Journal of Discourses Volume 21

BY: PRESIDENT JOHN TAYLOR

HIS COUNSELORS,
THE TWELVE APOSTLES
AND OTHERS.

Reported By
GEORGE F. GIBBS, JOHN IRVINE AND OTHERS.

Respectfully Dedicated to the Latter-Day Saints in All the World.

VOL. XXI.

LIVERPOOL:

 PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY ALBERT CARRINGTON 42, ISLINGTON.

LONDON:

 LATTER-DAY SAINTS' BOOK DEPOT, 10, DORSET STREET,
 BRIDE STREET, LIVERPOOL ROAD, ISLINGTON.

1881

Preface 

Vol. 21, p.iii
In presenting the Twenty-first Volume of the JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES to
our readers, we pray that those who read the counsels therein given,
may do so by the light of the Holy Spirit of Truth, that great benefit
may be obtained therefrom, and that by a wise application of the
teachings of God's servants, from time to time, the Saints may finally
be exalted in His Heavenly Kingdom.

THE PUBLISHER [p.1]

John Taylor, August 31, 1879

The Object of the Gathering of the Saints—Conflict Between the Powers
 of God and Evil—the World Growing Worse—Work of God Progressing
—Exhortation to Righteousness and the Spirit of Union

Delivered at Logan, on Sunday Afternoon, August, 31st, 1879.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs.)

Vol. 21, p.1
If the congregation will try to be quiet I will endeavor to talk to
them a little in my way.

Vol. 21, p.1
It is some time since I met with the Saints in this place, not because
I was not desirous to come but because circumstances have controlled
and prevented me. We come here, now, more particularly to attend to a
little affair associated with your Temple. There seems to have been a
little misunderstanding about its construction, and as we have a
Temple Committee and architects for the Church, we thought it best to
have the brethren composing this committee and the architects,
present, that we might confer with them, so that everything pertaining
to this building might be done properly according to order and correct
principles.

Vol. 21, p.1
Elder Truman O. Angell was sustained at the General Conference as
Architect of the Church, and William H. Folsom and Truman O. Angell
Jr., as his assistants, and were therefore the proper persons to
consult, in the adjustment of any matters that might be in question.

Vol. 21, p.1
I speak of this as one of those things in connection with the holy
priesthood, and with the building of this sacred edifice that we are
erecting to the name of the Lord. We found that a slight change had
been made from the original plan, which however is not material, and
there will no difficulty arise therefrom. I thought I would mention
this because people generally like to understand things as they exist.
It is much better to tell things right out as they are than to hear of
whisperings about this and the other thing, which in many instances
are incorrect.

Vol. 21, p.2
We are pleased to find the [p.2] progress you are making in the
erection of this temple, the energy and zeal that are being displayed
and the liberality that has been manifested by the people of this
temple district.

Vol. 21, p.2
We are engaged, as has been mentioned by Brother Snow, in a great
work; in the work that prophets and seers have gazed upon and
prophesied of, namely the gathering together of the Lord's elect, the
building of temples for the redemption of the living and the dead; in
the establishment of the kingdom of our God. These things have been
more or less understood according to the power of the spirit and the
light of revelation that has rested upon his prophets ever since the
world began. It is difficult, as has been remarked, for us sometimes
to realize the position we occupy—the relation we sustain to our
heavenly Father—the responsibility that rests upon us and the various
duties we have to perform in the fulfillment of the purposes of God;
in the interest of a world lying in wickedness; in the building up of
the Zion of our God, in the establishment of righteousness and in
bringing to pass those great and glorious principles which have been
contemplated by the Almighty "before the world rolled into existence
or the morning stars sang together for joy." It is our lot to be
placed upon the earth in this time it is our lot to have our minds
enlightened by the Spirit, intelligence and revelation that flows from
God. It is our lot to operate and co-operate with God our heavenly
Father,—and with his Son Jesus Christ,—and with the ancient
patriarchs, apostles and men of God who have lived before; and while
they are operating behind the vail in the interests of humanity in the
fulfilment of the purposes of God and in the establishment of
righteousness upon the earth, we are here to operate with them, that
we and they may act conjointly under the influence and guidance of the
Almighty and the power and Spirit of the lying God, it, carrying out
the designs of the great Jehovah. This is what we are here for. And it
is necessary that we should comprehend our position; for in the
performance of our duties associated with this work it is not as some
people seem to suppose. We have got something else to do besides
folding our arms and crying "Lullaby baby on the tree top, when the
wind blows the cradle will rock." We have something to do besides
"sitting and singing ourselves away to everlasting bliss." It is our
duty—and God expects it of us, that we should seek unto hint for
wisdom, for guidance, for revelation and for a knowledge of his law,
that we may be filled with the Holy Ghost and the power of God and
that we may be enabled to magnify our calling and priesthood and
accomplish that work which God has designed from before the foundation
of the world. It is in reality a labor. We have gone forth, as many
have gone forth to preach the Gospel of life and salvation to a fallen
world. We have gathered in "one of a city and two of a family;" we
have combated the errors of ages and inveighed against the wickedness,
corruptions and strategems of wicked and ungodly men, who have opposed
us on every hand; and we have, with the help of the Lord, succeeded in
gathering out many of the honest in heart from among the different
nations of the earth. And we have come here to carry out the will,
purposes and designs of God. I never supposed that we were to come
here to get rich, to  increase in worldly possessions; but we came as
I understand [p.3] it in accordance with an express command of the
Most High, that we may be taught in the knowledge of God, that we
might come to an understanding of his laws. We are not here to follow
the devices and desires of our own hearts; we are not here to carry
out any particular theory of our own; we are not here to build up any
system of man's creation; but we are here simply to do the will of God
in the establishment of his kingdom on the earth. In many things
however we have not lived up to that high and glorious privilege which
has been presented to us; we have been careless and indifferent, and
it seems as though Satan has been permitted to try and tempt us in
every possible way. For a few years past a spirit of greed and
covetousness has run through the land and cursed as with a withering
blight every thing it has touched. It is as bad in its effects upon
the mind of man as any pestilence or plague upon the human body. We
have begun to run after the things of the world; our hearts, feelings
and affections, in many instances, have been estranged from God. It is
time that something should transpire to wake us up to a sense of the
position we occupy; it is time we realized how God and angels look
upon men who are absorbed in the things of this world instead of
living up to their professions and the covenants they have made with
him.

Vol. 21, p.3
We have many of us however been doing a good work notwithstanding
these grievous evils. It is true it is not always smooth sailing.
Sometimes we seem when a little difficulty comes along to be struck
with amazement, as though something very extraordinary had happened.
There is nothing very strange about these things. "What are you doing?
What is the position of affairs? What are you going to do? etc." Those
words express the kind of feelings that actuate the minds of the
Latter-day Saints. There has been a war ever since the commencement of
the world to the present time between the powers of light and the
powers of darkness. Adam, we are told, had two sons. One was a
covetous man, a wicked man who did not fear God; the other was a
righteous man who feared God. The wicked son, who was instigated of
the devil, said, I will kill my brother and then I will have his
possessions. He did so and it seems that this kind of feeling existed
until in a short time that influence had so prevailed that wickedness
and corruption made such rapid strides that the world had to be swept
as with a besom of destruction, and only a very few men were left. And
then it seemed necessary that the same spirit and the same power
should continue; and hence a part of this Canaanish seed came through
the flood. Why? That there might still be the two powers—the power of
light and the power of darkness; the power of God and the power of the
devil—that the struggle and warfare among men might still go on, so
that man might be made perfect through suffering. Hence the servants
of God in the different ages of the world have had to combat with the
powers of darkness. John the Revelator speaks of a great company of
people whom he saw arrayed in white, singing a new song. And on his
inquiring as to who they were, he was told that they were they that
had washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
They were they that had come up through much tribulation, therefore
they were next the [p.4] throne. It is in consonance with the
fore-ordained plan of the Almighty that a man should pass through
certain trials and difficulties, and be tested in every possible way,
in order to be prepared for an exaltation in the kingdom of God. It
was so with Job. He was peculiarly situated. It seems that the devil
appeared among the sons of God in heaven, as he does on earth very
frequently. When the sons of God were assembled together, the devil
was among them, and he went, as it appears, to instigate a feeling
against Job. The Lord said to him, "Hast thou considered my servant
Job?" "Yes," said he, "I have considered him." The Lord said that Job
was a perfect and an upright man, etc. "Oh, yes," said he, "I know all
about him. You think that Job is a very good man; but just let me have
a rap at him, and I will show what Job will do." "Well," says the
Lord, "you may try him." He went to work and concentrated the
lightning in one focus and hurled a thunderbolt against his oldest
son's house, where all his children were feasting, and destroyed them.
No sooner had the messenger reported the result of this catastrophe to
Job than the news came that a certain people—I was going to say
"Christians"—had fallen upon his oxen and asses and killed his
servants. They called them in those days Sabeans and Chaldeans and
Hittites, I think; we call them now-a-days Baptists, Presbyterians,
Methodists, etc. They called things by different names in different
ages, but they are the same class of people. They went after his
camels, his asses, his goats and all his property that they could lay
their hands on, leaving him helpless and destitute—and he was, it is
said, the richest man of the East. Job, in looking at his changed
situation, summed the whole thing up in these few words: "Naked came I
out of my mother's womb, and naked shall return thither: the Lord gave
and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."

Vol. 21, p.4
Well, the devil did not succeed that time; but like the lawyers who
are after the executors, however, I suppose he thought he would take
another shoot—serve some fresh papers. He presented himself before the
Lord the second time. And addressing him the Lord said, "Well, what do
you think about Job now?" He said his efforts had not succeeded very
well as yet; but "skin for skin, all that a man hath will he give for
his life; let me lay my hand upon his body and he will curse thee to
thy face." "Well, I put him into your hands, but do not, interfere
with his life." The devil then let loose something like smallpox upon
him—only it was called by a different name in those days—covering him
with boils from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet, and he
scraped himself with a potsherd wallowing in ashes. And while he was
in this condition some of his friends came along for the purpose of
sympathizing with him; and after offering a great deal of advice, they
came to the conclusion that Job must have been a very wicked man, or
such a calamity never could have come upon him. And then, to cap the
climax, his wife came along, and in her way says, Job, you are a feel
for putting up with all this; you have suffered enough, and were I you
I would not stand it any longer. I would curse God and die like a man.
Job replied, "You talk like one of the foolish women of old. Have we
not received good at the hands of the Lord, and shall we not also
receive evil? The Lord gave, and the Lord  taketh away, and [p.5]
blessed be the name of the Lord." And then he looked around and saw
his desolation, stripped of his children and possessions, sick and
weary, deserted by friends, laughed at by enemies and upbraided by his
wife, afflicted with a loathsome disease, lonely, deserted and
desolate, he cried out, "Though he slay me yet will I trust in him.
The lightning may destroy my offspring, the Subeans and Chaldeans may
rob me of my possessions, and Satan may be permitted to lay his hand
upon me and smite with this loathsome disease, and although I may be
clothed in sackcloth and have to to wallow in ashes, and go down into
the grave, and worms prey upon this body and crawl and revel in my
brain, yet in my flesh shall I see God; I shall see him for myself,
and not for another." Inspired by the spirit of revelation and the
power and light of the Holy Ghost, he could say, I know in whom I have
believed; and although I do not know—and it matters not—where I may go
or where my resting place may be, yet I shall stand in the latter day
upon the earth, and shall behold my Redeemer, whom I shall see for
myself and not for another. This is the kind of religion he had. But
we think it very strange sometimes that we should have a little
bother; we think we ought to go along peaceably, having nothing to
disturb our equanimity, that everything should move smoothly and
pleasantly along until we reach the celestial abode of the Father, to
associate with the gods. Some of us would make curious gods, if such
were to be our lot; but we may rest satisfied that such will not be
our lot. The Lord does not do things in that kind of a way.

Vol. 21, p.5
When we were traveling abroad preaching to the world, among other
things we predicted was that the world would grow worse and worse,
deceiving and being deceived. Thousands of our Elders have preached
among the nations to the effect that God was having a controversy with
them; that he would arise and shake terribly the earth and vex the
nations sorely. Many of you Elders before me to-day have proclaimed
these things; and you have told the people that empires would be cast
down and the kingdoms overthrown and the nations wasted away, but that
the work and purposes of God would grow and increase until the
kingdoms of this world should become the kingdoms of our God and his
Christ. Are you astonished, then, that these things should begin to be
fulfilled? Quite a favorite theme has been with many of our elders,
that the "little stone" spoken of in the Scriptures has been cut out
of the mountain without hands, and it is destined to strike the image
whose head was of gold, breast and arms of silver, belly and thighs of
brass, legs of iron, and feet part of iron and part of clay, upon its
feet, breaking it to pieces; and that the materials, which represent
the various nations of the earth, composing the image should become
like the chaff of a summer's threshing-floor, carried away by the wind
until there was no place found for it. This is exactly as it has been
foretold many thousands of years ago, and you brethren are perfectly
familiar with it from having preached it both to the world and to the
Latter-day Saints. When this little stone, then, as it rolls forth,
strikes the toes of the great image, are you surprised that there
should be a little kicking? You don't like to have your toes trodden
upon any more than anybody else. The fact  is, the same great conflict
is going on between the two great powers; the only [p.6] difference is
that we are in much better circumstances than many who lived in
earlier days who had to wander about in sheep and goat skins, seeking
the dens and caves of rocks as places of retreat and safety. You, my
brethren and sisters, do not look to-day as though you were pushed to
such extremes, do you? I think it another kind of spectacle. We are an
integral part of this great government of the United States not a very
large part, but a very small part; and we have assumed a species of
political importance; and every now and then they get after us without
knowing hardly the why or the wherefore. They talk sometimes quite
loudly about our corruptions. Why, as I told them some time ago in
Salt Lake City, in talking about this matter, there is more wickedness
carried on in Washington, where they talk so much about purity, in one
day, than there is in these valleys of the mountains in six months,
the Gentiles and all thrown in. And yet it is quite important that
they should call upon a number of European nations to help them to
correct the morals of two hundred thousand people in these far distant
mountains. What magnanimity Well, what about it? Not much. But there
is this much about it—that this nation, nor the powers of Europe, nor
any other power, can overturn the Church and Kingdom of God that he
has established on the earth. It will go on in spite of all the powers
of earth and hell. You have heard that prophesied over and over again,
and I will prophesy it again to-day. And every power that lift its
hand against the kingdom of God will be wasted away: for God will have
a controversy with the nations who oppose his work, and he will manage
them in his own way; he will put a hook in their jaws and will lead
them whithersoever he will. The wrath of man shall praise him, and the
remainder he has said he will restrain. Hence I feel a good deal like
taking the advice of Jesus: "Fear not them which kill the body, but
are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him who is able to
destroy both soul and body in hell."

Vol. 21, p.6
The only fear I have for the Latter-day Saints is that they will not
live their religion. And I call upon you here to-day to lay aside your
covetousness, your greed and your a varice, and act honorably and just
one with another as your brethren, humble yourselves before God and
seek unto him for his guidance, and he will help yon, he will bless
and sustain you, and be will deliver you. And I say unto the
priesthood, be one; for if you are not one you are not of God. No
contention, no strife, no backbiting, no hard words; but let us have
the love of God dwelling and welling up in our hearts, and extending
to all men. But war against evil, corruption and iniquity of every
kind, wherever found; stand firm in upholding and maintaining the
principles of truth as they have been revealed to us, before high
heaven, before all men. We want to be united, and, as Paul says, "Put
on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the
wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this world against, spiritual wickedness in high places.
Paul had to maintain the truth as he had received it in the midst of a
crooked and perverse generation; and we have to do the same, and God
will sustain us in our endeavors. But if we are trembly and shaky, our
religion is not worth much to us. [p.7] We have a few among us who
say, "Oh, don't! you'd better take it easy! Keep quiet! You may offend
the devil, for what I know. We have a few dollars somewhere, and we
are afraid something will disturb them, and the property we have made
will go!" Well, let it go; who cares about it? "Love not the world,
neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world,
the love of the Father is not in him." We ought to be governed by
correct principles and act wisely and consistently, and treat all men
alike. There are a great many who have the idea that there are certain
classes that have rights which do not belong to others. I do not know
of any such people. We are all the free-born sons of Zion; we all
partake of the holy priesthood, and we all have our rights and
privileges with God. We want to act according to correct principle,
and be governed by the law of God, not one law for one man and another
for another man. But operating together and maintaining one another's
rights upon the pure principles of truth and equity, as they exist in
the bosom of God. When the things spoken of referring to the last days
shall transpire, righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and
faithfulness the girdle of his reins, and it will be as was remarked
by Brother Richards, and as the Prophet Jeremiah foretold: "I will put
my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will
be their God, and they shall be my people." As we adhere to the
principles of law, equality, justice and right, and are governed by
those principles. The man who is governed by the Spirit of God and
lives in the light of revelation, has the law of God written on his
heart and it is engraven in his inward parts. He feels as Jesus did
about these things. It was said to him on a certain occasion, "Behold,
thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with
thee." When he said, referring to his disciples, "Behold my mother and
ray brethren; For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in
heaven, the same is my brother, and sister and mother." That is the
kind of feeling. We want to be united in our hearts and feelings:
united to each other; united to the holy priesthood, bound together by
those indissoluble ties that will unite us in time and through
eternity, according to the principles of the everlasting covenant
which we have entered into which reaches beyond the vail.

Vol. 21, p.7
We have a struggle. Some of the "Amalekites" and Hittites are abroad.
But who cares? Satan works for a little while, and he will work and no
doubt do his utmost as long as he is permitted; and when the time
comes for him to be removed, God will remove him. We may struggle as
we please and do as we please in regard to these things, but we are
all in the hands of God. As has been remarked, it is quite easy for
the Lord to handle us in these mountains. He can send grass-trappers
if he wants to; he can withhold the snows from coming on our mountains
if he wants to, and thus cause drouth in the summer season and he can
send the moths to destroy our fruit; all of which we have more or less
already experienced. In fact he can do with us just as he pleases and
we cannot help ourselves. Our only resource is in him. We want to be
right ourselves in our families, every man with himself. Forsake your
sins, and cleave unto God. Pay your tithings and your offerings and
comply with the laws of God in every particular so that [p.8] you may
feel that you are acceptable before the Almighty, and then teach your
families the same thing. Humble yourselves as families before God. You
severities, high priests and elders. Do the same thing as quorums and
seek for the guidance and blessing of the Lord. Have you cheated or
defrauded anybody? If you have, then make things right, and try
forever afterwards to be governed by correct principles. And then let
there be perfect union in all the various quorums and among all the
people; and let us all say in our hearts and lives, whatever the Lord
commands us to do that we will observe and do; and let all Israel do
the same, and the devils then may howl and all hell may boil over, but
God will preserve his people, he will stand as our shield and buckler
and our strong defence.

Vol. 21, p.8
We have got this kingdom to build up; and it is not a phantom, but a
reality. We have to do it, God expects it at our hands. We have got to
have—now do not tell any body for it is a great secret; we have got to
have political power. What, will not that be treason? Perhaps so, but
no matter; we have got to go on and progress in these things. We have
got to establish a government upon the principle of righteousness,
justice, truth and equality and not according to the many false
notions that exist among men. And then the day is not far distant when
this nation will be shaken from centre to circumference. And now, you
may write it down, any of you, and I will prophesy it in the name of
God. And then will be fulfilled that prediction to be found in one of
the revelations given through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Those who will
not take up their sword to fight against their neighbor must needs
flee to Zion for safety. And they will come, saying, we do not know
anything of the principles of your religion, but we perceive that you
are an honest community; you administer justice and righteousness, and
we want to live with you and receive the protection of your laws, but
as for your religion we will talk about that some other time. Will we
protect such people? Yes, all honorable men. When the people shall
have torn to shreds the Constitution of the United States the Elders
of Israel will be found holding it up to the nations of the earth and
proclaiming liberty and equal rights to all men, and extending the
hand of fellowship to the oppressed of all nations. This is part of
the programme, and as long as we do what is right and fear God, he
will help us and stand by us under all circumstances.

Vol. 21, p.8
Therefore, Latter-day Saints, fear God; work the works of
righteousness; live your religion; keep the commandments and humble
yourselves before him; be one, and be united with the holy priesthood
and with each other, and I will tell you in the name of God that Zion
will rise and shine and the power of God will rest upon her; and her
glory will be made manifest, and we will rejoice in the fulness of the
blessings of the Gospel of peace; and the work of God will go on and
increase until the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of
our God and his Christ, and every creature in the heaven and on the
earth and under the earth will be heard to say, Blessing, and glory,
and honor and praise and power, might and majesty and dominion be
ascribed to him that sits upon the throne and to the Lamb for ever and
ever. Amen. [p.9]

Joseph F. Smith, December 7,1879

Law of Celestial Marriage—The Resurrection
and Judgment—Extent of the Mission of the Savior

Delivered at the Funeral Services Over the Remains of 
Elder William Clayton, Held in the 17th Ward Meeting House,
 Salt Lake City, Dec. 7th, 1879.

Vol. 21, p.9
By request of President John Taylor, I arise to make a few remarks. I
deeply and sincerely sympathize with the family, the wives and
children of the deceased, Bro. William Clayton, who remain to mourn
the loss of the society of their husband and father for a little
season. And yet, when we consider all the circumstances, we may
conclude that we have not very great cause to mourn. For when a man
has lived to a good old age; worn out as it were through toil, passes
away, we can realize at least that he has accomplished his mission,
that he has performed his work on this earth, and is ready to return
to the father from whence he came; behind the vail.

Vol. 21, p.9
Brother Clayton had reached a ripe age, after laboring unceasingly
among his brethren from his first connection with the Church.

Vol. 21, p.9
He has had a long and varied experience among this people. He was a
friend and companion of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and it was to his
pen to a very great extent that we are indebted for the history of the
Church—that is, the history of the Prophet Joseph more particularly,
during his acquaintance with him and the time he acted for him as his
private secretary, in the days of Nauvoo. We have the journals which
he kept during that time, in the Historian's Office, from which—in
connection with those of Elders Willard Richards and Wilford Woodruff
and the Times and Seasons, a publication of the Church at that time—we
have obtained the history the Church during that period. It was his
pen that wrote for the first time the revelation in relation to the
eternity of the marriage covenant and of a plurality of wives.
Although that revelation had been given to the Prophet Joseph many
years before, it was not written until the 12th of July, 1843, at
which time Elder William Clayton, acting as a scribe for the Prophet,
wrote it from his dictation.

Vol. 21, p.9
I am happy to say that he has left on record a statement in the shape
of an affidavit, prepared by himself, in relation to this important
subject, for it is a subject that is of the most vital importance, not
only to the Latter-day Saints, but to the whole world; for without the
knowledge contained in that revelation, we never could consummate the
object of our mission to this [p.10] earth, we never could fulfill the
purposes of God in this estate.

Vol. 21, p.10
I have this paper in my possession, and have had for a number of
months past. In fact, it was written at my request, and then given
into my care, and I have preserved it with a view, when thought
proper, to have it published. And as it is a sermon of itself, it
would perhaps be more interesting than anything I could say on the
present occasion, and therefore, with President Taylor's permission, I
will read it to the congregation.

Vol. 21, p.10
[The affidavit was then read by Elder Smith.]

Vol. 21, p.10
He then continued:

Vol. 21, p.10
As I before said, I felt to read this document because of the
instruction it would afford, and for the further object of showing
that although "he is dead, he yet speaketh." For this testimony of
Brother Clayton will stand forever, though his body moulders into
dust. And I am, and so was the deceased when living, at the defiance
of the world to dispute those statements. They are made from personal
knowledge derived from personal associations with the Prophet Joseph
Smith himself, not with a view to gain notoriety, but rather to leave
behind him his testimony with regard to this important principle. He
has done so. And as he has here stated, as having come from the mouth
of the Prophet, this doctrine of eternal union of husband and wife,
and of plural marriage, is one of the most important doctrines ever
revealed to man in any age of the world. Without it man would come to
a full stop, without it we never could be exalted to associate with
and become gods, neither could we attain to the power of eternal
increase, or the blessings pronounced upon Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,
the fathers of the faithful.

Vol. 21, p.10
There are but a few witnesses now living in relation to the coming
forth of this revelation; there never were many that were intimately
acquainted with the prophet and his teaching upon this subject. I look
around me and see a number of persons in this assembly whose hair has
grown grey in the service of God, and who had an intimate acquaintance
with our martyred prophet; but few, if any of them, were so closely
identified with him in this matter as Brother Clayton.

Vol. 21, p.10
There are, however, enough witnesses to these principles to establish
them upon the earth in such a manner that they never can be forgotten
or stamped out. For they will live; they are destined to live, and
also to grow and spread abroad upon the face of the earth, to be
received and accepted and adopted by all the virtuous, by all the pure
in heart, by all who love the truth, and seek to serve Him and keep
His commandments; they are bound to prevail, because they are true
principles.

Vol. 21, p.10
Now we are called upon to pay our last respects to Brother Clayton.
His spirit has taken its flight; it has gone to the Father from whence
it came, as is taught in the Book of Mormon. When the spirit leaves
the body, it returns, says the prophet, immediately to God, to be
assigned to its place, either to associate with the good and the noble
ones who have lived in the Paradise of God, or to be confined in the
"prison" house to await the resurrection of the body from the grave.
Therefore we know that Brother Clayton has gone to God, gone to
receive the partial judgment of the Almighty, which  pertains to the
[p.11] period intervening between the death of the body and the
resurrection of the body, or the separation of the spirit from the
body, and their uniting together again. This judgment is passed upon
the spirit alone. But there will come a time which will be after the
resurrection, when the body and spirit shall be reunited, when the
final judgment will be passed on every man. This is in accordance with
the vision of the Apostle John the Revelator.

Vol. 21, p.11
"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books
were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life;
and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the
books, according to their works.

Vol. 21, p.11
"And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell
were cast into the lake of fire. That is the second death.

Vol. 21, p.11
"And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into
the lake of fire."

Vol. 21, p.11
That is the final judgment, which we will all receive after we have
performed this our earthly mission.

Vol. 21, p.11
The Savior did not finish his work when he expired on the cross when
he cried out "it is finished." He, in using those words, had no
reference to his great mission to the earth, but merely to the agonies
which he suffered. The Christian world I know say he alluded to the
great work of redemption. This however, is a great mistake, and is
indicative of the extent of their knowledge of the plan of life and
salvation. I say he referred merely to the agonies of death, and the
sufferings He felt for the wickedness of men who would go so far as to
crucify their Redeemer. It was this feeling, and this alone, that
prompted him to cry out in the agony of His soul, "It is finished,"
and then He expired.

Vol. 21, p.11
But his work was not completed; it was in fact only begun. If he had
stopped here instead of his being the Savior of the world, he, as well
as all mankind, would have perished irredeemably, never to have come
forth out of the grave; for it was designed from the beginning that he
should be the first fruits of them that slept; it was part of the
great plan that he should burst the bands of death and gain the
victory over the grave. If therefore his mission had ceased when he
gave up the ghost, the world would have slumbered in the dust in
interminable death, never to have risen to live again. It was but a
small part of the mission of the Savior that was performed when he
suffered death; it was indeed the lesser part; the greater had yet to
be done. It was in his resurrection from the tomb, in his coming forth
from death unto life, in uniting again the spirit and the body that we
might become a living soul; and when this was done, then he was
prepared to return to the Father. And all this was in strict
accordance with the great plan of salvation. For even Christ himself,
though without sin, was required to observe the outward ordinance of
baptism, in order to fulfill all righteousness. So after his
resurrection from the dead he could return to the Father, there to
receive the welcome plaudit, "Well done, you have done your work, you
have accomplished your mission; you have wrought out salvation for all
the children of Adam; you have redeemed all men from the grave; and
through their obedience to the ordinances of the Gospel which you have
established, [p.12] they can also be redeemed from the spiritual
death, again to be brought back into our presence, to partake of
glory, exaltation and eternal life with us." And so it will be when we
come forth out of the grave, when the trump shall sound, and these our
bodies shall rise and our spirits shall enter into them again, and
they shall become a living soul no more to be dissolved or separated,
but to become inseparable, immortal, eternal.

Vol. 21, p.12
Then we shall stand before the bar of God to be judged. So says the
Bible, so says the Book of Mormon, and so say the revelations which
have come direct to us through the Prophet Joseph Smith. And then
those that have not been subject and obedient to the celestial law
will not be quickened by the celestial glory. And those that have not
been subject and obedient to the terrestrial law will not be quickened
by the terrestrial glory. And those that have not been subject and
obedient to the telestial law, will not be quickened by a telestial
glory; but they will have a kingdom without glory. While the sons of
perdition, men who had once been in possession of the light and truth,
but who turned away from it and deny the Lord, putting him to an open
shame, as did the Jews when they crucified him and said, "Let his
blood be upon us and upon our children; men who consent, against light
and knowledge, to the shedding of innocent blood, it will be said unto
them, "Depart ye cursed, I never knew you; depart into the second
death, even banishment from the presence of God for ever and ever,
where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched, from whence
there is no redemption, neither in time nor in eternity." Herein is
the difference between the second and the first death, herein man
became spiritually dead; for from the first death he may be redeemed
by the blood of Christ through obedience to the laws and ordinances of
the Gospel, but from the second there is no redemption at all.

Vol. 21, p.12
We read in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, that the devil tempted
Adam and he partook of the forbidden fruit, and trangressed the
commandment, wherein he became subject to the will of the devil
because he yielded unto temptation, and because of this transgression
he became spiritually dead, which is the first death "even that same
death which is the last death, which is spiritual, which shall be
pronounced upon the wicked when I shall say, depart ye cursed!"—Book
of Doc. and Cov, p. 147.

Vol. 21, p.12
But who will receive such punishment? Only those that deserve it,
those that commit the unpardonable sin.

Vol. 21, p.12
Then there is the banishment of the transgressor, (not the sons of
perdition) into the prison house, a place of punishment, with no
exaltation, no increase, no dominion, no power whose inhabitants after
their redemption may become servants of them that have obeyed the laws
of God and kept the faith. That will be the punishment of such as
reject the truth, but sin not unto death.

Vol. 21, p.12
But as touching the terrestrial kingdom, as the stars differ from each
other in lustre, so those who enter into the telestial kingdom differ
in glory.

Vol. 21, p.12
"Well, now, how is it with Brother Clayton? He was not without faults
in the flesh?" But what were they? Were they such as partook of a
deadly character? Did he ever deny the Lord? Did he ever deny the
Prophet Joseph, or did he deny the  truth or prove unfaithful [p.13]
to his covenants or to his brethren? No, never. I can in all
truthfulness before God and man bear that testimony of our departed
brother, for I have known him from my youth. Yet, he was not without
his failings? but then, they were of that nature that injured nobody
perhaps except himself and his own family. But notwithstanding his
unflinching integrity, and his long life of fidelity and usefulness,
let me say to you, that for his faults, however trivial, or important,
he must answer. But he will be able to pay his debt and to answer for
his failings, and he will come forth and all that has been pronounced
upon his head by Joseph Smith and by the Apostles, will be confirmed
upon him through all eternity; and there is no power on the earth or
in hell that can deprive him of them. For as it is said—and, indeed, I
need not refer you to the revelation on celestial marriage; but will
quote from the words of Christ, as given in the New Testament.
"Wherefore I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be
forgiven unto men, but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not
be forgiven unto men, *	*	* neither in this world, neither in
the world to come." Our departed friend and brother whose remains are
now before us, has not sinned unto death. I would not have it
understood. for a moment, that I or any of the Elders attend funerals
to smother over the weaknesses of the departed dead, trying to make it
appear that they were without faults, and therefore will not have to
answer for any. We know that every man will be judged according to the
deeds done in the body; and whether our sin be against our own peace
and happiness alone or whether it affects that of others, as the Lord
lives we will have to make satisfaction or atonement; God requires it,
and it is according to his providences, and we cannot escape it. We
must comply with the provisions of the law, which Brother Clayton in
my belief, is abundantly able to do. And when this shall have been
done, he will come forth to receive his crown, his glory, dominion and
kingdom, and the blessings of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob which have been
pronounced upon his head.

Vol. 21, p.13
Then let me say to the family of our deceased brother, Follow in the
footsteps of your husband and father, excepting wherein he may have
manifested the weaknesses of the flesh; imitate his staunch integrity
to the cause of Zion, and his fidelity to his brethren; be true as he
was true, be firm as he was firm, never flinching, never swerving from
the truth as God has revealed it to us; and I will promise you, in the
name of the Lord, that you will rise, to meet your husband and father,
in the morning of the first resurrection, clothed with glory,
immortality and eternal lives. Which may God grant in the name of
Jesus. Amen. [p.14]

John Taylor, February 8, 1880

A Funeral Sermon By President John Taylor, Preached Over the
 Remains of Joseph M. Cain, Son of Joseph and Elizabeth Cain,

In the 14th Ward Assembly Rooms, Salt Lake City, Feb. 8, 1880.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs.)

Vol. 21, p.14
We are met here to-day, as we frequently have to do, to pay the last
tribute of respect to the departed dead. Time with all its changes and
mutations brings us face to face very frequently with the kind of
thing that is now presented before us. We come into the world, we
struggle a little while with the affairs incident to human nature, and
by and by the struggles of the present are over. The weary wheels of
life stand still and we go into another state of existance. As wise,
prudent and intelligent men it behooves us really to comprehend the
true position we occupy in relation to the past, in relation to the
present, as well as to the future.

Vol. 21, p.14
Speaking of the past, we all of us have had our ideas about a
pre-existence. We consider that God is Father of the spirits of all
flesh, not only of those that fear him, but of those who do not fear
him, and who disobey His laws. He is the father of the spirits of all,
and as is spoken of in the Scriptures, "We are His offspring" and
emanated from him. We came into this world to attend to certain things
which are designed by the Almighty and which in the programme of the
Lord it was necessary that we should take our part in. We had very
little to do with our coming here; all things move along naturally But
we have something to do, however, with our affairs while we are here,
in a state of probation. But about our leaving, in ninety-nine cases
out of a hundred, or more than that even, we have little to do with
it.

Vol. 21, p.14
There are certain inscrutable purposes associated with the divine
programme which men generally do not comprehend. We know a very little
of the world in which we live, and of its inhabitants. But what and
how little do we know in relation to the past, or in regard to
anything pertaining to the future? Who can comprehend the purposes of
God pertaining to the organization of the earth, say to commence with,
and the peopling of it, and the maintaining of it, or in regard to the
position of the nations and their destiny; or in regard to the world
itself and the various changes yet to  transpire upon it. And then,
who of us knows anything definite pertaining to ourselves, [p.15] or
about the impulses by which we are governed and actuated, or of the
powers of darkness, or the powers of light, as the case may be, with
which we are surrounded? How many of us comprehend these things? Very
few indeed. It is the design of God, as I understand it, in our coming
here, to give unto us bodies, that the spirits that were created
before, might have tabernacles wherein they might live and exist, and
move and act, as corporeal substances, if you please; and that
according to certain inscrutable laws of God pertaining to the human
family and the future destiny of man, and the world in which we live;
that through the union of the body and spirit, and their obedience to
certain laws which the great Eloheim has given for the guidance of His
people, that they might be more exalted, more dignified, more glorious
than it would be possible for them to be, had they not come here to
sojourn in these tabernacles, and combat with the various evils to
which the flesh is heir.

Vol. 21, p.15
Under these circumstances, from time to time, he has made known his
will to men. He has in different ages raised up men with whom he
communicated, and to whom he revealed his will, and under certain
circumstances to whom he committed his law, and he has made them his
mouthpiece to the human family, and through them has revealed life and
its principles, and has unveiled the heavens and given man a knowledge
of the future, and has shown his condemnation, or evinced his hatred
to evil and iniquity of every kind, and has shown through them the
evil effects of pursuing this course. These men, in the different ages
in which they lived, warned the people and the nations in regard to
evil, and have tried to incite them to good, and held out to them the
principle of lives, eternal lives hereafter to be obtained in the
celestial, terrestrial or telestial kingdoms. These men and these
principles, which have been introduced by the Almighty, have had their
effect more or less among the human family. But there has been
associated with this a spirit of antagonism to God, to virtue, to
truth, to purity, to holiness, and to those principles that were
calculated to elevate and exalt humanity through time and through the
eternities that are to come. Thus two influences have been at work
among the nations and among the various peoples of the earth in the
different ages. Sometimes it seems mysterious to the human family that
things should be as they have been. They do not comprehend the meaning
or the purposes or designs, or even the law of God in fact, some of
these laws have not been made known generally to mankind. Permit me to
say there are eternal laws that exist with the Gods in the eternal
worlds, and from which they cannot depart, and to which they are bound
in all their acts, I was going to say as we are, but I will say not as
we are, but as we ought to be, subject to the law of God in all our
acts, and that it is absolutely necessary that men should be placed in
a state of trial, in a state of probation. It was just as necessary
that Satan, if you please, should exercise his power as that God
should exercise his. This is a thing that is not always understood by
men, and, in fact, they understand very little about it. We are told,
however, that "It must needs be that there is an opposition in all
things," good and evil, light and darkness, happiness and misery,
corruption and incorruption, life and death, heaven and hell.

Vol. 21, p.16
[p.16] We talk about a futurity and about heaven, of which men have
certain vague ideas. Some think heaven is beyond the bounds of time
and space. It is a kind of poetic thought, which sounds very well; but
where is such a place? When we reflect upon it in our sober moments,
we naturally conclude that it is nowhere. But men have entertained
singular notions and ideas pertaining to the future, many of which
have been erratic, foolish and ignorant; and the fact is, it is
impossible for man, unaided by the revelations of God, to comprehend
anything about him. Job says: "Canst thou by searching find out God?
Canst thou find but the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as
heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell, what canst thou know?"

Vol. 21, p.16
We are told emphatically that no man knows the things of God but by
the Spirit of God. And how are they to become acquainted with these
things, unless they are in possession of that light and that spirit
which is capable of imparting to them that intelligence? A knowledge
of God is out of the ken of uninspired humanity. Who can draw aside
the vail of the invisible world? Who can penetrate into the future and
look, as some men have, through the dark vista of future ages and see
the purposes of God roll on with all their majesty and glory to
consummation; of which, they nor we, nor anybody can know anything
about, except by and under the influence of that spirit? They cannot
know it; it is out of their reach.

Vol. 21, p.16
Well, what then in regard to the things of men? We see men bickering
and quarreling over religious matters, over things really that they
are just as ignorant of as babes are. They contend about certain
principles, dogmas and theories, and get up debates about them, oft
times causing troubles in families, and neighbourhoods; often
persecuting one another and even putting one another to death
concerning things that they knew nothing about themselves. This is all
very foolish.

Vol. 21, p.16
How does God feel towards the human family? He feels that they are his
children. What, all,? Yes; the white, the black, the red, the Jew, the
Gentile, the heathen, the Christian and all classes and grades of men;
he feels interested in all, he has done so from the beginning, and
will continue to do so to the end. He will do all that lies in his
power for the benefit, blessing, ank exaltation of the human family,
both in time and eternity, consonant with those laws and those eternal
principles that I have referred to: from which he himself cannot
deviate. We sometimes get up feelings about parties that do not think
as we do, and do not believe as we do, and we are apt to cast
aspersions upon them. Why, these are their affairs. What! would you
allow everybody to worship as they please? Certainly. What? If you
knew they were in error? Certainly? I would not wish to control the
human mind; I would not control the actions of men, God does not do
it, he leaves them to their own agency to combat with the trials,
temptations, adversities and evils of every kind that are in the
world, to which humanity is, or can be incident. He put within their
reach, however, certain principles and would like to lead them to
himself if they would be led. If not, he then does the very best with
them that he can. In some instances he  has had to come out, as it is
said, "in his fierce wrath," upon [p.17] the peoples and upon the
nations of the earth; and many other things have been in his
programme; because this life, with its few years is only
comparatively, as it were, a few moments in the estimation of Jehovah.
It is but a span, a dream, or a tale, that is told and passed away.
But in regard to the eternities that are to come, and the realities we
have to do with hereafter, that is another affair. I have heard men
talk about the cruelty of God, just like some foolish people talk
about their fathers. Who knows anything about God? Did you ever see
him? Some think it was very cruel in him to destroy the world at the
flood. How do they know but that it was the greatest boon he could
confer upon that wicked people? How do they know but that it was one
of the richest blessings he could pour out upon their heads in
sweeping them off the earth and sending them into another existence
and then shutting them up in prison after that. How do you know?
Certainly you do not know that it is not the case.

Vol. 21, p.17
Let us reason for a few moments and look at things about as they are;
I will tell them as they are and as they were. Satan before the days
of the flood obtained the ascendancy over many men and brought them
under his rule and dominion. He started in with Cain and made a
murderer of him the very first thing he did and taught him many
principles of evil, and he was called the great Master Mahon. Under
the influence and power of Satan he operated to thwart the designs of
God and to stop the purposes of Jehovah. Satan first started in the
heavens, but was cast out and succeeded in obtaining a great
ascendancy over the minds of the people; whom he caused to corrupt
themselves, leading them into evil, folly, vanity and corruptions of
every kind, so much so we are told that the "imaginations and thoughts
of their hearts were only evil and that continually." What had to be
done then? There were other parties interested besides those upon the
earth. There were innumerable hosts of spirits in the heavens that had
to come and take tabernacles. Was it proper and righteous, was it
equitable, was it according to the principles of justice that those
that were pure with their Father in the heavens should come and take
bodies and be forced to enter into tabernacles, that were the
offspring of those corrupt beings who were then peopling the earth? If
I or you had been there should we not have spoken to our Father and
said, "Father, do you see the corruptions that exist upon the face of
the earth?" Yes, I know it." "Is it just that we should have to go
into these corrupt, contaminated, evil, wicked bodies to receive our
earthly parentage from them; and be subject to that power and iniquity
in all its phases for thousands or millions of years to come?" "No,"
says He, "it is not, and I will sweep them away, I will destroy them;
they possess the power, while living to propagate their species, but I
will deprive them of that power. I will send in the floods upon them,
and then I will shut them up in prison." Did he do it? He did. But
before He did it, he had the Gospel preached to them as it is now
being preached, and men clothed upon with the priesthood were sent
forth among the peoples to proclaim to them the great principles of
life, and they had the Gospel and the revelations of God and communion
with their heavenly Father. Enoch was a preacher of righteousness, and
 numerous Elders at that time were sent forth among the [p.18] people
and proclaimed the principles of eternal truth and gathered the people
together so that every man who would fear God and obey his law and be
governed by the principles of righteousness, might have the full
blessings of the everlasting Gospel; and He gathered them together
before destruction came. They were gathered unto Zion, and that Zion
was caught up, by the power of God, away from the earth, and then the
avenging hand of God came upon the corrupt inhabitants that were left
because of their iniquities. Would it be proper to allow corruptions
and wickedness to predominate, and the powers of Satan to have the
presiding influence, and God to be left out of the question? No.
Therefore He accomplished what He did. Did He injure them? No; they
would only have lived a few years longer anyhow; but He did not want
them to perpetuate that kind of folly, wickedness, and corruption that
then prevailed, and said "I will stop it," and he stopped it. Now,
what about the future of such people. We may have curious ideas about
them. Some think that they are going to remain in hell for ever and
ever. But they were in the hands of God, and He did right by them. By
and by when Jesus came, what did he do? As soon as He got through with
His short mission upon the earth, "He was put to death in the flesh,
and was quickened by the Spirit, and went and preached unto the
spirits in prison, which sometime were disobedient when once the long
suffering of God waited in the days of Noah;" that they might be
placed on the same plane and in the same position that others were;
that they might obtain their proper status in the eternal worlds, and
be rewarded with all that was possible for them to enjoy, according to
the eternal laws and inscrutable justice of Jehovah. Thus justice was
satisfied, the law vindicated, the wicked punished, the unborn and
pure protected and provided for, and finally, the imprisoned released
from their bondage and salvation extended to the prisoners. Was there
anything wrong in that. "Yes," says the ignoramus who does not know
anything about it, "it was very cruel." Well, the greatest cruelty
there is about such men is that they are cruelly ignorant and do not
know what they are talking about.

Vol. 21, p.18
Now in regard to other things. The Gospel has been sent from time to
time among the people. And what does it do? It brings life and
immortality to light. Has God ever given up his idea in relation to
the inhabitants of the earth? No; but He has in the different ages
given certain laws and principles to certain classes of individuals.
It is said that God has made of one blood all nations of the earth,
yet there are certain classes of men among the nations just as much as
there are certain classes of metals. Everything is not gold,
everything is not silver, everything is not brass; everything is not
iron; all hold their proper position and have their relative value. So
in regard to the heavens. There are bodies celestial, there are bodies
terrestrial, there are bodies telestial. We are told there is one
glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, another glory of the
stars, and that as one star differs from another star in glory so also
shall it be in the resurrection. This distinction arises from the acts
of men, as it is said "Ye are servants to whom you yield yourselves
servants to obey."

Vol. 21, p.18
Now what are we here for? What are the things we profess to do? I will
ask what did Jesus seek to do when he was here?  Did he come to [p.19]
curse mankind? No, but to bless them; he came to seek and to save
those that were lost; He came to to unfold the principles of eternal
truth, to bring life and immortality to light by the Gospel. He came,
according to the eternal decree of the Almighty, to offer his life as
a sacrifice, as an atonement for the sins of the human family. He came
to introduce principles that emainated from God to organize his church
upon the earth, and to endow his disciples with authority that they
might go forth as His messengers to proclaim the principles of eternal
truth to the human family. Hence says he, "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."
This is one of those eternal decrees that you cannot get away from.
And then we talk about the damnation of hell; and people have as
strange notions about that as they have about other things. I have
read statements from men which were really terrible when depicting the
state of the damned. It is bad enough, but it is not the kind of thing
they represent. I remember, too, reading a piece of poetry, which ran
something like this:

Vol. 21, p.19
Infinite years in torment must I spend,
And never, never, never have an end.
Ah! must I lie, in ruinous despair,
As many years as atoms in the air;
When these are past as many thousand more,
As grains of sand upon the ocean shore.
When all these doleful years are spent in pain,
And multiplied by millions yet again
Till numbers drown, the thought, could I suppose
That then my dismal years would have a close,
This would afford a hope; but ah! I shiver
To ponder on this dreadful word, forever;
I in this burning gulf blaspheming lie,
Time is no more, but vast eternity."

This may be poetic. It is certainly grim and terrible; but it is not
true. Is there justice? Yes. Eternal justice? Yes. These men that I
have referred to suffered eternal justice; they were destroyed by the
Almighty, and at last were saved again by the Almighty. Have we
eternal punishment? Yes. What is it? It is God s punishment. Are there
everlasting prisons? Yes. What are they? God's prisons. Do people stay
in them forever? No. Not in all of them. We have prisons upon the
earth, penitentiaries, in which to confine people for one, five, ten
or twenty years, as the case may be; and when their time expires they
come out; but the prison is there still. Is it an everlasting prison?
You may call it so if you please; but people do not stay in it always.
Has God a way to manage his affairs? Certainly; the Judge of all the
earth ought to be at least as capable in the management of his
affairs, as mortal men are in theirs.

Vol. 21, p.19
We have come upon this stage of action, and are called to preach. And
God has revealed his will, and some people seem to be very angry about
it. Joseph Smith had revelations from God. Do I know it? Yes, I do.
Could he help it? Suppose the Lord were to speak to any of you, could
you help it? or if an angel were to come to you, could you help it?
No, you could not. Now, you might do what they tell you, or not; that
is optional. If you did what they told you, however, the world and the
devil would say you were a fool; and they have always said so in every
age of the world; and the devil and the world have always been opposed
to God. and his law, and they would persecute you as they persecuted
him. Very well, do we have need to fight? I do not. I thank God for
the light [p.20] and intelligence he has revealed unto us, through the
medium of the everlasting Gospel. Could we have it if God had not
revealed it? No. Who knew that God lived? Nobody until Joseph Smith
came, and the Lord spoke to him pointing out to him his son, saying,
"This is my beloved Son, hear him." Who knew anything about it? Nobody
on the wide earth. Could he have helped it if he wanted to? I do not
think he wanted to much; I do not think anybody need want to much, if
God would condescend to reveal his will; I do not think they would be
very desirous for him to hold his peace. It is true a number of the
children of Israel did when they heard the thunderings on Mount Sinai.
They said to Moses, speak to us; but do not let the Lord speak to us,
lest we die. The fact is, they were not prepared for it.

Vol. 21, p.20
Now then, this Gospel is introduced for what? To spread life and
salvation to the world. God blessed Abraham in the same way. What for?
In thee and thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. I
will give unto you my law, I will reveal unto you the principles of
eternal truth; I will open the mysteries of heaven to your view, and
you shall gaze upon me and upon my purposes. I will instruct you in
the principles of life and salvation, and I will tell you what to do
with those principles when I shall have committed them to you. As he
spake unto Moses, he told him to select a man to be his mouth-piece;
and said, Moses shall be a God unto you, and I will speak through him.
That is it. Now, he has done the same in this day, and restored the
same principles, and has sent forth a message to the nations of the
earth, and gathered together men who had the manhood, integrity and
desire to carry out the purposes of God, and who would be valiant for
those principles which he had revealed; and he prepared them for his
purpose; and if he had not sustained them they would not be here
to-day. Are these men enemies to the world? If teaching men the truth
is enmity, they have done that; if going without purse or scrip,
traveling among the nations to proclaim to them the glad tidings of
salvation is enmity, they may possess it. But impelled by the spirit
of eternal truth and enlightened by the spirit of the Almighty and
comprehending the, position they occupied, they have gone forth among
the people of the earth and proclaimed to them the glad tidings of
salvation, and God has taken care of them. Very well. Anything great
about this? No; it is simply performing a duty. I have traveled
hundreds and thousands of miles in this way myself, trusting in God.
Was I ever forsaken? No. Did I ever need anything? No, not that I did
not get. Did I ever have to go hungry, naked or destitute? No, the
Lord always provided and raised up means in every kind of way, and I
did not beg either. I would like anybody to tell me when I ever begged
anything from them either here or anywhere else. But I have begged of
the Lord, for my religion teaches me to go to him.

Vol. 21, p.20
Now then, we have a work to do. Do we wish to villify anybody in our
midst? No. Do we see wicked, corrupt and abominable men among us? Yes.
What will we do with them? Leave them in the hands of God, he will
manage them; it is for us to do right, to work righteousness and
pursue a course right before the Lord.

Vol. 21, p.21
[p.21] I see that time is passing. My mind has been led rather
discursively on some of these matters, arising partly from
circumstances with which we are surrounded. How is it with this young
man here? Well, I wish it were otherwise; I wish he had lived a very
good Saint, which, however, he did not do. We have not come here to
indulge in any kind of false sentimentality. He was a drunkard; that
is a truth and many of you know it. When you have said that, can you
say anything worse? That is bad enough, but I do not know anything
evil about the young man further than that. I knew his father. I
baptized him thousands of miles away from here, in the neighbourhood
of 40 years of ago, when he was a much younger man than he (his son)
is now. His father lived up to the Gospel, and died strong in the
faith; and his mother has been a very good woman, so far as I know; I
have never known anything against her. This boy has caused her a great
deal of trouble; and I have been sorry for him. Well, should we tell
things? Yes, always; that day is not far distant when the coverings
will be taken from the face of all people, and we shall all stand
naked, as it were, before God —both you and I and this young man. Well
this boy,—I call him a boy, he is a young man, and is a nephew of mine
by marriage; and I would not want to say anything about him on that
account, neither would I falsify the young man on that account; but
let us tell things and understand them as they are. Let me call the
attention of the youth present. Would you like to be lying in this
position, under these circumstances? You would not? Then let us look
at things as they are. What next? We will do the best we can; and what
is it? There is a curious saying that Paul made on a certain occasion,
in speaking about the Jews and the Gentiles:

Vol. 21, p.21
"What advantage hath the Jews? or what profit is there of
circumcision?

Vol. 21, p.21
"Much every way; chiefly, that unto them were committed the oracles of
God.

Vol. 21, p.21
"Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ
came, who is over all, God blessed for ever," etc.

Vol. 21, p.21
Is it a sorrowful thing to see our youth pass away as he has done?
Yes. He did not die drunk? No, but that was the cause of it. We may as
well talk honestly about him. What next? He has gone. Has he hurt
anybody? No, only by his example. Has he hurt his mother? Yes. I do
not think he did sin while his father was living; but since then he
has caused his mother many a sorrowful hour? Did I feel sorry when he
died? No. Why? Because I knew it was much better for him to leave the
earth than to be in the position he has been.

Vol. 21, p.21
Now, what about the future in in relation to these things! What
advantage has the Jew over the Gentile? Much every way. Their's were
the fathers; and unto that people were committed the oracles of God.
Their's were the fathers—we have fathers that are living in the
eternal worlds; fathers that are interested in our welfare; fathers
that are associated with the beings that exist behind the vail;
fathers who are operating with us in trying to bring about the great
purposes of God and the salvation of the human family. Can anything be
done? Yes, and all that can be done will be done, but the future has
got to be left with the Almighty in regard [p.22] to these matters.
But we can do a great deal according to principles that God has
revealed to us, and these things will be done, as far as they can be.

Vol. 21, p.22
I would say, I do not utter these things to cause any unpleasant
feeling in the bosom of the family; they cannot help it. If I could
have helped it, I would; if the mother could have helped it, she
would; if the sister could have helped it, she would; if the friends
could have helped it, they would. But we cannot control circumstances.

Vol. 21, p.22
We are now talking not to the dead, but to the living. I would say,
Let us avoid these evils, they lead down to death; let us seek to live
our religion, to obey the laws of God and keep his commandments. And
in regard to the future, we leave that in the hands of the Almighty
who doeth all things well; and we will do all we can to promote the
comfort of the living and the dead. We are doing a great deal for the
accomplishment of this object; we are building temples and
administering in them, and we are doing it in obedience to the law of
God, and in consonance with the feeling of the patriarchs and apostles
and men of God who have lived before. And we will try to go on and
live our religion and keep the commandments of God that we may rejoice
together hereafter. And I would say to the mother, Let your heart be
comforted for you shall be blessed both in time and in eternity. And I
say unto all of you, Live your religion, keep the commandments of God,
for in that only there is safety. God bless you in time and in
eternity. Amen.

Erastus Snow, October 1879

Rest Signifies Change—Time As Related to Eternity—
Wonderful Mechanism of the Human Body—Integrity in the Face of
Opposition

Delivered at Brigham City, on Sunday Morning, October 1879.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs.)

Vol. 21, p.22
I feel somewhat weary in body from the effects of labor and
infirmities; and were I to consult my own feelings I would be inclined
to waive this privilege, and sit and listen to my brethren. Indeed, I
may say I rather counted upon a rest in  coming to Brigham City; yet I
never allow myself to shrink from bearing that portion that properly
attaches [p.23] me in life to the calling and duties devolving upon
me. I feel that we are all here in a shool, that we have a work to
perform; and if when we shall have done that work we shall be
satisfied with it, we will not regret having worn ourselves out in
accomplishing it. But on the contrary we shall rejoice at our success
in having got safely through and entered into the "rest" which is
prepared for the people of God in the future state. This is a
scriptural phrase, implying that there is a rest beyond for the people
of God. But I have sometimes thought that strictly speaking rest was
only a change, and that a change was rest; because to be absolutely at
rest, to be entirely free from labor and care would be inconsistent
with our existence; in such a condition our being would be a blank, a
nonentity. The course of God, we are told by the prophet Nephi, is one
eternal round; that like eternity, it has neither beginning nor end,
and is illustrated in the Book of Abraham by the hieroglyphic of the
circle. You may start upon this ring at any given point, and in
traversing it you will come to the same point—it is without beginning,
without end.

Vol. 21, p.23
We sometimes speak of eternity in contradistinction to time; and often
say, "through time and into eternity;" and again "from eternity to
eternity," which is simply another form of expressing the same idea,
and "pass through time into eternity." in other words, time is a short
period allotted to man in his probationary state—and we use the word
time in contradistinction to the word eternity, merely for the
accommodation of man in his finite sphere, that we may comprehend and
learn to measure periods. And for this purpose the Lord gave unto Adam
his reckoning after the movements of the planets, which would appear
to him stationary, or at least comparatively so, making a suitable
standard by which math in his mortal state may measure periods and
count out the days and the months and the years and the cycles.

Vol. 21, p.23
The Scriptures speak of a time "when time shall be no more." And the
Apostle John in his visions, while banished to the Isle of Patmos,
heard the angel say, "time shall be no more." We may not fully
comprehend the meaning and the purport of this expression. All phrases
or expressions whether used by men, angels or God have a relative
meaning, as one thing is compared with another; and to understand the
full force of them, we must understand that to which it has reference
by comparison. I simply understand by this, that so far as we are
concerned, time will be no more when we shall be merged into eternity,
and we cease to reckon our periods by the diurual revolutions of the
earth, and the changes of the moon, etc.; when we shall enter into a
sphere where we can mingle with the gods and become acquainted with
their reckoning, and the eternal periods or cycles of revolutions of
numberless creations in space, which to-day the most profound
astronomers of the earth are unable to fathom or mark their place of
beginning. And this is called eternity by man, and, as far as man is
concerned, is in contradistinction to other periods and modes of
reckoning known and in use among the Gods. For they have their periods
and reckoning as well as we, only on a vast and, to us,
incomprehensible scale. We are in a state of progression, very small
beginnings, but onward and upward for a more exalted sphere, in which
they move. But I conceive of no stopping place; I [p.24] conceive of
no absolute resting place, but only, as before remarked, a change, a
change in our circumstances and conditions, and consequently a change
in our labors.

Vol. 21, p.24
I speak now of man as an immortal being, having no reference to this
earthly house of our tabernacles; for this mortal house which we
occupy for the period of a few short years upon the earth, will not be
associated with the immortal man the god in embryo. The clothing we
wear covers the nakedness of the body; it answers a good purpose for a
little season—until it becomes worn out, when it is cast aside as of
no further use for that purpose. So with the outer house of our
tabernacles. This mortality serves the purposes intended for a few
short years until it is worn out with use, like the farmer's
agricultural implements, like the machinist's or mechanic's tools, or
any other piece of machinery—for the human body is one of the finest
and most perfect pieces of machinery known upon the earth; there is
none superior. Indeed, most of the mechanism employed by men in
various branches of industry is founded on the anatomical structure of
the human body; the angles, the joints, the tendrils, the cords by
which they are bound together: the wonderful construction not only of
the outer portions of the body, but the very fine mechanism of the
nervous system, and also that of the eye, the ear, and of the means of
sensation, and that by which knowledge is communicated from one part
of the body to the other. If the finger be abused or injured, a
telegraphic communication is made to the seat of knowledge—the
government of the body; conveying the information that a finger is in
danger; and wherever pain is felt, in whatever part of the body, it is
but the ringing of the bell of alarm, living notice of a hostile
attack, and to make preparations for defense, lest the enemy making
the assault take possession of the citadel and destroy it. The
wonderful mechanism of the nervous system, through which the spirit
makes its impressions upon the body, is, as it were, an intermediate
organism between the fine spiritual body and the courser elements of
our tabernacles. And those who have given the most time and study to
this wonderful machine are lead to fully appreciate and endorse the
saying of the Psalmist, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Its
adaptability to the uses and purposes intended, with its remarkable
endurance when suitably guarded and protected against disease and what
we term accident, is in itself sufficient to call forth the admiration
of all intelligent beings. We look upon an aged person, say, 70, 80,
90 or 100 years old, and realize that there is a machine, a mechanical
structure—shall we call it a model representing perpetual motion? Not
exactly, but a machine that has been in motion say, 100 years; a
double action pump that has been constantly going, distributing the
fluids of the system by way of keeping up a constant circulation of
the blood; sometimes working very hard to remove obstructions arising
from colds and and other causes to keep the channels from becoming
stopped up, and at other times working slowly. And the functions of
the body are ofttimes kept in such constant use for such a period of
time without the touch of the mechanic to repair a break unless it
may, perchance, be the surgeon's saw to remove a disabled limb that
threatens to encumber the whole  body, or the tying up of a broken
artery to prevent the escape of the vital fluid. But [p.25] otherwise
the most skilful physician is unable to make a single repair or
improve any part or portion of it; and the most he can do is to give
something to be taken into the stomach to effect a chemical change on
the fluids of the system, to neutralize perhaps an excess of the
acids, thus working a change in the quality of the blood, and
consequently a change in the deposits that are being made in all parts
of the system by the circulation of this fluid. But this wonderful
machine is kept in motion by what power? We say it is the power of
God; we say it is in Him we live and move and have our being. And,
yet, He always works through means, all His wonderful works being
performed by agents; but He is not confined to one agent nor any
special method in performing His works. But there is a spirit in this
earthly tabernacle of ours that is relative to our Father and God, and
who is the owner of this tabernacle, and for whom the tabernacle is
organized as his dwelling house. It is this spirit that keeps the
functions of this tabernacle in motion; when this spirit leaves the
body, it is either because the Father calls it away, wishing to use it
in another sphere, considering the time it has spent in this
tabernacle sufficient for the purposes required, and therefore takes
it to a higher school, through special design to do a special work; or
it may be, it has used its tabernacle until it is so worn out that it
has become like a bow which has been long and constantly bent,—it has
lost its elasticity; its bones impaired in strength, its muscles
stiffened, and the whole frame ready, like our old clothes, to be
thrown aside; and the spirit comes to the conclusion that it has had
its run with this old tabernacle and that it is time this old garment
were laid aside for a new one. Our Father comes to this conclusion and
gives the spirit a ticket of leave, and removes it into another
sphere. But this is all necessary as a school for us. The various
pains and sorrows to be endured in life are all necessary in their
time and place; the trials as we term them, are all necessary in their
place, they are all a part of the scheme of education or training to
prepare us for the future. One of the sacred writers, in speaking of
Jesus, said: "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched
with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted
like as we are, yet without sin." And again: "For God giveth not the
spirit by measure unto him." It is measured out to you and me in the
providence of the Lord; but for him there was a storehouse to draw
upon, as it were, without measure. He could continue to heal the sick
and raise the dead and perform great and marvelous things, and yet the
supply of vitality was not in the least abated. Mortals less gifted
and less favored who should be the means of healing many sick by the
power of God, would feel that in taking their infirmities upon them,
they were sinking under the weight, and would want to hie themselves
away to rest and recuperate their exhausted frames. Jesus was an
exception in this respect; he took upon himself our infirmities and
bore our sickness, as had been predicted by Isaiah the prophet. He
truly did heal the sick wherever he went; and some found that if they
could even touch the hem of his garment the disease from which they
suffered could be rebuked; and one instance is given where this was
done, in which case we are told, virtue went out of him. But
notwithstanding [p.26] the great burden that he bore, together with
the vast amount of vitality that was at various times communicated
from him to others, he did not faint under the load; his mortality did
not give way. But no man, unsupported as he was, could have done it
without sinking under this weight; none other could have grappled with
devils and east them out of individuals and held them at bay, as he
did, without suffering from bodily exhaustion, and therefore had to
seek retirement and rest. He, however, waged war constantly, and was
well prepared for this work, having an inexhaustible source of
strength to draw from, the Spirit having been given to him without
measure. But at length the time came when the Father said, You must
succumb, you must be made the offering. And at this dark hour the
power of the Father withdrew itself measurably from him, and he was
left to be taken by his enemies, and, like a lamb, was led to the
slaughter, but he opened not his mouth, because his hour had come. And
when he was led to exclaim in his last agony upon the cross, My God,
my God, why hast thou forsaken me? the Father did not deign to answer;
the time had not yet come to explain it and tell him. But after a
little, when he passed the ordeal, made the sacrifice, and by the
power of God was raised from the dead, then all was clear, all was
explained and comprehended fully. It was necessary that the Father
should thus measurably forsake his Son, leaving him to his enemies,
otherwise they never could have fulfilled what had been prophesied
concerning him. So we may say with others, it is only a sample for us
to reflect upon, that may be equally applicable to us all in our times
and seasons.

Vol. 21, p.26
It is not necessary, in the providence of God, that we should all be
martyrs; it is not necessary that all should suffer death upon the
cross, because it was the will of the Father that Jesus should so
suffer, neither is it necessary that all the Saints of this last
dispensation should perish because our prophet perished, but yet it
may be necessary that some should, that a sufficient number of
faithful witnesses of God and of his Christ should suffer, and even
perish by the hands of their enemies, to prove and show unto the
world—the unbelieving and unthinking—that their testimony is true, and
that they are ready not only to bear testimony in word, but in deed,
to sustain and honor their testimony through their lives; and also in
their death; and greater love than this no man can have for his friend
or for his bosom companion, not even David and Jonathan, whose love
for each other is said to have surpassed the love of woman. No one can
give a stronger assurance of his devotion to the principles he has
received and which he teaches to his fellowman, than to patiently
endure suffering, for their sake, and, if need be, to continue that
suffering and endurance even unto death.

Vol. 21, p.26
In the economy of heaven, it has been deemed necessary, at various
periods of the world's history, that such witnesses of Christ should
suffer death for their testimony's sake, and that others may yet have
to suffer in our own time is probable. Nay, the Scriptures give us
clearly to understand that such will be the case, that more or less
will suffer, but to what extent the servants of the Lord may be called
upon to thus  suffer is not given us to know, nor is it necessary we
should. For what difference does it make when we [p.27] have performed
a good work or so far completed it that the Lord accepts of it and is
willing for us to pass behind the veil, and perhaps gives his consent
whether we go by a bullet or through violence at the hands of our
enemies, or whether it be by a lingering sickness? In most cases the
former would be preferable, so far as we are personally concerned, for
in such the pain and suffering would be slight, although it would be
calculated to shock the sensibilities of living friends who would
mourn over us.

Vol. 21, p.27
In philosophising upon these things, I scarcely have a tremor or
thought or care in relation to the death I may suffer, or when it
shall come, or how it shall come. It matters not when or where or
under what circumstances it may be, my feeling is as it always has
been—it will be all right. I take no more thought or care of this
matter that the infant child does about the preparation of its food.
The Lord cares for us and such matters, and will order them in their
time and season.

Vol. 21, p.27
But there is a principle involved. When a matt is faced by his
enemies, when the wicked conspire against the righteous, threatening
death and destruction if he do not turn truant and deny our God and
obey their behests; all this is calculated to try the faith of the
people and put them to the test, as to whether they have more
confidence in God and his promises, than in his Satanic majesty and
the host of his servants upon the earth, who in many instances offer
them what they have not power to give. They remind me of the devil
when he took the Savior into a high mountain and showed him all the
riches of the earth, promising to give him all he could see if he
would only fall down and worship him. The Savior replied: "It is
written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou
serve." He did not revile him by telling the poor devil that he did
not own anything, that he had not the power to give what he proposed
to; but merely quoted the Scripture referred to, which was applicable
and suitable for the occasion. And I for one propose to obey the
command; and this is all we need say to our enemies when they place us
in similiar circumstances. They may say, "you are a very great people
in your way; you are a very economical and frugal people in your way,
and are predisposed to be peaceful. You have redeemed the desert from
sterility, and built up fine homes, and made roads, railroads, and
telegraph lines, and you possess all the elements and natural
advantages calculated to make a people prosperous and happy, and a
nation great; and there are many good things to commend in you. But
then, you have one evil existing and encouraged among you which we
deplore and which we are desirous and determined to eradicate. Now, if
you will renounce that and cast it from you, we will give you the
right hand of fellowship and be friends, and all the fullness of the
earth is yours; and we will welcome your delegate, your
representatives and your senators to Congress, and we will give them a
seat by our side, and we will even call off our dogs of war, and
withdraw our governor, and judges and marshals and attorneys whom we
send to harrass you, and also the little cur dogs that follow along
barking at your heels; we will call them off, and let you possess the
earth in peace if you will only deny your principles and lay aside
those which we pronounce to be evil, and fall down and worship God as
we do." Whether we will [p.28] be true in all these things; whether we
have the same confidence in God, the God we serve, who has led us all
our lives and been true to us in all conditions and circumstances, and
to the promises made to us up to the present time; whether we will
still trust in him, and face the cannon's mouth, if need be, or face
death in any form it may come, or imprisonment, if that form of
treatment is preferred, or anything that they have power to inflict
upon us, rather than deny our God. "How far will they go," says one? I
answer, just as far as our Father permits them, and no farther. He has
set bounds to the waves of the ocean and he has also set bounds to the
wrath of the wicked. He controls the elements that war in the
heavens,—the fearful thunderstorm—that darkens the firmament and that
shakes the earth with its roar, the vivid lightnings that add terror
to the scene, the tumultuous waves that leap and dash in the fury of
the gale, and the earthquake that bellows forth its lurid flames,
which make men tremble at the gaze. But He speaks, and all is still;
the thunders are hushed, the clouds dispersed, the lightnings cease
and the belching of the earthquake is heard no more; all is peace and
quiet. So with the wrath of man and of nations that may be heard
raging in the midst of the wicked, under the control of the prince and
power of the air, who works and controls in the midst of discordant
kings and rulers who array themselves against each other. Nations are
at loggerheads, and war is proclaimed; the energies of war are set in
array, and misery and death stalk in their wake. And again by some
slight means, the Lord changes the fate of nations and turns the
fortunes of war, and changes the tide of events, and all human
calculations fail. He causes some angel of his to put some obstruction
in the way of the march of some general and his army so that he
arrives, perhaps, at the scene of battle five minutes too late; he
causes a chariot wheel to fall off or some slight accident to happen
to an engine of destruction, and the best calculations of the
shrewdest officer and the proudest king fall; and their works come to
nought. He sets up and pulls down men and nations at his pleasure. He
did this in the case of the first great and proud monarch of the
world—the King of Babylon who swayed universal sceptre upon the earth.
He was a strong-minded, and strong-willed and haughty monarch; but God
taught him by an extraordinary and humiliating experience to know that
the Lord, the Most High God rules in the heavens and also controls the
affairs of men as it pleases him. And his hitter experience God caused
to be written as a warning to kings and rulers and the great ones of
the earth; and they are lessons of warning equally appropriate to
every human soul.

Vol. 21, p.28
I have occupied more time than I intended or thought I could. I pray
God to bless us in all our labors, that union, peace and love may
abide in your midst and in your habitations, and that prosperity may
attend you in your business, that the difficulties which annoy you and
impede your progress may be removed and the dark clouds that to-day
seem to hang over your heads, be dispersed and the genial warmth of
the sun's rays again be felt among you, that the hearts of the Saints
may be cheered, and those who feel the weight and responsibility of
carrying on the work you have so nobly  [p.29] undertaken, be
encouraged and relieved from any apprehensions they might have felt in
consequence of the misfortunes and losses you have recently sustained,
which may God grant, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

John Taylor, April 9, 1879

All Temporal Concerns Need the Attention of the Saints—
We Should Prepare for the Evils Coming Upon the Earth
—Co-Operation and the United Order—Functions
 of the Two Priesthoods—Home Manufactures

Delivered at the Semi-Annual Conference, Held in the
 Tabernacle Salt Lake City, April 9, 1879.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs.)

Vol. 21, p.29
It has been very properly remarked that we are becoming a great
people; and there are a great many interests of a temporal, as well as
spiritual nature, that must necessarily be attended to—in fact it had
been so contemplated from the beginning. We talk sometimes of earthly
things: at other times we speak of heavenly things. Sometimes we speak
of things pertaining to time, and at other times of things pertaining
to eternity. We have to do with both or we could not have been here.
And being here it is proper we should come to a right understanding in
regard to the position we occupy; and especially that we should
comprehend our duties relating to our temporal affairs and by acting
truthfully, honorably and conscientiously avoid so much annoyance,
trouble, litigation and difficulty that so frequently exists. In
relation to the Gospel of the Son of God, it gives us information
pertaining to our existence and to our general relationship to God and
to each other, pointing out our various duties and responsibilities.
Associated with it is a priesthood which among other things is to
promulgate the will of God to the ends of the earth; it has taught us
principles pertaining to our future, both in relation to the living
and the dead, relative to the present, past and future. We talk a
great deal about our Gospel, about our spiritual affairs; we have our
church organized according to certain principles associated therewith.
We [p.30] have a priesthood organization, embracing our Stake
organization; we have organizations pertaining to spiritual things, if
you may so call them, and also for temporal things, for we have to do
both with time and with eternity, both with earthly and with heavenly
things, and consequently it is necessary we should be interested in
all. When we reflect upon our position, there is something peculiar
associated with it. At first the Elders of this Church were told to go
forth and preach the Gospel to every creature; then they were
instructed to gather together those who believed. According to the
Scriptures, "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." We are
gathered together; but being gathered together there is something more
than spirituality associated with our existence. We brought our bodies
with us when we came, and we necessarily have to eat and drink and to
have houses to live in, etc.; in fact, we require the common
necessaries of life just as much as any other people. And then, if we
have children, as Bishop Hunter says, "there are none of them born
with shoes and stockings;" but these things have to be provided.
Furthermore, being gathered together, we necessarily form a body
politic, if you please, and we cannot help ourselves if we would; but
we do not want to. We frame laws according to the usage of the nation
we are associated with; for being here and finding ourselves in the
territory of the United States, we necessarily have had to organize a
government which has assumed a territorial form; and that means a
legislature with its enactments and all the various adjuncts of a
government. Laws have to be made, officers must be created to execute
those laws; and we necessarily become an integral part of these United
States, and have to perform all the political functions associated
therewith.

Vol. 21, p.30
These things naturally flow unto us, and they will continue to grow
and increase, if it be true what the Scriptures say, and if it be true
what many of our brethren have preached to you since the assembling of
this Conference. Then it becomes a matter for us to reflect upon that
we understand our true position, how we can best sustain ourselves
religiously, socially, politically and financially, and among other
lessons learn to produce at home those articles we stand in need of.

Vol. 21, p.30
We have been brought up in the world, and have imbibed many ideas in
common with mankind generally pertaining to commerce, trade and
manufactures. But we need the inspiration of the Almighty in all of
the affairs of life; for we profess emphatically to be the people of
God, and as it is with us in our religion so it ought to be with our
politics, our trade and manufactures. They ought, in all things, to be
subservient to one grand principle, and that is the acknowledgment of
God and his laws. Permit me here to state that before the revelations
of God to man in these last days, there were no people that had a
correct knowledge of God, that we have any knowledge of, anywhere upon
the earth. All were without prophecy, without revelation, without a
knowledge of the doctrine or ordinances of the Gospel. And to whom are
we indebted for a knowledge of these things? Certainly not to
ourselves, and as assuredly not to any earthly body or system  in
existence. We are indebted alone to God for a [p.31] knowledge of
these things; through His revelations made first by himself and by his
well beloved Son, and then by the ministering of holy angels, by
communication from the heavens to the earth. We are indebted to him
for all the light and intelligence we possess in relation to these
things. What did we know about the first principles of the Gospel?
Nothing. What did we know about the gathering, or about Zion, or about
the ordinances of the Gospel or about the holy priesthood? Nothing at
all. Nor did we know anything about the building of Temples, or about
the mode of administering in them until directed by the Almighty; it
was He who revealed the necessity of the construction of those sacred
edifices and the mode of administering therein. What does the outside
world know about, these things? Nothing. And if they had our Temples
they could not administer therein. We are indebted to God alone for
the light and intelligence we have received.

Vol. 21, p.31
Again in regard to political matters, where is there a nation to-day,
under the face of the whole heavens that is under the guidance and
direction of the Lord in the management of their public affairs? You
cannot find one. It is true that the founders of this nation, as a
preliminary step for the introduction of more correct principles and
that liberty and the rights of man might be recognized, and that all
men might become equal before the law of the land, had that great
palladium of liberty, the Constitution of the United States, framed.
This was the entering wedge for the introduction of a new era, and in
it were introduced principles for the birth and organization of a new
world. The Prophet Joseph Smith said that "The Constitution of the
United States was given by the inspiration of God." But good, virtuous
and holy principles may be perverted by corrupt and wicked men. The
Lord was opposed by Satan, Jesus had his Judas, and this nation
abounds with traitors who ignore that sacred palladium of liberty and
seek to trample it under foot. Joseph Smith said they would do so, and
that when deserted by all, the elders of Israel would rally around its
shattered fragments and save and preserve it inviolate. But even this,
good as it was, was not a perfect instrument; it was one of those
stepping stones to a future development in the progress of a man to
the intelligence and light, the power and union that God alone can
impart to the human family. And while we acknowledge, as citizens of
the United States, the laws and institutions thereof (which by the way
are very easily complied with), we have a higher law, more noble
principles, ideas that are more elevated and expansive; principles
that reach to the whole human family, and which he will continue to
reveal to us. Does that prevent us from obeying the laws of the land?
Certainly not. But then, is that a perfect system? I do not think that
many of you will say it is, nor do I think that the people of the
United States of any political party will tell you it is. I do not
wish to cast any reflections or refer to any events that have taken
place; I am merely speaking on religious principles, and principles
too in which we as Latter-day Saints are interested. We are united,
then, as a body politic, as an integral part of this Government, and
it becomes our duty to submit to the laws and institutions of that
Government—to all that are constitutional, framed [p.32] and based
upon correct principles, and not in violation of what the fathers of
the country instituted.

