following passage is found in the Doctrine and Covenants, page
266, new edition—

Vol. 19,  p.51
"Which Priesthood continueth in the Church of God in all generations,
and is without beginning of days or and of years. And the Lord
confirmed a Priesthood also upon Aaron and his seed throughout all
their generations;—which Priesthood also continueth and abideth for
ever, with the Priesthood which is after the holiest order of God. And
this greater Priesthood administereth the Gospel and holdeth the key
of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God;
Therefore in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is
manifest; and without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the
Priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the
flesh. For without this no man can see the face of God, even the
Father, and live."

Vol. 19,  p.51
There are some ideas associated with these principles which I will
briefly refer to. We have assembled here to more perfectly organize
the Church of God in this place; to establish a Stake; to select,
appoint and set apart the necessary officers there for. Our President
has been moved upon to call upon the Twelve to go through the
Territory and attend to these matters, in accordance with a revelation
which makes it the duty of the Twelve "to ordain and set in order all
the officers of the Church;" to see that the Church is "righted up" in
all its various departments, and in the organization of its various
quorums; where it is necessary that Stakes should be organized
organize them; and to see that all the quorums and officers be placed
in their proper position so that they will work harmoniously and
according to the revelations and order of God. The growth of the
Church and the changes continually taking place render it necessary
that this work to which we have been called be attended to. It is very
desirable and necessary, too, that every man should understand his
true position in the Church; that he may the better magnify his
calling, and attend to every duty devolving upon him. In the
organization of a Stake of Zion, as revealed, there should be a
President with two Counselors, to preside over all the officers,
authorities and people of that Stake. There should also be a High
Council [p.52] consisting of Twelve Councilors presided over by the
President of the Stake and his two Counselors. There should also be a
High Priests' Quorum, with a President and two Counsellors to preside
over all the High Priests in the Stake.

Vol. 19,  p.52
The Elders' Quorum should be composed of ninety-six Elders, presided
over by a President and two Counselors, and when more than ninety-six,
other quorums should be organized.

Vol. 19,  p.52
The Priests' Quorum should be composed of forty-eight, presided over
by a Bishop. The Teachers' Quorum should be composed of twenty-four,
and the Deacons of twelve, each with their respective Presidents and
Counselors. The Bishop necessarily presides over the whole of the
lesser Priesthood in his Ward, and they are under his special guidance
and direction, while he is presided over by the Presidency of the
Stake, and the Presidents of the Stakes, in their turn are presided
over by the First Presidency and the Twelve; thus all are amenable to
proper authority in their various organizations and there is no schism
in the body. All Bishops should be properly ordained with their
Counselors, in order to be qualified to act efficiently in their
offices, and to be qualified to sit as common judges in Israel.

Vol. 19,  p.52
We have frequently heard that "Order is heaven's first law." In no
earthly government is there so much order evinced as in the Church and
kingdom of God, and for that we are indebted to the revelations of
God. The office of the Priesthood is really to rule and govern in that
government which is recognized as the Lord's, whether it be in heaven
or on the earth. And as the Lord has restored the everlasting Gospel
and the keys of the everlasting Priesthood which administers in time
and eternity, when we elect officers to fill positions in this Church
we choose men whose authority through their faithfulness will hold
good not only on this earth, but in the heavens, and not only now but
hereafter. And when these things are carried out to their fullest
extent, then will "the will of God be done on earth is in heaven," and
the meek will rejoice in the administration of his rule.

Vol. 19,  p.52
If I had time I might refer to accounts given of various men who stood
at the head of the Priesthood in the different ages of the world,
showing how it has been handed down from one to another, agreeably to
the will of God, for the accomplishment of his purposes and the
benefit of the human family. He has given unto us a very good and
perfect organization; quite as perfect I think, and I am prepared to
say, as any organization that ever existed upon the face of the earth.
And it is indeed reasonable that such an organization should now
exist, for we are living in what is called the dispensation of the
fullness of times; and it embraces all other dispensations that ever
did exist on the earth. It embraces also all the powers and
privileges, rights, keys and Priesthoods ever known to man.

Vol. 19,  p.52
In relation to organizations, there has been a great deal of
carelesness exhibited in many instances; we have failed to sense the
importance of the serious responsibilities that attaches itself to
this Priesthood, this delegated power of heaven. We have found more or
less confusion among the churches wherever we have gone; and hence the
wisdom manifested by the President in requesting a more perfect
organization seems the more to be appreciated, because of the
necessity that exists for improvement. Says the Lord, "Without the
ordinances thereof, and the authority of [p.53] the Priesthood, the
power of godliness is not manifest unto man in the flesh; for without
this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live." The
Lord having given unto us this divine law and revealed certain
principles unto us, he expects us to govern ourselves accordingly;
that every ordinance in connection with the Priesthood may be
administered properly and in accordance with his law. We find many
departures however from this law. In the bishopric we find many
irregularities. In some instances we have found that a Bishop has no
Counselors, in others he has had one Counselor perhaps, and sometimes
we have found the Bishop with two Counselors, but he himself not
ordained to the office, but had only been appointed, and in some
instances we have found that the Counselors have not been properly
authorized and qualified to act in their calling. Whereas there is a
law regulating these things which we hope to comply with. Every Bishop
should be first ordained a High Priest, and then set apart to the
Bishopric by the proper authority; and the Bishop's Counselors, if not
already ordained to the High Priesthood should be, and then set apart
to act in their capacity, as first and second Counselors to the
Bishop. These three then form a quorum, and a court and are qualified
to sit in judgment upon all matters that may come before the Bishop,
as a common judge in Israel which pertains to his Ward. They are then
properly authorized to act in this capacity, and they ought to be
upheld and sustained in the position they occupy, and in all of their
doings, inasmuch as they are characterized by righteousness and sound
judgment, and as the Scriptures say, with humility and faith, and
long-suffering and wisdom, and according to the principles laid down
in the book of Doctrine and Covenants, which the Spirit of God would
dictate to men occupying such a position.

Vol. 19,  p.53
And then if there is an appeal from this court it goes to the High
Council which is also composed of High Priests, set apart to this
office, by the First Presidency or the Twelve, to be presided over by
the Presidency of the Stake. For the lack of this more perfect
organization all kinds of confusion has prevailed among the brethren
in many instances; all kinds of little differences are taken to the
High Council, which ought to be taken to the Bishop's court. People
sometimes quarrel about little things, very trivial affairs that do
not represent more than ten or twenty dollars in monetary matters, and
they are not satisfied unless the High Council try such cases. And
what is the result? Instead of having these little matters settled by
the Teachers or Bishops in their own Wards, they occupy the time of
the fifteen men composing the Council, besides their own and that of
the witnessses, who generally number from five to fifteen. But these
men work for nothing and board themselves, and therefore it costs the
disputants nothing for the adjudication of their differences, whereas
in such cases the High Council would prefer to put their hands in
their pockets and pay the amount in dispute rather than listen to
their nonsence. And it would seem that some men are so inconsiderate,
that they would impose upon them, because they are willing to give
their time.

Vol. 19,  p.53
Such cases should not come before the High Council; they more properly
belong to the lesser Priesthood, to the Priests and Teachers and to
the Bishop's court.

Vol. 19,  p.53
Such men do not realize their position before God and their brethren.
If men have differences they should [p.54] try to settle them amicably
among themselves. But if they cannot do this, let them take the first
steps as directed in the Church Covenants, let them then come together
as brethren having a claim upon the Spirit and power of God which
would attend them if they lived their religion, and then, provided the
Priests and Teachers did their duty and were filled with wisdom and
the spirit of their office and calling, ninety-nine cases out of every
hundred might be satisfactorily settled without either troubling the
Bishop's court or the High Council. But because these duties of the
lesser Priesthood are not faithfully performed or sufficiently
estimated, they are not carried out according to the laws laid down
for our government and thus many of these differences and difficulties
exist in our midst.

Vol. 19,  p.54
When the Church is organized in all its various departments with the
President at the head, the Twelve in their place, the High Priests,
Seventies and Elders in theirs, together with the Bishops and lesser
Priesthood, the local aids and governments each acting in their
appointed sphere and calling, and all operated upon and influenced by
the Holy Spirit, then the whole becomes as the body of a man, sound
and complete in all its members, and everything moves harmoniously and
pleasantly along. For the body, we are told, has not one member but
many: "And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee;
nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you;" but every man
in his place acting in his office and calling. And there is as much
devolving upon the Priests, the Teachers and Deacons and those of the
lesser Priesthood as there is upon any other members of the Church.
When they do not fulfill their duties, what is the result? People go
to the Twelve, or to the First Presidency, they pass the more
immediate authorities, and confusion and disorder exist, and valuable
time is occupied almost needlessly, and those who will work may work
until they are broken down ready to cease their earthly labors, and
all this for the want of men's knowing their duties and doing them.

Vol. 19,  p.54
But while we are contending over little things what becomes of us? We
are losing sight of our callings, we forget that this kingdom was
established upon the earth for the purpose of introducing
righteousness and the laws and principles of truth, the laws of heaven
upon the earth, and of blessing mankind and of saving the living and
the dead. We forget what we are here for, and what the kingdom of God
is established for. It is not for you or for me or anybody else alone;
it is the interests of the world and the salvation of mankind. We are
expected, every one of us, to perform the various duties and
responsibilities devolving upon us. If we neglect them are we not
guilty before God? Whence come the difficulties that we have in our
midst? Because as I have said in many instances the Priesthood do not
perform their duties, are not vigilant and faithful. The Teachers
sometimes come to visit us and sometimes they do not. I do not know
how it is with you, but they rarely visit me. When they do come, am I
pleased to see them? Yes. I call my family together, and then
addressing the Teachers I say to them; "Brethren, we are all very glad
to see you, we are ready to listen to you and if you have any
instructions for us we shall be happy to hear you." These are my
feelings with regard to men who act as Teachers. And are they prepared
to teach me? Yes. If I have been negligent or careless, they will
enquire into it; and the [p.55] same with the members of my family. Or
are there ill feelings existing among any of the members of the
household; or between them and our neighbors. If so, they should find
out. It is their business to know whether I and my family are living
our religion or not; and the same with everybody else's family in the
Church. But how is it now? They come perhaps once in three months, or
nine months as the case may be. And when they do come they have a few
words and questions which, to say the least, are very formal. Is that
the spirit and calling of a Teacher? No! They should be full of the
light and revelation of God, quick to discover everything and know
everybody and their standing in their jurisdiction. And they would too
if they performed their duties and were faithful to the welfare of the
people. What is the result? The wards are not attended to. What
follows? We have drinking in our midst. Yes, Elders and High Priests
and Seventies are tempted to drink and humiliate themselves before God
and the people. We have others that break the Sabbath, and others that
swear and blaspheme the name of God. We have others that lie and
cheat. And who pays any attention to it? Some think it would not be
polite to attend to some of these matters; but I tell you God will
take hold of them by and by, and they will know whether he will be
polite or not. If a man does wrong, let him be held accountable for
that wrong, no matter who he may be. If he cheats, bring him up; if he
lies, let him be treated as a liar; if he breaks the Sabbath bring him
to an account for it; let the proper officers of the Church see that,
they do their duty, or God will not hold them guiltless. Let all the
Elders, the Priests, Teachers and Deacons and other officers
thoroughly and faithfully perform their duties, and then we will see
whether there is any power in the Priesthood or not; then we will know
whether the blessings of the Lord attend the ordinances or not; then
we will know that God rules in Israel, and that the honest in heart,
the truthful and those who love righteousness are in reality his
people, and that they will maintain the right and purge the Church
from evil of every kind. We do not want to become partakers of other
men's sins; the First Presidency will not, neither will the Twelve;
the Bishops should not, for God will require it at their hands.

Vol. 19,  p.55
God intends to build up a Church here after the pattern of the one
that exists in heaven; and to come down and associate himself with man
upon the earth. Are we prepared? No. Shall we be by the course we are
going? Never, while the world stands. Therefore we are going forth and
wherever we find things disorganize, we organize them, and then call
upon the various organizations to perform their duties in fidelity,
honesty and faithfulness, that every man may be felt after to the
utmost extremity of the Territory, that it may be known what they are
doing, whether they are for God and the principles of truth or not. We
do not want any more "Good Lord and good devil;" the line will be
drawn and we will know who is for the kingdom and who is not. If we do
not those things which are required at our hands, what is the use of
our profession? Why should men who do not want to do right, who break
the Sabbath, who steal, defraud and impose upon their neighbors, why
should they court the fellowship of the Saints? Do you think they will
get into the kingdom of God? No. We read of ten virgins, five [p.56]
of whom were wise and five were foolish; and I think both the wise and
the foolish ones got into rather a bad condition—they went to sleep.
By and by, at midnight, the cry was heard, "Behold, the bridegroom
cometh; go ye out to meet him." Then they all awakened, rubbed their
eyes a little, I suppose, looked around for their lamps, some of which
contained oil and some were empty. Those who had no oil in their lamps
went to those who had, requesting them to give them of their oil, for
their lamps had gone out. But those who had oil had none to spare, and
the foolish were told to go to those who sold oil and buy. When the
bridegroom came those who were ready went in with him to the marriage,
and the others did not, and—that's all. We might as well look at these
things squarely and see how we stand, and what our position is before
the Lord. "Be not deceived. God is not mocked; that which a man sows
he will reap; if we sow to the flesh, we shall of the flesh reap
corruption; if we sow to the spirit, we shall reap life everlasting."

Vol. 19,  p.56
Why should men who do not want to do right stop in our midst? If I did
not want to be a Latter-day Saint, I would say, Gentlemen, I will
leave you, success to you." But then I do not know what I might do or
might not do were I in such a condition. At any rate, why do men palm
themselves upon the community as Latter-day Saints, when they are not?
And we hear of them grumbling and growling about the Priesthood. If
the Priesthood are such rascals, why do they not leave them, and seek
more congenial society?

Vol. 19,  p.56
When these organizations are completed there will he a President with
two Counselors. and they will preside over all other Councils in the
Stake. And it will be expected that all the others under their
presidency will listen to their counsels; and it will be expected that
they will listen to the instructions of President Young and the
Twelve. And it is then expected that the Priests, Teachers and Deacons
will hearken to and obey the counsel of their Bishop; and it will be
expected that, the people will listen to the voice of their Priests
and Teachers and those whose business it is to look after their
interest, and welfare. We are now approaching a very important stage
in the history of this latter-day work; we may try to dig around our
duties and responsibilities, but we have to meet them. We have got to
walk according to the laws of God, or abide by the result for not
doing it. God expects these things at our hands, and they are things
which we have a right to expect from one another; it is expected that
we all will do our duty, and God the Father of Jesus, and all the
eternal Priesthood in the heavens expect the Presidency, the Twelve,
the Presidents of Stakes, the High Priests, High Councils, the
Seventies and Elders, the Bishops, Priests, Teachers and Deacons and
all the Priesthood and all the people to be governed by the law of
God, and to help faithfully to build Zion and establish the kingdom of
God that we may be one in all things temporal and spiritual; that we
may be welded and united together on earth and not only on the earth
but in the heavens also. This is what the whole thing points to, that
the Priesthood on the earth should operate and co-operate with the
Priesthood of heaven in the accomplishment of the purposes of God. We
are building Temples that we may labor therein for ourselves and also
become saviours on Mount Zion. How can we operate with the Priesthood
of heaven unless we are [p.57] governed by the Priesthood God has
given us on the earth? We cannot do it; we must be governed by the
laws and principles he has revealed top our guidance, and for our
salvation. And that God may help us to do his will and perform the
work given us to do, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Orson Hyde, April 5, 1877

Prayer the Medium for Blessing—Practical 
Morality Establishes Confidence—the Prophet 
Joseph Manifest in Brigham—Age Prevents Effort, 
But When Behind the Vail, Freedom From 
Obstruction is Our Opportunity

Discourse By Elder Orson Hyde, Delivered in 
the Temple, St. George, April 5, 1877.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.57
I have not language, my brethren and sisters, to express the feelings
and emotions of my heart on coming into this Temple yesterday morning;
I could not describe them if I were to undertake to do so, and
consequently I will sum up in short by saying, that the sentiments of
my heart were, Thank God for such a place in which to worship and to
reverence his high and holy name.

Vol. 19,  p.57
We have been listening this morning to some very interesting and
truthful remarks, and I have felt edified, instructed, and comforted
in my feelings. And I think, if we all remember our prayers in the
season thereof, in sincerity and truth, that our light would shine
before us according to our needs and wants. It is too often the case
that this important duty is neglected. I look at the rivers of water,
I trace them to their source, and I find that many times the places
where they originate are small and ofttimes hidden from the popular
gaze. But, notwithstanding, they flow down and the waters increase,
until by tributaries the main channel becomes a mighty river. So our
prayers in private and family circle are secret and retired from the
public, but they keep the fire burning upon the altar of our hearts.
And it is not often that persons who faithfully attend to this duty
walk in darkness, it is seldom that they apostatize and turn away from
the faith, especially when we couple our solemn prayers with a short
sermon or lecture of comfort and of peace to our wives and children,
sanctifying our prayers by words of consolation, and then we have a
little heaven on earth. And I have [p.58] noticed that those who do
this can generally give a reason for the hope that is in them. Where
these things are neglected, however small they may appear in the
estimation of some, there is a want of the vital principle that feeds
the soul, that keeps the leaves and branches green, that imparts
beauty and loveliness to all nature.

Vol. 19,  p.58
I have thought that if we were a little more punctual in the discharge
of our obligations one with another and to all men, it would be the
means of opening wider the door of light and truth to all pursuing
that course. It is too often the case that we sometimes contract
duties and make promises to discharge them, when our present condition
and future prospects are altogether too slim to jutsify our doing so.
Yet we feel we must go in debt to supply our immediate wants. And when
the time comes for payment to be made, it is not at all an unfrequent
chapter in our lives, that at that particular time we were not so well
prepared to meet the obligation as we were the day we made the
contract. This I apprehend is a barrier to our success and our
prosperity. And I feel that if there was more punctuality manifested
by us in paying our obligations than now exists, we would have more
confidence in one another than we already have. I do not recommend any
person to take his neighbor in hand and say, "Pay me that which thou
owest me." So far as my memory serves me, in such cases as when
persons owed me who failed to pay me according to promise, and I
believed them honest and upright in their feelings, seeking not to
take advantage, I do not recollect ever having crowded such persons,
or putting them to the least inconvenience. I think it is good and
honorable on the part of the creditor to establish his name and
character by showing mercy and easing the burden of those who may be
indebted to him. For there should be a disposition on one part to
avoid contracting debts, and a disposition on the other to be as
lenient as circumstances permit, to move away all the obstruction we
can from the path of each other's prosperity. However small these
matters may seem, they are important.

Vol. 19,  p.58
At the time our Prophet and Patriarch were killed, or at least soon
afterwards, when the Twelve returned to Nauvoo, their immediate
circumstances were not altogether agreeable and pleasant or
profitable. But suffice it to say we had a meeting, a Conference, at
which President Young was the centre of attraction. On his rising to
speak, and as soon as he opened his mouth, I heard the voice of Joseph
through him, and it was as familiar to me as the voice of my wife, the
voice of my child, or the voice of my father. And not only the voice
of Joseph did I distinctly and unmistakably hear, but I saw the very
gestures of his person, the very features of his countenance, and if I
mistake not, the very size of his person appeared on the stand. And it
went through me with the thrill of conviction that Brigham was the man
to lead this people. And from that day to the present there has not
been a query or a doubt upon my mind with regard to the divinity of
his appointment; I know that he was the man selected of God to fill
the position he now holds.

Vol. 19,  p.58
I have found in my experience that there is a good deal in a man's
having confidence in himself. A person having little confidence in God
[p.59] and more in himself is not good; the capital stock should be in
the Lord our God, and the smaller portion in the creature operating.

Vol. 19,  p.59
When the Lord created man, I believe he placed in him a portion of
himself, that is a portion of every qualification that he himself
possessed. And in our sphere we are to act independently; but under
and by the power of those principles of natural inspiration. There is
a good deal of natural inspiration in man; and when that is touched by
the finger of the Almighty, it makes the cup a delicious one, it makes
the mind truly enlightened.

Vol. 19,  p.59
Brethren and sisters, I have all confidence in the Lord our God—I say
all confidence, perhaps that calls for a little qualification. At any
rate I believe in him, and that he is just, wise and merciful. If I
did not believe he was merciful, I could not believe my own eyes while
looking upon this vast congregation of his people, assembled in this
isolated place, here in the southern portion of our Territory.

Vol. 19,  p.59
I tell you how I feel in relation to the matters that have been spoken
of here to-day. If I had more confidence in myself, and in my own
ability, limited though it may be, I could venture farther and do
more, and perhaps overcome my natural timidity and become a more
efficient agent in the hands of our Father of doing good. This I
desire with all my heart. I can say that what little I possess of this
world's goods are subject to the orders of my superiors in the
Priesthood, myself and all that I command are at their dictation to be
used in the service of our God for the advancement of his kingdom. I
labored with my hands until I reached my seventieth year, when I had
to cease working; and for the last two years I have not been able to
do anything, not even to cut a stick of wood or fetch a bucketful of
water. But I feel thankful that my health is as good as it is, and
that I have lived to see this day, and to behold this elegant
structure reared to the honor of our God, and to have the privilege of
meeting and joining with so many of my brethren and sisters to worship
within its walls.

Vol. 19,  p.59
Brethren, I rejoice in the service of God, and I want to continue in
it; and if our religion had no more consolation than it now affords,
it would be ample to inspire us to honor it, and to live it. I look
around me and see a great many heads as white and many whiter than my
own. I ofttimes wish, Oh, that I were again active and able to work
manfully and energetically in the cause of truth! But no; like many
others of my age, I am subject to rheumatism and pains in my limbs,
which at times disable me; I have commenced to feel the infirmities of
increasing age and years; and so many of us now, after these many
years of toil, have to struggle with the going down sun of our earthly
existence. But we have the consolation of knowing that our mortal body
will not always impede our progress, we shall not forever suffer its
inconveniences; we are gladdened in the hope of either laying down
this mortal tabernacle or undergoing that welcome change which will
free us from all afflictions and annoyances. And we hail the day when
we shall be free from sorrow and death, to forever rejoice in the joys
of everlasting lives. But while we remain let us struggle on, and
continue the good fight of faith until we are called home. I
calculate, the Lord being my helper, to do the very best I can. How
long I may live I know not,[p.60] neither do I feel much anxiety,
feeling as I do that I am in the hands of my Heavenly Father, who will
do with me as seemeth him good. But yet if I could be spared in
health, I would like to see the adversary bound, to trouble and harass
no more the children of our God. I would like to live to see myself
entirely redeemed from the tradition of our forefathers, which we have
inherited through entailment, and completely baptized in the element
of life everlasting. These are my heart's desires. I pray that God may
continue to bless us and help us to walk day by day in obedience to
the requirements of heaven. Amen.

Brigham Young, July 24, 1877

Items of History—the Pioneers—Talking to the 
Children—Peace in Utah—God a Personage 
of Tabernacle—the Foolish Fashions

Address By President Brigham Young, Delivered to the 
Sunday School Children, in the New Tabernacle, 
Salt Lake City, July 24, 1877.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.60
If I can have quiet and the strict attention of the congregation I
think all can hear me. The children, as well as those of older growth
and manhood, will please cease their talking one to another, cease the
rubbing of feet on the floor, cease to make noise. I have a few words
for the children, The larger portion of this congregation have been
born in this Territory; they know nothing of the outside world; they
know but little in comparison as to the cause of their birth and
education within the valleys of these mountains. A short recital of
the reasons, why these children before me were born here instead of
being born in the States, I can give to you, and will endeavor to do
so in a few words.

Vol. 19,  p.60
In 1830, forty-seven years ago last March, the Book of Mormon was
printed and bound. Joseph Smith had received revelation, and plates on
which were engraved characters from which the book was translated.
Before the book was printed, before Joseph had the privilege of
testifying to the truth of the latter-day work, persecution was raised
against him. On the 6th day of April of the same year the Church of
Jesus Christ was organized. Persecution increased and continued to
increase. He left the State of New York and went to the State of Ohio.
The Gospel was preached there and many received it. A settlement was
formed, but Joseph had not the privilege of staying there long before
they hunted him so [p.61] determinedly that he was forced to leave
Kirtland and the State of Ohio. He then went to Missouri. In the year
1838, in the month of March, in company with a number of brethren,
myself included, Joseph arrived at Far West, Caldwell county,
Missouri. We had not the privilege of staying there more than for a
few months before the cry was raised against Joseph Smith, that he was
guilty of high treason. This aroused the people and the government of
the State; and in October, thirty-five hundred of the militia of the
State of Missouri were marched against a few of us in Far West. They
succeeded in taking Joseph and Hyrum and sixty-five others and putting
them in prison. When Joseph had his trial, the great accusation
against him was that he believed in the fulfilment of prophecy—the
prophecies that had been made by Prophets of old and contained in Holy
Writ. When Judge King asked Joseph if he believed the predictions of
Daniel the Prophet, that in the latter-days the God of heaven would
set up a kingdom which should succeed and finally rule and hold
dominion over allother kingdoms, Joseph replied that he did believe
this scripture as well as the rest. This was considered treason!
Joseph's lawyer turned to Judge King and said, "Judge, I think you had
better write it down that the Bible is high treason," and this was all
they found against him. But the mob continued until they drove the
Latter-day Saints out of the State of Missouri. We were told if we
remained there the people would be upon us. What we were guilty of we
did not know, only that we believed in the Bible and the fulfilment of
prophecy, or, in other words, in the literal reading of the word of
God. They succeeded, after killing many of the Latter-day Saints—men,
women, and children, cruelly massacring them, in driving us out of the
State to the State of Illinois, where the people received us with open
arms, especially the inhabitants of the city of Quincy; for which
kindness the hearts of our people who passed through these scenes have
ever been lifted to God, petitioning for blessings upon them. And they
have been blessed. We lived in the State of Illinois a few years; and
here, as elsewhere, persecution overtook us. It came from Missouri,
centering itself upon Joseph, and fastened itself upon others. We
lived in Illinois from 1839 to 1845, by which time they again
succeeded in kindling the spirit of persecution against Joseph and the
Latter-day Saints. Treason! treason! treason! they cried, calling us
murderers, thieves, liars, adulterers, and the worst people on the
earth. And this was done by the priests, those pious dispensers of the
Christian religion whose charity was supposed to be extended to all
men, Christian and heathen; they were joined by drunkards, gamblers,
thieves, liars, in crying against the Latter-day Saints. They took
Joseph and Hyrum, and as a guarantee for their safety, Governor Thomas
Ford pledged the faith of the State of Illinois. They were imprisoned,
on the pretense of safe keeping, because the mob was so enraged and
violent. The Governor left them in the hands of the mob, who entered
the prison and shot them dead. John Taylor, who is present with us to
day, was in the prison too, and was also shot, and was confined to his
bed for several months afterwards. After the mob had committed these
murders they came upon us and burned our houses and our grain. When
the brethren would go out to put out the fire, the mob would lie
concealed under fences, and in the darkness of the night, they would
shoot them. At last they succeeded in driving us [p.62] from the State
of Illinois.

Vol. 19,  p.62
Three congressmen came in the Fall of 1845, and had a Conference with
the Twelve and others; they were desirous that we should leave the
United States. We told them we would do so, we had staid long enough
with them; we agreed to leave the State of Illinois in consequence of
that religious prejudice against us that we could not stay in peace
any longer. These men said the people were prejudiced against us.
Stephen A. Douglass, one of the three had been acquainted with us. He
said "I know you, I knew Joseph Smith; he was a good man," and this
people was a good people; but the prejudices of the priests and the
ungodly are such that, said he, "Gentlemen, you cannot stay here and
live in peace." We agreed to leave. We completed our Temple far enough
to give endowments to many. We left Nauvoo in February, 1846, There
remained behind a few of the very poor, the sick and the aged, who
suffered again from the violence of the mob: they were whipped and
beaten, and had their houses burned. We travelled west, stopping in
places, building settlements, where we left the poor who could not
travel any further with the company. Exactly thirty years to-day,
myself, with others, came out of what we named Emigration Cañon; we
crossed the Big and Little mountains, and came down the valley about
three quarters of a mile south of this. We located, and we looked
about, and finally we came and camped between the two forks of City
Creek, one of which ran south-west and the other west. Here we planted
our standard on this Temple block and the one above it; here we
pitched our camps and determined that here we would settle and stop.
Still our brethren who tarried by the way were toiling through poverty
and distress. At one time, I was told, they would have perished from
starvation, had not the Lord sent quails among them. These birds flew
against their wagons, and they either killed or stunned themselves,
and the brethren and sisters gathered them up, which furnished them
with food for days, until they made their way in the wilderness.

Vol. 19,  p.62
Children, we are the pioneers of this country, with one exception,
west of the Mississippi river; we established the first printing press
in every State from here to the Pacific Ocean, and we were the first
to establish libraries, and the first to establish good schools; we
were the first to plant out orchards and to improve the desert
country, making it like the garden of Eden.

Vol. 19,  p.62
I will not prolong this recital; but will ask the children if they can
now understand why they were born here in this far off land? You might
just as well have been born in Missouri or Illinois, if your parents
had been treated as they should have been. If let alone to enjoy the
rights and liberties in common with our fellow-men, we would have
beautified the land, made it an Eden and adorned it with everything
desirable. But we were not allowed to stay there to possess the homes
we had made; and consequently we are here and this has been your
birth-place. And now that we are here, we are followed by a set of men
who are ready to re-enact the scenes that we have already passed
through. But we are now where we can keep and preserve ourselves in
the possession of our homes and property. They drove us to the
fastnesses of the Rocky Mountains, and it will be a hard matter to
dispossess us again; it will prove a job, if undertaken, that they
would be glad to let out before they get fairly into it. But still
they are [p.63] after us; and when you hear of this and that with
regard to myself, being guilty of this and that wrong; I would have
you look at those who make these accusations, look at certain
characters we have and have had in our midst who are called ministers
of justice, ministers of the law; they are bosom companions of
thieves, liars and murderers; but the honorable and upright they hate
because their deeds are evil; and they believe they have a mission,
but it is a hard one to accomplish.

Vol. 19,  p.63
You can now understand, my children, why you were born in Utah, and
not in either Missouri or Illinois. If they had let us alone we would
have made those lands an Eden, and we would have molested or hurt no
one. For there are no people that preserve the laws of our government
as well as the Latter-day Saints.

Vol. 19,  p.63
Now, permit me to cast one reflection before closing this part of my
address. You have been reading of the great and alarming "uprising of
the Mormons!" what a terrible time they are experiencing in Utah! etc.

Vol. 19,  p.63
Wonderful! Wonderful! You have seen your fathers, who are farmers, go
to their farms, and those who are mechanics, to their workshops, and
our merchants to their place of business, without molesting any
person, and what a terrible state of affairs this is. You have read,
too, in our late papers about the uprising of the railroad strikers,
which has really taken place; does it not seem singular to you why
these characters, who are so afraid of trouble, do not go east and
lend their aid and moral influence to quell the riot? You can
understand that if we had been let alone we would have done justice
and preserved the laws. Who pay their taxes as well as do the
Latter-day Saints? No people. Who honor so well the laws of our
government? No other people. This is the speech that brother George Q.
Cannon was expected to have made. He wanted me to make it and I have
to make the two speeches in one.

Vol. 19,  p.63
Now, a few words of counsel to the children. Do you feel, children,
that you can remain patient and endure my talk a little longer? I
think you can. A few words of counsel to you, to you that understand
what I am saying, I hope you will observe what I say and remember it,
and carry it out in your lives. The first is to love the Lord your God
with all your hearts. And the next is to honor your parents, that your
days may be long in the land which the Lord your God has given us.
Observe, children, and hearken. You are taught to worship the Lord, so
are the children of the Christian world. They have their Sunday
schools, and churches and meeting-houses, and their ministers and
teachers who instruct the children. You go to them end ask them if
they know anything about that Holy Being whom they worship, and whom
they call God. Not that the comprehension of children is equal to that
of the aged philosopher, but still you have some understanding.
Children, when you ask the ministers of Christendom whom they worship,
they will tell you, "Oh, we worship God!" Who is that God? Can you
tell us where he lives? The answer is, "No." Can you tell us anything
about his character? He is a personage without any body at all; he has
neither body nor parts, he has no head, he has no ears, he has no eyes
to see, he has no nose to smell, no mouth to speak, no arms to handle
anything, nor a body to which these arms can be attached; he has no
legs, he therefore cannot walk; and finally they say, to sum him up to
our entire satisfaction, he is a personage without [p.64] body, parts
or passions.

Vol. 19,  p.64
Now, little children, can you conceive what kind of a being this is?
You say, "It's nothing at all." That is just what it is; it is a myth;
it is nothing to look at, nothing to adore, nothing to worship,
nothing to admire, nothing to appeal to for help. He has no arms to
either handle us or our enemies; he has no legs, he can neither walk
to them nor to us; he has no eyes to behold their follies or ours. And
this is the god that the Christian world worship, and teach their
children to worship.

Vol. 19,  p.64
Now, children, remember this. We teach you that our Father in heaven
is a personage of tabernacle, just as much as I am who stand before
you to-day, and he has all the parts and passions of a perfect man,
and his body is composed of flesh and bones, but not of blood. He,
therefore, has eyes to see, and his eyes are upon all the works of his
hands; he has ears, which are open to hear the prayers of little
children, and he loves you, and knows you, for you are all his
offspring; and his knowledge of you is so minute that, to use the
language of the ancients, not a hair of your head falls to the ground
unnoticed. This is the kind of God we worship. Children, call upon him
in your childhood and youth, for from such as you he has said he will
not turn away. Ask the Father to protect you; always ask him, in the
name of Jesus, for his spirit. The youth, the child, those who are
partially grown, as well as the aged, cease not to call upon God with
all your hearts. Remember this. Obey your parents, honor them and seek
to do them good. And parents, seek to honor your children; bring them
up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Teach them truth and not
error; teach them to love and serve God; teach them to believe in
Jesus Christ the Son of God and the Savior of the world, who is a
personage of tabernacle. He was to all appearance like other men, and
he was the express image of the Father. If he were here, to-day, as he
appeared at Jerusalem, he would pass through this Congregation, and no
one would suppose but what he was an ordinary stranger visiting us.
Children, believe in this character, he is the Savior of the world,
and the Father has appointed him to act in his exalted position. It is
not my business nor yours to question the Father why he appointed this
Jesus to be the Savior of the world. If you do not now fully
comprehend this, the time will come when you will. Remember, too, the
great principle of improvement. Learn! learn! learn! continue to
learn, to study by observation and from good books! Listen to the
instruction of your parents, and of your brethren who hold the holy
Priesthood, and they will teach you the ways of happiness and of life
eternal. If any of you are so unfortunate as to have parents who
wander into by and forbidden paths, and who do things that are wrong,
follow not after them, but honor them and be kind to them, and teach
them by example the better way. Study the Bible, the Book of Mormon,
the Doctrine and Covenants, read the sermons that are published in the
Deseret News, as well as all the standard works of the Church. Such
reading will afford you instruction and improvement; but novels allure
the mind and are without profit.

Vol. 19,  p.64
Little girls, permit me to ask you, Wont you be so kind and so good as
to take those pins or the india-rubber cords out of the back of the
skirts of your dresses, so that you will look comely. They make you
look uncomely, to see your dresses [p.65] drawn around you, showing
your form. Mothers ought to be ashamed of teaching their children such
things. Dress your children and yourselves in that comely, angelic
manner that, were an angel to visit you, you would not feel ashamed. I
am very pleased to say that there are some of our girls, and numbered
among them are some of my own, whom you could not get to adopt these
follies. Ask your mothers, then, to make your clothes suitable and
becoming; and keep your hair smooth and nice. The hair is given to the
female for adornment; and therefore let the ladies, young and old,
adorn their heads with their hair. Mothers should study and children
should study to preserve the skin of the children from being ruined by
dirt, and the heat of a scorching sun, and to keep themselves clean
and pure; but children, now remember, study those books that teach you
the way of life and salvation.

Vol. 19,  p.65
You see that the infant and the children die. How many of you witness
the infant lying in its little coffin, and here lie the child and the
youth; they pass away in death. And again, here are the middle-aged,
many of them pass away into eternity; the old people must die. And the
world is but a span.

Vol. 19,  p.65
Are we going to cease to exist? No, this world is only a preparatory
place to gain a knowledge of God, that we may be prepared to enter
into a higher state of existence and glory, and grow up unto Christ
our living head. Learn the ways of the Lord in your youth, and
continue therein all the days of your life, that you may be prepared
for that higher state of glory that awaits the faithful children of
our God.

Vol. 19,  p.65
I have said enough to answer my own feelings, for this occasion, and
perhaps to satisfy you. I say to all, God bless you, my children, my
little ones. I love you, I am a great lover of children and innocence
and purity, and I am a hater of iniquity, just as much so as the Lord,
and perhaps more than I should be. I do not know this. I think very
frequently, in looking upon the actions of men, that I do not have
compassion enough; but when I see the wolf among the lambs I am after
them, to see that they do not destroy the lambs. And when you are told
that you do not know anything about "Mormonism," you may know it is
wrong; you know something of it every day. I would have given worlds
if I could have known the truth in my childhood, as I now hear it. I
had a great desire to know it, and the priests were after me from the
time I was eight years of age. I was infidel to their creeds, but not
to the Bible, not to God, not to holiness, but to the creeds of the
children of men I was infidel, and am to this day. I say, God bless
you, my children. I give all of you an invitation to attend the
meetings on the Sabbath day, to hear the preaching and to worship God,
and to spend the Sabbath day prudently in the love and fear of God.
Try to adopt in your whole lives that code of morals which our
religion teaches, and which we urge upon the people. God bless you.
Amen.[p.66] 

Brigham Young, July 19, 1877

Relief Societies—Talk to Mothers—Improvement 
Societies—Domestic Matters—Training Children—Home 
Production—Silk Interests.

Discourse By President Brigham Young, Delivered in 
the Tabernacle, Ogden, at a Meeting of the Relief 
Societies of Weber County, July 19, 1877.

(Reported by James Taylor)

Vol. 19,  p.66
[The following discourse was delivered by President Brigham Young; it
was not revised by our respected President, but is presented as
reported by brother James Taylor, of Ogden.]

Vol. 19,  p.66
I expected to attend a meeting of the Relief Societies of this Stake
of Zion to hear reports, and comments from the Presidency, the
Secretaries, and from those that they would call upon to speak. I
learn from the President that the calculation was to invite the
brethren to come here and talk to them, instead of their talking to
us, and to give them instructions, point out their duties, and direct
them with regard to their future course of life. This we are willing
to do, on conditions. Were I to ask you if you are willing to comply
with those conditions, I have no doubt but what you would at once
answer me in the affirmative, and believe that you would carry out the
declaration of your own voices, for this would be your mind. The
question is, will you carry out our instructions? We leave each and
every one to determine that by their future lives. We hope that the
people will hearken and by their acts respond to our requests.

Vol. 19,  p.66
The people called Latter-day Saints say that they wish to know and
understand how to order their lives before Him where we serve and
acknowledge as our Father and our God. If I were to give you my own
feelings with regard to instructions, many of you would perhaps
consider it egotism; still, I take the liberty of saying to these my
sisters, if the counsel and instruction that your unworthy servant has
given to the inhabitants of the earth had been obeyed and carried out,
I have taught them enough to have saved the nations of the earth, and
to have made every one of them to be Latter-day Saints.

Vol. 19,  p.66
We are professedly Saints. What is the difference between a Saint of
God and an angel of God? One is clothed upon with mortality, the other
has passed through mortality and has received the celestial glory of
our heavenly Father, and is free from the contaminating influences of
sin that we have to contend with. This is the difference. We ask the
question, can mortal beings [p.67] live so that they are worthy of the
society of angels? I can answer the question for myself—I believe that
they can; I am sure that they can. But in doing this, they must subdue
the sin that is within themselves, correct every influence that arises
within their own hearts that is opposed to the sanctifying influences
of the grace of God, and purify themselves by their faith and by their
conduct, so that they are worthy. Then they are prepared for the
society of angels. To be Saints indeed, requires every wrong influence
that is within them, as individuals, to be subdued, until every evil
desire is eradicated, and every feeling of their hearts is brought
into entire subjection to the will of Christ. Now you all believe this
just as much as I do.

Vol. 19,  p.67
The first thing I am going to introduce to my sisters is the condition
of this community. Since I have come into this place I understand that
you have a great deal of sickness here. "It is very warm weather," one
says. "A great deal of sickness," says another. I want to say to you
that warm weather is very healthy weather. And I can say still
further, with regard to our climate, a dry climate is a healthy
climate, much more so than where a damp miasma arises from swamps and
decayed materials, which is so frequently the case in low lands,
especially in the Mississippi Valley, but not so on this western
slope. Now I want you to understand what I am talking to you—this
weather is beautiful weather to enjoy health.

Vol. 19,  p.67
Now I will talk to you mothers. If I were invited to your houses to
take supper, or breakfast to-morrow morning, if you have it within
your reach you will have a platter of meat cooked, and will put this
before your children. They are hungry, and require something to
satisfy the demands of nature. You place this before them, and, if
they choose, in our country, they may gorge themselves to overflowing.
You do not stop to ask them if they have eaten sufficient, and ask
them now to desist, and eat moderately. You will let your children eat
green apples and berries of any kind; sit down and eat fat meat, if
they choose it and like it; and fill their systems with swine's flesh
which is more susceptible of diseases than any other flesh that we
eat. It is not like fish or fowl. It is susceptible of disease of
every kind, and will impregnate the system with disease far quicker
than any other food that we eat. Now, mothers, it is well for you to
think of these things. I will tell you how you can enjoy health. You
let your children have a little milk in the morning. I would prefer
putting it over the fire and boiling it, and put one-third water in
it, with a little flour and a particle of salt to make it palatable.
Give them a little bread with it—not soft bread, teach your children
to eat crust—hard baked bread, that the Americans would call stale,
but the English would not. Teach them to eat this, and to eat
sparingly. Instead of drinking unhealthy water, boil such water, and
let it stand until it is cool. If the children are in the least
troubled with summer complaint, and are weak in their bowels, make a
weak composition tea, sweeten it with loaf sugar, and put a little
nice cream in it; and let the children make a practice of drinking
composition instead of cold water. Mothers, keep the children from
eating meat; and let them eat vegetables that are fully matured, not
unripe, and bread that is well baked, not soft. Do not put your loaf
into the oven with a fire hot [p.68] enough to burn it before it is
baked through, but with a slow heat, and let it remain until it is
perfectly baked; and I would prefer, for my own eating, each and every
loaf to be no thicker than my two hands—you tell how thick they
are—and I would want the crust as thick as my hand.

Vol. 19,  p.68
Now for experience. You see I am creeping up into years; and I have
been from my boyhood a person of observation. I have many and many a
time said to children when they begged for the soft bread, that was
not baked thoroughly, "Look here; you will not live very long; you
will probably come to a premature grave." I have noticed invariably
the child that selects the soft bread to be a short-lived person. The
children that hunt around after the crust and eat it, I have noticed
endure, live, and continue to live on. Have you ever noticed this? I
have quite aged sisters here; and I am talking to many that have
children, grandchildren and great-grand-children, like myself. Have
you ever observed this? If you have not I wish you would commence to
reflect upon it.

Vol. 19,  p.68
You say you are improving. These societies are for the improvement of
our manners, our dress, our habits, and our methods of living. Now,
sisters, will you take notice, and instruct those who are not here
to-day, to adopt this rule—stop your children from eating meat, and
especially fat meat; let them have composition to drink, instead of
unhealthy water; let them eat a little milk porridge; let them eat
sparingly and not oppress the stomach so as to create a fever. No
matter whether it is a child or a middle-aged person, whenever the
stomach is over-loaded and charged with more than is required it
creates a fever; this fever creates sickness, until death relieves the
sufferer. Now the people do not think of this. You ought to have
thought of it. I have taught this for years and years to the people.
When we commence to shape our lives according to the judgment, that is
given to us, and we exercise a proper portion of thought, and study
the laws of life, to know what to give, and how to guide and direct
our children and ourselves, we shall find that the longevity of this
people will increase. Although it is a fact that the longevity of this
people is as great perhaps as that of any other people at the present
time; yet we shall find if we will hearken to the wisdom our Heavenly
Father has given us, this will increase; and we shall learn at once
that we are enjoying better health, we shall have a greater amount of
vitality, and a stronger development of ability, and by temperance and
moderation lay the foundation for the development of the mind. Now,
here let me throw in a side remark. I do not mean to go without food
and go to fasting. This is the other extreme. A sufficient amount of
food that will agree with the stomach is healthy, and should be
partaken of. Aged or middle aged, youth or children, never should go
without food until their stomachs are faint, demanding something to
sustain their systems, and continue to undergo this; for this lays the
foundation of weakness, and this weakness will tempt disease. But keep
the stomach in a perfectly healthy condition. Now I do not mean
fasting, but eating moderately; and if my sisters will go home and
commence to adopt this rule, you will find that you begin to get
better, your children and neighbors will get better. We do not expect
all to be [p.69] free from sickness. I have had a great deal of
sickness in my life. I do not expect to be free from the ills, the
weakness, debility and disease that prey upon the human family, but we
can amend our ways, and amend our life by being prudent; and I wish
the sisters to understand this, and to adopt these instructions; and
if you do not learn before the month of July is gone that your
sickness has departed, I shall be very much disappointed. So much for
the health of the people. Will you listen?

Vol. 19,  p.69
Here are mothers. Who give the key to the nations of the earth with
regard to their feelings, pride, prejudices; their religion, habits
and customs, and, I may say, who, in a great degree, govern, that lay
the foundation for the ability that is exhibited among the nations of
men? It is the mothers. Who have laid the foundations in the hearts of
children to prepare them to be great and good men? It is not the
fathers—it is the mothers. It is like the saying of the Savior with
regard to the poor. Speaking to his disciples, he says: "For the poor
always ye have with you, but me ye have not always." Now the children
are always with the mother, and the mother is always with the
children, but the father they have not. He is in the field, at his
work; and the mother is all the time making impressions upon the minds
of the children. Permit me here to say, mothers, and my sisters, you
who are young, it will do you good if you will only observe it. You
see, hear and witness a good deal of contention among children—some of
you do, if not all—and I will give you a few words with regard to your
future lives, that you may have children that are not contentious, not
quarrelsome. Always be good-natured yourselves. is the first step.
Never allow yourselves to become out of temper and get fretful. Why,
mother says, "this is a very mischievous little boy or little girl."
What do you see? That amount of vitality in those little children that
they cannot be still. If they cannot do anything else they will tip
over the chaira, cut up and pull away at anything to raise a row. They
are so full of life that they cannot contain themselves; and they are
something like ourselves—boys. They have so much vitality in them that
their bones fairly ache with strength. They have such an amount of
vitality—life, strength and activity, that they must dispose of them;
and the young ones will contend with each other. Do not be out of
temper yourselves. Always sympathize with them and soothe them. Be
mild and pleasant. If you see a child with knives and forks, playing
with them, it might put out its eyes. It will not do to give it a
hammer and a looking glass. What will you do? I am a person of
experience, and know to deal with children. If the child has in its
hand that which it should not have, let the mother or the father, or
whoever has charge of the child or has the right, take such things
from it, and put them away where they belong. Now, mother, listen to
this—never ask a child to give up that which it should not have. Step
up kindly and put the article where it belongs. The child will not say
anything. A little circumstance took place in Salt Lake City. I had
business in a house where I had understood there had been considerable
trouble occasionally; and the mother would not let the father speak to
the children, to chastise them. I went into the house and talked to
the man. The lady came in and sat down. I pretty soon [p.70] saw a
little girl, about two years old, with a tip thimble in her mouth,
sucking it. I went up to the girl, took the thimble from her and put
it on the mantle shelf. Says I to the mother—"you must not allow the
child to have this thing; if it should go into the stomach it will
decay." The man looked at me as if he would faint away. He was a large
man, but I suppose he never attempted to say such a thing to his wife
in his life. I said it; and the mother was so confounded that she did
not say a word; and it would not have done her any good it she had.
Now, if you will mind this—You bring up your children correctly, and
teach them those principles and habits that are correct, and you will
find that you will improve very materialy in your families. If you
find that the children are cruel, do not contend with them, soothe
them, and invite those who through accident have injured a little
sister to pity her. "You have accidentally hurt your little sister, go
and kiss her." By taking this course you will have good children, and
they will not contend with each other. I am talking to you of that
which I know. I have had an experience in these matters.

Vol. 19,  p.70
I will relate a little incident that occurred in my own family. A
little boy about three and a half years old was very ill. His mother
would feed him bread and milk, or whatever he wished. As soon as he
could stand by her, every day he wanted his bread and milk. Just as
soon as he had got what he wanted, he would throw up his hand, and
away went the basin to the floor. His mother did not know what to do.
Said I, "If you will do just as I tell you, I will tell you what to
do. The next time you sit down to feed this little boy, when he has
got through he will knock the dish out of your hand." Said I, "lean
him against the chair, do not say one word to him, go to your work,
pay no attention to him whatever." She did so. The little fellow stood
there looked at her, watched her; then he would look at the basin and
the spoon, watch his mother, and look at the basin and spoon again. By
and by he got down and crept along the floor and climbed up to the
chair, and then set the basin on the table, and crept until he got the
spoon and put it on the table. He never tried to knock that dish out
of her hand again. Now she might have whipped him and injured him, as
a great many others would have done; but if they know what to do, they
can correct the child without violence.

Vol. 19,  p.70
One of the nicest things in the world is to let an enemy alone
entirely, and it mortifies him to death. If your neighbors talk about
you, and you think that they do wrong in speaking evil of you, do not
let them know that you ever heard a word, and conduct yourselves as if
they always did right, and it will mortify them, and they will say,
"We'll not try this game any longer." I have seen men, and women also,
that are never happy until they are miserable, and never easy until
they are in pain.

Vol. 19,  p.70
These are little things; but is not the world made up of little
things? The whole earth is composed of these small atoms of sand. Our
lives are made up of little, simple circumstances that amount to a
great deal when they are brought together, and sum up the whole life
of the man or woman; and yet in our passing from one to another our
little acts and incidents seem to be very minute or simple, but we
find that they amount to a great deal.[p.71] 

Vol. 19,  p.71
Now, sisters, will you learn these things. I want to see the children
of this people grow as they should; and I want to go a little farther
with regard to our children. Commence, mothers, just as quick as the
child is old enough to understand, which is quite young. They observe
the acts and doings of the mother, and whoever is present. From these
acts they imbibe their first impressions. Now, mothers, do you want
your children to be Saints, when they are grown up? Do you want your
sons and daughters to be good and great, and their lives filled up
with usefulness? "Certainly, with all my heart." Then lay that
foundation for their future life by teaching each little child what it
should do. Teach that child honesty, uprightness and truthfulness.
Never permit a falsehood to be told, nor the color of a falsehood
without correction. Train that child by your own acts and words, from
its infancy, so it may imbibe the principle in its own heart to be
perfectly honest. Teach that child to believe in God our Heavenly
Father. Teach it to believe, to have confidence in Him.

Vol. 19,  p.71
"Why, he is the author of your lives. Here are your father and mother
with regard to your natural body." As soon as they can understand
anything at all, teach them—"Yes, my little child, but you have a
spirit within you. Were it not for this spirit, you would not have
life in you. Here are the father and mother of your tabernacle; but
you have a spirit in you, and the father of that spirit is our
Heavenly Father, whom we serve as our God. You must have implicit
confidence in this Being. You must depend upon Him always. If you are
in danger in the least, you must believe in God, and ask Him to rescue
you, to preserve you; and your faith must be in the name of Him that
He has given, whom He calls His only begotten son, to die a ransom for
our sins." And as soon as they can understand, teach them with regard
to the original sin. Teach them to have implicit confidence in the
Father through our Lord Jesus Christ; and every time they need wisdom,
to ask for wisdom, and ask for understanding; and every time they are
in trouble, ask our Heavenly Father to give them comfort, and they
will feel joyous instead of grievous, and will feel a buoyant feeling,
instead of being cast down. Teach the children to pray, that when they
are large enough to go into the field with their father, they may have
faith that if they are in danger they will be protected. Teach them
that those good angels that are ministering spirits, and their angels,
to guard and defend the just and pure watch over them continually. And
teach them—I am sorry to say there are not many mothers who do teach
it—that they may grow up with this understanding, that our Heavenly
Father takes cognizance of all our acts and doings, and of us, as
individuals, and that His eye is over us, and there is not so much as
a hair of our heads falls to the ground without the notice of our
Heavenly Father. Teach them these things and they will grow up into
this habit. You may call it tradition, but it is an excellent one. You
can sow the seeds of infidelity and they will grow there. Teach the
children so that when they go out from the presence of their father
and mother, God is in all their thoughts. Can you come to this
understanding, mothers? If I were talking to the brethren, I should
say no man in this Church has the privilege or right to enter into
business, or go at anything without [p.72] having God in his thoughts,
and asking for guidance and direction in all his ways. And I will say
to the mothers and sisters, now give your children this correct
tradition in their youth. As I was talking to one of my wives, she
said, "Who is there that teaches her children these things?" I turned
to one and said, "There is one of my wives; she has children full of
faith, because she made it her business to teach them the tradition to
believe in God the Father, to call upon Him continually; and God was
in their thoughts from morning until evening, all the time they were
awake. Says I, "There is the woman; she has taught her children." Now
I know that mothers can teach their children; and they ought to teach
them, and this is my duty to tell you what to do in this case.
Remember to traditionate your children in the nurture and admonition
of the Lord. Teach them as they ought to be taught, that they will
have faith from their youth up, and the Spirit of the Lord to direct
them, that they may never lose sight of this faith in Christ, and our
Heavenly Father; and when they are old they will not depart from the
good path. I am firm in the faith, and verily believe, that if mothers
will bring up their children aright, and give them that early training
that they should have, their children will grow up and never depart
from the path of rectitude and truth.

Vol. 19,  p.72
The mothers are the moving instruments in the hands of Provi dence to
guide the destinies of nations. Let the mothers of any nations teach
their children not to make war, the children would grow up and never
enter into it. Let the mothers teach their children. "War, war upon
your enemies, yes, war to the hilt!" and they will be filled with this
spirit. Consequently you see at once what I wish to impress upon your
mind is, that the mothers are the machinery that give zest to the
whole man, and guide the destinies and lives of men upon the earth.
Now, then, I want to talk upon other matters. You can do just as you
please; you can rule this Stake of Zion. Why, here are brother Peery
and his two Counselors, they cannot move one step unless you say so.
You do not understand this, do you? Why, all the men in this Stake of
Zion can go to some other country, but when the ladies say thus and
so, all the men have to come to the standard. "But, we have an
independence, you know; and I would not like to pin my destiny to any
woman's apron string." But you see the force of this education, which
is forced upon them by the teachings received in early childhood.

Vol. 19,  p.72
Now I want you to guide and direct to our benefit. I want these my
sisters to take into consideration what we can do with regard to
sustaining ourselves. Say you, "Let us go to work and lay the
foundation of it." In a great many places there is a foundation of it
laid out, which is very good. Now, I want you to go to work and say,
we will make all our head-dresses, we will make all the hats that the
men need to wear; we have plenty of straw and materials, we will do
this. "Now you have an object, brother Brigham." Yes, I have, more
than one object; and the great object is to show to our heavenly
Father that we have come out from Babylon, and are capable of taking
care of ourselves. When we come to finances, I want the people to be
rich, instead of poor. The course we are now taking is beggaring the
people—running into debt for this [p.73] folly and that folly, and
everything that they can see. Why, let the merchant come and bring the
follies of Babylon, we want them immediately. "Why, yes, we can make
all the straw hats, if you will take them." I will tell you what else
I want, I want the sisters to say to themselves, and then to their
daughters, sisters and friends, "We will wear that which we will make,
or we will wear nothing; we will make what we wear on our heads; we
will make our own hats and bonnets." Now men, will you patronize this?
"Yes." Then get your husbands to say, "we will not buy one of the hats
from these stores, if they bring them by the car load." Well, there
will be a great deal saved to this Stake of Zion; probably more than
twenty thousand dollars. Then say to your husband, "now, go and build
a tannery, that the hides that come off our beef cattle, can be made
into leather." And then, say to your husband, "I want you to
understand that I am perfectly, absolutely opposed to your course of
life, unless you make some leather." Then, sisters, go to work and
make up this leather. The labor is in the shade, and a great deal of
this work can be done by machinery; but it can be done by hand. We
have one sister in Salt Lake City, who started twenty-three years ago
boot and shoe making; she has made herself a little fortune; she has
plenty to live on; she has worked with her own hands until she has
accumulated property enough to sustain her. My young sisters, instead
of sitting continually at the piano and getting the consumption, take
hold and build up Zion. The first thing is to do something for
yourselves, and learn to labor; and when one thing is done, take up
another item, and continue until we manufacture every thing that we
need here.

Vol. 19,  p.73
I will say to those who are raising sheep, do not send your wool away.
Why, it will be said, "a fool and his money are soon parted." Save
your wool, and send it to the factory. If we want a little cotton
cloth we can raise it in the southern country; and we could raise some
here as well as in some other places. We can raise about two
gatherings. In the best of the States they will gather from three to
four. We can raise our cotton in the south, and save our wool here. Go
to and save your wheat. Tell the people of this Stake of Zion not to
sell their grain. "We are in debt," says one. What brought you in
debt? "Oh, I wanted a thresher and a mowing machine." Where do you
live? How much grass have you to cut? "One hundred and fifty acres."
How many mowing machines have you got? "Only eight." Buy another, and
another machine, and clothing from the stores that is nothing in the
world but shoddy, with but enough of wool to hold it together—buy
these, and buy more than you can pay for. Go into debt, and pauperize
the whole community, instead of building up Zion. I want you to stop.
When we are in a position to build up ourselves, we are building up
Zion. Let us sustain ourselves.

Vol. 19,  p.73
Well, I may say there are a hundred and one things we have to talk
about; and as the sisters will give no reports, we will tell them what
they should do. Now, recollect what I have said to you. Go to, from
one thing to another to make for ourselves what we need. Stop this
buying, so that we can have something on hand.

Vol. 19,  p.74
Another item. I will say to the [p.74] Presidency of this Stake of
Zion, if you could take one-fourth the time of the men who are idle
here and put it on the Temple, and take the other three-fourths and go
to the Railroad Companies and say, "Gentlemen, we will turn you out a
hundred hands who will work for one dollar a day," we would have the
railroads in our hands, and have every dollar that they spend for five
hundred miles. We might bring every dollar in here, and live within
fifty cents on the dollar, and save the other fifty cents. How long
would it take the men to go down to the bed rock, where we were
brought up? I can see women who, when they were twenty years old, six
yards of calico was all they asked for for a gown, and that was good
enough to wear to meeting or to a party; good enough anywhere. If my
mother and her grandmother got one silk dress, and they lived to a
hundred years old, it was all that they wanted. I think my
grandmother's silk dress came down to her children. She put her silk
dress on when I went to see her. It was, I think, her wedding dress,
and she had been married some seventy years.

Vol. 19,  p.74
Some of the ladies wear a silk dress and say, "Husband, I want another
silk dress, I have had this four years." Learn to be prudent. It is no
skill to get money; but, it is a skill to know how to preserve it and
make it increase, and bring to you an abundance to build up Zion, and
purchase what we want.

Vol. 19,  p.74
I wish to say a few words to my sisters in regard to raising silk. I
would like to talk just enough to have you do something in this
direction. This is a matter that I have talked upon for a great many
years. Soon after I first came to the valley, I sat on a load of hay
in Salt Lake City, and said, "this atmosphere is full of silk and all
good things; and we will prove it to be one of the best places for
raising silk." We have proven that we can raise it. There are sisters
here who can reel it and make it into cloth. There is a sister before
ime with a silk dress on; she raised the silk, and made it herself;
and I warrant it will wear four times as long as any you can buy in
the stores. (By invitation the sister arose that the congregation
might see the dress.) I want to encourage you in this industry. If you
want a little change. you can very easily get it by raising silk. Silk
that we raise here, when it is reeled, is worth from $8 to $14 a
pound. It is always a cash article, and finds a ready market. There is
no day in the week or month in the year but what you can find a market
for silk, and get the money for it. I wish the sisters would think of
this. A few pounds of silk gives you a little money. It is easily
raised; where there is a little care taken you can preserve the eggs
so that you can raise two crops of cocoons in a year. There is no
trouble to preserve them in our ice-houses, until the first are
disposed of, and so you can keep the crops growing along. You can
raise more money than the farmers, and beat them in the production of
wealth. Take a woman with her children, and they will make twice the
amount of money by raising silk that the man can make with the farm.
If you will try it you will say it is true.

Vol. 19,  p.74
If you have not the mulberry trees—I have proffered for years to give
the trees and if you want a thousand you are welcome to them, or a
million, I am ready to give them to you. Some twenty years ago I sent
for mulberry seed. I have raised thousands and tens of thousands of
trees, and they are in this [p.75] Territory. I have a large cocoonery
that I built twelve or fourteen years ago. I have given the use of
that—a building about 20 x 110 feet, and I have given the use of the
mulberry trees, and the fruit is good. A great many people are fond of
the fruit; it is healthy for children.

Vol. 19,  p.75
When you feel disposed to make a little money, go into the raising of
silk, which is one of the easiest branches of business that was ever
followed. There is no other work the women can do that will yield the
same amount of profit. This is a matter that I wish you to hearken to.
Will you bless yourselves, and do good to yourselves? We have plenty
of weavers who can take the silk and know how to manufacture it; and
they will give you all you could reasonably ask for it.

Vol. 19,  p.75
Now let the beauty of your adorning be the work of your hands. Will
you not, Presidents, ask your Societies to enter into this agreement,
and go to work and make what you want to wear. Then we will appeal to
the brethren and say, "Come, let us wear the head dresses that our
wives and our sisters can make; and it would be very healthy for the
men if they would wear straw hats winter and summer. We would not see
so many bald heads as we now see around here. Straw hats are perfectly
healthy to wear. I have worn them through winter; and the only
objection I have to them is that they area little too tight and close.
Let the sisters go to work and make these things.

Vol. 19,  p.75
Now, sisters, I plead with you to stop these fashions. They are
nonsense. Brother Carriugtoh has given you a a fine detail of them,
They are miserable looking. I dare not tell you how they look to me,
and how the vanity looks that is in the minds of the people. How long
is it since my family said to me of hoops, "They are so nice and
comely; how would we look if we were to take those hoops off? why we
should look like the town pump. Would you not be ashamed of us?" I am
ashamed. I am ashamed to see the tight clothes—to see the shape of the
ladies. How long is it since the sleeves were so loose that you go
into a store, and the gentleman says, "Are you not going to buy a pair
of sleeves?" "O, if I buy a pair of sleeves I shall have to have a new
dress." "O, I will give you a dress." Eighteen yards in the sleeves,
and three yards in the dress! These foolish fashions, what good do
they do? I have asked my sisters what they would think if a lady who
lives in heaven should pay them a visit. Would she come with these
large sleeves on—a mutton leg sleeve, with dress pulled right out in
front of her? Now, it is pinned back here. It is very unwise. It is
nonsense and uncomely. It is the best looking of anything in the world
when brother Carrington sees his wife in her new calico dress. "You
look just as you did when I courtedy ou." Now there is another
fashion. You see a girl with her hair clipped off in the front of her
head, she looks as though she had just come out of a lunatic asylum.
The hair is for an ornament. You can love a woman with a comely dress
on of her own make, just as well as though she had on a dress that
cost five thousand pounds.

Vol. 19,  p.75
We do not seem to realize that we have to give an account of the days
we spend in folly, and that we will be found wanting if we spend our
time foolishly. When you come to the wheat and the fine flour, to the
gold and the silver and the precious stones, the Lord owns them. But
what have we? Our time. Spend it as you will. Time is given to
you;[p.76] and when this is spent to the best possible advantage for
promoting truth upon the earth, it is placed to your account, and
blessed are you; but when we spend our time in idleness and folly it
will he placed against us. Here is the difference.

Vol. 19,  p.76
Now, sisters, take hold; do this that we ask you to do. It is for your
own benefit, and health, and life, and for the comfort of the people,
and the building up of Zion. And let us go to, and establish the Zion
of God upon the earth, that we may be prepared to enjoy it, which I
most earnestly pray for every day, in the name of Jesus, Amen.

John Taylor, July 29, 1877

God's Purposes Unchangable—the Two 
Powers—the Everlasting Priesthood—Abraham 
and Melchisedeck—Organizing Stakes of Zion—Temple 
Building—the Latter-Day Saints the Friends of the World

Discourse By Elder John Taylor, Delivered in 
the New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, July 29, 1877. 

(Reported by Rudger Clawson)

Vol. 19,  p.76
In relation to the great principles of eternal life, as devolped to us
in the word of God, and through the various revelations that he
continues to give unto us, there are many things that are of great
importance to the human family. In regard to the ideas, theories and
notions of men, it would seem that they, in former ages, have been of
very little avail in thwarting or overturning the purposes of the
Almighty, nor will they be in these days any more efficacious then
they have been in the days that have past and gone. Before this world
rolled into existence, or the morning stars sang for joy, He purposed,
in his own mind, to accomplish certain objects that he had designed in
relation to the world in which we live, and the inhabitants that dwell
thereon. He has never swerved, changed or altered his views or
opinions in relation to this, no matter what our feelings, ideas and
theories may be concerning these matters. In the organization of the
world and all creation as it now exists in the various dispensations
of his providence that have been inducted in the different ages, in
the manifestation of his will to the human family, he has had one
design, one purpose, and one set of ideas to accomplish pertaining to
the whole matter, and everything he intended concerning these things
will all be accomplished, whether it relates to the early history of
man, to the middle ages, or, to the ages in which we live. There are
eternal principles associated with God, with his laws, with his [p.77]
Priesthood that are as unchanging as the eternal heavens; yea, more
so, for the heavens may pass away, but the Scriptures say, "His word
shall not fall to the ground." There is something great and
comprehensive associated with the plans and purposes of Jehovah in
connection with the human family, which very few men care to take the
trouble to investigate or reflect upon; and, as "No man can know the
things of God, but by the Spirit of God;" and as very few place
themselves in a position to obtain this spirit, the result necessarily
is, that there is a large amount of ignorance in relation to the
things of God and consequently a large amount of evil prevailing
everywhere and which has existed in every age. I suppose, associated
with these matters, there is a grand overruling destiny, and that it
was necessary that this set of things should exist. There have always
been two grand powers in juxtaposition, or rather in opposition to
each other. There was in the heavens a conflict, and one-third of the
angels, we are told, were cast out of there. That conflict has existed
here upon the earth, and will continue to exist for a length of time
yet to come, until, as we are told, Satan shall be bound. The conflict
is between right and wrong, between truth and error, between God and
the spirit of darkness, and the powers of evil that are opposed to
Him; and these principles have existed in the various ages. No sooner
was man placed upon the earth, than Satan commenced his work and his
operations. God, it is true, created the world; God, it is true, is
the Father and Spirit of all flesh; God, it is true, has a right to
demand obedience from his children, and the observance of the laws he
has given unto them; but that right has been contested from the very
first. Satan placed a demurrer in the way immediately, and from the
two sons of Adam, one of which feared God and the other did not, the
wicked one killed the righteous, who himself appeared to be master of
the field under the guidance and direction of Satan, and he held this
position and this influence for a length of time upon the earth, until
Seth was introduced to represent Abel, to represent God, and also to
represent all the principles of truth and righteousness; and Satan
with his influence and those that yielded to him, under the influence
of Cain and others associated with them that had wrought wickedness,
bore sway; and iniquity of every kind prevailed, they fought against
God and the principles of truth and righteousness, and it was then as
it is to-day, and as it was in the days of Jesus. Says he: "Straight
is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there be
that find it; while broad is the gate and wide is the way that leadeth
to destruction, and many there be that go in thereat." It would have
seemed, at some time, as though the purposes of God were thwarted in
relation to the organization of the earth and the salvation and
exaltation of the human family, and it was necessary, as has been
referred to, on a certain occasion, to sweep off the inhabitants of
the earth and start anew. "For the imagination of the thoughts of the
hearts of the people, was only evil, and that continually," and they
were raising up a people that were prepared for wrath and destruction,
having power to propagate their own species, they were doing it and
teaching them the laws of death instead of the laws of life. God in
his mercy to those spirits yet unborn, thought proper to sweep them
[p.78] from the earth and then commence another state of things under
the direction of Noah. It was necessary that these opposing
influences, these contending powers, should be in existence; that this
antagonism should prevail; that there should be a devil, that there
should be all the influences associated therewith. There was a degree
or design of God in relation to the human family from the
commencement, to save all that were capable of it, in the celestial
glory. All that were not capable of this, in a terrestrial glory, and
all that were not capable of receiving that, or prepared for it, in a
telestial glory. It was necessary, according to certain unchangeable
and eternal laws, that existed with Christ in the eternal world, that
man possessing any of these glories should be prepared to receive
them, or they could not inherit them, therefore, it was necessary that
man should be placed in a state of trial or probation, having to
contend with evil that he might, through the power of' God, and the
strength that he would give to him, if he was sought unto, that he
might, through that power, overcome and inherit a celestial glory, and
dwell with God in his celestial kingdom. For this purpose, he gave the
Priesthood, which is spoken of as being after the order of
Melchisedeck, after the order of the Son of God, and after the powers
of endless life; which is the power that exists in the heavens, and
the wisdom and intelligence that dwell with the Gods; and is the
principle by which the Gods in the heavens and men who are under its
influence upon the earth are governed. It is called in the Scriptures,
the "everlasting priesthood, without beginning of days or end of
years," and that those who have it, administer not only in this world,
but in the world which is to come; and it is the privilege of those
who have it, to come, as the Scriptures say, "to the general assembly
and Church of the first born, which are written in heaven, to God the
judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, unto Jesus
the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that
speaketh better things than that of Abel." It is this principle spoken
of in the Scriptures that brings life and immortality to light, that
enables mankind, when living according to its laws, to overcome the
powers of darkness, to combat successfully with the errors of the
world, to triumph over evil of every kind, to subdue the world, the
flesh and the devil, through the aid, guidance, power and spirit of
God; to come out triumphant and obtain an inheritance which is
incorruptible and undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved in the
heavens for those that are obedient thereto, and live according to its
requirements. It is in view of this, and of the strength and power and
communication with God that the Priesthood is imparted to man, and it
is that which, according to the Scriptures, "brings life and
immortality to light;" and men in the possession of these principles
know and understand their relationship to God, unto the eternities
that were and unto the eternities that are to come, bringing life and
immortality to light; it chasteth away darkness, confusion, mystery
and doubt and uncertainty; it draws aside the veil of the eternal
world, enabling men, who are in possession of it to comprehend their
standing and relationship to God, to each other, to the past, present
and future, and to all intelligent beings that ever leave existed,
that now exist, or that will exist; hence [p.79] this principle is
given to men to lead them in the paths of life, to instruct and
prepare them for that celestial glory where God the Father dwells, and
Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and those of the holy
Priesthood who have lived before in different ages, who exist now and
who will exist throughout the eternities that are to come. It places
us in relationship to all these beings, and we feel that we are one
with God, one with Jesus, one with the ancient Apostles, Prophets and
Patriarchs, one with the men of God that have had the holy Priesthood
in the different ages of time, and expect to be one with them in the
eternal worlds. We should also be one in accomplishing the purposes of
God pertaining to the earth whereon we live. It is not easy for men,
without a knowledge of these principles, to comprehend those things of
which I speak, for as I said before, and so say the Scriptures—"No man
knows the things of God, but by the Spirit of God;" and the Lord has
revealed unto us, through very simple methods, the way whereby we can
approach unto him. Who is there among men, with all their wisdom and
intelligence, that can comprehend God? Who understands his laws and
his doctrines? Who knows anything about his purposes and designs? Why,
it is as high as the heavens, it is deeper than hell, it is as wide as
the expanse of the universe, it circumscribes all subjects, and
comprehends all intelligence. Who knows it? Nobody, but those who are
enlightened by the spirit of revelation that proceeds from God. How
did men in former times obtain a knowledge of these things? By
obedience to the laws of God, by submitting to his authority, by
taking up their cross and following him, and by searching diligently
to obtain a knowledge of his laws.

Vol. 19,  p.79
We read a little about Abraham, as given to us in his history. What
does he say about himself? "I, Abraham, having been a follower of
righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge,
and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a
greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of
peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the
commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a high priest, holding
the right belonging to the fathers. It was conferred upon me from the
fathers from the beginning of time; even from the beginning or before
the foundations of the earth, to the present time; even the right of
the first-born, or the first man, who is Adam, or first father,
through the fathers unto me. I sought for mine appointment unto the
Priesthood, according to the appointment of God unto the fathers
concerning the seed."

Vol. 19,  p.79
We read in the revelations given unto us by Joseph Smith, that he was
ordained by Melchisedeck, and the Bible tells us that he was blessed
of Melchisedeck; and Paul in speaking of Abraham and Melchisedeck,
says: "The less is blessed of the greater," and that, although Abraham
was a great man, and had great intelligence, great knowledge and many
communications from God, that Melchisedeck was yet greater than he,
and had more intelligence, and knew more of God. What is the result?
Why, the Lord gave to him the Urim and Thummim, whereby he was enabled
to inquire of the law of God. What law?" The same principles that
existed in that day were the same that existed in the days when Jesus
came upon the earth.[p.80] 

Vol. 19,  p.80
Jesus says, that "Abraham saw my day, and was glad." The Apostle tells
us that "God foresaw that he would justify the heathen through faith,
and preached before the Gospel unto Abraham." Then Abraham had the
Gospel, and a knowledge of the laws of God. Life and immortality are
brought to light where the Gospel exists, and he had it; hence it
brought him to God, and the Lord revealed himself unto him and told
him, that in blessing, he would bless him, and in multiplying, he
would multiply him, and in him and in his seed all the families of the
earth should be blessed. There was something very remarkable about
these things, something that shows a determination on his part to do
the will of God, to obey his laws and keep his commandments, and to
carry out his purposes and designs, so far as he was able to do it.
Among other things he said: "I desire to be a follower of
righteousness, and to have more righteousness. Then I desire that I
may be a prince of peace and a father of nations." He sought this at
the hand of God, and God promised him that in him and in his seed all
the families of the earth should be blessed. But did he give it to
him? He did. Did he fulfil his word to him? He did. Who were Moses and
Aaron? Moses led the children of Israel, under the guidance and
direction of the Almighty, with a mighty hand and stretched-out arm,
and delivered them from the hands of the Egyptians. Who were they?
They were the descendants of Abraham. Who were the old Prophets we
read of in the Bible here? They were the descendants of Abraham? Who
was Jesus? A descendant of Abraham. Who were the Twelve Apostles? They
were the descendants of Abraham. Who were the Seventy that existed in
those days? They were the descendants of Abraham. What were they told
to do? To damn mankind? No. What? To go and preach the Gospel to all
the world, to lift up a banner of life and salvation to the nations,
and call upon them to repent. Who were the Nephites that came to this
continent? Lehi, Lemuel, Nephi, etc. Who were they? They were
descendants of Abraham. Who were the Twelve Apostles that were on this
continent? They were descendants of Abraham. What was their mission?
It was to preach the glad tidings of salvation to the people, which
they did. Who was Joseph Smith? We are told in a revelation in
relation to him, that his name should be Joseph, and that he should be
the son of Joseph, who was a descendant of that Joseph who went into
Egypt. God saw proper to reveal unto him the ancient records of the
people that lived on this continent, as a descendant of Abraham, and
what was his message to the people? "Go ye unto all the world and
preach the Gospel to every creature; he that believeth and is baptized
shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned." Has this
message been communicated? It has to a very great extent. There are
around me and before me, men who have traveled thousands and hundreds
of thousands of miles, without purse or scrip, as they did formerly,
trusting to the help of the Lord, in the midst of contumely and
reproach, to proclaim the glad tidings of salvation to a fallen world.
Have they done it? They have so far as it was in their power, and they
have continued to do it up to the present day. Will they accomplish
the work that was designed of the Almighty? They will. Will the Zion
of our God be built up? It will, and I prophesy [p.81] it in the name
of Jesus Christ. Will the kingdom of God roll on? It will. No power on
this side of hell or in hell can stop it. God is at the helm, and I
know it, and his work will roll forth and continue to roll until the
kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of our God and his
Christ, and he will reign forever and forever. The Priesthood in this
day are assisted by the Priesthood that existed in former days, who
lived and operated and withdrew, and are operating with Him. These are
things that many people reflect very little upon, but they are
nevertheless true.

Vol. 19,  p.81
Who was it that appeared with Jesus when he was transfigured upon the
Mount with Peter, James, and John? Moses and Elias. Who were Moses and
Elias? Prophets who had existed before, and still continue to exist,
and to administer on the earth as well as in the heavens. How was it
of John the Baptist? I speak of these things particularly for the
information of those who may be present who are not acquainted with
our revelations, and, perhaps, in many instances not much acquainted
with the Bible. But John, we are told, when on the Isle of Patmos, had
great, important, and glorious visions presented to him. There was a
glorious personage who stood before him, and he was about to fall down
and worship him. But says he, do not worship me. Why! who are you? I
am one of thy fellow servants, the Prophets that have kept the
testimony of Jesus Christ, and the word of God; worship God, says he,
do not worship me. I am one of those that, perhaps, wandered about in
sheep skins and goat skins, dwelling in deserts and dens and caves of
the earth, of whom the world is not worthy; but I have been exalted,
and glorified as you now see me, and I have come to administer to you.
Who was it that administered to Joseph Smith? Moroni and Nephi, men
who had lived upon this continent. Who from the other continent? John
the Baptist for one; Peter, James, and John for others; Moses and
Elias again for others, who revealed certain principles that God
designed they should reveal, and imparted unto him the powers of the
Priesthood which existed in the heavens, that it might be again
conferred upon men on the earth, and that the blessings of the
everlasting Gospel might be again restored.

Vol. 19,  p.81
We have been organizing Stakes of Zion for a length of time, and
placing things in order under the direction of President Young and
Council. What order is that? The order given by the revelations of God
for the guidance of his people, not of man nor by men, but by the will
of God: a pattern of things in the heavenly world. That is the thing
that is now being introduced here among the Saints. Why are we
building Temples here? Because it is part of our mission. Elias was to
come to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts
of the children to the fathers, lest, say the Scriptures, I come and
smite the earth with a curse. In this is the wisdom of God made
manifest, and the power of God displayed. In this he shows as he has
represented in the revelations that he would show, that the wisdom of
God was greater than the cunning of the Devil, for those that Satan
thought he had destroyed, that were cast into prison, Jesus went and
delivered, and preached unto those spirits in prison who sometime were
disobedient in the days of Noah. Again, in relation to the position
that we occupy here upon the earth. We are gathered to Mount Zion. We
are spoken of as being saviors.[p.82] "Saviors shall stand upon Mount
Zion, and the kingdom shall be the Lord's." How can men be saviors
unless they save somebody? That would be a matter of impossibility;
hence we go to work and build our Temples. Why? That we may carry out
that mission that Elias came about, to turn the hearts of the fathers
to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers; that
our fathers, who have lived without the Gospel, and without the light
of truth thereof, that we may administer for them in these Temples,
and be baptised for them, as the Scriptures say: "If the dead rise
not, why are ye baptised for the dead?" and "Why," says the Apostle,
"stand ye in jeopardy every hour?" We go to work then and build
Temples, and is this message that we have come upon a message of
terror, trouble, misery, and confusion? No. It is a message of life to
the people.

Vol. 19,  p.82
God told his disciples to go to the ends of the earth; and, says he,
"I will go with you, and mine angels shall go before you, and my
spirit shall accompany you." Has it been so? It has. It has. Whence
comes our gathering? Because we are introduced into a Gospel of
gathering, because we are living in a gathering dispensation, because
that is one of the dispensations that existed in former days, and has
been restored in the latter days wherever this Gospel is preached,
that spirit accompanies it. You cannot prevent it. Go and preach to
the people, baptise them, lay hands upon them for the reception of the
Holy Ghost, and the first thing that exists among the people is the
feeling to go to Zion. A feeling of that kind universally prevails.
Where did it come from? It comes through the administering of Elijah
to Joseph Smith, and through the things that he imparted to him, and
is one of the dispensations which is embodied in the dispensation of
the fullness of times; hence, say the Scriptures, "I will take them,
one of a city and two of a family, and bring them to Zion." What do
you with them there? "I will give them pastors after my own heart, and
shall feed them with knowledge and understanding." Our mission is not
a mission of death, it is a mission of mercy and salvation.

Vol. 19,  p.82
As has been remarked, whom have we injured? Whose life or liberties
have we interfered with? Are we the enemies of mankind because we tell
them the truth? If God has spoken, and has certain purposes to
accomplish, can we hinder him? No. If we obey his will, we must be
subject to the inconveniences resulting therefrom. We go forth in the
name of Israel's God, trusting in him, "bearing precious seed, and
returning again bringing our sheaves with us." Well, what then? Those
who are being taught and instructed, are sent out again. To whom? Why,
as saviors to their own people, and then our nation, as elders in
Israel, to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ unto the
nations, and gather out all who are honest and willing to obey the
truth. What then? Then they return again. Then go to work and build
Temples, and then administer in them. "I will take them," say the
Scriptures, "one of a city and two of a family, and bring them to
Zion, and they shall be saviors there;" hence we have representatives
here from among the different nations of the earth. We are building
Temples. What for? For ourselves? Yes, for our fathers, mothers,
uncles, aunts, friends, associates, and ancestry. Yes, for thousands
and tens of thousands of others. That is what we are doing. We have
built one Temple down at St. George; we are building another here; we
are building another in [p.83] Sanpete, and another in Cache Valley.
Well now then how do we act as saviors? We first build Temples; we
then go in and administer in them, and do for others what they cannot
do for themselves. We become, then, saviors in that respect here upon
Mount Zion; and hence the nations of the earth have their
representatives here, who are representing those different nations in
the Temples of the Lord of Lords. Well, what next? How are we assisted
in this? By all the intelligences that have lived before us. Could we
have stemmed the amount of opposition and overcome the evils with
which we have been surrounded if there had not been an invisible power
sustaining us? We could not. But all the Priesthood that have existed
before, with God and Jesus at the head, are on our side and assisting
us; and he is all the time crying, "Touch not mine anointed, do my
prophets no harm." He still cries the same. They are operating in the
heavens while we are operating on the earth; "They without us cannot
be made perfect, and we without them cannot be made perfect." It needs
a grand controlling power associating and uniting the heavens with the
earth; uniting them together in indissoluble bonds that cannot be
broken. Uniting them together in one grand phalanx for the
accomplishment of the purposes of God. When Satan thought he had got
the inhabitants of the whole world, did God give them up? No! No!!
When Jesus "Was put to death in the flesh, he was quickened by the
spirit, by which he went and preached to the spirits in prison that
were sometime disobedient in the days of Noah." When men have been
destroyed and nations led into iniquity and overcome, are all going to
be lost and destroyed? No. God has introduced a plan whereby all that
have lived upon the earth, that are worthy in any respect or
honorable, and all that have desired to do right, who have lived
without the Gospel, shall yet have the privilege of it, and they shall
be baptised for, according to a certain order that God has indicated
in relation to these matters to his Priesthood here upon this earth;
and will God be thwarted? No. He will accomplish his designs, and the
earth, by and by, will be purged from iniquity; and Zion will grow and
increase and spread, and no power can hinder it, for God is at the
helm, and he will guide and direct all things according to the counsel
of his own will.

Vol. 19,  p.83
Are we the enemies of mankind? No. We are their friends. No men living
ever exhibited more friendship to the world than we have. I have
travelled thousands of miles, and hundreds of thousands, as President
Young and many brethren around me have, thousands and thousands of
miles without purse or scrip, without hope of earthly reward, to carry
forth those principles that we knew God had revealed for the salvation
of the human family, and we know it to-day. I know these things are
true. I know that God has spoken. I know that the heavens have been
opened. I know that the truth of God has been revealed, and I bear
record of it before this people, before God, angels, and men. I know
of what I speak, and therefore testify of it in the name of Israel's
God. I call upon men everywhere to repent and be baptised in the name
of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and they shall receive the
Holy Ghost. I call upon the Latter-day Saints to be one, and to be
united in temporal and spiritual things, to seek after God that they
may learn of Him and His laws; then shall your light shine like the
sun, and then shall Zion rise and shine, and the glory of God rest
upon her, and the power of God be made manifest among his people.
Amen.[p.84] 

Daniel H. Wells, August 18, 1877

Increase of the Stakes of Zion—the Saints 
Co-Workers With God—the Government and 
Kingdom of God—Our Inheritances—the Poor Receive 
the Word—the Gospel Incorporates Everything.

Discourse By President Daniel H. Wells, Delivered at a 
Special Conference Held at Brigham City, on 
Saturday Afternoon, Aug. 18, 1877.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.84
I discover it is here, as it is in other places through the Territory
which we have visited, that there is an increase, a strengthening of
the Stakes of Zion. The prophecy which refers to the strengthening of
the stakes and the lengthening of the cords of Zion is continually
being fulfilled in the efforts made in this direction by the
Latter-day Saints. In the world's history some of the greatest events
that have taken place, in their inception attracted but little of the
notice or attention of the children of men. The coming of our Lord and
Savior Jeans Christ was known to but few people who then dwelt upon
the face of the earth; and yet it was the greatest event in the
history of the world. The coming forth of Joseph Smith and the Book of
Mormon, and the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, attracted but little of the attention of the
masses. Of course it was considered of the greatest importance by the
few, but in the course of time we shall see in this land of Zion the
assembling of millions. Methinks I sometimes hear the sound of their
footsteps approaching; and when they come they will be for Zion, for
God and His kingdom, and they will sustain and uphold the holy and
righteous principles of eternal truth which have been revealed, and
the institutions of Heaven which our Fathcr has established in this
day and age of the world. And God's purposes will be accomplished with
triumph, for victory will crown the efforts of the Lord and his
people.

Vol. 19,  p.84
In our day we are permitted to witness the occurring of some of the
greatest events that have ever transpired since the days of Adam upon
the earth. The ushering in of this great and glorious work of the last
days, the coming forth of the Gospel to the nations of the earth, and
the assembling of the people, the gathering together to sustain these
principles, and carry out the work of the Lord, to bring to pass His
great and glorious purposes and establish His kingdom in the earth, as
he shall lead forth, guide, and direct from time to time. It is the
great and glorious kingdom of our God that shall stand for ever. In
these things we are co-workers with the Lord our Father in Heaven, so
far as we will [p.85] let Him work with us, for He stands at the helm,
He guides the ship, directing the affairs of the whole earth, as well
as those of His covenant people. It has come forth in the age of the
world in which He designed it; He has made no mistake in regard to
this matter. I suppose the Lord knew and understood the time of
bringing to pass, and commencing to bring to pass His purposes in the
earth in regard to His kingdom, as well as, and no doubt a little
better than, anybody else, and He also knew there were those living
upon the earth who would receive it when He should reveal it unto
them. All these events have their times and seasons. I expect He knew
also that in the days of Jesus the word would be accepted by but
few—yea, that it would be trampled out by the wicked who would gain
the ascendancy; and that the Priesthood and authority thereof would be
received back again to the heavens, there to remain until the times of
restitution should set in, which times it is our happy privilege to
live in. This is the commencement of the restitution; the Gospel has
come again, but never more to be taken from the earth. It is now to be
sustained and upheld, to grow, to increase and multiply and become
mighty and powerful, and the way prepared for the coming of the Lord
Jesus Christ, who will rule from the rivers to the ends of the earth.

Vol. 19,  p.85
We do not fully realize, my brethren and sisters, that this work in
which we are engaged is the kingdom, the government of God if you
please, handed down to the children of men, with all its officers. A
people, a kingdom surrounded with all the elements necessary for the
advancement and prosperity of the people of the kingdom; the
government being established here in the earth, men, women, and
children under the government of Heaven are sustaining and upholding
and carrying it forward, with the power and might with which the God
of Heaven endows them; seeking to establish the principles of truth
and virtue upon His earth, here in the period of time in which it was
to come forth—the set time to favor Israel. A stripling came forth
with the message from Heaven, leading out, guiding, and directing the
affairs of the kingdom as they were made manifest to him by the Lord
from time to time, until it has grown to become a great people. It has
gone forth and continued to grow until we find it as it is this day
here in these valleys of the mountains—with a people dwelling in a
hundred towns, cities, and settlements. Poor people? Yes, in the
majority of cases; I might say in all cases. Poor people, laboring
people, who have come here, a good many of them, without anything
excepting their hands to obtain a subsistence; all poor alike, very
little difference, to find an inheritance. I do not suppose that a
parallel can be found since the God of Heaven gave Israel their
inheritance in the land of Palestine. We see many people who have
received inheritances; poor people that had nothing of this world's
goods have received inheritances and been blessed in a temporal point
of view. I presume and believe that President Brigham Young has done
more to obtain inheritances for the people, the poor among men, in the
last thirty years than all the emigrating and philanthropic societies
in the world, putting them all together, existing at the present time.
I do not think it has been equalled since the days of Israel, when
Palestine was divided out and given to the sons of Jacob. If it has I
have no knowledge of it, and I read a good deal.

Vol. 19,  p.86
It is said "in that day"—looking [p.86] forward to the day in which we
live—that the "poor among men should rejoice in the holy one of
Israel." Is this being literally fulfilled? Yes, it is. We have
demonstrated this fact, we have fulfilled it and are fulfilling it all
the time. It is one of the signs of the latter times, when the Gospel
is preached to the poor. What is the Gospel to the poor? It is the
power of God unto salvation. Cannot we see the power of God
demonstrated to the salvation of the poor among men, that lifts them
out of the poverty in which they have been brought up, and places them
in a land where they can get inheritances both for themselves and
their posterity? Then most assuredly this Gospel is the power of God
to the salvation of all such at least. It has proven itself the power
of God to this whole community, not even President Young himself
excepted. We came here stripped of everything, as the poor among men;
we can now lift up our hearts and rejoice in God who has wrought out
His salvation, temporal as well as spiritual. We were brought here to
these valleys of the mountains, a land held in reserve by Him, where
He can plant the feet of His Saints and strengthen Israel. Has he done
it? Witness ye this day! Here in this little nook and corner, a place
passed by, by the traveller who journeys over the great highway,
almost unnoticed. Yet in this little place the children were strung
along the sidewalk greeting our coming, from the railroad depot to the
bridge, a distance of half a mile. One would not suppose there were so
many in the whole country round. Here we behold the results of the
emigration from the heavens, as well as that from the various nations
of the earth, a grand assembling of the Saints of the Most High. What
for? Without a purpose or design? No, not by any means. The God of
Heaven, our Father, never planted a single individual upon the earth
without a purpose and design. Well would it be for us to find out that
purpose and design concerning us, and then truly live to it and fulfil
it, that our existence upon this earth might be accomplished, that our
existence here might not be a failure, that we might return to our
Father and receive that welcome plaudit, "Well done, good and faithful
servants."

Vol. 19,  p.86
He has given us the opportunity of filling the full measure of our
creation with credit to ourselves and honor to His name. And this can
be done simply by living our religion, the religion of Heaven. He is
inviting everybody who will to come and partake of the waters of life
freely, without money and without price. And yet it will cost you all
you have; but then there is one thing also to be thought of: you did
not have much when you commenced. Those who have riches are the last
to receive the Gospel. They do not see anything to rejoice over in the
revealed will of God to man upon the earth. If they do, they are so
full of the cares and love of the world that the good seed is choked
by the weeds that grow up around them, so that they cannot attend to
it, and place for the word is not found in their hearts.

Vol. 19,  p.86
It is the poor who receive the words of truth, who are the most ready
to do the will of God. When John sent one of his disciples to the
Savior to ask Him if He was the Son of God, etc., He said tell
John—"The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are
cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up and the poor have
the Gospel preached to them." That is the sign he gave to John. It
seems that even he was in [p.87] some little doubt concerning the
divinity of Jesus' mission. The Gospel is preached to the poor; it is
also preached to the rich so far as they will receive it, but they
will not hear it. "O, (say they) go your way, we do not want anything
to do with it or with you." This is what they say to the Elder who
bears the message of life and salvation to the children of men. It is
among the poor they find the readiest access. And such are the ones
that the Lord can use to bring to pass his purposes; they are the ones
who need redemption, and who feel that they need it, and who obtain
it. Feeling their dependence upon Him, they appreciate the great good,
the blessing that God is pouring out upon them from time to time; they
realize that it is he who is doing this work for them. But they could
not arrogate to themselves this honor, inasmuch as they know that they
are, merely instruments in our Father's hands of establishing his
kingdom. The rich if they attempted to perform this work would go
forth in their own power; they would say I have done it; it is I who
have accomplished this great work." They would not acknowledge God in
all things, nor give the honor to whom it really belongs, for who does
not know that they themselves only exist by God's power and
beneficence? But how is it that while the great majority feel and
realize these things, there are many who very soon arrogate to
themselves greatness and power, and think that they have accomplished
great things, and that the Lord can scarcely get along without them; I
wonder sometimes how he did happen to get along before they were born.
I have seen a great many of this character. You know those who get fat
quickly are very apt to kick.

Vol. 19,  p.87
What is there to hinder the blessings of heaven flowing to this people
to the full extent of their hearts desire? I do not know of any
reason, unless we are not prepared and worthy to receive it, and make
a wise and proper use of it when it does come. How many do you believe
there are in Israel to-day who, if the wealth of the world were turned
towards them, would not consign it to the hands of the devil about as
fast as the Lord handed it to them? Do you know that I believe there
are a good many; our experience teaches us there are a good many,
because they part with it just as fast as it comes to them. I will say
that no Latter-day Saint has any right to dispose of the blessings
that God bestows upon him; he has no right to bestow his patronage
upon the outside world, and especially upon those who are in the midst
of Israel, whose interests are separate and apart from ours. It only
fosters an agency in our midst calculated to undermine the faith of
the Latter-day Saints; it nourishes a viper in our midst; a power that
is calculated to lead astray the young and unthinking. I said a
Latter-day Saint had no right to dispose of the blessings that God
bestows upon him; they are not given to us for any such purpose. What
are they given us for? To strengthen the Zion of God upon the earth,
not to destroy it; to send forth the Gospel to all nations, to build
Temples to God's holy name, wherein those who are faithful may receive
the blessings of time and eternity for themselves and their dead; they
are given to us to sustain and uphold righteous principles, and the
institutions of heaven; to gather the poor from afar, who are seeking
to be delivered from a state of bondage, to come up and participate in
the blessings you and I enjoy in these mountains.[p.88] And so when
the Lord finds out that he has a people who will be thus zealous of
good works, who will make a good use of the wealth of the world, so
fast and so soon will the kingdom be delivered to the Saints in
greatness and power.

Vol. 19,  p.88
It cannot be given any sooner, and should not be if it could. Then if
we want to see advancement and progress, let us be diligent and
faithful over the few things committed to our trust, using them for
God and for his kingdom, and not distribute them to the wicked, nor
sift our ways to strangers, nor to those who know not God, and who
give no heed to the principles of truth he has established in the
earth. It is suicidal in the highest degree for the Latter-day Saints
to take such a course, and it is treasonable against the Government to
which we have sworn allegiance. There is a warfare, but who institutes
it? The Devil; he is against the authority of the holy Priesthood,
seeking to trample it from off the face of the earth. What do the
Latter-day Saints do? Nothing, only stand in their own defence,
contending inch by inch for the right. The Adversary is found all the
day long seeking to overthrow us, his agents are continually making
their insiduous approaches to undermine the faith of the Saints, and
destroy the authority of the holy Priesthood, their aim and object
being to drive it from the earth as they did anciently. Then for the
Saints to give aid to those who would destroy them, by giving them our
patronage, even the means that God has placed in our possession! Yes,
we do it all the day long, we are doing it continually. The people
here in Brigham City not so much perhaps as in other places. You have
a better order of things I presume; yet it is done more or less
everywhere. Supposing for instance, nations at war with each other
should find any of their citizens giving comfort and aid to the enemy,
giving munitions for war, rendering service or information, or
betraying any trust whatever, such person would be strung up for
treason. This is the law among the nations; and why should it be
counted anything less than treason for those who have sworn allegiance
to the government of Heaven to be found giving their patronage to the
enemy. I tell you in the name of the Lord, you cannot do it with
impunity; such acts will be counted against you, no matter who you
are, and you will have to meet it! It behooves the Latter-day Saints,
above all people upon the face of the earth, to stand shoulder to
shoulder, presenting an unbroken phalanx for the enemy to meet, a
phalanx that they cannot penetrate or destroy. It is our duty to God
and to one another to fortify our walls of defence. How? By living our
religion, by sustaining through our faith, integrity, and good works
the government which the God of heaven has so kindly bestowed upon us.
There is necessity enough for this government to be established in the
earth. There was no rallying point in all the earth for the Saints,
until the Lord revealed the truth. But now there is a rallying point,
and the people are gathering to it. What for? To pull it down? No! but
to uphold it, to keep it and to hold it, unfurling its banner to the
mountain breezes, and in the strength of Israel's God to stand by and
defend it! To stand by and sustain each other in all good works, not
to seek to pull each other down; but to put down sin and iniquity, and
trample it out of our midst, sustaining purity and upholding and
[p.89] maintaining righteousness, and God and his kingdom forever. Let
the wicked howl; heed them not! What matters though we are unpopular;
Jesus and his disciples were unpopular in their day; but our Savior
passed the ordeals. Have we any ordeals to pass? Not many. We have
more or less difficulties to encounter it is true, which is all right,
in fact it is the only way we can be tested. If we "fly the track" the
moment a difficulty presents itself, what good are we? Where is our
integrity? It is given unto us to overcome every difficulty and
continue on our way rejoicing, having our hearts fixed like a flint on
the prize before us; yes, no matter what devil stands in our way to
prevent our onward march, or to beckon us this way or that way, let us
not be moved either by fear or temptation, but exclaim like one of
old, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!" Let us all,
young and old, make our resolves, and then live to our resolutions,
notwithstanding the inducements and allurements the evil one may bring
to bear to prevent us walking in the strait and narrow way.

Vol. 19,  p.89
The Gospel incorporates everything calculated to do any good whatever,
and it is the power of God unto salvation both here and hereafter; and
you will not find any real pleasure or salvation outside of it. Now
remember that! Both the old and the young can find suitable and
satisfactory enjoyments within the purview and elements of the Gospel.
Real enjoyment is such as can be participated in without offending the
Lord. There is no enjoyment in taking a course calculated to injure
and offend Deity. There is no real enjoyment in the intoxicating cup,
it brings misery instead of joy. And so are all these things that are
used to their abuse. The Gospel teaches us better things, a better
way; and still it furnishes us everything necessary for our pastime
and for our encouragement to go forward in the path that leads to
honor and renown in time and eternity.

Vol. 19,  p.89
There is a great work to be done! The Lord has designed to accomplish
a mighty work through the instrumentality of his children who do and
will exist upon the earth. It is through this means he does accomplish
his purposes; he always has and I expect he always will. The
redemption of our dead friends, of our progenitors who never knew the
Gospel; the resurrection of the dead to come forth clothed in
immortality and eternal lives, will all be brought about through the
Gospel. What, all the human family? Yes, pretty nearly all. It is a
great undertaking; the Lord is susceptible to great undertakings. He
undertook to people this earth with spirits that were begotten in
heaven and who dwelt in his presence. Consider that undertaking for a
moment, and perhaps it will be found to be as vast as our
comprehension is of the redemption of the dead and the accomplishment
of the resurrection of the dead. He is capable of great enterprises of
this kind. And just as sure as he brought forth man upon this earth,
organizing it for them to dwell upon, so sure will he bring them forth
again in the resurrection. I do not know that one is greater than the
other; however he is capable of accomplishing all. I have heard people
talk about the utter impossibility of bringing about the resurrection
of the dead. We read there is nothing impossible with God. I am quite
sure of it in this respect. We see how natural, how easy it is to
bring forth the great work of peopling the earth; and I see no reason
why the other should not be [p.90] just as easy for him to do as this
seems to us. He has all time and eternity at his command; the heavens
are full of days, and the work will continue onward when you and I
rest and sleep in the dust. There is something to be done, we have the
opportunity and blessed privilege of laboring in the cause; and it is
well for us if we do it while the day lasts, for "behold the night
cometh wherein no man can work." Therefore we should be dilligent in
the performance of our duties, divesting ourselves of the errors and
traditions we have imbibed, and which are in opposition to truth and
righteousness according to the revelations of Jesus made known to us
in this our day and generation. We should control ourselves; our
passions are given to us for a good and wise purpose, not to be our
masters, not to be given way to, allowing ourselves to quarrel, to
speak harsh and unkind words and to mistreat our wives and children as
some do. Our passions are implanted within us to give strength and
energy of character, to serve a good and wise purpose; and it is
expected that we hold them in proper subjection, instead of allowing
them to master us. No man is able to control or is fit to govern, even
a family, unless he can govern and control himself.

Vol. 19,  p.90
Let us give heed to the requirements of heaven, and perform them
regardless of the consequences, trusting in God who will sustain even
to the death. If we have to meet obstacles, what of it? "Though he
slay me, yet will I trust in him," let this be the word in the heart
and mind of every man and woman before the Lord. Because we know he is
the wise giver of all good things, the wise controller of all events
who does all things well. Let us put our trust in him, and go forward
in the righteousness of the God of our salvation, in the performance
of the work allotted to us his Saints upon the earth. If we do this
and endure faithful to the end, great will be our reward; and great is
our reward as we pass along. It brings peace of mind in the assurance
that we are doing the Lord's will, and taking that course which is
pleasing unto him.

Vol. 19,  p.90
That the Lord may add his blessing unto us while we sojourn in the
earth, and at last save us in his kingdom is my prayer, in the name of
Jesus. Amen.[p.91] 

Brigham Young, August 19, 1877

The Lord's Supper—a Word to Mothers—the Sacrameent 
in Sabbath Schools—History of Some Things—Young 
Men to Preside—Home Manufactures

Discourse By President Brigham Young, Delivered 
at a Special Conference Held in Brigham City, Box Elder County, 
for the Purpose of Organizing a Stake of Zion in Said County, 
on Sunday Afternoon, August 19, 1877.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.91
Previous to attending to the business to be presented to the
congregation this afternoon, I feel to exhort the Latter-day Saints
before me to try to realize the sacredness of the ordinance that is
now being administered to them, which was introduced by our Savior,
that his disciples might witness to the Father that they were truly
his followers. On the last time that our Lord met with his disciples,
previous to his being betrayed, he administered to them the sacrament.
Instead of eating as at other times, he took the bread and blessed and
brake it and gave to his disciples, saying to them that he should
require of them to meet together to break bread in remembrance of his
body, that would suffer for them and for the sins of the world. So
when he had blessed and broken the bread, he administered the same to
them, saying, "take, eat; this is my body." When his disciples had
eaten, he then took the cup of wine and gave thanks, and gave it to
them, saying, "Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the New
Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." He came
here to redeem fallen man, he being the heir of the family that
receive bodies on this earth, that they, through obedience to his
requirements and commandments and the ordinances of his house; may be
sanctified and prepared to return unto the presence of the Father and
there sit down with Jesus, where he will administer to them again in
fulfillment of his saying to them, "I will not drink, henceforth of
this fruit of the vine, until the day when I drink it anew, with you,
in my Father's kingdom."

Vol. 19,  p.91
I would exhort my brethren and sisters to receive this ordinance every
Sabbath, when they meet together, as is our practice; not following
the customs of others, for with some denominations this is
administered once a month, with others once in three months, with
others never, they not believing in outward ordinances. This is the
way with the Christian sects; they teach that portion of the Bible
which seemeth right unto them and add such doctrines, views and
opinions as suit their own creeds.