Vol. 21, p.32
But have we any higher aim than this? We have. Do any object If so why
should they? Do we in anywise interfere with any man's rights,
Government, or make war upon any parties? No, but we are interested in
the preservation of justice, equality and the rights of man in the
developement of peace, the further establishment of correct, more
elevated, refined and exalted principles, in placing ourselves in at
position more in accordance with things as they exist in the heavens,
for the welfare and happiness of the human family. God has given unto
us certain principles which we feel bound to observe. Is there
anything wrong in this? I think not. We have all kinds of institutions
here in the United States and in other nations, such as Odd Fellows,
Free Masons, and others; and they have a right to their ideas and
manner of doing things as long as they observe the laws, and so have
we, and have a right to be protected also in those rights. But to say
we must stand still is a thing not connected with our creed. if others
do not desire to accompany or keep pace with us, we must still go on
under the guidance of the Lord. As was said of ancient Israel, "The
Lord is our God, the Lord is our king, the Lord is our judge; and he
shall rule over us," so we say. We need information and revelation in
regard to our religious matters, we also need information,
intelligence and revelation in regard to our political, social and all
temporal matters. If we humble ourselves and purify ourselves, and
magnify our callings as the Elders of Israel, according to the
Scriptures, we will yet teach the princes of this world wisdom and
their kings know edge and understanding; for these things that are
spoken of will assuredly come to pass when "out of Zion shall go forth
the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." The purposes of God
shall yet be fulfilled in relation to these matters; God's work will
most assuredly progress, until "the kingdoms of this world shall
become the kingdoms of our God and his Christ, and he will rule for
ever and ever," not in war, not in confusion and strife and
discussions, not in evil and corruption; but in the interests of
humanity, according to the laws of life and in accordance with the
intelligence that dwells in the bosoms of the Gods, and in the
interests of a fallen world.

Vol. 21, p.32
Now we come to other matters pertaining to our mercantile
associations, I might talk further about our social relations, etc.,
however, these are subjects we hear a good deal about; we are pretty
well in formed in relation to them. The information we have pertaining
to our associations with our wives, and wives with their husbands has
been revealed to us by God, and we are striving to carry out those
eternal principles,—principles that will exalt us, our progenitors and
our posterity in the celestial kingdom, where we can enjoy the
presence of God and that of the celestial hosts who have gone before

Vol. 21, p.32
We come again to our temporal interests. Has the world been our
exemplar with regard to any of these things that I have mentioned. No,
the Lord has been our teacher, He has been our guide and director;
without him we could have accomplished nothing, for we knew no more
naturally than anybody else did.

Vol. 21, p.33
In relation to temporal things. Are we capable, as Latter-day Saints,
of [p.33] fulfilling our destiny on the earth, and procuring a full
temporal salvation and sustaining ourselves, on temporal principles
without the interposition of the Almighty? I tell you no, we are not,
no more than we are in regard to any other things. We read in the
Scriptures of a time that is coming when there will be a howling among
the merchants in Babylon, for men will not be found to buy their
merchandise. This is in accordance with the prediction of John the
Revelator. And the gold and the silver and the fine linen, etc., in
Babylon will be of no avail. But before that time comes, we as a
people must prepare for those events, that we may be able to live and
sustain ourselves when in the midst of convulsions that by and by will
overtake the nations of the earth, and among others, this nation. The
time that is spoken of is not very far distant. "He that will not take
up his sword against his neighbor, must needs flee to Zion for
safety." And Zion herself must flee to the God of Israel and hide
herself in the shadow of his wing, seeking for his guidance and
direction to lead her in the right path, both as regards spiritual and
temporal affairs; things social and things political, and everything
pertaining to human existence. We are not prepared as a people today
for the accomplishment of this object; we need the interposition and
guidance of the Almighty. It is just as necessary that we he under his
guidance in relation to these matters, as it is in regard to any other
matters. Who made the earth? The same being that made the heavens. Who
made our bodies? The same being that made our souls; and it takes the
"body and the spirit to make the soul of man." We need not arrogate to
ourselves any particular intelligence,  whether of mercantile,
manufacturing, chemical or scientific nature, for if there is anything
good or intelligent, it is the Lord who has imparted it, whether man
acknowledge it or not. We want to acknowledge the Lord in all things,
temporal as well as spiritual.

Vol. 21, p.33
I wish now more directly to touch upon some other principles
associated therewith. Some of us seem to be very much confused in our
minds as to how we shall operate in regard to temporal affairs. We
have brought with us the feelings, views and ideas of the people from
whence we came, which are conflicting, and which tend to
disintegration and division, and lead to covetousness and fraud, which
ought not to have an existence among the Saints of God. We have
advertisements published in our newspapers by the Latter-day Saints
too, things that are infamous, that are untrue, that are a shame and a
disgrace among honorable people, and stand as a living lie. The
community at large should not countenance such things as we see daily
in our papers to attract the attention of the unwary and bring what
they call grists to their mill, in the interest of the individual. We
as a people are not called together to act in individual interests; we
are called together as Saints of God to operate in the interests of
the Zion of God, for the welfare of Israel, and not let ourselves
float along with the balance, and all swim together, or all sink
together. We ought to be governed by principles of union, fellowship
and right feeling, carrying out honorable and upright principles that
should be acknowledged before God, the holy angels and all honorable
men.

Vol. 21, p.33
Now after speaking so much upon general principles, let me touch upon
some things referred to here about  [p.34] these reports, etc. We have
long talked about the united order and about co-operation; and we have
started in a good deal like some of our little boys when they begin to
run—we have made a great many stumbles in this matter. Little Willie
and Annie often think they can manage things better than Daddy and
Mammy; and we, like them, have assumed to ourselves strength, and the
first thing we know are pulling this way, that way and the other.
Then, have the institutions been exactly right? No, all kinds of
foolishness and all kinds of blunderings have occurred in their
administration. But shall we quit I think not; that is just what the
devil would like, just what many of our merchants want, and it would
be the very thing that would suit the world, and the devil would laugh
at us. What we want to do is to purge out the things that are wrong,
and correct them and place them upon a correct basis, and then adhere
to them as we would any other part of our religion. In the Church, if
a man lies or swears, or commits adultery, or does anything wrong, we
deal with him according to the laws of the Church. But because men do
wrong, we do not abandon our principles, nor leave the Church, but we
turn such individuals out that will not be righted, and we aim to
adjust all things and place them on a proper basis. Why not do the
same in temporal things? We have, for instance, Zion's Co-operative
Mercantile Institution; it is called the Parent Institution, and it
ought to be the parent of all these institutions and act as a father
and protecter and benefactor, doing all it can to promote the welfare
and prosperity of the people. And then the people, on the other hand,
ought to protect it and sustain it by doing their business through
that institution and act prudently, wisely, orderly and unitedly in
regard to these matters, that we may be one; for our revelations tell
us, If we are not one, we are not the Lord's. And if we are not the
Lord's, whose are we?

Vol. 21, p.34
We talk sometimes about the United Order. I do not propose to read to
you on this occasion from any of the revelations bearing on this
subject, but will quote to you in substance from one of them. The Lord
has told us that those who would not comply with the requirements
connected with this order should have their names erased from the book
of the law of God, and their genealogies must not be found on any
church records or history, their names shall not be found nor the
names of the fathers, nor the names of the children written in the
book of the Law of God. These words are to us, Latter-day Saints; they
are true and are binding upon us.

Vol. 21, p.34
Another thing; what did we do when President Young was among us,
urging these things upon us? Did we not enter into covenant by
re-baptism to be subject to the Priesthood in temporal as well as
spiritual things, when we took upon ourselves the obligations of the
United Order? Let me ask you, what do we mean by doing this? Is it a
mere form, a farce, or do we intend to carry out the covenants we
made? I tell you in the name of Israel's God they will be carried out,
and no man can plow around these things, for God has decreed that they
shall be accomplished; and any man who sets himself in opposition to
these principles which God has established, he will root him out; but
the principle itself will not  be rooted out, for God will see that it
is accomplished. And in [p.35] the name of Israel's God we will help
him to do it; and all who feel to do it, say amen. (The large
congregation responded with a loud, "Amen.")

Vol. 21, p.35
We have started co-operative institutions, and I will touch on a
principle now, showing how they ought to be governed. God has ordained
two priesthoods upon the earth—the Melchisedec and the Aaronic. The
Melchisedec presides more especially over the spiritual affairs of the
Church, and has done in all ages when it has existed upon the earth.
You will find this provided for in the Doctrine and Covenants; you can
hunt it up at your leisure, I do not wish to stop to make the
quotation now. The Aaronic priesthood is presided over by the
presiding bishop. If we had a literal descendant of Aaron he would
have a right to preside over the bishopric, and to operate and manage
and direct these things without the aid of counselors. In the absence
of such men the Lord has directed us to take men from the high
priesthood and set them apart to be bishops to administer in temporal
things. This Aaronic priesthood is an appendage to the Melchisedec
priesthood, and its province is to administer in temporal affairs. One
reason why we want men of this class to administer in temporal things
is because there is a special provision made for it. Nevertheless a
High Priest that is after the order of Melchisedec may be set apart to
administer in temporal things, having a knowledge of them by the
Spirit of truth. And before a man attempts to administer in Zion in
temporal things, he ought to obtain a knowledge of that spirit of
truth to administer according to the intelligence which that spirit of
truth imparts. Thus we have the Aaronic priesthood in its place; the
Melchisedec priesthood in its place. And in all the various functions
it is necessary to enter into all the various organizations. it is on
one or two particular points that I wish to speak now.

Vol. 21, p.35
In the first place the Lord requires certain things to be done to meet
his approbation; and everything has to be done under the direction of
the presidency of the Twelve, both temporal things and spiritual
things. The bishops and the presidents of Stakes and all the officers
in the Church of God are subject to this authority and they cannot get
around it. And when any officer of this Church who by virtue of his
calling does things without counselling with the proper authorities of
the Church, he takes upon himself things that he has no right to do,
and such a course cannot be acceptable before God and the Priesthood.

Vol. 21, p.35
Now then, we come to the bishopric. Ought the bishops to be consulted
in regard to temporal things? Yes, they ought. And as an example, let
me tell you that for the last year Bishop Hunter has associated with
the Council of the Twelve whenever they have met to consider temporal
matters. And I may say we have been pleased to have his company,
because it was his place to understand the position of temporal
things, that we may know his feelings, and counsel with him and he
with us, that everything may be done according to the order and laws
of God, that there may be perfect unanimity. With this view he was
placed as one of the counselors to the Trustee-in-Trust—because the
Trustee-in-Trust thought it belonged to him to hold that position, and
thinks so to-day. But then, does he preside over the Melchisedec
Priesthood? No, he does not. Who [p.36] and what is he? A high priest
ordained and set apart to the bishopric. By whom? The Presidency. Does
he control the Presidency? No, he is set apart by them; as bishop he
is an appendage to the higher priesthood, and does not control it. No
man controls it. I remember a remark made on one occasion by Joseph
Smith, in speaking with Bishop Partridge, who was then Bishop. He was
a splendid good man, as Bishop Hunter is. But he got some crooked
ideas into his head; he thought he ought to manage some things
irrespective of Joseph, which caused Joseph to speak rather sharply to
him. Joseph said, I wish you to understand that I am President of this
Church, and I am your president, and I preside over you and all your
affairs. Is that correct doctrine? Yes. It was true then and it is
true, to-day.

Vol. 21, p.36
Well, it is necessary that we should have an understanding of these
things, that we may make no mistakes in our administration. I want,
then, in all our operations to confer with our bishops. And if this
institution of ours is "Zion's Co-operative," then it should be under
the direction of Zion, under the direction of the Priesthood; and if
it is not "Zion's" Co-operative, then it is a living lie. But do we
wish to interfere with them? No, we do not. Do we wish to interrupt
them in any of their operations? No, we want to help them; we want to
unite them and all the people into one, with God at our head, governed
by the holy priesthood. Have they rights? Yes. Do we respect them?
Yes. Have the people rights? Yes. Shall the people be respected in
their rights Yes, they shall, all the people in all the Stakes; and
while we sustain them they must sustain us; and if they expect to have
our support, they must give us theirs.

Vol. 21, p.36
Having said so much, I will tell you that I believe sincerely that the
men managing our Co-operative Institution are doing just as well as
they know how. And I will state further, that I don't know of any
persons in this community who know how better than they do. And I have
been now for some time associated with them, and am acquainted with
their proceedings.

Vol. 21, p.36
There are other principles besides this; we want to learn to
manufacture our own goods. And while on the one hand we use the best
talent and financial ability we can get to attend to our mercantile
institutions; on the other hand, we need to cherish a spirit to
encourage home manufactures of every kind, and we want to get this
institution to help us do it. If we manufacture cloths and boots and
shoes or anything else, we want the institution to dispose of our
goods. If we need encouragement in regard to the introduction of any
manufactures of any kind, we want them to help us, and we have a right
to expect this of them so far as is wise, prudent and legitimate. I
will state that the directors of Z. C. M. I. feel interested in the
very things that I am talking about, and I say it to their credit and
for your satisfaction. I do not think there is an institution in the
United States in a better condition than that is today; and it is
improving all the time, not after any fictitious manner, but on a
solid, firm, reliable basis. Now then, I have proposed to these
brethren, which they quite coincide with, that when they shall be able
to pay a certain amount as dividends on the means invested, after
reserving a sufficient amount; to preserve the institution intact
against any sudden emergency that [p.37] may arise, which is proper
among all wise and intelligent men, that then the profits of the
institution outside of this, should be appropriated for the
development of the home manufactures, the making of machinery, the
introduction of self-sustaining principles and the building up of the
Territory generally, and they acquiesced in this feeling; and I say it
to their honor and credit. And I will tell you again that the Church
has got a large interest in that institution, consequently we wish to
see everything go aright, not on any wild erratic principle, but on a
solid, firm, reliable basis, that can be carried out and that will
elicit the admiration and confidence of all good and honorable men.

Vol. 21, p.37
Sometimes little difficulties have arisen outside through interested
individuals who have resorted to a good deal of trickery; other times
perhaps from just causes. And I will say too that complaints have been
made that we have not sufficiently sustained our home manufactures. I
will say however that the Institution has stood in a very delicate
position. We have been struggling with the financial crisis that has
cast a gloom over all this nation for the last number of years—since
1873. But we are now getting into a solid firm position, and when we
declared 3 per cent. for the six months dividend, it was because the
Institution was able to do so. And when we are able to extend this a
little farther we will be quite willing to do so.

Vol. 21, p.37
Some of the complaints that have been made against the institution we
have heard; and we have thought best to have a board and refer to that
board any complaints that might be made from any part of the
Territory. This board that has been temporarily organized has given us
these various reports which have been read in your hearing, which
indicate their views and feelings in regard to these things. We wish a
board of that kind to be organized upon a correct basis according to
the order of this Church and Kingdom of God; and then as the people
throughout the Territory send to purchase their goods from them, let
the people that make these purchases be represented; and if there is
anything not straight in their operations let them be made straight.
And this is what this committee is for, that the people may be
protected as well as the Institution.

Vol. 21, p.37
Then Stake organizations are recommended, with a representative from
each Stake at the general or central board, and it will make it much
more pleasant for the management of that Institution to have a
criticism of that kind. And it will also tend to allay many of these
foolish things which are frequently put in circulation in different
parts of the Territory. The object then, of this Board is that the
people may be represented, and that Zion's Cooperative may also be
properly represented, that it may serve as a balance wheel to adjust
and correct any matters of difficulty that may arise.

Vol. 21, p.37
I am happy to say that in many parts of the Territory they are
introducing the manufacture of leather and boots and shoes and a
variety of other articles. And suffice it to say that, according to
these reports, the Parent Institution has sustained the manufacturers
of these home-made articles quite liberally; and we want it to be in
that position that everything we use can be bought there. This is,
too, the feeling in relation to this matter. And when we get things
into a proper fix we will pull with a long pull and a strong pull
[p.38] and a pull altogether. We will strive to be one; and if we
cannot go so far as to sustain co-operation in regard to these things,
how in the name of common sense are we ever going into the United
Order? But we will begin with this, and then co-operate in all the
different Stakes, not only in your merchandising, but in your
manufacturing affairs and in your producing affairs; and in every
thing it will be the duty of this general Board of Trade to regulate
the interests of the whole community, honestly and faithfully, at
least we will do it according to the best ability we have; and if
there should any mistakes arise, we will try to correct them; if they
are on the part of the people, we will talk to them about it, if on
the part of the institution, we will talk to its management about it.
And we will keep working and operating until we succeed in introducing
and establishing these things that God has desired, and until Zion
shall be a united people and the glory of all the earth.

Vol. 21, p.38
God bless you and lead you in the path of life, in the name of Jesus.
Amen.

H. W. Naisbitt, November 23, 1879

Salvation Dependent Upon Effort and Progress
—We Should not Be Discouraged By Difficulty

Delivered in the 13th Ward Meeting House,
 Salt Lake City November 23rd, 1879.

(Reported by John Irvine.)

Vol. 21, p.38
My brethren and sisters: I can say that I have had some very pleasant
and interesting reflections while listening to Brother Fowler's
remarks, and think the purpose for which we have met this evening has
been a success. I have felt that I have been fed, that I have been
blessed, and that I shall carry with me more or less of the influence
and spirit of those remarks, and upon reflection we all understand
that this is really the purpose for which we come together.

Vol. 21, p.38
Mormonism, in a sense, is opposed to formality. All that there is
associated with it is meant for use, and there are results expected to
accrue from all the practices of the Church that have been established
by revelation, and everything is  intended to aid in the great work
[p.39] which we call salvation. To be sure, that is a very common
word, it is a word that we are all familiar with, it is something that
we have heard from the time that we were children, from the time that
we went to Sabbath school, and before we went there, and after we
attained to youth and manhood. But in the light of the Gospel how
narrow and contracted and how offensive the word in its sectarian
sense becomes to us, so much so that many of us scarcely like to use
it; we would prefer to use another expression which more thoroughly
carries with it all the ideas associated with the reception and
practice of the Gospel.

Vol. 21, p.39
Our memory has been cited to the fact that during the history of this
Church, and during the history of the primitive church, there were
those who possessed the spirit of unbelief, there were those who
became more or less indifferent and negligent in regard to that which
they received, and we have been referred to the history of those who
have fallen from this Church—men who have seen great things, men who
have had wonderful experiences, men whom we might have considered as
stable as the eternal hills by virtue of that experience. Now what is
the difficulty in such cases? What is the difficulty in any cases, in
your case, and in my case, when we lose an interest in the things
pertaining to the kingdom of God? Is it a healthy sign? or is it not
rather, if continued, a sign of approximating death? Is the man or the
woman who are alive to their duties—are they those who apostatize? Is
it the faithful man or the active, stirring woman, who are laboring
earnestly, following the practice and principles of the Gospel, that
leave the Church? No, it is not, but it is those who, from some cause
or other, become cold, heartless, indifferent, and neglectful of their
duties.

Vol. 21, p.39
Salvation, in its largest aspect, consists in the proportion of truth
received; men and women only are saved in proportion to the truth
which they appropriate. An ignorant man will only obtain the salvation
which belongs to the ignorant. The idler will only obtain that
salvation which belongs to an idle man. Is it not "the hand of the
diligent that maketh rich?" and there are parallels running through
all the actions of the Saints in a religious sense similar to those
which run through the actions of men in a social sense, even down to
the lowest details of human life, into every avenue of life, in every
direction in which human happiness is involved, constituting as they
do in their entirety that which is spoken by the Apostle Paul, "how
shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?" I presume, if I am
to judge by my experience, that every man and every woman realizes
that it is just in proportion to our experience, our use of the
opportunities of life, our understanding of the principles involved,
that we are successful. If you find a man who essays to be a merchant,
who desires the accumulation of wealth, you will find a mast who
points his energies in that direction. He is a man who not only looks
at things in general but at things in detail; he not only looks at his
business as a whole but he looks at it in its parts; and if he were to
abstain or refrain from a consideration of the details which insure
success the probability is that he would find himself in the courts of
liquidation. Many a man, fortunate in a a mercantile sense, has gone
to the wall through carelessness in regard to little things as boxes,
paper, time, etc., through trival waste that every [p.40]  prudent man
would be disposed to notice; but the successful merchant in almost any
instance—and these instances are the exception and not the rule, is
the man who is economical, prudent and careful of the details of his
business. If you go into our houses, and you take our girls that are
grown up, and they are unable to bake bread, unable to cook a potato,
unable to wash and attend to all the duties which belong to domestic
life, how much of a domestic salvation will they receive? What
attraction will there be for the husband, working away in the battle
of life, when he comes home to find that rest which is so desirable?
Our domestic salvation depends upon attention to the details which lie
at the foundation of domestic happiness, and there can be no peace in
the domestic circle where there is a lack of intelligence, there can
be no success only where the good housewife masters the details of her
daily life.

Vol. 21, p.40
As it is in these two every day yet diverse instances of life, so also
it is in all other directions, and the same principle is just as
prominent and just as applicable to the details of our most holy
faith. You go out into the missionary field and preach the Gospel of
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. After you have finished your
discourse some one may come up to you and say, "my friend, I believe
the doctrine which you teach, I acknowledge the existence of the
Deity, I believe in the message of his son, I understand the necessity
of obedience to the first principles—including baptism." But mark when
a man has been baptized if he becomes careless and indifferent and
says "Well, I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints to this extent." In your estimation now, what would be the
amount of salvation that man would receive? Why, he might receive the
remission of his sins and that is all he is entitled to, but the
salvation which belongs to the ordinance of the "laying on of hands"
would form no part of his blessings. But supposing he advances a step
further and says: "Having done so well I would like to enjoy a little
more of the blessings," and he goes and receives the laying on of
hands. He feels the promptings of the spirit of intelligence from
above, he rejoices in its influence; it suggests, persuades counsels,
and advises. Supposing that under the operations of this spirit he
should turn a deaf ear to its promptings—suppose that it prompts him
to go in one direction and he feels to run the other, suppose that he
should resist this influence, how much of a salvation in that respect
would he receive? For instance, you are all aware of the power of the
spirit, or rather the impulse it gives to gathering. We have all felt
this. It has been a part of our experience when we have been under the
influence of that spirit; we desired to associate with the Saints in a
local capacity in their general assemblies, and in a larger sense we
have been desirous of gathering with them to the great gathering place
wherever that may be. Suppose that spirit of gathering is resisted,
and a man says "Well, I have got a good situation here, a nice little
home, I enjoy the society in which I mingle"—and he continues in that
course, how on earth or heaven or any where else, can that man get the
special and particular salvation which belongs to gathering? It cannot
be done; it is not in the nature of things. If he would enjoy that
salvation he must absorb the  principle of gathering until it grows
and blossoms into life. And there are those even in [p.41] this
Territory who, when they get among the Saints believe that all the
purposes of their holy religion have been served in their experience,
and they set themselves down and say, "Well now, I will endeavor to
get for myself a good home; I will try to make myself comfortable; I
will spread out on the right hand and on the left; and as for some
duties which pertain to my religion—well, I have not time to attend to
them, they absorb too much of my attention, and I will give my life to
making myself and family comfortable." They think that because they
have been baptized, because they enjoy the spirit of the Lord through
the laying on of hands, because they have forsaken fatherland and come
to the mountains, that, therefore, they are sure of "the great
salvation" which the Gospel brings. Why, it is all a mistake. They
will get the salvation which is necessary consequent upon the truth
which they have absorbed and put into practice; no more and no less.

Vol. 21, p.41
Again, we find that some of our people when Christmas comes round will
begin to make excuses in regard to their tithing. Now, tithing is one
of the eternal principles which pertains to the order of God. But a
man goes up to his Bishop and says, "Well now, it's all I can do to
make both ends meet; the necessities of my family, the
responsibilities and cares that belong to the position in which I
move, compel me to use all the income I receive, and it scarcely
suffices to serve my wants." Do you believe that that man will ever
enjoy that particular portion of salvation which belongs to those who
promptly pay their tithes to the Lord? No, it cannot be done; that man
never can enjoy the special and peculiar blessing that belongs to all
those who pay their tithing.

Vol. 21, p.41
You go into a man's house and you find there disorder, children
disputing, the wives—two or three as the case may be—at loggerheads
(to use a rather vulgar expression) in fact the spirit of peace has
fled from the hearthstone, what salvation in a domestic sense does
that man enjoy? Is that the outcome of the order of family government,
or rather was it not instituted to promote peace and harmony, so that
we might have a type of the great heaven which we desire to enjoy in
the not far distant future? The man who would have domestic salvation
has got to work for it. He must understand the nature of the element
with which he deals, he must so manipulate that it will bring forth
the domestic salvation which he earnestly seeks. But supposing a man
has got the peace he desires in this respect, yet in the morning as in
the evening the song of prayer or praise is never heard in his house.
Now there is a certain position of domestic salvation which pertains
to the carrying out of these ideas and principles which we have
received that cannot be secured by any other process, and the man who
neglects to have family prayers, and to induce and persuade his family
to join in, has lost one of the great elements which operate and
secure for him and his, domestic salvation.

Vol. 21, p.41
Well, now, there are some who attend to all these duties; but still
there are a great many other principles that require to be observed. A
man, for instance, has got the wife of his youth and a little family
growing up, yet there is a principle in the Church of Christ called
patriarchal marriage, and many a woman in regard to this will say to
her husband, "Now let us be satisfied to leave well enough alone. If
your family circle is enlarged, you will increase your responsibility,
and [p.42] there is great risk connected with the introduction of a
foreign element in your family. It is true there may be peace, but it
is far more likely that there will be contention or division." Now, is
there any advantage in the practice of the patriarchal order? That is
the question. If there is—and I know there is, inspite of any
difficulty connected therewith—how can you expect to enjoy any benefit
which accrues from the practice of this eternal principle and yet
remain in neglect or disobedience of that principle. It cannot be
done. A great many think that it can, and they will employ all manner
of subterfuge to back up their position. They will read the revelation
on the subject, and they will construe and misconstrue all that it
says, in order to justify themselves in the position which they have
assumed; but every man and every woman may rest satisfied that the
blessings which flow from this order of the Church of Christ cannot be
secured by any other process than the one pointed out by Divine
authority. "But," says one, "I have known in my experience where
difficulties have originated through the practice of this principle."
Very true. Have you never known of difficulties originating in any
other direction or arising from the practice of any other principle?
Were there no difficulties set before you when you were baptized? Were
there no difficulties presented before you when you thought of
gathering? Were there no difficulties in your way when you endeavored
to make your feet fast in the valleys of the mountains? Is it not
difficulties that make the man? Is it not difficulties that make the
woman? Is it not those circumstances and changes of life that call
forth every energy and arouse us to continued action so that we may
ensure success? In the common walks of life we are accustomed to
notice men and women who pride themselves in the assurance that where
others have failed they have brought forth success. The same idea is
applicable to many in the direction of the patriarchal order. Where a
man has failed in one or some other given direction, that failure
should be an impetus to his neighbor, requiring and stirring him to
use all his ability so as to secure success.

Vol. 21, p.42
Now when I was in the old world I met a great many of the brethren
there wire were engaged like myself in the work of the ministry, and
whenever I met a man of the character I have described I invariably
found that he was shorn of power, that he did not carry with him that
full influence which a missionary of the Gospel should carry; at all
events he had not that influence which practice and experience gives
in this direction and I have imagined a case to myself sometimes. In
going into any small town or country village, into the midst of those
peculiar influences which exist in England, you will find an audience
congregated on the village green or elsewhere listening to the
missionary. Alter he is through with his discourse a man steps up and
says, I have heard the remarks you have made; I believe in the
principles that you advocate; but I am at the mercy of the squire, or
of the Lord of the Manor here, or the owner of this coal pit, or the
one who runs this factory, and if I should embrace the doctrine that
you preach I should be turned out of my cottage; I should lose the
opportunity of earning my bread, my boys and girls would be thrown out
of employment, and I should soon be all astray in a financial and
industrial sense." [p.43] What does the elder say in a case of that
kind? He says, "My friend I hear all your argument. It is very good,
that is so far as it goes, but the Lord has promised to take care of
his Saints; he has promised that when one door shuts another shall
open; and he has declared by revelation that it is his business to
provide for his Saints; and now if you will go down in humility and be
baptized and associate yourselves with the church and kingdom of God
upon the earth your way will be opened before you." The elder believes
what he is advocating. The man goes down and is baptized, and sure
enough directly it comes to his employer's ears, he receives a week's
notice to quit his work, or quit his cottage, as the case may be. He
pulls a long face when the elder comes round again, but the elder
says, "never mind, all will come out right; exercise your faith; trust
in Providence; do what is right and let the consequence follow." Soon
after this the man gets a good situation and an advance of a few
shillings per week probably; the Lord has blessed him, he has opened
up his way before him, and the words of the servant of God have been
fulfilled. By and by through this increase he gets to Zion, and
arriving there he goes to visit the house of this missionary and be
introduced to his family. After awhile he takes the elder to one side
and says, "How long have you been in Utah?" And the answer is ten,
fifteen, or twenty years, as the case may be. "You are pretty
comfortable, nice little house well furnished." "Oh yes, first rate."
Is this all the family you have got?" "Yes, this is all I have got;
never had but one wife; I could not maintain any more families." "But
says the man, "did you not tell me when I got baptized to keep all the
commandments of God; did you not tell me it was the Lord's business to
provide for the Saints; did you not make the assertion that the path
of duty was the path of safety?'" "Yes" says the elder, "that may do
very well for Babylon, but it won't do here in Zion." Now there is
something not right here; there is surely a weak point somewhere. If
the principle is good in the midst of the nations, it is good at home,
and if men are honest and honorable in the practice of that which they
know to be right in the valleys of the mountains, the path of success
will as surely open before them as it did to the man who received the
Gospel in a foreign land. A great many of the brethren think they
cannot, afford to keep any more families. I remember when I was a lad
I used to think and say I should not be able to keep myself, and on
remarking this to my landlady she replied: "I have often found that a
man who thinks he cannot keep himself can keep a wife and five or six
children." Why? Because the responsibility called forth his energies;
he became speculative and energetic in order to secure success. There
is a blessing, there is an element of salvation, there is something
which tends to progress in the obedience to every principle that has
been received, so far, in connection with the church and kingdom of
God, and every man and every woman will receive only that amount of
salvation for which they work. Our measure of salvation, then,
consists in the absorption of the truth we hear. Truth neglected,
truth unemployed, truth unappropriated, is as valueless as the snows
of ten winters ago are for the irrigation of our fields in the coming
summer. But where the spirit of life is, where the spirit of vitality
exists, where [p.44] throughout the whole organization of a man there
burns the spirit of intelligence, the spirit of advancement, he will
lead out continually in the right direction, and his wives and
children will follow after him, they will catch his spirit, his
neighbors will feel his influence, the ward to which he belongs will
feel after and emulate his example, and society generally will be the
better for his presence; but when this coldness, this indifference,
this negligence comes in, why, the blessings that belong to obedience
will not be received any more than the blessings that belong to our
attending meeting on a Sunday can be received if we stay at home. I
recollect a person saying to me once "Well, who preached to-day?" "Oh
brother so and so." "Well, I know all he can say; and besides when
such and such persons preach I can stay at home and read the
Bible"—and not much of that I think—"I can read the Book of Mormon,
Doctrine and Covenants, DESERET NEWS, and any of the books published
by the Church and I enjoy myself better than I do in going to
meeting." Now is that a fact? A man may think so; but is it a fact
that a man can increase in the knowledge of the things of God if he
absents himself from the services of the sanctuary as established by
divine appointment? I say, no. The meeting house is the place where
the table is spread, where the food is prepared by the eternal spirit,
and when we go there and hear men speak to us under the influence of
that spirit, and we are in possession of the same spirit—we are fed,
we grow and increase, and the roots and fibres of our being run
deeper, and so enable us to "bring forth more fruit."

Vol. 21, p.44
I presume the time is exhausted. I desire to continue faithful to the
appropriation of truth, wheresoever it may originate: no matter where,
for all truth is divine. It is my privilege to enjoy the spirit of
inspiration, to feel the flow of revelation from above; and that God
may grant us peace and wisdom and save us in his kingdom is mY prayer,
through Jesus Christ. Amen. [p.45]

Charles W. Penrose, November 29, 1879

The Word of the Lord to the Church Given Through
 the Authorities—Authorities Should Be Sustained
—Powers of the Priesthood—Sphere of Woman

In the Tabernacle, Provo, Saturday Morning, November 29th, 1879.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs.)

Vol. 21, p.45
I feel thankful to meet with the Latter-day Saints in this house to
participate in the enjoyment of this Conference; for it is really
enjoyment to me to listen to the instructions imparted to the Saints
by the power of the Holy Ghost through the covenants of God. It is not
supposed that when we come together as we do this morning, that we
wish to be treated to the views and opinions of men. The Lord has
instructed his servants to speak as they are moved upon by the Holy
Ghost, and it has been shown to us that it is our privilege when we
assemble on such occasions to receive instructions, not in the
enticing words of man's wisdom, but in the demonstration and power of
the Holy Ghost; and this will be the case when we assemble in the
right way and unite our faith and our attention and our spiritual
energy so as to call down upon us the blessings of the Almighty, and
to have the presence of those influences, those ministering spirits
who are sent forth to minister to the heirs of salvation. It is our
privilege in these public gatherings appointed for the worship of God,
to have the presence of these holy ones in our midst, and to have the
power of the Almighty to rest upon both speaker and hearer, that we
may be fed and nourished by the bread of life that comes down from
heaven, and that when we part and go to our respective callings and
places of abode we may each carry with us "a live coal from the
altar."

Vol. 21, p.45
We meet here to-day to manifest that we are willing to sustain the
brethren appointed of God in their several callings and offices of the
holy priesthood. It may seem rather a dry and formal matter to some of
the people to come together and lift up their hands to sustain the
authorities of the Church, but it is a necessary duty and, if we look
at it properly, we shall take pleasure therein. It may seem a little
monotonous, but, as I have said, it is necessary, for it was designed
by the Almighty in the organization of this Church, that the voice of
the people should respond to the voice of the Lord. It is the voice of
the Lord and the voice of the people together in this Church that
sanctions all things therein. In the rise of the Church the Lord
[p.46] gave a revelation which said that "all things shall be done by
common consent." And the Lord designs that every individual member
shall take an interest therein, shall bear a part of the
responsibility, and shall take upon him or her the spirit of the
Church, and be an active living member of the body. It is designed
that this Church shall be alive in its parts; that every individual
particle shall be influenced by the spirit thereof When the human body
is in a healthy condition, the spirit that dwells therein animates
every portion; but when the body gets into an unhealthy condition,
there are parts of it through which the spirit does not circulate. So
with the Church that the Lord has established upon the earth. There
are plenty of dead forms in the world; religious institutions that are
not alive, but are forms without the power. The Lord is building up a
society, a kingdom, if you will, which he designs to animate by his
power in every part of it. And this is necessary for the good of the
whole that every individual member of the Church may be inspired by
the spirit that dwells in the body, and that the inspiration thereof
may not only rest upon the twelve apostles, upon the various
presidents of Stakes and the bishops who take charge of the various
wards, and upon the teachers who minister among the people, but that
it may go to every individual member of the Church, that the whole
body may be filled with life, and all be in unison with the highest
powers. Therefore, we are called together from time to time to
manifest our willingness to sustain the men presiding over us, through
whom comes the word of the Lord to us in an organized capacity. It is
our privilege individually to receive the word of the Lord direct. The
twelve apostles stand to communicate the word of the Lord to the
Church as a whole. The word of the Lord to the Church comes through
its presidency In the various stakes it coates through the authorities
appointed there, and is given to the wards through the bishops. But it
is our privilege also to receive the word of the Lord direct to
ourselves each in our individual sphere and capacity, for we hold a
relationship to God as individuals, as well as a community. It is our
privilege if we live aright, each one for himself to receive direct
from the fountain of life, intelligence, wisdom and knowledge for our
individual guidance, inspiration to direct us in all things that we
are called upon to perform. The father of a family has a right to
receive the inspiration of the Holy Ghost to direct him in all things
pertaining to his house-hold, to give words of wisdom and counsel to
his wives and his children and all within the sphere of his authority
and influence. It is the privilege of every mother to have the spirit
of the Lord to direct her in the course she shall take with her
children. And it is the privilege of every boy and girl, who has been
baptized into the Church, to receive the Holy Ghost for their
guidance, so that the whole Church may be quickened, bodily and
spiritually, with that life that comes from above; so that God may be
able to impress us as individuals with desires and intelligence for
the accomplishment of his purposes. And we should so live as to be in
harmony with the authorities of the Church; in harmony with those who
preside over us, that we may be able to see as they see, and act as
they desire us to act when they give us the word of the Lord. But we
cannot do that unless we possess this spirit. And not only should we
be in harmony [p.47] with those men, but with the powers behind the
vail; and we should be so tuned that our whole natures will be in
perfect accord with the influences that come from on high, and be
sensitive to the impressions God intends to make upon us.

Vol. 21, p.47
We sustain our brethren of the twelve, as prophets, seers, and
revelators; and I have heard it remarked by some brethren, that they
could not see any need of doing so, and that holding up their hands
does not make those men prophets, seers and revelators. That is true
enough as far as it goes. But by sustaining these brethren in our
customary way, we manifest to God and the powers behind the vail, who
work with the brethren in the flesh that we are willing to receive any
revelation that the higher powers may see fit to communicate through
them in that capacity. We have a great deal of principle and doctrine
given to us through the means of the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the
Doctrine and Covenants, etc., with which we ought to make ourselves
thoroughly familiar. At the same time we have men presiding over us in
this Church through whom the word of the Lord will come in our present
circumstances for our guidance and for the guidance of the whole
Church in its onward march, as the exigencies of the case may require.
And when we lift up our hands to heaven to sustain them, we manifest
that we hold ourselves in readiness to receive the word of the Lord
whenever he sees fit to impart it to us. They are the legal channels;
they are the appointed receptacles to receive the words of the Lord
for us as an organized body; and by lifting up our hands to heaven in
this way, we show to God and to angels, that we are ready at any time,
if the Lord has a word of revelation to communicate to us, to receive
it, no matter how it may come; whether by the inspiration of the Holy
Ghost, or otherwise; by means of the Urim and Thummim, if he sees fit
to restore it to the Church, which he will do as sure as we are
gathered here to-day, and a man will stand up like unto Moses, wire
will communicate the word of the Lord unto us, line upon line and
precept upon precept, until God brings forth everything needed for the
building up of his work; and the things kept hidden from the
foundation of the world will be brought forth, and all the ancient
records that have been lost will be brought to light, by men through
whom God shall operate by means of the Urim and Thummim as well as by
the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. We manifest to him by our uplifted
hands that we will receive his word by inspiration, by the Urim and
Thummim, or by revelation, or the ministration of angels, or in any
way he may be pleased to communicate. It is fitting then that we
should do this. We do not know when the Lord may have some new word
for us. I am sorry to say we do not all know what is placed on record,
for we do not often read it. Nevertheless the Lord may see fit to
impart to us something not placed on record, and we should be ready
and willing to receive every word of counsel, or instruction, or
command, or rebuke that he may see fit to impart. It is necessary also
that we should show to our brethren who are called to these various
offices that we are willing to sustain them. For they have not called
themselves, neither do they run for office; we are not office-seekers
in this Church. It is very generally the case that a man who seeks an
office is not a fit and proper person to occupy it. But [p.48] we are
trilling to receive any appointment or calling the Lord may see fit to
place us in; we are on hand, we are ready; but we are not
office-seekers. As I have said the men whom we Voted to sustain this
morning, the presidency of the stake, bishops, home missionaries,
etc., did not call themselves, but have been called to act in those
positions; and they are not paid for it either, that is in worldly
wealth. Of course they are blessed and paid, as every man is paid when
doing good, in the blessings pertaining to his calling. For every man
called to occupy any position can, if he seeks aright, obtain the
spirit of that calling, and in that there is peace and joy and
satisfaction, so that he is paid in his labors in any office which he
may be called to fill. But our brethren do not thrust themselves
forward to seek for position. Somebody else calls them, and we,
to-day, manifest our willingness to sustain them in those callings,
and to give them the benefit of our faith and prayers, and to assure
them that so far as we are placed under their counsel we will accept
it and act upon it. So this is a good work we do. It does not take a
great deal of time or labor and it is a fitting duty for Latter-day
Saints to perform, and I feel that we are privileged in so doing.

Vol. 21, p.48
As the children of God, we need to rally around our brethren who are
acting in the Various offices in this Church, and be one with them and
not only manifest this by lifting up our hands, but by really
sustaining them in the positions they are called to fill, so far as
lies within our power, each one taking an interest in these things,
each one feeling that he has a part in this matter. For this work does
not rest altogether upon those required to act in official positions,
but upon every individual called by the name of Latter-day Saint. Some
people think that the sphere of labor they are called to occupy, is
not a great one, that if they were called to occupy some office in the
Church they could accomplish more good and have something more to live
for. But I think we shall discover that if we are all anxious to fill
our sphere of action, we can find ample opportunity for the exercise
of those powers with which God has endowed as; every man and woman can
find a sphere of usefulness if they are desirous; each one can find
his or her own place, and we will all come to it by and by. I believe
it to be one of the powers and authorities of this priesthood that God
has revealed from heaven, to find out the place for which every
individual in the church is adapted, and to get them into place.

"A place for everything, and
Everything in its place."

Vol. 21, p.48
And the time will come when the Lord shall have established his Church
perfectly upon the earth, and all things move in their proper course,
that God will find a place adapted to every person, in which each will
have more joy than in any other place and be able to do more good to
the community than in any other. And we can find this measurably
to-day if we are desirous to do so. For there is an ample sphere of
labor for every man, and also for every woman, in this Church. Every
man in this house, this morning, whether bishop, teacher, or
missionary to preach the Gospel, can find something to do for the
exercise of the powers with which he is endowed, magnifying his office
or calling in the priesthood —for we  nearly all have some portion of
the priesthood. If we seek for the spirit of that calling, we shall
[p.49] find plenty of opportunity for the exercise of its duties. But
the great difficulty is, many of us are content simply to be ordained
to the priesthood. "I am a high priest, or seventy, or an elder, as
the case may be, and am satisfied with my calling; and do not seek for
anything further." Now, my brethren, there are privileges and powers
pertaining to these callings—and we can read about them here in this
book (Doctrine and Covenants), and what the various duties are of
these different callings in the priesthood. The powers of the Aaronic
priesthood reach out a great way, for we are told that that priesthood
holds the keys of the ministration of angels. I wonder how many there
are who obtain such a blessing as this? I do not know whether we are
fit for communion with the higher powers, the beings sent forth to
"minister unto the heirs of salvation." But we read that the
Melchisedec priesthood contains greater powers than that. It not only
holds the keys of the ministration of angels, but of communion with
the heavenly Jerusalem, the general assembly and church of the
first-born with Jesus Christ the Mediator of the new covenant and God
the highest and holiest of all. And the time will come when under this
priesthood to those who hold this authority and calling, and have the
spirit of it and minister in that spirit and obtain the power thereof,
the Lord will unveil his face and they shall gaze upon his glory. That
time will come, for there is no word of the Lord revealed but what
will come to pass. It may not come in the time and season we expect
it, or when we are looking for it; but we may be assured that
everything that God has promised by the power of the Holy Ghost
through his servants will come to pass in his due time. The time will
come when the servants of the living God will purify themselves before
him until they will be fit to receive these blessings. When that holy
temple is built in Zion God will take away the veil from the eyes of
his servants; and the day is yet to dawn when the sons of Moses and
Aaron, having become sanctified to the renewing of their bodies, will
administer in that holy house, and the veil will be taken away, and
they will gaze upon the glories of that world now unseen, and upon the
faces of beings now to them invisible; but it will be when they have
purified themselves from the evils of thin world, and are really the
servants of the living God, and temples of the Holy Ghost.

Vol. 21, p.49
We can get a measure of the spirit of this calling to-day, and by the
power thereof' we can have communion with our Father. Not only through
the living oracles in a Church capacity, but as individual members of
the Church we can come near unto the Lord, so that there will be no
barrier between us and him, and so that his Spirit can come upon us
freely, and the light of God can illuminate our souls and so direct us
that we may have the life and strength of this eternal priesthood. For
this priesthood is a reality and not a mere name; it is not a mere
calling in word, but an office which confers upon us power and
influence that comes from the Almighty. I know that men holding the
priesthood, and who magnify it and receive the spirit and power of it;
are different from other men, their influence and motives are
different, their feelings are different and the spirit and influence
they carry with them are different. Such men can go forth in the midst
of the wicked, enwrapped in the power and  [p.50] influence of their
priesthood, like the garments they wear, and be separate from the
world, and they can carry an influence in the world which other men
cannot carry. There is force in it, there is power and salvation in
it; and every man called to hold this priesthood should be a minister
of salvation in the midst of the earth. If he is not called to
minister abroad in the world, he can be a minister of peace and
righteousness at home; he can strengthen kite weak hands and confirm
the feeble knees, and drive away doubt from the sceptical mind bear
testimony to the truth which he has received and understands and
wherever he goes he can carry the Spirit and blessing of God that will
build the people together, and thus help to build up the kingdom of
God. And he will not spread contention or encourage any spirit which
would prompt men to speak evil of each other; he will not encourage
anything that savors of contention and strife and disunion, but, on
the contrary, will encourage all that tends to unite the people
together. And any man holding the priesthood has power to do that much
in the sphere which he is called to occupy. And also of speaking a
word in due season, and of standing in his calling and of being a
representative of the Most High God.

Vol. 21, p.50
And the sisters, too, have also a good, wide sphere. I was pleased to
see that the presidency of the Relief Society was presented and
sustained at this Conference. The sisters are one with the brethren in
their labors, and have duties peculiar to themselves, in carrying on
the work which God has given them to do. It has been well said, that
"Man is not without the woman, nor the woman without the man, in the
Lord." And we shall find that through all eternity the sexes go
together, and that the female portion of God's children have a part
and a lot in this matter as well as the male. These Relief Societies
give opportunity for our sisters to do much good, and even those who
do not belong to the society have frequent opportunities for doing
good. Every mother has a field of usefulness at home among her own
children; this is her peculiar sphere. Do not let me be understood to
mean that woman should be a fixture in the house, to be tied up to a
table leg, or to a wash-tub. I think many of our sisters stay at home
too much. if they would make it their business to take more out-door
exercise they would find it a relief to the monotony of household
work. I do not believe that women should be tied up at home; but I say
that home is woman's peculiar sphere. She reigns there as queen; she
can make that home comfortable, peaceful and pleasant for the husband,
so that he would rather come there than any Other place on earth; and
that woman is foolish, I think, who does not do this. Women should
make their homes as comfortable as they can, with the means at their
command, that the husband, the children and all that belong to the
family may be glad to come home to enjoy the society of the family
circle. Right there is where a woman can exercise the great power God
has given unto her. What a blessing it is when the Lord gives to a
woman children, boys and girls born heirs to the covenant, heirs to
the holy priesthood, that they may grow up with natural rights to the
blessings of the priesthood; to become servants of the Most High; to
become vessels for the Holy  Spirit to dwell in; to become
representatives of the [p.51] Lord upon the earth; to become ministers
of salvation for the living and the dead! What a sphere for the labors
of these sisters, to train up the minds of their children in the fear
of the Lord; to teach the boys good principles; to teach them as well
as the girls to be virtuous, pure, chaste, and holy, for those that
are unholy cannot receive the fullness of the blessing and power of
God, that is, like those who keep themselves pure before him. And the
brethren can plant these ideas in the minds of their boys, and if not
fully at first, by and by they will be enabled to comprehend their
full meaning. Fathers should take all the time they can in instructing
their children but the mothers are with them so much more and have so
much greater influence over them in a certain direction, and therefore
they should seek to exercise their powers by training up their
children in the way they should go. And we are not required to train
them up by word and precept alone, but by example. If we do not want
our children to use strong drink, it will not do for us to use it. Try
therefore to set our children examples which we would feel perfectly
willing that they should imitate. Our sisters can work in this way
both by precept and example, and above all things by the spirit they
carry; they can impress the minds of the young and rising generation
so that they may grow up with a natural tendency to that which is
holy. Let girls be brought up by a mother who is full of kindness and
love and charity—which are much more beautiful adornments than the
glittering show of jewelry; earthly jewels are nothing in comparison
to those precious jewels of eternity, and all the finery that woman
could put on is nothing to the adornment of the mind which peculiarly
shines out in the mothers and daughters of Israel —let a mother be
embued with this good, kind, teachable spirit and she can surround her
children with it, she can have that spirit in the home where she
resides. And although she may have a great many cares and tribulations
and trials which may tempt her to anger, yet, she can conquer all the
passions that will rise up in her nature and subdue them, and can
train up her children in the midst of these adverse circumstances, in
the fear of God, and her tribulations will be turned to her good, and
it will be easy for her children to walk in the way of God, and they
will grow up with a natural repugnance for the things which are evil,
and a natural desire to receive in their hearts every thing that is
good. The Lord is saying to the north, "Give up; and to the south,
keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends
of the earth." He has brought us to this place from the nations of the
earth that we may become a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a
holy nation, a peculiar people zealous of good works. This is why he
has given unto us laws with regard to the marriage relations, that
Israel shall not marry Gentiles; that Israel shall wed Israel; that
the daughters of God shall marry the sons of God, etc., in order that
our children may be heirs to the blessings pertaining to the
everlasting covenant, that by and by there may be a race of men and
women upon the earth who will be holy unto the Lord, born with natural
desires in them to do right, which they have inherited from their
parents, who shall train them up in the way they should go, with that
holy atmosphere surrounding them, that they may be thoroughly under
the influence of the spirit that [p.52] comes from on high, that their
whole natures may be sensitive to the whisperings of Almighty God,
that they may grow up, his sons and daughters, and that it may be a
mark of honor that such and such men were "born in Zion." The Lord
will give honor unto such people. And their sons will go to nations
afar off and the earth will tremble under their voice, and evil
spirits that are deceiving the sons of men will flee before them, for
the power of the priesthood will be with them. And they will search
out the seed of Israel wherever they preach to them the Gospel in
their own tongue by the power of the Almighty for this the gift of
tongues was designed—and they will gather in the seed of Israel to the
Zion of our God. And he will be their strength; he will go before them
and be round about them. And our daughters will grow up pure and
virtuous, and the angels of God will be round about them. And the Lord
will multiply his people upon the earth until all things are
fulfilled, his kingdom will be built up, the Lord Jesus Christ will
come, and all that lies been spoken by the prophets will be brought to
pass.

Vol. 21, p.52
Now, these things are right before us. God expects us to be a
different kind of people from those in the world. He does not expect
us to be of the world, worldly. We have come here to be separate from
the world, that we may purge ourselves from the spirit of Babylon. We
must have different motives from the world, we must not have the same
desires as the Gentiles, for their hearts are set upon the things of
this life. They worship the wealth of the world. I hope to see the
time when every Latter-day Saint will have plenty, and the time will
come when God will give unto his people all the wealth they desire,
but that will be when they know how to use it aright, and when their
hearts are right and set upon the law of the Lord and upon the counsel
of his will, and when they will be willing to use it for his glory and
the blessing of their race. We must remember we are Latter-day Saints,
having come here to serve the Lord, to learn his ways and walk in his
paths, and to unite ourselves together, that we may be a solid,
compact body, a living body filled with the spirit of life and light
that comes from God, ready at any moment, as individuals in as an
organized church community to move forward in any direction required,
that the word of God may be proclaimed, that Israel may be gathered
and the Kingdom of God built up, and the power taken out of the hands
of the wicked and vested in the hands of the servants of God, who will
rule in righteousness in. the midst of the earth.

Vol. 21, p.52
I bear my testimony to this congregation, many of whom are strangers
to me, and some of whom I have met, conversed with and labored with in
foreign lands; I can say to you all that I know this work is true. I
know by the revelation of the Holy Spirit that the Lord has commenced
the great work of the; latter days spoken of by the, prophets. I know
it will remain, and will prevail; though all the world rise up against
it—as they will do some day, not only this nation, but others—and will
say," Let her be defiled." But they know not the Lord, neither do they
understand the counsels of his will. For he will say unto Zion, "Arise
and thresh, O danghter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I
will make  thine hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many
people: and I [p.53] will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and
their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth." Though all nations
oppose, this work will, roll onward to completion; for the power of
God will be in our midst and we shall be able to accomplish with
greater ease and facility everything we are directed to do. This
kingdom will prevail, and this work will roll on and accomplish
everything predicted. And the time will come when the pure and good of
every clime will gather up to Zion; and the Temple will be built in
the centre city of Zion, the New Jerusalem, and the glory of God will
rest upon it, and the purposes of God will be developed and his
kingdom roll on, while the kingdoms of this world, with all their pomp
and splendor, will be brought low; and God through his priesthood,
will rule from the rivers to the ends of the earth. And Christ our
Redeemer will come and bring his reward with him.

Vol. 21, p.53
May God help us to be faithful in this work, so that when he shall
come, we may as individuals and a church be purified and prepared to
enter into the joy of our Lord to receive the fullness of the
blessings of the Gospel of peace. Amen.

John Taylor, September 21, 1878

 Co-Operation and the United Order—The Saints Should Be Governed
 By the Law and Will of God—The Approaching Calamities Upon the World
—Should Be Willing to Forsake Earthly Interests for the Gospel's Sake

Delivered at the Regular Priesthood Meeting of the
 Weber Stake of Zion, Held at Ogden, on the 21st September, 1878.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs.)

Vol. 21, p.53
I have been desirous to meet with the priesthood of this Stake, and I
have invited a number of the presidents of Stakes within this district
of country to be present at this meeting, for the consideration of
certain questions that have been pressing themselves upon my mind for
some time, that I want to lay before the people here.

Vol. 21, p.53
We have met here in a capacity of the holy priesthood, and all of us
profess to be elders in Israel, and to be disposed at least to walk
according to the order of God, and to seek to establish the principles
of righteousness as far as lies in our power, and to try to build up
his kingdom on the earth. That, at least, is our profession, and I
believe [p.54] is the sentiment of the hearts of most of the brethren
now assembled. At the same time we have different ideas about many
things, particularly things of a temporal nature, so called, We go in
a good deal for what is called "free trade and sailor's rights"—we
want to enjoy a large amount of liberty. All these things are very
popular and very correct. But in our acts and doings it is necessary
that we be governed by certain laws and principles which have been
given unto us by the Lord. We all concede to this. But there are some
things we seem to be very much confused about, in regard to our
temporal matters. During the lifetime of President Young—several years
ago, it seemed as though he was wrought upon to introduce co-operation
and the United Order, to quite an extent. He told us at the time that
it was the word and the will of God to us. I believed it then; and I
believe it now. And yet, at the same time, every kind of idea, feeling
and spirit has been manifested. In many places co-operation and the
United Order have been started under various forms; in some they have
succeeded very well, and in other places people have acted foolishly
and covetously, seeking their own personal, individual interests under
the pretense of serving God and carrying out his designs. Others have
been visionary and have undertaken things which were impracticable,
while others have not acted in good faith at all. There has been every
kind of feeling among us as a people, that is possible to exist
anywhere. And I have thought sometimes in regard to our co-operative
institutions, that some of those who are engaged in them and sustained
by them are as much opposed to co-operation and United Order as any
other class of people we have. At least, I have noticed feelings of
that kind. I do not say they are general. But there are certain
reflections in relation to these matters that have been pressing upon
my mind for some time. And let me here ask myself a question—a
question not of a personal nature; I have not come here to talk about
any personal matters at all, but upon principle and upon some of those
principles that we as Latter-day Saints, and as elders in Israel,
profess to believe in. The question would be and my text would be
to-day, if I wanted to take a text: Shall we sustain co-operation and
the United Order, and work with that end in view in all of our
operations, or shall we give it up as a bad thing unworthy of our
attention? That is where the thing comes to, in my mind. At any rate,
we wish to act honestly and honorably in this matter. If we believe
that these principles are true, let us be governed by them; if we do
not, let us abandon them at once, conclude that we have made a mistake
and have no more to do with them. For we, all of us, profess to be at
least honest men, and to act conscientiously. If there is anything
wrong in these things, let us know the wrong; and if it is not a
command of God, and not binding upon us, let us quit it. And then the
question naturally arises, Are we prepared to do this? And, on the
other hand, if we believe that these are principles that are
inculcated by the Lord, then let us be governed by them. In fact,
whichever way we decide let us carry out our decisions in good faith,
and not have our sign painted on one side in white and on the other
black or some other color. But let us feel as the prophet Elijah did
on a certain occasion, "If the Lord be  God, follow him; but if Baal,
then follow him." There was [p.55] a disposition in ancient Israel to
have a part of God and a part of the devil or Baal—an idolatrous god
which was worshipped by them. I sometimes think that in some respects
we are a good deal like them. Do we believe our religion? Yes. Do we
believe in the holy priesthood and that God has restored it to the
earth? Yes. Do we believe that God has established his kingdom? Yes.
And do we believe that the Italy priesthood is under the guidance of
the Lord? O, yes; but still we would like a good deal of our own way.
If we must introduce something that the Lord has commanded, we would
like to put it off just as far as we can, and if we cannot do it any
other way we will fight against it, according to circumstances, and
how things move and operate. We often wish the Lord would not exact
certain things of us; we would rather have our own way. But let us
look at things calmly and dispassionately. As I understand it, the
Lord has gathered us together to do his will, to observe his laws and
keep his commandments. And we have certain obligations devolving upon
us in the holy priesthood which God requires at our hands. He
requires, for instance, of the Twelve to go, when called upon, to the
nations of the earth and preach the Gospel to those nations. If they
were not to do it, would they be justified? No, they would not; God
would require the blood of the people at their hands. That is the way
I figure up these things. I do not know of any half-way house. As one
of the Twelve, I do not want to dodge any of these questions, but meet
them fairly and squarely. And I think I have done it; and I think the
Twelve generally have. They have always been on hand to go anywhere
when the Lord has required them to go, whether in sickness or health,
in poverty or abounding in means; no matter what their circumstances,
or what individualism would have to be sacrificed, their object has
ever been to do the will of God. And so it has been with a great many
of the seventies, high priests and also with a great many of the
elders. Their feelings have been: Let the Lord speak, and here am I,
ready to do his will and carry out his designs. And this feeling
exists today in the hearts of a great many; but there are also a great
many who do not feel so, who want to dodge these questions. Here is
Brother Eldredge, who is one of the presidents of the seventies; he
knows how extremely difficult it is to get men, as we used in former
years—"at the drop of the hat," as it was termed, to go on missions.
However, I do not wish to dwell upon that; I merely refer to it in
passing along.

Vol. 21, p.55
We are here, as I understand it, as Jesus was, "Not to do our own
will, but the will of our Father who sent us." If God had not felt
after you, and his spirit operated upon you, you would not be here in
these mountains to-day. What does Jesus say about these things in
speaking of them? "I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for
them which thou hast given me; for they are thine." You have been in
the same situation; you have seen the elect of God gathered together
through the medium of the holy priesthood, by the opening of the
heavens and the revelation of the will of God to man and the
restoration of the holy Gospel. You have been gathered together in
this way, and we all have. What to do? Is it, as they used to say in
the Church of England, to follow the devices and desires of our own
hearts? Is [p.56] it to follow out some petty scheme of our own? I do
not to understand it; I understand that it is to build up the Church
and kingdom of God upon the earth, and to prepare the earth and the
people of the earth for the things that are coming on the earth; and
to prepare ourselves, as a people, to receive further intelligence,
wisdom and knowledge from God, that he may have a people in whom he
can place confidence, and whom he can bless, and through them confer
blessings on mankind. He expects us to build up his kingdom, and that
is the first consideration with us. And this is what he told his
disciples in former days "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his
righteousness, and all these things" —referring to our temporal
concerns. which comparatively are like so many chips and
whetstones—"shall be added unto you." But these things, too, enter
into our daily life and our intercourse one with another, and into the
purposes of God associated with the gathering of his people together,
that they may be one, that through them he can communicate his will to
the human family, that there may be a nucleus formed around which the
honest in heart from all the world may rally; and be in possession of
the word and will of the Lord, and the light, intelligence and
revelations of God our Father; that the secret of the Lord might be
with those who fear him, and that they might fear him and understand
the things which are approaching, and prepare the earth for those
things that are coming. We appear here, as it were, in a normal
school, to prepare ourselves to carry out the purposes of God upon the
earth. Can you find a people anywhere on the earth that will listen to
the word of God? No, you cannot; neither can you find anybody to whom
God could communicate his will. We talk a good deal, and often preach
a good deal, about the judgments which are to come upon the earth:
wars, pestilence, famine, and distress of nations, and testify that
calamity will follow so continously that by and by it will be a
vexation to hear the report thereof. We have talked about these things
for years. I have myself for upwards of forty years; and as I have
said before, so I repeat, that these things which await the world, are
forty years nearer than they were forty years ago. God did no; mock us
when he told us of these things; but all that he has said concerning
them through ancient prophets and through Joseph Smith are true, and
as sure as God lives they will take place. I will prophecy that they
will take place as sure as God lives, and they are approaching very
rapidly upon us. We are told that the day will come when he that will
not take up his sword against his neighbor must needs flee to Zion for
safety. And is that true? Yes, it is. If that should take place today,
are we prepared for it? I think not. If we should go on for years as
we are now going on shall we be prepared for it? We are not, to-day,
all of us, preparing for these things. We can hardly manage a few
miserable apostates and a few Gentiles, and we feel very creepy
sometimes about anything that transpires, not knowing how or what may
be the result; instead of being clothed upon with the spirit of God
and being filled with the Holy Ghost, the light of revelation and the
power of God. But we do not have this kind of feeling, and we are
divided up in our interest, one man pulling against another,  so much
so, that we have to-day all kinds of Gentilism among us. Even our
newspapers give [p.57] circulation to certain classes of
advertisements which are a living lie, and it is a shame and disgrace
that such things should be seen in Zion. Some call it Gentile
trickery, the tricks of trade etc., but I call it chicanery and
falsehood, and it is so in regard to many other things. Does this
comport with the position we occupy as men holdling the holy
priesthood? I do not think it does. I think we ought to occupy a more
elevated and honorable position; I think we ought to he governed by
other influences, and he actuated by other motives. I think that our
lives, our desires, our feelings and our acts ought to be to try to
build up Zion and establish the kingdom of God upon the earth; that we
should be united in our temporal as well as in our spiritual affairs,
for God says: "If you are not one you are not mine." Do you believe
it? You elders of Israel, do you believe that saying? And if we are
not the Lord's then whose are we? We have our own plans, our own
notions and our own theories; and as one of old expressed it, we are
seeking for gain, every one from his own quarter. And we are governed
to a very great extent by selfishness, and too much by our own
personal feelings, and allow these things to influence us instead of
being governed by those high, noble, dignified and glorious principles
that dwell in the bosom of God, which emanated from him, and which
dwell also in the bosoms of those who in sincerity fear God and keep
his commandments.

Vol. 21, p.57
Now, I know what many of you will say, in speaking of co-operation:
"there has been a great many abuses." Yes, I admit it—numbers of them.
"What and under the name of the United Order also?" Yes, any quantity
of them. Joseph Smith in his day said it was extremely difficult to
introduce these things because of the greed, covetousness, selfishness
and wickedness of the people. I wish here to refer to one or two
things connected with this subject. I spoke about the Twelve, the
seventies, the elders and the high priests; and stated that a great
many of them had been out preaching the Gospel, and that some of them
felt as though it is hard work. It is, no doubt, very up-hill business
for a man to be a Saint if he is not one; and if he has not the
principles of the Gospel in his heart, it must be very hard work, I
may say an eternal struggle, for him to preach. But if a man has got
the pure principles of the Gospel in his heart, it is quite easy for
him to expound the truth. Well, now, I will take the words of Jesus:
"Except a man can forsake father or mother, wife and children, houses
and lands, for my sake, he cannot be my disciple." And let me say to
you, my brethren, that that Gospel is just as true to-day as it was
then, that except a man is prepared to forsake his earthly interests
for the sake of the Gospel of the Son of God, he is unworthy of it.,
and cannot be a true Saint. Now, this is where the hardship comes in
and it also accounts for this eternal rubbing and bumping. "How much
can't I do, and how little can I do to retain fellowship with the
Church; and how much can I act selfishly and yet be counted a disciple
of Christ?" Did you never feel as Paul describes it—the spirit
striving against the flesh? I guess you have, and you doubtless know
all about it; for these are plain matters of fact. This is the
position the Gospel has placed us in; and it is a very difficult thing
to serve two masters, in fact it is useless for any man to attempt to
do it, "for (as the Savior says) [p.58] either he will hate the one,
and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the
other. Yet cannot serve God and mammon." And therefore Jesus said:
"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly of
heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy,
and my burden is light.

Vol. 21, p.58
But to return to the principles of co-operation and United Order.
Supposing a man had come to you elders, when you were out on missions,
requesting baptism at your hands, without having repented of his sins,
would you have baptized him? No, you would not. But supposing he
claimed to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, but not in baptism; would
you receive him into the Church? No, you dare not do such things. But
supposing again that he believed in baptism and in the Lord Jesus
Christ, and had repented of his sins, but did not believe in the
laying on of hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost; would you
baptize him? No. And further supposing he had complied with all these
requirements, and he had the opportunity to, gather to Zion but did
not improve the opportunity, would you consider him a very good Saint?
No. Now, beside all these, the Lord has given us a law pertaining to
tithing; and if he did not comply with that would you consider him a
good Saint? No. And we are told to build temples, and the man who
would refuse to do this work, you would consider a very poor specimen
of a Latter-day Saint. Referring to the United Order, the Lord has
given us to understand that whosoever refuses to comply with the
requirements of that law, his name shall not be known in the records
of the Church, but shall be blotted out; neither shall his children
have an inheritance in Zion. Are these the words of the Lord to us? I
suppose there are none here to day but would say, Yes. How, then can I
or you treat lightly that which God has given us? It is the word of
God to me; it is the word of God to you. And if we do not fulfil this
requirement what is the result? We are told what the result will be.
These things have not taken place now; but we have been wandering
about from place to place, and the Lord has blessed us in a remarkable
degree. And we are gathered together, as I have said, for the purpose
of building up Zion, and we are supposed to be the servants of God
having engaged to perform this work: and individually, I would say, I
do not want to profess to be a Saint, if I am not one, nor if the work
we are engaged in is not of the Lord; if the principles we believe in
are false, I do not want anything to do with them; on the other hand,
if they are true then I want to be governed by them, and so do you. We
must carry out the word and will of God, for we cannot afford to
ignore it nor any part of it. If faith, repentance and baptism and
laying on of hands is right and true and demands our obedience, so
does co-operation and the United Order. Some may say, here is such and
such a man has been connected with the United Order, and how foolishly
he has acted, and others have gone into co-operation and made a
failure of it. Yes, that may be all very true, but who is to blame?
Shall we stop baptizing people and make no further efforts to
establish the kingdom of God upon the earth, because certain ones have
acted foolishly and perhaps, wickedly? Do the actions of such people
render the principles of  the Gospel without effect or the doctrines
we teach untrue? I think [p.59] you would not say so. What do we do
with such cases? We purge them out, we cut them off according to the
laws God has laid down; but we do not stop the operations or the
Gospel, such a thought never enters our minds, for we know the work
already commenced is onward and upward. Shall we then think of putting
an end to these other principles because men have acted foolishly and
selfishly and done wrong? No, I think not; I do not think we can
choose one principle and reject another to suit ourselves. I think
that all of these things, as we have received them, one after another
are equally binding upon us, Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread
alone but by every word that proceedeth out from the mouth of God."
This is as true to-day as it was when spoken.

Vol. 21, p.59
I have seen a disposition among many of the brethren to pull off in
every kind of way, and this spirit and tendency is spreading and
growing in every part of our Territory. We have co-operative stores
started, and we have the eye of God painted over the doors, with the
words "Holiness to the Lord" written overhead. Do we act according to
that? In a great really instances I am afraid not. But what of that?
Shall we depart from these principles? I think not. What was the
principle of co-operation intended for? Simply as a stepping stone for
the United Order, that is all, that we might be united and operate
together in the interest of building up Zion. Well, having started,
what do we see? One pulling one way another pulling another way; every
one taking his own course. One man says: Such a one takes his own
course, and I will take mine. Using the same line of argument, because
one man commits a wrong unworthy the calling of a Latter-day Saint,
his doing so is to be an excuse for my doing the same thing. As I
understand it, I am called to fear God, whether anybody else does it
or not; and this is; your calling just as much as it is mine. We may
indeed shirk it and violate the covenants we have made. The Lord has
blessed us with endowments and covenants of which the world know
nothing, neither can they know anything about it. And he has given
unto us these things that we might be brought into closer union with
God, that we might know how to save ourselves, our wives and children,
as well as our fathers and progenitors who have gone before us. Having
done this, what next? God has revealed certain things to the children
of men now as he formerly revealed the Gospel to the children of
Israel. But could they stand it? No, they could not. Moses succeeded
in leading seventy of the elders of Israel to the presence of God; he
would have lead all Israel into his presence, but they would not be
led; they turned to idolatry, to evil and corruption, and hence they
became disobedient and unmanageable. And when the Lord spake to them
they became terrified and said, "Let not God speak unto us lest we
die." God wants to brine us near to him, for this purpose he has
introduced the Gospel with all its ordinances. Has he been true to us?
Yes. And when you elders have been out preaching and baptizing people
for the remission of their sins, and when confirming them members of
this Church, you have said, Receive ye the Holy Ghost, have they
received it? They have, God bearing witness of the truth of your words
and of his ministry conferred upon you.

Vol. 21, p.60
Now then, he calls upon us to be one. What for? Because we are [p.60]
associated with his kingdom. With what? With his kingdom. What is his
kingdom? It is his govern ment, rule, authority, dominion, power. etc.
God has introduced his kingdom after his order, and it is for him to
guide that kingdom and direct it, and manage it, and manipulate it in
the interest of the honest in heart, and of all nations. He has
commenced it among us that he might have a little nucleus where he
could communicate and reveal his will, composed of such as would carry
that will out, and do his bidding and obey his behests. That is what
we are here for, and not to do our own will, any more than Jesus came
to do his will, but the will of his Father. What do we know about
building up the kingdom of God? What do we know about the calamities
that are to come? I can tell you that while we have peace to-day and
everything runs smoothly and quietly on, the day is not far distant
before the Lord will arise to shake terribly the earth, and it will be
felt in this nation more keenly and more severely than any of you have
seen it by a great deal, and I know it, and I bear testimony to it. We
have no time to experiment in following our own notions and ideas; we
have something else to do, we have got to build up the kingdom of God;
and in order to do this we must of necessity unite ourselves together,
and seek to know the mind of God to carry it out. And all that we do
should be done with this object in view. We have all kinds of
individual interests and enterprises among us; some men are operating
quite considerably one way and another, and some are not. Brother
Jennings, for instance, who is present with us to-day, besides owning
stock to the extent of $90,000 in Z. C. M. I., is, with others engaged
with other pursuits of a manufacturing nature, which are very
laudable. Such enterprises tend to give employment to the people, and
this is what we want, and what we must have sooner or later. There is
one thing, however, I would here say about forming unions and
partnerships in any line of manufacture: Let them be formed with the
understanding that when the proper time shall arrive they can merge
into co-operation, or the United Order. It is very important that in
all of our undertakings we should have at heart this feeling and work
to this end, and then we may reasonably expect that it can be but a
question of time to bring out a grand consolidation of all individual
interests. I have been impressed in my feelings upon these subjects
for some time, therefore I speak about them as I do. How many years is
it since this was started, and how little we have done! I tell you if
we go a little further in our drawing off, and each taking his own
course, God will leave us to ourselves. But he will not leave us as
long as we manifest a desire to do right; and I am pleased to say
there is a feeling generally among the brethren to listen to counsel,
yet at the same time we are apt to get confused forgetting the object
we have in view, amidst the variety of things that present themselves.
Shall we, my brethren, give up co-operation or shall we consider men
in good fellowship who are pulling off in either direction, or shall
we not? What shall we do? Shall we be true to our religion, true to
our faith, true to the principles that God has commanded; or shall we
forsake them We will not forsake them, and the brethren generally do
not feel like  doing it; but there are a few now and then who get off
the track. We [p.61] want to get together and unite our hearts and
sympathies into one, placing ourselves under proper direction, holding
ourselves in readiness to perform any work required by God at our
hands. I will tell you in the name of Israel's God that if you keep
his commandments you will be the richest of all people, for God will
pour wealth upon you; but if you do not, you will have to struggle a
good deal more than you have done for the Spirit and blessings of God
will be withdrawn from us, just in proportion as we withdraw ourselves
from God. We are living in an eventful age, an age in which many
wonderful changes are to be wrought. We are told many other things of
a similar nature, that he who will not take up his sword against his
neighbor, must needs flee to Zion for safety. The Latter-day Saints
will see the day when people will flock to Zion, and many of them will
say, we do not know anything about your religion, but you are an
honorable, just, industrious and virtuous people, you administer
justice and equity, and the rights of man are protected and
maintained. You maintain good government, extending protection to
everybody, and we want to live with you and be one with you. We want
to prepare ourselves for these things, for they are coming as sure as
God lives. Amen.

John Taylor, January 4, 1880

Comprehensiveness of the Lord's Prayer—The Rule and Government of God
—The Revelation of the Father and Son to Joseph Smith, and the 
Bestowal Upon Him of the Priesthood—Development of Theocratic
 Laws and Principles—Object of Gathering—Religious Freedom
—Our Relations With the General Government

Delivered in the Salt Lake Assembly Hall, at the Quarterly
Conference, Sunday Afternoon, January 4th, 1880.

(Reported by John Irvine.)

Vol. 21, p.61
I have been very much pleased and interested in the proceedings of
this conference and in the teachings that we have had from those who
have addressed us, and I take very great pleasure in performing my
part in these exercises in which we are now engaged. It would seem
[p.62] that this building is rather too small for us at present; I do
not know that we can stretch it any; consequently we will put up with
things as they are. However it will only be on extraordinary occasions
that we shall have the amount of people in it that there is to-day. By
and by the storms will be over and the winter past, and we have got a
larger building close by, that we can go to. I am very much pleased
however, with the exertions that have been made in preparing this
building so far, it is true that it is in an unfinished condition for
the assembling of the Saints at this conference; but I suppose that it
will be quite gratifying to the priesthood and to all who have
assembled together on this occasion, to possess the privilege we now
enjoy.

Vol. 21, p.62
There are a few thoughts that have passed through my mind in hearing
the remarks of some of my brethren. I was much pleased this morning in
listening to the remarks made by Brother Pratt and the brethren who
succeeded him, particularly in regard to the subject that they seemed
to have their minds upon, that is in relation to the observance of the
word of wisdom; and although, like Brother Pratt, I should have to
make an acknowledgement that I have not fulfilled that always, yet, I
heartily sustain and coincide with every principle that God has
revealed for the temporal or spiritual salvation of his people. There
were some remarks associated with those made by some of the brethren
that also bore a little on my mind, namely, that our religion did not
consist simply in one principle but in many, agreeable to what has
been spoken in ancient days that "man shall not live by bread alone
but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." But we are
none of us justified in repudiating or ignoring any one of those
principles which God has given unto us, and if we have been negligent
in these or other matters the proper way for us to do is to reform, to
begin anew, or, at least if we have let down any stitches, as the
sisters sometimes say when they are knitting, gather them up again and
put things in proper position that we may be able, not only in that
but in everything else, to honor our God in all sincerity, fidelity
and integrity; that we may be able to present ourselves before the
Lord in a manner which shall always have his acceptance.

Vol. 21, p.62
We need teaching continually, line upon line, precept upon precept,
here a little and there a little. Hence we have our various
organizations of the priesthood, calculated to oversee to manipulate,
to regulate, to teach, to instruct, and to enter into all the
ramifications of life whether they pertain to this world or the world
to come. We need Continually not only the guidance and the teachings
of the apostles, the presidents, the bishops, priests, teachers,
deacons and the various organizations of the priesthood; but we need
individually to look unto the Lord for wisdom to direct us in all the
affairs of life, that we may speak aright, that we may think aright,
that we may act aright, and we may perform the various duties
devolving upon us to attend to in all of the avocations of life, and
in our prayers, in our various devotions in a family capacity, in a
church capacity and in every position that we occupy, we need the
guidance and direction of the Almighty. And it is with individuals as
it is with families and branches and portions of families, we need to
seek unto the  Lord and obtain wisdom from him. There is one fact, and
that is [p.63] a great many people—scarcely any of us—know what is
good for us. We may have our ideas about that; but we need continually
the guidance and direction of the Almighty. The disciples, that is the
apostles of old, understood this principle and they asked the Lord to
teach them how to pray and in a very few words he uttered one of the
most comprehensive forms that has ever been penned or spoken. He said
when you pray say "Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy
name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is done in
heaven; give us this day our daily bread; forgive us our trespasses as
we forgive them that trespass against us, and lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil; for thine is the kingdom, the
power and the glory, for ever and ever. amen." That is a most
comprehensive prayer. In the first place the God of the universe is
recognized, our Father who is in the heavens, the God and the Father
of Jesus Christ. And what else? The God and Father of the spirits of
all flesh. We recognize and reverence him as "Our Father, which art in
heaven," we bow before him and seek unto him for his guidance and
direction. We hallow and reverence his name. And then what next? "Thy
kingdom come." What kingdom? All those things branch out into great
and important principles, that can only be understood by revelations
from the Most High. "Thy kingdom come." Why? That "thy will may be
done on earth as it is done in heaven."

Vol. 21, p.63
I wish to refer a little to some of these things, those ideas and
principles that are developed in this saying, in part, because these
things can only be done in part. We talk a good deal about the church
and kingdom of God. I sometimes think we understand very little about
either. The kingdom of God means the government of God. That means,
power, authority, rule, dominion, and a people to rule over; but that
principle will not be fulfilled, cannot be entirely fulfilled, until,
as we are told in the Scriptures, the kingdoms of this world are
become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ, and he will rule over
them. And when unto him every knee shall bow and every tongue confess
that he is Christ, to the glory of God, the Father. That time has not
yet come, but there are certain principles associated therewith that
have come, namely, the introduction of that kingdom, and the
introduction of that kingdom could only be made by that being who is
the king and ruler, and the head of that government, first
communicating his ideas, his principles, his laws, his government to
the people; otherwise we should not know what his laws were. The world
has been governed in every kind of form; we have had every species of
government. Sometimes we have had patriarchal government, at other
times we have had unlimited monarchies or what may be called despotic
governments, where the power to rule is in the hands of one
individual. At other times we have had limited monarchies such as
exist in many places now upon the face of the earth. In other places
and at different ages we have had what is termed republican
governments where the voice of the people has ruled and governed and
managed the people's affairs. There have been various forms
independent of these, which I do not wish to enter into at present,
but nowhere have we had the government of God. It is true that for a
limited period among a very small people in early days, among the
Jews, they  [p.64] professed to be under the gudiance of God for a
certain length of time. But they were continually departing therefrom.
They had their priesthood, they had their prophets, they had their
Urim and Thummim, and through these mediums they sought the wisdom and
guidance of God in regard to many of the prominent enterprises in
which they engaged. The law given by Moses was one of those things
that emanated from God. Moses received from the Lord the ten
commandments written upon tables of stone—written by the finger of
God—and this people, who were then quite a small people comparatively
speaking, received the commands of God and professed, at least, to be
governed thereby. The Lord gave them commands and they were proclaimed
to the people, and when proclaimed it was usual for all the people to
say "Amen. These laws we will observe and do." But this was among a
very limited people. Very soon they desired to have a king to rule
over them, but the idea that was then considered proper among them
was: "The Lord is our king, the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our
lawgiver, and he shall rule over us." We see the feeling which they
had and entertained as a people, but they departed from it and they
sought a king and were led astray from correct principles—led into
folly, darkness, ignorance—until they were scattered abroad to the
four winds of heaven.

Vol. 21, p.64
There has been a time spoken of by all the holy prophets since the
world was, when God should govern his people, and the Jews, when the
Messiah came, expected that he was come to reign over Israel as a
temporal king, that he was going to take possession of his kingdom to
overthrow all other kingdoms, empires, dynasties and powers, and
declare himself the king of Israel and of the world. But they did not
understand many things associated therewith, and they do not now; and
the world does not, and we ourselves understand very little about
them. But the Scriptures say that "till heaven and earth pass, one jot
or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be
fulfilled." Now then, if the kingdoms of this world have never yet
become the kingdoms of our God and his Christ they will be, and it is
necessary that there should be a commencement to this as well as to
every other thing. This is a matter that has been looked forward to by
prophets and apostles, patriarchs, and men of God in the various
dispensations of time. It is called "the dispensation of the fullness
of times" when God will gather together all things in one whether they
be things on the earth or things in the heavens. Now there must of
necessity be a starting point for this, and the question is how is it
to originate? Who among the nations of the earth knew or comprehended
anything about the government of God? None did; nowhere; no king, no
emperor, no potentate, no president, no power upon the face of the
earth; no divine or theologian, no scientist, no philosopher,
understood anything about this matter. It is indeed the kingdom of
God, and being his kingdom, it must originate with him, it must
receive from him its teachings, its forms, its principles, its laws,
its ordinances, its institutions, and everything connected therewith
must emanate from God, and as it was necessary that it should
originate with him, it is also necessary that it should be upheld and
sustained by him and that those who should operate in this kingdom
should  be governed by the same [p.65] spirit that you heard Brother
Pratt talk about this morning. It became necessary also that a medium
should be introduced whereby man might be placed in communion with God
that they might comprehend him, that they might understand his laws
when he gave them, that they might be acquainted with the principles
which he had to develop; for there is one great principle that men
very little understand, viz: "The things of God knoweth no man, but
the Spirit of God," and if they don't know only through his wisdom it
would be in vain for God to communicate with a people who could not
comprehend him, who had not the capacity to receive these principles
which he had to communicate. The same principle holds good everywhere
among all the principles with which we are acquainted or know anything
about. You cannot teach a child algebra, nor arithmetic, until it has
gone through a certain system of training. You cannot teach the arts
and sciences without necessary preparation for their introduction, nor
can you teach people in the government of God without they are placed
in communication with him, and hence comes the Church of God, and what
is meant by that? A school, if you please, wherein men are taught
certain principles, wherein we can receive a certain spirit through
obedience to certain ordinances. And we, having received this spirit
through those ordinances, were then prepared to take the initiatory
steps in relation to other matters, and hence as a commencement the
Lord appeared unto Joseph Smith, both the Father and the Son, the
Father pointing to the Son said "this is my beloved Son in whom I am
well pleased, hear ye him." Here, then, was a communication from the
heavens made known unto man on the earth, and he at that time came
into possesion of a fact that no man knew in the world but he, and
that is that God lived, for he had seen him, and that his Son Jesus
Christ lived, for he also had seen him. What next? Now says the
Father, "This is my beloved Son, hear him." The manner, the mode, the
why, and the wherefore, he designed to introduce through him were not
explained; but he, the Son of God, the Savior of the world, the
Redeemer of man, he was the one pointed out to be the guide, the
director, the instructor, and the leader in the development of the
great principles of that kingdom and that government which he then
commenced to institute. What next? The next step was that men having
held the priesthood, that had ministered in time and eternity and that
held the keys of the priesthood came and conferred them upon Joseph
Smith. John the Baptist conferred upon him the Aaronic priesthood, and
Peter, James and John the Melchisedec priesthood; and then others who
had operated in the various ages of the world, such as Moses and
Enoch, appeared and conferred upon him the authority that they held
pertaining to these matters. Why? Because it was "the dispensation of
the fullness of times," not of one time only but of all the times; it
was the initiatory step for the development of all the principles that
ever existed, or would exist pertaining to this world, or the world to
come. What next? He was commanded to set apart other men, to baptize
them that believed, that had faith in God and in his kingdom, and in
his revelations and in his government. After they were put in
possession of these principles, they were commanded to baptize those
who believed on the Lord Jesus  [p.66] Christ, who repented of their
sins, that they were to be baptized for a remission of their sins and
to have hands laid upon them for the reception of the Holy Ghost. What
then? There was a priesthood organized, a First Presidency, the
Twelve, a High Council, Patriarchs, quorums of High Priests,
Seventies, Elders, Bishops, Priests, Teachers and Deacons, to carry on
the purposes of God, and to instruct men in the laws pertaining to his
kingdom, even the laws of life. Men were sent forth in the name of God
to preach the principles of truth which had been revealed, and a great
many believed and were baptized and were initiated into the Church of
God, and we may say into the initiatory or preparatory steps necessary
for the establishment of the kingdom of God. They then received the
Spirit of God, which is "no cunningly devised fable;" it did not
originate with man, it was the gift of God to man. The Elders, for
instance, were told to go forth and call upon men to repent, to be
baptized, and they were to lay their hands upon them that they should
receive the Holy Ghost. And what should that do? Take of the things of
God and shew them unto the people. This is one of the greatest
developments of power that ever existed among men. You Elders,
hundreds of you that are now listening to me, have gone forth to
preach this Gospel. You have called upon men to believe in the Lord
Jesus Christ and they have done it. You have called upon men to
repent, and they have done it. You have told them to be baptized and
you have baptized them. You have then laid your hands upon their heads
and said "receive ye the Holy Ghost," and they have received it, And
you know, and this congregation knows, that what I say is true, and by
that principle, through obedience to the law of God that he had
introduced in his Gospel. What for? To prepare men to be placed in
communion with God. To prepare them to be members not only of his
Church but of his Kingdom, and to prepare them to take part in this
great event that had to transpire in the last days. Now these are
facts that you cannot controvert, nor anybody else. You know that
these things are true. What does it prove? That it is God's kingdom,
he has introduced it, and as it was said in former times, "Ye are my
witnesses," as well as the Holy Ghost that beareth witness of us. Now,
then, could you have received this without the interposition of the
Almighty and his Son Jesus Christ? No you could not. Could you have
received it without the keys of the priesthood being restored and
which some men affect to despise so much? No you could not. Hence we
trace out the order of these institutions as they dwelt in the mind of
God, and as they were made manifest among men. Have those elders that
perform these ceremonies their weaknesses? Yes, just as much as Elder
Pratt and I have our weaknesses. Have they their infirmities? Yes. Was
it a rich treasure that was conferred upon us? Yes, but we received it
in earthen vessels, surrounded with the infirmities of man. But God
knew these infirmities; he was acquainted with all our weaknesses.
Nevertheless, he conferred upon us this priesthood, this power, and
this authority, and when we went forth in his name and by his
authority, God sanctioned our acts. Is God with us while these things
take place? I think so. What do you think about it? It is a principle
that is clear, and plain and demonstrable.

Vol. 21, p.67
[p.67] Well, what next? Then we began I to gather together. And why do
we gather together? Some of us can hardly tell why, and I am often
surprised when I read letters importuning us in regard to this matter.
I get letters time and again praying that some menus may be devised
that the Sabots may be delivered and gathered to Zion, and be enabled
to live with the Saints of God. What is the reason of it? Why do they
want to gather? Because there was a spirit and influence associated
with this Church and this kingdom which led and propelled them to this
action, and you who hear me have felt this influence; you felt a
desire to gather, and you came, and those that are not here now feel
as strong a desire to gather as you did. And when you have gathered,
many of you think it is a curious kind of Zion, don't you? It is; for
while the net gathers in the good, it brings all kinds as well, good
and bad. We have some very good fish, and some very bad ones, and some
a kind of half and half, and some feel like saying "Good Lord and good
devil," as they do not know into whose hands they may fall.
Nevertheless, this is the order, and the wheat and tares, I suppose,
have got to grow together until the harvest comes, and that is not
quite here yet, and hence we are jostling one against another, and
some of us hardly know whether it is us or somebody else. Difficulties
and trials beset us, and we are amazed. But we are here, and we are
here according to the command of God and according to the operation of
the Spirit of God that rests upon us, and did rest upon us, and led us
here, and I was going to say, we are here because we could not help
it.

Vol. 21, p.67
Well, what next? Who are we, and what are we when we are here? Some
good Latter-day Saints, and some, as I have said, half and half, some
one thing and some another. But how do we stand in the position we
occupy as a Church and as other people stand? We believe in God. We
believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe in virtue, purity,
holiness, integrity, honesty. We believe in good citizens and good
Saints. We believe in keeping the commandments of God, and carrying
out his purposes. We believe in spreading the Gospel to the ends of
the earth. We believe in gathering together the honest in heart. We
believe in building temples and administering therein for the living
and for the dead, and we believe in acting as saviors upon Mount Zion
according to the word of the Lord. All these things add a great many
more are leading principles which we as Saints profess to believe in.
Well, we have a right to do that, although there are others who do not
believe in those things. They have just as much right not to believe
in our principles as we have to believe in them. And we sometimes feel
angry and out of sorts with others because they do not believe as we
do. Well, we do not believe as they do. Some of them think we are very
foolish, very enthusiastic, very superstitious, and very wicked. Those
that know us do not think we are so bad after all. We have our
weaknesses and imperfections, yet we are quite as good as the balance
of them, and a little better, and we ought to be, for we make great
pretensions. But they think these things about us. They think we are
deluded. Now the only difference between us and them is that we know
they are superstitious and corrupt, and that they violate those laws
they profess to believe in and those principles which they profess to
be governed and [p.68] guided by. But we have no right to expect
everybody to submit to our doctrines, our views, our principles, it is
a matter of free-will with them, and as I said they have just as much
right to believe as they think proper and to worship as they choose as
we have. These are some principles that are really correct. Well, they
try to prevent us from worshipping as we believe? Now that is—what
shall I call it? a doctrine of devils, it does not come from God, he
is more free and generous in his feelings than that. He does not
control the consciences of men nor force them to obey his behests; it
is a matter of free grace, it is a matter of free will. Well, though
they think they have a right to interfere with us, we do not think we
have a right to interfere with them. And I do not think we do. There
is a number of institutions here in this city, Catholics,
Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, etc., and I do not
know how many more, quite a pile of them. If they think they are right
I am rate willing they should think so. I do not wish to interfere
with them. Who interferes with their building meeting houses? Who
interferes with their worship? If there is anything of this sort I do
not know of it; I hope I shall not know of it; I hope never to hear of
such things. I believe that all men have the privilege of worshipping
God according to the dictates of their own consciences and then I
think we possess just the same right; and when they depart from this
principle and wish to curtail us of our rights they are violating the
spirit and genius of the institutions of our common country, and also
those of the kingdom of heaven with which we are associated. They are
also violating those good feelings that ought to exist between man and
man, brother and brother, and they are interfering with things that in
no wise belong to them.

Vol. 21, p.68
Now then, here is the ground that we stand on in a religious capacity.
If I can find a way and you can find a way, whereby we can approach
our God and have him for our guide, our teacher and instructor, if
they cannot do it, it is none of their business what we do. They have
nothing to do with it, it is none of their business in any way
whatever, and any interference is an interference with the legitimate
rights and inherent principles that belong to humanity.

Vol. 21, p.68
Well, so far as they stand on their platform and we on ours, they may
be Methodists, they may be Presbyterians; all right. They may get up
their revival meetings and think they are doing a great deal of good;
all right, and so far as they teach good moral principles, and do not
depart from truth, all right. So far as they obey the laws of the
land, all right; we have nothing to do with them? Have you? Has the
city? Has the Territory? No.

Vol. 21, p.68
Well then, we will go a little further. By being here we become an
integral part of the government of the United States, as a Territory.
Very well. Here is another thing we are talking about. Is that the
government of God? Not quite, but it is the government we are living
under, and if they treat us right and extend to us any kindness we
appreciate that. If they treat us wrong, we think it is not according
to correct principles. We think as American citizens we ought to
receive all the privileges equally with other people; we think we
ought to be allowed to worship God according to the dictates of our
consciences and be protected in our worship. So far, then, as I have
said before, we are on a [p.69] level. Now then, we are on the same
ground in regard to political circumstances. We are under the United
States, but the United States is not the kingdom of God. It does not
profess to be under his rule, nor his government, nor his authority.
Yet we are expected as citizens of the United States to keep the laws
of the United States, and hence we are, as I said before, an integral
part of the government, Very well, what is expected of us? That we
observe its laws, that we confirm to its usages, that we are governed
by good and wholesome principles, that we maintain the laws in their
integrity and that we sustain the government, and we ought to do it.
But there is a principle here that I wish to speak about. God dictates
in a great measure the affairs of the nations of the earth, their
kingdoms and governments and rulers and those that hold dominion. He
sets up one and pulls down another, according to his will. That is an
old doctrine, but it is true to-day. Have we governors? have we a
president of the United States? have we men in authority? Yes. Is it
right to traduce their characters? No, it is not. Is it right for us
to oppose them? No, it is not. Is it right for them to traduce us? No,
it is not. Is it right for them to oppress us in any way? No, it is
not. We ought to pray for these people, for those that are in
authority, that they may be lead in the right way, that they may be
preserved from evil, that they may administer the government in
righteousness, and that they may pursue a course that will receive the
approbation of heaven. Well, what else? Then we ought to pray for
ourselves that when any plans or contrivances or opposition to the law
of God, to the Church and kingdom of God, or to his people, are
introduced, and whenever we are sought to be made the victims of
tyranny and oppression, that the hand of God may be over us and over
them to paralyze their acts and protect us, for as it is written, the
wrath of man shall praise him, the remainder of wrath shall he
restrain.

Vol. 21, p.69
Now, we in Utah here are under the government of the United States; we
are a very little portion of it. It is true we have our legislators,
we have our probate judges, we have our marshals, constables, etc., we
have our city charters etc., etc., and certain immunities and
privileges of this kind. Well, shall we be governed by them? Yes.
Shall we obey the law? Yes. Shall I as a citizen of this city obey the
laws of this city? Yes. Shall I cause trouble or speak evil of the
mayor or city council or any of the administrators of the law? No, I
ought to pray for them that they may lead aright and administer
justice equitably and act for the welfare and interest of the
community wherein they live and for whom they operate. Am I a citizen
of the United States? Yes, and I ought to feel the same toward them.

Vol. 21, p.69
Well, now, there are some important points come in here. As I have
said, we are a very small portion of this government. Now, do we wish
to overthrow the government. I think not. I think we do not. Do we
wish to cause them trouble? Not that I know of. I know we are accused
of that; but it is not true. These statements are not correct. Our
religion, however, differs from the religion of many others, and as I
have said before, while they look for liberty to worship God as they
please, they do not want us to possess the same privileges. There is
nothing new in this; but because of this [p.70] have they a right to
interfere with the institutions of which we have become a part? Do not
our legislators, our governors, and all men here swear fealty not only
to the Territory, but to the United States, and say they will support
the Constitution, laws, and institutions thereof? They do. This is the
position we occupy. But we are placed in a peculiar position in some
things. They—I was going to say in their wisdom, but I will say in
their folly, and I hope they will excuse me, for I look upon it in
that way—have passed certain laws trying to interfere with us in our
operations in religious affairs. Well, we cannot help that. I told you
a while ago—you believe me, this congregation believes me with very
few exceptions—that God had introduced and instituted this Church,
that he was the founder of it, that it emanated from him, the
doctrines, ordinances principles, government, priesthood, authority,
and all that pertain to it emanated from him; we had nothing to do
with it. Joseph Smith had nothing to do with it, only as a passive
worker in the hands of the Lord. Brigham Young had nothing to do with
it only acting in that capacity. I have nothing to do with it. nor my
brethren of the Twelve. God revealed it. I cannot help it. Can you?
Can any one? Now, then, this people have been received into this
Church in the way that I have spoken of, and have actually received
communication from God by the laying on of hands received the Holy
Ghost, and have a hope within them blooming with immortality and
eternal lives, and are in possession of a hope that enters within the
veil whither Christ has gone. Can you uproot that from the minds of
this people? No, no power on earth, no power in heaven nor all the
combined nations of the earth can do it; God planted it there, man
cannot take it away, and men are foolish in trying to attempt it, Very
well. But they do try to interfere with us under a pretence that we
are very wicked here. Well, it is enough to make a person laugh
sometimes, when we think about these things, and enough to make us
sorry when we know of the hypocrisy, lasciviousness, crime, murder,
bloodshed that prevail in this nation and other nations, to bear them
talk to us about our morality. We know when they talk in that way that
they are hypocrites. We know that they know better when they tell
these things to the world.

Vol. 21, p.70
Now, then, the United States pass a law that a man shall not marry
wives according to the order that God has revealed. Now it is a fact
that we should like to obey the laws of the United States, if we could
do it. If they could only tell us how to get out of the dilemma they
have, placed us in we should be very much obliged to them, we really
should like to get out of it. But we have had no hand in either of
these things. We had no hand in making the commandment that God has
given to his people, and we have had no hand in making the law of the
United States pertaining to these things. We feel very desirous of
keeping the laws of the land if they would only let us; but we should
pray our Father in heaven that he might preserve them front making
laws that we cannot conscientiously keep without violating our
consciences and transgressing the law of God. And if they do we shall
be under the necessity of leaving them in the hands of God for him to
deal with them as he may deem proper, and we will put our trust in the
living God and risk the consequences let  [p.71] them be what they
may.

Vol. 21, p.71
Now, these are our feelings on this point. Is it well to tell these
feelings? Yes. We want to be frank and open and candid and free from
hypocrisy of every kind, and feel as though we were the children of
our Father in heaven without guilt, without treachery, without fraud
of any kind. Let us be sincere worshippers of God and believers in him
and in his law. But do we propose to govern, interfere with, or rebel
against the Government of the United States? No, we do not. That is
not in the programme. Has God given us a law? Yes. All right we will
get along and do the best we can, but we won't forsake our God. All
who are willing to abide by the laws of God signify it by raising the
right hand (unanimous vote). Now try and keep them. But will we fight
against the United States? No, we will not. Well, how will these
things be brought about? Don't you expect that the kingdoms of this
world will become the kingdoms of our God and his Christ? Yes, I do,
as much as I believe I am speaking to you and you are hearing me, and
I not only believe it but know it. Well, now, how will that be brought
about if you do not pitch in? We need not do this. There is plenty
that will pitch in; there will be plenty of trouble by and by without
our interference, when men begin to tear away one plank after another
out of the platform of constitutional liberty; there will not be much
to tie to. And how will you get along with them? We will leave them to
get along with themselves. And how will that be? We are told the
wicked shall slay the wicked, but says the Lord: "It is my business to
take care of the Saints." God will stand by Israel, and Zion shall
triumph and this work will go on until the kingdom is established and
and all nations bow to its standard.

Vol. 21, p.71
May God bless you, may he lead you in the path of light, is my prayer
in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. [p.72]

George. Q. Cannon, October 5, 1879

Spiritual Gifts Attainable—Unchangeableness of God
—Universality of the Right to Revelation—The Saints Glorify
 the God of Revelation—Necessity of Self-Government

Delivered in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, October 5th, 1879.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs.)

Vol. 21, p.72
In standing up to address this congregation there is one feeling that
rests upon me, and that is, my inability to instruct so numerous a
people unless God shall pour out his Holy Spirit upon me and upon you.

Vol. 21, p.72
We have come together to-day according to our custom to be instructed
in those duties that devolve upon us and also in the principles of our
holy religion. These meetings are to me exceedingly precious; they are
seasons of great rejoicing. And having the opportunity as we have
to-day of assembling in peace and quietness without any to molest or
make afraid, we should feel thankful, to that God who has brought us
here; who has preserved and protected us since we came.

Vol. 21, p.72
The instructions which we have had to-day since we have assembled
together, if fully obeyed by us and carried out in our lives, will
make us a people who shall be worthy the name we bear, the name of
Latter-day Saints. And as was remarked this morning the great object
in teaching the people and impressing upon them the counsels that are
given from time to time, is to have us carry out practically in our
lives the principles of that religion which we have espoused. This is
the great labor devolving upon us. It is not to be theoretical alone;
it is not to dwell with great interest and with great eloquence upon
those heavenly doctrines that God has revealed and to become
enraptured over them while listening to them, but it is to make a
practical application of them to our thoughts, to our words and to all
the actions of our lives. And in this way alone can we acceptably
serve the Lord our God, whose name we bear and whose people we profess
to be. There is no reason why this people called Latter-day Saints
should not have all the powers and all the gifts and all the graces
that ever characterized the Church of God upon the earth at any time;
there is no reason, I say, why they should not have all these if they
themselves are true to the principles which have been revealed, and
seek to carry them out. Who is there of this congregation, who is
there that belongs to this Church in any part of this Territory, who
does not have a desire in his or her heart for those blessings and
those gifts and qualifications that were promised to the ancient
Saints and which have been renewed in our day to those who embrace the
Gospel with all their hearts? The Lord  is the same yesterday, to-day
and forever. This [p.73] is the corner-stone, it may be said, of our
faith. It is upon this foundation we have built; that he is an
unchangeable God; that he does not manifest his mind and his will in
plainness and simplicity to one people, and hide the same from a
succeeding people who are equally faithful. But the great truth has
been impressed upon us; the great truth that runs through all the
writings of every man of God concerning whom we have any account from
the beginning down to the last revelation that has been given, that
God is no respecter of persons, that he is to-day as he was yesterday
and as he ever was, and that he will continue to be the same being as
long as time endures or eternity continues. And we have been impressed
with this as I have said, by every man who has spoken concerning God
and spoken by authority from him. I say, therefore, there is no reason
why the Latter-day Saints to-day should not obtain and enjoy the gifts
and graces and blessings of the Gospel the same as they were enjoyed
in ancient days by the ancient servants and people of God.

Vol. 21, p.73
Has God grown old? Have God's ears become heavy? Has his sight become
dim? Has his arm become shortened? Has age affected him or the lapse
of time detracted from his powers? Has it had the same effect upon him
as upon mortal beings who are subject to decay and death?  Is this the
kind of being we worship? Is this the kind of being concerning whom
the prophets and apostles have spoken and written? Certainly not. We
worship him, we adore him, we lift up our eyes to him, we rely upon
him as the Supreme Being, the Creator of the heavens and the earth,
the founder of the universe, the builder of the planet which we
inhabit and which we tread, the being over whom centuries have passed
without making any change to his injury; eternity has rolled and
continues to roll and will continue to roll without in the least
affecting his power or his capacity for good, his eye does not grow
dim by the lapse of ages; his ear does not become heavy by the passage
of time, neither does his arm become short or feeble. He is the God
whom we worship. When we call upon him, though he may be remote from
us, dwelling in his holy habitation in the midst of the eternities,
the very thoughts of our hearts, the very conceptions of our minds,
the feeble whisperings of our voices, they ascend to him, are carried
to him, his ear comprehends them; his bowels of compassion are moved
towards us his children, his all-piercing eye penetrates eternity, and
the glance of his vision reaches us.

Vol. 21, p.73
There is not a single thought of our hearts which he does not
comprehend; there is nothing connected with us he does not know. We
may hide ourselves in the bowels of the earth, but we cannot conceal
ourselves flora his all-piercing sight. We may climb the highest
mountains or descend into the deepest valleys or we may go to the
uttermost parts of the earth, but where ever we may go he is there,
his power is there, his vision is there to hear and to comprehend the
desires and the wishes of our hearts.

Vol. 21, p.73
This being the case, why should we not approach him in faith? What
reason is there that men and women living in this the 19th century
should not approach him with the confidence of those who lived in the
15th century of the world, or the 20th or the 4,000th year of the
world? If he could hear their cries, if he could answer their prayers
and [p.74] if he could grant to them the desires of their hearts; if
he could open the heavens to them and reveal his mind and will unto
them when they called upon him in faith, believing that he would do
so, is there any reason why we should not have that same faith and
exercise it and obtain those same blessings and receive them at his
hands? Who is there that can stand up and say, there are reasons why
this should be the case? If we admit, as we must do, that he is this
being which I have attempted so feebly to describe; if we admit that
he is the God of gods, the Lord of lords, the creator of all, the
father of all, the sustainer of all; if we believe this, why cannot we
believe that if he bestowed his blessings upon other generations and
other people, he will do so to us, also that he will hear our prayers,
that he will grant unto us the desires of our hearts?

Vol. 21, p.74
Now, my brethren and sisters, I look upon these conferences and these
assemblages as having for their object the enforcement of these great
truths upon us and upon our attention; the object of them as I
understand them, is to make us Latter-day Saints not in name alone but
in word and in deed; to be men: and women of God; to place us in
communion with God; to receive communication from him; to have our
false tradition, our improper ideas, our unbelief, our hardness of
heart, and those feelings that surround us, that grow up with us, to
have them removed from us. Is there any reason why this should not be
the case? No reason except that which may be found in ourselves. There
is no reason outside of this. God is willing, he has made promises,
and he has fulfilled his promises so far as we have placed ourselves
in circumstances to receive them. When we have complied with the
conditions he has never from the beginning up to the present time
failed in his part, he is incapable of failing. If there be failure it
is due to us, the fault is our own, we are the guilty ones. Let me ask
of you, when did you ever, any one of you, humble yourselves before
God, when did you in secret call upon him in the name of Jesus and ask
him for his Holy Spirit and the blessings thereof, and fail to receive
an answer to your prayers? If there are any Latter-day Saints in this
condition then there is something wrong with them. God has made
promises unto us that if we will do certain things, if we will obey
certain commandments and ordinances, he will bestow his blessing and
he will answer the prayers of those who take this course. But how many
are there of us who go on from day to day and from week to week and
from month to month careless upon these points, failing to live so as
to receive the blessings that he has promised, until it would seem
when they bow down to call upon him that their prayers scarcely ascend
higher than the tops of their heads.

Vol. 21, p.74
As I have said, God in ancient days was a God of revelation; God in
our day is a God of revelation, and he communicates his mind and his
will unto those who seek after it, not to the President of the Church
alone; not to the apostles of the Church alone; not to the high
priests or seventies or any of the officers or all of them alone, but
he communicates his mind and his will to all who seek after him in
humility and meekness and lowliness of heart, obeying his
commandments. To the Latter-day Saints alone? No, not even to them
alone for there is no human being that is born of  woman, [p.75] there
is no son or daughter of Adam that has ever lived upon the face of the
earth who has not the right and who has not obtained at some time or
other in his or her life, revelations from God, but who may not have
understood what those revelations were. The Latter-day Saints are not
so cramped in their feelings as to imagine that they are the only and
peculiar people above all others who have, in this sense received
revelation. They believe themselves to be the people of God and the
only people who have obeyed the commandments of God; but they do not
think that, of all the children of God, they are the only recipients
of his blessings.

Vol. 21, p.75
God has revealed himself at various times and in various ways to many
people. The heathen have had communication from him. All the light
that exists; all the truths that are taught and all the correct
principles and knowledge that have been communicated and existed among
the children of men, have come from God; he is the author of all.
Socrates, Plato, Confucius, the heathen philosophers who knew nothing
about Jesus Christ and the plan of salvation, received important
truths from him, and so did many other people to a greater or less
extent, according to their abilites in improving upon the knowledge
communicated to them. But the difficulty has been concerning these
matters that mankind have not recognized God in all this. A man has a
dream. It is most wonderfully fulfilled. He has a presentiment; his
presentiment. is fulfilled, and he relates it to his friends as a most
remarkable thing. A man has a truth communicated to him after study
and research. He communicates it to his friends as a wonderful
discovery. Does he acknowledge God in it? Sometimes; but in many
instances he does not acknowledge God; but, on the contrary, he thinks
it is the product of his own thought, of his own mind. If it be a
dream or some remarkable manifestation that partakes of the
supernatural, instead of giving God the glory and praising God for
having made the communication, seine other principle is glorified or
some other thing is talked about, the remarkable character of it is
dwelt upon without the person thinking that God has anything to do
with it.

Vol. 21, p.75
Well, there is, as I have said, no human being but that has, at some
time or other, had communication front the Almighty Father. Some have
recognized God and have given the glory to him for it; others have not
done so. The remarkable discoveries that are being made in the world
of science; in fact, all the remarkable discoveries that have been
made from time to time are produced by the operations of an unseen
influence upon the mind of the children of men. For instance, it has
frequently happened in astronomy and other branches of science that
when an important discovery has been made two or three men about the
same time widely separated from each other have received the
communication; and disputes have arisen as to which of them was
entitled to the credit. This was the case as to the application of
steam and the principles of telegraphy and also many discoveries in
astronomy and other sciences. Disputes have arisen in various nations
upon these points; whereas the truth is that God is the Author; it is
God that moved upon the minds of those individuals. It was God that
inspired them to do as they did; it was he who led on from step to
step until they achieved the [p.76] results which have made them
famous, and sometimes quite unexpectedly to themselves.

Vol. 21, p.76
What is this which has led these famous men in the path of discovery?
The Latter-day Saints call it the spirit of revelation; the spirit of
revelation resting down upon the children of men. Some men possess it
to a greater extent than others. Some have the gift in one direction
and they are capable of receiving communication from God in a
direction that others are not, their minds are better prepared to
receive revelation upon a given subject, than are the minds of others.
Some will receive great moral truths, and these men differ in their
organisms; but the light they receive all comes from our heavenly
Father; it is he who gives the inspiration. And so man has progressed
from one degree of knowledge to another, from the rude canoe of the
Indian, with which he navigates the stream, to those mighty steam
ships whose keels plough every sea and circumnavigate the globe.

Vol. 21, p.76
Now, in what respect do the Latter-day Saints differ from the rest of
mankind in relation to these matters? In this: We acknowledge God as
supreme, the fountain of all knowledge, the fountain of all power, the
fountain of all intelligence, the fountain of everything that is good.
Who are men? The creatures of his workmanship, if you please, his
descendants, his own children begotten by him, descended by lineal
descent from the God we worship. The same being whom we worship is our
God, is our Creator, is our Father. When I worship him I worship him
as my Father. That which I possess, if there be anything godlike in
it, I attribute it to him, as having come from him by lineal descent.
Every aspiration, every noble thought, every pure desire, everything
that is good and holy and pure, elevating, ennobling and godlike comes
from our Father, the God of the universe, the Father of all the
children of men. In him we move, in him we have our being. He can
extinguish life; he can create life; he can perpetuate life. There is
no power that human beings can conceive of which he does not possess.
The light that now shines comes from him. The revelation we may get,
imperfect at times because of our fallen condition and because of our
failure to comprehend the nature of it, comes from God. The Latter-day
Saints glorify him for it. If there is anything good or great or
noble, if there is anything to be admired it comes from God, not man.
Man is but the medium, but the instrument, is but the conduit through
which it flows. God is to be worshipped; God is to be adored; God is
to be glorified, and he will be. And when we are saved, when we are
delivered from death, hell and the grave, we will glorify God, not
man. Man will receive no glory; it will be the eternal Father, through
Jesus Christ, who will receive it all.

Vol. 21, p.76
This is the position occupied by the Latter-day Saints. We believe in
revelation. It may come dim; it may come indistinct, it may come
sometimes with a degree of vagueness which we do not like. Why?
Because of our imperfection; because we are not prepared to receive it
as it comes in its purity; in its fullness from God. He is not to
blame for this. It is our duty though to contend for more faith, for
greater power, for clearer revalations, for better understanding
contending his great truths as he communicates them to us. That is our
duty; that is the object of  our lives as [p.77] Latter-day Saints—to
live so near unto him that nothing can happen to us but that we will
be prepared for it beforehand. And I know many, many Latter-day Saints
who are in this condition, who do live so that there is nothing of any
importance that can occur for which they are not prepared, and the
mind and will of God is made known to them, and they walk according to
it, and seek earnestly and humbly to have it revealed to them; and in
taking any important step they seek to know the will of God concerning
it. Are they perfect? Far from it. They are mortal, frill of
weaknesses, and nobody is better aware of the character of earthly
weaknesses than the man or woman who thus lives.

Vol. 21, p.77
It is the duty of all to live in this manner, and if the, inhabitants
of the earth could comprehend it as they should do they would seek to
know the mind and will of God concerning themselves. But what is the
spirit of the world to-day? Let a preacher in the world deliver a fine
discourse and who thinks about giving God the glory for it? Who thinks
of the Holy Ghost under such circumstances? God is removed tar from
them, he does not exist in their thoughts, the preachers who attempt
to preach Christ and him crucified, they are glorified. Who gives
glory to God for Henry Ward Beecher's discourses? Who gives glory for
Dr. Fotheringham's or Mr. Talmage's or any of the popular preachers of
to-day? Do men glorify God for Spurgeon's? No, he himself is
glorified. Beecher himself is glorified, and Fotheringham is
glorified. Is God glorified? No, he is not thought about. Morse
discovered the principle of telegraphy. Who gave the glory to God? I
was in the hall of the House of Representatives when a grand meeting
was held. What for? To glorify Morse, the discoverer of that great
principle and who practically applied it and made it useful. Now, I do
not mean to say that there are none who have God in their thoughts. I
am speaking now of the general feeling that prevails, of the general
course that is taken. Inventions, no matter how grand they may be, are
not attributed to the Father of them all, the Creator and Fountain of
all knowledge. But man, whom he has chosen to be his instrument, he
has blessed with knowledge concerning all these things, as the result
of his earnest, study and his untiring efforts to obtain knowledge.
The Being who does this is very seldom thought about by man.

Vol. 21, p.77
Latter-day Saints, is this the course for us to take? Shall we glorify
the creature at the expense of the Creator? As a people, I believe we
are tolerably free from this. But we have to make a degree of progress
much greater than we have in these things. We have got to seek after
God with an earnestness, a fervor and devotion that we at the present
time cannot comprehend: It is our duty as Latter day Saints to seek
for knowledge. Will God bestow it upon us if we do not seek for it? He
may in his condescension at times do this. Brother Rich said this
morning that he believed some people were too lazy to think. It is a
truth plainly expressed. There are too many too lazy or too
indifferent—it may be indifference and not laziness in every instance,
to think, to feel after, to seek for and receive the blessing of God,
although they make the profession of being Latter-day Saints.

Vol. 21, p.77
Now, I do not think a man's religion amounts to anything if he only
makes a profession of it and [p.78] does not practise it. I would
rather have an intelligent heathen, if he is honest and determined to
do the best he can, living up to the light he has, than a Latter-day
Saint who is careless and indifferent, who does not seek to enjoy the
spirit of his religion.

Vol. 21, p.78
I am in hopes that after awhile we will begin to realize as we never
have yet, that there are practical duties resting on us Latter-day
Saints; that there is something more than being members of the Church
required of us. How is it with a great many? Why, every evil thought,
every wrong speech that comes in their hearts, either to think or to
utter, they entertain and express, and then take credit to themselves
for not being hypocrites. Is not this great folly? Men and women think
evil thoughts, they give place to angry feelings; and they think it a
meritorious act, and pride themselves upon their conduct because they
give them utterance instead of quenching them! Is not this
extraordinary? Lacerate the feelings of their brethren and sisters and
friends, because they think they would be hypocrites if they did not
utter their evil thoughts, however unfounded or repulsive they might
be! What right have I to do this? If my heart is wicked does that
justify me in giving utterances to its foul conceptions? Certainly
not. If any heart were such that I could not think good thoughts nor
entertain good feelings; if I were possessed of anger and could not
contain myself, than it were better for me to sew up my mouth and stop
my utterance. It is no merit in a man or woman because he or she
thinks an evil thought or indulges in an angry spirit to give
utterance to it; and they are not hypocrites because they do not do it
either. It is not hypocrisy to quench the evil thoughts that arise in
our minds. Our hearts are evil in consequence of the fall. As the
prophet Jeremiah says: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and
desperately wicked: who can know it?" There are a great many things
that are conceived in our hearts that it would be well for us to
stifle before they received shape. What is frequently the result of
these evil conceptions? Innocent people suffer wrongfully; injury is
done; slanders are circulated; while those who start them justify
themselves, because forsooth they concerned them. Just as well might
the counterfeiter, the bogus-maker, say that because he makes a bogus
bill he has the right to circulate it. There is not any of the Spirit
of God connected with such conduct.

Vol. 21, p.78
It is my duty and your duty to think pure thoughts, to have holy
desires, to be charitable, to be kind, to be long suffering, to be
full of love, and not any of those evil influences. Why, the devil
would have no power on the earth if it were not for some people who
allow him to use their tabernacles. I have often thought of this
valley when we first came here. There were a few Indians; but who
witnessed the devil or his power here? If there were no wicked men nor
women here how could the devil manifest his power here? Who heard
tattling? Who heard backbiting? Who heard of litigation?  Who heard of
fighting? Such things were never heard of. But no sooner did men come
and the adversary obtain power over them, than all the evils we now
witness throughout this land and in this city, which grieves us so,
began to manifest themselves. And the more there are who will yield to
the influences of the evil one, the more there are who will be  guided
by [p.79] him, and the worse the conditions become. There are those
who would have here gambling houses and liquor saloons and houses of
ill-fame and other deplorable evils which abound in the earth. Why
because they are willing to yield themselves to the devil, I speak it
plainly, it is the truth. If such people who practice these and
kindred evils would not lend themselves to the devil he would have no
power here. What is our duty? It is not to lend ourselves in any
particular to the devil, but it is to obey God; to let the fruits of
righteousness be manifested in our lives. If we are Latter-day Saints,
let us live up to the profession and be that in truth and in deed, and
not think that we have no labor to perform in the controling of our
thoughts and our evil desires; neither to allow ourselves to imagine
that because we have become members of the Church God will do it all
without any efforts on our part.

Vol. 21, p.79
There is a work devolving upon every son and daughter of Adam; there
is a fight that we have to fight against—the evils of our own natures,
for the heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked. The natural
man is at enmity with Christ and with God; and unless he seeks to
conquer his nature by bringing it into subjection to the mind of God,
he is not a son, or she is not a daughter of God. This is the labor
that devolves upon us. This is why we meet together at conference; it
is to impress upon the people the character and the magnitude of this
work that rests upon each individual man and woman. As I have said
once before in this Tabernacle, we may be heralded through the earth
as famous; but unless we conquer ourselves it is in vain that our
names are known and that our deeds resound through the earth. I care
not how famous a man in this Church may be—he may be an apostle, he
may be a high priest, a bishop, or hold any other important office or
position; but unless that man conquers himself and carries on the work
within himself of self-improvement, and brings himself and all there
is within him in subjection to the mind and will of God, I tell you
his fame is as empty as the sound of a trumpet when it passes away. We
hear it; it strikes the ear, but it presently dies away, and that is
the end of it. So it is with fame of this character. Therefore I say
to you that that which is applicable to the individual is applicable
to us as a people. Our fame may go forth for great works and mighty
things that we have done; but unless we ourselves bring forth the
fruits of righteousness in our lives; unless we conquer our evil
passions, our evil habits, our evil inclinations, our evil desires,
and bring them under complete subjection to the Spirit of God our
labor is comparatively profitless, for that is the object of preaching
the Gospel to us.

Vol. 21, p.79
I would like to have the power to impress upon your minds the
importance of this great truth. There is nothing so important to me as
an individual, as my own salvation. This is the most important thing
to me that can be—that I myself shall be saved; that I myself shall so
live as to be counted worthy by the Almighty to receive an exaltation
in his kingdom. This is of the utmost importance to me individually.
As Brother Rich said, if all the rest did certain things, and he did
not, he could not receive the blessing, the reward of such works; or
if he did, and all the others did not, they could not have the
blessing. That [p.80] is a great truth; and it should be impressed
upon us.

Vol. 21, p.80
You may think it a grand thing for men to go on missions. I remember
the time, and probably the feeling still exists—I hope it does—when it
was deemed a great honor for a man to go upon a mission, especially a
foreign mission. It is right that we should value these labors. It is
a great thing to preside as a bishop or president of a stake, or to
act in the calling of an apostle. All these things are great in and of
themselves, and they reflect honor upon those who hear these offices,
and especially when they seek to magnify them. But after all, the
great labor, the most honorable labor that any person can perform, is
to do that which I have attempted to describe to you—to improve
ourselves; to be Latter-day Saints in deed and in truth, to live our
holy religion. When we arise in the morning, to examine ourselves, to
see if there is anything that is in opposition to the mind and will of
God within ourselves; and through the day to pursue the same course of
self-examination. And at night before we retire to rest, to bow
ourselves before our Father and God in secret, and pour out our souls
in prayer before him, supplicating him to show unto us wherein we have
done wrong during the day, wherein we have come short in thought, word
and deed; and then repent of the same before we lie down to rest, and
to obtain from him a forgiveness of our sins. And then, going on day
after day, week after week, and year after year until the end shall
come. If we do this, the promises of God are sure, and they cannot
fail.

Vol. 21, p.80
That it may be our happy lot to attain to an exaltation with our
Father, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Charles W. Penrose, April 25, 1880

Insufficiency of Mere Belief in Christ—Extent and Application
 of the Atonement—Necessity of Divine Authority to Enable
 Man to Administer the Gospel—Joseph Smith Called of God

Delivered in the Salt Lake Assembly Hall, Sunday
 Afternoon, April 25th, 1880.

(Reported by John Irvine.)

Vol. 21, p.80
The Latter-day Saints are often accused by the people in the Christian
world of being very much deluded. Our religion is  counted a delusion
and a snare. I was thinking, however, during the meeting [p.81] this
afternoon about the great number of Christian preachers who today are
standing up in various parts of the world informing the people who
listen to them that simple belief on the Lord Jesus, who died on
Calvary, is all that is necessary to save them and exalt them in the
presence of God the Father. And it seems to me that if there is one
delusion more pernicious than another it is that very doctrine, which
seems to be a fundamental principle of all the various Christian
sects. You will find, go where you will in the Christian world and
listen to any of the great preachers of the day, that this is the
common topic of discourse. Jesus Christ is preached—which is quite
right, I am very glad that he is—as the Savior of the world. So we
testify as Latter-day Saints. In connection, however, with this great
truth which is proclaimed to the inhabitants of the earth by men
professing to be sent of God, is preached the great error that mere
belief in the work which Jesus Christ wrought out is sufficient for
the salvation of the people. The inhabitants of the earth are informed
that it is not by any works of righteousness which they may perform
that they can gain any favor whatever in the sight of God, but it is
the righteousness of Christ alone which is acceptable to the Father
and which they can gain the benefit of if they simply believe in him.

Vol. 21, p.81
When we search the Scriptures and read the sayings of Jesus Christ,
and of his servants whom he sent forth to preach the Gospel, we do not
find any such statement as this. We find, it is true, that the
apostles of the Lord Jesus preached Christ and him crucified to the
world wherever they had an opportunity; they directed the attention of
the people, Jew and Gentile, wherever they went, to Jesus of Nazareth
who was slain on Calvary as the Redeemer of the world, and faith in
him was declared to be absolutely necessary. But we do not find that
in proclaiming faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to that generation they
informed the people that a mere belief in Christ was all that was
needful; we find that, in addition to teaching the principle of faith
in God and in his Son Jesus Christ, they taught the people it was
necessary to observe certain rules, and commandments, to obey certain
forms and ordinances, to comply with certain conditions that they
might obtain the benefit of the shedding of Christ's blood. We find by
searching the New Testament, which contains some of the teachings of
the apostles and some of their letters to the churches, that the
doctrine was held forth by them that "the blood of Christ cleanseth us
from all sin." We find that this applied, as they taught it, not only
to what is called ordinal sin, but also to actual sin. The sin which
our first parents committed in the Garden of Eden is called original
sin; and the sins committed individually by the inhabitants of the
earth, are called actual sin, for "all have sinned and come short of
the glory of God." The apostles sent forth to preach the Gospel by our
Savior himself, taught the people that through the shedding of
Christ's blood remission of sin might come to all and that mankind
might be redeemed from sin, original and actual. But we find this
distinction in their teaching in regard to original sin, and their
teaching in regard to individual sin; that the blood of Christ redeems
mankind from the effects of the fall and will eventually bring up all
who for " as in Adam all [p.82] died in Adam die, even so in Christ
shall all be made alive,"—but that while people had nothing whatever
to do with the sin which Adam committed and therefore have nothing
whatever to do with the work of atonement for that sin, yet for their
own sins there is some action required on their part that they may
obtain redemption therefrom, inasmuch as the blood of Christ was shed
for original sin unconditionally, but for the remission of actual sin
conditionally.

Vol. 21, p.82
God, when he placed our first parents in the Garden of Eden put before
them a certain tree, the fruit of which he said "they should not
partake of, if they did they should surely die." They partook of that
tree in disobedience to the divine commandment, and planted the seeds
of death in their bodies, and that death has passed upon all their
posterity. "It is appointed unto men once to die." This act of our
first parents introduced death into the world. Death came by sin, and
death has passed upon all the posterity of Adam and Eve. Jesus came in
the meridian of time as "the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of
the world," to bring mankind up from the effects of the transgression
of our first parents. Hence he is called "the Second Adam," and we are
told that as in the first Adam all die, even so in Christ, the second
Adam, shall all be made alive again. And he himself proclaimed that
the time should come, "in the which all that are in the graves shall
hear the voice of the Son, of God and shall come forth; they that,
have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done
evil unto the resurrection of damnation," or in the words of the
inspired translation, "they that have done good in the resurrection of
the just, and they that have done evil in the resurrection of the
unjust." It is through the transgression of Adam that we have to
suffer what is called the temporal death. Through that transgression
our spirits have become separated from our bodies; our immortal
spirits held by these mortal tabernacles must be taken out, and our
bodies must return to the ground and crumble into dust; but by the
atonement wrought out by the Lord Jesus Christ the time is to come
when all who lived in the body shall live in the body again. Christ
was raised from the dead and became "the first fruits of them that
slept;" afterwards they that are Christ's at his coming will be
brought forth. This is the first resurrection. "Blessed and holy,"
says the Apostle John in his vision, "are they that hath part in the
first resurrection; on such the second death hath no power, but they
shall be priests of God and of his Christ, and shall reign with him a
thousand years." After that John saw, that "the sea gave up the dead
which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were
in them; and they were judged every man according to his works."

Vol. 21, p.82
The atonement wrought out by the Lord Jesus Christ for original sin
will apply just as far as the effects of the sin are felt. As all the
posterity of Adam died through that sin, even so all the posterity of
Adam will be raised up again through the atonement."But every man in
his own order," says the apostle, "Christ the first fruits; afterward
they that are Christ's at his coming;" and then after the thousand
years have passed away, the rest of the dead, as John said, will be
brought forth and judged each  one according to the deeds [p.83] done
in the flesh. All must give an account unto the great eternal Father.
We are responsible for the acts done in the flesh, for like as it was
in the case of our first parents, good and evil, truth and error, are
placed before us, and every individual is left free to choose the good
and refuse the evil, or to choose the evil, and refuse the good, as he
pleases. Both are set before us and, if we yield to either, it will
lead us in either direction. There is, however, a spirit in man, born
in him, which comes from God, the fountain of light and truth. This
light is planted in the breast of every man and every woman who
breathes the breath of life· It is the true light that lighteth every
man that cometh into the world, and if people would listen to the
whispering of that still small voice, be led by that natural light and
natural inspiration, they would be led up to God. By this natural
light, by this general inspiration, if people would listen to its
whisperings, and be guided thereby, they would be led up to the
fountain of light. "Every good gift," says the Apostle James, "and
every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of
lights in whom there is no variableness neither shadow of turning."
But on the other hand there must he, as the Book of Mormon says, "an
opposition in all things," and there is a spirit of evil, a spirit of
darkness, which draws downward to death, and a spirit of light which
leads upward to life; the one leads to Satan and his works, the other
to God and to righteousness. But the inhabitants of the earth
generally have been more prone to listen to the inspiration of the
spirit of darkness as did our first parents, than to listen to the
still small voice of light and life in their souls.

Vol. 21, p.83
All people must give an account of the deeds done in the body
according to the measure of light they have received, and the
opportunities they have had of obtaining that light, while they dwelt
in the flesh. Some people have lived on the earth when God has sent
his servants inspired of him to make plain his ways, while others have
tabernacled in the flesh when no inspired voice was heard, when no
communication was open between the heavens and the earth. And he who
is just, who is the embodiment of the eternal principles of justice,
will deal out to all according to their light and according to the
opportunities they have had of obtaining that light, but all must be
judged, all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ and give an
account for their individual works·

Vol. 21, p.83
Now, we will take the case of an individual who has broken all the
laws of God and perhaps all the laws of man, and finally has shed the
blood of a fellow-creature, and is condemned by the laws of man to
die; he is, in fact, unfit to live, unfit to associate with mortal
beings, therefore, they must needs thrust him out of the world that he
may mingle with immortal beings. Where do they send him to? A minister
will come and preach to him, and tell him that all he has to do is to
cast his soul on Jesus; that he has just to believe that Christ died
for him, and the righteousness of the pure, immaculate, sinless,
Christ will be grafted into that rotten branch, so that he will have
the fruits of righteousness and peace. That is according to the modern
Gospel. The man believes this, he confesses Christ with his lips and
acknowledges him with his tongue, and straightway is strung up between
the heavens and the earth, [p.84] and choked to death; his spirit is
forced out of his body, and ushered into the presence of the eternal
Father to stand before his spotless throne, and is deemed fit to dwell
in the society of the pure and holy ones on high. That is according to
the modern Gospel, but not according to the ancient Gospel of Jesus
Christ, the everlasting Gospel which says "no murderer hath eternal
life abiding in him."

Vol. 21, p.84
But some one may ask, "Is there no efficacy, for actual sin, in the
atonement wrought out by Jesus Christ? Is there no method by which
people can obtain a forgiveness of their individual sins?" Yes, there
is a way, and that is the plan of the true Gospel, but it does not
consist in mere belief in the righteousness of another; mere belief in
the righteousness somebody else will not make us any better ourselves.
What is to be done then? Here the Gospel is very plain and simple,
when pointed out by one who understands it. But "how shall they call
on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in
him of whom they have not heard, and how shall they hear without a
preacher, and how shall they preach except they be sent?" It is men
who are not sent who preach the nonsense we bear in the world. It is
men who are not sent who deceive mankind with their strong delusions,
and then turn round and call the Latter-day Saints deluded. If they
were sent of God they would not preach such nonsense, they would not
deceive mankind and thus become the cause of so much sin and evil in
the world. For while people believe that at the last moment, at the
last gasp of their existence, they may cast their souls On Jesus, and
by believing in his virtue escape the penalty of their sins, they will
continue to sin on, like many of these false teachers who revel in sin
up to their very eyes, and will die in their sins and go down into the
pit where they must wait until they are released, in the time and way
of the Lord. The doctrine of belief without works is a strong
delusion. There is more to do, according to the Gospel, than merely to
believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Belief in the Lord Jesus Christ is
necessary. That is the foundation, it is the root of the matter, but
it is not all the matter. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou
shalt be saved." Why? Because if you have true faith in Christ, if you
really believe on him, you will believe in his sayings and keep his
commandments. Hear him: "If ye love me, keep my commandments." "Not
every one that saith Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of
heaven: but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."
"Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I
will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock: And
the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat
upon that house; and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock. And
every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not,
shall be likened unto a foolish man which built his house upon the
sand: And, the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds
blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell; and great was the fall of
it."

Vol. 21, p.84
When Jesus Christ sent his apostles unto all the world after he had
risen from the dead, he commanded them to "teach all  nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the
Holy Ghost. Teaching them to [p.85] observe all things whatsoever I
have commanded you." They were to go out and preach to all the world,
baptizing those that believed, and then proceed to teach all things
whatsoever he had commanded them. Christ taught his disciples many
principles while he tarried with them in the flesh, and after he had
risen from the dead he continued his instructions from time to time.
He also told them that when he went away the Comforter should come to
reveal unto them the things of the Father and the Son, and to guide
them unto all truth; for it is only by receiving truth and living it
that people can be saved and exalted. "Sanctify them through thy
truth," prayed the Savior, "thy word is truth." The Holy Ghost the
Comforter, was to come, therefore, to make plain the truth, and to
reveal things past, present, and to come. It is necessary, however, to
have faith in Christ. Why? Because every blessing that flows to the
inhabitants of the earth from God the eternal Father comes through
Jesus Christ. We must first of all believe in God, then believe in
Jesus Christ, and if we really do believe in God and in Jesus Christ
we will find out in ourselves that we have broken the command merits
of God and of his Sort Jesus Christ, and the desire will enter our
hearts to turn away from sin. Thus it is said "whosoever heareth these
sayings, and doeth them, I will liken unto a wise man, which built his
house upon a rock." It is taught by some that repentance is the first
principle of religion, but if a man does not believe in God, will he
pray unto him? What has a man to repent of except the breaking of the
commandments of God? And how shall he feel anything to repent of if he
does not believe in God? It is necessary therefore to have faith
first, and then comes repentance, a determination to forsake evil, and
this is what the ancient apostles taught.

Vol. 21, p.85
What next? We find that wherever the apostles went, whenever they
found a people who believed in Jesus and repented of their sins they
baptized them. By sprinkling a little water in their face? Or by
making the sign of the cross upon their foreheads? No. They were taken
down into the water and buried there in the likeness of Christ's death
and burial and raised up in the likeness of his resurrection, that
henceforth, having "put off the old man with his deeds" they might
walk in newness of life, observe his laws and keep his commandments,
and follow his footsteps, for he "left us an example, that we should
follow in his steps." Then the apostles laid their hands upon those
that were baptized, and we read that they received the Holy Ghost, the
Comforter, the spirit of truth, which opened up a communication
between each individual soul and the fountain of light and eternal
truth, which testified that they had been washed clean from their
sins. How washed By water? Yes, and no. Water does not wash away sin,
but if people desire remission of their actual sins they must be
baptized. Thus it must be, "to fulfil all righteousness." Even Christ
himself had to he baptized to fulfil that commandment, and if he had
not obeyed it there would have been no manifestation of the Holy Ghost
resting upon him in the sign of a dove, and a voice from heaven
declaring, "'This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." Christ
left us this example, and his apostles followed in his footsteps,
baptizing according to the commandment for the  [p.86] remission of
sins. John the Baptist also taught this same doctrine when he went out
to preach in Judea, and within the people came to him confessing their
sins he baptized and them in Jordan for the remission of sins. "I
indeed baptize you," says John, "with water; but one mightier than I
cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to loose; he shall
baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire."

Vol. 21, p.86
Baptism for the remission of sins!

Vol. 21, p.86
"Why," says one "I thought the blood of Christ redeemed us from our
sins."And so it does. Water itself will not wash away guilt. If a
person has no faith in Christ, and has not repented of his sins,
baptism will be of no avail. But baptism properly administered by one
who has a right to administer in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost, will avail. The person to be baptized must
go down into the water and therein be buried for a remission of sins,
having repented, and having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in his
atoning blood, for the blood of Christ was shed "for the sins of the
whole world." But the "whole world" will not receive the benefit of
the atonement unless they comply with the conditions laid down,
namely: faith, repentance, and baptism. They who do not receive this
ordinance cannot enter into the presence of the Father, for "except a
man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God." So said Jesus. This is a little different from the
teachings of modern divines, is it not? Yes, but it is according to
the teachings of Christ and his apostles.

Vol. 21, p.86
Now, then, in regard to the administration of this ordinance. Men must
have a right to administer before they do anything in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. I ask who has that
right? There are a great many ministers standing up in the various
chapels and churches to-day adminstering in the name of this holy
trinity, You can see men in the Christian world stand up before a
congregation and sprinkle a little water upon an unconscious babe, and
call it baptism, and actually do it in the name of the Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost! Who sent them? Who told them to do this sprinking? Did
God the Father, or the Son, or the Holy Ghost? No. Did any person to
whom God has spoken, having authority from God to ordain, appoint them
to that office? No. Why! Because for hundreds of years communication
with the eternal world has been shut off, inasmuch as the people who
profess. the Christian religion have not even believed in the doctrine
of present communication with God. They have been contented with the
old revelations contained in the book we call the Bible, which
contains a few of the things that God revealed hundreds of years ago.
They do not believe in having communication with the heavens. How did
they get this authority, then? When did a man ever get authority from
God to sprinkle and call it baptism, or to baptize an infant in any
form It is not to be found in the Bible. "He that believeth and is
baptized shall be saved," so Christ said. And you will find that
wherever the apostles went, faith was the first principle they taught.
"If thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest," said Philip to
the eunuch who sought to be baptized. Baptism without faith and
repentance is valueless, it is void; and baptism  administered by one
who has not the right to attend to that ordinance in [p.87] the name
of the holy trinity is also void. Supposing men were to come to us
with as groundless claims in temporal things as they do in spiritual.
Supposing a man came from Germany to this country and professed to be
a minister from the German court. We would ask to see his credentials,
and if he had been sent as an ambassador for that people, he would be
able to show his authority. Supposing all that he had to prove his
right to represent the German Empire was, he felt called in his heart
to do so. We should consider him a fit subject for a lunatic asylum.
But there are men administering in these sacred things (administering
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost),
ordinances to which God never appointed them, for they say there is no
communication between them and God, nor has there been among the
inhabitants of the earth for hundreds and hundreds of years. They say
the canon of scripture is full; God talks no more with the inhabitants
of the earth. Where, then, do they get the right to administer in the
name of the Lord? I tell you as sure as they do this they will be
called to account and held guilty of taking the name of the Lord in
vain. How did the apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ get the authority
to baptize Christ gave it to them. How did Christ get the authority?
Did he assume it himself? No. Jesus said, "I come not to do my own
will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." It was his
Father in heaven who called him to be a high priest after the order of
Melchisedek, and Moses and Elias who had previously held that
priesthood, administered to hint in the mount. Thus Christ received
that holy priesthood, after the order of Melchisedek, which embraced
all the higher powers and comprehended the lesser or Aaronic
priesthood (for the greater includes the less), and he ordained his
apostles to that priesthood. "As my Father hath sent me," said he,
"even so send I you." They obtained their ordination from Christ, and
therefore had a right to baptize and also to call others as the Holy
Ghost directed.

Vol. 21, p.87
"But," says one, "there are many people who have felt called in their
hearts, they have had the spirit of the Gospel. Have they not a right,
seeing they believe in Christ, to administer in these ordinances?"
Certainly not, not a particle of right. Let us look at Paul and his
history, related by himself, Saul, of Tarsus, who went to persecute
the Saints and was smitten to the earth by the light from the glorious
presence of the lately risen Jesus. He was led blind into the city to
which he carried letters intended to be used in the persecution and
annoyance of the saints. Says Paul: "And one Ananias came unto me and
said, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up
upon him. And he said the God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that
thou shouldst know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldst hear
the voice of his mouth. For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of
what thou hast seen and heard. And now why tarriest thou? Arise and be
baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord."
Saul attended to the ordinance and was baptized. "Well, now," says
one, "surely Saul had a right to preach the Gospel. He had seen Jesus
and heard his voice. A miracle had been wrought upon him and he was
told that he should be a witness unto all men." No, he had not yet the
right. The hands of the [p.88] servants of the Lord had not yet been
laid upon him. But we read in the thirteenth chapter of Acts, that
while certain prophets and teachers were waiting before the Lord, "the
Holy Ghost said, separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto
I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed and laid their
hands on them, they sent them away." It is written, "No man taketh
this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God as was Aaron."
Aaron was called by Moses, who received divine authority by direct
communication from God. Aaron, it appears, could talk better than
Moses, but Moses was the man called to hold the keys of the ministry.
If any man desires to act in the holy ministry he must first be
baptized for a remission of his sins and receive the gift of the Holy
Ghost, otherwise he cannot be a teacher unto others. And even then,
although he may have had visions, although he may have seen the Lord
and had the glories of heaven opened unto his view, though the curtain
that hides the future may have rolled up before him like a scroll, so
that he could gaze into the glories of the eternities, all this would
give him no authority whatever to administer in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. He must be called, he
must be ordained, he must receive the authority of the holy
priesthood.

Vol. 21, p.88
Well, what condition has the Christian world been in for centuries?
Just the same in a great many respects as the heathen world. The
people have been in the depths of error. Darkness has covered the
earth and gross darkness the people. "Stay yourselves and wonder,"
says the Prophet Isaiah, speaking of the latter times, "cry ye out and
cry they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with
strong drink. For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep
sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers the
seers hath he covered." And the Lord said that in that very time, when
the people should be in this condition, when they should draw near
unto him with their mouth, and honor him with their lips, while their
hearts were far from him, "I will proceed to do a marvelous work among
the people, even a marvelous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of the
wise men shall perish and the understanding of their prudent men shall
be hid. * * * And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the
book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of
darkness. The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the
poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel." Just as the
prophet predicted so it has been in the age in which we live. Out of
darkness has come forth light. God, from his holy dwelling place,
looked down upon the world and beheld that all had gone astray, that
none were doing good, no not one. They were divided and contentious,
jangling and quarrelling about creeds. Men were crying lo! here, and
lo! there; in fact the blind were leading the blind and both were
falling into the ditch together. The Lord beheld this from his holy
habitation and again restored the truth from the eternal world. He
sent his holy angels and revealed anew the everlasting Gospel. Truth
came out of the earth, and righteousness looked down from heaven and
both joined in one, gave joy to the meek, and became a power among men
in the earth.

Vol. 21, p.89
[p.89] God called Joseph Smith to the great work of ushering in the
last dispensation. He made manifest to him the truth, sent angels to
him, enlightened his mind and gave him the gift and power of the Holy
Ghost, and as Moses and Elias came to Christ in the Mount, so also did
Peter, James and Joint ordain Joseph Smith to the Melchisedek
priesthood. The authority of that priesthood is here now, and the
servants of God who are called by that authority go forth and preach
the Gospel to every creature, for a witness unto all nations,
declaring that the end is near, and that the second advent of the Lord
is close at hand. People are called upon everywhere to repent of their
sins; to be baptized for the remission of sins, and to receive the
gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, and whenever people
have received the Gospel and obeyed its ordinances his blessings have
come to them. The Holy Ghost, the Comforter, which speaks direct to
their souls, has borne witness that their sins are remitted, that they
are raised to a newness of life, and that if faithful unto the end
they will be received back into the presence of the Father, to dwell
in his society and glory. This is a privilege offered to all the
inhabitants of the earth who will believe in this Gospel of the
latter-days. Yet it is no new thing. It is the old Gospel restored.
Not a doctrine, not a principle, not a precept therein, but what may
be found in the old Scriptures. And this is what people call delusion!
The Gospel came to us in the various nations of the earth, some
belonging to the various religious sects, and some belonging to no
sect whatever, and when we received and obeyed it a power took hold`
of us superior to anything we have ever experienced before, and
witnessed to us in an unmistakeable manner the truth of this work. It
is not a phantom. It is not something imaginary, but it is a solemn
fact, as certain as the fact of our existence. No one can reason us
out of it, or force us out of it. Why? Because it is stamped upon our
spiritual nature, it is a part of our very being. God Almighty has
revealed this truth to our souls, and we know it as we know we live.
That is why we are here.

Vol. 21, p.89
Now, our business is to live this religion, to learn further of the
ways of God, and to do his will in all things. The matters I have been
speaking of are only the A B C of the Gospel. We must learn "line upon
line and precept upon precept," and continue to grow and increase in a
knowledge of the truth, living by "every word that proceedeth out of
the mouth of God." Now I would ask whether this is the case? Having
been redeemed? or having had our individual transgressions remitted,
are we walking in the straight and narrow way? Are we learning of God?
Are we seeking to understand more distinctly and clearly the things
that pertain to our salvation? Are we performing the task allotted to
us? For we are living in an important day. The day of the second
coming of the Savior is nigh at hand, and when he comes shall we be
found, as in the parable, among the wise or among the foolish virgins?
How is it with us this afternoon? Have we oil in our lamps to guide us
on our path? There is no need for us to do anything in the dark. We
should be the children of the light. We are accused of following our
leaders in "blind obedience." There is no [p.90] such thing in the
Gospel. We have in our midst those who give us the word of the Lord in
a church capacity, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of
the ministry and for the edifying of the body of Christ," but it is
our privilege to have the same light. "The manifestations of the
spirit are given to every one to profit withal." The Holy Ghost is
conferred upon each individual and it is our privilege to see our way.
When the true Saints hear the word of life, there is an echo within
their hearts and a spirit which testifies to its truthfulness When the
word comes through our inspired leaders it proceeds from the spirit of
light which guides us unto all truth. It is the privilege of every
Saint to have this light fork themselves, the light of God, the light
of truth, "the light that is in all things and through all things and
round about all things, and is the law by which all things are
governed." It is our privilege to be in possession of that faith that
we may ask and receive, that we may seek and find, that we may knock
and have the door opened unto us. Well, are we doing this? If so, then
we rejoice in our religion. The world compared therewith is as nothing
all things are as dross compared with the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ. If we are living our religion it is everything with us
"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these
things shall be added unto you." Earthly things perish with the using
and when we pass away we must leave them behind, but we will carry
with us the Gospel, and every one of its truths we have made our own.
We will carry with us the holy priesthood and its gifts and powers, if
we have been faithful, and will be permitted to mingle with the
spirits of just men made perfect, and rejoice in the hope of a
glorious resurrection.

Vol. 21, p.90
Now let us strive to walk in this path that we may gain this great
glory. Let us attend to the duties we are required to perform. There
is nothing in the Gospel that is nonessential. Every principle that
has been revealed unto us is necessary for the salvation of man, for I
tell you before we ate fit to dwell in the presence of God and enjoy
the fulness of his glory we must become like him. Latter-day Saints,
the ordinances of the Gospel will not save you, they are only aids to
salvation. What, then, will save us? A knowledge of truth and the
practice thereof, nothing else. We must learn the ways of God. We must
walk in his paths. We must be Saints in very deed, and walk in the
footsteps of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and then, by-and-by,
where he is we will be also. If we turn our backs upon the truth we
will go down to death; we will be beaten with many stripes, we must
suffer the consequence of our guilt, and after we have gone through
the depths of suffering and sorrow in the due time of the Lord we may
get some kind of a salvation and glory, but where God and Christ are
we cannot come, worlds without end.

Vol. 21, p.90
I would say to my friends who are here this afternoon, that I know
this work is true. God Almighty has made it known to me. I bear this
testimony to you, and I am willing to meet it before the great
judgment seat. God has spoken from the heavens in this our day. He has
restored the Gospel of Christ and the authority to preach it. It will
go forth to every nation, kindred, tongue and people. The wise and the
prudent will not receive it, [p.91] but "the poor among men shall
rejoice in the Holy One of Israel." This work will go on to this end
and purpose. Zion will be built up, Jerusalem will be redeemed, and
the time will come when Jesus, our Redeemer shall descend in power and
great glory to reign upon the earth. I bear my testimony that this is
the work of God, that he requires our whole heart, and that we should
love our neighbors as ourselves. Let us put away our follies and our
errors. Let us not drink into the spirit of the world. Let us not
pattern after the wickedness that is creeping into our midst. Come out
from among them and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing!
Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. It is only by the
practice of righteousness and personal purity, that we will be made
fit to dwell in the presence of the Lord. A doctrine contrary to this
is the worst kind of delusion.

Vol. 21, p.91
May God help us to live the life of a Saint and finally save us in his
kingdom, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

John Taylor, April 13, 1879

Effects of the Preaching of the Gospel—Object of the Gathering
—Manifestations of the Ancients to Joseph Smith—The Gospel
 to Departed Spirits—Duties of the Saints to Each Other—
The Kind of Men Wanted to Go on Missions

Delivered at Ephraim, Sanpete County,
on Sunday Morning, April 13th, 1879.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs.)

Vol. 21, p.91
I am pleased to have the opportunity of meeting with the brethren and
sisters of this place, and of looking at your faces; and I would like
to hear more of the brethren speak to you, but I know you want me to
talk awhile; and as I have to leave this afternoon I will occupy the
time now, and we will leave some of the brethren to preach to you
then. I desire your faith and prayers, for we are all dependent upon
the Lord; [p.92] none of us can do or say anything that is good or
useful or beneficial to society unless we are under the aid, guidance
and control of the Lord. A man cannot speak aright unless he speaks
under the inspiration of the Almighty; and then the people cannot hear
aright, nor understand aright unless they have a portion of the same
Spirit. And hence there was something peculiar in the expression made
by Jesus upon this subject. He understood this principle very well,
and in speaking on it, says, "My sheep hear my voice, and know me, and
follow me; but a stranger they will not follow for they know not the
voice of a stranger." And hence when the elders were sent, out to
preach the Gospel at first, they were told to go forth and God would
go with them, and his Spirit would accompany them and his angels
should go before them. The Lord had his sheep scattered all over the
face of the earth; and those sheep, when they heard the sound of the
Gospel, understood it; there was something that bore testimony to
their hearts, which they could not well describe, and that something
directed you, my brethren and sisters, to those who brought the
everlasting Gospel; and when you heard it you said, "That is true."
And people might say what they pleased, still you believed and felt
that it was true. You experienced this feeling, but you could hardly
account for it. This was the Spirit that Jesus alluded to when he
said, "If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto me."
He has his own way of accomplishing that object, and it takes time, a
great deal of time to fig that. But he was not going to drive them nor
force them, nor in any way to coerce them; but he would present to
their minds such beautiful principles, such lovely sentiments and
develop such glorious things among them, that they could not but see
and appreciate them, nor could they find them anywhere else. And then
when those principles were confirmed by the influence of the holy
priesthood through the revelations of God to the people, it produced
the effect upon them that we have seen. And hence you have gathered
here, left your homes in the old world—the major part of you from
Scandinavia. I was one of those brethren that started out in an early
day with this message of glad tidings; and Brother Erastus Snow found
his way to you folks, while I went to others in a different part of
the world, and still others of the brethren hunted up other sheep in
other places. What was the result of our preaching? We see it here
to-day; the result is that you have been brought to a knowledge of the
truth, and through obedience to the ordinances of the Lord, you have
received the Holy Spirit of God, which has led you into the truth, so
that you, as did the ancient Saints before you, sit in heavenly places
in Christ Jesus. You no longer experience the kind of uncertainty you
used to be afflicted with, but you have a certainty, an abiding
reality. You do not care to die; that is a matter of very little
importance. Jesus said to a woman on a certain occasion, whom he had
asked to give him water to drink, "If thou knewest the gift of God,
and who it is that sayeth to thee: Give me to drink; thou wouldst have
asked of him, and he would have given thee living water." We have
drunk of that stream which makes glad the city of our God. And we want
to realize and appreciate the position  we occupy before God, and the
great blessings and [p.93] privileges that are within our reach. We
have just commenced, as it were, in the great work. We have received a
great many precious principles, and have seen and experienced a great
many things. But how was it? Simply through a glass, darkly; and we
yet, in many instances, see them through a glass, darkly—at least very
many of them; and sometimes we can scarcely perceive the difference
between ourselves and the rest of mankind, or between the religion we
have embraced and that which other people have. If we could only
reflect upon it, there is as much difference as there is between light
and darkness. But we do not always comprehend these things, and hence
we labor under difficulties pertaining to this matter; because we do
not see, we do not comprehend the position and relationship that
subsists between us and our God. God is our Father; we are his
children. He has brought us into his covenant, and it is our privilege
to go on from wisdom to wisdom, from intelligence to intelligence,
from understanding of one principle to that of another, to go forward
and progress in the development of truth until we can comprehend God.
For we are his children, we are his sons and daughters, and he is our
Father. He has organized this Church in order that we may be educated
in the principles of life, that we may comprehend those principles
that exist in the bosom of God, that we may be able to teach our
children correct principles, in order that we may be placed in a
position whereby we can be assimilated into the likeness of our
heavenly Father, and have a communication opened between angels and
us, that we may feel that we are of the family of God and of the
household of faith, and that we can operate with them; and that while
part of his family who have lived upon the earth and who live again in
another state of existence behind the vail, are operating with him and
with the angels of God and with the whole of the Holy Priesthood in
developing his purposes in the heavens, that we may be prepared to
operate with him on the earth in carrying out his purposes here; that
his people may be preserved from the powers of darkness, that the
light, intelligence and revelations of God may be upon us, that we may
comprehend our true position to him, to each other, to his Church and
kingdom, and to the living and the dead; that we may realize the
position we occupy in relation to all the various duties and the
responsibilities of life. And then after realizing them, magnify our
callings, unite ourselves together as the heart of one man under the
influences of the Spirit of eternal truth as the family of God upon
the earth, and purge out everything from us that is evil, corrupt, low
and degrading, and elevate our minds and feelings to a higher standard
of intelligence, morality and obedience to his laws, and thus prepare
ourselves to carry out the things of God in relation to the earth
whereon we dwell, and each of us take a part in bringing to pass his
purposes here upon the earth, not by any intelligence we may have; but
by the wisdom and intelligence that God shall impart from time to
time, until we shall progress in every principle that is calculated to
elevate and ennoble mankind, until finally we shall see as we are seen
and know as we are known.

Vol. 21, p.93
We are now gathered together to Zion. For what? To build up Zion, and
to accomplish the purposes of the Lord pertaining to the human family
upon the earth. And being [p.94] gathered together we are organized
with apostles and prophets, with presidents and their counselors, with
bishops and their counselors, with elders, priests, teachers and
deacons. We are organized according to the order of God, and these
very principles that look small to us emanate from God. We have
seventies and high priests, and all these men hold certain positions
which it is expected of them that they will fulfill and magnify, here
in the flesh, in the interests of truth and righteousness; in the
interests of the kingdom of God and in the establishment of correct
principles among the Saints of the Most High. We are here to
co-operate with God in the salvation of the living, in the redemption
of the dead, in the blessings of our ancestors, in the pouring out
blessings upon our children; we are here for the purpose of redeeming
and regenerating the earth on which we live, and God has placed his
authority and his counsels here upon the earth for that purpose, that
men may learn to do the will of God on the earth as it is done in
heaven. This is the object of our existence; and it is for us to
comprehend the position.

Vol. 21, p.94
For instance, Joseph Smith in the first place was set apart by the
Almighty according to the counsels of the gods in the eternal worlds,
to introduce the principles of life among the people, of which the
Gospel is the grand power and influence, and through which salvation
can extend to all peoples, all nations, all kindreds, all tongues and
all worlds. It is the principle that brings life and immortality to
light, and places us in communication with God. God selected him for
that purpose, and he fulfilled his mission and lived honorably and
died honorably. I know of what I speak for I was very well acquainted
with him and was with him a great deal during his life, and was with
him when he died. The principles which he had, placed him in
communication with the Lord, and not only with the Lord, but with the
ancient apostles and prophets; such men, for instance, as Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob, Noah, Adam, Seth, Enoch, and Jesus and the Father, and
the apostles that lived on this continent as well as those who lived
on the Asiastic continent. He seemed to be as familiar with these
people as we are with one another. Why? Because he had to introduce a
dispensation which was called the dispensation of the fulness of
times, and it was known as such by the ancient servants of God. What
is meant by the dispensation of the fulness of times? It is a
dispensation in which all other dispensations are merged or
concentrated. It embraces and embodies all the other dispensations
that have existed upon the earth wherein God communicated himself to
the human family. Did they have the Aaronic priesthood in former
times? Yes. So have we. Did they have the Melchisedek priesthood in
former times? Yes. So have we. Did they have a gathering dispensation
in former times, when Moses led the children of Israel out of Egpyt?
Yes. So have we, just as it was predicted by the prophet Jeremiah: "I
will take you one of a city and two of a family, and I will bring you
to Zion." And what will you do with them when you get them there "And
I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you
with knowledge and understanding." We have that dispensation. Moses,
when he appeared to Joseph Smith, committed to him "the keys of  the
dispensation of the gathering of Israel from the four quarters of the
[p.95] earth and the restitution of the ten tribes." Read it in the
Doctrine and Covenants: it is there plainly written. Why are you here
to day, from Scandinavia and other parts of the world? Because God
has, among other dispensations, restored the dispensation of the
gathering.

Vol. 21, p.95
In relation to other matters. Was there a time to transpire that
Elijah should come to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,
and the hearts of the children to their fathers?" That Elias has come,
and has introduced that dispensation; and in that are associated the
very things you are engaged in and which we have come to attend to,
namely the laying of the foundation stone of the Temple. Now, I will
ask, whoever thought of building Temples until God revealed it? Did
you? If you did, I wish you would tell us of it. And did you know how
to build them? No. And did you know how to administer in them after
they were built. No, you did not. We are indebted to the Lord for
these things. And when Elijah the prophet appeared to Joseph Smith he
committed to him the keys of this dispensation; and hence we are at
work building Temples; but some of us hardly know why. We go at it the
same as we follow plowing, sowing, planting, reaping and such kinds of
pursuits. There are other things behind that. There are ordinances
associated behind these things that go back into eternity; and forward
unto eternity; that are the offspring of God, that are intended for
the welfare, the happiness and exaltation of mankind; for those who
are living and those that are dead and for those that will live
hereafter, pertaining both to our progenitors and our posterity. And
that is one of those keys that have been turned. Do you think that the
elders who brought the Gospel to you in far off lands could have
gathered you here if they were not the bearers of the Gospel of the
Lord Jesus Christ, and if this had not been a gathering dispensation?
I think not. As I have said, the elders went to different parts of the
earth, for we have preached a great deal. I, myself, have traveled
hundreds of thousands of miles preaching the Gospel; and without purse
or scrip, trusting in the Lord. Did he ever forsake me? Never, no
never. I always was provided for, for which I feel to praise God my
heavenly Father. I was engaged in his work and he told me that he
would sustain me in it; he has been true to his trust, and if I have
not been true to mine I hope he will forgive me and help me to do
better. But the Lord has been true and faithful, and I have never
needed anything to eat or drink or wear, and was never prevented for
want of means of traveling where I pleased.