Vol. 19,  p.91
We are in the habit of partaking of the contents of the cup each
Sabbath when we meet together, and I do pray you my brethren and
sisters to contemplate this ordinance thoroughly, and seek unto the
Lord with all your hearts that you may obtain the promised blessings
by [p.92] obedience to it. Teach its observance to your children;
impress upon them its necessity. Its observance is as necessary to our
salvation as any other of the ordinances and commandments that have
been instituted in order that the people may be sanctified, that Jesus
may bless them and give unto them his spirit, and guide and direct
them that they may secure unto themselves life eternal. Impress the
sacredness of this important ordinance upon the minds of your
children. Many of you who are aged, have witnessed the strength and
power of tradition, whether it be correct or false. The power of
tradition upon the minds of the inhabitants of the earth is most
potent, I might say it is almost almighty. We know the way of life, we
have the keys of life in our possession; and if we do not take the
pains to train our children, to teach and instruct them concerning
these revealed truths, the condemnation will be upon us, as parents,
or at least in a great measure. We do not want this sin to rest upon
us; we want the people, each and every one to understand their duty
and then discharge that duty fearlessly, without favor or hope of
earthly reward, having in view the doing of the Father's will alone
and the receiving of the heavenly reward.

Vol. 19,  p.92
Let me here call the special attention of the mothers to what I am
going to say: If you mothers will live your religion, then in the love
and fear of God teach your children constantly and thorougthy in the
way of life and salvation, training them up in the way they should go,
when they are old they will not depart from it. I promise you this, it
is as true as the shining sun, it is an eternal truth. In this duty we
fail; we do not bring up our children in the way they should go, or
there would be no turning away, wandering here and there from the
society of the Saints. We let our children do too much as they have a
mind to; if they want this or that their wishes must be gratified; if
they want to go here or there, the mother, in very many instances, is
too ready to urge upon the father directly or indirectly, the
necessity of accommodating the young mind to the path of folly.

Vol. 19,  p.92
By some it is very well understood that in the days of ancient Israel
while in the land of Palestine they were not blessed so profusely as
we are with the crystal streams from the mountains. They were in the
habit of drinking a great deal of wine, and among the few who have
continued to inhabit that land, this habit I believe has been kept up
to the present time. It is a wine country. But the Lord has said to us
it mattereth not what we partake of when we administer the cup to the
people, inasmuch as we do it with an eye single to the glory of God;
it is then acceptable to him. Consequently we use water as though it
were wine; for we are commanded to drink not of wine for this sacred
purpose except it be made by our own hands.

Vol. 19,  p.92
In some of our wards and settlements the administering of the
sacrament has been introduced in the Sunday schools. It is very
pleasing and gratifying to the spirit that I possess, for the parents
to see that their children attend Sunday school and receive the proper
instruction with regard to their faith. After the Sunday school is
over, let the parents take the pains to bring their children to
meeting. This would be very pleasing to me. An idea seems to have gone
abroad among the parents, and consequently descends to the children,
that when the little ones have been to Sunday school, the remainder of
the day is for them to [p.93] enjoy themselves the best way they can.
No more duties, no more obligations to attend meeting. They have been
to the Sunday school and the mothers and probably the fathers think
this is sufficient. But if we do our duty, each and every one of us,
and as communiies, and perform the duties required of us, we will see
that our children attended all the preaching meetings and meetings for
instruction, which it is proper for them to attend, where they, as
well as the parents can be taught pertaining to God and to his
religion on the earth, for the salvation of the human family. If my
brethren and sisters will accept of this exhortation and try to carry
it out in their lives, my heart will say to them, "God bless you,
peace be with you, love be multiplied upon you."

Vol. 19,  p.93
We will now attend to the business before us pertaining to the
organization of this Stake of Zion in this county of Box Elder. When
the people are fully organized we shall expect them strictly to attend
to the duties devolving upon them. Brother Franklin D. Richards, in
his remarks has drawn out the thread of the organization of the
Priesthood and the duties devolving upon the Bishops and upon the
Priests, Teachers and Deacons in advancing the faith of the Gospel and
seeing that there is no iniquity among the people. We expect this will
be carried out. There are many things wherein the people will need
instructing, they will receive these instructions from time to time,
adding instruction to instruction with regard to the faith, ordinances
and commandments of the house of God; our faith in the religion we
possess or hope to possess, and in the faith we should possess in the
name of our Savior and through him in the Father. And we expect to see
an exhibition thereof that will be brighter, that will be more
beautiful, more permanent and lasting throughout all the organizations
of the Stakes of Zion, than we have heretofore seen. We have a
multitude of traditions to overcome, and when this people called
Latter-day Saints will be free from these traditions, so that they can
take hold of the Gospel and build up the kingdom according to the
pattern, I am not able to say; but I hope the time will soon come. I
can say I am encouraged, I think there is an improvement, I can
perceive a growth in the knowledge of God among the Latter-day Saints.
And yet I see many old members of the Church, fathers in the Church
and kingdom of God, of long standing, who have been teachers and have
been taught, and have exercised themselves in the different duties of
the Priesthood, and also in municipal affairs among this people, to
direct, to counsel; and yet they seem to have no brightness within
them concerning the Priesthood; no knowledge with regard to the
dealings of God with his children. We see this; but still on the whole
there is an increase of faith, of knowledge, of wisdom, of
understanding. When we get to understand all knowledge, all wisdom,
that it is necessary for us to understand in the flesh, we will be
like clay in the hands of the potter, willing to be moulded and
fashioned according to the will of him who has called us to this great
and glorious work, of purifying ourselves and our fellow-beings, and
of preparing the nations of the earth for the glory that awaits them
through obedience. Here is mystery, here are the hidden mysteries that
God has reserved for the latter times, and they are coming forth; the
work we have upon us is an immense one, it is great, powerful and
divine; it is an almighty work. And with regard [p.94] to the conduct
of this people—if an angel should come here and speak his feelings as
plainly as I do, I think he would say, "O, Latter-day Saints! why
don't you see, why don't you open your eyes and behold the great work
resting upon you and that you have entered into? You are blind, you
are stupid, you are in the dark, in the mist and fog, wandering to and
fro like the boat upon the water without sail, rudder or oar; and you
know not whither you are going." But we run first this way, and then
that way, turning here and turning there, strewing our ways to
strangers and doing that which we should not do. I will refer to a
little incident.

Vol. 19,  p.94
I used to travel this road running through here several times during
the season. I recollect, not many years ago, there was a little gold
found in Montana. The inhabitants of Utah, called Latter-day Saints,
took everything that the Lord caused the earth to bring forth that
they could pack in their wagons, and carried it away to those who
would not even speak a good word for them. Brother Staines referred to
and related facts to us yesterday. He told us that there were a great
many people in these mountains, and a great many had been here, who
had become acquainted with this people, whom they acknowledged to be
an industrious and honest people; that some had said to him they would
rather trust themselves with the people of Utah than any other
community, feeling safer with them. But when the hue and cry was
raised that the "Mormons" were rising against the law, and against the
rules and regulations and all that is good pertaining to the society
of this great republic and were in open rebellion, where could be
found the man to open his mouth or to write a word saying, "This is
false, it is not true." Did you find or hear of any such men? But very
few, and they will be blessed for so doing. Are we at all astonished
at the silence of the great majority under such circumstances? No. It
has always been so; it is so now, and will continue to be so; for
there is no union, no affiliation, no fellowship between Christ and
Baal. Baal will fight the Savior, the enemy will fight against the law
of God, and he will never give up the contest until he is taken and
bound and cast into "the bottomless pit." And these honorable men,
these good men who with their families have received the blessings
from the hands of this people; those to whom we have given our
substance, our flour and breadstuffs, our money and whatever we had,
were there any of them who opened their mouths in justification of the
innocent, the pure and good, and denounced the falsehoods and the
slanders of those that raised the cry against us? If there were any I
do not know it. But they say to the liars, "Lie on about those
"Mormons," we like to hear it." Whilst on the other hand these
Latter-day Saints are giving everything that the Lord bestows upon
them just as fast as they receive it; not resting satisfied until they
hand everything over to the laps and hands of our enemies. A great
many will say, "But we are not your enemies. Why then do you not speak
out and tell the truth about us?

Vol. 19,  p.94
Regarding the brethren carrying their substance north to Montana, I
will say I knew a man who undertook to head off all this, by trying to
organize the Elders of Israel into a society to raise an influence by
which they might control the northern market; but no, they rebelled
against it. But what I was going to mention, go into the northern
settlements, and you would see the [p.95] wagons by hundreds and
thousands hauling off the provisions to those who would never speak a
word in our favor. Yes, we are generous enough to feed them, and
clothe them, and give them money. And then, when the enemy would raise
persecution against the Latter-day Saints, they can sit and laugh at
it. All the merchants among us we have made rich. Do you know of any
that brought money here? If you do, you know more than I do, and I
think I am as well acquainted with them as any one. Who brought
capital here and spent that capital? They came here poor, and made
their capital, but they never lifted their voice in behalf of any one;
but they laugh and sheer around the corner and in their sleeve when
they see the storm of trouble coming upon the Latter-day Saints. I
will not tell their doom, they will find it out quick enough; a good
many have found it already. Our persecutors too who die, and they keep
dying, their end is sorrow, both priests and people.

Vol. 19,  p.95
There is a good deal of money spent; I know of one man who spent many
thousands of dollars trying to organize the Elders in such a manner
that they could hold the control of the market. But no. Wild as the
deer upon the mountains, running by day and by night, oft-times under
the shades of night, to get away from this and other towns, lugging
off the blessings that God had poured into their laps. We have
counseled the people to save their grain. Supposing we had a few
million bushels of grain on hand, would it do us any hurt? To say the
least, we certainly might as well have kept it, for we got nothing for
it; we did not even pay for the transportation of our substance.

Vol. 19,  p.95
Will famine come? Yes! Will plagues come? Yes! Will distress come upon
the nations? Yes, and upon this nation, and that, too, before a great
while. When they made war upon us some eighteen years ago, how it
pleased and tickled the masses who thought that now destruction was to
overtake the Latter-day Saints. I told many, and sent word to Congress
saying, that it would prove the opening wedge for the struggle of war
between the North and South. But some gentlemen took the liberty of
saying, time after time, "No, no, that cannot be." Said I, "It will be
so, and I tell it to you in the name of Israel's God." And when the
press delight in publishing such falsehoods about the Latter-day
Saints as they have done, and the people delight to read them, you
will see real trouble crop out in and among themselves. Is there power
enough in the Federal Government to put down mobocracy. No! And it is
a truth that they whom the Lord makes weak are weak indeed; and those
whom the Lord makes strong are strong indeed. Strength was given to
the North in the last struggle, and the South suffered extremely. But
the time will come when the North will be weaker than the South was,
and they will have no power to muster their forces against the tide of
folly that will come upon them, that they bring upon themselves, and
they themselves must receive the results.

Vol. 19,  p.95
But say the Latter-day Saints, "How are we living?" If you were to
hear an angel talk to you, and tell just what he sees and understands,
you would say, that is as sharp preaching as brother Brigham's; his
words are sharper than brother Brigham's. And they would be. And still
we are improving a little; but oh! what improvement [p.96] we have yet
to make in order to acquire such victory over ourselves as to bring
ourselves into perfect subjection to the law of Christ. Let us take
heed, and teach our children by precept and example to love and serve
the Lord. What a glorious sight was presented to us yesterday on our
arrival at your depot, to witness the hosts of children that lined the
side walks. You have here in this little city the buds, the beginning
of a nation. Be careful my brethren and my sisters how you conduct
yourselves. See that you bring yourselves in subjection to the law of
Christ, and then teach your children in the spirit of love and
affection the way of life, so that they will not stray away from you,
becoming heady and high-minded, wandering after the foolish fashions
of the world, the pleasures of the world; but let them make their
delight in that which is virtuous and true, for this is more
pleasurable than all the vanities of the world. Real wisdom is real
pleasure; real wisdom, prudence, and understanding, is real comfort.

Vol. 19,  p.96
(The Presidency of the Stake were then unanimously elected—namely,
Oliver G. Snow as President, and Elijah A. Box and Isaac Smith as his
counselors, who also received their ordinations. Elder William Box was
ordained a Patriarch. The names of the members of the High Council
were presented, and that of the President of the High Priests' Quorum,
together with the names of the Bishops of the several Wards, all of
which were unanimously sustained. The President then continued:)

Vol. 19,  p.96
I have a few words to say to the Latter-day Saints concerning these
young men we have called to preside over the people of this Stake of
Zion. They are young—they have not the experience that older men have;
but if they do not possess more wisdom than a good many of our old
experienced men, I am sorry. There are a good many that do not profit
by the experience they have got, they do not know how to do so. I want
to tell you the reason why we have made the selection of brother
Oliver G. Snow to preside here. He is the son of brother Lorenzo Snow,
who has hitherto presided here. By appointing brother Oliver to this
position, I think he will be under his father's care, and where he can
get the wisdom his father possesses. And I will say to the credit of
the people here, they have done well. And brother Lorenzo Snow, who
has had charge of you, has set the best example for the literal
building up of the kingdom of God of any of our presiding Elders.
There is one man in the South who I think will come up to this
standard, and continue on. But brother Snow has led the people and
gudided them and counseled them in the way that they should go,
apparently without their knowing anything about it, until he got them
into the harness; and I like this very much.

Vol. 19,  p.96
Our motive is to make every man and woman to know just as much as we
do; this is the plan of the Gospel, and this is what I would like to
do. I would like all the Latter-day Saints to come up to this
standard, and know as much as I do, and then just as much more as they
can learn, and if they can get ahead of me, all right. I can then have
the privilege of following after them. If they keep up close to me, so
that they will understand as I do the workings of the Spirit, they
will do a good deal better than they do now. But the beauty and
excellency of the wisdom that God has revealed [p.97] to us is to fill
everybody with wisdom, bringing them up to the highest standard of
knowledge and wisdom, purifying us and preparing us to enter into the
highest state of glory, knowledge and power, that we may become fit
associates of the Gods and be prepared to dwell with them. This I say
is the beauty and glory of the great knowledge that God has revealed
unto the Latter-day Saints. You may ask in what particular? In every
particular. For the knowledge men possess of every science, every art,
every study there is, and every branch of mechanism known to men, they
are indebted to the Lord. True men may have been taught it by his
fellow man and he may have discovered much himself; but all originated
with God our Heavenly Father, through his agents to the children of
men. The faith and philosophy of our religion comprehends all things,
believes all things, hopes all things, and I wish I was able to say a
little better than I am, endures all things. But we must endure all
things that we cannot help, enduring patiently until we are counted
worthy to be free.

Vol. 19,  p.97
I want to say this with regard to brother Oliver G. Snow; virtually we
leave brother Lorenzo to overlook you. Can you understand this? If you
cannot you cannot see as I do. Brother Snow has exhibited splendid
talent in what he has done towards making this people self-sustaining.
Shall I give you my ideas in brief with regard to business and
business transactions. Here for instance is a business man, a
merchant, comes to our neighborhood, with a stock of goods; he sells
them at from two to ten hundred per cent. above what they cost. As a
matter of course he soon becomes wealthy, and after a time he will be
called a millionaire, when perhaps he was not worth a dollar when he
commenced to trade. You will hear many say of such a person, what a
nice man he is, and what a great financier he is! My feeling of such a
man is he is a great cheat, a deceiver, a liar! He imposes on the
people, he takes that which does not belong to him, and is a living
monument of falsehood. Such a man is not a financier! The financier is
he that brings the lumber from the Canyons and shapes it for the use
of his fellow man, employing mechanics and laborers to produce from
the elements and the crude material everything necessary for the
sustenance and comfort of man; one who builds tanneries to work up the
hides instead of letting them rot and waste or be sent out of the
country to be made into leather and then brought back in the shape of
boots and shoes; and that can take the wool, the furs and straw and
convert the same into cloth, into hats and bonnets, and that will
plant out mulberry trees and raise the silk, and thus give employment
to men, women and children, as you have commenced to do here, bringing
the elements into successful use for the benefit of man, and
reclaiming a barren wilderness, converting it into a fruitful field,
making it to blossom as the rose; such a man I would call a financier,
a benefactor of his fellow man. But the great majority of men who have
amassed great wealth have done it at the expense of their fellows, on
the principle that the doctors, the lawyers and the merchants acquire
theirs. Such men are impositions on the community, and they ought to
be taken and put to some honorable labor such as raising potatoes,
raising grain, cattle and sheep, and performing other useful and
necessary labors for the good of mankind. Amen.[p.98] 

Erastus Snow, September 9, 1877

Difference Between the Saints and the Ancient Apostles 
and Disciples—the Quorums of the Priesthood Will Continue 
to Go Forward—the Saints Are Calm and Undisturbed

Discourse By Elder Erastus Snow, Delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday, September 9, 1877.

(Reported by Rudger Clawson)

Vol. 19,  p.98
While Elder Richards was addressing us, a certain Scripture presented
itself somewhat forcibly to my mind, that I will call attention to, as
an illustration of the difference existing between us at the present
time, and the condition, feelings and spirit of the Apostles and
disciples of Christ at the time of His crucifixion.

Vol. 19,  p.98
The students of the Bible are aware how the feelings and faith of the
disciples anciently centered in Christ, with the expectation that he
was at that time to restore Israel to the possession of their promised
inheritances, and establish himself upon the Throne of David for ever,
and that the kingdom which be came to establish, was not only to be
spiritual but also temporal in its character. And notwithstanding the
many plain sayings of the Savior, pointing at his death and his
resurrection, and the work He came to perform for the redemption of
man, there seemed to be a veil over their hearts that they
comprehended it only in part. When He was taken and crucified, that
veil still covered their minds. Notwithstanding that on the morning of
His resurrection, the holy women reported to His disciples that they
had seen Him and that He was verily risen, they could not seem to
sense it. When two of their number traveled out into the country the
same day, Jesus overtook them, and they knew him not, and they related
to Him what had happened, adding that they had expected that He was
the one who should have redeemed Israel. Then He began to expound unto
them the Scriptures, and show unto them that it was necessary for
Christ thus to suffer, to fulfill the words of the Prophets. Yet even
these two, after hearing Him and His explanation of the Scriptures,
returned and reported to the rest of the disciples what they had seen
and heard, and even these could not dispel the doubts from the hearts
of the disciples or take off the veil from their minds. Still they
hesitated; still the vision of their minds was not fully open to
comprehend the true nature and character of His mission and their own
true calling. Finally, after a day or two, and the depth of their
grief and mourning began to subside a little, Peter says to his
brethren: I propose to go a fishing. John says, I go with you; and so
one after another they who had followed the [p.99] occupation of
fishermen before they were called to be Apostles, concluded they would
turn again to their former occupation and go fishing. They tried it,
but the Lord did not bless them in their labors. They toiled all
right, but the fish would not come, and they caught nothing. In the
morning a voice called to them from the sea side, saying, "Children
have ye any meat," and they answered Him, "none." Now, said He, "cast
your net over on the other side of the ship." They cast their net on
the other side of the ship, straightway, and their net was full of
fish, so much so that they could not bring it into the ship, and they
were under the necessity of rowing to shore and drawing the net after
them. But about this time, a thought penetrated Peter's heart that
this was very much like the many deeds of Jesus; this was like one of
Jesus' miracles, and straightway he cast a look toward the shore and
exclaimed to his brethren, "Truly it is the Lord." Then his faith and
hope revived, and such joy filled his bosom that the impetuosity of
his nature led him to leave the ship; he could not wait its progress
to the shore but plunged into the sea, to meet his Lord. You remember
what followed; Jesus knew they were hungry, and had breakfast prepared
for them; he did not wait for their seine of fish to be brought ashore
and cooked, but when they arrived he had it cooked, and the fish
ready, and he invited them to sit down to breakfast with him. No one
durst ask him who he was for by this time, God had opened their eyes
and they knew him. You remember the peaceful yet keen rebuke
administered to Peter on the occasion, because be had forsaken the
injunctions that be had previously received, and the commandment that
had been given unto him, and turned his attention again to his
fishing. After they had filled themselves with the fish and cakes,
Jesus asked him: "Simon Peter, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than
these?" pointing to his fish. "Yes, Lord, thou knowest I love thee."
"Then feed my lambs." Again the Lord says, "Simon, son of Jonas,
lovest thou me?" "Yes, Lord, thou knowest I love thee." "Then feed my
sheep." Again, the third time, Jesus asked, "Simon Peter, lovest thou
me more than these?" Peter was grieved because the Lord asked the same
question with renewed earnestness the third time, as it he doubted his
assurance, and said, "Yes, Lord. thou knowest all things, thou knowest
I love Thee." Jesus saith unto him,"Feed my sheep. Now you have tried
your hand at fishing, Peter, and you see that when the Lord was not
with you, you caught nothing. I called you from your fishing in the
beginning, and said to you henceforth to leave your nets, and I would
make you fishers of men." This reproof sufficed Peter the rest of his
life. We have no account of his ever wishing to go fishing again, at
least not to neglect the flock of Christ.

Vol. 19,  p.99
In the epistle which Peter wrote to his brethren in the latter end of
his life, he refers very delicately to that period of his career, when
as he says, in his own words, "We buried our hope with Christ, but
thanks be unto God that it is renewed again by the resurrection of our
Lord from the dead." The hope they had cherished seemed to have been
lost when they buried him, but it was renewed again unto them by the
resurrection of the Lord from the dead, and by his ministrations among
them during a period of forty days after his resurrection, showing
himself repeatedly and giving them instruction, telling them, at the
same time, "not until I have [p.100] departed from you will the Holy
Ghost come upon you and endow you with power from on high, revealing
all things unto you which the Father hath prepared; but if I go away
the Comforter will come, and he will guide you into all truth and show
you things to come.

Vol. 19,  p.100
It is interesting to reflect upon and contemplate the influences and
surroundings of the early disciples and the manner in which the Father
performed his works in their midst and after the resurrection of the
Savior; how their eyes were opened to see and comprehend the true
nature and character of his mission upon the earth; the true nature of
his kingdom, and the work which he was sent to perform, in which they
were his helpers and fellow workers; called and ordained to the holy
Apostleship, to be his witnesses in all the earth, to bear witness of
him and baptize those who believed in the name of the Father, Son, and
Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things which he had commanded
them. It seemed wise in the providences of God to conceal it,
measurably, from their minds until after his resurrection from the
dead. His last entrance into Jerusalem, when he rode upon the foal of
an ass, and the believers spread their garments and palm branches in
his pathway, for him to ride upon in token of the great esteem and
respect they cherished for him, and their assurance that he had come
in the name of the Lord, to establish the Throne of David and redeem
Israel from the oppression of the Gentiles and the bondage that was
upon their necks as a people; and they cried "Hosannah, blessed is he
that cometh in the name of the Lord," while some of the over-righteous
ones or those who thought they were making too much ado about him were
rather inclined to rebuke them and asked Jesus to rebuke them and tell
them to be quiet. His answer was, "If these should hold their peace
the very stones will cry out," as much as to say, it is the Father in
them that is crying. It was the promptings and inspiration of the
Almighty that were moving the hearts of the people to call the
attention of all Judea and Jerusalem, and all the people around about,
that their eyes might see and their ears might hear and all the people
know him who cometh in the name of the Lord, riding upon the foal of
an ass, according to the predictions of the ancient Prophets. He would
not rebuke them, but let the spirit flow; let their mouths utter
praise; let them show their respect; let them show their respect, and
do honor to him whom the Father had sent. And all this that when he
should suffer, and the curtain should drop, and he should be executed,
the Lord should cause the sun to be darkened, and the earth to quake,
and the vail of the Temple to rend, that all Israel might have a
testimony and an assurance that the Son of God was suffering.

Vol. 19,  p.100
Those who are familiar with the early history of the Latter-day
Saints, with the life, career and death of the Prophet Joseph Smith,
with the scenes that surrounded the people at that time, and the
mighty strides that he seemed to take in the last years of his life;
the force with which he seemed to push forward the work that was upon
him, and the feeling that hurried him forward to confer upon the
Apostles and a few others the keys of the Priesthood and the Holy
Endowments, which God had revealed unto him, and his efforts to set in
order all things pertaining to the Priesthood; also his communication
on the powers and policy of the Government of the United [p.101]
States, and the purposes of God concerning them, putting his name
before the people as a candidate for the Presidency of the United
States, and the recommendations which he made to save them from the
civil war that has since overtaken them, the results of the slavery
question, that was agitating the nation, all these great and important
subjects were kept prominently before the people, and while the Elders
and people of Israel labored diligently to carry out his teachings and
execute his plans and designs, he stepped behind the vail almost as
suddenly and unexpectedly, to the people, as did Jesus when he was
crucified. I repeat, it was almost as sudden and unexpected to the
vast body of this people as the crucifixion of Jesus was to his
disciples, who were looking for him to be placed upon the throne of
his father David, to rule and reign over the House of Israel.

Vol. 19,  p.101
The Apostles of this dispensation did not, however, leave the work of
the ministry to which they had been called, and go a fishing; but
there were some in Israel who seemed to have buried their hope with
the Prophet Joseph. And it has been said of some that they died with
him; and though they continued to live years after, yet their faith
and hope seemed to have died with him. Not so with President Brigham
Young, and the Apostles that were with him. They were mostly abroad
ministering in their calling, but two or three of them were at home.
Among the latter number was Elder John Taylor, who is with us to-day,
as you who are familiar with the early history of those times are
aware. He and Elder Willard Richards were with the Prophet Joseph and
Hyrum, in person, when they were assassinated, and John Taylor
received four balls. The rest of the Twelve were abroad attending to
their ministry, holding Conferences in various parts of the country,
nor did they leave those labors and turn again to their former
occupations as did Peter and his brethren. A profound sensation was
produced among all the Latter-day Saints throughout the world, and
among their enemies, many of whom loudly condemned the shocking manner
in which their death was accomplished. Time will not permit, nor does
it appear to me a suitable time to dwell upon it; but great was the
impression produced throughout the land. Deep was the sorrow and
mourning, and the query arose in the minds of many, what shall be the
result of these things? Especially among that class whose hopes seemed
to have been buried with him, whose faith seemed to have been centred
in him; who did not look beyond him.

Vol. 19,  p.101
But the response of the Spirit to those whose faith centred in God was
this: The Prophet Joseph has organized the quorums, has set in order
the Priesthood, and conferred the keys and powers thereof upon his
brethren, and said to the Twelve Apostles, "Upon your shoulders shall
rest the burden of this kingdom, to bear it off in all the world. The
Lord is going to let me rest," His words were before the people, and
in the hearts of those who were living and walking in the light of the
Holy Ghost, whose faith reached beyond the Prophet Joseph, and looked
to the source from whence he received his power and influence.

Vol. 19,  p.101
We have often heard our late President, Brigham Young, who was
President of the Twelve Apostles by seniority, and who had been placed
there by the voice of his brethren, to preside over his quorum, which
had also been confirmed by the Lord, say that he was attending a
[p.102] Conference in Petersboro, New Hampshire, when he heard of the
Prophet's death. The query arose in his mind: Where now rests those
keys of the holy Priesthood which the Prophet Joseph received and
revealed unto us? Where now on this side of the vail are those keys
deposited? The answer came to him by the Holy Spirit resting upon him
with a power and influence and peaceful assurance which caused him to
bring his hand to his thigh with the utterance, "They are here. They
are here!" The voice of his brethren responded, and the echo
reverberated not only among the Apostles, but, among the Seventies,
the High Priests, the Elders, Bishops, Teachers, Deacons, and all the
people. They are here, with brother Brigham, with his brethren the
Apostles, who have been called and charged by the Prophet Joseph with
the duties and responsibilities of bearing off this kingdom and
building it up, and setting in order and regulating the affairs
thereof in all the world. This revelation of the Spirit to our beloved
President, Brigham Young, on that occasion, and which also rested upon
his brethren, and was diffused among all the people and responded to
with such universal voice, sentiment and feelings, was not a fresh
call, a new revelation, but it was bringing to their minds one
previously given, refreshing their minds and understanding in the word
of the Lord that had been spoken unto them through the Prophet Joseph
himself, making more fully and clearly than ever, those words that had
been previously spoken to them, the charge that he gave to them to
bear off the work which now rested upon their shoulders. From that day
until the present time has this revelation been clear and prominent
before the people, and in their hearts, and in the mouth of President
Brigham Young. How often has he said, "Joseph is still my leader; he
is still my President; he still bears the keys before me. I am still
following after him to carry out his counsel, to accomplish the work
of which he laid the foundation, under God. I am still as he
appointed, an Apostle to bear off this kingdom, to bear witness of the
work which God by him did accomplish, and to carry it forward by the
power of God and the help of my brethren and fellow laborers, and I am
still an Apostle and President of the Twelve Apostles."

Vol. 19,  p.102
But the Lord signifies to me that these Quorums of the Priesthood
shall go forward in their respective spheres of labor, and as one
passes beyond the vail, following his file leader, the next Apostle
will follow after, treading, as it were, in his footsteps, to bear off
this kingdom. The work is of God and not of man, and no number of
martyrdoms or death, and no amount of persecution nor slaying of the
Lord's anointed, can put a stop to it. How often we have heard it
proclaimed that the keys of the Apostleship, which had been committed
to men on the earth, together with all the keys of the Holy
Endowments, and every blessing which the Lord has provided and
promised to men in the flesh, are placed within our reach through the
keys of this Priesthood, and that this Apostleship will continue upon
the earth until it has accomplished that which the Lord has ordained
and appointed, and until Israel shall be gathered, and the people be
prepared for his second coming, and that, if one passes beyond the
vail, another follows in his footsteps, and if persecution rage, and
many witnesses of the Lord are slain, still he will preserve witnesses
upon the earth, with the keys of that ministry and Apostleship to bear
off the kingdom [p.103] triumphantly, and fulfill and accomplish all
that the Lord has predicted. These utterances have often been made in
our hearing, within the last thirty-three years, since the death of
the Prophet Joseph, and have become household words with those who
have been alive to their calling and duties, and whose eyes and ears
have been open to hear the word of the Lord and remember it. How calm
and peaceful the spirit and feelings of Israel on this memorable
occasion, when our beloved President, who has led the van for the last
thirty-three years, quietly gathered up his feet and was gathered to
his fathers. How different was the spirit and feelings of Israel on
this occasion from the other occasion I have referred to, and from the
Apostles and disciples of Jesus when He departed! It shows to our
minds the education of the people, and their advancement in
understanding and faith. It shows the stability of our institutions
and their power over the feelings and hearts of the people. In every
department of the Priesthood, in every branch of the Church, through
all the Stakes of Zion, and in every department of our labor, there
seems scarcely a ripple upon the smooth surface of the waters.

Vol. 19,  p.103
Last Sabbath, when a vast congregation of the people came from the
east, west, north and south, and from this city and its suburbs, to
pay their last respects to the honored dead, the quiet, the order, the
silent and discreet feeling of resignation and peace that prevailed,
should be a lesson to the Saints and a testimony to the world of the
purity of faith that we have embraced, and the influence that had been
exerted upon the hearts of the people by our departed leader, and his
brethren who have been laboring with him. We find no confusion, no
running to and fro, nobody dropping their tools or neglecting their
labors, and nobody wishing to go a fishing. When we had finished the
last sad rites, and completed what duties we owed to the honored dead,
we found every one, on Monday morning, resuming his duties; business
assumed its wonted course in every department of our public as well as
our private labors. The Saints everywhere, as well as our Elders
abroad, move forward in the discharge of their duties with calmness
and serenity, with assurance that Brigham is still our leader. Joseph
is still our Prophet, and Brigham is leader as much as he was in life,
but not on this side of the vail—he has gone into another sphere, to
engage in the labors of the Gospel with Joseph, Hyrum, and all the
holy ones that have gone before in this dispensation, to assist them
in rolling on the work of this dispensation among the dead, and
prepare the way for the final consummation of all things spoken of by
the Prophets, while his brethren on this side the vail tread softly
and diligently after him, as it were in his footsteps, to move on the
cause of Israel, and send the Gospel to the ends of the earth. What a
commentary on the stability of the institutions of Zion! The power of
that faith that we have received, the strength of that union, and the
perfection of that organization which God has established among us,
which gives us the re-assurance that instead of the cause of Zion
weakening, it will gain additional power and strength; and the
Priesthood that remain on this side, having lost a tower of strength
in him who has gone, must exert themselves and their faith, and renew
their strength in the Lord, and magnify their calling, that the work
of the Lord be not hindered. That this may be the feelings and [p.104]
determination of every one of the Apostles, Seventies, High Priests,
Elders, Bishops, and Presidents in Zion, and all the people, that we
may strive more diligently to magnify our calling, until we meet again
those who have gone behind the vail, where already there seems to be
almost a majority of the early Apostles and first Elders of the
Church, preaching the Gospel and preparing the hearts of those that
receive it, while we who remain continue our labors in building the
Temples of the Lord, and entering therein and officiating in the
baptisms, endowments, and ordinances, and sealing blessings upon our
dead, that the promises of God may be fulfilled which he has made,
namely, that in this dispensation of the fullness of times He would
gather in one all things that are in Christ Jesus, which are on the
earth and which are in heaven, which may God grant and help us to
accomplish, through Jesus. Amen.

George Q. Cannon, September 16, 1877

The Rock of New (or Continued) Revelation—Incident 
in Regard to P. P. Pratt—"One Lord, One Faith, 
One Baptism"—the Work of the Father Extends 
Throughout the Eternities

Discourse By Elder Geo. Q. Cannon, Delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sept. 16, 1877. 

(Reported by Rudger Clawson)

Vol. 19,  p.104
Those who have listened to the discourse of Elder Woodruff and to the
testimonies which he has borne concerning this work, must have been
interested in his recital, in his explanations and in the doctrines
which he has advanced, and which have special interest for the
Latter-day Saints. If it were not for the new revelations received
from the Almighty, this people called Latter-day Saints would not be
in existence. If it were not that the Lord has revealed in great
plainness his mind and will unto his people, they would not be an
organization, neither would his Elders have gone forth bearing
testimony of the truths of the everlasting Gospel. The rock upon which
this Church is built, and the foundation stone thereof, is new
revelation from God to men, and that revelation being of divine origin
it must of necessity agree with the revelations which have already
been given; hence, as he has said, the doctrines taught by the Prophet
Joseph Smith, and the organization of the Church as he was directed to
accomplish it, was all in perfect harmony with the truths contained in
this book (the Bible). It can [p.105] not be otherwise and be what it
professes to be. It made no difference to Joseph Smith whether he read
and was familiar with every doctrine taught by the Apostles; he was
under no necessity of framing his teachings therewith that there
should be no difference between that which he taught, and that which
had been taught, because the same spirit that revealed to the ancient
Apostles and Prophets, and inspired them to teach the people, and
leave on record their predictions and doctrines, taught him also and
enabled him to teach exactly the same truths.

Vol. 19,  p.105
I remember hearing related brother Parley P. Pratt's first interview
with the Saints at Fayette, Seneca County, where the Church was
organized. Those of you who remember brother Parley know his
familiarity with the Scriptures, especially with the prophecies. On
that occasion he was called upon to speak; the Prophet Joseph was not
present at the time. He brought forth from the prophecies of Isaiah,
Jeremiah, Ezekiel and other prophets, abundant proofs concerning the
work which the Lord had established through his servant Joseph, a
great many of the Latter-day Saints were surprised that there were so
many evidences existing in the Bible concerning this work. The Church
had then been organized some five months, but the members had never
heard from any of the Elders these proofs and evidences which existed
in the Bible. And, if I remember correctly, he told me that Oliver
Cowdery and the Prophet Joseph himself were surprised at the great
amount of evidence there was in the Bible concerning these things. The
Prophet Joseph was inspired of God to teach the doctrines of life and
salvation, and he did so without reference to what the ancient
prophets had said. I have heard President Young make the same remarks.
He said that he never consulted the Book of Covenants, he never
consulted the Bible or Book of Mormon to see whether the doctrines and
counsels which he was inspired to give, corresponded with these books
or not. It was a matter that gave him no particular concern, from the
fact that he endeavored always to be led by the Spirit of the Lord, to
speak in accordance therewith; hence these men have had very little
care resting upon their minds as to whether their doctrines and
counsels were in harmony with the doctrines and counsels of those who
preceded them. It was for them to seek to know the mind and will of
the Lord and comprehend his Spirit as it rested upon them, to speak in
accordance therewith; and the doctrine that has been taught under the
inspiration of that spirit will be found to be in perfect harmony with
the doctrines which have been taught by men inspired of God in ancient
days.

Vol. 19,  p.105
There are no two modes of baptism, there are no two methods of
organizing the Church of Christ; there are no two paths leading into
the kingdom of God our heavenly Father; there are no two forms of
doctrine. "There is one Lord," as the Apostle Paul says, "one faith
and one baptism." There is one form of doctrine, and when we all meet,
(those of us who shall be so fortunate as to be redeemed and
sanctified in the presence of our Father and the Lamb,) we shall find
that our doctrines will precisely agree; our obedience will be of a
similar character, we shall all discover that the doctrines that we
have received and bowed in submission to are precisely the same
doctrines, whether we were baptized into Christ [p.106] in America, in
Asia, in Africa or any other part of the earth, and it will be found
when we all come together, (that is the family of our heavenly
Father,) that we have all received the same faith, the same doctrines,
and have partaken of the same Spirit and the same gifts, the Spirit
having rested down upon all alike according to his or her faith. If it
were not so heaven would be full of clashing sectaries; it would be
full of confusion, strife and division and every kind of contention;
because the same spirit that characterizes men here, and that creates
division and contention among them here, if they could reach heaven in
the possession of it, as some claim they do, would turn heaven itself
into a pandemonium, and make it no better than this earth so far as
confusion is concerned. This is not the Gospel of the Lord Jesus; this
is not the path that he marked out. He marked out a plain path and all
the inhabitants of the earth must, if they ever come into the presence
of the Lamb, walk in that path to the end, or they never can reach
there. And the millions of the dead, to whom allusion has been made by
brother Woodruff, they also shall hear of the glad tidings of
salvation. And the unnumbered millions who have died without ever
having heard the name of the Son of God, and without ever having known
anything concerning the redemption which he wrought out for them; they
who died in ignorance of the law will not, of course, be judged by or
held accountable to the law, having never known it. This would be
contrary to the justice, the eternal justice of our Father in Heaven,
to hold any man or being accountable for the law which they violated
without their first having been made acquainted with it, hence, if
they die in their ignorance they will be judged according to the light
they received. But will they forever, through the endless ages of
eternity, remain in this ignorance? Certainly not. The work of our
Father is not confined to this earthly existence, it extends
throughout the eternities: it extends from eternity to eternity; it is
without beginning and without end; it is as indestructable and
enduring as he himself. But all of the sons of our Father who ever
dwelt upon the earth, and his daughters also, will hear at the proper
time and under the proper circumstances the glad tidings of salvation,
the name of our Redeemer and the plan by which they can be redeemed
and be exalted into his presence. There are several plain allusions to
these doctrines in the Scriptures. Peter talks about them very
plainly. The Savior himself alluded to the same idea when he spoke to
the thief on the cross, when he said to him—"This day shalt thou be
with me in Paradise;" when it is a well-known fact that he did not
ascend to his Father in Heaven. But while his body lay in the earth
his spirit went elsewhere, and was absent from that body. The Apostle
Paul also alludes to it in the 15th chapter of his Epistle to the
Corinthians, and our minds have been set at rest by those glorious
revelations and doctrines, because they explain to us the goodness,
mercy and justice of our Father in Heaven, and enable us, who have
received these doctrines and believe in them, to glorify Him as we
could not if we believed these unnumbered millions that I have alluded
to were condemned to endless perdition, without ever having a chance
to be redeemed therefrom. It has always been a mystery to me, since I
have been old enough to comprehend the truth, [p.107] how it is that
men, with the ideas which they entertain concerning the Gospel, can
reconcile their belief with the fact that our Father is a God of
truth, a God of mercy, and a God of perfect justice. I do not wonder
at men becoming skeptical in view of the ideas which prevail in the
so-called Christian world. A man must, in some instances, throw away
his feelings and reason, and surrender his judgment, and accept the
theories which prevail upon this subject, without reasoning and
without questioning, in order to flow along with the orthodox stream.
This is the only way in which many do, to go along without difficulty.
But if the Gospel was taught in its plainness and in its fullness, and
if men and women understood the Gospel as it is, there would be
nothing that would be in contradiction to those truths to which I have
alluded; but all would be harmonious therewith, and everything would
tend to increase the faith, strengthen the love, and heighten the
feeling of admiration in the breast of the human being in
contemplating the character of our Father in the light of the plan
which He has revealed for our salvation from the power of sin. And
this is what the Gospel (or as men choose to call it in these days
"Mormonism") has done for us. It is this that has enlightened this
people; it is this that has gathered them from the nations of the
earth, and has enabled them to submit to the privations and
persecutions that they have had to contend with; and it is this that
will carry them forward, until they are brought back into the presence
of our Father in Heaven.

Vol. 19,  p.107
I pray that the blessings of the Lord may rest upon the people, and
that the revelations of the Lord Jesus may be in their hearts, and in
their souls, to guide them in that path that will bring them back into
the presence of our Father, which I ask in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.

George Q. Cannon, September 23, 1877

Actions Should Harmonize With Professions—"Mormonism" 
a System of Power—All the Faithful Are Entitled to 
Revelation—Leading Men But As Instruments in the Hands of God

Discourse By Elder Geo. Q. Cannon, Delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sept. 23, 1877.

(Reported by Rudger Clawson)

Vol. 19,  p.107
I have listened with a great deal of pleasure to the remarks which
have been made by our brethren, and the instructions which they have
given unto us upon the principles of the Gospel. The interesting
[p.108] remarks of brother Brigham Young must have appealed very
strongly unto all of us, and impressed us with their truth. First, he
has said if our professions are greater than those of the rest of the
world, and if we testify that we have received truths in advance, and
authority greater than that possessed by others, our lives should
correspond with our professions, or we can never justly expect that we
will receive any greater reward than they; and this is a truth that
should be taken home to the hearts of all the people who are called
Latter-day Saints. The Lord requires of us that our acts, and that our
desires, and that all our labors shall be in harmony with our
professions, and that when we testify that we know that God lives, and
that he has restored the everlasting Gospel to the earth, in its
primitive simplicity, purity, and power, with the authority to
administer in the ordinances thereof for the salvation of the children
of men,—that making these professions and bearing these testimonies,
we should exhibit in our lives the fruits of the glorious doctrines
and truths that we profess to have received. In no other way can we
truly bear testimony to the veracity of these things. "A tree is known
by its fruits; a good stream does not send forth bitter waters; men do
not gather grapes of thorns and figs of thistles." And so with us and
the rest of mankind. When we profess to have received the truth, we
should exhibit the fruits of that truth in our lives. When we profess
to have received the everlasting Gospel and the Spirit of God, we
should rejoice in the gifts of that Spirit. We should live so as to
enjoy them, and in times of trial, of difficulty, of perplexity, and
of affliction, we should exhibit a self-control and power and strength
that might be expected from a people situated as we are, and having
the blessings that we enjoy. Do the Latter-day Saints exhibit these
fruits as they should? In some respects they are to be seen, and in
others they are not so fruitful as they should be. There is an
abundance of room for improvement on our part. There is room for an
increase of exertion and an exhibition of greater faith as a people,
than we have ever yet exhibited. The Lord is ready, according to our
own testimonies, to pour out upon us every blessing that we need. Are
we sick? Are any of our households sick? What is the privilege of the
Latter-day Saints according to our doctrines, according to the
teachings of these books (the Bible and the Book of Mormon), and
according to our own belief? It is our privilege to exercise faith in
the name of Jesus Christ, to have the sick, where not appointed unto
death, restored to life. This is the privilege of the Latter-day
Saints, the privilege of every faithful man and woman in the Church of
Christ upon all the face of the earth. If there be a misfortune
impending that is fraught with difficulty, or disaster, or trouble of
any kind, what is the privilege of those who are the servants and
hand-maidens of the Lord Jesus Christ? It is the privilege, and has
been the privilege in all ages of the world, according to the records
that have come down to us, for those who live godly in Christ Jesus to
have revelation concerning those events, that they may be prepared for
them, and not be taken unawares. I would not give much for a religion
that did not prepare me for events of that character; I would not
think it the religion of Jesus Christ. I would not give much for a
church, to me it would [p.109] have no attractions, in which God did
not manifest his power, in which there were no evidences received of
God's power and of God's ability to deliver in the hour of trial and
difficulty. It is this which makes the Church of Christ, it is this
which makes what men call "Mormonism," so attractive to me. It is
because it is a system of power; it is because there are gifts
connected with it; it is because I was told when a child that if I
would be baptized for the remissions of my sins and repent of them, I
should receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. It is because there are in
this Church Prophets and Apostles, the gifts of revelation, of
healing, and discerning of spirits, and all the other gifts, that were
ever enjoyed by the ancient people of God. It is these gifts that make
the Church of Jesus Christ a power in the earth, and that makes the
teachings and doctrines of this Church so attractive to all the
inhabitants of the earth who believe truthfully and sincerely the
doctrines contained in the Old and New Testaments. It supplies the
want that is felt by every honest heart, a yearning after a knowledge
of God, a yearning after the things of God, and a yearning after that
certainty that dispels all darkness and unbelief, and is a rock, which
is like the rock of ages, upon which the foundation being built, the
building is forever without fear of being shaken or overturned, when
the storms and tempests shall beat upon it.

Vol. 19,  p.109
This is the secret of the union that has always characterized this
Church of Jesus Christ, and yet we do not live up to our privileges.
What is the privilege of the Latter-day Saints? Are the privileges of
this Gospel confined to a few individuals? Revelations have been given
to our departed President—President Brigham Young—but were the gifts,
powers and qualifications of this Gospel confined to his person alone?
Were they confined to his Counselors? Are they confined to the Twelve?
Are they confined to the Bishops or to any other class in this Church?
Certainly not. They are like the air we breathe; they are like the
light that enlightens our understandings and gives light to our
intellects. They are free to all who will live so as to receive them.
There is none so old, none so learned, none so high, neither is their
any so low, nor so young, nor so illiterate, unto whom these are
denied. They are the free gift of God to all His children; to all who
keep His commandments. They shall receive these gifts, and enjoy them
if they will live so as to have them in their hearts, so that the Holy
Spirit will bestow them upon them, and it is this also that causes
this Church and this Gospel to be so delightfull, there is an equality
about it. It is not, as I have said, confined to a few, but it is
extended to all the inhabitants of the earth, who will place
themselves in a position to receive it. "Repent and be baptized every
one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and
ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, for this promise is unto
you and to your children and to all that are afar off, even as many as
the Lord our God shall call." Even all. Whom does he call? Go preach
this gospel to every creature, therefore every creature is called, at
all times and in all generations througout the earth. None are
excluded from its glorious benefits. It is therefore the privilege of
every member of this Church to enjoy revelation for himself or
herself, to know the mind and will of the Father, to know concerning
the doctrine whether it be of the [p.110] Lord or whether it be of
man, and I would not give much for a people or an individual who is
destitute of this knowledge. Sooner or later unless they repent and
feel after it, they will stand in slippery places, and when the floods
come and the tempests beat upon them, they are in danger of falling
away and becoming castaways from the Church of Christ; but the man who
receives his knowledge from the Father, and the woman who can come to
the Father in the name of Jesus and ask and receive for herself a
testimony concerning this work, and concerning the government of God,
in times of trial and difficulty, they are safe, because they know
where their strength is and unto whom they can apply for light and
guidance in the hours of temptation, trial and difficulty. They know
then the voice of the true Shepherd.

Vol. 19,  p.110
My brethren and sisters let me address myself more directly to you
upon this point. We have been bereft of our President. We have been
bereft of the man who has stood at our head and guided us for
thirty-three years, and we have learned to look upon him as the
mouth-piece of our Father to us, but we ought, also, to have learned,
as I have no doubt the majority of this people have learned, that he
was but an instrument in the hands of God to accomplish the work
entrusted to him, and that he being gone, the Lord will raise up and
strengthen those who remain, and give them the power necessary to
accomplish his work and carry it forward in the earth; and if they
fall too, as they likely will, the column of humanity, the column of
the Priesthood will still press forward, until all that the Lord has
appointed to his people, he will accomplish on the earth, and Zion
will be established and fully redeemed according to all the words of
the Prophets. And further, it will cause us to draw nearer unto the
Father and live so that we shall receive revelation from him for
ourselves, that the knowledge of the Spirit shall be in our hearts,
that the voice of the true Shepherd will be known to our ears, that
when we hear it we will know it, that we cannot be deceived or led
astray. This is the privilege of the Latter-day Saints, and the man
and woman in this Church who does not live so as to enjoy this
privilege comes short of being what he should be. It is these
blessings that compensate for the falsehoods, for the contumely and
for the persecution to which the Latter-day Saints are subjected. If
it were not for these gifts and blessings our case would not be a very
enviable one; but in possession of these blessings, and knowing for
ourselves the truth, and understanding the will of our Father in
heaven and rejoicing in the blessings of peace, quietude, union and
love, such as cannot be obtained elsewhere, with those other gifts to
which I have alluded—having these in our possession we can look calmly
upon the efforts of the wicked. We can, without being afflicted in our
souls, receive the persecution which they may seem fit to heap upon
us; to have our names cast out as evil, to be accused of all manner of
wickedness and crime. We can submit to these things cheerfully,
knowing that the day will come when these lies shall be swept away;
when the will of the Father and the glorious light of truth will shine
upon us, and we shall be vindicated in the sight of the inhabitants of
the earth, in the sight of heaven and angels. This being our
condition, we can rejoice under these circumstances, and look forth to
the time when we shall receive the happiness and reward alluded to.
Brethren and sisters, live so that each of you can go to the Father
and ask and [p.111] receive from him the blessing that you need. He
has said, "Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh
his arm." Do not build upon man. Do not lean upon him, but lean upon
our Father in heaven. Seek unto him; implore his blessing; ask for
light and strength from him; humble yourselves before him, and confess
your sins; be of a broken heart and contrite spirit, and he will visit
you with his Spirit, and bestow upon you gifts such as you have never
yet received.

Vol. 19,  p.111
That you may do this, and that we all may do it, that we may be
eventually saved and exalted in the kingdom of our Father, is my
prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Orson Pratt, October 5, 1877

The Savior Among the Nephites—Printing of the Book 
of Mormon—the Presidency of the Church—the 
Ancient Priesthood—the Kirtland Temple

Discourse By Elder Orson Pratt, Delivered at the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Friday, October 5, 1877.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.111
I will read a few words of our Lord and Savior, at the time of his
last personal appearance among the Nephites, or rather, the last
account of His appearance in their midst, so far as the Book of Mormon
has given the history.

Vol. 19,  p.111
"Write the things which ye have seen and heard, save it be those which
are forbidden. Write the works of this people which shall be even as
hath been written, of that which has been; for behold, out of the
books which have been written, and which shall be written, shall this
people be judged; for by them shall their works be known unto men. And
behold all things are written by the Father; therefore, out of the
books which shall be written shall the world be judged. And know ye
that ye shall be judges of the people, according to the judgment which
I shall give unto you, which shall be just; therefore, what manner of
men had ye ought to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am."

Vol. 19,  p.111
These words of our Lord and Savior, to the ancient Israelites of the
American Continent, are written, not only for the benefit of the
descendants of the Israelites, who inhabit the Continent, but also for
the benefit of all people, that all might know something in relation
to the authority that God bestowed upon His servants in ancient times.
The Priesthood is not a delegated authority from heaven to be merely
exercised in this life; it is a divine [p.112] authority intended to
be exercised in the next life, as well as this: its exercise here is
only the beginnig.

Vol. 19,  p.112
Before dwelling upon this subject, I wish to say to the Latter-day
Saints, that I have been permitted by the counsel of the servants of
God, to perform another but very short mission abroad, having left
Salt Lake City on the 18th July, and returned again after about two
months and nine days' absence, traveling, during this period of time,
about thirteen thousand miles, by land and ocean. I feel very glad,
and rejoice, that I have had this opportunity of going out once more
among mankind abroad. Although my mission was not specially a
preaching mission, to declare to the people the things of the kingdom
of God, yet I endeavored, so far as opportunity permitted to bear my
humble testimony among the people.

Vol. 19,  p.112
My mission, as is well known, was to go to England, for the purpose of
printing the Book of Mormon, and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants,
according to the phonotype system of Pitman. I will here state, that
Pitman's system of phonetics has been changed and re-changed, in
England, so many times, that it has finally and almost entirely
dropped out of use in that country. Pitman still continues to publish
a periodical in which he gives his present forms of type or
characters, and present forms of spelling, but his paper is more
particularly advocating the system of short-hand writing, or
phonography, which is quite popular in England. By making inquiry, I
found that one of the brothers, Benj. Pitman, in consequence of the
numerous alterations that were being made, was disgusted, and came to
America to see if he could establish a system upon a little different
principle. A certain wealthy gentleman in our country became
interested in the enterprise, and he, by will, advanced money to
publish an extensive dictionary upon the phonetic principle. A little
different alphabet was adopted in our country from that which was used
in England. After examining these different systems, I concluded that,
in some very few respects, they were all in error. These errors
consisted mostly in the mode of spelling. Some have adopted one
standard, and some another; and having examined the different systems
closely and carefully, I finally concluded to accept the American
phonetic alphabet, with the exception of two or three characters, and
also to spell according to the American phonetic dictionary, with some
slight alterations.

Vol. 19,  p.112
I made arrangements with a house in London to furnish the phonotype,
and most of it had arrived in Liverpool, just as I was called home.

Vol. 19,  p.112
These preliminary preparations for printing were made just as fast as
possible before learning the sad news of the death of our beloved
President, which we received some seven hours after he breathed his
last. A few hours later we received another telegram from the Council
of the Twelve Apostles, instructing brother Joseph F. Smith and myself
to arrange matters in Great Britain, pertaining to the European
mission, and come home immediately. We have complied with the request.

Vol. 19,  p.112
We feel, with all our hearts, to mourn with the Latter-day Saints, in
the loss of so great and good a man, as the President, who has led us,
with marked success, for one-third of a century. He was the
instrument, in the hands of God, of bringing the people forth, some
1,400 miles from the great Mississippi River, over wild, barren, and
trackless plains, and locating us here, in [p.113] the great American
desert. He has been the instrument, in the hands of God, of giving
counsel and instruction for the numerous towns, cities and villages,
through our mountain region; he has been foremost in the encouragement
of home manufactures, and home industries; introducing at his own
expense, much machinery into the Territory, so as to make the
Latter-day Saints, as far as possible, a self-sustaining people; he
has labored diligently during the last years of his life, to bring
about a greater degree of union among the Latter-day Saints, in regard
to temporal things. And near the close of his useful life, he was
wrought upon by the spirit of God, and more especially on his last
mission at St. George, to give counsel to the Twelve Apostles, to go
into all parts of the Territory and more fully organize the people
according to the revelations and commandments and institutions of
heaven, as given by revelation, through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Having accomplished so great a work, in leading forth the people of
God, in locating them here in these mountains, so far from what is
termed civilization, and having redeemed the desert, established
academies and school-houses, Tabernacles and Temples, home
manufactures and home industries, and finally having organized the
Saints into Stakes, appointing Bishops, and having them ordained, in
all parts of our Territory, having fulfilled and completed the work,
the Lord has taken him home to himself.

Vol. 19,  p.113
We heard this forenoon, respecting the Prophet Elijah; the Lord had a
great work for him to perform; he lived to accomplish it, and he knew
then that the time had come for him to depart and leave the children
of Israel. He was taken up to heaven. The Prophet Brigham, too, had
his work to perform; he lived to do it, and he has passed away in
peace, beloved by his people.

Vol. 19,  p.113
This is the second time in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints, when the Twelve have stepped forward as the
proper authorities, to bear off this kingdom, and to preside over the
Church. Joseph was in our midst but a few years. The Lord called him
to lay the foundation of this work; he gave him revelations before the
rise of the Church. He ordained him and Oliver Cowdery to the
Apostleship, giving them the authority, and power, and office, and
Priesthood, to perform the things necessary in the future organisation
of the Church, giving line upon line, precept upon precept, from time
to time, to instruct the various Councils of the Church in regard to
their several duties. He having performed the work, God required at
his hands, was taken away; the Lord saw proper to remove him from our
midst. The authority then devolved upon the Twelve, and upon the
Priesthood of the Twelve. Another First Presidency was appointed about
three years and six months after the martyrdom of Joseph. During that
time the Lord was with the Twelve, in every duty, and a great work was
accomplished, during that period, by them. The greater part of the
Temple in Nauvoo was built by the Twelve, after the death of the
Prophet. Endowments were given in that Temple, by the Twelve, while
presiding over the Church. Sealings and blessings in behalf of the
living and the dead, were performed in that Temple. All the ordinances
necessary on that occasion were administered, under the Presidency and
jurisdiction of the Twelve. And not only this, but the Lord enabled
them to lead the people forth, through an unexplored country, to
select a [p.114] location for them. Having done this, they returned in
the latter part of the year 1847, to the camps located on the Missouri
river.

Vol. 19,  p.114
I mention these things to show you, that the Twelve were not idle
after the death of Joseph, but took the lead, and organized the camps
of Israel, and presided over all the authorities in the midst of these
camps.

Vol. 19,  p.114
In those days, some persons, ignorant of the authority of an Apostle,
questioned the right of the Twelve to preside, but I would ask, what
authority ever existed in the Church that the Twelve do not hold? I
would further enquire, had the First Presidency any office that the
Twelve had not? If they have, where did they get it? Do you know?
Another First Presidency of the Church were organized, three years and
a half, after the death of Joseph. If they held any higher authority,
then they must have received it by direct communication from the
heavens. But it is known that they received it by the voice of the
Council of the Twelve, with all the authorities of the kingdom of God
to back them up. We have been taught, ever since the Twelve were
chosen, that they held all the power of the Melchisedec Priesthood,
all the power of the Apostleship that could be conferred upon mortal
man, Hence, when Hyrum Smith was taken out of the First Presidency and
appointed to another calling, not to another office in the
Apostleship, was it not the province of the Twelve to set him apart?
It was, because they held that authority, that Priesthood, that
Apostleship, that gave him the right to do this. By what revelation
you may ask? I answer, by a certain revelation contained in the Book
of Doctrine and Covenants, where it says, that the Twelve shall ordain
in all large Branches of the Church, evangelical ministers. When this
was first given, the word "evangelical" was not there. But Joseph was
wrought upon by the Spirit to erase the word patriarchs and substitute
the words "evangelical ministers." Hence the Twelve have so ordained
patriarchs, as Hyrum Smith. But inquires one, should the Twelve ordain
Prophets, Seers and Revelators? Yes. Were they not appointed in the
Kirtland Temple, in the year 1836, after its dedication by the voice
of Joseph, and the First Presidency, and the united voice of the
Church to the Prophets, Seers and Revelators to the people? Yes. Then
they could ordain such; or in other words they could set apart such to
these duties. They could set apart Patriarchs, to such an office as
brother Hyrum Smith held, when he was taken out of the First
Presidency and placed in the Patriarchial office.

Vol. 19,  p.114
Then, again, there is another revelation given concerning the
Priesthood, which you can read in the Doctrine and Covenants. After
having mentioned the various offices and callings, the Lord required
it as a duty enjoined upon the Twelve, though the First Presidency was
then alive, to organize all the officers in Zion. What! the Twelve, a
traveling High Council; the Twelve, who hold the keys of all nations,
to the Gentiles first, and then to the Jews, to be at home attending
to such work? Yes. The Twelve had duties to perform, both abroad and
at home. Having fulfilled important duties abroad, they were not
relieved from the duties specified in the commandment, to act at home,
and they have been, from that time to this, in the midst of the people
of God, at home, at the gathering places.

Vol. 19,  p.115
In the revelation given on the [p.115] 19th day of January, 1841,
Brigham Young was called by name, and appointed the President of the
Twelve, and also, in another revelation, given not far from the same
time, he was required to remain at home. Instead of being a traveling
Councillor, to be sent abroad among the nations, his services were
required at home, which was also the case with several of the
Apostles, and especially since the death of Joseph.

Vol. 19,  p.115
There is another subject, while dwelling on the Priesthood, which I
wish to speak of; I refer to the Counsellors that may be left, when
the President, the First President of the Church is taken away from
our midst. We are informed that the Counsellors that existed in the
day of Joseph could not act as Counsellors to Joseph after he was
taken away; to be Counsellors to him would be impossible, unless they
themselves should go the other side of the veil. Hence when the
President was taken away their duties as Counsellors to the Prophet,
the First President, ceased. Just the same with a Bishop's Council
under the same circumstances. Supposing the Bishop were to die, his
two Counsellers could not legitimately step forward claiming to be
Bishops themselves; and furthermore their duties as Counsellors to the
deceased Bishop would at his death cease. And so it would be if the
Bishop, instead of dying, were called to some other location or should
be cut off the Church. So it was considered, in the days of the loss
of our Prophet and Seer, Joseph Smith. The two Counsellors that then
existed had the privilege, if they chose to do so, of being associated
with the Council of the Twelve to assist us in the work of bearing off
the kingdom; not as members of the Twelve, but acting with and
assisting them. The same order has again been carried out; and it is
just as I believed it would be, when I was in Liverpool, after
learning of the death of President Young. The question came up there,
and I took the liberty of instructing the Saints making the inquiries.
I told them, that when the First Presidency left, the Twelve would
lead forth the Church, until such times as the Spirit of God, and the
desires of the people, universally, should be to select and set apart
and sustain by their prayers and faith, a First Presidency again.
Furthermore, it was published in the papers, particularly in America,
and also in England, and there seemed to be a great anxiety on the
part of our enemies, to know who was going to lead the Church. They
seemed to have far more anxiety than you upon this subject. For the
Saints generally have been instructed on this matter, and have, in a
measure understood it. We knew that President Brigham Young, and his
two Counsellors, received no new office, by being taken from the
Quorum of the Twelve, and appointed to other duties. The same as
brother Joseph F. Smith has been appointed and set apart not to a new
office, but to go to Great Britain and preside over the European
Mission. That did not devolve upon brother Richards, nor brother Rich,
nor any other member of the Twelve; he alone can perform this duty. It
is not a new office, but merely a new duty required of him. So in
relation to the First Presidency. They carry no new office, but new
duties are required at their hands, when they are chosen by the
Priesthood and set apart, not ordained to a new office, but set apart
to preside.

Vol. 19,  p.115
I wish also to speak a few words, in regard to the ancient Priesthood.
I find, from the Book of Mormon, concerning the ancient Twelve—the
twelve Nephites of this land; that Jesus chose them, and called them
[p.116] by name, and set them apart and ordained them. Prior to this
time, before his death, he chose twelve in the land of Jerusalem.
These officers, the Twelve on the Eastern, and the Twelve on the
Western continent, did not lose their office by death; but as was
clearly stated by brother Snow this morning, and as is plainly set
forth in the revelation, they retained their office. For instance, we
will take the Book of Mormon; and in the vision and prophecy of Nephi,
given almost 600 years before Christ, the Lord showed to that Prophet,
that there would be Twelve Apostles in some five or six hundred years
after his day. And instead of the Lord pointing out what should be the
duties of these Apostles, while here in this temporal existence, he
pointed out the more important duties that would devolve upon them in
the next state. The simple duties of this life were nothing compared
to those of the world to come. Hence the angel said to Nephi that
these Tweve Apostles should judge the twelve tribes of Israel. What a
great work! Then he showed him the twelve Nephite disciples, all
descendants of Nephi and his brethren. Said he, these twelve disciples
of the Lamb shall be judged by the Twelve Apostles that shall be
chosen in the land of Jerusalem. Here then was another and most
important duty assigned to that particular Council of Apostles, after
this mortal life. First, it is said, they shall judge the whole House
of Israel; secondly, they shall judge "the twelve ministers of thy
seed." Also from the language of the text I have read, we learn that
the Twelve Nephite Apostles had a knowlege of some other, future
duties to be performed in the world to come. "Know ye, that you shall
be judges of this people. What manner of men ought ye to be. Verily I
say unto you, even as I am." In other words, If you are to be judges
of all this people, to whom you are administering; if you are to sit
in judgment in the great and coming day, and if the words which are
written in the books which you keep, and which are also written by the
Father, are to be the records out of which the people are to be
judged, sure enough, you should be as pure and holy as Jesus himself.
We are told too that it should not depend upon their weak judgment,
but they should judge according to the judgment which the Lord their
God should give unto them. In other words, after they leave this
present life, and the time comes for them to sit in council in the
midst of the Nephites, that instead of judging according to human
wisdom and imperfect knowledge, that God would give them the spirit of
judgment, or the spirit of inspiration more abundantly than what they
were in possession of in this life; and in order that they may be
entitled to judge all people, they were required to be pure and holy.

Vol. 19,  p.116
Let me say a few words in regard to another revelation that the Lord
gave in the year 1830, on this same subject. He says, "The decree has
gone forth from the Father that mine Apostles, they who were with me
in my ministry in the land of Jerusalem, shall, at the time of my
coming, sit upon twelve thrones, clothed in glory, even as I am, to
judge the whole House of Israel, they that have loved me and kept my
commandments, and none else." Again, we will appeal to the Near
Testament, "You that have followed me in the regeneration, when the
Son of Man comes in his glory, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones,
and shall judge the twelve tribes of Israel; and shall eat and drink
at my table."

Vol. 19,  p.117
Here, then, we have a number of [p.117] evidences and witnesses from
the Book of Mormon, from the Doctrine and Covenants, and from the New
Testament, concerning the future duties of the servants of God, in the
world to come. In relation to the Twelve Jewish Apostles, have they a
First Presidency independent of the Twelve, a separate body? They have
not. Why were there twelve Apostles chosen instead of nine, or
thirteen, or any other number? Why that particular number? Because it
so happened in the economy of the Most High, that a certain servant of
God had power to prevail with him, and by four wives he had power to
beget twelve sons, and the Lord ordained that through them the twelve
tribes should spring up in the earth, and he would have regard for
them. He intended that they should not only be organized as tribes in
this life, but also in the world to come. And in order that all may
have judges, twelve were chosen to perform the work, instead of any
other number. Had these Twelve Apostles, in ancient days, that had no
separate First Presidency, so far as we have any record, power to
preside over the Church? They had. If they had no power there was none
upon the earth.

Vol. 19,  p.117
Again, these twelve men among the Nephites, that were to sit in
judgment, had a great many successors, probably sixty or seventy in
number. Had these successors all equal power on this earth? I think
they had, so far as apostleship, or discipleship was concerned, they
held equal power with those who preceded them. But in the next world,
can these sixty or seventy successors stand in the position of the
first chosen? No. So it is in regard to the latter-day Apostles. In
this Church we have had ordained to the Council of the Twelve
Apostles, twenty-eight persons. Six of the original Twelve Apostles
apostatized, and three of their successors apostatized, making nine
apostates that once had hands laid upon them, ordaining them to the
Apostleship. These apostates are mostly dead. We cannot suppose that
they can hold an office in eternity which they have forfeited. We are
told to the contrary in the Doctrine and Covenants; the Lord saying,
through a revelation given to the Prophet Joseph in Missouri, that his
servants John E. Page, Wilford Woodruff and Willard Richards should
take the place of those who had apostatized. And Oliver Cowdery,
although never one of the Twelve, had his place filled up; and the
keys and the glories and the promises conferred upon and made to
Oliver Cowdery were taken from him and bestowed upon brother Hyrum
Smith. But there are nineteen Apostles that have not apostatized. Out
of this number there are seven dead and twelve living. If the Lord, in
the world to come, should follow the examples given in regard to the
former Twelve, suppose these nineteen should remain faithful and
obtain their crowns, yet there would be only twelve, I think, that
would be placed in certain positions, the same as the Twelve at
Jerusalem, and the ancient Twelve on this American land. This is
something, however, not revealed, not made manifest to any of us in
the latter days, what the future of the Twelve will be, as it is in
regard to the ancient ones who have gone.

Vol. 19,  p.117
In the year 1829, the Lord told David Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery to
search out the Twelve, and pointed out how they should be known, etc.
In the same revelation he speaks of their duties, and also informs
them how great was the trust and blessing conferred upon them, if they
prove [p.118] faithful in all things; that the blessing upon them was
above all. How far this extended I do not know; that is all which is
revealed, so far as I know, in all of the revelations of God, in
regard to the future of the Twelve Apostles in the last days.

Vol. 19,  p.118
Now we hope these nineteen Apostles will be faithful. Thomas B. Marsh,
the oldest of the original Twelve, chosen in 1838, and who stood at
the head, apostatized, and left the Church. David W. Patten was the
next in age, and the Lord took him to himself, as we are informed in
the revelation given on the 19th of January, 1841. The Lord says: "My
servant David W. Patten, who is with me at this time." The Lord
accepted of him. He died in the faith—a martyr in Missouri. "I have
taken him to myself." Yet, says the Lord, "another may be appointed to
the same calling;" and further says that "my servant Lyman Wight is
appointed to succeed him." Did that give Lyman Wight power to preside
over the Twelve Apostles? No. David W. Patten died in the faith, and
so far as we know holds the keys of the Presidency of the Twelve, in
the world to come. But there may be changes in that world. The
original Twelve, first chosen, were all made equal, by the Prophet
Joseph Smith. And be said to them in the basement of the Temple as
they were to be sent as a Council on their first mission, that the
oldest should preside in the first Conference, in the following
Conferences, the next in seniority, and so on, until all had taken
their turns in presiding. And you shall be equal, showing respect to
the oldest. They were arranged according to their ages, while all
their successors were arranged, according to the date of their
respective ordinations.

Vol. 19,  p.118
I have given you some of these items in relation to the Priesthood, in
relation to the Twelve at Jerusalem, and the Twelve Nephite disciples,
and the Twelve of these latter times; and now let me say in regard to
the various authorities and Councils of the Priesthood, there has not
been a time since the rise of this Church, when the people have been
so completely and fully organized as at the present time. Go where we
will, through all these mountain valleys, and wherever we see a
family, or wherever we can find a small Branch of the Church, if you
make inquiry, you will find it is included in a regular Stake of Zion;
it belongs to some Stake, and you will find, too, that they are looked
after, if the officers are doing their duties, for they are considered
a part and portion of the great family of God. I feel to congratulate
the Latter-day Saints, on this occasion, in regard to the perfect
organization, as it were, that exists in all our mountain region, and
hope that every man will strive to learn his duty, and faithfully and
honorably perform the same.

Vol. 19,  p.118
I wish to state still further in regard to the Priesthood, while upon
the subject, that in the Kirtland Temple when the authorities were
presented before the people, they were called upon to vote by quorums.
Not that it occurred always in that manner. That was the way Joseph
ordained in the Temple; each Council voting separately, by standing
upon their feet in order that their votes might be better known than
they could be by keeping their seats. After one Quorum had voted for
the highest authority of the Church, then another Quorum or Council
would be called upon to give their vote, and so on, until all had
voted for the different authorities, and then it was presented to all
the Church, male and female. Why? It is [p.119] because God ordained,
on the 6th day of April, 1830, as you can read in the Doctrine and
Covenants, that all things in this Church should be done by common
consent. This is the reason for the voting. Although the Lord may give
a revelation upon the subject, although he might say, Let my servant
Hyrum Smith be Patriarch; or Let my servant Brigham Young be President
of the Twelve Apostles; notwithstanding the Lord may give this by
revelation, yet he himself was anxious to carry out the principle he
had revealed a long time before that; namely, that all this I have
named may be brought before the General Conference to be sanctioned
and approved, or not to be sanctioned. What! the people have a right
to reject those whom the Lord names? Yes, they have this right, he
gave it to them. "Let them be approved of or not approved of;" showing
that he had respect to the people themselves, that they should vote
and give their general voice to either sustain or not to sustain. I do
not know why, only in the latter days the kingdom is in a little
different circumstances upon the face of the earth, than it has been
in during any former dispensation. We are living in a free Republican
Government, wherein the people vote, and the Lord established this
great American Government and gave the Constitution, and he wished the
people to have a voice in the officers named; he wished the people to
exercise their agency; you may call it a democratic principle.
Notwithstanding He himself may point out the persons, and call them by
name, yet you may approve of them or disapprove of them at my General
Conference.

Vol. 19,  p.119
Perhaps I have said enough; there is a great field open when
Priesthood is spoken of. May the Lord bless you. Amen.

John Taylor, October 6, 1877

The Voice of God, the Voice of the People—the 
Position of the Twelve—Readings From Doctrine and Covenants

Discourse By President John Taylor, Delivered at 
the Semi Annual Conference, Held in the New Tabernacle, 
Salt Lake City, Saturday Afternoon, Oct. 6, 1877.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.119
I am very happy to find so great an unanimity of feeling in the
voting, as has been manifested at this Conference. There is a very
common axiom in the world, "Vox populi, vox dei," or, "The voice of
the people is the voice of God." Although the voice of the people is
very important, we do not believe in that action separate and alone.
It was [p.120] usual among ancient Israel for the Lord to speak,
presenting his laws, ordinances, and commandments to the people, then
they were presented to the people, and then all the people said Amen.
Then it was the voice of God and the voice of the people; or, in other
words, the voice of the people assenting to the voice of God.

Vol. 19,  p.120
In relation to the duties devolving upon the Twelve, in consequence of
the changes that have recently taken place, I can say, in behalf of
myself and my brethren, that their full weight and responsibility are
felt by us. Unless we had the sanction of the people we would be
unwilling to assume them, and, were it not that these things are
plainly laid down in the law of God, we would not have accepted the
situation that we find ourselves placed in to-day. We feel now that
unless God is with us we can accomplish nothing that can in anywise be
for the welfare of Zion, or the building up of his kingdom on the
earth. Those are my feelings, and those are the feelings of my
brethren. It is not with us as viewed by the world generally, that
there is something so very honorable in office, for we have learned
that in order that any office in the government of the Church and
kingdom might be made honorable, the office itself must be honored,
and that, too, by faithfully complying with the laws of God governing
it. Then it is a high honor conferred upon man from the Lord, and the
Twelve so appreciate it. Whilst they thank you for the confidence
which you have manifested in them, at the same time they feel to rely
upon God, and to ask that you will remember them before the throne of
our heavenly Father in your prayers and daily supplications, that we
may be guided by that wisdom and intelligence that flows from above,
for without the aid, guidance, and direction of the Almighty, we can
do nothing acceptably to him.

Vol. 19,  p.120
I have said very little, very little indeed, since the death of our
esteemed President, Brigham Young. I have had various reasons for
that. One is, my heart has felt sorrowful and pained, for we have lost
a man who stood prominent in Israel for the last thirty-three years,
yes, for upwards of forty or forty-five years. He is taken away, and
all Israel felt to mourn the event. This is one reason why I have been
so silent. Another is, a great many questions have had to be decided,
arrangements made and investigations had, in regard to the proper
course to pursue pertaining to these very important matters. Still
another reason is, I did not wish to put myself forward, nor have I,
as the Twelve here can bear me witness. [The Twelve unanimously gave
their assent.] I have not had any more hand in these affairs than any
of the members of my Quorum; but I am happy to say that in all matters
upon which we have deliberated, we have been of one heart and one
mind. When brothers Pratt and Smith returned from England, as you will
have learned from their published letter, their sentiments were
precisely the same as ours, and also the Counselors of President
Young, whom we esteem and honor in their place, are also united with
us. We are glad to have them with us, as our friends and associates,
and Counselors to the Twelve. I pray that the blessing of God may rest
upon them, and lead them in the paths of life, and that they with the
Twelve may unite together as a grand phalanx, not in our own
individual interests, but in the interests of the [p.121] Church and
kingdom of God, and the building up of his Zion on the earth; for the
Priesthood is not instituted for the purpose of personal
aggrandizement or personal honor, but it is for the accomplishment of
certain purposes of which the Lord is the Author and Designer, and in
which the dead, the living, and the unborn are interested. We ought,
brethren, all of us, to feel and act as though we were the servants of
the living God, feeling in our hearts an honest desire to do his will
and establish his purposes on the earth. If we can be united in our
faith, our acts and labors, as we have been in our voting, as
manifested at this Conference, the heavens will smile upon us, the
angels of God will manifest themselves to us, the power of God will be
in our midst, and Zion will arise and shine, and the glory of God rest
upon her.

Vol. 19,  p.121
[By request, Elder Geo. Q. Cannon read from the Doctrine and Covenants
the following extract from a communication entitled, A Prayer and
Prophecies, written by Joseph, the Seer, while in Liberty Jail, Clay
County, Missouri, March 20, 1839, commencing at the 34th paragraph:

Vol. 19,  p.121
"Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they
not chosen?

Vol. 19,  p.121
"Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world,
and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one
lesson—

Vol. 19,  p.121
"That the rights of the Priesthood are inseparably connected with the
powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controled
nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness.

Vol. 19,  p.121
"That that may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake
to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to
exercise control, or dominion, or compulsion, upon the souls of the
children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens
withdraw themselves, the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is
withdrawn, Amen to the Priesthood, or the authority of that man.
Behold! ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the
pricks, to persecute the Saints, and to fight against God," etc. See
page 87, new edition.]

Vol. 19,  p.121
I wanted to have this excellent instruction read over in your hearing,
for it was true and profitable at the time it was written, and it is
so today. If we possess the Spirit that flows from God, and that
dwells in his bosom, we shall possess the spirit of kindness and love
and affection, that will eventually bind us in the bonds of eternal
union. It becomes us, as servants and handmaidens of God, to seek
after these things, that we may be full of light and life, and the
power and intelligence of God, and feel that we are indeed children of
the Most High, that he is our Father, and that, with the ancient
Prophets and Apostles, and the Gods of the eternal worlds, we will
unite in accomplishing the work God designed from the commencement of
the world. No man or set of men need think that the work will stop,
for God has decreed that it shall go onward, and no power this side of
hell can stop its progress. The Lord is with us, the great Jehovah is
our shield and our buckler; the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our
King, the Lord is our Ruler, and he shall rule over us.

Vol. 19,  p.121
May God help us to be faithful in the observance of his laws, that we
may secure to ourselves eternal lives in his kingdom, is my prayer in
the name of Jesus. Amen.[p.122] 

John Taylor, October 7, 1877

The Trusteeship—President Young's Labors—the 
Priesthood, Its Position, Duties, Etc.—Kirtland and 
Nauvoo Temples—Saviors Upon Mount Zion—Emigration 
of the Poor—Building of the Tabernacles—the United Order

Discourse By President John Taylor, Delivered at the 
Semi-Annual Conference Held in the New Tabernacle, Salt 
Lake City, Sunday Afternoon, Oct. 7, 1877.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.122
There are one or two items I wish to present before you in relation to
the Trusteeship. I have been appointed to that office, and I feel that
I need some assistance in regard to the duties devolving upon me in
that capacity. I am desirous to have the matter laid before this
Conference. One thing I refer to is the auditing of the accounts of
the Trustee-in-Trust. I therefore beg to present three names, as an
auditing committee, for the sanction of this Conference—namely,
Wilford Woodruff, Erastus Snow, and Joseph F. Smith. [On motion, they
were unanimously sustained.]

Vol. 19,  p.122
There is another subject that I wish to present, one which pertains
more particularly to my brethren of the Twelve. I suppose that most of
you know that they have traveled and labored for a very long period,
some of them for forty years and upwards, without purse or scrip,
while almost everybody else has been paid for his services. It does
seem proper to me that they should be placed, at least, on an equal
footing with other people, particularly as their labors necessarily
increase. In consequence of our present organizations, necessitating
their frequent visits to our quarterly Conferences, in addition to
other duties accumulating upon them, rendering it impossible for them
to pay any attention to their own private affairs. My proposition, and
I know it will meet with the hearty response of the brethren
generally, is that they have a reasonable recompense for their
services, and that the Trustee-in-Trust be authorized to arrange this
matter. I would wish these same remarks to apply also to the
Counselors of the Twelve. [The motion was put and unanimously
sustained.]

Vol. 19,  p.122
As has been remarked, the condition we occupy to-day is a very
important one. There has been a change of Presidency, and necessarily
a change of administration. In the providence of God our heavenly
Father, he has seen fit to take from us our beloved President Brigham
Young, who has so long labored in our midst. It is one of those
occasions that cause reflection and thought, casting a degree of gloom
among this whole people. We have felt sorry to [p.123] lose his
counsel, to be deprived of that wisdom and intelligence that have
characterized him in all of his administrations. For they have been of
such a nature as not only to interest the Latter-day Saints, but his
name has become famous throughout the world. Brigham Young needs no
factitious aid to perpetuate his memory; his labors have been
exhibited during the last forty-five years in his preaching, in his
writing, in his counsels, in the wisdom and intelligence he has
displayed, in our exodus from Nauvoo; in the building of cities
throughout the length and breadth of this Territory, in his opposition
to vice and his protection of virtue, purity and right. These things
are well known and understood by the Latter-day Saints, and also by
thousands and millions of others. But, as with his predecessor, Joseph
Smith, who had to leave, while we are called upon to mourn a President
dead, angels announce a President born in the eternal worlds; he has
only gone to move in another state of existence. But then in speaking
of these things we would not eulogise only the man, for Brigham Young,
although so great a man could have done nothing towards developing the
purposes of God unless aided and sustained by him. Joseph Smith could
have done nothing, neither, as I have already said, can the Twelve
Apostles accomplish anything unless they receive the same divine
support. The work we are engaged in emanated from God, and what did
Joseph Smith know about it until God revealed it? Nothing. What did
President Young, or the Twelve, or anybody else, know about it before
the heavenly messengers, even God himself, came to break the long,
long silence of ages, revealing through his Son, Jesus Christ, and the
holy angels, the everlasting Gospel? Nothing at all. We were all alike
ignorant until heaven revealed it. Then in the administration of these
things the heavens are interested. These my brethren before me, this
Priesthood that assembled yesterday in their various quorums, all of
them have assisted in this work, all have more or less been preaching
and laboring in the interest of Zion, in the building up of this the
kingdom of God upon the earth. So that it is not by any means an
individual affair, as many totally ignorant of it suppose and say it
is; it is not in the wisdom of this man or the intelligence of the
other, but it is the wisdom and guidance of God, and by his sustaining
hand, that this whole people are led forward, and that this kingdom
has an existence upon the earth. For my part, I would say to-day as
Moses did on a certain occasion, when God said he would not go up with
the children of Israel because they were rebellious people, "If thy
presence go not with us, carry us not up hence;" or, in other words, I
want nothing to do with so great an undertaking as the leading forth
of this people without the Lord's assistance. I would say to-day, if
God be not with us, if we are not sustained by the almighty power of
Jehovah, if his guiding and protecting hand be not over us, I want
nothing to do with it. But he is with us, and we know it. The feeling
that was manifested here yesterday, is most creditable to Israel, it
is approved of by the Gods in the eternal worlds; and if we carry out
in our practice and daily lives that union which we manifested in our
voting, the Lord God will continue to pour upon us his blessing until
we shall be united in all things, temporal and spiritual, which unity
we have got to come to. When this is [p.124] achieved, Zion will arise
and shine, and then the glory of our God will rest upon her, then his
power will be made manifest in our midst.

Vol. 19,  p.124
You heard this morning a good deal said, and that very correctly too,
in relation to Priesthood and the organization thereof, and the
position we occupy in relation to these matters. You voted yesterday
that the Twelve should be Prophets, Seers, and Revelators. This may
seem strange to some who do not comprehend these principles, but not
to those who do. The same vote was proposed by Joseph Smith and voted
for in the Temple in Kirtland, so long ago as that; consequently there
is nothing new in this. And, as you heard this morning, this is
embraced in the Apostleship, which has been given by the Almighty, and
which embraces all the keys, powers and authorities ever conferred
upon man. I do not wish to enter into the details of this matter; you
will find them in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, very clearly
portrayed, and I refer you there for the evidences on these points.

Vol. 19,  p.124
You heard too that although the Priesthood held certain powers and
privileges, the manifestations and powers thereof were only conferred
according to the exigencies of the case and the necessities and
requirements thereof. God has conferred upon us these blessings, but
here are certain manifestations and powers that must come directly
from him, and it is the duty of the Twelve to hunt up, search after,
pray for and obtain them; and it is also the duty of these Presidents
of Stakes, Bishops, High Priests, Seventies, and all men holding
prominent positions, to seek after and comprehend God, whom to know is
life everlasting. We need, all of us, to humble ourselves before the
Almighty, for we are before him, and all creation is, and hell and
destruction are also without a covering before him. As mortal and
immortal beings, as men holding the holy Priesthood that the Lord has
conferred upon us for the establishment of his kingdom, the building
up of his Zion, the redemption of the living and the dead, it is of
the utmost importance that we stand forth, every one of us, and
magnify our several callings; for with all our weakness, with all our
infirmities, God has given unto us great treasures, which we hold in
these earthen vessels.

Vol. 19,  p.124
As has been referred to, the President was operated upon to organize
the Church throughout the Territory more completely; the Twelve were
called upon to visit every part of the Territory and organize it,
which they have done. There are now twenty different Stakes fully
organized with their Presidents and Counselors, with their High
Councils, with Bishops and their Counselors, who operate as common
judges in Israel, and with High Priests, Seventies, Elders, and the
lesser Priesthood, that they may administer in all things in their
several Stakes under the direction of the Twelve. As was remarked this
morning, the Church never since the day of its organization was so
perfectly organized as it is to-day. What has this been done for? Is
it to place some men in positions of honor or emolument? No, but it,
is to organize the Church and Kingdom of God according to the pattern
that exists in the heavens, that we may be prepared to comply in all
things with the ordinances of God, for, as we are told "In the
ordinances, the power of godliness is manifest, and without the
ordinances thereof; and the authority of the Priesthood, the power of
godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;[p.125] for without
this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live."

Vol. 19,  p.125
It is expected that these Presidents of Stakes be full of the Holy
Ghost and the power of God, that they feel and realize that they are
the servants of Jehovah, engaged in his work, and that be will require
at their hands an account of their stewardships. It is necessary also
that the High Councils and the Bishops act in the same way, together
with the High Priests, Seventies, Elders, and all those of the Aaronic
Priesthood, and that all operate together in the fear of God, for his
eye is over you, and he expects you to work righteousness and purge
the Church from iniquity, and teach the people correct principles and
lead them in the paths of life. This is what God requires at your
hands.

Vol. 19,  p.125
Hence, while we are looking at these things and are engaged in these
organizations, there are other things necessarily connected therewith.
There has been a feeling working gradually upon the minds of the
Saints that many could not comprehend, nor tell where it came from,
and that is to build Temples. President Young, the Twelve and the
people generally have felt drawn out in their feelings with an almost
unaccountable desire for the accomplishment of this object; and why?
Can you tell me the reason? It is very difficult sometimes to explain
some of these matters to the human mind. You heard this morning about
Moses appearing in the Temple at Kirtland, committing to Joseph Smith
the Keys of the Gathering Dispensation, over which Moses presided
anciently, and over which he presides to-day. Unless those keys had
been restored and you had partaken of that influence and spirit, would
you have been here to-day? No, you would not. When the Gospel went
forth among the people, after the appearing of Moses in the Temple,
and the committing of the Keys of the Gathering, when you Latter-day
Saints received the Gospel of baptism for remission of sins and the
laying on of hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost, you also
received the spirit of the gathering. You Elders before me to-day
might have preached until your tongues had cleaved to the roof of your
mouth, but if the Spirit of God had not accompanied your
administration in this regard, you could have accomplished nothing of
any worth. At the time this messenger came, there appeared another,
even Elijah, whose mission was to turn the heart of the fathers to the
children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest (says
the Lord) I come and smite the earth with a curse. He committed these
keys. But before they were committed, what was done in the Temple? Did
we baptize for the dead there? No, we did not. Why? Because the keys
were not given. When they were given and afterwards when the Temple
was built in Nauvoo, then that spirit accompanied it, and we began to
feel after our fathers behind the vail, and they likewise began to
feel after their children. Brother Woodruff, who has been ministering
in the St. George Temple, could relate to you if he had the time, many
things of great importance, associated with these matters. Suffice it
to say that the purposes of God pertaining to the human family, which
he had in his mind before this world rolled into existence, or the
morning stars sang together for joy, all have to be accomplished in
the salvation of the living and in the redemption of the dead. These
things you are acquainted with: it is not necessary for me to talk
much upon these subjects. But I merely wish [p.126] to refer to the
spirit and influence and power that have operated upon the Saints, and
which are operating upon them throughout the length and breadth of
this Territory. That comes from the Priesthood which existed before;
it comes because the keys of that Priesthood have again been restored
to man. What is the result? Why, a desire to build Temples. What for?
That we may administer therein in those ordinances in which they and
we are so greatly interested. You heard through brother Woodruff how
many more administrations there had been for the dead than for the
living. This is because Elijah has been here and has delivered the
keys that turn the hearts of the children to the fathers, and we are
beginning to feel after them. Hence we are building a Temple here, one
in Sanpete, another in Cache Valley, and we have one already built in
St. George, all of which I think will be quite creditable buildings,
which the Lord and holy angels will accept. Do we devote our labor and
our means? Yes, we do; and it is this spirit which rests upon us that
is prompting us to do it, and it will not let us rest until these
things are done. Why? Because the keys of the Priesthood have brought
us in connection with the Priesthood in the heavens, of which we are a
part, belonging to the Church of the First Born, whose names are
written in heaven. They are interested in their children, whose
children are our fathers. We have been called together for the
purpose, among other things, of operating with them in this work; for
they without us are not made perfect, as the Scripture tells us.
Therefore it is necessary that we should be here, building Temples and
ministering therein, that their seed and posterity may be hunted up
and looked after. We without them cannot be made perfect, for we need
the help and assistance and the power of God to sustain and guide and
direct us in our labors and administrations.

Vol. 19,  p.126
This is the thing Prest. Young has been engaged in with all his might,
mind and strength; this is the thing my brethren of the Twelve have
been engaged in, and what we are engaged in to-day. This is the thing
that all Israel ought to be engaged in, for we are living only for a
short time here, and by and by we shall pass away, as our President
has done; but it will only be to associate with another Priesthood, or
the same, if you please, in the eternal worlds, for the one is
combined and united with the other. The Priesthood that has lived
before, and that which lives now, are eternal, and administer in time
and in eternity; and the principles which God has revealed to us draw
aside the curtains of the eternal worlds, giving us a glimpse within
the vail, where Christ, our Forerunner, has gone. We are gathered
together, "one of a city and two of a family," as the Prophet said
they should be. And he says, 'I' will bring you to Zion." What will he
do with them when he has brought them there? "I will give them pastors
after my own heart, which shall feed them with knowledge and
understanding." Again, "Saviors shall come up on Mount Zion, to judge
the Mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord's." Some talk
about empires and kingdoms being built up by man. This is the Lord's
kingdom and not man's. The Lord is our God, he is our king and our
lawgiver, and he shall rule over us; and we will seek for and obtain
his help and power.

Vol. 19,  p.126
Saviors shall come up on Mount Zion, say the Scriptures. What is a
Savior? One who saves another, [p.127] is it not? How could any man
save people if he knew not how, and how could he know except the Lord
teach him? The world often finds fault with us. There are no greater
benefactors to the world in existence than the Latter-day Saints are.
There are no persons who have done more for the benefit of mankind,
according to their number, than this people have. President Young, who
is dead, and a number of others who have passed away, as well as the
Twelve and thousands of others who still tarry, have traveled the
length and breadth of the earth, without purse or scrip, to preach the
glad tidings of salvation which heaven revealed to them. Do you find
anybody else that has done it, or that is doing it, outside of this
Church? No, such a thing is unheard of. We have gone forth, as the
Scriptures say, bearing precious seed, and have returned again
rejoicing, bringing our sheaves with us. Is this anything to hurt
anybody? Does it interfere in the least with the rights of any? No.
Are there any in this city, who are not of us, that can show that
their religious rights, privileges, or principles have been interfered
with or infringed upon by the Latter-day Saints, or by the authorities
of this Church? No, not one. If I knew of any that were in any way
being interfered with, I would be the first to protect them. These are
our feelings towards the world, and to those who say all manner of
evil against us.

Vol. 19,  p.127
We have expended millions upon millons in gathering the poor to this
land, by what is known as the Perpetual Emigration Fund. We may ask
why did this people in these valleys expend such large sums? Was it
because they were sending for relatives and friends? No, but because
they were of the family of Christ, the sons and daughters of God, and
desired to come to Zion. We have sent as much as five hundred teams at
a time to help out the poor. You have done it, and many of you have
either sent your sons or gone yourselves, and you have carried
provisions for them as well as bringing them here. I do not think
there is very much harm in that. And what then? When these same men
who had received the message of truth in far off lands, and who had
been gathered here, had been further instructed, we have sent them
back again to the nations from whence they came, to proclaim to their
kindred and friends, to their tongue and nation, what God had done for
them. After fulfilling their missions they return again. What to do?
To slumber and sleep away their time? No, but to continue their work
in reclaiming the waste places, and to build Temples in the interest
of humanity, as the friends of God and of the world.

Vol. 19,  p.127
There are, to-day, engaged working on our Temple, one hundred and
fifty men. What for? That a place may be found that will be acceptable
to God, and in which we may administer, in the name of the Lord, for
our dead as well as for our living. We do not want to do this
grudgingly, but with willing hearts, desiring to operate, with the
Priesthood behind the vail, in building up and establishing the
kingdom of God upon this earth. These men, after preaching and
returning again, can then go into these Temples and minister in them
as representatives of the nations from whence they came, and in the
interest of these nations we are operating. Will God be pleased with
this work? Yes, if we continue faithful in well doing. There are not
less, I presume, than 500 men at work on the Temples now [p.128] being
erected in this Territory, and probably more than that. This seems
foolish to the outside world; but we know in whom we have believed,
and we know the work in which we are engaged—and who is injured by it?
None.

Vol. 19,  p.128
Some of our brethren feel sometimes that these things draw heavily
upon them. Of course they do; and God expects to try us, to see what
we are made of, and see whether the right ring of metal is in us or
not, and whether we are prepared to stand up to the rack and walk
forth in the name of Israel's God. Is it the desire to oppress
anybody? No, never, nothing of that kind. In speaking on this, I would
say to the Presidents of Stakes, and to the Bishops, see that there is
no oppression of any kind, or anything approaching arbitrary measures,
or anybody interfered with; let everything be done righteously,
properly, and voluntarily. Instead of opressing the poor, feed them.
Instead of taking from the naked, clothe them. Be merciful to the
widow and the fatherless and the orphan, and all who may be in
distress; dry up their tears, and pour balm into their wounds, and be
full of compassion, and kindness, and the love of God, and let it
bubble and flow from you like a river of life. These are the feelings
that ought to exist among the Saints; nothing like oppression or wrong
of any kind should find place in our hearts.

Vol. 19,  p.128
Let me pass from this to another thing which was touched upon this
morning, which is, but which I really wish was not, true. Many of
these my brethren have sent out their teams, and have subscribed their
means to send for the poor, bringing them to these valleys. According
to the provisions of the Perpetual Emigration Fund, the people who are
thus assisted are expected to repay the means advanced to them when
they have earned it, so that others may be helped with the same money,
and thus that the fund in its operations, as was desired, may be
perpetual. I am told that there is upwards of a million dollars of
indebtedness to this fund to-day. This is a sad reflection upon the
gratitude of men thus assisted. I am afraid the heavens will not smile
upon such proceedings, and that God will not sanction it. It is time
we waked up and attended to these obligations and duties, and felt
that there was somebody else in the world besides our own selves; and
if we have been assisted that we will be at least honest enough to
meet that amount, and others who need its assistance may find it
through the proper channel.

Vol. 19,  p.128
We are engaged in this place in building a Tabernacle, in which we can
meet during the Winter season. We do not call upon you outside
brethren to assist us in this undertaking, because it is local and
belongs to this Stake. This is a matter that was designed by President
Young before his death; and we have been desirous, as brother Cannon
said this morning, to carry out the views of our venerated President,
as far as we can. We have commenced to build this house, we want to
put it up without delay. In this, as in every other matter, we do not
wish anybody to contribute his means or labor towards it, unless he
feels free to do it; for there are plenty that will do it willingly,
and it will be built; and we shall have a nice, comfortable place to
worship in through the Winter, and it will serve the Priesthood for
all necessary purposes, as well as the public. The building will be
116 x 64 feet inside, with gallery all around. It will be [p.129] a
little larger than was at first contemplated; and we have also
departed a little from the original intention respecting the kind of
building material. Instead of adobie, we have concluded to use rock. I
now invite the people of this Stake and the masons especially to come
forward and exert their energies, and let us do the work. It will be
done by voluntary donations and by utilizing labor tithing. Some
people may say, Why do it by voluntary donations? Why not use the
tithing for all such purposes? Is not that sufficient? Yes, if all of
you strictly paid it. but then you do not all do this, and
consequently we have to resort to other means. But, as I have before
said, in this and everything else, we do not wish to press the people,
nor place any in unpleasant positions; but as we sometimes sing, it's
"all free grace and all free will."

Vol. 19,  p.129
I wish to make a few remarks in relation to what we term the United
Order. We are united to-day with God, and with the holy Priesthood
that existed before us, with Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant,
and with the ancient Prophets and Apostles and men of God, in building
up the Zion of God upon the earth. They, in their different spheres
and callings, are operating with us, and we with them, and the whole
thing is a grand Co-operative Society; and everything we do here
should be with the view of uniting our earthly interests, that we may
be one in things temporal and one in things spiritual, one on the
earth and one with those in the heavens, helping with our united
efforts to roll on the Kingdom of God according to his purposes, and
not according to our erratic notions. In speaking of these things I
would address a few words to our sisters of the Relief and of the
Mutual Improvement Societies. You are performing a good work in Zion.
I am pleased with the paper you publish, and have been very much
interested in the reports you have made, in witnessing the energy and
zeal you display in endeavoring to introduce home-manufactured goods
and articles of different kinds, in looking after the poor and
necessitous, and in trying to elevate the community generally. To our
Young Men's Mutual Improvement Societies I say, God bless you, and all
who are operating in the interest of Zion, forever.

Vol. 19,  p.129
Now let me say to parents, let us see that our youth are properly
cared for and taught, and that honesty, truthfulness, virtue and good
morals are inculcated, that. they may grow in the faith of the Gospel
and in the fear of God, to be useful in their day, to carry on the
great work in which we are engaged. We already perceive a great
improvement among our young men in their administrations; they are
stepping forth, manifesting an excellent spirit, and many of them
promise to become mighty men in Israel, who will roll forth the work
when we get through. I will say to the Presidents of Stakes, encourage
and foster these institutions; and to all the people I would say, love
God and fear him and keep his commandments. Be honest with yourselves,
honest before God. Be virtuous, be truthful and full of integrity, and
fear the Lord your God in your hearts, and his blessing will be with
you, and his Spirit will attend you, and your generations after you,
worlds without end. Amen.[p.130] 

Erastus Snow, October 13, 1877

Conferences—Organization of the Stakes of 
Zion—Qualifications for a Bishop—the 
People in Three Grand Divisions

Discourse By Elder Erastus Snow, Delivered at the 
Quarterly Conference of the Utah Stake of Zion, in the Provo 
Meeting House, Saturday, Oct. 13, 1877.

(From the Territorial Enquirer)

Vol. 19,  p.130
The Lord in his revelation to the Prophet Joseph, forty-seven years
ago, required the Elders to meet together in Conference once in three
months, or from time to time as appointed, for the purpose of
transacting necessary business connected with the work, and for giving
and receiving instructions in relation to the duties of the
Priesthood. This commandment has been published in the book of
Doctrine and Covenants, and is a standing revelation which has not
been generally observed. We have had General Conferences of all the
people—Priesthood and laymen—twice a year since our settlement in
these valleys, which only a small portion of the people and a few of
the general authorities of the Church have been able to attend. We
have had occasional Conferences in some places in the Territory, and
in various places abroad. It is time now that Stakes of Zion are
organized, to hold our Conferences with more regularity and in their
order, for the Saints to come together to be instructed, that reports
may be heard from the various Wards, and the Elders enter into counsel
and learn their duties. The last summer's labors of our late
President, Brigham Young, and of the Twelve Apostles, were mainly
devoted to this work—organizing the Stakes and the Priesthood therein,
and arranging a system of reports with a view of holding the people to
closer responsibilities, to awaken them to a better understanding and
appreciation of their obligations. At the same time this rendering an
account of stewardship in the various districts, Wards and Stakes of
Zion, is calculated to encourage those who are doing right, and
reprove such, if there be any, as do evil. You may be sure that if
these arrangements are carried out, and good counsel is given to the
people, they cannot fail to produce good results. Those who love the
truth and hate iniquity, and who keep their covenants with God
unbroken, are not afraid of their works being made manifest before the
people. If they live in the faithful discharge of their duties, they
have nothing to fear from this system of rendering reports of their
stewardship. Presidents of Stakes, Bishops, Counselors, Priests,
Teachers, Deacons, and Presidents of Quorums, who are doing well and
performing their duties, need not shrink from giving reports of their
actions, lives, and general conduct. It is pleasing to me, and [p.131]
to every right-minded man and woman, to hear these reports. They are
not uninteresting nor dry to those who have the welfare of Israel at
heart, and are watchful of the progress made among us. We have been
instructed by the revelations of God to keep records of our
organizations and councils, of everything brought before the
Priesthood in their respective Quorums, of the attendance of members,
who are speakers, what they say, and all things pertaining to the
business and general welfare of the Quorums. Our various organizations
should keep clerks, whose duty it should be to record the acts of its
members, whether or not those members are living up to their
requirements, and whether, instead of attending their meetings, they
are engaged in fishing, hunting, freighting, gold-seeking, or anything
else that is contrary to what is expected from them as laborers in the
Church and kingdom of God. It is the duty of the Teachers to report to
their Bishops the relative standing of those under their
supervision—whether their houses are houses of order—whether the wife
is good to the husband, and the husband is good to his wife—whether
the children are obedient to their parents, and whether the parents
are training their children in the way they should walk,—if there is
strife where there should be peace, if there are jealousy and discord
where love and unity should exist,—whether the mother poisons the mind
of her daughetr instead of teaching her correct principles; in
short—whether the house is what it should be—a house of God.

Vol. 19,  p.131
A Bishop should necessarily be a man of sound judgment, full of the
Holy Ghost and capable of adjusting matters in a manner that will work
the least injury possible and for the accomplishment of the greatest
good. There are matters of a delicate nature which sometimes arise in
families, and which should be properly understood by the Bishop and
his Counsel before heralding them abroad. It might not be necessary to
publish them among the people to the detriment and injury of the
parties interested, but be considered in a proper spirit and not
reported in a general sense, to the ward. At the same time, nothing
that may have a bearing on the union and fellowship of the Saints,
should escape the notice of the teachers; and no Bishop should ever
betray the confidence and trust imposed in him through a knowledge of
these tender and delicate matters, but manifest that fatherly love,
tenderness and anxiety that parents feel for their offspring, Sunday
School Teachers also ought not to exercise any undue severity and
harshness toward those under their care, but should be actuated by
feelings of tenderness and love. Every presiding officer of a quorum
should do likewise, and every mother in her house should govern her
children in gentleness, and filial love and kindness should be a part
of their nature.

Vol. 19,  p.131
The Holy Spirit will impress us with these matters, and on the other
hand, the powers of evil will endeavor to influence us to act contrary
to those impressions, to give way to anger, jealousy and envy. This is
warfare—it is with ourselves, whether we conquer or yield to our evil
passions. In our family circles, in our daily associations with our
wives, and children, friends and neighbors, we should be actuated and
governed by feelings of tenderness and love. We should strive to
become perfect in every great and good work and be examples worthy of
imitation in our home and before our neighbors. We [p.132] can never
be truly great until we become truly good.