Vol. 21, p.95
Well, to return. After you received the Gospel and the spirit of the
same, the great desire of your hearts was to go to Zion. And in order
to accomplish this you put away your little savings and you began to
contrive how to dispose of your little properties, and many of you
were almost ready to sell yourselves to get to Zion. You could not
tell why you had such feelings, but you did have them, and you could
not get rid of them until you were brought here. You would not have
come here had it not been for that, would you? I have no idea that you
would. When you were told to build Temples, what made you build them?
Because you had received the Gospel in your hearts, associated with
which was the mission of Elijah which was to turn the [p.96] hearts of
the children to the fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the
children. I wish I could tell it to you as I understand some of these
things, and I wish you could understand those principles. Suffice it
to say that Satan has tried from the beginning of the world to
overturn the Works of God, and in some instances he has apparently
succeeded admirably. He was the cause at one time of all the people of
the earth being destroyed except a little seed which was saved to
propagate the human species. Probably the devil would laugh pretty
heartily over that, thinking that he had accomplished his purposes.
However that was not the end. It is true that the judgments of God
overtook them; it is true they were destroyed by a flood in the flesh,
and were shut up in prison in the spirit; but it is also true that the
same Savior who is our Savior, when he was put to death in the flesh,
was quickened by the spirit, and that he visited those spirits in
prison, opening up the door of salvation to them that they might be
redeemed and come forth and accomplish certain purposes which God had
designed; and hence we find the Savior operating among all that body
of people that the devil thought were destroyed, but through this
visitation were placed within the reach of deliverance. But has Satan
prevailed to a great extent? He has. Has darkness spread itself over
the earth? Yes. Have people wandered away from God and forsaken him
and his laws? They have. But then the Lord will be merciful towards
them, they not having received the light that we have, hence he feels
towards them as a father feels towards his children, being desirous to
promote their happiness as far as it lays in his power; and if he
could not save them while in the flesh, he understands certain eternal
laws and principles whereby they may hereafter be redeemed. The Judge
of all the earth will do right. And while the priesthood behind the
vail are operating and preaching to the spirits that are in prison
that have been there from the different ages, he called upon us to
build temples that we may administer for the bodies of these people
that have died without the Gospel, that they may be judged according
to men in the flesh and live after God in the spirit. At the
commencement of the dispensations he sends out his elders generally to
all the world to preach the Gospel to every creature. In this
dispensation he not only does this; but as we live in a gathering
dispensation, he also gathers in the people, and when they learn a
little of his law, there are many ordained to the priesthood and sent
out as messengers, and we keep sending them out to reach the Gospel
and to gather in the elect; and we send them to their own people to
tell them what God has done and is doing. And they keep coming and
going. And whom do we send? If we send to England we send Englishmen,
or men who can speak the English language; it to Scandinavia, we send
Scandinavians: we send generally their own people, accompanied with
men of experience, after the Gospel has been introduced to them. Why?
That they may go and teach their own people the way of life and
salvation: What then? They come back again and build Temples. And what
then? They and their people from the various nations of the earth go
into these Temples and administer for their fathers, and grandfathers,
their uncles and aunts, their friends  and relatives, and thus reach
back, back into distant times to redeem and [p.97] save others. And
who are these men? Just such as the ancient prophets talked about.
They are saviors Upon Mount Zion, are they not, saving and redeeming
their people—and those men who are quarrying and hauling the rock, and
those who are engaged in laying up these terrace and temple walls, and
those who are otherwise engaged in making the necessary preparation
for the building of the temple are all laboring in the same direction.
The Lord requires this work at our hands in order to test us, to see
whether we will carry out his laws or not. And when we build our
temples and he accepts of them. we will then enter into them and
administer in in the name of God; and administering in them we become
saviors upon Mount Zion, as it is written, "And saviors shall come up
on Mount Zion to judge the Mount of Esau, and the kingdom shall be the
Lord's." Don't your Bible read so? The one I have does. Who shall they
save? These men become saviors of their own nations; they administer
and operate in their interests and in the interests of their fathers
and their friends and associates. Hence this is one thing we are
engaged in, and is part of the dispensation of the fulness of times.

Vol. 21, p.97
Then what does one of the prophets say? "Behold, I will send you
Elijah the Prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of
the Lord." And what shall he do? "And he shall turn the heart of the
fathers to the children, and the hearts of the! children to the
fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." And what shall
be done? Saviors shall come up on Mount Zion; and the kingdom shall be
the Lord's. It is written, they shall all be taught of God, but the
kingdom shall be the Lord's not man's. We do not want to lean upon man
nor put our trust in man. While we are obedient to every ordinance of
man that is proper and right, and which does not conflict with the law
of God, while we are obedient to these things we do not want to sell
ourselves to the wicked and ungodly. We do not care much about their
ways or their theories or ideas. "The Lord," says one, "shall be our
judge, the Lord shall be our king, the Lord Shall be our law-giver and
he shall rule over us." And we, under the inspiration of the Almighty,
will introduce the laws of God that exist in the heavens and upon the
earth, and form a nucleus of truth, of virtue and intelligence, of law
and order, of principles pertaining to morals, to philosophy, to
politics, to religion and to everything that is pure, exalting and
ennobling, and the kingdom will be the Lord's. And we will operate
together, we will try to frustrate the works of darkness and the
powers of the adversary, to save the living and redeem the dead, have
our hearts turned towards our fathers who have lived before us who
have been ignorant of the principles of life and salvation which God
has been pleased to confer upon us, while the brethren behind the vail
are feeling after us who are their children. The Lord will turn the
hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children
to the fathers through Elias who was to come, which if not
accomplished, it is written, "the earth would be smitten with a
curse."

Vol. 21, p.97
Hence we are operating with the ancient patriarchs, apostles, prophets
and men of God who lived on the continent of Asia and America, and we
will gather together all things in one according to the word of God,
[p.98] gather his Israel in one from the four quarters of the earth
and also the ten tribes before we get through; and Judah will listen
to the words of life, and the principles of eternal truth will go
forth and spread and grow, "until the kingdoms of this world become
the kingdoms of our God and his Christ; and to him every knee will bow
and every tongue confess that Christ is God to the glory of God the
Father." And we are here for that purpose. Do you think we are going
to fail? Do you think the Lord is going to back down? I think not. Men
may combine against us ignorantly, for many of them are very ignorant.
I do not cherish the least feeling of wrath in my heart when I see the
courts, legislators or Congress take steps inimical to us. They do not
know what they do, hence we should feel charitably disposed to those
who seek our injury. David prayed that God would send his enemies to
hell quickly. Jesus, when he was being crucified, suffering the pain
of a cruel death, said, "Father forgive them, for they know not what
they do." I like that prayer much better than the other one. Father,
forgive them, for they know not what they do. They are thy children,
though in the dark. Thou hast enlightened our minds, for which we feel
thankful; but, O Lord, forgive them and lead them, if thou canst, in
the way of life. This is the feeling we ought to have. We ought to
have it one towards another and treat one another with kindness and
not get up hard feelings. Talking about people giving away to passion
and giving expression to hard words; such things do not belong to the
Gospel, to no part of it; they come from beneath. This has been
pointed out and made very plain to us. Every spirit, says one, that
tends to good is of God; and very spirit that tends to evil is of he
wicked one and comes from beneath. I hear a man say sometimes "I hate
such a man." Why I do not know of a person that I hate in the world.
The command is to love one another. When Jesus was about to leave his
disciples, the burden of his prayer was, "Father, I pray for these
whom thou hast given me; thine they were, and thou gavest them me. I
pray for them, Father, that they may be one, even as I and thou art
one, that they may be one in us." What, a sister or a brother, a
citizen of the kingdom of God, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints, one who has received peradventure of the
ordinances of the house of God, and who expects to associate with the
Saints of God, quarrels with his brother about peanuts and baby toys
and then talk about your honor being infringed upon! I tell you if you
take care of yourselves, your honor will take care of itself and you
need not be concerned about it. Treat one another aright. Have you
sinned one against another? then go and make restitution. Have you
defrauded one another? go and make it right. Have you spoken unkindly
to your brother or sister? then go and acknowledge your wrong and ask
to be forgiven, promising to do better in the dilute. And then he or
she might say, on the other hand "Yes, and I said so and so the other
day, won't you please forgive me?" How much better and how much more
in keeping with the calling of a Saint of God such a course would be
than to harbor hard feelings in the heart. And you parents, get your
families in the morning and evening and call upon  the Lord, and ask
his blessing upon your families, your flocks and [p.99] herds, and
upon everything that you have, and do not be quarreling one with
another because you are scarce of water. I tell you in the name of the
Lord God that if you will do your duties, God will do his, and furnish
you with what water is necessary. Try me "and prove me herewith saith
the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven and
pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive
it." Husbands, treat your wives right; treat them with kindness and
with sympathy; try to make them comfortable, and make their houses and
surroundings comfortable and do all you can to make them happy. And
you wives, treat your husbands right; try to make their homes a little
heaven, and seek earnestly that the blessings of the Lord may abide in
your dwellings. And parents, treat your children aright; train them up
in the fear of the Lord, they are of more importance to you than many
things that you give your attention to. And you, children, obey your
parents; respect your fathers and mothers. Your mothers have watched
over you, and your fathers are desirous for your welfare, and their
hearts and feelings and affections are drawn out towards you. Do not
give them pain by departing from correct principles; but walk in the
paths of life. And parents, and children, husbands and wives and all
people, fear God and put your trust in him and carry out the
principles of your holy religion which God has revealed to us.

Vol. 21, p.99
I would speak a few words of praise of many of our brethren; I think
it would apply to many of you here. I have no disposition to find
fault, but I have a disposition to speak kindly of many of my brethren
and sisters in many of their operations. In the tithing operations,
for instance, I think that during the last year there has been paid
some 50,000 dollars more than the year before. This speaks well for
the Latter-day Saints; not but what the Lord could get along very well
without these things, but he wants to test his people. This, however,
proves that there is an increase in the right direction, and a proper
feeling that ought to exist among the Saints. Hence, says the Lord,
"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat
in mine house, and prove me now herewith, if I will not open the
windows of heaven, and pour out a blessing, that there shall not be
room enough to receive it." The Lord wants to prove his people and he
will have a tried and proven people, and this is one of the ways he
has chosen to do it. In addition to this tithing there has been
expended on this Temple and the Temple in Logan in the neighbourhood
of 250,000 dollars; this is very creditable, besides a very fair
tithing on the back of that. I think I can speak good in the name of
the Lord to a people that will do that, that is, if we will lay aside
all evil things. Let us keep doing good. You have done about as much
here as they have done in Logan, and they expect to get their Temple
up to the square this summer. But then they did not have to make the
foundation you have had to make here. They made some mistake in fixing
up the mountains here; they' do not seem to be in a right shape; but
then we can put them in a right shape, you know. The scriptures talk
about the mountains being thrown down. Well, you have done
considerable towards levelling this down. God is pleased with you, and
everything is going on right, and I speak this for your encouragement.

Vol. 21, p.100
[p.100] I am pleased to see the sisters take the part they do in their
Relief Societies. They are doing a good work and their labors are a
credit to them. And then there are our Young Men's and our Young
Ladies' Mutual Improvement Associations; they are going on very well.
And then your educational interests are doing pretty well. Do I not so
understand you, Brother Petersen? [President Canute Petersen—Yes, Sir;
pretty well.] We do not want outside folks to teach our children, do
we? I think not. We do not want them to teach us how to get to heaven,
do we? If we did, it would be of no use, for they do not know the way.
Well, then, we do not want them to tamper with the minds of our little
ones. You will see the day that Zion will be as far ahead of the
outside world in everything pertaining to learning of every kind as we
are to-day in regard to religious matters. You mark my words, and
write them down, and see if they do not come to pass. We are not
dependent upon them, but we are upon the Lord. We did not get our
priesthood nor our information in regard to his law from them; it came
from God. The world profess to know a little about what they call
science, literature and the arts. Where did they get their knowledge
of these things from? And what is it they really do know? They know
something about the laws of Nature. Who made those laws? God made
them;and he knows how to govern them; and it is by his almighty power
that they are governed.

Vol. 21, p.100
I remember talking with some celebrated scientists from Europe some
time ago, and I explained to them some of the principles relative to
the heavenly bodies that were revealed through the Prophet Joseph
Smith. They were astonished to know that ideas so grand could be
developed through one that was comparatively unlearned. One of them
remarked that they were the most magnificent principles he had ever
heard of; another one said that he had read and studied a great deal,
but he had a good deal more yet to learn. We are, as the French would
say, enrapport, with God; that is in communication with God. Let us
live so that we can keep that up, so that angels can minister to us
and the Holy Spirit dwell with us. We have received his guidance and
instruction. It is for us now to go on from truth to truth, from
intelligence to intelligence and from wisdom to wisdom. And while
nations shall crumble and thrones be cast down, and the God of heaven
arise and shake terribly the earth, while the elements melt with
fervent heat in fulfilment of ancient as well as modern prophecy;
while these things are going on he will whisper, peace to Zion. But
the judgments will begin at the house of God. We have to pass through
some of these things, but it will only be a very little compared with
the terrible destruction, the misery and suffering that will overtake
tiao world who are doomed to suffer the wrath of God. It behooves us,
as the Saints of God, to stand firm and faithful in the observance of
his laws, that we may be worthy of his, preserving care and blessing.

Vol. 21, p.100
Now a word about other things. We want elders to go and preach the
Gospel. But some people will say, "Here is such a young man who is a
little wild; if he were to go abroad perhaps he would reform." Brother
Peterson, we do not want  such folks to go as representatives of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ. And I say to you, Presidents of Stakes, we
[p.101] do not want such an order of things; we want men that have got
within them the gift of the Holy Ghost, men who have the gift and
power of God in them. We do not want men to go abroad to be reformed.
They are not fit to live in Zion if they cannot reform themselves at
home. We must have men filled with faith and the Holy Ghost. And you
seventies and high priests, wake up to a sense of the responsibility
of your callings, and purge away your follies and nonsense and feel
that you are indeed the servants of the living God; for God will hold
you responsible for the priesthood you bear. Then honor the Lord and
magnify the priesthood, and when you go forth to the nations bearing
precious seed, angels will go with you and the gift of the Holy Ghost
will accompany you in your administrations and though you may go
weeping, bearing the precious seed of the Gospel, you will return
rejoicing bringing your sheaves with you.

Vol. 21, p.101
I do not know but what I have talked enough. Brethren and sisters God
bless you. And God bless the relief societies and the young men's and
the young ladies' societies, and God bless your president and his
counselors, and your bishops and their counselors, and all that fear
God, and work righteousness. And the Lord God put a hook in the jaws
of our enemies that seek our injury and overthrow, that they may not
have power against the Israel of God. And God bless all Israel, that
Zion may arise and shine and the glory of God rest upon her. I ask it
in the name of Jesus. Amen.

H. W. Naisbitt, March 7, 1880

The Principle of Revelation and Its Application to the
 Several Phases of Life—How the Brotherhood of Man Shall Be Evolved

Delivered in the 16th Ward Meeting House,
Sunday Afternoon, March 7th, 1880.

(Reported by John Irvine.)

Vol. 21, p.101
I presume we all understand that the Spirit of the Lord is in the
congregation of the Saints. If we do not understand it and if there is
any one that does not realize the necessity of enjoying it, it would
be a good thing perhaps for him to get up here a while.

Vol. 21, p.102
[p.102] When a person is called upon to address a congregation and
notices the upturned faces before him, waiting, wishing, very likely
praying, for the blessings which they particularly desire, I think
that no man can look upon such a sight unmoved, he must feel his own
ignorance and weakness, and dependence, and when he does this I
believe that all public administrations will be an advantage and
blessing both to the speaker and hearers, and I am sure that is my
object this afternoon. I have no personal ambition to serve, but I do
want to bless and I do know that I need to be blessed. And this is the
place appointed (so far as this ward is concerned) for the reception
of those blessings which pertain to the public services of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Here is the place where there
should be intelligence. Here is the place where there should be
wisdom. Here is the place to expect revelation, and that not in any
vague, misty, half understood sense,—not lost or covered up by a
multitude of words, but divested of everything that will deprive us of
knowledge as to the essential principles which belong really to
revelation. The world, however, holds very peculiar ideas in regard to
this. Every elder in Israel who will look back upon his experience, if
it reaches even to the early history of this Church, will comprehend
how odd and mythical the ideas in regard to revelation were as then
held by mankind. It is true that the masses of the people as well as
the teachers believed that in the ancient times there had been some
communication with the intelligences who dwell behind the vail. They
all agreed—all Christians did at all events—that She Spirit was made
manifest and its utterances recorded in a book. They believed that
without that book the world was in a lost condition, that men were
left to grope in darkness and to wander in ignorance, but with that
book it was believed that every man and every woman could understand
themselves; they could understand something of their orion and the
purpose for which they were dwelling upon the earth, the destiny which
belonged to the human family, and also the process by which that
destiny could be best secured. But it is astonishing what a little
light will do for a man. It is astonishing how our minds expand when
we receive the key to the situation. And when we look at the vast
difference there is between the community who inhabit these mountains
and the communities of the nations from which we have been
gathered—probably most can see and are aware that between the two
there exists a great and ever widening gulf. Men who reject the
principle of revelation in any direction must inevitably become
stunted, they must inevitably cease to live, because revelation is the
element of life, it is the secret of growth, it is the power of
increase, and it is only in proportion to the receptive ability of a
man, or woman, or child, that they can increase in intelligence. Now,
divested of all extraneous or outside ideas, divested of all the
mystery that has been thrown around the idea of revelation by man-made
teachers, divested of all traditions and thoughts that have been
written in regard to it, what is the essential idea involved in
revelation in its significant simplicity. What is there that is
difficult of comprehension? What is there that it should need men of
classical education to explain it; what is there that  there should be
these large colleges and this immense army of ministers in order that
the world [p.103] may be enlightened in regard to the principle of
revelation? Why, when you come to probe and to reach the foundation of
the idea it is nothing more nor less than the communication of
intelligence possessed by one to another Who in regard to that subject
remains in ignorance. That is all there is involved in revelation, and
whenever you find a human being who is ignorant of any subject
pertaining to any direction of human thought, or in regard to any
useful field of human experience, there revelation is an absolute
necessity.

Vol. 21, p.103
Now, then, revelation may vary in degree; it may vary in character,
according to the necessities of the case, according to the
intelligence of individuals. The mother who guides the destiny of a
family and endows it with all the comforts of domestic and social life
finds herself surrounded by a few crude men and women, or, as we call
them, boys or girls. You consider the character of this offspring.
When they were born they were helpless, and in infancy they possessed
no intelligence save those animal instincts which lead only to the
preservation of life. But in a few weeks or months the spirit of
intelligence begins to dawn. The mother watches the growing spark and
seeks to fan it to a flame; to point out the remedy where difficulty
occurs in early experience; to explain the educational process through
which the Child must pass from man or womanhood; and to show that when
the first efforts are made, and even when they are comparative
failures, that these only stand as sentinels or pointsmen in the great
highway of success—prompters to ultimate and final success. The
probability is that every young woman who has learned to make bread
has had an experience of this character. And it is true that many of
the first trials, unless the mother watched very closely, would not be
successful, the bread might be heavy, or it become sour. Now it is the
mother's duty to reveal, to give from her intelligence to one
comparatively ignorant, a solution or remedy for the difficulty. The
young girl is expected to listen to the mother. She has the faculty to
receive the intelligence that is communicated, and to put that
intelligence into practice. And when the bread was heavy the mother
showed the cause which brought about that condition. If the bread was
sour, a little neutralizing element had to be put into the dough, in
order that the acidity might be removed, a little soda or something of
that kind; and this is a revelatory process from the mother to the
child. If you take one of our good mothers in Israel who has grown
grey under the weight of experience, you will find that she possesses
a vast fund of information, cud in every direction in domestic or
social life she is the great standard of appeal, and even when the
daughter has become a married woman, when she passes into the
responsibility of motherhood, when sickness takes hold of the darling
that God has given her, she instantly appeals to the higher or wider
intelligence and experience of the mother, and that which the mother,
by the advantage of years, by the experience through which she has
passed, has gained, she communicates unto the daughter, and thus the
daughter becomes the recipient of revelation. And as it is with the
mother and the daughter, so also it is with the father and the son; so
also it is with those who are learning a trade, so also it is with
those who attend our daily or our Sabbath schools, and the very fact,
that we [p.104] are so constituted that we can receive revelation in
these channels is a revelation in and of itself, written in the
fundamental organization of the human character, that revelation is
not only possible and desirable, but that it is also a necessary and
inevitable element pertaining to the highest welfare and the grand
destiny and future of those who submit to its varied processes from
day to day! Now, this character of intelligence may be said to mark
the very lowest phases of human life; but while man is an animal,
while he has his physical necessities, while he is surrounded with
domestic life, while he is subject to and is a member of the social
arena of life, there are also attributes of character which are beyond
this physical, this animal, and this social cast. There is something
in every man and in every woman which savors of the divine, in all the
circumstances of life there is a reaching out after something which is
beyond the grasp; there is a soaring of the spirit, a seeking after
something to which the present surroundings gave no clue. Man feels
that he is He not only feels that he is, but thousands and millions of
the human family have an inkling of the great fact that they have
been, and millions and millions more have an inkling of the other
great fact that when they leave this stage of existence they will
continue to be. And it is the realization of such things which
establishes the idea outside of any other special revelation that our
origin is divine as well as human. When we sense these ideas, when
they become interwoven into the fabric of our lives, when we
instinctively feel that we do possess this characteristic, there must
be certain elements and certain principles which will minister to the
growth of such ideas; just as there are elements of and in nature
which minister to the welfare of the lower, so there are elements
which minister be the higher, and fitted for the cultivation of every
attribute of the human character, no matter how low we may esteem it
to be, or how lofty we may conceive it to he, there are resources in
the economy of God for the development and growth and glory of that
characteristic. Hence when a man realizes that he had a pre-existence,
when he realizes that the present existence is but a transitory
condition, when he realizes that there is a vast and illimitable
future before him, he desires to comprehend how he shall best minister
to his individual welfare in that future. And here steps in the
necessity of revelation based upon philosophy, based upon human
necessities and human needs. The only way that we can be educated in
this direction is by revelation coming to us from outside sources,
from higher intelligences; from those who have passed through the
selfsame experience as we ourselves have and will for ever pass.

Vol. 21, p.104
Now, then, as a fundamental process for our education in this respect
we have given unto us the Gospel. That Gospel is just as systematic
and just as orderly as are the details of education in a school. It is
just as orderly and systematic as are the methods by which our boys
are taught and trained in the various branches of education or trade.
It is just as orderly and systematic as the education our wives give
to their daughters, or that mothers give to their married girls. You
never find a mother, in training her children for domestic life, begin
to tell them in the first place hoar to make one of those  very rich
cakes that we sometimes make ourselves sick with at Christmas. You
would scarcely [p.105] find a man who took an apprentice, begin to
teach him in the first place some higher branches of his trade. You
would scarcely find a teacher begin to teach his pupils the advanced
principles pertaining to a classical education. There is an order;
there are steps and processes in every educational direction, which we
take in their order and in their time and place. Now one of the most
startling revelations that has been given to the human family in the
day and age in which we live, by the elders of Israel, to a dark and
benighted world, is the great fundamental idea of "the fatherhood of
God." Now, this may not appear so startling to the American citizen
whose mind is impregnated with the idea that the human family are
equal,—that one man is as good as another, but in the Old World there
exists conditions of class and of caste. You who have come from
England or from any European nation, will realize what I mean by class
and caste. There is the charmed circle of the royal blood, into which
the plebeian never enters. There is the larger circle of the
aristocracy, or, as we call them, the "upper ten," and into the
precincts of that circle, jealously guarded as they are, a stranger
scarcely ever enters. Then you were surrounded in England by what is
called the middle classes, and even they look upon the lower classes
as being made of some material distinct and different from themselves;
but when the elders of Israel landed in Old England and proclaimed
"the fatherhood of God," and laid the axe at the root of caste and
class, they were preparing for the foundation of a kingdom that should
recognize the essential unity of the human family an d of necessity
the brotherhood of man. It is quite true that under some social,
religious or political circumstances, we hear of a certain unity and
equality among he human family; but if you attempt to put that unity
and equality into practice, what are the results that inevitably flow
from such a course? You are surrounded with obstacles on every hand,
and it is only perhaps after the lapse of two or three generations
that a man in his posterity is able to make his way from the ranks and
associate with the higher class. It is true there are those here and
there who do this, and they do it by virtue of inherent genius or some
chance legacy, and when they are accepted into this higher class, it
is by virtue of this chance, etc., but as a rule they are looked upon
as intruders. Take the Prime Minister of England, Lord Beaconsfield.
There is a man who has made himself a necessity to the government of
the country, to Her Majesty, to the higher classes; he has done this
by virtue of the inspiration of the Almighty, and yet with all his
grand attainments, that man man is looked upon more or less as an
intruder because he was not nobly born! And so I might multiply
illustrations which would be familiar to you all. But the Gospel sets
out in the first place with these two ideas, twin ideas, that never
can be put asunder, the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of the
human family.

Vol. 21, p.105
Now, then, if we are one in our origin, if we are really one in
destiny, we must all reach that destiny by the self-same process, and
that process is to be found in the ordinances of the Gospel, in the
power of inspiration and revelation resting upon those who initiate
men and women into that order. And in connection with this, wherever
and whenever you comprehend this [p.106] higher intelligence that
bears rule in the eternities, controlling the destines of these great
orbs that we see from time to time in the midnight heavens—wherever
you find those that have graded from a fallen world you will find
those who graded up and through the instrumentality of the self-same
Gospel that is given to you and me. There is no other Gospel. There is
no other way to that exaltation which pertains to the Gods only
through the revelation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So that there is
"no royal road" to heaven; no matter what a man's condition, no matter
what the class to which be may have been known in social life on earth
by virtue of birth or by virtue of wealth; no matter what position he
may occupy because of his ignorance or lack of information; no matter
whether he may live in a hovel or dwell in a palace, or though he may
have but a crust to cat or his table be laden with all the good things
of the earth, he must submit to the self-same ordinances, be
controlled by the self-same spirit of revelation, and reach the final
issue through the self-same channel.

Vol. 21, p.106
Now, then, what is it that we expect through the Gospel? Why, that it
may develop in you and me, from our crude, ignorant, unloveable
condition—the results of many a fearful fall—the appearance and the
characteristics of the eternal Father. This self-same idea animated
the Saints in ancient times. They had faith that by obedience to
righteous laws there would be evolved in and from them, through the
attributes which they already possessed, measurably dormant or
measurably active as the case may be—that they would be able to
produce the likeness of God the eternal Father. Now, at first view
this may appear surprising, but suppose we reason upon it for a moment
or two.

Vol. 21, p.106
Here are some of you good brethren; you go to work this spring and you
set out an orchard of apple trees, and by and by the time for fruit
arrives and you go and look for pears, or plums, or cherries upon the
apple trees! Now, what would be thought of your intelligence? Why
everybody would say you have certainly made a mistake; they were apple
trees that you planted, and apples are the fruit; if you want pears
you must plant pear trees. Men don't gather grapes off thorns nor figs
Off thistles. Then, if we are the children of our Father you can see
at a glance by that illustration that if we submit to the process of
education which he had pointed out and laid down, we must become like
him. Well, now, this may seem incredible to some that a human being,
defiled and deformed as he is by sin and transgression, the result of
ages—I say it may seem almost incredible that a human being should be
able to rise to the characteristics and attributes and appearance of
the Father; but it is not only possible but it is inevitable, and all
the ancient Saints had this idea. One of the old prophets, for
instance, when under the inspiration of the Almighty, has said, "I
shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness;" and in the New
Testament, one of the apostles said, looking forward to the time of
the resurrection, that "When he shall appear, we shall be like him;
for we shall see him as he is." We shall have an opportunity of
demonstrating our likeness. We shall be able to make the contrast, "We
shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." And of Jesus it was
said that "He was the brightness of his Father's glory and the express
image of his person." He was  like his [p.107] Father, and this
likeness was in him by virtue of the fact that he lived in possession
of the inspiration of revelation; his course was marked out by that
spirit. It animated every faculty, controlled every action, prompted
every motive, and because that spirit was poured upon him "without
measure," he became the glory of his Father and exhibited in himself
the "express image of his person," and he, in speaking to his
disciples, declared that they should become "like unto him, even as he
was like his Father," by the reception of "line upon line and precept
upon precept, here a little and there a little." Now, probably I might
illustrate this from the facts of everyday life, the possibility, I
mean, of a change in the features of those with whom we are familiar.
Did you ever notice a man and wife who had lived happily together,
whose thoughts were one, who had become assimilated to each other in
their tastes and feelings so far and to such an extent that when you
see them white with the snow of years you would say of them, "I never
saw a couple so much alike; they are positively like brother and
sister." Did that ever come under your observation? It has come under
mine many and many a time. Now, what was the secret of that? Why the
wife had become assimilated to the husband and the husband to the
wife; they were actuated upon in a great measure by the selfsame
impulses, until they had become similar in their habits of life, so
thoroughly one that they were like each other even in their facial
expression, and when death claimed one or the other, but a few hours
or days would pass before they were again and for evermore united. And
this is a characteristic in which we glory. But to illustrate this in
another direction. Here is a mother, now, or a young wife. Her heart
overflows with affection for the husband of her youth. God has blessed
the union that was made by the authority of the priesthood. She passes
along until she attains to the condition of motherhood, and in the
fulness of her heart she brings the babe to the assembly of the Saints
that by the authority of the priesthood it may be dedicated to the
service of God and to the building up of this kingdom. The mother's
heart is full. It bursts almost with gratitude for the great boon she
has received. She breathes many a prayer for the child that God has
given, and by and by, even when the cup seems full to the very brim,
some of her sisters come along and say, "what a beautiful baby you
have got; how very like its father;" and that is the last drop needful
to make the mother's soul and ambition full to overflowing. To say
that the babe was like herself would perhaps have been quite as
correct; but when it was pronounced to be like his father, more
especially if its father was a good husband, if he was everything that
he should be in regard to character—there was no limit to the love and
affection she could bear for her husband and their child.

	*	*	*	*

Vol. 21, p.107
There is an illustration we can apply in another direction. We have
all come down from the eternities of the past to this period of
probation. I think the probabilities are that while we dwelt there we
were in possession of a good deal of intelligence. There were many
facilities, I expect, for the acquisition of such intelligence as was
adapted to our condition. I believe that we were there taught the
necessity and advantage of taking a probation upon the earth. I
believe that there [p.108] we exhibited a great many of the attributes
of our Father, the Father of our spirits; but we came down here and we
took upon us tabernacles; these tabernacles are given to us by our
earthly father and by our mother. And they came to us corrupted, they
came to us contaminated by the vast variety of evils with which our
fathers have afflicted themselves during many generations. When we
consider the exalted character of our first father, when we consider
the position that he occupies, and when we consider his offspring on
the earth subject to the infirmities of the flesh, it is not unlikely
that many are lead to say, "how can we be the children of our father
who art in heaven? And if we are his children how can we renew or be
restored to his image and likeness, how can we develop the attributes
which he possesses, how can we become like him in our spirits and more
or less in our tabernacles." Why we shall have to do this by the
reception of his spirit, and by cultivating the principles of life
that come through revelation. When we come to look at each other as we
are, we sea stamped in our countenances selfishness, we see
exhibitions of sensuality, we see the evidences of a thousand and one
conditions to which we have been subjected and our fathers before us.
Now, the Gospel has been given us to do away with sin and death; it
has been given to develop in us the attributes and characteristics of
our Father in heaven from faculties we already possess. Well, now, we
will suppose that one of those angels of intelligence surrounding the
throne of God comes down to the streets of Salt Lake City. He goes, up
one of the principal thoroughfares and peers into the face of everyone
that passes. He marks our plainness, or, in some instances, ugliness.
He can detect at a glance where the faculties are perverted, and where
they are in their normal condition. He can see in a moment how we have
been beclouded by sin, how we have been subjected to evil influences,
how we have given way to temptation, and how we are the subjects of
the conditions which surround us. But as he passes along he meets one
of a little different stamp. A man may be dwelling in a travel on the
bench or in the low wards of the city, and he steps up to such a one
and says, "how do you do." "Why," says the person addressed, "you have
the advantage of me, I do not know that I ever saw you before." "Well,
now, probably you never did, but," says he, "I know you although I
never saw you." "Well, how (to you know me." "Why, I am from the
eternities that are beyond the vail, I am come from where your Father
dwells and I can see in the lustre of your eye, I can feel by the aura
or influence which surrounds you as you move from place to place, that
you are animated by the spirit of your Father's house, I can discern
in your physiognomy the lineage of your progenitors." Well, what is
the secret? Simply that there is a man living his religion. He is
filled with the Spirit and power of God It is a lamp to his feet and a
light to his path. It actuates him in all the circumstances of life;
as a father, as a member of the Church to which he belongs and as a
citizen. It is this which gives lustre to the eye and elasticity to
the step, even when the body is bent with weight of years, and the
stranger who has come direct from the eternal worlds can see that
there is a man who has been  with Jesus and has learned of him. Will
it glorify a man and woman in this respect [p.109] while they are in
the flesh? Yes, it will, and when men and women in general come in
contact with them, they will be prepared to bear testimony that they
are in the enjoyment of a good, or as we may say, right spirit. While
they are tabernacling in the flesh they are preparing for the more
exalted condition and state which belongs to them in the future, and
many and many a man and woman have exhibited some of the
characteristics which were exhibited by the indivdual who came to the
Apostle John on the Isle of Patmos. John fell at his feet to worship
him, "See thou do it not (said he), I am thy fellow servant, and of
thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God." John
thought from the glory surrounding him that he must be God himself;
and he began to bow the knee to him. "See thou do it not." And when we
see a man whom we recognize as faithful in all the conditions of life,
as "a man whom we can tie to"—to use a common expression, a man who is
on hand all the time, who is living his religion, we feel
involuntarily to lift our hats to such a one, and this intuitive
reverence which we pay to human character, is testimony of God within
the vail of flesh, and also an evidence of the spirit of revelation
and inspiration.

Vol. 21, p.109
Now, this is the purpose of our religion, and although our receptive
faculties may be comparatively dormant, yet they can become enlarged.
You and I have a right to enjoy revelation and inspiration. It is not
confined to officials or to the ordained elders of Israel, it is not
confined to the first presidency, to the twelve apostles, to the
seventies or the high priests, but it is within the reach of every man
and woman in Israel, and we can bring that spirit of revelation to
bear upon our duty, in our social as well as our religious life. Now,
I know there are a great many who think that the spirit of revelation
and inspiration is of no use in the details of every day life. This,
however, is a mistake, for the self same inspiration and revelation
can qualify a man in business, it can help his faculties, enlarge his
reason, and make him more noble and godlike and intelligent in all the
directions he may be called upon to act in. To be sure there are those
who say that our religion has nothing to do with our business. I
recollect one of our leading men asserting that President Young might
direct in spiritual things, he might direct in matters pertaining to
the Gospel, "but, when it came to business, he knew what; business
was!" Now, that is a mistake because the object of this Gospel is to
minister to our spiritual and also to our temporal wants and
interests. Take our bishops as an illustration. Are they not called to
administer in the temporal affairs of the kingdom? What is their
office? They are fathers to the people. They are to see that every man
becomes self-sustaining. They are called upon to open up industries
for the growing youth of our Territory. We sustain them in that
office. Thus our religion enters into temporal things and they are
ordained and set apart for this. When Brother George Q. Cannon goes to
represent us in Congress he is set apart for that office, and the
priesthood lay their hands upon him in order that he may be blessed in
that capacity. When Brother Staines goes down to New York, he goes
there to attend to those duties which are temporal, but he is set
apart by the Authorities of this Church to officiate in that
character. The Gospel therefore interferes in our temporal
arrangements. And this is no new theory. It is as [p.110] old as the
everlasting hills; it pertains to eternity, it will exist throughout
all the eternities of the future. If you turn back in the old book to
the history of the tabernacle in the wilderness, you find that under
the jurisdiction of Moses, there were certain men who labored on that
building that were inspired of God. He caused his Spirit to rest upon
them, and you will notice it in a greater degree when you come to the
building of the temple of Solomon. You will find there were men
inspired to work in that direction. And that which was good in the
years of the past is good in the day and age in which we live, and the
day will yet come in Israel when men will be set apart to act in more
temporal capacities than many in Israel dare to think of now. When a
man shows that he has received a gift from God, no matter about its
character, whether it is a gift of wisdom, or whether it is a gift
leading into mechanics, science or literature—whenever that man
exhibits these attainments, and he is taken and set apart by the
servants of God, you will see that spirit enlarge his faculties,
increase his judgment, and when that day comes, you will see a good
spirit in the midst of Israel. It will glow and grow and increase in
every direction that will minister to the welfare of the kingdom as a
whole. Why, even now, in the building of our Temples, Brother T. O.
Angell and others are sustained as architects. Now, what has religion
to do with building a house? Much. Has it to do with teaching a
school? Yes. Has it to do with domestic economy? Yes; I know it has;
and wherever you find men and women who will cultivate that spirit and
follow its counsel, you will find that they will become famous in the
direction in which they act. They are inspired of God, led by his
spirit, and have access to the intelligence that lies behind the vail,
and those who have had experience there will minister to our wants, so
that when Zion begins to grow she will fairly shine. She wilt support
everything that will contribute to the welfare and glory of the
greatest kingdom that was yet set up upon the earth, until men shall
say, "Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the
house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we
will walk in his paths." Now, this is the purpose for which you and I
have come from the Old World, from the different States in the New
World, and from the different parts of Europe and the islands of the
sea, to be taught of God, to enjoy his Spirit, to be educated in his
Church, to be subject to his authority, and to grow and increase in
the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now that is something worth
having, something that is worth living for, something that outshines
and outdistances all the organizations and systems which men may have
introduced. It is the Gospel of the living God. It is the Spirit of
the living God burning in the hearts of the Saints. But far too many
of us neglect this Spirit, we grieve it, we do not listen to its
admonitions. How many in Israel have bartered their homes and sunk
their means in a "hole in the ground," because they would not listen
to the counsels of God through his servants? How many failures in
life, because of our ignorance, notwithstanding the fountains of
intelligence are open at which we can drink? How many of us lose our
children because  we fail to apply to these great fountains, so that
all could operate and [p.111] understand how to resist adverse
influences, while we are in the flesh. Now, if we would cultivate this
spirit, if we would listen to its teachings, it would come to us in
many ways, in visions, in dreams and manifestations of the power of
God. We could have the ministration of angels, and many of us probably
the ministration of the Son—as come have done in the history and
experience of this Church—and this is the position to which we will
all arrive if we are faithful to the great trust that is laid upon us;
we shall not only enjoy the society of "an innumerable company of
angels," not only come "to the general assembly and church of the
firstborn," but we shall also be privileged to go to Jesus, and to God
the Father of us all and there bask in his presence and be educated in
his ways and sit down to the glory which awaits the just.

Vol. 21, p.111
Now, may God bless us with his Spirit, may he lift us from the
grovelling condition in which we find ourselves placed; may he infuse
into and surround us with the influence of his Spirit, that we may
live indeed a new life, and so glorify God "in our bodies and spirits
which are his," is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

John Taylor, November 28, 1879

Eternal Nature of the Gospel—The Principle of Life and Increase—
The Source of All Intelligence—Right of the Creator to
 Govern the Creature—Duties of the Saints

Delivered at American Fork, Friday, November 28th, 1879.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs.)

Vol. 21, p.111
I have been much interested in the remarks made by Brother Joseph F.
Smith this morning. They are true and are a part of the Gospel of life
and salvation which embraces all truth. While he was speaking this
passage of Scripture occurred to my mind. Jesus said, "Whosoever
heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a
wise man which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended and
the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house; and it
fell [p.112] not; for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that
heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not shall be likened unto
a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain
descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that
house; and it fell; and great was the fall of it."

Vol. 21, p.112
There is not a principle associated with the Gospel of the Son of God
but what is eternal in its nature and consequences, and we cannot with
impunity trample upon any principle that is correct without having to
suffer the penalty thereof before God and the holy angels, and in many
instances before men. The principles of the Gospel being eternal, they
were framed and originated with the Almighty in eternity before the
world was, according to certain eternal laws, and hence the Gospel is
called the everlasting Gospel. It is like God, without beginning of
days or end of years, and, as the Lord says, "I am the Lord and I
change not." The Gospel is eternal and does not change; it is eternal
in its principles and consequences.

Vol. 21, p.112
And the angel who was to come in the last days flying in the midst of
heaven was to proclaim the everlasting Gospel—the same Gospel that
Adam had, the same Gospel that Noah had, the same Gospel that Abraham
had, the same Gospel that the prophets had, the same Gospel that Jesus
had, also the same Gospel that the Nephites had here upon this
continent, and which Jesus revealed to them, and that they had indeed
before he was in the flesh. It is the everlasting Gospel which brings
life and immortality to light, and which enters into all the
ramifications of human existence and to the existence of the Gods, and
to the existence of this world and of all other worlds.

Vol. 21, p.112
As Brother Joseph F. Smith has justly said, the first command given
was, "Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, and subdue it;
and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowls of the
air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."

Vol. 21, p.112
There is a principle of life associated with the Gospel—life temporal,
life spiritual and life eternal. Hence men are called to be fathers of
lives and women are called to be mothers of lives. We are fathers and
mothers of lives. And there is something different associated with the
order of God from any order of men that exists upon the earth.

Vol. 21, p.112
When God created the earth and placed man upon it, and the fishes of
the sea and the fowls of the air, and the grasses and plants and
trees, etc., he placed in them the principle of life, or, in other
words, the power of propagating their own species. And if it were not
for that, what would you farmers do? Men can accomplish a great many
things. They can build houses, railroads and steamboats, and can do a
great many clever things whereby they can command, to a certain
extent, the forces of nature; but they cannot give vitality to any of
them. They cannot even furnish material to make a grain of sand, the
wisest of them. But God has ordained that this principle of vitality
exists within themselves. You take a single grain of wheat, for
instance, and put it into the earth and you will see the principle of
life begin to manifest itself, it is very small apparently, but
contains within itself the power of increase. The same is also true
with regard to the grasses, shrubs, plants and flowers, and the
various things that exist in creation. They spread, they extend, and
they have spread  [p.113] over the face of the earth as man has
spread, and the rain descends and the sun shines and nature, as we
term it, operates; but I would call it the power of God which operates
according to eternal laws and principles that he has ordained. He
gives vitality to all creation and sets life into motion and controls
it, in the heavens as well as in the earth; not only among men, but
among the beasts of the field, the fowls of the air, the fishes of the
sea, and all the grasses, plants and flowers and herbs etc.,
everything possessing the principle of life within itself. You farmers
know that, and hence you store up your different seeds and in the
proper season take them and plant them and they grow and increase and
spread; these things look very small. It is very little to look at a
grain of wheat, but then if you don't have it you never could raise
wheat. Can you farmers make one solitary grain of wheat without the
seed? It is apparently a small thing but you can't do it. You can try
it if you please, but you will not succeed. You cannot make a
peppergrass seed; but if you take one of those seeds or a grain of
wheat and sow it and water it you may by its increase spread it over
all the face of the earth; but if you did not have the seed you could
not accomplish anything. I do not care how smart you are or what rules
of philosophy or science you may have come across, all I ask of you is
to make a grain of oats or wheat. But then, we will stop at the wheat.
If we cannot do that we are not so very important, are we? There needs
a superior power to give this vitality. You look at it. You see to-day
the trees are leafless, there are no flowers in bloom, everything is
seared and withered and apparently gone to decay. By and by according
to the principles of nature, or the laws of God, spring comes along,
and the birds begin to sing and feel happy, the grass begins to shoot
forth, the flowers begin to bud, the trees begin to blossom. And who
gives this vitality and maintains it? God. Could you do much without
him? No. Why, you cannot even make your grain to grow after it is
provided for you without water. You try it sometimes but you make a
poor out of it, and withal we need the revivifying heat of the sun.
The grass begins to shoot up and by and by we have the wheat and corn,
first the blade and ear and then full corn in the ear. We have apple
trees, plum trees, and the various fruit trees budding, blossoming and
bearing fruit, all these things are provided by whom? By the
omnipotent, omniscient hand of the Almighty according to certain
eternal laws that he has provided for man and for every creature that
exists upon the face of the earth.

Vol. 21, p.113
But we will come back to the things spoken of by Joseph F. Smith. This
principle of life is the origin of our world, not only of this world,
but of others; and this propagating and multiplying is ordained of the
Almighty for the peopling of these worlds. And this production of life
that I have briefly alluded to is another principle that exists to
supply the want of another kind of life that exists here upon the
earth. And without this there could be no world; all would be chaos,
all would be darkness, all would be death, and the works of God would
amount to nothing if it were not for this life and vitality.

Vol. 21, p.113
Now, I want to speak further on a principle associated with this
subject, that is, that in the providence of God, or according to the
eternal laws of God and the eternal fitness  [p.114] of things as they
exist with him in the eternal worlds and as they exist here upon the
earth, all of us are or should be as much under the guidance and
direction of God, and are as much obligated to listen to his law and
be governed by his counsels and advice—and I should think a little
more so—than we would be in making that grain of wheat to grow or tea
thousand million of them to grow, for we could not do it without being
governed by those laws requisite to produce the increase. Furthermore,
we all are the offspring of God, are we not? I think the Scriptures
read that "We are all his offspring; that he is the God and Father of
the spirits of all flesh;" and being the God and Father of the spirits
of all flesh, and having made a world for all flesh to inhabit, and
having made provision for the sustenance of that flesh, for their
food, clothing, comfort, convenience and happiness, and given them
intelligence and told them to go forth and manipulate the abundance of
nature to their use, has he not a right to lead and direct us, to ask
obedience to his law? Would not that be a legitimate right, when we
reflect upon it? The world says, No, he has no right; I am my own
master, etc. Some of the Latter-day Saints almost say the same thing;
not quite, but they would like to get near it. "I area free man; I
will be damned if I don't do as I please," etc., Well, I will tell you
another part of that story. You will be damned if you do act as you
please unless you please to do and to keep the laws of God. We cannot
violate his laws with impunity nor trample under foot these eternal
principles which exist in all nature. If all nature is compelled to be
governed by law or suffer loss, why not man?

Vol. 21, p.114
Now, then, he has revealed unto us the Gospel. He has gathered us
together from among the nations of the earth for the accomplishment of
his purposes. For this he has used higher measures and more exalted
principles than are associated with some of the lower orders of
nature, some of these things that exist in nature. But who can
comprehend them? The world with all its wisdom knows very little about
them. The world with all its wisdom knows nothing about God. What is
the acme of the perfection of knowledge that exists anywhere today?
What is the highest step of the ladder they can reach? To discover
some principles or laws of nature and become acquainted with them and
then they make terrible blunders at that. But this is the acme of
perfection that any philosopher or scientist or intelligent man
professes to reach—to understand some of the laws of nature. But how
much of these do they know. Why, in my time, in order to show how much
they know and how little, I will mention some things that have not
existed in my day. They did not know of the oil we burn in this room.
I can remember that in some of the large cities of the earth all they
had to light then was tallow or wax candles or whale oil, which was
just about enough to make darkness visible. And after all the
thousands of years that men have existed upon the earth they cannot
even make the oil you barn to-day, and they did not have it when I was
young. But did that principle that exists in the oil always exist?
Yes. Why didn't they find it out? Because they only understood a few
of the principles of nature notwithstanding all their philosophy and
intelligence. Again, who knew  anything about gas in those days? I can
remember [p.115] the time when the streets and shops were first
lighted up with gas. What did they have before? Tallow candles; those
in common use we used to call dips. You old people know about this and
whale oil, but you did not know anything about gas; but did not gas
always exist? Yes. Why did they not know it? Because they were like
us, didn't know much. Again, what did they know about the power of
steam? I can remember the time when there was no such thing as
steamboats, when we who lived in England had to come to America in
sailing vessels. They had, it is true, some small vessels that were
used on the rivers propelled by steam, which they could not trust in
the ocean, and a little time before that they had no steamers of any
kind. And then what about our railroads? Did they know how to apply
steam to locomotives? No. I remember riding on the first railroad that
was built, and here is Brother Robinson, who was one of the conductors
of that same railroad that ran between Liverpool and Manchester. I
think he is now nearly the first railroad conductor, and the oldest
living. Why didn't men find out these things? We have had intelligent
men and philosophers in all ages to the present time, but none could
understand these things. Yet the principles are eternal in their
nature and always existed, and all it needed was to bring them out.
And when men discovered them they thought they were some great beings.
And what did they discover? Simply something that God had already made
long ago, only they didn't know it. In talking about these things I am
reminded of a little baby. You sisters have your babies, and you are
aware how little they know at first, and we ourselves do not know very
much; we are only babies of a bigger growth. One of the first things
they find out is that they have a foot, and they try to put it in
their mouth. They look at it in astonishment. Why, they always had
that foot since their birth. Why did'nt they know it before? Another
thing they find out they have a hand and they think what a curious
thing it is, and they look at it and the motion of their fingers with
astonishment, and they think they have made a great discovery. But
there is not much difference between the world of mankind and the
babies when we come to look at it. The child had nothing to do with
the making of its hands, neither have we had anything to do with
originating any of these principles. God made them, and we have simply
discovered some of the powers of what is termed nature, and when we
have found out a little of these things we take the glory to
ourselves; we feel very much like the king of Babylon when he said,
"Is not this Great Babylon that I 'have built?" The Lord, however,
started him off to eat grass like an ox. He had to live on it until
seven years had passed over him, when the Lord restored him to his
natural state, and he then knew that there was a God who lived and
ruled in the heavens and on the earth. It is for us to learn this
lesson and to find out that there is a God who rules in heaven, and
that he manages, directs and controls the affairs of the human family.
We are not our own rulers; we are all the children of God; he is our
Father and has a right to direct us, not only us, but has a perfect
right to direct and control the affairs of all the human family that
exists upon the face of the earth, for they are all his offspring.
Now, he feels kindly towards them and knows what kind [p.116] of
people they are, and also what we are, and he would do everything he
could for them even if in his almighty wisdom he has to kill them off
in order to save them. He destroyed the antediluvian world on that
account, because they were not filling the measure of their creation.
They had corrupted themselves to such an extent that it would have
been an injustice to the spirits in the eternal worlds if they had to
come through such a corrupt lineage to be subject to all the trouble,
incident thereunto, and therefore God destroyed them. He cut off the
cities of Sodom and Gomorrah in consequence of their corruptions, and
by and by he will shake all the inhabitants of the earth, he will
shake thrones and will overturn empires and desolate the land and lay
millions of the human family in the dust. Plagues and pestilence will
stalk through the earth because of the iniquities of men, because of
some of these corruptions that Brother Joseph F. Smith has briefly
hinted at, namely, the perversion of the laws of nature between the
sexes, and the damnable murders that exist among men.

Vol. 21, p.116
Not long ago, I was called upon by some intelligent, or those who
profess to be intelligent men, who asked me something about polygamy.
"How is it with you," said I; "do you know that in this land of yours
you are murdering hundreds of thousands of infants every year? Do you
know that you have among you people who are considered the most
fashionable and honorable that are murderers, who destroy the life
that God has given before and after birth, and interfere with the laws
of the Almighty. Do you know that they are doing that? "Yes, we
believe they are doing it." "Do you know that you are wallowing in
corruption and degradation, and that your social evils and other
damnable corruptions that exist are spreading and permeating through
all your society?" "Yes." "Well, you please go and attend to your own
affairs. it certainly does not look well for you who hail from these
sinks of infamy and degradation to preach morality to us. Please
attend to your own affairs first and get them straightened out before
you come to correct us." Yet these very people, these lascivious men
sitting upon the bench and pleading in the courts will arraign
honorable men for obeying a law of God. Will we obey it? In the name
of Israel's God we will. (The congregation said "Amen.") We will carry
out his purposes, we will obey his behests, we will, with his help,
abide his law, and our persecutors cannot help themselves, for God
will put a hook into their jaws and he will lead them whithersoever he
will and put a stop to their career by and bye. But he will look in
kindness upon Zion and honor those who honor and obey his law.

Vol. 21, p.116
Now these are my feelings in relation to these things. We ought to
observe the laws of God. The Lord has taken a great deal of pains to
bring us where we are and to give us the information we have. He came
himself, accompanied by his Son Jesus, to the Prophet Joseph Smith. He
didn't send anybody but came himself, and introducing his Son, said:
"This is my beloved Son, hear him." And he permitted the ancient
prophets, apostles and men of God that existed in different ages to
come and confer the keys of their several dispensations upon the
prophet of the Lord, in order that he should be endowed and imbued
with the power and Spirit of God, with the light of revelation and the
[p.117] eternal principles of the everlasting Gospel, and that the
keys committed to him, might, through him, be conferred upon others,
and that the principles of eternal truth as they exist in the heavens,
might extend to the nations of the earth, that these degrading,
loathsome, damning principles might cease that his people might be
gathered to Zion from the four corners of the earth, and learn his
laws. Says Jesus in his parable of the good shepherd, "and the sheep
hear his voice, and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them
out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep he goeth before them and
the sheep fellow him; for they know his voice." Now, he has brought us
together here. Whose sheep are we? Says Jesus, "I pray for them: I
pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for
they are thine.	*	*	* Neither pray I for these alone, but for
them also which shall believe on me through their word. That they all
may be one; as thou, Father, art in me and I in thee, that they also
may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me."
He has gathered us together here for what? To teach us his law through
the medium of the Holy Priesthood. Jesus, in sending forth his
disciples in former times said unto them, "He that receiveth you
receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me."

Vol. 21, p.117
Now, God has ordained his Holy Priesthood upon the earth with
presidents, apostles, bishops, high councils, seventies, high priests,
and the order and organization of the Church and kingdom of God in its
fulness and completeness, more complete perhaps, than it ever was
since the world was framed. Why? Because it is the dispensation of the
fulness of times, embracing all other times that have ever existed
since the world was, and he has gathered us together for that purpose.
Is it to sow and plant and try to make ourselves comfortable and to
follow the customs of the world in their corruptions and to wallow in
infamy and rob and plunder one another, acting deceitfully and
impurely without any regard to virtue or any of the laws that govern
the Church and kingdom of God? No. But that we might be a peculiar
people full of the light of truth and intelligence and revelations of
God; that we might be a people having no longer need of the oral law
or the written law, but a people upon whose hearts the law of God
shall be written and engraven as in characters of living fire, being
under the inspiration and guidance of the Almighty, walking according
to the principles of eternal truth, and being led in the paths of
life; being united with God and his Son Jesus Christ and with the
ancient patriarchs and apostles and men of God, operating with them in
the building up of Zion, in establishing the kingdom of God upon the
earth, and in spreading salvation to the cuds of the earth. This is
what he has brought us here for. And also that we might build temples
to officiate in them for the living and the dead, and that we might go
forth to the nations of the earth, carrying the glad tidings of peace;
and that we might be as a city set upon a hill that cannot be hid; and
that being in unison with God and the patriarchs and apostles, we
might draw down the light and intelligence of heaven upon the earth to
enable us to operate with them according to the principles of justice
and equity and the laws of life and every principle connected with the
salvation of [p.118] the human family, and that we might go on from
strength to strength from intelligence to intelligence, until we shall
be capable of enjoying a celestial glory a shall be prepared to enter
therein; and until all that shall be prepared to have a celestial
glory shall enjoy that, and those who are prepared for the terrestrial
glory to have that, and also the telestial to enjoy what belongs to
them, and that we may co-operate with God in the eternal worlds and
the intelligences of heaven for the accomplishment of this object. And
that while they operate in the heavens, we may operate for them upon
the earth. This is what we are here for as I understand it.

Vol. 21, p.118
What else? Make settlements; break loose. Some of you are crying "give
us room." There is plenty of room, and in making these settlements we
want to carry with us the principles of the Gospel and plant them in
different places. We are sending out persons into the north-east of
this Territory, and we want them to go filled with the Holy Ghost and
the spirit of the living God. And we are sending! some to Arizona,
Colorado, Idaho and other places, and we will stretch out further and
further. Zion's cords shall be lengthened and her stakes shall be
strengthened until her armies shall become mighty and numerous and
until God shall say to the Gentiles, it is enough, and then God will
give the government into our hands.

Vol. 21, p.118
We have come to see you and to talk with you. We want to see you at
your own homes. These railroads whisk us by at such a rapid rate that
many times we have not time to stop and visit with you. But we thought
this time we would come with our own carriages and visit the people in
their own homes and talk with them and see how they feel and that they
may judge of our feelings with regard to the building up of the
kingdom of God upon the earth. You elders of Israel—and there are many
in this congregation —let me ask you—Do you have prayers in your
family? (Turning round and addressing Bishop Harrington, the speaker
said): May I act as teacher for a little while?

Vol. 21, p.118
The Bishop—Yes, we will be glad to have you.

Vol. 21, p.118
The speaker—Well, then, I will repeat the question—Do you have prayers
in your family? (A voice in the congregation. Yes.) And when you do,
do you go through the operation like the guiding of a piece of
machinery, or do you bow in meekness and with a sincere desire to seek
the blessing of God upon you and your household? That is the way that
we ought to do, and cultivate a spirit of devotion and trust in God,
dedicating ourselves to him, and seeking his blessings.

Vol. 21, p.118
Here is one brother says he does. But how is it with the balance of
us? I am talking to all of you. Husbands, do you love your wives and
treat them right, or do you think that you yourselves are some great
Moguls who have a right to crowd upon them? They are given to you as a
part of yourself, and you ought to treat them with all kindness, with
mercy and long suffering, and not be harsh and bitter, or in any way
desirous to display your authority. Then, you wives, treat your
husbands right, and try to make them happy and comfortable. Endeavor
to make your homes a little heaven, and try to cherish the good Spirit
of God. Then let us as parents train up  our children in the fear of
God and teach them the laws of life. If you do, we will have peace in
our [p.119] bosoms, peace in our families and peace in our
surroundings. Have we any difficulty with our neighbors? Why, Gentiles
strive to avoid that. Cannot we pass by some of these hard words, as
the old man used to say when a child would come to a big word, "Pass
it by, my dear, and call it a hard word." When you come across a hard
word, pass it by; don't utter it.

Nay, speak no ill;
A kindly word can never leave a sting behind.

Let us treat one another with kindness and one another's reputation
with respect, and feel after one another's welfare, treating everybody
as we would like God to treat us. And then, when we come to the Lord,
we can say, "Father, forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them
that trespass against us;" for if we do not forgive our brother, how
can we expect our heavenly Father to forgive us? If we have had any
difficulty with our neighbor, let us endeavor to make it right. Say,
"Brother or sister so and so, my conscience rather troubles me about.
Something I said about you or did to you, or some deal I had in which
I got the advantage of you, and I have come to make it right, for I am
determined to do right, no matter what other people do." And let us
all seek after one another's welfare. If we can help one another, let
us do it—financially or socially—and don't betray one another. Some
people, some poor, miserable—I don't care to say a hard word—I will
call them sneaks, they will try, because a man was married a wife
according to the laws of God, to bring an accusation against him. Such
men will be damned and such women will be damned. Do you know that,
when thee miserable sneaks come into your house on every kind of
pretence, perhaps to sell wagons or machinery of some kind, in the
midst of their conversation they are known to ask such questions as
"how many wives has your husband got?" Poor, low miserable sneaks.
Kick them out of your house, have nothing to do with such low,
infernal trash. While we treat good men aright, kick such villains out
of your house, they have no business among decent people. We do not
want them. Tell them to attend to their own affairs and let our
business alone. Tell them to go back where they came from, we do not
want them among decent people. These are my feelings. That's saying a
pretty hard word. It is such a word, though, as suits such people, for
there is no decent word that's appropriate for such contemptible
beings.

Vol. 21, p.119
Be true to one another, respect another's reputation. And then, you
elders, treat one another as gentlemen with courtesy and kindness. And
you ladies treat one another as ladies, and, old gentlemen, treat
ladies as ladies, and you, old ladies, treat the gentlemen as
gentlemen.

Vol. 21, p.119
I feel to tell a little story about Bishop Hunter. Most of you know
Dr. Sprague. He was sent by President Young to see brother Hunter,
when on the frontier many years ago. The doctor had a squeaky kind of
a voice. He says (imitating the doctor), "Does Brother Hunter live
here? Bishop Hunter replied (the speaker imitating the Bishop's
voice), "My name is Hunter." Doctor Sprague: "President Young has sent
me to see if you were sick, and if so he wanted me to administer to
you." Bishop Hunter: "Physician heal thyself:" Doctor Sprague: "Well,
sir, I feel just like two clap boards stuck together." Then he says,
"Is this your old woman, Brother [p.120] Hunter." Bishop Hunter: "This
is Mrs. Hunter. Mrs. Hunter is a lady, she is not an old woman, sir."
When you meet with women, treat them as ladies, and have everybody
else do the same. We can afford to treat everybody right, that is,
every decent body, but these sneaks we do not want anything to do
with—poor miserable beings who go around pretending to do business,
but whose real purpose is to obtain information that they may inform
upon you, to whom? To men who are as wicked, treacherous, lascivious
and degraded as the devil in hell. What for To destroy you. Will you
receive such miserable sneaks in your midst? Tell them to go about
their business.

Vol. 21, p.120
Let us live our religion, keep the commandments of God, pursue a right
course, and God will bless us. I ask God the eternal Father to bless
you and lead you in the paths of life. I say to you, respect the
counsels of those ever you; Brother Smoot as your president; listen to
him, listen to the counsels of the bishop and pray for him. And then
your president and bishops should pray for the people. Treat one
another with kindness and courtesy, and let us all feel we are the
sons and daughters of God, living our religion and obeying his
commandments, following the counsels of the holy priesthood, and seek
for the blessings of God upon us and upon our posterity. Never mind
what other people do. We will go on and take a course in everything
calculated to promote the happiness of the human family, and Zion will
grow and spread until the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms
of our Lord and his Christ, and the laws that God has introduced will
prevail and his will be done upon the earth as it is done in heaven,
and every creature be heard to say, "Blessing and honor and glory and
power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for
ever and ever," and we will join in the universal chorus. God help us
to be faithful in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. [p.121]

Wilford Woodruff, June 6, 1880

No Man Can Build Up the Church of Christ Without the Priesthood
 Responsibility of the Priesthood—Christ Coming in this Generation
—Great Changes and Judgments Approaching—Exhortation to Righteousness

Delivered in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City,
Sunday Afternoon, June 6th, 1880.

(Reported by John Irvine.)

Vol. 21, p.121
I have a desire to be heard in what I say to this assembly. I know the
difficulties there are in speaking here. It requires not only
attention, but quietude among the people.

Vol. 21, p.121
I feel disposed to read a few verses from the good old book the
Bible—some of the sayings of Isaiah and Ezekiel. [The speaker then
read from the 12th chapter of Ezekiel, from the 21st to the end of the
chapter.] I have (the speaker continued) a few reflections upon my
mind that I would like to lay before the Latter-day Saints, especially
those who bear the holy priesthood. Among the lessons which we are
learning in our day and time is this one truth: that we all of us need
the spirit of revelation in order that we may teach mankind of the
things of God. I do not believe myself there ever was a man lived in
the flesh on the earth, in any day or age of the world, no matter what
his position, calling, name, or age might be—I do not believe any man
ever had the power to do the work of God, to build up his kingdom or
to edify the souls of men, without inspiration and revelation; for the
Lord has never called any man in any age of the world to do any of
this kind of work, whether to preach the Gospel, to prophesy, or to
declare the word of the Lord to the inhabitants of the earth, or to
administer in any ordinance in any temple or in any tabernacle,
without the holy priesthood. There are no ordinances acceptable in the
sight of God of any force after death or in the eternal worlds except
those ordinances that are performed by men hearing the holy
priesthood. Our heavenly Father himself has officiated by this
principle in the creation of all worlds, in the redemption of all
worlds, and in all the the word which he has performed; it has all
been done by the power of the Godhead and the holy priesthood, which
is without beginning of days or end of years. This priesthood has
power with the heavens. It has association with the heavens. The
heavens are connected with this priesthood, let it rest upon the
shoulders or head of any man, whether it be Jesus Christ, or those
fishermen, or the ancient patriarchs or prophets or Joseph Smith, or
any other man who is called of God as was Aaron, by revelation, and
prophecy to bear record of the name of [p.122] God in any age of the
world. Therefore, I occupy the same position myself. I know I need the
Spirit of God. I know you do. I know any man does who rises on this
stand, and attempts to teach the people. You give a man the
inspiration of Almighty God and the eternal truths of heaven and he
can instruct and edify the children of men upon the principles of life
and salvation; without this he cannot do it. And in order to present
to my brethren and sisters and friends the subject that I have on my
mind, I will just refer a little further to some words of the Lord to
the Prophet Ezekiel [The speaker again referred to the Book of
Ezekiel, and quoted from the 9th, 14th and 33rd chapters, all of parts
quoted having reference to the dealings of God with the wicked.]
Continuing, Elder Woodruff said Now, having quoted all these passages
of Scripture, I want to say to my brethren the apostles, the high
priests, the seventies, the elders of Israel, who bear the holy
priesthood, upon whose shoulders the God of heaven, in this day and
generation has placed the responsibility of the Melchesidec and
Aaronic priesthood; has placed the responsibility of this great and
last dispensation, the fulness of times, and the building up of the
great kingdom of God which Daniel saw by revelation, vision and
inspiration in his day and generation as proclaimed by all the
prophets and apostles who have written in this book, in the stick of
Judah as well as in the stick of Joseph and other revelations given to
us through the mouth of the prophets and apostles in our day and
generation—I want to ask in the face of all this—and I take it home to
myself—what position are we in before high heaven, before God the
Father, before his Son Jesus Christ, before the heavenly hosts, before
all justified spirits made perfect from the creation of the world to
this day? What condition are we in as the servants of the living God,
men holding the holy priesthood into whose hands the God of Israel has
given this kingdom. Are we disseminating the mighty flood of
revelation and prophecy in these records and these books which are now
to rest upon the generation as in the days of Noah and Lot. In this
respect are we justified in the sight of God, in the sight of heaven,
in the sight of angels, and in the sight of men? Can we fold our arms
in peace and cry "all is peace in Zion," when, so far as we have the
power of the priesthood resting upon us, we can see the condition of
the world? Can we imagine that our garments will be clean without
lifting our voice before our fellow-men and warning them of the things
that are at their doors? No, we cannot. There never was a set of men
since God made the world under a stronger responsibility to warn this
generation, to lift up our voices long and loud, day and night so far
as we have the opportunity and declare the words of God unto this
generation. We are required to do this. This is our calling. It is our
duty. It is our business. We have had to perform this work for the
last 50 years of our lives. When the Lord called Joseph Smith to lay
the foundation of the Church he called him in fulfilment of many
revelations given in other dispensations to men. He was preserved by
the hand of God to come forth in the last days, even in the
dispensation of the fulness of times. He was a prophet of the  living
God. He was a prophet, seer and revelator. The Lord called upon him to
do the work for which he was [p.123] ordained before the foundation of
this world. He did all that was required of him, and he was surrounded
with thousands of men who were acquainted with his life, and with the
Spirit and power of God which rested upon him, and who sustained him
in life and in death We know he was a prophet of God, and we know he
brought forth the stick of Joseph, the Book of Mormon, which was given
unto him by the angel of God. This Church and kingdom has been
organized by the command of God and by the revelations of heaven. It
has continued to grow and increase, and has been upheld by the Lord
Almighty, from its organization until the present hour. And when I
look at this Tabernacle and think of the words of the prophet Isaiah,
"that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the
tops of the mountains;" when I look at these everlasting hills and the
land given by promise to Father Jacob and his posterity; when I see
this barren desert peopled by 150,000 Saints of the living God who
have been gathered from nearly every nation under heaven through the
proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ —what can I say about it?
Can I say it is a dream? Can I say that it is all a vision? Can I say
that this work is of man and not of God? Can I say these are
revelations and prophecies which belong to some other generation? I
tell you no. This is the kingdom of God. Here are the Saints of God.
These mountains are being filled with the Latter-day Saints from every
nation under heaven, and with these things before me I know that it is
my duty to preach the Gospel, to warn Saints and sinners wherever I
have the opportunity. The Lord told Joseph Smith that he would prove
us in all things, whether we would abide in his covenant even unto
death, that we might be found worthy. The prophet sealed his testimony
with his blood. That testimony is in force upon all the world and has
been from the day of his death. Not one word of the Lord shall pass
away unfulfilled. The unbelief in this generation will make no
difference with regard to the building up of the kingdom of God. As it
was in the days of Noah so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.
Therefore, I desire to ask my brethren, the elders of Israel—and I ask
myself at the same time—do we understand our position before the Lord?
Ezekiel has passed away. He is in the spirit world. He has received
his resurrected body and stands at the right hand of' God with other
prophets and apostles who lived in days gone by. They had their day
and generation. All these patriarchs and prophets and apostles had a
time to prophesy, to preach, to labor, and to administer in the
ordinances of life and salvation. Now, in this last dispensation, ye
elders of Israel, this work has been put into your hands. Therefore
what shall we say, and what shall we do? Are we acting as watchmen
upon the walls of Zion If we are, are we justified in closing our
mouths, in closing our ears, or in setting our hearts upon anything
else excepting the building up of the kingdom of God? I do not think
we are. In my view our responsibility is very great. We should live
our religion. We should practise ourselves what we preach. We should
treasure up the words of life. We should search the records of divine
truth. We should seek to comprehend the day and age in which we live.
This is the way I look upon our situation to-day. I [p.124] do not
look upon the revelations recorded in these books, touching the
dispensation of the fulness of times, as something that will pass away
unfulfilled. We live in a generation when great changes are about to
take place. We live in a time when darkness covers the whole earth and
gross darkness the people. The world are a great way from the truth.
Infidelity overwhelms the earth, in fact it is a hard matter to-day to
get either priest or people, sect or party, of any name or
denomination under heaven to believe in the literal fulfillment of the
Bible, as translated in the days of King James, which contains the
revelations given from the days of Father Adam down to our own time,
and which point out to us the signs of heaven and earth indicating the
coming of the Son of Man. We live in the generation itself when Jesus
Christ will come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
We live in the generation when the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been
revealed in its fulness to the Gentiles, and when the Gospel of Christ
will go to the House of Israel, to the descendants of Lehi, in
fulfilment of that which is recorded in their records in the 9th, 10th
and 11th chapters of the last book of Nephi. These prophets spake by
the power of God and the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and as the
apostle says, "No prophecy of the Scripture is of any private
interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of
man; but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
I feel therefore to say to my brethren who bear the holy priesthood,
and I say it to myself and to all—I do not think we have much time to
lie down and slumber. We have no time to speculate in trying to get
rich in trying to accumulate gold and silver. What we have got to do
is to build up the kingdom of God. As apostles, high priests, elders,
seventies and the lesser priesthood, we are bound together by this new
and everlasting Gospel and covenant; we are called to perform the
great and a mighty work of building up Zion, of building temples
wherein we may labor for the living and the dead, and we should live
in that way and manner that we may be governed and controlled at all
times by the Holy Spirit.

Vol. 21, p.124
I know very well how the world look at these things. As I said before,
the world is far from the Lord. We ourselves are too far from the Lord
as a people. We ought to draw near to the Lord, and labor to obtain
the Holy Spirit, so that when we read the revelations of God we may
read them by the same Spirit by which they were given. Then we can
understand their purport when given to the children of men.

Vol. 21, p.124
The Lord has said by the mouth of the Prophet Isaiah, that he would
proceed to do a marvelous Work and a wonder; and when I look at the
rise and progress of this Church, when I behold the great work the
Lord has performed, it was a marvelous work and a wonder indeed. There
never has been, in my view, any generation in which the same amount of
prophecies and important events have to be fulfilled as in the
generation in which we live. Joseph Smith, an illiterate boy, was
raised up by the power of God. His teachers were the angels of heaven.
He was administered unto by the Son of God. He received the Aaronic
priesthood of John the Baptist, who was beheaded for the testimony of
Jesus Christ. He received the apostleship and Melchizedek Priesthood
under the hands of [p.125] Peter, James and John, who were also put to
death for the word and testimony of Jesus Christ. He made use of these
ordinances by the commandment of God. He organized the Church and
kingdom of God; he did that which all the wisdom of the sectarian
world could never have comprehended. He established the only church on
the face of the earth according to the ancient order of the Church of
Jesus Christ, with apostles, prophets, teachers, gifts, helps,
governments, baptism for the remission of sins, the laying of hands
for the reception of the Holy Ghost—an organization which has not
existed on the earth from the day the ancient apostles were put to
death, and the holy priesthood taken from the earth, until the
present. This Church has continued to rise. It is the only true church
upon the face of the whole earth. Its history is before the world. It
has continued to grow and increase from the day it was organized until
the present time. This is the Zion of God. We see an embryo of it in
these valleys of the mountains, and it is designed by the Most High
God to stand on the earth in power and glory and dominion, as the
prophets of God saw it in their day and generation. This is the
kingdom that Daniel saw, and it will continue to roll forth until it
fills the whole earth. These are eternal truths, whether the world
believe or disbelieve them, it matters not, the truths cannot be made
of non-effect. This is certainly a strange work and a wonder. There
has been every exertion made to stay it. Armies have been sent forth
to destroy this people, but we have been upheld and sustained by the
hand of the Lord until to-day.

Vol. 21, p.125
And now I desire to bear my testimony. I have no fears, my brethren
and sisters—and I say the same to our nation, to all kings, queens,
emperors, presidents and governments of this world—I have no fears
with regard to "Mormonism," and and the ultimate triumph of the
kingdom of God; because the Lord Almighty has said that the nation and
kingdom that will not serve him shall perish and be utterly wasted
away. If this had not been the Zion of God it would not have stood so
long as it has done. This kingdom, however, has not been organized by
the power of man but by the power of God, and whatever God undertakes
to do he will carry out. I have therefore no fear of this kingdom. It
was ordained to come forth before the world was made; and the Lord
never undertook a dispensation of this kind without due preparation
before he commenced. He had material in the spirit world who would in
time be raised up to carry on this kingdom. I have no fears about this
work being accomplished, but I have fears about many of the Latter-day
Saints; because if we have the holy priesthood upon our heads and do
not live our religion, of all men we are under the greatest
condemnation. We have baptized a great many into this Church and
kingdom—not many, certainly, when compared to the twelve hundred
million inhabitants of the earth —but a great many have apostatized.
What! Latter-day Saints apostatize? Yes. I tell you people will
apostatize who have received the holy priesthood and Gospel of Jesus
Christ, if they do not honor God, if they do not keep his
commandments, obey his laws and humble themselves before the Lord;
they are in danger every day of their lives. Look at the number of
devils we have, round about us! We have I should say, one hundred to
every [p.126] man, woman and child. One third part of the heavenly
host was cast down to the earth with Lucifer, son of the morning, to
war against us—which I suppose will number one hundred million
devils—and they labor to overthrow all the Saints and the kingdom of
God. They even tried to overthrow Jesus Christ; they overthrew Judas,
and they have succeeded in overthrowing a good many Latter-day Saints,
who had a name and standing among us, who undertook to build
themselves up instead of the Kingdom of God. and when men having this
priesthood —I do not care whether it was in the days of Adam, in the
days of Moses, in the days of Joseph Smith, or in the days of Brigham
Young, I care not in what day they lived—if they bore this priesthood
and undertook to use it for any other purpose than the building up of
the kingdom of God, then amen to the power and priesthood of such men.

Vol. 21, p.126
The Lord will have a people to carry on his purposes who will obey and
serve him. He has a good many people in this day and age of the world,
who will be faithful unto death, whether called to seal their
testimony with their blood or not. He has a people who will maintain
his work while they are here. But here is the danger, ye Latter-day
Saints, and the Savior saw it very plainly, and has left it on record
in the earth: He compared the kingdom of God unto ten virgins, which
took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom. "And five of
them were wise and five were foolish. They that were foolish took
their lamps and took no oil with them; But the wise took oil in their
vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all
slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold the
bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose
and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us
of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered saying,
Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you; but go ye rather to
them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy,
the bridegroom came, and they that were ready went in with him to the
marriage; and the door was shut. Afterwards came also the other
virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said,
Verily I say unto you, I know you not." Now, those who have got oil in
their lamps, are men who live their religion, pay their tithing, pay
their debts, keep the commandments of God, and do not blaspheme his
name; men and women who will not sell their birthright for a mess a
pottage or for a little gold or silver; these are those that will be
valiant in the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Vol. 21, p.126
This is the way I feel to-day. I feel to warn my brethren and sisters,
the Latter-day Saints, to live their religion, to trim their lamps,
because as the Lord lives, his word will be fulfilled. The coming of
Jesus is nigh at the door. These judgments that I have read will come
to pass, and though Brigham, Joseph, Noah, Daniel and Job, or anybody
else were in the land, they could not do more than deliver their own
souls by their righteousness. The man that is righteous cannot save
the wicked. We have got to live our own righteousness, that is keep
the commandments of God.