Vol. 19,  p.132
If we would have a good people to associate and labor with, or to
preside over; if our Wards, towns, divisions, subdivisions and
families must be in order we must not neglect any duty or leave any
place uncared for. We cannot so neglect our responsibilities without
feeling the effects afterwards. If a wound afflicts the body a scar is
left as the effect of that wound. If we allow evil to dwell in the
midst of the community it will manifest itself in the fruits thereof
in after years. In the words of the Apostle Paul, "Whatsoever man
soweth, that shall he also reap." No farmer expects to raise wheat
when he sows oats, nor can a man gather figs from thorn trees that he
may plant; neither can we expect to enjoy the fruits of love unless we
have sown the seeds of love in our hearts and in the hearts of others.
Every careful and reflecting mind will appreciate the Apostle Paul's
words.

Vol. 19,  p.132
Have we not seen children flee from their parents? and why? Because
they have not sown in the hearts of their children the seeds of love,
respect and good will, but have themselves given way to evil passions,
and, by such a course have driven away their offspring. On the other
hand, you may see men and women who, by their kindness, gentleness and
love, have drawn towards them not only their offspring but the
offspring of others. Like cleaves to like. Those, therefore, who lead
the Saints must be men who have within them these same feelings. Can
the wicked lead them? No! Jesus says, "My sheep know my voice and a
stranger they will not follow."

Vol. 19,  p.132
The object of our Conferences, Priesthood meetings and reports, is,
not only to ascertain how we stand according to statistics, but that
we may be able to learn what our individual condition is as members of
the Church, to see ourselves in a glass, as it were, and find out
wherein we need improving; and that men who have the charge and
general oversight of the people may see at a glance the condition of
the people in the different Wards. They may by this means form correct
ideas of the feelings, faith and works of the Saints, how far the laws
of God are observed, and whether the members are keeping their
covenants, attending to home duties, paying their tithes and are
engaged in all the laudable works required at their hands, so that if
the Lord commands any service at our hands, there will be a unity of
purpose and a concert of action, on the part of the people, in
carrying it out.

Vol. 19,  p.132
The people in this Territory are classed into three grand divisions
for the purpose of Temple building. There are a certain number of
stakes grouped together to build a Temple in Manti, another to build a
Temple in Logan, and others of the more central stakes to build one in
Salt Lake City. The presiding officers of these Stakes and the various
quorums will vie with each other in the accomplishment of this work,
that the people may officiate in the ordinances of the house of God
for themselves and their dead.

Vol. 19,  p.132
These things being necessary for working out the Lord's purposes, and
for the general welfare of Israel, have another good effect in the
experience they give to us. They are valuable in the training of the
people and give an increase of power that will prove of benefit to the
Saints in years to come. That experience and increase of power we
shall find necessary in our future warfare against evil. There is and
always will be, until the Savior [p.133] appears again, a great battle
fought between the Priesthood and the powers of darkness. The wicked
do not comprehend this. They witness various manifestations of unseen
powers operating in the human family, but whether they are good and
truthful or vile and deceptive they are unable to comprehend
satisfactorily, because they have not applied to the fountain of
light, truth and knowledge. The Saints, on the other hand, can
comprehend these manifestations and judge this wicked world by the
light of the Holy Ghost. We shall see the manifestations of the powers
of darkness in an increased degree in the future, deceiving the
children of men. So far as this generation is concerned it has been
since the Prophet, Joseph came forth and declared his belief in
revelations, visions and angels that the powers of darkness have
operated by external and supernatural manifestations, and as the power
of God increased with the people and extended throughout the earth and
was felt by other nations besides this, the Evil One manifested his
power among men to a greater extent. When the Prophet Joseph appeared,
announcing his belief in these things, there was a general unbelief
among religions sects in regard to them. Professed Christians
disclaimed any belief in manifestations from heaven, had no faith in
visions or angels, and considered the claims of any man to be absurd
who professed to have communication with the unseen world. Those who
had faith in visions and dreams where looked upon as superstitious
beings. Joseph's professions were viewed as inconsistent with the
spirit and enlightenment of the age. But how great is the change! We
find men and women seeking communication with the unseen world, with
spirits of departed friends, and receiving spiritual manifestations in
various forms. In the days of the Prophet Joseph there were only a few
who entertained any faith in such manifestations, but now they are
numbered by millions. What has all this effected? Has it produced any
more unity in the world than existed before? Is there an increase of
happiness or aught that is praiseworthy? The effect it has produced is
evident, to the reflecting mind. Infidelity has increased as the
powers of darkness have spread their influence over the minds of men.

Vol. 19,  p.133
I do not expect many of the Latter-day Saints to be able to fully
contemplate the subject, not having mingled with the world since these
great changes have occurred, but there are some who possess a general
knowledge of such things by seeing, hearing and reading. The testimony
of the Elders is that the world is almost universally infidel—priests
and people. Religion is used as a cloak with the great majority of
professing Christians. There appears to prevail an almost general
disbelief in Jesus and his Apostles. The Bible is counted unworthy of
credence or attention, and religion is deemed a farce. This general
tendency to infidelity is also the result of men's efforts to put down
Mormonism. The world rejected the power of God made manifest by the
visitation of holy angels, but when the devil manifested his power
through the visitation of evil spirits, assuming all sorts of
fantastic shapes, the people eagerly ran after them and became blind,
bewildered and stupefied. Such persons would rather "believe a lie and
be damned;" they willingly follow after the "strong delusions" that
the Apostle Paul referred to. These powers of darkness will continue
to come upon them and spread over the earth, as we advance in truth
and righteousness.[p.134] 

Vol. 19,  p.134
We that have this warfare to meet, should keep ourselves prepared for
any and every attack of the evil one. It becomes us to draw ourselves
together in the bonds of unity, to cling to each other, our covenants
and our God. We are called upon not only to uphold and sustain the
Priesthood over us but each other. If we do this, and perform the
duties we owe one another, we shall perform the duties we owe to the
Priesthood and to God. God bless you. Amen.

Wilford Woodruff, October 13, 1877

The Work Progressing—Prophecy Fulfilled—We 
Shall All Obey the Law of Death

Synopsis of a Discourse By Elder Wilford Woodruff, 
Delivered in the Provo Meeting House, Oct. 13, 1877.

(From the Territorial Enquirer)

Vol. 19,  p.134
It was with pleasure I listened this morning to the remarks of brother
Snow, and wish that all the people in this Stake had heard them. We
have had a great deal of preaching, and need a great deal, and I don't
know that a people ever lived who had more.

Vol. 19,  p.134
We are in the valleys of the mountains for a special purpose—to
establish righteousness and live in accordance with the principles of
truth. There never was a generation of people who had so much to
perform as the Latter-day Saints have. This work is progressing, and
it will continue to advance. I have seen the time when you could get
the whole Church into this room—when there were a few High Priests, no
Apostles or Seventies, and only a few Elders. I am as thoroughly
satisfied now as I ever was in my life, that this is the kingdom of
God. I am as firm a believer in God, in the revelations of God, in the
Books of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants, as I ever was. I have read
the prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and other inspired
writers, and have seen some of them fulfilled, and expect to see
others have their literal fulfillment. God worked with the children of
men through revelation, and he will continue to do so in this
generation. With him there is no change; his ways are one eternal
round.

Vol. 19,  p.134
The Lord has directed and guided this work from the beginning. The
prophecies relating to the present dispensation—to Zion being
established in the tops of the mountains—to the building of cities and
Temples [p.135] —are being fulfilled. We have nothing to do but build
up the kingdom of God, and the more light and understanding we get,
the less our hearts will cling to outside things. While we are engaged
in this work, we can realize that holy angels are watching us. The
Lord told us, forty-seven years ago, what would take place, and we are
now fulfilling that which he spoke of. Brothers Joseph and Brigham are
gone into the spirit world, but there are a few of us left to continue
the work laid out by the Almighty. We have preached to the world,
organized the Priesthood and the Saints, and angels have borne record
of this, and it is recorded in heaven—our toil, our preaching, and our
testimony. We have filled these once desert places with Saints of the
living God, and many thousands are here who never saw the world. We
have to build Temples—one is almost completed and is dedicated; we
have laid the foundations of others, and the work, like a panorama, is
before us. This labor is not to be performed by other hands. God looks
to us to build these Temples, and to bring about the redemption of the
earth. He holds us responsible for this work; we have to preach to the
house of Israel—to the Lamanites—to gather together the honest in
heart from all parts of the earth. We are chosen to perform this great
and important work—we, a small handful of people compared with the
millions of human beings on the earth. The Lord does not expect any
other people but the Latter-day Saints to do this work; there is
nobody else preparing.

Vol. 19,  p.135
One after another of our brethren have left us and gone to labor on
the other side of the veil. President Brigham Young, brother George A.
Smith, and others before them, have all gone, and the few that are
left of the Twelve will also go by and by; but while here, it is our
duty to labor on the foundation they have laid. President Young
labored hard and faithful during the last few years of his life in
organizing and building up Zion. We have to continue the work they
were engaged in, and when our time comes to take our departure for
that life behind the veil, none of us will regret having devoted our
time, talents, and labor for the accomplishment of this great object.
The riches of the world will appear as the dust under our feet
compared with the eternal reward before us.

Vol. 19,  p.135
This kingdom will never be given into the hands of .another people. We
may pass away, but our sons and daughters will have the labor on their
shoulders of building up the kingdom.

Vol. 19,  p.135
Many of you may haw read, years before it was fulfilled, the
revelation and prophecy of the Prophet Joseph in regard to the
trouble, anarchy, and war that should befall this nation. Wise men
said its fulfillment was a matter of impossibility—that the government
was too sound and too well established for such a calamity to occur,
but the fulfillment came. When the Lord undertakes to perform a work,
he is certain to carry it out. It would not take the Lord twenty-four
hours to cause war, anarchy, confusion, and judgments to come upon the
nation. He is withholding these calamities until his purposes are
accomplished.

Vol. 19,  p.135
The set time has come, and the world is preparing itself for these
things. The Church and kingdom of God must adorn itself, and prepare
for the coming of the Great Bridegroom. Every key relating to this
dispensation was given to the Prophet Joseph, and they remain with
[p.136] the Priesthood to-day. We have no right to walk in the dark.
The burden is now resting upon us, and, holding the Priesthood, our
aim should be the building up of the kingdom of God. We hold the
Priesthood for that purpose, and we have no business to use it for
anything else but to officiate in the ordinances of the house of God.

Vol. 19,  p.136
Sooner or later we shall have to obey the law of death. As it is
written, "In Adam all died, so in Christ shall all be made alive." We
shall have to pass through the ordeal—there is no escape from it. We
have, consequently, no time to throw away. It may be asked, "How much
longer will it be before the winding up scene takes place? It is not
for me to say. How much longer have the Elders to suffer violence at
the hands of the wicked? It appears to me that the world is about ripe
for the judgments of the Lord, and that the testimony will soon be
sealed. He is already working with the Lamanites, and he will
accomplish a great deal in a little time.

Vol. 19,  p.136
Some people entertain the idea that because wheat is plentiful and
selling at exceedingly low figures, the probability of a famine is
more remote than ever; but the Lord makes no mistakes about what is
going to transpire. He has decreed the visitation of judgments, and
they are certain to take place. President Young has for years
repeatedly impressed upon the brethren the necessity of preparing for
a period of famine by storing their wheat, and, before his death, was
impressed to speak to the sisters and urge them to look after that
matter. Let us be united in our labors, and in all the branches of
industry that males or females may be engaged in. The raising of silk
may be rendered an important item in the industry of this Territory.
It is a business that our wives and children can engage in, and there
is nothing to hinder the people from becoming rich from this branch of
industry alone. There is an improvement in the United Order, or
Co-operation. The Saints are preparing themselves for that event when
Jesus shall come as a thief in the night. For our own sakes let us do
the best we possibly can. We must observe and keep the laws of God, in
order to inherit the rewards promised. Let us not set our hearts on
the riches and vanities of this earth. It is very convenient, it is
true, to have the comforts of life around us, but. we shall be better
without them, if by hoarding up the riches of the world we forget the
things of God.

Vol. 19,  p.136
I pray God to bless you and our sons and daughters, that their minds
may be led and prepared for the work they will be called upon to
perform.[p.137] 

John Taylor, October 14, 1877

God is at the Helm—Organization According to the 
Revelations—Historic Statements—Societies Connected 
With the Church—Temple Building

Discourse By President John Taylor, Delivered in the 
Provo Meeting House, Sunday Morning, Oct. 14, 1877.

(From the Territorial Enquirer)

Vol. 19,  p.137
It is the first time that I have been permitted to meet with you since
the death of our beloved President and Prophet. We all feel sad and
sorrowful on account of our bereavement. He had been our guide,
director, Prophet, Seer and Revelator for the last thirty-three years,
and his departure caused feelings of gloom and sorrow throughout all
the Territory. We all felt to appreciate our President and mourn his
loss, and we still have some feelings of sorrow lingering about us;
yet, at the same time, we cannot ignore the fact that there are
certain duties and responsibilities resting upon us that call into
operation our best energies, thoughts, reflections and actions. And
while we mourn his loss we are impressed with the responsibilities
that rest upon us as individuals, in connection with the work of God,
and are led to reflect upon the changing vicissitudes of human life
and the various events that have transpired among us.

Vol. 19,  p.137
There is a satisfaction in the reflection that God is at the helm and
guides, controls and dictates according to his own plans and designs,
and that the Priesthood is not confined to this earth alone, but that,
after having performed our various duties here and passed away, we
shall be called upon to operate for the same grand purpose in another
sphere. The Priesthood we have received on the earth is everlasting,
it administers in time and eternity, and to that Priesthood are we
indebted for the revelations of God's will to man; for with the
introduction of the Priesthood to men on the earth came the
development of the principles of truth and, by that means, light,
knowledge and intelligence were communicated to this people. We cannot
do anything of ourselves, unless aided by the spirit of the Lord. We
are in communion with not only the Prophets and Apostles who lived
anciently, but with brother Joseph, brother Brigham, brother Heber C.
Kimball, brother Geo. A. Smith and others who held the holy Priesthood
and have passed away, and are operating with them in behalf of fallen
humanity, in behalf of the people who live now on the earth and the
myriads of dead who have left us. We are engaged in a work that
nothing but the combined action of the Priesthood on the earth and in
the heavens can bring about. It is not in the power alone [p.138] of
any one man, whether it be brother Brigham, brother Joseph or any that
exist, to accomplish the redemption of the human family, unless aided
by the Almighty. We are not only working in our own interests, but in
the interests of mankind, and we should seek that light, intelligence
and knowledge necessary in the carrying out of the designs of Jehovah,
and associate ourselves with that grand combination and union between
heaven and earth for the accomplishment of His purposes.

Vol. 19,  p.138
We have lately been organizing ourselves according to the revelations
of the Almighty. Our organization is not entirely perfect, but we
shall continue to approach nearer to that condition until every man is
placed in his right position and we are properly organized, whereby
all matters connected with the work of God can be placed in their
proper working order, all of which will be accomplished if we follow
the directions of our late venerated President. By continuing in this
good work we shall go on from intelligence to intelligence, and from
knowledge to knowledge, until we shall see as we are seen and know as
we are known. These organizations of Stakes and Wards are not made for
the purpose of putting men in positions, neither are positions in the
Priesthood given to men to enable them to strut about and lord it over
their fellows, but in all their administrations, men should have the
fear of God, understand His mind and realize their responsibility to
Him for their acts and doings. Men holding the Priesthood should not
be governed by personal ambition, but feel full of the love of God,
the Holy Ghost, light, revelation, mercy, kindness and long-suffering
toward all with whom they are associated. These are the kind of
feelings that ought to be expressed and manifested by all those
holding the Priesthood. We are not to act as lords over God's
heritage, but ought to act in the fear of the Almighty, aided by the
Holy Spirit, in seeking to carry out the various duties devolving upon
us, for little or inignificant as these things appear to us, they are
of the greatest importance. God understands better the wants of the
people than we do, for he has had experience that we have not yet
acquired. In all his operations He is governed by love, and he desires
to see those who hold his authority here on the earth exercise it for
the welfare of the human family, and to act as he would, with the same
parental solicitude. For this purpose He has delegated his authority
to man, as described in the Scriptures, "first, Apostles, secondarily
Prophets," etc, that the Saints might be perfected, "until we all come
to the unity of the faith." This was said in former times for the
organization of the former-day Saints, and is applicable to the case
of the Latter-day Saints. Through these ordinances come the blessings
of the Gospel, and without them the power of God cannot be made
manifest to man in the flesh. Now there is more in this than is
apparent to the superficial observer.

Vol. 19,  p.138
We have and have had various organizations of the holy Priesthood. We
have had a First Presidency, and sometimes we have not. It was
sometime before a First Presidency was organized in the early days of
the Church, and then it was quite a number of years before the Twelve
Apostles and the several quorums now in existence were organized. The
Lord has been developing us in these matters, and there is a beauty
and a harmony in the organization of the Church that cannot be found
in any other community in the world. Before the Prophet Joseph
departed, [p.139] he said, on one occasion, turning to the Twelve, "I
roll the burden of this kingdom on to you," and, on another occasion,
he said their place was next to that of the First Presidency, and he
wished them to take their place that he might attend to other duties,
such as translating, etc. At the time he was taken away he was in the
bloom of life and the vigor of health, and although his departure was
sudden and unexpected our organization rendered it no difficult matter
to decide who should assume the leadership of the Church. There was no
difficulty in the matter; it was understood that the duty rested on
the Twelve. Why? The revelation stated that the Twelve were to hold
the keys of the kingdom in connection with the First Presidency, which
were banded down under various circumstances. You will find in the
history of the Prophet Joseph Smith, that this matter is made
perfectly plain. He said there was no authority or power of presidency
over the Twelve except the First Presidency, and where he was not
there was no presidency over the Twelve. Hence President Brigham Young
said, when the Prophet Joseph was taken away, "Thank God the keys of
the kingdom are not taken from us," and being head of the Twelve, he
assumed his position and so acted on the authority he held and
according to the rules laid down. Thus there was no scattering,
confusion or difficulty that might otherwise have existed if the
organization of the Church had not been perfect. When President Young
was taken away the same condition of things were presented again, the
circumstances being similar. There is no contention, strife or
difficulty, because we all understand the principles that God has
ordained for the government of his people. The Twelve have not assumed
the Presidency of the Church to suit themselves, but as a duty which
they could not ignore. Men of the world cried out "The Mormons are all
scattered now," but they don't know anything about the character and
mission of this Church. I don't think we have been much scattered. Our
last General Conference in Salt Lake City proved how much scattered we
were. Our voting on that occasion showed a cementing—a uniting
together of the people, that could not be equalled by any other people
on the earth. It may be asked why we voted at Conference in the manner
we did. Because it was the way that God ordained. Under the
inspiration of the Almighty, Joseph Smith organized this state of
things at a General Assembly held in Kirtland, when the people were
called upon to vote, and they did so in the same manner that we did at
our last General Conference. You will recollect that about the 19th of
January, 1841, a revelation was given defining the various positions
of men called to act in the Priesthood. First, the Lord gave to the
Church Hyrum Smith to be Patriarch, then Joseph Smith, Jun, to be
Prophet, Seer and Revelator to the people, and Sidney Rigdon and
William Law for his Counselors, Brigham Young as President of the
Twelve, which Twelve he called by name—then the High Priests,
Seventies and Elders—then again the Bishops and lesser Priesthood.
Now, says he, at the next General Conference present this organization
to the Conference for its acceptance or rejection. At the next
Conference the various quorums were presented in that form and the
people voted as quorums and with uplifted hands. Some of these men
that the Lord had named, however, were rejected: One man named Hicks,
and another [p.140] Bishop Ripley. John E. Page, one of the quorum of
the Twelve, was also rejected, but after a hearing was afterwards
restored. The Prophet Joseph told the people to vote in that manner,
as the majority of the several quorums would form a quorum or
authority that would be decisive. This manner of voting was observed
at Far West also; and even after Joseph's death this same rule was
observed, though not with the same unanimity as at our General
Conference. There is no log-rolling—no seeking for office, but our
idea is that the voice of God should dictate and then the voice of the
people. He respects our rights, as he did the rights of the people
thousands of years ago, when the congregations of ancient Israel stood
up and said Amen to the voice of God through his Prophets. There is no
compulsion—no forcing the human mind—no driving; but every one should
have a full, frank, free and unfettered opportunity of expressing his
wish for or against, but we always ought to consent to that which is
right. I never saw more unanimity on the part of the people than was
displayed at the General Conference two weeks ago; there could not
possibly be more. The Twelve stand as they did after the Prophet
Joseph was taken away. I and others of the Twelve, now living, were
with them. Now a second time it devolves upon the Twelve to take the
presidency of the Church. Will there be anything else? I cannot say;
there may be, when the Lord deems it necessary. We should feel as
Jesus did when he exclaimed, "Lord, not my will, but thine be done."
It devolves upon the Twelve to attend to the duties the Lord has
placed upon them, but they need the faith and confidence of the Saints
and the sustenance of the Almighty, for they will not be able to do
anything of themselves.

Vol. 19,  p.140
I would like to have been at the High Priests' meeting held here last
evening, but could not attend in consequence of ill-health. There is a
quorum of High Priests in this Stake, and it is proper that they
should fully understand the duties of their office and calling, which
the Book of Doctrine and Covenants plainly states. It. is an
ordinance, as therein shown, that has been instiuted for the purpose
of qualifying men for Presidents of the different Stakes scattered
abroad. Many circumstances have occurred since the commencement of our
recent organizations which show how little prepared the High Priests
were to take upon themselves the duties of their office, in presiding
over Stakes, Wards, etc. We have had to take hundreds from the Quorums
of Seventies and Elders and ordain them High Priests and make Bishops,
Bishops' Counselors, Presidents of Stakes and High Councilors of them.
Now it seems to me that if the High Priests had understood and
performed their duties, we should not have been in the posi- we were
and compelled to go outside of these quorums to find men suitable for
presiding. I draw their attention to this matter; and you Presidents
of High Priests should instruct your quorums on the principles of
Presidency, that when called upon they can be used in positions of
that character. Let us not be negligent in time to come. I say, get
your people together, instruct them in the duties of their calling,
have them seek after light, knowledge and intelligence as to the
requirements of their exalted positions, that when we want qualified
and capable men we may know where to find them. Now, then, is it wrong
to take others? If one, [p.141] who by the Priesthood he holds has a
priority of claim in a case of this kind, is otherwise unqualified, we
must select the wisest and the best, whether he be a Seventy or an
Elder, to fill such position and to administer correctly in the things
of God.

Vol. 19,  p.141
Now let us go on to the Seventies. There are large numbers of them,
and there has been a great desire to push men into quorums, without
regard sometimes to their worth and fitness. Now what, is their duty?
Why, to go abroad and preach the Gospel to all nations. How many do
this? Very few. Well, say some, we go when called upon. That is all
true; the Seventies have, as a rule, been on hand to go forth and
preach; but I am speaking more particularly, of the nature of the
Priesthood they hold and the duties which devolve upon them. They
should be always ready, a kind of minute men, under the immediate
direction of the Twelve, to go forth as the messengers of life and
salvation to all nations on the earth. Are you Seventies preparing
yourselves for this? Are you prepared to stand forth as men of God,
clothed upon by the power of the Holy Ghost, to go into the world to
warn the people, calling them to repentance? A great deal has been
accomplished for the salvation of the human family, but we are only
starting in. We have sent a few here and there, and although we think
we have done a great work, there is but a small handful of people to
show for it. There will be great and wonderful changes on the earth;
war, bloodshed and desolation will stalk through the land, and we have
got to pursue our work and seek after the light of revelation to guide
us. We talk about and wonder who the biggest man is—the Seventy or the
High Priest? Let us seek to know who of us is living nearer to God and
acting in such a manner as to call down upon us the power of God, and
angels will administer to us. We cannot tell which member of the body
is most useful to us, which we can best afford to spare—the leg or the
arm, the eye or the nose. All are necessary to render the body
perfect.

Vol. 19,  p.141
Moses appeared to the Prophet Joseph to confer upon him the keys for
the gathering together of the dispensations and the house of Israel
from all portions of the earth. We have got to preach to the
Lamanites, to the house of Judah and by and bye the ten tribes. We
must be prepared for these things and realize the importance of this
duty and the responsibilities resting upon us as God's holy
Priesthood. Now, Elders, you ought to be diligent in observing the
laws and keeping the commandments of God. These are the leading
features of the Melchizadek Priesthood, including the Patriarchs. In
England we ordained a few Patriarchs, and I remember that the people
on occasions used to get together and have a feast, and then the
Patriarch would bless them. This is the way some of the ancient
Patriarchs did. The people ought to be liberal with them, but men
holding the Priesthood should be governed by higher and more exalted
feelings than that of using their callings for the purpose of
merchandizing. The Elders should stand in their positions as men of
God. We are really to-day a kingdom of Priests, and ought to wield a
powerful influence for good in the earth. We should get our spirits
right and act in righteousness.

Vol. 19,  p.141
The Presidents of Stakes have important positions; they preside over
all the interests of the Church where they are placed, and they should
feel like acting for God, and [p.142] they and their counsel should
have continually with them the light of revelation, be full of the
Holy Ghost, and quick to discern. There is no officer in the Church,
who acts with a single eye to the glory of God but what will have
wisdom given him according to his capacity. The President of the Stake
presides over the High Council, a set of men appointed and ordained to
adjudicate all matters in dispute that may come before them, and they
should act in all meekness, humility and wisdom, seeking intelligence
from the Foundation of Light, so that they can act in righteousness
and give righteous judgment. Then the Bishop is a common judge in
Israel, acting in the interests of the people; his duty is to put down
evil and root out iniquity. What is the duty of the Priests? Only to
hold office? No; it is to visit the members of the various Wards, and
to see that there are no hard feelings, troubles or difficulty among
the people, to anticipate the occurrence of anything of that sort, put
things right and see that the ordinances of the Church are carried
out. Then the Teachers, who are helps to the Priests, whose duty it is
to go among the people and talk to them on their duties—not like so
many parrots, but full of the spirit of God. And where there may be
difficulties to settle, and it is not within the power of the Teachers
to satisfactorily adjust them, report them to the Bishop, who sits as
a common judge in Israel, and to adjudicate all such matters. If thy
brother offend thee, go and say to him, "Brother, you have done so and
so," and if he will not listen to you nor ask forgiveness for the
offense he has given you, take another man with you—one whom you think
has influence with him, and one whom you think he will listen to—and
let him talk, and if the offending person will not listen to him,
report him, to be dealt with according to the order of the Church, and
if he continues obdurate and stubborn, then he does not belong to us.
Let us always feel like operating together for the good of each other
and for the kingdom we are identified with.

Vol. 19,  p.142
We have other societies,—the Young Men's and Young Ladies' Mutual
Improvement Associations and the Female Relief Societies. A great deal
of credit is due to our sisters. God has provided them as helpmates to
their husbands, and it is the duty of the latter to cherish and
protect those whom God has given unto them, and show them how to make
themselves happy,—teach them—our wives and daughters—the pure
principles of the Gospel, that the daughters of Zion may be lovely and
shine as the light and glory of the age in which we live. Sisters, put
away from you the vanities and frivolties of the world, administer to
the poor and the afflicted. The sisters know how to sympathize with
and administer to those who are poor, afflicted and downcast; and let
the brethren help them in their kindly ministrations. The young men
should be encouraged in the work they are engaged in, and their Mutual
Improvement Associations ought to be nourished and their interests
promoted. The Lord has encouraged these things from the commencement.
The first sister's relief society instituted in the Church was
presided over by sister Emma Smith; sister Whitney was her Counselor,
and sister Eliza Snow was the Secretary.

Vol. 19,  p.142
The spirit of Temple-building seems to have taken possession of the
people. One Temple has already been built, and it is designed to build
three more. We are prompted [p.143] by holy influences to embark in
this labor. The Lord said he would send his servant Elijah to turn the
hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children
to their fathers, and this matter of Temple-building is in fulfillment
of his word. We are seeking not only to administer for the living, but
for the dead. There are many queries come up in relation to the manner
in which the various works we are now engaged in shall be
accomplished. Shall we pay our Tithing? Yes. Shall we sustain the
building of Temples? Yes. And anything outside of this? Yes, we should
do the best we can to build up the kingdom of our God. A case came up
recently in Cache Valley, where a leading man wanted to know if he
could not have the Tithing for putting up the Temple in that Stake.
Now, if this privilege is given to them in Cache County, they will
want it in Sanpete, and if they have the privilege there, they will
want it in other places where Temples are being erected, and what
next? What are we going to do to meet all the expenses, and they are
various, which occur in the carrying on of the work? By and bye the
Tithing may be sufficient to meet all requirements. We do not wish to
oppress and crush the poor and faithful of God's people,—we would
rather say, "Break every yoke, and let the oppressed go free!" There
is nothing contributed for the work of God but what should be
accounted for. We intend to tell you all what becomes of your Tithes
and offerings. Through these ordinances come the blessings of God.
Brotherly love should prevail among all the people of God, and we
should be more united in our temporal and spiritual matters, and
thereby claim the promised blessings.

Vol. 19,  p.143
May God bless you and lead you in the paths of right. Amen.

John Taylor, October 21, 1877

The Everlasting Gospel—Temple Building—the High Priests 
and Seventies—to the Bishops—to the Sisters

Discourse By President John Taylor, Delivered at 
the Quarterly Conference, Held in Ogden, Oct. 21, 1877.

(From the Ogden Junction)

Vol. 19,  p.143
[This report is from long-hand notes, and though not verbatim, is as
nearly so as possible.—ED.]

Vol. 19,  p.143
I am happy to meet my brethren and sisters at this Conference. Since I
was last here, we have had to mourn the loss of our venerated
President, Brigham Young. It has cast a gloom over the Saints
throughout the Territory, and all feel sorrowful. He led Israel for a
long time—the past 33 years, and in leaving us [p.144] we have felt
his loss. His demise was among the events necessarily associated with
human affairs, for the Lord manages such things by his own will. I
remember when Joseph was taken, but his death was not like that of
Brigham Young, but by the hands of a ruthless mob. It was a matter of
great importance to us relatively, but not great with the work in
which we are all engaged. When the Lord revealed the gospel unto
Joseph Smith, and unfolded His purposes and designs to the earth—when
He gave us a knowledge of the laws, ordinances of the Gospel and
doctrines, it was not for the object of elevating him as a man, but
was done in the interest of society and the world in which we live—in
the interest of the living and the dead, according to the decrees of
Jehovah before the world was rolled into existence, or the morning
stars sang together in joy. In the last days He saw it was proper to
restore the new and everlasting Gospel—new to the world because of its
traditions, follies, weaknesses, etc., but everlasting because it
existed with God, with Him before the world was, and will continue
when change shall succeed change, and when all things are made new the
things of God will endure on and on forever. So it is an everlasting
Gospel, though new to the world. It was introduced in the interest of
humanity: our fathers, the Prophets and men of God who once
administered on the earth and are now administering in the heavens,
had a hand in introducing this work. To-day they feel interested in
rolling forth the work and purposes of God assigned to them before the
foundation of the world. It is to them, to God, to Jesus, that we are
indebted for the light, life and intelligence communicated, and we
shall look to them throughout all time for instructions to sustain and
direct us. We talk about the organization of the Church being better
attended to lately than formerly; but from whom did we receive it?
What did we know about the Apostles till God revealed it? Nothing. We
talk about the Patriarchs, the First Presidency; who knew of them till
God revealed it? No one? The High Priests, Seventies, Elders—who knew
about them or their calling, duties and labors till God revealed it?
No one. It is the case with the Bishops, Counselors, High Councilors,
the Lesser Priesthood, and with all the organizations and Quorums; the
light was all from God, and not from man. It came through revelations
from God to Joseph Smith, the Prophet of God; hence we are indebted to
the Lord for all these things, for all the knowledge we have in
relation to those principles. Who taught the gathering principle and
why are we here to-day? Under what influence did we come? Many
Latter-day Saints themselves hardly realize it. We read in the history
of the Church that, at a certain time there was a revelation given, in
the Temple which was built at Kirtland, Ohio; when Joseph Smith and
Oliver Cowdery were seated in it, several important personages
appeared and gave certain keys, powers and privileges; among them was
Moses, who represented what is termed the Gathering Dispensation,
which was to gather Israel from the four quarters of the earth; you
will find it in the edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, and I reter
you to that, where it is positively stated. Why did we gather? Because
the keys of this dispensation were given to Joseph Smith, and
conferred by him on the Twelve, the Seventies and others, and they
received this as a part of their ministry, their endowments, if you
[p.145] please, and when they called upon the people to repent and be
baptized, and they did so, they received the Holy Ghost, and among
other things received was this principle of gathering, and I defy all
Israel to have so gathered without these keys and been brought
together as they are to-day. But we had no trouble in gathering
because we had the keys. I have seen the time when the people were
almost willing to sell themselves in order to get here, and you know
this to be true; it is all from God.

Vol. 19,  p.145
Our Temple building is of the same nature; we are living in the
dispensation of the fulness of times, embracing all the powers,
principles, doctrines and covenants since the world was, and among the
rest is Temple building. The speaker here read from the Doctrine and
Covenants, concluding with, "Before the great and terrible day of the
Lord shall come, I will turn the hearts of the children to the
fathers, and of the fathers to the children, etc., lest I come and
smite the children with a curse." Did Elijah hold these keys." He did.
Did he give them to Joseph? He did. You will find it in the same
revelation as that quoted; a feeling of that kind sprang up in the
breasts of the Latter-day Saints, till we hardly know sometimes why we
do so, but we do. We built our first Temple in Kirtland, then one at
Nauvoo, and laid the foundation for one at Far West, Missouri; we have
also built one here at St. George; it is a beautiful building, and we
are performing the ordinances there for the living and the dead. Do
any of us regret the part we have taken in it? I think not. Then we
have been doing work on another in Salt Lake, another in Sanpete, and
another in Cache Valley, all of which will be magnificent buildings
when completed; not less than 500 men are at work on them. It looks
odd to some people who don't know what it means, but we know because
God revealed it to us; we are always on hand.

Vol. 19,  p.145
The year past, 1876, feelings were stirred up in the mind of the
President, and he called on the Twelve, the High Priests, the
Seventies and Elders to subscribe to build the Temple at Salt Lake.
Did they do it? Yes. You, here, did your share and gave means freely,
as thousands did throughout the Territory. Why did he feel like this?
Because the spirit of God prompted him. Why did the Seventies,
Priests, Teachers, etc., respond so promptly? Because the spirit of
God rested on them and all hands wanted to help build the Temples to
the name of God, that we might administer the ordinances necessary to
be performed for the living and the dead. If we turned our Temples
over to the world to-day, they would not know what to do with them;
they could not administer in the ordinances, and we should not know if
God had not taught us; but the Gospel brings us light and places us in
communion with the heavens through time and eternity; they tell us to
build Temples and then instruct us how to administer in them for the
living and the dead—that men who are placed here are for a certain
work, and they are helping us to do our work and are operating with
the Gods in the heavens in our behalf, and we for them—they without us
are not made perfect, nor are we perfect without them. It requires
union—union cemented by indissoluble ties; it unites us to each other
and to them, and enables us to act intelligently, and when we get
through with our affairs, to assist others in the accomplishment of
theirs in the interest of God and humanity. This is not our work,
nothing that we have done; God has done it, He [p.146] wants us to
help Him and He will help us. We can do nothing in and of ourselves,
for we are weak and frail and need the guidance and revelation of God
to uphold us.

Vol. 19,  p.146
We have had a Conference here to-day, and you are more perfectly
organized than before. The Lord some time ago wrought on the mind of
President Young to have a more complete organization in the Church,
and the Twelve were called on to visit the settlements and explain the
order of the Priesthood, etc.; to organize the Stakes with all the
officers—President and Counsel, the High Council and Priests under the
President and the Counsel over the Stake—Bishops, Elders, the Lesser
Priesthood, and all those called local authorities in their several
places, and have everything in order; the Twelve went through the
Territory, and assisted by the Presidency, the work was accomplished,
and has been for some time. The quorums before you to-day are the
result of their work. What did he know of this only as God revealed
it? Nothing. Did Brigham Young or Joseph Smith know it? No, only as
God revealed it. But the necessary information has been given, and
to-day the Church is more perfectly organized than ever before,
perhaps with the exception of the general assembly at Kirtland, but in
some things now we are more stable and complete than they were even
then. It is proper at the present time to refer to such things for
instruction, though brother Richards is well posted in respect to
these matters, and has taught you much in relation to them.

Vol. 19,  p.146
In Kirtland, Ohio, we had many things revealed through the Prophet
Joseph; we had the First Presidency over the High Council, and another
in Missouri. Joseph Smith and his Counsel presided over that in
Kirtland; hence some things at times took place that were peculiar to
some people; when they were at a loss to find out anything pertaining
to the principles and doctrines, the Presidency inquired of the Lord,
and would get the desired information. Now, I would make a remark in
regard to these things here. All the High Councils and all those
holding the Priesthood, the Presidents and all the Bishops and their
Counsel, and all holding positions in the Church and kingdom of God
that are faithful, honest, diligent and upright, if they seek unto God
they will have wisdom imparted to them under all circumstances and on
all occasions, as to what course they should pursue, and it is the
order of God that all should have His Spirit in proportion to their
integrity and faith; and if one does not have it is because he is not
diligent in seeking after such things. As brother Joseph F. said this
morning he could have revelation for himself, though not to regulate
the Church; it would be the privilege of the President of the Twelve
to regulate all things in relation to Zion; but the other principle
extends to all grades and all men in the Church and kingdom of God,
each in his place, if he lives his religion and is faithful and
prepared to receive the truths from God so that he can instruct the
children of men. There appears at times to be a discrepancy among all
of us, for we are all weak and infirm; and God made it so on purpose,
that man might not glory in himself but in the God of Israel.

Vol. 19,  p.146
I will say something in relation to High Priests, and what their place
is in the Church. They came conspicuously before us in the late
organizations. The speaker again read from the Doctrine and Covenants,
"And, again, I give unto you John [p.147] C. Smith," etc. What are
they organized for? The purpose is set forth in the Doctrine and
Covenants. They are a sort of normal school to prepare the people to
preside; they have hardly fulfilled this; perhaps if they had been
more active, and become acquainted with principles for which they are
organized, we should not have to ordain so many High Priests from the
Elders' Quorum to make Presidents of Stakes, Bishops, High Councils,
etc.; but as it was we had to pick up the material where we could, and
I hope we will have better material next time.

Vol. 19,  p.147
I hear a great deal said about which is the "biggest" man. The
"biggest" man makes no difference whatever. I think that the man who
can be most like a little child will be the greatest in the kingdom of
God. Greatness does not consist of talking of things, but in doing
them. We are now just beginning to move; Zion is stretching forth and
lengthening out her cords; we want no more baby's play, but let us
have wisdom, light, revelation, and let the power of the Priesthood of
God burn in the hearts of the people to waken them to a knowledge of
truth; then when other Stakes are to be organized we can apply to this
normal school and get men prepared. We have got a great number of
Seventies, and the question has often arisen, Which is the biggest,
they or the High Priests? I say I don't think it makes much difference
as to which is the greater or smaller. I think the body of Christ was
not one member, but composed of many parts. Now which member of your
body would you like to be without? An arm or a leg? No, you want both.
So does the Church. But which is the most useful? If you can tell me
which of those members is most useful to you, I will let you know
which is the most useful to the Church, the Hight Priests or
Seventies. We ought to magnify the Priesthood we hold, and be
satisfied with the positions we hold. We have sent a number of Elders
on missions, whose duty it is to preach to the people of the earth.
They go when they are called, but it is often hard work; they make a
great many excuses—they have debts to settle, families to support,
etc. In meeting they will talk about who is the "biggest," and when
they are gone for a while they get home sick and want to return; they
say "there is no place like home." They meet difficulties among the
people, who don't believe much that is told them. Did they ever? Not
much. We don't expect to gather all, we will take one of a city and
two of a family, and bring them to Zion; and if our Elders abroad
would be more particular, and realize that they are messengers of the
Lord—exhibit more of the Apostolic power, and have the light of the
Sprit of God, they would realize that they are sent to teach, not to
be taught; they would measurably control circumstances, not be
controled by them altogether. Here are the Lamanites to attend to;
when we are through with them, then the Jews, then the Ten Tribes, and
then the earth is to be redeemed and the power of God prevail, and we
must take a part, for we are not her to look so much after our own
affair as to build up Zion. The Elders ought to reflect and say, "What
can I do to help on the work? God inspire my heart and mind and soul,
that I may help to build up the kingdom of God." That is the way to
feel. Then to the High Councils of Stakes and to the Presidents of
Stakes I would say, you ought to feel that you are servants of the
living God, that the eye of the great [p.148] Jehovah is over you, and
be working in the interest of the Gospel. We are not here to build up
ourselves, but to build up Zion and the kingdom of God on the earth,
that we may magnify our calling and honor our God. As brother Joseph
F. said, we should not allow ourselves to be bartered or sold, but
work for the interests of Israel.

Vol. 19,  p.148
The Bishops of the various Wards have their place; it is their duty to
attend to the interests of their Wards, to look after the temporal
affairs principally, not for their own benefit, but that of the
people. They should set patterns of all that is good and praiseworthy;
their duty is to do justice and adjudicate in all matters pertaining
to a Bishop's court, as a common court in Israel, and they ought to
judge in all righteousness, fidelity, and truth. The Priests ought to
be full of the Holy Ghost, and should be full of intelligence to act
as watchmen over the people, trying to stop ill feelings, evil
actions, etc. The Teachers ought to assist them, and visit from house
to house, and see that no iniquity prevails. The Deacons should assist
the Bishops in temporal affairs, and be faithful in their calling.

Vol. 19,  p.148
Let us act together as a family in the interest of the Church and
kingdom of God, for thereby come the blessings promised. We are now
operatiug for these things, and these organizations are for that
purpose. The Deacon who honors his calling is more honorable than the
Apostle who does not. Can we find High Priests, Seventies, and Elders
who don't pray? Yes, I am afraid so. And further, in relation to the
Teachers, I will tell you my rule. When they come to me, I call in my
family and ask them to instruct us and impart such information as is
their duty. That is the way I feel towards the men who come in that
capacity. They have a perfect right; to do it, it is their duty, and
they are always at liberty to visit my household.

Vol. 19,  p.148
We all have a great Priesthood if we magnify it, and there is no
little Priesthood. In relation to the young men, I would say that in
their associations a good spirit is growing—they are waking up. The
Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations and other organizations of
our young men are very praiseworthy. Young men, the burden of the
kingdom will yet roll on your shoulders, and you must prepare for it.
If you will go to God and ask for wisdom, he will give it to you. Get
the best books, the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and read
our own publications, you will find such intelligence as you never
dreamed of. Ask God for faith. Get all the sciences, arts, and useful
learning you can from schools; get nothing false, but the things
pertaining to earth and the elements, and how to use them; when you
meet let it be in the fear of God, and he will bless you.

Vol. 19,  p.148
A word to the sisters. They have their associations and societies—all
of which are good and praiseworthy. They form a part of us, for the
man is not without the woman, nor the woman without the man. It takes
a man and a woman to make a man; without woman, man is not perfect;
God so ordained it. We are aiming at celestial glory, and when we
reach that exaltation, will we have our wives? Yes. The women have to
manage household affairs; they must rear the children properly, and
cultivate those principles which exalt and beautify, that all may move
on pleasantly and harmoniously. In the Relief Societies they discharge
their duties better than we could, because of their tender sympathies
and [p.149] gentler natures. Joseph Smith organised a Relief Society
in Nauvoo as far back as that; Emma was president, sisters Whitney and
Cleaveland were her counselors, and Eliza R. Snow secretary, who has
visited you often, and whom you well know. They allowed the society to
sleep for a while, but they are now waking up. What should they teach?
I can't go into details, but they should teach dress, speak and act,
aright, diffuse correct principles, and let us have sisters growing up
fit to associate with the angels of God. I want you to make home a
heaven for your husbands, that when they come there they will feel
happy, cheerful, and comfortable in their households. Do away with
evil speaking—let love, kindness, and friendly feelings prevail; and
if the sisters want the brethren to give them a few bushels of wheat
to take care of, let them have it, it is not much, and we may some day
be glad we did so. I have read of an extravagant man, whose wife
proposed that he give her so much—ten or twenty dollars to keep house
with, and instead of spending it she saved it in the Bible. Finally a
financial crash came, and he went to his wife for consolation. She
told him to read the Bible for comfort, and when he opened the leaves
the money dropped out. What does this mean? he said. His wife said,
you were careless, and I took care of the money you gave me; and this
money saved him from ruin. Therefore let the sisters take care of the
wheat.

Vol. 19,  p.149
The speaker here referred to the question of using the Tithing for
Temple building, saying if it were all paid in that was owing, we need
ask nothing further, but such was not the case. He then referred to
the Perpetual Emigration Fund, saying there was over $1,000,000 due it
from those who had been emigrated, and he hoped it would be paid
without further delay. At present no radical changes would be made in
the matter of Temple building. May God help Israel and prepare us for
an inheritance in his kingdom, in the name of Jesus. Amen.[p.150] 

John Taylor, November 14, 1877

Gathering the Result of Revelation—Temple Building 
Similar—the Restoration of the Priesthood—Ministering 
for the Dead—the Gospel, God-Sustained

Discourse By President John Taylor, Delivered in the 
Fourteenth Ward Assembly Rooms, Sunday 
Afternoon, Nov. 14, 1877.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.150
There is something novel as well as interesting in the contemplation
of the subject that has been referred to by brother Folsom. The ideas
entertained by the Latter-day Saints are different from those believed
in by any other people upon the face of the earth; and there is a
feeling and spirit resting upon the Saints that is not known nor
experienced among any other people. The way we have been led is very
peculiar and differs entirely from anything else that exists anywhere
in the world. Our gathering together, the kind of Gospel that is
preached, the disposition and feeling to build Temples, a strong
impression that seems to rest upon all the people, is something in
itself very remarkable.

Vol. 19,  p.150
Now in relation to our gathering, who is there anywhere else in the
world that feel as the Latter-day Saints do? You do not find it
anywhere, and nothing but the Spirit of God operating upon the minds
of the people could have induced them to gather together as they have
done. This spirit was imparted, as the Holy Ghost is, by the laying on
of hands, through the medium of the Priesthood. And this peculiarity
seemed all the more striking at first, for as soon as the principle of
the gathering was first preached, the people needed no convincing
argument, for the Spirit of the Lord had revealed it to them, and they
knew it was true. And it mattered not where people heard it, or in
what language it was preached, they immediately had a strong, fervent
desire to gather to Zion, to assemble with the Saints and worship with
them. And however foolish many of us have acted since that time, yet
these were the feelings that welled up in our bosoms; and they came
because of certain principles having been developed through Joseph
Smith. You that are acquainted with the history of Joseph Smith well
know that in the Temple in Kirtland, among other visions,
manifestations and administrations he received was one in which the
Prophet Moses appeared to him, who committed to him the keys of the
gathering dispensation. It was he who led the exodus of Israel in
former times, and like all other men who have held the holy Priesthood
and have been faithful in the discharge of their duties, he not only
administered in time but continues to minister in eternity. And
[p.151] holding the keys of this Priesthood, he was the proper person
to confer them upon the Prophet Joseph; and on doing so, he told
Joseph, that he had bestowed upon him "the keys of the gathering of
Israel from the four parts of the earth and the leading of the Ten
Tribes from the land of the north." And this was in fulfilment of a
significant scripture which says, "That in the dispensation of the
fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in
Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth; even in him."

Vol. 19,  p.151
Hence, after men had been baptized for remission of sins, and had
hands laid upon their heads for the reception of the Holy Ghost by
those holding this Priesthood and authority, of which this was one of
the principles, they began immediately to have the feeling to gather
to Zion. This has been spoken of by ancient men of God as one of the
events of the latter days. One of the Prophets referring to it says,
"I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring
you to Zion. And I will give you pastors according to mine heart,
which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding." It was through
this principle and this ordination, with the spirit attending it,
first conferred upon Joseph Smith, and afterwards upon the believers
of the Gospel by obedience thereunto, through the administration of
baptism and of the laying on of hands by the Elders, that brought the
people together as they are to-day. Wherever this Gospel has been
preached, believed and obeyed, this desire to leave the lands of their
nativity, to gather with the Saints, has been strongly manifested; and
so strong has it been, that I have had men offer to bind themselves to
my service for quite a length of time, or willing to do anything
required of them, provided they could be assisted to the gathering
place of the Saints. And it was to meet this universal want that the
Perpetual Emigrating Fund was gotten up, which has been the means of
bringing out to this country thousands of people, the majority of
whom, perhaps, by their own exertions, never could have accumulated
the necessary amount of means to have brought themselves here; and as
each one was required, after being assisted, to refund the amount
received for this purpose, others could realize its benefits in like
manner, and thus the fund became perpetual.

Vol. 19,  p.151
Temple building is another characteristic associated with this Gospel
that is in itself peculiar. We are here, as Jesus was, not to do our
own will, but the will of Him who sent us; and, as he was, so we are
expected to do and perform such things as may be required of us by the
Almighty. This is really the position we occupy as Latter-day Saints,
if we could fully comprehend the situation. There are certain powers
and privileges, rights, immunities and blessings connected with this
Gospel that do not exist anywhere else, and this is one of them. We
are told that the Gospel brings life and immortality to light, and
without it there is no correct knowledge of life and immortality. We
did not understand either our own position, nor the position of the
world; we could not comprehend anything of God, or the laws of God, or
the laws of life, until we became acquainted with the Gospel. Every
good and every perfect gift proceeds from God, in whom there is no
variableness or shadow of turning. And the world generally are
ignorant of God. Why? Because we are told that no man knows the
[p.152] things of God but by the Spirit of God. And if they cannot
obtain a knowledge of God only by the Spirit of God, unless they
receive that Spirit they must remain ignorant of these principles. And
it matters not what the learning, what the intelligence, what the
research, the philosophy, or religion of man may be, the things of God
cannot be comprehended, except through and by the Spirit and
revelations of God. And this can only be obtained through obedience to
the principles which God has and shall ordain, sanction and
acknowledge. And hence, in these last times, be first communicated a
knowledge of himself to Joseph Smith, long ago, when he was quite
young. Who in that day knew anything about God? Who had had any
revelations from Him, or who knew anything in relation to the
principles of life and salvation? If there were any persons I never
heard of them, nor read of them, nor never met them. But when the Lord
manifested himself to Joseph Smith, presenting to him his Son who was
there also, saying, "This is my beloved Son, hear ye him;" he then
knew that God lived; and he was not dependent upon anybody else for
that knowledge. He saw him and heard his voice, and he knew for
himself that there was a God, and of this he testified, sealing his
testimony with his blood. The evidence of the existence of God that he
received, none but God could impart. Well, what was the result? He
told him how others might obtain the same knowlege of him and of his
laws; and he made him acquainted with a medium through which he could
obtain a knowledge of these things. And how did he do it? By
communicating unto him a knowledge of the everlasting Priesthood, and
sending that Priesthood to reveal unto him the laws and the ordinances
thereof. Hence, as early as September 21st, 1823, an angel said to
Joseph Smiih, "Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood." He was
informed there had to be a certain ordinance attended to, viz.,
baptism. And as John the Baptist had held the keys of that Priesthood,
in generations gone and past, he was sent to confer upon him and upon
Oliver Cowdery what is known as the Aaronic Priesthood, which
authorized them to baptize each other for the remission of sins. And
this heavenly messenger did come and did so ordain them, on May 15th,
1829, saying—"Upon you, my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I
confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the
ministering of angels, and of the Gospel of repentance, and of baptism
for the remission of sins; and this shall never again be taken from
the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the
Lord in righteousness." (D C., page 100.) And what next? It was
necessary then that other institutions should be introduced and other
principles developed; and consequently the Apostles Peter, James and
John appeared, bringing, and conferring on their heads the Melchisedek
Priesthood, which holds the keys of the mysteries and revelations of
God, and by which they could lay their hands upon men for the
reception of the Holy Ghost. And when they received this gift, it
"brought things past to their remembrance, led them into all truth and
showed them things to come;" it opened up communication between the
heavens and the earth, whereby others, as well as Joseph Smith, could
know that God lived, and obtain for themselves through the
administration of the [p.153] ordinances, a knowledge of their
acceptance with him, and of their relationship to him, and also obtain
a knowledge of heavenly as well as earthly things. So that first,
Joseph Smith having received this knowledge that God lived, and others
through the medium that God ordained were accorded the same privilege.
Thus there was opened up a communication with the heavens; not only
with Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, and those immediately associated
with them, but with those also who received the Gospel; and as the
Scriptures say, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to
become the sons of God, even to them that believe in his name; which
were born, not of blood, nor of the will of flesh, nor of the will of
man, but of God." And they received that Spirit whereby they were able
to comprehend the principles of truth;" and as the Apostle John says,
"But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. But
the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye
need not that any man teach you: but, as the same anointing teacheth
you of all things, and is truth and is no lie, and even as it hath
taught you, ye shall abide in him." How did they receive this
anointing? By repenting of their sins, by being baptized by one having
the authority of God for the remission of sins, and by having hands
laid upon their heads for the reception of the Holy Ghost. They
received this spirit precisely in this manner, and hence they had this
knowledge for themselves; which knowledge all Latter-day Saints have
who are living their religion, walking humbly and obediently before
God. Hence, this is a part of what we term the Gospel; it is part of
what we call the principles of life, or the laws of life, for it leads
to life, it leads to God, it leads to a knowledge of the laws of God,
and a knowledge of the principles of truth, and to an acquaintance
with those principles which are calculated to exalt and ennoble
mankind both in time and through all eternity. There is nothing new in
it, and yet there is. It is called the new and everlasting Gospel.
Singular, that an everlasting thing should be new. But it is a
principle that has existed with God, or with the Gods, if you please,
in the eternities, and it has been communicated from time to time to
the children of men. And although we have a great amount of
intelligence, learning and science, and everything else considered
worthy among men, yet we have nothing in all of this that gives a
knowledge of the laws of life. It needs a development from God to
unravel these things, and make us acquainted with our true position.
Hence although it is new to us, it is nevertheless an everlasting
principle. We are mortal and immortal beings, we have to do with time
and also with eternity. And as the things of the future are hidden
from men and can only be known through the medium of the Gospel, this
means was made use of by the Almighty for the introduction of the
principles of truth and the placing of mankind in the position to
acquire a knowledge of him and his laws. Having been put in this
position, we, every one of us, men and women who are living our
religion, preserving ourselves in the purity of the Gospel and acting
honorably and honestly before God and man, have a right to know and
understand for ourselves the principles of truth which we have
embraced. I well remember a remark that Joseph Smith made to me
[p.154] upwards of forty years ago. Said he, "Elder Taylor, you have
been baptized, you have had hands laid upon your head for the
reception of the Holy Ghost, and you have been ordained to the holy
Priesthood. Now, it you will continue to follow the leadings of that
spirit, it will always lead you right. Sometimes it might be contrary
to your judgment; never mind that, follow its dictates; and if you be
true to its whisperings it will in time become in you a principle of
revelation, so that you will know all things." That agrees precisely
with some of the remarks of John in the passage I have quoted to you.
"Yes, have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things, and
need not that any man teach you; but the same anointing teacheth you
all things." Now, that which John taught was the everlasting Gospel,
and that which Joseph Smith taught was the everlasting Gospel. That
which John taught has been forgotten long ago by the people, they are
not in possession of it and consequently they cannot comprehend it.
And hence when Joseph Smith revealed it, he preached the new and
everlasting Gospel; new to the generation that lives, and everlasting
because it has existed in all ages and times when God has revealed
himself to the human family.

Vol. 19,  p.154
But to return to this singular thing of Temple building, which I will
refer to again. Why do we want to build these Temples? Some of us
hardly know; but we do want to build it. What a most singular thing!
Just consider the amount of labor that has already been performed
throughout this Territory. Surely the people have some motive in view.
The mechanic or the laborer does not go to work unless he gets a
recompense of some kind. When men devote themselves to any kind of
labor, whether mental, physical, mechanical or scientific, they have
some particular object in view. So it is also in relation to these
matters. I have already referred to it; but many of us can hardly
realize why it is that we are engaged in these things.

Vol. 19,  p.154
I will go back again and refer to another manifestation. We find,
among others that appeared to Joseph Smith was Elijah the Prophet; and
what did he come for? His special mission was to "turn the hearts of
the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the
fathers." And the same scripture informs us of his coming "before that
great and terrible day of the Lord." What is meant by this, say the
world? It means that we are the offspring of God; it means, as the
scriptures say, that God is the Father of the spirits of all flesh; it
means that we have to do with eternity as well as time; it means that
we have to do with things past, with things present and with things to
come; it means that being the children of our Heavenly Father, we are
or ought to be under his government, yielding obedience to him, and
that we ought to operate with him in extending mercy and love and
salvation to the living and the dead, according to certain laws
unknown to men generally; but known unto God and now revealed again by
him for the salvation of our race. It means that God is the Father of
the human family and is interested in the whole of his progeny, these
that now exist and those who have passed away. It means that there are
certain laws in the heavens that all men have to do with that must be
complied with, if not in time in eternity. It means that all men who
have lived and died without a knowledge of the Gospel, shall be placed
on the same plane as ourselves through the plan he has provided,
giving all of his children, [p.155] whether living or dead, an equal
chance to avail themselves of the means of salvation; and that we are
to operate in their behalf, working out certain ordinances for them
which they are now incapable of doing for themselves. It means that as
God feels interested in the welfare of all his family, men in the
flesh who are in possession of his spirit and the light of eternity,
having come to a knowledge of him and his eternal laws, should
co-operate with him in the accomplishment of this object. And it means
too that if he has conferred the Gospel and the power thereof and the
Aaronic and Melchisedek Priesthoods, sending his messengers from the
heavens for this purpose, that it is not for a phantom, it is not for
a plaything to be trifled with at pleasure; but it is that we should
operate with God and with the Priesthood who lived before us, in the
accomplishment of the things of God on the earth. That is what it
means. And hence, says he, when Elias comes he will "turn the hearts
of the fathers to the children," etc. It is not for mankind to come
and live and exist a little while to be blotted out and nothing more
of them; but it is that they should be enlightened by the Spirit of
God, that they should sympathize with and have regard for all he human
family living and dead, cling desirous to promote their happiness and
welfare, as he himself does. How often when abroad preaching this
Gospel have I heard men say, and you have heard the same sentiment
expressed, "If this is true what has become of our fathers? are they
to be lost forever?" And then you know they have certain peculiar
ideas about hell and damnation, the lake of fire and brimstone into
which a certain portion of the human family are to be cast to be
forever burning and never to he consumed. And if our doctrine be true
they think it would be cruel that this state of things should exist.
Why, God is more merciful than man is, he possesses more sympathies
with human nature than man does or ever did, one with another. The
Lord has been feeling after the welfare of mankind all the day long,
from the first commencement of the world to the present time. But
there are certain eternal laws among the Gods in the eternal worlds
which render if necessary that mankind shall go through certain
ordeals and observe certain ordinances and be governed by certain laws
before they can be exalted in the kingdom of God. And as Satan has
been operating in opposition to the Lord's designs, and having so far
succeeded in drawing men after him, it became necessary that these
ordinances that God has instituted should be introduced and that man
should be governed by them. Hence it was necessary that a Redeemer
should be provided, which was perfectly understood by one of the
Prophets who said "Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have
found a ransom." Who was he? When Jesus appeared, says John, "Behold
the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." He was the
ransom.

Vol. 19,  p.155
What about the others, they who have died without a knowledge of the
Gospel? They are amply provided for. The Lord has shown us that we
must build Temples in which to officiate for them. We have commenced
to do so, and our fathers have already commenced to feel after us,
manifesting themselves by dreams and visions, and in various ways to
those most interested in their welfare. And having inaugurated this
state of things for our guidance that we have to-day, with Presidents,
Apostles, Presidents of Stakes, High Councils, High Priests,
Seventies, Bishops,[p.156] Elders, Priests, Teachers and Deacons and
the various organizations of the Church; it is for us each one to
operate in our sphere under the direction of the Almighty; and feel
not only for ourselves, but for others, as Abraham did, and as Isaac
and Jacob did, we should have a desire to bless our posterity after
us; and God has shown us how to do it, and has bestowed his
Patriarchal authority with power to bless. He has appointed this
through the Priesthood and sealing ordinances. That which is joined
together no man can put asunder, and what is bound on earth is bound
also in heaven; and also a great many other things of a similar nature
in relation to ourselves. The moment a man gets enlightened by the
Spirit of God and begins to comprehend himself, be begins to feel for
the welfare of others. "I have a wife, what shall I do to save her? I
have children, what can I do for them?" And by and by his comprhension
expands, and he commences at once to reach after his father, and his
grandfather, and friends and relatives who have passed away; and his
feelings if they were expressed would be, What can I do for them to
help them? Yes, he has revealed to us that we can render valuable aid
to our dead friends and ancestors, and, as I have said, the Lord has
shown us that in order for them to receive the benefit of our
services, Temples must be built, and they must be dedicated to God and
accepted of him; and through the medium of those sacred structures and
the ordinances performed therein, there is to be a uniting and welding
together of all principles and peoples, and without them this great
work cannot be done.

Vol. 19,  p.156
Brother Folsom, who has just been speaking to you of his recent labors
in the Manti Temple, says he never felt better in his life than when
engaged there. What is the reason? He has been engaged in the service
of God; and there is no happiness among men to be compared with the
joy and satisfaction that the Gospel imparts; it lifts us up from the
sublunary things of time and sense, and we feel that we are gods, even
the sons of God, and that he is our Father; and we know that we have a
hope that blooms with immortality and eternal lives, and we feel that
we are in the hands of God, and that he will guide and direct us and
sustain us and bear us off triumphant under all circumstances; and we
feel joyous and happy in the contemplation of these things. And then
it is necessary that the Lord should have introduced this Gospel, or
shall I say he never could have saved the human family that have gone?
Yes, I will say that; because there are certain laws in relation to
these things which must be obeyed; the Lord himself is governed by
them, and we must be governed by them. And hence when Elijah came and
laid his hands upon Joseph Smith, conferring upon him that Gospel
which was to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, he
received it, and the spirit of it we have received; and that is why we
want to build Temples. And in this regard we are associated with those
in the heavens in carrying out the plan that was contemplated and
designed by the gods before the world was, in relation to the
formation of the earth, and in relation to peopling it, and then with
regard to its redemption and the salvation of its inhabitants and
everything pertaining to it, until it shall be celestialized and
celestial beings inhabit it. And we are operating, or should do so,
and we will when we know ourselves, operate with the holy angels and
with the holy [p.157] Priesthood, that has existed before, doing our
part on the earth while they are performing theirs in the heavens.
Could we do anything unless God helped us? No, we could not. You might
preach until the tongue cleaved to the roof of your mouth, urging the
people to build Temples, but unless the spirit of Elijah rested upon
them they never would do it. And sometimes people think now that it
interferes with the dollars and dimes and their monetary calculations;
but what of that? God is interested in these things, and he does not
care much about the dollars, for the gold and the silver, and the
cattle upon a thousand hills are his, the earth in its fullness
belongs to him; the heavens are his throne and the earth his
footstool, and he manages and directs according to the counsel of his
own will. And as we send our ministers to the nations of the earth to
perform certain missions designed by the Priesthood on the earth; so
does God in the eternal heavens employ those of his servants around
him in the accomplishment of the same grand object.

Vol. 19,  p.157
Do you think that this Gospel would have stood the opposition it has
met with, and that this people could have lived under the calunmy and
reproach, the vituperation, hatred and persecution that has been
raised against them by men, unless God had been with us? No; we should
have been scattered like the chaff before the wind, long, long ago.
But God has sustained us, and has said to all men and will continue to
say, Thus far shalt thou go and no farther, and here shall thy power
be stayed. Our strength is in God, and not in man. Many and many a
time have I seen the wrath of man turned away, when it was thought its
power would crush us, and that too by one principle. What was that?
Jesus, when in the flesh, taught his disciples how to pray; and the
Lord has also instructed us how to pray. And we have the consolation
of knowing that our prayers have availed with him, for we have seen
our enemies foiled, frustrated, discomfited and scattered, who sought
our destruction, and their plans utterly fail, and that too when to
all human appearances we were going to be submerged and overwhelmed by
their fury. And so long as we continue to fear Him, observe his laws
and keep his commandments, all their plans will fail from this time
henceforth and forever [the congregation said, Amen], for God is on
our side, and He will uphold us and never forsake us.

Vol. 19,  p.157
To return again to the subject of Temple building. I may talk about it
from now until to-morrow, and then not get a quarter through, for
there are so many things connected with it. But we feel now that we
want to build Temples that we may administer in them. Brother Woodruff
has been operating a long time in the Temple at St. George; and you
have perhaps heard him testify of visits that he has had from the
spirit world, the spirits of men who once lived on the earth, desiring
him to officiate for them in the Temple ordinances. This feeling is
planted in the hearts of the people; and the Priesthood in the heavens
are watching over us; they are ministering spirits sent forth to
minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation, says the Apostle;
and if we were not the recipients of their ministrations and watchful
care, we should be in a poor condition. They are operating in the
heavens, and we are on the earth; they without us cannot be made
perfect, neither [p.158] we without them; it requires the combined and
united efforts of both parties, directed by God Himself to consummate
the work we are engaged in.

Vol. 19,  p.158
I will here show you the difference between the operations of men and
those of the Lord, in regard to the human family. Men make war one
upon another, they kill and destroy and make waste. This work of
killing and destruction is even now going on among the Russians and
Turks. And it is only a short time since the Germans and French were
doing the same thing; and it almost seems like the recollections of
yesterday, when our own nation were imbrueing their hands in each
other's blood, when the cries of widows and orphans, of bereaved
fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters were heard throughout our
land, and when want and misery, pain and sorrow were depicted on the
faces of so many because of man's inhumanity to his fellow man. What
do the Scriptures say? "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his
blood be shed. What right has any man to interfere with the life of
another man?

Vol. 19,  p.158
Now I will go back to show you how the Lord operates. He destroyed a
whole world at one time save a few, whom he preserved for his own
special purpose. And why? He had more than one reason for doing so.
This antediluvian people were not only very wicked themselves, but
having the power to propagate their species, they transmitted their
unrighteous natures and desires to their children, and brought them up
to indulge in their own wicked practices. And the spirits that dwelt
in the eternal worlds knew this, and they knew very well that to be
born of such parentage would entail upon themselves an infinite amount
of trouble, misery and sin. And supposing ourselves to be of the
number of unborn spirits, would it not be fair to presume that we
would appeal to the Lord, crying, "Father, do you not behold the
condition of this people, how corrupt and wicked they are?" Yes. "Is
it then just that we who are now pure should take of such bodies and
thus subject ourselves to most bitter experiences before we can be
redeemed, according to the plan of salvation?" "No," the Father would
say, "it is not in keeping with my justice." Well, what will you do in
the matter; man has his free agency and cannot be coerced, and while
he lives he has the power of perpetuating his species?" I will first
send them my word, offering them deliverance from sin, and warning
them of my justice, which shall certainly overtake them if they reject
it, and I will destroy them from off the face of the earth, thus
preventing their increase, and I will raise up another seed." Well,
they did reject the preaching of Noah, the servant of God, who was
sent to them, and consequently the Lord caused the rains of heaven to
descend incessantly for forty days and nights, which flooded the land,
and there being no means of escape, save for the eight souls who were
obedient to the message, all the others were drowned. But, says the
caviller, is it right that a just God should sweep off so many people?
Is that in accordance with mercy? Yes, it was just to those spirits
that had not received their bodies, and it was just and merciful too
to those people guilty of the iniquity. Why? Because by taking away
their earthly existence he prevented them from entailing their sins
upon their posterity and degenerating them, and [p.159] also prevented
them from committing further acts of wickedness. And was it just to
send them to hell, to be eternally burning up in fire, never to be
consumed? We do not know anything about that part of it, that is
sectarianism, and is no part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Suffice it
to say, they were put into prison and the doors were so securely
locked that they could not be unfastened until the right time had
arrived. The Prophets understood this, and spoke of it.

Vol. 19,  p.159
What next? God still felt after them; and he said, in speaking of the
Savior, that he was to come. And what to do? "To bind up the
broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives; and the opening
of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year
of the Lord." This was the nature of his mission to the earth. And
what do the Scriptures tell us he did? "Being put to death in the
flesh, but quickened by the Spirit; by which also he went and preached
unto the spirits in prison, which sometime were disobedient when once
the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah." Were they
redeemed? Yes, if Jesus preached the Gospel to them, and which he most
assuredly did. If a man kill another, does he know how to redeem him
afterwards? No, he does not; therefore men have no right to assume the
prerogatives of God, and hence the Scriptures say that "no murderer
hath eternal life abiding in him." You may get the priest or priests
to pray for him and pack him off to heaven the moment he breathes his
last here; but such prayers avail not; he will never get there, but
will go to the place appointed unto him. Here then is the difference
between the dealings of God with man, and the dealings of man one with
another.

Vol. 19,  p.159
We are moved upon to build Temples. There is one now building in
Logan, Cache Valley. I was up there two weeks ago, and was much
gratified to find the work being pushed forward so energetically and
so spiritedly. Since the early part of June, I think upwards of
$30,000 has been expended by the people of that and two other Stakes
in making the necessary arrangements for the building of this Temple.
We find the same spirit existing among them as we found in St. George,
and in Sanpete, and here, and, in fact, as we find everywhere among
the Latter-day Saints; and I am much gratified to see the people thus
moved and acted upon. In the Millennium, a duration of one thousand
years, we shall be actively engaged administering for the dead, and
assisting God to fix up accounts with the inhabitants of the earth.

Vol. 19,  p.159
Before closing I wish to add a few words in regard to matters
associated with our position here, which is a very important one
before angels and the people. We stand in an important position in
this respect, we are the sons and daughters of God; if we obey his
laws and keep his connnandments, proving ourselves valiant and true to
his cause, we shall be heirs, "heirs of God and joint heirs of Jesus
Christ; and if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him, that
all may be glorified together in the eternal worlds." Now, then, if we
can perform a work of this kind, and secure the approbation of God,
and the co-operation of the holy Priesthood, then we will be doing
something that will not only be acceptable to Him and to the holy
angels, but to our name, and fame, our honor and happiness and glory,
and to the increase of our dominion there will be no end. But if we
[p.160] give way to folly and to vanity, to covetousness and pride or
to evil, to wickedness or corruption of any kind, the hand of God will
be over us, our candlestick will be removed out of its place, the
light within us will take its departure, and darkness will take its
place; and oh, how great will be that darkness! How often have I seen
men whom I have known in this Church, and whom I have respected as
honorable, make shipwreck of their faith, lose the Spirit of God and
go into darkness. When they turn aside, after having received certain
light and intelligence, can you lead them back? No, you cannot. They
have no desire for it, and you cannot implant that desire within them.
What does Paul say? "For it is impossible for those who were once
enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made
partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and
the powers of the world to come, if they shall fail away, to renew
them again unto repentance, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son
of God." We do not want to be in that fearful condition. Let us be
careful, then, what we do and what we say, and how we act and live.
Let us treat one another in a right and proper manner, not seek to
oppress and defravd, or rob one another of property, or of honor, or
of character, or anything else; but let us all copy after the Son of
God, walking in all humility and meekness, feeling rather to suffer
wrong than do wrong, and ever be desirous to promote each other's
happiness and welfare. Do not let us be censorious, or oppressive, or
tyrannical, or exacting; but cultivate the spirit of kindness and
charity, and seek continually for the Spirit of God to lead and direct
us. Every morning that we arise, dedicate ourselves to God, and ask
his blessing upon us through the day, that we may be preserved from
evil, folly and vanity. Let us be governed and influenced by the
counsels we receive from our Bishops and presiding authorities; and
let us pray for them, that they may be kept pure and holy; and fail
not to supplicate the Father in behalf of the Twelve, for we are poor,
weak creatures, and need the faith and prayers of the Saints, and the
help and favor of the Almighty, and we ask an interest in your
prayers, that we may be led in the paths of life; for none of us can
do anything unless God be with us.

Vol. 19,  p.160
Brethren and sisters, God bless you, and lead you in the paths of
life, that you may be prepared for an inheritance in the celestial
kingdom of God, in the name of Jesus. Amen.[p.161] 

Charles C. Rich, November 11, 1877

Expectations Deferred—on Revelation—Marriage, 
How Performed—Should Be Encouraged Among the Youth—
Love Controlable—Meant to Be Under the Dominion of 
Righteousness—and to Be for Time and Eternity

Discourse By Elder Charles C. Rich, Delivered 
at a Conference Held in Paris, Idaho. Nov. 11, 1877.

(Reported by James H. Hart)

Vol. 19,  p.161
Brethren and sisters:—I have a few remarks to make to the Saints this
afternoon, and I trust I shall have your prayers and attention. I feel
my weakness and that I am unable to benefit the Saints without the
Spirit of the Lord. And the same applies to all who stand before the
Saints, to minister in word and doctrine. We are taught by the
revelations given us through the Prophet Joseph, that we should not
undertake to teach without the spirit, and I feel that I need its
influence and power, that I may speak such things that will be
pleasing to the Lord. If I have any pride it is in being an Elder in
the Church of Jesus Christ, and having the privilege of presenting the
principles of life and salvation to the people, and in preaching the
fulness of the Gospel that has been restored to us in the last days.
Many seek after the honors of the world, none of which are worthy to
be compared with the honor of serving God, in proclaiming His Gospel
to the inhabitants of the earth. I have had the honor of being in this
Church for many years, It has been organised upwards of forty-seven
years. When I first received the Gospel I did not expect forty-seven
years to pass away before the prophecies would be fulfilled concerning
the second coming of the Savior, and the end of the world. I expected
the Savior would come and reign upon the earth, before this time, as
the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. In the revelations given to the
Prophet Joseph, Jesus said it would be but a short time before he
would come and take the Kingdom. We are not accustomed to hear the
Lord speak, and when he spoke of a short time, we understood it
according to our use of the language. Forty-seven years may appear a
long time with us, but a thousand years is not a long time with the
Lord. A few moments with Him is a long time with us. It takes a long
time according to our reckoning to do the work the Lord has decreed
concerning the children of men in this last dispensation. It is no
small matter to preach to all nations and kingdoms of the earth; this
has to be done; all people must be warned of the judgments of the Lord
that are coming upon the earth. The sound of the everlasting Gospel
must go forth to all [p.162] nations. It is a great work for us to
perform individually and collectively, to preach the Gospel of Jesus
Christ to all nations, and to prepare for his coming. Some may think
it a small work to prepare for his coming. I do not think so. I find
myself far from being prepared. Are we worthy to be received and dwell
where our Savior dwells? No one can dwell with him but those who
overcome and endure to the end. It should give us more energy and more
determination to overcome our sins when we find everything depends on
our perseverance to the end. We should be energetic in doing the will
of God. We find we have many things to learn, and we learn daily by
our experience something we did not know before, and thus we feel our
dependence upon the Lord for wisdom to lead and guide us into all
truth. It is important we put our trust in God. We may have imagined
that we were safe from danger and would stand, but difficulties crowd
upon us which we had never considered, and we are tempted and tried to
prove whether we are willing to stand the trials or not. It is with us
like the parable of the sower; some seed fell on stony ground, some
fell among thorns and so perished. So it is in the hearts of many who
join the Church of Jesus Christ. Some seed has fallen on good ground,
and has brought forth fruit. The Lord has said He seeks those who
worship Him in spirit and in truth. He is no respecter of persons. He
has no favorites—only on the principle of righteousness. We are all
His children, one as well as another. His sun shines on the just and
the unjust, and He causes the earth to bring forth fruit for the
benefit of all. He is impartial in His character, and those who love
Him and keep His commandments are accepted of Him. If you will not
accept His kindness, if you will not receive His blessings, He is not
to blame. They are offered free to all without money and without
price. When Jesus came into the world and died for the sin of the
world, he blotted out original sin. He did not die for us only, but
for every creature. These are some of the characteristics of our Lord
and Savior. We do not receive His counsels as we should. We are called
upon to be perfect like unto Him, and to walk in His footsteps. To be
perfect and godlike, we must do as He did while upon the earth, for He
said, "I came not to do my will but the will of my Father who sent
me."

Vol. 19,  p.162
I want to say a few words on another important subject. We are a
people who profess to believe in revelations. I have thought many
times that this principle was very little understood. If I can have
the spirit to sustain me I will instruct the Saints this afternoon in
this principle. What is the spirit of which we are speaking? It is
neither more nor less than the Holy Spirit. I don't know of two kinds
of Holy Spirit. It is the spirit of promise, the same that imparts
revelation from heaven. I have many times heard persons deliver
revelations, in which I had no faith whatever. It is difficult to be
deceived, if we know the proper channel through which they are to be
received. We, as the Church of Jesus Christ, cannot live without
revelation. If we had no revelations in this Church, we would not be
the Church of Jesus Christ. It is important when we need revelations,
that we understand what channel they should come through. We read in
the early history of this Church that Oliver Cowdery, who [p.163] was
the second Apostle in this Church, was instructed on this subject, and
it is written for our learning. The Lord told Oliver that Joseph was
the man to receive revelations for the Church; he might receive
revelations for himself, but those to the Church must come through
Joseph Smith, or the leader. If we need revelations for our guidance,
what channel should they come through? You have just voted to sustain
the Twelve Apostles as Prophets, Seers, and Revelators. Brother John
Taylor is the President of that Quorum, therefore when revelations are
needed for the government of this Church, they will come through
President John Taylor, as long as he lives, because he holds the keys
of the Apostleship. He does not hold any keys or powers that he did
not hold when President Brigham Young was alive, or any other keys
than are held by his brethren of the Twelve; but the Lord will speak
to us through the head of his Church, through him who holds the
Presidency. We should all understand these principles that we may not
be deceived, and if revelations are given from any other source
professing to guide the Church, we may know they are not from God. All
of us have the privilege of receiving revelations. For the Church? By
no means; we cannot receive all that are necessary for the performance
of our duties. We have here a Stake of Zion, and a presidency of this
Stake. Can anybody receive revelations for the government of this
Stake? Certainly not. If any person other than the Presidency should
profess to receive revelations for its government, would you consider
them genuine revelations? If so, you would be mistaken. We are
entitled to the Holy Spirit to help us in the discharge of our duties
and to teach us all that is necessary for our guidance. The Bishop is
entitled to the spirit of revelation to teach him his duties, and when
guided by that spirit he will never come in collision with those who
preside over him.

Vol. 19,  p.163
Some years ago, when I was presiding in California, evening meetings
were established. I think it was about the time of the reformation. On
one occasion I had been away for a short time, and on my return I
found a large crowd on the water's edge, some of whom were being
baptized. I think brother Hopkins was there, and I asked him,
subsequently, what induced the people to turn out so suddenly; he
replied that some sister had received a revelation the night before,
commanding them to be baptized. I told him that if any revelation had
been given on that subject, I should have known it. We should seek to
be governed by these principles, and learn to discern the spirits, and
discriminate between that which is from God and that which is from
beneath. If we seek unto the Lord he will give us wisdom to lead us
into all truth. It is a serious thing to say the Lord has spoken
through us if he has not. To say thus saith the Lord, when the Lord
has not spoken, would subject us to his wrath and displeasure. It is a
fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. If we receive
revelations we should be sure they are not leading us outside of our
duties, but tend to our instruction and improvement, and lead us to
perform those duties devolving upon us.

Vol. 19,  p.163
There is another matter important to the Saints, of which I would like
to speak this afternoon; it is the subject pertaining to marriage. It
was the first great commandment; given to our parents in the Garden
[p.164] of Eden. The Lord said: "Be fruitful and multiply and
replenish the earth." This principle, like the principle of
revelation, should be properly understood and rightly and legally
administered. Some persons rush into marriage hastily and
inconsiderately, with no other consideration than that they call love,
which frequently brings misery and unhappiness. We have to tell them
what is wrong in relation to this principle. It would be unwise and
unpleasant for an Elder in Israel to perform a marriage ceremony that
could not be acknowledged in heaven. Since the endowment house has
been closed in Salt Lake City, those wishing to be married according
to the laws of heaven have had to travel down to St. George, where
they can be sealed together for time and all eternity; for a Temple is
the proper place in which to perform these sacred ordinances. We learn
from our past history and experience that there have been deviations
from this rule from time to time, according to the circumstances of
the people, and the attention of the Twelve has been called to the
subject, and it has been taken under advisement. We learn that
although a Temple stood in Kirtland, still the Prophet Joseph gave
endowments and performed marriages in Nauvoo before the Nauvoo Temple
was built. The same was done in Salt Lake City for many years, and
those endowments and marriages were legally administered; and the way
may be opened by which these ordinances can be performed among us
without having to travel to St. George for that purpose. This no doubt
will be gratifying to the Saints, particularly to the young. There are
ordinances that can only be administered in a Temple, hence the
importance of completing the Temple so that these ordinances may be
administered for the living and for the dead. In relation to this
deviation from this rule pertaining to sealings and endowments, we
understand that the Priesthood is greater than the Temple, and that
which is sealed on earth by those holding the keys, is sealed in
heaven. Many cannot go to St. George to receive their marriages and
endowments, and should the way be opened by which they may be
performed without going there, it will be appreciated, for all who
understand the Gospel and the sacred ordinances pertaining thereto,
would prefer to be married in the proper manner. I don't know how far
these privileges may extend, whether they will extend to plural
marriages or not; it will be as the Lord wills; should it be the easer
that we obtain these privileges, it will be no cause for slackening
our labors on the Temple. Our dead friends are waiting for their
baptisms and other ordinances, which can only be administered in a
Temple. I cannot say any more on this subject until arrangements are
more fully perfected.

Vol. 19,  p.164
There is no blessing that our heavenly Father is not ready to bestow
upon us on condition that we observe the laws and ordinances
established for the salvation of his Saints. We are brought together
from time to time that we may be instructed and learn our duties.
There are many things to talk about, we have to select a few and pass
by the rest. The principle of marriage is one of great importance; our
young men and maidens are called upon to become united and to learn to
live together and accomplish all the Lord has commanded.

Vol. 19,  p.164
One of the Bishops remarked yesterday that the people liked
co-operation very much when they obtained [p.165] big dividends, which
principle is very good if it is right. As Latter-day Saints we have to
deal with the Lord; he knows our hearts and comprehends our thoughts,
and we cannot cover up the secrets of hearts from him. What we do that
is right will be approved; that which we do that is wrong will be
disapproved. If we are willing and obedient we shall find very little
trouble in co-operation. We have embraced it in a small way, and we
are expected to handle it honestly; and if we do not handle it
honestly, it would be better if we never embraced it at all. We should
seek to the Lord for knowledge and wisdom that we may deal with each
other righteously, that we may establish confidence in each other that
cannot be shaken. The Lord wishes to introduce and perfect among his
Saints the principles of union. He intends to lift his people up, and
to make them wealthy. When his will is done among the Saints there
will be no poor among them. When this time comes all will form one
kingdom and serve one God. We are all entitled to his blessings and
all should be devoted to his service.

Vol. 19,  p.165
It is not his will that one should be lifted up and another put down,
one be made rich and another poor. We have to keep this principle in
view in our co-operative labors and be one, or we are not the Lord's.
It is the purpose of the Lord to build up the poor, and these
principles are revealed for its accomplishment. If twenty or thirty
persons engage in business and we make them more wealthy, and others
poor, what difference is there between us and the gentile world? If we
do as is done in the world, wherein are we better than they? If we
carry out the principle of co-operation with unselfishness of spirit
and singleness of heart, it will build us up, and the poor also. We do
not want to take one man's means and give to another; that is not the
principle intended; but by uniting our means we can establish a store,
a tannery or other business that will be profitable. If we do not so
co-operate, others may come in who have no interest in our prosperity,
who will trade and traffic, and when they become wealthy would leave
us and spend their means elsewhere. This has been our experience in
years past with those who have come among us with their merchandize.
We can prevent this in the future by our co-operative institutions. It
is right and proper that we should combine for self-defense against
this world, and so protect our general interests.

Vol. 19,  p.165
I cannot say much in favor of stores although it is necessary that we
have such institutions. The grand object before us is to make what we
need, and dispense with outside importations, as much as possible. We
must not be content to buy and sell what we get abroad, we want to
establish a factory, and make our own clothing. We don't want our wool
to go abroad to be manufactured for us; but we must make the necessary
preparations to make it up ourselves. We find occasionally among us
one who wants to strike out in business on the gentile principle, and
a few are always ready to feed and encourage an institution of that
kind; but we must learn better and do better, and show by our faith
and works that we will not sustain each institutions, but that we will
serve the Lord, and sustain our brethren, and discard everything that
is set up in opposition to the institutions of Zion. When the Saints
are governed by these principles, then you will find a people who are
willing to devote their energies and means to establish and advance
our home institutions.[p.166] 

Vol. 19,  p.166
I will say a few words on the subject of counsel. We are a people who
profess to be governed by counsel. It never hurts any one to obey the
counsels of the servants of God, but we should never ask counsel
unless we intend to receive it; you should never ask counsel when your
mind is made up concerning the thing you ask. The most important
counsels are given us from the pulpit or stand, and it would be well
with us if we obey them. King Saul inquired of the Lord through his
Prophet concerning Israel. They had already determined to go to
battle. The Prophet Samuel told them to go; they did so and got
whipped. We should understand that there is safety in counsel, but we
should seek for it in the proper manner, and from the proper source.
We should go for counsel where we have the right to go. When you need
counsel you should go to your Bishop or President, and he will give
you good counsel if he has any to give. If the Bishop does not
understand the matter and cannot give counsel understandingly let him
tell the applicant that he don't know how to counsel in this matter;
for we shall be held accountable for our acts and counsels and for
everything we do or say. If any persons want to know anything you do
not know, tell them to go to some one who does know, so that they may
not take a leap in the dark. If I were counseled to leave Bear Lake
Valley I would leave. It is right for me to be governed by counsel,
and if it is right for me it is right for you also, for this principle
will apply to us all. Some have left Bear Lake Valley without asking
counsel; I do not condemn them; let them do as they please; if they
want counsel of me I will give it if I have any to give, if they do
not, I wish them well; but I am mistaken if they do not find more or
less difficulty where they go, but that is their affair; they are
gone, and may they prosper.

Vol. 19,  p.166
I have a few words to the sisters, Ladies' meeting was announced for
Thursday next; the general report given at this Conference concerning
the Ladies' Relief Societies, is, that they are a great help to the
Bishops. One of the Bishops stated that they rendered assistance in
substantial means in helping to build a meeting-house. I am glad to
learn of their efforts in laying up grain. It is gratifying to see
this disposition manifested among the sisters. If all the sisters
advocate the laying up of grain it would not be graceful for them to
say to their husbands, let us have a few bushels to trade out at the
store. When in Salt Lake some time ago, a lady came round and wanted
to sell some notions; she said she had just sold a sister twenty-five
yards of lace, only one dollar per yard. When I see such things among
the Saints I think it a little extravagant; it needs a great amount of
means to support a wife who indulges in many such purchases. Some
people have extraordinary notions concerning marriage; they think they
must have everything to start with; they don't want to marry unless
they can have a carriage, horses, and servants, and many things
besides; these are extravagant notions. I have heard it taught by the
Presidency that young people should marry, and to commence they should
have a straw bed; they should have at least a bed tick, and fill it
with straw, and commence any way. I remember hearing that my great
grandfather and his wife, when they started in married life had but
one or two blankets to start with. They took up some land, both went
to work with a will, and they were successful, and before they died
they had [p.167] become wealthy. They owned two large farms, good rock
houses and property worth sixty thousand dollars, all accumulated by
their labor, industry and economy. Many persons marry those possessing
fortunes and soon become poor; they are almost sure to run through
their property; they did not earn it, and they don't know how to use
it. Concerning marriage, it must be an important matter for God to
teach and command obedience to it. What constitutes its importance? In
the first place a man cannot have an exaltation without a wife. It was
some years before I learned the fact that I could not do much good
without a wife and without posterity. I therefore concluded to marry.
And you ladies cannot wear a celestial crown without a husband; if you
happen to get a husband who is not entitled to a crown, what are you
going to do? If I were a lady I should be careful whom I married: I
should want to be pretty sure that the man tried to live his religion
as revealed to us. Young folks generally marry because they love,
sometimes because they are pretty. It is said that beauty is "only
skin deep," and I believe it is so, it will shortly fade away. We
should be reasonable on this subject, as well as on others; but when a
person is love struck, there is no reason in them. We should never be
struck very bad. We should love so that we could throw him off at any
time if he does not do right. Where is the man who understands the
principles of the Gospel who does not want to lay a foundation for a
kingdom? Some young people, and some older ones, appear to have but
little judgment of marriage. When we marry it should be for time and
eternity. I have thought many times that if a man or woman could get
the Lord to tell them who to marry they would do well, if not, I would
do the best I could. Father Abraham married Sarah and Hager many years
ago, and great nations have sprung out of this marriage. If we do as
well as he did we shall be blessed as he was blessed. I want to
impress this upon the minds of the young and old, that we should labor
to accomplish all the good we can in this world. We have encountered
many things and have learned many things. We have learned that there
is an immense amount of selfishness in this world, and that it is a
very bad thing, and we should get rid of it as soon as possible. We
should be as willing that others should enjoy the blessings of the
Lord as ourselves. We should be as willing to bless other people as we
are to be blessed ourselves. I want you, my brethren and sisters, to
think of these things and treasure them up in your hearts. Whatever
the Spirit will allow me to say to you I will say to the best of my
ability. When Jesus came to the Nephites he found them unprepared to
receive his words, and he said to them, "I will come again to-morrow;
you are not prepared to receive my words." He came to them several
times; and they became prepared, finally, to hear and learn, that
which they were not prepared to learn before. If we are not prepared
to receive the word of the Lord to-day, we may possibly be prepared
to-morrow.

Vol. 19,  p.167
1 am glad to meet you, my brethren, to behold the manifestation of
good feeling and witness your willingness to build up Zion, and
establish righteousness on the earth. And may you continue faithful,
that you may be happy and prosperous and realize all the promises. It
is promised that the Saints shall be the richest of all people, and to
realize this promise, we must be guided by those placed to lead us.
This is the [p.168] principle of safety and success. Any other course
will produce sorrow. That God will bless the Saints in this Stake of
Zion and all his people, is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.

Orson Pratt, December 2, 1877

The Outpouring of the Spirit—the Records of the 
Past—the Two Sticks—the Promises and Blessings of 
Joseph—the Sanctified Earth—There is a Spirit in Man

Discourse By Elder Orson Pratt, Delivered in the Fourteenth 
Ward Assembly Rooms, on Sunday Afternoon, Dec. 2, 1877.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.168
I will call the attention of the congregation to a passage in the
prophecy of Joel, second chapter, commencing with the 28th verse:

Vol. 19,  p.168
"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit
upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy, your
old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions;

Vol. 19,  p.168
"And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will
I pour out my spirit.

Vol. 19,  p.168
"And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth,—blood, and
fire, and pillars of smoke.

Vol. 19,  p.168
"And the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood,
before the great and terrible day of the Lord come."

Vol. 19,  p.168
These words were spoken by the inspired man long before the first
coming of our Savior; they refer to the future condition of the world,
a state of things that has never been known to have existed upon our
earth since the Prophet lived here. All flesh should be under the
influence of the Spirit of God, and not only all human flesh, but also
the animal creation, and all things living. The effect of the
outpouring of this Holy Spirit upon mankind will be to cause the young
people to prophecy, making revelators of them, and the older ones to
dream dreams. This prophecy was quoted by the Apostle Peter on the day
of Pentecost, when under the influence of the same Spirit. It was not
referred to, however, with the intention of declaring its fulfillment
at that time, but merely to inform the unbelieving Jews that it was
the same Spirit which Joel spoke of. It will be remembered that on the
morning of the day of Pentecost, about 120 disciples had received this
Spirit.[p.169] On that occasion, while assembled in the Temple, it
operated so powerfully upon them, that the illiterate and unlearned
were enabled to speak in different languages, and that it manifested
itself in the form of cloven tongues, like fire in appearance. The
people who witnessed these operations marveled and wondered
exceedingly. But some were inclined to evil, and accused these men of
God of drunkenness. It was then that the Apostle Peter, in order to
correct any false impression upon the minds of the congregation,
arose, and after denying the accusation of these evil-disposed
persons, said, "This is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel,"
quoting the prophecy nearly word for word.

Vol. 19,  p.169
Some have supposed that the prophecy was then fulfilled. It is very
evident to every one who will reflect for a few moments, that such was
not the case, but that the Spirit which rested upon those one hundred
and twenty was the same Spirit that should, in the last days, be
poured out upon all flesh. It is still further evident that it was not
then fulfilled, as appears from the following: "I will show wonders in
the heavens and in the earth—blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood," etc,
having reference to His second coming, when these great events should
take place. It is generally believed, by the various Christian
churches, that there are to be no more revelations, or visions, or
dreams, given by the Spirit of God, and this belief has been
entertained for generations by millions of people terming themselves
Christians. But when this prophecy is really fulfilled, all men and
women upon the earth will become revelators, receiving from the
heavens information and knowledge by the power of that Spirit poured
out upon them. I think our present Bible will then be greatly
enlarged, should their revelations be written.

Vol. 19,  p.169
Before all flesh receive the Spirit of God, the kingdom of God is to
appear upon the earth. The work is to be commenced, and his Spirit
poured out upon a few, preparatory to the coming of the Son of Man,
that there may be Prophets and revelators again on the earth, and the
true Church of God again exist among men, as anciently. The time
having fully arrived, in this the 19th century, for the prophecies to
be fulfilled, in regard to the setting up of the latter-day kingdom,
the Lord and his angel, as predicted in the 14th chapter of John's
Revelations, revealed the original plates from which the Book of
Mormon was translated by inspiration and the aid of the Urim and
Thummim, is found to contain the fullness of the Gospel of the Son of
God, as revealed in ancient times to the Israelites of this western
hemisphere, the forefathers of our Indian race. They understood the
Gospel and also the law of Moses, the latter of which they had kept
for nearly 600 years before Christ. After His crucifixion and
resurrection from the dead, they were favored with His personal
ministry; the Gospel was taught them in great plainness, and twelve
men were chosen on this continent, and commissioned to go forth and
preach the fullness of the Gospel to all the inhabitants of the land.
These Twelve men, like the Apostles of the eastern hemisphere,
preached faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and baptism by immersion in
water for the remission of sins, and the laying on of hands for the
reception of the Holy Ghost; and upon those who believed and obeyed,
the Spirit of [p.170] the Lord was poured out to a very great extent.
They had visions, and dreams, and revelations, and great
manifestations of the power of God, and the people generally of both
North and South America were converted and were taught and instructed
in the things of God. Yet this did not include all flesh, and
therefore did not fulfil the prophecy of Joel.

Vol. 19,  p.170
The Lord has brought to light these ancient records, containing the
fullness of the Gospel, which he has commanded to be preached and
published to every nation and in every tongue upon the face of the
earth, that all of his numerous children may have the opportunity to
hear, and, through obedience to its requirements, may receive the Holy
Ghost, the Comforter, which should reveal to them the mind and will of
God concerning them, and lead them in the path of truth. This command
strictly specifies that this Gospel is to be preached to all the
world, but first to the Gentile nations, and when they are fully
warned, and their times are fulfilled, then the Lord will declare the
law and the testimony sealed, so far as preaching any more to them is
concerned; and he will once more commission his servants to go to the
Jews, the House of Israel, whom the Lord will prepare, through his own
power and wisdom, to receive the message, and not reject it as they
anciently did. Scores of thousands, among the different nations, have
already received the ministry of the Gospel, revealed by the angel,
and they have been filled with the Holy Ghost, according to the
promise made to every soul who will believe and repent of his sins;
and they have measurably become revelators and prophets. This,
therefore, is the beginning of the great latter-day work, which will
never end, until all flesh, that will not be destroyed from the face
of the earth by the judgments spoken of, will be made partakers of
this same Spirit, and it will have the same effect promised.

Vol. 19,  p.170
You may ask, Why it has not been the case since the first century of
the Christian era? Why it has not been fulfilled among the various
Christian denominations of our globe? Why they have not received
dreams, and visions, and revelations by the power of the Holy Ghost?
It may be a mystery to some, why so long a period should have elapsed
among the people of the different nations, during which they have had
no revelations, no visions, no prophecies, no voice of God. The reason
of this, as revealed by the Lord, is because the people did turn away
from the ancient Gospel; they did, as had been predicted they would
do, change the ordinances and break the everlasting covenants; they
did apostatize from the truth so that the authority of the Apostleship
ceased among them; the authority to baptize no longer existed, the
authority to lay on hands that they might receive the Holy Ghost no
longer existed, and they were no longer able to minister
authoritatively in the name of the Lord in any of the ordinances of
the Church. There were many good moral people that lived. But where
was to be found the Church organized according to the New Testament
pattern, with Apostles, living Apostles receiving revelation from
heaven, and possessing the power that those anciently possessed? You
could find churches in abundance, which were called Christian
churches—thus denominated by themselves, some called by certain names
and some by others; all of them believing in separate, distinct
[p.171] doctrines which characterized them; one believing one
principle of the Gospel, and another believing some other; one
believing in one mode of baptism, another in some other; one receiving
part of the Gospel, and another claiming some other part. This was the
condition of the Christian nations when the Lord sent his angel to
reveal the fulness of the Gospel to Joseph Smith, a mere boy, who was
raised up specially by the hands of God to bring to light another
record, agreeing with the one which already existed, called the New
Testament; not another Gospel, but the same gospel taught to another
branch of the house of Israel. Our Heavenly Father is not a respector
of persons; he respects one branch of the house of Israel just as much
as another; and inasmuch as he did by his own power, according to
their own records bring a remnant of the tribe of Joseph out of the
land of Jerusalem to this continent, he had as much regard for them as
he had for the Jews, and as he had for the ten tribes who were taken
away from the land of Palestine some 720 years before Christ. They
were led away to the north country, but where, we do not exactly know.
He had equal respect to all these branches of the seed of Israel; and
as all had a knowledge before their dispersion about the coming of the
future Messiah, it would be perfectly reasonable that when he should
come to suffer and be crucified for the sins of the world, the Jews,
only a portion of Israel, should not be the only portion who should be
favored and blessed with his personal ministry; it is perfectly
reasonable that he should go to the ten tribes, and also come to this
great continent, where a part of one tribe existed, and minister to
them. You know Jesus himself says, "I am not sent but unto the lost
sheep of the house of Israel." Not merely to the Jews, for they were
only a part of them, he had others dispersed in various countries, and
upon the islands of the seas? and inasmuch as they all had a knowledge
of the coming of Christ, and that he would offer the great last
sacrifice, thereby doing away with the rite of sacrifice which they
had for so many generations held sacred, it would seem consistent that
he should inform them in whatever land they might have been, that the
true Messiah had come and offered himself, and therefore they should
no longer offer up beasts and birds as sacrifices, but forever
afterwards believe in Him. It is also just as reasonable, that a
branch of Israel, existing thousands of miles from Palestine, having
the personal ministry of Christ, would keep a record of his teachings,
just as much as they did in the land of Jerusalem; and that his
teachings would be just as sacred, when written, as the New Testament
is. And it is again just as reasonable that they should receive the
same gospel and the same spirit, and that the same effects should be
produced among them, as among these at Jerusalem. Jesus informs us too
in St. John's Gospel, that he had other sheep besides those at
Jerusalem. The passage reads: "Other sheep I have, which are not of
this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and
there shall be one fold and one shepherd." He did not go to the
Gentiles, as they were not the "other sheep" referred to; they were
never denominated in any of the Scriptural writings as the sheep of
Israel, they were always called by their own name. But the sheep that
Jesus speaks of were those he meant to visit; "they shall [p.172] hear
my voice"—that is, he would minister to them, and they would see Him
and they would hear His voice. And the instruction that he gave, they
were commanded to write, with a view of its coming forth in the
latter-days, preparatory to the time when "the earth shall be filled
with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the
sea; not merely the knowledge of God contained in the Jewish record,
but the knowledge of God contained in all the records. The Book of
Mormon informs us that the ten tribes in the north country will have a
record as well as the Jews, a Bible of their own, if you please.
Indeed Jesus after having instructed the remnant of Joseph upon this
land and revealed to them His gospel, said to them, "But now I go unto
the Father, and also to show myself unto the lost tribes of Israel,
for they are not lost unto the Father, for He knoweth whither He hath
taken them." And it was predicted concerning them by one of the
ancient American prophets, who lived in those days, that when God
should bring these ten tribes from the north country, they would bring
their records with them. And it should come to pass that they should
have the records of the Nephites, and the Nephites should have the
records of the Jews, and the Jews and the Nephites should have the
records of the lost tribes of the house of Israel, and the lost tribes
of Israel should have the records of the Nephites and the Jews. "It
shall come to pass that I will gather my people together, and I will
also gather my word in one." Not only the people are to be gathered
from the distant portions of our globe, but their records, or bibles,
will also be united in one.

Vol. 19,  p.172
In the good old book believed in by the world of Christianity, we have
a prophecy which may be found in the 37th chapter of Ezekiel,
concerning the uniting together of two of the records. I will read the
prophecy. "The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying:

Vol. 19,  p.172
"Moreover, thou Son of Man, take thee one stick, and write upon it,
For Judah, and for the children of Israel, his companions; then take
another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim,
and for all the house of Israel his companions.

Vol. 19,  p.172
"And join them one to another into one stick, and they shall become
one in thine hand.

Vol. 19,  p.172
"And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying,
Wilt thou not show us what thou meanest by these?

Vol. 19,  p.172
"Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the stick
of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel
his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah,
and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.

Vol. 19,  p.172
"And the sticks wherein thou writest shall be in thine hand before
thine eyes."

Vol. 19,  p.172
Why was he commanded to do this simple thing, for surely it would be
considered simple in our day for a man to take two sticks, writing
upon one for Judah, and upon another one for Joseph, and then joining
the two sticks together, and holding them up in his hands to become
one? If we were to undertake to preach in this way the people would
think we were insane. But it was a familiar way by which the Lord
intended to instruct his people, and the interpretation is this: These
two sticks were to represent what the Lord would do. Says he, "When
the children of thy people shall speak unto thee saying, Wilt thou not
show us what thou [p.173] meanest by these two sticks, that they
become one in thine hand, Thus saith the Lord God, Behold I, (not
Ezekiel) will take the stick of Joseph, etc." And what will you do
with it? I will put it with the stick written upon for Judah, and will
make them one in mine hand. And the sticks whereon thou writest shall
be in thine hand before thine eyes;" one being a representation of the
other. But when will it take place? Read the next verse.

Vol. 19,  p.173
"And say unto them, thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will take the
children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and
will bring them into their own land:

Vol. 19,  p.173
"And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of
Israel; and one king shall be king to all, and they shall no more be
two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more
at all:

Vol. 19,  p.173
"Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor
with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of their
dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so
shall they be my people, and I will be their God."

Vol. 19,  p.173
Has this been fulfilled? Has He done this for the House of Israel,
scattered among the heathen, bringing them back and making them one
nation in the land and upon the mountains, with one king to reign over
them all? Has there ever been a period since the twelve tribes lived,
some two thousand five hundred years ago, that the House of Judah has
been made one? It is very well known that such things have not yet
taken place. But the prophecy will be fulfilled, and that too in our
day. The Lord will gather the ten tribes from the north, and the House
of Judah from the four quarters of the earth whither they be gone, and
will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land,
making of them one nation under one king never more to be divided,
neither, says the Lord, shall they any more defile themselves with
their detestable things, etc. "And they shall dwell in the land that I
have given unto my servant Jacob, wherein your fathers have dwelt,
etc." It is not a spiritual thing, it is natural, and will take place
even as it is written. How will He accomplish this work? In the very
way He has pointed out in this chapter? He will take the stick, or
records, of Joseph written upon for Joseph, and join it with that of
the Jews, written upon by the Jewish nation; and when they become one
in His hand, then He will bring Israel from the four quarters of the
earth and fulfill all that has been said concerning them.

Vol. 19,  p.173
Here (holding the Book of Mormon in his hand) we present a record of
this American continent, a history of a branch of the tribe of Joseph,
for nearly 600 years before Christ, and until 420 years after Christ,
a history of the Lord's dealings with them from the time they left
Jerusalem until one of their principal nations fell in battle, because
of their apostacy; and the descendants of the remaining remnant are
this degenerated people we call Indians, who still exist. Their record
has been brought to light; the Lord has done it, not Joseph Smith. He
has already united the record and testimonies of Joseph with those of
Judah that we may have additional evidence that Jesus is the Christ,
that we may have the testimony of two great nations—the Jewish nation
and the nation of Joseph that dwelt on this land, and which afterwards
became a "multitude of nations," according to the blessing pronounced
by the ancient patriarch Jacob, when [p.174] blessing his two
grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Here we find on this continent a
multitude of nations, and when we come to examine the language they
all speak, we find that it evidently sprang from the same source.
Antiquarians who have searched diligently into this matter, all
testify to this one fact—that their language evidently sprang from the
same source. It is also stated by them they must have lived for many
generations on this continent in order to have become so diversified
in their several tongues. You know where people have no written
language, as we have, that it will become corrupted, and as they
separate from each other, as the Indian race has done, it will corrupt
itself more and more. When you come to trace the languages spoken by
the aborigines of our country, you will find that they have the same
origin; also that this "multitude of nations" are the descendants of
Joseph, in fulfillment of the promise God made him through his father
Jacob. Patriarchs used to bless their children in ancient days and
tell them what would come to pass in the latter days. Jacob so blessed
his twelve sons; and when he came to Joseph he pronounced a peculiar
blessing upon his head. It reads—"Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a
fruitful bough by a well, whose branches run over the wall;"
signifying that a portion of his seed would not always stay with the
main body of his people, but would branch off, "run over the wall,"
depart out of the land of Jerusalem. "The blessings of thy father have
prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bounds
of the everlasting hills; they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on
the crown of the head of him, that was separate from his brethren."
Jacob's progenitors were Abraham and Isaac. What blessings were given
to them? Palestine. But says the Patriarch, I have a greater blessing,
it has prevailed above that of my progenitors. How much above theirs?
Unto the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills. Said he, I will give
this to you, Joseph; or, "they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on
the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren." How
marvelous are the dealings of God with man in bringing to pass the
prophetic utterances of his servants! There was another blessing
pronounced upon his head by Moses, before he was taken out from the
midst of Israel, which was very distinct from the rest of the tribes.
It reads—"And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the Lord be his land, for
the precious things of heaven. And for the precious things of the
earth and fulness thereof." As much as to say, his land shall be very
choice. Instead of being blessed with lands side by side with the rest
of the tribes, he was to be a fruitful bough by a well, whose branches
run over the wall, unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills, and
there he should be blessed with all kinds of climate; the temperate
and the torrid zone; the blessings of the earth and fulness thereof,
so far as the temperate zones are concerned; then the blessings of the
earth, so far as the torrid zone is concerned.

Vol. 19,  p.174
Here then we perceive with all these predictions and prophecies that
the Lord in his providences has so wrought among the Israelites as to
fulfill these promises to the very letter. They should not be blessed
with the blessings of the earth only, but "Blessed of the Lord be his
land, for the precious things of heaven." What would you consider the
precious things of heaven? I should say that the revelations given
from [p.175] heaven to his descendants would be as precious as
anything that could be bestowed upon them. Why then should it be
thought unreasonable that these prophecies in relation to the
descendants of Joseph should be fulfilled, that the Lord should bring
forth these precious things in the latter days, under the name of the
record of Joseph, in order that it might go forth as testimony in
connection with the Jewish record, first to the Gentiles, and then to
the house of Israel, that the way might be prepared, that the kingdom
that was to be set up in the last days might increase upon the earth,
in fulfillment of the prophecies of Daniel, even until the Kingdom and
the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole heavens should be given
to the Saints of the Most High. If God intends to set up a Kingdom
represented in the Book of Daniel by a "stone cut out of the mountains
without hands," and that Kingdom is to extend until it becomes, as he
saw it in vision, as a great mountain filling the whole earth, it will
no doubt be but a preparatory work for the second advent of his Son,
so that when He comes in all His glory, in the clouds of heaven,
accompanied by the prophets, and apostles, and revelators, and the
rest of the Saints to reign on the earth, it is reasonable to suppose
that the Kingdom to be set up would have prophets, and revelators, and
inspired men, old men dreaming dreams, and young men seeing visions.
And in this way, when Jesus descends with his resurrected Saints
finding a Kingdom prepared for him composed of those who have the
Spirit of God in their hearts, he will commence his reign—his
universal reign upon the earth, over all the Saints living. Then will
be fulfilled that part of the prophecy of Daniel, "And the Kingdom and
dominion," not only the Kingdom, but the dominion, also, "And the
greatness of the Kingdom under the whole heavens shall be given to the
people of the Saints of the Most High, whose Kingdom is an everlasting
Kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him." That is, all
people then living will be under this one King of Kings, he will reign
in the midst of his people, the resurrected Saints, and the Saints
then living. And all flesh will have the Spirit of God poured out upon
them.

Vol. 19,  p.175
I said "all" flesh including the flesh of the animal as well as human.
This has been clearly spoken of in the prophecies. That is, in those
days when "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as
the waters cover the sea," then the "lion shall eat straw like the
ox." His nature will be so susceptible to the Spirit of God that it
will be entirely changed, instead of his preying upon other animals
and devouring their flesh, he will feast upon the vegetable kingdom,
just as he did in the morning of creation. When the earth was first
made, all things were pronounced very good; it issued forth from the
hand of the Creator in a very perfect condition, but when man fell, a
change came over, not only man, but also the animal creation, and the
vegetable kingdom came under the curse, and the power of Satan was
exercised upon the earth, enmity was introduced between man and the
animals. But the time will come, when the Spirit of God will be poured
out, upon all flesh and "The wolf shall lie down with the lamb, and
the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young
lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them,"
etc. That will change the fall of creation or at least, the living
portion of it. The curse then will be [p.176] removed. It will be like
the garden of Eden, and Jesus will be here, and he will teach his
people, fulfilling what is written in the sacred Scriptures about his
reign of a thousand years. The Saints then will be resurrected, and
they will also be the inhabitants of this globe. They are singing
about it in heaven, while their bodies are sleeping in the grave. Read
the 5th chapter of John's Revelations, that will give you an idea what
the Saints of heaven anticipate. The words of the new song which John
heard them sing, were: "Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open
the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by
thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue and people and nation. And
hast made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the
earth!" How plain! "We shall reign on the earth!" They hope for it;
they sing about it; they expect it, just as much as we hope to go with
them, and mingle with them, and just as much as we have faith that we
will, when we lay our bodies down in the grave, go to our former abode
where we once were, to the mansions prepared, and that we will join
with the heavenly hosts. We will not forget the earth; it is our
native abode; but instead of forgetting it, we will join with them in
their new song, and with them we will look forward with joyful
anticipation to the day when we shall return to reign on the earth,
having been made kings and priests unto our God. And Jesus and the
Twelve Apostles will be in our midst. And we have an account of their
thrones. "And Jesus said unto them, Verily, I say unto you, that ye
which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man shall
sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Then the twelve tribes will come
back, and twelve men sitting on twelve thrones, in the land of
Palestine, will reign over them. The Twelve disciples raised up in
this land, 1800 years ago, are to have their thrones; who, after being
judged themselves by the Twelve at Jerusalem, will sit upon their
thrones and will judge the remnant of the tribe of Joseph. And they
will have that work to do in the eternal worlds. The Priesthood is not
given for a few years and then to cease; but all the servants of God
who have ministered here below by authority of the Priesthood will
continue their work among immortal beings, and among those living who
will not have been chartered to the immortal state. Some think that
when Jesus comes all that are then living upon the earth will be
changed. There is no Scripture to this effect. But there is a
Scripture that says, the Saints living will all be "changed in a
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump." When the first
trump sounds, at the coming of the Savior, they will not be changed,
but they will be caught up, but when the graves of the Saints are
opened and they come forth as immortal beings they will be quickened,
not made immortal, renewed in a measure, and they will be taken up
with those who will ascend out of their graves to meet Jesus, and
descend with him. And the immortal ones will multiply and spread forth
so that the many places depopulated in consequence of the great
judgment that will precede his coming, will become inhabited by their
numerous children during the millennium, filling up the different
parts of the earth. So that when the thousand years are ended, and
Satan is again loosed, he will find a large number who have not been
tempted by him, and he will [p.177] use his cunning among them, and
will succeed in leading more or less astray. He will gather up his
numerous hosts from the four quarters of the earth, and will encompass
the camp of the Saints. The Saints will then gather from abroad, as
they now do, and they will have to pitch their tents while doing so;
and Satan's army will also compass the beloved city to destroy the
people of God; but fire will come down from God out of heaven, and
will devour them. And the beloved city and the righteous will be taken
to heaven; and after the thousand years are ended the earth will pass
away. This earth that will be sanctified and purified and blessed with
the presence of Jesus, and upon which the immortal and resurrected
Saints will live and reign as kings and priests; this earth because of
the fall and the curse that came upon it, will have to undergo a
greater change, the same as our bodies, and will pass away. There will
be no place found for it, as an organized world: it will exist in an
elementary condition, all of its elements scattered through space,
until the Lord sees proper to gather them together by his power, and
forms an immortal earth, an earth free from the curse, free from the
effects of the fall, restored as it was in the beginning. This then
will be the new earth and the new heaven, whereon the righteous only
will dwell. The beloved city will descend upon this eternal earth, and
it will then become one of the heavenly mansions, whereon the Saints
that are prepared will reign forever and ever.

Vol. 19,  p.177
This is our eternal home then; we are not to look for a heaven—

Vol. 19,  p.177
"Beyond the bounds of time and space, 
Where human mind can never trace."

Vol. 19,  p.177
We are are not to go further than our thoughts can carry us, to some
remote unknown place, concerning which there has been no revelation
given. But we will return to our earth, and then will be fulfilled
that part of the vision where John says, "And I heard a great voice
out of heaven saying, Behold the Tabernacle of God is with man, and he
will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself
shall be with them, and be their God.

Vol. 19,  p.177
"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be
no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any
more pain; for the former things are passed away."

Vol. 19,  p.177
Why? Because all its inhabitants then will be immortal, and the earth
itself will be celestial, consequently there will be no more funerals,
nor any cause for mourning: "Behold I make all things new," said he
that sat upon the throne.

Vol. 19,  p.177
That will be the history of this little creation of ours; it is only
one out of the immensity of creations that God has made, all of which
have their times of redemption, having to pass through similar changes
as those which I have alluded to; and the people inhabiting them have
to learn by a school of experience; they have their joys and sorrows
as well as we, because they, like us, could not acquire the necessary
experience in any other way to fit them for the society of the
heavenly hosts.

Vol. 19,  p.177
When, according to the prophecy of Joel, God bestows visions and
revelations upon his sons and daughters, and dreams, by the same
Spirit, upon the old men, they will acquire more knowledge in a very
short time, than could be learned by studying the best of books that
are possessed by the colleges and institutions of learning all over
the world. We have to study for years in order to learn one branch,
mathematics for [p.178] instance, viz: geometry, conic sections,
calculus, etc.

Vol. 19,  p.178
It takes years of study to acquire a knowledge of them, and about the
time we have partially mastered them, we are old men, ready to pass
away from this state of existence. But when the time shall come that
the Spirit of the living God shall be poured out upon all flesh, in a
very few moments of time the Lord could unlock the mysteries and
treasures of the earth, so that we could understand not only the
geographical surface of the earth, but be able, by the power of
vision, to behold every particle of it inside as well as outside, and
also the law that governs its elementary portions, nearly all of which
is now closed from our mortal vision. We can only go about so far with
our natural sight; but there is a faculty in every man and woman which
is now sleeping in a dormant state; and as soon as it is touched by
the spirit of the Lord, we shall be enabled to see a new world of
things as it were, mysteries will be opened up and we will perceive
naturally as if they were written, and in this way we shall be able to
learn very rapidly indeed. If we want a knowledge of this world or of
ourselves, when our spirits were born, or if we desire to know things
that took place before the foundations of the world were laid or the
neucleus was formed, when the sons of God shouted for joy, if we
desired to know these things it would only be necessary for the Spirit
of the Lord to touch the vision of our minds and light up our
understanding and we could gaze upon things past for thousands of
generations of worlds before the earth was made, and we could see the
succession of worlds that have been and were in existence long before
this earth was formed, we could see the ordeals through which they had
passed, see them brought into existence and passing through their
several changes and finally become glorified celestial mansions in the
presence of God. By this same spirit spoken of by Joel, we could look
forward into the distant future and behold new worlds formed and
redeemed, and not only this, but see and understand the laws by which
they were made, and the object and end of all these creations, being
touched by the finger of the Almighty and lighted up by the Holy
Ghost. Amen.[p.179] 

Erastus Snow, June 3, 1877

The United Order—Among the Nephites—not 
Incompatible With Individual Responsibility or Stewardship—
the Latter-Day Saints Gather for Training—Home 
Manufacture Indispensable

Discourse By Elder Erastus Snow, Delivered at 
Provo, on Sunday Afternoon, June 3, 1877.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.179
The house is so crowded that in order for all to hear it will be
advisable that each one keep as quiet as possible.

Vol. 19,  p.179
In my remarks yesterday forenoon I alluded briefly to the subject of
the United Order, as I understood it. In the minds and feelings of
some the United Order is a sensitive topic: but this is chiefly for
the want of a proper understanding of the revelations of God, and the
obligations of the Gospel which we have embraced, for the want of
understanding what the Lord has purposed to accomplish through this
Order. In one of the revelations contained in the Book of Covenants is
to be found these words: "Except ye are one in your temporal affairs,
how can ye be one in obtaining heavenly things?" This oneness referred
to is variously understood, ofttimes construed according to the
peculiar views and notions of men and women, who do not take the
broad, comprehensive view, as the Lord does, and intended we should
do, and who do not comprehend the revelations and the manner in which
the Lord purposes to deal with his people.

Vol. 19,  p.179
Under the operations of the United Order the ancient Nephites were
said to be the best and most prosperous people on the earth; it was
said of them, as of no other people we read of, that there were
neither rich nor poor among them; that they dwelt in peace and
righteousness, and every man dealt honestly with his neighbor. The
fact that every man dealt honestly with his neighbor, necessarily
implies individual responsibility and stewardship. The Book of Mormon
tells us further that after a period of one hundred and sixty-five
years living in this state, there began again to be disunion, and they
began to cease to have everything in common; a certain class began to
wear jewelry and costly raiment; class distinctions began to spring
up, some exalting themselves over their fellows, and they commenced to
build up societies and associations and classes which were graded by
their wealth. And thus they grew from bad to worse, until the judgment
of God fell upon them to their utter destruction. Those who are
inspired by the Holy Spirit to comprehend the dealings of God with his
people, both ancient and modern, may be able to look forward to the
future and behold a prosperous and happy people that shall be one in
temporal things, and [p.180] rich in the enjoyment of heavenly things,
and among whom there will be no poor or rich, having all things
common, so far as property is concerned, when no one will say "this is
mine, and I have a right to do just as I please with it."

Vol. 19,  p.180
And yet to my mind this state of things will not necessarily be
incompatible with individual responsibility and stewardship. It will
merely imply that advanced condition of the people, that will enable
them to seek each other's welfare, and build each other up instead of
pulling each other down, in order that they may rise upon the ruins of
their fellows. And that which they possess, or are stewards over, will
be held in trust, from the Lord, accounted for to Him, and to His
servants who shall be over them in the Lord. This state of things will
be such as Brother Cannon referred to this morning; when there will be
no temptation placed before the people to take advantage of their
neighbor, because there will be nothing to be gained by it; there
there will be no temptation to steal or plunder, for if they need
anything for their personal comfort, it could be supplied them with
all good feeling; and he that would take stealthily that which would
be given to him freely and abundantly, would be a consummate fool, or
grossly wicked. This state of things also pre-supposes a disposition
on the part of all to do their duty; to be saints in very deed, to be
industrious, to be frugal, using their gifts and talents for the
common welfare, to be ready to serve where they are best fitted to
serve; in a word, to be the servants and handmaidens of the Lord,
instead of serving themselves and having a will of their own contrary
to the will of heaven, and determined to follow that if they have to
go to hell for doing it. We are, some of us, at times apt to think
that this state of feeling is necessary to constitute us good
democrats; in other words, unless we have this kind of feeling of
"doing as we damn please"—you will please pardon the expression—we are
not men, that this is the only way we can give expression to our
manhood. To me this is worse than folly; it is ignorance of the true
spirit of manhood. A Saint will say, "I have no will of my own, except
to do the will of my Heavenly Father who has created me. True, he has
given me an agency and this will, but he has given it to me to see
what I will do with it, how I will use it; and I have been instructed
from heaven sufficiently to know and understand that it is for my best
interest to allow this will to be subservient to the will of my
Father; it is best for me so to live and so to seek his face and
favor, that I may know and learn what his will is concerning me, and
that I may be ready to do it, holding my will in subjection to his.
"Well, then, how can you be an independent man? Surely you cannot be
an independent man unless you resist everybody's will but your own."
If good and evil is placed before us, does not the person who chooses
the good and refuses the evil exhibit his agency and manhood as much
as the man who chooses the evil and refuses the good? or is the
independence of manhood all on the side of the evil-doer? I leave you
to answer this question in your own mind. To me, I think the angels
and saints and all good people have exercised their agency by choosing
the good and refusing the evil; and in doing so they not only exhibit
their independence and manhood as much, but show a much higher and
greater nobility of character and disposition; and I leave the future
to determine who are wise in the choice of their freedom and
independence.[p.181] 

Vol. 19,  p.181
Joshua said to ancient Israel: "Choose ye this day whom ye will serve;
if the Lord be God, serve him; if Baal, serve him. But as for me and
my house, we will serve the Lord." I think what we need to learn are
the true principles that shall lead us to peace, to wealth and
happiness in this world, and glory and exaltation in the world to
come. And that if we can learn these principles, and receive them in
good and honest hearts, and teach them as our faith, and practice them
in our lives, we shall show our manhood, our independence and our
agency as creditably before the angels and the Gods, as any wicked man
can, in refusing the good and cleaving to the evil, exhibit his before
the devil and his angels.

Vol. 19,  p.181
Now the Latter-day Saints are gathering from all nations and tongues,
with divers customs and habits and traditions, and we have brought
them with us, unfortunately we could not leave ourselves behind, while
we gathered to Zion. Having brought ourselves along we have the labor
of separating the follies of Babylon, the traditions of the fathers
and every foolish way, learning something better as fast as we can;
and this is the duty that is upon us. Many sermons would be necessary
to teach us this lesson; we shall need the lesson often repeated
before we can learn these principles and practice them thoroughly; we
shall need a great deal of self-control, and a great deal of effort on
the part of the brethren to help us, and by mutually assembling
together, by doing business together, by learning correct principles
and then living them. One thing is certain, that if God accomplishes
with the Latter-day Saints what the prophets have foretold, and
establishes his Zion, and he makes them a holy nation, a kingdom of
priests, a peculiar people to himself, as he has promised, it will not
be by our clinging to Babylon and to her foolish ways, and imitating
the evil and foolish things of the world. But what we have proved and
know to be good, hold fast to it; but lay aside that which tends to
evil. We must become a people within and of ourselves, sooner or
later, and learn to be self-reliant and self-sustaining; this we
cannot do as individuals nor as an individual community, but by
combining our energies as a whole, we may eventually arrive at this.
To accomplish it requires a united effort, concerted action and
perseverance, a long pull and a pull altogether. Disunion and pulling
against each other will only retard it; we need never think we can
truly enrich ourselves by plundering each other by carrying on
merchandising, and importing the products of the labor of other men
while our own brethren at home are idle, hungry, naked and destitute.
Merchants and middlemen are necessary evils, their legitimate sphere
is interchanging commodities between the producing classes. The Lord
has taught us that by and by he will waste away the wicked and
ungodly, or they will devour and destroy each other, when the
righteous shall be gathered out through the preaching of the Gospel.
And He designs his people to prepare while there is time, and while he
gives them bread to sustain themselves. But if that time should come
suddenly upon us in our present condition, who would be prepared for
it? If the news was to reach us that Babylon was really going down,
that a general war had overtaken her, causing distress of nations, and
the closing up of her manufactories, and the struggle between capital
and labor were again renewed, causing domestic and national trouble,
and as a consequence we found our foreign supplies cut off, how many
would [p.182] begin to pray that Babylon might be spared a little
longer? The sisters would begin to cast their eyes around to see where
they were to get their pans and kettles, their stoves and articles of
domestic use; the farmers would think it very hard that mowers and
reapers, plows and harrows could no more be found on the market; and
the mechanic would find too that his business was affected for the
want of tools; and how the ladies would feel when they found that
their hats and bonnets and fine apparel were no longer to be
purchased. The real value of Provo Factory would then be appreciated,
and it would not be considered transcending to say, that it was worth
more to the county than all the merchants in Utah. It is true, it does
not nett as large dividends to the stockholders, as these merchants
get who enrich themselves by encouraging the vanity and foolishness of
the people. The Provo Factory takes the raw material produced at home,
and converts it into the useful articles of clothing for the people,
and that mainly by the labor of your own citizens. The same might be
said correspondingly of every other branch of home industry. They
ought to be encouraged by the masses of the people; they ought to be
multiplied and increased among us by our united efforts, for they
produce our wealth. What is wealth? Does it consist of gold and
silver? No. Let this Territory be filled with gold, and war prevail
outside and all intercourse be cut off, what would we do with it? It
would be a medium of exchange, and as such would facilitate home
trade; but nothing further. There is no real wealth in metallic or
paper currency, in drafts, letters of credit, or any other
representative of value. At best they are only the representatives of
wealth, though convenient in carrying on our trade. But the real
wealth may be summed up in a few words, to be the comforts of life;
that is to say what is needed for us and our families and those
depending upon us. How are these obtained? We might say money, when we
have the money to exchange for them, and when these commodities are to
be bought. But where do they come from? They are not in the market
unless somebody has produced them; if in the shape of food, some
farmer has raised it; if clothing, some manufactory has produced it;
if boots and shoes, somebody did the work. It is the labor of men's
hands with the aid of machinery that produced these articles; if not
by the labor of our community, by that of some other; and if we are
dependent upon other people then are we their servants and they our
masters. The Southern States in the late civil war were whipped by the
Northern States, why? There may be some general reasons, but you may
say, speaking on natural principles they were not sufficiently
self-sustaining. They relied mainly upon their cotton, and a few other
products of the earth, mainly fruits of their close labor; they had
few manufacturing establishments. They sent the raw material to other
States and countries, and these worked it up, sending back to them the
manufactured articles. No nation under heaven can long thrive, and
continue this state of things. Just as soon as their trade was
interfered with, their domestic institutions broken into, and the
country blockaded, preventing the export of their raw material, and
the import of manufactured goods, they were brought to the verge of
ruin.

Vol. 19,  p.182
This subject of home-manufacture has become somewhat hackneyed. When
will we cease to talk about it? When the necessity ceases to exist,
when we will have learned to apply [p.183] these principles in our
daily lives and conduct. The greatest lack among us is the means to
employ our idle hands. We should be able to afford every man, woman
and child in our community profitable employment; were we able to do
this, we would by wisely and prudently directing that labor become a
thriftier, wealthier and happier people, of whom it might be said,
there were no poor among us. Comparatively speaking, we can say now
there is no abject poverty among us, yet we are far from enjoying that
which is our privilege to enjoy, and that which we have comes from
abroad and we are striving for money to pay for it. Crops are
mortgaged or sold to our creditors in advance for articles of foreign
manufacture. I was told that Sanpete County owed for sewing machines
alone from forty to fifty thousand dollars; and I was told by brother
Thatcher of Cache Valley, that forty thousand dollars would not clear
the indebtedness for sewing machines. The irrepressible sewing machine
agents have ravaged our country, imposing them selves upon every
simpleton in the land, forcing their goods upon them. Tens of
thousands of dollars are lying idle in the houses of the Latter-day
Saints to-day in this article alone; almost every house you enter you
can find a sewing machine noiseless and idle, but very seldom you hear
it running; and all of which were purchased at enormous figures, and
now the patent rights having expired, they can be bought for less than
half the prices paid for them. And in this way many of our
agricultural machines are obtained; we should be properly classified
in our labor, so that our investments in agricultural and other
machinery could be kept in constant use in the season thereof, and
then well taken care of, as property ought to be, instead of allowing
them to be exposed to the storms of winter, as many are, and get out
of repair. Some have thought we need but few factories to-day; I may
be mistaken, but I am under the impression that every factory in the
Territory, except yours, before the last wool was brought into market,
had to stop running for want of material. The wool that should have
supplied them was shipped out of the country, gone abroad to afford
other hands employment, and the goods brought back made up ready for
wear, to sell to you. You not only buy back again your own product,
but you buy the labor of foreign manufacturers, and pay the
transportation both ways, all the expanses of the merchants or
middlemen who handle the wool, and sell you the clothes, while your
own wives and children are idle at home, and your own factories
standing still for want of wool. Is this the way to get rich? The same
may be said with regard to the manufacture of leather. Our hides and
skins either rot upon the fences, or are gathered up and sold mostly
to men who ship them to other countries to be tanned and worked up
into harness and boots and shoes, which are brought back for you to
wear; so that you are buying back your own hides and skins, in the
shape of these manufactured articles, and paying the cost of the
transportation and the profits of the middle-men, besides employing
strangers, while our own bone and sinew too often are engaged either
digging a hole in the ground or lounge around the street corners for
something to turn up.

Vol. 19,  p.183
Dining the last sixteen years I have been engaged laboring and
counseling and trying to assist my brethren in Southern Utah to become
self-sustaining, and as much as they can [p.184] to develop the
resources of the country. We have began a great variety of
associations which are incorrectly called co-operative institutions,
but in reality they are only combinations of capital. I have sought
for the last six or eight years to start cooperative institutions;
that is to say associations of laborers, workmen's and workwomen's
associations, associations to derive benefits from a combined effort,
and by the unity of labor accumulate material manufacturing them into
useful articles for the common good, and then to induce those who
begin to gather together a little surplus of capital, to encourage
these labor associations, by letting them have a little means to help
them to start. But the great difficulty I have had to fight against
has been the ignorance of the laborers, their inability to make their
labor pay for itself, and their unwillingness to be put to the test.
They prefer some one to raise the capital to be invested in the
enterprises, and employ them and pay them big wages; and if we have
not the money necessary, they would have us borrow it at big interest,
and establish shoe-shops, and woolen-factories and other various
branches of industry, fitted up with the latest improved machinery,
and they will say, "Let us work by the day or piece, and be paid our
wages every Saturday night; and then let us have a store to spend our
money at, that we might do as our fathers used to do in the old
countries we came from." This is the spirit of the working classes of
the old world, and I said before, unfortunately we brought ourselves
with us when we emigrated to the new world. They do not seem to know
that our capitalists are generally men who have lived closely, have
walked instead of rode, and through the dint of perseverance and the
study of economy, have accumulated a little means, and that such men
are not willing to put their money at the mercy of laborers who have
not sense enough to take care of it, or to preserve intact the capital
invested, let alone increasing it. This, I say, is one of the great
difficulties we have met with throughout this country, in attempting
to start home industries. Everybody is willing that somebody else
should furnish the means and assume the responsibility; in other
words, "if you have anything to give us, we are willing to take it."
If we work we must have from three to five dollars per day, whether
you make anything out of the business or not; we would not want to
work for any less, and when we have got it instead of buying articles
of home production, we will buy those imported from foreign
countries." Do all the people feel and act like this? O, no; but I
think nearly all of us have indulged more or less in that folly. There
are not many of us that say by our acts "we desire to do away with the
antagonism between capital and labor." There are not many capitalists
in our community; if we counted out a dozen, that would be about all.
We are so evenly balanced, that it might even be said of us now, that
we have neither rich nor poor among us. The little capital we have,
compared with the many who think themselves poor, would be a mere
breakfast spell if turned loose among a greedy horde; I include myself
of course. When I say, greedy horde, I mean we are ignorant of the
laws of life and true liberty, that which is needed among us for our
own good. We should look and see how we can make ourselves useful in
producing something, and not waste our time either in digging holes in
the ground in the hopes of finding something, [p.185] or laying in our
nest with mouth wide open like young robins, for something to be
dropped in. This is not the way to become a self-sustaining, wealthy
and happy people. Will we form our associations and establish home
industries? Will we tan the hides that come off our cattle and our
sheep, and goats and other animals, making them into leather, and then
work it up into boots and shoes and harness and so forth; or will we
suffer them to he shipped out of the country for others to do it for
us? Will the sisters ask their husbands and fathers to plant out
mulberry trees along the water ditches where the willows are now
growing, so that you may secure food for the silk-worm? A little while
ago we had lots of worms, but nothing to feed them. Let the sisters
raise the worms, and commence their little associations for feeding
them, that you may have silk to manufacture your ribbons and dresses.
This climate is adapted to the silk-worm, the growth of the mulberry,
and the feeding of the worms, and the manufacture of the silk. Let us
then have silk manufactures, let us all say, we will bless this
enterprise with our faith; and let the men encourage the sisters by
planting the trees for them and affording them every facility within
their power. You may say, this is a hard way of getting silk. I assure
the Latter day Saints, that it will be harder by and by when Babylon
goes down. We had better improve the time and use the elements now
within our reach. Let us multiply our factories, and work up our wool
at home, and cease employing spinners and weavers at distant parts of
the world, while our own people are hunting for something to do, and
crying "hard times," or wasting their time hunting for minerals. I
will venture to say that nine-tenths of the property under mortgage
and to be sacrificed in Salt Lake City, and in fact throughout the
Territory, is sacrificed at the shrine of this wild-cat speculation.
One of the best shares in any bank is a plowshare, and the best
speculation we can go into, is to raise from the elements around us
the things necessary to supply our daily wants. Everything produced at
home, furnishes employment for idle hands, and stimulates the
production of some other articles. Let home manufacture, and the
production of raw material from the elements, be our watchword, that
employment may be furnished our sons and daughters, and those who
shall come unto us from distant lands. Let us too establish reasonable
and consistent fashions within ourselves, and cease patronizing the
fashions of the wicked world.

Vol. 19,  p.185
Now, referring to what we call the United Order, what is it? I will
tell you. It is to live at home and sustain ourselves. It is not to
hunt after capital as we would a fat goose to eat it up, and when
eaten to hunt another the next day, for fat geese are not so
plentiful. Our true policy is, learn how to produce and be sure to
produce a little more than we consume; and if we only produce five
cents a day in something more than we consume, we will soon be rich.
But if we all consume five cents a day more than we produce, how long
before we shall all be poor? We are poor already when we commence that
system. It is a great lesson to impress upon the minds of this great
people, gathered from all nations and tongues, to induce them to live
at home and support themselves, to depend upon their labor for their
subsistence, instead of hunting for somebody to devour.[p.186] Many of
the people may say, I do not want to be eaten up by the rich. I can
tell you there is a heap of us for the rich to eat up, and there are
not many rich to do it. My opinion is the scare is the other way, for,
as I have said, the few rich among us are only a breakfast spell. How
long do you think it would take if we were all producers, and
converting the raw materials into useful articles, to become a
self-sustaining people? And then if we heard of Babylon's downfall, we
would not of necessity lift up our hands and cry, "O Lord spare her a
little longer, we are not ready for her to go down, we should suffer
from the want of boots and shoes, and for our clothing, and our
machinery, and so forth." The United Order is designed to help us to
be self-reliant and to teach us to understand what it costs to produce
that which we consume. One of the chief obstacles in the way of our
progress towards becoming a self-sustaining people is the lack of this
understanding among the people. They cling to the habits and customs
of Babylon that they have learned abroad—the laborer wishing to eat up
the capitalist, and the capitalist constantly guarded for fear he
should be drawn into close quarters, and then to succumb to the
demands of operatives. This is the way of the world, and the warfare
that is going on all the time; and why? Because they comprehend not
how to promote their mutual interests; covetousness of capital on one
hand, and covetousness of labor on the other, each trying to enrich
itself at the expense of the other. Most of the Saints, when they
embraced the Gospel, partook of its true spirit, opening their hearts
and hands, and those who had it to spare, used their means to gather
up the poor; and when they landed among us were generally on a common
level. And hence the necessity of our labor, and through our labor
accumulate capital instead of needless expenditures, exhausting the
results of our labors and getting us into debt. Learn to live within
our means that there may be a little increase, that we may have
something wherewith to purchase improved machinery, and extend our
industries until we shall be able to supply our every need. And that
we may learn these lessons, and profit by them for the mutual benefit
of the Saints, and the advancement of the Zion of our God, I pray in
the name of Jesus. Amen.[p.187] 

Joseph F. Smith, September 30, 1877

Arrival in Salt Lake City—the First Principles—the 
Question of Authority—the Ordinances—Education of Our 
Youth—Plural Marriage, Etc.—"Mormonism" Immortal

Discourse By Elder Joseph F. Smith, Delivered in the New 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday Afternoon, Sept. 30, 1877.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.187
I fear I shall not be able to make myself heard by this vast
congregation. I have not been accustomed lately to address so many
people; but on the contrary, a very few in a place at a time. It is
difficult for me to speak so that all may hear me distinctly, in this
immense house. Besides, I have not been in very good health of late,
having had an attack of sickness since my return home, which has drawn
heavily upon my strength.

Vol. 19,  p.187
I am thankful that I have been privileged to meet with you to-day,
under so favorable circumstances as those which surround us; although
in common with the Latter-day Saints, I cannot but regret the cause of
my presence among you. I left my home and friends here, but a few
months ago, for Europe, expecting to fill a mission there of two years
and perhaps much longer. But soon after hearing of the death of our
departed President, Brigham Young, Brother Orson Pratt and I received
a cablegram from our Brethren, the Twelve, inviting us to return home.
As soon, therefore, as circumstances permitted, we were on our way
hither, making the journey from England to this city in about fifteen
days. We had rather a rough passage across the Atlantic, having
experienced equinoctial gales and heavy seas for the first few days,
which made it very disagreeable; the remainder of the voyage, however,
was comparatively pleasant, and the trip from New York here very much
so indeed.

Vol. 19,  p.187
For the past few months I have been engaged preaching the Gospel in
England, as opportunities presented for me to do so. I did not travel
very extensively, as my limited time and other circumstances did not
warrant it.

Vol. 19,  p.187
I was pleased, in July last, to meet in Liverpool Brother Orson Pratt,
who came to England to publish the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and
Covenants in phonetics, or phonotype. He was diligently engaged
prosecuting this work at the time the sad news of the death of the
President reached us. Arrangements had been so far completed that the
type was mostly obtained and delivered at our office, and preparations
were nearly made for the commencement of this work. But as Brother
Pratt is [p.188] here, I will leave his mission and labors for him to
narrate himself.

Vol. 19,  p.188
I can say, in all consciousness that during the time I have been
absent from home, I have felt as strong a desire in my heart as I ever
did, for the advancement of the kingdom of God, and the spread of the
Gospel among those who sit in darkness. And I feel that I have done
the best I could under the circumstances to carry out my desires.

Vol. 19,  p.188
As missionaries we have labored unceasingly through England, Scotland
and Wales during the past summer, availing ourselves of every
opportunity of holding meetings in the streets, on the squares, and in
whatever places we could procure for the purpose; the Elders going
around from house to house to notify the people and invite them to
attend. The brethren have labored diligently and unceasingly the past
summer, endeavoring in this way to spread the Gospel. In many places
very encouraging success has crowned their labors; in many instances
congregations, numbering from one to three thousand persons, have
assembled in the public parks, and upon the commons, to listen to the
Elders preaching. It is true, that so far we have seen but little
immediate fruits of this labor; but we feel that the seed is being
sown, that it will fall in more or less good soil, and in due season
it will bring forth fruit meet for repentance.

Vol. 19,  p.188
The European mission to-day if I am to speak my feelings plainly upon
the matter, is in a very low condition—that is, speaking of Great
Britain. Whereas, on the Continent and throughout Scandinavia, the
work is flourishing. In some places in Germany, which have been
impenetrable heretofore, the Gospel is now preached. There have been
recently a number of baptisms in and adjacent to Berlin; and we feel
encouraged in our labors in that country, knowing that efforts have
been made so long and so persistently to open up the Gospel to that
nation, without accomplishing anything.

Vol. 19,  p.188
The object of sending Elders forth to the nations of the earth is to
preach the Gospel, that the world may know the truth as it is in
Christ Jesus, and through obedience thereto be gathered to the people
of God, and be saved in His kingdom. We are thankful that we are
engaged in the great latter day work, that God our heavenly Father is
at the head, and has decreed to carry it forth to a successful
consummation. Therefore, so long as we put our trust in Him, doing the
best we can to accomplish His purposes, we may rest content that all
will be well.

Vol. 19,  p.188
I have been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints from my childhood; and ever since I began to investigate for
myself, I have been satisfied with my religion; I have been perfectly
confident that I was engaged in a righteous cause, having had every
assurance that it is the work of God and not of man; and that it is
the business of the Almighty to sustain it, choosing and using the
instruments best suited to accomplish His purposes that were at His
command. I believe He has ever done so, and will continue to do so
until He completes His undertaking. As Latter-day Saints we have every
reason to rejoice in the Gospel, and in the testimony we have received
concerning its truth. I repeat, we have reason to rejoice and to be
exceeding glad, for we possess the testimony of Jesus, the spirit of
prophecy, which the world know nothing about, nor can they without
obedience to the Gospel.

Vol. 19,  p.189
Jesus thoroughly understood this matter, and fully explained it
when[p.189] he said, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the
kingdom of God." On first reflection, it would seem that anything so
clear, reasonable and tangible could be easily made plain to the
understanding of all men. Hence the feeling that has prompted many of
the Latter-day Saints to believe, after their minds have been
enlightened by the Spirit of God—everything being made so plain and
clear to them—that they had only to tell their friends and kindred
what they had learned and they would gladly receive it. But how
disappointed, after they had presented to them the truths of heaven in
simplicity and plainness, to hear them say "We cannot see it!" or "We
do not believe it!" or perhaps bitterly oppose it, which is by far the
most common practice of the world. They cannot understand it. Why?
Because, as Jesus has said, no man can see the kingdom except he is
born again. You may preach the Gospel to the people, but unless they
humble themselves as little children before the Lord, acknowledging
their dependence upon him for light and wisdom, they cannot see or
sense it, although you may preach to them in as great plainness as it
is possible for the truth to be conveyed from one person to another.
And should any believe your testimony it would only be belief. They
would not see as you see—nor comprehend it as you do—until they yield
obedience to the requirements of the Gospel, and through the remission
of their sins receive the Holy Ghost. Then they, too, can see as you
do, for they have the same spirit; then will they love the truth as
you do, and may wonder why they could not comprehend it before, or why
it is that there can be anybody with common intelligence that cannot
understand truth so plain and forcible. I have been preaching for a
few months past to the world, and perhaps it would not be amiss to
dwell for a few moments upon some of the principles of the Gospel, as
though I were talking to strangers, notwithstanding I feel I am in the
presence of the Latter-day Saints.

Vol. 19,  p.189
About the first question an honest enquirer would ask would be: What
is your religious belief? or, What are the principles of the Gospel as
you understand them? I do not propose to tell you all about the Gospel
in one discourse, but I may tell you a few of my thoughts upon some of
its principles, which are essential not only for the Latter-day Saints
to know, but for all the children of men, in order to be saved in the
kingdom of God.

Vol. 19,  p.189
First, then, it is necessary to have faith in God, "faith being the
first principle in revealed religion, and the foundation of all
righteousness."

Vol. 19,  p.189
Faith in God is to believe that he is, and "that he is the only
supreme governor and independent being, in whom all fullness and
perfection and every good gift and principle dwells independently,"
and in whom the faith of all other rational beings must centre for
life and salvation; and further, that he is the great Creator of all
things, that he is omnipotent, omniscient, and by his works and the
power of his Spirit omnipresent.

Vol. 19,  p.189
Not only is it necessary to have faith in God, but also in Jesus
Christ, his Son, the Savior of mankind and the Mediator of the New
Covenant; and in the Holy Ghost, who bears record of the Father and
the Son, "the same in all ages and forever."

Vol. 19,  p.189
Having this faith, it becomes necessary to repent. Repent of what? Of
every sin of which we may have been guilty. How shall we repent of
these sins? Does repentance consist of sorrow for wrong doing? Yes;
but is this all? By no means. True [p.190] repentance only is
acceptable to God, nothing short of it will answer the purpose. Then
what is true repentance? True repentance is not only sorrow for sins,
and humble penitence and contrition before God, but it involves the
necessity of turning away from them, a discontinuance of all evil
practices and deeds, a thorough reformation of life. a vital change
from evil to good, from vice to virtue, from darkness to light. Not
only so, but to make restitution, so far as it possible, for all the
wrongs we have done, to pay our debts, and restore to God and man
their rights—that which is due to them from us. This is true
repentance, and the exercise of the will and all the powers of body
and mind is demanded, to complete this glorious work of repentance;
then God will accept it.

Vol. 19,  p.190
Having thus repented, the next thing requisite is baptism, which is an
essential principle of the Gospel—no man can enter into the gospel
covenant without it. It is the door of the Church of Christ, we cannot
get in there in any other way, for Christ hath said it. "Sprinkling,"
or "pouring," is not baptism. Baptism means immersion in water, and is
to be administered by one having authority, in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Baptism without divine
authority is not valid. It is a symbol of the burial and resurrection
of Jesus Christ, and must be done in the likeness thereof, by one
commissioned of God, in the manner prescribed, otherwise it is illegal
and will not be accepted by him, nor will it effect a remission of
sins, the object for which it is designed, but whosoever hath faith,
truly repents and is "buried with Christ in baptism," by one having
divine authority, shall receive a remission of sins, and is entitled
to the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. Only those
who are commissioned of Jesus Christ, have authority or power to
bestow this gift. The office of the Holy Ghost is to bear record of
Christ, or to testify of him, and confirm the believer in the truth,
by bringing to his recollection things that have passed, and showing
or revealing to the mind things present and to come. "But the
Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my
name, he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your
remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you." "He will guide you into
all truth." Thus, without the aid of the Holy Ghost no man can know
the will of God, or that Jesus is the Christ—the Redeemer of the
world—or that the course he pursues, the works he performs, or his
faith, are acceptable to God, and such as will secure to him the gift
of eternal life, the greatest of all gifts.

Vol. 19,  p.190
"But," says an objector, "have we not the Bible, and are not the Holy
Scriptures able to make us wise unto salvation?" Yes, provided we obey
them. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable
for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly
furnished unto all good works." The "good works" are the great
desideratum. The Bible itself is but the dead letter, it is the spirit
that giveth life. The way to obtain the Spirit is that which is here
marked out so plainly in the Scriptures. There is no other. Obedience,
therefore, to these principles is absolutely necessary, in order to
obtain the salvation and exaltation brought to light through the
Gospel.

Vol. 19,  p.190
As to the question of authority, nearly everything depends upon it. No
ordinance can be performed to [p.191] the acceptance of God without
divine authority. No matter how fervently men may believe, or pray,
unless they are endowed with divine authority they can only act in
their own name, and not legally nor acceptably in the name of Jesus
Christ, in whose name all these things must be done. Some suppose this
authority may be derived from the Bible, but nothing could be more
absurd. The Bible is but a book containing the writings of inspired
men, "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and
instruction in righteousness;" as such we hold it is sacred; but the
spirit, power and authority by which it is written cannot be found
within its lids, nor derived from it. "For prophecy came not in old
time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved
by the Holy Ghost." If by reading and believing the Bible this
authority could be obtained, all who read and believed would have
it—one equally with another. I have read the Bible, and I have as good
reason for believing it as any other man, and do believe it with all
my heart; but this does not give me authority to teach men in the name
of the Lord, nor to officiate in the sacred ordinances of the Gospel.
Were the Scriptures the only source of knowledge, we would be without
knowledge for ourselves, and would have to rest our hopes of salvation
upon a simple belief in the testimonies and sayings of others. This
will not do for me; I must know for myself, and if I act as a teacher
of these things, I must be clothed with the same light, knowledge and
authority those were who acted in a similar calling anciently. Else
how could I declare the truth and bear testimony as they did? What
right would I have to say "thus saith the Lord," and call upon man to
repent and be baptized in the name of the Lord? or, that "This Jesus
hath God raised up (from the dead) whereof we all (the Apostles) are
witnesses." And, therefore, let all men "know assuredly that God hath
made that same Jesus," who was crucified, "both Lord and Christ?" No
man, without the Holy Ghost as enjoyed by the ancient Apostles, can
know these things, therefore cannot declare them by authority, nor
teach and prepare mankind for the salvation of God. God Almighty is
the only source from whence this knowledge, power and authority can be
obtained, and that through the operations of the Holy Ghost. The
Scriptures may serve as a guide to lead us to God, and hence to the
possession of all things necessary to life and salvation, but they can
do no more.

Vol. 19,  p.191
Having profiled by this example, and done the works commanded by both
Christ and his Apostles, ancient and modern, I am happy of the
privilege to declare to the inhabitants of the earth that I have
received this testimony and witness for myself. I do know that these
things are true. Jesus my Redeemer lives, and God hath made him both
Lord and Christ. To know and to worship the true God, in the name of
Jesus—in spirit and in truth—is the duty of man. To aid and qualify
him for this service is the duty and office of the Holy Ghost. Man may
fail through faltering and unfaithfulness, but the Spirit of God will
never fail, nor abandon the faithful disciple. I can say as one who
has tried the experiment—for it may be called an experiment to the
beginner—that all who will take the course and accept the doctrine
thus marked out will, through faithfulness, become acquainted with the
truth, and shall know of the doctrine, whether it be [p.192] of God or
of man, and will rejoice in it as all good, faithful Latter-day Saints
do.

Vol. 19,  p.192
Here is an ordinance which we are now administering, the Sacrament of
the Lord's Supper; it is a principle of the Gospel, one as necessary
to be observed by all believers, as any other ordinance of the Gospel.
What is the object of it? It is that we may keep in mind continually
the Son of God who has redeemed us, from eternal death, and brought us
to life again through the power of the Gospel. Before the coming of
Christ to the earth, this was borne in mind by the inhabitants of the
earth to whom the Gospel was preached, by another ordinance, which
involved the sacrifice of animal life, an ordinance which was a type
of the great sacrifice that should take place in the meridian of time.
Hence, Adam, after he was cast out of the Garden, was commanded to
offer sacrifices to God; by this act he, and all who participated in
the offering of sacrifices, were reminded of the Savior who should
come to redeem them from death which, were it not for the atonement
wrought out by him, would forever exclude them from dwelling in the
presence of God again. But in his coming and death, this commandment
was fulfilled; and he instituted the Supper and commanded his
followers to partake of this in all time to come, in order that they
may remember him, bearing in mind that he had redeemed them, also that
they had covenanted to keep his commandments and to walk with him in
the regeneration. Hence it is necessary to partake of the sacrament,
as a witness to him that we do remember him, are willing to keep the
commandments he has given us, that we may have his spirit to be with
us always—even to the end, and also that we may continue in the
forgiveness of our sins.

Vol. 19,  p.192
In various dispensations there are various differences in regard to
certain requirements of the Gospel. For instance, in the day of Noah,
when he preached the Gospel to the antediluvian world, he was given a
special commandment, to build an ark, that in case the people would
reject him and the message sent unto them, that himself and all who
believed on him might be saved from the destruction that awaited them.
In this dispensation there is a principle or commandment peculiar to
it. What is that? It is the gathering the people unto one place. The
gathering of this people is as necessary to be observed by believers,
as faith, repentance, baptism, or any other ordinance. It is an
essential part of the Gospel of this dispensation, as much so, as the
necessity of building an ark by Noah, for his deliverance, was a part
of the Gospel of his dispensation. Then the world was destroyed by a
flood, now it is to be destroyed by war, pestilence, famine,
earthquakes, storms, and tempests, the sea rolling beyond its bounds,
malarious vapors, vermin, disease, and by fire and the lightnings of
God's wrath poured out, for destruction upon Babylon. The cry of the
angel unto the righteous of this dispensation is, "Come out of her O
my people, that ye partake not of her sins, and that ye receive not of
her plagues." We believe also in the principle of direct revelation
from God to man. This is a part of the Gospel, but it is not peculiar
to this dispensation. It is common in all ages and dispensations of
the Gospel. The Gospel cannot be administered, nor the Church of God
continue to exist without it. Christ is the head of his Church and not
man, and the connection can only be maintained upon the principle of
direct and [p.193] continuous revelation. It is not a heritory
principle, it cannot be handed down from father to son, or from
generation to generation, but is a living vital principle to be
enjoyed on certain conditions only, namely—through absolute faith in
God and obedience to his laws and commandments. The moment this
principle is cut off, that moment the Church is adrift, being severed
from its ever-living head. In this condition it cannot continue, but
must cease to be the Church of God, and like the ship at sea, without
captain, compass or rudder, is afloat at the mercy of the storms and
the waves, of ever contending human passions, and worldly interests,
pride and folly, finally to be wrecked upon the strand of priestcraft
and superstition. The religious world is in this condition to-day,
ripening for the great destruction which awaits them, but there is an
ark prepared for such as are worthy of eternal life, in the gathering
of the Saints to the chambers of the Almighty, where they shall be
preserved until the indignation of God is passed.

Vol. 19,  p.193
Marriage, is also a principle or ordinance of the Gospel, most vital
to the happiness of mankind, however unimportant it may seem, or
lightly regarded by many. There is no superfluous or unnecessary
principle in the plan of life, but there is no principle of greater
importance or more essential to the happiness of man—not only here,
but especially hereafter, than that of marriage. Yet all are
necessary. What good would it be to one to be baptized and receive not
the Holy Ghost? And suppose he went a little further and received the
Holy Ghost, thereby obtaining the testimony of Jesus, and then stopped
at that, what good would it do him? None whatever, but would add to
his condemnation, for it would be as burying his talent in the earth.
To secure the fulness of the blessings, we must receive the fulness of
the Gospel. Yet men will be judged and rewarded according to their
works. "To him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is
sin." Those who receive a part of the Gospel with light, and knowledge
to comprehend other principles, and yet do not obey them will come
under this law, hence condemnation will be added unto such, and that
which they did receive may be taken from them and added to them who
are more worthy.

Vol. 19,  p.193
Obedience is a requirement of heaven, and is therefore a principle of
the Gospel. Are all required to be obedient? Yes, all. What against
their will? O, no, not by any means. There is no power given to man,
nor means lawful to be used to compel men to obey the will of God,
against their wish, except persuasion and good advice, but there is a
penalty attached to disobedience, which all must suffer who will not
obey the obvious truths or laws of heaven. I believe in the sentiment
of the poet:

Vol. 19,  p.193
"Know this, that every soul is free, 
To choose his life and what he'll be; 
For this eternal truth is given, 
That God will force no man to heaven. 

He'll call, persuade, direct aright, 
Bless him with wisdom, love and light. 
In nameless ways to be good and kind, 
But never force the human mind."

Vol. 19,  p.193
Is it a difficult task to obey the Gospel? No. It is an easy matter to
those who possess the spirit of it. Most of this congregation can
testify that the Gospel "yoke is easy and the burden is light." Those
who have embraced it will be judged according to their works therein,
whether they be good or evil. To such as are untrue to their
covenants,[p.194] it may be said by and by, "depart from me!" In vain
will they plead their former good works, and faith. Why? Because the
race is not to the swift nor the battle always to the strong, but to
him that endures faithful to the end. We must save ourselves from this
untoward generation. It is a continual labor, but the strength of the
righteous will be sufficient for their day. Jesus said, "in my
Father's house there are many mansions. There is a glory, or mansion,
of which the sun is typical, another of which the moon is typical, and
still another like unto the stars, and in this latter the condition of
its occupants will differ as the stars differ in appearance. Every man
will receive according to his works and knowledge. "These are they who
are of Paul and Apollos, some of one and some of another, some of
Christ, some of John, of Moses, Elias, Isaiah and Enoch, but receive
not the Gospel nor the testimony of Jesus." Thus impartial justice
will be meted out unto all, and none will be lost but the sons of
perdition.

Vol. 19,  p.194
Let us treat with candor the religious sentiments of all men, no
matter if they differ from ours, or appear to us absurd and foolish.
Those who hold them may be as sincere as we are in their convictions.
It is well to prove all things, so far as we can, and be sure to hold
fast to that which is good, no matter where we find it. Ridicule is
not likely to convince a man of his error, or if it does, it may
destroy his respect and love for its author, and if he has truth, his
victim will most likely spurn it.

Vol. 19,  p.194
I desire to say that my faith in this work is as firm or firmer than
ever. My heart is in it, and I know truly it is the kingdom of God.
These things of which I have been so imperfectly speaking, I know to
be the truth,—Bible truth, Gospel truth, and are essential to the
salvation of mankind. I am not deceived in this but know whereof I
speak. My religion teaches me to do good, to be at peace with my
neighbors, at least not to infringe upon their rights nor trespass
upon their property, and even to endure wrongs from them rather than
do them wrong, or even demand from the trespasser what I might deem
full justice. It teaches me to trust in the justice of the Almighty,
and to rest my cause in his hands. It enjoins honesty, sobriety and
industry. It forbids profanity, lying, adultery, deceitfulness, and
vile cunning.

Vol. 19,  p.194
It gives true enlightenment to the mind and exalts the low and debased
who will hearken and obey it. The observance of the Gospel will make
good men of bad ones, and better men of good ones. It will make good
citizens, good fathers, husbands, wives and children, good neighbors,
a good people, an enlightened, pure and high minded community, a
blessed state and a prosperous nation. Obedience to the Gospel will
save the world from sin, abolish war, strife and litigation, and usher
in the millennial reign. It will restore the earth to its rightful
owner, and prepare it for the inheritance of the just. These are all
principles of that same Gospel of Christ, and the effects which will
flow from their acceptance and adoption by mankind. Jesus taught them,
and on one occasion the people took up stones and were about to stone
him for it. When he said, "Many good works have I showed you from my
Father, for which of those works do ye stone me?" He had done many
good works, taught them many good things, and for this they were about
to stone him. The [p.195] Latter-day Saints could with propriety
address themselves in like manner to the world, but more especially to
our own nation. We have done many good things, have tried to do no
harm, have suffered the spoilation of our goods without retaliation,
have been driven from place to place. Our Prophets and leaders have
been slain, and you still persecute us, and are not satisfied. For
which of the good works we have done do ye these things? I know they
will say, "for your good works we do not hate or persecute you, but
for your blasphemy, and because you say you are the people of God."
This was about what the Jews said to Jesus, but it did not change the
fact that he had told them the truth, or that he had done the many
good works among them which he did, nor that it was for these they
hated and crucified him. What did the Savior or his disciples do to
injure mankind? Nothing. But much to benefit them; yet they were
hated, persecuted, hunted and destroyed. What have the Latter-day
Saints done to injure anybody? absolutely nothing, but a great deal to
benefit humanity. I am at the defiance of the world to prove to the
contrary. We have gathered our people by thousands out of poverty and
distress from many nations to these valleys where they are now
enjoying good homes, the sweets of liberty and plenty. Aside from
religion, that is an inestimable blessing to them. But we have also
taught them good principles and doctrines, and they are happy, honest,
industrious and prosperous.

Vol. 19,  p.195
We have labored diligently to advance in the scale of intelligence.
Our schools compare favorably with any in our broad land; our children
are as intelligent, and we are the pioneers of true and enlightened
civilization in the Western States and Territories. Through our
industry and enterprise, cities, towns and villages have sprung up in
the wilderness, and the deserts and waste places have been made
fruitful and to blossom as the rose. Can there be any wrong in all
this? "But," says one, "it is not for this you are persecuted, it is
for your religion." What, then, in the name of reason, is there in our
religion that we should be perscuted for it? Is it because we believe
in the Lord Jesus Christ? The Christian world also profess belief in
him, and we believe in him as much as they do and a little more. Is it
because we believe it is necessary to repent of sin? Certainly we have
a right to do this. Is it because we baptize for the remission of sin?
Christ commanded it, and laid it down as the law. Then what can it be
that so distinguishes us from the people of the world, and that moves
their hatred toward us? Is it revelation from God to man? Perhaps so.

Vol. 19,  p.195
Some forty years ago, the great cry against Joseph Smith was "He
believes in revelation!" and this was considered a crime. But very
soon after, others who were not "Mormons" commenced to have
"revelations," and seemingly the stream has so enlarged that to-day
the world is full of "revelation." So our belief in revelation is not
now considered so much of a crime as formerly, and therefore it can be
no longer the object of persecution, for we would have as good a right
to persecute them, as they would to persecute us on that score. We do
not believe in these "revelations" of the world, no more than they do
in ours. We believe them to be bogus, but we are quite [p.196] willing
that others should enjoy their opinions. We believe that while they
have rejected the true light, they are found willing and ready to be
thus deceived, by false and delusive spirits, just as the Prophets
have foretold would be the case. (See 1 Tim., 4th chap., 1st verse,
and 2 Tim. iii, 1). The revelations given through Joseph Smith are
full of light, knowledge and wisdom, because they emanated front God.
What has Spiritualism done for the world? Can it boast of bringing
life and immortality to light? I have yet to learn that a single
principle has been developed from this source that will save mankind,
or exalt them to the presence and glory of God. Yet they have a right
to their convictions, and we grant it cordially. We have the same
right.

Vol. 19,  p.196
But says one, "You have dodged the main question; it is polygamy that
causes all the trouble!"

Vol. 19,  p.196
This is the mind of our enemies generally, yet nothing can be more
fallacious; those who assert this only expose their ignorance. The
fact is that since the announcement and practice of that principle by
this people, their persecutions have been comparatively trivial and
harmless to what they were, before it was even known to themselves.

Vol. 19,  p.196
But the plural marriage of the "Mormons" now seems to form one of the
strongest pretexts for the bitterness of our enemies, and the
thoughtless readily fall into the ranks of the maligners of this
principle. Did they ever stop to reflect as to what harm this
principle and practice has done? Let me ask the ladies in this vast
audience, Have any of you, or do you know of any woman who has been
compelled to practice polygamy among this people? Or who has been
compelled even to marry at all? I think not. Has plural marriage
deprived any woman of a home, of husband or children? Has it promoted
immorality or vice? No, it has not. Has it sown the seeds of
corruption and death among the people? On the contrary it has promoted
healthy, robust and vigorous increase, and the laws of life and
health. Can the Elders of this Church be accused of going to the
Gentiles for their wives and daughters? No, for we think we have
better ones at home, we have not the least occasion to go abroad. So
far as relates to this matter we are independent of the world. We are
willing to let them and theirs alone, and mind our own business, while
we respectfully request them also to attend to their own affairs.

Vol. 19,  p.196
The real facts are, the Latter-day Saints have embraced the unpopular
doctrine of Jesus Christ, have received the keys of the Holy
Priesthood—heaven's delegated authority to man, and are not ashamed of
the gospel, knowing it to be the power of God unto salvation. Hence
the Devil is enraged, and although they will not believe it, this
professedly pious, hypocritical world are moved with hatred towards,
the work and the people of God, instigated by the spirit of him whose
servants they are. "By their fruits ye shall know them."

Vol. 19,  p.196
They predict our downfall, but they will not live to see their
predictions fulfilled. The wicked may rage and imagine they can
successfully measure arms with the Almighty, but he will hold them in
derision and laugh when their fear cometh, while the kingdom of God
will continue to progress until his purposes are consummated as has
been decreed.

Vol. 19,  p.196
It is vain for the world to hope that "Mormonism" will die with
President Brigham Young. When [p.197] the Prophet Joseph Smith was
assassinated the press and pulpit universally joined in predicting the
end of "Mormonism." But instead of their being any truth in their
predictions, "The blood of the martyrs was the seed of the church;"
for the church grew as fast as it had ever done before, and it took
deeper and firmer root. Men were no longer dependent upon the Prophet,
the man of God to guide them; they began to stand upon their own
foundation, to seek more earnestly after God themselves, and to know
for themselves, and not to be dependent upon the voice of man. Hence
they grew in faith and in power, the truth sinking deeper into the
hearts of the people who remained true to the Lord, and they a
comparative handful, have succeeded in building up the church as it
exists to-day in these valleys. Are we now going to be scattered to
the four winds because one or two distinguished men should pass away?
No, the seed has fallen into good ground, and it will germinate and
mature; the priesthood itself is still with us, the authority is here,
and in obedience to the command of God, we will continue to go forth
and organize and establish the kingdom, never more to be thrown down
or given to another people, until all is consummated and finished.
This is the work of God, and not of man. Man is incompetent to direct
and manage it. He will not suffer man to arrogate to himself the honor
of doing it. The honor belongs to him and he will take it to himself.

Vol. 19,  p.197
This is my faith in the Gospel. It fills my soul with joy and
gratitude to God my heavenly Father, and I desire to increase in the
truth, to become better, more faithful and diligent in overcoming
every weakness, that I may be worthy to stand in the position I occupy
in the church of the living God. This is the way we should all feel;
and we should, above all other considerations, be determined to cleave
to the gospel, building our faith upon the rock, not upon the arm of
flesh. Let us humble ourselves before God, seek unto him continually
with prayerful hearts, be diligent in the observance of our covenants,
and he will bear us off triumphant over every opposing foe and every
power that undertakes to measure arms with him and his cause. This is
my testimony, and this is my exhortation to the Latter-day Saints. I
pray God to bless his people, and to bless his servant brother Taylor,
who stands at the head of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who now
preside over the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in all
the earth. May the Lord bless him, prolong his life and give him power
and wisdom to stand in his place and calling and to magnify the
priesthood conferred upon him; may his brethren stand with him in one
solid phalanx, united as one man, even as God the Father and Jesus and
the heavenly hosts are one, and I tell you the whole people will be
united and rejoice in the truth. That God may bless the faithful
everywhere and enable them to keep sacred the covenants they have made
with him, is my earnest prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen.[p.198] 

George Q. Cannon, July 21, 1867

Leaving Nauvoo—No Change Accidental—Divinity 
Marks the History of the Church—Diligence Will Aid in 
Securing Success—the Temple in Nauvoo

Discourse By Elder Geo. Q. Cannon, Delivered in 
the Bowery, Salt Lake City, July 21, 1867.

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 19,  p.198
It has been very interesting to me, and no doubt it has to all who
have been present, to listen to the remarks of our brethren this
morning, in relation to the principles of the Gospel as taught by us,
and their experience in this work. While Brother Lawrence was speaking
in relation to our position in Nauvoo, my mind reverted to the time
when we left there, and to the reluctance displayed by many of our
people to cross the river and take their journey westward. It required
a great amount of faith on the part of the people, to venture into an
unexplored and desert, country to attempt again to build up homes, and
to perform the labors enjoined upon us by God, our Heavenly Father.
There was a cry of exultation went up throughout all that country when
we were broken up, and the hope was indulged in by all who were
inimical to us, that the solution of the Mormon problem had been
arrived at, and that the subject of Mormonism might henceforth be
dismissed from every mind. We had gone forth into the wilderness, and
it was not at all likely that we would ever trouble civilization
again. It was naturally supposed, by those who knew but little of us,
that we must be quite as bad as we had been represented to be; and if
we were, of course we had nobody to steal from in the wilderness but
ourselves; nobody to aggress and prey upon but ourselves, and these
being our characteristics, as they believed, they very naturally came
to the conclusion that we would quarrel one with another, and the
result would be our extermination through our own quarrels, or that we
should fall an easy prey to the Indians. How these anticipations have
been realized, the lapse of twenty-one years has proved. For a number
of years after leaving Nauvoo we were not deemed particularly worthy
of notice. Men's minds were attracted in other directions, and our
operations here, being so far removed from all communication with
them, were almost overlooked. But time has wrought great changes, not
only with us and in our position, but also in the position and
feelings of the world by which we are surrounded. Instead of being
regarded as a people scarcely worthy of notice, we now, through the
blessings of our Heavenly Father, inhabit a large Territory, and if we
are alluded to at [p.199] all by the world, it is in a national
capacity. Have these changes been accidental and unlooked for? Did no
one anticipate such results as we now behold being wrought out? Or
were they anticipated years and years ago by those most familiar with
the genius and organization of the kingdom of God? Those who are not
familiar with our early history have but to read the utterances of
those who were engaged in the founding of this work, to become
convinced that they were anticipated long ago by those who
contemplated the future growth and development of the kingdom of God.
There is no feature connected with our circumstances to-day that has
not been familiar for years to the minds of those who have
contemplated the future of this work. When the church was organized,
and a small house would hold all its members, predictions were
indulged in that the circumstances of to-day but partially fulfil, and
years will yet have to elapse before they are completely fulfilled.
Our Heavenly Father poured out his spirit upon his servants in the
beginning, which enabled them to comprehend the work he had
established on the earth, and through the spirit of prophecy and
revelation they could plainly see the great results which would be
wrought out through the faithfulness of the people of God. Can we now
see the limit of this work? Is the horison of our vision bounded by
those things actually transpiring around us, or do we still stretch
forward to a future, for this people, too glorious for description? I
do not suppose there is one here who has ever thought on this great
subject and attempted to grasp the circumstances by which we are
surrounded, that has not stretched forward in delightful anticipation
of the glorious future that awaits the people of God, if they are only
faithful to the truth that he has committed unto them. Would to God
that all the inhabitants of the earth could see and comprehend these
things! Would to God that they would divest themselves of their
prejudices and preconceived ideas, and that they would calmly look
truth in the face and reflect upon the work that God, our Heavenly
Father, is performing in the midst of the nations of the earth! If
they would do this, they might avoid a great many difficulties irate
which they will otherwise be inevitably involved. It is no more, nor
no less, true to-day, than it was thirty-seven years ago, that God has
stretched forth his hand to accomplish a great and a mighty work, that
shall stand for ever, and shall not be given into the hands of another
people; but it will go on increasing and spreading abroad, until it
has accomplished that for which it was destined by our Almighty
Father. I say it is as true now as it was then, and no more true
to-day than then, and they who pay heed to it then have never had
cause to regret doing so; and they who give heed to it to-day will
never have cause to regret it in the future. To us who are familiar
with this work, and understand the operations of the spirit, and can
see the design of God, our Heavenly Father, it seems strange that
mankind should be so indifferent to so great a work as this in which
we are engaged. Yet it is so. You would imagine that men going forth
with the proclamation that the elders bear would receive everywhere
that attention that the importance of their proclamation demands, at
least until men were satisfied in their own minds of the truth or
falsity of the message they bear. But this is not the case. No man
ever calmly sat down with a prayerful heart to examine [p.200] the
claims of this work, popularly termed Mormonism, who did not, rise
from the investigation convinced that there was a power, an influence
and a spirit accompanying this work, that he had never met with
before. Are they who investigate the ones who fight against this work,
and persecute and slay the servants of God? No; they who do this are
the ignorant, who have never investigated, or, having investigated and
embraced it, have afterwards apostatized, and have thus become
two-fold more the children of hell, through rejecting the truth. God
our Heavenly Father has commenced a great and mighty work, and has
given the strongest kind of evidence in favor of it, if the
inhabitants of the earth would only receive it; but their condemnation
will consist in their rejection of this work and the evidence of its
truth which is spread before them. The whole history of this people,
from the commencement until the present time, affords abundant
evidence of the divinity of the work in which we are engaged. When our
elders go forth into the world men cry aloud fur miracles, for some
supernatural manifestation of power, that will convince them that we
are the people we profess to be, Jesus said, "A wicked and an
adulterous generation seek a sign, but no sign shall be given them
save the sign of the prophet Jonah." But God, our Heavenly Father, has
nevertheless left his handwriting, as it were, to be seen by all the
nations of the earth on the work that he has established. Divinity is
marked in ever feature of this great work; in every step of its
progress, from its commencement until the present time, we see
divinity exhibited, and the power of God manifested in its
preservation, growth and development. What is it that brings this
people from the nations of the earth, binds them together, and makes a
unit of the people of the various nationalities here assembled
together? Is it the power of man? Is it delusion? or, Is it a
manifestation of the restoration of that power bestowed upon men in
ancient days, and which has been so long withdrawn, from the earth?
Why is it that we love one another? Is it as the Apostle John said,
"We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the
brethren?" We love one another because we have bowed in obedience to
the truth which God has revealed, and through the reception of the
Holy Spirit of promise we have the love of God in our hearts. If
mankind loved the truth and would examine these things, they would see
something desirable about this work, and they would be prompted to
investigate. But the difficulty now is, as it has been in every age
when God has attempted to establish his work upon the earth—men in
general are blinded by the traditions of their fathers. This, and the
love of ease, and popularity, and other worldly objects that surround
them, prevent men from seeing the work of God in its true light, and
blinds them to their highest interests. They cannot see how they are
going to receive any benefit from this work. That which is material is
right before them, and they can understand the material advantages
accruing to them through not obeying this work; but the advantages and
blessings that would result from obedience are hidden from their
sight, being discernible only by the light of the Spirit of God. Yet
there is this peculiar feature about the work of God to-day, more
especially than at any other time since the days of Enoch, that they
who embrace it not only receive the Spirit of God, with its gifts, but
they [p.201] also receive blessings of a temporal nature, which they
would never receive outside of it. Those who have joined the Church,
as a mass, have been benefitted temporally, though at the time of
rendering obedience, they probably could not see bow advantages of
this nature could result. They could see that their names would be
cast out as evil, that they would be hated of all men, persecuted and
probably driven from place to place, but how they would be blessed
temporally they could not see. But God, our Heavenly Father, has held
in reserve until these days great and glorious blessings for his
people, who are faithful to the truth. He has reserved for his Saints
the kingdom and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heavens.
Not something beyond the bounds of time and space, not something that
we will inherit in eternity alone; but he has also temporal advantages
to bestow upon his people here. A great many people imagine that we
hold these out as inducements to get people to join the Church; but
they who join the Church for the love of these things, and with a
desire to obtain them, are invariably disappointed. If people join the
Church of God with any ether motive than to embrace the truth and to
be associated with the people of God, and to receive the spirit of the
Gospel, they are invariably disappointed; but when they come in for
the love of the truth, willing to take upon them the cross of Christ,
and endure all the persecutions incident to the life of a Saint,
submit, to the contumely and privation that in the providence of God
they may be called to endure, God thus tests their faith, and if they
continue faithful he will bestow upon them every blessing promised to
the most faithful.

Vol. 19,  p.201
The work in which we are engaged differs in some respects from the
work in which the Apostles were engaged in the days of Jesus Christ.
Many things operated against them that we have not to contend with.
They had to scatter out and preach the Gospel in various places; they
could not gather together with the same facility that we can. But God,
our Heavenly Father, reserved this—the land of promise—for the
especial purpose of building up his kingdom in the latter days. As the
"Book of Mormon" informs us, it has been hid from the eyes of the
generations of men for this purpose. If it had not been thus hidden
the nations of the earth would have overrun the land until there would
have been no foothold found for the establishment of the kingdom of
God upon it. But the Lord concealed it, from the days of the flood,
from the eyes of men, excepting those whom he led hither; as we are
informed by the "Book of Mormon" that no nation after the flood, knew
anything about this land; although I believe it, is said in the
Norwegian Antiquarian researches, that this land was visited by the
Icelanders in the eleventh century. But there is nothing authentic in
this. But be that as it may, this land was kept secret until Columbus
was moved upon by the Spirit of God, to go forth and penetrate the
western ocean. Then the land was settled and a government was formed
under the protecting aegis of liberty, and a place was found for the
establishment of the kingdom of God, to which the Saints from every
nation under Heaven could gather together. Hence we are surrounded by
many more favorable circumstances than they who preceded us in the
work of God in the days of Jesus and the Apostles. They did not
possess the [p.202] advantages that we enjoy; but we have them, and
our Heavenly Father intends that we shall possess them, and that we
shall build up his kingdom on the earth, establish righteousness and
bring about that improvement alluded to by brother Jesse N. Smith, in
his remarks. Our circumstances, then, being different, we can indulge
in anticipations no other people have ever been able to indulge in,
unless it be the people of Enoch and the Nephites, to whom Jesus
appeared on this Continent.

Vol. 19,  p.202
Those who investigate the Gospel with a desire to keep the
commandments of God, as I have remarked, rise from its investigation
with convictions of its truth, for an honest man can not go to the
Lord in the name of Jesus Christ, and ask Him respecting this Gospel
without receiving a knowledge for himself that it is true. In my
preaching to the world, I have many times dared them to this test,
that if they would go in honesty before the Lord and ask Him in the
name of Jesus Christ to show to them the truth of this Gospel, I would
pledge myself that the Lord would show them and they would become
convinced that the principles we taught were indeed the principles of
life and salvation. No person ever investigated this Gospel with that
spirit without, being convinced of its truth, because our Heavenly
Father bestows upon every one who embraces it with the right spirit a
knowledge of the truth. What a glorious privilege it is to have this
knowledge bestowed upon us. This testimony emboldens us to declare to
the inhabitants of the earth, no matter to what nation we may be sent,
that if they will embrace the truth, as it is taught by the Elders of
this Church, they shall know for themselves that this is the work of
God. This testimony it is the privilege of all to possess. It is this
that binds us together, and gives the Priesthood influence over the
Saints of God. My brethren and sisters, it is only by faithfulness
that we can retain this knowledge. A man may be an Apostle and may
have had the administration of holy angels, and the heavens opened to
his view, and behold the things of eternity, but if he is not faithful
himself, pursuing a right and proper course before God, he cannot
retain his standing in this Church and keep that knowledge God has
given him undimmed by error; but errors will creep into his heart and
false spirits take possession of him, and sooner or later he will
become alienated from the work of God. We should every one be careful
on these points. This is the work of God, and there is a
well-established principle upon which we can remain connected with it,
and that is by being true and faithful to the principles which God our
Heavenly Father has revealed. We cannot grieve the Spirit of God with
impunity; we cannot indulge in frivolity nor in anything that is wrong
without driving that spirit from us with its holy and sweet influence.
We should seek, therefore, as individuals, whether Apostles, High
Priests, Seventies, High Councillors, Elders, Priests, Teachers,
Deacons or members of the Church, to have the spirit of our holy
religion continually resting upon us. How can we retain this? Can we
retain it by being negligent and indifferent to its claims? Do men
gather earthly riches around them by being negligent? We all know
that, as a rule, the man who is the most diligent in business is he
who gains the greatest amount of profit for his labor; we are proving
this every day in earthly business, and if necessary in earthly
business, it is [p.203] equally so in the things of the kingdom of
God. The men and women who most diligently keep the commandments of
God, offer up prayers in sincerity, not with their lips, but with
their hearts, making it a rule to live near the Lord, are they who
retain the light of the Holy Spirit; and they are they who, when
persecution or affliction comes, feel that God is near to them; and
that when they pray He is not afar off, but He hears their prayers and
pours consolation, peace, and every good gift upon them, and they can
rejoice from morning to night among the changing vicissitudes to which
we are exposed in this mortal life. My brethren and sisters, we are
commanded not to give the whole of our attention to the accumulation
of earthly things; we are commanded also to lay up treasures in
heaven. We are required to build up Zion on the earth; then let us
take a course that will ensure to us the blessing and favor of God oar
Heavenly Father, that our prayers and thanksgiving may be acceptable
before Him. We should do this, especially when we reflect upon the
nature of the work in which we are engaged, and the nature of the
opposition with which we have to contend. We have the whole world to
contend with to a certain extent, or rather, we have to defend
ourselves against the whole world; they are combatting us. There are
probably thousands of honest men and women in the world who manifest
no disposition to prosecute or oppose us; but this is not the case
with the majority. There is a spirit of opposition to this work gone
abroad in the world; and, as in the beginning, we had a township to
meet and contend with, afterwards a county and counties, then a State,
and ultimately we had a nation, so to speak, in arms against us; so in
the future we will have the whole world to contend with. Not only this
nation, but every nation on the face of the earth will manifest
greater or less opposition to us as a people, and we will have a
thousand things to contend with. Why? Because Satan has influence over
the hearts of the children of men; he has power with them, and so long
as there is a foot of this earth upon which he can maintain foothold,
so long may we expect warfare, and find difficulties to contend with,
and it will only be by the power of God manifested in our behalf that
we will overcome. This warfare will not be a contest with cannons,
rifles, or earthly weapons of war, so much as a moral warfare. We are
engaged in a great moral warfare; it is by the exercise of moral force
that we are going to achieve the victories that God our heavenly
Father has promised us. We may be threatened, as we have been, with
weapons of war, and it will doubtless be necessary, so long as we have
an existence on the earth, to be prepared for every contingency. This
will no doubt be necessary, but the day is probably far distant when
we will have to shoulder weapons and engage in actual warfare. I look
for a moral contest, a moral triumph, and moral victories, gained by
the force of truth, and the exercise of those Godlike qualities with
which we have been endowed by our heavenly Father. And when the great
victory is achieved, there will be no blood to mourn over, no sorrow
to be indulged in, and nothing to prevent us from building the Temples
of God, as was the case with David, because he was a man of blood. I
anticipate that we will be free from this, and that we, like Solomon,
can go forward and build the Temples of [p.204] God according to His
commandments. While brother Henry W. Lawrence was talking about the
Temple in Nauvoo, I felt to echo the sentiment I have heard expressed
by President Young respecting that Temple. I am glad it is destroyed;
I am glad that it was burned and purified by fire from the pollution
our enemies inflicted upon it, and I am glad there is nothing of it
left; and I would prefer that this Temple in course of erection here,
should never be completed, and that we should never build another,
than to see those holy places built by God's commands, pass into the
hands of our enemies and he defiled by them.

Vol. 19,  p.204
May God bless you, my brethren and sisters, and enable us to be
faithful and true in keeping His commandments, is my prayer for
Christ's sake. Amen.

Orson Pratt, December 9, 1877

King Limhi's Enquiry, From the Book of Mormon—
Ammon Replies—Seership and the Urim and Thummim—the 
Brother of Jared—Hyrum Smith's Enquiry—What is a Generation—
the Immense Number of Records to Be Revealed

Discourse By Elder Orson Pratt, Delivered in the Twelfth 
Ward Meeting House, on Sunday Afternoon, Dec. 9, 1877.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.204
Since coming to this stand I have been reminded of a certain passage
contained in the "Book of Mormon" (commencing on page 161,) which I
will read. "Now, as soon as Ammon had read the record, the king
inquired of him to know if he could interpret languages, and Ammon
told him that he could not. And the king said unto him, being grieved
for the afflictions of my people, I caused that forty and three of my
people should take a journey into the wilderness, that thereby they
might find the land of Zarahemla, that we might appeal unto our
brethren to deliver us out of bondage; end they were lost in the
wilderness many days, yet they were diligent, and found not the land
of Zarahemla, but returned to this land, having traveled in a land of
many waters; having discovered a land which was covered with the bones
of men, and of beasts, etc., and was also covered [p.205] with ruins
of buildings of every kind; having discovered a land which had been
inhabited with a people who were as numerous as the hosts of Israel.
And for a testimony that the things that they have said are true, they
have brought twenty-four plates, which are filled with engravings, and
they are of pure gold. And, behold, also, they have brought breast
plates, which are large, and they are of brass and of copper, and are
perfectly sound. And again, they have brought swords, the hilts
thereof have perished, and the blades thereof were cankered with rust;
and there is no one in the land that is able to interpret the
language, or the engravings that are on the plates. Therefore I said
unto thee, canst thou translate? And I say unto thee again, knowest
thou of any one that can translate? For I am desirous that these
records should be translated into our language; for, perhaps, they
will give us a knowledge of the remnant of the people, who have been
destroyed, from whence these records came; or, perhaps, they will give
us a knowledge of this very people who have been destroyed; and I am
desirous to know the cause of their destruction.

Vol. 19,  p.205
"Now Ammon said unto him, I can assuredly tell thee, O king, of a man
that can translate the records; for he has wherewith he can look and
translate all records that are of ancient date; and it is a gift from
God. And the things are called interpreters and no man can look in
them, except he be commanded, lest he should look for that he ought
not, and he should perish. And whosoever is commanded to look in them,
the same is called seer. And behold, the king of the people who is in
the land of Zarahemla, is the man who is commanded to do these things,
and who has the high gift from God. And the king said that a Seer is
greater than a Prophet. And Ammon said that a Seer is a Revelator and
a Prophet also; and a gift which is greater can no man have, except he
should possess the power of God, which no man can; yet a man may have
great power given him from God. But a Seer can know of things which
have passed, and also of things which are to come, and by them shall
all things be revealed, or, rather, shall secret things be made
manifest, and hidden things shall come to light, and things which are
not known shall be made known by them; and also things shall be made
known by them which otherwise could not be known. Thus God has
provided a means that man, through faith, might work mighty miracles;
therefore he becometh of great benefit to his fellow-beings.

Vol. 19,  p.205
"And now, when Ammon had made an end of speaking these words, the king
rejoiced exceedingly, and gave thanks to God, saying, doubless a great
mystery is contained within these plates, and these interpreters are
doubtless prepared for unfolding all such mysteries to the children of
men. O how marvellous are the works of the Lord, and how long doth he
suffer with his people; yea, and how blind and impenetrable are the
understandings of the children of men, for they will not seek wisdom,
neither do they desire that she should rule over them. Yea, they are
as a wild flock which fleeth from the shepherds, and scattereth, and
are driven, and are devoured by the beasts of the forest."

Vol. 19,  p.205
The instructions that are imparted here, which I have just read, are
of importance to the children of men. We are here taught about a very
great, and precious, and high gift that comes from God—the gift
[p.206] of being a Seer, a Revelator, a Prophet, and inspired man. Not
only to receive revelation from God, but to interpret revelations
given to other Prophets who lived in times before, bringing to light
knowledge, and intelligence, and wisdom, and the dealings of God with
the human family, among more ancient people. This gift is more fully
explained in the "Book of Mormon" than in the Jewish record. We have
in the Jewish record, the Bible, some information in relation to the
instrument here called interpreter, but which is called in that record
by another name, namely, Urim and Thummim.

Vol. 19,  p.206
It was a gift that was exercised in the days of Moses, among the house
of Israel: it was a gift specially given to Aaron, the brother of
Moses, who was appointed the chief priest over all the tribes of
Israel. The Lord saw proper to give him instructions in relation to
the duties of his office and calling, how he should be clad what kind
of priestly garments he should wear, what he should perform in
administering certain ordinances and how he should perform them; and
also gave unto him some instruction in regard to the breast-plate,
that was called the breast-plate of judgment. The reason of this was,
that Aaron was appointed to be a judge among the children of Israel,
occupying a similar place among that people that the President of the
Bishopric occupies in the Church. But he was blessed above those who
have been ordained to the same calling in this dispensation, for he
was in possession of the Urim and Thummin, and by virtue of this
instrument he could inquire of the Lord in relation to every case that
should be brought before him for adjudication. The judgment of man is
narurally very weak and imperfect, and inasmuch as Aaron was required
to judge the people of God, it was of the utmost importance that all
his decisions should be given in righteousness, that there should be
no imperfections connected with them, and for that reason the Lord
gave express instructions to Aaron, through his brother Moses, to have
a breast-plate. In this breast-plate were twelve stones, representing
the Twelve Tribes of Israel, and in the centre of these rows of stones
the Urim and Thummim was placed, and when he was required to render
judgment upon any matter, he inquired of the Lord through it, and was
enabled to give decisions according to the word of the Lord.

Vol. 19,  p.206
We have other accounts given in the Bible concerning the exercise of
this same gift. David was blessed with this gift, and when Saul was
pursuing him from place to place, seeking his life, be would inquire
of the Lord, by means of a similar instrument, and receive
revelations. The nature of his inquiries was—Would Saul go to such a
city seeking him? Would the people of such a city deliver him into his
hands? and the Lord would answer him, and he of course would govern
himself accordingly. This gift seems to have been of frequent
occurence among the Israelites in their several generations, down to a
few centuries before the coming of Christ. Then it seems that Israel
so far transgressed the law of heaven, and so far strayed from the
Lord that the Urim and Thummim was taken from their midst, as you will
find mentioned by one of the Prophets in the Jewish Bible; it was
taken from them, and they were to abide many days without this
instrument, also without a king and without sacrifices, and eventually
the ordinances of God were to be taken from them. In [p.207] other
words, they were to be left without revelators, without prophets,
without an inspired king to rule over them, all of which has been
fulfilled for many centuries in the dispersion of the descendants of
Jacob from their land of promise, among the nations whithersoever they
are driven, without having any king; they do not offer sacrifices as
anciently; they have no priest with the breast-plate of judgment, and
Urim and Thummim to inquire of the Lord.

Vol. 19,  p.207
It serum that the Lord manifested himself to the people of this great
western continent in a similar manner. Here he raised up Prophets, and
heir they were in possession of an instrument, although not called
strictly by the same name, yet an instrument evidently designed by the
Almighty as a medium of communication to his people. King Mosiah, who
lived some time after the Israelites came to the American continent,
some few centuries before the first coming of Christ, he had this
great gift. Ammon, a servant of God, who explained this gift to King
Limhi, tells us the nature of the gift. He informs us that Mosiah had
wherewith he could look and interpret writing and engraving of ancient
date. It seems that forty-three of the people of King Limhi had been
sent from the kingdom where they resided, which was down at, or near
Equidor, in South America, to search the land which they had left some
two or three generations before; and they lost their way in the
wilderness, and failed to find Zarahemla, the land they were seeking,
which was in the northern part of South America. They passed by the
land through a wilderness country, and it appears that they went into
North America. They found all the land which they explored covered
with ruins of buildings and cities, and they found the bones of men
and animals, and among other things they found twenty-four plates
which were of pure gold, on which were engravings, which they brought,
among other things, to King Limhi. He at that time was a righteous
man, as well as most of his people, and they were exceedingly anxious
to know the interpretations of the engravings, believing that they
would give some account of the people who had occupied the country
where they were found. They wanted to know what had become of so great
a people, for evidently it appeared to them they bad been very
numerous. And it was for this purpose that Are men was questioned.
Ammon was a man who had been sent up in the mean time from the
northern portions of South America, called Zarahemla, and he informed
King Limhi that the King of Zarahemla had this high gift from God,
that he was a seer, and could, by using the interpreters, interpret
ancient languages. Hence the rejoicing of the king, because there was
a man who could give them the information they were so anxious to find
out.

Vol. 19,  p.207
Afterwards we have a history in the "Book of Mormon," of the people of
King Limhi having been driven out by some of the wicked portions of
the people. He came to the land of Zarahemla, taking, with his colony,
these twenty-four plates, and asking King Mosiah to translate them
into the Nephite language. He did so; and they gave an account of a
people—who came from the tower of Babel, at the time of the confusion
of tongues; that they landed upon this north country, called North
America, and dwelt here some sixteen or seventeen centuries, and they
were part of the time a [p.208] righteous people, and a part of the
time wicked. And many Prophets existed among the ancient colony, and
they kept their records, some upton metallic plates and others upon
other materials. There was a Prophet at the time of the destruction of
this first colony whose name was Ether. He wrote an abridgment of the
Jaredites, also an account of their coming to this land from the Tower
of Babel; he wrote also concerning the creation of the world, and the
doings of the Lord from the beginning down to the building of the
great tower, this short account was given on these twenty four plates.
And there is also given in the "Book of Mormon," by Moroni, the man
who hid up the plates from which the book was translated, a very short
sketch of the history of this first colony that came from the tower,
under the name of the "Book of Ether." And in this Book of Ether we
find that they had some thirty kings from the time they left Babel,
and that they were finally destroyed because of great wickedness, to
fulfil a prophecy and decree which the Lord made when he was bringing
them forth to this land. The decree was that if they or their
descendants should fall into wickedness and become fully ripened in
iniquity, that the Lord would utterly destroy them, and bring forth
another people to possess the land in their stead. Accordingly these
twenty-four plates mentions their overthrow, how they were destroyed;
also some mention is made of their most eminent Prophets, and much
instruction is given in regard to the coming to this land of this
first colony, how they were brought here by the Lord from the tower,
and how, in passing through the valley called Nimrod, the Lord himself
went before their camp in a cloud, teaching them and instructing, and
leading them, the same as he afterwards led the children of Israel.
And he brought them to great waters, where they were commanded of him
to build vessels, which they did, eight in number, by which, under the
particular care of the Almighty, they were brought across the great
Pacific, as we now term it, taking them three hundred and forty-four
days, and finally they landed upon the western coast of North America,
as near as we can determine from this book, in Mexico, south of the
Gulf of California. And that when the brother of Jared was coming to
this land the Lord gave him some very remarkable visions, and, among
other things he gave him the Urim and Thummim, prepared two crystal
stones in two rims of a bow, and sanctified them, and showed to the
brother of Jared many marvellous things, some of which I will read,
lot the instruction of those who have not, perhaps, given their
attention to these matters.

Vol. 19,  p.208
I will read first how the Lord lighted up the eight vessels in which
the colony from the tower came.

Vol. 19,  p.208
"Howbeit, ye cannot cross this great deep, save I prepare you against
the waves of the sea, and the winds which have gone forth, and the
floods which shall come. Therefore, what will ye that I shall prepare
for you that ye may have light when ye are swallowed up in the depths
of the sea?"

Vol. 19,  p.208
Their barges were so constructed that they could dive under the waves
and be brought up again, and thus they were driven by the force of the
winds for 344 days.

Vol. 19,  p.208
"And it came to pass that the brother of Jared, (now the number of the
vessels which had been preprepared was eight,) went forth unto the
mount which they called the mount Shelim, because of its exceeding
[p.209] height, and did moulten out of a rock sixteen small stones;
and they were white and clear, even as transparent glass; and he did
convey them in his hands up on the top of the mount, and cried again
unto the Lord saying, O Lord thou hast said that we must be
encompassed about by the floods. Now behold, O Lord, and do not be
angry with thy servant because of his weakness before thee; for we
know that thou art holy and dwellest in the heavens; and that we are
unworthy before thee; because of the fall, our nature has become evil
continually; nevertheless, O Lord thou hash given us a commandment
that we must call upon thee, that from thee we may receive according
to our desires. Behold, O Lord, thou hast smitten us because of our
iniquity, and hast driven us forth, and for these many years we have
been in the wilderness; nevertheless thou hast been merciful unto us.
O Lord, look upon me in pity, and turn away thine anger from this thy
people, and suffer not that they shall go forth across the raging deep
in darkness, but behold these things which I have moulten out of the
rock. And I know, O Lord, that thou hast all power, and can do
whatsoever thou wilt for the benefit of man; therefore touch these
stones O Lord, with thy finger, and prepare them that they may shine
forth in darkness; and they shall shine forth unto us in the vessels
which we have prepared, that we may have light while we shall cross
the sea. Behold, O Lord, thou canst do this. We know that thou art
able to show forth great power, which looks small to the understanding
of man."

Vol. 19,  p.209
You can see from the very language itself, what great confidence this
man of God had in relation to the doings of the Lord. It was not a
thing that looked impossible to him for the Lord to touch these
sixteen stones, two of which were to be placed in each vessel, one at
each end. He knew the Lord could touch them, and that it was possible
for him to cause them to shine Forth in these vessels, giving them
light while they crossed the ocean.

Vol. 19,  p.209
"And it came to pass that when the brother of Jared had said these
words, behold, the Lord stretched forth his hand and touched the
stones, one by one, with his finger; and the vail was taken from off
the eyes of the brother of Jared, and he saw the finger of the Lord;
and it was as the finger of a man, like unto flesh and blood; and the
brother of Jared fell down before the Lord, for he was struck with
fear. And the Lord saw that the brother of Jared had fallen to the
earth; and the Lord said unto him, arise, why hast thou fallen? And he
said unto the Lord I saw the finger of the Lord, and I feared Jest he
should smite me; for I knew not that the Lord had flesh and blood. And
the Lord said unto him, because of thy faith thou hast seen that I
shall take upon me flesh and blood."

Vol. 19,  p.209
It must have been the spirit of our great Redeemer whose finger he
then saw, thousands of years before he came and took a body of flesh
and bones.

Vol. 19,  p.209
"And never has man come before me with such exceeding faith as thou
hast; for were it not so, ye could not have seen my finger. Sawest
thou more than this? And he answered, nay Lord, shew thyself unto me.
And the Lord said unto him, believest thou the words which I shall
speak? And he answered, yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the
truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie. And when he had
said these words, behold the Lord showed himself [p.210] unto him, and
said because thou knowest these things, ye are redeemed from the fall;
therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I shew
myself unto you."

Vol. 19,  p.210
You know that one of the penalties of the fall was, than man should be
shut out from the presence of God, by this mortal tabernacle; but this
man, because of his knowledge and the great faith he had obtained, had
the vail removed and was restored back again to the presence of God,
as man was before the fall.

Vol. 19,  p.210
"Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to
redeem my people."

Vol. 19,  p.210
The Lord had the plan already laid before this world was made, or
brought into existence. And it was all understood in the councils of
eternity about the Lord's coming in the meridian of time to take upon
himself flesh and blood. It was understood that he should suffer
death, and be as a Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world,
in the mind of God.

Vol. 19,  p.210
"Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall
all mankind have light, and that eternally, even they who shall
believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters.
And never have I showed myself unto man whom I have created, for never
has man believed in me as thou hast. Seest thou that ye are created
after mine own image? Yea, even all men were created in the beginning,
after mine own image. Behold, this body, which ye now behold, is the
body of my spirit," (not a body of flesh and bones, but the shape, the
stature and form of the body of his spirit, a pure and immortal body,)
"and man have I created after the body of my spirit; and even as I
appear unto thee to be in the spirit, will I appear unto my people in
the flesh.

Vol. 19,  p.210
"And now, as I, Moroni, said I could not make a full account of these
things which are written, therefore it sufficeth me to say, that Jesus
showed himself unto this man in the spirit, even after the manner and
in the same likeness of the same body even as he showed himself unto
the Nephites."

Vol. 19,  p.210
The Nephites were Israelites to whom Jesus appeared after his
resurrection.

Vol. 19,  p.210
"And he ministered unto him, even as he ministered unto the Nephites;
and all this, that this man might know that he was God, because of the
many great works which the Lord had showed unto him; and because of
the knowledge of this man, he could not be kept from beholding within
the vail; and he saw the finger of Jesus, which, when he saw he fell
with fear; for he knew it was the finger of the Lord; and he had faith
no longer, for he knew; nothing doubting; wherefore, having this
perfect knowledge of God, he could not be kept from within the vail;
therefore he saw Jesus, and he did minister unto him. And it came to
pass that the Lord said unto the brother of Jared, behold, thou shalt
not suffer these things which ye have seen and heard, to go forth unto
the world, until the time cometh that I shall glorify my name in the
flesh; wherefore ye shall treasure up the things which ye have seen
and heard, and shew it to no man."

Vol. 19,  p.210
It seems that the Lord did not wish to show these things to others,
when the people had not sufficient faith. These things were too great
and glorious for them at that early period of the world, to be made
acquainted with, But at a certain time, when his name should be
glorified in the flesh, and after he [p.211] should rise from the
dead, then he would permit these things to come forth, which he did
among the ancient Israelites on this continent; they were then
translated into the Nephite language and brought to light. But the
Lord said unto the brother of Jared: "And behold, when ye shall come
unto me ye shall write them and shall seal them up that no man can
interpret them; for ye shall write them in a language that they cannot
be read. And behold, these two stones will I give unto thee, and ye
shall seal them up also, with the things which ye shall write. For
behold, the language which ye shall write, I have confounded,
wherefore I will cause in my own due time that these stones shall
magnify to the eyes of men, these things which ye shall write. And
when the Lord had said these words, he showed unto the brother of
Jared all the inhabitants of the earth which had been, and also all
that would be; and he withheld them not from his sight, even unto the
ends of the earth." What a great gift it is to know and see by the
enlightenment of the Spirit, by vision, things that have taken place
from the beginning of this world; to see, for instance, all the
inhabitants of the earth that had been prior to the day that the Lord
gave this vision; and then all the inhabitants of the earth that
should be, even to the end of the world. For he had said unto him, in
times before, that if he would believe in him, that he could show unto
him all things—it should be shown unto him; therefore the Lord could
not withhold anything from him, for he knew that the Lord could show
him all things. And the Lord said unto him, write these things and
seal them up, and I will show them in my own due time unto the
children of men.

Vol. 19,  p.211
And it came to pass that the Lord commanded him that he should seal up
the two stones which he had received and show them not, until the Lord
should show them unto the children of men. And the Lord commanded the
brother of Jared to go down out of the mount from the presence of the
Lord, and write the things which he had seen; end they were forbidden
to come unto the children of men, until after that he should be lifted
up upon the cross; and for this cause did King Mosiah keep them."

Vol. 19,  p.211
I told you that Modish was a righteous man, and a revelator as well as
a king, who dwelt on this American continent some few centuries before
Christ, and when he interpreted the history of the people, he did not
interpret these things that the brother of Jared saw in this great
vision; the Lord would not permit him to do so.

Vol. 19,  p.211
"That they should not come unto the world until after Christ should
show himself unto his people. And after Christ truly had shown himself
unto his people, he commanded that they should be made manifest."

Vol. 19,  p.211
They were translated after Christ first appeared to the Nephites, and
probably sent abroad among the Nephite nation. The Prophet Moroni
says, "And now, after that they have all dwindled in unbelief, and
there is none, save it be the Lamanites, and they have rejected the
Gospel of Christ; therefore I am commanded that I should hide them up
again in the earth. Behold, I have written upon the plates the very
things which the brother of Jared saw."

Vol. 19,  p.211
A great many, in reading this record carelessly, would wonder why it
was that a part of these plates should be sealed, and why Joseph Smith
should not be permitted to [p.212] break the seal. It was because, in
this great revelation, the sealed portion of the plates from which the
Book of Mormon was taken, contained this great vision, given to the
brother of Jared. Joseph was not permitted to translate it, neither to
break the seal of the book; it is to be reserved to come forth in due
time.

Vol. 19,  p.212
The Prophet Moroni further says, "And there never was greater things
made manifest, than that which was made manifest unto the brother of
Jared; wherefore the Lord hath commanded me to write them, and I have
written them. And he commanded me that I should seal them up; and he
also hath commanded me that I should seal up the interpretation
thereof; wherefore I have sealed up the interpreters, according to the
commandment of the Lord. For the Lord said unto me, they shall not go
forth unto the Gentiles until the day that they shall repent of their
iniquity and become clean before the Lord; and in that day that they
shall exercise faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of
Jared did, that they may become sanctified in me, then will I manifest
unto them the thing the which the brother of Jared saw, even to the
unfolding unto them all my revelations, saith Jesus Christ, the Son of
God, the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that
in them are. And he that will contend against the word of the Lord,
let him be accursed; for unto them will I showy no greater things,
saith Jesus Christ, for I am he who speaketh; and at my command the
heavens are opened and are shut; and at my word the earth shall shake;
and at my command the inhabitants thereof shall pass away, even so as
by fire; and he that believeth not my words, believeth not my
disciples; and if it so be that I do not speak, judge ye; for ye shall
know that it is I that speaketh at the last day.

Vol. 19,  p.212
"But he that believeth these words. which I have spoken, him will I
visit with the manifestations of my Spirit, arm he shall know and bear
record."

Vol. 19,  p.212
Now, I want to appeal to the Latter-day Saints who occupy this room,
whether this promise has been fulfilled to you, or not? I will read it
again. "But he that believeth these words which I have spoken, him
will I visit with the manifestations of my Spirit, and he shall know
and bear record." It does not say, he shall merely have an opinion and
bear record, but he shall know and bear record. Do you know that this
book (the Book of Mormon) is true, Latter-day Saints? Do you know that
what I have been reading are the words of the Lord? If you have
believed these things with all of your hearts, and complied with the
commands of the Most High, manifesting your faith by your works, then
you have been put in possession of this knowledge, and you know, by
the Spirit which he has poured out from heaven upon you, that they are
true, and in force to all the world, and this Spirit gives you a
knowledge concerning all truth. You are not like those who have no
revelation of whom the ancient apostle speaks, who were "Ever
learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth;" but
you are of those, if you keep the commandments of God, who are not
only learning from the word of God, but have a knowledge of all
revealed truth by the power of the Spirit, the Comforter, which is a
revelator, an unction to all those who receive it; and they are able
to bear record of the things which they formerly believed to be true.
The Lord has thus raised up a great cloud of witnesses in connection
with scores of thousands of [p.213] others to bear record of the
truth, in this last dispensation of the fullness of times. "For,
because of my Spirit, he shall know that these things are true; for it
persuadeth men to do good; and whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do
good, is of me; for good cometh of none, save it be of me. I am the
same that leadeth men to all good; he that will not believe my words,
will not believe me that I am; and he that will not believe me, will
not believe the Father who sent me. For behold, I am the Father, I am
the light, and the life, and the truth of the world. Come unto me, O
ye Gentiles; and I will show unto you the greater things, the
knowledge which is hid up because of unbelief. Come unto me, O ye
house of Israel, and it shall be made manifest unto you how great
things the Father hath laid up for you, from the foundation of the
world; and it hath not come unto you, because of unbelief. Behold,
when ye shall rend that veil of unbelief which doth cause you to
remain in your awful state of wickedness and hardness of heart, and
blindness of mind, then shall the great and marvellous things which
have been hid up from the foundation of the world; yea, when ye shall
call upon the Father in my name, with a broken heart and a contrite
spirit, then shall ye know that the Father hath remembered the
covenant which he made unto your fathers, O house of Israel; and then
shall my revelations which I have caused to be written by my servant
John, be unfolded in the eyes of all the people. Remember, when ye see
these things, ye shall know that the time is at hand that they shall
be made manifest in very deed; therefore, when ye shall receive this
record, we may know that the work of the Father has commenced upon all
the face of the land. Therefore, repent, all ye ends of the earth, and
come unto me, and believe in my Gospel, and be baptized in my name;
for he that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that
believeth not, shall be damned; and signs shall follow them that
believe in my name. And blessed is he that is found faithful unto my
name at the last day, for he shall be lifted up to dwell in the
kingdom prepared for him from the foundation of the world. And behold,
it is I that hath spoken it. Amen."

Vol. 19,  p.213
I have read these things because I am fully aware that there are in
the Church of Latter-day Saints many persons who are very careless
about reading the "Book of Mormon." It is one of the greatest
treasures, so far as books are concerned, that has been given to
mankind for almost 1,800 years. It contains the things of God in great
plainness, so easy of comprehension that the child who reads can
understand it. And yet, how many there are of the Latter-day Saints
who suffer this book to remain upon their shelves, week after week,
without ever reading a page of these precious things. I have also read
these things for the benefit of strangers who may be present on this
occasion. It is not to be expected that they will read it, for they do
not believe it is a divine record; they do not believe that God has
spoken, or that Joseph Smith was raised up to bring it forth to the
children of men, by the power of the Urim and Thummim. It is not
expected, therefore, that they will read a work that they have no
faith in. They do not want to have faith in it, they do not consider
it a matter of sufficient importance even to enquire of the Lord
whether it is true or not. And yet, sometimes they may have, for a few
moments, a feeling in their hearts that they would like to know what
is contained in the "Book of [p.214] Mormon;" hence, I have read this
that you may have an idea what is contained in this book, on which the
Latter-day Saints found their faith, as well as on the Bible.