Vol. 21, p.126
We are approaching changes. There are judgments at our door. There are
judgments at the door of this nation, and at the door of Great
Babylon. How do the world feel to-day? How does our nation feel?
[p.127] Something similar to Belshazzar, the king. On the night that
he drank out of the golden and silver vessels with his princes and his
wives, he thought, "Well, I made this country. I made this city. I am
the god of this country;" but when the Lord Almighty manifested his
displeasure by the writing on the wall, the scene was changed. His
kingdom was broken up and given to the Medes and Persians. His
greatness, his gold and silver did not save him In the same way the
Lord in ancient days swept away great cities when they were ripened in
iniquity. Jerusalem was overthrown in fulfilment of the words of the
Lord. Jeremiah and Isaiah prophesied what would come to pass, and it
was fulfilled to the very letter. So I say to the Gentiles, so I say
to the Latter-day Saints. What the Lord has spoken concerning our
nation, and concerning the nations of the earth, notwithstanding that
the unbelief of the world may be great, notwithstanding that they may
reject the word of God and seek to put the servants of God to
death—will all be fulfilled. War, pestilence, famine, earthquakes and
storms await this generation. These calamities will overtake the world
as God lives, and no power can prevent them. Therefore I say to the
elders of Israel, be faithful. We have had the priesthood given to us,
and if we fail to use it right, we shall be brought under
condemnation. Therefore, let us round up our shoulders and bear off
the kingdom. Let us labor to obtain the Holy Spirit—and power of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ—which has been put into our hands, and inasmuch
as we do this, the blessing of God will attend our efforts.

Vol. 21, p.127
We have been here a number of years. We have preached the Gospel and
labored to build up this kingdom. Many have been associated with this
Church almost from the beginning. Many have been taken away. Joseph
and Hyrum sealed their testimony with their blood. Many have passed to
the other side of the vail, and many others of us will soon follow
them; but I do not want when I get there to have it said, "When you
were in the flesh you had the priesthood, you had the power to rebuke
sin, but you were not man enough to chastise the ungodly." Neither do
I want my relatives to rise up and say "You had the power to do a work
for the redemption of the dead, but you have neglected these things."
I do not want these things to rise up against me. As for gold and
silver, they are of very little account compared with eternal life.
When we die we must leave the riches of this world behind. We were
born naked and we will go out of the world in the same condition. We
cannot take with us houses, gold, silver, or any of this world's
goods. We will even leave our tabernacles for somebody to bury. Our
spirits must appear in the presence of God, and there receive our
reward for the deeds done in the body.

Vol. 21, p.127
Therefore, I pray God my heavenly Father to enable us to live our
religion, to labor for light and truth that we may not work in the
dark; to live nearer and nearer the Lord and be prepared for that
which is to come, and eventually gain eternal life, is my prayer in
the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. [p.128]

Orson Pratt, September 7, 1879

On the Book of Mormon—
Destiny of the Kingdom of God and the Saints

Delivered in the Tabernacle,
 Salt Lake City, September 7th, 1879.

(Reported by John Irvine.)

Vol. 21, p.128
It is with feelings of thanksgiving to my Father who is in heaven,
that I stand before you this afternoon, after having been absent from
this place for some nine months that are past.

Vol. 21, p.128
I suppose that the Latter-day Saints who are congregated here,
understand the object of the mission which was given to me, to go to
Great Britain, and there get the pages of the Book of Mormon, and the
Book of Doctrine and Covenants, electrotyped, with double sets of
plates, for the purpose of spreading forth copies of these works,
among the inhabitants of the earth by hundreds of thousands. I
therefore, feel very much pleased to have the privilege of bearing
testimony to you, that I have, through the blessing of the Lord, been
enabled to finish or complete the work that was given me to do, in
relation to these two standard works of our Church.

Vol. 21, p.128
Had it not been for the Book of Mormon this territory would not be
occupied by a people called the Latter-day Saints. That lies at the
foundation of the work of the last days, in which we are engaged. All
of you are acquainted, if you have endeavored to exercise your
judgment and your capacities as intelligent beings, with the nature of
that book. If you are not acquainted with it you certainly ought to
be. We all ought to inform ourselves concerning every principle that
is contained in that record. We ought to make ourselves very familiar
also, with the Book that is called the Book of Doctrine and Covenants,
given by divine revelation in the generation in which we are permitted
to live. These two books, we as a people, esteem to be as sacred as
any other revelations which were ever given to the human family. We
look upon the Book of Mormon as a very precious record,—a precious
blessing to the people who live in this dispensation, a divine work,—a
divine revelation. It has now been before the world almost 50 years,
being publislied over 49 years; and the whole world, if they had seen
proper to inform themselves, concerning the nature of the work, could
have been blessed with the privilege. It is a work which the Lord our
God has commenced by his own power. The book was not written by the
wisdom of man, by the inspiration of man, but it was written by the
commandment of the Most High God. It was written as revealed to a
young man, the founder of this Church, under the divine influence of
the Holy Spirit. [p.129] This young man being inspired of God, and
having revelations granted to him from heaven, had the privilege of
bringing forth this sacred record to this generation. The record was
translated, as the Latter-day Saints understand, and as the world
generally have been informed, by revelation, by the inspiration of the
Holy Ghost, through the aid of an instrument that was used anciently
and called the Urim and Thummim. The Lord did not, in revealing this
work to us, require us to receive it blindly and enthusiastically, but
to receive it on good, substantial, sound evidence, such as we cannot
controvert, such as we cannot contradict—evidence that no reasonable
person, having the common reasoning faculties of man, can consistently
reject. The Lord did not raise up this Church—did not commence its
foundation, until he revealed this Book; and in the revelation of this
Book, he fulfilled many predictions, made in ancient days, by the
mouth of the Jewish prophets, and also the apostles that succeeded the
Jewish prophets. They spake as they were moved upon by the Holy Ghost;
and they predicted that such a work would come forth in the latter
times; and if this is not the work, as the world say it is not, then
we are to look forward to the day when a similar work will be brought
forth by the power of Almighty God; for the events predicted by the
mouth of the prophets, recorded in the Jewish Bible, never can be
fulfilled, never can be brought to pass, unless a work of a similar
description, to the one that has been presented to the people of the
nineteenth century shall come forth.

Vol. 21, p.129
The Book of Mormon, we say, is just as sacred as the Bible—the Old and
New Testaments. We cannot see any reason why we should exclude all
other books from the compiled books of the Jewish Bible. We have
nothing in the compiled works of the Bible (King James' translation),
we have no declarations in this Book, that the canon of Scripture
should be full at the close of the fourth century of the Christian
era. We have no declarations in this Book, that about 400 years after
Christ there should be a church or people on the earth that should
collect together manuscript books and call them the Bible, and that
that should be a complete revelation of God's will; or that there were
no other sacred books in existence, only what the Catholic church, at
the close of the fourth century, happened to collect together.

Vol. 21, p.129
We believe that God is the God of all nations, as well as the God of
the Jews. We believe that he did not confine his divine power and the
inspiration of his Spirit to one little spot of our globe; although he
did work wonderfully, and in a marvelous manner, in the land of
Palestine among the Jews, and did shew forth his power by raising up
prophets, and revelators, and apostles. Yet we cannot, in our views,
limit the Almighty, as the Christian nations do, and say that he has
never spoken to any other people. We cannot, with the intelligence and
light that God has given to us, say that the Bible is the only
revelation of God to man. We believe that he made all nations, and all
the inhabitants of the earth. We believe that he had as much regard
for the ten tribes, after they revolted from the house of Judah and
separated themselves into a distinct nation—wheat they wrought
righteousness, as he had for the Jews who dwelt in Jerusalem, and in
the vicinity of that great capital city. Indeed the Lord [p.130] has
shown to us that he was no respecter of persons. So far as the ten
tribes were concerned, he had revealed himself to them. Some of the
greatest prophets that were raised up in days of old, before the
coming of the Messiah, were prophets that lived among the ten tribes,
who were not Jews: not included in the house of Judah, or the two
years and a half. For instance, Elijah, who had such great power given
him from God, that he could call upon His name and the heavens would
be shut up so that there would be no rain fall upon the earth,
according to his prayer, for three and a half years. A man with such
faith, that after three and a half years of great famine, he prayed
for the Lord to send rain, and rain was given immediately. A man with
such power that when a captain of fifty with his fifty came to take
him—who mockingly called him a man of God—he said to the captain, "If
I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume thee and
thy fifty," and it was done, according to his word. He was not a
Jewish prophet; he was a prophet of the ten tribes. A man also that
had such great faith in God, that he was taken away from the earth, in
a chariot of fire, and wafted to the abodes of immortality, among the
immortal beings. Here then was a prophet raised up among another
branch of the house of Israel. Here was also Elisha, another prophet,
not of the Jews but of the ten tribes. Were not their revelations just
as sacred as the revelations of the prophets of Judah? They certainly
were; and were incorporated in the Jewish Bible. Were there any other
branches of Israel besides those ten tribes, who dwelt in the northern
parts of the Land of Palestine, and the Jew? Yes, we read in various
parts of this Bible, that many of the house of Israel were taken away
from the main body who dwelt in Palestine, and scattered to the four
quarters of the earth. Did God forget them and their generations after
them, after they were thus scattered? I think not. He did not forget
them; and in the days of their righteousness, he revealed himself to
them and to his prophets. And this great and choice American continent
was once peopled by the seed of Israel, not the ten tribes or Jewish
nation especially, but a small remnant of one tribe, namely the
descendants of Joseph who was carried into Egypt. These American
Indians scattered over this great continent of ours, are the literal
descendants of the chosen seed. Now, do you suppose that the Almighty,
who desires the salvation of the children of men, would take a
company, however great or small it might be, and locate them upon such
a great and vast continent as ours, and leave them without any
guidance by revelation from him?—leave them from generation to
generation without prophets and without revelators? Such an event is
inconsistent to my mind. God, who is no respecter of persons, who
loves all people of all nations, of all kindreds and tongues, surely
would not thus lead away the chosen seed, and plant them upon such a
vast continent as ours and obscure or withdraw himself, leaving them
in total ignorance, without any revelation from heaven. What is the
Book of Mormon? It is their record, their Bible, their revelations,
their predictions, their doctrines, their manifestations and visions,
and their history, the same as the Bible is the record and history of
the Jews. Why then should it be thought inconsistent with the
character God  that he should bring forth [p.131] records, so sacred,
so great, so important to join with the testimony of the Jewish record
that the nations of the last days might have the testimony of two
hemispheres that God is the same God, that his doctrines are
everlasting, the same unchangeable Gospel and plan of salvation, and
that his people Israel were as precious to him on the western
hemisphere as they were on the eastern, and that the great atonement
which we are now celebrating in this house, should not be shut out
from the minds of the people in the western hemisphere? Is it
consistent that this should be the case? There is not a man living,
who will free himself from the traditions of false doctrines that have
prevailed for many generations, but what will say it is godlike, it is
consistent with the character of the Almighty to reveal himself to the
western hemisphere as well as to the great eastern hemisphere, and if
he did this would there be anything inconsistent that these records
should be brought to light in the last days? Is God limited in his
power? I appeal to the whole of Christendom, do we as Christians
believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and in his Father, as being limited
in their power, and that people should be left without divine
knowledge, without information from heaven, when it is so easy for
them to reveal? Is not the knowledge of God to cover the earth,
according to the prediction of Isaiah the prophet, as the waters cover
the great deep, before the end shall come? Are not many, in the last
days, to run to and fro, and knowledge be increased, and when I speak
of knowledge I mean that knowledge which is of God, the knowledge
revealed from heaven, concerning the great plan of salvation. It is
reasonable, it is consistent, it is in accordance with the Jewish
Bible, that God should reveal himself and the plan of salvation to the
people of the latter days, that the knowledge of God may truly cover
the earth as the waters cover the great deep. In revealing this
additional knowledge, will it do any harm? Is there any church on the
face of the whole earth that is in the least degree harmed by the
additional revelations sent from heaven? I think not. What harm is
there in the Lord's making manifest to the people in this western
hemisphere, that the same Gospel was preached to the inhabitants of
this land as was preached to the Jews and the people of the eastern
continent in ancient days? Who is harmed among all the religious
denominations of Christendom, the four hundred millions of Christians,
so called, by the addition of further revelation Did it harm any of
the branches of the church that were anciently Christian, after they
had the Book of Matthew revealed to them, to be permitted to have a
testimony from another inspired man, called the Book of Mark? I think
there was no harm in Mark's writing his Gospel, after Matthew had
written his. It did no harm to the ancient Christians that Luke should
write his testimony of the Gospel; that John should write his, that
John should be permitted to receive great prophecy and revelation on
the isle of Patmos. Did that close revelation from God? No, because we
find that the Lord inspired John to write his testimony of the Gospel,
showing that the canon of Scripture was not closed up when John left
Patmos. What harm is there for another nation to know about the
Prophet Moses, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the atonement that he made
by his own suffering and death? Would it not [p.132] be a privilege
and blessing for the ancient inhabitants of America to be informed
concerning the only way by which they could be saved in the kingdom of
God? The Book of Mormon records the fact that Jesus did appear on this
American continent, after his resurrection from the dead; that he did
administer in person, in his immortal body, after his resurrection,
for several days, in the midst of this remnant of Israel, the
forefathers of these American Indians. What Gospel did he teach? Did
he teach one Gospel in Asia and another in ancient America? No. If the
same Gospel then is taught, who is harmed among the four hundred
millions of Christians, by having the information concerning it? It
seems to me as if I could imagine the feeling of the strangers that
may be present this afternoon. I can imagine some one saying, "Oh, it
would be a very beautiful theory, if we could only believe it; if we
only had testimony sufficient to believe what you Latter-day Saints
declare, that the Book of Mormon is actually a divine revelation of
the Gospel as it was preached in ancient America; if we knew this fact
we could not denounce it as something that was calculated in its
nature to destroy the peace and happiness of Christendom, but we
should consider it a great blessing to the human family if we only had
the evidence and testimony that the facts are as you state them." Now
I expect these thoughts are running through the minds of some
individuals here. Well, now, what must be the evidence? What would you
naturally suppose would be the kind of evidence that the Lord Almighty
would give to substantiate the divinity of a book that is almost
two-thirds as voluminous as the Jewish Bible? Can you imagine any
testimony that ought to be given to convince the children of men?
"Well," says one, "if we could only have it confirmed by the
ministration of angels, that would be an evidence, a great evidence or
testimony." The inhabitants of this generation, for nearly fifty
years, have had the testimony of three men, besides the boy that
translated the Book of Mormon—the testimony of three witnesses. The
Lord would not suffer his Church to be organized, would not suffer his
servants to build up this kingdom on the earth—this ecclesiastical
kingdom, until he gave sufficient evidence unto three chosen
witnesses, as well as the boy that translated the work. Their
testimony is given, in connection with the book, and there is no man
living that can contradict their testimony or can prove it to be
untrue. The witnesses themselves have never denied their testimony;
and not only three other witnesses who saw the angel, heard the words
of his mouth, saw the glory of his countenance, and saw the plates—the
original plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated, but also
eight other witnesses who saw the plates, but did not see the angel;
they saw the plates at another time; saw the engravings upon the
plates, handled them with their hands, and have recorded their
testimony. Hence we have the testimony of the young man that was
called by the angel to translate and bring forth the book, and then
the testimony of eleven other witnesses besides. In the mouth of two
or three witnesses, we are told in the Jewish record, every word shall
be established. But God saw fit to give twelve witnesses before the
Church of the Latter-day Saints ever had an existence on this earth.
That certainly [p.133] ought to be sufficient to begin the work with,
to begin to enlighten the minds of the children of men, concerning
what God was about to do upon the face of the earth. But are we
confined to these twelve men and their testimony? Are there no other
means by which we may for ourselves come to a knowledge that this work
is divine? I will tell you how the Lord has provided in a godlike
manner, just as we would naturally expect he would do—that the
children of men, however weak, frail, and imperfect in their judgment,
if they have the common sense and common attainments that the children
of men generally have, may not only have a faith concerning the truth
of this work, founded on the evidence of others, but also a knowledge
for themselves. And how is this? How can people get a real knowledge
that this Book is divine? Says one: "I should like to embrace it, but
then you are so unpopular. Still if I knew it to be true," perhaps
some stranger may say in his heart, "if I knew that God was the author
of it, I would not mind anything about the contumely, or anything
about the unpopularity of the people called Latter-day Saints." There
is a way to know whether this work be true, if you will follow the
conditions. And what are the conditions that God has pointed out, by
which we may receive a knowledge now as well as they received a
knowledge in ancient times, concerning similar doctrines and
principles? It is by obedience to the Gospel of the Son of God. The
Lord, before he suffered this Church to be organized gave authority to
his servants to preach the Gospel and to organize his kingdom on the
earth in fulfilment of the ancient prophecies. In connection with this
authority, he gave them authority to administer the ordinances of the
Gospel to those that would repent of their sins and believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ. He gave them not only power and authority to
baptize—that is divine authority to baptize—for the remission of sins,
but also to lay their hands upon the heads of baptized believers and
pronounce upon them the blessings of the Holy Ghost as they did in
ancient days. This was placing the people of this generation in a
condition to prove whether this work was divine or not. The elders
were sent forth in the early rise of this Church, saying unto the
people, "If you will repent of your sins—if you will turn from
everything that is evil, if you will with all your hearts enter into a
covenant with the Almighty to obey the Lord of righteousness, to keep
his commandments, to do right all your future days, and will be
baptized by the authority that God has given from heaven, and also be
confirmed by the laying on of hands, God will give you the Holy Ghost,
and by this gift of the Holy Ghost you shall know that the Book of
Mormon is a divine revelation, and that this is the Church and the
kingdom of the living God." Very many honest hearted people in the
American Union, in the nation of Great Britain, in the various nations
of Europe, and upon the islands of the Sea, have tested the truth of
this commandment of God given unto his servant in the first rise and
beginning of this Church. Did they receive the Holy Ghost? They
testify that they did. They say, that by obeying that message which
you brought to us, which you testified that God had sent you to
preach, the promises you made to us are fulfilled. You stated that we
should receive the Holy Ghost, [p.134] We have received it because we
have humbled ourselves before God. We have been baptized by you. You
stated you held authority. We believed it from testimony that you gave
us, that such was the case, but we did not know it. We went forth and
acted upon our faith, and now we can testify we know you are the
servants of God; for God has fulfilled the promise which he has given
to us through your word." Thus scores of thousands have proved the
divinity of this work. You marvel that this people are so well united.
You marvel that we come out from the nations of the earth and assemble
ourselves in one. You marvel what it is that prompts this people
called Latter-day Saints to come from the lands of their forefathers,
from the islands of the Sea, from distant nations, and assemble
themselves here in this great basin of North America. It is not man
that has accomplished this work. It is because you have received the
Holy Ghost that you are here in these valleys. It is because God
witnessed unto you in your own lands, before you started upon your
journey that he had again spoken to the inhabitants of the earth as in
ancient days. You there learned that this was his true Church, his
true kingdom established upon the earth as he predicted by the mouth
of his servants, and you felt anxious to be gathered with the rest of
the Saints that had the same testimony with you. Hence you gather not
only from choice, but by actual commandment. We do not gather here
merely for the sake of being together, but it is because the same God
who revealed the Book of Mormon by his servant Joseph, the youth of
whom I have spoken—that same boy received another revelations which is
published in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, which I now hold in
my hand, commanding the Latter-day Saints to gather out of all nations
of the earth, to this American continent. Hence you came here because
you had received the Holy Ghost. You have come here because you knew
this work was true. You have come here that you might fulfil the
commandment which God gave near the time of the rise of this Church in
relation to the gathering of his Saints from among all the nations and
kingdoms of the earth. Has God fulfilled that which he spoke when we
were but a little handful of people, not numbering one hundred souls?
He told us that his people should be gathered from all quarters of the
earth into one place upon the face of this great continent. Has he
fulfilled it? The testimony is before the eyes not only of the
Latter-day Saints, but the eyes of all people, nations and tongues,
and among the most distant nations of the earth concerning the
gathering of the people called Latter-day Saints. God has fulfilled
his word—this word, which was given nearly fifty years ago, as to the
gathering of his people from the four quarters of the earth. Now this
great work of the last days never could be accomplished without this
gathering together of the Saints. There are no other people fulfilling
it. For instance, take the Roman Catholics; they were not gathering
from all parts of the earth. Take the Greek Church; they do not come
out from the nations from which they receive their doctrine. Take all
the Protestant denominations, and who among them all are assembling
themselves together in one? If they should issue a proclamation by
human wisdom and by human commandment, requiring their members to
gather  together, [p.135] they could not accomplish it. Why? Because
there is not enough unity amongst them; the Holy Ghost has not been
given to them in its fulness, as given to the ancient Saints; hence
they could not gather the people together. But the Lord has done it
through this people. And what will he yet do? Permit me to prophecy,
not in my own name nor by my own wisdom, but on the strength of that
which God has revealed to this Church since the year 1830, and that
also which is given in the Book of Mormon—I prophesy that this is only
just the beginning, as it were of the great work of the gathering of
the Latter-day Saints.

Vol. 21, p.135
[I would say that some of our friends that have called in this
afternoon are obliged, in consequence of the cars leaving, to retire.
May the Lord bless them, pour out his Spirit upon them, may he
manifest the truth unto them that they may be be blessed in common
with all those who keep the commandments of God.]

Vol. 21, p.135
The Lord our God has therefore fulfilled that which he spoke; and as I
said this work, instead of being nearly accomplished, nearly
fulfilled, and all things brought about according to the purposes of
the Almighty, only the foundation, as it were, is now laid, and
instead of being gathered in a little company of 150,000, by and bye
we shall be gathered in hundred of thousands and even millions. Now,
do you believe it? I not only believe it but know it will come to pass
just as much as a great many other things which have already been
fulfilled since the promises were uttered and published in this book.
I knew they would come to pass, for God has revealed these things to
me, and given me a knowledge of them, and I also know concerning the
future of this people, as also do a great many of our brethren that
have received testimonies concerning these matters. Is God limited to
this little narrow spot, called the great basin of North America? Why,
no. It is only for the present, for the time being that we dwell here.
Where will we dwell in the future? What is our future destiny? It is
not on the Sandwich islands, it is not in New Zealand, it is not in
Australia, it is not in any of the islands of the sea, but I will tell
you the future destiny of this people in a very few words. Not many
years hence—I do not say the number of years—you will look forth to
the western counties of the State of Missouri, and to the eastern
counties of the State of Kansas, and in all that region round about
you will see a thickly populated country, inhabited by a peaceful
people, having their orchards, their fruit trees, their fields of
grain, their beautiful houses and shade trees, their cities and towns
and villages. And you may ask—Who are all these people? And the answer
will be—Latter-day Saints! Where have they came from? They have come
from the nations of the earth! They have come from the mountains of
Utah, from Arizona, from Idaho, and from the mountainous territories
of the North American Continent, they have come down here, and are
quietly cultivating the lands of these States! Now, this will all come
to pass, just as sure to come to pass as there is a God that reigns in
yonder heavens, and not many years hence either. Thus you see that for
some time to come, our future destiny is not to build up this kingdom
upon any of the islands of the sea, but to be located where God has
decreed, by his own power that his people [p.136] shall dwell. "Oh,
but," says one, "you have to get the land first." But I would ask is
there any breaking of the Constitution,—is there anything calculated
to take away the rights of American citizenship by emigrants going
from one part of this nation to another, peacefully and quietly,
purchasing the land and locating upon it? I think not. "But," says
one, "perhaps they will not allow you to purchase the land." The Lord
will take care of that; that is in the hands of the Lord. That same
being who will assist in the building of a great city on the western
boundaries of the State of Missouri, has all power; and when we
purchase the land, and go and take possession of it, I do not think we
will be driven from our own lands, if we mind our own business and do
not meddle with our neighbors' business, and do not undertake to
injure them in their rights and privileges, guaranteed to them by the
Constitution of our country. If we conduct ourselves in a peaceable
manner, I do not see why we may not dwell there as well as other
citizens. We have the strongest assurance that such will be the case.
These were promises made to us, before there were a hundred persons in
this Church. It was promised that we should have a land as an
inheritage; but we were commanded of God, to purchase the land. Now,
when the time comes for purchasing this land, we will have means. How
this means will be brought about it is not for me to say. Perhaps the
Lord will open up mines containing gold and silver, or in some other
way as seemeth to him best, wealth will be poured into the laps of the
Latter-day Saints till they will scarcely know what to do with it. I
will here again prophesy on the strength of former revelation that
there are no people on the face of the whole globe, not even excepting
London, Paris, New York, or any of the great mercantile cities of the
globe—there are no people now upon the face of the earth, so rich as
the Latter-day Saints will be in a few years to come. Having their
millions; therefore they will purchase the land, build up cities,
towns and villages, build a great capital city, at headquarters, in
Jackson County, Missouri. Will we have a temple there? Yes; will we
have a beautiful city? Yes, one of the most beautiful cities that will
ever be erected on the continent of America will be built up by the
Latter-day Saints in Jackson County, Missouri. Consequently, when
congressmen and statesmen, and the great men of our nation, want to
know what the future destiny of the Latter-day Saints will he, let
them remember the words of your humble servant, who has addressed you
this afternoon; for they will come to pass—they will be fulfilled. We
have seen too many revelations fulfilled, already, to be mistaken in
regard to these matters. Amen. [p.137]

Charles W. Penrose, April 11, 1880

Difference Between the Latter-Day
 Saints and All Other Professing Christians

Delivered in the Salt Lake Assembly Hall,
 Sunday Afternoon, April 11th, 1880.

(Reported by John Irvine.)

Vol. 21, p.137
I am thankful to-day for this opportunity of meeting with my brethren
and sisters in this fine hall to worship God and spend a little time
in reflecting upon the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and I
am thankful also for this opportunity of bearing my testimony to the
truth of the work in which we are engaged. I trust that during the
short time I shall stand before you I may be lead by the Holy Spirit
to say something which will edify and instruct the people.

Vol. 21, p.137
It was remarked by Brother N. H. Felt, who has just addressed us, that
it would be a difficult matter to answer the question—wherein do the
Latter-day Saints, or "Mormons," differ in their views from the rest
of the people who profess the Christian religion. True this would be a
difficult question to answer in a few minutes satisfactorily. There
are a great many points of difference between our doctrines and the
doctrines of the so-called Christian world, but if I were to attempt
to answer the question in brief I would say the chief difference
consists in this:—That the religion which we have received has come
down from God out of heaven direct, by revelation, in the day and age
in which we live, while the religions which are believed in by the
various Christian denominations who meet to-day in different parts of
the world to worship God, most of which have been in existence for a
long time have been in every case arranged by men. The people who
belong to the various Christian sects all profess to believe in one
Book—the Bible, and in one God; but their ideas in regard to religion
and in regard to the manner in which God shall be worshipped and
served are very different, and when we trace up the origin of their
religion we find that in every case, with perhaps one exception, they
have been started by men; by individuals who, no doubt, in the first
place, believed they were enlightened of God and had come to the
conclusion that such and such doctrines were the doctrines of Christ,
and that it was their duty to preach these doctrines. They convinced
others of the truth of the ideas which they had adopted, and together
they formed a religious society. Now, we shall find that this is the
case with all those different sects and parties, that compose modern
Christendom with the exception perhaps of the Church which is called
the Church of Rome, the [p.138] Roman Catholic church. That church
professes to be a continuation of the Church which Jesus Christ
established. It professes to have the same authority, handed down from
generation to generation, which was exercised by the ancient apostles.
It professes to have the keys that Peter held. The Pope of Rome
professes to be the successor of St. Peter, and the priesthood of the
church of Rome profess to have the same authority, or similar
authority, or a succession of the authority, which was held in the
primitive Christian Church. They say there has been no interruption of
this line of priesthood in the church which Jesus Christ established,
to build up which the ancient apostles lost their lives—that this
priesthood has been continued down through the stream of time to our
own period. All the rest of the denominations called Christian have
sprung from that body directly or indirectly, and their organization
was started in the way that I have briefly described.

Vol. 21, p.138
You see then there is a great difference between our professions and
the professions of all the rest of the Christian world in this
particular. We testify that in the day and age in which we live, God,
who spoke in ancient times to the prophets, and in the meridian of
time by his Only Begotten Son, has uttered his voice again out of
heaven; that Jesus wire died on Calvary, that we might live, has
manifested himself in this day and age of the world; that the angels
of God, who were men that ministered in the name of the Lord, in the
flesh, in times of old, who died in the truth and live in God, have
come to the earth in this age of the world and revealed the things of
God; and that this Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has
been organized, not by the wisdom of man, not by persons who have
reflected and studied and come to certain conclusions in their own
minds and then founded a church, but that it has been organized and
established and carried on and directed under the immediate
revelations of the Must High God. You see this is quite a difference.
There is quite a distinction between us and all the rest of the people
called Christians. I do not know, however, whether the great body of
people called Christians will allow us to adopt that name. They
dispute our right to the title of Christians. They call us
"Mormons"—rather a foolish title to give us. Mormon is the name of a
man, a servant of God, a prophet of the Most High, who lived anciently
on this continent and wrote some of the things revealed to him in a
book called the Book of Mormon; and because we believe in that book,
our "Christian" friends call us "Mormons." We might just as well call
them Peters, because they believe in Peter; we might just as well call
them Pauls, Jeremiahs, Isaiahs, or Lukes, because they believe in the
sayings of these men written in the book called the Bible.

Vol. 21, p.138
But the stranger might say, "It is very well for you to make such a
statement as you have made, that your Church has been organized by the
commandment of God and by divine revelation from him in the present
day, but how can you prove that to the world?" There is a very simple
way by which this can be found out, by which the truth or falsity of
what I have said can be established. The people who live here in Utah,
who have been gathered here from a great many  different parts of the
earth, are here because they know that what I have spoken of this
afternoon is true. This is [p.139] what brought them here. They have
not come up to the heights of these mountains to dig for gold or
silver, to make themselves rich with the fruits and products of the
earth, or to unite together to establish some socialistic system for
the mere bettering of their temporal circumstances. They have come
here from the east, from the west, from the north and from the south,
from the different continents and from the islands of the sea, because
in their own souls they have received a testimony similar to that
which I have borne this afternoon. They have investigated the subject;
they took the course pointed out to them by which they could find out
the truth or falsity of this work for themselves, and having received
a testimony that it is true they have come up here to these mountains;
they have left their homes in various lands, they have turned their
backs on their former homes and relationships, broken up their
business affairs, many of them having left friends and family and have
come up here to these mountains that they may learn more of this
important work, having first of all received a testimony from God that
it is true. Well, some one may say, "How did they find it out? Did
they find it out because somebody told them? Did they receive their
testimony from some other man or woman? No; they received it direct
from the Lord, direct from the heavens, for "God is no respecter of
persons, but in every nation he that feareth him and worketh
righteousness is accepted of him; "he is just as willing to manifest
himself to an Englishman, an American, a Scotchman, an Irishman, a
Dutchman, a Scandinavian, a South Sea Islander or anybody else, as to
a Jew. How did they obtain this testimony? The Apostle James, some of
whose writings we have in this book called the New Testament, told the
people in his day, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that
giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall he given
him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth
is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not
that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord." Now when
the elders of this Church went out with this testimony that God had
again spoken from the heavens, that communication between the heavens
and the earth, which was once enjoyed by men of old had again been
opened up, they told the people who heard their words that if they
would believe in the true and living God, if they would believe in the
Lord Jesus Christ, if they would repent of their sins and be baptized
in water for the remission of sins, they should receive the Holy
Ghost, and by this Spirit they should obtain a testimony direct from
the Almighty to their own souls, that God had in very deed commenced
the great work of the latter days, spoken of by all the holy prophets
since the world began. What was the result of this teaching? Why, in
every place, in every part of the world, among any people, no matter
what their former customs or religion might have been, no matter what
condition they might Lehi, no matter how they had been educated, no
matter of what race they might be, wherever they heard the sound of
this Gospel and obeyed it, they received a testimony of the truth of
this work and therefore have gathered up to these mountains.

Vol. 21, p.139
This is my testimony to this congregation this afternoon: that, having
received this Gospel and obeyed it in the way that I have pointed out.
[p.140] I received a testimony to my own soul, from the Almighty, by
which I have no longer any doubt as to its truth; no longer to depend
upon the testimony of man. I can say for myself, before God, before
the heavenly hosts, before all nations where ever I may be sent, that
I know this work is true. I know that God lives. I know that God hears
and answers prayers I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know that
angels have come down from the heavens in these the last times and
restored the ancient Gospel. I know that the holy priesthood, the
power of God, the authority to administer in the name of the Lord,
held by men, in ancient times, has been restored to men in these the
latter days, and that it is here upon the earth, never to be taken
away again until the work has been accomplished for which it was sent;
until every nation shall hear the sound of the Gospel; until every
nation, kindred, tongue and people, shall hear of the purposes of the
Great Jehovah; until all people shall be warned, and the honest and
upright, and the truth-loving in every clime shall be gathered unto
the fold of Christ; until the way shall be prepared for the coming of
the Lord Jesus Christ —to reign in Mount Zion and Jerusalem, and
before his ancients gloriously; until the earth is redeemed from the
curse; until Satan and his hosts are bound; until the great work of
God is accomplished and all his children brought up from death and
hell and the grave, and placed in a position where they can glorify
God throughout the countless ages of eternity.

Vol. 21, p.140
It is popularly supposed that when our elders go out as missionaries
to the different countries of the earth, they go for the purpose of
inducing people to gather here to these peaceful valleys, that they
might be made subservient to our leaders. That is the popular idea.
There cannot, however, be anything more false and ridiculous than
this. What object could men have in taking the trouble to go, as our
elders do, to face the frowns of the world, to be scoffed at and
despised, to travel "without purse or scrip," as did the ancient
servants of God, suffering contumely, persecution, privation, and even
hunger and thirst, traveling foot-sore and weary, among a people who,
generally speaking, do not desire to hear their testimony? Their
object is to preach the Gospel of Christ, and to bear witness of this
great work. It is not merely to gather people to these mountains. When
people do come here they come just as I have said,—because they have
received the Gospel, and know it to he true. They come up here that
they may learn more of the ways of the Lord. And this is the testimony
that our elders bear wherever they may be sent: That God has restored
the ancient Gospel and that he is building up his Church on the earth
again for the last time; that the hour of God's judgment is nigh; that
the angel, to whom Brother Felt referred, and about whom he quoted
from the revelations of St. John, has come to the earth with "the
everlasting Gospel to preach 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." This is our testimony, this is
why we go forth, and when the people hear our testimony and believe
it, and call upon the Lord for a witness, they receive it, and then
they are willing to forego everything for the sake of the Gospel.

Vol. 21, p.141
There is another great difference between our religion and the [p.141]
religions of the world, and that consists in the power and authority
of the priesthood to which I have briefly referred. Now, it is true
that the church called the Church of Rome, professes to have the
priesthood. That church professes to have the same authority which was
in the ancient church, and that it has been handed down from
generation to generation to our own times. The Church of England—or
the Episcopal Church as it is called here—professes to have a portion
of that, same authority. The Greek Church also professes to have a
portion of that authority. They are branches or offshoots from this
Roman Catholic Church; but the rest of the Christian denominations
repudiate any idea of a priesthood. They think there is no need for
any priesthood. They say that Jesus was the Great High Priest, and
that there is no need for any more priests; that is the prevalent idea
among the rest of the Christian sects. But we do believe in the
necessity of this priesthood, and say that it has been restored from
heaven in this our own times. In what way? In the first place John the
Baptist, who went before Jesus to prepare the way for him as the
prophets predicted, who held the priesthood of Aaron, or the Levitical
priesthood—that same person who baptized Jesus in the river Jordan,
and who was beheaded for preaching the word of the Lord, has come to
the earth in this day and age of the world, and ordained man to the
same authority and priesthood that he held while he was in the flesh.
Now, I do not know that there is another people on the face of the
earth that possess any such thing as that, so that in that respect
there is a great difference between our religion and the religions of
the world. Further, we testify that not only this lesser priesthood
which was held by John the Baptist has been restored, but that Peter,
James and John, who held the Apostleship, the same priesthood which
Christ held, have come in this our own time and restored the authority
which they held. "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you," said
Jesus to his disciples. They were ordained to the sane authority that
He held. What authority was that? We are told that Christ was called
to be a priest forever after the order of Melchisedek, an unchangeable
priesthood, everlasting, without beginning of days or end of years. He
conferred the same priesthood upon His apostles, and Peter, James and
John were left to take charge of the Church when He departed; they had
the keys of the kingdom; whatsoever they should bind on earth was to
be bound in heaven, and whatever they should loose on earth was to be
loosed in heaven. Now, we testify that these three individuals holding
the keys of that apostleship, the higher priesthood, have come down to
the earth as ministering beings in our own times, and ordained the
Prophet Joseph Smith to the same apostleship and priesthood and
authority which they held, and through him it has been conferred upon
others, so that the ancient authority and priesthood held by men of
God in times of old, is here on the earth in this Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Vol. 21, p.141
Then there is another difference between us and the rest of the people
called Christian, who profess to believe in the Christian religion.
This lesser priesthood holds the power to baptize for the remission of
sins among other things, but it does not hold the power to confer
[p.142] the Holy Ghost upon the people. When John the Baptist baptized
for the remission of sins he said, "There cometh after me one mightier
than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose. I
indeed have baptized you with water; but he shall baptize you with the
Holy Ghost." And we read in the New Testament, in the Acts of the
Apostles, that on a certain occasion when the apostles were passing
through the upper coasts of Ephesus, they found certain disciples who
had simply been baptized with the baptism of John, who did nothing but
baptize for the remission of sins, he having no authority to lay his
hands upon the people; they had not received the Holy Ghost. But the
apostles had received that power and authority from Jesus Christ which
He himself held, and they laid their hands upon these people, and they
received the Holy Ghost. Here is the difference, or one point of
difference, between those two priesthoods. Now this priesthood has not
remained upon the earth, hence the necessity of restoring it. The only
person in Christendom who professes to have the keys of the apostolic
priesthood is the Pope of Rome. What is the Pope of Rome? Is he an
apostle? No; he does not profess to be an apostle. Then how came he to
be the successor of Peter? Peter was an apostle. He held the keys that
Christ gave to him. Christ ordained him. Does the Pope of Rome profess
to have the keys of revelation? No, he does not profess to receive any
new revelation. He, with others, sometimes meet in holy Convocation,
as it is called; they meet in council, they enunciate certain dogmas,
but he does not profess to receive any revelation from God. What was
the great power of the ancient apostleship? The power to commune with
the Highest. The form of the apostleship was nothing; the power was
everything. That power departed from the earth. The people in ancient
times were unworthy of it. They put out the lights of God which He had
placed in the world, and left themselves in darkness. They cut short
the apostles' lives, and the world was left in the gloom. They would
not have the power and authority of that apostleship in their midst,
and instead of the ancient Church of Christ with the power of God,
with the ministration of angels, with the gifts and blessings we read
about in the New Testament, we find arising a church of a different
form, a church that has persecuted the Saints, a church that is
stained with the blood of the innocent, a church that put people to
death for their religious belief (which the Church of Christ never
did), and yet that church, including all the various contending
denominations and sects extant upon the earth, is called "Christian!"

Vol. 21, p.142
Now, our testimony to the world is that God has restored these two
ancient priesthoods—that is, the power to administer in the name of
the Lord by authority, and that the power of God accompanies that
authority. Here are men who profess to have the right to administer
the ordinance of baptism for the remission of sins, who profess to
have the authority to lay hands upon the people for the gift of the
Holy Ghost. Now, an impostor might profess to have this power. Having
read about it in the New Testament, and seeing that the ancient
servants of God possessed such power, a man might profess to  have
authority to lay hands upon people for the bestowal of the Holy Ghost.
But an [p.143] impostor cannot really confer the Holy Ghost. That
comes from God. No man can bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost upon any
one; that is the gift of God. We read about a man who thought he could
purchase this power. He offered the apostles money for it. But Peter
said unto him, "Thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought
that the gift of God may be purchased with money."

Vol. 21, p.143
Now, here we have in Utah about 150,000 people. A great many of them
came to these mountains under very adverse circumstances. They left
their various homes in different parts of the world to gather out here
with the Saints. Why? Because they knew that this was the work of God
by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost. How did they receive it? They
received it by the laying on of hands of men who professed to have the
authority to do so. Now, the fact that they received the gift of the
Holy Ghost is a proof that the power of God accompanies the
administration. The same fruits that were made manifest in days of old
are made manifest to-day. We read in the New Testament that certain
gifts existed in the ancient Church. The sick were healed and the lame
made to walk. Some had the gift of tongues, others the interpretation
of tongues, others the gift of prophecy, etc. What was the effect of
the existence of these gifts? Union, concord, brotherly love, all
seeing eye to eye. Now, inasmuch as we find the same gifts among the
Latter-day Saints—although of different nationalities, formerly of
different religions, brought up in different ways—it is evidence clear
and plain that the power of God is in the midst of this people; that
the Holy Ghost has been conferred upon them, and this is their united
testimony. This is clear to me, but it may not be l clear to everybody
else. I do not believe it possible for others to see things as I do,
unless they take the same course as I have done, and test the matter
for themselves.

Vol. 21, p.143
If a man believes in God, and in his Son Jesus Christ, and in the
Scriptures, he will manifest his faith by receiving the doctrines laid
down and the commandments given; and if he will ask of God he will
receive a testimony. I can make bold to promise this blessing to every
man and woman in this house—and I do it in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ—if they will obey this Gospel which God has sent from heaven
for the salvation of mankind. My friends, if you will turn away from
your evil deeds, if you will turn unto the Lord God, obey the
ordinances and ask for a testimony of the truth of this work; if you
will do this in sincerity, I promise you in the name of the Lord you
shall receive the testimony you seek. Is there any minister upon the
face of the whole earth, amongst the so-called Christian sects, who
can make you a similar promise? No. Why? Because they have not been
called to this work. This is another point of difference between our
religion and that of the world. Our elders go forth with boldness,
because they are not sent by men. They are not called to preach for
hire. They are called of God to bear the holy priesthood and carry
forth this message of glad tidings wherever they may be sent. It is
their duty to proclaim this Gospel to the uttermost bounds of the
earth, and their testimony is similar to that I have borne here
to-day, and our witnesses are the Latter-day Saints—gathered from the
nations—who dwell in the valleys of the mountains.

Vol. 21, p.144
There are a great many other [p.144] points of difference between us
and the so called Christian world, that I have not time to refer to.
For instance, we believe in the doctrine of gathering to this land
from all parts of the world. When we go out to preach this Gospel, we
do not advise the people to stay and erect great churches in the
countries where they receive the Gospel. We bear testimony to them
that this is the time of God's judgments. We say, "Come out of her, my
people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not
of her plagues." We testify that the time is near at hand when great
Babylon shall fall; when God shall smite terribly all the nations of
the earth; when he will turn and overturn; when nation shall rise
against nation and kingdom against kingdom; people against people and
family against family; when there shall be wars and rumors of wars;
plagues, famines and pestilence; such a time as has never been known
upon the earth from the beginning even unto the present day. Therefore
we call upon the elect of God to come out from the nations of the
earth, and they come from the east and from the west, from the north
and from the south, to this chosen land, to serve the Lord, to learn
of his ways and to walk in his paths, and prepare themselves for the
great events that are about to transpire on the earth.

Vol. 21, p.144
Another great point of difference is the building of Temples. The
different Christian denominations build houses and call them St.
Paul's church, St. Peters church, St. Mark's church, etc. They build
churches to these various saints, but they know nothing about building
a house to the name of the Most High God,—a temple in which the Lord
may come and place his feet; for this is the day spoken of by the
prophets, when "the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his
temple, even the messenger of the covenant whom ye delight in; behold,
he shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts. But who may abide the day of
his coming, and who shall stand when he appeareth, for he is like a
refiners's fire," etc. We call upon the people to come but and help
build temples in which ordinances can be administered for the benefit
of the living and the redemption of the dead. The redemption of the
dead! Can the living do anything for the dead? When people pass away
from the earth, is not their condition settler? When the tree falls,
does it not lie there? Yes, it does, till it is moved. In connection
with the Gospel we have received glad tiding of salvation which is
preached to the living and to the dead. The Lord has revealed to us
the glorious doctrine of redemption for the dead—a plan by which the
living may aid the dead Not by saying mass over the soul of the
departed, but by attending to certain ordinances for them which belong
to the Gospel. Are all the thousands and millions of people who have
passed away without a knowledge of the Gospel to perish? No. There is
no name under heaven but, the name of Jesus whereby man shall be
saved. Ask our Christian friends if the millions of heathens who have
passed away from this world have ever heard the name of Jesus. If not,
what is to become of them? Millions of people who dwell upon the earth
even in so-called Christian countries know nothing about the true
Gospel. The so-called Christian churches lack this knowledge and
light. By the confession of the Episcopal Church, in its homily of
the perils of idolatry, the whole of Christendom, "clergy [p.145] and
laity, men, women and children of all ages, sexes and degrees, have
been at the time the homily was written, buried in the most abominable
idolatry for the space of 800 years or more. According to the
testimony of the Apostle in the Apocalypse, the whole world, Christian
as well as heathen, has gone astray, all nations have become drunk
with the wine of the wrath of the fornication of Babylon the great,
the mother of harlots; and there has been no voice from heaven, no
revelation from God, no communication with the eternal world for many
centuries. Although a great many people have tried to do the best they
could—and so far being accepted of God—yet they have not received the
Gospel by which they can enter into the presence of the eternal
Father; they have not entered in at the straight and narrow gate which
leadeth to lives eternal.

Vol. 21, p.145
By this Gospel which has been revealed to us, the servants of God who
depart from this mortal sphere, take with them the authority and
priesthood they hold, as Christ did, when he went to preach to the
spirits in prison. So the servants of God, bearing the same
priesthood, go and minister to the spirits behind the vail whether
Christian, heathen or pagan. No matter what clime or race they belong
to, all must hear the same Gospel and be judged by it on the great day
of judgment. They have therefore an opportunity of repenting in the
spirit, if they did not hear the Gospel in the flesh. The Spirit can
believe, can be informed and instructed in the ways of God, but the
Spirit beyond the vail cannot attend to ordinances pertaining to the
flesh. To this end, therefore, we are building temples so that, when
they are sanctified and accepted of God, the holy priesthood may
administer both for the living and the dead. For this is the great
dispensation of the fulness of times in which Christ will gather
together in one, all things that are in him, both which are in heaven
and which are on earth. This is the last dispensation of God's mercy
to man. The work has been commenced and it will roll on until the
Gospel has been preached to every nation, kindred, tongue and people,
and the honest in heart have been gathered out from among the
Gentiles. Then the Lord will send his servants unto the Jews and the
House of Israel, and thus fully accomplish all he has spoken by the
holy prophets. We will therefore work while we dwell in the flesh, and
when we have finished the work we will pass behind the vail to sweet
rest. Rest from our trials and sufferings, from our sorrows and
tribulations, from our persecutions and misrepresentations, but not to
cease from our labors of love, but to minister in the power, in the
strength, in the might and majesty of the eternal priesthood among the
hosts behind the vail, and those that dwell upon the earth will
continue to build temples and minister therein, that the dead may be
redeemed.

Vol. 21, p.145
I have not time to continue further on this subject. I have briefly
pointed out some of the differences between us and the "Christian"
world. And now I will hear my testimony to this congregation in the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ that this is not the work of man; that
"Mormonism" is the work of the Great God, and no power can overturn
it. And I testify further, that every nation and kingdom that shall
rise against this work shall perish and be utterly wasted away. The
Lord will have a reckoning with that nation, no matter where it is,
[p.146] for all the nations of the earth are in the hands of God, and
every human government that will not serve him shall be brought low,
until his kingdom spreads forth and is established upon the whole
earth with Christ the Redeemer, as King, whose right it is to rule.

Vol. 21, p.146
May the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, rest in the
hearts of the Saints, and also guide, all people who desire the truth,
in the way of life eternal, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Orson Pratt, November 1, 1879

Progress of the Saints to Union in Faith and Practice—the United Order

Delivered in the Tabernacle, Logan City,
Saturday Afternoon, November 1st, 1879.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs.)

Vol. 21, p.146
I will read a few passages from the Book of Jacob, one of the sacred
compilations of the Book of Mormon.

Vol. 21, p.146
"And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with their
mights; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them and they
did obey the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard, in all things.
And there began to be the natural fruit again in the vineyard; and the
natural branches began to grow and thrive exceedingly; and are wild
branches began to be plucked off, and to be cast away; and they did
keep the root and the top thereof equal, according to the strength
thereof. And thus they labored, with all diligence, according to the
commandments of the Lord of the vineyard, even until the load had been
cast away out of the vineyard, and the Lord preserved unto himself,
that the trees had become again the natural fruit; and they became
like unto one body; and the fruit were equal; and the Lord of the
vineyard had preserved unto himself the natural fruit; which was most
precious unto him from the beginning."

Vol. 21, p.146
These words occurred to me this forenoon, while Brother Snow was
speaking upon the subject of the Order laid down in  the Doctrine and
[p.147] Covenants. We have here a clear and plain prediction, in the
form of a parable, that was recorded upon plates of gold, almost 600
years before Christ, in relation to the great work in which we, as the
servants of the Lord, and the Latter-day Saints, are engaged. Perhaps
there may be some persons, numbered among this community, who may have
a feeling something like this; "that we are not living according to
the law that is given in the Doctrine and Covenants, in all respects."
And they have drawn the conclusion, that perhaps the Lord would
forsake us in consequence of our not carrying out the laws so clearly
defined and explained in that record. These things were clearly set
forth before the people, this forenoon, in regard to wherein we have
not entered into all the fulness and perfection of that order of
things. But the question is, can we do much better, under the present
circumstances? This is a great question to be considered. And in the
consideration of it, we have to enquire into a number of other things,
such as can we lay aside the present order of things that is not
consistent with the Doctrine and Covenants; and can we begin anew here
in these valleys, and carry out the law of the Lord in all its
perfection? I do not know but what there may be a bare possibility of
our doing it; but whether the Lord requires this at our hands under
the present circumstances is another thing. We are very imperfect, and
yet we try to do right. We want to keep the commandments of the Lord;
we desire to be members of his Church; we desire to have his Holy
Spirit resting upon us, and we desire to be guided by it. We wish to
know what the counsel of the servants of God is concerning us; and
yet, hardly know which way to turn. We see a united order established
in one place, according to one principle; we go to another part of the
land, and we find an order established on a little different
principle; and we hear of another, all differing somewhat. And so on
until we visit nearly all the settlements of these mountains. And as
was stated this forenoon, they differ as do the elders themselves in
their views.

Vol. 21, p.147
Now what has the Lord said in this parable of the vineyard? "And they
did keep the root and the top thereof equal." In what respect were
they made equal? The next part of that same sentence declares that
they were made equal "according to the strength thereof." Now there is
a great deal expressed in those few words. They were not made equal
all at once, as the inhabitants of a celestial world are, without any
improvements being introduced; but they were to keep the root and the
top of the great tree equal, according to the strength thereof; that
is according to the condition and circumstances in which the people
are placed. Now I consider, that notwithstanding all our deviations
from the perfect law that God has given, notwithstanding the condition
of things pointed out so dearly in the Doctrine and Covenants in
regard to holding stewardships and inheritances, and giving an account
of those stewardships and inheritances, according to the perfect
order, —I consider we are doing pretty well, in a great many respects.
We have progressed; we have made improvements; we are in a mere united
condition than we were 45 years ago. Hence there has been an
improvement among the Latter-day Saints; and this improvement has been
for the better; it has been pointing all the time towards [p.148]
equality, though we have not succeeded, according to the perfect law.
But we have succeeded according to the strength of the
people,—according to the circumstances with which they are surrounded.
We have succeeded in a great measure to instil into their minds the
great principle of unity rand oneness, not only in spiritual things,
but in temporal things also. The day will conic when this will be
fulfilled to the very letter, in accordance with words which say,
"they became like unto one body; and the fruit were equal." That is
the destination of the Latter-day Saints in the future. The fruit is
to be equal; the roots and the branches are all to be kept in their
perfect order, and the whole tree kept in a thriving' condition. Then
we shall have learned the great principle of the celestial order, that
must be carried out among the children of men. During that long period
called the Millennium, this people will see the importance of
attending to that perfect order when our strength shall warrant. At
present we have no perfect example before us. Where has there been
either in this Territory or in Arizona an instance where the perfect
law of God has been carried out, as laid down in the Doctrine and
Covenants? I know of no such instance. I know of a great many
improvements upon the old condition of things which has existed among
our fathers—the Gentile notion and idea of each one holding separate
and individual interests, without being accountable to anyone. That is
the old system. We have made many improvements, but we have not
carried out in any one solitary instance in any settlement I am
acquainted with, the order of things laid down in the revelations,
contained in the Book of Covenants.

Vol. 21, p.148
There has been a great deal said, at different times upon the subject
of families being united as one,—eating at the same table, for
instance, and having one large field, where their farming operations
might be carried on, all who are farmers going forth into the same
field to labor; and the same principle carried out in regard to other
branches, all taking hold unitedly, having the common interest at
heart. Is there anything in the revelations given in these Latter-days
requiring this order of things, or is it something we ourselves have
considered as being a little ahead of what our fathers have been
practising? I do not know anything laid down in the revelations,
requiring us to take this particular method. Yet, is it right? Yes.
Why it is right according to the circumstances with which they are
surrounded; it points forward to unity and tends to instruct us in the
preliminary ideas of being united together. And hence, those that can
enter into this order, who are willing to unite in this way, are doing
well and will be blessed for it. But let no person set any stakes, in
regard to this matter, that because he may have entered into a special
order, introduced in one settlement, that all others are wrong,
because they do not do likewise; they should not find fault with their
brethren, neither be discouraged in well-doing.

Vol. 21, p.148
There are a great many different ideas among the Latter-day Saints, in
relation to these matters. But then, we have a standard given in the
Book of Covenants, by which we should be governed. By and bye, I
expect we will be in different circumstances, in which stewardships or
inheritances can be issued, for all families of the Saints, some in
one kind or  branch of business, and some in another; and the full law
of [p.149] consecration will take place.

Vol. 21, p.149
I am, and I presume a great many others who are acquainted with the
revelations of God, as contained in the Doctrine and Covenants, are
looking for the period of time to come, in the history of the
Latter-day Saints, when we as a people shall possess a very different
country from the one we are now inhabiting. We do not expect to go to
the Sandwich Islands, neither to the Society Islands, neither to any
of the islands of the oceans, nor into South America, nor Central
America, to carry out the order of things which we expect to enter
into in all its fulness. But we expect, just as much as we expect the
sun will shine, when it arises on a clear morning, that the Lord will
by and bye, take us back to the land referred to by Brother Snow, this
forenoon. We do not expect that when that time shall come, that all
Latter-day Saints, who now occupy the mountain Valleys, will go in one
consolidated body, leaving this land totally without inhabitants. We
do not expect any such thing. But we do expect, that there will be a
period in the future history of the Church when many hundreds of this
people—our youth, for instance, who will grow up in those days, when
they will be consolidated as a body, and will go to the eastern
portions of the state of Kansas, and also to the western portions of
the state of Missouri to settle. And when that tires shall come, if it
be needful to carry out the commandments which Brother Snow read this
morning, referring to the purchase of lands, we will have property and
means sufficient to accomplish this work. It was necessary some 47
years ago to purchase lands, and also for several years afterwards.
But we did not do it then. It may be necessary for us in times to
come, and probably will be necessary for us to purchase that whole
region of country. Why so? Because if there be prior occupants to it,
should we not be willing to give them an equivalent, such as will
satisfy them, for its possession, including the improvements attached
thereto? Certainly. Consequently it may be necessary for us to carry
out the fulness of all these revelations, notwithstanding all the
abuses and persecutions that have been heaped upon the Latter-day
Saints. But whether this be the case or not there is one thing
certain—something that you and I may depend upon, with as much
certainty as we expect to get our daily food, and that is, that the
Lord our God will take this people back, and will select from among
this people, a sufficient number, to make the army of Israel very
great. And when that day comes, he will guide the forces of those who
emigrate to their possessions in those two states, that I have
mentioned. And the land thus purchased will be no doubt, as for as
possible, located in one district of country, which will be settled
very differently from the way we now settle up these mountain regions.
You may ask, in what respect we shall differ in settling up those
countries when we go there to fulfil the commandments of the Lord? I
will tell you. No man in those localities will be permitted to receive
a stewardship on those lands, unless he is willing to consecrate all
his properties to the Lord. That will be among the first teachings
given. When this shall be done, the people will be, as the parable
says, like unto one body—all equally poor, or all equally rich; in
other words, they will be persons that can claim no property as their
own, everything being consecrated. And the land [p.150] being
purchased, will be held on a different principle, from what it is now.
To-day fifty thousand dollars worth of real estate property is the
most that can be held by a religious organization; but in that day the
whole of our properties, amounting a very much larger sum, will be
held in trust. For whom? For the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-Saints, and for all this great company that will be gathered
together. And there will be such a change in governmental affairs,
that the trustee, whoever he may be, will only act as such as long as
he is faithful; and if he becomes unfaithful it will be transferred to
another. Neither in case of death will the heirs of such trustee have
any claim whatever on the property; the power regulating such matters
will then be vested in the proper authority who will mete out even
justice to all parties.

Vol. 21, p.150
These persons, therefore, will be in the same condition that all the
rest of the people are in. The properties they hold will not be their
own, although it may be called so, as far as that is concerned. And
when it shall be ascertained that an individual has consecrated
everything he has, inquiries will be made as to the size of his
family, and land will be apportioned to him accordingly—not to deed
him the property, according to the Gentile practice; but rather that
the extent of his stewardship may be determined. When this is done, he
takes his stewardship, each man having his own table, without being
necessitated at all to eat at his neighbor's. People will build their
own houses, etc., when needful, provided they are able to do so, if
not, what assistance they require will be rendered them. And then they
and all the others will be required to keep an account of their
proceedings and present the same to the bishops at the end of the
year, or as often as may be required. These bishops, if they do their
duty, will scan these things: "Brother, you have been unwise in such
and such things, but in other particulars you have done well." In this
way each man will give an account of his stewardship, as the
revelation says, both in time and eternity. And he that proves himself
a faithful and wise steward in time, will be counted worthy to receive
not only a stewardship but an inheritance in eternity. What is the
object of the stewardship? Is it not to prepare us for that still
higher order of things that shall exist when we shall receive an
inheritance? And when that time comes, and we shall still be found
faithful to our trust, the Lord will be pleased to say, "I can trust
that man, he has proved himself in the days of his probation: be is a
wise man; he has done right in all things with which he has been
entrusted. Now let him have riot merely a stewardship, but let it be
given to him as an everlasting possession, for him and his seed after
him for ever and ever, both for time and eternity."

Vol. 21, p.150
You may perhaps ask when this time will come? for the Saints to
receive bona fide inheritances. The time will come for the Saints to
receive their stewardships, when they shall return to the lands from
whence they have been driven; but the inheritances will not be given,
until the Lord shall first appoint to the righteous dead their
inheritances, and afterwards the righteous living will receive theirs.
This you will find recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants; and in the
same Book it is predicted that there is to be one "mighty and strong,"
as well as to be an immortal personage,—one that is clothed  upon with
light [p.151] as with a garment:—one whose bowels are a fountain of
truth. His mission will be to divide, by lot, to the Saints their
inheritances, according to their faithfulness in their stewardships.
This too agrees with another revelation, given on the 27th Dec. 1832,
which says, in great plainness, that when the Saints are resurrected
and caught up into heaven, and the living Saints are also caught up,
and that when the seventh angel shall have sounded his trump, then the
Saints shall receive their inheritances. The time then is there
specified, concerning the period that the Lord has in his own mind,
when inheritances shall be given. Finally after the Saints have been
resurrected and caught up, in connection with all the then living
Saints, into heaven; and after the seventh angel sounds his trump, the
earth will be given to the Saints of the Most High for an inheritance
to be divided out to them. This land, about which I have been
speaking, is called in some places in the revelations of God to the
Prophet Joseph, the land of our inheritance; and in other places it is
referred to in the form of stewardships. In one sense it may be
considered our inheritance, because the Lord designs, in his own
wisdom, that the Latter-day Saints shall possess that land as such,
and their dead with them. And having decreed this, even before we ever
saw it, he will fulfil it. I will refer you to a part of the
revelation given on the 2nd Jan., 1831, at the house of Father
Whitmer: "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 cometh: And I will give it unto
you for the land of your inheritance,"—not only stewardship, but
inheritance; "And this shall be my covenant with you," says the Lord
further, "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." In this sense it is called the land of our inheritance. But
when we come to speak definitely, we will have to be proven as
stewards first. If we shall be unwise in the disposition of this
trust, then it will be very doubtful, whether we get an inheritance in
this world or in the world to come.

Vol. 21, p.151
What is it then we look for? We expect—I was about to quote from the
prediction of Isaiah regard less of consequences; I trust, however,
there is no one present who will look upon that great and good man of
God as a traitor against the government of the United States —that, "A
little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation."
I expect that this people, if they do not become a "strong nation" in
one sense of the word, they will be a great and strong and powerful
people upon the face of this land. This is one of the things your
humble servant is looking for. And I expect that when we go from these
mountains, by hundreds of thousands, down to that land to purchase it
and to occupy it, that we will take with us a great deal of gold and
silver—for the Lord will in those days make his people very rich, in
fulfilment of another promise made in the same revelation, in which he
says, that we shall become the richest of all people. If this is to be
the case, the Lord will probably fulfil that prediction by Isaiah,
contained in the 60th chapter of his book—"for brass I will bring
gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and [p.152] for wood brass,
and for stone iron;" and he will bestow upon his people riches that
they will not know what to do with them, unless directed by the
counsels of the servants of the living God. With this we will purchase
the land, and go down and inherit it, as a strong and powerful people,
receiving our stewardships. And we will not spread forth in that land
three or four miles apart, and think we are crowded when people come
and settle within a mile of us; but we will settle in such a manner as
to make a very dense population. It is a country that is susceptible,
almost every foot of it, to agricultural purposes; and we can settle
with a very large population upon every square mile of country. And we
will extend our borders around about the great central city, not
stake, of Zion. You have heard of the centre-stake of Zion, but did
you ever read in the revelations of God that the place where the New
Jerusalem is to be built is called a stake? There are other places,
called Stakes of Zion, but they will be round about the city. And we
will be multiplied by hundreds and thousands; and we will build,
throughout the region of country, our meeting houses, our school
houses, our academies and universities; and we will see to it, that
all of our children have equal advantages, as far as possible, of
becoming acquainted with all necessary and useful learning. Not as it
is now: some obtain great learning; while others are obliged from
their childhood, from the time they are six or eight years of age, to
work to that extent that they cannot devote any time to acquire an
education. This order of things will be remedied; and the youth of
God's people will have equal opportunities, to develop themselves; not
that they will all gain the same ideas exactly; not that they will all
advance in the same direction in education, and to the same extent.
One perhaps may follow a certain branch, calculated to prepare him to
act in a certain position in his future life; while another may adopt
an entirely different course of study, by which he could be of benefit
to Zion. But there will be equal privileges and blessings bestowed
upon the Latter-day Saints.

Vol. 21, p.152
Now about these stewards. They have to be accountable; and if they
gain anything in their stewardships over and above that which may be
necessary to conduct the business of stewardships, and also to support
themselves, if there be a surplus of means, what will be said? Will it
be said by bishops, "Here, brother you must give up all this surplus
to the storehouse of the Lord?" It might be said to one to unite him
to the stewardship, without having any greater means to extend his
operations, for the time being; and again, it might be deemed wisdom
to assist another to the amount of five, ten, twenty thousand dollars
or so, by way of extending his branch of business, because in doing so
it would be the means of not only benefitting himself and family but
the people of Zion generally.

Vol. 21, p.152
The revelation says: "They shall give into the store-house all that is
not needed for the support of the needy families." In this way the
Lord's storehouse will be full and in great abundance; and these means
will be used for public purposes, and also by way of providing farming
implements, books, etc., for the remnants of Joseph who will come into
the covenant in those days, that they may also have their stewardships
in the midst of the people of God. There will be a  [p.153] portion of
the avails of these stewardships, that will be consecrated to the
Lord's storehouse, and which will be used for the building of Temples,
and for beautifying public places in the city of the New Jerusalem,
and making that a city of perfection as near as we possibly can.

Vol. 21, p.153
Now, there will be this difference between that city and the cities
and Temples which are being built. The cities and temples which we are
now engaged in building, we expect to decay; we expect the rock and
the various building materials will in time waste away, according to
natural laws. But when we build that great central city, the New
Jerusalem, there will he no such thing as the word decay associated
with it; it will not decay ally more than the pot of manna which was
gathered by the children of Israel and put into a sacred place in the
ark of the covenant. It was preserved from year to year by the power
of God; so will he preserve the city of the New Jerusalem, the
dwelling houses, the tabernacles, the Temples, etc., from the effects
of storms and time. It is intended that it will be taken up to heaven,
when the earth passes away. It is intended to be one of those choice
and holy places, where the Lord will dwell, when he shall visit from
time to time, in the midst of the great latter-day Zion, after it
shall be connected with the city of Enoch. That then is the
difference.

Vol. 21, p.153
The Lord our God will command his servants to build that Temple, in
the most perfect order, differing very much from the Temples that are
now being built. You are engaged in building Temples after a certain
order, approximating only to a celestial order; you are doing this in
Salt Lake City. One already has been erected in St. George, after a
pattern in part, of a celestial order. But by and bye, when we build a
Temple that is never to be destroyed, it will be constructed, after
the most perfect order of the celestial worlds. And when God shall
take it up into heaven it will be found to be just as perfect as the
cities of more ancient, celestial worlds which have been made pure and
holy and immortal. So it will be with other Temples. And we, in order
to build a Temple, after a celestial order in the fulness of
perfection, will need revelators and prophets in our midst, who will
receive the word of the Lord; who will have the whole pattern thereof
given by revelation, just as much as everything was given by
revelation pertaining to the tabernacle erected in the wilderness by
Moses. Indeed, before we can go back to inherit this land in all its
fulness of perfection, God has promised that he would raise up a man
like unto Moses. Who this man will be I do not know; it may be a
person with whom we are entirely unacquainted; it may be one of our
infant children; it may he some person not yet born; it may be some
one of middle age. But suffice it to say, that God will raise up such
a man, and he will show forth his power through him, and through the
people that he will lead forth to inherit that country, as he did
through our fathers in the wilderness. Did herhen display his power by
dividing the waters? Yes. Did the mountains and land shake under his
power? Yes. Did he speak to the people by his own voice? Yes. Did he
converse with Moses face to face? Yes. Did he show him his glory? Yes.
Did he unfold to him in one moment more than all our schools and
academies, and universities could give us in ten [p.154] thousand
years? Yes. God will assuredly raise up a man like unto Moses, and
redeem his people, with an outstretched arm, as their fathers were
redeemed, at the first, going before them with his own presence, and
will also surround them by his angels. I expect, when that time comes,
that man will understand all the particulars in regard to the Temple
to be built in Jackson County. Indeed, we have already a part of the
plan revealed, and also the plat explaining how the city of Zion is to
be laid off, which may be found commencing on page 438, Volume 14 of
the MILLENNIAL STAR. From what has been revealed of this Temple to be
erected we can readily perceive that it will differ from anything that
we have had. It will differ in regard to the number of rooms; it will
differ very much in its outward and also its inward form; and it will
differ in regard to the duties to be performed in each of its rooms to
be occupied by the respective departments of priesthood. This house
will be reared, then according to a certain plan, which God is to make
known to his servant whom he will, in his own due time, raise up. And
he will have to give more revelation on other things equally as
important, for we shall need instructions how to build up Zion; how to
establish the centre city; how to lay off the streets; the kind of
ornamental trees to adorn the sidewalks, as well as everything else by
way of beautifying it, and making it a city of perfection, as David
prophetically calls it.

Vol. 21, p.154
And then God will come and visit it; it will be a place where he will
have his throne, where he will sit occasionally as King of Kings and
Lord of Lords, and reign over his people who will occupy this great
western continent; the same as he will have his throne at Jerusalem.
"Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion, on
the sides of the north, the city of the great King."

Vol. 21, p.154
And again he says:

Vol. 21, p.154
"Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined."

Vol. 21, p.154
Does the Psalmist mean that God will shine literally out of Zion? Yes,
shine with light that will be seen by the righteous and the wicked
also.

Vol. 21, p.154
For fear of taking up too much of the time, I will bring my remarks to
a close. I will say, however, I desire greatly that the Lord will
bless the Latter-day Saints, and bless his servants that some, at
least, may have the pleasure of entering into all the perfection of
this glory, here in this temporal life; while the more aged, the
grayhairded and gray bearded like myself, will perhaps pass away, if
the Lord requires it. And that our sons may rise up after us, being
filled with the power and Spirit of God, to carry out his great and
righteous purposes, even to completion.

Vol. 21, p.154
I pray God to bless the inhabitants of Logan and those of the towns
round about in this valley, and throughout all our mountain regions;
and that his peculiar blessings and favor may continue to attend us
while we sojourn in these mountains, and go with us when Zion shall be
redeemed in all its fulness. Amen. [p.155]

John Taylor, December 7, 1879

How a Knowledge of God is Obtained—The Gospel to the Dead
—Various Dispensations of the Most High to Mankind—Power
 of the Priesthood—Restoration of the Gospel Through
 Joseph Smith—Failings of the Saints—Corruptions of the Wicked

Delivered in the 14th Ward Meeting House
 Sunday Evening, December 7th, 1879.

(Reported by John Irvine.)

Vol. 21, p.155
We meet together from time to time to speak, to hear, to reflect, to
converse, and to exchange views in regard to the worship of Almighty
God. There is something associated with these matters that has
generally attracted the attention of the human family in all ages,
among all peoples, and under almost all circumstances. There is and
always has been a feeling of reverence existing among the human family
for a Divine Being of some kind and of some form, even amongst the
most low and debased people of the earth. The position that we occupy
in the world, our ideas of the mutability of affairs of time and
sense, the continuous departure of one after another from this stage
of existence to another, leads us, as well as other portions of the
human family generally, more or less to reflect upon those things
pertaining to the future. Various ideas and theories have existed
amongst different peoples. Some have worshipped a great variety of
Gods of their own making, while others have followed the notions and
theories of men in regard to certain doctrines formulas theories and
ideas that have been promulgated among what would be termed the wise,
the prudent, and the intelligent of the earth. But in relation to
religious matters there is no one can have any true or correct
conception of a hereafter unless it has been revealed by the Almighty,
who alone is able to comprehend the end from the beginning and is
acquainted with the position and destinies of men and of the world.

Vol. 21, p.155
We have had revealed to us from time to time, as manifested in the
Scriptures, developed therein, many ideas pertaining to God and to
futurity; but any intelligence in regard to these matters was
generally obtained directly from the Lord, or through the ministering
of angels, or by the Spirit of prophecy and revelation given to them
by the Almighty. And it is emphatically stated in the Scriptures that
"the things of God knoweth no man but by the Spirit of God," and hence
when men assume to comprehend principles pertaining to futurity,
predicated upon the learning, the wisdom, the intelligence or the
science of the world, they are always very much at fault. Who can
comprehend the Almighty or [p.156] understand his designs? As one of
old said, "It is high as heaven." What can'st thou know? "Deeper than
hell." Who can penetrate its mysteries? What really do we know? To
commence with, who can understand the designs of God in relation to
the organization of this world, or in relation to the position of man
and his destiny? His past operations, his present dealings with the
nations and his designs in the future, to the uninspired, are all a
profound enigma. Who knows anything about it? We find all kinds of
theories, notions and opinions in existence at the present day, but
what do they amount to? What would my unsupported opinion be worth, or
what would anybody's opinion be in relation to these matters? It would
amount to nothing. In regard to other principles, of a more material
nature that we are intimately associated with there are certain facts
that scientists and men of intelligence always wish to be
demonstrated, and unless they are, they pay very little attention to
any unsupported hypothesis. If this be true in regard to the known
sciences, how much more particular should we be in regard to more
important matters. Theories, hypotheses, notions, dogmas and opinions
amount to very little when associated with the great and eternal
principles connected with the welfare of mankind, and the salvation of
a world. And hence we need something higher, something of more
intelligence than anything that man possesses to give unto us
information pertaining to these matters.

Vol. 21, p.156
When God created the world and placed man upon it he had certain ideas
and designs that were fixed, immutable, and eternal, they were based
or predicated, in the most consummate wisdom; the most profound
intelligence; the wisdom and intelligence, if you please, that dwells
with the Gods. The organization of the heavens and the earth, the
creation of the world as we understand it, and also the creation of
man and beast, fowl, fish and insect, and everything that exists upon
the face of this earth. There was an object and design in relation to
all these matters. We could know nothing about that, however, unless
it had been revealed unto us, unless it had been communicated by the
being who knows the end from the beginning, and who comprehends all
things pertaining to the present condition as well as the past and the
future destiny of the human family and of the world.

Vol. 21, p.156
Certain men in different ages have told us, so it is recorded here in
the Bible, about certain communications which they had from the
Almighty. They seemed to have a mode and manner of approaching him,
and he in the various dispensations made choice of and selected
individuals through whom and to whom he communicated his will to the
human family. There is something very remarkable in regard to these
things. There are many remarkable things in the old antediluvian
history of the world, that we have only very imperfectly related to us
in the Bible. We read, for instance, of a man by the name of Enoch—we
are told in the Bible that "Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for
God took him." That is about all that is said about him except that he
was a man that feared God. But Enoch, when we come to know more of his
history from the revelations that have been given, we find, was a man
that had communication with  God from time to time. The Bible says he
walked with God and was not, for God took [p.157] him, but in other
revelations which we have received, we have an account of the kind of
ministry that he had, the labors that he performed the preaching that
he did, the manifestation of the power of God on his behalf, and
finally of his gathering together a large number of people. That he
built a city; that in that city they were under the guidance,
direction and control of the Almighty; and that he and his city and
people, or many of them, were translated, and hence as the Bible says,
"he was not for God took him," and he also took the people that were
with him, those that feared him and worked righteousness.

Vol. 21, p.157
There are other events associated with these matters which are very
interesting when we come to examine them. The people had corrupted
themselves very much, departed from the law of God, violated his
ordinances, and committed all kinds of iniquity, so that, as the Bible
tells us, all the thoughts of their hearts were only evil and that
continually, and it repented the Lord that he had made man because of
the wickedness and corruption that then existed. We have a very short
account of this in the Scriptures, but through other means that have
been communicated to us we have received a further knowledge of these
matters; for other men that embraced the Gospel in former ages became
preachers of righteousness as well as Enoch. They had the Spirit of
the Gospel as Moses had it, as Jesus had it, and as we have it. They
held communion with God and were under the inspiration of the
Almighty, in their administration, and when they came together—those
that feared God and worked righteousness—they had visions and
revelations and prophesied of events that should transpire. There were
many prophets in those days and they prophesied of a prison house that
God had prepared, told the people of the destruction that was coming
upon the earth: that they should be swept off the face of the earth by
the waters of the flood and that none should be spared except a few to
perpetuate the name and fame of the Almighty and again propagate their
species. This is a thing that has seemed very singular to some men who
do not comprehend the designs of God, and they suppose that there was
a degree of cruelty attached to the Almighty in sweeping off the whole
people of the land, with the exception of a very few. They assume to
say there was a degree of injustice, cruelty and tyranny associated
with it. However, that is for want of an understanding of correct
principle, and the designs of the Almighty, and many conclusions that
people arrive at, predicated upon the same ground—arise from a lack of
understanding the principle that they talk about.

Vol. 21, p.157
There are some principles connected with these things which put
matters in a very different light. When we understand the nature of
man, when we consider that he is a dual being, that he is possessed of
a body and spirit, that he is associated with time and with eternity,
that according to the Scriptures the spirits of all men were created
before this world was made, and that God is the God and Father of the
spirits of all flesh; and being God and Father of the spirits of all
flesh, it was his right and his prerogative to dictate what should be
done for the benefit of those spirits and his children that he had
created here upon the earth. It was not a matter of theory, according
to the opinions of men, but an immutable [p.158] plan, according to
the eternal wisdom of God as it existed in his bosom before the world
was, or "before the morning stars sang together and all the sons of
God shouted for joy." These spirits, that he was the father of, had
their rights and privileges and immuities; and as he had created man
upon the earth or prepared a tabernacle, or a body, if you please, for
these spirits to inhabit, it became his interest, as the Father of the
human family, to look after their welfare. They had been led aside by
the influence of Satan and had corrupted themselves and departed from
correct principles, and violated the law of God, and became degraded
and sunken in iniquity and infamy. Now, suppose we take ourselves back
into the presence of our Father, and looking down upon these degraded
wretches that inhabited the earth at that time, would we not turn to
our Father as a just God and say, "Father, do you see the corruption,
the degradation, the infamy and the evil that exists and permeates the
world of mankind?" "Yes, yes, of course I see it." "Is it just that
our spirits should be condemned to go and inhabit the bodies of these
men, or of their seed, that are so fallen, so degraded and so corrupt,
and whose actions and operations are so at variance with thee and thy
laws? Is it just and equitable that we should go and be mixed up with
these infamies and be led astray like them into the paths of vice and
suffer for things that we have not done and could not help ourselves
in: is it just?" "Why, no it is not, and I will cut them off; and as
they possess the power of propagating their species upon the earth, I
will stop that power by a flood and raise up another people, that
justice may be done you, my sons and daughters, and that the judge of
all the earth may do right." When we look at things in that point of
view, it places them in another position from what they would appear
otherwise, and justifies the ways of God with man.

Vol. 21, p.158
Now, when this event took place, people were cast into the pit, into
the prisons, as it had before been said that they should be. Well,
what about that? Trace things forward to the time that Jesus appears
upon the earth, and we see something then pertaining to these very
individuals, in the acts of the Almighty, as they transpired at that
time. When Jesus accomplished his work, when he had fulfilled the
mission that he had to do here upon the earth, and when he was put to
death in the flesh and quickened by the Spirit, he went and preached
to the spirits in prison "that some time were disobedient when once
the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah;" and although
they had suffered the wrath of Almighty God, he who had come to
proclaim deliverance to the captive, to open the prison doors to those
that were bound, to release them and to proclaim the acceptable time
of the Lord, he went to them as their Savior, in common with others,
and preached the Gospel unto them. Hence we find the acts of God
justified in relation to these matters, and while he had power to
destroy, while he had power to send them to prison, he also had power
to conceive a plan for their deliverance therefrom, when the time
should come that they should be delivered after they had suffered
sufficiently for the crimes, evils and iniquities that they had
committed upon the earth. There are many singular things associated
with these matters that men do not really comprehend.