Vol. 19,  p.214
You will perceive, Latter-day Saints, holy this Urim and Thummin was
formed in the first place. It was not something that existed on the
earth in a natural state, it was something made by the Lord. He is a
good mechanic, he understands how to make things. He made the heavens
and the earth, he made many worlds that we see roll as it were, upon
their wings in the midst of space. He made the garments that first
clothed Adam and Eve; and he made a very beautiful garden, and planted
it with a variety of trees, and caused them to bear fruit, and that
they should have seed within themselves. He understands how to do such
things; he is not like many of us, who, after attempting to do certain
things, fail for the lack of knowledge; but when he undertakes to do a
thing, he does it in the best manner possible, and what he makes is
made perfect. And if afterwards his handiwork becomes imperfect, it is
because of the curse that comes upon the earth in consequence of sin.
He made the Urim and Thummim, and we have an account of his making it
in the words which I have been reading. Two crystal stones that he
gave unto the brother of Jared were made by him. When ye shall write
these things, ye shall seal them up, also the interpreters, until the
Lord shall see fit, in his own due time, to reveal them to the
children of men.

Vol. 19,  p.214
Perhaps some of you may ask when this great revelation, that was given
to the brother of Jared, will be revealed. I wish I could answer the
question; I cannot answer as to the year, for I do not know. I may,
however, answer you in general terms. If you will turn to the
"Doctrine and Covenants," you will there find a revelation, given in
the year 1829, to Hyrum Smith, who went down from Manchester, Ontario
County, N.Y., to Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, to visit his
brother, Joseph, who was then engaged in the work of translating the
"Book of Mormon." When Hyrum arrived in the presence of his brother,
he felt anxious to know what the Lord had for him to do, or if it
would not be well for him to commence to preach, bearing testimony to
the manuscripts of the "Book of Mormon," etc. He finally desired that
his brother should inquire of the Lord, through the Urim and Thummim,
what he wished him to do. The Lord gave a revelation, telling him he
was not to preach his word at that time, that the time had not come.
He had not received the ordination authorizing him to preach, neither
had the Church been organized on the earth. The Lord told him,
however, of certain things he should do. He said, "Study my word which
hath gone forth among the children of men, and also study my word
which shall come forth among the children of men, or that which is now
translating, yea, until you have obtained all which I shall grant to
the children of men in that generation, and then shall all things be
added thereunto." After the generation living in 1829, some
forty-eight years ago, is all accomplished, then we may look for the
revelation which the brother of Jared obtained upon the mount, then we
may look for the things he saw when the Lord showed him all the
children of men that had ever been upon the earth from the beginning
of creation down to his day, and also that would come upon the earth
down to the end of time. In showing him these things, I do not think
he merely gave [p.215] him this to satisfy his curiosity, for no man,
we are told, had ever before witnessed such great things, and the Lord
could not withhold them from him, because of his great faith. I do not
believe, either, that this great man would have sought the Lord
seeking to satisfy curiosity; but I told you, and I do believe, that
He revealed to him many of his great and marvellous purposes in
relation to the inhabitants of the earth in relation to his future
dealings with the nations of the earth, in relation to the rise of his
kingdom in the latter days, as now taking place. I have no doubt he
saw every particular as they have occurred, since 1830 to the present
time. He saw our history and our travels and our persecutions; and he
also saw the state of darkness that the world would be in before the
Lord would set up this Church upon the earth again, and the
persecutions that would come up on the former-day Saints, and how the
Church would fall away and the Priesthood be taken away from among
men; all these things were manifested to him, and he was commanded to
write them. And if we had these things now which he wrote, I have not
the least doubt we could read the future history of this Church, just
the same as we can its past history; we could understand all the
particulars until the wicked shall be destroyed from the earth, and we
could see our future travels and our future tribulations and
persecutions, and also our blessings that shall come upon us after the
days of tribulations are ended; we could behold the glory of God that
would rest upon Zion, and the resurrection of the righteous dead, and
the coming of the Church of the First Born in the clouds of heaven, in
connection with Jesus, and the coming of the ancient day Zion. All
these things, I have no doubt, were revealed to this man of God, and
were commanded to be written, and will come forth when the generation
has fully past away that were living in the year 1829—forty-eight
years ago.

Vol. 19,  p.215
As regards the number of years by which a generation shall be
measured, we have no special definite, period given to us by
revelation; the Lord speaks in terms that are general in relation to
generations. Among the Nephites, immediately after Christ's appearance
to them, a generation was a hundred years, and in the fourth
generation they were destroyed, as a nation; except some few who went
over to the Lamanites. We find generations numbering from father to
son, and from son to grandson, etc., and when we come to average
generations, according to the statistic, of nations, we find them to
be about thirty years to a generation; but when the Lord speaks in
general terms, and says, This generation shall not pass away, until a
House shall be built to his name, as is given in this "Book of
Covenants," and a cloud should rest upon it; in that case I do not
think he is limited to any definite period, but suffice it to say that
the people living in 1832, when the revelation was given, will not all
pass away; there will be some living when the House spoken of will be
reared, on which the glory of God will rest. Already forty-five years
have passed away since that revelation was given, concerning the
building of that House. And when he says to Hyrum Smith, "Study my
word, etc., until you have obtained all which I shall grant unto the
children of men in this generation," I do not know how long that
generation was intended, in the mind of God, to be, and I do not think
there is any person in the Church that does know, unless the Lord has
revealed [p.216] it to him. But we have every reason to believe that
the time is not far distant, and that there are some living among the
young now upon the earth, that will live to behold great numbers of
revelations given, and will behold other books come forth and other
records translated by the Urim and Thummim, that same instrument that
Joseph Smith used in the translation of the "Book of Mormon," which
will again come forth and be revealed to the seer and revelator that
God will raise up by which these ancient records will be brought to
light. Then these great things will be known, then we shall rejoice in
the greater fulness of knowledge and understanding, according to the
promise; and when we rend that veil of unbelief, spoken of in the
"Book of Mormon," and when it is taken away from our midst, and we
exercise faith in God, even as the ancient man of God, the brother of
Jared, did, then will the Lord reveal to this people what was shown to
this man. And if it were important for him, in the early ages, to
understand the great things of the latter-days, how much more
important it is for us who are living, as it were, just preceding the
coming of the Son of Man; and if ancient men of God were privileged
and blessed in understanding the things of the future, how much
greater blessing it will be to us, inasmuch as these things are at our
doors.

Vol. 19,  p.216
I believe I will make a few more remarks in relation to this same
revelation that is to be given. In the second book of Nephi, the 11th
chap., we have some account of what the Lord is going to do, referring
to the things which the brother of Jared saw. The prophecy I am about
to read was delivered nearly six centuries before Christ, by a man
whose name was Nephi, whom the Lord brought out from Jerusalem, in
connection with his father's family and some others, landing them on
the western coast of South America where they formed a colony. Before
be got here, he had a great revelation, and also after coming here. I
will commence at the 17th paragraph of the vision he had.

Vol. 19,  p.216
"And it shall come to pass, that the Lord God shall bring forth unto
you the words of a book, and they shall be the words of them that have
slumbered."

Vol. 19,  p.216
He was prophecying of the last days, of the time when the Book of
Mormon should be brought forth to the inhabitants of the earth.

Vol. 19,  p.216
"And behold the book shall he sealed: and in the bask shall be a
revelation from God, from the beginning of the world to the ending
thereof." This is the part that is sealed. "Wherefore, because of the
things which are sealed up, the things which are sealed shall not be
delivered in the day of the wickedness and abomination of the people."
That agrees with what I was telling you about the generation that is
passing away. The people wire are wicked shall be swept away from the
earth, and those who remain that are righteous will have this great
revelation unsealed to them. "Wherefore the book shall be kept from
them." The Lord did not suffer these plates to go among the wicked,
for he well knew that they would have destroyed them for the sake of
the gold upon which they were written. "But the book shall be
delivered unto a man, and he shall deliver the words of the book,
which are the words of those who have slumbered in the dust; and he
shall deliver these words unto another; but the words which are sealed
he shall not deliver, neither shall he deliver the book." I wish to
state here for the information [p.217] of those who do not understand,
that before Joseph Smith translated the part that was unsealed, he
copied some of the words and sent them by Martin Harris to the city of
New York to have them exhibited to the learned, to see if they could
read them. "For the book shall be sealed by the power of God, and the
revelation which was sealed shall be kept in the book until the own
due time of the Lord they may come forth; for behold, they reveal all
things from the foundation of the world unto the end thereof." We will
get some knowledge of the purposes of God, not only in relation to the
six thousand years past, but for the thousand years to come, after the
revelation is given showing forth the purposes and designs of the
great Jehovah in relation to this creation. "And the day cometh that
the words of the book which was sealed shall be read upon the house
tops; and they shall be read by the power of Christ; and all things
shall be revealed to the children of men which ever have been among
the children of men, and which ever will be, even unto the end of the
earth. Wherefore, at that day, when the book shall be delivered unto
the man of whom I have spoken, the book shall be hid from the eyes of
the world, that the eyes of none shall behold it, save it be that
three witnesses shall behold it, by the power of God, besides him to
whom the book shall be delivered; and they shall testify to the truth
of the book and the things therein. And there is none other which
shall view it, save it be a few, according to the will of God, to bear
testimony of his word unto the children of men; for the Lord hath
said, that the words of the faithful should speak as if it were from
the dead. Wherefore, the Lord God will proceed to bring forth the
words of the book; and in the mouth of as many witnesses as seemeth
him good will he establish his word; and we unto him that rejecteth
the word of God."

Vol. 19,  p.217
That gives us a little more light upon the same subject. When that is
brought forth, I expect that the same Urim and Thummim which the Lord
gave to Joseph Smith will come forth with these plates, and they will
be translated, but by whom I know not. Who will be the favored Seer
and Revelator that will be raised up among this people to bring this
revelation to light, is not revealed to me. And not only this
revelation, but those twenty-four plates of gold which contain the
doings of the old Jaredite nation that inhabited this North American
continent; at present we have only an abridgment, not a hundredth part
of their history. These plates of gold will come forth, as well as
many other records kept by the first nation—the Jaredites, that came
here; and I have no doubt that the Lord will give the Urim and Thummim
to translate them. And not only these, but the Lord intends, in this
dispensation in which you and I live, to overwhelm the whole earth
with a flood of knowledge in regard to himself; in regard to his
purposes and designs, and in regard to the future glories and
blessings that are ordained for the Latter-day Saints, in regard to
the preparation of the earth for the thousand years of righteousness
to come. Hence these plates, these great numbers of plates, that were
kept by the kings of the Nephites and by many Prophets before and
after Christ, as well as those sealed records of which I have been
speaking, will all come to light; we then will have revelations of
heavenly and earthly things, and the designs and purposes of God. We
will have,[p.218] perhaps, the most complete history of this continent
that there is in existence of any other nation or kingdom on the
earth. Moreover, we have abundance of promises that God has made to
us, in this book called the Doctrine and Covenants, given through the
Prophet Joseph, concerning other records besides those I have named,
that were kept by the Jaredites and the Nephites, a record for
instance back so far as the days of Enoch. You might. say, they did
not know how to write in those days. But the Bible indicates that they
did know, and speak about the book of the generations of Adam even
before the flood. Furthermore, we have an account that three years
prior to the death of Adam, he called together the righteous of his
posterity, he called also the High Priests of that day, into a certain
valley, called Adam Ondi-Ahman, which is located about fifty miles
north of Jackson County, or what is now called Davis County, Missouri.
Here assembled the righteous of his posterity for eight generations,
and he pronounced upon them his last blessing, as the grand patriarch
of the whole. And he stood up, notwithstanding he was bowed down with
age, before the vast body that were gathered on that occasion, and
prophesied of all things of importance that should transpire among his
seed, and the nations that should spring from him, down to the very
end of time. These things, it says, were written in the book of Enoch,
and are to be testified of in due time. When we get that, I think we
shall know a great deal about the ante-diluvians, of whom at present
we know so little.

Vol. 19,  p.218
Then there is still another record to come forth. John the Baptist is
said by the highest authority to be one of the greatest Prophets ever
born of a woman; but we have very little written in the Jewish record
concerning him. We have a revelation in the Doctrine and Covenants
concerning the record of John, that great Prophet. And we are promised
that if we were faithful as a people, the fullness of the record of
John shall hereafter be revealed to us. When we get this, I think we
shall have still more knowledge in regard to doctrine and principle,
and things that are great and marvelous, of which we know very little,
if anything about. this is not all. The Lord has told us that he would
bring forth those brass plates that Lehi and the families that came
with him from Jerusalem, some six hundred years before Christ, brought
with them, which contain the history of the creation, and the writings
of inspired men down to the days of Jeremiah; they came out in
Jeremiah's day. We are informed in the "Book of Mormon" that they
contained many prophecies very great and extensive in their nature.
And when these plates, now hidden in the hill Cumorah, are brought to
light we shall have the history of the Old Testament much more fully,
with the addition of a great many prophecies that are not now
contained in that record. The prophecies of Joseph in Egypt were very
great, and we are told in the "Book of Mormon" that there were a great
many given to him. When we have all those, also the prophecies of
Neum, a great Prophet who prophecied concerning Christ; also those of
Zenos and Zenock, and others of which only bare reference is given;
and then again when the ten tribes of Israel come from the north
country, they will bring with them their records which they have kept
since seven hundred and twenty years [p.219] before Christ, which will
contain an account of the hand dealing of God among that lost people,
which doubtless will be exceedingly interesting as well as
instructive.

Vol. 19,  p.219
Shall we stop here? No, the time will come when this people will
become more fully revelators, and Prophets, and Seers themselves, and
the earth will be filled with the knowledge of God, and even out of
the mouth of babes and sucklings will the Spirit of God reveal things
that have been kept secret from the foundation of the world; they will
utter forth the things of God, helping to fill the earth with the
knowledge of God, as the waters cover the great deep.

Vol. 19,  p.219
We might now stop and say no more about the bibles that are yet to
come. From what little I have said, the strangers present may begin to
believe the truth of that Scripture which says, "And there are also
many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be
written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not
contain the book that should be written." The Lord has not, because of
unbelief and wickedness of the people, permitted these things to come
forth to be trampled under the feet, as swine would trample jewels
under their feet. But as soon as the righteousness of the people shall
warrant, he will reveal these hidden treasures of knowledge, and they
will understand and comprehend the great things of God; and not only
will records be brought forth, but the minds of men, and minds of
women, and minds of children, and the minds of all the people who
believe, will be like a fountain of light and intelligence, and they
will be able to comprehend all records and books inspired from on
high.

Vol. 19,  p.219
Sometimes, when I reflect upon these things in the spirit, it seems as
though I can scarcely wait for the present generation to pass away,
without seeing the Latter-day Saints in possession of these great
things. They will surely come! Rest assured, Latter-day Saints, that
these things will be fulfilled, yea, every jot and tittle; and every
record that God has commanded to be kept among the ancient seers and
revelators, will be brought to light in this last dispensation, and
none need think that the Lord is trifling with us, for these things
will be made manifest.

Vol. 19,  p.220
May God bless you is my prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen.[p.220] 

Brigham Young, April 22, 1877

Living According to the Light—Temple Work—
Good Counsel—What Say the High Priests and Seventies

Discourse By President Brigham Young, Delivered at 
Richfield, Sevier County, Utah, on Sunday Afternoon, April 22, 1877.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.220
I am very much gratified in the opportunity of appearing in this house
again. I am disposed to say a few words to you. I have not time to
instruct you in all things, nor to say all I wish to say. Do just as
well as you know how in all things, never permitting yourself to
commit an act unless the Spirit of God within you justifies you in
doing it. And if you live every day of your lives according to the
best light and understanding you possess, glorifying God, our Heavenly
Father, just as far as your knowledge extends, I will promise you
eternal life in the kingdom of God. This is saying a great deal, it is
a very important discourse embodied in a few words. The grand
difficulty with the people is they do not do quite as well as they
know how; it is that which hinders us from accomplishing the work
given us to do.

Vol. 19,  p.220
Now let me say to you, my brethren and sisters, if you live according
to the light within you, you will be of one heart and one mind; your
interests and labors will be one, and you will take hold with all the
power God has given you to consummate this great and glorious work
committed to our charge. When we become one we shall have a heaven
here upon the earth. Do you think that in the family of heaven
dwelling in the presence of God there is any jarring, bickerings,
contentions, faultfinding, or distrust in the Priesthood? No. It is
true we are in a world of darkness, and we have a great many
weaknesses, temptations and annoyances all tending to lead us astray.
But if we do as well as we know how, we shall accomplish the work.

Vol. 19,  p.220
I have been spending the winter in St. George. Our Temple there is
finished, which is the first completed Temple built to the name of the
Most High, in which the ordinances for the living and the dead can be
performed, since the one built by Solomon in the land of Jerusalem,
that we have any knowledge of. The Nephites may have built Temples,
and in all probability they did, but we have no account of them. We
enjoy privileges that no other people enjoy, or have enjoyed. In the
days of Solomon, in the Temple that he built in the land of Jerusalem,
there was confusion and bickering and strife, even to murder, and the
very man that they [p.221] looked to to give them the keys of life and
salvation, they killed because be refused to administer the ordinances
to them when they requested it; and whether they got any of them or
not, this history does not say anything about.

Vol. 19,  p.221
We enjoy the privilege of entering into a Temple, built to the name of
God, and receiving the ordinances of his House, with all the keys and
blessings preparatory of entering into the "lives ;" we also enjoy the
privilege of administering for our fathers and mothers, our
grandfathers and grand mothers, for those who have slept wit hunt the
Gospel.

Vol. 19,  p.221
You can understand why it is that the press of our nation is so ready
to cry out against the "Mormons;" why it is that these poor Latter-day
Saints are not considered fit to live, why they ought not to enjoy the
common blessings of citizenship, and why the wicked would, if they
could, deprive this whole people of their rights and privileges, and
destroy their leaders from off the earth? It is evidence to all
Latter-day Saints, if they have hearts to understand, that God is with
this people, and that the Evil. One is using the same means now, as he
always has done, to oppose Him. We ought to be thankful that we are
worthy to receive these persecutions. And I can promise you, that if
we exercise patience and faith, and attend faithfully and diligently
to the work given us to do of the Father, that they will work out for
us a more excellent degree of glory and exaltation. Consequently it
becomes us to be patient, trusting in God and the promises he has made
unto us.

Vol. 19,  p.221
I was about to say to you, that our labors during the time I have
spent in St. George, are perfectly satisfactory to me; and I believe
we have all the evidence we can ask for, that the Lord is satisfied.
And now that we have suceeded so well in building one Temple, we feel
encouraged to continue our labors in the same direction until we shall
have built and finished others. We want to commence another one in
your region of country, at Manti; and we intend to lay out the ground
when we reach there on our way to the city. We have, traveling with
us, in our company, Elder Parry, the man who had charge of the
rock-work of the St. George Temple; he is on his way to Manti, to work
on the Temple to be built at that place. We expect to say to the
Latter-day Saints, Rear these walls forthwith, and complete this
building, that you may enjoy the blessings therein promised.

Vol. 19,  p.221
Brethren and sisters, live your holy religion that the spirit of
truth, of virtue and of holiness may burn within you, that your only
desire may be to do the will of the Father in the literal building up
of this his kingdom on the earth. Say year prayers, and increase your
faith in the Lord and in his promises made to the faithful. Bring up
your children in the love and fear of the Lord; study their
dispositions and their temperaments, and deal with them accordingly,
never allowing yourself to correct them in the heat of passion; teach
them to love you rather than to fear you, and let it be your constant
care that the children that God has so kindly given you are taught in
their early youth the importance of the oracles of God, and the beauty
of the principles of our holy religion, that when they grow to the
years of man and womanhood they may always cherish a tender regard for
them and never forsake the truth. I do not wish you to lay the stress
and importance upon outward ceremonies that many do. There are those
belonging to what is called the Mother Church who say give them the
care and training of children at [p.222] from three to seven years
old, and they could so ground them in their faith, that they for ever
afterwards, would remain good Catholics. The secret of their great
success is no doubt in their strict observance of outward ordinances
and ceremonies. But while they go to one extreme in the observance of
ceremony, making bigots of their children, for one of the earliest
recollections of the child, who is reared in Catholicism, is the use
of the sign of the cross) many of the Latter-day Saints go to the
other, failing entirely to impress the minds of their children with
that degree of reverence and sacredness that belongs to the ordinances
of our Church. Parents, teach your children by precept and example,
the importance of addressing the throne of grace; teach them how to
live, how to draw from the elements the necessaries of life, and teach
them the laws of life that they may know how to preserve themselves in
health and be able to minister to others. And when instructing them in
the principles of the Gospel, teach them that they are true, truth
sent down from heaven for our salvation, and that the Gospel
incorporates every truth whether in heaven, in earth, or in hell; and
teach them too that we hold the keys of eternal life, and that they
must obey and observe the ordinances and laws pertaining to this holy
Priesthood, which God has revealed and restored for the exaltation of
the children of men.

Vol. 19,  p.222
If I were to ask the High Priests of this district, Do you pray in
your families before going to work, or before sit around the breakfast
table? Do you kneel down in humility and meekness, with the faith that
the Father requires at your hands to ask him in the name of Jesus, to
bless and preserve and give you grace according to your day; and do
you do this before retiring to bed? Seventies, do you call upon the
Lord morning and evening? The Lord says, I will be sought unto by my
people for the blessings that they need. And instead of our classing
prayer among the duties devolving upon us as Latter-day Saints, we
should live so as to deem it one of the greatest privileges accorded
to us; for were it not for the efficacy of prayer what would have
become of us both as a people and as individuals?

Vol. 19,  p.222
I do not feel disposed to preach a lengthy sermon to you, but we feel
in our hearts to say, God bless you, peace be to you. I do not expect
to come to see you as often as I have done, my health will not permit
of it. My voice is good, I feel as though I could make myself heard a
mile off, but my system is almost worn out; yet I expect to work right
in the harness until I am called for to go hence. I am so thankful we
have completed our Temple, it is the greatest blessing that could be
bestowed upon us, I know of nothing that could equal it. But we are
not satisfied with this one, we must hurry the building of another
one, and thus another one and so on, and perform the great work
therein that is repaired at our hands. Let us live so that we may be
worthy to be owned of the Lord, and to be received into the fulness
with him. Amen.[p.223] 

Wilford Woodruff, September 16, 1877

Not Ashamed of the Gospel—Thirty Years 
Progress in the Mountains—the Gospel Unchangable—
Joseph Inspired—President Young's Work—Work of the 
Twelve—Labors in St. George Temple—Gathering 
of the Spirits of the Dead

Discourse By Elder Wilford Woodruff, Delivered in the New 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday Afternoon, September 16, 1877.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.223
It is with much pleasure and satisfaction I again stand before the
Saints of God in this Tabernacle. A year nearly has passed since I
enjoyed this privilege, my labors having been directed elsewhere.
Whatever I may say to you depends entirely upon the dictation of the
Holy Spirit. And I may say that we all need the inspiration of the
Almighty to dictate us, whether we preach or listen, and not only in
our public gatherings but in all of our labors connected with the
building up of the kingdom of God, yes, just as much as the Saints of
God did in every past age and dispensation.

Vol. 19,  p.223
I can truly say as the Apostle Paul said, "For I am not ashamed of the
Gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every
one that believeth." I am not ashamed of what the world is pleased to
call "Mormonism;" I am not ashamed of any revelation that God has
given unto the Latter-day Saints, through the mouth of modern
Prophets; I am not ashamed to acknowledge myself a firm believer in
the literal fulfilment of the Bible, as well as every communication of
God to man, although I am well aware that the Scriptures have been
more or less spiritualized by the whole Christian world, especially
during the last hundred years. I believe that holy men of old wrote
and spoke as they were moved upon by the Holy Ghost, and that they
meant what they said and said what they meant, and that the Apostle
Paul spoke truly when he said, "that no prophecy of the Scripture is
of any private interpretation." The Lord has taught us in a modern
revelation contained in this book, the "Doctrine and Covenants," that
it matters not whether he speaks from heaven by his own voice, or by
the ministration of angels, or by the mouth of his servants when they
are moved upon by the Holy Ghost, it is all the same the mind and will
of God; and although the heavens and the earth pass away, my words
would not fall unfulfilled.

Vol. 19,  p.223
I desire more particularly to address myself, this afternoon, to the
Latter-day Saints; and at the same time if any of the strangers
present can receive any benefit from my remarks, [p.224] I shall be
glad of it.

Vol. 19,  p.224
Our position, to-day, before the heavens and the earth and before each
other, reminds me of days that are past and gone. On the 20th of July,
1847, I brought our late President Young in my carriage through
Emigration Canyon into this valley, which was the first, time he act
foot upon this land. The question has been often asked by strangers
who visit our city, why did Brigham Young pick upon this spot to build
a city? Because it was shown him before he came here. But when we came
to this country, what did we fins here? A barren desert as barren as
the Desert of Sahara; and the only signs of life were a few black
crickets, some cayote wolves, and a few poor wandering Indians. To-day
we may travel from Paris in the north of our Territory to St. George
in the south, a distance of some 500 miles, and see on every hand
towns and villages, gardens, and orchards, fields and crops; we behold
a people industrious and happy, building their own dwelling-houses,
meeting-houses, school-houses, tabernacles and Temples, and
improvements and enterprises are constantly going on. And all this
within so short a time. What does this mean? What does it bespeak to
the strangers who visit our Territory, and in fact to the whole world,
and to heavenly as well as mortal beings? It is evidence that God has
set his hand to fulfil the prediction contained in the Bible, that he
has commenced the work of uniting the record or stick of Joseph with
that of Judah; that the set time has come for him to favor Zion. And
how have these things come to pass and what was the origin of this
peculiar system that presents itself now to the inhabitants of the
earth, which found a resting-place in the wilds of this desolate,
uninhabited land, and which has already produced such marvellous
results? It was performed in a very singular manner, to begin with. As
the Lord ever has done in attempting to establish his rule and
government on the earth, he chose the weak things of the earth, and
them he will use to confound the wisdom of the wise. He manifested
himself to a boy in his teens, and also sent an angel to him on
several occasions, in fulfilment of the revelation to John the
Revelator, and of the inspired words of many other Prophets and
Apostles who have spoken concerning the marvellous work and wonder of
the latter-days. But says the world, "We do not believe that." We
understand that perfectly well; we do not expect you to receive the
Gospel of the Son of God with the same readiness that you believe the
falsehoods and misrepresentations that are constantly made about it.
The world ever has opposed it, and we expect to meet all manner of
opposition until the final triumph of right over wrong, of truth over
error. We might commence with father Adam and trace it down to the
present time, and we would find that the same spirit of opposition and
of persecution followed the people of God in every age, as exists
to-day against us, as a people. And so natural is it for the devil to
oppose every move that the Lord makes towards reclaiming and redeeming
the earth, that men are often found to denounce the "Mormons" and
their religion when they know nothing either of us or our tenets. The
Savior of the world himself was denounced as a deceiver, as an
imposter; why? Because those who raised this cry against him knew him
not, and those who re-echoed it took not the trouble to ascertain
whether it [p.225] was true or false. And it has been precisely in the
same way that the names of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young have been
had for evil by the masses of this enlightened age. The Savior said of
those that rejected him, that he was bated by them because he
testified of their works. which were evil. And so verily it might be
said or those who decry against the men who, in this respect have not
been more favored than their Master. Through them light has dawned
upon the world, and because men choose darkness rather than light,
their deeds being evil, they find their opposite in "Mormonism," and
in all those who faithfully adhere to it and advocate it.

Vol. 19,  p.225
Through this boy, inexperienced and unlearned as he was, the Lord
organized this Church on the 6th day of April, 1830, with only six
members; and it can be said of him as of no other man in Christendom,
that he was the instrument in the hands of God of presenting to the
world a system of religion, a Church organization complete with all
the keys and powers of the Holy Priesthood, and that through him has
been imparted to the religious world more light and knowledge than all
the professors of religion combined, with all their boasted
intelligence and learning. And when he published to the world this new
yet old doctrine, even the everlasting Gospel, it was found to agree
precisely with that taught by the Savior, and the Church organization
was after the same pattern as the one instituted by Him, although the
Gospel had not been preached since it was driven away from the earth
by the iron hand of persecution. One of the peculiar features in the
faith of the Latter-day Saints is that we believe there is but one
Gospel, that there never has been nor never will be any other, and
that that Gospel never changes from one generation to another, and
that it consists of the simple principles taught by the Savior and
contained in the New Testament, which principles never deviate one
from another. The first was faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; the second
was baptism in water by immersion for the remission of sins, and then
the laying on of hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost; and this
was the kind of doctrine taught by Christ and his Apostles, and this
was the doctrine that Joseph Smith preached. In doing so he stood
alone in the world, and he had to meet the traditions of eighteen
hundred years, traditions which had been handed down from generation
to generation, which were entirely opposed to the doctrine which the
Lord had revealed to him, and which he was commanded to preach. You
and I were taught from our youth that there was no such thing as new
revelation, it was all done away; and this same tradition is being
imbibed by the youth of Christendom to the present time. Ask the
ministers, the men to whom people look as their spiritual guides, why
they do not enjoy the gifts and graces and the light of revelation
from heaven, and what is the universal reply? It is in substance, "Oh,
these things are all done away, they are no longer needed; it was
necessary that they should exist in the dark ages of the world but not
in these days of the blaze of Gospel light." Whenever God had a Church
upon the earth these gifts were enjoyed by the people. The sick were
healed of their sickness, the lame were made to walk, the blind to
see, the dumb to speak, etc., through the administrations of those
among them who held the Priesthood, which authorizes men [p.226] to
act in the name of the Lord; and without it no man ever did or ever
can officiate in the ordinances of the House of God. And I cannot
believe that there is an honest-hearted man anywhere who possesses any
portion of the spirit of the Lord, and who has any faith in the
revelations of God, who can believe that men, whether of high or
humble birth, learned or unlearned, would be divinely called to
minister in the things of God, unless they were endowed from on high
with the same power that the ancient Apostles possessed.

Vol. 19,  p.226
Well, the Prophet Joseph Smith lived fourteen years after he had
organized the Church; and during that time the work spread over the
United States, and to some of the foreign nations and islands of the
sea. And when he had done this, he had a mission the other side of the
vail, as well as this. Here again we widely differ from other
religious denominations. As I before intimated, the world of mankind
do not comprehend "Mormonism;" the people are as ignorant of the
Gospel to-day as Nicodemus was when he inquired of the Savior what he
should do to be saved. And I will here say that the answer which Jesus
made him in that early day is strictly applicable to all who are now
seeking the same information. "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except
a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." And no man
from Father Adam to the present time ever understood the principles of
the Gospel, unless he received the testimony of Jesus through
obedience thereto.

Vol. 19,  p.226
We are living in the dispensation which Daniel saw in prophetic
vision, when the kingdom of God was to be established upon the earth,
whose dominion is to have no end, and when the greatness of the
kingdom is to be given to the Saints of the Most High, to possess it
for ever and ever. Who are the Saints of God, I may ask? Every honest
soul who on hearing the Gospel preached, receives it and obeys it, and
uses his energies to consummate its establishment upon the earth.

Vol. 19,  p.226
The Prophet Joseph was moved upon by divine inspiration in the
establishment of this Church. And before his death he called the
Twelve Apostles together, whom he had called to the ministry by
revelation, intimating that he was going to leave them, that he would
shortly be called home to rest. And he talked with them and instructed
them for weeks and months in the ordinances and laws of the Gospel;
and he sealed upon their heads all the Priesthood, keys and powers
that had been conferred upon him by the angels of God. And then, in
addressing them he said, "Brethren, no matter what becomes of me, or
what my fate may be, you have got to round up your shoulders and bear
of this kingdom; the God of heaven requires it at your hands. I have
desired," said he, "to see the Temple completed, but I shall not be
spared to see it, but you will." Although he spoke so plainly to us,
intimating that his end drew near, we could no more get it into our
hearts that he was going to be martyred, any more than the Apostles
could comprehend the meaning of the Savior when he told them he was
going away, and that if he did not leave them, the Comforter could not
come. When the Messiah was crucified his followers felt sorrowful and
disappointed, because they expected him to release them and their
nation from the Romish yoke. And so helpless did they feel themselves
when denied his society, that even Peter, the first among the
Apostles, proposed that they return [p.227] to their nets, that
instead of pursuing the high calling of "fishers of men," that they
again become common fishermen. They comprehended not the words of the
Savior to them. But after his death, he appeared to them, and they
began to understand then what he had previously told them. We did not
understand either what Joseph meant when he told us he was going to be
taken away. But so it was, and when it came, we knew too well his
meaning, for sorrow and gloom rested upon all Israel. The question may
be asked, Why was this necessary? There may be more than one reason;
one, however, is, the dispensation already ushered in is the
dispensation of the fullness of times; and like preceding ones, the
men who have been called upon to open them up, had to seal their
testimony with their blood, Joseph had to do the same. But those who
took his life, and those who assented to it, will have to pay the
bill. He held the keys of the Priesthood, and had a work to perform in
the spirit world, as Jesus had. When he was put to death, and while
his body lay in the tomb, he went to the spirit world to introduce the
Gospel to the spirits there, that they might have the opportunity of
either receiving or rejecting it, and be judged according to men in
the flesh. And it will be the privilege of every son and daughter of
Adam, sometime of their life, either in the body or in the spirit, to
hear the glad tidings of great joy proclaimed to them, for God is just
and is no respecter of persons. Joseph, then, standing at the head of
this dispensation holds the keys of the Priesthood pertaining to this
time, and it was a duty that the God of heaven required of him to open
up the Gospel to those in the spirit world who had not received it.
And there is no greater duty resting upon the Latter-day Saints to-day
than that Of building Temples, and officiating therein for the dead as
well as the living. Said Paul, in support of this doctrine, "Else what
shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at
all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?" There is no doubt or
obscurity in the minds of the Latter-day Saints respecting this
principle, it has been made plain unto our understanding by the light
of revelation. The Adversary, well knowing the nature and importance
of the mission of this Prophet of God, put it into the hearts of
wicked men to kill him, and in taking his life they thought they were
putting an end to "Mormonism." They reasoned from their human
standpoint, for such might have been the case if this work were the
creation of man. But the hand of God was over him and the work that he
established, and it is his work and he directs it, and those who want
to find fault with it, or any part of it, should enter complaint
against God, for he is its Author; we are merely the instruments in
his hands in carrying it on.

Vol. 19,  p.227
After the martyrdom of our beloved Prophet, the Twelve Apostles
stepped forward, in the magnitude of their calling, and assumed the
Presidency of the Church, and, as a Quorum, they led it, with
President Young as President of that Quorum, for several years before
there was an organization of the First Presidency; and when this
organization was effected, with Brigham Young as President of the
Church, he continued to preside for the space of thirty-three years,
until the time of his death, notwithstanding the combined efforts of
the [p.228] Adversary and wicked men to destroy him from off the
earth. His works are before you; they are before the heavens and the
earth, and all men. The entire Territory bears marks of his genius and
enterprise; and the Lord certainly crowned his labors with success, as
he has blessed the labors of his brethren who have not spared their
hands or their hearts in assisting him. And instead of the work of the
latter-day stopping, or its progress being retarded in consequence of
the death of our beloved President, it will move forward with
accelerated speed, until Zion arises in beauty, and power, and
dominion, in fulfilment of the inspired words of Prophets and Seers
who have spoken, and who, while wrapt in heavenly vision, saw our day.

Vol. 19,  p.228
It cannot be a very great while before many of us will follow him. I
have traveled with him for some forty-four years of my life, and
during those years I have never known him to waver or flinch in the
performance of his duties. He has performed an honorable mission to
earth, and while his body sleeps his spirit lives, and he continues
his labors, strengthening the hands of Joseph, and Hyrum, and
Jedediah, and Heber, and George A., and all those who have been true
and faithful to God and to man while upon the earth, who are now
engaged in the same great cause of redemption and salvation. Although
President Young has finished his earthly career and mission to this
earth, the work has only commenced. The Gospel must be thoroughly and
faithfully preached to every nation under heaven, and the Lord holds
us responsible, for verily the trust has been imposed upon us, and it
behooves us to see to it. I have traveled more or less for the last
forty years, without purse or scrip, and I have been sustained by the
hand of the Lord, and so have my brethren. Our Elders who are called
constantly from the plow and the workshops to go forth into the world
and preach the Gospel, traveling from place to place on foot, without
purse or scrip, and although they are not trained in colleges or
seminaries of learning, yet they are sustained and enabled to cope
with the learned and wise, and the honest in heart receive their
testimony, which is accompanied by the Spirit of God, and the Holy
Ghost.

Vol. 19,  p.228
Before I close, I want to say one thing to the Latter-day Saints,
which is resting upon my mind. President Young having now passed away,
his labors with us have ceased for the present. He, with his brethren,
built and completed one Temple, also laid the foundation for one at
Manti and one at Logan, and besides a great deal of work has been done
on the one in this city. He left this unfinished work for us to carry
on to completion; and it is our duty to rise up and build these
Temples. I look upon this portion of our ministry as a mission of as
much importance as preaching to the living; the dead will hear the
voice of the servants of God in the spirit-world, and they cannot come
forth in the morning of the resurrection, unless certain ordinances
are performed, for and in their behalf, in Temples built to the name
of God. It takes just as much to save a dead man as a living man. For
the last eighteen hundred years, the people that have lived and passed
away never heard the voice of an inspired man, never heard a Gospel
sermon, until they entered the spirit-world. Somebody has got to
redeem them, by performing such ordinances for them in the flesh as
they cannot attend [p.229] to themselves in the spirit, and in order
that this work may be done, we must have Temples in which to do it;
and what I wish to say to you, my brethren and sisters, is that the
God of heaven requires us to rise up and build them, that the work of
redemption may be hastened. Our reward will meet us when we go behind
the vail.

Vol. 19,  p.229
"Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea,
saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their
works do follow them."

Vol. 19,  p.229
We have labored in the St. George Temple since January, and we have
done all we could there; and the Lord has stirred up our minds, and
many things have been revealed to us concerning the dead. President
Young has said to us, and it is verily so, if the dead could they
would speak in language loud as ten thousand thunders, calling upon
the servants of God to rise up and build Temples, magnify their
calling and redeem their dead. This doubtless sounds strange to those
present who believe not the faith and doctrine of the Latter-day
Saints; but when we get to the spirit-world we will find out that all
that God has revealed is true. We will find, too, that everything
there is reality, and that God has a body, parts and passions, and the
erroneous ideas that exist now with regard to him will have passed
away. I feel to say little else to the Latter-day Saints wherever and
whenever I have the opportunity of speaking to them, than to call upon
them to build these Temples now under way, to hurry them up to
completion. The dead will be after you, they will seek after you as
they have after us in St. George. They called upon us, knowing that we
held the keys and power to redeem them.

Vol. 19,  p.229
I will here say, before closing, that two weeks before I left St.
George, the spirits of the dead gathered around me, wanting to know
why we did not redeem them. Said they, "You have had the use of the
Endowment House for a number of years, and yet nothing has ever been
done for us. We laid the foundation of the government you now enjoy,
and we never apostatized from it, but we remained true to it and were
faithful to God." These were the signers of the Declaration of
Independence, and they waited on me for two days and two nights. I
thought it very singular, that notwithstanding so much work had been
done, and yet nothing had been done for them. The thought never
entered my heart, from the fact, I suppose, that heretofore our minds
were reaching after our more immediate friends and relatives. I
straightway went into the baptismal font and called upon brother
McCallister to baptize me for the signers of the Declaration of
Independence, and fifty other eminent men, making one hundred in all,
including John Wesley, Columbus, and others; I then baptized him for
every President of the United States, except three; and when their
cause is just, somebody will do the work for them.

Vol. 19,  p.229
I have felt to rejoice exceedingly in this work of redeeming the dead.
I do not wonder at President Young saying he felt moved upon to call
upon the Latter-day Saints to hurry up the building of these Temples.
He felt the importance of the work; but now he has gone, it rests with
us to continue it, and God will bless our labors and we will have joy
therein. This is a preparation necessary for the second advent of the
Savior; and when we shall have built the Temples now
contemplated,[p.230] we will then begin to see the necessity of
building others, for in proportion to the diligence of our labors in
this direction, will we comprehend the extent of the work to be done,
and the present is only a beginning. When the Savior comes, a thousand
years will be devoted to this work of redemption; and Temples will
appear all over this land of Joseph,—North and South America—and also
in Europe and elsewhere; and all the descendants of Shem, Ham, and
Japheth who received not the Gospel in the flesh, must be officiated
for in the Temples of God, before the Savior can present the kingdom
to the Father, saying, "It is finished."

Vol. 19,  p.230
May God continue to bless us, and guide and direct our labors, is my
prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

George Q. Cannon, October 8, 1877

An Important Conference—the Death of 
Joseph and the Death of Brigham—the  Keys of the 
Apostleship—Revelation for the Guidance of the Church 
Comes Through the Head—As to the First Presidency

Discourse By Elder Geo. Q. Cannon, Delivered in the New 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday Morning, October 8, 1877.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs.)

Vol. 19,  p.230
Our Conference is a most important one, one that doubtless will be
long remembered by those who have participated in its deliberation,
and actions. It is not often that we, as a people, have been called
upon to pass through such circumstances as those which have surrounded
us for the past four or five weeks. Twice in our history, during the
past forty-seven and a half years, have we been called to mourn the
loss of him who has led the cause of the Holy Priesthood upon the
earth. At both times the blow has fallen, it may be said, unexpectedly
upon us; it was particularly so at the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph
Smith, for he had passed through so many difficulties, and had so many
narrow escapes, and so many deliverances from perils of the most
menacing character, that the Latter-day Saints had been led to regard
him as almost invulnerable, and that his life would be spared to a
good old age, if not to the winding up scene. His martyrdom, then,
fell as a very unexpected blow upon the people. It [p.231] was a
dreadful shock, for which a great bulk of the Latter-day Saints were
unprepared. It is true that many were warned, especially those who
were abroad among the nations preaching; they had dreams and
manifestations of the Spirit concerning the terrible calamity. But
those at home were scarcely prepared. Evidences came so quickly, one
after another, that there was scarcely an idea among the people that
his arrest, or his delivering himself up as he did, would terminate in
such a catastrophe. The Church itself was so unprepared, by any
previous experience, for the steps that were necessary to carry on the
work that the Lord had established, and of which he had been the
instrument.

Vol. 19,  p.231
I well remember the feelings that were experienced upon that occasion;
how men's minds wondered, and the surmises that were indulged in; the
guesses, the anticipations, some thinking one man would he chosen, and
others that some one else would be. Many of the people were at an
entire loss to know who would take charge of the Church affairs. And
while they were not satisfied with Sidney Rigdon, nor his preaching,
nor his propositions; a great many were un-decided in their minds as
to who would be the leader, or who would have the right to stand at
the head. When the Twelve returned and their voices were beard in the
midst of the people; when President Young stood before the
congregation and spake to the people, doubt and uncertainty and every
kindred feeling vanished, and every one who had a sufficient portion
of the Spirit of the Lord recognized in him the man whom the Lord had
chosen to lead and guide his people, instead of the martyred Prophet.

Vol. 19,  p.231
For the first time in the history of the Church, the Twelve Apostles
stepped forward and took the charge of affairs, by the authority of
the Apostleship, and the authority which they had received from the
Prophet Joseph. And for a little rising of three years they led and
guided the Church, until the Lord inspired his servant Brigham, to
organize a First Presidency of the Church. This experience has been
most valuable to us under our present circumstances. Men have looked
back to the past; they have remembered what was done at the period to
which I refer, and doubt uncertainty and hesitation have not existed
to any extent; in fact, have not existed at all in the minds of those
of long experience in the Church. The Twelve Apostles have the
authority to lead and guide, to manage and direct the affairs of the
Church, being the Quorum standing next to the First Presidency.
Naturally it falls to them to step forward once more and assume the
direction and control, to dictate and counsel and to regulate, so far
as may be necessary, everything connected with the organization of the
people, and the proclamation of the Gospel among the nations of the
earth.

Vol. 19,  p.231
Although the blow has been a heavy one, and has fallen unexpectedly
upon us, it seemed to me, during the past summer, in watching
President Young, in listening to him, in associating with him, that he
had obtained a new lease of life. He had not been able to speak for
years in public assemblies with the ease to himself that he had done
since the last winter. It seemed that he had overcome his weakness, a
weakness of the stomach from which he suffered when he spoke to large
congregations, and his bodily health appeared to be am perfect as it
could be for a man of his age; this being the case, it was a very
unexpected thing for him to pass off so suddenly. But in looking back
at the circumstances that surrounded [p.232] him and that surrounded
the Church, and the labors that were so essential for him to perform,
we can now understand why it was that he was so greatly strengthened,
that he had such vigor not only in speaking, but in performing the
labors of traveling and visiting the various settlements, that, he
enjoyed. I do not believe myself that President Young could have felt
as happy, as I know he does feel, had he left the Church in the
condition it was in when he commenced his labors last spring. I am
convinced that it has added greatly to his satisfaction; it has been a
fitting consummation to the labors of his long life that he should be
spared to organize the Church throughout these valleys in the manner
in which it no v is organized. It was remarked by brother Pratt, in
his discourse, that at no time since the first organization of the
Church have the Latter-day Saints been so well organized; everything
set in order so completely as we now see them. This is his experience
and his testimony; and you know he has been familiar with the Church
from nearly the first of its organization to the present time. And I
believe this would he the testimony of every man of years belonging to
the Church. And I am thankful this day that President Young was spared
to accomplish this work, that the Lord gave him the bodily vigor and
the mental capacity sufficient to enable him to close up the labors of
his earthly career in so fitting a manner.

Vol. 19,  p.232
He has marked out the path for the Twelve to pursue. And I was a
number of times impressed during the summer that the spirit he
possessed in relation to these matters impelled him to hurry them up,
and have everything attended to quickly; almost a feeling of
restlessness was manifested by him (which was so contrary to his usual
calmness of manner), to have the work of organization completed. I
have been reminded a number of times of the same spirit that rested
upon the Prophet Joseph; he seemingly could not rest, he was
constantly stirring up and urging the Twelve to step forward and
assume the responsibility that lay upon them, and to impart to the
people the knowledge that the Lord had given to him, and to bestow
upon the servants of God the keys and the authority of the holy
Priesthood in its fulness. And President Young manifested the same
spirit. He lived to receive Elder Taylor and the brethren of the
Twelve who accompanied him after their return from organizing the last
of the Stakes of Zion, and to confer with them. In a few hours
afterwards he took his exit.

Vol. 19,  p.232
At no time probably in the history of the Church have the Saints been
so calm and so serene, manifesting so little concern in relation to
the way matters should go, and the affairs of the Church be conducted,
as they have on this occasion. It has seemed as though the Lord has
prepared the people for these things. He has poured out upon us the
spirit of union that has not been enjoyed, probably, to so great an
extent at any time in our history. there are great labors assigned to
all of us in every department of the Priesthood. If we take up the
work and carry it forward in the spirit with which it has been
committed to us by him, now that he has gone from our midst, the Lord
will continue to be with us, and to bless us as he did him. For He was
with him all his life; He was with him in counseling the people; He
was with him in prophecying to the people, and in teaching them and
directing them in their temporal as well as their spiritual labors.
And [p.233] the Lord crowned his life with success, and his labors
with blessing; and they who sustained him and obeyed his counsel have
been prospered in every instance; and when they received the counsel
in a proper spirit, and carried it out as it was given to them, they
and the Church prospered under his presidency and administration; and
it has gone forth in power and majesty, and in such a way as to bring
conviction to the hearts of thousands of people that there is a power
connected with this system called "Mormonism," not comprehensible to
any who do not view it, by the Spirit of God. I feel that we, as a
people, should take hold of this work; that we, as Apostles, that we,
as Seventies, and as High Priests, as Elders, as Priests, Teachers and
Deacons, should take hold of this work in earnestness and in zeal, and
carry it forward as our Prophet and file leader did during his
lifetime; that we should take it up where he laid it down, and carry
it on until the end is reached, and the full consummation of all
things is accomplished; seeking to have the spirit that animated him,
and to follow him as he followed Joseph, as he honored Joseph, as he
revered Joseph, as he upheld Joseph, as he maintained Joseph, touching
doctrine and counsel, so that it appears to me if we are animated by
the Spirit of God we will honor him and follow in his footsteps, as he
followed Joseph, and as Joseph followed Christ. When we do this, and
take hold of this work with the earnestsess and zeal which should
characterize our actions, the Spirit and power of God will rest upon
us, and he will hear us off as he has borne them off who preceded us;
he will not desert us, nor leave us in any position where we will be
destitute of help.

Vol. 19,  p.233
I listened with a great deal of pleasure to that portion of brother
Pratt's discourse which I heard, in relation to the Apostleship and
the authority of the Apostleship, and the right of the Priesthood to
rule and to govern. There have been a great many ideas afloat in the
minds of men concerning this work, and I suppose I have been
interrogated I might say thousands of times—at any rate I have been
interrogated upon this point more than any other namely. Who will
succeed President Young in case he dies? The Latter-day Saints who
have had experience in this matter have not had occasion to ask this
question; but many inexperienced Saints had it in their hearts,
wondering what shape affairs would take in case anything were to
happen to the President of the Church.

Vol. 19,  p.233
Every man who is ordained to the fullness of Apostleship, has the
power and the authority to lead and guide the people of God whenever
he is called upon to it, and the responsibility rests upon him. But
there is a difference, as was explained by brother Pratt, that arises
in some instances from seniority in age, in other instances from
seniority in ordination. And while it is the right of all the Twelve
Apostles to receive revelation, and for each one to be a Prophet, to
he a Seer, to be a Revelator, and to hold the keys in the fullness, it
is only the right of one man at a time to exercise that power in
relation to the whole people, and to give revelation and counsel, and
direct the affairs of the Church—of course, always acting in
conjunction with his fellow-servants. And while we say that the Twelve
Apostles have the right to govern, that the Twelve have the authority,
that the Twelve Apostles are the men who preside—when we say this, we
do not mean that every one of [p.234] the Twelve is going to give
revelation to this great people, that every one of the Twelve has the
right to counsel and dictate and regulate the affairs of the Church as
emergencies may arise, independent of the rest. The Church is not
governed like Zion's Co-operative Institution, by a Board of
Directors; this is not God's design. It is governed by men who hold
the keys of the Apostleship, who have the right and authority. Any one
of them, should an emergency arise, can act as President of the
Church, with all the powers, with all the authority, with all the
keys, and with every endowment necessary to obtain revelation from
God, and to lead and guide this people in the path that leads to the
celestial glory; but there is only one man at a time who can hold the
keys, who can dictate, who can guide, who can give revelation to the
Church. The rest must acquiesce in his action, the rest must be
governed by his counsels, the rest must receive his doctrines. It was
so with Joseph. Others held the Apostleship—Oliver received the
Apostleship at the same time that Joseph did, but Joseph held the
keys, although Oliver held precisely the same authority. There was
only one who could exercise it in its fullness and power among the
people. So also at Joseph's death, there was only one man who could
exercise that authority and hold these keys, and that man was
President Brigham Young, the President of the Quorum of the Twelve
whom God had singled out, who by extraordinary providence had been
brought to the front, although many were ahead of him according to
ordination at one time and another.

Vol. 19,  p.234
Now that he has gone, one man only can hold this power and authority
to which I refer, and that man is he whom you sustained yesterday, as
President of the Quorum of the Twelve, as one of the Twelve Apostles
and of the Presidency, John Taylor by name. When revelation comes to
this people, it is he who has the right to give it. When counsel comes
to this people, as a people, it is he who has the right to impart it;
and while the Twelve are associated with him, one in power, one in
authority, they must respect him as their President, they must look to
him as the man through whom the voice of God will come to them, and to
this entire people. By extraordinary providence he has been brought to
the front. Men have wondered at it, why it was so. It is easy of
explanation. There was a time when three living Apostles, three
Apostles who now live, whose names were placed above his in the Quorum
of the Twelve. But, when this matter was reflected upon, President
Young was moved upon to place him ahead of one, and afterwards ahead
of two others, until by the unanimous voice of the Apostels he was
acknowledged the Senior Apostle, holding the oldest ordination without
interruption of any man among the Apostles. Not that he sought it; not
that he endeavored to obtain it; not that he begged for his place, for
it is due to him to say to this congregation today, that no man has
been more modest in urging his claim or setting forth his right than
he. But President Young was led by the Spirit of God, as we do verily
believe, to place him in his right position; and two years ago last
June, in Sanpete, he declared in a public congregation that John
Taylor stood next to him; and that when he was absent it was his right
to preside over the Council. We little thought then, at that time,
that there would be a necessity so soon arise when he [p.235] would be
required to exercise that power, that authority and right. Most of the
people could very readily imagine that President Young would have
outlived President Taylor, but the Lord has ordered otherwise.

Vol. 19,  p.235
In relation to ordination, a great many people have imagined that it
was necessary to ordain a men to succeed another, that it would impart
a particular efficacy or endow him with some additional power.
Ordination is always good and acceptable; blessings and setting apart
are always desirable to those who have to go forth to prepare them for
God's service; but it is not necessary that an Apostle should be
ordained to stand at the head of the people. When the exigency arises,
he has already got the fulness of authority, and the power of it. I
was told of a dream that a person had shortly after the death of the
Prophet. A person dreamed that a certain man had been set apart by the
President, and the keys had been given him; and that President Young
came and said that he had given to this person the keys. Now, that of
itself, to a person understanding the principle, would carry its own
contradiction with it. The man dreamed of was already an Apostle,
holding and exercising the keys of the Apostleship; and therefore it
would not be necessary for President Young to confer again upon him
the keys. If every man of the Twelve but one were slain, the one
remaining would have the right to organize a First Presidency of the
Church, to choose Twelve Apostles, and to organize the Church in its
fulness and power, and to preside over it. And his acts would be
accepted of the Lord, and binding upon the people. This is the
authority of the Apostleship. If every Apostle anciently had been
slain but John the Revelator, as they all were, and there had been
faith and men enough left, he would have had the right to ordain other
Apostles, and set in order the entire Church, and carry forward the
work as the Lord should dictate it. So in our day. As I have stated,
it is not necessary for a man who has received this power and these
keys to he ordained and set apart to act; he can act in any position.
President Young, when he chose brother George A. Smith to be his First
Counselor, in the place of Heber C. Kimball, did not lay his hands
upon his head to confer upon him any additional power or authority for
the position, because brother George A. held the Apostle. ship in its
fulness, and by virtue of that Priesthood he could act in that or in
any other position in the Church. He chose other assistant Counselors;
he did not set them apart, there was no necessity for it, as they
already held the Apostleship. And if he had, he could only have
blessed them; he could not bestow upon them any more than they already
had, because they had all that he himself had, that is when he chose
them from the same Quorum. He did choose several of his assistant
Counselors from the Quorum of the Twelve; he did not put his hands
upon them to set them apart, nor to give them the authority and power
to act as his Counselors; they already held it.

Vol. 19,  p.235
It is well for the Latter-day Saints to understand the principles of
the Holy Priesthood, and the power thereof, that it may be known by
you where the authority rests, who has the right to leech and guido
and counsel in the affairs of the kingdom of God. The Lord has
revealed it in plainness, so that a wayfaring man, though a fool need
not err therein. Was it necessary that Elder Tailor should be set
apart to preside over this people? was it [p.236] necessary that the
Twelve Apostles should be set apart to preside over this people? No it
was not, for they already possessed the power, authority and
ordination. Was it necessary for the Prophet Joseph Smith to sat apart
Brigham or Heber or Willard, or any of the rest of the Twelve
Apostles? No, for the same reason, they had received the fulness of
the Holy Priesthood, the full endowment and the keys, and the
authority, and the fulness of the Apostleship; therefore it was not
necessary. It might have been done; there would have been no wrong in
doing it; there would be no impropriety in blessing a man; there would
be no impropriory in a man like Joseph or Brigham, favored of God with
the power to move the heavens to bring down blessings upon the
children of men; I say, there would be no impropriety in such men
laying their hands upon any man and blessing him; the Lord would bless
him, if he were thus blessed. But I am now speaking of the authority
and power of the Holy Priesthood. The blessing of such men or by such
men, would not bestow upon him any additional authority or any more
keys, presuming that he already had received the fulness of the
Apostleship. Some may feel that the Lord should raise up a man by
special manifestations of power to preside over his Church—they having
an expectation of that kind. Whenever the Lord does it will be because
of there being a necessity for it, and whenever there is a necessity
for it, it will not be made plain through one of the Twelve aside from
the President, it will not be made plain through a Seventy, it will
not be made plain through a High Priest, through an Elder, through a
Patriarch; it will come as all revelations from the Lord come, to be
binding upon this people, through the voice of him whom the Lord
chooses to be his voice, sanctioned by the Twelve Apostles. Hear it, O
Israel! and remember it. Have I the right to say who shall preside
over this people? No. Although an Apostle, holding the keys with my
brethren and being side by side with them, having equal authority with
them. Why? Because I am not chosen by the Lord to be his mouthpiece to
the Latter-day Saints; what I mean by this, to give them revelation.
It is my right to instruct and teach, to labor and to counsel; but it
is not my right to organize a First Presidency for this Church,
neither is it the right of any other man, excepting him whom the Lord
has chosen the President of the Twelve, with that Quorum standing as
the First Presidency. A day or two ago, a man came here and notified
the President of the Twelve that he was to be the successor to
Brigham. The most charitable construction you can put upon such
speeches is that the man is crazy. Whenever the voice of the Lord
comes upon such a subject, it will come with the power and
demonstration of the Holy Ghost and with much assurance, and every
Latter-day Saint on the earth will receive it, because the Spirit of
God will bear testimony to our spirits that it is from Him, so that we
cannot be deceived. It is our privilege to so live that we know the
voice of the true shepherd, and can not be deceived by those who
profess to have revelation and have authority, when they have it not.
And every man and woman in this Church should so live that when they
hear the true voice, they will know it as they would know the voice of
their nearest friend, and not be deceived or led astray. Well but,
says one, Why cannot you organize a First Presidency now, if [p.237]
the Twelve have this authority? Do you want to know the reason,
brethren and sisters, why we do not take such a step? I suspect you
would like to know why a man and his two Counselors are not singled
out, called and set apart by the voice of the people st this
Conference, as the First Presidency of the Church? The reason is
simply this: the Lord has not revealed it to us; he has not commanded
us to do this, and until he does require this at our hands, we shall
not do it. For the present, it seems to be the mind and will of God,
as manifested to us, that the Twelve should preside over the Church.
And until he does reveal unto his servants that it is right and proper
that a First Presidency should be organized again, we shall wait, we
shall do nothing of that kind. When the voice of God comes, when it
shall be the counsel of our Heavenly Father that a First Presidency
shall be again organized, the Quorum of the Twelve will be organized
in its fullness as before. Therefore you can wait, as well as we, for
the voice of the Lord; and when it does come, whenever it will be, you
will see the Church take action in this matter; but until then,
Latter-day Saints, you will be governed by the authority that already
exists· If three men have the right to govern, certainly twelve men,
all possessing the same keys, have that right and that authority. Then
let us wait the good pleasure of the Lord, and cease surmises, and
cease indulging in vain and foolish ideas upon these subjects.

Vol. 19,  p.237
I pray God to bless you, and pour out his Spirit upon us all, in the
name of Jesus. Amen.

John Taylor, October 21, 1877

The Gospel Revealed for the Benefit of the World—Witness 
of the Spirit—Priesthood,—High Priests and Seventies—Energetic 
Missionaries—Duties of Presidents, Bishops, Elders, Priests, 
Teachers and Deacons—Relief Societies—Tithing—
P.E. Fund—Common Schools

Discourse By President John Taylor, Delivered in the 
Ogden Tabernacle, on Sunday Afternoon, October 21, 1877.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.237
I am happy to meet with the brethren and sisters at this Conference.
Since I was last here we have had to suffer the loss of our venerated
and beloved President Brigham Young, which east a gloom over the
[p.238] feelings of the Saints throughout the Territory, and made us
all feel sorry. His demise, with that of others, however, is among the
evidences that are necessarily associated with human affairs, and is
something over which we have no control, for the Lord manages such
things according to the counsel of his own will.

Vol. 19,  p.238
I remember the time very well when Joseph Smith was taken from us, not
however in the manner that President Young was, but by a ruthless mob,
meeting his death at the hands of assassins. But these things are
matters, although of great importance to us, yet relatively they have
not a very great deal to do with the building up of the Church and
kingdom of God upon the earth, end with His work in which we are all
engaged.

Vol. 19,  p.238
When the Lord revealed the everlasting Gospel to Joseph Smith, he
unfolded unto him his purposes and designs in relation to the earth
whereon we live, and gave unto him a knowledge of his law and the
ordinances of the Gospel and the doctrine thereof. It was not for the
object simply of elevating him as a man, but it was done for the
interest of society, in the interest of the world, and in the interest
of the living and the dead, according to the decrees and designs of
Jehovah which he formed before the world rolled into existence, or the
morning stars sang together for joy. The Lord had his designs in
relation to the earth and the inhabitants thereof, and in these last
days he saw proper to reveal and restore, through his servant Joseph
Smith, what we term the new and everlasting Gospel; new to the world
at present, because of their traditions, their follies and weaknesses,
and their creeds, opinions and notions, but everlasting because it
existed with God, and because it existed with him before the world
was, and will continue when change shall have succeeded change upon
this earth, and when the earth shall have been redeemed and all things
made new, and while life and thought and being last, and immortality
endures. Therefore, although the Gospel is new to the world, it is
everlasting. And it was introduced, as I have stated, in the interests
of humanity—our fathers, the ancient Prophets and Apostles, and men of
God who have lived in the various ages of the world, who have
administered in the holy Priesthood while they lived upon the earth,
and who are now administering in the havens, and who had a hand in the
introduction of this work, together with God our heavenly Father, and
Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant; and to-day they feel
interested in the rolling forth of this work, and in the
accomplishment of these purposes which God designed before the
foundation of the world. And it is to God and his Son, and to these
men, that we are indebted for the light and the intelligence that has
been communicated to us, end to them we shall be indebted through all
time for the same kind of knowledge and intelligence to sustain and
direct us.

Vol. 19,  p.238
We talk sometimes about the organization of our Church, and about a
First Presidency, and about Apostles, and Patriarchs, and High
Priests, end Seventies, and Elders, etc.; but who knew anything about
any of these offices, their rights and privileges, etc., until God
revealed it? Nobody. And this is not only so with regard to the
several offices of the Melchizedek or higher Priesthood, but it is
also the case with those of the Aaronic or lesser Priesthood. These
are things that were not originated by man, they came to us through
revelation from God, [p.239] and hence we are indebted to the Lord for
them, and also for all the knowledge we possess in relation to them.
Who taught us anything about the Gathering, and why are we here
to-day? What brought us here, and under what influence did we come,
and by what principle were we united as we find ourselves at the
present time? You who are familiar with the history of the Church know
that there was a Temple built in Kirtland, Ohio, and that while the
Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were set, ted in their proper
places in that Temple, there were several important personages
appeared to them, and gave unto them several keys, powers and
privileges, and that among these heavenly beings was Moses, who
represented what is termed the Gathering dispensation. His mission to
earth was to restore the keys of the Gathering dispensation, wraith
should gather Israel from the four quarters of the earth, and also
restore the ten tribes. You who have not read this for yourselves, you
will find it in the new edition of the Doctrine and Covenants; I refer
you to it and recommend you to read it. Moses conferred these keys of
authority upon the prophet Joseph Smith, and he afterwards conferred
them upon the Twelve Apostles and others, who when they were ordained
received them as part of their ministry and priesthood, to prepare
them for the work that was to be done. And when these elders went
forth in the performance of their duties, calling upon the people
among whom they traveled to repent and be baptized in the name of
Jesus Christ for the remission of their sins, promising believers that
they should receive the Holy Ghost, in obedience to the gospel
requirements, they laid their hands upon their heads confirming them
members of the church and also conferred the Holy Ghost, and they
received it; and among other things they received was the principles
of the Gathering. And it was universally the case, and they hardly
knew why it was, that among their first desires after their
confirmation, was a wish to gather to Zion; and no one that remains
faithful to the cause ever remained satisfied until he did gather with
the saints. I would defy the world and all the Elders of Israel to
have gathered this people together, as we now are, unless these keys
of the Gathering had been restored to earth, and the people had
received the spirit of it through the proper channel. But as is was,
there was no trouble at all, so far as their willingness was
concerned. I have seen many of them dieter baptism almost ready to
sell themselves in order to have the chance of coming to Zion. And you
elders, who are my bearers to-day, have witnessed the same, and many
of you were doubtless numbered among those of whom I speak, who were
so extremely anxious to gather.

Vol. 19,  p.239
We are living in what ancient men of God have been pleased to term the
dispensation of the fulness of times, which embraces all previous
dispensations and all the priesthood that has ever before existed on
the earth. And among other means that clod will make use of to
accomplish his purposes is that of Temples; and the spirit, of
Temple-building comes in the very same way as that of gathering
together, and this accounts for our desire to assist in electing
Temples The Lord, through the prophet Malachi, in referring to this
feature of the great Latter-day work says "Behold, I will send, you
Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of
the Lord. And he shall turn the heart of the [p.240] fathers to the
children, and the heart of the children to the fathers, lest I come
and smite the earth with a curse." Did Elijah hold these particular
keys of the priesthood? He did. And did he confer them upon Joseph
Smith? Yes, he did An account of this too will be found in the
reference I have already given you. Did the Latter-day Saints
generally manifest any particular desire to build Temples before the
prophet Elijah came? No; but ever since this desire and feeling has
existed in the minds of the Latter-day Saints. It might appear very
foolish to other people, but to us it is both consistent and
necessary. The first Temple we built was in Kirtland, Ohio; the next
was in Nauvoo, Illinois, and a foundation of a third was laid in Far
West, Missouri. Since our coming to Utah, we have built one Temple in
St. George and a beautiful building it is; and in that Temple are now
performed ordinances for the living and the dead. And let me ask, it
any present in this large assembly to-day regret in the least having
contributed to it. I do not think for a moment that there is a man or
woman that does. We have already expended a large amount of means on
the Temple now being constructed in Salt Lake City; and still we have
commenced two other such buildings, one in Manti and the other in
Logan, all of which will be magnificent buildings when completed; I
suppose there are not less than five hundred men employed on these
buildings, in this Territory. It looks odd and simple, the world does
not know what it means; but we know, for God has revealed it to us;
and he has not only revealed it, but he has put it here (pointing to
the heart), and we cannot get rid of it.

Vol. 19,  p.240
In the year 1876, President Young was strongly impressed with this
feeling, and he requested the Twelve to call upon the High Priests and
Seventies, and the Elders to subscribe towards carrying forward the
Temple in this city. Was the call responded to? Yes; the various
quorums throughout the length and breadth of the Territory willingly
contributed and a very material advance has been made in the
construction of that building. Why did President Young feel so?
Because the spirit of God rested upon him, prompting him to move in
this direction. Why did the brethren of these several quorums so
readily respond to the call? Because the same spirit rested upon them;
and hence we find that the First Presidency, the Twelve, and the
Saints generally, are all interested in this movement, evincing the
same desire to accomplish this work of Temple building, as the Saints
of foreign lands do to gather to Zion. What object have we in view in
doing this? That we may administer the ordinances which the Lord has
revealed into us, and which, according to his command, must be done in
Temples built to his name. if we were to turn over today these
buildings to the religious world, they would know no more how to use
them legitimately, than a baby would know what to do with algebra;
neither would we had not the Lord taught us by revelation from heaven.
The Gospel brings life and immortality to light; it places us in
communion with the heavens, the Priesthood there and the Priesthood
here working harmoniously together, we being taught of them are
enabled to accomplish what the Lord requires of us.

Vol. 19,  p.240
We, as intelligent beings, made in the image of our Creator, are
placed here upon the earth to accomplish a certain work, that we
[p.241] may operate with the Gods in the eternal worlds, through the
light of revelation that God has given unto us, and that he will
continue to give us, until all things designed by him pertaining to
this earth and its inhabitants shall be accomplished. In other words,
they are helping us to do our work, by communicating to us principles
we require to know, and also by operating in our behalf, while we are
operating for them, and their children, who are our fathers. As the
Scriptures say, "that they without us should not be made perfect," it
is requiring a union of the heavens and the earth, forming a grand
co-operative society, if you please, connected together by
indissoluble ties, by the gift of the Holy Ghost, the light of
revelation and the power of God. Thus we are united to each other and
to them, and are able to act intelligently, doing works that will be
approved in heaven which are connected with the interests of God and
the interests of humanity.

Vol. 19,  p.241
It is not our work, it is not anything we have done, but it is God
that has done the whole of it, he having called upon us to help him a
little in our weak way; and inasmuch as we seek continually to do his
will, he will help us, for in and of ourselves we can do nothing, no
not any of us, for we are all poor, weak, erring human beings,
constantly needing his sustenance, aid and guidance.

Vol. 19,  p.241
The various quorums of the Priesthood, which have been presented to
you this afternoon, give a more perfect representation of your Stake
than has been given before. And I am pleased to say that this extended
organization of the Priesthood exists among all the Stakes—some twenty
in all—throughout the Territory. It may be proper on the present
occasion to refer to some things connected with the organization of
our Church for our information; although I presume a good deal of
similar instruction has already been given you by brother Richards,
who is very conversant in such matters. Yet it is very desirable that
the Saints generally, as well as the Twelve and leading Elders, should
become familiar with these things and have a correct understanding of
them; and it will do no harm to again talk on some of them.

Vol. 19,  p.241
In Kirkland, Ohio, a great many things were revealed through the
Prophet. There was then a First Presidency that presided over the High
Council, in Kirtland; and that High Council and another which was in
Missouri, were the only High Councils in existence. As I have said,
the High Council in Kirtland was presided over by Joseph Smith and his
Counselors; and hence there were some things associated with this that
were quite peculiar in themselves. It is stated that when they were at
a loss to find out anything pertaining to any principles that might
come before them in their councils, that the presidency were to
inquire of the Lord and get revelation on those subjects that were
difficult for them to comprehend. And I would make a remark here in
relation to these things, that all High Councils, and all Presidents
of Slakes and Bishops, and in fact all men holding the PrieSthood, who
are humble and faithful and diligent and honest and true to the
principles of our religion, if they seek unto God with that faith that
he requires of us, he will give them wisdom under all circumstances
and on all occasions, and the Holy Spirit will never fail to indicate
the path they should pursue. This is the order of God in relation to
these matters, that every [p.242] man belding any position in the
Church, through his faithfulness, shall have his Spirit commensurate
to the duties devolving upon them, to enable them to magnify their
calling to the acceptance of God and their brethren. And if such men
do not enjoy this blessing, this divine assistance, it is because they
do not "live godly in Christ," because they do not seek unto him in
humility and lowliness of heart, making it their daily study to
observe the laws of God and the rights of their fellow-men. It is
true, we all of us have certain infirmities and foibles, and as you
heard this morning, God has placed them upon us that man should not
glory in himself, but that he might depend upon and glory in the God
of Israel; but it is our duty to overcome them, and learn to subject
our will to that of our Heavenly Father, and continue on in the way to
perfection.

Vol. 19,  p.242
There is a matter that has of late become a subject of a good deal of
conversation, and it occurs to my mind to refer to it, namely that of
the High Priesthood, or the place and calling of a High Priest. In the
revelation on this subject I find these words: "And again, I give unto
you Don C. Smith, to be a President over the Quorum of High Priests,
which ordination is instituted for the purpose of qualifying those who
shall be appointed standing presidents or servants over the different
Stakes scattered abroad." What are they organized for? It is
instituted for the purpose of qualifying those who shall be appointed
standing presidents over the different Stakes scattered abroad. A sort
of a normal school, if you please, to prepare men to preside, to be
fathers of the people. Have they fulfilled this? Hardly; perhaps many
of them have not thought about it; but if they had reflected more upon
these things, and humbled themselves before God, and met together
often to talk over the principles of the Gospel, manifesting an eager
desire to become acquainted with doctrine, and using due diligence in
seeking for wisdom from the best of books and every available source,
I do not think we should have taken so many men from among the
Seventies and Elders to make of them Presidents and Bishops and
Councilors, as we have been obliged to do. But instead of the High
Priests pursuing this course, many of them have indulged in much
unnecessary talk about which was the biggest, a High Priest or a
Seventy. I can answer that question for you, my brethren: If you will
take a little child among you, and on comparing yourselves with it,
can find the one most like unto it—the one who is the most honest,
truthful and childlike, such a man should be classed among the
greatest in the kingdom of God. It is not talking about these tidings
that qualifies men for positions, but doing them.

Vol. 19,  p.242
We are only just starting in on the great work before us. Zion is
bound to spread and grow; her cords will be lengthened and her stakes
will he strengthened; but we must be energetic and alive to the duties
devolving upon us, allways keeping in mind the object to be
accomplished, and in order to facilitate things and to meet the mind
and will of God, and that his work may be cut short in righteousness,
we must operate together. And not, what? "Lullaby baby on the tree
top, when the wind blows the cradle will rock." We have had enough of
that; let us now begin more earnestly to seek after the wisdom and
power of God and the light of revelation, so that the love of God may
burn [p.243] in the hearts of the people, and awaken them up to an
understanding of the principles of eternal truth. This is what we
want. And if they do this, magnifying their calling, then when other
Stakes are to be organized and other changes made, all we will have to
do will be to go to the High Priests for such persons to fill such
offices that rightly belong to the High Priesthood. And the question
that has agitated the minds of the Seventies and High Priests will no
longer trouble them, for all will then more clearly perceive that
Church or body of Christ is as the body of man, composed not of one
member, but many. For instance, there is the head, there are the eyes,
there is the nose, the mouth, there are the ears, the arms and hands,
the legs and feet, all of which are members of the human body; which
of these would you like to be without? Supposing you had to part with
one of your legs, or one of your arms, you would of course want to
retain the most useful of the two; but if you will tell me which of
the two is the most useful to the human body, then I will tell you
which is the most useful to the body of Christ, the High Priests or
the Seventies. I do not think, however, we need discuss this question;
but rather let us magnify the Priesthood we hold, seeking to acquire a
proper fitness for the positions we occupy.

Vol. 19,  p.243
Now, I will tell you something I have noticed lately. We call upon
Seventies, and sometimes upon High Priests to perform missions abroad
but how is it with them? They generally go, but it is often a hard
squeak. One man has a roof to put on a house, another is perhaps
building a new house, or his business is in such a flourishing
condition as to need his personal superintendence; another has perhaps
"bought five yoke of oxen," and be must needs "go to prove them; and
another has perhaps "married a wife, and therefore" would like to be
excused. And still such men generally have quite an opinion of
themselves, and they are ofttimes anxious to know which is the
biggest, they or somebody else. And when such men do go upon missions,
they are of very little account, they are ready to find excuses not to
go, and just as ready to find excuses to return, and are soon
reconciled to the fact that "there is no place like home," and that
"Jordan is a hard road to travel;" they have all kinds of difficulties
to encounter, meeting with lions in their way, etc. Did you ever
remember the time when the Elders felt a desire to preach the Gospel,
and men were ready with open arms to receive hose who proclaimed it? I
believe the Scripture to be true to-day which says, "I will take you
one of a city and two of a family, and i will bring you to Zion." We
profess to be Apostles of the Lord bearing his Gospel message to the
nations of tide earth; then let us exhibit a little more of the
apostolic power and zeal when we go out among our fellow-men,
realizing that we have got the light and life and power of God with
us; and that we are sent to teach and not to be taught of men, to
control circumstances, in a great measure, by the power of the
Priesthood, instead of allowing ourselves to be controlled so much. We
have not got through with the work, we have only just commenced it.
Here am our fallen brethren, the Lamanites. What an extensive work
opens up among them, which must yet be done, but which will not fairly
commence until we approximate to the consummation of our mission to
the Gentile world. And when we shall have introduced more fully the
Gospel,[p.244] and developed the purposes of the Almighty to this
Branch of Israel, the Jews will be ready to receive the servants of
God and the Gospel, which will then be proclaimed to them. And when we
get through with Israel, there will remain the ten tribes to be
restored, the earth to be redeemed and the kingdom of God to be
established thereon; all of which must be done in order that the
Scriptures may be fulfilled, and the designs of God consummated. Our
work is mapped nut before us, it is all designed and planned by him
who rules above, and it is time that every Elder in Israel fully
understood this fact that the Latter-day Saints have got to take a
part in all this work, and that we are not here to attend to our own
personal affairs merely, but, we are called to look after the
interests of God, to build up his Zion and establish his kingdom on
this his earth.

Vol. 19,  p.244
There is another class of men—the Elders of Israel—that play a most
important part. They are very numerous, and it is time that they
commenced to feel after God, and to think and reason and reflect:
"What can I do to help to build up the kingdom of God temporally and
spiritually. O God, inspire my heart with light and revelation, that I
may magnify my calling, honor my position, teach the principles of
righteousness, and, help to build up thy kingdom on the earth." This
is the way they should feel.

Vol. 19,  p.244
And I might refer to Presidents of Stakes and to our High Councils;
hove ought they to feel? That we are the servants of the living God;
that the eye of the great Jehovah is over us, and that we are
operating in the interests of Zion and for her welfare in all things
pertaining to time and eternity. If they do not do this, God will be
after them, and they will feel his hand upon them. For as I have said,
we are not here to build up ourselves, but to build up Zion and
establish the principles of righteousness upon the earth. That is our
calling, that is what the Priesthood is conferred upon us for, and it,
behooves us to magnify it and honor oar God. Be governed by integrity
and truthfulness, and never allow yourselves to be bartered or sold in
the interests of anybody, but operate for Israel, doing justice before
God and the angels and all good men.

Vol. 19,  p.244
And then we have our Bishops; they have their place in our midst, to
attend to the interests of their several Wards, to look more
particularly after the temporal affairs of the people, and act and
counsel them as fathers for their good; and not in their own
interests, but, for the good and benefit of the whole. And then, in
the capacity of High Priests, to take charge of meetings, and instruct
and counsel those of their wards, always setting a pattern in all that
is upright, good and noble, saying to the people, Follow me, as I
follow Christ. And as common judges in Israel, they should be jealous
of the people's rights, adjudicating all matters that may come before
them in all righteousness.

Vol. 19,  p.244
Then we come to our Priests, and what are they to do? I do not think I
need tell you, for I have heard brother Richards tell you. They should
visit from house to house, and see that there are no hard feelings
existing in those households, or between the inabitants of different
households; and such men ought to be full of the Holy Ghost, standing
as watchmen over the flock committed to their care, trying to put
things right, and to keep them right. The Teachers should be their
assistants, whose duty it is to see [p.245] that there is no iniquity
of any kind, and that righteousness and truth prevail among the
people. And then, the Deacons should be active in their place and
calling, standing side by side with the Bishops, assisting them in all
their temporal duties, operating together as one family. And then
everything will move on harmoniously and pleasantly, for through these
ordinances come the blessings, we are told in the revelation; and
without them the power of godliness is not manifested to men in the
flesh. God placed in the Church, Apostles, Prophets, etc., for the
perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the
edifying of the body of Christ; that we may all grow together to a
perfect man, to the full measure of the stature of Christ. This
Priesthood and our Church organization are introduced for this
purpose, not to make big men of some, and little men of others; for I
tell you, I would rather see a Deacon magnify his calling, than an
Apostle who treats his indifferently. We must seek to magnify our
offices, and not expect our offices to magnify us.

Vol. 19,  p.245
I will here refer to the young people. I find a very good spirit
growing up through the Territory, associated with the Young Men's and
Young Women's Improvement Societies. It is very gratifying, and we
trust that the youth of Zion will continue to search after God and a
knowledge of his ways, for I want to say to you young men, that by and
by the burden of this work will fall on your shoulders, and it is
pleasing to God and all good men, that you should prepare yourselves
for the labor and responsibility to which you are fast approaching.
And I wish to say to you further, that if you will go before the Lord
in all humility, and ask him for wisdom and intelligence, your prayers
will be heard. You are commanded to search after wisdom from the best
of books, and also through faith; and I will promise you that diligent
study of our own works will place you in possession of a fund of
knowledge that you never dreamed of. And then devote your leisure time
to the acquisition of such useful knowledge as can be obtained through
the schools, and from works on the sciences; but do not be led by
their nonsense, and scepticism, and false theories. And in doing this,
seek earnestly for the Spirit of God to aid you, to enlighten your
mind, that you may the better comprehend truth, and be able to discard
error. And when you meet together, let your hearts be set on the
worship of God, and you will grow up in his fear, and your delight
will be in doing good and laboring in the interest of his cause on the
earth.

Vol. 19,  p.245
Now a few words to the sisters. They have their Relief Societies and
Retrenchment Societies, and their Mutual Improvement Societies, all of
which are very laudable and praiseworthy. You heard quoted this
morning that the man was not without the woman, nor the woman without
the man, in the Lord. Or in other words, it takes a woman and a man to
make a man. Did you ever think about that, that without a union of the
sexes we are not perfect? God has so ordained it. And therefore do we
expect to have our wives in the future state? Yes. And do wives expect
to have their husbands? Yes. Are we engaged in building up the kingdom
of God? Yes. What have we to do? Why, our sisters have to learn to
manage their household affairs in a proper manner, and to train their
[p.246] daughters in such a manner as will prepare them to become
mothers in Israel, competent to attend to the various duties and
responsibilities which must sooner or later devolve upon them in the
household, and also cultivate their nobler qualities, calculated to
elevate and exalt woman in the estimation of God and man; and not only
your daughters, but sons also; begin early to teach them meekness,
kindness and gentleness, and withhold not from them such training as
will give them an acquaintance with the common branches of education,
and, if possible, afford them a knowledge of science, and of music,
and everything that will have a tendency to lead their minds to find
enjoyment in the development of the mind, but be sure and have for
your base, or foundation, the early cultivation of the virtues, and a
due regard to their superiors, as well as reverence for God and sacred
things. And what next? Teach others who lack the opportunity that your
children may possess. Sisters, you are eminently constituted for this
work. God has given you both the desire and ability to do it; you can
enter into the sympathies of others, and you can better appreciate
their feelings than we men can, and you are altogether more competent
to minister in such affairs. Hence the Prophet Joseph Smith, in his
day, organized a Female Relief Society; some of you sisters now before
me I remember seeing present on that occasion. Sister Emma Smith was
President of that Society, sister Whitney, now of Salt Lake City, was
one of her Counselors, sister Cleveland was the other Counselor, and
sister Eliza Snow was Secretary. This movement, under the auspices of
the Relief Societies, was allowed to sleep for a while, but it has
again began to awaken, and great good is being accomplished. And what
do we want to teach our good sisters? I do not propose to go into
details, but will merely say they should be things most elevating and
useful. Teach them to cook aright, to dress aright, and to speak
aright; also to govern their feelings and tongues, and unfold unto
them the principles of the Gospel. Let the elderly ladies teach the
younger ones, leading them on in the paths of life, that we inky have
sisters growing up, whose goodness and praiseworthy principles will
make them fit to associate with the angels of God. And if you
persevere in this good work, God will bless you and your efforts. Let
male and female operate together in the one great common cause.
Sisters, let it be your daily study to make your homes comfortable,
more and more pleasant and agreeable, in fact, a little heaven on
earth. And brethren, let us treat our wives properly, and prepare
proper places for them; be kind to them, and feel to bless them all
the day long. Do away with unkind or harsh words, and do not allow
hard feelings to exist in your hearts, or find place in your
habitations. Love one another, and by each trying to enhance the
welfare of the other, that element will characterize the family
circle, and your children will partake of the same feeling, and they
in turn will imitate your good example, and perpetuate the things they
learn at home.

Vol. 19,  p.246
There is another subject I wish to refer to, which was introduced this
morning by brother Joseph F. Smith. He said, in speaking on Tithing,
that if all of the brethren would pay their Tithing, there would be no
need to call for donations. I am precisely of the same opinion.[p.247]
But then all of you have not done this, neither do you do it. "But are
you in tropes that something of that kind will be accomplished?" Yes,
of course we are. Well, how is it now with our Temple affairs, there
has been a change made in relation to these matters? The High Priests
and Seventies were called upon to contribute in this direction, and
they did it, and did well, which is praiseworthy. If I remember
correctly, the whole amount subscribed during the year was some
sixty-three thousand dollars, and this act not only facilitated the
building of the Temple, but also rendered employment to a great many
of our brethren. Now, President Young, before he left us, said that
after the Stakes of Zion were organized, these subscriptions should be
made through the Bishops, instead of through the Presidents of these
several Quorums. Some would be ready to suggest that we do away with
that, and use the Tithing instead. I am, as I have said, in hopes that
we will be able to do that by and by, but I do not think you can
to-day. We wish to take a steady, even course, and advance in
improvements gradually, as our way shall open. I will show you what
effect these sudden changes has. We talk about the Seventies, and the
High Priest and Elders, and what they have done. But it is not
generally known that the result of that sudden change was that Bishop
Hunter had to furnish supplies for 50 or 60 men out of the Tithing
Office. And our experience convinces us that any sudden changes in
relation to these matters, might prove disastrous, causing perhaps the
stoppage of some of our works.

Vol. 19,  p.247
I find there is considerable means owing by the Church, and I will
speak a little about that, believing as I do that in making such
things public, that all may have an understanding of our position.
There were some propositions made to the Twelve, when they were in
Cache Valley, lately, the substance of which was in the form of a
request that the Tithing of that Temple District, comprising three
Stakes, be used on the Temple now building. This, doubtless, seemed
very desirable to them, but some of us thought, and so expressed
ourselves, that if this request were granted, then the people of the
other two Temple districts would, of course, want the same favor
extended to them, which could not well be denied. And if this were
done, how could we meet all the other expenses? Perhaps some of you
wise men can tell me; the brethren of Cache Valley could not. There
are thousands of dollars owing in different directions, which I am
constantly called upon to meet, and if our resources were stopped, we
could not carry out certain public labors required of us, and should
be unable to pay our debts. But, with the hearty and continued
co-operation of my brethren, I am in hopes that we will so work things
before very long, that we shall be able to ease up in some of these
matters, and have things move along a little more agreeable. We do not
wish anybody to feel oppressed or crowded, but, on the other hand, we
want to feel as we sing sometimes—"We are the free-born sons of Zion,"
etc.; and that it is "all free grace and free will." I mention these
things to show you that there are responsibilities that many of the
people little dream of.

Vol. 19,  p.247
Bro. Joseph mentioned one thing this morning to which I think I should
have demurred a little, and I think you will when I tell you. In
speaking about the poor people, that [p.248] they seemed to get along
very well, etc., and that it was necessary sometimes for the Lord to
humble the rich, etc., which things are spoken of in the "Doctrine and
Covenants." But what of some of the others—those who cannot be said to
be either rich or poor? I want to refer to an item. There is owing to
the Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company, upwards of a million of
dollars; the nature of this indebtedness you are acquainted with.
Certain brethren have been assisted here and you have joined in
rendering that assistance. They have since come in possession of means
and property of various kinds, but they have not settled for their
emigration indebtedness. And this debt has increased to this enormous
sum, and it hangs in this position to-day. Is this right? Is it just?
I am inclined to think, with the president of the company, that if we
only have the patience, the thing will be completely hung by and by,
it is only a question of time. But then this state of things I look
upon as an outrage to the community, and a greater outrage to the good
and worthy poor who are ungathered, who are crying for assistance. And
the Church has listened to these cries, and has advanced a large
amount of means, at one time and another, to do what these once-poor
people should have done, but have not done. Now I would ask, shall
these things continue? I hope not; I trust that those who are indebted
to this Fund will have more "bowels of compassion." How anxious you
were, when in foreign lands, to get to Zion; and you felt when
assistance reached you, that one of the first things you would do,
would be to extend the same to others. Let us be reminded of these
obligations, and see that they are paid.

Vol. 19,  p.248
There is another subject I want to speak on, that is our school
operations. You have elected me Superintendent of Common Schools, and
I feel a good deal of interest in the welfare of Common Schools, and
also in all of our institutions of learning, where good education can
be had, for I feel interested in our youth, and I take this
opportunity to speak to the whole county in relation to this matter. I
can perceive quite an interest in educational matters, manifesting
itself in our brethren who preside here; and I am much gratified in
it. I hope that this whole county will go at this matter in all good
faith, and where you lack good school-houses put them up; and when you
have already the schoolhouse, but lack the furniture, get it and try
to make the school-house comfortable for the children; and then good
teachers who are good Latter-day Saints. Shall we have them, or shall
we employ teachers that will turn the infant minds of our children
away from the principles of the Gospel, and perhaps lead them to
darkness and death? Some say, "You ought to be very generous, quite as
liberal and generous as others? I think so. But if some of these
liberal people, who talk so much about liberality, would show a little
more of it, we would appreciate it a little better. I would like to
know if a Methodist would send his children to a Roman Catholic
School, or vice versa? I think not. Do either send their children to
"Mormon" schools, or employ "Mormon" teachers? I think not. Do we
object to it? No, we do not; we accord to all classes their rights,
and we claim rights equal with them. Well, shall we, after going to
the ends of the earth to gather people to Zion, in order that they may
learn more perfectly of His ways and walk in His paths, shall we then
allow our [p.249] children to be at the mercy of those who would lead
them down to death again? God forbid! Let our teachers be men of God,
men of honor and integrity, and let us afford our children such
learning as will place our community in the front ranks in educational
as well as religious matters. But would we interfere with other
religious denominations? No. Prevent them from sending their children
where and to whom they please? No. Or from shipping where they please?
No. I would not put a hair in their way, nor interfere with them in
any possible way; they can take their course, and we want the same
privilege.

Vol. 19,  p.249
With regard to some of these other things which I have referred to, I
would say: We wish to continue on as we have done, and as soon as we
can see our way out, we will make things more agreeable. These are my
feelings; but in the meantime, there will be no radical changes. We
started in with the intention of carrying out the views of President
Young, and we purpose to do it; but should we, by and by see a better
way, one that suits us better, that would be more pleasant all around,
we will then adopt it. In the meantime, we will stick to the rod of
iron, and humble ourselves before God, seeking to do His will in all
things; and by and by, when we shall have done our work on earth, will
obtain an inheritance in the celestial kingdom of our Father. Amen.

Charles C. Rich, February 10, 1878

Blessing the Result of Obedience to Law—Our 
Agency in the Flesh—the Advantages of Union—Order in 
the Kingdom of God—the Eternal Warfare Between Good and Evil

Discourse By Elder Charles C. Rich, Delivered at the Quarterly 
Conference Held in Paris, Bear Lake County, ldaho, Feb. 10, 1878.

(Reported by James H. Hart)

Vol. 19,  p.249
Brethren and sisters, I am pleased to have the opportunity of meeting
with you in Conference. I have enjoyed myself very much while
listening to the reports of the Bishops, and also to those who have
addressed us. We have had some excellent instructions during the
Conference. I am glad to meet so many of the Saints. I will say,
however, that I feel of myself very weak, and I desire the prayers of
the Saints, that I may be able to instruct you. I desire to speak to
[p.250] your edification, but that depends upon the Holy Spirit,
without which no one can instruct and edify the Saints. I trust the
Spirit of the Lord will be with us this afternoon, that I may,
peradventure, be a means of blessing and building you up in the
principles of the Gospel. I will read, for your instruction, from the
Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and will give you some keys by which
you may unlock the treasures of the Gospel. Page 424, new edition:
"Mine house is a house of order, and not of confusion," etc. Page 421:
"All blessings are predicated on law," etc. I have read these passages
because to me they are important, and they are important to you also.
We learn from the revelations we have just read, that it was ordained
before the foundation of the world how the blessings of the Gospel
were to be obtained, and why some people could not attain to certain
blessings. We are told they could not obtain these blessings because
they did not abide by the law. As Latter-day Saints, it is important
that we understand the principles of salvation, that we may be enabled
to comprehend and obtain all the keys, principles, and blessings
pertaining thereto. It was a long time after the Prophet Joseph Smith
had received the keys of the kingdom of God, and after Hyrum and
others had received many blessings, that the Lord gave Joseph a
revelation, to show him and others how they could ask for and receive
certain blessings. We read in the revelations of St. John, that the
Saints are to receive a white stone, "and in the stone a new name,
which no man knoweth save him that receiveth it." Joseph tells us that
this new name is a key-word, which can only be obtained through the
endowments. This is one of the keys and blessings that will be
bestowed upon the Saints in these last days, for which we should be
very thankful.

Vol. 19,  p.250
In the first instructions we received from the Elders, we were told we
must repent of our sins and be baptized, in order to receive the Holy
Spirit, and that we had no claims upon the Lord for his Spirit, until
we bad complied with the requirements made of us. I remember very well
my feelings upon this subject before I obeyed the Gospel. I studied
carefully, anxiously, and prayerfully, that I might know if it were
the Church of Jesus Christ. I did not want to run any risk in the
matter, and remain in uncertainty. I was willing to do anything that
would give me a knowledge of the truth. I was willing to receive it
through the ministration of an angel, through direct revelation, or by
any other way, but I did not want to be deceived. Every time I
reflected carefully upon the subject, I came to this point—the
conditions upon which the promises have been made are, repentance,
baptism, and imposition of hands. The spirit would then whisper, you
have not been baptized, you have not obeyed the Gospel; but when I had
complied with the law, then I had a perfect claim to the blessings and
the promises, and did receive them, and obtained a perfect knowledge
of the truth, and could then bear a testimony of it to all the world.
I mention these things to show you the principles we have to act upon
in order to obtain the blessings of salvation and eternal life. And I
can testify that the Lord has fulfilled his promises, and has poured
out his Spirit upon the people, through baptism and the laying on of
hands. So we see that [p.251] the keys given for our introduction into
the Church of Jesus Christ, are as effectual in this our day as they
were in the days of the former Apostles. Some might say, Why would not
some other ordinance do as well? Simply because these were the
principles ordained for that purpose before the world was. It is not a
new feature in the Gospel, something started a few years ago. From
what I have read, we find they are eternal principles; that they
existed and were ordained for our salvation before the foundation of
the world, and cannot be changed. We must comply with the principles
of the eternal law, in order to obtain eternal blessings. I want to
impress these principles upon your minds, for there is no "think so"
and "guess so" about these things, for the Lord himself has decreed
them, and I hear record that they are true. I hope these principles
will make a lasting impression upon your minds, that you may devote
yourselves more fully to the service of the Lord, and faithfully obey
all the commandments which he has given us, and may give us hereafter.

Vol. 19,  p.251
There is another principle to which I will call your attention; that
is, the pre-existence of spirits. Before we came into this world we
had an existence with the Father in the heavens. We are eternal
beings. How do you know that? one might say. We know it by the
revelations of Jesus Christ, which bring life and immortality to
light. It was revealed to Abraham and many of the ancient Prophets,
and it has been revealed unto us in these the last days. We are told
that before the inhabitants of the earth had an existence in the
flesh, they had an existence in the spirit world; and that it was
necessary to come into this world and be clothed with mortality. And
why was it necessary? Because we could not attain to an exaltation
without coming here. Many people think this is a world of sorrows, and
a very horrid world to live in. So it may seem to some people, but I
think that it is a glorious world, for it is here we are enabled to
obtain our blessings and endowments. We come into this world weak and
frail mortals. We have an agency given us, with an opportunity of
doing good and evil. We are invited to obey the Gospel, which embraces
principles that will endow the willing and obedient with exaltation
and eternal life. But our agency is not taken from us. We have placed
before us light and darkness, the bitter and the sweet, exaltation and
degradation, life and death, and we have reason and intelligence given
us, by which to judge and choose for ourselves. By choosing the good
and obeying the principles of truth, we are entitled to the spirit of
revelation, and by that spirit only can we know God the eternal
Father, and his Son Jesus Christ. Is it not important that we should
know God? Surely it is; for to know God, and his Son Jesus Christ, is
eternal life. So notwithstanding we have our trials and sufferings
here, we have joys and happiness likewise, and we learn to discern and
appreciate the difference between good and evil. An opportunity is
also afforded us in this world to increase in faith and wisdom, and in
all that leads to exaltation and eternal life. And we are told that
all the intelligence we gain in this world will rise up with us in the
resurrection. Now, who is there among the Saints that does not want to
learn something concerning the principles of life and salvation? We
should, above all people, be diligent in seeking to know the
principles of truth, that [p.252] we may obtain eternal life. We can
use the keys and principles that we have received to obtain this
knowledge, and what is there pertaining to the Gospel that we cannot
learn if we are faithful? If we do not know all that is necessary for
our advancement, it is our privilege to go to some person who does
know. And when we understand how to use the keys and principles
ourselves, we can then teach others, for all who have received the
Gospel are expected to practice its principles in their lives, and to
devote their energies and lives to the establishment of truth and
righteousness upon the earth. Are we doing this? Are we doing our duty
as Saints of God? Or are we passing away our time idly and
indifferently? If so, we are doing ourselves an injury, and we thus
deprive ourselves of the blessings promised to the faithful.

Vol. 19,  p.252
There is another great principle often brought before us, that may be
considered a very common principle. It is the principle of Union. We
are told by the Savior that we must be united, or we are not his. Does
this concern us as Latter-day Saints? I think it deco, but some do not
seem in any way concerned about it, notwithstanding the word of the
Lord, that otherwise we "are none of his." How can we be united so as
to be acceptable to God? We have to be united, not merely in doctrinal
matters, but in every other way. So far as doctrine is concerned, we
are pretty well united, but not so in our temporal affairs. But we may
become united in our temporal affairs, if we are willing to learn some
practical lessons that have been taught us, and uniting in their
execution; by entering into them with all our heart and our means, we
may then be united in temporal matters also. There is but one way to
be united, according to the will of God, and that is by being dictated
in our affairs by the Spirit of the Lord. When we were baptized we
received the spirit of the Gospel, and by that spirit we obtained a
knowledge of its truth. And the same spirit we then received, if it
continues with us, will lead us into all truth and reveal to us things
to come. We have need of revelation at every step after we are
baptized, for when we take a step it ought to be a right step, and the
only right step we can take will be one that is in accordance with the
principles of truth, as dictated by those authorized to teach and
instruct the Saints. This is the only principle on which we can be
united, and when this principle fully is carried out, then perfect
union will exist among the Saints.

Vol. 19,  p.252
I remember once being sick, but I scarcely realized that I was sick,
for my mind was bright and active. During the night the Spirit rested
upon me, and the principles of the Millennium were opened up to me. It
seemed to me that, all was happiness and union. Now what will it
require to bring about the Millennium? In the first place every man
will have to learn his duty, and do it. Each one must study his
neighbor's interest as well as his own. No one will do that which
would conflict with his brother's interest, and no man would wilfully
infringe upon his neighbor's rights and privileges. Now if all had
learned their duty and were doing it faithfully, it would bring about
a reign of peace and righteousness, and knowledge would cover the
earth. If these principles were understood and carried out, we should
have no reason to find fault with each other. Are we seeking after
these things? I trust we are, and I feel rejoiced at [p.253] the
progress we are making as a people, although we come far short of that
we should attain unto. We must have our minds fixed on this subject,
and be determined to receive these truths, and live for them. This
should be our first and last thought every day, and we should not be
contented till we realize our desires in righteousness. Some persons
think that a few prayers offered to the Lord will be all-sufficient in
securing their salvation. It is very good to pray, but something is
required besides praying; for example, we must be baptized, for that
ordinance has been instituted for the remission of sins. We need
endowments and ordinations, and they can only he administered by those
holding the Priesthood, for without these gifts we could not obtain a
celestial crown We bestow the Priesthood on many young men, to bring
them up and qualify them for future usefulness. We want our washings
and anointings, and how can we receive them without some one to
administer them to us? And no one could give them without divine
authority. The same words might be used, and the same ordinances
administered in the same way precisely, but they would be of no avail
whatever, without the priestly authority. Our baptisms, confirmations,
ordinations and endowments can only be administered by those who are
ordained and set apart to administer them. The law must be complied
with concerning these things or the ordinances are void and of no
effect. Temples have to be built in which some of these ordinances
must be performed. Who is to dictate concerning their construction and
management? The Lord himself controls these things, and authorizes
whom he will.

Vol. 19,  p.253
Some might ask, Why not baptize for the dead, and give endowment in
this meeting-house? Just simply because the Lord has not so ordered
it. The way and manner in which these ordinances have to he performed
have been determined in the eternal world, and unless you comply with
the requirements and obey the law, you cannot obtain the keys, and
without the keys you cannot pass by the angels and the Gods in the
eternal worlds. for example, you cannot attain to an exaltation
without a wife, or wives; and you ladies cannot be exalted without a
husband. "For man is not without the woman nor the woman without the
man in the Lord." So said the Apostle Paul. What, then, will be the
situation of those who remain single, and do not attain to an
exaltation? We learn from the revelations that they will be angels.
Some people think that angels are the most exalted and glorious beings
in the eternal world; but this is a mistake. If it will satisfy any of
you to receive that glory it will not satisfy me. Now we understand
that in order to obtain an exaltation we must have a wife, and we have
to comply with the celestial law, so as to have her in the eternal
world. In the first place, we must receive her from the man whom God
has authorized and appointed to seal for time and eternity, otherwise
we have no claim on her in the eternal world. Perhaps some do not care
much about the other world. Such persons remind me of a man I knew in
California, who became acquainted with and courted a lady whose
husband was dead. He was told that the lady was sealed to another man
for eternity; he replied he did not care, all he wanted was to marry
her for this life, he did not care about the other world. Such a man
will not attain to an exaltation. Some persons may be satisfied
[p.254] without a complete exaltation. I do not feel so. I feel my
unworthiness and my inability to speak as I would like, and if I did
not know it was my duty, I would shriek from this undertaking; but I
feel it my duty to declare faithfully the counsels of God, to instruct
the Saints in their duties, and tell them how they can obtain
salvation. When I have done this I have done my duty. Every man and
woman can obtain and enjoy the spirit of revelation, so as to guide
them in the path of duty, and if we are all guided by the same spirit,
and all our actions are dictated by its influences, we shall then
enjoy happiness and peace.

Vol. 19,  p.254
We have co-operative institutions established among us, and if they
are conducted properly they will be a blessing to us. How shall we
carry on our co-operative institutions so as to be approved of heaven?
They must be dictated by the spirit of revelation, for unless they are
dictated and controlled by that spirit they are in danger of being
overthrown. If we build up institutions on any other foundation they
will be overthrown sooner or later. If we establish our institutions
according to the principles of revelation, they will he approved by
the Almighty, and they will be preserved when he overthrows the
kingdoms of this world. Who would not like to see the co-operative
institutions growing up among us, built upon a firm foundation? We
should look well to the foundation on which we build, for unless we
act upon correct principles we cannot expect to prosper. The building
that is reared properly will stand the winds and storms and will be
firm and solid. Time will tell whether we build by the spirit of
revelation or otherwise. You may be assured that if we do not our
building will be overthrown.

Vol. 19,  p.254
We are dependent on the Almighty for the breath of life, for the bread
we eat, and for every blessing we enjoy. We need not feel in any way
troubled when we see a man lifted up in his feelings, and act as
though he was some great person. We are all of us, mere worms of the
dust, and at best are poor dependent creatures; but some men appear to
grow larger and larger in their own imagination, and widen we see a
man ascending higher and higher in his own conceit, it is not always
wise to pull him down suddenly, but give him a lift, and when he gets
so high that his head swims, we can then help him gently down. We must
learn to be humble, meek and lowly, or we cannot enjoy the spirit of
the Lord.

Vol. 19,  p.254
There is another thing I wish to mention, and that is the manner in
which we should treat each other. The principle was advanced
anciently, "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you." This
principle is as binding upon us, as it was upon the people in former
days, and we need as much urging to observe it as they did. How would
we do with the Lord if he were here? We have his word for it, that
forasmuch as ye do it unto one of the least of these my disciples ye
do it unto me. If we see a brother mistreated, we do not like it, and
we feel to take his part. If we do not like to see a brother
mistreated, we should be the more careful not to mistreat each other,
for it is displeasing to the Lord. What can we say concerning these
things? We can say "straight is the gate and narrow is the way that
leadeth to the lives, and few there be that find it." Do we all want
to find it? I do. And you do, then let us seek diligently that we may
find the right way—the way God has pointed out. He has made it plain
before us, and has [p.255] told us the manner in which he is willing
to bestow his blessings upon us. And if we do not obtain them it will
not be his fault. What, would be the condition of society if these
principles were fully carried out? We would find a brother and a
friend in every place where God is known. No one would have any
disposition to wrong his neighbor. No one would seek to injure his
brother or sister. Would it not be good to live in such society?
Instead of men striving to take advantage of their fellow men, and
seeking to aggrandize and build rill themselves at the expense of
others, they would seek to build up and enrich others as well as
themselves, and instead of hungering and thirsting after the
perishable things of this life, they would hunger and thirst after
righteousness.

Vol. 19,  p.255
We read in the "Book of Mormon" that Jesus told the Nephites to return
home, for they were not prepared to receive his words. They went home
and they did prepare their hearts for the reception of the truth. Why
do we not receive more truth than we do? We hear a great many
teachings and counsels from the servants of God. And why do we not
receive more? Peradventure we are not prepared to receive it. Why does
not the Almighty bestow on us more light, truth, intelligence and
other blessings he is able to bestow? It is because we are riot
prepared to receive them. We have more offered now than a great many
can receive because their hearts are unprepared, they are filled with
the spirit of the world, they have lost sight of the principles of
salvation, and do not comprehend them. You may have heard these things
preached many times before, but if you have not received them and made
them your rule of action, it would have been better for you if you had
never heard them.

Vol. 19,  p.255
We have been taught that we have a great work to perform in working
out our salvation, in promoting that of our families, and securing the
salvation of our dead friends. We cannot leave any of these things
undone and feel justified before God, and before our dead friends when
we meet them in the other world, and if we do not feel justified we
shall not feel very happy.

Vol. 19,  p.255
An opportunity is now offered by brother Cummings, by which some of us
may obtain our geneologies, and we should improve it as much as
possible. I feel happy in being able to send to the States where many
of my ancestors have lived and died, so as to get the names of many of
my dead friends, that I may do a work for them that, they had no
opportunity of doing for themselves. We have the privilege of being
baptized for our dead, and performing other ordinances for them, and
thus become saviors on Mount Zion. There is a great labor to be
performed by every faithful Saint. There is no time to waste in
foolishness. There is too much time wasted in frivolity and nonsense.
It is important that we make good use of the time allotted us in this
probation, for we understand that we shall be judged according to the
deeds done in the body. We have placed before us good and evil—that
which tends to exalt and dignify, and that which tends to corrupt and
degrade. And we are expected to overcome evil, and not allow the evil
to overcome us. For example, we find too often persons who can be
overcome with whiskey, and by that means they destroy their usefulness
in the Church of Jesus Christ; they have been tried in this matter,
and have made a failure. I [p.256] would say to such, do not receive
nor partake of that which leads to destruction. Hundreds and thousands
have been overcome by this evil, and are now suffering the
consequences of their folly. We should be prepared to resist every
evil, if we do not we shall bring trouble upon ourselves. It will not
be because we do not understand the laws or God, but because we do
not, observe them. I trust my brethren will remember these things, and
that they will make a lasting impression on your minds. I want you to
remember that you are eternal beings, that God is eternal, and that
the principles he has revealed to us are eternal—that you have an
opportunity of receiving them, and that you mast give an account of
all your actions, and will be rewarded according to the principles of
righteousness.

Vol. 19,  p.256
We have learned that there is a warfare between good and evil, and we
are free to choose the one or the other. We have learned what is
required of us, and what our privileges are as Saints of God; and if
we do not receive and obey the principles of truth, and secure the
blessings of salvation for ourselves, and for our dead, we shall know
it widen we get into the eternal world; we shall know that we have
failed to comply with the condition on which they are promised. Don't
you think we shall be sorry when we discover what we have lost? I
think we shall. And how long shall we be sorry? Can we think of any
time in future ages when we will not be sorry if we lose this
opportunity of obtaining salvation? When we have sorrowed for
thousands of years, we shall still be sorry if we neglect this great
salvation; we shall forever sorrow if we do not improve our
opportunities and lay hold of eternal life. I want you to think of
these things, for now is the time to avoid the trouble that might come
upon us, and to secure our future happiness and exaltation, by
carrying out the principles revealed for our salvation.

Vol. 19,  p.256
The Lord has greatly blessed us, and we have great reason to thank him
for our homes in these mountains. We have been led by him in all our
travels, and he has blessed us in all our labors. We have reason to
thank him more abundantly for the fullness of the Gospel, and for the
promise of eternal life. We are told by him that it is his business to
provide for his Saints. Now the better Saints we are, the better the
Lord will provide for us. He has told us through his Prophet, that his
Saints shall be the richest of all people. But here comes the
question, are we his Saints? It should be remembered tidal. we must be
one, or we are none of his; and to become one, we must allow the Lord
to dictate all our actions and lead us in his way. If we have our own
way we shall do as the world does. The Lord wants to build up a people
like the people of Enoch, who had no poor among them. If it was
necessary that such a condition of society should exist then, is it
less so now? The nations of the earth, and the large cities of the
United States, are crowded with the poor and indigent, thousands and
millions among them suffer for want of bread; how thankful we ought to
be tar our condition in these mountains, where we enjoy peace and
plenty, and if not very rich we are not very poor. It is written that
against none is the Lord displeased, but against those who do not
acknowledge his hand in all things. And those who feel themselves
poor, should acknowledge in it the hand of the Almighty and be
comforted, for poverty is a musk excellent thing; 'tis the poor in
this [p.257] world's goods, but the rich in faith, who are the heirs
of the kingdom. Poverty has been one of the greatest blessings that
could be conferred upon us. If we had been rich we might have gone to
the devil long ago. But being poor we had to hold on to the kingdom of
God, or nothing. Many men, when they get wealthy, apostatize, because
they love their money more than the Almighty. When we love the
Almighty more than we love money, or anything else, then perhaps he
will entrust us with riches, but n may the Lord keep us from becoming
rich, if riches would tempt us to forsake the truth, and hinder us
from serving him and keeping his commandments. Poverty is a great
blessing, if in our poverty we learn to serve God. And riches are also
a great blessing if we make a good use of them. When the time comes
that the Saints can be intrusted with riches, the Lord will give them
all they need, for they all belong to the Almighty. I am blessed with
a Rich name, but I have been through poverty myself, and I know how it
feels. I trust I have gained some good by my experience. Have I
anything to complain of. Certainly not. I have no fault to find with
the providences of God, who doeth all things well.

Vol. 19,  p.257
Soon after my return from a mission to England, I was called to Bear
Lake-Valley to superintend the settlement of the Saints in this
country. I felt that it was right that I should come here, act because
I could live better here than any other place, but because this was my
place and field of labor. And there is one good thing we should all
learn, that is, always to be contented where the Lord has placed us.
But I want to be in a better country says one. Well, I think you will
get into a better country bye and by, but I would recommend you not to
be in too great a hurry. I don't want to dictate the people too much,
but I am willing to counsel you tar your good, if you are willing to
take my counsel, all right, you will be blessed in your obedience. I
would like to pour cult blessings upon the Saints. There are many
things that occur to my mind that I cannot say to you, but that which
the spirit dictates that I will communicate. I have nothing in my
heart but the best of feelings towards the Saints.

Vol. 19,  p.257
Some people think I am a poor financier! Perhaps I am. There are some
persons who are such good financiers that they take all the wool and
part of the hide with it. Now I would not like to financier in that
way. And if I do'nt fleece any one, and take an advantage of those
with whom I deal, I shall have nothing to regret, and shall enjoy a
clear conscience; but if I do these things it will have a bad effect
in this world and worse in the next. Perhaps those who financier so
closely to the injury of their neighbors will not feel so well about
it in the next world. If they have deceived and taken advantage of us
in our necessities, they will not feel so well about it, if they
should meet us in the other world. I could teal a story. I think I
will do so. I could mention names. You understand that when a man dies
and leaves this world, he don't take his family with him, but they are
left to the care and protection of others. A certain good man died and
left a large family. A near relative took charge of the family and
removed them to a certain town, built a grist mill, from which the
family was supplied with the necessary bread. He built the first mill
in that town, and it was a blessing to the people as well as to the
family [p.258] of our deceased brother. By and by a few persons
concluded to build another mill, and in order to get the grinding they
resolved to build another mill. The consequence was the first mill
failed to supply food for the widows and fatherless children. These
brethren expect to go into the eternal world. Will the head of this
family be there? He certainly will. And how will these brethren feel
when they meet him? I don't think they will feel very happy.

Vol. 19,  p.258
The effect produced by their financiering was that of taking the bread
from the fatherless children. Will they feel as well as though they
had not done it? I think not. I was always sorry when I thought of
these circumstances and their effects. These things will have to be
met somewhere. The God we profess to serve lives and takes notice of
our actions, and if we do wrong we shall have to meet it sooner or
later. Then let us do to others as we would have others do unto us.
But do not suffer transgressors to deprive you of any blessing, but
rather suffer wrong than do wrong. Deal righteously with each other,
and so establish confidence by your good works. Do not take any right
or privilege from any man or woman. Not from a Gentile? No! take no
right from any man. I would not like to infringe upon any man's
rights. If we do the Lord will hold us accountable in the day of
judgment. He causes the sun to rise upon the evil and the good, and
sendeth rain upon the just and on the unjust. And as the Lord dealeth
will all the children of men, so should we deal with each other. I
have detained you longer than I expected. My prayer is that the Lord
will bless you, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Joseph F. Smith, April 11, 1878

Age of Visitation and Revelation—Revelation 
the Law of Government—the Nature of Death—Jesus 
Our Forerunner and Exemplar—the Three Witnesses—Personal 
Knowledge Above All—Ordinances for the Dead

Funeral Services Preached By Elder Joseph F. Smith, 
Over the Remains of Emma, Daughter of Elder Daniel H. and 
Emeline Wells, on Thursday Morning, April 11, 1878.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.258
While sitting listening to the singing, it occurred to me that, in
making a few remarks on this occasion, I would read part of a
revelation given to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on
the 27th of [p.259] December, 1832, believing that we may derive some
comfort and encouragement, as well as enlightenment by doing so.

Vol. 19,  p.259
He then read section lxxxviii, Doctrine and Covenants, new edition,
from the 3rd to the 32nd verse inclusive.

Vol. 19,  p.259
These are the words of God unto us, words that were not spoken in some
remote period of the world, and handed down to us by the traditions of
our fathers, but they are the words of the Almighty spoken directly to
our brethren chosen by God to be his mouthpiece and revelators to the
people of this time. They are, therefore, words of truth, and of
eternal life, words upon which we may rely with the utmost confidence,
without doubt or misgiving, or fear of yielding to the caprice of vain
philosophy, for they are not the words of man, but of God.

Vol. 19,  p.259
It is well for us to realize, if we possibly can—and we can if we
enjoy a sufficient portion of the Spirit of God—that we are living in
an age in which the Father in heaven has deigned to visit his
children, making himself known by declaring his law and his word, by
his own mouth and by his own presence. If we could always realize
this, it appears to me that we would place greater reliance upon the
words of eternal life which have come unto us; we would thereby be
induced to live so near to the Lord, and be so faithful in the
discharge of our duties, as the covenant people of God, that our
hearts would burn with grateful joy, we would be inclined to that
which is pleasing and acceptable unto the Lord, all the day long, and
we would eschew even the appearance of evil. In all the varied scenes
of life, we would never forget him, disobey his will, nor neglect a
duty; but we would abide in the covenant of the Gospel, in the love of
God and Grout fellow-creatures, doing the works of righteousness, not
omitting to improve an opportunity to do good. It is necessary for us
to understand these things and bear them in mind, in order to abide
the law which has been given unto us, a portion of which I have read
to you; and which is necessary for us to obey, in order to be found
keeping the celestial law, and in order to be quickened by that glory,
that our souls, which are our bodies and spirits, may be redeemed and
restored to life and immortality, to possess crowns of glory and
exaltation, which are to be had only in the celestial kingdom; in
other words, that we may be quickened by the celestial glory and
receive a fullness thereof, according to this revelation.

Vol. 19,  p.259
God has given laws to govern all his works, and especially has be
given laws to govern his people, who are his sons and daughters. We
have come to sojourn in the flesh, to obtain tabernacles for our
immortal spirits; or in other words, we have come for the purpose of
accomplishing a work like that which was accomplished by the Lord
Jesus Christ. The object of our earthly existence is that we may have
a fullness of joy, and that we may become the sons and daughters of
God, in the fullest sense of the word, being heirs of God and joint
heirs with Jesus Christ, to be kings and priests unto God, to inherit
glory, dominion, exaltation, thrones, and every power and attribute
developed and possessed by our heavenly Father. This is the object of
our being on this earth. In order to attain unto this exalted
position, it is necessary that we go through this mortal experience,
or probation, by which we may prove ourselves worthy, through the aid
of our older brother, Jesus. The spirit without the body is not
perfect, it is not capacitated, without [p.260] the body, to possess a
fullness of the glory of God, and, therefore, it can not, without the
body, fulfil its destiny. We are fore-ordained to become conformed to
the likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ; and in crier that we may become
like unto him, we must follow in his footsteps, even until we sanctify
ourselves by the law of truth and righteousness. This is the law of
the celestial kingdom; and when we die, its power will bring us forth
in the morning of the first resurrection, clothed with glory,
immortality, and eternal lives. Unless we do keep the law that God has
given unto us in the flesh, which we have the privilege of receiving
and understanding, we cannot be quickened by its glory, neither can we
receive the fullness thereof and the exaltation of the celestial
kingdom.

Vol. 19,  p.260
"There is a law, irrevocably decreed in hearer before the foundations
of the world, upon which all blessings are predicated; and when we
obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon
which it is predicated."

Vol. 19,  p.260
We must, therefore, learn the laws of heaven, which are the laws of
the Gospel, live and obey them with all our hearts, and in faith abide
in them, perfecting ourselves thereby, in order to receive the fulness
of the glory of that kingdom.

Vol. 19,  p.260
I make these remarks, not to the departed, but to the living—to you as
well as myself, who still tarry in the flesh, to battle with the
weaknesses and infirmities of human nature, who have yet to learn by
experience, that we may be instructed in the things necessary to know,
in order that our course here may secure unto us the greatest reward
in the presence of our Father and God.

Vol. 19,  p.260
We have not met here to brood over our sorrows in this our temporary
loss—is thus being deprived, perhaps only for a little while, of the
society and companionship of a daughter, a sister, a friend; for tears
are partially dried and sorrow is greatly ameliorated in the fact that
our loss is her gain. She has been released from a world of sorrow,
anguish and pain, and rests from her earthly labors. Blessed is her
condition, for she has performed her mission to earth, she has made
her name honorable amidst the honest and true of God's people, she has
fought the good fight, and has now taken her departure, gone to her
old home from whence she came. What has she lost? Simply the society
of her earthly friends, but not to the extent that we miss her; for I
believe the greater can always comprehend the lesser, but the lesser
can only comprehend the greater as it may be revealed by glimpses from
time to time by the Holy Spirit. While we are in mortality we are
clogged, and we see as through a glass darkly, we see only in part,
and it is difficult for us to comprehend the smallest things with
which we are associated. But when we put on immortality, our condition
will be very different, we ascend into an enlarged sphere; although we
shall not become perfect immediately after our departure from the
body, for the spirit without the body is not perfect, and the body
without the spirit is dead, The disembodied spirit during the interval
of the death of the body and its resurrection from the grave is not,
perfect, hence it is not prepared to enter into the exaltation of the
celestial kingdom; but it has the privilege of soaring in the midst of
immortal beings, and of enjoying, to a certain extent, the presence of
God, not the fulness of His glory, not the fulness of the reward which
we am seeking and which we are destined [p.261] to receive if found
faithful to the law of the celestial kingdom, but only in part. The
righteous spirit that departs from this earth is assigned its place in
the Paradise of God; it has its privileges and honors which are in
point of excellency, far above and beyond human comprehension; and in
this sphere of action, enjoying this partial reward for its righteous
conduct on the earth, it continues its labors, and in this respect is
very different from the state of the body from which it is released.
For while the body sleeps and decays, the spirit receives a new birth;
to it the portals of life are opened; it is born again into the
presence of God. The spirit of our beloved sister in taking its
departure from this world is born again into the spirit world,
returning there from the mission it had been performing in this state
of probation, having been absent a tow years from Father, Mother,
kindred, friends, neighbors, and from all that was dear; it has
returned nearer to the home-circle, to old associations and scenes,
much in the same way as a man who comes home from a foreign mission,
to join again his family and friends and enjoy the pleasures and
comforts of home. This is the condition of her whose remains now lie
before us, or of every one who has been faithful to virtue and purity,
while traveling here below; but more especially of those who while
here had the privilege of obeying the Gospel, and who lived true and
faithful to its covenants. They instead of continuing here among the
things of time, surrounded as we are with the weaknesses of a fallen
world, and subject to earthly cares and sorrows, are freed from them
to enter a state of joy, glory and exaltation; not a fulness of
either, but to await the morning of the resurrection of the just, to
come forth from the grave to redeem the body, and be reunited with it,
and thus become a living soul, an immortal being never more to die.
Having accomplished its work, having gone through its earthly
probation, and having fulfilled its mission here below, it is then
prepared for the knowledge and glory and exaltation of the celestial
kingdom. This Jesus did; and he is our fore-runner, he is our
exemplar. The path which he marked out we have got to walk in, if we
ever expect to dwell, and be crowned with him in his kingdom. We must
obey and put our trust. in him, knowing that he is the Savior of the
world.

Vol. 19,  p.261
It is not a difficult thing for me to believe this; I read the Bible
in which I find narrations of macy of his doings, sayings, precepts,
and examples. And I do not believe that any upright, honest man or
woman, possessing common intelligence, can read the Gospels of the New
Testament and the testimonies therein given of the Savior, without
intuitively feeling that he was what he professed to be. For every
upright, honest person is possessed, more or tess, of the Holy Spirit,
and this holy messenger in the hearts of men bears record of the word
of God; and when all such read these inspired writings, with honesty
of heart and meekness of spirit, divested of prejudices and the false
conceptions arising from traditions and erroneous training, the Spirit
of the Lord bears witness in unmistakable language that burns with
conviction, therefore, I believe that Jesus was the Christ, the
Savior, the only begotten of the Father; and this too through reading
the Bible. But do we depend upon the Bible for this conviction and
knowledge? No, thank the Lord we do not. What else have we to impart
this knowledge [p.262] and confirm this testimony? We have the "Book
of Mormon," the "stick of Ephraim," which has come to us by the gift
and power of God, which also testifies of him, and which reveals an
account of his mission to and dealings with the inhabitants of this
continent, after his resurrection from the dead, when he came to this
land to visit his "other sheep," to unite them in the one fold, that
they might also be his sheep and he their great shepherd. Besides the
conviction that the Book itself carries with it, we have the
collateral testimony of him who translated it, who sealed his
testimony with his blood; also that of other witnesses, who testify to
the whole world that they saw the plates and the engravings thereon,
from which the Book was translated, these plates were shown them by an
angel of God, who declared that the Book had been translated correctly
by the gift and power of God; and in obedience to divine command these
witnesses bear record of what they saw and heard.

Vol. 19,  p.262
Here, then, are two witnesses—the "Bible" and the "Book of Mormon,"
both bearing record of the same truth, that Jesus was the Christ, that
he died and lives again, having burst the bands of death and triumphed
over the grave. This latter additional evidence the Latter-day Saints
have of this fact, over and above that possessed by the Christian
world who do not believe in the "Book of Mormon."

Vol. 19,  p.262
But is this all? No. We have here another book, the "Doctrine and
Covenants," which contains revelations from God through the Prophet
Joseph Smith, who lived cotemporary with ourselves. They are Christ's
words, declaring that lie was the same that came to the Jews, that was
lifted up on the cross, was laid in the tomb, burst the bands of death
and came forth out of the grave. That he was the same who came to the
Nephites upon this continent; who, when about to take his departure
from them, declared that he was going to visit the ten tribes whom the
Father had led away, having the same purpose in view that he had in
visiting the Nephites. Here, then is another testimony of this divine
truth; hence we have three witnesses. In the mouth of two or three
witnesses, we are told, all things shall be established; and by the
testimony of two or three witnesses shall we stand, or be condemned.

Vol. 19,  p.262
But would thin satisfy me? It might, if I could obtain no further
light or knowledge. But when greater light comes, and I have the
privilege to make myself possessor of it, I could not remain satisfied
with the lesser. We could never be satisfied nor happy hereafter,
unless we receive a fulness of the light and blessings prepared for
the righteous. This, in part, will constitute the misery, sorrow and
anguish of the condemned—those who reject the truth when it is offered
to them, for their eyes will be opened to behold, in part, the greater
light, exaltation ann joy which they might have attained unto, but
which is irretrievably lost, to them, because of their disobedience
and wrong doings. Then I say we cannot be satisfied with anything
short of a complete salvation in the kingdom of God our joy cannot be
full unless we obtain a fullness of knowledge. Hence I am not
satisfied with the Bible the "Book of Mormon," nor the "Doctrine and
Covenants." All these three are not sufficient for me, for the reason
that greater privileges have been revealed to man, and they are
[p.263] within the reach of all that live upon the earth. Therefore, I
could not rest satisfied with myself until I had fully availed myself
of my privileges.

Vol. 19,  p.263
It is given to us to know these things for ourselves. God has said he
will show these things unto us; and for this purpose the Holy Ghost
has been imparted to all who are entitled to it through submission,
which bears record of the Father and the Son, and also takes of the
things of God and shows them unto man. Convictions that we may
previously have had respecting the truth the Holy Ghost confirms,
giving us a positive assurance of their correctness, and through it we
obtain a personal knowledge, not as one that has been told, but as one
that has seen, felt, heard, and that knows for himself.

Vol. 19,  p.263
Then, in standing before you, my brethren and sisters, as a humble
instrument in the hands of God, I testify, not by virtue of the
knowledge I may have derived from books, but by the revelations of God
to me, that Jesus is the Christ. I know that my Redeemer lives; I know
that although the worms may destroy this body, that I shall in my
flesh see God, and I shall behold him for myself and not for another.
This light has come to me, and is in my heart and mind, and of it I
testify, and through and by it I testify, and I know whereof I speak.
God has called me, in connection with my brethren, to this mission,
and this is our testimony to the whole world. I therefore say, there
is no death here, instead of death it is life to the departed. That
which we call death is merely the slumber and rest of this mortal
clay, and that only for a little season, while the spirit, the life,
has gone to enjoy again the presence and society of those from whence
it came, and to whom it is joy again to return. And this will be the
condition of the righteous until the morning of the resurrection, when
the spirit will have power to call forth the lifeless frame to be
united again, and they both become a living soul, an immortal being,
filled with the light and power of God. I am a witness of these
things. Am I alone? No; there are tens of thousands to-day that can
bear this testimony. They, too, know it for themselves; God has shown
it to them, they have received the Holy Ghost, which has born witness
of these things in their hearts, and they likewise are not dependent
upon books, nor upon the words of another, for they have received a
knowledge from God themselves, and know as he knows, and see as he
sees in relation to these plain and precious things.

Vol. 19,  p.263
What reason have we to mourn? None, except that we are deprived for a
few days of the society of one whom we love. And if we prove faithful
while in the flesh we will soon follow, and be glad that we had the
privilege of passing through mortality, and that we lived in a day in
which the fullness of the Everlasting Gospel was preached, through
which we will be exalted, for them is no exaltation but through
obedience to law. Every blessing, privilege, glory, or exaltation is
obtained only through obedience to the law upon which the same is
promised. If we will abide the law, we shall receive the reward; but
we can receive it on no other ground. Then let us rejoice in the
truth, in the restoration of the Priesthood—that power delegated to
man, by virtue of which the Lord sanctions in the heavens what man
does upon the earth. The Lord has taught us the ordinances of the
Gospel [p.264] by which we may perfect our exaltation in his kingdom.
We are not living as the heathen, without law; that which is necessary
for our exaltation has been revealed. Our duty, therefore, is to obey
the laws, then we shall receive our reward, no matter whether we are
cut down in childhood, in manhood or old age; it is all the same, so
long as we are living up to the light we possess, we shall not be
shorn of any blessing, nor deprived of any privilege; for there is a
time after this mortal life, and there is a way provided by which we
may fulfil the measure of our creation and destiny, and accomplish the
whole great work that we have been sent to do, although it may reach
far into the future before we fully accomplish it. Jesus had not
finished his work when his body was slain, neither did he finish it
after his resurrection from the dead, although he had accomplished the
purpose for which he then came to the earth, he had not fulfilled all
his work. And when will he? Not until he has redeemed and saved every
son and daughter of our father Adam that has or ever will be born upon
this earth to the end of time, except the sons of perdition. That is
his mission. We will not finish our work until we have saved
ourselves, and then not until we shall have saved all depending upon
us; for we are to become saviors upon Mount Zion, as well as Christ.
We are called to this mission. The dead are not perfect without us,
neither are we without them. We have a mission to perform for and in
their behalf; we have a certain work to do in order to liberate those
who, because of their ignorance and the unfavorable circumstances in
which they were placed while here, are unprepared for eternal life; we
have to open the door for them, by performing ordinances which they
cannot perform for themselves, and which are essential to their
release from the "prison-house," to come forth and live according to
God in the spirit, and be judged according to man in the flesh.

Vol. 19,  p.264
The Prophet Joseph Smith has said that this is one of the most
important duties that devolves upon the Latter-day Saints. And why?
Because this is the dispensation of the fullness of times, which will
usher in the millennial reign, and in which all things spoken by the
mouth of holy Prophets, since the world began, must be fulfilled, and
all things united, both which are in heaven and in the earth. We have
got that work to do, or at least all we can of it, leaving the balance
to our children, in whose hearts we should instil the importance of
this work, rearing them in the love of the truth and in the knowledge
of these principles, so that when we pass away, having done all we can
do, they will then take up the labor and continue it until it is
consummated.

Vol. 19,  p.264
May the Lord bless this bereaved family and comfort them in their
deprivation. Those who die in the Lord shall not taste of death. When
Adam partook of the forbidden fruit he was cast out from the presence
of God into outer darkness; that is, he was shut out from the presence
of his glory and the privilege of his society, which was spiritual
death. This was the first death; this indeed was death; for he was
shut out from the presence of God, and ever since Adam's posterity
have been suffering the penalty of this spiritual death, which is
banishment from his presence and the society of holy beings. This
first death will also be the second death. Now we look upon the mortal
remains of our departed sister; her immortal part has gone. Where?
Into outer darkness?—banished from the presence [p.265] of God? No,
but born again into his presence, restored, or born from death to
life, to immortality and to joy in his presence. This is not death,
then; and this is true in relation to all Saints who die in the Lord
and the covenant of the Gospel. They return from the midst of death to
life, where death has no power. There is no death except to those who
die in sin, without the sure and steadfast hope of the resurrection of
the just. There is no death where we continue in the knowledge of the
truth and in hope of a glorious resurrection. Life and immortality are
brought to light through the Gospel, hence there is no death here;
here is peaceful slumber, a quiet rest toe a little season, and then
she will come forth again to enjoy this tabernacle. If there is
anything lacking in regard to ordinances pertaining to the House of
the Lord, which may have been omitted or not reached, those
requirements can be attended to for her. Here are her father and
mother, her brothers and sisters; they know the course to pursue, they
know the ordinances necessary to be performed in order to secure every
benefit and blessing that it was possible for her to have received in
the flesh. These ordinances have been revealed unto us for this very
purpose, that we might be born into the light from the midst of this
darkness—from death into life.

Vol. 19,  p.265
We live then, we do not die, we do not anticipate death; but we
anticipate life, immortality, glory, exaltation, and to be quickened
by the glory of the celestial kingdom, and receive of the same, even a
fullness. This is our destiny: this is the exalted position to which
we may attain, and there is no power that can deprive or rob us of it,
if we prove faithful and true to the covenant of the Gospel.

Vol. 19,  p.265
That the Lord may bless, comfort and solace the family of his servant,
who are called to lament this momentary loss, that in the midst of
their affliction, while their sorrow finds no relief in tears, they
may bow obedient to Heaven's will, and in gratitude and thanksgiving,
praise Him "from whom all blessings flow." And that the Lord may help
us to be faithful, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen.[p.266] 

Erastus Snow, March 4, 1878

There is a God—Communion With Him An 
Inherent Craving of the Human Heart—Man in 
His Image—Male and Female Created He Them—
Spirit and Flesh—Mortal and Immortal

Discourse By Elder Erastus Snow, Delivered in the 
Meeting House, Beaver City, Beaver County, 
Utah, on Sunday Morning, March 3, 1878.

(Reported by Josiah Rogerson)

Vol. 19,  p.266
"And God said, let us make man in our own image, after our likeness,
and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl
of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over
every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Vol. 19,  p.266
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he
him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God
said unto them, be ye fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth,
and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over
the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the
earth."—Gen. iii, 26—28.

Vol. 19,  p.266
In Gen. v, 1, 2, we read, "This is the book of the generations of
Adam: In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he
him, male and female created he them, and blessed them and called
their name Adam in the day when they were created."

Vol. 19,  p.266
All mankind feel instinctively that there is a God. I admit that many
people try to reason themselves out of the idea and into a state of
infidelity, or into atheism, but it is very hard for them to do it, or
to satisfy themselves that they are correct when they think they have
done it. And the universal feeling that may be set down to be common
to all nations and people bearing the human form, is that there is a
God; and there is a yearning after him, and a desire to worship him,
however difficult it may be to satisfy themselves of the manner in
which they may worship him acceptably.

Vol. 19,  p.266
On one occasion our Lord and Savior said to the people among whom he
ministered,'" Ye worship ye know not what, but we (speaking of himself
and his disciples and followers) know whom we worship, and we speak
the things we have heard of him, and we know what we speak, and yet
you receive not our testimony.

Vol. 19,  p.266
The Jews were in possession of many laws and regulations given to
their fathers, and they were taught the true and the living God, but
darkness covered their minds, and many of them walked in darkness at
noonday, and enjoyed not the true light, as it was in Christ,
pertaining to themselves and to their heavenly Father.[p.267] 

Vol. 19,  p.267
Heathen nations, as they are termed by Christians, have less definite
ideas of their Creator, though all of them entertain the common notion
of the Deity, and seek to worship him, though it may be in a crude
way, and very undefined. Sometimes they are accused of worshipping the
work of their own hands—images made of wood, of stone, iron and brass,
and various other materials, and other nations, tribes and tongues are
accused of worshipping animals of various kinds. They have their
sacred elephants, crocodiles, or other beasts of the earth, whom they
learn either to love or fear and worship, either as "friend" or "foe."
Yet when we become acquainted with these nations and find out their
inward faith, we find that none of them look upon these as anything
but representations of Deity. They do not see Deity before them, they
do not walk, and talk, and converse, and eat, drink, and sleep with
the being whom they have in their minds as God, but they set up before
them something they can see, to represent him, and as soon as they
begin and rear up before them some representation of Deity—one
representative they consider to be about equal to another, and if it
is the work of men's hands, it is something that corresponds to their
ideas of a Deity, and whether it be in his exact likeness or not they
know not—not having formed a personal acquaintance with him, nor
having any likeness of him, from which they can pattern after—one
image answers as well as another, or one representation as well as
another. But all these are but representations of Deity. And no nation
has been found upon the earth, tribe or tongue, but what have some
mode of worship, or some faith in the Deity, and feel the need of
honoring a superior Being.

Vol. 19,  p.267
This craving of the human heart is universal; and education does not
remove it. It is not confined to barbarous tribes and less cultivated
people. All nations may have their sceptics, and in many enlightened
nations of modern times, there is an evident tendency to infidelity;
yet those who seriously entertain doubts of the existence of a Supreme
Being, are generally those who have a smattering of learning and have
become mad in this particular. The thorough scientist is forced to
recognize the existence of the Great Supreme. They cannot get around
it, or arrive at any other conclusion, than that the great wheel of
nature is moved by an over-ruling hand, and the regularity and
uniformity that is found in all her laws, are traceable to that
Supreme Being, and unaccountable upon any other principle. It is
almost impossible for them to arrive at any other conclusion, and
where, in the history of the world, is it chronicled of any great
astronomer that he was an infidel? any one that has the mind, and
whose researches have enabled him to stretch out and begin to
comprehend and fathom the greatness of the works of creation, that has
not in the most humble and reverential manner acknowledged God? Those
who deny him as I said before, are those that have a partial
education; and a little learning is intoxicating to the brain.

Vol. 19,  p.267
As the great English poet says:

Vol. 19,  p.267
A little learning is a dangerous thing! 
Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring; 
Those shallow drafts intoxicate the brain, 
And drinking largely sobers us again.

Vol. 19,  p.267
It is those that gain a little knowledge, and begin their researches
in various branches of science, but do not fathom them, who are
bewildered in their imaginations, and they tend to infidelity.[p.268] 

Vol. 19,  p.268
There is a theory in the human mind—I will say with a certain school
of modern philosophers—to satisfy themselves and justify their
infidelity; the bent end tendency of their inclinations is that way.
But it is probable that the crude, undefined devices and erroneous
notions and ideas of modern Christianity touching the Deity leads to
this infidelity, as much as anything else. The advocates of
Christianity are in a great measure to blame. When we begin to scan
the teachings and enquire into the views of the leading divines of
modern times, and examine their articles of faith and their
discipline, the teachings of different Christian denominations on the
subject of the Deity, we do not wonder that the reflecting, careful
thinker, should repudiate their crude notions.

Vol. 19,  p.268
The old Catholic Church, who call themselves the Holy Mother Church,
the English Church and the Lutheran Church, the two most extensive
branches of dissenters from the Catholic Church, and the most of the
lesser Protestant denominations, all declare to their followers that
God is a spirit, without body, parts and passions. Some leave off the
word passions, but they all say he is without body, or parts; and when
they attempt to locate him, they locate him nowhere. His centre is
everywhere his circumference is nowhere. His form may he best
described in the quaint language of Parley P. Pratt, "A footless
stocking without a leg," sitting upon the top of a topless throne, far
beyond the bounds of time and space; that heavenly unknown place that
some crazy poet sung about. And we are asked to believe in, render
obedience to and worship this being. The careful thinker says, "I
cannot; it is impossible for me to believe in a being that has neither
body, parts nor passions, and that is located nowhere; I cannot
conceive of him." The elaborate thinker says, "I cannot conceive of
any such being, nor can anybody else conceive of him. It is not within
the sphere and range of our comprehension." It is simply nothing at
all; and in the exercise of his reasoning faculties, he chooses to
disbelieve in their dogmas, and is set down by them as an infidel. Yet
the true philosopher is not an infidel. He is only infidel to those
vague ideas and theories that are in themselves monstrosities. Yet in
the absence of true religious teaching, and being taught by the
Christian world that the Scriptures do not mean what they say, and
must be taken in some mysterious sense, they come to the conclusion
that they do not know anything about the true character of the Deity,
and it is not their province to teach him, only as they learn to know
him in scanning his works. But in scanning his works we learn that he
is a Being of order and law, and that all things are governed by law.
Whether the minutest atoms that are examined under powerful glasses in
the molecular world, that are scrutinized by the aid of the
microscope, or whether we study the works of God in the vast
unnumbered worlds that are rolling in the midst of the power of God,
we find the same order. "All things are governed by law."

Vol. 19,  p.268
If we study physiology or anatomy, we are led to exclaim with the
Psalmist of old, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made,' and see a
beautiful harmony in all the parts, and a most exquisite design. This
is proven by an examination of the various parts of the human form.
And every organ adapted to its special use, and for its special
purpose, [p.269] and combining a whole, a grand union—a little kingdom
composed of many kingdoms, united and constituting the grand whole,
the being we call man, but which in the language of these Scriptures
was called Adam—male and female created he them, and called their name
Adam, which in the original, in which these Scriptures were written by
Moses, signifies "the first man." There was no effort at
distinguishing between the one half and the other, and calling one man
and the other woman. This was an after distinction, but the
explanation of it is—one man, one being, and he called their name
Adam. But he created them male and female, for they were one, and he
says not unto the woman multiply, and to the man multiply, but he says
unto them, multiply and reproduce your species, and replenish the
earth. He speaks unto them as belonging together, as constituting one
being, and as organized in his image and after his likeness. And the
Apostle Paul, treating upon this subject in the same way, says that
man was created in the likeness of God, and after the express image of
his person. John, the Apostle, in writing the history of Jesus, speaks
in the same way; that Jesus was in the likeness of his Father, and
express image of his person. And if the revelations that God has made
of himself to rash, agree and harmonize upon this theory, and if
mankind would be more believing, and accept the simple, plain, clear
definition of Deity, and description of himself which he has given us,
instead of hunting for some great mystery, and seeking to find out God
where he is not and as he is not, we all might understand him. There
is no great mystery about it; no more mystery about it than there is
about ourselves, and our own relationship to our father and mother,
and the relationship of our own children to us. That which we see
before our eyes, and which we are experiencing from time to time, day
to day, and year to year, is an exemplification of Deity.

Vol. 19,  p.269
"What," says one, "do you mean we should understand that Deity
consists of man and woman?" Most, certainly I do. If I believe
anything that God has ever said about himself, and anything pertaining
to the creation and organization of man upon the earth, I must believe
that Deity consists of man and woman. Now this is simplifying it down
to our understanding, and the great Christian world will be ready to
open their mouths and cry, "Blasphemy! Sacriledge!" Open wide their
eyes and wide their mouths in the utmost astonishment. What! God a man
and woman? The Shakers say he was, and Ann Lee says, "Christ came in
the form of a man in the first place, and now comes in the form of a
woman," and she was that form.

Vol. 19,  p.269
Then these Christians—they say he has no form, neither body, parts nor
passions. One party says he is a man, and the other says he is a
woman. I say he is both. How do you know? I only repeat what he says
of himself; that he created man in the image of God, male and female
created he them, and he called their name Adam, which signifies in
Hebrew, the first man. So that the beings we call Adam and Eye were
the first man placed hers on this earth, and their name was Adam, and
they were the express image of God. Now, if anybody is disposed to say
that the woman is in the likeness of God and that the man was not, and
if vice versa, I say you are both wrong, or else God has not told us
the truth.[p.270] 

Vol. 19,  p.270
I sometimes illustrate this matter by taking up a pair of shears, if I
have one, but then you all know they are composed of two halves, but
they are necessarily parts, one of another, and to perform their work
for each other, as designed, they belong together, and neither one of
them is fitted for the accomplishment of their works alone. And for
this reason says St. Paul, "the man is not without the woman, nor the
woman without the man in the Lord." In other words, there can he no
God except he is composed of the man and woman united, and there is
not in all the eternities that exist, nor ever will be, a God in any
other way. I have another description: There never was a God, and
there never will be in all eternities, except they are made of these
two component parts; a man and a woman; the male and the female. Some
of those who are disposed to cavil will say, how will you explain the
idea of a plurality in the female department? Here opens a subject
involving philosophy and the philosophical propagation of our species,
and it involves the great principles of virtue, and the laws that
govern, or should govern through all eternity the commerce of the
sexes; and the more they are scanned in the light of true philosophy
and revelation, the more it will be proven that the superior wisdom of
Jehovah has ordained that in the higher type of the Godhead, they are
not limited in their union of the sexes; I refer to the female
principle. On the other hand all the laws governing the commerce of
the sexes, and the results flowing from them in the procreation of our
species, show that the violation of the laws that God has ordained to
govern and control the commerce of the sexes, produces disease, death
and deterioration of the human family; deteriorates the vital power
and physical strength and longevity, and tends to weaken, lessen and
destroy the human race, instead of building up, and sustaining and
strengthening; while on the other hand, the strictly confining of a
woman to one husband, tends to all that is lovely, to family
organization and government, and the classification of human beings in
groups, in families and kingdoms, tends to increase the vital powers,
endurance and long life; and in every sense accomplishes the great
object of creation.

Vol. 19,  p.270
There is a theory put forth by Mr. Darwin, and others, that is the
school of modern philosophers, which is termed in late years, the
theory of Evolution, that man in our present state upon the earth, is
but the sequence and outgrowth of steady advancement from the lowest
order of creation, till the present type of man, and that we have
advanced step by step from the lowest order of creation till at last
man has been formed upon the earth in our present sphere of action; in
short, that our great-grandfathers were apes and monkeys. And how much
satisfaction these philosophers have in the contemplation of their
grandfather monkeys, we are left to conjecture; but such are the
theories put forth by some of our modern philosophers. But we find
nothing on the earth, or in the earth, nor under the earth, that
indicates that any of these monkeys or apes, or any other orders of
creation below man have ever accomplished any great exploits. So far
as the history of this earth is known, whether written or unwritten,
or whether written in volumes of books, whether engraven upon metallic
plates, or whether found impressed in rocks, neither geologists, nor
any other scientists have ever been able [p.271] to show us any great
exploits of any of these inferior grades of being to indicate that
there was any such vitality in them, as to develop in their future
progress, the present order of beings we call man. But if there is any
truth in the history given us by Moses this being we call man, is only
God in embryo. And Moses tells us that the Creator conversed with this
man whom he called Adam, consisting of male and female. He conversed
with them, showed himself to them, spoke with them at different times,
gave them instructions, gave them his law, visited them repeatedly in
their new home, in the place we call the Garden of Eden, the garden
that the Lord planted for man—eastward in Eden. And after he was
driven out from the face of his Creator, from the Garden, and the vail
was drawn between him and his Creator, yet from time to time God was
wont to draw aside that vail and show himself, and we not only find
that Adam and Eve had frequent intercourse with their Creator and
talked with him personally as we talk with our children and they with
us; but we find many of Adam's descendants obtained like privileges of
seeing their Creator, and speaking with him, receiving instructions
from him. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, it was said walked with God,
and enjoyed this privilege for three hundred years. From time to time
the vail was drawn aside, and whenever he desired, and it was
expedient to receive instructions and counsels from his Father and
Creator he enjoyed this privilege, and the Father came and showed
himself to him and spoke with him. The same may be said of Noah and of
Abraham, who conversed with him, and the Scriptures tell us,
furthermore, that Abraham killed the fatted calf, and prepared savory
meat for a meal, and set before him and he ate with him.

Vol. 19,  p.271
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, the
Scriptures tell us; and she bare record of it, and there were many
witnesses of this fact, and the record teaches us that he was begotten
by the power of God, and not of man, and that she had no intercourse
with mortal man in the flesh until after she gave birth to the Savior,
who is called the Son of God. I will also say that Adam was called the
Son of God.

Vol. 19,  p.271
Matthew, in giving the genealogy of Jesus Christ, traces it hack from
his mother, through the lineage of the fathers, back to David, from
David to Abraham, from Abraham to Noah, and Noah to Adam; when he gets
back to Adam he says "Which was the Son of God." But Jesus was
begotten by the power of and not by mortal in the flesh. And the New
Testament tells us that God sent his angel to visit this beautiful
Virgin Mary, and to make known unto her that she was chosen of the
Lord to be the Mother of Jesus who should be the Savior of this
people. And the messenger or the angel sent to her was designed to
prepare her mind, her heart and her faith for this great work unto
which the Lord had chosen her. And he said unto her, "The Holy Ghost
shall come thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee,
and therefore that Holy Thing that shall be born of thee shall be
called the Son of God." This Jesus, therefore, partook of this divine
nature; he partook also of the human, the mortal, through the mother.
And because he had partaken of the human—the mortal through the
another, he became subject unto death, the same as all other mortal
beings; for death passed upon our first parents, Adam and Eve, through
their partaking of [p.272] the fruits of the earth, their systems
become infected by it, and the blood formed in their veins, and
composed of the elements of the earth, which they partook, and these
contain the seeds of dissolution and decay. And this blood,
circulating in their veins, which was made up of the fruits of the
earth—those things of which they partook—that formed their flesh, and
made the deposits that constituted their muscle, and their bones,
arteries and nerves, and every part of the body, became mortal and
this circulating fluid in their systems produced friction which
ultimately wore out the machinery of their organism, and brought it to
decay, that it became no longer tenable for their spirits to inhabit,
and death ensued; and this was the decree of the Father, "In the day
you partake of this fruit, you shall die." But this death was the
death of the mortal, and not the immortal. The dissolution of the
mortal tabernacle, which was the outer covering of their spirit. As I
said, man was created, male and female, and two principles are blended
in one; and the man is not without the woman nor the woman without the
man in the Lord; and there is no Lord, there is no God in which the
two principles are not blended, nor can be; and we may never hope to
attain unto the eternal power and the Godhead upon any other
principle. Not only go, but this Godhead composing two parts, male and
female, is also composed of two elements, spiritual and temporal. Or
in other words, two organisms; the one capable of dwelling within the
other. The spirit dwelling within the outer tabernacle, answering to
the spirit what our clothing answers to this body, as a covering and
shield and protection. The spirit is also an element. It is not an
immaterial nothing as some imagine. We read about material and
immaterial things, and such terms are used by men for the want of more
suitable language to correctly represent ideas; but in truth there is
no such thing as immaterial substance. Though we are told that God is
an immaterial substance, and you read the philosophic descriptions of
the Deity by some of these learned divines, and it is all simmered
down to an immateriality or nothing at all. But there is no such thing
as immaterial substance in the strict sense of the word; and
immateriality when rigidly defined is another definition for nothing
at all. But we use these terms only comparatively to compare one thing
with another, and we say that one thing is material because we can
touch it with these hands, and we can handle it with these mortal
bodies, we can see it with these mortal eyes, and it is visible to the
sight, touch and so on, and hence we call it material; and what is not
visible to these natural eyes, and what these coarse hands cannot
feel, we call that immaterial or intangible; but these are only
comparative terms.

Vol. 19,  p.272
If the vail were drawn aside, and we could see the spirits of those
that once have lived here in the flesh, and that have passed behind
the vail, or have been separated from their tabernacles, and now exist
in the spirit world, if the vail was drawn aside and we could see
them, if this second sight, this spiritual sight was enjoyed by us,
that we could look through the eyes of our spirits instead of through
the eyes of our earthly tabernacles, and could see these spirits and
converse with them, we should find we could talk with them, and we
would not talk through the organs of speech either. We could talk
through other organs.[p.273] This tabernacle may be upon the couch,
the eyes closed, and all the sensibilities of the tabernacle suspended
for the time being, and yet the organism of life may be kept up by the
circulation of the blood, and the motion of the heart, the machinery
of our organism may be kept in motion, and for the time being, kept
from decay and dissolution, while the spirit is conversing with
spirits. This some call a trance. In the scriptures, and other places
it is called a vision. It is simply the spirit within us enjoying a
higher privilege of conversing with spirits, seeing spiritual things
and conversing with spirits or immortal beings; but they neither
converse through these organs of speech, nor see through these natural
eyes, but they see through the eyes of their spirit, and converse with
the organs of speech that belong to the spirit, and if the spirits of
men did not possess the faculties and power of communication, and
conversing and carrying on conversation with each other before they
came into this tabernacle they never would speak in this tabernacle.
This is only an art; this art of speech—this power of sight—of
hearing. Speech is not something peculiar to the tabernacle and
belonging to this tabernacle. It belongs to the spirit, and the spirit
teaches the tabernacle; and the spirit makes use of the tabernacle.
When once it finds itself embodied in this tabernacle, it begins to
use the fingers and hands of the tabernacle, and makes these its
servants. The moment it is separated this tabernacle lies senseless.
It has mouth and teeth and tongue and organs of speech, but it cannot
use them. It has eyes, but it cannot see. It has ears but it cannot
hear, and it has no power of using these organs. It cannot set itself
in motion, it cannot keep itself in motion; it is the spirit that does
all this. And when the spirit is separated from the tabernacle it
still retains the power of seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting, smelling
and conversing; but the tabernacle loses all these powers, the moment
the spirit takes its departure.

Vol. 19,  p.273
Now what is this spirit? Is it an immaterial substance? No? As I said
before, that is only another definition of nothing at all. It is a
being precisely as we are seen here to-day; and if you ask, "How does
brother Snow's spirit look when it is disembodied?'? Why, you just
look at me now, and you can answer the question. How does the spirit
of my wife look? Why, just look at her and see. And if we were both
disembodied at the same instant, we should scarcely know that we were
changed any more than we would if we both started out of the door at
the same instant and found ourselves outside, looking at each other,
and do not see very much difference between us than what there was
when we were both inside the house. Whether inside or out of it, we
are the same beings. Conversing together? Yes. looking at each other ?
Yes. The same features exactly. Our tabernacles are formed for our
spirits, yes, expressly for our spirits. But why were they not all
made alike? Why were they not all made just six feet high? and why
were they not all, in every respect, all the same length; limbs,
likeness, the same; the same length of an arm? You may just as well
ask the tailor, "Why do you make different sized coats and pants?" And
say to the milliner also, "Why do you make different sizes of dresses
and other garments?" And their answer is, because I have so many
different persons to fit, and I make [p.274] the garment to fit the
person. And that is the answer concerning the tabernacles. They are
made to fit the spirits. I say, therefore, that God not only includes
within himself the male and female principle, the same as man does,
but it also includes the two elements which we call spirit and
tabernacle, and these are only comparative terms, to illustrate in a
crude way the idea of the two principles, the spirit being of finer
material, possessing greater intelligence, more fully developed, and
organized for greater and more glorious works.

Vol. 19,  p.274
Now touching the doctrine of mortality and immortality. Says one,
"What is mortal and what is immortal?" These are only comparative
terms, again; the same as we use temporal and eternal. Time means
temporal—short lived. Immortal means that which reaches forward into
eternity? And what is eternity? Why it is another term which we use—a
comparative term to measure time, and we say time and eternity. And
then the scriptures use other terms, eternities, and from eternity to
eternity; while these are only so many definitions, or divisions of
duration. But the scriptures tell us that time only is measured to
man, that is to say, time as a term is used in reference to the short
period belonging to mortality, while eternity is used in the measure
of the time of the Gods, from one period to another, and the vastness
of eternity none can comprehend. It is illustrated by Abraham, by the
figure of a ring. He marks a round ring to give an illustration of his
views of eternity. You may start anywhere on that ring and undertake
to find the end, and you cannot, for it has none. You may have a
starting point any place on the ring, but you cannot have any stopping
place, and so the Scriptures in another place, more expressly use the
term, that the course of God is an eternal round, and therefore it is
called eternity. But this course of God being "one eternal round," is
marvelous in our eyes, and who can comprehend it? But we see, yes, we
see right before us to-day, his image, man—male and female.

Vol. 19,  p.274
The first pair placed here was on a farm he had prepared for them; an
earth he had organized for them, and where he gave them dominion as
gods over it, as rulers over the earth and all things therein.
Lucifer, who fell from heaven, when these evil spirits we read of
rebelled against God the Father, and his angels that fell with him,
set about the opposition of this earth and to wrest the dominion from
Adam, and he has been trying it ever since, from the beginning till
the present, to wrest the dominion of this earth from Adam and his
posterity, and the only means by which he expects or hopes to
accomplish it is, in short, to take possession of the tabernacles of
Adam, which means a man and his wife—male and female, whom he called
Adam, and rule the earth, and make the earth and the fullness thereof
his servants. He has sought to do this, but he will not accomplish
that evil design, for the Father has provided a way of thwarting him.
The Savior will displace him. The name of Jesus has power over all
these evil spirits, Lucifer and all the hosts of hell who are cast
down to the earth, and have set up their abode in the tabernacles of
men, and in many instances they have succeeded. They do not altogether
get possession of the tabernacles of men, only in isolated cases.
There are cases in which it seems that these spirits so far control
the tabernacles [p.275] of men as to find the natural spirit that owns
these tabernacles and suspend the operations of their functions, and
usurp the control of the functions of the body, and make these organs
of speech speak the language of devils, and make these tabernacles
perform the wicked works of the evil one; while the spirit that owns,
and should control this tabernacle, is bound, as it were, hand and
foot; and where these powers and functions are thus suspended in these
isolated cases, we call them maniacs, because their natural powers are
suspended, and they are under the dominion of devils. But others, and
this embraces all of us, are more or less influenced by evil spirits,
that prompt and lead to passions, and the lusts of the flesh; and to
do many things in violation of the true laws of life and health, and
of peace and glory and exaltation, and these evils to which we are
prompted through the influence of these spirits are designed, little
by little, to bring us into bondage, to sin and death, and to him who
has the power of death, which is the devil.

Vol. 19,  p.275
Now the term devil we use also as a term representing a power that is
at the head of the rebellion against God our Father. A power that
stands at the head of that organized rebellion. A power that governs
all evil spirits. He is called in the Scriptures that old Serpent, the
devil, and Satan, and Lucifer, and a variety of names. These are
applied to him, and all representing the chief power over that
organized rebellion, that governs and controls these evil spirits, and
that power holds the power of death over mortality, and over man in
the flesh. And why and how do they obtain that power? I have said by
influencing the parents in the first place, and then by influencing
their posterity after them, and violating the laws of their being, and
thereby subjecting themselves to dissolution and death. The form of
this organism does not necessarily imply dissolution and death. It is
only the materials that enter into it that implies this, and that
brings it about. The seeds of dissolution and decay are planted here,
as I said, through the influence of this evil one leading us to
violate the laws of our being, and which brings death in its train.
The Father, in his economy, has foreseen this, and has provided a way
of escape, provided a deliverance. He has provided the resurrection, a
period when the spirits which are unclothed in death when the natural
death comes, and which is the separation of the spirit from the
tabernacle, when this natural death comes which unclothes this spirit,
and leaves it in its native state unclothed, he has appointed a time
when it shall be clothed upon the second time, and then in
immortality, with tabernacles incorruptible, undefiled, that fadeth
not away. And this is the second clothing; this is immortal. This
incorruptible is free from the courser elements that enter into these
mortal tabernacles, and free from these seeds of dissolution and
decay, and those things that wear cut, and destroy this tabernacle,
that perish with their using. Herein then is life. We eat and drink
and live, and yet that very eating and drinking destroys us. We
partake of the fruits and elements of the earth, and that build up
these mortal tabernacles, and when they have been built up to a
certain stage, the very process by which we build them up destroys
them again, and they perish with the using. They are were out in the
objects for which they are created. Just like our clothing, hoots, and
shoes, and hats, do they perish with [p.276] their using. Not so with
the immortal; the spirit is clothed upon with the immortal tabernacle.
Is it like the mortal? Yes; and yet unlike, like so far as the form is
concerned; the form and organism constituted to the spirit, and to the
labor which has to be performed throughout eternity; but not composed
of perishable materials That immortal tabernacle, that incorruptible,
will have no blood circulating in its veins. That is free from the
gross elements of this earth, from the knits of this earth, from the
grains and vegetables of this earth.

Vol. 19,  p.276
We have a sample of this immortal in our Lord Jesus Christ. He was
raised from the dead after he had lain in the tomb for three days. We
are told in the Scriptures that he was quickened by the power of the
Father, who raised him from the dead; and he looked as he did when he
perished, his features were the same. He showed himself to his
disciples after his resurrection, on numerous occasions. First, he
showed himself to Mary, near the tomb where he was raised. When Mary
came to the tomb at early dawn, she saw two angels by the tomb, and
they said unto her, "whom seek ye?" (of course they knew whom she
sought, but they spoke to draw her out,) and she, supposing them to be
the guards, in the grey dawn of the morning looked in the door of the
tomb, and saw he was gone. There was the winding sheet, and the napkin
that had been about his head neatly folded and laid down, but no Jesus
was there, and in her disappointment and grief, she turned to go away,
and saw two men which were supposed to be the guards, and said, "If
you have borne him hence, tell me I pray you where you have lain him."
They replied, "Jesus has risen; as he said unto you when he was
living; go and tell his disciples that he is risen" and as she turned
to go away Jesus was by her. She met him, saw that he looked just as
he did when he died, and she recognized him instantly. And as she made
the motion towards him, as if she would seize him by his feet and
worship him; says he, "Touch me not, I have not yet ascended to my
Father, I have just risen, I must go and report myself to my Father,
and then I will come and visit you, but you cannot touch me yet. But
go and tell my disciples I go before them into Galilee, as I promised
them, and I will go to my Father." After a little he showed himself to
his disciples. He appeared to two of them the same afternoon, as they
were journeying out of the village, a few miles out of the city,
talking and conversing with them by the way side, and discovered
himself to them in the act of breaking bread. Then he departed from
them. The next time he appeared unto eleven of the disciples as they
were gathered together in a room, and instructed them. But Thomas
called Didymus was not present, and when these told him that they had
seen the Lord he could not believe it, he says, "I must not only see
him myself before I believe, but I must feel the prints of his wounds,
where the nails were driven through his hands and feet, thrust my
hands in his side, and feel the hole that was made by the spear when
the soldiers thrust it into his side, and drew out his heart's blood.
Unless I can do this I will not believe." So the next time the
disciples were together, and Thomas was with them, Jesus came into
their midst and showed himself to them again, and the first thing he
said was, "Thomas, come here, stick your fingers in the holes in my
hands, thrust your hands into my side, fool [p.277] the wound as it
was made by the spear in my side, feel the print of the nails in my
hands and feet, and doubt not but be believing." Not a word had been
said, but Jesus heard his words, and knew the thoughts of his heart,
and it took him unexpectedly. Now come, come said he, "Now apply the
test you demand. Feel the print of the nails in my hands and feet, and
thrust your hands into my side, and doubt not but be believing."
Thomas saw that the thoughts of his heart were known and heard, and
the words of his mouth were known and read, and he at once exclaimed,
"Lord! It is enough. Well, says Jesus, "Thomas, you believe now that
you have seen, but blessed are those who shall believe and have not
seen.

Vol. 19,  p.277
I know there is a great many think that they must show their great
strength of mind by doing as Thomas did, and swear that they won't
believe anything till they see it; but Jesus says, "Thomas, you
believe now you have seen, but blessed are those who believe and have
not seen."

Vol. 19,  p.277
Now, the first time Jesus appeared to his disciples they thought it
was a spirit that had appeared to them, and to show them that he had
his tabernacle with him, he says, Bring me something to eat, and I
will prove to you that there is something more than spirit in me,
"What have you to eat?" And they answered," we have got some fish here
and some honey." "Bring me some fish and honey comb." And he took some
of the fish and some honey and eat it before them. Now, says he, "be
believing; the spirit has not flesh and bones as ye see me have."

Vol. 19,  p.277
Here was an immortal being raised from the dead. In what did that
tabernacle differ from the mortal tabernacle? Was there a change
wrought upon it? Had it the same eyes in its sockets, same tongue in
its head, same hands and feet, with the same holes made by driving the
nails through them, the same hole made in its side by the spear that
was run into it? Says he, "spirit has not flesh and bones as you see
me have," and he used the same teeth, the same organs, and eat before
them, and showed them that there was his tabernacle. Then wherein did
he differ from the mortal tabernacle? I answer, the blood was spilled,
and that the purpose of the Father might be accomplished, he caused
the soldiers to run the spear into his vitals that they might draw out
the last drop of his heart's blood. And when he was raised from the
dead he was quickened by the spirit, by the spirit and power of the
Father, and the life that was in him was not the life infused by the
circulation of the blood, it was not that that kept the machinery of
this organism in motion, it was the element called spirit. And this is
the essential difference between the mortal and immortal.

Vol. 19,  p.277
As I said, a union of two principles—the refined element that is
organized into spirit, and the grosser element we call tabernacle,
organized as an outer clothing, the two united and blended together,
and the two principles, male and female, united. And for what purpose?
Why, we see here, for the purpose of procreation; for the purpose of
endless increase, and the building up, and enlarging, and extending
the kingdoms and dominions of eternity. Else why are all these vast
creations, the shining orbs, that indicate to feeble man on this lower
earth the existence of these glorified worlds! Why all this if there
were not the works of the Gods of eternity going on, and that
continually? And the need and extent thereof, none can [p.278] tell;
and to use the language of Enoch, the seventh from Adam, said he, "If
the particles of this earth were numbered, and millions of earths like
this, it would scarcely be a beginning to the number of thy creations,
and thy hand is over them all." And this is the object we worship.
And, notwithstanding the Apostle Paul says, "There are Lords many and
Gods many, yet" said he, "unto us there is but one God, even the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," and that is enough for us. And we
may say to every child, though there are fathers many and mothers
many, but to you there is but one, and that is enough, that is enough
for you. Honor your father and your mother, and let your father and
mother honor their father and mother, and this is the chain of the
Priesthood, and power let down from the eternities to man on the
earth. And may God enable us to grow in this chain, and climb higher
and higher, onward and upward, and work ourselves up to the eternal
power and godhead. I repeat to you what the Apostle Paul said to the
Ephesians, in his epistle to them; says he, "Brethren, let the same
mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, when he found himself in
the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with him." But,
says the narrow-minded bigot sectarian, What blasphemy! for man, in
the form of God, to aspire to be equal with him! That is precicely the
exhortation of St. Paul to his former-day Saints. Shall we continue in
the estimation of Jesus for applying the same truth to us, or using
the same exhortation that Paul did to his brethren? And St. Paul
understood what he declared, and he wished to instil this same faith
and feeling in numbers of his brethren, and cherish the same feeling,
hope and aspiration, and labor and aspire to rise up and become one
with God, because, says he, "You are his image, and you are his." Why?
We may aspire to be equal with him, and that is not robbery. Yes,
Jesus, who found himself in the form of God, thought it not robbery to
become equal with him. How can that be? I ask if any son robs his
father if he grows up to became equal with him; attains to all the
perfections of his father; attains to all knowledge, all wisdom, all
understanding, all power, and performs as great works as his father
performed? Did he rob his father of anything? Has his father lost
anything because the son has attained to the same greatness, glory and
perfection? No! The Scriptures tells us that God, in bestowing
blessings, loses nothing. In giving it does not impoverish him, and in
withholding it does not enrich him. He can impart light, truth,
knowledge, power, wisdom, understanding, ability, lift up and exalt
his creatures, and make them like unto himself, and instead of losing
anything he is greatly enriching himself. He is enlarging and
extending his dominions, he is multiplying his kingdoms, and his
offsprings, over which he is extending his benign influence, and
blessings, and glory, and honor, for ever and ever. Then, says the
Apostle Paul, Why your narrow-mindedness, Let the same mind be in you
that was in Christ, who, finding himself in the form of God, thought
it not robbery to become equal with him, growing up unto Christ, our
living head, and that is the object of the organization of the
Priesthood on the earth, and the classification, and organization of
the Church of Christ upon the earth. It is not to exclude and send
down to damnation, to hell, everybody that does not subscribe to our
ideas and beliefs in an instant, nor in a day, week, month, nor a
year, nor in this [p.279] short life time; but it is to gather out,
men and women, and locate and organize them, and classify them
together, and instruct them, and lead them on and inspire them with
faith, and build them up, and teach them the lairs of life and health,
and lift them up that they may exercise faith, and lay hold upon the
promises of God and climb up upon this chain that is laid down from
the Gods of eternity to their children on earth. Climbing by this
chain till they are built up in Christ, our living head, and become
one with Christ Jesus, for, says the Apostle Paul, We are heirs of God
and joint heirs with Jesus Christ.

Vol. 19,  p.279
Now, again, that same Paul says, in the same epistle to the Ephesians,
that Christ set in his Church first Apostles, secondly Prophets, and
thirdly Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers, and gifts and healings.
All these hath he placed in his Church for the perfecting of the
Saints, and for the work of the ministry, and for the perfecting of
his people, that they may grow up unto Christ, our living head, and
all the parts being fitly joined together may become perfect in him.
Here are the objects of this organization of this Priesthood, and the
ordinances thereof, and the power of godliness, that is made manifest
unto man in the flesh, and through it to urge them on, faster, further
and further, until they shall attain to this fullness of eternal power
and the Godhead. And that we may not lose sight of this high calling
of God in Christ Jesus, which has come down unto us, and that we may
not turn back to the beggarly elements of the world, but cast away the
lusts of the flesh, and the pride of life, and all the vanities and
follies of this mortal state, and learn to appreciate our true
position, and our high and holy calling, and labor to perfect
ourselves through the Gospel, and in obedience to his ordinances, till
we shall become heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, rising up to
the eternal power and Godhead and the perfection that is in him, is my
prayer, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.[p.280] 

Orson Pratt, 1878

God is Light—God Our Father—God a 
Personage—the Holy Ghost—the Earth As Part 
of the Universe—the Purpose of Experience—the Resurrection—
Zion Taken From Each of the Creations—Spiritual Faculties

Discourse By Elder Orson Pratt, Delivered at the Fourteenth 
Ward Assembly Rooms, Salt Lake City, Sunday Afternoon.—, 1878.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.280
These words are found in the 5th verse of the 1st Epistle of John:
"God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."

Vol. 19,  p.280
Inasmuch as God is represented to be a being full of truth, full of
knowledge and intelligence, having almighty power, we would naturally
suppose that he was also a God of light, that. is full of the
principle of light; and that there is noticing too deep for him to
understand, or too great for his understanding to comprehend or reach.
He being full of light, there can be no darkness in him. Indeed, he is
spoken of by James as the "Father of lights." In other words, his
offspring, his children, his sons and daughters, partake of a portion
of that light which dwells in the Father; the same as our children,
born unto us, partake, in some respects, of the light and intelligence
which dwells in their parents. All creatures that we are acquainted
with, that have life, and being, and power to move upon the earth,
have a degree of light, a degree of understanding, and that light or
understanding is meted out to them, according to the decree of heaven,
and according to the condition in which they are placed, to fill the
object of their creation.

Vol. 19,  p.280
The Lord does not intrust a fullness of light to any of his creatures
in this world, not even his own sons and daughters have this
privilege, while in this mortal state of existence. It seems to be in
accordance with the great purpose of Jehovah, to place his own
children here in this creation and impart to them a very small degree
of light and truth. They are required to improve upon this degree of
light, adding thereunto understanding, knowledge and truth. Some, in
reflecting upon this subject, might ask the questions, "If the Lord is
an almighty being, possessing all power, and is full of intelligence,
knowledge and truth, and if we are his children, why did he not impart
unto us the fullness of this light in the beginning of our existence
in this world? why should he give us little by little? why are we not
born with an understanding of all things past, all things present, and
all things to come?" To my mind these questions are easily answered.
The Lord designed, in placing his children here upon this creation,
that they should not only [p.281] attain to great knowledge, and
understanding, and wisdom, but that they should show themselves
approved in every sphere in which they might be placed. Where little
is given, but little will be required. And having determined in his
own purpose and mind that they should be agents to themselves, he
designed to try them in their agency, with a small degree of light and
truth at first, to see how they would act in relation to the degree of
intelligence given; in other words, to see whether they would make a
good use of the same, exercising their agency in doing that which is
right, cleaving to that which is good, and resisting evil of every
kind. And then having been found worthy he would impart a greater
degree of light, and impart to them greater knowledge concerning
himself, and his purposes, and his ways, and the works of his hands.
If we were created with a fullness of knowledge, it would be very
difficult for us to conceive how it could be possible, to use this
agency properly before the Lord. It is true we would be placed in
possession of a vast amount of information concerning the past present
and future, but being agents to ourselves we might, peradventure, use
this knowledge in a manner to do great injury. Therefore the Lord
determined that we should only be intrusted with a little information,
and with an agency to use it according to his mind and will.

Vol. 19,  p.281
We are the sons and daughters of God, just as much so as the children,
present this afternoon, are the sons and daughters of their parents,
and in the same light, that we are the children of our earthly
parents, so are the children of men the offspring of the Almighty. He
is our Father in the full sense of the word, and we were begotten by
him, and born to him, not in this probation, but in the world prior to
the existence of this one—in our former or first estate. There we were
born, there we were begotten, there we received a spiritual existence
in the image of God, we were then without flesh, without bones,
without the organization we now are in possession of. When I speak of
a spiritual existence, do not misunderstand me, I do not mean the kind
of existence spoken of in the writings of many theologians in which
the spirits of men are represented as occupying no space, and as
having no relation to duration or time. Such an existence is
inconceivable; it is absurd in its very nature, to suppose that there
can be any existence, either in an immortal form, or in the present
form of body and spirit, as persons occupying no space; it is one of
the greatest absurdities ever invented by intelligent beings. Yet this
is incorporated in the articles of faith of some of the Christian
societies and especially in their theological writings. They try to
make spiritual existence as mysterious as they possibly can, and often
declare our Father and God to be a person, and yet, according to their
articles of faith, he is said to be without body, parts or passions,
as though we could comprehend the existence of something without a
body or parts.

Vol. 19,  p.281
Some of you, my hearers, may be surprised, especially the rising
generation growing up in these valleys, when I tell you that there are
millions of Christians (so called), who believe that God occupies no
space, that is, as a body, and yet is a person. You read the 39
Articles of the Church of England, if you doubt what I say, and you
will there find it just so; also the Articles of the Methodists, which
are more or less copied from those of the Church of England. In the
Methodist discipline it reads: We believe in one [p.282] God,
consisting of three persons, without body, without parts, without
passions.

Vol. 19,  p.282
In reading these things when a boy, and not having reflected much, I
thought, of course, it was one of the mysteries which we were not
permitted to understand. I did not then perceive the absurdity of the
idea, incorporated as one of the articles of faith of a great and
numerous religious body. But after I grew up to manhood, and reflected
upon these things, and began to try to grasp in my mind and
comprehend, in some measure, being consisting of two other beings
beside himself, and yet having no body, I could not do it. It was a
contradiction in my mind, something that did not look consistent; and
especially when they, in order to make the thing so plain, in their
estimation, that no. body might misunderstand them, declare that he
has no parts. Consequently he does not occupy any portion of finite or
infinite space. However minutely we may divide a cubic inch of space,
though separated into millions of parts, yet every one of these minute
portions are parts of the cubic inch; and when you speak about that
which has no parts, then you come to the representation of nothing;
then you come to the modern Christian God, as represented in their
discipline, and in their articles of faith. I have ofttimes wondered
how it is, that there are so many who believe in these absurd ideas;
men of intelligence, men that would scorn to believe such principles
connected with natural philosophy, and with the sciences of the day,
yet so mistaken in their minds, and so infatuated by false religions,
as to conceive of the existence of a being that has no parts.

Vol. 19,  p.282
Now let me say something about that being, the subject of our text.
"God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." Does he exist as a
person? Yes. Has he a Son called his Only Begotten? Yes. Did his Son
have a body? Yes. We have, this afternoon been celebrating the Lord's
Supper, and commemorating his broken body, that was crucified for us.
Had he parts? Yes, and those parts occupied space just the same as all
the children of men? Yes. Was he about the common height of men? Yes.
Had he dimensions? Yes, a body and parts. And yet we are really told
that God consists of three persons without body or parts. Is Jesus one
of these three persons? They will tell you so, and that these three
have one body. Holy did the Jews crucify him when he had nothing to
crucify? Please do not blame me for speaking of these absurdities. But
what says the Scriptures in regard to these matters. Paul, in speaking
of Jesus, says, he was "the brightness of his (Father's) glory, and
the express image of his person." The martyr Stephen, in his last
dying testimony said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son
of Man standing on the right hand of God." How many persons did
Stephen see? Two; and the Son was standing on the right hand of the
Father. Then we have testimony to show that the Father has a right
hand, and it would, therefore, be fair to infer that be has a left
hand also. But let me refer you back to a very early period just
before, and immediately after man first appeared on our earth; among
other things that are said of him, you will find these words: "And,
God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." And then
it says, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God
created he him." Hence, whenever [p.283] we have had any account given
us of heavenly beings appearing to man on the earth, they have always
come in the form of man. For instance, the Lord and two other heavenly
personages appeared to Abraham, who besought them to tarry until
something could be prepared for them to eat; and we are told that "a
calf, tender and good," was killed and dressed, and cakes also were
prepared, which, together with batter and milk, constituted the meal,
and that they did eat. Can you conceive of a more ridiculous idea than
for a person without body or parts to sit down to a meal and eat? You
may say, these were angels; but you will find by reading the whole of
this chapter that I have quoted from namely: the 8th of Genesis, that
after the repast, they proceeded on their way towards Sodom,
accompanied by Abraham, and that two of the persons went ahead leaving
the Lord himself in conversation with Abraham, both of them in the
same human form.

Vol. 19,  p.283
Again, we are informed that seventy of the Elders of Israel, at a
certain time, went up into Mount Sinai, where "they saw the God of
Israel;" and they describe his person, and also the appearance of the
ground upon which he stood. Jacob also tells us that he saw God face
to face; and we have many declarations made by many of the ancient
Prophets to the effect that they saw him. Isaiah speaks of having seen
him, and says that his train filled the Temple; he was accompanied by
a numerous host of heavenly beings.

Vol. 19,  p.283
In all of the references, the Lord appears as a man, they saw him as a
man, and those who saw him describe him as a man, as having a head,
eyes, ears, mouth, etc., in common with the human family, his
children. The difference, however, between man and God does, not
consist so much in the personal form, as in the vast, immeasurable
amount of knowledge and information in possession of the Father, while
we, his offspring, have but little, a very limited amount,
comparatively the same as our little children: they have power to move
their limbs, and that information apparently is all that they have;
their minds are much limited, indeed, and they have to learn by actual
experience. They at first learn something that concerns them; they
have to learn the nature of their sight, and that is not correct at
first, but by experience they learn to compare things, and also find
the distances of things. For instance, a little child taken to the
door and seeing the moon shining in the heavens, puts forth its little
hand to reach that luminary; it does not know the distance of objects,
until it learns by experience. And hence it seems we have been placed
in the first conditions of knowledge, and we have to cultivate this
knowledge by degrees—from one degree to another, until we arrive to
manhood and womanhood; and some continue to cultivate knowledge and
information until they become old and gray-headed. But some learn much
faster than others, from either natural advantages, or those of
method. But there is a certain school far superior to any schools
established among men. It is this. The Lord has taught us that if we,
his children, will only repent of our sine—when I speak of repentance,
I mean a reformation, a putting away of sin; when we do this with all
our hearts, and are immersed in water for remission of our sins, we
have the promise that the Holy Ghost shall be given to us. This is a
blessing that the natural man is not acquainted with; but when he
becomes a spiritual[p.284] man, so far as learning is concerned, he
comes in possession of a power he never knew before to any great
extent; in other words, he is baptized with the Holy Ghost. What does
this do for the education of the children of men? Far more than our
academies do. Our children have, by hard study, year after year, to
acquire their learning in these human institutions; hard thinking is
necessary, reasoning, gaining little by little, and it frequently
requires many years of close application to become what is termed a
learned man—a man that understands the sciences, that has worked his
way through the various departments of mathematics, and perhaps
geology, and mineralogy, and all the sciences, such as are usually
taught in universities. But the man filled with the Holy Ghost has got
the advantage of students who graduate at our univerities. Why?
Because he can learn more in ten minutes, in regard to many things,
than another, not so favored, can in all his life. Indeed, he can
learn some things by the operations of the Holy Ghost, which no
natural man or woman could learn, however gifted they may be. You may
inquire where they could learn these things? I answer, by the
revelations of the Holy Ghost, which brings to light many things that
are past, and shows things that are in the future. The Lord is just as
able to show one of his pupils, who will take the necessary steps to
be taught, what will take place a year, or ten years, or a hundred, or
a thousand or more years hence, as the principals in our universities
are to teach persons concerning things present. God is not confined to
the present, or to things immediately concerning his pupils, or those
who may enter into the university he has prepared, but he opens the
past and future to the minds of men, just as Jesus promised his
disciples, when he was about to leave them. "Howbeit when he, the
Spirit of Truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; and he
will show you things to come."

Vol. 19,  p.284
Supposing then that the children of God, who are counted worthy to be
in possession of the Holy Spirit, should comply with all his
commandments, and become revelators, and supposing they should inquire
about the condition and formation of the earth, when the Lord rolled
it into existence, also about the changes that have come upon it, how
easy it would be for the Lord to show them, in a moment, almost in the
twinkling of an eye, all about it, giving the whole history of its
condition, before and when it was first formed. Geologists may study,
year after year, all the best works they can obtain, concerning the
geological phenomena of our globe; they may speculate and say, the
earth is several millions of years old, founding their speculations
upon geological appearances; they may say, that it must have passed
through accessive changes for millions of years. But after all, what
do they really know? They may have a very imperfect idea in relation
to the surface of the earth; but they do not know anything about the
depths, underneath this superficial stratum—the great interior; they
have only a faint idea of certain very limited localities—a few
surface scratches, and almost infinitessimal in thickness. From these
uncertain data they have drawn their conclusions concerning the age of
the earth.

Vol. 19,  p.284
Supposing persons, under the influence of the Spirit of the living
God, should behold how many of these changes have been brought about,
and how great revolutions have taken place, since the earth was last
organized [p.285] out of pre-existent and eternal materials; supposing
they should behold the solid earth gradually emerging from its watery
envelope, and becoming one land, the waters gathered together into one
place—not into two places, not into different oceans, seas and lakes,
but into one place, leaving the dry land in one place. Supposing they
should still further see by the power of the Holy Ghost, this dry
land, after a few thousand years, separate into great continents, not
by long gradual phenomena, in the nature of geological periods, but by
the immediate power of the great Creator; supposing again, that the
ocean should change from its location, and land, in many places,
should be brought to light. Supposing again, that they should behold
in vision, mountains sink, forming deep valleys, and valleys rise up,
forming high mountains. Supposing again, that they were to see many
parts of these continents sink, and lakes appear in the sunken
portions; and supposing too, they were to behold great and important
changes, at different times, wrought upon the dry land, and upon the
parts called ocean, changing places by degrees.

Vol. 19,  p.285
Now, a geologist would say that all these things, and all these
revolutions were brought about by gradual and slow changes; whereas
the man of God, being taught by the Holy Ghost, would say that these
things were accomplished in a comparatively short period of time.
Which of the two would be most correct, the man who speculates from
the little he can find out from the surface examination of our little
globe, or the man who, by the power of the living God, penetrates in
vision, into the depths of the earth, and also beholds those various
revolutions which have taken place upon the surface of the earth?

Vol. 19,  p.285
Then again, when it comes to astronomical phenomena, we are taught
that there are very slow climatic changes taking place, which occupy
very long periods, during which, the northern and southern hemispheres
of our globe, are alternately affected with extremes of heat, and
cold. It is true, there are causes of an astronomical character,
which, if permitted to act through immense periods, would necessarily
produce alternate extremes of temperature in the two polar
hemispheres. It is also true, that differences of temperature in the
two hemispheres, would necessarily diminish the polar ice in one, and
increase it in the other; thus there would necessarily result a
continued change of sea level—a change in the earth's center of
gravity—a rising of the ocean in the colder hemisphere, a
corresponding retirement of the ocean in the warmer, giving rise to
glacial and interglacial periods of great length.

Vol. 19,  p.285
But all these great phenomena could also be brought about, in a few
thousand years, by simply and alternately changing the angle between
the planes of the earth's orbit and the equator. He who formed the
universe holds the regulating key in his own hand. By his almighty
power it was organized; by his law it is governed; by his good will
and pleasure it passes through great changes; by his decree it will
pass away and be renewed. Which gives the most information, that which
comes from God, direct by the power of his Spirit—revelation from
heaven,—or that which comes from mere speculation, based upon some
uncertain data, that may be correct, and that may not be correct? I
would say, give me the privilege of being taught from on high, give me
the privilege of being taught by [p.286] that being who knows and
comprehends everything pertaining to this creation, and knows the
changes that it has undergone, and how long the earth has continued in
its present condition, or nearly in its present condition.

Vol. 19,  p.286
We infer from this good book, called King James' translation of the
Bible, that a few thousand years ago the earth was formed. And many
have supposed that it was then formed out of nothing. I need hardly
say to this congregation, that no such nonsense can be found in the
Scriptures; but in the creeds of men, may be found this idea set
forth, that God created all things from nothing. Now, how do the
founders of these creeds, as well as those who believe in them, know
that he did such a thing? Have they any revelation, from the first
chapter of Genesis to the end of the revelations of St. John, which
states or intimates that the Lord made the earth out of nothing? Not
one. This is the addition of man; this is a tradition formed by
uninspired articles of faith and discipline to govern people in their
religious ideas; whereas the word of God says nothing of the kind. The
materials out of which this earth was formed, are just as eternal as
the materials of the glorious personage of the Lord himself. Now, he
consists of a body and parts, and not only of parts but passions. He
has the passion of love, so much so that he is called a God of love:
hence this nonsense about God having no parts nor passions is among
the inventions of human wisdom. This being, when he formed the earth,
did not form it out of something that had no existence, but he formed
it out of materials that had an existence from all eternity: they
never had a beginning, neither will one particle of substance now in
existence ever have an end. There are just as many particles now as
there were at any previous period of duration, and will be while
eternity lasts. Substance had no beginning; to say that laws had no
beginning would be another thing; some laws might have been eternal,
while others might have had a lawgiver. But the earth was formed out
of eternal materials, and it was made to be inhabited and God peopled
it with creatures of his own formation.

Vol. 19,  p.286
There have been many people in this world so limited in their
information and knowledge, in consequence of tradition and false
creeds, and catechisms, that they really believe that our earth is the
only creation that exists on which inhabitants dwell, that the stars
were made to shine for the benefit of our earth, that the sun and moon
were made especially for us, and that the earth is the great central
standard, and that all things were made for its benefit. But I am
happy to say, that these ideas are fast getting out of date, and that
people are beginning to learn that God is not so limited in his power
as to confine himself to a creation so little and insignificant as
that of our earth. There is an infinitude of space, boundless in every
direction. In other words, when I say boundless, I mean that it is
impossible for us to limit any bounds to that space. Has this space
materials existing in it? Yes. (So far as our telescopes are able to
penetrate, and some of them go very far indeed.) You take Lord Ross'
six foot reflector, and point it towards yonder heavens, and you find
now systems, new universes, as it were, revealed. What are these
worlds? They are mighty globes. To say they are like our globe would
not be correct; for if they were only little specks like our little
earth, they [p.287] could not be seen. But they are mighty suns, like
our sun in yonder firmament. Our sun is over twelve hundred thousand
times larger than our earth; and those distant bodies that are
seen—some of them by the naked eye, and others by the aid of powerful
glasses, are worlds of great magnitude. For what purposes were all
these mighty worlds framed? What object had the Lord in view in their
creation? Was it to satisfy a few individuals that should dwell upon
this little earth that the Lord made them to twinkle in yonder
heavens, to shine by night? Was that the main object that he had in
view? No; he had a greater and move glorious object than that. He has
created worlds without number, that is they cannot be numbered by us;
millions on millions have been discovered by the aid of glasses, but
those are only a beginning of the immensity of the worlds in
existence; and he has made them to be inhabited by his own offspring,
or own children, his own sons and daughters, intelligent beings
designed to be brought up and eventually to be made like him. You know
our children heroine like their parents in many respects; and you
know, too, that it is the hope of all parents that their children, if
they live, and are properly educated and trained, will grow up to be
good men and women, and that they will possess the same intelligence,
if not more, than their parents. And we also see other kinds of beings
brought forth in the likeness of their parents; the lion begets a
lion, not a lamb; and so with every species of beings that exist, each
begets his own likeness. And why not we, the masterpiece of the
creations of our Father, grow up unto all that fullness of eternal
knowledge and truth which he himself possesses. If he is full of
light, and in him there is no darkness at all, why not his children,
if they be educated and taught properly, and prove themselves
acceptable and worthy before him, he brought up, in due time, and be
made like him, on the same principle that all other things beget their
like. It is true, we are now fallen beings, we bays departed from our
Father, we have transgressed his holy laws, we have been thrown into
unhappy circumstances, in consequence of the transgression of our
first parents, in the Garden of Eden, and hence, darkness reigns over
this little creation, and has taken possession of mankind; but as they
were immortal when placed in the garden, and death had no power over
them, so must their offspring (if they were permitted to have any)
have been immortal and not subject to death. But by the fall, death
came; by sin and transgression men became subject to death, and
consequently this world of ours became a fallen world. Our first
parents were in the immediate presence of God, their Father; they
could behold him and converse with him face to face, before the
transgression. But how changed everything became! they were not only
cast out of the garden, but out of the presence of their Creator and
God; cast out from the presence of celestial beings—cast out into a
world of darkness, there to learn by sad experience many lessons,
which we, perhaps, never could have learned, had we still continued to
dwell in our former condition.

Vol. 19,  p.287
Now this, no doubt, has been done in wisdom. When we occupied our
first estate, dwelling in the presence of the Father, before this
world was created, we were without bodies of flesh and bones, but
possessing parts and passions then as much as we do now; we were there
as intelligent spirits, in our present form and shape,[p.288] but
although we had no bodies of flesh and bones, that spiritual substance
of which our spirits were formed had a term, and that form was after
the likeness and image of God, the Father. But if we had continued to
dwell there for innumberable millions of years, we never could have
learned, in that state of existence, many things that we are being
taught in this fallen world. We might have seen other worlds formed:
we might have had some idea, perhaps, of their condition and of their
misery and wretchedness, and we might have had some idea of the awful
calamities that happened to the bodies of other fallen creations; but
then there are many things that intelligent beings cannot learn
without experiencing the same. For instance, we can learn a great many
things by our reflective powers, without the aid of natural senses; we
might, by reason alone, find out some obtruse problems of mathematics;
we might, by reason, too, comprehend more or less of the revolutions
and mechanism of our celestial system; we might, by a pure process of
reason, find out all the principles of geometry, and the differential
and integral calculus and many other principles of mathematics. But
there are some things we might never find out by the process of
reason. For instance: suppose we were created in the celestial world
without a knowledge of that which we term pain, could we learn to
sense it by seeing others sutter? No, no more than a person born in a
dungeon and kept there until he reached the years of manhood, without
the least gleam of light, could, while in that condition, be
instructed about the principle of light. Why could he not be
instructed? Because it is something he never has experienced. You tell
him that light produces beautiful colors, such as red, blue, green,
etc., what would he know about these colors? Nothing at all; his
experience has not been called to grasp them; such a thing as a ray of
light never penetrated his dungeon. But when he is permitted to
experience the nature of light, when he sees the various colors, he
then learns something which he never could reason out. So with regard
to ourselves. We, in our first state of existence, never having seen
misery among any of the immortal beings, and never experiencing it in
our spiritual personages, how could we know anything about it? I do
not think we could possibly comprehend the nature of it. We could not
reason out the difference between happiness and misery. Why? For the
want of experience. It was for this reason that God the Father caused
the tree bearing forbidden fruit to be placed in the garden. This tree
was not placed beyond Adam's reach, but it was found in a conspicuous
place—in the midst of the garden, so that man, by his agency, might
bring upon himself his own misery, and by that means he would be able
to distinguish between happiness and misery. The Lord prepared
everything, and he made special reference to the tree of knowledge of
good and evil, forbidding Adam to eat of it, saying that in the day he
eat the fruit of that tree he should surely die. But then, what did
Adam know about death? Such a penalty could not be understood by him;
the only way possible for him to conceive of it was through vision,
and the probability is he did not know anything about it. But he was
his own agent, and he exercised that agency by putting forth his hand
and partaking of the fruit: both he and his wife eat the fruit, and
thus transgressed the law of God. Then the earth became fallen, and
all the inhabitants thereof have inherited [p.289] the effects of the
fall, through these two fallen beings. Death is not something we bring
upon ourselves, but we are sure to die because our first parents
rendered themselves mortal; before that they were immortal. They made
themselves mortal by partaking of the forbidden fruit, transgressing
the law of heaven and we are the inheritors of these, calamities and
these penalties, the same as children are susceptible of parental
diseases, and frequently inherit, for many generations, evils that
their forefathers were in possession of. We learn quite an experience
here: we learn what it is to be miserable, we learn what it is to be
unhappy, and we can now contrast misery with happiness; and we can say
in our hearts, if I could only get rid of sickness, and pain, and
sorrow, the effects of this death, how I could appreciate it! We often
give expression to such feelings, when we are deeply afflicted. the
Lord intends to free us, if we keep his commandments, after having
suffered sufficiently long through this state of sickness and
feebleness, this state of suffering and sorrow, which we have endured
for so many years. He intends to bring us forth triumphant over the
grave, bring up our bodies from the tomb, restoring our spirits to
immortal bodies, as Adam was in the Garden of Eden, and make us
immortal and eternal in our nature. Then we shall know, by experience,
how to appreciate as well as distinguish between happiness and misery,
and be as the gods, knowing good and evil. Is this lesson necessary?
Yes, suppose the Lord were to appoint to you a kingdom; suppose he
were to say to you, "Son, yonder are materials which you may organize
by my power into a world; and you may place upon it your own
offspring, as I did my offspring upon the world upon which you dwelt."
What kind of person would you be if you had no experience? What? Go
and create a world, and then people that world with your own
offspring, and not know the difference between good and evil, between
sickness and health, between pain and happiness, having no knowledge
of these by experience. I think that such a one would not be fit, to
be entrusted with a world that was to undergo and pass through the
same ordeals that our creation is now experiencing.

Vol. 19,  p.289
As Latter-day Saints, we look forward to the future with a great deal
of pleasing satisfaction, when we shall come forth from the grave, and
our vile bodies be changed and fashioned after His most glorious body;
and this is what the Scriptures set forth and testify of. Hence, when
the materials of our body shall come together again to be reorganized,
our bodies will be a little different to what they are now. Blood will
not then flow in the arteries and veins of the immortal male and
female; for blood leads to death—leads to change; but instead of blood
will flow the pure Spirit of the living God. this is referred to in
the 37th chapter of the prophecy of Ezekiel, as follows:

Vol. 19,  p.289
"The hand of the Lord was upon me and carried me out in the Spirit of
the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of
bones and caused me to pass by them round about; and, behold, there
were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And he
said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord
God, thou knowest. Again he said unto me, prophesy upon these bones,
and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus
saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to
enter into you, and ye shall live.[p.290] 

Vol. 19,  p.290
"And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and
cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye
shall know that I am the Lord.

Vol. 19,  p.290
"So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a
voice, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his
bone.

Vol. 19,  p.290
"And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them,
and the skin covered them above: and there was no breath in them.

Vol. 19,  p.290
"Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man,
and say unto the wind, Thus saith the Lord God: come from the four
winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.

Vol. 19,  p.290
"So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them,
and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great
army." That was a vision of the resurrection. The interpretation is
given in the following verse. The children of Israel at that time
disbelieved more or less in the resurrection, which was taught by
their Prophets; and they began to say in their hearts, "Our bones are
dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts."

Vol. 19,  p.290
"Therefore, (says the Lord) prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the
Lord God: Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you
to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel."
When the Lord brings up the children of Israel out of their graves, he
will do it just as Ezekiel saw it in vision. The materials that form
the bones will come together: first, the anatomy or framework, the
most part of the system; then the flesh, afterwards the skin, and then
the Spirit of the living God will enter into them, and they will live
as immortal beings, no more to be subject to death And when they
leave, instead of going away off to a heaven inconceivable, such as we
find in the articles and creeds of men—a "heaven beyond the bounds of
time and space," a place supposed to be beyond infinity, they will
actually come here and be brought to the land of Israel, as immortal
beings, male and female. They will have kings and priests among them,
and they will reign on the earth. And if you want to know how long,
you can learn it from the revelation which John had. He says, "a
thousand years." But that "the rest of the dead lived not again until
the thousand years were finished." After the thousand years here
referred to, this earth will die; it will pass through a change
similar to that of our bodies; it will pass away, as an organized
world, but not a particle, however, will be destroyed or annihilated;
it will all exist, and when it is resurrected again, it will be a new
earth. Then those immortal beings who come up out of their graves, at
the beginning of the thousand years, will again descend from heaven
upon the new earth; and the earth will be eternal; and the beings that
inhabit it will be eternal. And the earth will at that time have no
more need of the light of a luminary like our sun, or any artificial
light, for it will be a globe of light; for when God makes this earth
immortal, he will make it glorious like the inhabitants that will be
permitted to live upon it. They will become immortal, and be crowned
with crowns of glory, and light will radiate from their personages and
countenances; so will the earth radiate its light, and shine forth in
celestial splendor. I will not say as the splendor of our sun, for it
is not a celestial body. Although the light of the sun is very
glorious, it will not begin to compare with that of this earth, when
it becomes celestial and [p.291] eternal and is lightened by the
presence of God the Father. It is doubtful whether the children of
mortality on other worlds, will ever behold the light of this earth,
after it is made eternal, unless they happen to catch a glimpse of it
by vision. God dwells in a world of light too glorious for mortal eyes
to behold, unless aided by the Spirit of the living God.

Vol. 19,  p.291
Let me say a few words on these different worlds of which I have
spoken. They are stretched out in the immensity of space, are infinite
in every direction, and they are inhabited. I doubt very much, whether
any of these worlds are celestial. I do not think we could behold
them, unless by vision, if they were celestial. They are worlds in
various stages of progression, some more glorious than others,
inhabited by beings prepared to dwell upon them, beings who are the
sons and daughters of God, or the suns and daughters of his children.
If God is our Father, and we become like him, we may have our
attributes greatly enlarged, sufficiently to prepare us to occupy a
greater sphere of existence, to become rulers and creators under the
command of God, being one with him, as the Father and the Son are one,
to carry out his law and eternal purposes. Not only are present worlds
existing, but worlds without number have existed from all ages of
eternity, in their various stages of progress from the infinite
duration of the past, and are peopled by the children of God—his own
offspring, or the offspring of those who have become Gods. Besides,
these worlds will exist for ever, and there still remains no end, as
it were, to the materials which will yet be organized into worlds, for
the materials are infinite in quantity; they cannot be exhausted. And
do these worlds communicate one with another? Why not; is the Lord
limited in the process of communica- We find that man, poor, weak,
fallen man, is now able to communicate from one end of the world, on
which we live, to the other; and why not immortal beings communicate
from world to world. If they were limited, then they would partake
more of the nature of mortality. But they are not limited in their
communications. There is a faculty in mankind which, when lighted up
by the Spirit of God, can not only pierce in vision through millions
of miles of space, but can also hear through millions of miles of
space. Indeed, the progress of man, in this the nineteenth century,
shows to us, in a very forcible manner, what may be hereafter in our
more perfect state. What a wonderful thing it was to the whole world,
a few years since, to communicate their thoughts, by the means of
electric wires, sending them from city to city, from state to state,
and then across the great ocean to foreign countries, and that too
almost momentarily! If people had been told some fifty years ago that
such wonderful developments would take place, in so short a time, they
would have laughed at and even derided the idea; but now it is an
accomplished fact. Who, some two years ago, would have supposed that
the senses of the ear could have been awakened by sounds transmitted
some hundreds of miles distant? And yet this is now done by the aid of
the telephone; and although the discovery is yet only in its infancy,
the human voice is heard distinctly, and readily recognized at that
distance.

Vol. 19,  p.291
Now, supposing we were immortal beings, and we stood upon one
celestial world, away in a distant part of space, and others dwelling
upon another celestial world innumerable [p.292] miles distant from
us, there may be a process by which we could communicate one to
another, and ideas be exchanged, from world to world, without adopting
the slow progress of communication by light or electricity. Well, says
one, "I thought that light was transmitted more rapidly than anything
that we could conceive of." Light proceeds from one luminary to
another, at the rate of 185,000 miles per second. Can anything be
swifter than this? Do you suppose the Lord would reveal all his
resources to us? I think not; I believe than when the children of men
become immortal and eternal, their privileges will be enlarged; and
those powers of nature, and laws of which we have such a limited
understanding, will become greatly multiplied and enlarged. There may
be a process of communication by means of celestial, heavenly light,
that will far outstrip the natural light which proceeds from yonder
luminaries in our heavens. It may be that this natural light travels
very slowly, compared with the light that proceeds forth from
celestial worlds, wherever they may be situated. Then again, if
immortal beings on celestial worlds can hear, and see, and communicate
with each other, would it not be just as pleasant as though they were
associated together in the same room? What difference can it make,
seeing that distance is no impediment to them? This is the destiny of
these worlds that twinkle in the firmament of heaven; they will
finally arrive at that state of perfected existence, unless they
forfeit their privileges through transgression; all that do not
forfeit these privileges will be exalted to them; and they will be
sanctified; they will be full of light, like unto the sea of glass,
that John the Revelator saw, upon which the redeemed were permitted to
dwell, whom he saw and heard, singing the songs of Moses and the Lamb.
What a happy state and condition, not only to study these things
pertaining to this little world we inhabit, but to extend our
researches to our neighboring worlds, learning the laws, institutions,
and governments of the peoples that inhabit them, also their history,
and everything pertaining to them, and then extend our researches
still further. Let me here quote from one of the revelations given
anciently to Enoch, and revealed anew, in these latter days to Joseph
Smith. Enoch, we learn, was favored with a great and glorious vision;
he saw the different worlds, and saw the Lord and other glorious
personages, who were weeping over the fallen sons and daughters of
this world. This astonished Enoch; he was astonished beyond measure,
to think that there should be so many worlds in existence, and all
passing through certain changes and degrees of changes, and yet the
Lord should weep over the fallen sons and daughters of this little
planet. So he inquired about it, asking how it was that the heavens
wept and shed forth their tears like rain upon the mountains; saying,
Thou art holy from all eternity to all eternity; and were it possible
for man to number the particles of this earth and a million of earths
like it, it would not be a beginning to the number of thy creations,
and yet thou art there and thy bosom is there, how is it that thou
canst weep! It was marvelous to him, why the Lord should weep over so
small a creation, when there were so many others. The Lord then told
him concerning the wickedness of the people who existed before the
flood; he told him of their abominations and sinful practices. And
then he [p.293] further tells him, that his eyes could pierce all the
creations which he had made, showing how powerful are the eyes of the
great Jehovah, that he can behold all these creations; however
numerous, and can behold all that transpires upon them.

Vol. 19,  p.293
There is one thing connected with this same revelation, to which I
wish also to call your attention; it is in regard to the fallen
condition of many of these creatures. Notwithstanding the unnumbered
worlds which have been created, out of each one of these creations the
Lord had taken Zion (in other words a people called Zion) to his own
bosom. What does this signify? Are we not to understand that all these
creations were fallen worlds. Why did he not take them all? Because
they were not all worthy, because being fallen, they did not keep his
commandments, because they did not exercise their agency to worship
God; for that reason he did not take them all to himself. He did not
qualify them and make them one in him, as Jesus is one with the
Father; he did not make them like him in all respects, to go forth and
make new creations and people them. I mention these things to show
that we have, in the revelations that God has given, many indications,
that there are worlds beside our own that are fallen; also that we may
see that the Lord has one grand method, for the salvation of the
righteous of all worlds—that Zion is selected and taken from all of
them. And reasoning from analogy, may we not, with propriety believe,
that these fallen creations, after fulfilling their temporal destiny,
will be changed, and become the celestial abodes of their respective
Zions? Let us, for a moment, consider the planets of our solar system,
namely, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune—the
great primary planets of our system; are these made for nothing? No.
What has the Lord said to us, Latter-day Saints, concerning these
planets? He says, all these are kingdoms, to which he has given laws.
And he likens these worlds, or kingdoms, unto a man having a field,
and he sent forth his servants to dig in this field. To the first he
said, "Go and labor in the field, and in the first hour, I will come
unto you, and ye shall behold the joy of my countenance. And he said
unto the second, go ye also into the field, and in the second hour I
will visit you with the joy of my countenance; and unto the third and
so on unto the twelfth. And the lord of the field went unto the first
in the first hour; and tarried with him all that hour, and he was made
glad with the light of the countenance of his Lord; and then he
withdrew from the first, that he might visit the second also, and so
on unto the twelfth." This withdrawing from one, to go to another is
something which I will explain. Why was it necessary, that there
should be a withdrawal of the presence of the Lord in visiting the
different worlds? I think it was necessary, so far as mortality is
concerned, and indicates that the inhabitants of these different
planets are fallen, as we are. It does not say so, in so many words,
but I can see that they must be fallen, and for that reason the Lord
withdraws his presence from them, and visits them in their hour, and
time, and season, and then withdraws front them, leaving them to
ponder in their hearts the commandments given them. If they were
immortal beings and celestial in their nature, the Lord would not act
with them thus, for then they would always be in his presence, whether
they are beings of one world [p.294] or another, or whether the worlds
upon which they dwell are as numerous as the sands upon the sea-shore;
when they become celestial the veil that obscures the view of mortals
is removed, and it makes no difference whether a world be one million,
a hundred million, or a million million of miles distant from another,
if the veil is taken away, they are still in each other's presence.

Vol. 19,  p.294
There is a spiritual faculty of seeing, different from that of the
natural sight, a power of discerning through space, by which celestial
beings can see innumerable millions of miles in distance, just as easy
as mortals can see ten feet with their natural vision. To be in the
presence of God, then, is simply to have the veil withdrawn, which
will be done when we prove ourselves worthy of celestial glory. If the
worlds of which I have spoken, pertaining to the planetary system,
were celestial worlds, occupied by celestial inhabitants, they would
all the time be in the presence of their Father, and there could be no
withdrawing from the first, to visit the second, etc., according to
the revelation from which I have quoted. His method of conveying
intelligence is far more rapid that that of light. Light, how slow!
Only 185,000 miles in a second. It would take three and a half years
at that rate for light to come from one of the nearest fixed stars. A
long time to wait, especially if you were in a hurry to get an answer
to any message you may send; you would have to wait three and a half
years for the message to go, and probably for the same time, for the
returning answer. Now, the Lord has powers beyond those with which we
are acquainted. He has almighty powers. He has only intrusted us his
children of mortality with a knowledge of some of the more gross
principles and laws of this fallen creation, and when we, through hard
study, search out the relation of one law to another, we think we are
learned men; but I think when we learn in that great university the
sciences of which the Lord our God is the great Teacher, we shall
learn more rapidly and comprehend more easily the things of his
kingdom, than we now do the things of time. Amen.[p.295] 

Wilford Woodruff, April 6, 1878

The Blessings Realized By the Saints—Men Die, But 
Their Works Remain—a Day of Infidelity—the Coming 
Glory of Zion—Temple Building Again—Blessing at St. George

Discourse By Elder Wilford Woodruff, Delivered at 
the Annual Conference, Saturday Morning, April 6, 1878. 

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.295
The very fact that we have a people, that we have a Zion, that we have
a kingdom, that we have a Church and a Priesthood which is connected
with the heavens, and which has power to move the heavens, and that we
know that the heavens are communicating with us, directing the
performance of this great latter-day work in which the Latter-day
Saints are engaged, this very fact alone should fill our hearts with
humility before the Lord our God, and it should continually remind us
in our reflections and feelings of the responsibility we are under
both to Him and to one another, and also of our dependence upon him
for all the blessings we enjoy of a spiritual as well as a temporal
nature.

Vol. 19,  p.295
The prayer offered up by brother Pratt filled my mind with reflections
of the past. Almost half a century has expired since the Prophet of
God organized this Church upon the earth; but he and most of the men
who labored prominently with him, in laying the foundation of this
Church, are not with us to-day, their voices are hushed in death, they
have finished their earthly work, having labored a series of years,
and are now the other side of the vail. There are but two of the first
Quorum of the Twelve with us in the flesh, and only two of the second
Quorum. And this speaks in loud and forcible language, at least it
does to me, that what we have to do in the interest of the great cause
of salvation, we should perform it faithfully and diligently, making
the very best use of the few remaining days we have yet to labor in
the flesh.

Vol. 19,  p.295
While I refer to the absence of our brethren whose works remain and
whose memories are cherished, I am fully conscious this morning that
we who are left are not laboring alone, nor particularly for our own
benefit, in a temporal point of view; but I realize that we are called
and ordained of God to labor with him and the heavenly hosts, in the
accomplishment of his purposes, the bringing forth and establishing of
his Zion and Kingdom in the earth, and all that has been designed to
be consummated in this the dispensation of the fullness of times. I
also sense that when I and my brethren who still remain shall pass
away, we shall go as others have done—we shall not take this world or
any part of it with us. When Joseph Smith died, Nauvoo remained, he
did not take it [p.296] with him; when President Brigham Young died,
Salt Lake City still remained, and when we join them we shall leave
behind us the things of time, even as Jesus did himself who was the
founder of the earth. This truth itself should incite the Latter-day
Saints to reflection, it should indelibly impress upon our memories,
the fact that we are working for something far greater, in real worth,
than dollars and cents, houses and lands, and this world's goods. We
have been gathered here in our present condition by the commandment
and by the inspiration of the Lord, to continue the work that others
commenced, and like them we must improve the time in doing what is
required of us, working faithfully for God and his Kingdom while the
day lasts.