Vol. 21, p.159
[p.159] We come again to another prominent character, that is Abraham,
a very remarkable man in his day and age; although at the present time
men look upon him as a kind of an old shepherd, a man that attended
flocks and herds and sheep, a sort of herdsman and a shepherd; and
there was very little of him anyhow except that he lived in his day
almost as a barbarian. That is the opinion that many men have formed
of him—that he was something like our backwoodsmen, some of our
farmers who have not mixed up with the elite of society, or made
themselves familiar with the intelligence that pervades the world. I
look upon him as another character entirely, and from information that
we can gather from revelations that have been referred to, we find
that there was something very peculiar about him. We read his history
and we find that he was a man that sought after righteousness, that he
desired to obtain more righteousness, that he examined the records of
his rattlers, that he found in examining the records, tracing them
back through the flood, clear away back unto Adam's day, he found many
circumstances that were connected with mankind, not only to Adam's
day, but before the world was. In doing this, among other things, he
found he had a right to the priesthood. I need not stop to tell you
what that is, you Latter-day Saints. You understand it is the rule and
government of God, whether in the heavens or on the earth, and when we
talk of the kingdom of God we talk of something that pertains to rule,
government, authority and dominion; and that priesthood is the ruling
principle that exists in the heavens or on the earth, associated with
the affairs of God. Hence, we are told in the Scriptures that Christ
was a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec. Then of what
order was Melchisedec? A priest for ever after the order of the Son of
God, for if Christ was after the order of Melchisedec, Melchisedec
must have been after the order of Christ, as a necessary consequence.
Very well. Now, then, in relation to that priesthood it was something
that ministered in time and through eternity; it was a principle that
held the keys of the mysteries of the revelations of God, and was
intimately associated with the Gospel, and the Gospel, wherever it
existed, was in possession of this priesthood; and it could not exist
without it. It always "brought life and immortality to light." The
notions and opinions and religions of man generally are altogether
devoid of a principle of that kind, they know nothing about it.
Whenever men are placed in communication with God and are in
possession of the Gospel of the Son of God, it brings life and
immortality to light, and places them in relationship with God that
other men know nothing about.

Vol. 21, p.159
They were spoken of in former times as the "sons of God." "Now are we
the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we
know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him: for we shall
see him as he is." It was this priesthood that would be the means of
introducing him into the presence of God that Abraham found that he
was a rightful inheritor of, according to his lineage and descent, and
he applied for an ordination, which he received, according to the
revelation given unto us, and with that ordination the powers, the
blessings, the light, intelligence and revelation associated with the
Gospel of the Son of God. And what then? The next that we read of is
that he had the [p.160] Urim and Thummim, and thus he sought unto God
for himself, and while searching unto him, God revealed himself. unto
Abraham and said: "I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them
that curseth thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth be
blessed." There is something very remarkable about this when we
reflect upon it, and when we examine the position that he occupied,
and that his seed occupied, we can see the fulfillment of these
things. Afterwards, the Lord revealed himself to him from time to
time, communicated his will to him, and he was made acquainted with
the designs of the Almighty. The Lord showed' unto him the order of
the creation of this earth on which we stand, and revealed unto him
some of the greatest and most sublime truths that ever were made known
to man. He got these through revelation from God and through the
medium of the Gospel of the Son of God.

Vol. 21, p.160
Well, let us look a little at the fulfillment of some of these things.
"I will bless them that bless thee; and in thee shall all families of
the earth be blessed." We read sometime afterwards of Isaac and Jacob.
Jacob had communication with God. The Lord appeared unto him from time
to time, and revealed his purposes and designs unto him. Abraham
prophesied that the children of Israel should be in bondage in Egypt
for 400 years, that after that time they should be delivered; and
Moses was raised up as a deliverer and he conversed with God. He saw a
bush that burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. He
afterwards conversed with the Lord upon mount Sinai, and received
tables of stone written upon by the finger of God, which were the
commandments of the Lord to the children of Israel. And who was Moses?
A descendant of Abraham.

Vol. 21, p.160
We also read of prophets who, by the spirit of inspiration, could draw
aside the dark vail of futurity and penetrate into the invisible
world, and contemplate the purposes of God as they should roll forth
in after ages in all their majesty and power and glory, And who were
they? They wore the seed of Abraham. We read that Jesus, also, who was
the Son of God, was born of the seed of Abraham according to the
flesh. Who were His apostles? The seed of Abraham. Then there were
Nephi, Lehi, Ishmael and others who came from the land of Jerusalem to
this continent according to the Book of Mormon. Who were they? The
seed of Abraham. There were also the Twelve Apostles called and set
apart upon this continent, who went forth by the power and Spirit of
God, aided by intelligence and revelation such as they never had on
the other continent. Who Were they? The seed of Abraham. "In thee
shall all the families of the earth be blessed;"—not cursed; that was
not what the priesthood of God, was introduced for, but to spread
light, truth, and intelligence, to unfold unto mankind the ways,
purposes and designs of God, to make man acquainted with his origin,
his position in life and his future destiny; and to make him
acquainted, as an eternal, intelligent being, with things past, with
things. present, and with things to come. This is what Jesus taught
them on the continent of America. "It is expedient for you that I go
away, for if I go' not away the comforter will not come unto you;"
which is the Spirit of God. And what shall it do? It  shall bring
things past to your remembrance. You shall be made acquainted with the
actions [p.161] of the ancient principles and of God in ages that have
preceded you. It shall lead unto all truth. You shall comprehend all
matters that are necessary for you to know by the light, intelligence,
and revelation which flows from God. And what else shall it do? It
shall show you of things to come. It shall draw aside the vail of the
inivisible world. It shall make you acquainted with the things
pertaining to eternity, and you will be enabled to square your lives
according to the eternal principles of intelligence as it dwells in
the bosom of God, and as the Holy Ghost will make known and reveal
unto you. It is this priceless treasure that is spoken of that we
possess in earthen Vessels "that ye are came," says Paul in his
epistle to the Hebrews, "unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the
living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the enumerable company of
angels. To the general assembly of the first born which are written in
heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men
maple perfect. And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant and to
the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of
Abel." This is what the Gospel does for you. it brings life and
immortality to light.

Vol. 21, p.161
These are some of the leading, prominent principles as they have
existed heretofore, along with thousands of others that we have not
time to mention or touch upon this evening.

Vol. 21, p.161
Now, we will come to other events, of later date; events with which we
are associated—I refer now to the time that Joseph Smith came among
men. What was his position? and how was he situated? I can tell you
what he told me about it. He said that he was very ignorant of the
ways, designs and purposes of God, and knew nothing about them; he was
a youth unacquainted with religious matters or the systems and
theories of the day. He went to the Lord, having read James'
statement, that "If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God that
giveth to all: men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given
him." He believed that statement and went to the Lord and asked him,
and the Lord revealed himself to him together with his Son Jesus, and,
pointing to the latter, said: "This is my beloved Son, hear him." He
then asked in regard to the various religions with which he was
surrounded. He enquired which of them was right for he wanted to know
the right way and to walk in it. He was, told that none of them was
right, that they had all departed from the right way. that they had
forsaken God the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out
cisterns, broken cisterns, that could hold no water. Afterwards the
Angel Moroni came to him and revealed to him the Book of Mormon, with
the history of which you are generally familiar, and also with the
statements that I am now making pertaining to these things. And then
came Nephi, one of the ancient prophets, that had lived upon this
continent, who had an interest in the welfare of the people that he
had lived amongst in those days.

Vol. 21, p.161
But how is it in relation to these people and in regard to some of
these matters? Why and how should these men that have lived here upon
the earth have anything to do with the people that now live upon it?
You Latter-day Saints ought to  be acquainted with these matters, and
I suppose you are; but I will show one or two [p.162] principles here
in case, peradventure, there may be those present who have not thought
or reflected properly upon the subject. The Melchisedec Priesthood, we
are told by Paul, is without beginning of days or end of years. He
speaks of Melchisedec as a man "without father, without mother,
without descent." Now, he would be a very singular man, according to
our idea of things, without father or mother, without beginning of
days or end of years, but it was the priesthood of which he spake in
contradistinction to the priesthood of Aaron. He was then among the
Jews. The Jews believed in the Aaronic priesthood; but they knew very
little or nothing about the Melchisedec priesthood, and a man to be a
priest of Aaron must be a literal descendant of Aaron, and of the
tribe of Levi, and he must be able to prove his lineage from the
records. But in contra-distinction to this priesthood there was the
priesthood of Melchisedec, hence we come to account for some of these
things of which I have been speaking. And now I will go a little
further in regard to this matter. I find, for instance, a man by the
name of Moses who lived at a certain time to whom I have referred. I
find another man by the name of Elijah, who was a great prophet and
who had great power with God, among other things in controling the
elements, in shutting up the heavens and in again opening them by his
prayer of faith under certain circumstances, which it is not necessary
for us now to enter into. We find that when Jesus was here upon the
earth he ascended a mount with his disciples, Peter, James and John,
and there appeared unto them Moses and Elisas, in great glory. Peter,
turning to Jesus, said, "Lord, it is good for us to be here, if thou
wilt. let us make here three tabernacles, one for thee and one for
Moses, and one for Elias." Now then, the question arises, What was
Moses doing here? What was Elias doing here? Where had they come from?
Why, they had the Gospel. The Gospel is an everlasting Gospel as
spoken of in the Scriptures, and associated with that Gospel is the
priesthood that administers in time and in eternity. And Moses, who
had led the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, and had
conversed with God and given the law of the Lord unto the people, with
Elias the prophet, who was also a man of God—the Melchisedec
priesthood, which held the keys of the mysteries of God, and it
ministers in time and in eternity. Both of these men had ministered on
the earth, and, holding that priesthood in the heavens they came to
minister to Jesus, and to Peter, James and John, upon the earth. There
is nothing very remarkable about that.

Vol. 21, p.162
We come again to John on the Isle of Patmos, where he had been
banished because of his religion. I do not know whether he was a
practical polygamist or not; but his religion was very much opposed to
the ideas and theories of the people in that day. He was a Christian
and he dared to fear God and keep his commandments, and they banished
him to the Isle of Patmos, that he might labor amongst the slaves
there in the lead mines. But while there, being in possession of the
light, the truth, the intelligence and revelation that proceeded from
God, he gazed upon the purposes of God as they should roll forth in a
subsequent period of time, and he contemplated the position of man in
the various ages of the world unto  the time that the heavens and the
earth should pass away; when there [p.163] should "be a new heaven and
a new earth whereon dwelt righteousness." He gazed upon all these
things and fell down at the feet of the angel to worship him,
whereupon the angel said, "See thou do it not; I am thy fellow
servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus; worship
God, for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." In other
words: "I was like you once, on the earth, persecuted, cast out,
condemned, despised had every kind of opprobrium and approach cast
upon me; wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute,
afflicted, tormented; wandered in deserts and mountains, and dwelt in
dens and caves of the earth. I am one of thy fellow servants the
prophets, I have fought the good fight, finished my course, I have
kept the faith, I was true to my covenants, my God, and my priesthood,
and I come now to minister to you." Again who more likely than Mormon
and Nephi, and some of those prophets who had ministered to the people
upon this continent, under the influence of the same Gospel, to
operate again as its representatives? Who more likely than those who
had officiated in the holy Melchisedec priesthood to administer to
Joseph Smith and reveal unto him the great principles which were
developed

Vol. 21, p.163
Now, then what has he revealed Anything new? Why, yes; a new Gospel;
but an everlasting Gospel. What is it that John said he saw "I saw
another angel fly in the midst of heaven having the everlasting Gospel
to preach to them that dwell upon 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." Did John
see that among other things? Has it come to pass? Yes, it has, "And in
thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed? Who was Joseph
Smith? The Book of Mormon tells us he was of the seed of Joseph that
was sold into Egypt, and hence he was selected as Abraham was to
fulfil a work upon the earth. God chose this young man. He was
ignorant of letters as the world has it, but the most profoundly
learned and intelligent man that I ever met in my life, and I have
traveled hundreds of thousands of miles, been on different continents
and mingled among all classes and creeds of people, yet I have never
met a man so intelligent as he was. And where did he get his
intelligence from? Not from books; not from the logic or science or
philosophy of the day, but he obtained it through the revelation of
God made known to him through the medium of the everlasting Gospel.
Now people who are ignorant of these things are ready to point the
finger of scorn, and heap contumely and reproach upon him and upon
others who dare have the hardihood, as they say, to express the same
kind of sentiments that he did. I dare do it! I have done it among the
nations of the earth, and dare do it to-day before any man or any set
of men that the world can produce, and I defy them to successfully
contravert or overturn any principle that God has revealed through the
Gospel of the Son of God in these last days!

Vol. 21, p.163
But could Joseph Smith help being selected of God? There is, to say
the least of it, an intelligence displayed that the world knows
nothing of. Is that to be despised? Is that to be regretted? Was he
the enemy of man? No; no more than Abraham was; no mote than the
prophets were; no  more than Jesus was; but could Abraham, or the
[p.164] prophets know what God was going to demand of them? No, they
could not. And if they could not, if they were to tell a truth that
God has revealed to them, would their telling it make it a falsehood?
I think not. It was an unpleasant thing for a man to rise up and tell
the people they were wrong. To go to our divines—our right reverend
divines —and their followers and tell them they were all out of the
way! I expect they would be no more satisfied with such a message than
the same class were with the teachings of Jesus when he spoke of the
Scribes and Pharisees and called them hypocrites, like unto whited
sepulchres which appeared fair on the outside to men, but inwardly
they were nothing but rottenness and dead men's bones. This was not
very palatable for some of the wise of the Jews and some of the
leading men of that day who professed such a great amount of piety.
But he came to tell them the truth, not to speak his own words but the
words of his Father who sent him and to communicate those great
principles which God had revealed to him.

Vol. 21, p.164
Well, now, do I believe that Joseph Smith saw the several angels
alleged to have been seen by him as described, one after another? Yes,
I do. Why do I believe it? Because I obeyed this Gospel. And what was
there connected with the obeying of it? What was the Gospel that he
taught? Precisely the same as that that Jesus and his disciples taught
both on the continent of Asia and on this continent. What did he do?
Why, says he to his disciples: "Go ye into all the world and preach
the Gospel to every creature." Was he an enemy of mankind? I think
not. Go unto all the world and tell them of the love of God to man,
preach the Gospel to every creature, and, "he that believeth and is
baptized shall. be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."
What else? "And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name
they shall cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues. They
shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing it shall
not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall
recover." Here was something practicable, something real, something
intelligent, something that was worthy of a God, communicated by the
Son of God for the welfare of the human family.

Vol. 21, p.164
What have we now? Ideas, notions, theories, opinions, hypotheses, and
all the various confusion of ideas and notions, but no man to say
"thus saith the Lord." They used to say "thus saith the Lord;" they
had the word of God for the people, and not the opinions and creeds
and notions and fancies of men.

Vol. 21, p.164
The Lord has restored the same Spirit by which we know of the truth of
the principles declared by Joseph Smith and by others. I know it and
so do you, many of you, who hear me. Was it an injury to the world in
the days of Jesus for his disciples to go and proclaim salvation? I
think not. Is it an injury to the people to-day for us to proclaim the
same Gospel to the world? I think not. You can find very few people
who will do what thousands of our elders have done—go out without
purse or scrip to proclaim the glad tidings of salvation, things that
they not only believe in but know for themselves before God that they
are true—go out as the friends of mankind to publish the same Gospel
under the same authority that others had in former [p.165] ages. Did
they prosecute and persecute men in former ages? They did. Why? Was it
because they were wicked and corrupt? No; it was because they dared to
tell a corrupt world that God had spoken, that light and truth had
been revealed from heaven, that the Son of God had appeared and that
if they would repent of their sins and be baptized for the remission
of them, they should receive the Holy Ghost, that should take of the
things of God and show them unto them. That was the doctrine they
taught; that is the doctrine that we teach. Is there anything very
remarkable about it? Yes, very remarkable. Is there a people that dare
say what the Elders of the Latter-day Saints dare say to the world? I
think not. What have these elders done, many of whom are here? Gone to
the ends of the earth without purse or scrip proclaiming the Gospel of
the Son of God. And what did they tell the people to do? To repent and
be baptized for the remission of their sins and to have hands laid
upon them for the reception of the Holy Ghost; and you do the same;
you baptize them when they believe in the name of the Father, and of
the Son and of the Holy Ghost. And what does a name mean? Power and
anthority, Supposing a man was to come here as Governor or Secretary,
or holding any other office under the government of the United States;
he comes in the name of the United States, or by the power or
authority of the United States, does he not? Yes. But supposing some
of you was to set up here as Governor, they would want to see your
credentials and know by what authority you came here and whether you
were appointed by the legitimate authorities of the United States or
not. If not, they would pay no attention to you; they would look upon
you as a very common-place, foolish individual, and moreover, they
would also look upon you as a fraud. Well, then, if God does not send
men, of course they cannot act under the authority of God; if they do,
they act fraudulently. Now, how can men go in the name of God when
they tell you that God has never spoken for the last eighteen hundred
years, and that he does not now reveal himself? That being the case,
how then can they go forth in the name of God? I do not know; it is a
mystery to me; these people possess some mysteries which I cannot
fathom, and that is one of them. I know of only three ways of
obtaining authority of that kind—one is by lineal descent, another by
writing, and a third by speaking. Now, then, if we can find no record
among the people who profess to teach in the name of God, and they do
not profess to have a lineal descent, and they even hold that God has
not spoken for eighteen hundred years —they place themselves in a very
awkward position. But when you come to understand, to fully comprehend
the priesthood held by our forefathers, you can see by what authority
the Holy priesthood is conferred upon you. Well, then, where did you
get this authority from—from the world? No, the world did not have it
to give, and consequently you could not get it from them; and if God
has not spoken, if the angel of God has not appeared to Joseph Smith,
and if these things are not true of which we speak, then the whole
thing is an imposture from beginning to end. There is no half-way
house, no middle path about the matter; it is either one thing or the
other. Now you go forth to the nations of the [p.166] earth in the
name of the Lord, I appeal to you elders, you contradict me if you
can—and when people believe and have been baptized, you lay your hands
upon them in the name of the Lord, and you say unto them "Receive ye
the Holy Ghost," and they receive it, do they not? They do, and you
are my witnesses of that. And what does the Holy Ghost do? It takes of
the things of God and shews them unto us. Can we conceive of a greater
principle, of one more majestic, and grand, and noble, and exalted.
What is man? A poor feeble worm of the earth, going forth in the name
of God to call upon the human family to repent. and be baptized for a
remission of their sins, and after the name of God, he lays his hands
upon their head, for the reception of the Holy Ghost. Who gives it
God, and it is the greatest evidence that exists upon the face of the
whole earth; no men anywhere have an evidence like that which is given
from the Almighty. It did not come from us, it did not come from
Joseph Smith, though he was the medium through which those things were
communicated; it did not come from Brigham Young, it did not come from
me or any other individual; it comes as the free gift of God according
to the eternal laws of the everlasting Gospel.

Vol. 21, p.166
Now, then, here we are. We find ourselves in this position, having
entered into these principles, we believe in them and are willing to
be governed by them.

Vol. 21, p.166
The Lord, however, has revealed many other great and important
principles to us, and among these the eternal covenant between man and
woman. Did Joseph reveal that principle? Yes, he did. Do you know it?
Yes, I do know it; it nobody else knows it, I do. Did he tell you of
it? Yes, he did; but I have had other manifestations besides that, and
therefore I know of what I speak, and I know the principle is of God.
Now there are some people who tell us we are very wicked. Are we? Why,
yes, in many respects we are. But not in that!not in that! not in
that! Are we careless? Are we indifferent? Are we covetous? Do we love
the world more than we ought to do, and allow our minds, our feelings
and affections to be carried away by the transitory things of time and
sense? Yes, yes, to our shame, in many instances, be it spoken; this
is true. Do we violate in many instances the great principles that God
has revealed? We do, to our shame be it spoken, many of us; but we do
not violate the law of God nor the laws of chastity in that thing.
Well, what are we to do? God has revealed a principle to us; do we
know it? Yes. Do I know it? Yes. Do you? Yes, yes, a very great many
of you that are here and hear me speak know it. But does the Congress
of the United States know it? No. Does the Supreme court know it? No;
they cannot know of the things of God but by the Spirit of God. Do
they know anything about eternal relationship and perpetuity in the
eternal world? No, they do not, they are ignorant of the principle,
they know nothing about it, and we did not until it was revealed to
us. Now, then, what is to be done? They place us in a position like
this; God says this is an eternal law associated with the eternal
perpetuity of lives in time and throughout the eternities that are to
come; that a man having a wife must have her sealed to him for time
and for all eternity. Why, long ago we have heard of a religion  to
live by but none to die [p.167] by; none that could reach to the other
side of the vail and prepare us for eternal associations and eternal
lives in the eternal world, or eternities that are to come. But this
principle involves that thing and places us in this position: God says
"Go and obey my law." Congress say "No, you shall not do it." Now the
question is—who shall we obey? We would like to be in accord with
Congress. We would like to submit ourselves to every ordinance of man.
We would like to be good and peaceable citizens, which we are. We
don't wish, however, to follow their corruptions—don't we know enough
of them? Yes, we do. We know a good deal more about them than they
know about us. We know their crimes, we know their licentiousness, we
know of the millions of murders that are perpetrated by mothers and
fathers of children and they know it. Many of these murders are
committed while the children are pre-natal; they kill them either
before or after they are born, just as it happens. We also know of
this horrible social evil that exists among them, and of the
corruption, degradation and rottenness that exist in their midst. And
as I have said to some of them sometimes, "You come from these dens of
infamy, reeking with corruption and rottenness, steeped in crime and
bloodshed and you will come here, will you, and teach morality to us?
Go home, attend to your own business, cleanse yourselves from your
corruptions, for they are a stink in the nostrils of Jehovah, and of
all honest men, and don't come to set us right in regard to things
that God has given us to do, and which with the help of the Lord we
will carry out."

Vol. 21, p.167
Now, these are our feelings in relation to these matters. This Gospel
reveals to us, as it did in former days, the light and intelligence of
God. It opens up the visions of eternity; it places us in
communication with the Lord. It prepares us for life and for death and
for exaltation, and we are going to go on with our temples and
administer in them in the name of the Lord. We shall enter therein and
be baptized for the living and the dead and stand as saviors upon
Mount Zion, and let the world wallow in corruption and follow the evil
desires of their hearts, let them pursue their own course, fighting,
if they please, against the Zion of our God, but the Lord will be
after them and they will know before they get through that there is a
God that rules in the heavens and he will say to them as he did to the
waves of the mighty deep, "hitherto: thou shall come but no further,
and here shall thy proud waves be stayed."

Vol. 21, p.167
What, then, shall we do? Fear God, be faithful, be honest and upright
and full of integrity and truthfulness; shun evil of every kind,
preserve our bodies and spirits pure, maintain our covenants before
God, and he will smile upon us, he will be on the side of right, and
his kingdom will grow and increase and spread until the kingdoms of
this world shall become the kingdoms of our God and his Christ, whose
right it is to rule for ever and ever.

Vol. 21, p.167
May God help us to be faithful in keeping his commandments that we may
be saved in his kingdom, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
[p.168]

Orson Pratt, September 21, 1879

The Book of Mormon An Authentic Record

Delivered is the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City,
Sunday Afternoon, September 21st, 1879.

(Reported by John Irvine.)

Vol. 21, p.168
If the congregation will give their attention, I will read a portion
of the word of God, given in these last days, dated March, 1829—a
portion of revelation—through the Prophet, and Seer, and Revelator,
Joseph Smith, in Harmony, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, a little
over one year before the rise of this Church, commencing with the 10th
verse:

Vol. 21, p.168
"But this generation shall have my word through you; and in addition
to your testimony, the testimony of three of my servants, whom I shall
call and ordain,—unto whom I will show these things; and they shall go
forth with my words that are given through you; yea, they shall know
of a surety, that these things are true, for from heaven will I
declare it unto them. I will give them power that they may behold and
view these things as they are, and to none else will I grant this
power, to receive this same testimony, among this generation, in this
the beginning of the rising up and the coming forth of my Church out
of the wilderness: clear as the moon, and fair as the sun, and
terrible as any army with banners. And the testimony of three
witnesses will I send forth of my word; and behold whosoever believeth
on my word, them will I visit with the manifestation of my Spirit, and
they shall be born of me, even of water and of the Spirit. And you
must wait yet a little while, for ye are not yet ordained; and their
testimony shall also go forth unto the condemnation of this
generation, if they harden their hearts against them; for a desolating
scourge shall go forth among the inhabitants of the earth, and shall
continue to be poured out until the earth is empty, and the
inhabitants thereof are consumed away and utterly destroyed by the
brightness of my coming. Behold, I tell you these things, even as I
also told the people of the destruction of Jerusalem, and my word
shall be verified at this time as it hath hitherto been verified."

Vol. 21, p.168
Fifty two years shall have passed to-morrow since the Lord permitted
his holy angel to descend from heaven and commit into the care and
charge of Joseph Smith, a young man, plates which had the appearance
of gold, filled with engravings. He obtained these plates on rite 22nd
day of September in the year 1827, being then not quite twenty-two
years of age. This young man was not learned, like those educated in
[p.169] colleges and theological institutions; indeed, he was a
farmer's boy, unacquainted with the arguments, and the tenets, and the
creeds, and the institutions of religion that existed around him,
except what he had heard front time to time, in the neighborhood where
his father resided; a young man not versed in the Scriptures any more
than most of the common lads of that age. And we all know that there
are but a very few among farmers that have the opportunity of
informing their minds at so early a period—at the age of twenty-one—in
regard to the doctrines and prophecies contained in the Scripture.

Vol. 21, p.169
You may, some of you, wonder, perhaps, why the Lord should select an
instrument of this kind; why he did not take a person, more qualified
by education, more experienced in the doctrines taught among the human
family, more conversant with the Bible. You perhaps, may think in your
own mind that if you had had the selection of the individual to begin
the work of the establishment of the kingdom of God on the earth in
the last days, and you had followed the best wisdom you had on the
subject, that you certainly would have selected a person well trained
and skilled in the different doctrines of the day. But the Lord does
not see as man sees, his thoughts are not like our thoughts, neither
are his ways like our ways. Hence he chose a man unconnected with any
of the religious societies of the day—untaught in the Scriptures and
doctrines of the different religious denominations—he selected a man
of his own choice, as he had frequently done in former ages of the
world.

Vol. 21, p.169
We all recollect the selection that the Lord made in relation to
David, when he was called to be king of the House of Israel, and
anointed for that purpose. There were, I think, seven brethren older
than David,—men of fair appearance, men of experience,—men that
probably their neighbors, their acquaintances, would have selected
either one of them in preference to the youth that was tending the
sheep. But Samuel, being a prophet of the Lord. when these certain
brethren came up before him, said: "The Lord hath not chosen him," and
continued to say so until all the seven had passed by, and then the
inquiry was made, "Is there not another? "Why, yes, there is a boy;
but he is keeping his father's sheep." "Send and fetch him," said the
Prophet Samuel. He was brought in,—he was goodly to look upon, but he
was simply a youth, untrammelled with the traditions around him, but
yet an honest-hearted boy. The Lord chose him, the anointing oil was
poured upon his head, and he was appointed to be the future king of
Israel.

Vol. 21, p.169
Now, the Lord did not have any prophets in the year 1827 on all the
face of the earth. There was no Samuel existing, no person who had the
spirit of prophecy; consequently the Lord, instead of sending a
Samuel, sent an angel to make the selection. This angel committed, as
I have always said, the plates of the Book of Mormon, together with
the Urim and Thummim, into the hands of this youth, and also gave him
many instructions informing him that he must be very strict in keeping
the commandments of God, and that he must do with these plates as he
was counseled from time to time, not to shew them to everybody that
might wish to see them, but was strictly forbidden, by the angel, to
shew them into any person until the Lord should give him commandment
so to do. He translated these plates unlearned as he was. And now let
me [p.170] ask, would you naturally expect that if he—this unlearned
youth—did this by his own wisdom, that it would agree with the Jewish
record in all the doctrines taught, or said to be taught in the
translation of this record? Would it be reasonable to expect that this
unlearned, inexperienced youth could be able to sit down and in a very
short period of time translate a book two-thirds as long as the Old
Testament, without contradicting himself in some way? Would it be
reasonable to suppose or to conclude that he would get all the
doctrines, contained in that Book of nearly 600 pages to agree in
every respect with the ancient Gospel as it was taught in the New
Testament, especially when there were several thousand different
notions in regard to that doctrine? We could not expect any such
thing. The more inexperienced a man is the less qualified he is to
write, by his own human wisdom, and get into proper shape, a history
said to extend over a thousand years or a little more—a history
commencing with the colony that came from Jerusalem to this continent,
down until the records were sealed and hid in the earth—a thousand
years' history of a nation, of two nations that were opposed to each
other, of their wars and their travels to and fro upon a large
continent, like ours—we would naturally expect that a young man, so
inexperienced, would, by his own human wisdom, get that country
awfully muddled up as regards places, as regards the location of
cities, and location of countries. We would naturally expect, I say,
such contradiction to occur in the writings of an unlearned youth.

Vol. 21, p.170
But what is still more marvellous, is the prophetic portions of this
record, called the Book of Mormon. It is full of prophecies from the
opening of the record unto the closing thereof. Predictions, not only
concerning events that took place after this colony left Jerusalem,
during 600 years before Christ, predictions that were to take place
down to the coming of Christ in the flesh, but predictions that were
to be fulfilled after the first coming of Christ down until the end of
time. The book is full of these predictions. Would you not naturally
expect therefore, could you look for any other thing than that an
inexperienced, unlettered young man, unread in prophetic history,
should contradict himself in different parts of the record; speak of
an event on one occasion and forget and speak of something quite
different on another? Then again, where did you find a young man,
unacquainted with the Jewish record, that could snake all these
predictions and prophecies coincide with the ancient prophecies of the
Jews? Would it be likely that he could do so by his own wisdom? I
think not. All these things, therefore, so far as the history is
concerned in the Book of Mormon, so far as the prophetic writings are
concerned in this late record, so far as the doctrinal parts of that
Book are concerned, it is a marvel in the age in which we live; it is
a marvel in my eyes; but perhaps my eyes are not constituted as the
eyes of others. To me, however, it is one of the greatest marvels of
the age. I am familiar with this; and I have read it, perhaps, more
carefully than any other man that has ever lived in this generation,
and probably ten or fifteen times more than any other man has done.
Why, when I was a boy, 21 years of age, I had, for the two years
during my first acquaintance with the book, read it so much that I
could repeat over chapter after chapter, page [p.171] after page, of
many portions of the Book of Mormon, and could do it just as well,
with the Book closed or laid to one side, as I could with the Book
open; and I have continued to read it front that day down to the
present, without finding one contradiction in the book. I have read
the comments, I have read the writings of our greatest opposers who
have undertaken to examine the book from the beginning to the end. I
have tried to follow their arguments, in relation to the contents of
this book, but I have never unto the present day—and it is forty-nine
years since I became acquainted therewith—been able to find one
contradiction in the whole work.

Vol. 21, p.171
Can we say as much concerning the Jewish Bible in the present state of
its existence? What is the great fault found by the opposers to the
Jewish Bible. The infidel says, "We do not believe it, because it
apparently contradicts itself in doctrine, in history, and in many
other portions." And the Christian undertakes to read it, he
undertakes to show that these are not contradictions; but with the
arguments of the Christian on the one side, and the infidels on the
other, in relation to the Bible, it is confessed by the generality of
mankind that there are many contradictions, not original
contradictions, but contradictions that have been introduced into the
record since it was originally given,—introduced by the wisdom of man,
or rather by the wickedness of man. But does the Book of Mormon
contradict the teachings of the present day? Yes. There is a great
difference between the Beck of Mormon and modern Christian religion;
but there is no difference between that book and ancient Christianity.
We may hunt the wide world over, amongst some 400 millions of
Christians, so called, and search deeply for a complete, and good, and
thorough understanding of their doctrines, and when we have made
ourselves thoroughly acquainted with them, take up the Book of Mormon,
compare their doctrines with this Bible of ancient America, and there
is a great difference, a fundamental difference, not a trifling
difference, but a difference that lies at the foundation. It is the
same when we come to compare these modern doctrines of Christendom
with the doctrine taught in the New Testament. Where can we find a man
who can reconcile the two? Or the thousand if you please? Who is able
to show that the New Testament proves and sets forth clearly the
ancient doctrine of the Gospel? There may be now and then an item
which each denomination has in accordance with the New Testament; but
where is the authority which lies at the foundation of Christianity?
Where is the man among all these 400 millions of Christians that is a
revelator, that is a prophet, or is inspired of God? He cannot be
found and yet the ancient Christianity, recorded in the Bible
advocates that great gift as one that lies at the foundation of
Christianity. Christianity is built upon it, built upon Jesus, who was
the great revelator of the Church, and built upon apostles who were
also revelators, as well as Jesus, and who received their revelations
by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost, by inspiration as men of God.
Can you find such an order of things in Christendom? Do any profess to
have these gifts? They say that they are unnecessary; they say that
these gifts were intended for the first age of Christianity, but when
Christianity was once established these high gifts were no longer
[p.172] necessary. This is their argument almost as one. They seemed
to be agreed, however much they may be opposed in other points of
doctrine—they all, almost without an exception, seem to be agreed that
there is no need of these high gifts of inspiration, and prophecy, and
new revelation that accompanied the preaching of the Gospel in ancient
times. "The Gospel is established," say they; "we have no need of it."
As much as to say that these gifts are no part of the Gospel; that the
Gospel is one thing and the gifts are another; that the Gospel was
established by the evidence of the gifts, but the gifts are no part of
the Gospel. They are as much a part of it as faith; just as much a
part, of the Gospel as repentance, as baptism for the remission of
sins, or as the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost; and
to undertake to separate the blessings of the Gospel, and then call
something else the Gospel, does seem very absurd, very inconsistent,
and is something that cannot be proved from the divine record. Now,
here is something that is of minor importance, something that is not
particularly necessary, that might be called non-essential, but
something that lies at the very foundation of Christianity. These
gifts are a portion of Christianity. Revelation, inspiration and the
gift of prophecy, are part and portion of the Gospel as taught, by the
ancient apostles and men of God, and by our Savior; and to do away
with these gifts destroys the fundamental principles of Christianity.

Vol. 21, p.172
What does the Book of Mormon advocate? It conics directly in contact
with all modern Christendom, and goes back to the old Gospel as it was
taught nearly 1800 years ago, and maintains that there must be in the
kingdom and Church of God, in every age of the world, these gifts as
well as outward forms and ceremonies,—maintains that these gifts are a
part of the ancient Gospel and must exist wherever the Gospel
exists,—and when they cease the Gospel ceases to be preached, and true
believers, in a Scriptural sense, cease to exist with them.

Vol. 21, p.172
Now, it does not seem likely to me, that a young man whose beard had
scarcely grown—a youth untutored, untaught in the sectarian notions of
the day, brought up to labor hard on his farmer's farm, should be able
to make these great distinctions, to come out in opposition to all
modern systems of religion, and establish the very fundamental
principles that are necessary to the very existence of Christianity in
the last days. But God was with that young man. He was not his own
teacher, he was not left to his own judgment in regard to what
Christianity should be and what it should not be. The angel that came
from heaven and revealed himself to the youth understood his mission.
He understood what the Gospel was and should be; he understood the
revelations of St. John; he understood that these revelations never
could be fulfilled unless an angel were sent from heaven in the last
days, with the message of the Gospel to be proclaimed unto the
inhabitants of the earth, not to a sectional portion of it, not to
some corner of it, or to some obscure people, but to commit the
everlasting Gospel unto the inhabitants of the earth, to be proclaimed
to every nation, kindred, tongue and people. He understood the
difference between modern Christianity and ancient Christianity. And
when the Urim and Thummim was lighted up by the power of God, and
magnified before the eyes of this youth, those ancient characters
upon [p.173] the plates of the Book of Mormon, the distinction was
clearly made, between the purity of the Gospel as it was taught in
ancient days, and the doctrines and innovations of man as have been
taught during many long centuries of apostasy.

Vol. 21, p.173
How I have rejoiced, since I was a youth of nineteen, in this record!
Why I esteem it,—I was going to bring up some earthly comparison, but
I will not compare great and glorious and heavenly things,—so great,
so pure and so important, as that of the plan of salvation, with
anything of an earthly nature, as there cannot really be any
comparison. When I look at all the earthly riches and grandeur of this
world, and then look at the Book of Mormon and the Bible, with power
to select, which should I choose? Why, the grandeur of this world, the
riches of this world, the glories of this world, would be nothing;
they would be like the dream of a night-vision when a person is
disturbed, not by the Spirit of God, but by his own cogitations in the
night. I would look upon them as nothing, as vanity and foolishness,
as unworthy of the love or approbation of any man of God, were they to
be set before me and contrasted with the glory of this book. It is a
record given to this generation as one of the choicest gifts of
heaven! No other books exist upon the face of our globe so choice as
the books which God has given in different ages of the world: the
Bible for one, the Book of Mormon for another, and the book called the
Book of Doctrine and Covenants, containing the revelations which God
gave through his servant the prophet, during some seventeen of the
last years of his existence here upon the earth. These revelations,
these hooks are more precious than the riches, and kingdoms, and
glories, and honors of this present life, so far as I am concerned. Do
I esteem them more than I do my own life? I would be unworthy of my
Father and my God in the eternal worlds if I would refuse to lay down
my life, if it were required of me of the Lord. If I should save it
for a moment, and deny the Book of Mormon; if I were to deny the gifts
of the Gospel, or any of the revelations that God has given that are
published in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants—if I were to do such a
thing, could I look upon my Father's face without blushing? could I
think upon God without blushing? could I think upon anything that was
pure and holy, without being, in my own mind, in perfect torment? If I
were to be so ungrateful as to deny anything that God has given me, I
should be unworthy of the kingdom of God. I do most sincerely and
humbly hope and trust that the Lord will not call me and try me in
this respect, for I know the weakness of man; I know that man has been
weak in all ages, and I do not wish to be thus tried, I do not covet
this trial, I do not pray for it; but if ever I should be brought to
this condition, with my present feelings, with the feelings I have had
for a great many years, I would say: "Come martyrdom, come burnings at
the stake, come any calamity and affliction of the body, that may be
devised by wicked and ungodly men —let me choose that, and have
eternal life beyond the grave; but let me not deny the work of God."
Why do I thus feel? If I had not a knowledge that the Book of Mormon
was true, I should not have these feelings. Then I should probably
say, if I only had faith that the Book of Mormon is true, "My life is
precious, let me save my life, let me deny something which I do
[p.174] not know is true." But when a person has a knowledge, as I
have, of the divinity of this work,—having this revealed to me when I
was but a beardless boy—I hope never to be brought in that condition,
where the trial will be upon me, but should it come I hope to be able
to lift up my hands to high heaven, and say, "Oh Lord enable me to
endure the trials and afflictions that may come, that I may be
faithful unto death."

Vol. 21, p.174
Am I the only one that feels in this way, among the Later-day Saints?
Are there no other persons that have this knowledge, excepting your
humble servant? Yes, there are scores of thousand, if they testify the
truth, and I have no reason to think that they would falsify their
word; scores of thousands who know as well as they know they have an
existence, that the Book of Mormon is a divine record; that the Bible
is a divine record; that the revelations given through the Prophet
Joseph Smith, published in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, are
divine; they know it. Would they be willing to suffer martyrdom? I
think they would. There might be individual cases, as in ancient
times, where they might reject the truth, lose their hopes of
salvation, to save their temporal lives; but take the great mass of
this people, they would be willing to lay down their lives, or be
burned at the stake before they would reject their religion.

Vol. 21, p.174
How kind, how good was our Heavenly Father, before the rise of this
Church, after he had inspired this boy to translate these records; how
good it was to send an angel from heaven to three other persons,
namely: David Whitmer, Martin Harris and Oliver Cowdery, Joseph Smith
being with them on the occasion. The angel descended from heaven,
clothed with light and glory, and, taking these records in his hands,
turned them over leaf after leaf, showing to these three other men,
besides the translator, the engravings on the plates. How kind this
was. A Church was to be raised up. The Lord was willing that they
should have all the evidence that they could reasonably ask for,
before even the first branch of the Church was organized. Did he
condescend, in many of the past ages of the world, to do so much for
the different generations that have lived, as he has done for the
present generation? Look at the days of Noah. He had a message to
deliver —a message that affected the human family. He had to tell the
people that were living around him that God had spoken. "And what has
God said?" He has told me that because of your wickedness he will send
the floods upon you. He will break up the foundations of the great
deep, he will open the windows from on high and he will pour out the
floods upon these nations and they will be swept away root and branch,
except a few that will believe in my message, and come into the ark
that I am building. How many witnesses did God raise up then? I expect
he must have revealed himself to the sons of Noah, as well as to Noah.
That would be but four witnesses; but we have no account that the Lord
revealed himself to these three sons. They, however, believed the
testimony of their father; whether they knew it or not we do not know.
At any rate their faith was sufficiently strong to cause them to labor
with the old man, and they labored along year after year, weary no
doubt, in forming the timbers of this huge ark or vessel Finally they
got it fixed together, and the  beasts of the field—that [p.175]
appeared to have more inspiration than the men and the women of that
age, began to come from the forests towards the ark, and finally the
door was closed. They must have been prophetic beasts, beasts that had
revelations, beasts that were able to judge far better than the world
of mankind in that age. The rains descended, and the earth was covered
with the flood, and we read that Noah by his testimony condemned the
whole world. What! One witness? One witness alone condemned the whole
world, and they perished from off the face of the earth, because one
witness was sent unto them! The Lord has done a little better with
this generation. He sent four witnesses before he organized the
Church, and that was not all. There were other men that had great
testimony and evidence given to them; but they did. not see the angel;
they did not see the plates in the hands of the angel; but what did
they see? They saw this boy have these plates. They took the plates
and handled them themselves. They saw the engravings upon these
plates—eight other men, besides the four I have mentioned—and they
testify to what they saw. They bear witness in words of soberness,
that they did handle the plates with their own hands, that they did
feel the weight of the plates, that they did observe the engravings
thereon, that they had the appearance of ancient work and of curious
workmanship, and they bear testimony to what their eyes saw and to
what they handled with their hands. Their names, as also the names of
the four that saw the angel, were attached to this record, when the
first edition of that book was issued from the press. Twelve witnesses
then did God condescend to raise up immediately before he organized
this Church. Are not twelve witnesses sufficient to condemn the world
in this age, if one witness condemned the world in the days of Noah? I
think that God has been very lenient, very kind and very merciful in
beginning the work with so many witnesses.

Vol. 21, p.175
But there seem to be other witnesses and evidences concerning the
correctness and divinity of this book that are far greater than those
I have named. There is a promise to all the human family, that is far
better than the ministrations of angels to others. What knowledge does
it give to me, to you, to any other person, among all the nations and
kindreds of the earth, concerning the divinity of the Book of Mormon,
because four witnesses, that lived in some portion of our globe, state
that an angel had come from heaven? Does that give me acknowledge? No.
Did that impart a knowledge to any other creature on the face of the
globe? No. Did we not need a knowledge as well as they? Yes. I have a
soul as well as these four men that must be saved or must be lost. If
that be the case, ought I not also to have a knowledge concerning my
safety as well as they? I think so. Has the Lord made it impossible
for me to obtain this knowledge? No. The very message itself in the
book, and in the New Testament, and in the modern revelations that are
given through the prophet, told me, told you, told all the people upon
the face of this earth, how they also might obtain a knowledge of the
truth of the Book of Mormon and of this work. How? By getting a vision
or manifestation from that same God? No. That we should all have the
ministration of angels? No. To some is given one gift, and to some are
given other gifts. To some it is given to know in one way, [p.176] and
to some it is given to know in some other way. The Lord has promised
that if I will repent, if you will repent, if the people of the United
States will repent, if the people of all the nations of the earth will
repent, turn unto him and obey his commandments that they should
receive the Holy Ghost. Will that give us a knowledge as clear, as
definite, as pointed as could be revealed by the ministration of
angels? Yes.

Vol. 21, p.176
Supposing now that I were a natural man, never had received the Holy
Ghost. Supposing that a person should come and testify to me that he
had received the Holy Ghost, that he had received Heavenly visions
that the Lord had sent angels to him, what would I know about it? What
would I know about the Holy Spirit, if I never had received it? No man
can discern the things of God, but by the Spirit of God; so says the
Apostle Paul to the Corinthians. It is impossible for the natural man
to know the things of God, and if I were a natural man, and had never
partaken of the Holy Ghost I might hear a, cloud of witnesses
testifying to what they had received. I might say, "Well you seem a
sincere people, you seem to be honest in your declarations, you say
you have had the visitation of angels, you say you had heavenly
visions, you say the Holy Ghost has been poured out upon you, but I
have never received these things as a natural man." know what reason
would there be to condemn me on the great judgment day, if I rejected
their testimony? They would tell me that I might be put in
communication with the heavens the same as they. They might tell me
that on certain conditions, I might obtain the Holy Ghost, as well as
they, if I would only exercise sufficient faith, to repent of my sins
and to be baptized for a remission of them, and to have the servants
of God lay their hands upon my head for the reception of the Holy
Ghost; that if I would enter into a covenant with the Most High God,
to obey his commandments and to call upon his name in faith, and to
exercise faith before him—I expect if I did not do all these things,
that all this cloud of witnesses that I have named, would stand up on
the day of judgment and would condemn me. But if I would exercise
faith though I had no knowledge, and would obey the commandments,
would be obedient to the principles, and then I received for myself
the testimony, I should then be dependent neither upon David Whitmer,
Martin Harris nor Oliver Cowdery, Joseph Smith, nor any of the twelve
witnesses that saw the plates, nor any other man living on the whole
earth. I could then say, "Oh Lord, my God, thou hast fulfilled try
promise which thou hast made. Thou hast said if I would repent and be
baptized I would receive such and such blessings. They have been given
unto me, and now I know that thy word is true." And from that forth I
could be a witness myself, but before that I could not be a witness.

Vol. 21, p.176
Are the ministers of the different denominations of this day, who have
never had the spirit of revelation upon them—are they competent
witnesses of God to stand before this generation and declare the
things of God? No. Can they stand up in the great judgment day and
condemn any of this generation to whom they have preached? No. Why
not? From the very fact that they are not witnesses. They can tell
what the ancients say, how the ancients became witnesses, but they
themselves have not an experience in [p.177] these things, and
therefore, God has not made them witnesses. They cannot condemn any
man living on the face of the earth, by their preaching and their
testimony.

Vol. 21, p.177
We are living, then, in the great and last dispensation, in which God
has provided a way that he might raise up scores of thousands of
witnesses, a way that all might know as Peter did. Peter did not get
his knowledge from seeing miracles wrought. He did not obtain his
knowledge because some other man had received a knowledge. The Savior
blessed him and said, "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for flesh and
blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in
heaven." The Lord had revealed this knowledge unto Peter, consequently
Peter was constituted a witness. And so the Lord, by having given
revelation from the heavens to scores of thousands of the Latter-day
Saints, has made them witnesses of the divinity of this work.

Vol. 21, p.177
O, how the Latter-day Saints ought to rejoice! How faithful we all
ought to be! How frivalous are the things of this present life,
compared with the knowledge of God, which you have received! Do you
appreciate this, Latter-day Saints? Do you realize it as you ought to,
or are your minds swayed to and fro by the frivolities and vanities of
this present life? Do they absorb the greater portion of your
attention? Do you forget your God, the greatness of your calling, and
the knowledge which you have received? I have not.

Vol. 21, p.177
I believe that the Latter-day Saints are the very best people on the
face of our globe. Why? Because they have been willing to endure
hardships, persecutions all the day long. They have been willing to
leave their houses, their lands, their possessions, have been willing
to see all fall into the hands of their enemies and flee to a desert
country for the sake of their religion. Has God forgotten all these
things? O, ye children of Zion! do you suppose that the Lord has
forgotten, because many years have passed away, your tribulation, your
sacrifices if they can be called such—your mobbings and persecutions
in times that are past? No. They are written as it were on the palms
of his hands, they are printed indelibly upon the thoughts of his
heart. He has all these things in remembrance, and a day of
controversy is coming, and it is not far in the future—a controversy
for Zion; a controversy with all the nations of the earth that fight
against Mount Zion—the Lord has all these things in his mind, and he
will fulfil them in his own due time and season. But now is the day of
our tribulation and has been for some forty years and upwards that are
past. Are there better days to come? Yes. How far in the future I am
not prophet enough to know. All that I do know is that they are nigh,
near at the very door, when the Lord will rise up and come forth out
of his hiding place and fulfil that which he has spoken concerning
Zion and the inhabitants of this land. Zion is not destined to be
crushed down forever into the dust. Zion is not destined to be
overcome by the kingdoms of this world forever. The turning point will
come, and that is nigh at hand. The days are coming —I know they are
close at hand—when the young and rising generation that are now
sitting in this congregation, and who are spread forth upon the face
of the land, throughout these mountains and valleys, will see the
turning point for Zion. [p.178] What will they see? They will see a
man raised up like unto Moses in days of old—a man to whom the Lord
will reveal himself, as he did to his servant Moses, by angels, by
visions, by revelation from the heavens, and will give unto him
commandments, and make him an instrument in his hands, to redeem the
people and to establish them in their everlasting inheritance upon the
face of this American continent. Will he show forth his power in that
day as he did unto his servant Moses and to Israel? Yes, only more
abundantly, more extensively than in the days of Moses, for there is a
larger continent than the land of Egypt, in which the Lord will make
manifest his power—a greater people than the Egyptians, among whom he
will work. Consequently he will show forth his power unto all the
inhabitants of this land. He will fulfil the plain predictions of the
Prophet Isaiah that the Lord shall make bare his arm in the eyes of
all the nations, until all the ends of the earth shall see the
salvation of God. What will be said then concerning this people and
Zion? It will then be said by those that are spared in the midst of
the terrible judgments that will fall upon these nations, "Surely the
people called Latter-day Saints, the people of Zion, are the people of
our God. God is there, his power is there, it is his power that
delivers that people; it is his power that is over them as a cloud by
day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. It is his power that
protects their congregations, protects their settlements, protects
their holy temple. Let us no longer fight against Zion or the people
of God, let us enter into the everlasting covenant which has been
revealed anew. We will join ourselves with the people of God." In that
day will be fulfilled that which has been spoken by Isaiah in the
second chapter, by the prophet Micah, in the four chapter, that in the
last days many nations shall say: "Come ye, and let us go up to the
mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will
teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths, for out of Zion
shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem."

Vol. 21, p.178
May God bless—not the wicked, not the ungodly, not those that
blaspheme the name of the Lord, not those that fight against Zion—but
all the true, pure hearted Latter-day Saints, is my prayer, in the
name of Jesus. Amen. [p.179]

John Morgan, May 23, 1880

Southern States Mission

Delivered in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City,
 Sunday Afternoon, May 23rd, 1880.

(Reported by John Irvine.)

Vol. 21, p.179
I am pleased to have once more the privilege of meeting with the
Latter-day Saints, and I trust that while I shall endeavor to address
you I shall have an interest in your faith and prayers, that what I
may say may, be in accordance with the mind and will of our Father in
heaven and for our mutual good and benefit.

Vol. 21, p.179
To an elder returning home from missionary labors the privilege of
meeting with the assemblies of the Saints in their Sabbath day
meetings is one that is very highly prized. We feel to rejoice in the
privilege of returning to these peaceful valleys of the mountains, and
of listening to the voice of the servants of God teaching the
principles of the kingdom of God, and explaining the mind and will of
our common Father and God in the heavens. I have often thought and
meditated in regard to this privilege when away from home traveling in
the midst of strangers, that when here we scarcely prize and realize
the value of it. And doubtless this is true in regard to very many of
the great and glorious principles of the Gospel. We must see the
opposite, come in contact with the opposite; we have to taste the
bitter before we can appreciate the sweet; we have to see and
experience the condition in which the world is to-day to appreciate
the situation the Latter-day Saints are in.

Vol. 21, p.179
During the past year, since last I had the privilege of meeting with
you here, I have been engaged in preaching the principles of the
Gospel in the United States, more particularly in the Southern States.
Our labors there have, to a greater or less extent, been crowned with
success. The Lord has opened up our way. We have been enabled to reach
many of the honest in heart, and the principles of the Gospel have
been spread by the preaching of the elders, and by the distribution of
books and pamphlets, until many thousands of people in that section of
the country to-day are becoming acquainted with the principles of the
Gospel, who, twelve months ago, although possibly aware that there
were such a people as the Latter-day Saints in the valleys of the
mountains, were ignorant in regard to the doctrines that they
professed to believe in. I find that within the past twelve months
quite a change has taken place in the [p.180] sentiments and minds of
the people in the Southern States relative to the principles that we
promulgate. I form my judgment in regard to this from their actions,
and it is said they speak louder than words. Something like twelve
months ago a spirit of persecution and mobocracy was prevalent
throughout a great portion of the South, brought about, to a great
extent, by inflammatory articles in the newspapers, misrepresenting us
and our objects, and the denunciations hurled at us from the pulpit
and from almost all directions, which resulted in the mobbing of a
number of the elders and the driving from their homes of quite a
number of families who had embraced the Gospel in their native land.
In one particular instance an entire branch of the Church was driven
from their homes, lost their property and their means and were forced
to rely upon the generosity of the Latter-day Saints already gathered
to the valleys of the mountains here to enable them to emigrate to
where they could live in peace and safety. This character of
opposition was very violent, very unpleasant to meet with, very
unpleasant to have to deal with, but by the blessing of God and the
perseverance of the elders, the obstacles were overcome, our work was
pushed forward, and very many right-thinking, honorable men and women,
while not conceding with us in a religions sense, came out and refuse
to endorse the action of men who were using violence, came out in the
press, in private conversation, in public speech, and stated that
while the Latter-day Saints might be wrong, the course that was being
taken was undoubtedly wrong, that whatever the nature and character of
their doctrines might be, mob-violence, persecution, and unauthorized,
illegal prosecution was not a proper means of over coming the
difficulty. Even the editors of many of the Southern papers conceded
that the course that was being pursued was most unwise, and would have
a tendency to bring dozens of converts to the "Mormon" doctrines where
there had been one before, which proved true, as our labors have
continually increased and grown, our numbers have been added to, and
the spirit of emigration to gather out to where they could be
protected in their religious belief has grown stronger day by day,
until we scarcely need to preach in the Southern States the principle
of emigration, so anxious are the people to escape from their
surroundings.

Vol. 21, p.180
The elders who have been engaged in the Southern States Mission have,
almost without exception, proven themselves worthy of the trust that
was reposed in them. They have endeavored to perform the duties
devolving upon them as men and as the servants of God, not counting
privation, slander, exposure, contumely as anything in comparison to
the great work in which they were engaged.

Vol. 21, p.180
The Southern people are naturally a kind-hearted, hospitable, noble
class of people, with the finer instincts of nature more fully
developed than possibly among some other classes of people. They
recognize the labors of our elders, and while they may not coincide
with our views, yet they give us credit for the determination with
which we press forward, and the earnestness and zeal displayed by our
young elders in preaching the principles of the Gospel. Especially was
this note-worthy in connection with the very many young elders who had
never been upon missions before,—[p.181] young men who had been called
from the various mutual improvement associations, unlearned in regard
to the condition of the world, unacquainted with its customs, manners
and habits—especially with this class was a deep impression made upon
the minds of the people. That feeling of kindness, which is
characteristic of the people there, seemed to feel after those boys,
beardless boys as they were, as they stood up in their places, where
they could obtain a church or a school house, to preach, and where
they could not obtain a place, in the open air, by the road side, or
wherever they found a man ready to stop and listen to them in
proclaiming the things they had been sent to declare. It made a deep
impression on the minds of the people, and, in a number of instances,
while the violent feelings of men were raised against them, there were
those who said, "We have boys of our own, and if our boys were in the
place of these, separated from their homes and their kindred by
thousands of miles, and there were those seeking to do them violence,
we would feel to bless the hand that protected them." And, as a
general thing, there came a division, and the two contending parties
were left to get through the struggle as best they could.

Vol. 21, p.181
The Southern States Mission at the present time is divided into
conferences, with a president over each conference, and traveling
elders at appointed places laboring in the districts. Yet, with all
that we can do, there are localities in the Southern States to-day,
that have been asking for elders for some considerable length of time,
which we have not yet been able to supply, owing to a deficiency in
our numbers. I discover, in coming in contact with the people of the
United States, that, notwithstanding the nation numbers forty millions
of people,—a vast innumerable multitude almost, compared to the
Latter-day Saints who dwell in these distant valleys of the
mountains,—yet, if a company of eight, ten, twelve or fifteen elders
should happen to pass through any of the large cities, en route to
their fields of labor, they are visited by reporters, they are
interviewed, and the interview is published far and near, causing
considerable excitement in regard to this small company of elders
going to their fields of labor; in fact two elders, going into a
locality where the people are unacquainted with the teachings of the
Latter-day Saints, and announcing themselves as Mormon elders, will
create a really more genuine sensation than almost any other incident
that could happen, and it is, doubtless, well that some of us, who are
possibly a little more zealous than wise, should be restrained in
regard to our anxiety to push the work forward. There is, however, an
abundance of room for elders to labor throughout the entire Southern
States. We scarcely ever preached in a place where we could not obtain
a hearing. We scarcely ever visited a neighborhood—I do not recollect
of any now—in the Southern States where I desired a hearing, but what
I could both obtain a place to preach in and a good sized audience to
hear what I had to say.

Vol. 21, p.181
Many of the leading men of the Southern States, having visited Salt
Lake City and been treated kindly by our people—having observed the
thrift, enterprise and peacefulness of our homes, extended to us many
kindnesses and many courtesies, notwithstanding that, with the mass of
the people, it was quite unpopular to do so. The Governor of one of
[p.182] the leading States of the South, offered the use of the Senate
Chamber—the representative hall of his State—to preach in, if I was
prepared to use it, extending any courtesy I desired. Their leading
papers freely noticed our meetings and published thousands of
handbills to be distributed among the people, refusing any
compensation whatever. Many of these incidents that come to my mind in
regard to the courtesy and kindness of the people that we have been
preaching the Gospel to, warms our hearts as elders of Israel, and we
feel to do them good, to bless them, and benefit them all that we can.

Vol. 21, p.182
During the past year, a little over 400 Saints have been gathered from
the Southern States Mission. The principal part of these have
emigrated to the neighboring State of Colorado, in San Luis Valley,
250 miles south and a little to the west of Denver, where the Saints
have found a good valley, most excellent land and timber, water,
grass, and all that is necessary to enable them to build up a
settlement and locate themselves. I had the privilege of visiting them
in their homes a number of times, and while they have had the
privations that are incidental to the formation of a new settlement
everywhere, yet they have been blessed and prospered. The people of
the State of Colorado have, as a rule, treated them kindly, have
welcomed them to their borders, have endeavored to benefit them, and
assisted them in forming their settlements all they could. The
railroad, that has been in process of construction for the past two
years, runs down the centre of the valley, within three to five miles
of our line of settlement, so that we have easy railroad
communication. Our rates for emigration are exceedingly low. The
railroad companies have extended to us many courtesies and kindnesses,
and have sought to do what they could —apparently being moved upon by
the right Spirit—to enable us to gather those who were unable to
gather themselves, and to assist those who were but little able to
gather. In the location of the settlement in the State of Colorado,
there are now, I believe, 500 Latter-day Saints from the Southern
States, which will possibly be augmented by 300 more this season, if
deemed prudent to do so. In the first town that was located, all the
lots have been taken up. Another location of similar dimensions is
being occupied, while still another will be occupied some few miles
distant from the first two in the course of the next two or three
months.

Vol. 21, p.182
The health of the Saints has not been as good as could have been
desired, principally owing to the fact that in emigrating from the
Southern States—a malarious district to those great, dry altitudes—the
changes thus brought to bear upon them were calculated to produce
sickness to a greater or less extent. The scourge of measles passed
through the settlement in the month of April; some 160 cases. Our
neighbors, at a railroad town near by, where there were about an equal
number of inhabitants that we had, with all the appliances of
physicians and drug stores, lost quite a large percentage of their
cases of sickness. In the town of Alamosa, some twenty miles distant
from our settlement, where there were almost an equal number of cases,
there was quite a large percentage of deaths. In about 165 to 170
cases that occurred in our settlement, I think there were but three or
four deaths from measles. When I was talking to the Mayor of Alamosa,
he  called my attention to [p.183] the disparity of deaths in that
town in comparison with those that had occurred in our settlement, and
asked me if I thought the location of the town of Alamosa unhealthy. I
replied I thought not. that it was equally healthy with our
settlement. He asked me to what I attributed the number of deaths. I
replied that I believed they were attributable to the number of drug
stores and physicians they had in it, that that was the cause, as I
earnestly believed, to a greater or less extent, of the disparity of
the number of deaths. With some 500 inhabitants in our settlement with
quite a number of cases, some of them very serious, there has never
been a physician called to prescribe one single prescription to any of
these people, and I have an idea that if we were to look at them
to-day we would find them equally healthy with those of the adjacent
town where there are several physicians with two drug stores to draw
their supplies from.

Vol. 21, p.183
The people in the settlements are satisfied with their location. I
heard but very little complaint, and what complaints I did here were,
I thought, almost entirely due to the inconvenience incident to
emigration, to breaking up their homes, to disposing of their
property, to riding distances upon railroads, landing at their
destination wearied, to not being so carefully housed and protected
for a limited length of time after their arrival, and to their being
unacquainted with the country. I believe, however, that out of the 500
souls emigrated there have been but four turned back from the work and
returned to their former homes. I heard no expression of a desire to
return on the part of any one when I was there. Wishing to test this
as I was returning back to the States, I publicly made the offer that
if there were any persons who desired to return back to their old
homes, to lay down the principles of the Gospel and forego the
gathering, I would see and accompany them back, and if there were any
unable to go back with their own means, a fund would be raised for the
purpose if desired. I received no applications, hence I was led to
believe that the people as a rule were satisfied with their situation
and surroundings.

Vol. 21, p.183
Adjacent to our settlement there is a large number of Mexicans who
live in piazzas, as they term them, which are capable of accomodating
from ten to fifty families in a plazza. These people have had rather
an unpleasant and chequered history in the Territory of New Mexico and
the State of Colorado. They have been looked upon to a certain extent
as legal and lawful prey by the Christians surrounding, who have, to a
greater or less degree, taken advantage of their innocence and of
their ignorance in regard to the rules of business. To illustrate
this, one man, a merchant with whom we deal, a man that I have always
looked upon as in every sense trustworthy, made this statement to me.
In speaking of the Mexican people, said he: "We cannot trade with them
as we do with other people. They have been deceived and cheated until
they come here and ask how many pounds of sugar we give for a dollar.
We would not dare to tell them the exact number of pounds. If it is
six, we have to tell them ten." "Well," I said "do you weigh out the
ten pounds?" "Not much; we weigh them six or five and a half pounds as
the case might be." Such is the character of the dealings the Mexican
people have had to contend with until to-day they have no confidence
whatever in [p.184] the white people by whom they are surrounded, and
it is something almost unknown in their history, it is something
strange for them to be placed in a position whereby they would be
dealt with honorably and uprightly by white people. Said one of their
leading citizens to me Mr. Valdez, who was formerly a Judge in Old
Mexico, a leading citizen in the State of Colorado, a Representative
in the Legislature, and a man of considerable ability—said he to me,
"The white people we have come in contact with heretofore, have
endeavored to take every advantage of us, and when your people came
here we expected they would treat us the same way. Last season we
could have furnished you land to plow, teams and seed; but we were
afraid that you would repeat the history of some other portions of our
possessions, where we have furnished seed, land, teams and plows, and
rented these things upon shares to people who came into our midst, and
when the fall season came they not only claimed the land and crops,
but our teams and plows, and we have failed to obtain any redress
whatever; consequently we were afraid of your people." But after some
short acquaintance with us, after coming in contact with us a limited
length of time, they learned to think better of us, and by their votes
elected one of our brethren magistrate over a considerable portion of
the county of Conejas, in which they lived. This brother told me he
had been magistrate for eight months, had gained the confidence of the
people, until to-day people outside of the precinct where he lives
will bring their cases to him to arbitrate and adjudicate upon, and
the people almost universally are willing to submit to his decisions.
There is a kindly feeling between them and the Latter-day Saints. They
are naturally a kind hearted people. I noticed when our people were
living in their piazzas, as some of them did for a season, that when
any of them took sick, the Mexicans were on hand to nurse them and to
do what they could for their comfort. The Saints rejoice at the
privilege of gathering where they can live in peace and quietness, and
receive the instructions of the elders, and have their children
taught. I believe about the first thing they did in the` first town
they started was to build a comfortable schoolhouse, and during the
past winter they have had a school in session the entire winter,
expecting that as soon as circumstances would permit a summer school
would be commenced. A Sabbath School is in session regularly each
Sabbath, and some six home missionaries visit the surrounding country
where the Latter-day Saints are located, and instruct the Mexicans who
desire to hear the principles of the Gospel.

Vol. 21, p.184
In laboring in the States, we can see that there is a rapid change
taking place. It may not be observable by the masses of the people.
However, this change can be seen on the right hand and on the left. We
hear men remark in regard to the change that is occurring politically,
religiously and socially. We cannot blind our eyes to the fact that
affairs in the United States are traveling at a rapid rate. We
sometimes hear an elder, on returning home from his mission, ask one
of the brethren, "How is everything moving?" His reply is, "very
slowly." He does not see with the eyes of the elder who is abroad
preaching the Gospel. To my mind, the seeds of dissolution have been
sown in the midst of the people, and they are springing up to an
abundant growth. [p.185] Men are fulfilling the Scriptures"their
hearts are failing them for fear of the things that are coming upon
them." The people of the United States are in doubt in regard to what
is in store for our government. We hear quite loud expressions every
hour of the day by men of all classes—governors, senators, congressmen
and clergymen. I think one of the most eloquent sermons —eloquent for
the sound of its words, not particularly for the principle it
contained, but more particularly for its sound of words—I ever heard,
was one in which the minister portrayed the condition of the United
States, the fearful condition in which the government was today, the
condition in which political affairs were, and strange as it may seem,
after telling the people that there was not a political party in the
United States that would receive Jesus of Nazareth. After telling the
people of St. Louis (the city in which this sermon was preached) that
if Jesus were to come to one of their wards and run for Alderman, they
would outvote him by a large majority—after telling them all these
things, he then commenced upon the other hand to portray the glorious
spread of Christianity! It sounded strange to my ears, for one was a
direct contradiction of the 	other; if one was true the other was
false. Certainly Christianity could not grow and increase and spread
and be engrafted into the minds of the people, and at the same time he
who stood at the head of Christianity be rejected from the head to the
foot of the whole body.

Vol. 21, p.185
The situation to my mind as I have observed it—and I have tried to do
so calmly and deliberately and without prejudice—is anything but
agreeable. Men have ceased to try to hide this; and the present
political contest that is waged so hotly even for the nomination of
the man who shall fill the presidential chair is stirring up the
people as I have never seen an election stir them up before. It seems
as though they are not content with dividing into parties but these
parties are divided into fragments, the one contending against the
other. A few years ago it was the Democratic party on the one side and
the Republican party on the other. To-day it has changed and
materially altered in the Republican party. It is the anti-third term
men, the Blaine men, Sherman men etc., struggling one against the
other in their own party until it seems as if the shadow is cast, of
the time when every man's hand shall be raised against his neighbor.
Certainly these are indications of it,—and we see the fulfilment of
prophecy in these things. It is a most unpleasant report for a person
to make of the situation of their country. We are not aliens to our
kind. We love and revere and respect the constitution of our common
country. We have a love for the old flag that floats over it, and it
is with feelings of mortification, chagrin, and pain that we have to
report back to the Saints here in the valleys of the mountains the
fearful condition in which matters are to-day. One instance comes to
my mind in connection with a matter in which the Latter-day Saints are
interested. During the trial of the men—or one of them at least—who
assassinated Elder Joseph Standing, I was astonished and surprised to
listen to he testimony of the witnesses. The court would commence its
session at eight o'clock and run till twelve and then adjourn for an
hour and run till candle light,  and when night came we would hear the
bells ringing across the street calling the [p.186] people to a
revival meeting. I noticed that those men who had been upon the
witness stand would pass over to the meeting, and for two weeks the
revival was kept up calling men and women to Jesus after dark, and in
the day time came into that court and testified to things they knew
were utterly false, and that they knew the people in the court room
were satisfied were false. The thing was a talk and a laughing stock
on the streets of Dalton. It seemed strange to me, and after I had had
several days experience I asked the attorney General, a man that I
looked upon as an honorable man, a man who sought to do his duty in
that trial to the best of his ability—I asked "how many men are there
that came upon this stand that you can rely upon to testify to the
truth?" His reply was, "If I get one in ten I am doing very well." I
thought that a strange comment indeed upon this boasted land of
freedom, of free schools, churches, libraries, lecture associations
and yet hold ourselves up before the world as a representative
government for all other governments to copy after, for all
civilization to follow, and for all Christians to model themselves
from. It looks strange to me, and I scarcely could have believed it
had not mine own ears heard and mine own eyes beheld it.

Vol. 21, p.186
The sentiment and feeling of the better class of people in the South,
and I may say the people of the United States are in favor of letting
the Latter-day Saints alone, of letting them work out their own
problem, and but for the religious influence that is brought to bear
there would be but little said in relation to the work the Latter-day
Saints are doing. But this religious influence has not changed in the
least. The same influence that fought and contended against the Latter
day Saints in the State of Missouri, and that drove them to the
valleys of the mountains; the same influence that cried out nearly
2000 years ago "crucify him, crucify him," is still abroad in the
land, and I think the worst treatment I have ever received at the
hands of any class of men has been from men who can pray the longest
prayers, preach the loudest sermons, and wear the longest face, and
who profess to be going back to Abraham's bosom. This class of men
have always contended against the elders. They have sought to bring
persecution upon them, and to villify them upon every band, and if we
have difficulties they are to a greater or less extent caused by those
who profess to believe in this Bible, and who preach "glory to God in
the highest, and on earth 	peace and goodwill towards men." But
this perchance, is but history repeating itself. Notwithstanding the
difficulties and obstacles the elders have had to contend with in this
and other directions they have been blessed and prospered. They 	
rejoice in the privilege of going forth to proclaim the principles of
the Gospel, to bring Israel to a knowledge of the truth, and to gather
the honest in heart home, that Zion may be built up and the kingdom of
God established on the earth. The elders rejoice in this privilege.
Our young elders who go abroad with fear and trembling in regard to
their own ability are willing to pass through all kinds of
difficulties, are willing to endure anything and everything that they
may be instruments in the hands of God in proclaiming the principles
of the Gospel. I  heard but very few complaints from the elders. It is
true that sometimes they are not situated as [p.187] pleasantly as
they would desire to be, but I heard very few complaints. They express
very great surprise at the situation of affairs abroad. They say,
"why, we did not dream that matters were as bad as they are. We did
not dream that the world was so corrupt as it is both politically,
religiously, and socially." They seemed surprised, when walking
through the streets of the religious St. Louis.—whose editors, you
know, write long homilies in the shape of editorials in regard to the
terrible situation of affairs in Utah,—to see, on a Sunday, just close
by where these articles are published, saloons open, men and women
drinking, and business going on just as though it were any other day
in the week, "Why," say these young elders, "in reading these articles
hack in Utah we were led to believe that these places here were really
religious. But we find that such is not the case. We find they are
allowing their charity to play leap-frog over their own wrongdoings,
and in place of looking to the affairs of Utah they had better attend
to their own." These things look strange to the young elders when they
first come in contact with the world. In speaking with one of of the
officers of the State of Colorado, said he to me, "we trust that you
people will assimilate with our people, that they will adopt our
habits and customs and become one with us." I told him we did not wish
to make any rash promises about that, for, said. I, "we would not wish
to have drinking saloons on the corner of each block." We would not
like to have all kind of wrong-doings in our midst, and certainly here
in this city of Denver, we would not wish to copy after the morals of
this or your adjoining city of Leadville.

Vol. 21, p.187
Some people seem to have an idea that the Latter-day Saints gathered
here in the valleys of the mountains are samples of all that is wrong,
all that is iniquitous, and I have sometimes been amazed at the
situation we have been placed in. In one neighbourhood where we
stopped over night, and had some talk with the folks in regard to the
social conditions with which they were surrounded, one sanctimonious
person, the next day, refused us the privilege of meeting in a log
cabin schoolhouse, for fear we should corrupt the morals of the
people! In another instance, a large number of people had gathered
together in a meeting house to hear one of the elders preach. When he
got through preaching he asked a gentleman who had been induced to
come to the stand to tell the people what he thought of the doctrine
that had been advanced. He very reluctantly did so in about these
words: "I have listened with great attention to my young friend. I
believe he is honest. I believe he has tried to tell the truth, and in
fact he has told you the truth. He has read from the Scriptures; "but
at this stage he drew up (evidently realizing that he had gone too far
to please his friends) and coucluded by saying: "but my dear, dying
friends, I do not believe one word of it." Notwithstanding that he had
just told the people that the young man had told them the truth, and
that he had preached according to the Bible. It sounded strange, even
to his own people. Yet there is a class of people who, when we come
down to the real facts of the case, will not, do not believe in the
Bible, however much they pretend to do so. They believe certain parts
of it, and disbelieve other parts. This spirit of unbelief is growing
in the [p.188] minds of the people, until in the United States to-day
there are thousands of people who openly repudiate their belief in the
Bible. Ingersoll, and various men of that stamp who are lecturing
throughout the United States, take for texts the mistakes found in the
books of Moses, and otherwise ridicule the word of Scripture. By this
means they are undermining the faith and belief of the people in the
Bible, and are creating infidels by thousands. We meet them on the
railroads, we hear them from the lecture stand, we find them among all
classes of people, lawyers, doctors, etc., and as I told one of them,
a leading citizen of St. Louis, with whom I traveled a couple of days,
I can understood opposition to preaching and praying from those who do
not believe in this book, but it savors of hypocrisy coming from those
who profess to believe in the teachings of Jesus and his apostles.

Vol. 21, p.188
Well, these are some of the reflections that pass through our minds as
elders in preaching the Gospel. We pray that the blessing of Israel's
God may rest upon his work, and upon the elders who are abroad
preaching the Gospel, that they also may be permitted to return in
peace, in the name of Jesus. Amen. [p.189]

Wilford Woodruff, July 3, 1880

Duties and Responsibilities of the Priesthood and Saints Generally
—Zion Shall not Be Overcome—The Wicked Shall Slay the Wicked—The End
Near

Delivered in the Salt Lake Assembly Hall, at the Semi-Annual
Conference,
 of the Salt Lake Stake of Zion, Saturday Afternoon, July 3rd, 1880.

(Reported by John Irvine.)

Vol. 21, p.189
I have listened to the instructions given here this afternoon by my
brethren, as well as the remarks of Brother Cannon, this forenoon,
with feelings of a great deal of interest. When we talk of our duties
as Latter-day Saints, I think many times some of us, perhaps all of
us, more or less, fall short of comprehending and understanding the
responsibilities which we are under to God. I believe there never was
a dispensation or a generation of men in any age of the world that
ever had a greater work to perform, or ever were under greater
responsibility to God, than the Latter-day Saints. The kingdom of God
has been put into our hands. We have been raised up as sons and
daughters of the Lord to take this kingdom, to lay the foundation of
it, to build upon it, to carry it out in its various branches until it
becomes perfected before the heavens and before the earth as God has
foreordained it should be. And those principles which have been
referred to by the brethren in regard to our duties we cannot safely
ignore them nor turn aside from them. I will say as one of the quorum
of the Twelve Apostles, from the time I was first acquainted with this
organization until to-day we have never felt ourselves at liberty to
stay away from our meetings unless we were sick or circumstances
hindered us in some way or other. I can say that for myself, and I
believe I can say the same for my brethren. We have always felt duty
bound to attend our meetings, and if we do not attend the question
might arise, what has become of the Twelve Apostles? Where are they
that they do not attend their meetings? It would be a very proper
question to ask. And if this responsibility rests upon us in the
capacity which we occupy does it not rest upon other men I think it
does. I do not believe the Lord ever required Joseph Smith or Brigham
Young or any of their counselors to undertake to build up this kingdom
alone. He never required them to build these Temples alone. They were
required to perform their duties, that is true [p.190] Joseph Smith
was called of God inspired of God, raised up of the Lord, ordained of
God long before he was born, to stand in the flesh, as much I as
Jeremiah or any of the ancient prophets, to lay the foundation of this
Church and kingdom. He performed his work faithfully. He labored
faithfully while he tabernacled in the flesh, and sealed his testimony
with his blood. Other men were called also to build upon the
foundation which he laid.