Vol. 19,  p.296
I know, you know, and all Israel knows who have received the fullness
of the everlasting Gospel in this last dispensation of God to man,
that this is the work of God and not of man; we understand this
perfectly. This Church and Kingdom has been organized by the
administration of angels from God. The organization of this Church has
been governed and controlled by revelation and upon no other
principle, and what has already been accomplished since our existence,
as a church, reveals the handiwork of God, for no man could have done
what has been done unless God were with him. I rejoice to have the
privilege of meeting with so many of my brethren and sisters, and that
I have the privilege of bearing testimony to the divinity of this
latter-day work, and of the principles of salvation revealed from God
to man. The scene I behold this morning, and that which I behold in
traveling through the extent of this Territory, speaks to me in very
loud language that it is in fulfilment of the designs of God, and the
revelations of Jesus Christ, which are recorded not only in the Bible,
or on the stick of Judah, but also in the Book of Mormon, or stick of
Joseph in the hands of Ephraim, as well as in the New Testament, and
those revelations of modern date as those of ancient time, have been
sealed with the blood of him who brought them forth, and this
testimony therefore is in three to all the world. The Lord is not
trifling with this generation, neither is he trifling with the Saints
or with the world of mankind. During the last 48 years the Gospel has
been preached to this generation, and this work will continue
preaching to the Gentiles, until the Lord directs otherwise. The
harvest is ripe, and he, the Lord, said, through the Prophet Joseph,
he that would thrust in the sickle and reap was called of God. And
some have continued to labor faithfully almost from the organization
of this Church to the present time—almost half a century. I think it a
great blessing and privilege to stand in the midst of the people of
God in this age of the world to preach the Gospel of Jesus, and to
labor to build up Zion, in obedience to his commandments, and to carry
out his purposes in the day and age in which I live. We, as a whole
people, should certainly exercise our faith in God and in the
revelations, more especially those that immediately refer to our
present condition; no matter where they are found, in any of the
records of divine truth. The Lord has said unto us, through Joseph
Smith, that it matters not whether he speaks unto the children of men
by his own voice or by the ministrations of angels, or whether by the
voice of his servants, that it is all the same, it is his word, his
mind and his will to those to whomsoever it [p.297] comes; and that
although the heavens and the earth pass away, not one jot or tittle of
his word shall remain unfulfilled.

Vol. 19,  p.297
I am a believer in this revelation and also in the records which are
left for us to pursue, the inspired words of ancient as well as modern
Prophets; and I also believe that they will have their fulfilment in
the due time of the Lord, and that no power on earth can prevent it.
and I do not believe there has been a revelation given from God to
man, from the days of father Adam to this hour, but what has had its
fulfilment, or will have, as fast as time will admit; and we are every
day of our lives making history, and we are also fulfiling the
prophecies of Isaiah and many other ancient men of God, who were
permitted in vision to see our day.

Vol. 19,  p.297
I know we live in a day of infidelity; I know that darkness covers the
earth and gross darkness the minds of the people; I know that the Lord
is angry with the wicked, and withholding his Spirit from the
inhabitants of the earth; I know that light has come into the world,
and that men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are
evil. But as a servant of the living God I will say that,
notwithstanding all the unbelief of this wicked generation—the
Christian, the Jewish and the pagan world, together with the combined
efforts of the devil and wicked men, the fulfilment of the purposes of
God in their times and seasons cannot be frustrated. These volumes of
revelation are written on the pages of divine truth as in letters of
fire, and they will have their fulfilment whether men believe or
disbelieve, for they are the words of God.

Vol. 19,  p.297
It is a great work, an almighty work; it is a work different from that
of any dispensation which God has given to man. When I look upon these
Latter-day Saints I cannot help contemplating our calling and the
labor required at our hands, and, when I am reminded of the account
that we have all got to give before the judgment seat of God for the
use we make of our own time and talents, and the gifts of God and the
holy Priesthood, and the work of our God which has been committed to
us, I feel to ask, What manner of men ought we to be. Our souls should
be open to the building up of this Kingdom of God, and we should
continue with increased diligence to rear towards heaven these Temples
of our God, the foundation of which we have laid and commenced to
build upon, so that all Israel who dwell here may enter into them and
attend to the ordinances of the house of God. And I again say to the
Latter-day Saints, this work the God of Israel requires at your hands.
This requirement is not confined to the Twelve, the President of
Stakes and the Bishops, but it is binding upon every man who has
entered into covenant with the Lord our God, and I trust that one and
all will willingly share this responsibility, and not for a moment
permit this work to drag or appear laborious to perform.

Vol. 19,  p.297
I thank the Lord my God that my ears have been saluted with the sound
of the Gospel, and that I have had the privilege of reading the
revelations of God to us, and I know that, as an individual, I am held
responsible for my duty to Him. We have a harvest to reap both sides
of the vail. We have already done considerable work on this side, by
way of preaching the Gospel to the nations of the earth, as commanded
to do by God. Well do I remember the early experience of the first
Elders of the Church, how we traveled afoot for [p.298] sands of
miles, without purse or scrip, with valise in hand, and many times
having to beg our bread, from door to door, in order to impart to the
people a knowledge of the Gospel. Our garments are clear from the
blood of this generation, and the testimony of these Elders will yet
rise in judgment against this generation to condemn them.
Notwithstanding the unbelief of the Christian world, and
notwithstanding the warfare that may be waged against God and his
Christ, Zion will be redeemed and his kingdom will be established
never more to be thrown down. He holds the nations in his own hands,
and he also has his Saints in his holy keeping, and he will continue
to guide and direct and sustain his people, until they consummate all
unto which they have been ordained.

Vol. 19,  p.298
Look at these valleys! When we came here in 1847, they were barren and
desolate, without the least sign or mark of civilization. Today our
Territory is filled with villages, towns and orchards, and the land is
brought under a good state of cultivation, inhabited by a civilized
race. Who are they? Sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty; they are
a people that have been, as corn sifted in a sieve, among the Gentile
nations, and called out by the proclamation of the everlasting Gospel.
The Lord chose a boy from the humble walks of life, and endowed him
with intelligence and power to commence this great work, and also to
send forth others throughout this and to other nations bearing the
message of life, and this people opened their hearts to receive it,
and were baptized in water for remission of sins, and received the
laying on of hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost. They have been
born of the Spirit, and they have seen the kingdom of God, and they
have received ordination in order to enter into it. And when they
enter into it, they have the spirit of it, and this makes the
difference between the Latter-day Saints and the former-day Saints. No
man can see the kingdom of God unless he is born of the Spirit; and
this is wherein these Latter-day Saints have faith in God, and observe
the signs of the times, and trust in him by this principle. Their
prayers have ascended in the ears of the Lord of Sabbaoth, asking for
things which they stood in need of; and he has answered our prayers
and he has continued to sustain us until the present time. I ask, my
brethren and sisters, will the Lord withhold now his hand, will he now
close the heavens, withdrawing the power by which we have been upheld?
No, be will not; his hand will continue over us if we be true to him
and the laws he has given unto us. He has decreed before the
foundation of this world, before the fall of man, that in the
dispensation of the fulness of times, he would gather unto himself all
things, both things which are in heaven and things on the earth. He is
doing it, although the world generally does not know it.

Vol. 19,  p.298
Now, brethren and sisters, I do not wish myself to occupy all your
time this morning, but I want to say to you that our position, our
calling, our religion embrace the noble work of God, both temporal and
spiritual, which rests upon us. We have to go forth with our hands and
build up Zion. Zion will be built up; Zion will be redeemed, and she
will arise and shine and put on bet beautiful garments; she will break
from off her neck her yoke, and she will be clothed with the glory of
our God. Zion has been sold for naught; she will be redeemed without
money; she will [p.299] arise in her beauty and glory, as the Prophets
of God have seen her; she will extend her borders and strengthen her
stakes, and the God of heaven will comfort her, inasmuch as we will
unite together to carry out his purposes.

Vol. 19,  p.299
I see nothing to tempt me or you to turn aside from the work given us
to do. The Prophets have predicted that every weapon that is formed
against Zion shall be broken, and this is in accordance with the
revelations of God to us. He will continue this work and direct its
onward course, but he expects us to continue to reclaim the waste
places, and to continue to build Temples and also to impart of our
substance. And I wish all Israel to understand that when we impart of
our substance to build Temples that we do not do it to benefit the
Lord at all, he had his endowments a long time before we were born,
and also passed through his probation. We are his children, he wishes
to exalt us back to his presence, and he knows very well we are
obliged to walk in the same path and receive the same ordinances in
order to inherit the same glory that surrounds him. And when we erect
Temples in which to perform ordinances for the living and the dead, we
do it to benefit our own blessed selves. I want salvation, I wish to
inherit eternal life, I wish to get back to the presence of God from
whence I came, when I have finished my probation in the flesh. And I
believe that I desire nothing in this respect but what you also wish.
Then I know that it requires my diligence and my constant labor and
study, the little time I have to spend in the flesh, to do all I can
to build up Zion and to establish the Church and the kingdom of God
upon the earth. If we can only obtain eternal lives we shall attain to
the greatest of God's gifts to man. Our Savior, our Heavenly Father,
the angel Gabriel, Peter, James and John, Joseph Smith and Brigham
Young, are not coming back to build our Temples for us, they are not
coming to settle new country and open up new roads, plant out our
trees, build up and beautify this land, this is our part of the work,
and we have got it to do, working while we live, and when we go away
we shall move on exactly as others have done, leaving our houses, our
gardens, our flocks and herds, and all our earthly interests behind
us. And when we go to the spirit world and our eyes are opened on
eternal lives, we shall all marvel at the way in which our lives have
been spent. There is a veil over all the earth, it is ordained of God
that it should be so, and the fact of it being so will prove all of
his children whether we will abide in his covenant even unto death or
not. And those who are not willing to abide in their covenant unto the
end for the building up of the kingdom of God, are not worthy of a
place with God and with the Savior and those who bare sealed their
testimony with their blood.

Vol. 19,  p.299
I pray the Lord to bless you and all those who may attend this
Conference, and also the brethren who may address you; and trust that
our prayers may continually ascend into the ears of the Lord on behalf
of Zion and her speedy redemption.

Vol. 19,  p.299
I will say before closing, that I have just returned from St. George,
where I have been laboring in the Temple. The work of God continues
there; as a general thing we have as much labor as the Temple is
capable of sustaining. The spirit of the work does not lag. And I can
safely add that just as quick as the people get the Temple done at
this place, the way will be opened before them,[p.300] they will feel
the responsibility of attending to the work so essentially necessary
to be done on behalf of those who have lived and passed away without
having had the privilege of receiving the blessings of the Gospel; and
as their time and attention will be occupied in this direction will
they perceive the importance as well as the magnitude of the work.
There are many to-day who stand in need of this assistance, and as I
have often said, so say I again to this body of Latter-day Saints,
that this labor devolves upon us, and God requires it at our hands.
The Prophet Joseph may turn the keys in the spirit world, and he and
those engaged with him may preach to the spirits in prison, but they
can not baptize them nor confirm them, nor administer offices of the
endowment. Some person or persons dwelling in the flesh must attend to
this part of the work for them; for it takes just as much to save a
dead man who never received the Gospel as a living man. And all those
who have passed away without the Gospel have the right to expect
somebody in the flesh to perform this work for them, Amen.

John Taylor, April 8, 1878

No Man Can Direct the Kingdom of God—the 
Gospel Did not Originate With Joseph Smith or Brigham 
Young.—the Saints Operating With God and the Angels—the 
Grand Organization of the Church—Other Institutions of Zion

Discourse By President John Taylor, Delivered at the 
Conference, Salt Lake City, Sunday Afternoon, April 8th, 1878.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.300
I shall feel very much obliged, while I attempt to address you; if you
will keep as quiet as possible; because it is quite a labor to speak
to so large a congregation, and unless quiet and order is preserved,
it is impossible for all the people to hear.

Vol. 19,  p.300
I have been very much interested and edified in listening to the
remarks made by the brethren since we have assembled together in this
Conference. And I have been very much pleased in witnessing the union
and general feeling of interest manifested among the people to attend
these meetings. It is evidence to me that the people feel interested
in these great and eternal principles developed through our holy
religion, and that they have a desire to yield obedience to the law of
God and to keep his commandments. And in that alone is our safety, our
happiness, our [p.301] posterity, and our exaltation, as a people; for
we derive every blessing we enjoy, whether of a temporal or of a
spiritual nature from our heavenly Father; and without him we can do
or perform no good work, for in him "we live and move and have our
being," and from him, and through him we receive all blessings
pertaining to this life, and we shall hereafter, if we possess eternal
lives, inherit them and obtain them through the goodness, mercy and
long-suffering of God our Eternal Father, through the merits and
redemption of Jesus Christ our Savior.

Vol. 19,  p.301
It is not in man to direct, to manage and control affairs of the
Kingom of God. No man ever did possess that power, nor will he,
unaided by the power of the Almighty. All nations and all peoples are
more or less under his direction and control, although many of them do
not know it. He raises up one nation, and puts down another, he
debases the proud and exalts the humble at his pleasure, and he
pursues that course among all the peoples and nations of the earth, as
seemeth best unto him; and all nations and all peoples are his
offspring and he is the God and Father of the spirits of all flesh,
and feels an interest in the welfare of all the human family. He has
been in the ages that are past, and he is in the present age doing all
that he can to promote the happiness and well-being of the human
family. This does not always appear to men of superficial minds, the
dealings of God with man are not always comprehended. But he
nevertheless does control the destinies of all peoples; and if in
really instances it does not seem for their present benefit, yet as
mankind are eternal beings, having to do with eternity as well as
time, when the secrets of all hearts shall be developed and the
actions of gods shall be made known and fully comprehended in the
future destinies of the races of men, it will be found that the Judge
of all the earth has done right.

Vol. 19,  p.301
The Lord has in these last days, for his own special purpose, and also
in the interest of humanity, revealed himself from the heavens, made
manifest his will to man, sent his holy angels to communicate and
reveal unto us his children certain principles as they exist in the
bosom of God, and he has pointed out the way whereby we may secure our
happiness and an eternal exaltation in the celestial Kingdom of God.
He has been pleased to restore again the everlasting Gospel in all its
fullness, with all its riches, and blessings, and power, and glory. He
has organized his Church and Kingdom upon the earth; he has chosen men
as he did in former times to be the bearers of his message of life and
salvation to the nations of the earth. He has, through these
instruments, instructed us, and gathered us together, as we are found
here today, from the different nations where the Gospel reached us. He
has brought us here according to certain eternal principles which he
had in his mind before the world was, and according to certain
councils that existed in the heavens among the gods, who have been
operating upon and with the haman family from the commencement to the
present, and will until the winding up scene.

Vol. 19,  p.301
The work that we are engaged in is not the work of man, it did not
originate with man, it was not found out by him. It is the work that
has been prophesied of by all the holy prophets that have lived on
this continent, on the continent of Asia, and in the various portions
of the earth. As the Apostle Paul describes it, it is "the
dispensation of the fulness of times spoken of by all the holy
prophets since the world was." And [p.302] anything that we may have
received—any light, any intelligence, any knowledge of the things of
God, have emanated and proceeded from him. He saw and comprehended the
fitting time for this work to commence; he prepared the way by once
more opening the heavens, by revealing himself and his Son Jesus, and
by afterwards sending holy angels to communicate his will and his
purposes and designs to the human family. It therefore did not
originate with us, nor with any sect or party or people, for nobody,
not even Joseph Smith, or Brigham Young, or any of the Twelve Apostles
knew anything about the great principles that were stored up in the
mind of God. It was the mind and will and revelations of God, made
known to the human family, in the first place to Joseph Smith, and
through him to others. And when the Elders of this Church went forth
to the nations of the earth, as bearers of the gospel message, if they
had gone upon their own responsibility they could have accomplished
nothing. But having been chosen and set apart of the Lord, they went
forth as his messengers, without purse or scrip, trusting in Him. And
he opened up their way and prepared their path, as he said beforehand
that he would. "Behold," said he, "I send you forth to the nations of
the earth, and my Spirit shall go with you, and my angels shall
prepare the way for you." I send you forth not to be taught, but to
teach, not to be instructed by the world of mankind or the
intelligence of the world, but by the wisdom and intelligence and
power and spirit which I shall give you, and it is through and by this
influence that we have been gathered together. And why are we
gathered? These Elders could not have gathered you unless God had been
with them; they could not have influenced you to come here unless the
Spirit and power of their mission had been with them. But the Lord
said in former years through his prophets, "I will take you one of a
city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion. And I will
give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with
knowledge and understanding." And through the operation and influence
of the Spirit of the living God, manifested through the priesthood,
God's ministers on the earth, you have been brought together as you
are to-day. But why should we be titus gathered together? That there
may be a body of people found to whom God can communicate his will,
that there might be a people who should be prepared to listen to the
word and will and voice of God: that there might be a people gathered
together from the different nations who, under the influence of that
spirit, should become saviors upon Mount Zion; that they might, under
the inspiration of the Almighty, and through the power of the Holy
Priesthood which they should receive, go forth to those nations and
proclaim to the people the principles of life, that they might indeed
become the saviors of men. And if we could fully comprehend our
position, we should see things very differently from what we now do.
If we could comprehend our relationship to God, to each other, to his
church upon the earth, and also the greatness and magnitude of the
work in which we are engaged, and the responsibilities that devolve
upon us as Elders in Israel, as Saints of the Most High God, we should
see things in a very different light from what we now do. We are not
here, as they say in the Church of England, to "follow the devices and
desires of our own hearts;" we are not here to pursue our own
individual interests and emoluments, [p.303] we are not here merely to
attend to our own secular affairs, but to learn the laws of life, and
then teach the people the way of salvation. There was an old saying
among ancient Israel: "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord,
and thou shalt worship the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all
thy mind, with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and him only
shalt thou worship." And Jesus, in after time, added a little more to
this: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." God is one, and they
who dwell with him are one. Those who will inherit the celestial
kingdom will be one when they get there; and we, as a people, ought to
be one—one in faith, one in principle, one in practice, one in our
interests, one in our associations, with each other and in our
families, one with God, one with the holy angels, one in time, and one
in eternity.

Vol. 19,  p.303
To bring about a union of this kind, the principle of baptism has been
introduced that we all might be baptized into one baptism, by the
laying on of hands, and through the various orders of his Priesthood,
we all partake of the same spirit; and being brought into union and
communion with God, that we all might, feel after God, that the tens
of thousands, and hundreds of thousands might be brought into
connection with the Almighty, whose prayers could ascend into the ears
of the Lord of Sabbaoth. And for the accomplishment of this purpose,
he selected Joseph Smith to be the first Apostle in his Church: he was
called "not by the will of man," nor by the power of man, nor by the
intelligence of man, but by God who revealed himself unto this young
man, as also the Savior, committing unto him a mission to perform to
the inhabitants of this earth. He was endowed with power and authority
which was given him for that purpose, that he might be the legitimate
representative of God upon the earth. He also taught him how to
organize his Church, and put him in communication with many of the
ancient Prophets who have long since passed away, who also
communicated with him, and revealed unto him further the plan and
design of the Almighty in relation to this earth, and the salvation of
all who would listen to the principles of truth.

Vol. 19,  p.303
The nations of the earth have their representatives, their ministers,
their plenipotentiaries, empowered and sent forth by the recognized
authority of the several nations. He was the representative of God,
his credentials came from God, and his mission extended not to one
nation only, but to all nations; and he was authorized to establish
and organize what was termed the Church and Kingdom of God upon the
earth. And every step that he took, every principle that he
inculcated, and every doctrine that he taught, came from God by the
revelations of God to him, and through him to the people. He selected
others by revelation—Apostles, High Priests, Seventies, Bishops,
Elders, Priests, Teachers and Deacons, also High Councils, and
Bishops' Councils, and Patriarchs, and all the various authorities and
organizations of this Church. Joseph Smith neither knew how to select
men, whom to select, nor what their offices should be until it was
communicated by the Lord. And yet we find that these principles
revealed to him, agree with those that existed in former ages whenever
God had a Church or people on the earth. And hence the ushering in of
the Gospel simply means the revelation of the will of God to man; it
simply means the placing of mankind in [p.304] communication with the
Lord that he may not he governed by his own follies or notions or
theories, but by the will and word of God. And the examples that you
heard referred to here, of our Stakes, with their Presidencies,
together with the Bishops and their Council, etc., is a part of the
system of heaven, as it exists in the eternal worlds; and the
Priesthood that we hold is the everlasting Priesthood, and it
administers in time, and it will administer in eternity; and a
knowledge of the works that we are now engaged in, in regard to the
building of Temples and administering therein, all came from God, and
are a part of the eternal system. Who knew about them until God
revealed it? Nobody. Who knows how to administer acceptably in these
Temple without revelation? Nobody but those to whom it has been
communicated, it came from God. And our preaching to the living, and
our administering for the dead are all of them parts and parcels of
the same concern, The fact is, we are in a state of probation; we have
enlisted under the banner of the Almighty; we have dedicated ourselves
to him for time and for eternity, and he expects it at our hands that
we be true to the trust conferred upon us, that we be faithful to our
obligations and fulfil them, that we honor our God, that we magnify
our callings and Priesthood, and that we stand forth among the people
and before the nations, as the representatives of God upon the earth.
We have a similar view to that of the Apostle Paul, who said when
addressing himself to the Corinthians: 'Ye are not your own, for ye
are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in
your spirit, which are God's." We have enlisted in a work, have
engaged in a warfare that will last while time shall be, and if we
live our religion, and keep his commandments, the principles that we
are in possession of will bear us off triumphant over death, hell and
the grave, and land us among the just, among the celestial host that
dwell with our Father in heaven. We really have no time to attend to
those trivial affairs, that some people seem to think ought to occupy
so much of our time. I wish now, while we are together to talk upon
some general principles associated with the Priesthood which has been
conferred upon us.

Vol. 19,  p.304
It was said of ancient Israel, if they had kept the commandments, that
he would have made out of them a kingdom of Priests. We are literally
a kingdom of Priests to-day. Our business is not to follow our own
will, our own desires and plans, but to seek to know and to do the
will of God, to carry out these principles which he has revealed, and
in this is our happiness and exaltation in time, and will be
throughout the eternities that are to come.

Vol. 19,  p.304
We ought to be operating with God, and with the holy angels; we ought
to be feeling after them, we ought to be operating with the ancient
Priesthood that have lived before—the Patriarchs, the Prophets, the
Apostles, and all those men of God who have lived and died in the
faith who act with God our heavenly Father, and with Jesus the
Mediator of the new Covenant. We ought to be operating with them in
establishing righteousness throughout the earth, not nominally, but
really; we ought to be laboring in conjunction with them in saving the
living, not to make it a hardship and a trouble and a toil; something
that we can hardly endure to go through; but on the contrary, feeling
it an honor to be associated with the interests of God and bearers of
the message of life and salvation, [p.305] and also seeking for
wisdom, and intelligence, and power, and revelation from God to carry
out his will and designs, and to accomplish his purposes upon the
earth.

Vol. 19,  p.305
Will his purposes be accomplished? They will. Will the Gospel grow,
spread and increase? I tell you, in the name of Israel's God, it will.
Will the time come when every fictitious thing will be removed, when
light and truth shall prevail, and when the kingdoms of this world
will become the kingdoms of our God and his Christ? I tell you it
will, and God will hasten it in his time. And this priesthood and this
people are to be the instruments, in the hands of God, in connection
with the priesthood who have gone before, who are now operating in
their sphere, as we are in our's. The Lord hath so ordained, says the
Apostle, "that they, (referring to the dead) without us should not be
made perfect;" neither can we without them be made perfect. There
needs to be a welding and uniting together, that in all of our doings
as God's servants and representatives, we may be influenced and
directed from above, being united with the Gods in heaven we may
become one in all things upon the earth, and afterwards one in the
heavens. And says the Lord, "If ye are not one, ye are not mine."
Everything that tends to divide the people, as you heard this morning,
proceeds from beneath, and those that are engaged in it are the
emisaries of the devil; for as he is the father of lies, so he is the
father of division, strife and discord. But union, peace, love,
harmony, fellowship, brotherhood and everything honorable, noble and
exalting, proceeds from God; these are the principles that we ought to
seek after and to disseminate as far as we can eveywhere and among all
peoples. And then when we have done that work, turn our attention to
the building of temples and minister in them for the dead, that we may
operate with the fathers in the interest of heir posterity, helping
them to perform that for their posterity which they were not able to
do.

Vol. 19,  p.305
And in regard to the world, what ought our feelings to be towards
them? A feeling of generosity, a feeling of kindness, a feeling of
sympathy, with our hearts full of charity, long-suffering and
benevolence, as God our Father has, for he makes his sun to rise on
the evil as well as the good; he sends his rain on the unjust as well
as the just. And while we abjure the evils, the corruptions, the fraud
and iniquity, the lasciviousness and the lyings and abominations that
exist in the world, whenever we see an honorable principle, a desire
to do right, whenever we see an opening to promote the happiness of
any of these people, or to reclaim the wanderer, it is out duty to do
it, as saviors on Mount Zion.

Vol. 19,  p.305
Will they have trouble? Yes. Will there he tribulation? Yes. Will
nation be strayed against nation? Yes. Will thrones be east down and
empires destroyed? Yes. Will there be war, and carnage, and bloodshed?
Yes. But these things are with the people and with God. It is not for
us; we have a mission to perform, and that is to preach the Gospel and
introduce correct principles, to unfold the laws of God as men are
prepared to receive them, to build up his Zion upon the earth, and to
prepare a people for the time when the bursting heavens will reveal
the Son of God, "and when every creature on the earth and under the
earth will be heard to say, blessing and glory, and honor, and power,
and might, and majesty, and dominion be ascribed to him that sits
[p.306] upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever."

Vol. 19,  p.306
Will this people grow and increase? Yes. And the time will come—it is
not now, we are not prepared for it—when calamity and trouble and
bloodshed, confusion and strife will spread among all the nations of
the earth. The time will come, and is not far distant, when those who
will not take up the sword to fight against their neighbors, will have
to flee to Zion for safety. That was true some time ago, and it is
nearer its fulfilment by a great many years than at the time it was
first uttered. 

Vol. 19,  p.306
What are we here for? To build up or aggrandize ourselves? No, but to
build up the Church and kingdom of God upon the earth, and to spread
the light of truth among the nations. That is our duty, and also to
pray for the revelations of God, that the Spirit and power of God may
rest upon us, that we may comprehend correct principles and understand
the laws of life, to guide and guard and protect the ship Zion from
among the rocks and shoals and troubles that will sooner or later
overcome this nation, and other nations, and prepare ourselves for the
events that are to come. We ought to be men of honor, of honesty, of
integrity, having our eyes single to the glory of God. That is the
duty of these Apostles, and not to act with a view for their own
aggrandizement, and for the obtainment of filthy lucre, or anything
else pertaining to this world. We brought nothing into this world, we
can take nothing out. It is for us to operate for God and in the
interests of his Church and kingdom.

Vol. 19,  p.306
And what of these other brethren, the High Priests? They have a
mission to perform, and that is to make themselves acquainted with the
laws, doctrines, ordinances and government of the Church of God upon
the earth, that they may be prepared, when called upon, to fulfil the
duties and responsibilities devolving upon them. I will here read part
of a revelation which indicates the nature of these duties. "And again
I give unto you, Don C. Smith, to be a President over a Quorum of High
Priests, which ordinance is instituted for the purpose of qualifying
those who shall be appointed standing Presidents over the different
stakes scattered abroad." Hear it, O ye High Priests! This is the
prominent duty devolving upon you. The position you occupy is a sort
of a normal school, if you please, to prepare those who are in it and
are taught in it, that when they shall be called to hold official
places in the various stakes of Zion, they may be prepared to magnify
them. How was it when we were engaged organizing these stakes, were
these brethren prepared? No, many of them were not by any means. One
was engaged on his farm, another was tied up in his merchandising,
another had bought five yoke of oxen and had to prove them, and
another had married a wife and he could not come. And we, therefore,
had to go outside of the High Priests, whose legitimate business it
was to occupy these positions, and call other men and ordain them High
Priests, and set them apart to preside in these stakes, as Presidents
and Bishops and Councilors, having to take them from among the
Seventies' and Elder's Quorums, because the High Priests were not
prepared to magnify their legitimate calling; whereas, if they had
been doing their duty, living their religion, and meeting together in
prayer, and examining the doctrine of Christ, instead of being engaged
almost exclusively in many of these other matters, they would have
[p.307] been prepared to step forward and magnify their calling. There
are many other stakes to be organized. Prepare yourselves, you High
Priests, for the duties and responsibilities that may devolve upon
you, that the Church of God may be strengthened in all its parts, and
every man in his place, all prepared to magnify their calling.

Vol. 19,  p.307
Then, again, there are seventies; I think there are some seventy-six
quorums of seventies. Does their duty consist merely in making their
own plans and calculations, such as to go of a farm and live there all
their life time, attending to their own individual affairs, or pursue
any other avocation without considering the obligations they are under
by virtue of their Priesthood, and calling? I tell you nay. We have
something else to do. I read in the revelation touching this matter,
when the seventies were ordained, "they were to ordain more seventies
until there should be seven times seventy, if the labor in the
vineyard required it." They were to do this if the labor in the
vineyard required it." In whose vineyard? Their orchards and farms? I
do not read it so. Does this refer to their merchandizing? It does not
so read. In looking after their own affairs or emoluments? That is not
what I read; but for the labor of the vineyard. Whose vineyard, then?
The vineyard of the Lord. But it seems that a great many of the
Seventies have no more idea of going into the vineyard of the Lord,
than if they held no such Priesthood or calling; they do not seem to
comprehend their duties, nor their responsibilities. Hear it, O ye
Seventies! you are called and set apart by the Priesthood, to act
under the direction of the Twelve, to go forth as His messengers to
the nations of the earth. Do you believe it? This is your calling.
Prepare yourselves for it. I do not want Elders coming to me, as some
have been doing, after having been called upon missions saying, I pray
thee have me excused. And I call upon the first President of the
Seventies to instruct the various Presidents of Seventies, and they in
turn the members of their several quorums, in regard to their duties;
and to live themselves so that the spirit of the living God may rest
down upon them, that they may indeed be qualified to teach their
brethren what their duties are, that they may prepare themselves to
magnify them. Instead, therefore, of every one seeking his own
individual gain from his own quarter, let every man feel that he is a
servant of the living God, a messenger to the nations of the earth,
and that when the Lord calls upon him, through the proper authority,
to do a certain work, he must obey, and that readily and willingly!
These are the duties and responsibilities that devolve upon you, my
brethren of the Seventies.

Vol. 19,  p.307
And it is the duty of the Elders also to magnify their callings; to
feel after God and to seek instruction from Him, and to magnify their
calling and Priesthood at home or abroad, being governed by the Holy
Priesthood, in regard to their duties, that they may be acceptable to
the Lord, and magnify their callings with all diligence and fidelity,
and then it is the duty of the Presidents of Stakes to look after the
interest and welfare of their own people under their Presidency, not
in a formal manner, but as interested in their welfare, having a
lively desire to benefit and build them up, both spiritually and
temporally, and perfect them in righteousness, purging out when
necessary the ungodly, lifting up and exalting the poor, and blessing
end benefiting everybody according to the principles [p.308] of
righteousness and truth, guarding their virtue and their honor, and
see that men are honorable, that they regard their word of more value
than their bond, that all people may rely on them; men who, in the
language of the Prophet, will swerve to their own hurt and change not,
and who will do that which is right and equitable before God. It is
their duty, and the duty of the Bishops and also that of the High
Priests and Seventies and Elders operating with them to look after the
poor and see that they are provided for. Do not let us have anybody
crying for bread, or suffering for the want of employment. Let us
furnish employment for all, divide up our farms and plan and devise
liberally that all who need work, and want to be employed, may find
labor. And I now call upon the Presidents of Stakes throughout Zion to
give this matter their serious and earnest attention. We have land in
abundance, water in abundance, and means in abundance; let us utilise
them for the common weal. Talk about financiering! Financier for the
poor, for the working man, who requires labor and is willing to do it,
and act in the interest of the community, for the welfare of Zion, and
in the building up of the kingdom of God upon the earth. This is your
calling; it is not to build up yourselves, but to build up the Church
and kingdom of God; and see that there is no cause for complaining in
all your villages and cities and neighborhoods. Let us take hold
together for the accomplishment of this object, and pray God to give
us wisdom to carry it out, and be will pour upon us blessings that
there will not be room enough to contain.

Vol. 19,  p.308
Again, we have what is called a Perpetual Emigration Fund. I wish to
draw the attention, not only of the Presidents of Stakes but of the
Bishops of the various wards, and of the whole people, to the
responsibilities that devolve upon as in relation to this matter. We
seem to be dwindling down in some of these matters, and I am sorry to
say that there is a great lack of that integrity and interest that we
would like to see manifested among our brethren. There are those here
who have assisted with their means to the amount of upwards of a
million dollars, which is unpaid by those who received the benefit of
it. It was the calculation that this means should be used to bring
those of our brethren to this land, who needed and were worthy of this
assistance, and when you who were thus assisted were in distant lands
praying and wishing to be gathered to Zion, this help came to you and
you were brought here; and instead of paying this your honest debt,
you go to work and build up yourselves, without meeting your
obligations, what is the result? Those of your brethren who still
remain, who are just as worthy as you to be gathered to Zion, are left
to cry for assistance. I am daily in receipt of letters from different
parts of the earth, asking to be thus assisted pleading: "we want to
gather with the Saints, can't you help us?" Yes, we can if you who owe
the Fund will pay your honest debts, we can then meet all these
requirements. And I call upon the Presidents of Stakes and upon the
Bishops to look after these things, and see that these obligations are
met, that the poor from abroad may not cry in vain; but that we may
help them, and then they return the amount advanced to them to assist
others, and thus keep the work rolling in the same direction. And if
this duty is not performed, how can we expect the blessing of God to
rest upon us?

Vol. 19,  p.309
We are engaged quite extensively [p.309] in the erection of Temples.
We are building one here, and also one in Cache Valley, and another in
Sanpete, and if we had time, and it was considered advisable, we could
read the report read setting forth the receipts and disbursements of
these places; and I presume we shall, before the Conference adjourns.
Suffice it to say, with all our backwardness in some other things,
there are a great many of the Latter-day Saints who are doing all they
can in every laudable enterprise. I presume at the present time there
is not less than 500 men engaged in rearing the walls of these
Temples. And men are taking hold of it with energy, doing all they can
in many instances, but not in all by a great deal.

Vol. 19,  p.309
Then in regard to our Tithing operations, Bishop Hunter informs me
that many of the people are very negligent in regard to this matter.
Now, I would say in behalf of the people, that perhaps there may be a
partial excuse for some of these things. We have had a very stringent
time for a number of years past, a financial crisis has prevailed in
the eastern States for some years now, and almost every paper reports
the failure of mercantile and business institutions—of the failure of
one firm after another; and we have been subject, more or less, to
these depressions. The fact also must be considered that great
exertions have Been made in the building of the St. George Temple, and
also the three Temples now under way, which have already exhausted
considerable means furnished chiefly by the people residing in those
Temple districts. I must give the people credit for their zeal and
energy in this direction, which we must all acknowledge is very
commendable and praiseworthy. And, perhaps, in the performance of this
labor many have done the best they could, and possibly circumstances
have so overruled that they find themselves hardly able to meet their
Tithing, for as a rule it is those who take delight in observing the
law of Tithing that subscribe to these other calls. We do not wish to
crowd or press upon the people; but rather let us take things easily
and deliberately, seeking always to break off the yoke of him that is
bound, letting the oppressor go free. And let our sympathies be
extended towards the widow and the orphan; and while we are building
Temple, paying our Tithes and offerings, and doing the best we can
before God and man, we will let that go for the present, and when we
get into more favorable circumstances we will do better. At any rate,
we will keep doing with a long pull and a strong pull, and a pull
altogether, as one in the interests of all Israel. But we must not
forget our duties to the Lord.

Vol. 19,  p.309
I would say in this connection that there are three of the Twelve
appointed to superintend the erection of these edifices in these
outside districts, and then there are those residing here attending to
home affairs. And we are seeking to act in concert and do the very
best we can. Some people have an idea that these Temples ought to be
built from the proceeds of the Tithing; I do not object to it in the
least, providing you will only pay your Tithing. But we cannot build
Temples with something that exists only in name. You deal honestly
with the Lord, handing over in due season that which belongs to his
storehouse, and then we will show you whether we can not build
Temples, as well as do everything else that may be required with it.
In the mean time, we have got to do the best we can in these matters;
and as we are personally interested in these things, as well as our
brethren, the [p.310] departed deed who have gone before us, and who
depend upon this being done, we feel a strong desire to carry out
these projects; and this feeling, I am happy to say, exists throughout
all Israel.

Vol. 19,  p.310
We want also to be alive in the cause of education. We are commanded
of the Lord to obtain knowledge, both by study and by faith, seeking
it out of the best books. And it becomes us to teach our children, and
afford them instruction in every branch of education calculated to
promote their welfare, leaving those false acquirements which tend to
infidelity, and to lead away the mind and affection from the things of
God. We want to compile the intelligence and literacy of this people
in book-form, as well as in teaching and preaching; adopting all the
good and useful books we can obtain; and what we need and cannot
obtain make them. And instead of doing as many of the world do, take
the works of God, to try to prove that there in no God; we want to
prove by God's works that he does exist, that he lives and rules and
holds us, as it were, in the hollow of his hand. For it is very unfair
for man to take the works of God to try to prove that there is no God.
But then it is only the fool that has Said in his heart, there is no
God. I would like to talk upon this subject if time would permit.

Vol. 19,  p.310
I am pleased to see the exertions made by the young men's and young
women's mutual improvement associations, to benefit and bless the
rising generation of our people. And I am also pleased to witness the
degree of intelligence and studiousness manifested by our young
people; it is creditable and praiseworthy. We want to lead them on and
encourage them in the study of correct principles, so that when the
responsibility of hearing off the Church and Kingdom of God shall pass
from us to them, they may be prepared for it, and carry on the work to
a glorious and triumphant consummation. And that we may stand in
regard to education and literacy, the sciences, the arts and
intelligence of every kind, as high above the nations of the earth, as
we do to-day in regard to religious matters.

Vol. 19,  p.310
And before closing I would refer briefly to the ladies' relief
society. We are told that, "the man is not without the woman, nor the
woman without the man in the Lord." She is spoken of as a helpmeet to
her husband. I remember the organization of the first Relief Society
in Nauvoo, by the Prophet Joseph Smith; to-day we find them spreading
all ever the land, and the benefits of their labors are widely
realized. Our sisters are doing a noble and commendable work in
writing and publishing, in visiting the sick and needy, and
ministering to their wants, and showing kindness and benevolence
towards the suffering and distressed, and also advocating principles
that are honorable and praiseworthy before God and man, calculated to
elevate and bless their sex. And I say to the sisters, God bless you
in your labors of love, and in your enterprise, continue to press
forward in your good work, and the Lord will bless you and your
posterity after you; for you are mothers in Israel who are raising up
kings and priests unto the Most High God. See that your children are
taught aright, and that they grow up in virtue and purity before the
Lord. Teach them good principles, never mind so much about the
fashions; but let economy, industry, charity, kindness and virtue be
early impressed upon their minds, and try to love your sons and
daughters, and to lead them in the paths of life.[p.311] 

Vol. 19,  p.311
I should like to speak of our Sunday Schools and other institutions,
but time will not permit. I have talked long enough. God bless you, in
the name of Jesus. Amen.

Orson Pratt, October 7, 1867

Temples in Ancient America—the God of 
Mankind An Impossible God—the Truth in Regard 
to Him—Man in His Image—Pre-Existence—Why Infants 
Die—the Redemption By Jesus—Plurality of 
Gods—the Word of the Lord is Truth

Discourse By Elder Orson Pratt, Delivered in the New 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Oct. 7, 1867.

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 19,  p.311
Never having had the opportunity of speaking to so large a
congregation as the present, or at least in so large a house as the
one which we are now assembled, I do not know whether I shall be able
to adapt my voice so as to make the congregation hear me. I know the
object of coming to meeting and preaching is to hear and to be edified
and instructed more perfectly in the in the things pertaining to God
and to godliness, and in our duties before the Lord. When I look upon
this large tabernacle, which has been erected here in these high
regions of our globe, I am forcibly reminded of the sayings of two of
the ancient prophets, Isaiah and Micah, both of whom have spoken of an
event that was to take place in the latter days. I will quote their
sayings, for the language of both is almost identical. "It shall come
to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the House of the Lord
shall be established in the tops of the mountains." I have often
wondered when I have read this portion of Scripture, what was meant by
the meant by the mountain of the house of the Lord being erected, or
established, in the tops of the mountains. The mountain of the house
of the Lord is something, it seems, that God himself would establish
in the mountains. When I entered this Territory in August last, on my
return from my last mission, I beheld from the mouth of Parleys Cañon
the top of this building very prominent. It seemed to rear itself up
above the surrounding buildings, and it was easily to be seen. It
looked very much like an artificial mountain erected here, or like
some of those mounds that we see down on the Missouri River, that were
made by the ancient inhabitants of our country, only it is much larger
and higher than some of them. Whether this is really what the prophet
in ancient da meant, it is not for me to say,[p.312] I only say that
the shape of this buildings reminds me, or suggests to me what was
prophesied anciently; but whether or not it is the fulfilment of that
prophecy I do not know. 

Vol. 19,  p.311
I will take this opportunity to express my gratitude and feelings of
thanksgiving to the Almighty, that he has enabled this people to erect
unto him so large a building in which they can assemble to worship his
great and holy name. The Lord, in ancient days, when he constructed
temples and tabernacles, did honor them by his presence. No doubt on
some occasions his presence was made more manifest than on others.
Oftentimes we read that the power and the glory of God, as manifested
in his tabernacles and temples were so conspicuous that the people
could behold them with their natural eyes. I do not say that this was
the case under all circumstances, and in all houses that were built
unto the name of the Lord. Many temples and houses were built on the
American continent by the remnant of the House of Israel, to whom this
land was given. It is not recorded whether the Lord manifested himself
in all these houses or not; but it is recorded that at the temple
which was built in the land Bountiful, in the northern part of South
America, the Son of God, himself, did show forth his power and his
glory to a certain congregation assembled in and around about the
temple. Jesus, after his resurrection from the dead, was sent by his
Father from the heavens to the American continent, to a congregation
of two thousand and five hundred souls, men, women and children, who
where assembled together for the purpose of worshipping God the Father
in the name of Jesus. Consequently God did respect this temple built
on the American continent, as well as the great temple built by
Solomon in the days of old. When Solomon had built the temple, he
spread forth his hands to the heavens, and prayed to the Father, in
the presence of the congregation of Israel that was assembled, and the
spirit of the Lord was poured out in such a wonderful manner that the
people, through their faith, beheld the power and the glory of God as
they were manifested in that temple. By this the people knew that God
respected his own house. So it was in the days of Moses. When they
journeyed in the wilderness, God commanded the Children of Israel to
build a tabernacle. He gave them a pattern thereof. In that tabernacle
the Lord showed forth his power among Israel. It became visible not
only on the inside, but on the outside the glory of God was made
manifest and rested upon it. By this the Children of Israel knew that
God was near unto them. They not only believed, but the testimony
manifested before their eyes gave them a knowledge that God was in the
midst of their camp; although through their wickedness, unbelief, and
darkness of mind God withdrew his immediate presence from the midst of
the congregation, and Moses only was permitted to see the Lord and
talk to him face to face, yet the display of God's power and glory was
so great that the Children of Israel knew that God was near them.

Vol. 19,  p.312
The question may arise, Will there be a time again when the glory of
the Lord will be manifestly visible to and his voice heard by his
people I answer, yes. God has promised this in the last days. There is
no doubt, as was said yesterday by Brother Kimball, that heavenly
messengers hover around the congregation of the Saints here assembled.
I have no doubt of this in my own mind, thought I have not seen them
[p.313] and you may not have seen them; yet that God who has seen your
labors and diligence in building a house to his name, has no doubt
sent heavenly messengers to hover around us, to bluff off the powers
of darkness, that seek to darken the minds of the people, and to close
their hearts against understanding. The time will come when the faith
of this people, the pure in heart, will be sufficiently great that
when they build a house to the name of the Lord, and do not suffer any
unclean thing to enter therein, that the Lord will come and grace it
by his presence, as well as by the presence of his angels. That will
be the time when the pure in heart, who enter into the house of God,
will behold his face. O! what a grand, glorious, happy privilege that
will be to the sons and daughters of the Most High, to behold the face
of him who created them, the Father of their spirits, who created them
before the foundation of the world. How great and glorious a privilege
for the sons and daughters of God who are now shut out from his
presence! For this cause the people of God are commanded at all times
to build a house to his name, that he may reveal those ordinances
devised by him for the salvation of the children before the world were
laid.

Vol. 19,  p.313
I know there are some people who do not believe God has a face like
unto man, or in other words that we are in his image and likeness.
There has been a great variety of views among the inhabitants of our
globe in regard to the being or beings whom they have worshipped and
called God. Some have believed that he was an immaterial being. Some
have believed that he had no properties, perfection or qualities in
common with any other substance in nature; that he was entirely
separated from all material nature. This seems to be the view of the
great mass of the Christian world at the present day. Some two hundred
millions of the inhabitants of our glebe consider that God is
something altogether indefinable, incomprehensible, a person, and yet
has no parts; consisting of three persons, Father, Son and Holy Ghost,
and yet no part of these persons. That is a horrible idea in my mind.
My mind is so constructed that, with all my reading and meditation, I
never could conceive of a being of that description, and yet it is
incorporated in the articles of the Church of England, also in the
Methodist discipline, and is in accordance with the views of almost
all the Christian world at the present day. "God consists," say they
in their creeds, of three persons without body parts or passions." I
do not wish to dwell upon this long; it is so inconsistent, so very
absurd, so contrary to all intelligence, reason and revelation that I
am willing to throw it by without contemplating it for any length of
time. I merely mention it to call to your mind the inconsistencies of
the religious world who profess Christianity. One of these persons,
called the Son, without body and without parts, was actually
crucified, died and was buried in a tomb, and the third day he rose
again, and with his body ascended into heaven, when he did not possess
a body. If anybody can believe such nonsense, they are perfectly
welcome to it, only keep it away from me. I want nothing to do with
it. I never expect to worship such a being here on earth or throughout
all the future ages of eternity. I have no reverence whatever for such
a being, for I do not believe that such a one ever existed only in the
hallucinations of disordered minds.

Vol. 19,  p.314
Perhaps the strangers who are present, if any there be, may be led
[p.314] to inquire what kind of a being do the Latter-day Saints
worship? Let me reply according to my understanding. I believe that
God—I mean God the Father is a material personal being; that he has a
body and a spirit united together; that his spirit within his body is
material; that he is a personage just as much as every man in this
congregation is a personage; and let me go still further and say that
he is a personage of flesh and of bones. Perhaps that may shock the
ideas of some of the outsiders and they may think that to get over
their immaterial god, without body or parts, we have gone to the other
extreme. Well, whether it is to the other extreme or not, I wish to
state to you my views, and I think they correspond with the views of
the of the servants of God.

Vol. 19,  p.314
God is a being, then, who has a tabernacle of flesh and bones in which
his spirit dwells; and this flesh, bones and spirit are material.
Strangers may be anxious to know something more about this personal
being whom we call God the Father. We are told that in the beginning
man was created in the image of God, and we are also told the Jesus
the Son of God, was the express image of His Father. The doctrine that
man, in his form and shape is in the image of God, may be or may seem
something new and strange to those who are not acquainted with the
principles in this church. But why should not men resemble God is the
question, seeing that we are his offspring? Would you expect that sons
and daughters of this world would be like a horse or like the fowls of
the air or the fish of the sea? Or would you expect them to resemble
their parents, and be in their image and likeness? Do we not see in
the animal creation—of which the human species is said to be a part—a
likeness between the parent and the offspring certainly we do. If then
this law prevails among all animated beings here on the earth, why
should we imagine God to be entirely distinct and different from his
own sons and daughters? Why not believe that there is a resemblance
between them and him. When we look at our fellow man we behold him
erect in the form of God. To be sure there may be many deformities
among men and women, produced in many instances, perhaps, by
wickedness, disease and by accident; but in the general outline there
is resemblance among all the human species, and there should be in as
much as their Father and God is indeed their Father, as any in this
congregation are the literal fathers of their children. We, who
compose this congregation, are all one family, and only a very small
portion of the family of our Father and God. But when did he beget us?
I answer before this world was made; not our flesh and bones, but that
being called man that was created in the image and likeness of God and
who dwells in his mortal tabernacle. That being is the offspring of
God; we were all begotten by him before this world was made. We then
dwelt in his presence and could behold his face as sons and fathers
here on earth can behold each other. We then partook, in a measure, of
his glory, and were acquainted with the glory and power of his
kingdom. We were present with him in the grand and magnificent work of
creation, and we saw and rejoiced in his handiwork. We sang praises in
the presence of our Father and God; before we had tabernacles of flesh
and bones. We then assembled ourselves together as we do here on the
earth; we then accompanied our Father and God and his Son Jesus
Christ, on the grand and glorious mission of the formation [p.315] of
the world we now inhabit. Did we know anything about the object for
which this world was created? Yes, we knew that it was created
expressly for us, and we sang and rejoiced over it as much as the
people of God now rejoice, when they erect a temple or tabernacle to
his name. When you erect a tabernacle to the Most High, you expect to
enter at times, and be feasted with the words of eternal life, and to
partake of the blessings of God. So it was in regard to the creation
of this world. We were there and I think all this generation among all
nations, kindreds, tongues and people were present on that occasion.
Shall I limit it to this generation? No; I believe all the sons and
daughters of God who had proved themselves faithful were assembled on
that occasion. I do not include in this number the one-third part of
the family that fell, but the two-thirds who kept the law of of their
first estate who were really and truly accounted the sons and
daughters of God, the thousands and millions who inhabit this globe
besides the generations of the past and all future generations. Think
of this and try to conceive in your heart the magnitude of the great
army of the sons and daughters of God assembled at the time the
foundations of this world were laid.

Vol. 19,  p.315
The Lord put a very curious question to the old patriarch, Job, on a
certain occasion. Job had been praising up the works of God, and so
far as his narrow mind would permit him, he tried to magnify the
greatness of his power; but, by putting a few questions to Job the
Lord showed to him that his wisdom and knowledge were but foolishness
in the sight of his creator. Said the Lord,"Where were you, Job, when
I laid the foundation of the earth, and the corner stones thereof?
Where were you, Job, when the morning stars sang together, and all the
sons of God shouted for joy?" I do not know that Job understood the
pre-existence of man, it might not have been revealed to him; at any
rate he left the Lord to answer the question on the subject, knowing
that he would give information on the matter that he, Job, could not
give. If Job had been a sectarian, how easily he could have answered
this question! "Why, Lord," Job could have said, "I did not exist
then, and why do you ask me such a question?" But Job very well
understood that there must be something in the pre-existence of man,
or the Lord would never have put such a question to him. The very
question itself implied the pre-existence of Job at the time the
foundations of the earth were laid, and it also implied a knowledge on
the part of all the sons of God of the objects of the creations of
this world; for if they had had no such knowledge, why should they
have joined together in singing the songs of heaven on account of it?
Well, then, we have come to the point, namely, that we did exist in
the image and likeness of God before the foundations of the world were
laid, and this is what is meant when the Lord says to his only
begotten Son on the sixth day of creation, "Let us make man in our
image and in our likeness, and give him dominion over the fish of the
sea, over the fowls of the air, the beasts of the earth, and over all
the earth to subdue it," and so forth. So God created man male and
female. He did not tell us all the particulars of the creation—that we
were born male and female in the spirit world, and so on, but yet
there are many sayings which indicate that such was the fact. For
instance, in the books of Moses and in the books of [p.316] the New
Testament we read that God is the Father of all our spirits, that we
were begotten sons and daughters unto God. The vision given in 1832 to
our Prophet, Joseph Smith, shows this matter more clearly. Besides
showing the vast number of worlds that the Lord had created, the voice
of the Lord, in that vision, declares that all the inhabitants of all
those worlds were begotten sons and daughters unto God. The Book of
"Mormon" bears testimony to the same great doctrine. You who are
familiar with that book will recollect reading in the book of Ether
how that the brother of Jared fell to the earth with fear when lie saw
the finger of the Lord, after the veil fell from his natural eyes. And
the Lord spoke to him, saying, "Why hast thou fallen?" Then the
brother of Jared answered, "I saw the finger of the Lord, and I knew
not that the Lord had flesh and bones." It did resemble flesh and
bone, but he, doubtless, thought it was so in reality, whereas it was
the body of his Spirit. Then said the Lord, "I am he who was prepared
from the foundation of the world to redeem my people; I am Jesus
Christ; I am the Father and the Son, and the body which thou now
beholdest is the body of my spirit. Seest thou not that thou art
created after the body of my spirit, and all men," says Jesus to the
brother of Jared, "have I created in the beginning after the image of
the body of my spirit." This, I believe, is the only passage in the
Book of "Mormon" that directly teaches the pre-existence of man.

Vol. 19,  p.316
Well, that body—the body of the Lord—that the brother of Jared saw,
was a personal body. It had fingers, a face, eyes, arms, hands, and
all the various parts which the human body has, so much so that he
thought, it was really flesh and bones, until he was corrected and
found that it was the spirit of Jesus, that same spirit, says Jesus,
which, in the meridian of time, should come and take a body, and die
for the sins of the world. These beings, who, in the beginning, were
created after the image of the spirit of Jesus, had a probation; they
had law; they had intelligence. It was called their first estate. They
were agents there just as much as you and I are here. They could obey
the law that was given to them, or they could disobey that law. I have
already alluded to a third part of the great family, who did not keep
their first estate. What became of them? They were thrust down, and
thus came the devil and his angels. Jude says they were reserved in
chains of darkness, until the judgment at the great day. That was
their doom; their transgressions were so great—sinning against God the
Father, whom they could behold, and against the person of his Son,
whom they could also see—disobeying the most sacred of all
laws—seeking to dethrone the Almighty, and to take the power from that
Being who had begotten them, into their own hands. For this they were
thrust down, and were called Perdition, and the heavens wept over
them. I do not know how faithful the remainder of the spirits were;
that is not for me to say. I do not know whether they transgressed any
of the laws of God, or not in their first estate. If they did, one
thing I do know, and that is, that they understand about Jesus and his
atonement; for he was as a Lamb slain from before the foundation of
the world, and inasmuch as he suffered in spirit as well as in body, I
do not know but his sufferings in spirit would redeem them in their
first estate as well as us who sin here [p.317] in the body. I do not
pretend to say that such was the case. Suffice to say, that the plan
of redemption was known by them, and suffice it to say again, that
they were faithful enough to retain their position in their first
estate, and to have the privilege of cunning forth in this world, and
taking upon themselves tabernacles, or bodies, and having a second
estate. We also read that all who come into this world were innocent.
That shows that they never bad sinned, or if they had, that they bad
been forgiven and made innocent. Which way it was I do not know. If
they had sinned and were all made innocent through the blood of the
atonement, and through the sufferings of Jesus in the spirit, as well
as in the flesh, that would prepare them to come into this world
without having any stain upon them. But if they never transgressed the
law, never went beyond its bounds, or limits, they would be
sanctified, purified, perfected, saved and be innocent by keeping the
law. But let us come down a little further. When we came forth into
this world, and took upon ourselves bodies of flesh, they were fallen
bodies—subject to pain, sickness, sorrow, mourning, trials, and
finally death, or dissolution. This death that came upon the bodies of
the children of men, was brought to pass by the transgression of one
man and woman, that is, by our first parents; as it is written, "By
the transgression of one sin entered the world, and death by sin." It
matters not whether it is the little infant that dandles on the knee
that has never sinned, or the youth, the middle-aged or the old, all
have to feel this great penalty that has been inflicted upon all the
posterity of Adam by reason of his transgression.

Vol. 19,  p.317
Now, there is a question that has often been asked of me by the
Latter-day Saints, and by those outside of this Church—"Why is it that
infants, who have never sinned, should die? Why should they be subject
to death because their father some six thousand years ago sinned and
transgressed?" I answer this by asking you a question, Why is it that
children, oftentimes to the third, fourth and fifth generation, suffer
from lingering diseases here in this life, because their forefathers
were licentious, and broke the laws of life and happiness? Why, it is
hereditary, is it not? Is it just that they should suffer, because
their parents or some of their progenitors have sinned? No, it is
hereditary. Why, then, may not all the inhabitants of the world,
whether in their infancy or not, inherit death as well as these
children who suffer through diseases entailed upon them by their
forefathers? Not as a matter of justice particularly, but something
that comes upon them in consequence of the fall of man. It is handed
down among them. Now, that would be a very unpleasant condition if
they were always to remain in that state. They are plunged into
slavery, as it were, by one man; hence the Redeemer steps forth and
rescues them from that slavery. When I say rescues them, I do not say
that he does it at once, before they have had a chance to know the
difference between good and evil, between the bitter and the sweet, to
contrast between happiness and misery. It is wisdom that they should
suffer, even should it be from hereditary disease, that they may gain
experience. But I will tell you what he rescues them from, by his
atoning blood. He breaks the bands of death and rescues them from the
power of the grave, which, but for that, would have held the infant as
well as the [p.318] middle-aged in their power eternally. There is
such a thing as a father, through his foolishness, plunging not only
himself but all his children into a slavery from which he cannot
redeem himself or them, so far as their bodies are concerned; but with
Adam's children this was the case with both their bodies and spirits,
for the Book of "Mormon" says that all mankind, through Adam's
transgression, became subject not only to a temporal death—the
separation of the body and spirit, but also to a spiritual death,
eternal in its nature. If there were no atonement—no sufferings and
death of our Redeemer—no infinite atonement to rescue men from the
grave, their spirits, in consequence of the slavery entailed upon them
by their first parents, could not have been rescued from eternal
death. Could they have delivered themselves? No. They were in
captivity—slavery—and their master, the devil, was there to bind them
in that slavery. Could they turn the key of the prison doors and run
back again? No! Could they say to the grave, Yield up my body and let
me go again into the presence of my Father and God? ]No; there were
potent enemies who had endless power over them had it not been for the
atonement.

Vol. 19,  p.318
We are taught in the revelations of God that Jesus suffered the pain
of all men. You will find it in the teachings of Jacob, the brother of
Nephi, in the Second Book of Nephi. "He suffered the pains of all men,
women and children, says Jacob. What was this great suffering for?
That the resurrection might come unto all men, women and children;
that Jesus might have power to say to the grave "restore those
captives you have taken, behold I have redeemed all whose bodies
slumber in the grave. I have power to bring them forth by virtue of
the atonement I have made."

Vol. 19,  p.318
Could man have redeemed himself? Could one man have shed his blood for
another, and said to the grave give up your dead? No. Why not? Because
all were fallen; all were under the dominion and power of Satan. All
were spiritually dead—dead to things pertaining to righteousness. It
was universal eternal death. A being greater than man was required to
redeem him, hence Jacob says, in the passage to which I have already
referred, in relation to the atonement, "that it must be infinite."
Wherein was the Son of God infinite? In the first place, he was
begotten different from you and me. We were begotten by a mortal
father, but Jesus was begotten by an Immortal Being, his Father and
God. If then his body was begotten by that Being, do you not see that
his body in that respect differed from ours? It is true that he
inherited the same as we do so far as his mother was concerned, but on
the part of the Father he was superior. Hence, being begotten by an
Infinite Being, he could do that which no other man could do—redeem
from spiritual death and the captivity of Satan. Hence it is said that
"through Jesus came life and light into the world." If it had not been
for Jesus, darkness would have reigned eternally over this creation.

Vol. 19,  p.318
Talk about works of righteousness redeeming us without the atonement!
Why the thing is preposterous in the highest degree. Why? Because we
were spiritually dead, and can a person who is dead work
righteousness? Can a person who is dead to everything good, holy,
upright and Godlike, who is in captivity to [p.319] Satan, work
righteousness? Could a feast of salvation be prepared for him in that
dead state, unless there was some redemption or atonement made to
bring life to the world to impart to the human family? Light and life
have come upon all men. Jesus is that light and life; He is the light
and life of all things; and by reason of that light and life which he
has purchased for us by his own blood, you and I have the privilege of
working righteousness, which we never would have had without the
atonement. We could not have done anything acceptable in the sight of
God, without his stoning blood. That is the very foundation of the
redemption of the children of men; without it, this would have been a
lost and fallen creation, and not one could have been saved.

Vol. 19,  p.319
But let us pass on a little further. You recollect in the former part
of my remarks, I was speaking about the personality of God. Now let us
come along to the plan of redemption, and see how it is that we are
exalted and brought back into the presence of God, and become as it
were, gods, then we can form some idea concerning our Father and God.
We are instructed, and we believe, that all of us who believe in Jesus
Christ, in his sufferings and death, and receive the benefit of his
atonement, will, if we remain faithful, be exalted into the presence
of that being who if our Father, and that we will be made like unto
him, and be crowned with glory, and shall have the privilege of
sitting down with the Son upon his throne, as he has overcome, and has
sat down with his Father upon his throne, and that we will become one
with him, as he is one with the Father. We believe we will be
perfected, purified and cleansed in him, and made not only the sons of
God, but grow up unto him in all things, that we may become Gods like
unto our Father who begat us.

Vol. 19,  p.319
This is consistent with analogy. Analogy shows that sons here upon the
earth, grow up and become like their parents. Why then should we set a
harrier between the sons of God, who are redeemed through the
atonement, and their restoration to the mansions where they formerly
dwelt? Why should we erect obstacles, and set a barrier so that we
cannot become like him? Analogy would say at once that when he appears
we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Analogy would say
that when he shall redeem our bodies from the grave, that he will
fashion them after his own glorious body, and clothe them with power
and glory, even as He is clothed with glory and power, in the presence
of his Father and our Father and God.

Vol. 19,  p.319
But says one, if you adopt that sentiment, then your people believe in
a plurality of gods, and we have all been taught. in the Christian
world that there is but one personal God, or rather three persons in
the Trinity—the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Well, these three are
called one, are they not? Yes, they are called one. Jesus prays that
all his disciples may be made one, as he and the Father are one. If
ever that prayer is answered, then, in one sense of the word, there
would only be one God, but, in another sense of the word, there would
not only be three, but a great many personal beings called gods. Let
us for a few moments refer to that glorious saying in the revelations
of St. John. In the visions of eternity that were shown to John, he
beheld things that were to take place in future generations. Among
other things that were shown to him, were the one hundred and
forty-four thousand, standing on Mount Zion, who had been redeemed
[p.320] from among men. Who were they? Let us look at the inscription
that John says was written on their foreheads. That will tell us that
the name of their Father was written there. What was his name? God,
translated into the English language. Ahman in the pure language. The
Father's name John saw inscribed on the foreheads of the hundred and
forty-four thousand who were singing the new song before the Lord.
What would you think if you were to have the future opened to you as
John had, and could see these men with the word God, inscribed in
bright and shining characters upon each of their foreheads? Would you
think that God was making fun of them by putting such an inscription
there? Would you suppose the inscription was a mere form without any
meaning? No: every man permitted to see these things would at once
say, "they are gods having been redeemed, and made like their Father."
This is what we believe. Then, when we come to personality, we not
only believe in our personal Father, in His Son Jesus Christ, and in
the Holy Ghost, as personages, but we also believe that in the
eternity of eternities, in the heaven of heavens there will be
innumerable millions of persons who will occupy that exalted
station—each one being a personal god, as much so as the God of this
creation—the Father of our spirits is.

Vol. 19,  p.320
If time permitted, we might bring up the revelations of heaven, given
in these days as well as anciently, in regard to the representations
which God has given of Himself, not only representing himself by his
person, but also by his attributes. But this is a subject upon which
we do not feel to dwell at this time. Suffice it to say, that God has
said that he is light and truth; that he is a spirit: that he dwells
in tabernacles and temples, and so forth. I do not know, but that in
my teachings in years past, where teaching upon these two distinct
subjects, I may have left an impression upon the minds of the people
that I never intended to convey in reference to the qualities,
perfections, glories and attributes of these personages, for
attributes always do pertain to substances, you can not separate one
from the other. Attribute can not exist without substance; everywhere
it shows its bearing and relation to substance and person, and if in
any of my preaching or teachings I have ever conveyed the impression
that attributes could exist separate and apart from substances I never
intended to do so. I do not know that I have ever declared any such in
my writings. I have said that God is love, and that he is truth
because the revelations say so. I have said that he oftentimes
represents himself by his attributes. The same as when he says I am in
you; but he does not mean that his person, his flesh and bones are in
us. When Jesus says I am in the Father, he does not mean that his
person is in the Father. What does he mean? He means that the same
attributes that dwell in his own person also dwell in the person of
the other. I think I have heard this doctrine taught from the
commencement, by the authorities of this Church, and I think it is
taught, more or less, now, almost every Sabbath day. We are exhorted
to develop and perfect those attributes of God that dwell within us in
embryo, that we may more and more approximate to that high state of
perfection that exists in the Father and the Son.

Vol. 19,  p.320
Attributes belong, in all cases, in this and all other worlds, to
personages and substances, and without personages and substances, they
cannot exist.[p.321] 

Vol. 19,  p.321
In the "Kingdom of God," published in October, 1848, I have set forth
the personality of the Father and the Son, and the glorious attributes
that pertain to each. And again in many of my writings, to which I
might refer, and could perhaps give the page, I have taught the same
thing, and my views to-day concerning this matter are just the same as
they were then, and then the same as they are now; only I think, by
searching more fully, I have progressed and obtained some further
light and information more than I had twenty or twenty-five years ago.
I do not know, that, in my remarks this morning, concerning the
atonement, and the personalities and glorious attributes of God, I
have varied in my views from those of the rest of the authorities of
the Church. If I have I hope they will correct me and tell me wherein
I am wrong, for it is my desire, and ever has been, to go in
accordance with the revelations of heaven, to abide in the word of
God, and to have that word abide in me.

Vol. 19,  p.321
We are taught that the words of truth have power. The word of God we
are commanded to live by. In one of the revelations we are taught and
commanded that we shall live by every word that proceeds from the
mouth of God, for says the revelation "the word of God is truth, and
whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is spirit, even
the spirit of Jesus Christ, and the spirit gives light to every man
that comes into the world, and the spirit directs every man through
the world who will hearken to it; and he that hearkens to the voice of
the spirit comes to God, even the Father, and he teaches him of the
covenant which he has renewed and confirmed upon you for your sakes,
and not for your sakes only, but for the sake of the whole world."

Vol. 19,  p.321
Now, I want to abide in that. If the word of the Lord is truth, and
whatever is truth is light, and whatever is light is spirit, I want to
embrace it, and hold fast to it. Again, he says, when giving a
revelation to the servants of God: "That which you hear is the voice
of one crying in the wilderness? In the wilderness because you cannot
see him. My voice because my voice is spirit, and my spirit is truth,
and truth abides forever and has no end." I desire to abide in it for
ever and ever. Amen.[p.322] 

Erastus Snow, January 20, 1878

Origin of Man and Attributes of Deity—Philosophers 
and Astronomers versus the Scriptures—Man Possesses 
the Power of Improvement—this Developed By Inspiration

Discourse By Elder Erastus Snow, Delivered at the Fourteenth 
Ward Assembly Rooms, Sunday Afternoon, Jan 20, 1878.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.322
"And God said, let us make man in our image after our likeness; and
let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of
the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every
creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Vol. 19,  p.322
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he
him; male and female created he them.

Vol. 19,  p.322
"And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful and
multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion
over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every
living thing that moveth upon the earth." Gen. i, 26, 27, 28.

Vol. 19,  p.322
"This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God
created man, in the likeness of God made he him."—Gen. v, 1.

Vol. 19,  p.322
"Whose sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in
the image of God made he man."—Gen. ix, 6.

Vol. 19,  p.322
Those who believe in the Christian religion, and in the divinity of
the mission of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, believe also the
words of the Apostle Paul, speaking of him in this wise: That he was
in the likeness of his Father, and the express image of his person.
And the accounts we have of Jesus represent him as being physically
and in all essential parts, in the likeness of man. That he ate and
drank, and partook of the elements that enter into the composition of
our earthly tabernacle, that he was subjected to pain and to the
infirmities of our flesh, and that he suffered all things that we are
subject to in the flesh; that this mortality was subject to pains and
penalties of death in him, as well as in mankind generally. In this
particular his divine origin did not exempt his mortal tabernacle from
the laws that govern our flesh, only in that, the Spirit from on High
was given him without measure, and he had strength to withstand every
form of temptation, and was able to obey the law pertaining to his
existence here without committing sin. Otherwise there was, so far as
his person and [p.323] outward appearance was concerned, no essential
difference between him and Adam's race generally.

Vol. 19,  p.323
There are a great variety of ideas and notions prevalent in the world
at the present time, pertaining to the origin of man, and attributes
of the Deity. There seems to be an instinct in man everywhere among
all nations and peoples to worship a superior being. In this
particular Christian nations are not an exception. True, in heathen
countries, a variety of images, representations of Deity are set up
for the people to worship, or to pay some deference unto them, as unto
Deity. But the thinking portion of all these nations who encourage
these various representations of Deity, do not for a moment admit that
these gods, as they are sometimes called, made by man's hand, of wood
and stone, or other material, are really gods, or that they are
worshipped as gods; but only the embodiment of the idea of a Deity, a
representation of a superior being. And the fact of this prevailing
sentiment of mankind and the universal necessity of doing homage to a
superior, however crude and indefinite this idea is, and however
varied in the minds of men in the different nations of the earth, yet,
taken as a whole, it is the impress of Deity upon all that bear his
form in the earth, recognizing him as Deity; as a Superior Being. With
many Christian sects of our time, and for generations past, the idea
of Deity has seemed to be very undefined.—Many philosophers and
divines have attempted to describe Deity. We have it set forth in many
Christian catechisms and articles of faith. God was a being without
body, parts or passions. This, for many generations has been taught by
the Established Church of England, and by most of the Protestant
sects, both in Europe and America; Deity is described by them as "a
spiritual immaterial substance." This word substance is used in
connection with the word "immaterial." A spirit immaterial, and yet a
substance! I have never yet found a philosopher that was able to
describe a substance that was not material. The idea of a Deity that
cannot be located anywhere, that has no form or substance, or
materiality, and described as a spirit! It is the best definition, to
my mind, of nothing at all, like the quaint familiar phrase, "a
footless stocking, without a leg."

Vol. 19,  p.323
If we believe there is any truth in the writings of Moses, the
Patriarchs, Prophets and Apostles, and the teachings of Jesus, if we
would indeed be consistent Christians and receive the writings of the
fathers, and believe what was said unto them, we must believe that man
is made in the image of God, and consequently that we are of the same
species as the gods. However child-like and feeble we are in this
condition of mortality, we are nevertheless descended from the gods,
made in their image and after their likeness.

Vol. 19,  p.323
And when Luke, in giving us the genealogy of Jesus Christ, traces his
lineage back through his mother to David, who was the son of Jesse,
and so on, he traces his descent until he reaches Abraham, who was the
sea of Terah, and so on to Noah, who was the son of Noah, who was the
son of Lamech; and when he reaches Adam, the first of our race, he
says of him, "which was the son of God." Oh, says one, we are told
theft Adam was created, not born. This is something I am not disposed
to dwell upon much at this time. You can think of this as you please,
whether he was created or born, or whether a man, because he is born,
is not created. I[p.324] do not understand the term creation as
meaning something suddenly made out of nothing. I believe man that is
born is as much created as the thing which is made in a mould and
turned out to dry, which we call an adobie. It matters not whether it
takes a few minutes to make it, or a longer period—it is created or
made. And the term create I understand to be synonymous with tee verb
to make, and what is made is created, and what is organized is formed.
And when it is written that God formed man in his own image and
likeness, it does not describe the time or manner, but simply the fact
of having made or created man in his own image.

Vol. 19,  p.324
It has been ofttimes expressed by the religious teachers of the
Christian world, that God created all things in six days, and on the
seventh day he rested. We read in this first chapter of Genesis, that
in six days the Lord created the heavens and the earth. Now modern
scientists attempt to confute this history given by Moses, by
demonstrating that the earth has been formed through the operation of
a long process of natural laws, and that it never could be brought
into its present condition in six days. Of course, those who reason
thus assume that the days here spoken of were periods of the same
duration as the days counted out to us by the revolution of the earth
on its axis, every time it turns upon its axis and marks the day and
night. But I must be allowed to call attention to this one fact, that
in the beginning of this history Moses tells us that when God first
organized or created the elements of this earth, that it was without
form and void; that is to say it was without its present form, and
that darkness was upon the face of the abyss. Then how were the days
reckoned? Until our earth assumed its position among the planets, and
began to perform its revolutions, and the earth was so far completed
as to assume its position among the heavenly orbs, and perform its
revolutions as now, present modes of reckoning time could not be
appointed to man—either our days or months or our years, all of which
are determined by the revolutions of the earth upon its axis, and the
moon around the earth, and the earth in its orbit around the sun. But
what is the rule or measure of time by which God reckons his labor and
work? Is it the time measured to the inhabitants of Mars or the little
planet Mercury that describes its revolution around our sun in less
than three months, and counts out four of its years while we upon the
earth are counting one? Or is it after the time appointed for a more
distant orb of our system, that is 160 or more of our years, in
performing their revolutions around the sun, thus counting out its
single year? Or were the days reckoned after the great cycle of the
multitudes of systems moving in space around the common center.

Vol. 19,  p.324
Philosophers and astronomers have not lived long enough upon this
earth, or kept a record of the heavenly bodies long enough to make any
calculation of the length of this period. There is, however, one
saying of Apostle Peter which reads—"Be not ignorant of this one
thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a
thousand years as one day." But whether that has any reference to the
days that Moses speaks of, in which the Lord was engaged in the
formation of this earth, we are not told. But be the periods longer or
shorter, which the Lord called six periods, or days, in which he did
his work, is of very little importance to us. Nor is it worth our time
to [p.325] question or contend with geologists or modern scientists as
to the duration of these periods. It is a fact that the earth exists,
and that it has its sphere in which it moves, and that it is appointed
for the abode of man, and that we are here, and the fathers have told
us we have descended from the Gods. And that when God said to his
associates, let us make man in our image, after our likeness, he was
not alone. And as Paul said, "there be gods many and lords many," but
so far as we are concerned, there is given unto us one God, even the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And it matters not how many more, nor
where they are located, nor what might be the extent of their power
and dominion. We cannot comprehend it, we are mere infants,
comparatively speaking, our ideas just beginning to learn holy to
shoot; we are striving to grasp the little within our reach, and we
find we can but grasp a little; and it is in vain to attempt. to look
back to the beginning, if there is any, or to look forward to the end,
it there is an end. But we are taught that the works of God are one
eternal round, and there is neither beginning nor end.

Vol. 19,  p.325
We may jocosely ask ourselves the question, Which was first the goose
or the egg? And again, Does the pumpkin produce the seed, or does the
seed produce the pumpkin? You can answer the question just as you
please, either in the affirmative or negative, and either or both
would be, in one sense, correct. But say you, "That is not enough for
us, we want to know where and how the first pumpkin was produced."
That is something we cannot tell, nor any other mortal being; you
might just as well ask, when the last pumpkin will be produced. It is
something that is absolutely incomprehensible, because their is
neither beginning nor end, it is beyond the reach of human ken. But we
accept the effect; we are here; the creation is a reality. We see a
variety of solid rocks, and ask, How are they formed? Geologists
undertake to tell us, and they refer us to the Book of Nature. But
they are like other school-children; they make a great many mistakes
in reading. What they read correctly is correct; what they read
incorrectly is incorrect. "It is as it is, and it can't be any
tisser." And it is folly for geologists, or any other class of
scientists, to assume that they know it all, or that they have read
the Book of Nature from beginning to end, and comprehend it through
and through.

Vol. 19,  p.325
Mr. Darwin, and a kindred school of modern philosophers, would fain
try to impress upon us their theory of evolutions, and would have us
believe we are descendants from, and only a little in advance of our
ancester, the monkey; and that other inferior grades of animals are
aspiring to become monkeys; they fail to demonstrate their theories,
simply because they are not demonstrateable.

Vol. 19,  p.325
We see an endless variety in the creations before us, variety in every
species of animal life, and in every species of the vegetable kingdom,
and the same may be said of the heavenly bodies. And so far as man is
concerned, though evidently of a common origin, yet the variety is
almost as great as the number of individuals; and though the general
features of the face are substantially the same, yet that variety is
so great that no two can be found exactly in every respect alike. No
mother that has produced from her womb twins, however near they may
approach each other, was ever at a loss to discern some difference by
which one could be distinguished from the other. Nor even in the
vegetable kingdom can we find this law of endless variety violated,
nor [p.326] yet in the animal kingdom. Where do you find any species
except man endowed with the capacity of subduing the earth, and
controlling the elements upon it? Moses tells us that God said unto
man, have thou dominion over the earth and subdue it, and exercise
dominion over all the lesser species of animal life, and over the
fruits and herbs which shall be given to you for meat." Has any other
branch of the animal kingdom done this? When man is first ushered into
being, he seems more helpless than the calf or the goat, but in his
progress and development he exhibits the power of the Gods; he seizes
the elements, and commands them into form and shape to suit his
convenience, and to serve his purposes; not only does his superior
intelligence cause the king of beasts, and all branches of the animal
kingdom, to crouch beneath him, but every element found to exist is at
his service; by reason of this divinity in him, in its exercise and
development, he chains the lightning, and makes it his servant to
flash his thoughts or mandates over the earth; he touches the steam
and makes it a motive power to waft him over land and sea. He makes
all the elements within his reach subserve his purposes, and he
invents the means by which he controls and handles them. I use the
word "invent" because it suits the pride and vanity of a man a little
better; but the more appropriate term, I should say is, inspiration,
for no great truth was ever revealed to man that was not an
inspiration. And when Watt's, watching the trembling of the tea kettle
lid, caused by the power of steam, conceived the idea of utilizing
that power, was it invention or inspiration? When Newton, on seeing
the apple fall from the tree, by questioning in his mind why it should
fall downwards, why not fly upwards, or to the left or right, his mind
was being led on from this simple observation to the comprehension of
one truth after another until he was able to give to the world the
laws of gravitation; and from that to searching out the laws governing
the planets, so that astronomers to-day can make mathematical
calculations of the future movements of the heavenly bodies, with much
greater accuracy than the superintendent of the Utah Southern Railroad
can calculate the speed of his train. Was this inspiration or was in
invention?

Vol. 19,  p.326
When the fathers that labored to bring forth and develope truth,
whether scientific or religious—for I hold all truth to be both
scientific and religious; in other words, true religion embraces all
truth, for it emanates from God, who is the fountain head of all
truth, or in other words, who is in possession of all truth that is
possible for us to reach at least. And for me to say that he has got
to the end, I would no more attempt to say it, than to say that you or
I have got to the end. It is not for me, in my imagination and folly,
to place any bounds to or drive a pin to lariet the gods to.

Vol. 19,  p.326
But we see that this being called man, said to have been formed in the
image of God, that he possesses the power of improvement, of
advancement, ad libitum, and who shall set the bounds to the
advancement and improvement of man arty more than the gods of
eternity? The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Phillipians, says,
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; who, being
in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God." "Oh
blasphemy!" the narrow-contracted bigot will cry, "blasphemy! Paul,
you naughty fellow, you had better take that back.[p.327] What, to
exhort your brethren to cultivate the same mind and feeling, and
desire and ambition, as were in Christ Jesus, who, when he found
himself in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with
God! What an idea! Does not every father expect his son to grow up and
become his equal? and does not every son born aspire to become like
his father? And the child looks in the face of the mother, as the
dearest creature it knows anything about, regarding her perhaps as
perfect; her word is law, it knows no other. "Let this mind be in you,
which was also in Christ Jesus." And as he thought it not robbery to
be equal with God, when he found himself in the form of God, don't you
think differently. Why? Shall we not rob him? Oh no, we could not do
it. Giving does not impoverish him, withholding does not enrich him.
He is able to impart that which he possesses, if we are capable of
receiving, and as fast as we are ready to receive, he is abundantly
able to impart; he is not impoverished, while we are enriched; while
we have waxed greatly, he has grown no less. And this he has ordained
for those whom he has formed in his image and likeness. But, says the
world, "These are things we cannot comprehend." Very true, we cannot
see the end of it; but we can see a little of it, if we cannot
comprehend the whole. We may stand and look upon the chain, revolving
and endless, and as it turns we may remit the links, but we cannot
find the end of it, neither can we tell the beginning. But we see the
links, and it is a matter of very little importance to us whether we
know or not how many links compose the chain, as long as we see that
the eternal is one eternal round. We need not to try to find the end,
we cannot do it, nobody ever did, and nobody ever will, simply because
there is no end. And if you want to know which pumpkin produced the
first seed, and which seed produced the first pumpkin, we say that
neither you nor anybody else can tell, they cannot point to the time
when there was either one or the other. But there was a time when we
began to exist, was there not? Yes. Our spirit? Yes. Our earthly form?
Yes. Will there bee time when our our bodies will cease? Oh, Yes; that
is something of daily occurence, mankind coming and going. And so with
all the creations of our hands. This house, in which we meet, when was
this created? Oh, about 15 or 20 years ago. Still the philosopher will
tell you that the trees from which the lumber was sawn, must have been
hundreds of yeats old. Oh, to tell me that this house was made only 15
or 20 years ago, I know better; my knowledge of timber teaches me that
the very trees from which the lumber war made, were several hundred
years old. And the geologist will take you to the hills or along the
beach and point out to you the evidences in nature of the long periods
that must have elapsed since the formation of the sedimentary rocks,
to say nothing about the primary rocks. And they will tell yell that
the period alluded to in Moses, in the history of Adam, and to the
creation is scarcely a cypher compared with the period in which these
elements of the earth have been coming into shape. What is all that to
do with the great grand principle. We will say that the component
parts of every implement formed by the ingenuity and labor of man are
tar older than the implement itself. A lady who makes a pound-cake,
does it perhaps in a few hours; but the man that has not seen it made,
and who knows not the cource from whence it [p.328] came, sees a
raisin in the cake. Oh, (says he) madam, how old is this cake?" "I
made it yesterday," is the reply. "Oh, but madam, this raisin grew on
some vine surely, and my knowledge and experience teaches me that
vines do not grow in a day." But, the lady insists that she made the
cake yesterday, saying "If you wish to know how I compounded it, step
into my kitchen and you will readly learn all about it." By and by we
may be permitted to step into the Lord's kitchen or laboratory, there
perhaps commence to take lessons in these matters, as we now may by
stepping into the iron-masters shop, there to learn how he takes the
different classes of ore, and by putting them through a certain
process they are formed into pig or railroad iron. He speaks, he
directs, and out comes his material at his command. We go into his
shop and learn how this is done; we have not got far enough yet to
know how these materials were brought together, how they were
compounded. But it is enough for us to know that it has been done, and
that somebody has done it; and we might as well say the railroad iron
had no creator, nobody to design it, or command the elements to go
together, as to say there is no God, because we have not the privilege
of going right straight into his laboratory to find out how he
commanded the elements together. We go down to the sea coast of old
Salem or Boston; we see ships start out to sea properly officered and
manned, under sail or steam, or both. In the course of a month, the
same vessels return to port; and by and bye they make another voyage,
in about the same time. We see other ships start out, and it is a much
longer or shorter time before they return. We know not where they have
been or the several orbits in which they have been moving, but we know
that they return. And although we may not know whither they have been,
or whence they came, the time they have made, etc., the crew that
manned them, and the captain that steered them, and the power behind
them, all that commands them, know all about it. And yet our own
observations should teach us that there was somebody that directed
them, their movements were not the work of change, but of design; that
others perform their work and somebody has purposed it. And although
we may not be able to measure the distance of the heavenly bodies, nor
comprehend the extend of their revolutions, we see and know enough to
convince us that they are all regulated by and subject to law; so that
their laws are so well understood as frail mortal man, that even the
number of them can be counted, and their movement understood, and
their times and periods calculated.

Vol. 19,  p.328
Now, would not a man he as senseless to say, there is no Grid, as to
say, there is no shipmaster that guides the course of the vessel, and
no shipowner that controls them. Their periods are appointed by him
who lists to direct them. So with man. As the Apostle Paul has said:
"He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things."

Vol. 19,  p.328
And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the
face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and
the bounds of their habitation.

Vol. 19,  p.328
What is the fountain from which we drink knowledge, is it from books?
I say yes, if we have within us the inspiration that enables us to
cull the good from the bad, the truth from the error, storing up that
which is worth retaining, and casting away the dross. For we find that
books are oftimes a labyrinth of folly and human weakness; for men
write as they talk, and they talk as they think. And when [p.329] they
think wrong, they talk wrong and write wrong What is the standard of
truth? Our Father and without him there is no sure standard for us.
Though there are many of our own species before us, that are
advancing, that are climbing onward and upward in the scale of
intelligence and power, and we are striving to follow after and learn
of them, yet the inspiration of the Almighty is the only true source
of knowledge. As Job says, "But there is a spirit in man; and the
inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding." It is the
candle of the Lord, and his spirit lights it. Proud, haughty,
self-conceited men, do, often ignore this source of knowledge, and
when they are recipients of his grace and inspiration, their hearts
are too proud to acknowledge it. And if any have been inspired a
little ahead of them, or have been favored with one idea in advance of
their own, they, in their pride and bigotry, rise up and resist it.
Thus it was when Galileo whose mind had been susceptible to the
inspirations of the Almighty, revealed to the world that the earth
moved upon its axis. "Blasphemy!" they cried; and the power of the
Romish Church was brought to crush the boy. And so it has ever been
when prophet, seer, revelator, philosopher, or sage has given
utterance to inspiration beyond his fellows; opposition Was rite
against him. "We cannot stand this innovation! Away with! Kill him, we
can't endure it!" This is why the seed of Abraham killed the ancient
prophets, and why they persecuted Jesus: and it is also the self-same
reason why the prophet Joseph Smith was martyred; he went a little
beyond his fellows in his theory of God, and eternity and immortality
and godliness, and his theory of human associations and morals. He was
a little in advance of the men of his time, and therefore they could
not endure it. "Let him be slain, and let his people go to the wall!
What is the matter? "O, they marry their wives! they father their
children, they honor and care for them, instead of casting them into
the mire and filth of the streets to perish! The women they marry they
take truly to their bosoms, and love, honor and cherish, and sustain
and bless them, instead of secretly stealing around, more like low,
crouching brutes then men, to seduce the fair daughters of Eve; and
when they have gratified their lust, cast them off and their
offspring, to be forever looked upon with reproach. O, you Latter-day
Saints, we can't endure you! you will not descend to a level with us
we congressmen are after you, we will teach you morals! No matter how
many mistresses you may have, we do not enter arty complaint against
that phase of it, the bills we have introduced are not intended to
prevent your having and keeping as many courtesans as you may choose
to, but it is to prohibit your marrying them!"

Vol. 19,  p.329
Brethren and sisters, I will not detain you longer. God bless you. Let
us be men and women, true to ourselves, true to our God, true to the
holy religion we have received, and by and by, those who now scorn,
revile, abuse, belie, defame, and seek to trample us in the dust, will
honor our memory and bless our children.

Vol. 19,  p.330
That heaven may protect us is my prayer, in the name of Jesus.
Amen.[p.330] 

Orson Pratt, April 7, 1878

Parable of the Vineyard—the Gradual Organization 
of the Church—Duties of Officers—Union in All Matters 
Advantageous and Inevitable—Political and Religious Growth

Discourse By Elder Orson Pratt, Delivered at the Annual 
Conference, Salt Lake City, Sunday Morning, April 7, 1878.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.330
I will call the attention of this large I assembly to the latter part
of a very important and extensive parable, recorded in the Book of
Mormon.

Vol. 19,  p.330
The speaker read from the Book of Mormon, commencing st the 128th
page.

Vol. 19,  p.330
I have read these words of the ancient, prophet, to whom it seemed
good unto the Lord to reveal his purposes and designs in regard to the
in. habitants of this earth, by means of the trees of the vineyard,
calling the house of Israel, the literal descendants of Israel, the
natural trees of his vineyard; and the other nations, whom we term
Gentiles, as the wild branches of the wild olive tree.

Vol. 19,  p.330
I have read only a small portion of the latter part of this extensive
parable, that part which more particularly relates to the great work
which we, as Latter-day Saints, are now performing in the earth.

Vol. 19,  p.330
Forty-eight years ago, yesterday, after this Book had been printed
making known this great parable to the people, the Church arose,
consisting of only six individuals. From that time until the present,
as the Church has grown and extended its borders, the Lord through his
servants, has been organizing his Priesthood. We speak of the Church
being organized on the 6th day of April, 1830, and of it consisting
then of only six members. No one could expect that with that very
small number there could be a very perfect organization. But so far as
there were individuals introduced into the Church, on the day of its
organization, the Lord gave a revelation concerning their duty. And
after the Church had extented forth its borders, and a few hundred
individuals were gathered unto it, in the year that it was organized,
a still further organization took place; and it was but a few years
until the Church stood forth in a more perfect organization then it
had on the day of its foundation. Twelve men were called to be
Apostles according to a certain prediction given some ten months
before the organization of the Church. About this same period of time
the first seventy elders were the sea, which perfected the
organization still more. And also in those early days the High
Prieshood, after the order of Melchisedec, was made manifest more
fully and men were ordained to that order of priesthood. In those
early days also the Lesser Priesthood, [p.331] or the priesthood after
the order of Aaron was made manifest more perfectly in the eyes of the
people, bishops were called and their duties defined, requiring them
to manage, in conjunction with the higher authorities, the temporal
concerns of the Church. This organization continued to increase and
grow, and become more and more perfect, untill finally, temples were
built to the name of the Lord, when the duties of these various
councils of priesthood were, in a greater degree, made manifest before
the people. The teachings were many that were imparted in those days,
and a union began to exist among the Saints of God, such as had not
been known among the inhabitants of the earth for many long
generations.

Vol. 19,  p.331
After the completion of the Temple at Kirtland, and this more perfect
organization had been established, the Saints of God began to increase
and multiply to that extent that the Lord saw proper to place them in
a country and land by themselves, where they could have a chance to
enlarge their borders, to lengthen the cords of their habitation, to
break forth on the left and on the right, and where there might be a
majority in the land, and where they might have the privilege of
serving the Lord their God, according to the dictates of their
conscience.

Vol. 19,  p.331
Thus you see our Heavenly Father has been at work among this people,
and with this people, for almost one half of a century, bringing
together, gathering the branches of the wild olive tree from the
distant nations of the earth and grafting them in and making them, as
it were, one body, on this great western hemisphere.

Vol. 19,  p.331
You may ask, what great purpose the Lord has in thus organizing his
people, year after year. The answer is, to accomplish a very important
object, namely to make them like unto one body, that there may be a
most perfect union from the highest officer in the Church down to the
lowest member; that there may be no disunion, no division of feeling
or sentiment in regard to doctrine or ordinances or in any of the
principles pertaining to the Gospel of the Son of God; and that there
may be no division in our political ideas and sentiments, but that a
perfect oneness may exist in the heart of every male and female, from
the gray headed old man down to the little child, that one feeling and
one spirit may pervade the whole body, that they may be equal and
bring forth the natural fruit again. That is the object; that is the
reason why you behold the organization such as now exists throughout
all these mountain regions. When has the Church, from its commencement
exhibited what we now behold in all parts of our land—stakes of Zion
having jurisdiction over every branch in the Church in these
mountains, and over every family and every individual. And every one
of these stakes has its presiding officer with his two councelors; and
is also composed of numbers of wards over which bishops, with their
counselors are appointed to preside.

Vol. 19,  p.331
What is the duty of the presiding officers of these stakes? To see
that all things under their watchcare are conducted according to the
order of God, to look to the spiritual concerns first, that pertain to
their stake, and to see that the high priests, the seventies, the
elders, the priests, the teachers, and the deacons are all doing their
respective duties, according to the requirements of the Most High; and
then they act as the presiding authority and power over the bishops
that may be in the several wards of their stakes, seeing also that
they are in the performance of their duty, in relation to temporal
matters. And then [p.332] all the other authorities under these
presiding officers of stakes are to see that those, under their
immediate watch-care, are performing their duties, according to the
laws of heaven which have been revealed for our guidance.

Vol. 19,  p.332
When all things are in proper working order, and when every bishop is
living his religion, and has the spirit of his bishopric resting upon
him, and he fully understands the nature of his duties, everything in
regard to temporal affairs will move like clockwork, and there will be
no running down, as it were, of the clock, no deranging of the
machinery, but every part will fulfil that which is required of it in
relation to its particular calling, and all these various quorums of
prieshood will strive to stir up the people to a oneness in regard to
spiritual things; thus we keep spiritual and temporal things running
parallel to each other, connected more or less together. So that the
whole church becomes like unto one body, they become equal. "And the
root, and the top thereof is equal." Indicating, when these thing are
caried out strictly, that the branches will not have power to overrun
and grow beyond the strength of the root; neither would the roots have
power to outgrow the branches. The husbandmen trimmed up the trees of
the vineyard, and they pruned them; or in other words, the servants of
the Lord teach the people, and instruct them, so that they may become
one in all things. What! become one in our views in regard to
politics? Why not? One may say, If you undertake to carry out such
views of union in regard to political affairs, you will all vote the
same ticket; there will be no division nor disunion throughout all the
Church organization, and would not such a state of things be
antagonistic to the genius of our American government? Wherein, I
would ask, would it be contrary? Is there any principle connected with
our government that would forbid us, as a people, becoming so united?
Does the constitution of our country in any one particular prohibit
American citizens from uniting and casting a solid vote in favor of
any eligible candidate who may be regularly nominated, say for the
position of Presideut of the United States? I know of no such
restriction; there is none.

Vol. 19,  p.332
Supposing, then, that all the states of this union at the next general
election, should, without one dissenting voice, conclude in their own
minds to vote for one and the same individual, making him our
president, what part or portion of the Constitution of our country
would be violated by such a united effort? None whatever; because it
is the privilege of the people to unite or divide as they may choose,
there being no compulsion one way or the other.

Vol. 19,  p.332
Which is calculated to produce the greatest good, union throughout all
the states, concentrated not only upon the president, but upon the
governors, and all of our political officers, or disunion and party
strife. Everybody would certainly agree with me in saying that union
in such matters would be the best calculated to promote the interest
and common good of our government and people; that to be without a
single dissenting voice in our election affairs from Maine to Texas,
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, all concentrating themselves upon
the officers they want, and then vote for them unanimously would be
carrying out the form of the American government in its perfection.
But our fathers, who framed that Great instrument of nationality—that
instrument by which all classes of people are protected in their
rights—provided [p.333] for disunion, if the people should feel
disposed to introduce it. Showing that they were permitted to dissent
and vote for as many candidates as they may choose to nominate.

Vol. 19,  p.333
But in the Church of the living God, according to the oneness required
by the Lord of heaven, we should act unitedly in all things. Some may
have an idea that if we are only united about some of the spiritual
things of the kingdom that is all the union needed among us. I do not
know of any one principle, or subject, connected with the building up
and advancement of the kingdom of God upon the earth, upon which we
have a right to be disunited. The law of God is of such a nature, when
complied with strictly, as to unite us not only in the first
principles of the Gospel—faith, repentance and baptism, and
confirmation, and upon doctrine and spiritual things generally, but
also in regard to the cultivation of the earth, the raising of flocks
and herds, manufacturing, and all kinds of mechanical business, and
also with regard to our political affairs and everything with which we
have to do here in this temporal probation. There are some great
political parties very much united, and how diligently they strive to
make themselves still more united. The Republican and Democratic
parties vie with each other in their efforts to elicit the sympathy of
a majority of the people, in order to become the dominant party. Hence
the great number of political agents, that go forth throughout the
country stump speeching, as well as other means that are resorted to
for this purpose. Is there anything in the Constitution of our country
prohibiting them item striving to bring about disunion? No, not in the
least. Neither is there anything written that would forbid the
Methodists, the Baptists, the Presbyterians, or any other religious
society throughout the confines of this great republic, from striving
with all their might to vote with one heart and one mind, both in
regard to their political and their church affairs.

Vol. 19,  p.333
That is what we are striving to do. We are laboring in faith and with
much assurance, that the day will dawn upon Irsael, when this people
will attain to a perfect oneness, so much so that not a dissenting
voice, will be heard or raised, in regard to things religious or
secular, from one end of the Territory to the other.

Vol. 19,  p.333
This union exists in the eternal worlds. If you should dwell there for
the period of ten millions of ages, you would see no dissension among
those who dwell in yonder celestial worlds. If the affairs of a
celestial world were divided into different departments, calling one
political and another religious, and so on, you would find the whole
body, both religious and political, vote for the same ticket, if I may
he allowed the expression; they would be agreed, of one heart and one
mind. This oneness among the people of God must be attained in this
world, in order that His purposes may be brought about, respecting man
and the earth on which he lives.

Vol. 19,  p.333
How much reason have we to rejoice that our fathers, a little over a
century ago, began to consider the importance of being free and
untramelled in regard to their religious ideas and opinions; and that
by having their feelings so deeply impressed upon their minds, they
were enabled to get out that great instrument of liberty which
guarantees to this great nation to-day civil, political and religious
rights.

Vol. 19,  p.333
Our enemies would try to frighten us, by representing before the
Congress of the United States there is a union among those Latter-day
Saints, and that all vote one way. Supposing we [p.334] admit this to
be true, ought not Congress to rejoice exceedingly to think that there
is one portion of the people under the flag of this great and glorious
republic, that have strength of mind sufficient to be united on
politics. I presume the Republican party of our government, that has
some hundreds of thousands united with them, rejoice exeedingly to
think that they have as much union among them as they have; and it is
their constant labor and study to use and devise every means in their
power to maintain and, if possible, increase this union. And so we
intend to use every lawful (not unlawful) means in our power to keep
the people united upon one platform, religiously and politically, and
also in every other position in which we may be placed.

Vol. 19,  p.334
Remember the parable I have read in your hearing, which was printed in
the Book of Mormon, before we had on existence as a Church. The
servants labored in the vineyard with their mights. What for? To prune
up the trees, to graft them into their proper place, that they may
bring forth that fruit which was most precious to the Lord from the
beginning and the fruit become like unto one body. And the roots and
the top thereof were equal. And the blessings of the Most High began
to be made manifest upon the fruits of the vineyard, and they began to
grow and extend themselves, their branches spreading upon the face of
the whole earth. What will be the final result of all this? I will
answer in the words of Daniel the prophet: "I beheld until the
kingdom, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven was
given unto the Saints of the Most High." And what became of the other
kingdoms, empires, republics and governments, generally instituted by
men? I will again answer you in the words of the same prophet: "They
became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors, and the wind
carried them away, that no place was found for them." Amen.

John Taylor, May 15, 1878

Remarks Made at a Meeting Held in Nephi, on 
Wednesday Evening, May 15, 1878.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

BISHOP L. W. HARDY 

Vol. 19,  p.334
Brethren and sisters, I am pleased to meet with you, and to see so
many present. I am requested to occupy ten minutes time, which I
propose to devote to the subject of Tithing.

Vol. 19,  p.336
Tithing is a law of God which we are required to obey, and it is
binding [p.335] upon all the Latter-day Saints, the poor as well as
the rich. In some places the widow, who depends upon the Church for
support, pays one-tenth of her income as Tithing. And this course I
would recommand to all in similar circumstances, for it is only in
compliance with the law that we can expect to obtain the blessings
promised. And the poor woman herself is not the only one that is
blessed by taking this course, but her children, if she has any, are
taught a lesson that will not be forgotten, and they will always have
pleasure in its contemplation, as long, at least, as they are worthy
the name of Latter-day Saint, say nothing of the influence for good
which she wields among those of more favorable circumstances. It is
not the amount that we pay, but it is the honest Tithing, paid
willingly and in the faith and spirit of the Gospel, that the Lord
requires, no matter how small it may be; and then, on the other hand,
it matters not how large. The Savior, when on a certain occasion he
sat near the treasury, looking at the people how they cast in
money—and we are told that many that were rich cast in much, but,
notwithstanding, the poor widow who came along and threw in her two
mites, which only make a farthing, contributed, he said, more than
they all. "For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her
want did cast in all she had, even all her living." The Lord
acknowledges the honesty of the heart by providing for and blessing us
with the necessaries and comforts of life; and he will continue to do
so, as long as we fear and obey him with all our might, mind and
strength. He will not fail in the fulfilment of his promises, inasmuch
as we are found worthy before him. It is not only our duty to pay our
Tithing, but our offerings too, that our poor may be fed and clothed,
and their hearts made glad. It is just as binding upon us to look
after our poor, as it is to be baptized for the remission of sins. How
do you think, brethren, the Lord would regard us if the cries of the
widow and the orphan, the aged, and the halt and the blind, were to
ascend into his ears, while we heed them not? I tell you he would not
own us as his people, neither could he pour out his blessings upon us.
Then pay your Tithes and your offerings, and be blessed. Attend your
fast meetings, and bring in your offerings in the time thereof, that
the poor may rejoice and feel that they are not neglected. Why, if
every man and woman fulfilled his and her duty in this respect, your
offerings would be piled up so high that there would not be poor
enough to eat them, and you would be sending up to Bishop Hunter
asking him to send you some poor people to eat them up. We are a
blessed people, we enjoy peace and plenty, while millions of our
fellow beings to-day know not what it is to enjoy either. But
supposing we all were prompt and faithful in paying our Tithes and
offerings, how do you think it would be with us? Why, He would be
mindful of his promise to fulfil it; He would "open to you the windows
of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there would not be room
enough to receive it." And further, he says to those who comply with
this law, "I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not
destroy the fruits of your ground," etc. Then pay your Tithes and your
offerings, that the blessings of God may be upon us and our land, and
upon our orchards, and that the hearts of the poor may be made to
rejoice, and that Temples may be reared to his [p.336] holy name, and
the work of the Father may go on to its consummation. I doubt, my
brethren, whether a man can save himself, much less prove a savior to
his dead, who neglects to Tithe himself. Well, I see that my time has
expired. God bless you. Amen.

ELDER ERASTUS SNOW

Vol. 19,  p.336
I propose to continue the subject that has been alluded to.

Vol. 19,  p.336
In a very early period of the history of this Church, when in its
infancy, the Lord said unto us, in a revelation which is contained in
the Doctrine and Covenants, "He that is Tithed shall not be burned."
In several of the revelations the subject of Tithing is referred to in
a general way; but the special revelation on that subject was given at
Far West, Missouri, in July, 1838, in answer to the question, "O Lord,
shew unto thy servants how much thou requirest of the properties of
thy people for Tithing." And by this revelation we learned that we
were required to consecrate all of our surplus property for the
purposes mentioned therein, and after doing that, to pay annually
one-tenth of our increase. This means increase from every source. For
instance, if a man depend only upon the labor of his own hands, than
one-tenth of his earnings would be his lawful Tithing. But if in
addition to this he possess teams or employ other labor, then the
increase of such labor should also be Tithed. Again, if he should be
engaged opening up farms, building or making other improvements, thus
accumulating a surplus around him, one-tenth of the increase of such
property would be due, as Tithing, as well as a tenth of his labor
combined. Then again, should part of his surplus property be in such a
condition as to enable him to invest, it in any branch of business,
one-tenth of the profits arising therefrom is due as Tithing; or
should he have money loaned out on interest, on every dollar so
accumulated the sum of ten cents belongs to the Lord, in accordance to
his law regulating the Tithing of his people; and so on, this law
strictly applying to our income derived from every source.

Vol. 19,  p.336
It is not, as some verily suppose, the Tithing of what you may have
left after deducting all of your expenses; or in other words, after
spending all you can. There are some calling themselves Latter-day
Saints who try to appease their conscience in the belief that Tithing
means the tenth of what may be left after deducting all expenses,
which would amount to this: "What we cannot spend we will give a tenth
of that as our Tithing." How much, my brethren and sisters, do you
think the Lord would get if all of us felt and acted so? This is not
the law of Tithing; all who aim to comply with it after this manner
deviate from its true reading. We are required to pay the tenth of our
increase, or interest, or income, which is our Tithing, and which is
necessary for the general welfare in building Temples, sustaining the
Priesthood, administering to the poor, etc., while we retain the
nine-tenths for the sustenance of ourselves and families, etc.

Vol. 19,  p.336
Brother Hardy expressed himself doubtful whether men who ignored this
law of Tithing could save themselves, much less save their dead. I
will here say, that when this law of Tithing was revealed, in 1848,
the Lord said, "This shall be a standing law unto them forever," and
"shall be an ensample unto all the Stakes of Zion." And we are also
told that all who observe not this law should [p.337] not be found
worthy to abide among the people of God. And the Lord farther says,
"If my people observe not this law, to keep it holy, and by this law
sanctify the land of Zion of unto me, that my statutes and my
judgments might be kept therein, that it may be most holy, behold,
verily, I say unto you, it shall not be a land of Zion unto you." This
was the word of the Lord to his people at that early day, and it has
never changed, but is in force to this day and will remain so forever.
Unless certain conditions are complied with, this chosen land cannot
be a land of Zion unto us.

Vol. 19,  p.337
After this law was given unto us we were driven from Missouri, and we
built a Temple at Nauvoo. And when that Temple was so far completed
that a baptismal font could be established in the basement, and the
Latter-day Saints began to have access to the same, the Prophet Joseph
instructed the brethren in charge, to the effect that none should be
allowed to participate in the privileges of the House of God excepting
those who shall produce a certificate from the General Church
Recorder, certifying to the fact that they had paid up their tithing.
How many of these old Saints have yet preserved among their old papers
certificates of this character, issued by Brother Wm. Clayton. And
should any have had access to the privileges of the House of the Lord
either on behalf of themselves or their dead, without having complied
with this law, thus securing unto themselves, in a legal and proper
way, the right of the Temple, they would be like thieves and rubbers
that enter not into the sheepfold by the door, but climb up some other
way. And the time will come when such persons will be treated as
thieves and robbers—bound hand and foot and cast out again. This is
the testimony I wish to add to the remarks of Brother Hardy.

Vol. 19,  p.337
That we may be more diligent and faithful in the observance of the
laws of God than in the past; and that through faith and good works we
may be able to see as God sees us, and be Latter-day Saints indeed and
of a truth, is my prayer. And by thus placing ourselves in a condition
to receive, we will see if he does not fulfil his promise, by opening
the windows of heaven and pouring out a blessing such as we can hardly
contain. Amen.

PREST. JOHN TAYLOR

Vol. 19,  p.337
I am pleased to have the opportunity of meeting with the brethren in
this place. As we are only making a passing visit, being on our way to
Sanpete, we have not time to make very long speches. I have been
interested in the remarks which have been made, and I presume you have
been also.

Vol. 19,  p.337
In regard to our religion and our feelings about tithing, and in fact
everything else, we need to act conscientiously before God, and as
honest, men, without any equivocation of any kind. In regard to our
doctrine and the principles we believe in; in regard to our deal and
intercourse with all men everywhere; in regard to our associations
with our families and with one another, we ought to really be what we
profess to be—Latter-days Saints. And not only have the profession,
but seek to posses the principles that all good Latter-days Saints
ought to be in posession of, and which are our privilege to possess.
It is quite possible that we may deceive one another; but it is not
always that we succeed in doing that. We often try, but we make a poor
out at it, for people generally are not so much deceived as we may
think. It is true they may not say anything, but at the [p.338] same
time they keep up a loud thinking about it. But if we do manage to
deceive each other we cannot deceive God. And what is the use of
making a profession of anything unless we carry it out. Why are we
here? Because we embraced the Gospel, and because we believed this was
the land of Zion. Why do we attend to Temple ordinances? Because we
believe they are ordained of God, and are necessary for our welfare
and the welfare of our progenitors. Why do we build temples? Is it to
appear liberal towards these institutions, in the eyes of our
brethren? It should not be. But it should be because we believe it to
be a duty devolving upon us, and because, as Elders in Israel, the
Lord expects us teds it, because it is a part of the plan of salvation
ordained of God for the living and the dead; and because it is
expected to carry out his purposes in regard to the world in which we
live, and that we should operate and cooperate with the Priesthood
behind the veil, in all sincerity and honesty before God in all that
we do to this end, for as one of old said, in comtemplating these
things, "Hell and destruction is without a covering before thee," and
how much more so are the hearts of the children of men. And how
pleasing it is to operate with our Heaven]y Father in all sincerity;
how pleasing it is to feel that God is our Father, and that we are his
children, that we are his covenant people, and that we are engaged
doing his work. We should be honest with ourselves, honest with our
families, honest with each other and honest with our God, and in all
the various relations of life.

Vol. 19,  p.338
The subject of tithing has been referred to. We profess to believe in
it, and therefore we should carry it out. If we do not believe in it,
let us be frank enough to say so, and quit. We profess to have faith
in God, and that it is our duty to call upon him morning and evening.

Vol. 19,  p.338
I did not believe that the Lord would hear me, I would not trouble
myself about calling upon him. But I do believe that the Lord says:
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and
it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth; and
he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Or what man is there of you, who if his son ask bread, will he give
hims stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? etc."
Jesus tried to impress this principle upon the people in his day; but
it is difficult for us at times to realize it. And again he instances
the widow and the unjust judge, showing that by continual prayer,
importuning the Father, in the name of Jesus, in faith that he will
hear us, our prayers will not be in vain. We should feel that God is
our Father and that we are his children, and that he has promised to
listen to our prayer, and that we are called upon to be obedient to
his will and to carry out his designs. And then we ought, in order
that our prayers may be effectual perform the various duties devolving
upon us, such as have been referred to, and we should be honest and
honorable in our dealing one with another. If we try to defraud our
brother, how can we expect God to bless us in that, for he is a child
of our Heavenly Father just as much as we are. And being his child he
feel interested in his welfare, and if we try to take advantage to the
injury of the Lord's child, do you think he would be pleased with us?
Formally, according to the Mosaic law, if a man stole anything he
would make him restore it four fold. That was a law of carnal
commandments and ordinances. And we are living under a more elevated
[p.339] law, and occupying a higher position than the Children of
Israel died. We want to be just and generous to each other, "Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This we are told is
the first commandment. And the second is like unto it, namely, "Thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Do we do this? If we did, then
how pleasantly we could come before the Lord. Yet, if we were living
our religion, possessing the light and intelligence of God, we would
do so. But, to go a little further, quoting from the injunction of
Paul: "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in
honor preferring one another." Could you go that, do you think? There
would first have to be a little change among some of us. Yet those
were the principles taught by some of the former-day Apostles, and it
is just as true to-day as it was then. There is something very
pleasing in these things; and if we could only carry them out how
pleasant it would be; we would have confidence in every man. We sing
sometimes something like this—and we sing it quite glibly too: "When
every man, in every place shall meet a brother and a friend." Do you
ever remember hearing folks sing that? If we were one and all, so
united as to inspire that confidence: in all our acts and doings, so
far as we were concerned in our immediate vicinity, every man would
meet a brother and a friend; and the same would also be said of our
sisters. These are the kind of feelings the Gospel ought to inspire in
our hearts: love for one another, a feeling of interest in one
another's welfare and so fulfil the law of Christ—the law of the
Gospel.

Vol. 19,  p.339
And then men should feel right towards their wives and treat them in
kindness and with regard, not allowing our love to wear out. We might
have been a little foolish in our younger days, when doing our
courting, paying to much attention to the object of our affection,
whereas, by and by, we pay too little attention. We should so live
that our love for each other can increase all the time and not
diminish, and have charity in our bosoms so that we may bear with one
another's infirmities, feeling that we are the children of God,
seeking to carry out his word and will and law. And then treat
everybody right. What, the Gentiles? Yes, certainly; it would be a
pity if we could not afford to treat everybody honorably and right.
These "damned Gentiles," as you are sometimes pleased to call them,
are the children of our Heavenly Father. What was the Gospel
introduced into the world for? What was the promise made to Abraham?
"In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed," not
cursed. What was the mission that Jesus gave to his disciples? "Go ye
into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature." What, to
the Gentiles? Yes; were not you among that class when the Gospel
reached you? Yes, you were, and if the elders had not gone out to
preach the Gospel you would not have been here? Well, shall we treat
men aright here. Certainly; but that is not to say you shall be
governed by any of their meanness or corruption. God sends us to
teach, not to be taught or to be influenced by anything improper or
impure; he sends us to elevate the standard of truth and to act the
part of a friend to all men, but not to be partakers of their sins, or
mix up with them in their vice and contentions; but preserve our
bodies and spirits pure together, that we may be the children of God
without rebuke in the midst of a corrupt and perverse generation.
[p.340] What would I do with the hungry? I would feed them. What if
they were not good people? Yes, you and I can well afford to treat
everybody right. God makes his sun to shine on the evil as well as the
good, and he sends his rain on the just and the unjust. But do not
descend to their evils and wickedness and corruptions, nor to the
evils and wickedness of those who call themselves Latter-day Saints,
who are not, who do not keep the commandments of God.

Vol. 19,  p.340
I am a believer in the things the brethren have been speaking about,
they are matter of fact principles. There are some Christian people in
this world who, if a man were poor or hungry, would say, let us pray
for him. I would suggest, a little different regiment for a person in
this condition: rather take him a bag of flour and a little beef or
pork, and a little sugar and butter. A few such comforts will do him
more good than your prayers. And I would be ashamed to ask the Lord to
do something that I would not do myself. Then go to work and help the
poor yourselves first, and do all you can for them, and then call upon
God to do the balance. So with the building of our Temples and
everything else. Never mind so much about the prayers; prayers are all
very well in their place. These is an old saying which is not without
meaning; it is "Yankee doodle, do it." Let us do something and feel
that we are men among men, and that we are prepared to fill the
various responsibilities devolving upon us, and then things will move
along right enough. We get excited sometimes and want to do everything
in a rush. Why the world was not built; in a day, neither does winter
change into summer in a day, it takes time. When it begins to get a
little warm in the spring you begin to plow, and when you east in the
seed you do not expect to reap on to-morrow; but you wait, and by and
by the grain begins to shoot, and everythings looks beautiful and
green, and when it commences to bead out, you begin to talk about the
harvest. There is, however, an overwhelming power, which is the power
of God, at the back of it, which gives life and vitality to all
nature; and it moves gradually and slowly, but surely. We want to grow
in grace and in the knowledge and love of God in the same way.

Vol. 19,  p.340
We have commenced to built up the Kingdom of God, and like the grain
of mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds, it will grow and
extend until the whole earth shall be full of the knowledge of God,
and the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our God and his
Christ and he will reign forever.

Vol. 19,  p.340
We will try to be united, and purify ourselves and purify our
families, and purge out iniquity from our households. We will try to
have a conscience void of offence towards God and man. We will try to
magnify that priesthood God has conferred upon us. And we will go on
from truth to truth; from intelligence to intelligence, and from
wisdom to wisdom until we see as we are seen and know as we are known.
We will operate together, and with all Israel and with the gods in the
eternal worlds, and with the patriarchs, prophets and apostles, and
all the holy men of God who have lived before us, in assisting to
bring to pass all the designs of God of which the prophets have
spoken, and in building up the Zion of God, in redeeming the earth and
establishing the kingdom of God theron.

Vol. 19,  p.340
May God bless you and lead you in the paths of life, in the name of
Jesus. Amen.[p.341] 

Lorenzo Snow, April 21, 1878

United Order—Tithing—Co-Operative Labors in Brigham City

Discourse By Elder Lorenzo Snow, Delivered in the Tabernacle, 
Ogden City, Sunday Afternoon, April 21, 1878.

(Reported by James Taylor)

Vol. 19,  p.341
I will read, this afternoon, a few verses of the revelation commencing
on page 345 of the new edition of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants:

Vol. 19,  p.341
"1. Verily I say unto you who have assembled together, that you may
learn my will concerning the redemption of mine afflicted people.

Vol. 19,  p.341
"2. Behold, I say unto you, were it not for the transgressions of my
people, speaking concerning the church and not individuals, they might
have been redeemed even now.

Vol. 19,  p.341
"3. But behold, they have not learned to be obedient to the things
which I required at their hands, but are full of all manner of evil,
and do not impart of their substance, as becometh Saints, to the poor
and afflicted among them.

Vol. 19,  p.341
"4. And are not united according to the union required by the law of
the celestial kingdom.

Vol. 19,  p.341
"5. And Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the
law of the celestial kingdom, otherwise I cannot receive her unto
myself.

Vol. 19,  p.341
"6. And my people must needs be chastened until they learn obedience,
if it must needs be, by the things which they suffer."

Vol. 19,  p.341
I wish to remind my brethren and sisters, in the first place, that we
are dependent for our information and intelligence upon the Spirit of
God, which may be in us, if properly cultivated, a spirit of
inspiration, of revelation, to make manifest clearly to our
understanding the mind and will of God, teaching our duties and
obligations, and what is required at our hands. And, on occasions of
this kind, when we are assembled together to learn the will of God, it
is of importance that we exercise faith, and have the spirit of
prayer, that the Lord will cause something to be said that will
instruct, and give us such information and knowledge as will be of use
and service in our daily walk and under the circumstances that
surround us.

Vol. 19,  p.341
We need assistance. We are liable to do that which will lead us into
trouble and darkness, and those things which will not tend to our
good, but with the assistance of that comforter which the Lord has
promised his Saints, if we are careful to listen to its whisperings,
and understand the nature of its language, we may avoid much trouble
and serious difficulty.

Vol. 19,  p.341
We are told in these verses which I have read, that the Saints in
former days were driven from the land of their possessions because
they lacked that union which was necessary for their safety and
salvation, and to preserve them upon this land which the Lord designed
to give [p.342] them for an inheritance. They were not united
according to the union which was required by the celestial law. And we
are told here that Zion cannot be built up upon any other principle or
foundation. This is the subject that concerns every Latter-day Saint,
and is well worthy of deep reflection, and we should seek the spirit
of inspiration, that we may understand it properly, and how it may,
perhaps, effect us in our present situation.

Vol. 19,  p.342
There are principles which are revealed for the good of the people of
God, and clearly manifest in the revelations which have been given;
but in consequence of not being more persevering and industrious, we
neglect to receive the advantages which they are designed to confer,
and we think, perhaps, that it is not necessary to exert ourselves to
find out what God requires at our hands, or in other words, to search
out the principles which God has revealed, upon which we can receive
very important blessings. There are revealed, plainly and clearly,
principles which are calculated to exalt the Latter-day Saints, and
preserve them from much trouble and vexation, yet, through lack of
perseverance on our part to learn and conform to them, we fail to
receive the blessings that are connected with obedience to them. These
principles of union, which the Latter-day Saints in former times
ignored, and in consequence of disobedience to them, were driven from
Missouri, are called by different names United Order, Order of Enoch,
the principles of Union of the Celestial Law, etc. When we search the
revelations of God in regard to them, we see that wherever the Gospel
of the Son of God has been revealed in its fulness, the principles of
the United Order were made manifest, and required to be observed. The
system of union, or the Order of Enoch, which God has taken so much
pains to reveal and make manifest, has been, and is, for the purpose
of uniting the Latter-day Saints, the people of God, and preparing
them for exaltation in his celestial kingdom, and also for the purpose
of preparing them here on this earth to live together as brethren,
that they may become one in all matters that pertain to their worldly
affairs, as well as their spiritual interests, that they may become
one—one in their efforts, one in their interests—so that there shall
be no poor found in the midst of the Latter-day Saints, and no monied
aristocracy in the midst of the people of God, but that there should
be a union, an equality. Before this Church was organized, in April,
1830, there were given revelations touching the United Order; and from
the day the first revelation was given in regard to these principles,
there have been given a great number of revelations making the
principle of the United Order very plain to the understanding of those
who wish to comprehend them. The principles and system have been
pointed out in various revelations very distinctly, so that the Saints
might not err. The Lord has shown us that he considered this order no
small matter, but a subject of vast importance; so much so, in fact,
that he has pronounced severe penalties on those who disobey its
principles, and promised most important blessings to those who receive
it and conform to its requirements. Doc. and Cov., page 327, 276, 258,
264.

Vol. 19,  p.342
The Latter-day Saints, no doubt, have made very great improvement, and
advanced considerably beyond the point the Saints reached when they
were in Missouri, and were [p.343] chastened in consequence of their
not having conformed to the principles of union, as required; but when
we see these sacred principles disregarded, to a certain extent, so
much as they are, we wonder why it is so, and how it is that they are
so much neglected, so much ignored—principles of such vast importance
to our exaltation and glory, and for our safety, and on account of
disobedience to which the Lord could not sustain and defend his people
in the State of Missouri, but suffered them to be overcome and
expelled by their enemies.

Vol. 19,  p.343
The Lord, when he counseled that Jackson County should be purchased by
the Saints, was very strict in regard to the manner in which they
should observe the principles of union; and he called one of his
servants, and told him that he would make him an example in regard to
what would be required of those who should go up to the land of
Missouri to receive their inheritance. That was Martin Harris. (Doc. &
Cov., sec. 58, page 203, verses 35 and 36.) The Lord said: "It is
wisdom in me that my servant Martin Harris should be an example unto
the Church, in laying his monies before the Bishop of the Church. And
also, this is a law unto every man that cometh unto this land to
receive an inheritance; and he shall do with his monies according as
the law directs."

Vol. 19,  p.343
Now, here is one of the first principles of the United Order, and it
was made and ordained a law by every person, and every one was
required to observe it, who should be privileged to go to the land of
Missouri to receive an inheritance. But this, I think, will apply, not
only to those who should go to the land of Missouri, but to the people
of God in every land. Wherever there is a people of God, the
principles of the United Order are applicable, if they would receive
and obey them. Some have thought that the United Order was to be kept
only by the people who should go up to the land of Missouri. Now this,
I believe, is incorrect. It would seem very singular that the
Latter-day Saints, when they receive the Gospel, should not have the
privilege of uniting themselves, according to the principles of the
celestial law, and that Jackson County should be the only place where
this law might be observed. I shall not have time to pursue this
subject so particularly as I would wish, I will simply refer to some
revelations in regard to the matter.

Vol. 19,  p.343
In Kirtland, Ohio, there was a United Order established under the
direct influence and instructions of Joseph Smith. He received
revelations from the Lord in regard to this subject. And there was not
only a United Order established in Kirtland, but there was also a
United command of God to be established in a locality about fifteen or
twenty miles from Kirtland, in a town called Thompson. And the Lord
gave his servant, Edward Partridge, the first Bishop of this Church,
revelations and important instructions in reference to organizing a
Branch of the Church into the United Order in that township. And
Edward Partridge needed these instructions, because it might well be
understood that he, of himself, would not be able to understand the
mind and will of God touching what was required according to the
principles of the celestial law. Therefore, the Lord told him it was
necessary that he should receive instructions in these principles. And
he gave him instructions, and told him that it was necessary that the
people should [p.344] be organized there according to his law,
otherwise they should be cut off. And he told him, furthermore, that
it was their privilege to be organized according to the celestial law,
that they might be united upon those principles. And also, in this
revelation, he told Edward Partridge that he should have the privilege
of organizing, for this was an example unto him, in all other places,
in all other churches. So it was not confined to any particular
locality, to Kirtland, nor to Thompson, nor to Jackson County; but in
that revelation it was told the Bishop that this should be an example
unto him in organizing in all Churches. So that wherever Edward
Partridge should find a Church, he would have the privilege of
organizing them according to the United Order, the Celestial Law, or
the Order of Enoch.

Vol. 19,  p.344
Now, we might ask ourselves, would it be supposable that there could
be any transgression or that we would offend God in ascertaining what
the United Order is, and then conforming ourselves to its
requirements, as near as possible?

Vol. 19,  p.344
In the days of the Prophet Ezra, the Jewish nation, for many years,
had been in captivity, and in transgression, and been permitted to be
destroyed, and driven from their locations by their enemies. Well,
Ezra, on a certain occasion, saw proper to bring them together and
build Jerusalem that had been thrown down, The Lord aided him in this
work; and after they hal been successful in building the walls, they
commenced reading the laws and revelations of God; and they found that
the people were in great transgression, and in disobedience to a very
important and sacred law, and that was in regard to their
inter-marriages with aliens. They discovered that there had been a law
given in the days of Moses, that they should not give their daughters
to the sons of aliens, neither should they take the daughters of
aliens to their sons. Well, when Ezra made this discovery, and found
that the people had been inter-marrying to quite an extent, he was in
consternation. He sat down, plucked the hair from his head, and his
beard from his face, and rent his garments; and called upon his God to
forgive the people. Well, finally, the prophets, and chief men were
called together and had a consultation; and then the people were
called together, and they had a very grevious time in making the thing
right wherein they had transgressed this holy law; and however
unpleasant the requirements were in regard to making this right, it
was considered absolutely important to have the blessings of God, and
be approved of him. Now, I do not say, when we come back again to our
subject, the principles of the United Order, that this might be our
position with reference to our obedience to it. But I would say this,
however, that if these principles of the United Order were so
important in former days, and the Lord by some thirteen revelations or
more, has made them manifest to his Saints, and the results of
disobedience were such as we see, why should we not consider them of
some importance at the present time? And would the Lord find fault
with the people, if the Latter-day Saints would strive with all their
hearts to conform to them? And would we not feel ourselves better
prepared to go back and build up Jackson County, the Centre Stake of
Zion? Would we expect to go back unless we complied with the law in
all things, and in consequence of disobedience to which, the people
were expelled from that country?

Vol. 19,  p.345
It is argued by some that when the principle of tithing came in, it
[p.345] supersed the principles of the United Order. The law of Moses
was given I to be a school-master, to bring the people to a knowledge
of the Son of God, and induce them to obey the principles of the
fulness of the Gospel. The higher law was given to the children of
Israel when they were first delivered from Egyptian bondage, but in
consequence of their disobedience, the Gospel in its fulness was
withdrawn, and the law of carnal commandments was added. Now, do you
imagine that there would have been any wrong if the people wanted to
find the principles of the higher law and obey them as near as
circumstances would admit? Do you suppose it would have been wrong to
search out the fulness of the Gospel, while living under the Mosaic
law? But, in the Book of Mormon we find this point more fully
illustrated. We find that the inhabitants of this continent had a
knowledge of the fulness of the everlasting Gospel and were baptized
for the remission of sins, many generations before Jesus came into the
world. We find that Alma was baptized in the waters of Mormon, and
some four hundred and fifty other individuals. Alma, by his energy and
perseverance, had discovered the fulness of the Gospel and obtained
revelations from the Lord, and the privilege of observing the Gospel
in all its fulness and blessings. Do you think the Lord was angry with
them? They were under the Mosaic law, and yet considered it a blessing
to observe the higher law.

Vol. 19,  p.345
Now I will say in regard to the matter of tithing, I think that law
was given to the Latter-day Saints, one object being to prepare them
for, and conduct them to, the United Order, that they might not fall
into the same error as the people who were driven from the State of
Missouri, but gradually be inducted into these higher principles.
There is nothing more elevating to ourselves and pleasing to God than
those things that pertain to the accomplishment of a brotherhood. Wise
men, for centuries, have sought to bring this about, but without
success. They had not the ability, the wisdom, the intelligence, nor
the authority, to bring the people up to that standard, that they
could become a united brotherhood. All their efforts were ineffectual.
But the Lord will be successful; and he will prepare the Latter-day
Saints that these principles will be in their hearts when they go back
to Jackson County. Remember, while the Gospel in its fulness was
observed by Alma and his brethren, and by many thousands in different
ages of the world, they lived under the Mosaic Law, and cannot the
Latter-day Saints under the law of tithing, observe the fulness of the
gospel? If we allow that we are under the principle of the law of
tithing, is there any harm in our complying with the principles of the
United Order?

Vol. 19,  p.345
I am aware that it is unpleasant in the cars of some individuals, to
hear about the principles of the United but take the Latter-day
Saints, generally speaking, throughout the various settlements of this
Territory, their hearts seem to be drawn out in reference to this
principle. When President Young first came into these mount, in
valleys, he was impressed with the importance of this principle, and
he took the first steps for the accomplishment of this union. There
are hundreds and thousands of individuals that came into these valleys
at that time, who comformed to the first principles of this union.
There are many of us that consecrated all that we possessed, and this
is the first step in regard to the United Order. It is very possible
that there may have been some neglect in carrying [p.346] forward this
principle, as, perhaps, we might have done. This I would not say
particularly, but there may have been fault in us, in this matter in
not carrying out what we commenced. In things that pertain to
celestial glory there can be no forced operations. We must do
according as the Spirit of the Lord operates upon our understandings
and feelings. We cannot be crowded into matters, however great might
be the blessing attending such procedure. We cannot be forced into
living a celestial law; we must do this ourselves, of our own free
will. And whatever we do in regard to the principles of the United
Order, we must do it because we desire to do it. Some of us are
practising in the spirit of the United Order, doing sure than the law
of tithing requires. We are not confined to the law of tithing. We
have advanced to that point that we feel to soar above this law. Now,
we have thousands and tens of thousands, and I might say millions of
dollars, that have been appropriated by the Latter-day Saints in
various directions. We have appropriated tens of thousands of dollars
for the gathering of the poor and the building of tabernacles, and for
many other things that might be mentioned. When we do this, we act up
to one of the principles that pertain to this United Order.

Vol. 19,  p.346
The Lord, in Kirtland, established a United Order. He called certain
individuals, and united them by revelation, and told them how to
proceed; and every man who would subscribe fully to the United Order
will proceed in the same manner. He told those people and the Church
afar off, to listen and hearken to what he required of men in this
Order, and of every man who belonged to the church of the living
God—that all that they received above what was necessary for the
support of their families, was to be put in the Lord's storehouse, for
the benefit of the whole Church. This is what is required of every man
in his stewardship. And this is a law that is required to be observed
by every man who belongs to the church of the living, God. [Book Doc.
and Cov., p. 234.] Now, this if one of the the main features of the
United Order. We are not going to stop here, in these valleys of the
mountains. Many of us expect to go forth and build up the centre stake
of Zion; but before we are called, we must understand these things,
and conform to them more practically than many of us do at the present
time.

Vol. 19,  p.346
We are told in one of these revelations that it is necessary that we
should be equal. If we are not equal in ten, petal things, we cannot
be equal in spiritual things. Men on whom God has bestowed
financeering ability are the men that are wanted at this time—that God
wants, and whom he would wish to call to step forth in the
accomplishment of this great union. Now we call men at our conferences
and send them forth to preach the gospel to the nations of the earth.
They go forth in the strength and power of God, depending upon the
Holy Spirit, to assist in the accomplishment of the work. In regard to
the building up the kingdom of God here at borne, persons who have the
ability are the ones who should step forward in things that would lead
the Latter-day Saints to this union. It would be of more value to them
than all the things of earth. the blessings of God upon them in time
and eternity would well repay them to step forth and labor for the
Zion of God. We are told that the priesthood is not called to work for
money, but to establish Zion. What a lovely thing it would be if there
was a Zion now, as in the days of [p.347] Enoch! that there would be
peace in our midst and no necessity for a man to contend and tread
upon the toes of another to attain a better position, and advance
himself ahead of his neighbor. And there should be no unjust
competition in matters that belong to the Latter-day Saints. That
which creates division among us pertaining to our temporal interests
should not be. The Lord considered this union a matter of importance,
and he uses strong expressions in reference to it. Speaking in regard
to those who should disobey the principles of the United Order after
receiving it, the Lord says, "I have decreed in my heart that any man
among you that shall break the covenant by which you are bound, he
shall be trodden down by whomsoever I will." [p. 337.] And he says, in
regard to some parties who turned away from this principle, "I have
cursed them with a sore and grievous curse." He says in another
revelation, showing the sacredness of this order, "Therefore a
commandment unto you, and he who breaketh it shall lose his standing
in the church, and be turned over to the buffeting of Satan." [p.
258.] These are severe penalties, but it is in consequence of his
desire to prepare a people for celestial glory. Now, shall we say that
these matters do not pertain to us, and that we shall leave them until
we go back to Jackson County? I have sometimes thought that if the
Latter-day Saints did not open their eyes and attend to these things
very strictly, we should hardly escape these afflictions, but be
persecuted as were our brethren in Missouri. After the instructions we
have received during the last forty years, shall we say that we cannot
conform to these principles? Shall we say that we shall ignore there
glorious principles that pertain to this exalted brotherhood?

Vol. 19,  p.347
Now, we are trying to do some thing in Brigham City in the direction
to this order; but there seems to be the greatest difficulty with
ourselves, when we come to these temporal affairs. Our old ideas of
things have a wonderful influence over us, that it seems a difficult
matter to break the crust, and conform wholly to the requirements of
the United Order. We have arrived at certain points of union in our
city; but I do not wish to speak about our affairs there in any spirit
of boasting, for when I consider the sacredness of these principles,
and the importance of them, I feel my insufficiency and unworthiness.
To engage in this labor seems to be a great and sacred undertaking.
President Young used to say, "Why, up there in Brigham City Brother
Snow has led the people along, and got them into the United Order
without their knowing it." But I can see many things that we are very
short of accomplishing. We have not entered into the fulness of the
principles of the United Order, but we talk about them, and many of us
try to conform to them, and get the spirit of them in our hearts. Now
we number about three thousand souls, and we have moved along so far
as this—I presume it is a little further than you have in Ogden—there
is but one store in our city where imported goods are bought, and this
belongs to the people. Now that is consider towards a union in a
people of three thousand, to be agreed to do their trading in one
place—that there should be one mercantile establishment. Now, you have
more than one store in Ogden. Then, we have united a little further;
we have but one tannery in our city of a population of three thousand.
We have but one shoemakers' establishment—an association of
shoemakers, consisting of about thirty persons. There is [p.348] no
competition in this business. I suppose you have more than one in
Ogden; but you are a greater people than we are, several times over.
They all purchase their boots and shoes at this industrial department,
and thus the men engaged in this business are sustained by the people,
according to their covenants; and there are no other shoemakers in
that locality. Well, we have united together on another point, that
is, in a woolen factory and sheepherd. We met with a loss of some
fifty thousand dollars in the burning of our factory, and the
destruction of our crops by the grasshoppers. There are no rich people
in Brigham City, but the people, through their union, have erected
another building, much better than the one destroyed. We expect to
have the factory in operation about the first of July. This shows some
proof of the advancement of the people. This achievement is not in
consequence of the people there having money; but this work—this
amazing work, as I consider it—has been accomplished in consequence of
the advancement that the people have made in this union. Well we have
but one blacksmith shop in that city; Some twelve or fifteen work in
this establishment, and the people sustain them in their operations.
Those engaged in the various branches of labor feel confident that the
people will patronize them, and carry out what they have agreed in
this particular, and they do not trouble themselves about any other
employment, or business. There is but one furniture shop in Brigham
City, and the people sustain those engaged in that business. I suppose
you have more than one. There is but one tin shop, and it is
patronized by all the people of Brigham City. There is but one
lumbering department there, and the people sustain the parties who are
employed in that business. Some eighty or one hundred persons are
engaged during the lumbering season. The mills are owned by the
people, and there is no competition. There is but one millinery shop
in that city, and it is sustained by the people. You have more than
one here; perhaps you ought to have. There is but one tailor's shop in
Brigham City, and the people employed in that business are patronized
by the whole people. I might mention a great many other businesses,
but will leave that subject now.

Vol. 19,  p.348
Now, for the people in Ogden and the people in other settlements, it
would be a good thing to unite together to supply themselves with
their clothing, food, furniture, building materials, and with
everything that pertains to their comfort and convenience, without
being under the necessity of employing, or using, those things that
are imported. You have a great many wide-awake, financeering men in
Ogden, very intelligent men, who are full of wisdom and stir, and have
the principles of the Gospel in them. You are ahead of the people of
Brigham City in this respect, but we are ahead of you in some other
respects. in proportion as a man possesses a knowledge over his
brethren, we should be more anxious to accomplish good for Zion; and
he should be the one to set a proper example for the union of the
people. I believe if the Latter-day Saints would go forward and
establish the United Order in their midst more than they do, the Lord
would more abundantly sustain and bless us, and provide remedies
against the evils to which we are exposed—persecution and difficulties
from outside, that we will not talk about to-day.

Vol. 19,  p.348
The sisters here in Ogden are accomplishing considerable in regard to
the United Order. They are uniting [p.349] themselves together to do a
great work. I do not know but what they, in connection with others,
will be, more or less, the salvation of Zion; and it is a good thing
for them to persevere, and for some of the brethren to follow their
good example in this respect.

Vol. 19,  p.349
A great deal might be said in regard to the principles of the United
Order, that I do not feel to talk about this afternoon, but I do feel
to urge on those brethren who have the means and are in circumstances,
to search out the mind and will of God in regard to these matters, and
let us try to build up Zion. Zion is the pure in heart. Zion cannot be
built up except on the principles of union required by the celestial
law. It is high time for us to enter into these things. It is more
pleasant and agreeable for the Latter-day Saints to enter into this
work and build up Zion, than to build up ourselves and have this great
competition which is destroying us. Now let things go on in our midst
in our Gentile fashion, and you would see an aristocracy growing
amongst us, whose language to the poor would be, "we do not require
your company; we are going to have things very fine; we are quite busy
now, please call some other time." You would lucre classes established
here, some very poor and some very rich. Now, the Lord is not going to
have anything of that kind. There has to be an equality; and we bare
to observe these principles that are designed to give every one the
privilege of gathering around him the comforts and conveniences of
life. The Lord, in his economy in spiritual things, has fixed that
every man, according to his perseverance and faithfulness, will
receive exaltation and glory in the eternal worlds—a fulness of the
Priesthood, and a fulness of the glory of God. This is the economy of
God's system by which men and women can be exalted spiritually. The
same with regard to temporal affairs. We should establish the
principles of the United Order, that give every man a chance to
receive these temporal blessings. I do not say that it would be proper
to give a man just baptized the fulness. of the Priesthood at once.
Neither would it, be right to give a man who has just, come from the
old country the home and possessions of him who has been here and
labored and toiled for years to accumulate them. It would not he right
for the possessor to step out of his house, and let the one who has
never labored and toiled go in and take his place; but this man who
has got the blessings of God around him, should be willing to
sacrifice a portion of his surplus means to establish some industry,
that this poor man can work and obtain a good remuneration for his
labor, that he can see comfort and convenience before him, by
persevering as he has done who has been thus blessed this is the
spirit and aim of the United Order, and that we should endeavor to
establish. We should employ our surplus means in a manner that the
poor can Lava employment and see before them a competence and the
conveniences of life, so that they may not be dependent upon their
neighbors. Where is the man who wants to be dependent upon his
neighbors or the Tithing Office? No! He is a man, and is the image of
God, and wants to gather the means around him, by his own, individual
exertions. Blessed of God, are we, who have surplus means, and we
should be willing to employ those means whereby such individuals may
have, as before mentioned. The United Order is not French Communism.
It is not required of those who possess the means of living to [p.350]
expend those means among those who know nothing about taking care of
and preserving them. But let no man be oppressed and placed in
circumstances where he cannot reach forth and help himself.

Vol. 19,  p.350
Well, I wanted to say a few things by way of suggestion to the
brethren. May God bless his people in Ogden. Take the Book of Doctrine
and Covenants, trace the subject of the United Order, and you will
find it explained fully. And there need not be any difficulty in
regard to what is required at our hands.

Vol. 19,  p.350
May we so live as to be worthy of a stranding in the presence of God.
Amen.

Orson Pratt, June 16, 1878

A Marvelous Work—Angel Visitation—the 
Book of Mormon—Evidence Calculated to Excite 
Faith—Testimony not Always to Salvation

Discourse By Elder Orson Pratt, Delivered in the Tabernacle, 
Salt Lake City, Sunday Afternoon, June 16, 1878.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.350
A very strange thing has happened in our day—a work that is considered
by the Latter-day Saints, and by all people, to be a marvelous work
and a wonder; something almost entirely unexpected by the great mass
of the human family, something which our fathers were not looking for
has happened in the land. What is it? God has sent an angel from
heaven. What, an angel in the latter-days come from heaven! Yes. What
a strange thing! How different from the traditions of our fathers, for
seventeen centuries past! Tell people of this generation that God has
sent a holy angel communicating his will to man, and they will be
ready to laugh you to scorn. They have formed an idea in their own
hearts that angels were no more to minister to the human family. No
messages from heaven to be sent by them; no voice of the Lord to be
heard again speaking to man on the earth; no more revelations to be
given; no more Prophets to be raised up, and no more Seers and
Revelators to make known and proclaim the will of heaven to the
people. Such were the traditions of our fathers; such were the
traditions of some two or three hundred millions of people, calling
themselves Christians. Speak to them about more of the word of God to
be given to the human family, the universal idea and exclamation of
the nations of Christendom would be, "the canon of Scripture [p.351]
is full." Who told them this? From what source did they get their
information. Did the Lord ever reveal this to them, or is it a
creation of their own imagination? Did you ever hear a single
individual, even the most learned and wisest of them, prove this
assertion by the divine writings? Did you ever hear of any lay member,
minister or priest, having substantiated these ideas and traditions in
accordance with Scripture and reason? Never, never. And the simple
reason why is, because they have no proof or evidence to sustain their
position. There is not a man living, however learned he may be,
however familiar with the Scriptures of divine truth he may be, that
can bring one idea, by way of proof, to support these traditions. And
yet, how general and universal these things have been circulated among
the nations, and imbibed by the human family as though they were real
truths!

Vol. 19,  p.351
When the Latter-day Saints came forth forty-eight years ago,
testifying that God had sent an angel from heaven, how unexpected, how
strange to this generation! Say they, "The Lord once had a religion on
the earth, and angels were included as part and portion of the
blessings connected with it; but now we do not need them." Why?
"Because we are so enlightened. We have studied the Scriptures and
become so effectually acquainted with them, and also with science and
everything else, that we do not need further instruction from the
Almighty; we do not need Prophets in our day to foretell the future;
we do not need Revelators to come forth and manifest to us the word of
God. Why, we are so enlightened! The blaze of Gospel light is shining
forth so brilliantly, we can get along with human learning without any
revelation from the heavens." Have I not expressed before this
congregation, the real ideas of the two or three hundred millions of
Christendom, so called, that live in the various civilized nations?

Vol. 19,  p.351
Now let us go back to the real principles of the Gospel, to find out
whether they countenance and embrace the visitation of angels. History
informs us, that before the flood angels conversed with men, as one
man would with another. And we find that Abraham and Enoch conversed
with God; and through faith Enoch was translated from mortality to
immortality. At the time of the deluge, we learn there was one man
upon the earth that received new revelation from heaven, and that he
and seven others who believed on his word, were the only ones worthy
to be spared from the terrible judgment which, for the time being, put
an end to wickedness upon the earth. A Revelator was spared—the only
man among them who could commune with the heavens, and receive
information from on high.

Vol. 19,  p.351
After the days of the flood, we learn that the Lord made to Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob, great and most precious promises—promises concerning
things of eternity and things of the earth. These men were called and
esteemed the "friends of God;" they were perfect in their day, and
they were Revelators, to whom angels came and ministered the words of
eternal life. They were the only ones who received instruction from
heaven by new revelation, and who were counted worthy in that day to
enjoy the divine approbation, and to be called his friends.

Vol. 19,  p.351
So likewise we may come down to the days of Moses, and the children of
Israel who were in Egypt. Did the Lord bless them? He did.[p.352] In
what way? By speaking himself, and also by sending angels to
administer in their midst; by communicating revelation by day and by
night while the children of Israel sojourned in the wilderness; by
revelation they were taught in all the ordinances, and by revelation
they journeyed; and when the Lord commanded them to pitch their cents,
they remained in such a place until another revelation was given.
Angels communicated the things of God to that people, after they were
brought to the Promised Land, and from generation to generation the
Lord sent forth his angels to minister among his people. Prophet after
Prophet was raised up in their respective generations to declare the
word of the Lord in the midst of all Israel; and such men were
regarded as the mouthpieces of God. And so it was continued until a
few centuries before Christ. Then came a day of darkness; then came a
time when, because of the wickedness of the people, no angels were
sent, no Revelators or Prophets were raised up in the midst of the
people. The consequences were, the people were left to themselves
without the guidance of new revelation, and instead of building up and
establishing the kingdom of God, they created man-made systems,
dividing off into sects and parties, such as Pharisees, Sadducees,
Essences, etc., numbering a great really different denominations. And
they estranged themselves so far from the ways of God, and became so
wicked, and Satan had so much control over them, that when Christ came
preaching to them the everlasting Gospel in all its simplicity and
plainness, he found them in such a condition as to love darkness
rather than light, and they were fully prepared to imbrue their hands
in the blood of the Savior of the world.

Vol. 19,  p.352
We find that after Christ hack established his Church, that angels
continued to minister; and one of the Apostles, on a certain occasion
exhorted the former-day Saints to be careful to entertain strangers;
for in so doing some had entertain angels unawares. And we find that,
during the first century of the Christian era, angels frequently
appeared; and revelations were also given by the gift and power of the
Holy Ghost which rested upon the Apostles, for the guidance of the
Church. Paul also testifies of angels in this wise: "Are they not all
ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be
heirs of salvation?" Showing to us clearly and plainly that these
celestial inhabitants of heaven,—these pure sanctified beings that
dwell in the presence of God were sent forth as authorized ministers
of God to those wile should be heirs of salvation here upon the earth.
But by and by, after the first century of the Christian era, the
heavens became as brass over their heads again. The voice of
inspiration was heard no more, neither did the voice of angels salute
the ears of mortals. No visions among the people, the vail of darkness
that hung over them, in consequence of the Lord's withdrawing his
ministering agency from the earth, so befogged their minds, that they
could no longer gaze upon the glorious future.

Vol. 19,  p.352
This state of apostacy cotinued, until about the last half century of
the Christian era, and it prevailed more or less among all people. And
the priests, to whom the people looked for spiritual light and
instruction, have persisted one and all in teaching the people, from
generation to generation, that the Bible was full, that the canon of
scripture was closed, and that it was no more necessary for [p.353]
angels to communicate with man, nor that the miraculous gifts and
graces, that once adorned the Church, should be continued. The people
settled down to this belief without any evidence or testimony of its
truthfulness and it became a widespread and popular tradition: and the
children even down to our day, have inherited these notions and
traditions of their fathers without once questioning them; they are
born in the children, as it were, and they are educated and trained in
this belief, and hence it has become deeply rooted, and most difficult
for them to rid themselves of.

Vol. 19,  p.353
But again the long, long silence lies been broken, again the voice of
angels has saluted the ears of mortal man, and that too in fulfilment
of a prophecy uttered by John the Revelator, while under banishment
upon the Isle of Patmos. While there suffering for the gospel's sake,
the Lord showed unto him by vision, things that should take place upon
the earth. And among other things that passed before him, he saw that,
after a length of time the darkness that would necessarily follow the
rejection of the Gospel by both Jew and Gentile, and that must come
upon the face of the whole earth, would be gradually dispelled by a
heavenly communication from God to man. And from the 14th chapter of
Revelations we learn the manner in which this message should come from
the courts of heaven. John speaks of the event in this wise. "and I
saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting
gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every
nation, and kindred, and tongue and people, Saying with a loud voice,
Fear God and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come,"
etc. Strange as it may seem, this angel spoken of, has flown from
heaven to earth, parting asunder the vail of superstition, ignorance
and doubt, and bringing with him from his celestial abode, glad
tidings of great joy, duly authorizing man on the earth to preach the
same to all peoples of every nation. This Gospel committed by the
angel has been preached among many nations wherever they would receive
the bearers of this heavenly message, there the voice of inspired men
has been heard; and this missionary labor has been faithfully
prosecuted during almost one half of a century. And the Gospel will be
preached until every nation and tongue and people upon the face of our
globe shall have the privilege of hearing this glorious angelic
message.

Vol. 19,  p.353
"But," says one, "this is your testimony; you say that, an angel has
come, but we do not know it; you say that he has brought the
everlasting Gospel, but we do not know it. What evidence have you to
give us, that we may know for ourselves that an angel has really come
hearing this massage?" I will ted you how you may prove it, how every
son and daughter of Adam now living may know whether there has been a
divine message, called the everlasting Gospel, sent from heaven to the
inhabitants of the earth by a holy angel. Do the will of your Father
in heaven; call upon his name, and inquire of him, saying in your
hearts: O Lord, hast thou in-need sent forth from the heavens thine
angel, according to the prediction by thy servant John, bringing to
man on the earth the everlasting Gospel? And hast thou commanded it to
be preached to every people, nation and tongue under the whole
heavens? If you do this in all honesty of heart and purpose, you may
all know for yourselves. "What![p.354] does the Lord give us knowledge
in our day by seeking unto him in prayer?" Why not? Did he not
anciently, in every dispensation from the beginning down to the
closing up of the first century of the Christian era, impart a
knowledge concerning the truth? He did; and that same God that gave a
knowledge to his people anciently, will give a knowledge to you,
provided you will comply with his will. "But," you may say, "in order
that we may put such a question to the Lord, we would like to have
some testimony, sufficient at least to encourage us in making this
inquiry." I do not know how much you want. So far as external evidence
is concerned, he gave abundance of it before this Church arose The
Lord did not suffer the Book of Mormon to be sent forth to the actions
to be published to all people, until he gave a testimony to certain
individual witnesses. How many? Four persons at least—the translator
of the book, Joseph Smith, and three other persons, Martin Harris,
Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer. They knew of a surety, and have
given their testimony in the beginning of this record. Here, then, are
four witnesses. What does Jesus say? "That in the mouth of two or
three witnesses every word shall be established." He saw proper,
however, to give four. "But," inquires one, "may not these four
witnesses have been mistaken?" Let us examine into the nature of their
testimony, to see if there is any possibility of their being mistakes.
Joseph Smith, one of these witnesses, testifies that the angel came
down from heaven, and that his countenance was like lightning, and the
glory of God shone round about him. And the angel told him to go to a
certain hill, not far from his father's house, in the town of
Manchester, Ontario County, in the State of New York, where he should
find these ancient records—plates of gold, containing the everlasting
Gospel, which was anciently preached among the inhabitants of this
continent. He obeyed; he went and found the records in the very place
which had been shown him in vision by the angel. Was there any
possibility of Joseph's having been deceived? We say, No; the
circumstances were such as to preclude the possibility of any such
deception. The angel also told him that with these plates there was an
instrument called the Urim and Thummim, which would enable him to
translate the records into our language. Joseph accomplished the work
of translation between the years 1827 and 1830, through the use of
this instrument, which had been hidden up with the plates. Could he be
deceived, when he got the plates before him, intently looking upon the
peculiar characters engraved upon them, and also upon that most
singular instrument, the Urim and Thummim? Every man of common sense,
possessing the least degree of judgment, will at once say that it was
not possible, under these circumstances, for him to be deceived; that
the testimony given is true, and the message divine, or else he was a
hold impostor, a man that came forth purposely to deceive the people.

Vol. 19,  p.354
Now in regard to the other three witnesses. They testify that in the
year 1829, after the plates had been translated, that an angel of God
appeared unto them, clothed in light and glory, and holding these
plates in his hands, turned them over leaf after leaf, showing them
the characters engraved thereon. And they also say that while they
stood gazing upon this heavenly being, clothed in his glory, in the
act of showing them these gold plates, they heard a voice out of the
heavens proclaiming to [p.355] them that, the plates had been
translated correctly, by the gift and power of God. And what they saw
and heard they bear testimony to, which is addressed to all peoples of
every nation to whom this record—the Book of Mormon—should go. Let me
ask, Was there any possibility of their being deceived? If there was,
then we might say all men of ancient times who professed to have seen
angels were deceived themselves. But I do not see that anything could
be more positive. The promise had been given that there should be
three witnesses raised up to bear testimony of the truth of these
records, which purport to be a history of the aborigines, or the
ancient Israelites, that inhabited this country. The Lord did send the
angel; they saw him come down from heaven; they saw the light and
glory that radiated from his countenance; they heard the words of his
mouth; they saw the plates in the hands of this heavenly personage,
and they could distinguish the characters engraven thereon; and they
also heard the voice of the Lord commanding them to bear testimony to
all peoples of what they had seen and heard. They could not have been
deceived, it was utterly impossible.

Vol. 19,  p.355
Then here are four witnesses, all bearing testimony to the divinity of
this work. And, as I have already quoted to you, the Savior has said,
that every word shall be established by the mouth of two or three
witnesses. The Lord, therefore, did not raise up this Church, he did
not commence the organization thereof until he had given sufficient
evidence to a sufficient number of witnesses to commence the
establishment of this work.

Vol. 19,  p.355
Again, Joseph Smith was commanded of the Lord to show these plates to
eight other persons who, besides the three referred to, also became
witnesses to this work. And their published testimony is, that they
saw the plates and handled them, and they saw the peculiar writing
thereon, which they say had the appearance of curious and ancient
workmanship. And notwithstanding some of these witnesses have fallen
by the wayside, having been overcome by the power of the Adversary,
rendering themselves unworthy of the fellowship of the Latter-day
Saints, not a single one of them has ever been known to deny the
testimony which they have borne concerning this marvelous occurrence.
Here, then, are twelve witnesses. Is not this external evidence
sufficient to satisfy every inquiring soul whose heart is honest
before the Lord? But, I will refer you to still more. When this work
was first published, the Lord called upon these men to go forth among
the people, proclaiming the Gospel which they themselves had received,
promising that all who would yield obedience thereto Should receive
the Holy Ghost, which should confirm, to the entire satisfaction of
the believer, the testimony of these Elders. And when this Holy Spirit
descended upon such people, they knew for themselves that these men
were servants of the living God, and that the power that rested upon
them was indeed the Holy Ghost, of which they had read in the
Scriptures. How did they know this? Because it manifested divers
gifts. It enabled them to lay their hands upon the sick, rebuking in
the name of Jesus the disease, and the sick were restored to health.
You amy say imagination had something to do with this; the sick
imagined themselves better, and consequently they got better. But let
me testify that little infant children, not capable of exercising the
powers of imagination, [p.356] have been healed in the same manner,
and by the same power, which was the power of Almighty God manifested
through his servants. And these first Elders of the Church were thus
enabled to convert to a knowledge of our faith, multitudes of people
who, like themselves, could bear testimony to the divinity and
truthfulness of this latter-day work, having received the convincing
assurances of this Comforter, which bears record of the things of the
Father. And in this manner this whole community have received the
knowledge they testify of, and hence we become, to use a Biblical
term, a great cloud of witnesses, whose testimony is in force to the
whole world, whether they receive it or reject it.

Vol. 19,  p.356
I have now laid before you evidence sufficient to excite the principle
of faith in your hearts, provided you have a genuine desire to know of
the doctrine we teach, as to whether it be of God or man. You have the
testimony of twelve men to begin with, besides the testimony of scores
of thousands of men and women that have received the Holy Ghost
through obedience to the requirements of the Gospel, whose knowledge
of this latter-day work enables them also to testify to the truth of
it. And the testimony of this people speaks as with the voice of
thunder to all nations and tongues, to the effect that God has spoken
from the eternal worlds, and that he has sent his angels again to
earth to commit to man the everlasting Gospel. If so remarkable a
testimony of twelve men, together with the united testimony of a
community so large as we are, is not sufficient to create faith in
your hearts that God has indeed commenced his great and marvelous and
strange work and a wonder in our day, then what would awaken up the
people to a sense of the fact? There can be no excuse if or those who
hear and reject the testimony and teaching of the Elders of this
Church, for the cry has been raised these many years, and it cannot
but have a striking effect upon all honest-hearted people, because of
its singularity and fairness, for the promise is, if you have
sufficient faith to call upon God and ask him, you yourselves may
obtain a testimony, and you can receive that which supercedes faith or
belief—you can know of a surety that he has indeed visited the earth
again in these the last days by his angels, and that Joseph Smith was
and is a Prophet of the living God, and that the doctrines we teach
are not of man but of God; and they will prove the savor of life to
those who obey, and of death to those who reject them.

Vol. 19,  p.356
Therefore as I said in the commencement of my remarks, a marvellous
thing has occured in the land! a wonderful work has made its
appearance! The heavens no longer keep silent! Prophets again are
heard among the people! The inspiration and power of the Holy Ghost
rests upon the servants of God, and his power is made manifest among
the various nations again, as in olden time, in healing the sick,
causing the lame to walk, the blind to see, and the deaf to hear, and
in pouring out his Spirit upon the children of men, as he did in
former dispensations of the world!

Vol. 19,  p.356
Is not this, then, sufficient to wake up the honest-in-heart among the
people? If it, is not, then I know of nothing that is likely to do it.
Will it be by the fulfilment of the Prophets, that have been spoken of
by the former speakers? when the hand of judgement shall he laid upon
the nations, and the fierceness of his wrath he made manifest, wasting
away the disobedient and the wicked, [p.357] and the earth becomes
depopulated of all excepting the righteous? This will be a testimony
they cannot resist. But such testimony will not always be unto
salvation. It will be the testimony of judgment that will overwhelm
them, in a time, too, they think not of; a time when they will be
crying all is peace and safety—lo! sudden destruction is at their
doors; and thus the Scriptural saying will be literally fulfilled, "As
the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be,"
etc. When that unfortunate, but disobedient and wicked people, the
Ante-diluvians, were sinking in the waters, they could then say, "I
know that Noah is a Prophet, and that the message he has declared in
our ears for these many years is divine." But alas! it was too late;
they rejected the message, paying heedless regard to it as well as to
him who preached the Gospel to them; they would not call upon God in
all honesty of heart, but they considered Noah deceived; they obeyed
not, and were destroyed by the mighty flood. Amen.

Wilford Woodruff, June 30, 1878

Faith—Fulfilment of Prophecy—Restoration 
of the Gospel—Priesthood

Discourse By Elder Wilford Woodruff, Delivered in the 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday, June 30, 1878. 

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.357
There is a principle that I feel disposed to say a few words on, in
connection with what brother Rich has been saying, and that is the
principle of faith.

Vol. 19,  p.357
[The speaker then read the 11th chapter of Hebrews.]

Vol. 19,  p.357
I have taken the liberty of reading this catalogue of blessings which
ancient men of God obtained through the principle of faith; which
principle is as much needed to-day by the people of this generation,
as by any people at any age of the world. We might continue the
chapter of results and operations of the principle of faith to the
present day. For by faith Joseph Smith received the ministration of
God out of heaven. By faith he received the records of Nephi, and
translated them through the Urim and Thummim into our own language,
and which have since been translated into many different languages. By
faith he made the foundation of this Church and kingdom, just as much
as Noah, by faith, built the ark, and received the fulness thereof. By
faith he prophesied, leaving a record, a testament which has been
given through his mouth to the inhabitants of the [p.358] earth, and
which contains the revelations of God yet to be fulfilled. The
testator is dead, but his testament is in force to all the world. By
faith the Elders of this Church left their homes and families, and
went, when called upon, to foreign nations wihout money and without
learning or experience, to preach the Gospel of the kingdom without
price to this generation, and warning the inhabitants of the earth of
the judgments of God which await the world, and which must overtake
the wicked. Faith is necessary on the part of the Latter-day Saints,
say nothing about the outside world, in order to read and believe the
records of divine truth which have come unto us; and it requires faith
on the part of the Christian world to really believe this record, the
Bible—to believe that the Lord, through his servants, really means
what he says, and says what he means. It requires faith on the part of
the Latter-day Saints to perform their duties acceptably before God,
for we, in this dispensation, must walk by faith and not by sight,
just as much as the people of God in any previous dispensation. And
this principle we should exercise and live by. Some of the revelations
which God has given unto us point to the future condition of the
world, and foretell what must shortly befall the world of mankind.
These predictions were uttered by holy men as they were moved upon by
the Holy Ghost; and although the men themselves have passed away, not
one jot or tittle of their words will fail in their fulfillment.
Notwithstanding all the unbelief and infidelity of the modern world,
there is not a man living that can place his finger upon the first
revelation of God to man, from the days of father Adam to the present
time, but what has had or is having its fulfilment as fast as time and
opportunity admit of. God lives. These revelations which have been
given through men who were inspired of the Holy Ghost, will have their
fulfilment, even if the results should effect the destruction of the
generation now living. When Jesus brought the Gospel to his father's
house—the Jews, they rejected him and the words of life he taught
them. He found them intently looking forward to the coming of their
Shiloh in the person of a king, a ruler who should possess great
power, even power sufficient to deliver them from the Romish yoke.
They never once dreamed that he would appear in their midst as the
babe of Bethlehem, who should be born in a stable, and cradled in a
manger, a man who should know sorrow, and who should be acquainted
with grief, and who should choose as his disciples illiterate
fishermen of low degree. And although he was their Savior King who
would have redeemed them, and delivered them, and given unto them the
Gospel of peace and of liberty, yet they in their vanity and pride
despised him, and persecuted him, and at last shed his blood. But was
there a word ever uttered by him concerning their Temple or nation but
what met with its fulfilment to the very letter? The history of the
Jews, which chronicles the days of their glory and power, when they
held the Urim and Thummim, the ephod, the Priesthood, and when they
offered sacrifice, taken in connection with the prediction of Jesus
foretelling their downfall and dispersion, is of itself sufficient to
teach every infidel mind that there is truth in the revelations of God
to man. The Jews have been trampled under the feet of the Gentiles for
the last 1,800 years, fulfil ling, too, what Moses said of
them;[p.359] and they have been overthrown as a nation, and led
captive unto other nations, and are held in scorn by the Gentiles even
to the present hour. And you may begin at the beginning, taking, for
instance, those great cities that figured anciently in their splendor
and magnificence, and which were built to defy all time, such as
Nineveh, Thebes, Tyre and Sidon, Memphis and Babylon. Where are they,
and what become of them? They are gone, their history buried as if it
were, in oblivion, and that too in fulfillment of prophesy. Yes, the
words of some poor honest prophet or apostle raised up to declare the
Gospel to the inhabitants thereof, but whom they despised and
rejected, have met with their fulfilment, and the disobedient and
wicked have passed away to be judged according to the deeds done in
the body. And you may trace the history of the world from father Adam
to the present time, and I can defy any man to point to a single
prediction, uttered by inspired men raised up of God, but what has or
will come to pass in its time and season. And if the Gentiles to-day
would read these revelations of God, and exercise faith in them, they
would no longer wonder when they come among us, to see these valleys,
for 600 miles, filled with cities and towns, gardens and orchards,
temples and tabernacles, and with comfortable dwellings. But the fact
is, unbelief has overwhelmed the Christian world, and man has
spiritualized the Scriptures until there is no faith in him, and he
has no faith in God, nor in the literal fulfilment of his revelations
to man. That is what ails the world to-day. The predictions of the
Bible never would have been fulfilled, had not the Lord, in these last
days raised up a prophet as an instrument in his bands to again
establish his Gospel on the earth, and gather together the house of
Israel to the valleys of these everlasting hills, according to his
decree to old father Jacob; and his seed have yet to make this western
desert to blossom as the rose, bringing forth "the fir tree, the pine
tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary."
The whole history of this people has been foretold by the prophet
Isaiah, thousands of years ago; and it has been a steady growth from
the commencement to the present And will the Lord stop here? No;
whether men believe or not, this Zion so often spoken of in holy writ,
has got to arise and put on her beautiful garments; these mountain
vales have got to be filled with the saints of God and temples reared
to his holy name, pre-paratory to the time when "the Gentiles shall
come thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising." And this
time will come when the nations are fully warned by the preaching of
the servant of God, and his judgments commence to he poured out upon
the world, in fulfilment of of the revelations of St. John. Faith then
is what the unbelieving world needs to exercise in God and in his
revelations to man; but as I have said, whether we do it or not, our
unbelief will never turn the hand of God to the right or the left.

Vol. 19,  p.359
God has restored again his Gospel. He has raised up men and commanded
them to go forth and preach it to the world, and they have been
engaged doing so now for nearly half a century, ever since the
organization of this Church. It was organized by revelation, with
prophets, apostles, pastors, teachers, helps and government, and the
principles of it were taught by revelation, the same as Jesus and the
Apostles taught them there is no change whatever. The Lord never
revealed but one Gospel the inhabitants of the earth, in any [p.360]
age of the worlds, nor never will; the Gospel is the same yesterday,
to-day, and forever, and the principles thereof are faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ, believing that he is, and that he belived and died as a
ransom for the sins of the world; and baptism for the remission of
sins, being immersed and buried in water, by one having authority of
God, that you may rise in newness of life, in fulfilment of the
testimony of Jesus, and then receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on
of hands confirming the believers members of his Church. And when you
are born of the water and the Spirit, you can enter into the Kingdom
of God, and being born of the Spirit, you can see the Kingdom of God.
And such believers, when they receive the Holy Ghost receive the
inspiration and revelation and light of it. Our eyes and ears may be
deceived by the cunning and machinations of man; but the Holy Ghost
never deceives anybody. It bears record of the leather and the Son,
and it bears record in the Gospel to those who possess it. The Lord
never had a church on the face of the earth, from its first
organization until to-day, unless that church was organized by
revelation, with prophets and apostles, pastors, teachers, helps and
governments endowed with the Holy Priesthood—that power delegated from
God to man, which authorized him to act for God; and without this
Priesthood no man, from the day the world rolled into existence has
any right to administer in any of the ordinances of his holy house
neither has any man a right to that Priesthood save he be called of
God as was Aaron who, we are informed was called by revelation. What
is the priesthood for? It is to administer the ordinances of the
Gospel, even the Gospel of our Father in heaven, the eternal God, the
Eloheim of the Jews and the God of the Gentiles, and all he has ever
done from the beginning has been performed by and through the power of
that Priesthood, which is "Without father, without mother, without
descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life," and the
administration of his servants holding this priesthood is binding,
being the savor of life unto life or death unto death. It was by
virtue of this prieshood the twelve apostles anciently went into the
world to preach the Gospel, and it was because of this priesthood
which they held that men, in rejecting them, rejected Him who send
them and consequently brought upon themselves condemnation. Light has
again come into the world; but men love darkness rather than light
because their deeds are evil. Hence condemnation rests down upon the
world, for the consequences of rejecting the Gospel must overtake the
world in this the last dispensation, just as much as they did in
former ones, in the days of Noah and Lot and those of the Savior.

Vol. 19,  p.360
As I before stated, so say I again, the Gospel of Christ requires
faith all the day long, for no man can continue faithful to the end
without it. God has set his hand a second time to build up that
kingdom which Daniel was permitted to see in vision, and to establish
that Zion in the mountains which Isaiah saw. He has set his hand, for
the last time, to gather together all things which are in heaven and
on earth which are in Christ, unto himself. The day has come when the
Lord has sent forth a proclamation to warn the nations to prepare for
his second coming; and the signs of both heaven and earth all indicate
the coming of the Son of Man, which is near at the door. No man knows
the day or the hour when Christ will come, but the generation is
clearly pointed out, the fig tree is leaving, and great [p.361]
changes are near at hand. Great Babylon is coming in remembrance
before God, and the Lord has called upon the inhabitants of the earth
who are very wicked, to repent of their sins and turn unto him. The
generation in which we live is a wicked and an adulterous generation,
and wickedness and abomination of every kind are increasing, and the
earth has commenced to groan under the evil practices of man. The
heavens are in pain over the disobedience and unrighteousness of the
children of men, and the angels, we are told, are waiting in their
places in the Temple for the time to come when they will be called
upon to go forth and reap down the earth. Judgments await the world,
but they heed not, and apparently do not care. With fire and sword the
Lord will plead with all flesh, and as the prophet has said respecting
this event, "the slain of the Lord will be many;" and these things
will overtake the world in an hour when they expect them not, when
they will be crying peace, but alas, peace will have departed from
them, and they left to devour and destroy each other. All these things
are foretold and many of them are written in these revelations given
in our day, and they are already being fulfilled before our eyes; and
they will continue to be fulfilled, until all that is spoken of shall
have come to pass. Therefore, I want to say to the Latter day Saints:
exercise faith in God, and exercise faith in his revelations, and read
them and ponder over them, and pray earnestly that you may have a
correct understanding of all that God has revealed, that you may grow
in the light and knowledge of God, and see the importance of living
your religion and of living uprightly before him; for all men, both
Jew and Gentile, Saint and sinner, will be judged according to the
deeds done in the body, and for the opportunities which we have of
informing ourselves of the will of God concerning us, which we allow
to go unimproved, we cannot be held guiltless. It certainly becomes
us, who have named the name of Christ, to walk uprightly before God,
for we cannot escape his chastening hand if we reject the light we
have received. Our condemnation will be far greater than those who
never embraced the principles of the Gospel, if we apostatize, or
through indifferent carelessness we allow the cares and things of this
world to choke down the good seed planted, we have "tasted the good
word of God, and the powers of the world to come;" we "know the
Master's will," and if we do it not we will be "beaten with many
stripes." The religious world talk about nonessentials, there are no
such things existing in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus. He requires us
to obey the same laws that he himself obeyed, and which he taught in
his day. Why did he go into Jordan to be baptized of John? To fulfil
all righteousness. It was a righteous law, it belonged to him, and his
example is in force to all the world. No man can enter into the
kingdom of God except he is born of the water and of the Spirit. Men
may be judged and their bodies lie in the grave until the last
resurrection, to come forth and receive of a telestial glory, but no
man will receive of the celestial glory except it be through the
ordinances of the House of God. Jesus performed that act that he might
set the example; he was the way for others to follow. The Jews, as I
have said, rejected him and the Gospel he brought to them, and they
shed his blood. They have been paying the penalty of their misdeeds
for the last 1800 years. It costs something to shed innocent blood, it
costs something to shed the [p.362] blood of prophets and apostles.
And I have sometimes taken the liberty, before strangers as well as
Latter-day Saints, to express my views in regard to shedding the blood
of Joseph Smith and other prophets. It has cost this nation four
years' war, laying in the dust nearly a million and a half of men, and
it has also cost millions upon millions of dollars, creating a debt
which it will never live to pay. This is the faith of Willard
Woodruff, and I think I have a right to exercise my faith in this
matter. I say then, it costs something to shed the blood of righteous
men in this as well as in previous generations.

Vol. 19,  p.362
My testimony is that judgments await Babylon, judgments await the
Christian world, and if people will read their Bible, they will see
these declarations written down, and these judgments will increase
until the world is cleansed from wickedness, And I say to all the
world, Repent of your sins, and be baptized for the remission of them,
that you may receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, and be
saved in the kingdom of God. Without complying with these
requirements, you nor I can never go where God and Christ dwell,
worlds without end, for these things have been made known to us by
ancient and modern prophets.

Vol. 19,  p.362
Therefore, yours, as well as my eternal destiny, our future position
throughout the ages of eternity, depend upon the few hours, the few
days, the few weeks we spend in the flesh. If I ever obtain a full
salvation it will be by my keeping the laws of God. If I sin against
God and man, I shall have to foot the bill; it will be so with you and
with the whole world. This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ; this is the
Zion of God, and what you see already accomplished in this desert land
is really in fulfilment of the revelations of God. The hand of God has
guided this Church from its incipiency to the present time. God will
continue to direct its affairs, and there is no power on the earth or
under the earth that can ever stop its progress, for he himself, has
decreed that the Zion of the latter-days shall never be overthrown;
but on the contrary, as he has said through the mouth of the Prophet
Isaiah, "For the nation and the kingdom that will not serve thee shall
perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted." Pretty strong
doctrine to be taught by a humble man of God. Nevertheless, time will
bring it about and it is not in the power of man to prevent it. I am a
believer in revelation. I am a believer, from the crown of my head to
the soles of my feet, with every particle of spirit in me, that God
will bring about, literally and to the very letter, all that he has
spoken through his servants, ancient and modern.

Vol. 19,  p.362
By way of concluding my remarks I wish to bear testimony to this
congregation and to the strangers present, that Joseph Smith was a
prophet of the living God; he was raised up by the Lord, and laid the
foundation of this Church. He lived to accomplish the work he was
raised up to do. He received the keys of the Priesthood from under the
hands of Peter, James and John, and these pertaining to the gathering
of scattered Israel, from under the hands of Moses, the leader of
ancient israel. Elijah, or Elias, also visited him and bestowed upon
him the keys to "turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and
the heart of the children to the fathers," which was in fulfilment of
a prediction by the Prophet Malachi. He also received the keys of the
Aaronic Priesthood under the hands of John the Baptist, which
Priesthood pertains to the temporal government of the Church. After
performing his [p.363] work he sealed his testimony with his blood,
passed behind the vail, and be with his brethren who have also gone,
is still engaged in carrying on the same great work. He still labors
by virtue of this Priesthood which he received on earth, and which he
will continue to hold, worlds without end. And this will be the case
with every faithful man of God who magnifies his calling and
Priesthood here below.

Vol. 19,  p.363
May God bless you, my brethren and sisters and friends, with his Holy
Spirit, and give you faith in him, and in his revelations, that you
may be led to do his will while you live upon the earth. But whether
you live to be thus favored or not, my testimony is that they will
have their fulfilment. Even so, amen.

John Taylor, June 16, 1878

The Heavens Full of Intelligence—God Has Revealed 
Portions of that for the Welfare of His Children—Reasoning 
From Science to Sacred Things—All Divine Law Unchangable

Discourse By Elder John Taylor, Delivered in the Tabernacle, 
Salt Lake City, Sunday Afternoon, June 16, 1878.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.363
As has been remarked by one of the speakers, a great deal might be
said upon the principles of the gospel of the Son of God. The heavens
and the earth are full of intelligence, and God ruler over and directs
the affairs of nations as well as those of individuals and people; and
whatever may be our peculiar notions or ideas of other men and their
profession, the time will come, and is not far distant when the
secrets of all hearts will be revealed, and when all of us, Latter-day
Saints and others; Jews and Gentiles, peoples who now live, those that
shall live and those who have lived, will be judged, not according to
their peculiar theories, ideas, or notions, but according to the
principles of eternal truth as it exists in the bosom of God, or is
manifested by his eternal laws.

Vol. 19,  p.363
He has from time to time revealed his will to mankind, and he has in
these last days revealed himself to the human family and the men to
whom he has revealed himself in the different ages, comprehend all the
principle of truth and the laws of God alike, so far as they were
understood by them, having been taught by the same Lord and instructed
from the same source, and had intelligence from the same fountain,
they have comprehended, according to the positions which they have
occupied, and so far [p.364] as revealed unto them, alike, whether
they were things pertaining to the living, or the dead, or to the
various  kingdoms that exist in the eternal worlds, telestial,
terrestrial or celestial as the case might be, and as it may have been
revealed unto them; but no man in any age of the world has understood
anything pertaining to God and godliness only as it has been revealed
unto him by the Lord. "For what man knoweth the things of a man, save
by the spirit of a man which is in him: Even so the things of God
knoweth no man, but by the Spirit of God." And hence it is impossible
under certain circumstances, for mankind to judge correctly of these
principles. For although the Lord has given unto every man a portion
of his Spirit to profit withal, no matter who he may be, or what clime
he may live in, yet at the same time, if he does not improve ugon this
manifestation of the Spirit of God, and cultivate correct principles,
it would be impossible for him to comprehend the things of God. 

Vol. 19,  p.364
Jesus, when upon the earth, said, "My sheep hear my voice and know me
and follow me; but a stranger will they not follow, for they know not
the voice of a stranger." It may appear singular, and it does to the
minds of many when they reflect upon the various dispensations of God
to man, and the position that the various nations of the earth have
occupied in the different ages of time. All men have knowledge, more
or less, and feel a reverence for the Divine Being, which is
manifested in various terms of worship· But there are few men,
comparatively, who have understood correctly the relationship, that
exists between God and man. Such has been the power of the adversary,
and so profound has been the darkness of the human mind, and so great
the disparity between God and his creatures here upon the earth, that
the light, effulgence, glory and intelligence that exists with him and
with those by whom he is surrounded, has been little understood by man
upon the earth, grovelling in the midst of darkness, weakness and
imperfections. Combatting continually with evil and with the powers of
the adversary it seems almost impossible for man to foster and
maintain these high aspirations and feelings which the gospel alone
can inspire, placing man in his true position before God, and causing
his anticipations and hopes to ascend to those high, magnificent and
glorious principles that exist in the bosom of God, and in the bosom
of those intelligencies with whom he is surrounded. Nothing but light
and revelation, nothing save the manifestations of the Spirit of God,
nothing but communication from him can bring man into relationship
with him. It is impossible. And hence the theories, wild notions,
erratic views and peculiar feelings that prevail among men, yes, among
the wisest of men—among statesmen, and kings, and emperors, and
potentates, and governors, and rulers, as well as well as among
divines, priests and people; and how different the sentiment! How
widely apart are the religious beliefs, forms of worship and
ordinances of all of them! What peculiar darkness is manifested in
relation to these things, in comparison to many other things with
which we are acquainted!

Vol. 19,  p.364
When we talk about practical matters of fact, the laws of nature and
of matter, the motions of this and other planets; or when we reflect
upon the various organizations of matter, and of man, and of the brute
creation, we see and comprehend in part concerning the laws by which
they are governed. And although we may speak in different languages,
yet at the same time we [p.365] arrive, in a great measure, at the
same conclusions in regard to most of these prominent facts; we agree
in regard to these matters. But when we come to Jesus and God, we are
altogether dissimilar. What is the matter? We do not comprehend the
law, we have not been taught by the same rules, the principles of
instruction are not within our reach, we wander in the dark and act
foolishly and ignorantly in relation to these matters. But if we were
taught in these schools as we are taught in the schools of science,
and art, and literature, we could comprehend things alike; and not
until we have a teacher, not until we have those who are competent to
teach, who understand the laws of life and the principles of
salvation, can we, no matter what our intelligence otherwise may be.
Until then we shall have to grope in the dark, live in the dark, and
when we leave this world we must, according to the saying of an
eminent philosopher, "take a leap in the dark." We comprehend nothing
of our origin, of the object of our existence, or of our destiny;
neither can we comprehend it unless God reveals it.

Vol. 19,  p.365
He has, as before stated, in different ages of time manifested his
will to certain individuals, and he has sent them forth to make known
his will to the human family. And they declare certain principles,
simple in themselves, yet emanating from God, which are calculated to
enlighten, to impart intelligence; to bring him into relationship with
the Almighty, to give him a knowledge of God, of the Savior, of his
own being and the object of God in creating the earth and man upon it,
and also of the destiny of the earth, the world in which we live, and
all its inhabitants.

Vol. 19,  p.365
These things, however, are almost too simple for the human mind,
mystified and befogged by false theories and notions; they are almost
too simple for them to bow unto. What is it? Jesus said to his
disciples in former times, "Go ye into all the world and preach the
Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be
saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." He gave unto them
power to lay their hands upon believers and impart to them the Holy
Ghost, which placed them in communion with God, and whose faith, as we
are told, "entered within the veil, whither Christ their forerunner
had gone." And still the words that these men preached, as Jesus
himself expresses it in referring to the same thing, were not his own,
but the Father that dwelt in him; he did the works. And we are told
that when those ancient men of God preached, their words went with
power and with much assurance, and lite Spirit of God and with the
Holy Ghost, to the convincing of those who desired to know the truth
and be governed thereby. What was the result? This confusion
heretofore existing among them departed; they were no longer split up
into sects and parties, but, they had "one Lord, one faith, one
baptism, and one God, the Father; of whom are all things;" precisely
the same as we have in all the works of nature, in all organized
matter. There are certain eternal, unalterable, unchangeable laws by
which it is governed; and no chemist or philosopher can change these
laws; they are eternal, inexorable, and always produce the same
results.

Vol. 19,  p.365
We think these things correct upon natural principles; why not in
regard to these higher principles which God has revealed to the human
family? We read of men in former times who said they gazed upon the
Lord; they saw him, and his train filled the Temple. But says one, "I
do not believe it." Who cares whether you[p.366] do or not? that does
not invalidate the fact. Your ignorance in regard to these matters
does not affect in the least, the great truths of God. And unless you
yourselves have had some revelation to show you that this statement is
incorrect, it is foolishness in any man to dispute these principles
thus communicated. We understand these things, having obeyed the law.
What do you understand? What does man know? Nothing, only some few
principles pertainig to the laws of nature. Who organized these laws
That very being whom we affect to despise. Who organized the universe?
Who makes this planet and other planets revolve in their several
orbits, and by what influence and power are they governed? By a power
far greater than we know anything about. What can we do? Where is
there a philosopher that can organize a blade of grass, or a grain of
sand producing the material to make it from? You cannot find them. The
great Creator, who governs and regulates these and other systems, has
given a law to man telling him how to approach him, and showing him
the means whereby he can obtain intelligence from him; and he is able
to carry out that law, for he comprehends it. And what is it? Why,
"Repent, and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost." And
what shall that do for you? It shall take of the things of God and
show them unto you. But you would learn it in some other way, would
you? You cannot do it. That is the way God has appointed, and man may
exert all his influences and bring into requisition all his talents
and powers, but he never can obtain it only in the way which God has
appointed. I have a watch. The man who made it tells me if I would
keep it going, I must wind it up every day. But suppose I should want
it to go in some other way, would it go? No. Should I blame the maker
then? Certainly not; in fact, you might consider me a fool for not
carrying out the maker's instructions. And when God points out a path
whereby we can obtain a knowledge of him and of his laws, that is the
way to receive it, if we receive it at all.

Vol. 19,  p.366
The laws of matter and of mechanism are unchangeable, and so are the
laws pertaining to life, and also the medium of communication between
God and man. And hence Paul, after speaking some time to a
congregation that he was addressing, said the words that we speak unto
you, we speak by the power of God and by the Holy Ghost, and with much
assurance. And then in speaking of these things, he says, Ye are my
witnesses. Who? Those who received his word and obeyed it. You are my
witnesses, as also is the Holy Ghost that bears witness of us. He had
the living witness within him; and they among themselves had this
evidence. And John, in speaking to some of his disciples said, "But ye
have an unction from the holy one, and ye know all things." "Ye need
not that any man teach you; but the same anointing teacheth you all
things, and is truth, and is no lie." And in speaking to the people,
Paul said, "Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and
stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; whither the
forerunner is for us entered."

Vol. 19,  p.366
This, Latter-day Saints, is your privilege. You have embraced the same
Gospel; you have been baptized into the same baptism, have partaken of
the same hope, and are in possession of the same spirit. Do not allow
your feelings to be overturned; do not give way to the follies and
delusions of men, nor to the powers of [p.367] darkness, but maintain
your integrity before God in all fidelity; and live your religion,
keeping the commandments of God, and your faith will be as the faith
of the just, that shines brighter and brighter until the perfect day.

Vol. 19,  p.367
God bless you and lead you in the path of life, in the name of Jesus.
Amen.

Daniel H. Wells, June 1, 1878

[FROM THE "TERRITORIAL ENQUIRER."]

Opposition to God Among Mankind—Religious Intolerance 
a Consequence—Infidelity the Result of Departure 
From Revealed Order—the United Order

Discourse By Counselor Daniel H. Wells, Delivered in 
the Provo Meeting House, Saturday Morning, June 1, 1878.

(Reported by John C. Graham)

Vol. 19,  p.367
There is an opposition to the Lord having on the earth a people,
called by his name and doing his will. It has been so from the
beginning. The Lord never had a people who were received with open
arms by the world, admired, cherished and respected; on the contrary
they have been persecuted or totally destroyed from off the earth. The
wicked have invariably prevailed over the good; it might almost be
said that the first bad man killed the first good man. The Latter-day
Saints have had the same experience to pass through, and when a time
of comparative peace has come around, as it has sometimes, they are
apt to ask, "What is the matter? Have we lost our faith, that the
Adversary should thus let us alone?" There will come a time, however,
in the history of the Saints, when they will be tried with peace,
prosperity, popularity and riches.

Vol. 19,  p.367
The world look with terror toward that period when the Lord's purposes
in regard to building Temples predominates, when universal peace is
established, and the sceptre of righteousness is wielded. The world
would not like any religious power to predominate on the earth, and
rightly, too, considering the tyranny and despotism that have marked
the history of religious rule. We find, in days past, that various
religious influences have swayed the sceptre in a most unrighteous
manner, made captive the human will, and men have been forced to yield
submission [p.368] to the most oppressive measures. The religious wars
have been more terrible in their effects, caused more bloodshed and
sorrow, than all the others put together. A gradual but sure relief
from religious rule and dictation has been brought about, until the
nations of the earth are made free. No wonder, then, that the people
look with in favor upon any one religious element gaining ascendancy
over the other. As the old staying goes, "A burnt child dreads the
fire."

Vol. 19,  p.368
In this country there is no religious power predominating, but now
that the kingdom of God is established this opposition is brought
about and is felt even to a greater extent than before. The world is
jealous of its growing power and, hence, its bitter and unrelenting
opposition. So opposed have men been to the increase and spread of
religion as a political power that in many places no person holding a
religious office has been permitted to hold a position of trust or
profit under the government. It was for this same reason that the name
of God is not mentioned in the Constitution of the United States. the
Puritan Fathers suffered from religious oppression, and rather than be
made to bow the head or the knee when mentioning the name of Jesus
Christ, or being compelled to place the cross on their churches, as
was and is still customary with the Roman Catholic church, they sought
elsewhere that toleration they could not obtain in their native land;
but singular to say, after the lapse of time, when the colonies were
founded, they were unwilling to accord unto others of different faiths
to their own, that religious freedom for which they themselves had
forsaken fatherland, and expelled from the colonies all who differed
with them in a religious point of view.

Vol. 19,  p.368
Besides this intolerance there is another reason why religion has
become so distasteful to many people, and why the nations have
eschewed religion from their councils. Because these teachers and
professors of religion are without the knowledge of God, and their
ideas and doctrines have been so far different to the written word,
theft reasonable people say, "Humbug!" and fly to the other extreme
and become infidels. After witnessing the strife and variety of forms,
and being unable to gain assurance flora such sources respecting the
realities of the future, they say, "We don't know anything about it;
we'll live good moral lives and all will be well.

Vol. 19,  p.368
The greatest difficulty the elders have to contend with in the world
is this wide spreading infidelity, brought about by the assumptions of
so called religious teachers. Now, the Lord has restored his Holy
Priesthood, his mind and will,—the glorious Gospel which is "the power
of God unto salvation," and fearful of losing what power they hold
over the minds of men, these self-elected teachers and priests have
combined to oppose it. Now, in order to understand the principles of
the true and everlasting Gospel, we must look at them by the spirit of
God, for "the things of God knoweth no man except by the spirit of
God." A man emmet understand the things of man with the spirit of a
horse or an ox; then how can a man understand the things of God except
by the spirit of God,—a higher grade of intelligence. By that Spirit,
the Bible, with all its apparent inconsistencies, is made plain to the
human mind. People have misconstrued have turned the truth into lies
and perverted the Gospel of Christ. When a Latter-day Saint has
conformed to the ordinances of the Gospel and received the Holy Ghost,
the Bible has [p.369] seemed a new book to him, although, in his
childhood he may have perused its pages over and over again. The light
and intelligence of the Spirit has beamed upon his understanding, so
as to enable him to form a just and correct conception of its sacred
truths.

Vol. 19,  p.369
Through the great variety of forms systems and creeds, infidelity has
been brought about. The true plan, as revealed to the Latter-day
Saints, is sufficiently ample to save all men, but the plans and
creeds of men are not ample to any great extent, even if they were
true. Take the Catholics, for instance; they consign to perdition all
but themselves, contrary to the meaning of the term Catholic, which is
universal; but they have become sectarian. The plan designed in our
pre-existent state has been ignored, but in this dispensation it has
been restored and we can see wherein it is ample to provide for the
salvation of the children of men. It is to be preached to all nations,
and those who will accept it may be redeemed and exalted. Then why
should people be afraid of the government of God? It is bound to come
and rule. When it is established in its greatness, glory and power it
will be the most efficient and complete government on the face of the
earth. People are afraid of the government of God, even some Mormons
(I will not say Latter-day Saints,) lest some man or men get undue
authority. Some persons in the Church think that an Apostle or a
Bishop has no right to interfere in temporal things; that their
business alone is to look after the spiritual affairs, and their
temporal affairs they can attend to themselves. It is very possible
some of these men understand financial matters better than the
servants of the Lord; but it should not be forgotten that the spirit
of God and the Holy Priesthood will qualify men for all positions of
life. People can, through these agencies, acquire superior
intelligence to administer in the things of this world, and it must be
done before the eternal riches are conferred upon this people, because
the light of heaven is superior to that of the world. the kingdoms of
this earth are to become the kingdoms of our God and his Christ. I
look for this government to come through the Holy Priesthood, and to
exercise power in temporal, political and all other things,—a
government that will extend to all men their rights and privileges.

Vol. 19,  p.369
Confusion reigns over the face of the whole earth. Look at the
combinations and warfare being waged one against another; capital
against labor, and labor against capital, there are thousands of broad
acres lying uncultivated, and yet men are going without bread to eat.
We hear of organizations parading the streets, with banners on which
are inscribed the words, "Give us Bread; Labor or Blood!" There should
be no strikes for higher wages—no strife between capital and labor.
The labor of men should command a subsistence, and if everything is
regulated, as it would be under the government of God, there would be
no hard times, no complaints, no strikes, no warfare.

Vol. 19,  p.369
There is plenty of unoccupied land in this country and any man can get
a piece of it. "But," says one, "I have no team, nor seed to plant,
and no money with which to buy either. What can I do?" You can take up
a piece of land, get your citizenship papers; and the moment you do
so, you have the right to file upon it, and have two or three years in
which to pay for the lined. No other person can go to the Land Office
and take that land away from you. In order to get a start, you [p.370]
can work for your neighbor and for your labor get the privilege of
using his team, plough and seed, and afterwards attend to it yourself·
You have then bread enough for yourself and family for one year. A
man, by this course, forms the nucleus of his prosperity, wealth and
comparative independence. Subsequently he gathers around him the
comforts of life; he gets a cow, a pig or two, and a few chickens.
This position in life is much more self-reliant and independent than
employment by the day, week or the month in cities or overcrowded
business centres. There, when a day's labor stops, the supply stops:
but when you have your own source of supply, and your labor
temporarily fails, you still have plenty of grain, and other produce
of the farm by which you can get along.

Vol. 19,  p.370
President Young gave more houses to the poor than all the societies in
the world, and laid the foundation of a great nation—a kingdom—even
the kingdom of God. All these stakes of Zion are strengthening with
the saints of God. Is it the outsiders who come here to Utah that
build up the country? No; the material prosperity of Zion is alone
attributable to the labors of the Saints, guided and directed by the
Almighty. It is they who are to be found in the nooks and corners—in
all directions—wherever there is a spring or a bit of land—building
up, making the earth bring forth its products, and strengthening and
enlarging the borders of Zion. it does my heart good to see the
settlements extending, even to the remote corners of the Territory.
Besides, this class of the Latter-day Saints, who are branching out
and developing remote sections of the country, are generally the most
faithful, hardworking and industrious of the community. Some of the
people think that the Lord is not showing the signs of his coming;
they get disheartened; they expect to see some great apostle come from
heaven with the mysteries of the Kingdom. Now the church and kingdom
of God is to be built up by our practical efforts. Industry should be
employed in Zion, and the labor of the people ought to be put to the
best possible practical use. This has everything to do with the
kingdom of God, and this is where we require revelations of God—to
teach us how to build up his temporal work. We do not raise feed
enough for our teams; we do not cultivate as much as we ought, and do
not know how to cultivate that that we have. All these things should
be known, as they tend to the building up of the kingdom of God. We
require intelligence to guide the cultivating hand. I contend it is
building up God's kingdom to make a yard of cloth, to build school
houses, to cultivate the earth, and to practically apply every
conceivable plan of life necessary for our common subsistence; and in
order to accomplish these things we must have intelligence that comes
front heaven,—that is, if we desire to exceed our fellows. Until we
know how to properly accomplish and apply all these things, the Lord
will never hand over to us the riches of the earth. As it is we have
not sufficient of the Spirit of the Lord to entitle us to this great
blessing. As soon as he finds out he has got a people who will hold
what he gives, he will bestow it, and when he knows that they will
apply it to his glory. Why could not we establish the United Order
among the people? Because we did not know how to do so, and I have not
seen a man who knew how, and for the reason that we were not prepared
to receive it. When the Lord finds he has a people who will [p.371]
not give them over to the devil and waste them, then he will bestow
the eternal riches, but this will not be done, and cannot be done
consistently, until he has a people who will use them for the glory of
his kingdom.

Vol. 19,  p.371
I think the Saints are on the road of improvement. Their labors are
being directed to the welfare of Zion; but there is yet a great deal
of unemployed labor that can be made available to that end. We should
open up new industries, when others fail to employ all the material at
command. When one branch is overdone, open up another and thereby find
the means of employment for those in need of it. It has been thought
that labor-saving machinery and railroads have injured us. It is not
so; men should go at something else, and so keep on, constantly
turning our attention to something that will pay better and accomplish
more.

Vol. 19,  p.371
The time will come when the thread will be cut, but I think we could
live if the thread were cut tomorrow. We can produce everything,
except perhaps what are called the luxuries; still we would suffer
much inconvenience. There are a great many things we would have to do
without, and if the thread were cut we would have to do a great many
things that we now neglect to do. We should not be forever dependent
on Babylon. Call them little things if you please, but they are as
essential to the building up of the kingdom as they are to any other
kingdom on the earth. Wickedness is permitted only to try men and
women,—to prove their integrity. If we could have learned and
accomplished all things just as well in the spirit world as here on
the earth, do you think the Lord would have sent us to this world of
sorrow and wickedness? Jesus had to pass through these ordeals, in
order to get an exaltation. Then let us apply our labors to the
circumstances and requirements which surround us, and serve God—if we
believe there is a God—and use all our abilities for the
accomplishment of his purposes, that we may pass on to glory, and
exaltation in his kingdom, which may God grant. Amen.

Charles C. Rich, June 30, 1878

No Salvation in Ignorance—Revelation of Calamity—
this World not a Bad One; Suited to Its Purpose—
Unbelief of Mankind—the Saints Will Live

Discourse By Elder Charles C. Rich, Delivered in 
the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday, June 30, 1878.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs)

Vol. 19,  p.371
I am thankful to have the opportunity of meeting with the Latter-day
Saints, this afternoon in this Tabernacle. I trust that I may be able
to impart a few words of instruction to you, inasmuch as I shall be
assisted [p.372] so to do by the Holy Spirit; without this aid, I am
aware that I would not be qualified to speak to your edification.

Vol. 19,  p.372
We have met this Sabbath day for the purpose of offering up our
Sacrament to the Most High God, to worship him; and while we are thus
engaged, let me request you, my brethren and sisters, to call in the
wanderings of your minds, and implore His Holy Spirit to rest upon us,
that our worship may he acceptable unto the Lord, and truly beneficial
unto ourselves; for, as we have learned, all blessings flow from Him,
and that we are dependent upon him for every good thing that we
receive.

Vol. 19,  p.372
We are a blessed people in having received a knowledge of the plan of
salvation; for we are in a position to improve our condition, day by
day, by the instruction we receive, inasmuch as we are desirous to be
found obedient to all the requirements of God concerning us. We have
commenced to walk the straight and narrow way which, we are told,
leads to the exaltation and continuation of the lives, and few there
be that find it. The fact of our having found the way of life, ought
to inspire in our hearts a desire to learn all that is necessary for
us to know in order to enable us to continue in the way, serving our
God with all our hearts. I presume these are the feelings of my
brethren and sisters present today. You, doubtless, want to know what
the Lord requires of us, in the hope of overcoming every imperfection
and folly, and every evil that we are subject to while in the flesh.

Vol. 19,  p.372
The Lord has told us in our day, through the mouth of his servant
Joseph, that a man cannot be saved in ignorance. This one item itself
is very important for us to continually bear in mind, for it is
calculated to stimulate us to seek after that knowledge and wisdom
that come from God, which will enable us, under all circumstances, to
decide between right and wrong, and eventually lead us back to His
presence. And, having attained to a portion of that knowledge that we
are seeking after, we are doubtless willing to live according to and
practise it in our lives. For everything that is right and pleasing in
the sight of God, is not likely to produce an evil; on the contrary,
its natural fruit is good. By doing right, by carrying out the will of
God, we injure nobody; but on the other hand, we are then in a
condition to bless and benefit others. We have already demonstrated
this fact. We all know that the more nearly we live to the Lord, the
better we feel, and the greater the degree of happiness that exists in
our midst, and we exert an influence for good wherever we go. I have
known people whose religious belief has led them to imagine that
salvation was not to be obtained short of what we term the spirit
world. But we have learned that the principles of righteousness
produce happiness in this world as well as in the world to come.

Vol. 19,  p.372
So far as the religious world is concerned it seems to be perfectly
understood by all classes and all denominations, that it makes but
little difference what mode of worship is chosen or adopted, so that
the individuals themselves are suited; the idea as to whether the
service they aim to render Him be acceptable and approved of him or
not, does not seem to be worthy of their consideration, in fact it is
never questioned.

Vol. 19,  p.372
There were many creeds existing when the Savior was upon the earth,
having for the foundation of their faith the Old Testament. Since his
day many have had, and do have an [p.373] existence, and the saying of
the Savior is just as applicable to-day as when he spoke it. "Straight
is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few
there be that find it." Jesus told it precisely as it is, and he knew
whereof he spoke. The Christian world, as a whole, will find when they
get through with this life, that this, as well as many other sayings
and teachings of the Savior, is full of significance, and they will
find out, too, that it is true a truth that cannot, be changed or done
away. It is not everybody that will find the gate, neither will the
creeds of men nor the notions of men enable thereto find it. God
himself has a voice in the matter; he has provided the way, it is
according to his appointment, which is no more or less than the plan
devised and foreordained in the heavens and before the foundations of
the earth. This Gospel plan cannot be changed or altered; it is the
"narrow way" and the only way by which man can serve God acceptably.
If, therefore, it be according to the plan that men, in order to
become bearers of his message, should first themselves obey certain
unchangeable requirements, and then be commissioned of him, before
they could be authorized to preach his word and will to their fellow
men, and thereby become virtually his servants, such requirements must
be complied with, it will never do for individuals who disregard these
requirements and who are wholly unauthorized of him, to go forth and
act as ministers sent of God to declare the way of life to the
children of men. Neither would it answer for persons to accept the
doctrines of these men, however popular and acceptable to man they may
be, for God, with whom all of us have to do, will not countenance
them. The service we render him must be done according to his will, if
done in some other way, he will not approve of it. The ordinances
pertaining to his holy Temples must be performed only as he has
directed, and in the place that he has commanded, unless the Lord
reveals otherwise. This is consistent with reason. If we, for
instance, employ people to serve us, we want to dictate their labors,
and we want them to do just as we wish them, and not as they may
desire to do. And how much more so with one heavenly Father. If our
services be not acceptable to God, we are not serving him; then whose
servants are we? Says the Sorrier, "he that gathereth not with me
scattereth abroad. And again, "he that is not for me, is against me."
And the Apostle Paul says, "Know ye not, that, to whom ye yield
yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey;
whether of sis unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness."
Therefore, my brethren, let us duly consider the importance of this,
fearing the services we do may not be of "obedience unto
righteousness," and consequently lost unto us, and prove to be in
opposition to the will of our heavenly Father. We must conform our
will unto his will; the Savior himself did this, and he sought to do
no more, nor no less. And if we serve him acceptably it must be as he
is pleased to direct, not as we might please unless we please to do as
he wishes us to do.

Vol. 19,  p.373
When we understand the true position we occupy as the children of God,
and not of this world, we shall find that we occupy a peculiar
position.

Vol. 19,  p.373
We have to learn something, and we have to learn through the proper
channel what the Lord requires of us; and when we have learned this,
we must be ready and willing to comply with it, whatever it may be.
And if [p.374] the world did but know it, this is the mission given
unto us to this earth, that we might learn, in this earthly School,
things we could not learn elsewhere. And in order that we may learn
correctly we must be willing to be taught by those who are competent
to teach, and we must accept and study the lessons provided for us.

Vol. 19,  p.374
Nearly half a century ago, when the Lord first commenced to reveal the
principles of salvation to us his children, be began to tell us what
was coming upon the earth; he predicted the overthrow of the kingdoms
of this world, and he commissioned and sent forth his servants to bear
testimony of his second coming and reign on the earth. He told us of
earthquakes, of famine and pestilence, and of other judgments that
must eventually overtake the wicked in their unrighteousness, and that
was said at a time when the world was crying peace. But people are as
blind concerning the fulfilment of prophecy in these days as they were
anciently, when the Savior said of them "they seeing see not; and
hearing they hear not, neither do they understand." Such has been the
condition of all generations, notwithstanding the revelations, given
to them have been plain and positive, and many have been fulfilled and
many are being fulfilled. As it was with the overthrow of the Jews, so
will it be in these last days. The Lord will fulfil his word, and he
will fulfil all that he has said concerning his coming, whether we are
prepared or not. He will overturn the kingdoms of this world, and will
establish his kingdom, and the world of mankind cannot prevent it. It
is for us to prepare ourselves for the dispensation of his
provideneces by doing right, not by thinking so, or guessing so, or
may be so, but by knowing what is right. We have the opportunity to
learn what right is, and what is required of us, and we have the power
to do it; and if we do not do it, surely we shall be found wanting. In
comparison, we will be like unto the foolish virgins whose lamps had
gone out, and who, when the time came for them to appear ready to go
forth to meet the Bridegroom, whom they were waiting for, found they
had no oil in their lamps; and while they were seeking to renew their
stock, the bridegroom came and they were too late to meet him. There
are a great many things pertaining to us, Latter-day Saints, that
should occupy our serious attention. It is an easy matter to make
mistakes unless we are very careful; and if we do make mistakes we
will find ourselves more or less injured, and astray from the right
path, and devoid of that portion of the Holy Spirit that we otherwise
might enjoy.

Vol. 19,  p.374
So far as this world is concerned, some people look upon it as a
horrid world, a world full of pain, sorrow and suffering. I do not
regard it as such. I consider it a blessed world, a glorious world,
which affords us very many privileges. What other place is there
besides this world where we can obtain remission of sins? That
ordinance belongs to this life and this world and to no other. And a
great many things pertaining to this world we can do here, but which
we cannot do after we pass behind the vail. If we attend to the duties
of this life in the time and season thereof, not leaving undone
anything which we are able to do, all will be well with us hereafter;
but if we fail in the performance of our duties here, we certainly
shall regret and perhaps mourn our negligence when we shall have
passed away; and besides we shall then have to depend upon others to
do things in our behalf, which we might have done ourselves. Let us
improve our opportunities here, and [p.375] appreciate them as fully
we ought to. They are great and glorious, and if we not make a good
use of them, we will certainly be sorry when we pass away, and what
makes it more serious is that we do not know when, if ever, we shall
cease to be sorry. This probation is short, and when we shall have
done everything in our power to do, using our very best exertions to
fulfil every obligation and duty, we shall then no more than be
prepared. The more we learn and understand pertaining to the things of
God, the more sensible we will become of the importance of being
careful and determined, on our part, never to yield to the spirit of
indifference or be guilty of committing an act that is wrong. We
should be astonished if a messenger from the eternal world could be
influenced to commit an act of folly or wrong; As saints of God we
ought to be so firm, and have that determination in connection with
our knowledge, that we could not be moved by any influence or power to
do a wrong, however trivial. What is at stake in regard to this
matter? Everything so tar as our exaltation is concerned. This is
something that we should think of and bear in mind in all our
associations and situations in life, being careful and cautious that
we do not produce an evil that will live longer than we do. Seeing
that we are all the time subject to temptation, and consequently to do
wrong, we ought to be determined in our own hearts, never to allow any
wrong that we may do to live longer than we do; let us see that no
evil, however small, finds place in our hearts; but rather cultivate
the good fruit in all of our associations in this life, feeling
thankful that we have the privilege of laboring for the cause of right
and truth, and of developing these principles within use.

Vol. 19,  p.375
We are called upon now to build Temples. I can say with great pleasure
that, so far as my knowledge extends among the Latter-day Saints, that
they, as a whole, are willing to perform this labor. We have, through
the goodness and mercy of God, learned that Temples are for an
important use, and that without them we cannot, in our present
condition, receive certain blessings necessary to our salvation and
exaltation in the Kingdom of God. Why so? Because the Lord has
ordained that those blessings shall be administered in such places,
and which, if not performed as he has directed, are without effect.
These are things that we understand, because the Lord has enlightened
us through his Holy Spirit. It has been a common saying in the world
that the Latter-day Saints were led blindly of the Prophet Joseph;
after his death it was said they were the dupes of the Prophet
Brigham; and now it, may be said that we yield blind obedience to
President Taylor. But, as Latter-day Saints, we understand it is every
man's privilege and every woman's privilege to know for themselves
that these men were and still are servant of the living God, and that
it is, therefore, God who leads and directs them. And if any belonging
to this church are not satisfied on this point, it is because they are
not living up to their privileges; and to all such, if there be any, I
would say it is time you were obtaining this knowledge; it is time
that every man and woman, claiming membership in the church and
kingdom of God, were enabled to rise up and bear testimony to the
world, if necessary, that they do know that God has set his hand to
build up his kingdom, and that it has been established in the earth in
our day, and that we have been permitted to receive it.[p.376] When we
can bear this testimony, it will not be, "I guess so," or "may be so;"
but it will be "Verily, thus saith the Lord."

Vol. 19,  p.376
I can say now, as I have often said before you and before the world,
that I know for myself that God has established his kingdom on the
earth in these days, and that he requires obedience to the laws of his
kingdom and that he not only requires it, but that it is our duty to
willingly and gladly submit to his will whatever it may be, for he can
require nothing of us only that which will be for our good, and that,
too, which we must perform in order to purify ourselves to enter into
the Celestial kingdom. "Well," one may say," But the world do not
believe it." I know the world did not believe Noah, when he preached
unto them for the space of 120 years that if they did not receive his
testimony, the Lord would send a flood of water upon them. The world
did not believe Jesus the Son of God, when he told them the future of
Jerusalem. I know, too, that, so far as history informs us, the world
never has received the testimonies of the servants of God, neither do
they believe now what is being preached to them by his servants. But
for all that the Lord has always fulfilled his word, and by it the
righteous have been saved, and the disobedient destroyed. And we know
that he will bring to pass all that has been spoken by the mouth of
his servants, whether the world believe or not. And, as the people of
God, who have been simple-minded enough to receive the message he has
sent unto us, we have the consolation of knowing that while wickedness
and abomination and all who delight therein, will be swept away from
the earth, according to the decree of the Almighty, his saints, with
their children, will live to increase and spread abroad and ultimately
fill the whole earth. Let us cultivate within as the knowledge of God,
by living according to the light we haw received; and let us ever
appreciate the privileges that this world affords us of learning good
and evil, and of being able to distinguish between that which is right
and that which is wrong. We have the power, if faithful, to overcome
evil and opposition and all the powers of darkness, and of sanctifying
ourselves before the Lord through his truth, and of preparing
ourselves while on this earth to inherit his glorious presence in the
world to come.

Vol. 19,  p.376
That this may be our happy lot, is my prayer in the name of Jesus.
Amen.