Vol. 21, p.190
We have in days that are past and gone been under the necessity of
going forth to preach the Gospel in the world. We have had this to do.
We have been called to do it. We have been ordained to do it. We have
been commanded of God to do it, and so have hundreds of thousands of
the elders of this Church and kingdom. We have all some
responsibility, more or less, resting upon us, whether as regards
going on missions or anything else. I remember Brother Joseph Smith
visited myself, Brother Taylor, Brother Brigham Young and several
other missionaries, when we were about to take our mission to England.
We were sick and afflicted many of us. At the same time we felt to go.
The Prophet blessed us as also our wives and families; and I was
reading a day or two ago his instructions from my journal. He taught
us some very important principles, some of which I here name. Brother
Taylor, myself, George A. Smith, John E. Page and others had been
called to fill the place of those who had fallen away. Brother Joseph
laid before us the cause of those men's turning away from the
commandments of God. He hoped we would learn wisdom by what we saw
with the eye and heard with the ear, and that we would be able to
discern the spirits of other men without being compelled to learn by
sad experience. He then remarked that any man, any elder in this
Church and kingdom—who pursued a course whereby he would ignore or in
other words refuse to obey any known law or commandment or
duty—whenever a man did this, neglected any duty God required at his
hand in attending meetings, filling missions, or obeying counsel, he
laid a foundation to lead him to apostasy and this was the reason
those men had fallen. They had misused the priesthood sealed upon
their heads. They had neglected to magnify their callings as apostles
as elders. They had used that priesthood to attempt to build
themselves up and to perform some other work besides the building up
of the kingdom of God. And not only did he give us the counsel, but
the same is given in the revelation of God to us. I have ever read
with a great deal of interest that revelation given to Joseph Smith in
answer to his prayer in Liberty jail. I have ever looked upon that
revelation of God to that man, considering the few sentences it
includes, as containing as much principle as any revelation God ever
gave to man. He gave Joseph to understand that he held the priesthood,
which priesthood was after the order of God, after the order of
Melchisedec, the same priesthood by which God himself performed all
his works in the heavens and in the earth, and any man who bore that
priesthood had the same power. That priesthood had communication with
the heavens, power to move the heavens, power to perform the work of
the heavens, and wherever any man magnified that calling, God gave his
angels charge concerning him and his ministrations were of power and
force both in this world and the world to come; but let that man use
[p.191] that priesthood for any other purpose than the building up of
the kingdom of God, for which purpose it was given, and the heavens
withdraw themselves, the power of the priesthood departs, and he is
left to walk in darkness and not in light, and this is the key to
apostasy of all men whether in this generation or any other.

Vol. 21, p.191
Our responsibilities before the Lord are great. We have no right to
break any law that God has given unto us. The more we do so the less
power we have before God, before heaven and before the earth, and the
nearer we live to God, the closer we obey his laws and keep his
commandments, the more power we will have, and the greater will be our
desire for the building up of the kingdom of God while we dwell here
in the flesh.

Vol. 21, p.191
We have no right to break the Sabbath. We have no right to neglect our
meetings to attend to our labors. I do not believe that any man, who
has ever belonged. to this Church and kingdom, since its organization,
has made anything by attending to his farm on the Sabbath: but if your
ox falls into a pit get him out; to work in that way is all just and
right, but for us to go farming to the neglect of our meetings and
other duties devolving upon us, is something we have no right to do.
The Spirit of God does no like it, it withdraws itself from us, and we
make no money by it. We should keep the Sabbath holy. We should attend
our meetings.

Vol. 21, p.191
This kingdom is advancing. It has got to advance, and somebody has got
to build it up. Somebody has got to labor in it. The God of heaven has
had a people prepared before the world was made for this dispensation.
He had a people prepared to stand in the flesh to take this kingdom
and bear it off; and the very spirit of the prophets and apostles, who
have gone before us, has been manifested in the lives of faithful men
and women from the organization of this Church until to-day, and will
continue until the coming of the Lord, as there are a great many men
and women wire will live their religion and carry out the purposes of
God on the earth.

Vol. 21, p.191
It is our duty as apostles, as elders and as Latter-day Saints, to
contemplate, to reflect, to read the word of God, and to try to
comprehend our condition, our position, and our responsibility before
the Lord. If our eyes were opened, if the vail were lifted, and we
could see our condition, our responsibility, and could comprehend the
feelings of God our heavenly Father, and the heavenly hosts, and the
justified spirits made perfect, in their watch-care over us, in their
anxiety about us in our labors here in the flesh; we would all feel
that we have no time to waste in folly or anything else which brings
to pass no good. All of us, as elders of Israel and as Latter-day
Saints, bear some portion of the holy priesthood, either the
Melchisedek or Aaronic. It is a kingdom of priests, and there is work
enough for this people to magnify their calling. The Lord has agreed
to sustain us, and to break every weapon that is formed against us. He
has promised to sustain Zion, and when the Prophet saw this Zion of
God in the mountains, his soul was filled with joy and he cried,
"Sing, O heavens, and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into
singing, O mountains; for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will
have mercy upon his afflicted." Again the prophet says, "Can a woman
forget her suckling child, that she should not have compassion on the
son of her womb?—yea, they [p.192] may forget, yet will I not forget
thee." Zion has been before the face of the Lord since the creation of
the world! Our heavenly Father has protected this people. We have been
favored from the day we set our feet in the valleys of the mountains,
notwithstanding the tribulation and opposition we have had to contend
with. All the designs of the wicked and ungodly to stop this work have
been thwarted. The hand of God is over Zion. He is our Comforter. He
sustains us, and we have every encouragement on the face of the earth,
as Latter-day Saints, to be true and faithful unto him the little time
we spend in the flesh.

Vol. 21, p.192
Our responsibilities are great, our work is great. We not only have
the Gospel to preach to the nations of the earth, but we have to fill
these valleys, towns, cities, etc., and we have, among other important
things, to rear temples unto the name of the Lord before the coming of
Christ. We have got to enter into those temples and redeem our
dead—not only the dead of our own family, but the dead of the whole
spirit world. This is part of the great work of the Latter-day Saints.
We shall build these temples and, if we do our duty, there is no power
that can hinder this work, because the Lord is with us; and certainly
our aim is high! As a people we aim at celestial glory; we aim at the
establishment of the kingdom of God. We have been raised up for the
purpose of warning the world; to preach the Gospel; to go to the meek
of the earth and bring them to these valleys of the mountains, that
they may be delivered from the power of sin and Satan. Our numbers are
many compared with former dispensations. Nevertheless, our numbers are
few when compared with the twelve or fourteen hundred millions of
inhabitants who dwell in the flesh. Still, with the help of God, we
have power to redeem the world. This is our work. We are obliged to
labor and to continue to while we are here, and when we have finished
our work, our sons, the rising generation, have got to take this
kingdom and bear it off.

Vol. 21, p.192
Eight of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are in the spirit world
today who were in the flesh when we came here, and so they pass away,
one after another, when they finish their work. Do you suppose that in
their minds and feelings they realized they had done too much? I think
not. Just so with those who remain in the flesh. There is no time to
throw away, and I would to God that the elders of Israel could fully
realize and comprehend the great work that God has put upon their
shoulders—the building up of his kingdom.

Vol. 21, p.192
This kingdom has continued to increase and spread. When we came here
thirty-three years ago we found this place a barren desert. There was
no mark of the white man here· It was a desert indeed, hardly a green
thing to meet the eye. You can see to-day for yourselves. The
inhabitants of Zion are a marvel and a wonder to the world· They
occupy these valleys of the mountains from Idaho to Arizona· The
valleys, as it were, are filled with Latter-day Saints. And who are
these Latter-day Saints? They are the people whom the God of heaven
has raised up in fulfilment of promise and revelation. He has
carefully gathered them together by the power of the Gospel, by the
power of revelation, and placed them here in the valleys of the
mountains. Has there ever been any power formed against this    people
that has been successfull? Nay; [p.193] and this people will never see
the day when our enemies shall prevail, for the very reason that God
had decreed that Zion shall be built up; the kingdom that Daniel saw
shall roll forth, until the little stone cut out of the mountain
without hands shall fill the whole earth. The people of God shall be
prepared in the Latter-days to carry out the great programme of the
Almighty, and all the powers of the earth and hell combined cannot
prevent them. When I see the view that the world take in regard to
this great latter-day work; when I hear it questioned as to whether
God has an thine to do with it; when I see the feeling of hatred that
is manifested towards us, to me it is the strongest evidence that this
is the work of God. Why? Because we have been chosen out of the world
and therefore the world hate us. This is a testimony that Jew and
Gentile and the whole world look at. Then if this is the work of God
what is the world going to do about it? What can this nation or the
combined nations of the earth do about it? Can any power beneath the
heavens stay the progress of the work of God? I tell you nay, it
cannot be done. I do not boast of these things as the work of man; it
is the work of the Almighty; it is not the work of man. The Lord has
called men to labor in his kingdom, and I wish the elders would look
upon this subject as it is and realize our position before the Lord.
Here we are a handful of people chosen out of some twelve or fourteen
hundred millions of people; and my faith in regard to this matter is
that before we were born, before Joseph Smith was born, before Brigham
was born—my faith is that we were chosen to come forth in this day and
generation and do the work which God has designed should be done. That
is my view in regard to the Latter-day Saints, and that is the reason
why the apostles and elders in the early days of this Church had power
to go forth without parse or scrip and preach the Gospel of Christ and
bear record of his kingdom. Had it not been for that power we could
not have performed the work. We have had to be sustained by the hand
of God until to-day, and we shall be sustained until we get through,
if we keep the commandments of God, and, if we do not, we shall fall,
and the Lord will raise up other men to take our place. Therefore, I
look upon it that we had a work assigned to us before we were born.
With regard to the faithful leaders of this Church and kingdom,
beginning with Joseph Smith, how many times have I heard men say in my
travels—Why did God choose Joseph Smith, why did he choose that boy to
open up this dispensation and lay the foundation of this Church? Why
did'nt he choose some great man, such as Henry Ward Beecher? I have
had but one answer in my life to give to such a question, namely, that
the Lord Almighty could not do anything with them, he could not humble
them. They were not; the class of men that were chosen for a work of
this kind in any age of the world. The Lord Almighty chose the weak
things of this world. He could handle them. He therefore chose Joseph
Smith because he was weak, and he had sense enough to know it. He had
the ministration of angels out of heaven. He had also the ministration
of the Father. and the Son and of the holy men who once dwelt in the
flesh.

Vol. 21, p.193
We have been obliged to acknowledge the hand of God. From out of the
pit have we been dug. We have been taken from the plough,  [p.194] the
bench, the various occupations of life, having limited knowledge of
what the world calls learning. The Lord has called this class of men
as elders, and inspired by the power of God they have gone forth and
warned the world, and those of this generation who reject the
testimony of these elders will be under condemnation, for the elders
will rise up in judgment and condemn them. The building up of this
kingdom rests upon our shoulders—not upon the shoulders of Brother
Taylor and the Twelve Apostles alone, but every. man and every woman
who has heard this Gospel and gone into the waters of baptism will be
held responsible for the light and knowledge they received.

Vol. 21, p.194
This is my testimony to you today. You have got the kingdom of God
here. It has grown and increased, and will continue to grow and
increase. I look at this building; I look at the tabernacle here; I
look at the temples that are being built; I see what is going on in
the mountains of Israel, and I ask what is it? It is the work of God.
I acknowledge his hand in it. This is the reason why we are inspired
to build these temples. Why we labor to build them is because the day
has come when they are needed. Joseph Smith went into the spirit world
to unlock the prison doors in this dispensation or generation. He
stayed here long enough to lay the foundation of this kingdom and
obtain the keys belonging to it. The last time he ever met with the
quorum of the Twelve was when he gave them their endowments, and when
they left him he had a presentiment that it was the last time they
would ever meet. He had something to do the other side of the vail. He
had a thousand to preach to there, where you and I have one in the
flesh. And this is the great work of the last dispensation—the
redemption of the living and the dead.

Vol. 21, p.194
We ought not, as elders of Israel, to treat lightly the blessings we
enjoy. We ought not to treat lightly the holy priesthood, or attempt
to use it for any other purpose under the whole heavens other than to
build up the Zion of God. The counsel that has been given this
forenoon upon this matter we should lay to heart. The eyes of all the
heavenly hosts are over this people. They are watching us with the
deepest anxiety. They understand things better than we do, for our
vail is our bodies, and when our spirits leave them we will not have a
great way to get into the spirit world. They know the warfare we have
with wicked spirits and with a wicked world, but what encouragement we
have when we read the revelations! We live in a generation when the
Lord has decreed that his kingdom shall be preserved. The prophets of
every other dispensation have been called to seal their testimony with
their blood. My faith is that those of this dispensation will not be
called to do this. Joseph and Hyrum, it is true, were called to lay
down their lives. Why? I believe myself it was necessary to seal a
dispensation of this almighty magnitude with the blood of the testator
for one thing, and for another thing the people were worthy that put,
him to death, and will have the bill to pay as the Jews had to pay for
the blood of the Messiah; but as far as the leaders of this people and
the people generally are concerned, I think the Lord intends we should
live at peace. With regard to Brigham Young, we all know the
disposition there was on the part of his enemies to  take his life. I
never believed, however, [p.195] that he would die a violent death.
Neither do I believe that we shall be required to go forth and stain
our swords in the blood of our fellow men in our defence. It has been
decreed that the wicked shall slay the wicked. Now, I give you my
views regarding these things. I speak the sentiments of my own heart
and what I believe. The judgments of our God will be poured forth, but
the elders of Israel will not be called upon to slay the wicked. The
wicked will slay the wicked. When I read the Bible, the Book of Mormon
and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, I feel that it is with us as
with the generation that lived in the days of Ezekiel. In those days
the Lord told the prophet to tell the people that what he said he
meant to fulfil. And so it is in the day and age in which we live. All
things will be fulfilled. The judgments of Almighty God will be poured
out upon the wicked. The harvest is ripe, and I know the farmer has
got to cut his crops when they are ripe, otherwise they will go back
into the ground and rot.

Vol. 21, p.195
When I see the wickedness and abomination that prevail in Babylon,
covering the earth, as it were, like a mighty sea—when I see these
things I feel to ask myself the question, how long can these things
rise up in the sight of heaven and not have their reward? In my own
mind I can see a change at our door. In the face of the revelations I
cannot see how it can be otherwise. The signs of heaven and earth all
indicate the near coming of the Son of Man. You read the 9th, 10th and
11th chapters of the last Book of Nephi, and see what the Lord has
said will take place in this generation, when the Gospel of Christ has
again been offered to the inhabitants of the earth. The Lord did not
reveal the day of the coming of the Son of Man, but he revealed the
generation. That generation is upon us. The signs of heaven and earth
predict the fulfillment of these things, and they will come to pass.

Vol. 21, p.195
Therefore, let us try to live our religion. We have the kingdom of
God. There is no question about this. There was none with Joseph Smith
when the angels of God ministered unto him, and we had a living
testimony of this work from that day to this. What is the greatest
testimony any man or woman can have as to this being the work of God?
I will tell you what is the greatest testimony I have ever had, the
most sure testimony, that is the testimony of the Holy Ghost, the
testimony of the Father and the Son. We may have the ministration of
angels; we may be wrapt in the visions of heaven—these things as
testimonies are very good, but when you receive the Holy Ghost, when
you receive the testimony of the Father and the Son, it is a true
principle to every man on earth, it deceives no man, and by that
principle you can learn and understand the mind of God. Revelation has
been looked upon by this Church, as well as by the world, as something
very marvelous. What is revelation? The testimony of the Father and
Son. How many of you have had revelation? How many of you have had the
Spirit of God whisper unto you—the still small voice. I would have
been in the spirit world a great many years ago, if I had not followed
the promptings of the still small voice. These were the revelations of
Jesus Christ, the strongest testimony a man or a woman can have. I
have had many testimonies since I have been connected with this Church
and kingdom. I have been blessed at times with certain [p.196] gifts
and graces, certain revelations and ministrations; but with them all I
have never found anything that I could place more dependence upon than
the still small voice of the Holy Ghost.

Vol. 21, p.196
I know this is the work of God. I know God is with this people. I am
anxious for them. I am anxious for the rising generation, for the
young men and young women, for I know this kingdom has got to rest
upon their shoulders. When I see the evils that exist in Salt Lake
City, I realize they are in danger. Our responsibilities as parents
are great. We have not only to set an example ourselves, but we must
pray for them, and counsel them, and I am satisfied that the Lord will
prepare our young men and young maidens, the sons and daughters of
this people, so that they will take this kingdom and bear it off. The
kingdom will never be thrown down or given to another people.

Vol. 21, p.196
I thank God I live in this day and age if the world. I thank God that
I heard the Gospel. I thank the Lord I have been made partaker of the
holy priesthood in connection with the Gospel, and all the fears I
have had have been about myself and friends. I never had any fears
about the kingdom of God. I do not have any to-day. I realize and
understand, as well as I know anything, that this kingdom is ordained
to stand. It will grow and increase. Zion will arise and put on her
beautiful garments. The only fears that I have are with regard to
myself, my family, my wives and my children. We are surrounded with
temptations which have a tendency to lead us away. We have got to
guard against them; we have got to increase our faith and live nearer
and nearer to the Lord.

Vol. 21, p.196
I pray God to bless you and bless this people, and bless those who are
called to watch over us. We have to watch as well as pray. We have to
guard the Church and kingdom of God. By and by our mission will close.
We will soon pass away and shall reap our reward. We are living in the
last dispensation. Joseph Smith, I expect, will sound the sixth
trumpet. He will be at the head of this dispensation; or, if he does
not blow the trumpet of this dispensation, I do not know who will.
Somebody has got to do it, and it must be somebody holding the keys of
the various dispensations of the world. No other angels are coming
from any other world to administer in this dispensation; those men
will minister who dwelt here in the flesh.

Vol. 21, p.196
May God bless us and help us to keep his commandments, for Jesus'
sake. Amen. [p.197]

Orson Pratt, November 12, 1879

Pre-Existence, in Spiritual Form, of Man, the Lower Animals and the
 Earth—The Temporal Probationary State—The Millennium—The Final Change

Delivered at Mount Pleasant, November 12th, 1879.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs.)

Vol. 21, p.197
Through the kind providence of our heavenly Father we are permitted,
on this pleasant day, to assemble here in this comfortable house, for
the purpose of worshiping God, and hearing instruction as the Lord may
see proper, in his kindness and wisdom, to pour out his spirit, and
make manifest the truth to us. It is a pleasing thing for the human
mind, to contemplate that it has some object to worship; that there is
a being, far exalted above us, who dwells in the heavens, who is
worthy of all adoration and praise; and that we are his children, in
possession of a portion of his attributes.

Vol. 21, p.197
The world which we inhabit is a fallen creation, a fallen world, shut
out from the presence of our Father, the being whom we worship, so
that we cannot behold his face, nor the glory of his presence. It is
for a wise purpose, that we are placed here, in this fallen condition.
It seems to be so, as far as we have been made acquainted with the
purposes of the great Jehovah. It seems to be the ordeal, through
which all intelligent beings must pass, in order to gain that fullness
of exaltation, in the presence of God, which is promised in his word.

Vol. 21, p.197
We were not always in the condition we are now in. We are only placed
here for a few years, and are adapted to our present condition. A long
time before you and I came here upon this stage of action, we had an
intelligent existence; we dwelt in a better world than this, and a
world that had been redeemed, a world that had been sanctified and
glorified; in other words, a world that had been made celestial, just
as we are in hopes that our present world will, at some future period,
be exalted to the celestial glory, and become the habitation of
celestial beings. That world we occupied, before we came here, was
celestial; our Father had his dwelling place there, or, at least, one
of his dwelling places; and we were surrounded by our Father's glory,
we were familiar with his countenance, familiar with the beautiful
mansions that were there,—familiar with all the glory that existed
there, so far as we were capable of comprehending. There was no vail
drawn between us and our Father, no vail drawn between us and the
associates of our Father, who were also celestial beings, many of them
having been redeemed from a world more ancient [p.198] than ours. We
had a long experience, I suppose, in that world; at least, we know
from that which our Father has revealed to us, that we were born
there; that this intelligent being that has power to discern, power to
reflect, power to reason,—that this intelligent being was born in that
previous estate.

Vol. 21, p.198
These were some of the first revelations given in this last
dispensation. The Lord did not wait several years, before he revealed
unto us, in some measure, concerning our condition before we came
here. Hence, it was away back in the year 1830, that this doctrine of
the pre-existence of man was revealed, in greater fullness, than it
was given in the Book of Mormon. There are two or three places in the
Book of Mormon that reveal the pre-existence of man; but not in such
great plainness, as was given soon after the publication of that Book,
through the Prophet Joseph Smith, before the Saints began to gather,
informing us that we were in reality the children of our Father and
God; that we had a pre-existence in which we had learned many very
important principles, connected with spiritual existence, before
taking bodies of flesh and bones, which was also necessary to afford
us a still greater experience. Now, in this plan that God has devised
for the advancement of these intelligent beings—by passing them
through various stages of existence, under different circumstances,
and in different conditions,—he gives them experience that they never
could have gained, had they remained in the presence of the Father, in
that world which was celestial; in other words, we were his offspring
in that world, our spiritual bodies not having flesh and bones, but
being in the image of the Father and Son,—his own sons and daughters.
He had a great desire that we should be educated and taught. He could
teach us a great many things in that world as we teach our children;
he could impart to us a great many things—for there were as many
truths in existence in that day as are in existence now; but truths
were taught to us, as we were capable of understanding them. The Lord
felt anxious that we might come up and eventually be made like him, as
it is written in the New Testament, "who shall change our vile body
that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body." I have no doubt
before we came into this world, we had a great anxiety, that we might
be brought up in the same way he was instructed and taught, and led
along, passing through different conditions of existence, that we
finally might be counted worthy to be exalted at his right hand, and
receive the fullness of his celestial glory the same that he is in
possession of and that we might have all his attributes, dwelling
within us, as separate individuals and personages, that he might exalt
us like unto himself. Now, there is a great deal to be comprehended,
when we are told that we are children who will become like our Father;
that we were like him in our first stage and condition of existence.
We were there, as it were, children without a fullness of knowledge;
many experiences had not yet been given to us; but we were like him in
our general outline—the outline of our persons; our general form was
like him, "after his image" etc., It is thus written in the Book of
Mormon, in that great vision to the brother of Jared, in which the
Lord condescended to take the vail off his eyes. The brother of Jared
had gone up into the mountain, and had moulten out of a rock sixteen
small stones, [p.199] which he carried up into the top of the mount.
He went there with an object in view; the object was to get the Lord
to touch the stones that they might shine forth in darkness in the
eight vessels, (which had been built to convey him and his brother
across the great waters) one to be placed at each end of each of the
vessels. It would naturally increase the faith of the brother of
Jared, to believe it possible that he might see the finger of the
Lord. He was going to pray that God would touch the stones, the same
as we pray for the Lord to put forth his finger and touch the
particles of oil, when we dedicate it, for sacred purposes. If we pray
in faith, we must suppose that the finger touches the oil. And Jared
prayed in faith, He did not know but what it might be his privilege to
see his finger. He did see it; it appeared to him like he finger of a
man, like unto flesh and blood. But his faith was too great for his
nervous system; for when he saw the finger of the Lord, he fell to the
earth through fear. And the Lord looked unto him and asked him why he
had fallen. He answered and said, "I saw the finger of the Lord and I
feared lest he should smite me; for I knew not that the Lord had flesh
and blood." He did not know but what his imperfections were so great,
that the Lord would smite him; but he was commanded to arise. The Lord
then asked him, "Sawest thou more than this?" God he answered, "nay,
Lord, shew thyself unto me." Here was a prayer that extended a little
further. The Lord wanted to see what amount of faith he had, and he
put another question to 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 the
brother of Jared had manifested his faith, the Lord condescended to
show his whole personage to him, and said, "Seest thou that ye are
created after mine own image. Behold, this body, which ye now behold
is the body of my spirit, and man have I created after the body of my
spirit."

Vol. 21, p.199
Here the pre-existence of man was taught in the Book of Mormon. "All
men in the beginning were created after the image of this body which
he was then shewing. All the human family that then existed, and that
would exist in future time upon the earth, were created in the
beginning, after the image of that body; that is, that body which he
showed was not a body of flesh and bones, but a pure spiritual body,
organized out of pure spiritual substance, filled with light and
truth. He informed this great man of God, that he was prepared, from
before the foundation of the world, to redeem his people. "Behold,"
says he, "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."

Vol. 21, p.199
Here, then, was a great deal of information given to us, concerning
the formation of the human spirit, the formation of men,—the formation
of their persons, and their individualities, before the foundation of
this world.

Vol. 21, p.199
It was after this was given, and the Book of Mormon was published,
that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints arose; But the
Lord, thinking that we had not sufficient understanding of this
pre-existence, began to tell us (in the month of June 1830, only a few
months after the organization of the Church) more about these things.
[p.200] He told us about the spiritual creation, something we did not
comprehend before. We used to read the first and second chapters of
Genesis which give an account of the works of the Almighty, but did
not distinguish between the spiritual work and the temporal work of
Christ. Although there are some things in King James' translation that
give us a little distinction between the two creations, yet we did not
comprehend it. The light shone, in some measure, in darkness, but so
dark were our minds, through tradition, that we did not comprehend the
light—or the few feeble glimmerings of light, contained in these first
and second chapters, of the uninspired translation. But our heavenly
Father inspired his servant Joseph Smith, to translate several
chapters more in the Book of Genesis, in December 1830, which gave a
more full account, down to the days of the flood. He told us a great
many important principles, principles that he did not give, so far as
the historical matter was concerned, in the Book of Mormon. They were
an addition in some respects, and therefore, they were new to us, who
lived in the early rise of the Church, and calculated to give us great
joy.

Vol. 21, p.200
In these two creations that took place in the beginning, represented
as the beginning of this creation—not absolutely the beginning of all
the creations of God; for his works are without beginning and without
end, they never cease, nor does his word cease; he speaks to us, so
far as this creation is concerned, according to our natural ideas and
understanding. He says, "all things I have created by the word of my
power, which is the power of my spirit—I created them firstly
spiritual and secondly temporal, which is the beginning of my work;
and again firstly temporal, and secondly spiritual, which is the last
of my work, speaking unto you that you may naturally understand; but
unto myself my works have no end neither beginning."

Vol. 21, p.200
We learn, therefore, when speaking of this spiritual creation, that
not only all the children of men, of all generations, and of all ages,
were created spiritually in heaven, but that fish and fowls, and
beast, and all animated things, having life, were first made spiritual
in heaven, on the fifth and fixth days, before bodies of flesh were
prepared for them on the earth; and that there was no flesh upon the
earth until the morning of the seventh day. On that morning God made
the first fleshly tabernacle and took mans spirit and put within it,
and man became a living soul—the first flesh upon the earth—the first
man also. Though it was the seventh day no flesh but this one
tabernacle was yet formed. No fish, fowl and beast was as yet
permitted to have a body of flesh. The second chapter of Genesis, (new
translation) informs us that the spirits of feds were created in
heaven, the spirits of fish and cattle, and all things that dwell upon
the earth, had their pre-existence. They were created in heaven, the
spiritual part of them; not their flesh and bones. We are also told in
this inspired translation, that these living trees which we behold—for
God has given life unto all things —had their spiritual existence in
heaven before their temporal existence; every herb and every tree,
before it was plated out on the earth, that is, the spiritual part of
it, the life of it, sat which, in other words, animate that which
gives power to the vegetable to bring  forth fruit afar its
likeness—the spiritual part visited in heaven. It [p.201] was a
spiritual creation first. We are also told that the earth was
organized in a spiritual form, that is, that portion that gives life
to the earth. We read about the earth's dying, and that it shall be
quickened again. What is it that will make the earth die? It will be
the withdrawing of the spiritual portion from it, that which gives it
life—that which animates it, and causes it to bring forth fruit; that
which quickens the earth is the Spirit of God. That spiritual creation
existed before the temporal was formed. This was the beginning of the
first part of his work, pertaining to this creation. On the seventh
day he began the temporal portion. There was not yet a man to till the
ground, "and the gods formed man front the dust of the ground, and
took his spirit—that is the man's spirit—and put it into him and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living
soul." This we read in the 2nd chapter of Genesis, and you will find
it recorded on the 6th and 35th pages of the new edition of the Pearl
of Great Price.

Vol. 21, p.201
Abraham also obtained a knowledge of the spiritual creation, as well
as the temporal. In giving a history of the creation, he speaks of the
formation of man out of the ground, how he took man's spirit that, was
created in heaven and put it within the body of man, and man became a
living soul—the first flesh upon the earth, as recorded in the second
of Genesis. Now, we have been in the habit of' thinking that the
various kinds of animals that have lived, according to geologists,
were the first flesh on the earth, and we go away back millions of
ages to see that these lower formations of life existed before man.
But the Lord gives us different information from this. He shows us
that among all the animated creatures of flesh, man was the first that
was ever placed upon the earth in this temporal condition,
contradicting the theories of geologists—that is, so far as placing
man on the earth in this present probation is concerned. What may have
taken place millions of ages before the world was organized temporally
for man to inhabit is not revealed; but, so far as this present change
is concerned, that took place about six thousand years ago, man was
the first being that came upon the earth and inhabited a body of flesh
and bones. Afterwards, on the seventh day, out of the ground the Lord
God created the beasts of the field. Go back to the first chapter of
Genesis, and you will find that the beasts, etc., were formed on the
sixth day or period, and that on the seventh there was no flesh on the
earth, and having created man as the first flesh upon the earth, God
then created, out of the ground, the beasts of the field.

Vol. 21, p.201
Here is the second part of the beginning of his work: firstly,
spiritual,—the beasts created in heaven; then, secondly,
temporal,—their bodies formed out of the ground, their spirits being
put within these bodies, and the beasts became living souls. As it was
with the birds of the air, so with the fish of the sea, and so with
all animated creatures pertaining to this world. This is the history
of the generations of the heavens and the earth, on the day that the
Lord God created them; and the Lord has seen proper to reveal this
great information in the first of Genesis, and in the Book of Abraham.

Vol. 21, p.201
Now, let us consider the condition of the temporal work, for it is
needful for us to understand these things, that we may  advance in the
[p.202] knowledge of God, in the knowledge of truth, in this great
school of experience. Let us try to understand, then, the nature of
the temporal work; for it was formed in the manner specified in this
revelation. Was there any death in this creation after the temporal
was formed, before the fall? No. Were any birds of the air subject to
death? No. Were any of the fishes of the sea? No. Were there any
animals placed on the earth in their temporal condition their bodies
being formed and adapted to the spirit that came from heaven—were any
subject to death? No. Were they ferocious? No. To every animal that
God had granted life he had given every green herb of the field for
meat, whether it was the lion, the leopard, the wolf, or whatever
animal may have existed upon the face of the earth. There was no such
thing as one animal destroying another—fighting and quarrelling were
unknown among the beasts of the field. A little child, if there had
been any, could have played, so far as any danger was concerned, with
these animals, and they feasted upon the green herbs which were given
to the beasts for their sustenance. By and by, a garden was made
eastward in Eden, in which the Lord planted a great many beautiful
trees, This was purely a temporal work, and that Garden would have
existed until to-day if death had not come into the world through the
fall of our first parents.

Vol. 21, p.202
How different was the second or temporal work, that existed in the
beginning of the great work of creation, from the present order of
things! Now we see, and according to history we learn, that all
creation are at enmity one with another in their natural state. Hence
we find the lions with teeth, probably constructed since the fall, and
adapted to devour their prey. I do not believe they had such teeth in
the beginning. They had teeth with which they ate "straw like the ox."
But everything was changed in a great measure, in this beautiful
temporal creation; and the beasts began to fight, and quarrel, and
devour each other; and man began to be ferocious, like the beasts,
desirous to kill his fellow man. We see him at this early stage in our
race, seeking the blood of his fellows, and entering into secret
combinations to kill, and destroy, and rob one another of their
position and property, and to be at enmity one against another. The
Lord in the midst of this fallen condition of his temporal work, has
permitted it to continue for about, 6,000 years. But mankind have been
devising a multitude of measures, by which they reform one another;
but after they get pretty well reformed they rise up again and devour
one another by wholesale. While they are engaged in reforming each
other, they are making weapons of destruction to destroy one another.
Enmity prevails, and has prevailed, for the last 6,000 years, with the
exception of now and then a dispensation, being introduced, wherein
this fallen nature of ours becomes, in a great measure, changed
through obedience to the plan of salvation which God has revealed; and
then we begin to love our fellow-men, are filled with love and
kindness like, in some measure, our heavenly Father, going forth and
proclaiming to them the Gospel of peace, and trying to do them good,
and redeem them, and reclaim them; and we succeed, now and then, in
bringing some to a higher state; they are born of God, and become new
creatures in Christ, being filled with that  superior power, that
exists [p.203] in that celestial world, where we formerly resided. It
comes down from the Father, and from the Son, sand enters into the
hearts of the sons and daughters of God, and they are made new
creatures; they begin to love that which is good, and hate that which
is evil, and begin to perfect themselves in their various
dispensations, according to the light and knowledge sent down from
heaven for their perfection.

Vol. 21, p.203
Notwithstanding so many dispensations, and the world has continued so
long under the power of Satan, now is the time when the Lord our God
has begun to send forth a proclamation of redemption, to lift us up
out of this low fallen condition in which we have been placed, and our
fathers before us, for so long a time; and it so happens that we are
living very near the period when the earth will be restored from its
fallen condition to that same temporal condition in which it existed
before the fall, when there was no enmity existing between mankind. I
say, the day is now almost at hand when the Lord is going to begin the
last of his work, which will be to make this earth again temporal—or
in other words, to remove, in some measure, the curse—to restore it
back to the temporal condition in which it was when he first organized
it and before sin contaminated it.

Vol. 21, p.203
In order to accomplish this work, he is working, according to his own
will and pleasure, among the nations, raising up a kingdom, a nucleus,
by taken them "one of a city and two of a family," gathering them out
from every nation to the land of Zion and planting the truth in their
hearts; they become more and more instructed and learn more and more
of the ways of the Lord, preparatory to the organization of this world
again in its temporal beauty and perfection as it was when it first
issued forth in its temporal form from the hands of the Almighty.

Vol. 21, p.203
There is one thing connected with the temporal form of the earth which
I did not mention; I will refer to it now. While this earth existed in
its more perfect temporal form, Adam and Eve were placed upon it, and
they were immortal, just like all the beasts and just like the fishes
of the sea; death had not yet come upon any of them; all things were
immortal so far as this creation was concerned. The first pairs, the
beginning of his temporal work, were not subject to death. And another
thing, they were not to be shut out from the presence of the Almighty.
They could behold his countenance, they could hear his voice. Those
who then existed— could converse with him freely. There was no veil
between them and the Lord. Now, when the more perfect temporal
condition shall be restored again, in the last of his work, and the
Lord shall begin to remodel this earth, to transfigure it, and get it
prepared for the righteous, the veil will be taken away, in a measure;
we shall behold the face of the Lord again; we shall be able to
associate with immortal beings again; and we shall be able to enjoy a
great many blessings that were introduced in the beginning, which were
lost through the fall. The Lord Jesus Christ will be here, a part of
the time, to instruct us, and those ancient patriarchs, Adam included,
will come down out of their ancient celestial world, where they were
first made spiritual. They are coming upon this creation; and they
will have their homesteads here; and they will frequently, no doubt,
take great joy in gathering together their faithful children, from the
day of their own probation [p.204] to the one hundredth generation. It
will be some pleasure for one of our ancestors that was born a hundred
generations ago to say, "Come, my children, you that are here in the
flesh that have not as yet become immortal, you that dwell upon the
face of this earth, partially redeemed—come, I have some glorious
tidings to communicate to you. I have something that you are not in
possession of, knowledge you have not gained, because we have been up
in yonder celestial world; we have been dwelling in the presence of
our Father and God. We were restored there in the dispensation in
which we died and in which we were translated, and we have learned a
great many things that the children of mortality do not know anything
about. Come, gather yourselves together, that you may behold your
former fathers, your fathers fathers and so on, until you extend back
for a hundred generations. Hear the instructions that they shall
impart to you. They will tell you about the celestial kingdom, and the
higher glory thereof, and the blessings that are to be enjoyed by
those that attain to the fulness of that kingdom." Will not this be
encouraging to those that are yet mortal, during the millennium? I
think it will. Then will the knowledge of the fathers, the knowledge
of the earth, and of the things of God, and the knowledge of that
which is celestial, and great, and glorious, and far beyond the
comprehension of imperfect beings as we now are in our fallen
state—then that knowledge will be opened up to the minds of the
children of men, during their respective generations here upon the
earth, during the great sabbath of creation. What is all this for? It
is to prepare their children, during the millennium that they may have
this earth made celestial, like unto the more ancient one, that they,
with this creation, may be crowned with the presence of God the
Father, and his Son Jesus Christ. We gain this knowledge and
information by degrees. Our children are educated and taught, until
the heavens become familiar with them; the Lord becomes familiar with
them; his countenance becomes familiar to all the righteous of the
earth. Before we can fully understand the nature of a still greater
change than that which has been wrought upon the temporal creation,
during the millennium, we begin to expect it, and look for it, and bye
and bye, when evil fruit again appears in the Lord's vineyard, and the
earth is corrupted by the sons of perdition, and some of his people
begin to reject the heavenly light, and deny their God,—when this
period of time shall come the earth will be spared only for a little
season, and the end will come, and the great white throne will appear,
and God will sit upon the throne, and utter forth his voice and our
temporal heaven will flee away; and this earth although it will be so
greatly blessed, although it is so far redeemed, although it is
inhabited by the righteous for a thousand years, yet, because it will
become contaminated, and because it has been so corrupted in the past,
in consequence of the fall of man, it will have to die and undergo a
greater change, than all these changes of which I have spoken.

Vol. 21, p.204
But what says the revelation, called the "Olive Leaf," given Dec.
27th, 1832, on this subject? We are told in this that the earth shall
die, and pass away, but it shall be quickened again, for God shall
quicken the earth upon which we live. It will become a new earth;
[p.205] but will be prepared more perfectly than it was under the
three other conditions in which it was placed; first its spiritual
creation, secondly its temporal, in which its spiritual and temporal
were combined. The next condition is that of restoring it from the
fall back to a temporal condition, and then a still greater change,
like unto the death of our bodies, when our bodies crumble back to
mother earth and pass themselves among the elements. So it will be
with this earth. It will crumble, or in other words, the elements will
be separated asunder, and the world will pass away from his presence.
What next? Another great change to be wrought. The same elements,
constituting the earth, and the atmosphere will be brought together
again, in such a manner and way, that the new earth will look like
unto a sea of glass, and those who are worthy of the celestial glory
will inhabit it forever. What will be the condition of the people who
dwell upon that glorious celestial world? They will have the presence
of God the Father with them. They will be permitted to dwell where he
is. He will light up that world; they will have no need of the rays of
the sun, as we now have, neither of the moon, nor stars, so far as
light is concerned, for the Lord God will be their light and their
glory from that time henceforth and forever. In this new creation the
tree of life will flourish and grow. All beings that partake of the
fruit of the tree of life will be constituted, so that they will live
for ever and ever.

Vol. 21, p.205
These are the different conditions of this creation given in a general
outline. We are now living near the close of 6000 years during which
time evil and wickedness have prevailed. The devil has had great power
and dominion over the generations of the earth; and the earth itself
has groaned under the load of sin and corruption which has been upon
its face. Enoch when enveloped in the vision of the Almighty, beheld
and heard the earth groan under this lead of wickedness, crying out to
the Lord, saying—"When will my creator sanctify me, that righteousness
may abide upon my face. When shall I rest from all the wickedness that
has gone out of me." He was informed that there was a day of rest
coming for old mother earth,—for he was grieved in his heart for the
earth itself, as well as the inhabitants thereof; for he saw how the
earth was afflicted, until she groaned to be relieved. But the time
will come, when it will be sanctified. We are living near that period
of time. It is for this purpose you have come to these mountains. It
is for this purpose you have received the spirit of truth, the Holy
Ghost, the comforter, to sanctify you, and prepare you to take part in
this great work of .the latter-days, which God has decreed from the
beginning should come to pass in its time and season.

Vol. 21, p.205
You have come from the nations abroad, to be instructed in the ways of
the Lord, to be taught in the ordinances that pertain to the great and
last dispensation of the fullness of times,—ordinances that did not
pertain to any former dispensation,—ordinances that were not made
known to any former people, but ordinances and principles that pertain
to the exaltation and glory of the world which we inhabit.

Vol. 21, p.205
This being then the present condition of our earth, the present
condition of the Latter-day Saints, and the work that is before them,
to prepare them for the coming of the Lord, and for the redemption of
the [p.206] earth, what manner of persons ought you and I to be, to
prepare for so great a Change which is to come, over the face of this
creation? How ought we to act and conduct ourselves? How careful we
ought to be in our doings, in all our conversations, in all our ways,
to sanctify the Lord God in our hearts, to have an eye single to his
glory, to keep his commandments in all things, to obey him with full
purpose of heart, that we may be visited with more and more of that
heavenly divine spirit, the Comforter, the Holy Ghost which we had
confirmed upon us, by authority, through the laying on of hands. That
Comforter should be nourished and cherished in our hearts. We should
not grieve it. We should listen to its whisperings, and we should seek
after more light, and knowledge, and truth. We must not expect the
Holy Spirit to impart the future knowledge that will be necessary for
the advancement of Latter-day Saints without any exertion of the mind
on our part. In all things the Lord requires man as an agent to exert
his faculties in order to obtain any blessing, of whatever nature it
may be, whether it be the spirit of vision or the spirit of
translating, or any other gift. We cannot let our minds remain
dormant, taking no thought, expecting to be filled with the spirit of
translation, or the spirit of inspiration, or revelation, or vision;
but there must be an exertion of the mind, there must be an exercise
of the agency of man and woman, in order that we may reach out after
these great and glorious gifts, promised to us. And by and by, we
will, after a school of experience has been given to us, find
ourselves advanced to that degree, that the Lord will condescend to
visit us by his angels—visit us by heavenly communications—visit us by
visions —visit us more fully by the spirit of revelation that the
words of Isaiah may be fulfilled to the very letter. When speaking of
the latter-day Zion, he says, "thy children shall all be taught of the
Lord"—not, being under the necessity of being taught by man, but all
shall know the Lord from the least of them unto the greatest of them.
This is the promise. All the children will be taught from on high,
like the Nephite children in ancient days. We know how it was with
them. The power of the Holy Ghost descended upon them, filling them,
and encircling them round about, by a pillar of fire, and their
tongues were loosed, even the tongues of babes and sucklings uttered
forth great and marvelous things far greater than that which Jesus had
taught to them. The Lord operated upon them, to utter forth his
knowledge, so that their fathers marvelled exceedingly. So great was
the power and intelligence of Almighty God, manifested through these
little babes, that no man was permitted to write the words they spoke,
no man Was permitted to utter them, no man was permitted to hand down
these things to future generations; they were things too great, too
glorious, too holy, too far advanced for the children of this world.
Hence they were hidden up from the world.

Vol. 21, p.206
May God assist us, and pour out his Holy Spirit upon us is my prayer
in the name of Jesus. Amen. [p.207]

John Taylor, March 1, 1880

Sustaining the Authorities—Power of the Priesthood—Faithfulness
Required, Etc.

Delivered at Kaysville, on Sunday Afternoon, March 1st, 1880.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs.)

Vol. 21, p.207
We have been voting for our officers and for those holding places in
the Church and kingdom of God in this stake of Zion. And it is well
for us sometimes to understand what we do in relation to these
matters. We hold up our right hand when voting in token before God
that we will sustain those for whom we vote; and if we cannot feel to
sustain them we ought not to hold up our hands, because to do this,
would be to act the part of hypocrites. And the question naturally
arises, how far shall we sustain them? Or in other words, how far are
we at at liberty to depart from this covenant which we make before
each other and before our God? For when we lift up our hands in this
way, it is in token to God that we are sincere in what we do, and that
we will sustain the parties we vote for. This is the way I look at
these things. How far then should we sustain them, and how far should
we not? This is a matter of serious importance to us; if we agree to
do a thing and do not do it, we become covenant breakers and violators
of our obligations, which are, perhaps, as solemn and binding as
anything we can enter into.

Vol. 21, p.207
We frequently pass by many of those important things which we have
engaged to abide by, and sometimes begin to whisper by way of
complaining or finding fault one with another after we have entered
into solemn obligations that we will not do it. What is meant by
sustaining a person? Do we understand it? It is a very simple thing to
me; I do not know how it is with you. For instance, if a man be a
teacher, and I vote that I will sustain him in his position, when he
visits me in an official capacity I will welcome him and treat him
with consideration, kindness and respect and if I need counsel I will
ask it at his hand, and I will do everything I can to sustain him.
That would be proper and a principle of righteousness, and I would not
say anything derogatory to his character. If that is not correct I
have it yet to learn. And then if anybody in my presence were to
whisper something about him disparaging to his reputation, I would
say, Look here! are you a Saint? Yes. Did you not hold up your hand to
sustain him? Yes. Then why do you not do it? Now, I would call an
action of that kind sustaining him. [p.208] If any man make an attack
upon his reputation—for all men's reputations are of importance to
them—I would defend him in some such way. When we vote for men in the
solemn way in which we do, shall we abide by our covenants? or shall
we violate them? If we violate them we become covenant-breakers. We
break our faith before God and our brethren, in regard to the acts of
men whom we have covenanted to sustain. But supposing he should do
something wrong, supposing he should be found lying or cheating, or
defrauding somebody; or stealing or anything else, or even become
impure in his habits, would you still sustain him? It would be my duty
then to talk with him as I would with anybody else, and tell him that
I had understood that things were thus and so, and that under these
circumstances I could not sustain him; and if I found that I had been
misinformed I would withdraw the charge; but if not it would then be
my duty to see that justice was administered to him, that he was
brought before the proper tribunal to answer for the things he had
done; and in the absence of that I would have no business to talk
about him.

Vol. 21, p.208
It is well for us to get at some of these little things; they are
matters, however, of a good deal of importance. What I have said with
regard to a teacher, would apply to the priest and the deacon.

Vol. 21, p.208
Then, again, we have bishops, We vote for them; and they hold a
portion of the priesthood which renders their duties many times very
unpleasant; that is naturally they would be unpleasant; but no duty
ought to be unpleasant to the servants of God. Now, supposing the
bishop should do something that is wrong, what would be our duty It
would be to go to him and say, "Bishop, I have reason to believe that
things are thus and so, evidence having been presented to me, and it
is of such a character that I am inclined to think that you have been
taking a wrong course, and therefore I have come to talk to you,
yourself, about the matter." Who ought to do this? Anybody. What,
would not his position deprive us of that right of approaching him?
No. Supposing you had been injured by him, or somebody else had been
injured by him, or something had occurred that caused you to entertain
feelings against him it would be much better to probe the thing to the
bottom and have it straightened out than to foster it and allow it to
corrode and interfere with your peace and happiness, because you have
covenanted to sustain him; on the other hand, we cannot sustain
anything that is unrighteous, impure or unholy. We go to him and say,
Bishop so and so, I have come to see you on unpleasant business—you
may be polite about it or you may not—but people can always afford to
be polite; I have learned thus and so; I hope I am misinformed, can
you explain that to me? If the matter could be explained to your
satisfaction you would be glad of it; but whether it could be or not
you would have the satisfaction of knowing that you had performed your
duty. If not, however, and the matter be of such a character as to
call for an investigation, it would be proper that it be inquired into
by the proper authorities. Then you are free, and you have not
violated any covenant, If any covenants have been violated, it is he
that  is guilty, and it is for him to account for his acts to the Lord
and his brethren; and if no wrong shall [p.209] be found in him, there
is no good man but what would be pleased to see such a man acquitted.
But while we seek equity and justice on the one hand, on the other we
must not interfere with the rights of anybody; no matter who it is
that indulges in iniquity, their iniquity will find them out sooner or
later. And it is better for us instead of talking to this one and the
other, if wrong exists, to go direct to the persons themselves and
have it adjusted, then bring it up according to the rules laid down
governing such matters. Then the doer of the wrong is accountable for
the wrong, not somebody else. Then when he is dealt with by the
Church, whether he be a teacher, priest, deacon, bishop or anybody
else, you are free from all responsibility afterwards of sustaining
that man. And until the proper course has been taken with such a
person, we should be very careful what course we pursue in relation to
this kind of thing, so that we do not violate our covenants.

Vol. 21, p.209
There is an uneasy feeling existing among some people: they can see
plenty of wrong all around if they have a mind to; and some will
apostatize because somebody else has done wrong. What a foolish course
that is to pursue! If we follow God's plan we can bring the sin right
home to the man who has done the wrong; and if the did not repent of
it, he would have to be cut off. But the devil would say, "I would not
stop in a church where there were such folks." He would first
influence a number of the people to do wrong, and then be would try to
get the others to leave the Church because some of the members were
doing wrong. That however would be foolish, and contrary to the order
of God.

Vol. 21, p.209
The Lord has placed in his Church Apostles and Prophets, High Priests,
Seventies, Elders, etc., what for? For the perfecting of the Saints.
Are we all perfect to begin with? No. These various officers are for
perfecting of the Saints. What else? For the work of the ministry;
that men might be qualified and informed and be full of intelligence,
wisdom and light, and learn to proclaim the principles of eternal
truth and to bring out from the treasury of God things new and old,
things calculated to promote the welfare of the people. Now, then,
these offices having been placed in the Church, every man ought to be
respected in his office. I know some of you think we can respect some,
and some We cannot respect; we can respect some of the prominent
authorities—I do not know who they are, do you? You remember when
Jesus was upon the earth, some of his followers were contending, as to
who was the greatest: and he took a little child and placed it in
their midst, he said, "he that can be most like this little child, is
the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." And I will tell you more than
that, that the teacher, or deacon that fulfills his duties is a great
deal more honorable than a president or any of the twelve that does
not. And there are duties and responsibilities devolving on all of us
pertaining to these matters; and we ought to be very careful in all
our acts that we do not transgress the laws of God.

Vol. 21, p.209
In a few remarks yesterday I referred to the various officers of the
Church, and to some of the leading duties that devolve upon them to
attend to. There are duties devolving upon all of us which we cannot
ignore. Duties as Apostles, duties as presidents of stakes, duties as
bishops, duties as high councilors, [p.210] duties pertaining to all
the various officers in the Church. Well, can any man that has
received the holy priesthood, and who comprehends the position he
occupies before God—which very few of us can do—can he afford to
neglect any of those duties? I think not. We call this organization
that we are associated with, the church and kingdom of God. Is it the
Church of God? Yes. Then it is God's church is it not? Yes. Who is at
the head of it? The Lord ought to be, and we ought to be subject to
him. Who? Why every one of us; myself, say, and all the Twelve, the
presidents of stakes, the bishops, the high priests, the elders, the
seventies, the high councilors, and all men in the Church ought to
feel that we are the church of God, in the Church of God and subject
to the law of God. We talk about a priesthood; who are the Priesthood,
and what is it? As I understand it, it is the rule and the government
of God, whether it exists in the heavens or on the earth; whether we
refer to the things of time or to the things of eternity; whether we
refer to spiritual things or to temporal things, they are, or ought to
be, under the guidance and dominion of God. How and from whom did we
receive our authority? Let us go back for a while, and who could we
find anywhere upon the earth that had authority even to proclaim the
Gospel, or to administer in the ordinances of the Gospel? Could we
find anybody? No, we could not. I could not in my younger days—and I
sought diligently for it, but I could not find anybody who possessed
it. What, not among the religious professors of the world. Nowhere
among the learned, the intelligent, the scientific? No, nowhere. Very
well, how did we come at a knowledge of this? God revealed it to his
servant Joseph Smith. And when he did so, he did not say much about it
himself. The first thing he did when he appeared to Joseph was to
introduce his Son; pointing unto him, he said: "This is my beloved
Son, hear him." And what did the Son say? We have his teachings in the
Gospel, in his communications with the Nephites and others. Then there
were others who held the priesthood with him; who held it on the earth
and who now hold it in eternity, and who held the keys of this
priesthood; and those several parties came and conferred the keys
which they held upon him, but not until the Lord had come and given
them permission to do so. Hence we got our Aaronic priesthood through
that means, and we got our Melchisedec priesthood through that means,
and any office or ordinance that any of you have received, you
received it through that medium, or you have received none at all.
Very well, what does it lead us to? To those whom we call sons of God.
Just as it was said on former occasions, "Now are we sons of God, and
it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he
shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is."
Very well, we are the sons of God then, the chosen of God, the elect
of God, called by him, set apart by him, through the medium of this
holy priesthood of which I have spoken. And if we have received any
office, or calling, or authority, or any power to administer in any of
the ordinances, we have received that from the hand of God, and we can
only perform these ordinances according to the priesthood we are
permitted to possess. For instance, an elder cannot  perform the labor
of an apostle; a bishop [p.211] cannot perform the labor of an
apostle; and a bishop, as a bishop, outside of other things, has not
authority to lay on hands to impart the gift of the Holy Ghost;
whatever he may do in that capacity it is through the Melchisedec
priesthood which he holds, and he could not do it without. Can a
priest lay hands upon people and say "Receive ye the Holy Ghost?" No,
it does not belong to him to do it. Well, then, men are necessarily
confined to operate within the limits and authority of the various
offices of the priesthood to which they are called and ordained—an
elder to perform the office of an elder, a priest to perform the
office of a priest. In early days it was quite common for a priest to
go out and preach the Gospel and baptize people for the remission of
sins, and then call upon an elder to lay hands upon them to confirm
them members of the Church, for the priest did not have the power to
do it. And while the priest could baptize, a teacher or a deacon could
not, not having the authority to do it; if they were to do it, it
would not amount to anything. There is strict order about these things
associated with the Church and kingdom of God. Well, then, on the
other hand, if we perform our duties, each one of us in our proper
position, God gives us power to accomplish the object we have in view,
no matter what it is, or what priesthood we hold; no matter whether it
is the president of the Church, or the president of the stake, a
bishop, a high councilor, a high priest, a seventy, or an elder,
priest, teacher or deacon; no matter what, if they perform duties with
an eye single to the glory of God, he will sustain them in their
operations and administrations.

Vol. 21, p.211
Now, I will refer to a principle which is perhaps one of the greatest
manifestations of the power and goodness of God that exists in this
Church, and at the same time one that is as little noticed; but one
wherein God does manifest himself in a most remarkable manner in the
view of all reflecting, intelligent men. For instance, the elders go
forth to preach the Gospel; they call upon people to repent and to be
baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of their sins. Did you
ever think what the name meant? If a man go in the name of another
person, he goes by the authority of that person. If an agent, say of
Z. C. M. I., or any other firm, go in the name of this firm, it is
expected that he has credentials from the firm he represents. Or, if a
governor comes here, he is first appointed by the proper
authorities—nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate of
the United States, and he comes with proper credentials to act as
governor of this Territory; he comes in the name or by the authority
of the United States; and the government of the United States reels
itself bound to back up his acts, the same as a mercantile firm would
feel obligated to acknowledge the acts of its agents.

Vol. 21, p.211
Now, then, the Lord has commenced his Church here upon the earth. He
has conferred upon men his holy Melchisedec priesthood; he has told
them to go forth and preach and call upon the people to repent and be
baptized in the name of Jesus, for the remission of sins, and they
should receive the Holy Ghost. You all know about these things, it is
not necessary to talk much about them.

Vol. 21, p.211
Very well; now, then, this elder goes forth in the name of God, does
he not? That is the way I understand it—by the authority of the Lord,
and in the name of the Lord [p.212] Jesus Christ, he preaches this
doctrine to the people. "Now," says he, "repent and be baptized, every
one of you, in the name of Jesus, for the remission of your sins, and
you shall receive the Holy Ghost." A priest could not say, You shall
receive the Holy Ghost; a teacher or a deacon could not say it,
neither could a bishop say it by virtue of his bishopric, but he could
by virtue of the high priesthood he holds. Now, then, let any of these
men go to work and lay hands on anybody for the gift of the Holy
Ghost; and they might as well do anything else, it would not amount to
anything. But an elder, or anyone holding the proper authority, comes
along, and takes the candidate for baptism and, after baptizing him,
he lays his hands upon his head and says: "In the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ, and by virtue of the holy priesthood conferred upon me,
I lay my hands upon your head and confirm you a member of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and I say unto you, receive ye
the Holy Ghost." Did you ever think of that? It is quite a significant
thing, is it not? And you do it in the name of Jesus Christ and by
authority which God has given you. You lay your hands upon the
individual who has been baptized for the remission of sins, and say,
"Receive ye the Holy Ghost," and he receives it. If that is not so,
tell me, will you, you that have had hands laid upon your heads by the
elders of this Church. You know what I say is true. Now, I propose to
show a certain principle, namely, that God is true to the covenants
which he makes with us, and that there is no violation of the law or
promises on his part. God will bless a teacher of this Church when he
goes forth in the performance of his duties among the people; he will
bless a bishop in his administration, and others in the discharge of
their several duties, no matter what their priesthood may be. But here
is an important item: there are some of these things which I have
referred to that some cannot do—they cannot not lay hands upon them to
impart unto them the Holy Ghost. If an elder can, he does it by and
through the authority of Jesus Christ, through the medium of the holy
priesthood conferred upon him by those holding authority. And when he
performs this act, the recipients having complied with the
requirements—faith, repentance and baptism—when he lays his hands upon
their heads, God sanctions his action by imparting the Holy Ghost.
Thus proving that God is true to his agreement; and through that means
we become the sons of God and belong to the household of faith, and to
us properly belong the covenants and blessings associated therewith.
These are the initiatory steps. And we have a witness within
ourselves, each one of us, in regard to those great principles that
God has revealed to the human family. Now, then, are we the sons of
God? Is he our Father? Yes. Have we received his Spirit, whereby we
are enabled to cry, "Abba Father," or "my Father?" Yes. What have we
done since we received it? We do not like to look at some of our acts
when we think of these things; we would rather we could blot them out
from our memories, but we cannot; they are there. And when we reflect
upon our follies, our imperfections and our iniquities of various
kinds, how do we feel? We do not feel pleasant about it. God has
conferred upon us the greatest treasure and the greatest boon he could
bestow  upon the human family, but we have [p.213] received the
treasure in earthen vessels. We often do things we ought not to do,
and leave undone things we ought to do; and how often have we grieved
the Spirit of God within us! He has done more for us than this. He has
placed us here in his Church and kingdom; he has gathered us together;
he has organized us according to the laws and order of the holy
priesthood. He has united us to our wives, and our wives to their
husbands, with an everlasting covenant that cannot be be broken. But
we break it sometimes, don't we? He has shown us how and in what way
our wives may be united with us in the eternities to come, and how we
may have our children sealed to us and be one with us in time and in
eternity, and has poured blessings upon many of our heads that will
exist while time shall last and eternity endure. It was said of Jesus,
that to his government and dominion there should be no end. And the
same has been said of a great many more; and yet we will allow little
things to separate us from our God, and from our brethren, and from
our wives and then our wives from their husbands, and break up, and
rant and rear and destroy, until we hardly know whether it is us or
somebody else. Sometimes we hardly know whether we are in the Church
and kingdom of God or not, until in many instances the light within us
becomes darkness, and then, oh, how great is that darkness! It is
necessary that we should study well and watch well the path of our
feet. We are here laying the foundation for eternity, and for no other
purpose. We are here that we may receive bodies, that in our bodies
and spirits, and through them and through the powers of the priesthood
and the everlasting Gospel, we may gain a position by and bye, among
the Gods in the eternal worlds, and with them possess a glory and
dominion and authority, power and exaltation that has hardly entered
into our hearts to conceive of. And yet, we will fritter away our
privileges, treat lightly the things of God, disregard the counsels of
God and the priesthood of God, and wander in by and forbidden paths,
and lose sight of these great and glorious principles that God has
revealed for the salvation of the human family.

Vol. 21, p.213
Referring to the principle of union, we ought to be one. We have
things come up quite frequently, say, in a legislative capacity and
otherwise, and our legislators and others enter into certain measures,
but the people will not be sufficiently united to carry them out. And
there seems to be a spirit, more or less among the people like this:
some will brusquely and thoughtlessly say, "I will be damned if I
don't have my own way." All right. I will tell you another thing: you
will be damned if you do, unless your way is the way that God will
sanction.

Vol. 21, p.213
Let me speak of seine other things associated with this. If we had
perfect union, what is there we could not accomplish? And yet God has
done a great deal for us. We have for instance, one man in Congress to
represent our interests; only one man, and he has not a vote at that.
And in a great many instances the combined powers of the United States
have been plotting against us, and it is to-day seeking our overthrow.
And why? Because we dare believe in God, and because we dare keep his
commandments, miserably as we do it, and the little we do of it. We do
not do much, but the little we do, produces this kind of feeling;
because this world is opposed to God and to his laws and [p.214] to
his church and kingdom. And what have they done hitherto? You could
not get a man anywhere in the United States that knows anything of the
workings of government or affairs brought in operation against us, but
what believed that we would have been destroyed and swept off the
earth long ago. But we are still here. Why? Not because you and I had
fulfilled all our covenants and observed the laws of God; but it is
because God knows and remembers that we are but flesh, but weak,
fallen humanity; he remembers we are but dust; it is because he feels
kindly and graciously toward us, and has said that it is his business
to take care of his Saints, and to fight our battles for us. It is not
because of what we have done, for we have not done much. And if God
had not sustained us and turned away and restrained the wrath of man,
we would not have been here to-day. Now, this is a fact. Well, God is
kind to us; do not let us treat him so thoughtlessly; do not let us
treat his ordinances lightly; but rather let us reverence and esteem
those men upon whom God has placed his holy priesthood, and let us try
by our faith and prayers and by our acts, to sustain them in all
particulars as we agreed to do when we held up our hands. And then I
ask no odds of the combined powers of the whole world, for God is on
our side, and as long as we maintain our position before him, I will
risk the balance. He holds the nations in his hands, and he will say
to them, as he did to the waves of the mighty ocean—"Hitherto shalt
thou go and no farther, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed." And
they cannot help themselves. We are in the hands of God, and they are.
And I am afraid sometimes, when I see the follies of my brethren; I
tremble for the result; but God is gracious and kind. Do not let us be
ungrateful, but let us try to remember the blessing with which we are
surrounded, the benefits he confers upon us—the light of the holy
Gospel, our present and eternal associations; and remember that we are
placed here as representatives of God upon the earth, to operate with
prophets and apostles and men of God who lived and died and are now
behind the vail, to operate with them in the accomplishment of the
purposes of God, pertaining to the earth whereon we stand. We are
living in an eventful time, in the dispensation of the fullness of
times, the period in which God has said he would gather together all
things in one, whether they be things in heaven or things on the
earth; and therefore, he has organized us as we are.

Vol. 21, p.214
When Jesus was here he felt the importance of the things I am now
speaking of; and when he was about to leave his disciples he knew what
the powers of darkness were, for he battled with them; and, indeed he
was able to do so, having been anointed with the oil of gladness above
his fellows. But notwithstanding this and the fact of his being the
Only Begotten of the Father, yet, when he came to wrestle with the
difficulties he had to cope with, he sweat great drops of blood, and
said "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; I shrink
to encounter the things I have to cope with, but nevertheless, not my
will but thine be done." Now, we have to pass through a variety of
things; many of us are tried and tempted, and we get harsh and hard
feelings against one another. And it reminds me of your teams when
going down hill with a heavy load. [p.215] When the load begins to
crowd on to the horses, you will frequently see one snap at his mate,
and the other will prick up his ears and snap back again. And why? A
little while before, perhaps, and they were playing with each other.
Because the load crowds on them. Well, when the load begins to crowd,
do not snap at your brethren, but let them feel that you are their
friends, and pull together. Says Jesus, with reference to his
disciples, "Father, I pray that these may be one, I in them and thou
in me; that that spirit, O God that dwells in thee and that thou hast
imparted unto me, might also dwell in them, and that their hearts may
be united together by the bonds of eternal life and fellowship and
priesthood; that they may feel after one another's welfare and seek to
promote one another's happiness, we having drunk of that river, the
streams whereof shall make glad the city of our God; "that it may
arise and flow and bubble in our hearts, and that its vivifying
streams may be felt wherever we go, and that the influence and light
and power and spirit and intelligence of God may be with us, that we
may be one, according to the prayer of our Lord, "as I Father, am in
thee, and thou in me, that the world may know that thou hast sent me,"
These principles are as eternal as the heavens. Do they exist in
heaven? Yes. You read the first chapter of Genesis pertaining to these
matters; and how is it?

Vol. 21, p.215
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth
was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Vol. 21, p.215
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light."

Vol. 21, p.215
He had nobody around him to rise up and say, had you not better put it
off for a little while, or otherwise change things, or to intimate
that they were not prepared for what was done. No, they knew better. I
suppose it would be more correct to render it, "And the Gods said, Let
there be light, etc" But to us you know there is only one God; and he
said, let there be light, and there was light. And God saw the light
that it was good. It was made according to eternal principles,
according to the strictest principles of intelligence and philosophy;
and when it was made, it was declared good.

Vol. 21, p.215
In the councils of the Gods in the eternal worlds there was no
confusion—I rather think there were no politicians there, no one to
get up any feelings of animosity. Things were agreed upon, and when
this was done they were carried out. When agreed upon God would say,
let so and so be done, and it was done. Now, we see that there was
perfect unanimity; but there was not always unanimity in heaven even.
What, not in heaven? No, not until one third part was cast out; and I
do not think that it was for doing any good. Sometimes I think we will
have to cast out quite a number too, in order to get things in the
right shape. Satan was cast out, and those that adhered to him who
rebelled against God in the eternal worlds. Well, everything has not
been altogether pure in heaven; but they straightened them out as well
as they could, as we do here sometimes, and as we do not do here very
often.

Vol. 21, p.215
And when we talk about the heavens, there will be a new heaven as well
as a new earth. You know, we read that there  will be a new heaven and
a new earth, wherein [p.216] righteousness will dwell.

Vol. 21, p.216
Well, we are here struggling and trying to introduce correct
principles, and to advance not only the interests of the Church of
God, but the kingdom of God, for God will have a kingdom. I hope you
will not tell it to anybody if I tell you something—God will have a
kingdom, and he will have rule and dominion, for this earth belong to
him and he will possess it, and his Saints will inherit it at last. We
did not use to be afraid of talking about these things. In former
times they told us that the Saints of the Most High should finally
take the kingdom and the greatness of the kingdom, which should be
given to the Saints of the Most High God. Do you believe it? I happen
to be one who believes it. And I prophesy that it will be fulfilled.
But we are a sorry lot of people to do a thing of that kind, are we
not? We have not made much progress yet in the race; we are only
preparing for it, many of us cannot do what Brother Joseph F. Smith
was talking about yesterday, that is making a sacrifice and feel that
we are for God and his kingdom. But we can hardly get out of it. I
tell you how some of us feel—"God bless me and my wife, my son John
and his wife us four and no more, Amen." That feeling is a long way
from the other. God feels interested in the welfare of the whole human
family. What, of the Saints? Yes, and the others too. But the others
do not, have the priesthood. The others, if they ever obtain a
celestial glory, will have to obtain it through the Latter-day Saints.
What manner of people ought we to be? A little different from what we
are. We think it troublesome sometimes to pay our tithing; we think it
troublesome sometimes to pray in our families; we think it troublesome
sometimes to feed the poor and take care of the destitute. Well,
suppose we were to change places a little while with them, how would
you feel then? You would feel that it was much better to give than to
receive. We want our feelings and sympathies drawn out. And God has
placed us where we are, in order that we may be preserved to receive
instructions from his hands. We have in our school operations what we
call our normal schools, to prepare teachers to teach others. Now, the
Lord has a normal school in Utah. He is preparing us in a variety of
ways sometimes we have not enough snow in the winter season, and
consequently a scarcity of water in the summer; sometimes too much
rain, and at other times not enough; we have some wise and some
unwise, and we have some rich and some poor. Yes, we have some who are
poor among us, and why? We would not know what it was to see persons
in those circumstances if we did not have some among us, and then, the
opportunity is afforded us to show our kindness, and to develop within
us that fellow-feeling we sometimes talk about. But we do not want to
call them poor, for some of them are just as good as we are, and some
perhaps a little better than many of us. If good people are suffering
for the common necessaries of life, the scriptures say, "If a man
having this world's goods see his brother in need, and shutteth up his
bowels of compassion, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" And in
regard to those matters, we ought to look to the wants of everybody;
that, however, more particularly devolves upon the bishops and the
brethren of the Aaronic priesthood. Do  not let us make paupers of
them; but let us treat them as brethren [p.217] and sisters, as good,
honorable men and women; let us see that they are provided for. I have
seen some people who would get down upon their knees and pray most
heartily for God to feed the poor and clothe the naked. Now, I would
never ask the Lord to do a thing that I would not do. If we have them
among us, suppose we go at it and relieve them. I do not think we have
much of that to do here; but, enough, perhaps, to draw forth your good
feelings and sympathies. And if people sustain misfortune of any kind,
look after them and bestow upon them those things necessary for their
welfare and happiness. And God will bless us in so doing. I would a
great deal rather that you would take, say a sack of flour some beef,
a hundred of sugar, some butter and cheese, and clothing and fuel, and
such comforts and conveniences of life, and thus try to make people
feel happy than all the prayers you could offer up to the Lord about
it; and he would rather see it too; that is the proper way, to do
things. In receiving blessings ourselves, try to distribute them, and
God will bless and guide us in the ways of peace.

Vol. 21, p.217
Perhaps I am occupying too much time. I do not care much about making
a big discourse; I am talking in a plain, easy way, and I think you
understand it. And if there is a widow, or an orphan, or any destitute
persons, or any one who has to struggle hard, look after them, and do
not try to make paupers of them; but what you do for them, do it in a
kind, good feeling, making them to feel and realize that you are their
friends. And then, let us try to do away with all our little
difficulties—husbands with their wives. Why will you complain about
your wives? Because they will get cross. Are you not cross? "Yes; but
my wife is not as kind as she used to be." Well, try to get along with
her, and treat her kindly; and be kind to one another. If you live in
this way while here in the flesh, you will be glad to meet one another
in the eternal worlds. Cultivate every good principle, and bye in his
fear day by day, and he will take care of us. and he will bless and
multiply our flocks and herds, our lands and everything we have.

Vol. 21, p.217
I will tell you a secret. If we could only prepare ourselves to do the
will of God and keep his commandments and live our religion so that
God could trust us with more means than we have, he would so order
things, and that too by natural ways, that our desires in that
direction would be fully gratified. But we are not prepared for it; it
would only destroy us, and lead us to the devil; and the Lord knows
it. At the same time we cannot complain in this regard; the Lord has
treated us very well. I do not know of a people anywhere that are
better off as a whole than we are. It is true we do not have the
amount of wealth among us that may be found in older countries; but
then we do not have the poverty, the suffering and distress that may
be found elsewhere. It is for us to introduce principles that will
obviate all these difficulties, and that will prepare us to receive
blessings from God, and to administer the same wisely.

Vol. 21, p.217
Another thing. We are building temples. Are we doing pretty well? Yes.
Do you find fault? No. I have nothing to say about it; I think the
people are doing very well especially in some districts in the north
and south, indeed, I think more than they are able to do. But they
could not do what they have already done and what they are [p.218]
doing without the assistance and blessing of the Almighty. They are
building two beautiful edifices. What for? Is it a matter of
speculation? Yes, one of the greatest speculations ever conceived of.
It is for the salvation of the human family; it is for the redemption
of the living and salvation of the dead. It is for the accomplishment
of the purposes of God pertaining to the inhabitants of the earth, our
forefathers, and then, all we can attain to after that. In those
things we are doing very, very well; and I feel to bless the people
because of their liberality in relation to those matters, especially
those of the districts I have referred to.

Vol. 21, p.218
Well, now, I do not know that, I should detain you much longer. What
shall we do? Keep our covenants, sustain Brother Smith; and let
Brother Smith act in a way that will be worthy of being sustained. And
then sustain your bishops, and let them also so act as to be worthy of
your esteem. And sustain their counselors, and hearken to their
counsels and advice. They are seeking to do you good; and to build up
your interests. And then sustain your teachers, and your deacons and
your priests, and do all you can to lift them up that they may be
enabled to do a good work in their day and generation, and benefit you
and your generations after you. And then there are others. You have
your Relief Societies, and I am glad always to speak a word in behalf
of them. Our sisters are one with us; and we are operating together in
trying to build up the kingdom of God. I would say to the sisters I
would watch after the youth and after the interests of the sisters,
and try to introduce everything good and praiseworthy, and try to do
all you can to promote the welfare of your sons and daughters; and God
will bless you as he has done, and more abundantly. I was pleased to
hear a compliment that was made to our Young people's Mutual
Improvement Associations. It is gratifying to parents and to all who
have the interests of Zion at heart, to hear of, and to see our young
men and women grow up in the fear of God. Some, as is the case
everywhere, are inclined to be a little rude and thoughtless. It is
our privilege, and the privilege of the youth, to improve, and to
cultivate our morals and manners so that if it should ever be our
pleasure to mingle with the angels, we should find the most happy and
enjoyable society. Let us learn to treat one another with kindness and
courtesy, and let the young cultivate the fear of God. I tell you what
I used to do when quite a young boy. I made it a practice to go and
call upon the Lord; it was before there was any "Mormonism." And many
scores times have I gone into fields behind the bushes, and also into
hay lofts to call upon God to guide me and keep me from evil and to
lead me in the paths of righteousness. Did I feel happy? Yes, for I
had a portion of the Spirit of God with me. How much better in this
respect it is for our youth. I had parents who feared God, but they,
any more than any one else, did not know anything at all about the
true plan of salvation, for it had not been revealed. I used to go to
the Church of England; and many of you present used to go too; and we
used to say that we were all "miserable sinners." We also confessed
every sunday that we had "done the things we ought not to have done,
and left undone the things which we ought to have done." This was all
very  true. The [p.219] teachers themselves did not know any better,
neither did we. But I used to take pleasure in calling upon the Lord
to lead me in the right way. I did not have the helps that you have.
You have the benefit of your Mutual Improvement Societies. Attend
them, and seek to cultivate intelligence of every kind; and above all,
reverence and respect your parents, they who have watched over you and
taken care of you, they who have educated you and fed and clothed you
and felt an interest in your welfare.

Vol. 21, p.219
And in regard to all of our operations, brethren and sisters, let us
ever try to do right, and let us try to invent something whereby we
can be self sustaining; let us purchase from our own people, and above
all let us try to make our own goods and supply our own wants and
necessities. Let us try and carry these principles out, for they are
true and correct. And if there is anything good and praise-worthy, let
us seek after it; and shun everything that tends to misery,
degradation and death.

Vol. 21, p.219
God bless you, and lead you in the paths of life. Amen. [p.220]

Charles W. Penrose, August 8, 1880

The Inspiration of the Lord's Servants—Revelation—The Resurrection,
Etc.

Delivered in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday
 Afternoon, August 8th, 1880.

(Reported by John Irvine.)

Vol. 21, p.220
Having been called upon this afternoon to address this congregation, I
rise before you trusting that the Holy Spirit, which makes plain to
the human mind the things of God, may rest upon me and upon you; that
I may be inspired by that Spirit to say something which will be of
profit to those who hear, and that those who listen to what I may say
may be able to understand in the same light and under the same
influence as that by which the words are spoken.

Vol. 21, p.220
The elders of this Church, in ministering as public speakers, stand
before the people in the name of the Lord. They do not address
congregations for the purpose of ventilating the opinions and ideas
which they may entertain, but they occupy the position of ministers of
the Lord Jesus Christ, to speak that which is given to them by the
influence of the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, the servants of God are
instructed to "treasure up in their hearts continually the words of
life," with the promise that if they do this and are diligent in
seeking for the mind and will of God, in the very hour that they are
needed words shall be placed in their mouths, or ideas be brought up
in their minds, which shall be for the benefit of all who hear. It is
in this Spirit that I endeavor to address the congregation this
afternoon, and I hope I shall have not only your attention, but the
benefit of your faith and prayers, that the Spirit of God may rest
upon me and the congregation also.

Vol. 21, p.220
We are living upon the earth at a time when there are a great many
creeds—a great many different doctrines, each professing to be the
true faith—the Christian religion. There is a spirit of doubt and
division in the world. Men are ever learning but not able to come to a
knowledge of the truth. They indulge in a great many speculations.
Some good people study the Scriptures and endeavor to find out what is
divine truth, but their ideas are various; they do not come to the
unity of the faith; and the great reason why this is so is because
they do not seek to the fountain of light and truth with  the
expectation of receiving any reply. In olden times God used to speak
to the people. He had [p.221] servants upon the earth who spoke as
they were moved upon by the Holy Ghost; angels ministered to the sons
of men, and truth was revealed in great plainness from the Father. But
in these times people have to put up With the ideas and notions that
men hold in relation to these truths which were anciently revealed.
There is now no voice from heaven, no prophet among the people; there
are no inspired apostles; angels have ceased to minister, and to use
the words of one of the great divines of the day, "The awful voice of
prophecy is silenced forever."

Vol. 21, p.221
Of course in making use of these remarks I am speaking in relation to
what is called the Christian world. The Latter-day Saints believe that
God is the same yesterday, to-day and forever, and that if he is
sought after to-day in the same way that he was sought after
yesterday, he will answer in the same manner. We believe that it is
just as possible for angels to come to earth in these times as in any
former age of the world; we believe that the power of the Holy Ghost
is the same today as it was thousands of years ago; that divine truth
can be made manifest direct from God to the people now as it was in
the days of Jesus, or in the days of the prophets who preceded him on
the earth.

Vol. 21, p.221
The religion we Latter-day Saints have received—which we hold to,
which we live for, and which a great many of us are willing to die
for, if necessary—has come to us by revelation from God in the day and
age in which we live. In taking up the writings of the old prophets,
in reading the letters written by the ancient apostles, we find that
the religion which God has revealed to us, is the same religion which
God revealed to them. What is contained in the Bible corroborates that
which we have received, and the spirit which accompanies the preaching
of the word to us, is similar in its effects to that spirit which
accompanied the preaching of the ancient prophets and apostles of the
Lord. We find this out by reading that portion of their records which
has been left. So that the religion of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints is not a mere theory of men. The doctrines which we
have received have come to us direct from the Lord in our own time. We
are not left to speculation, we are not left to our own theories, but
we have defined principles given to us of God for our guidance, lot
our comfort and for our edification.

Vol. 21, p.221
Now, there is a disposition existing in the world to-day to go away
from the Lord. Men seem to have a desire to follow out their own
imaginations, their own ideas and notions, and in consequence of this
a great many wrong principles have been received for truth in the
Christian world, and this disposition seems to increase. The Apostle
Paul, in writing to the Saints in his day, advised them to "beware
lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the
tradition of man, after the rudiments of the world and not after
Christ." Now, that same advice is good for the people in our times;
good for the Latter-day Saints; good for the people who compose the
various sects of modern Christendom. If we have received the doctrines
of Christ, if our feet are planted firmly upon the rock which he has
laid, there is no fear of Our going astray; but if we depart from that
and walk in the ways of men, and are led by their theories and their
speculations and their vain philosophy, we are very likely to go
astray.

Vol. 21, p.222
I notice in reading some of the [p.222] works of modern divines, and
noting the progress of religious thought among the people, that there
is a doctrine which is becoming very widespread among the people
called "Christians," that is, a heresy in regard to the doctrine of
our condition in the future. It is believed by a great really people
at the present time, that there is no such thing as a literal
resurrection of the body; that when this body is laid away in the
ground and goes back to the elements out of which it was organized,
that is the end of the body, and that it will never come up again.
They do not see any need of a literal resurrection of the body; they
cannot perceive by what process it can be resuscitated; and not being
able to comprehend how this great change can come, how the scattered
elements of the body can be brought together again, they reject the
doctrine altogether. This is the belief of the people who are called
spiritualists or spiritists. This is one of the doctrines of that
great delusion of the latter times, that "strong delusion" that the
Lord has permitted to come into the world because men would not
receive the truth, but turned away from it and loved a lie. It is
taught by that rapping and muttering influence, that when the spirit
leaves the body and passes into another state, that is the
resurrection; that the body will be raised up no more; that the
spirit, liberated from the body, will progress from sphere to
sphere—how many spheres they do not know—but that there is no further
need of the body. This idea is increasing in its hold upon the minds
of the people, among the various "Christian" sects, and some of the
greatest preachers and divines of the day entertain this idea,
philosophize upon it and teach it to their congregations. Now we have
the satisfaction of definite knowledge in regard to this matter, as
well as all the articles of our creed—if we have such a thing as a
formulated creed. The ideas we have in relation to this doctrine have
come from God. There is no need of any doubt about it, no need for any
speculation. The Lord has revealed something concerning this. It is
true he has not revealed the philosophy of it in full, he has only
given us some ideas concerning it. But he has made the fact very plain
that there may be no misunderstanding about it. In the Book of
Doctrine and Covenants—which contains many of the revelations that God
has given to the Church through the Prophet Joseph Smith, we find this
doctrine laid down in great plainness. It is stated that the spirit
and the body make up the soul of man, and that the resurrection from
the dead is the redemption of the soul. We are taught also that there
are material elements and spiritual elements; that the spiritual part
of our being was in the beginning with God, and that the spiritual and
material when inseparably connected receive a fulness of joy,
otherwise men cannot receive a fulness of joy. It takes the spiritual
part of man and the material or physical part joined together
inseparably to obtain a fulness of joy. When the spirit is separated
from the body, a fulness of joy cannot be obtained. When the spirit is
joined to the body temporarily under a temporal law, under the law of
death, it cannot receive a fulness of joy. The spirit and the body
must be so joined together that both will be immortal, and in that
condition man can receive a fulness of joy.

Vol. 21, p.222
The Book of Mormon is also very plain upon this subject. I will read
one or two texts from that book, and [p.223] if I have time I may
refer to the Bible, to show that the things contained in the Book of
Mormon and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants are the same as
contained in the old scriptures. I will read a passage from the
seventy-ninth page (new edition) of the Book of Mormon, namely:

Vol. 21, p.223
"And this death of which I have spoken, which is the spiritual death,
shall deliver up its dead; which spiritual death is hell; wherefore
death and hell must deliver up its captive spirits and the grave must
deliver up its captive bodies, and the bodies and the spirits of men
will be restored one to the other; and it is by the power of the
resurrection of the Holy One of Israel.

Vol. 21, p.223
"Oh how great the plan of our God! For on the other hand, the paradise
of God must deliver up the spirits of the righteous, and the grave
deliver up the body of the righteous; and the spirit and body is
restored to itself again, and all men become incorruptible, and
immortal, and they are living souls, having a perfect knowledge like
unto us in the flesh; save it be that our knowledge shall be perfect.

Vol. 21, p.223
"Wherefore, we shall have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt, and
our uncleanliness, and our nakedness, and the righteous shall have a
perfect knowledge of their enjoyment and their righteousness, being
clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe of righteousness."

Vol. 21, p.223
Now, according to the Book of Mormon, the spirits of men, the
righteous and the wicked, are to be brought up from the place to which
they shall go when they depart from this life. There is no need for
any dubiety about this, there is no need for any mistake; it is clear
that the separation of the spirit from the body is not the
resurrection spoken of in this book.

Vol. 21, p.223
The Prophet Alma, touching on this subject, explained to the people in
his day what an angel of God made known to him. These words, which I
am about to read to you from the Book of Alma, in the Book of Mormon,
are not Alma's ideas and speculations. He says they were revealed to
him by an angel. I would advise you to read the 40th chapter, 352
page, new edition. Alma states here that he was very much troubled
concerning the doctrine of the condition of people after they passed
away from this life. He wanted to know something of the condition of
man between death and the resurrection, and he says an angel of God
made known to him that there is a space between death and the
resurrection, that the spirits of the wicked are in a state of unrest,
having a knowledge of all their wickedness, and a remembrance of all
their transgressions; that they are in a state of fear, looking for
the wrath and indignation of God, not knowing what their punishment
will be; while on the other hand, the spirits of the righteous enter
into a state of rest. They have a perfect knowledge of all that God
has done for them, and all their acts of righteousness, and they await
in peace for the time when their bodies shall be brought forth from
the dust to stand in the presence of their God to receive their crown.
Alma then goes on to say:

Vol. 21, p.223
"But this much I say, that there is a space between death and the
resurrection of the body, and a state of the soul in happiness or in
misery, until the time which is appointed of God that the dead shall
come forth, and be reunited, both soul and body, and be brought to
stand before God, and be judged [p.224] according to their works.    *
   *

Vol. 21, p.224
"The soul shall be restored to the body and the body to the soul; yea,
and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a
hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored
to their proper and perfect frame."

Vol. 21, p.224
Now, that is clear and distinct on this point. In regard to the times
and seasons of this resurrection, about which Alma speaks, he said he
did not know, but those things he did know were made known to him by
an angel, namely, that there is a space between death and the
resurrection; that at the resurrection the body and the spirit shall
be brought up and restored to each other, and not only the body and
spirit, but every part and particle belonging to the body; not a hair
of the head shall be lost; every joint and muscle and fibre and sinew,
and every part and particle necessary to make up a perfect physical
body for the spirit to dwell in, shall be restored to that spirit in
the resurrection. That is the doctrine laid down by the Prophet Alma,
as taught to him by an angel.

Vol. 21, p.224
The very meaning of the word "resurrection" ought to dispel the idea
that the separation of the spirit from the body at death is
resurrection. The word itself means, "I stand up again." The idea
which all the prophets and apostles of old had was that at some future
time the voice of God should be uttered, and the dead should stand up
again, their bodies should come from the grave; just exactly the
doctrine laid down in the Book of Mormon and Book of Doctrine and
Covenants. Some have an idea that the people who lived upon the earth
before Jesus, had no correct ideas in regard to the future: I have
seen such statements published by popular divines of the day; but when
we come to take up the Old Testament Scriptures, we find that the
writers, holy men of God, who wrote as they were moved upon by the
Holy Ghost, had a distinct and unwavering faith in regard to this same
doctrine, that of the resurrection of the body.

Vol. 21, p.224
The book of Job is said to be the most ancient book of the Bible. I
will read a verse or two from the 7th chapter. In the 9th verse we
read: "As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth
down to the grave shall come up no more." Now, that is a very plain
statement of Job's; that when a man goes down to the grave he shall
not return. Those who believe in the vain philosophy that I have
referred to, take a great deal of comfort in quoting that passage, and
also some sayings of Solomon, the wise man; that is, he was a wise man
once, but he became a foolish man before he died, not because he
married more wives than one, but because he transgressed by marrying
strange wives. Solomon, in some of his writings, speaks in the same
way as Job. But I will read a verse from the 14th chapter of Job:

Vol. 21, p.224
"As the waters fall from the sea, and the flood decayeth and dryeth
up; so man lieth down and riseth not."

Vol. 21, p.224
This also is a very plain statement, is it not? But Job did not stop
here as he did in the 7th chapter, for he continues,

Vol. 21, p.224
"Till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out
of their sleep. O that thou wouldst hide me in the grave, that thou
wouldest keep me secret until the wrath be passed, that thou wouldest
appoint a set time, and  remember! If a man die shall he live again?
all the days of my appointed [p.225] time will I wait till my change
come. Thou shalt call and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire
to the work of thine hands." Chapter xiv, 12-15.

Vol. 21, p.225
Read again in the 19th chapter, where he is a little more explicit,
commencing at the 23rd verse:

Vol. 21, p.225
"Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were printed in a
book. That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock
forever! For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand
at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms
destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God."

Vol. 21, p.225
Now, in the first place, Job is speaking in regard to what we all seek
in this world, in regard to the common lot of mortals. "Man lieth down
and riseth not." In saying that Job had no reference to what would
take place in the future. He was speaking of the common experience of
mankind. But afterward, inspired by the spirit of prophecy, he looked
right down to the latter days, in the midst of his afflictions, his
trouble and sorrow, his pain of body and anguish of mind, when his
friends were turned against him—he looked down to the latter days and
wished that his words were written and printed in a book, that the
words were graven in the rock with an iron pen and lead put into them,
that they might stand as a witness to all future generations, as a
testimony to the resurrection of the body and a rebuke to to the vain
philosophy of the latter times.

Vol. 21, p.225
I will now read a verse or two from the book of the Prophet Isaiah, to
show that others of the ancients, besides Job, had some idea of the
doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. In the 19th, 20th and 21st
verses of the 26th chapter of Isaiah we read;

Vol. 21, p.225
"Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise.
Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of
herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

Vol. 21, p.225
Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doom about
thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the
indignation be overpast.

Vol. 21, p.225
For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the
inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall
disclose her blood and shall no more cover her slain."

Vol. 21, p.225
Isaiah, you sea, had the same spirit as Job. He spoke about the when
the indignation or wrath of Pod should pass over the earth, and he
wished to be hidden in the grave until that time was over, and then he
expected the earth to cast out her dead.

Vol. 21, p.225
I have not time to read the 37th chapter of Ezekiel—you can read it at
home—but in that Chapter we find that the Lord showed Ezekiel a valley
full of dry bones. The Lord asked him whether these bones could live,
and he answered, "Thou knowest." Then the Lord told him to prophesy
upon these bones, and as he prophesied, there was a noise and behold a
shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone, the sinews and
the flash came upon them, and the skin covered them above, but there
was no breath in them. Then the Lord again told them to prophesy, and
he  prophesied as commanded, and the breath came into them, and they
lived and stood upon their feet, an exceeding great army. Now, we have
no need to read the writings of the divines of the present time to
find out what this means. [p.226] Right in the same chapter is given
the interpretation.

Vol. 21, p.226
"These bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our
bones are dried and our hope is lost; we are cut off for our parts.
Therefore 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. *    * And shall
put my spirit in you, and ye shall live; and I will place you in your
own land. Then ye shall know that I the Lord have spoken it, and
performed it, saith the Lord."

Vol. 21, p.226
Now, by these testimonies that I have quoted from the Old Testament
scriptures, we find that the people '"Who lived on the earth before
the days of Jesus had some knowledge in regard to the future, in
regard to the condition of the spirit when it left the body, and also
in regard to the resurrection of the body. The wise man Solomon in the
Book of Ecclesiastes 12th chapter and 7th verse, speaking in regard to
death, after giving a very poetical description of the house we live
in, says: Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the
spirit shall return unto God who gave it." He had some idea in regard
to life after death, although if we read some of his writings we might
gain the idea that man ended when his body was laid clown in the
grave.

Vol. 21, p.226
Now, these doctrines, which were understood by the people before the
days of Christ are the same as believed in by the disciples of Jesus,
the same as Jesus taught. We will take, for instance, Jesus' own
declaration in regard to the resurrection, in which he says: "Marvel
not at this; for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in
their graves, shall hear his voice. And shall come forth; they that
have done good unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done
evil unto the resurrection of damnation." Or as it reads in the
Prophet Joseph Smith's version, "they that have done good in the
resurrection of the just, and they that have done evil in the
resurrection of the unjust." Now, according to Christ's own statement
to his disciples, all that are in their graves are to come forth, both
the righteous and the wicked, just as it is taught in the Book of
Mormon. This is also in accordance with what the Prophet
Daniel—another of those ancients who understood this doctrine—says in
the 12th chapter of his book. He speaks of Michael and the great
trouble that shall come upon the earth in the latter days and says:
"And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt."
Daniel understood that there was to be a resurrection both of the just
and the unjust. Now take the 20th chapter of the Book of Revelations,
read it, and you will find the resurrection portrayed to John by
vision when he was on the Isle of Patmos. He says:

Vol. 21, p.226
"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given
unto them, and I saw the souls of them that Were beheaded for the
witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not
worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark
upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned
with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again
until the thousand years were finished. This is the first
resurrection.  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first
resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but [p.227] they
shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a
thousand years."

Vol. 21, p.227
And after the thousand years passed away, John saw in the vision the
rest of the dead brought forth. "The sea gave up the dead which were
in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them:
and they were judged; every man according to their works."

Vol. 21, p.227
The Apostle Paul in writing to the Philippians, 3d chap., 20-21 v.
says: "Our conversation in his heaven, from whence also we look for
the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body,
that it may be fashioned like unto this glorious body." Now, according
to this testimony, the righteous, who look for a part in the first
resurrection, expect to have bodies like the glorious body of the Son
of God. What kind of a body was that? We read that Jesus Christ was
put to death upon the cross; that when he had cried with a loud voice,
he said "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit," and then gave up
the ghost. The body was placed in a new tomb in which no man had lain,
and to guard the body, lest somebody should come and take it away,
Roman soldiers were placed before the door of the tomb or sepulchre.
But we read that two angels came, before whom these Roman soldiers
fell as dead, and they (the angels) rolled away the stone from the
tomb and the sleeping body of Jesus awakened and came forth. When the
disciples arrived the body was gone. Mary went into the garden to try
and find out something concerning the body, and while she was weeping
Jesus appeared unto her. She sprang forward and was about to embrace
him when he said, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my
Father: but go to my brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my
Father and your Father, and to my God and to your God." When the
disciples were informed of this they could not believe it, and they
met together on a certain occasion, and when the doors were shut, for
fear of the Jews, and they found they were securely alone, they began
to talk about the wonderful things that had transpired; about the
death of Jesus, the crucifixion of one whom they thought was to take
the throne and sit upon it in power forever. And we read that while
they were talking Jesus appeared in their midst and said, "peace be
unto you."

Vol. 21, p.227
"But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had
seen a spirit. And he said unto them, why are ye troubled? and why do
thoughts arise in your hearts. Behold my hands and my feet, that it is
I myself: handle me and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as
ye see me have.      *     *     *

Vol. 21, p.227
And while they yet believed not for joy and wondered, he said unto
them, have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled
fish and of an honeycomb. And he took it and did eat before them. Luke
xxiv 36-43.

Vol. 21, p.227
Now, here was a resurrection of the body. Not the raising of Christ's
spirit, but his body out of the tomb. In that body he appeared before
the disciples, and when they thought it was merely a spirit, he told
them that a spirit had not flesh and bones as they saw him have. The
disciples who had this manifestation told some of the rest. Thomas,
however, would not believe it. He said, "Except I shall see in his
hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the
nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believed." After
making use of [p.228] these foolish remarks, Jesus appeared to Thomas
when he was assembled with the other disciples, and he said unto
Thomas, "Reach hither thy finger and behold my hands; and reach hither
thy hand and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless but
believing." Thomas could not help believing then, but Jesus said unto
him, "Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou has believed: blessed
are they that have not seen and yet have believed." Faith is a great
blessing. Some people will not believe anything they cannot grasp with
their human reason or cannot see with their natural eyes. But blessed
is the man of faith, blessed is the woman of faith! For by faith they
can see into things that cannot be discerned by the natural eyes. They
can reach out to the regions of immortality, grasp eternal realities
and lay hold upon the things of God! Now, Jesus appeared in the same
body that was placed in the tomb, and yet it was not the same, there
was a change in it. What change was it? We read that Jesus Christ shed
his blood "for the remission of sins; not for ours only, but for the
sins of the whole world." Jesus was raised up from the dead by the
power of God, and says Paul, "If the spirit of him that raised up
Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the
dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth
in you." Paul also says "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of
God." Blood is corruptible, the blood-quickened body is subject to the
law of death. But Christ's body when it was raised from the dead was
"quickened by the spirit." There was a great deal of difference not
only in this respect but in others. When the disciples were shut up in
that loom Christ was able to enter it without opening the door, which
could not be done by mortals. He had power to manifest himself to his
disciples, and he had power to cover himself from their gaze. He had
power to overcome the laws of gravity, and on a certain occasion,
after he had visited his disciples, had appeared to 500 brethren at
once, had given instructions to his apostles to build up his church,
as he spoke to them "a cloud received him out of their sight." He was
able to lift himself up from the earth and depart from this sphere to
another; his body was no longer a mortal body, no longer governed by
the same laws as those by which we are governed. We are also told that
"While they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold,
two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of
Galilee why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is
taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have
seen him go to heaven—Act. i, 9-11." When he shall come again he shall
come in the same body, and we are told in the 14th chapter of
Zachariah that his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of
Olives and in the 13th chapter that. when the Jews behold him, the
Messiah, whom they have expected so long, they will say "What are
these wounds in thine hands." Then he shall answer, "Those with which
I was wounded in the house of my friends." And then every family will
mourn apart; the whole house of Israel will mourn because of the
wickedness of their forefathers in putting him to death. In receiving
him at his second coming they will comprehend the truth of his first
coming, and not before, and they will welcome him as the resurrected,
Christ.

Vol. 21, p.229
[p.229] Now, the Apostle Paul says that "He shall changing our vile
body, that it may be fashioned like Unto his glorious body." What kind
of bodies will the righteous possess in the resurrection? They are to
be bodies of flesh and bones quickened by spirit; not quickened by
blood, no longer subject to death, pain, or any of the ills of
mortality. This does not look much as if the separation of the spirit
from the body is resurrection, Such a doctrine as that is not
according to the scriptures, it is only "vain philosophy."

Vol. 21, p.229
Latter-day Saints, beware of this vain philosophy which would rob you
of your faith in the resurrection that is to come. O, what a glorious
hope it brings! Husbands who mourn the loss of their wives, whom they
loved and whom they have placed away in the tomb, shall receive them
again in the resurrection. What a glorious meeting, that is, if they
have been sealed by the holy order of God. Whatever is thus sealed to
them on earth is sealed in heaven. Husbands and wives, those sealed
and united according to the holy order of celestial marriage, will be
joined again in the resurrection. They will come forth out of the tomb
and their bodies will be quickened by the power of the Holy Spirit,
and made glorious like unto the body of the Son of God. They will be
re-united as man and wife forever, and of their increase and of the
extent of their dominion and glory, power and might and majesty, there
shall be no end! Mothers who put away the bodies of their little ones
in the ground in deep sorrow and lamentation shall receive their babes
again to their bosoms. As they were laid down in the grave, so shall
they come forth again in the same stature, the same likeness, nothing
shall be lost, not even a hair of their heads, but they shall be
quickened after the power of an endless life. The Apostle Paul
illustrates this in the 15th chapter of 1st Corinthians He says: "It
is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: it is sown in
dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised
in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.
There is a natural body; and there is a spiritual body." When wheat is
planted in the ground, the seed seems to die. It is said that in the
midst of life we are in death. But in the midst of death there is
life. There is a nucleus of life that is imperishable. There is a germ
within that little kernel of wheat that seems to perish and die, that
is also indestructible, and so with the body planted in the ground.
What is raised, Paul? Is it the spirit raised out of the body? No; it
is the resurrection of the body. That was the testimony the apostles
bore. Their chief testimony was that Jesus was crucified upon the
cross, and that he was raised up from the dead.

Vol. 21, p.229
But, says one, I cannot see any good of it. What is the use of this
old body after it goes to the ground and mingles with the dust? What
is the use of taking the trouble to bring it up again? How is it
possible? In regard to the possibility, there are a great many things
possible with God that are impossible with man. A few years ago it was
not thought possible for a man to stand in New York and talk to
another in London, but it is done, it is possible, and many things are
done now that were not thought of years ago. Supposing a person who
knows nothing about the properties of the magnet were to visit some of
the big factories in England, he would see in many of them large
quantities of brass and steel filings [p.230] all mixed together. I
have been in such works and seen that the proprietors are very careful
to allow nothing to go to waste. They sweep up all these filings and
put them in barrels or other receptacles, and by and by some one comes
along with a large magnet and digs it into the mass of mixed filings,
and when it is withdrawn it is seen to be covered with particles of
steel or iron. This is repeated over and over again until all the
steel is separated from the brass. But a person who had no knowledge
of the magnet would naturally think, on seeing these particles all
mixed together, that it would be impossible to separate them. Now, do
you not think that God has more power than man. That he has "magnets"
with properties beyond our present ken? I think he has. I think if God
desires to bring the particles of the human body together, he
understanding their composition, can easily do so. In the beginning he
spake to chaos, and by the power of his faith the worlds were formed.
Faith is a force. It is as much a force as magnetism or electricity.
It is the power by which the universe was framed. God can speak to the
elements of our bodies and bring them forth again according to certain
fixed laws known to him if not to us. Jesus spoke to the winds and
they obeyed him. He walked upon the water. Out of five loaves and two
fishes he made a great feast, "And they took up twelve baskets fall of
the fragments, and of the fishes. And they that did eat of the loaves
were about five thousand men." All this was done upon natural
principles, and we would be able to comprehend this if we understood
natural principles thoroughly, And I have no doubt in my own mind,
that when the resurrection shall come, when God shall Speak, and we
shall answer, it will be just as natural to bring up our bodies in the
morning of the resurrection as it was for us to lay them down. Why, we
do not understand how it is that they crumble away. Can you explain
the death process, when an individual is taken hold of by some
mysterious power, and the life goes. out of him? There is no
brightness to the eye, no beauty on the cheek, no motion to the lip,
all is quiet, cold and lifeless. The body is placed away in the ground
and the particles begin to separate, when, but a little while before
there was something that caused all the particles of that body to
cling together. A change has come, and they all want to get away from
each other. What is the process and who understands it? There are a
great many things we do not understand. This afternoon we are whirling
in space at an immense velocity. The earth is revolving upon its own
axis and traveling around the sun. How is it done? "By the operation
of certain forces" But how did these forces come into operation, what
did they spring from, how are they regulated? Who knows? Who
understands the process of sleeping and waking up again? Here is a
thing that takes place every night. We go to sleep. How do we go to
sleep I do not know. Sometimes I try to go to sleep and cannot, and
again I try to keep awake and cannot. Sleep is in the likeness of
death, and waking up is in the likeness of the resurrection. I do not
know how it is done, only that it is done by the power of God. It will
be as Job says, God will call and we will answer. The glorious frame
of man, the most  beautiful piece of God's workmanship, so "fearfully
and wonderfully made," will come forth [p.231] in its full perfection
and endure throughout all the ages of eternity.

Vol. 21, p.231
"Well, what is the good of it?" I think that passage in the Book of
Doctrine and covenants explains it clearly. The Lord through the
Prophet Joseph Smith said that the spirit and the body of man must be
inseparably connected before a fullness of joy can be obtained. Man
must be raised up in an immortal body which cannot be grasped by the
hand of death. The unembodied or disembodied spirit cannot receive the
joys that come through the grosser elements. Spirit ministereth to
spirit, Spiritual things have affinity for that which is spiritual.
There are pleasures which can only flow through the medium of a
material body, and hence the necessity of the resurrection. A perfect
being is an immortal spirit dwelling in an immortal body, and by
affinity with all things, and heaven the key to the heights and depths
and breadths of the universe, is able to draw from every source the
joy and bliss and pleasures and glories, that are the heritage of the
celestial ones who are filled with the fullness of the eternal God. I
am afraid that those vain philosophers who do not want any more to do
with the body after death, will find themselves in the same condition
as those who are spoken of in the vision of Ezekiel to which I have
referred. The Lord declared of them "Behold they say, Our bones are
dried our hope is lost, we are cut off for our parts."

Vol. 21, p.231
There is a great deal in the revelations that God has given to the
prophet Joseph that may not be plain to our minds at the first glance.
Therefore, I would advise my brethren and sisters to read, mark,
learn, and inwardly digest the things that God has placed on record
for our guidance, and let us place our trust in them rather than upon
the vain philosophy and foolishness of men who think they are great
scientists, and imagine that they can reason out the things of God.
Man, by searching, cannot find out God, but He reveals them to the
faithful by his spirit which "searcheth all things, yea the deep
things of God." And if we will take for our guide the laws and
precepts God has given; take the Bible, the Book of Mormon and the
Book of Doctrine and Covenants, which all run together like three
globules of water, and are like the three measures of meal in the
parable, and seek to God Almighty for the gift and power of the Holy
Ghost, that it may be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, then
we will have manifested unto us those things that are necessary for us
to understand. God has set in the Church in these days, as he did in
olden times, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, etc.,
for the work of the ministry and for the perfecting of the Saints, and
if we are guided by the living oracles of the Church, and the power of
the Holy Ghost and the sacred books, we will not go astray, but if we
are guided by the vain philosophy of uninspired men we are almost sure
to get upon the wrong path.

Vol. 21, p.231
This is the point which I desired to make plain this afternoon—the
glorious doctrine of the resurrection of the body, one of the main
doctrines of the Christian religion. It all hinges on that; for if
Christ is not risen, then is our hope vain. Christ died and was raised
again. So shall we die—perhaps not all of us will sleep in the earth,
for some are to remain and be alive at his coming—but we shall all be
raised, and those who dwell upon the earth when the Lord appears shall
be changed in the twinkling of [p.232] an eye. The trumpet shall sound
and the dead shall awake, and with those who are living shall be
caught up to meet the Lord. Perhaps this may be the lot of some in
this congregation this afternoon. The day of the Lord is nigh at hand.
Behold he cometh, as the prophets have declared! Not as the babe of
Bethlehem, but as the Lord of power and glory, as the resurrection and
the life! Every word which has been spoken concerning him will be
fulfilled. Christ will appear and he will call the righteous to
himself. They will come forth in the morning of that great "day of the
Lord; that bright and beautiful morning when the Sun of righteousness
shall arise with healing in his wings, and the lambent rays of his
regal glory shall warm the righteous dead to life. But wo unto them
that know not God and obey not the Gospel, for they shall be banished
from the presence of the Lord, and until the millennial day is over
they cannot come forth in their bodies to receive their portion.

Vol. 21, p.232
May God help us to walk in his ways and keels his commandments, that
we may have a right to a part in the first resurrection, is my prayer
in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Orson Pratt, August 8, 1880

Man to Be Judged By Law—A Law Given to All Things—
The Law of Gravitation—How It Varies By Distance—Law of Projection—
Law of Elliptic Forms, Having the Same Length of Year —Law of Orbital
Velocity
—Its Variations Depending on Distance—Wise Adaptation—Intelligent
Selections
 of Law—Laws of Nature Counteracted

Delivered in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday
 Afternoon, August 8th, 1880.

(Reported by John Irvine.)

Vol. 21, p.232
What we have heard from this stand, this afternoon, as well as on
former occasions, we must meet again in the great judgment day. We
have quite a number of scribes at the table, who are writing down
anything that is said. These are not, however, the only scribes. There
are others behind the vail, who take down the discourses of the
servants of God; they  are recorded there; and the books will be
opened [p.233] at some future time. All the warnings that have been
given to the Latter-day Saints, and to the world, will again come up,
in the own due time of the Lord, in judgment; and it will be required
of us to render an account, whether we have been obedient to those
warnings, or whether we have been disobedient. The Lord is a
consistent Being in all his doings. He will not condemn the children
of men, for not receiving something that they were ignorant of; but,
if they are condemned at all, it will be for rejecting something that
they have understood, or something that they might have understood,
had they improved the opportunity. They will be judged according to
law, according to testimony, and according to that which is written in
the sacred books. The records of heaven will be opened. The records,
kept by divine authority on the earth, will also be opened. The
evidences and testimonies will be set forth; and every man and every
woman, who is condemned, in the great judgment day, will be condemned
according to law, according to testimony, according to evidence,
according to the light that has been given, according to the deeds
done in the body.

Vol. 21, p.233
The Lord is a Being who has given laws unto all things; and he adapted
these laws, according to the condition and circumstances of all
things. All agents, free agents, who have light and knowledge to know
how to act, how to discern good from evil, will be judged according to
one law. They are not compelled to obey the law which they hear, but
they can act according to their agency, either in obeying or
disobeying, receiving the blessings of obedience or the fruits of
disobedience. The Lord has given a great many laws, besides those
which he has given to free agents, or to intelligent beings; but they
differ in their nature, according to the condition and circumstances
of the materials to which these laws are given. See a revelation upon
the subject of these laws, which was given on the 27th day of
December, 1832 (Doc. &. Cov. pp. 305 to 310). This revelation was
called, in those days, the "olive leaf." In this revelation, the Lord
informs us that "he hath given a law unto all things by which they
move in their times and their seasons." These laws which are given to
the materials of nature, are generally obeyed. There does not seem to
be any agency on the part of these materials, so far as we naturally
comprehend it; at least, if there is an agency, it seems to be very
obedient instead of disobedient. Hence, when he issues forth a law to
govern the materials of creation the law seems to be obeyed; at least
do not know of any disobedience. It would almost seem as though these
materials act under compulsion. and are really obliged to act as they
do. Yet there are some sayings in this same revelation, which seem to
indicate that there is a degree of intelligence even in these
materials. We read that "the earth abideth a law of a celestial
kingdom, for it filleth the measure of its creation, and transgresseth
not the law." This would seem to indicate that there is something
connected with the earth itself, wherein it has an agency; and that
because of the exercise of its agency, and keeping the law, it should
be crowned with celestial glory. The materials out of which our earth
is formed, are also governed by law. Not only the earth as an
organized world, but the very materials themselves, [p.234] are
governed by laws. These laws were given of God; and when we search
into the laws, not of nature merely, but the laws of God, and the more
we comprehend the laws by which materials are governed, the more we
understand the laws of God and his operations in the universe.

Vol. 21, p.234
The earth seems to take one continued course. It has an orbit. It does
not deviate from this orbit, unless acted upon by some other force,
which may cause come fluctuations or deviations from its apparently
destined path. Some, in reflecting upon this might say, that the earth
is obliged to follow this course. I do not know about this, I am not
so sure. I think if we could see a little further, we would understand
that, connected with the materials of the earth is a living principle,
a principle too, that acts according to certain laws, intelligently,
not blindly; and that our earth, in performing its course, following
the track marked out, does so according to law, as much as we do when
we go forth and are buried in the waters of baptism. We go according
to law, and obtain a blessing, so does the earth, when following the
course marked out for it. "God hath given a law unto all things, by
which they move in their times and their seasons." We know that all of
these great movements, which we observe taking place in the universe
around us, are conducted according to certain laws, which mankind
have, in a few instances, been able to search out themselves. through
the intelligence that God has given them. For instance, we see a force
in exercise, when we lift up a stone from the ground, and hold it in
our hands; the moment we let go this stone, it falls to the earth.
What causes it to fall? Philosophers tell you that "it falls according
to a law of nature." But who is this nature that gave this law? Why do
material bodies fall? Why do they not remain stationary, suspended in
the air, or in a vacuum? Why do they have a tendency to approach the
centre of the earth? It is because there is a force which draws them
towards such centre. What is this force? Scientists have called it
gravitation; but the name does not explain the force. We are certain
that a central force exists; and that such force is something that
acts according to a certain law. Now, if you were to take a material
body, as for instance, a stone, 4,000 miles above the surface of the
earth and let go of it; it would only fall one-fourth part of the
distance, in a second, that it will fall here, near the surface of the
earth. Why will it not fall with the same velocity up yonder as here?
Because the law which God has given in relation to these materials,
varies in its intensity of force, according to some law of the
distance from the central force. A body will fall, near the earth's
surface, about 16 feet and one inch, in one second of time. iron take
it up 4,000 miles, and it will fall only about four feet in one second
of time. This has been demonstrated by the action of the earth upon
the moon which is nearly 60 times further from the earth's centre than
we are. The moon only falls toward the earth about the eighteenth part
of one inch in a second, which is about 3,600 times slower than a
stone or other bodies would fall at the earth's surface. Thus, it will
be perceived, that this gravitating force diminishes in its intensity
according to a fixed law, depending on the distance from the centre of
the earth. This law was discovered by  Newton. It is known [p.235]
beyond all controversy that if we go twice the distance which we are
from our earth's centre, bodies will weigh two times two less than
they weigh here. If we recede thrice our present dictance, bodies will
weigh three times three, or nine times less than if weighed here. At
ten times the distance, the weight would be ten times ten less than
here. At sixty times our distance from the earth's centre (which is
the distance of our satellite) bodies would weigh toward the earth,
sixty times sixty less than they weigh here; but sixty times sixty are
thirty-six hundred; that is, a pound would weigh thirty-six hundred
times less if carried to the moon's orbit, than here.

Vol. 21, p.235
In the language of mathematicians, "the intensity of the gravitating
force varies inversely as the square of the distance between
gravitating centres." This law is undoubtedly universal in its
operations, extending to all the visible universe.

Vol. 21, p.235
This law, combined with orbital movements, is necessary to the
stability of worlds revolving in space. Without it, systems on systems
would soon rush to ruin. If any other law of intensity than the one
which now exists were assumed, irretrievable ruin would soon follow.
Out of the infinity of laws of variable intensities depending on
distances, the only one has been selected which alone can impart
stability to all systems in space. Who made this all-wise selection?
Did blind matter select its own laws? Or did an all-wise and an
all-powerful Being impart these laws,—selecting out of an infinity of
force intensities, the only law of variable intensity, which would
render stable the grand machinery of the universe?

Vol. 21, p.235
This curious law some will tell us is merely a law of materials, that
God had nothing to do with it. But I dispute it. I say that God is the
Author of this law; and were it not for this infinitely wise
provision, there would not be such a thing as one particle of matter
being drawn to another; and a stone, when loosened from the hand,
would still remain where it is set free.

Vol. 21, p.235
Again we see our world here—the earth on which we are permitted to
live and have our being,—sweeping round the great centre of the solar
system, once in 365 days and a fraction of a day: it has continued in
this path, not only through a few centuries, but for thousands of
years; or, in other words, it has followed this course according to
some undeviating law. Whatever this law may be God has ordained it,
for he has ordained the "law which is given to all things, by which
they move in their times and their seasons."

Vol. 21, p.235
This earth does not revolve around the sun, once a year, in a circular
orbit, but in an oblong, elliptical orbit. Now, it is just as easy to
cause a body to revolve around the sun, in an ellipse, as in a circle.
For instance, if our Earth, when at its mean distance from the Sun,
should be projected, with its present mean velocity, in a line at
right angles to the lines joining the Earth and Sun—it would describe
a perfect circle around that luminary. But let the projections deviate
from a right angle, a little less than one degree, and it will take
the very form of orbit it now has, provided it is projected with the
same mean velocity that it now has. Again let this same earth be
projected, at its mean distance from the Sun, in a line making an
angle of 70 degrees, 31 minutes and 44 seconds of an arc, instead of
90 degrees, as in the instance just named, and the form of the orbit
would be greatly changed: [p.236] the distance from the Sun, when
nearest, would be only sixty-one millions of miles; and in six months
after, the distance would be doubled, that is, one hundred and
twenty-two millions of miles. Under these circumstances, the Sun, when
nearest, would appear four times larger than at its aphelion distance.

Vol. 21, p.236
You see, then, how easy the Lord, by deviating the angle of
projection, could cause a great difference, in the eccentricity of an
elliptic orbit, without altering the mean distance or without
shortening or lengthening the year. The year would remain the same,
without any deviation in its length, if the earth revolved in an
ellipse of the kind that I have just named. Again, if you wanted the
earth to go so near the Sun that it would almost graze its edge, and
still retain the length of our year unchanged, it would not take our
advanced university students long to determine the angle of projection
the earth should have, so as to just graze the edge of the Sun, at the
perihelion distance, and come back again in an ellipse, which would be
almost equivalent to a straight line, provided it was projected at the
mean distance that we now have, with its present mean velocity; and
the year would be exactly the same as now. I mention these things to
show you how the Lord, by a little deviation, can design a great
variety of orbits, in which worlds may revolve, according to law; for
all these things are done according to law ;and if actually projected,
as we would propel a cannon ball, then all the Lord has to do is to
decree the form of the elliptical orbit, having one year for its
description, and the projecting angle will be, at once, known.

Vol. 21, p.236
This is a law, and the Lord is the Author of it. It is not a law of
nature. It is not a law of blind materials which have no knowledge or
life connected with them, or in them or round about them.

Vol. 21, p.236
I have been speaking of bodies projected at different angles, and at
the mean distance of our earth from the sun. But let us next go still
further off into space. We can go away to the orbit of Jupiter, about
four times our distance from the sun. Is there any law for projection
or a law of velocity that would cause bodies to revolve in orbits, at
four times our distance from the sun? Yes. What is the law! It must
not have the same velocity that we have. It must, at four times that
distance, have only one one-half of the mean orbital velocity of our
earth; and, if you gave it more than one half of such velocity, it
would decrease the mean distance of the orbit below four; if you gave
it less, it would in crease that mean distance above four; but if you
gave it exactly one half of the velocity our earth has, then it would
preserve its orbit in a circle, or in any kind of an ellipse at that
mean distance. Is there any law to govern this velocity depending upon
the distance from the suni Yes. What is the law? According to
mathematical expressions, "the velocity varies inversely as the square
root of the distance." Well, says one, that is no information to us.
We don't know what you mean by inversely and don't know what you mean
by the square root; for all of us have not sufficiently studied
arithmetic so as to understand the roots and powers of numbers. In
reply, I will say, it is something very simple to all advanced
students of arithmetic. Let me say a few more words, in regard to this
law; for this is also a law of God. For instance, we will say, that
the earth travels a certain  distance in one [p.237] second, which we
will call unit distance or 18 miles in a second, in its orbit—we will
call this distance one. We go four times further off than our earth is
from the sun, and takes the square root of four. But inquires one, how
do you get the square root of four? A number that will multiply into
itself, say two into two, makes four; two then is the square root of
four, that is, it is the direct square root, not the inverse. But now
you put this figure 2 underneath a line, and place the figure 1 above
it (thus 1/2) and such a fraction is the inverse square root of four.
Hence, one-half the velocity that our earth has, must be given to
bodies which are four times further from the sun than we are. When
nine times further off from the sun than we are the orbital velocity
will be only one third of ours; because one third is the inverse
square root of nine. In like manner, when sixteen times further off,
the orbitial velocity is ours. When twenty-five times more distant,
the orbital velocity will be one-fifth, and so on to any distance.

Vol. 21, p.237
Here, then, is a regular law of velocity; and you may extend this to
any distance, in the solar system, that you please.

Vol. 21, p.237
Now, who ordained this velocity? Did the unconscious materials of
nature come together, and undertake to consider this matter? Here are
laws that are conducted with great intelligence,—intelligence too,
that was not understood for several thousand years preceding the
period of Newton. We have no account that the most civilized nations
of the earth had any idea of the law of velocity depending on the
inverse square root of the distance. Yet this law existed. whether
understood by man or not; it made no difference whether the nations
were ignorant in regard to this matter or not, the law existed, and
operated for ages unperceived by mortals.

Vol. 21, p.237
The Latter-day Saints say, that the Lord of Hosts who has given us
laws, adapted to our condition as free agents, has also given laws to
these material worlds, by which they act and by which they are
preserved for a great, and wise and good purpose, to sustain
unnumbered myriads of animated beings, who are by numerous other laws
adapted to these worlds, and enjoy life therein. We now have been
speaking of the infinitely wise law of the velocity of planets. But
this law would not preserve our universe in its present beautiful
order, if the law of gravitation was not exactly what it is. We say
that the law of gravitation acts inversely as the square of the
distance. Now, why doesn't it vary as the cube of the distance? Why
doesn't it vary inversely as the fourth power of the distance, or some
other law of distance? Because all these other laws would throw the
system into destruction at once; it could not be sustained. There is
only one law among an infinite number that might be chosen, that would
preserve the system in its present beautiful order, and that is the
law of the inverse square of the distance. Who gave this law to
materials that they should have this attractive force? The Book of
Covenants tells us that "God hath given a law unto all things by which
they move in their times and their seasons; "but if he had given a
different law than this I have named, in regard to gravitation, the
whole system, in a very short period, would be reduced to a chaotic
mass, lifeless and inanimate, existing for no purpose, accomplishing
no design or end. All this infinite wreck of worlds would be the
necessary result of [p.238] selecting an unwise law, varying from the
one which now obtains among gravitating materials.

Vol. 21, p.238
The law of velocity must be exactly adapted to the law of the inverse
square of the attractive power. Who was it that made this adaptation?
Did the materials endow themselves with both of these laws? Did they
perceive that no other laws would render the universe stable or
lasting? Or, otherwise, is there an all-wise and all-powerful Governor
who brings all things under the dominion of laws, wise in their
action, powerful in their nature, and preserving the grand machinery
of the universe, in the most perfect harmony in the working of all its
parts

Vol. 21, p.238
There must, then, have been some great supreme intelligence who
organized these worlds and gave them laws of attractive force and
adjusted velocities and thus produced the harmonious orbits which we
have, and which will preserve themselves, unless interfered with by
some extraneous force, for thousands of years to come.

Vol. 21, p.238
We might go on and speak of a great many other principles connected
with these laws, but let us now come to the laws given to intelligent
being. God has given laws to what might be termed intelligent nature;
but let me say, that what is termed intelligent nature is sometimes
called in this same revelation from which I have been reading, a
spirit, or rather, a power that "is in all things, through all things,
round about all things, and the law by which all things are governed."
It is, then, an intelligent power that encircles itself through, or
over, or round about every particle or every atom, and these atoms act
in accordance with the law that is ordained, and do not deviate from
it unless commanded by the same authority that gave the law. The same
Being, who gave the law to materials by which they act, can counteract
the law. He did so in the instance when Elisha caused iron to swim. We
read, that as one was felling a beam, the are head fell into the
water. The man, was much concerned, because it was a borrowed are.
"And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he showed him the place.
And he cut down a stick and cast it in thither; and the iron did
swim." Now what was it that caused the are to rise in the water? The
same Being who gave the law of gravitation, which caused the arc to
sink, counteracted that law, and caused the arc to swim. The same
Being who gave the law of universal gravitation, can counteract this
law. He did it, in many instances, in ancient times. He divided the
Red Sea to allow the Israelites to pass. The water stood up like
walls, in a great heap, not for a few seconds, or minutes, but stood
there sufficiently long to allow the Israelites to get to the other
side of the sea Now, what was it that counteracted this law of nature?
What was it that caused this watery element, which has a tendency to
spread out and sink to its own level, to stand up in a heap, almost
like a solid body? The same Being who gave the law, which governs the
yielding liquid properties of water, can counteract the law, so as to
make the water stand in heaps. God is the great Author of all law, and
is just able to counteract a law, as he is to continue a law. Let him
withdraw the command that materials shall attract all other materials;
let him say to matter, "I no longer require you to act according to
that law," and you would not find the earth going in an orbit around
the sun. [p.239] There would be no bond of union to keep things in
their proper place; everything would be left to itself. Let God
withdraw his law, or let him command adversely, and he will be obeyed;
because he has the power thus to direct; and the intelligence which
surrounds these materials, the spirit that is in and through all these
things, would understand the command and act accordingly. In the same
way the Lord heals the sick. He has made the tabernacles of the
children of men, and he has organized them according to a law, so that
every part of the human system is adapted to every other part. The
blood flows through the arteries, and through the veins, and every
part performs its proper functions. When any part or portion of this
wonderfully constructed being, or, in other words, this almost perfect
machine, becomes deranged or out of order, the same Being who first
constructed man, with all the different organs, muscles, sinews and
skin, can easily mend or regulate the same, and cause every part to
work in perfect harmony with every other part, so as to impart health,
and life, and vigor to the whole machinery. You would certainly think
that a person was not much of a mechanic if, after he had constructed
a beautiful clock, and it had run for several years, and got out of
order—if when you applied to him for repairs he replied that he could
not, you would be apt to say, "You made it in the first place: you
certainly ought to know what is the matter, and you can repair and
restore it to working order." Just so with the Lord. When our human
machinery is out of order, he understands all about it; and he is the
best physician that can be employed; and he also can be employed
without money and without price. He imparts to this machinery his Holy
Spirit which circulates through the whole body, and promotes health
and strength in the individual. But how apt we are to apply to
inferior physicians. As soon as something ails this mortal tabernacle,
the cry is, "Oh, mother, or husband, will you send for the doctor. My
son is very sick, and we need the doctor." Now this is sometimes the
way with those who call themselves Latter-day Saints, but they ought
to be ashamed that they do not honor the name which they have taken
upon themselves. The Lord has ordained that when you are sick, you
should apply the simple oradinance of the laying on of hands, or the
anointing with oil by his servants in the name of Jesus Christ. In
this ordinance there is more power than in all the medical ability in
the world; for there are many diseases which baffle the skill of the
wisest physicians, while by the laying on of the hands of the servants
of God—not in their own name, but in the name of Jesus
Christ—according to the directions given in the Scriptures, we have
the promise that they shall be healed; that is, if they are not
appointed unto death.

Vol. 21, p.239
Here, then, is another law of God; and we might go on and touch upon
instances of the healing power,—the healing of the lame man, the blind
man, the deaf man, or of fevers removed from the body, and the
restoration of broken bones. Now, we have many testemonies, especially
among our brethren in Wales, where they have, in the coal mines in
which they worked, been crushed, as it were, until many bones in their
body were broken, so much so, that it was supposed they could only
live a very few hours, at the longest; yet by the laying on of the
[p.240] hands of the servants of God, we have the testimony of many
witnesses that those bones were brought together, making a noise like
the crushing of a basket and were placed in their proper form; and the
individuals were restored to health and soundness. Could any herbs, or
mineral, or physicians have accomplished this? No. Who did accomplish
this? The Lord Jesus Christ, through his servants, by the laying on of
hands, according to his commandment. Did he do it according to law?
Yes; for all his works are carried on, according to certain laws which
he has ordained; and if ww had the same wisdom that he has, we could
see the workings of the Holy Spirit upon the bones that are broken; we
could see the circulation of that spirit in bringing those bones
together; we could see the action of that spirit in relieving the
optic nerve, so as to impart sight to the eye. If we could see the
workings of that spirit, and then understand by what power it works,
these things would not be a miracle to us. God has no limit the these
laws that are called the laws of nature. He has an infinite number of
laws; and he can work according to any of them, which are suitably
adapted to the circumstances, so as to bring about his righteous
purposes and wise designs according to his own good will and pleasure.
Amen. [p.241]

John Taylor, March 21, 1880

The Great Principles of Truth As Taught By Revelation
 to the Ancients, and Also to the Saints in Our Day

Delivered at Ogden Tabernacle, on Sunday, March 21st, 1880.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs.)

Vol. 21, p.241
It affords me pleasure to have the opportunity of being with the
Saints of this place to-day. I came here to attend t your Primary
meeting of the juveniles; and as I was here, I thought I would stay
over Sunday and talk to the fathers and mothers a little. And I would
state, as is generally understood by you all, that we do not have our
discourses arranged for us, or marked out particularly. Our ideas are
to present ourselves before the people, and to seek for the influence
of the Spirit of the Lord, that such things may be communicated as may
be advantageous and interesting to those who hear. And, therefore,
when we meet together in an assembly like this we ought all of us,
both speaker and hearer, to feel that we are in the hands of our
Heavenly Father, and to seek for the aid of his Holy Spirit, that the
speaker may speak correctly and understandingly, and in a manner that
shall be calculated to promote the welfare of the people, and that the
people themselves may also be prepared to receive such things as may
be communicated.

Vol. 21, p.241
We occupy a peculiar position on the earth at the present time,
perhaps a little different from that of any other people that have
existed on the earth—our thoughts, our ideas our principles, our
organization, our doctrines, our ordinances, and everything connected
with our religions matters are different from those of other people;
and it is our opinion, and not only our opinion, but a certainty—in
fact, it amounts to knowledge among a great many of the Latter-day
Saints, that the influences and principles that we have received have
been communicated to all by the Almighty. We were not the originators
of the principles we believe in; neither was Joseph nor Hyrum Smith,
nor Prest. Brigham Young, nor the Twelve; neither was any individual
nor any people associated with the priesthood or the organization of
the Church at the present time. We believe that these things have been
communicated to us by the Lord; that they are in strict harmony with
principles that have existed heretofore, to a certain extent, with
this difference however, that in the various dispensations that have
existed upon the earth since its formation, each one has had its
peculiar role to fulfil, with [p.242] certain duties devolving upon
those operating to attend to. We are living in the dispensation which
is emphatically called the dispensation of the fulness of times, which
we are informed from the scriptures has been "spoken of by all the
holy prophets since the world was;" and this being the case, the
dispensation in which we live embraces necessarily all that was
contained in any and all of the other dispensations that have existed
in all the ages preceding ours; and that consequently whatever
organizations, manifestations, revelations or communications that have
ever come from God to the human family in their times and
dispensations, we may consistently expect to be embodied in this one.
And, therefore, in some respects, as I stated before, the dispensation
or time in which we live differs in many particulars from those in
which God has communicated to man.

Vol. 21, p.242
We have, for instance, what is called the patriarchal dispensation,
which existed before and after the flood. And those patriarchs and men
of God that lived in those remote ages had communications with the
Almighty, and they also had the Gospel. And they not only received
revelations pertaining to their own day and age, but also in regard to
the future. And hence we are told that Adam, three years before his
death, gathered together a great many of his people and the prominent
anthorities of the holy priesthood, and he blessed them, and being
filled with the Holy Ghost, predicted whatsoever should befall his
posterity unto the latest dispensation, including all the leading
events that should transpire in the different ages of time, even until
the winding up scene, associated with this our earth; embracing those
things that have been and are to be brought forth in this the present
dispensation. And, in fact, this dispensation, we are told, has been
"spoken of by all the holy prophets since the world was." And,
therefore, it must of necessity have been associated with the
teachings of Adam, of Seth, of Enoch, of Methuselah, and of Noah,
Abraham, Moses and many other prominent characters that held
communication with the Lord, and who had revealed unto them his
purposes and designs in the days in which they lived. Many people
listened to the principles of truth in their day. Enoch was a
remarkable man and had a special mission to the people in his day, and
he was full of the spirit of prophecy and revelation; he also had a
Church organization as we have to a certain extent, and he preached to
the people and forewarned them of certain events that should transpire
upon the earth. And the wicked were angry with them, as they are
sometimes with us; they did not like their teachings and operations,
and they conspired against them, and great numbers of their enemies
assembled for the purpose of destroying them. And Enoch was clothed
upon by the power and spirit and revelation of God. And whilst under
the inspiration of the Almighty he uttered his prophecies, and his
enemies and the people generally trembled at the power of his words;
and the earth shook, and the people fled from his presence afar off,
and were not able to injure him; for God was with him. And Enoch, with
the united labors of the elders of his day, gathered the people
together who hearkened to his words and believed the message sent to
them, in the same manner as you have been gathered together.  They
built up a city which was called Zion; and the people who inhabited it
were under the [p.243] inspiration of the Lord for a great number of
years; receiving instruction, guidance and direction from him. And
finally, as wickedness grew and increased, and as the testimony went
forth among them, the good, the virtuous, the honorable, the pure and
those who desired to fear God and work righteousness assembled
themselves together, constituting the city of Zion; and the others
became more corrupt. And Enoch and his brethren prophesied unto the
people about the calamities that should overtake them, that the world
was to be destroyed by a flood; and there were provisions made for the
continuance of the human family, and it was made known to Methuselah
that his seed should be the medium through which should be perpetuated
the human family upon the earth. And Methuselah was so very desirous
to have this thing fulfilled that Noah, his grandson, who was the son
of Lamech, was ordained by Methuselah when he was ten years old.

Vol. 21, p.243
The people, we learn, grew to be so corrupt that "the imaginations of
the thoughts of their hearts were only evil, and that continually;"
and we are told that it even repented the Lord that he had made man.
But the servants of God went forth preaching the Gospel of life and
salvation to this wicked people, and warned them of the destruction
that was coming upon the earth. Before this great calamity took place
Enoch and his city were translated.

Vol. 21, p.243
The power of translation was a principle that existed in the Church in
that dispensation. There is something very peculiar in these things·
Some people, who are not in the Church, might ask me where I got my
evidence from. To the Latter-day Saints I would say, we get it by
revelation. We do not believe that, say some. That we cannot help. I
am speaking now to those who do believe so, to those who are believes
in God, and who are believers in the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the
Doctrine and Covenants, and who believe in the revelations which the
Lord has given and in those he continues to communicate. It is to
those people I am speaking to-day on these points.

Vol. 21, p.243
The Bible does not give us a very extensive history of these matters;
in fact, it is very, very brief. Referring to that great man, Enoch,
it tells us that he was not for God took him; and that is all. This is
a very short history for so important a subject.

Vol. 21, p.243
After that the flood came, which was a terrible calamity, to overtake
the inhabitants of the earth; and they were swept away according to
the prophecy—cut off from the earth, deprived of life and existence,
and shut up in prison.

Vol. 21, p.243
After some thousands of years Jesus came, associated with another
dispensation. And when he appeared on the earth and had got through
with his ministry, and had suffered in the flesh and was quickened by
the spirit, "he went and preached to the spirits in prison" who were,
as stated, "sometime disobedient in the days of Noah." And hence
thousands of people that had suffered the wrath of God for so long a
time had the opportunity of listening to the principles of the Gospel
in another dispensation that Jesus came to proclaim. And when he had
got through with his mission on the earth to those who lived, he went
then to preach to those who had been dead, and I might properly say
were damned for so many years. And what was the special mission he had
to proclaim? He came "to preach the Gospel to the poor, to [p.244]
open the eyes of the blind, to set at liberty those that were bound,
and to preach the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of
vengeance of our God." That was part of his mission; the whole of his
mission, however, has not yet been fulfilled. But he came to liberate
the prisoners, which he did in the spirit, when he got through with
his mission on the earth.

Vol. 21, p.244
On the back of that Noah steps forward in a prominent position, and he
had his work to perform, which he did perform, and began to raise up
another seed; and they lived also in what maybe termed a patriarchal
dispensation. And among them were many of his leading posterity. There
was Melchisedec, for instance, who was called the King of Salem and
the Prince of Peace, of whom Paul makes some curious remarks, among
which was that Christ was a priest forever, after the order of
Melchisedec. If he was, then of course Melchisedec was a priest after
the order of Christ. And as Christ introduced the Gospel, so
Melchisedec had the Gospel, and had and held and administered in the
same priesthood that Jesus did. And we read too, according to some
men's ideas, a very singular thing concerning him, that "he was
without father and mother, and without beginning of days or end of
years, and abideth a priest continually." He must be, indeed, a very
singular man, to be without father and without mother and without
descent, and yet that he should be a priest forever. Well, how is it?
You generally understand it; but I will inform those who do not that
the Apostle Paul referred to the priesthood that Melchisedec held, and
that they had what was termed the Aaronic or Levitical priesthood in
their day, that is, the day in which Saul lived; and that a man to be
a priest had to be a literal descendant of Aaron and of the tribe of
Levi; and he had to be able to prove his lineage, tracing his descent
back to the time when this priesthood was given by Moses in the
wilderness. But the Melchisedec priesthood was different from that, it
had nothing to do particularly with either father or mother, it being
without descent, and, therefore, people holding it were not altogether
dependent upon their father or mother or descent for this authority;
but that priesthood is an everlasting priesthood, administering in
time and in eternity. And this is what; Paul referred to by way of
contradistinction to the Aaronic priesthood which then existed.

Vol. 21, p.244
Associated with this priesthood there were certain powers and
privileges. These Abraham possessed and enjoyed. Some people think
that he was a kind of a shepherd with very few more ideas than a
mushroom; that he lived in the dark ages and did not comprehend much;
that he was not intelligent and had a species of what we term
now-a-days "old fogyism." But if we examine into his character and the
position he occupied, and if we understand something about the
principles he promulgated, we shall find that he was another character
entirely. In giving his history he tells us that "He sought for the
blessings of the Father and the right whereunto he should be ordained
to administer the same." He further says:—"Having been myself a
follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great
knowledge, and to be a great 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 [p.245] rightful heir; a high priest,
holding the right belonging to the fathers; it was conferred upon me
from the fathers; it came down from the fathers, from the beginning of
time. Yea, even from the beginning, or before the foundations of the
earth, to the present time, even the right of the first-born, on the
first man, who was Adam, or first father, through the fathers unto
me." Times and Seasons, vol. iii, p. 704. His father however was an
idolater; but had probably possessed a record of his genealogy, for
Abraham in his record continues:—"I shall endeavor hereafter to
delineate the chronology, running back from myself to the beginning of
the creation, for the records have come into my hands, which I hold
until the present time." And having found out that he had a right to
the priesthood, he, therefore, sought an ordination, and he was
ordained by Melchisedec to the Melchisedec priesthood. And the Lord
gave unto him certain privileges and powers that were very great; not
only did he have an ordination in the way I refer to, but he sought
more information from the Lord. And the Lord communicated with him and
gave him a Urim and Thummim by which he was enabled to interpret, to
read and comprehend the mind and will and the laws and purposes of
God. And, furthermore, I would state that he went still further. He
asked God for certain blessings and privileges and powers which
belonged to him and which he considered were within his reach, and
which were his privilege to obtain. And the Lord revealed himself to
him and communicated unto him certain eternal principles—that no man
can comprehend unless God does reveal them—and many other things—the
motion of the planets, and the planetary system of the earth on which
we live, and the sun and the moon and the stars and the various bodies
that compose our solar system; and then of other suns, and other
heavenly bodies and the laws governing them. Abraham wrote those
things, and was well versed in those great principles; and some men
affirm to-day that he was the founder of certain abstruse principles
which they allege are discovered in what is called the Great Pyramid
of Egypt,—principles that not only pertain to the planetary systems
but to events yet to transpire on the earth. I am not going to say
anything about the truth or the untruth of these latter statements, as
I have not investigated them sufficiently to comprehend them; but I
merely give the opinion of a great many men respecting him and the
intelligence he possessed. But suffice it to say, that the Lord
himself instructed Abraham in things pertaining to this and other
worlds, and that he in his day possessed more light and intelligence
on the principles alluded to than all the combined wisdom of the world
of to-day.

Vol. 21, p.245
Now, this was the kind of a man that Abraham was. And his heart and
feelings and affections were drawn out after God. And God blessed him
and said unto him, "That in blessing I will bless thee, and in
multiplying I will multiply thee and thy seed shall be as the stars of
heaven," &c. And further the Lord told him, "And in thy seed shall all
the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my
word." And hence he occupied a very important position. And, as I
before said, being a patriarch he had the gospel and the priesthood
belonging to it, namely, the Melchisedec priesthood.

Vol. 21, p.246
I do not propose to-day to show [p.246] how these things have all been
literally fulfilled that are here spoken of; that I will leave for you
to hunt up for yourselves. But the promises made to that man of God
have been literally fulfilled, even to the present day to the coming
forth of this work with which we are associated.

Vol. 21, p.246
Now, that was a peculiar dispensation; it was under the dispensation
that was introduced, say by Noah, or the one that he was, I was going
to say, founder of; he was not the founder of it, but he was the one
preserved by the Almighty from the wreck of the world, in which he had
lived for upwards of 600 years to introduce it. And Abraham was one of
the prominent actors in operating and carrying out the purposes of God
in that dispensation, and there were a great many others too that were
in possession of the same kind of intelligence; but he was one of the
most prominent, therefore I have referred more particularly to him.

Vol. 21, p.246
Then, there was another dispensation followed, called the Mosaic
dispensation. Moses was made use of as an instrument to deliver the
children of Israel from Egyptian bondage. It had been predicted that
the descendants of Israel should go into bondage and be confined there
for 400 years, and that they should be delivered by the power of God.
And Moses was the man chosen of the Lord to perform that work; and he
was indebted to the Lord for the instruction and the intelligence he
received. We read in the Bible that on a certain occasion he saw a
burning bush, and the bush, we learn, was not consumed; and on going
towards it he heard the voice of the Lord speaking unto him, telling
him to take his shoes from off his feet, for the place whereon he
stood was holy ground. He did as he was commanded. The Lord then told
him that he had a work for him to perform, which was that he should go
down to Egypt where he had been reared from his youth, and where he
had been taught according to the learning of the Egyptians to deliver
this people Israel out of their bondage. You that are acquainted with
your Bible know the history of it. The account is lengthy and I shall
not attempt to enter into it. Suffice it to say, he succeeded in
delivering the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage. He had the
power, when his people reached the Red Sea, to smite the sea and cause
the waters to divide, thereby making a way of escape from their
pursuers, the Egyptians. He lead them into the wilderness where they
had to depend entirely upon the mercies of God for their sustenance.
But having been in bondage for so long a time it was difficult for
them to comprehend many things that were communicated to them; and, we
are told, they began to long for the leeks and the onions. We, in our
day, would think that their taste was not so very delicate; but that
was their desire, many of them feeling that they would rather go back
to Egypt than to suffer the trials that seemed to await them. And the
Lord manifested himself to them in many marvelous ways, and Moses who
was their leader and who had been especially appointed by the Lord,
went up to the mount, and the Lord gave unto him certain commandments
which he wrote with his own finger, upon tables of stone which were
prepared for that purpose, Moses was away from the people for some
time conversing with and receiving communications from the Almighty,
and when he came down he found that the  people whom he had led out of
Egypt and to whom [p.247] the manifestations of the Lord had been
shown, had made a golden calf and were worshipping it—about the same
as we do sometimes, and we profess to be a much more enlightened
people than they were—and they said, "These be thy gods, O Israel,
which brought thee out of the land of Egypt." On seeing this
wickedness on the part of his people he became angry, and he threw the
tables of stone to the ground and broke them. Afterwards other stones
were prepared and the same laws written on them. And the Lord was
desirous. that they as a people should be faithful in the observance
of his laws, that they should be governed by the principles of the
Gospel which Moses taught them. This is a singular idea to some
people; they think there was no Gospel until Jesus came. Well, we
cannot help that, but Paul understood it better. He tells us that
Moses preached the Gospel to them in the wilderness, but the word
preached did not profit them, etc., wherefore the law was added
because of transgression. Added to what? To the Gospel. Paul
understood this if men in this age do not. And Moses did himself get
into the presence of God, and he also led seventy elders who were so
instructed and prepared that. they could go into the presence of God
to communicate with him; but the people were afraid of God, and when
the Lord appeared to them on Mount Sinai, when they heard the thunders
and saw the lightning and felt the mountain quake, they said to Moses,
do not let the Lord speak to us any more lest we his people die; but
do thou speak to us and be mouthpiece. They were not prepared to come
into the presence of the Lord; they were not sufficiently pure,
neither did they understand the laws and principles which God had
communicated. But they murmured and murmured and that continually—the
same as we do, we see something of the same spirit, we are found
sometimes murmuring against God, or at least against some of the
revelations he has given unto us, or against the priesthood, and in
many instances without cause. And what had God done for them? He
brought them out from the midst of Egypt, from a state of servitude
and vassalage, and delivered them from the hands of their oppressors,
and when the Egyptians pursued them, he opened the waters of the Red
Sea and let them pass through in safety; but swallowed up their
enemies who pursued them. Then when they were short of food he
supplied them with angel's food, manna. That was all the harm he had
done to them—just about as much as many others who murmur. They
murmured against God for bringing them away, and against Moses for
being the instrument in doing it. Whereas God was trying to fulfill be
promises he had made with Abraham, their father; and he was making use
of Moses as his instrument to deliver the people from that bondage
with which they had been oppressed for so long a time; but because of
their transgressions, their wickedness and their rebelliousness, the
law was added or given unto them, which was a law of carnal
commandments and ordinances, of which a later writer in speaking of it
says, "neither we nor our fathers were able to bear."

Vol. 21, p.247
Well, he placed them in another position, and gave unto them the
Gospel, but as they could not endure the greater light he gave them a
lesser light in the form of a law of carnal commandments and
ordinances. Hence that, dispensation is [p.248] therefore called the
Mosaic dispensation; and Moses was the instrument made use of by, the
Almighty to introduce it, and it was revealed to him upon the
mountain. And that law of carnal commandments and ordinances seemed to
suit them a little better than the Gospel; they loved these carnal
commandments better than the light, the truth, the revelation and
spirit that was associated with the Gospel. And they could not come
into the presence of God. If you remember, certain men at one time
went running to Moses to complain of certain other men whom they said
were prophesying; and Moses said to them, would to God that all the
Lord's people were prophets; would to God that all could be inspired
with that spirit of revelation that flows from him. Says the Prophet
Joel, in speaking of the glory of the latter-day, "And it shall come
to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and
your Sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream
dreams; your young men shall see visions; and upon the servants and
the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit," etc. Now, they
had a dispensation then called the Mosaic dispensation; and associated
with that was a sprinkling of the Gospel. Once in a while the light of
the day star would dawn upon the people, foretelling some things in
which they and their children were interested; and that was manifest
through certain men among them who were peculiarly inspired by God.
But they did not have then a regularly ordained organization of the
Melchisedec Priesthood as we have it. If a man received these things
in those days he received it from God: A young man came to me to ask
me some questions on this subject, and I will here mention one thing I
told him. These prophets had the Melchizedec Priesthood, but they did
not have it in the regular organized form as we have it. Hence when
Elijah was about to be translated—for that spirit and power was yet
with him; it had not left the earth after Enoch's day, for many were
translated besides him and his city —there were certain prophets
scattered up and down among Israel, and as Elijah and Elisha were
travelling together, Elijah said to Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee,
for the Lord hath sent me to Bethel. But Elisha said as the Lord
liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they went
on together. And at Bethel the sons of the prophets at that place came
forth unto Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will
take away thy master from thy head to-day? And he answered, Yea, I
know it; hold ye your peace. At this place Elijah wanted Elisha to
tarry, saying that the Lord had sent him to a place called Jericho;
but Elisha made the same answer. Elijah at this place made the same
request of his companion, saying the Lord had sent him on to Jordan;
but Elisha would not be separated from his master. And they went on to
Jordan together; and when they carne to that stream, Elijah took off
his mantle, wrapped it together and smote the water which divided, so
that they went over on dry ground. And when they had passed over,
Elijah asked Elisha what he could do for him before he should be taken
away. Elisha, knowing that he had something to do and that he was
about to be left alone, and that he might be the better  prepared to
perform the work before him, requested Elijah to let a double portion
of his spirit, rest [p.249] upon him. But could Elijah grant his
request? No, he could not. What answer did Elijah make him? He said,
thou hast asked a hard thing; nevertheless, if thou seest me when I am
taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not it shall not be
so. How did Elijah know that? Because he knew that the Melchizedec
Priesthood bolds the keys of the mysteries and the revelations of God;
and that if he could see him as he ascended, it would be an evidence
to him that the Lord had granted his request, although he himself bad
not power to grant it, Elisha would then know that his prayer was
beard. Those other prophets, who knew that Elijah was to be
translated, went and stood to view the event afar off; I do not
suppose that they saw anything of Elijah as he was being taken up into
heaven. But he was taken up, and Elisha saw the manner in which he
went, and cried out, "My father! my father! the chariot of Israel and
the horsemen thereof." And how did he see them? God had conferred upon
him that priesthood by which he was enabled to see them. Elijah threw
down his mantle as he ascended, which Elisha took up and started off
alone, his "head" having been translated. But he had received the
answer to his prayer; and approaching the banks of the Jordan, with
the mantle that had been left him he smote the waters saying, "Where
is the Lord God of Elijah?" And when he did so they parted as they had
done at the command of Elijah, and Elisha passed over. And God was
with him, manifesting his power through him, as he had done through
his predecessor. I speak of this as a certain principle and I speak of
it now for the information of you elders, that they did not have then
an organized Melchisedec Priesthood, but that if it was conferred upon
individuals, they did not have the power to confer it upon others,
unless through special command of the Lord. And Elijah knew that if
Elisha could see him when he was ascending, that his prayer would be
answered: Why? Because the Melchizedec Priesthood holds the keys of
the mysteries and the revelations of God.

Vol. 21, p.249
This is a principle on that point; and it may be of use to you elders,
that you may comprehend the position, that they occupied. That was
associated in part with the Mosaic dispensation, but only in part. But
when Jesus came he introduced the Melchisedec priesthood in an
organized form, and restored the Gospel. But those men did not restore
the Gospel. But let me show you that are acquainted with the history
of the Book of Mormon, they had a great many more revelations in
regard to these things upon this continent than they had upon the
continent of Asia. And they had the Gospel and administered in the
ordinances and talked about the coming of Christ, still they
administered in the laws of Moses until the coming of Christ; and yet
at the same time they did have the Gospel and an organization of that
Gospel in part and ordinances among them different from what they had
on the other continent before Christ came. You that are acquainted
with the Book of Mormon will find these things in it; and if you have
not found them, trent them up, and you will find what I say in
relation to this matter is true.

Vol. 21, p.249
Very well. When Jesus came he had been looked forward to by all the
prophets since the world was, and it had been prophesied about him
that he would come to redeem the world and offer himself as a
sacrifice, as an atonement for the sins of the world, of which there
were [p.250] many shadows and types. I will refer back again to Moses,
and then I will refer to the sacrament. Moses, as I stated, had the
Gospel when he went among the children of Israel. There were many
signs and wonders poured out among them and many calamities overtook
the Egyptians. And Moses went from time to time into the presence of
Pharaoh telling him what should take place, and among the rest he said
that if they did not let Israel go the first born of the Egyptians
should be slain. And he told the people that dwelt in the land
Goshen—the children of Israel—that they were to kill a lamb and
sprinkle the blood of the lamb upon their door posts, and that when
the destroying angels passed through, their children should escape
death. And it happened precisely as had been told them—while the
first-born of the Egyptians was destroyed, the children of the Hebrews
were preserved. Now, that was called the passover among the children
of Israel, and it was continued among them year after year, and the
day on which it was kept was called the day of the Passover.

Vol. 21, p.250
When Jesus was upon the earth he sent his disciples to go and prepare
a place that they might bold the passover together. "And as they were
eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to
the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the
cup, 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." What was it they were doing? It was partaking
of the passover of the sprinkling of that blood which was typical of
the shedding of the blood of the Lamb of God upon Calvary. And the
breaking of that bread was typical of his broken body. And they
offered in former times the blood of bullocks and of rams, goats,
etc., as sacrifices. And all this, as Paul says, had reference unto
the shedding of the blood of Christ; and was typical of that of which
he was the great antetype when he came to fulfil all these things.
Very well, what was that? Did they have the passover then? Yes. They
looked forward from that passover to the time when Christ should come
and shed his blood to atone for the sins of the world. And we look
back to the time when he did it, and we partake of this sacrament—this
bread and water, which we use instead of wine—in commemoration, in
token of what he has done for us. And we are told by the apostles,
that as often as we eat and drink of this, we show forth the Lord's
death until he come again. And let me say to you Latter-day Saints,
while we are doing this, there is something very important connected
with it, and we ought to be careful that we do not partake of these
emblems to our condemnation. Do you ever quarrel with your brethren,
or act in such a way as to get up feelings, and perhaps speak harsh
words one about another, and in other ways do that which is wrong, and
then meet together in solemn mockery before God and eat and drink
condemnation to your souls? We want to be careful about these things;
and hence we should understand that when we bring our gift to the
altar, and there remember that we have ought against our brother, we
should first go and be reconciled to him and then come and offer our
gift. Not come in any kind of hypocrisy, but come with clean bands and
 pure hearts and feel to say "O God search me and try me and prove me,
and if [p.251] there is any way of wickedness in me, let it depart,
and let me be thy true representative upon the earth and let me
partake of the spirit that dwelleth in Christ, and live in the
enjoyment of that upon the earth; that when he comes again I, with my
brethren, may meet him with clean hands and pure hearts." And I would
say to the teachers who go around to visit their brethren, when you
find ill feeling of any kind, it is your duty to root it out, and to
see that there is no hardness and no contention or strife among the
people who come to participate in this sacred ordinance.

Vol. 21, p.251
Well, so far as the gospel is concerned, that dispensation was
introduced to the world first by John the Baptist, who was the
forerunner of Jesus. And when the Savior came John knew it, and on
seeing him he exclaimed, "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the
sin of the world." And when people were flocking to John to be
baptized of him, Jesus came also as a candidate for baptism. But John
told him that he (John) had need to be baptized of him. But the Savior
told him to suffer it to be so, then "to fulfil all righteousness."
And he was baptized of him. Well, that dispensation continued for a
lone while after, and it began to decline and disappear; but there
were a great many men in different parts who listened to the
principles of the Gospel of the Son of God. But by and by it began to
fade away, both upon the Asiatic continent and upon this continent. It
was prophesied that it would, and that there should a certain power
arise who should seek to make war with the Saints of God and that it
should overcome them; and this power should seek to change times and
seasons and things, and they should be given into his hands until a
time and times and the dividing of a time. These things were
fulfilled—the Church of God fell into darkness and the priesthood was
taken from them, and they had instead something in the form of a bogus
priesthood and a bogus creed instead of the true principles which
Jesus introduced among men. That was on the continent of Asia. On this
continent they seemed the same pretty much; but they had an
unparelleled scene of prosperity and joy in the Gospel of the Son of
God after he came; and it grew and spread and prevailed throughout the
land. And as it was in their love for one another that no one said
that ought he possessed was his own; but, they had all things common
among them. We are told of these things more elaborately in some other
places which might be introduced, but which I do not wish to enter
into now. On this continent they remained in this condition for two
hundred years; and they dealt justly one with another, and dwellt
together in peace. I wish we could do that always. By and by they fell
into darkness, and the result was, as recorded in the Book of Mormon,
to which I again refer you to read and investigate.

Vol. 21, p.251
Then what next? Were things to go on in that way for ever? No; the
dispensation of the fullness of times has got to be restored to
introduce all that has been spoken of by all the holy prophets since
the world was. The Apostle John, when banished to the Isle of Patmos
says that he saw another angel flying 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. What do you
mean? The same Gospel that Adam had, the same Gospel that Seth had,
the same Gospel that [p.252] Enoch had, the same Gospel that Noah had,
the same Gospel that Abraham had, the same Gospel that Jesus had; the
Gospel that brings life and immortality to light, and that places men
in communion with their Heavenly Father—the everlasting Gospel. And
who introduced it? God himself came to earth with his son Jesus and
manifested himself to the prophet Joseph, and, pointing to his Son,
said, "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased, hear him."
Jesus from that hour was to be his instructor. What then? Then came
Moroni, who had charge of the records of the people on this continent,
who came and delivered them to Joseph Smith. What next? Then came John
the Baptist and laid his hands upon his head and upon the head of
Oliver Cowdery, and said, Upon you may fellow-servants, I lay my hands
and confer upon you the Aaronic priesthood, which shall never be
removed again from the earth until the sons of Levi shall offer
acceptable sacrifices to the Lord. Why did John come? Because he held
the keys of that priesthood and was the last that held them in that
dispensation. And then Peter, James and John came and laid their hands
upon his head and ordained him to the office of the Melchisedec
priesthood. Why? Because they had held that priesthood themselves and
they were the ones that held the keys of that priesthood; and when
they left, the keys of that priesthood were taken with them and they
came having it in their charge to confer it upon Joseph Smith. What
else? Then Elijah appeared in the Temple at Kirtland and conferred
upon them the blessings that were spoken of pertaining to him.
"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the
great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the heart of the
fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to the fathers,
lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." The prophet conferred
upon him those keys; and hence we try to do these things. And people
wonder why we are building our temples· It is that the hearts of the
fathers may be turned to the children, and the hearts of the children
to the Fathers. And if Jesus saw it necessary after being put to death
in the flesh to go and preach to the spirits in prison that they might
be judged according to men in the flesh, it was also necessary that
provisions should be made for men who had died without the Gospel,
without a knowledge of the principles of eternal truth, that we might
be baptized for them, as the Scriptures say, according to the flesh,
that they may live according to God in the spirit. Why is it you are
so willing to build temples? You would squeeze your dollar in many
other things, but when it comes to that you say, "I want to do it."
And it is so throughout Israel. I suppose we have as many as five
hundred men engaged in this work. And the brethren feel willing to do
it. Why? Because you want to secure certain blessings for yourselves;
and, then, you want to look after your friends, that the hearts of the
fathers may be turned to the children, etc. We are operating upon the
earth because we have the power; and they are operating in the heavens
because they have the power; and as the Scripture says, they without
us cannot be made perfect, neither we without them. And neither they
nor we could operate in these things unless those keys had been
restored and things put in the position they are to-day. Then [p.253]
we will build our temples, won't we? I think we will, and then
administer in them. Were we to talk to the world about a great many of
the things I have referred to to-day, we would have to bring up
evidence to prove the truth of them. I am talking to Latter-day
Saints, however, to-day; and you ought to know of them, if you do not;
and if you are not acquainted with them "search the Scriptures for in
them you think you have eternal life," and you will find all these
things I have mentioned.

Vol. 21, p.253
Now, then, all of these dispensations had to be restored. Then comes
Moses. Why? because he held the keys of the gathering dispensation:
And he conferred upon Joseph Smith the power to gather Israel from the
four quarters of the earth, and also the ten tribes. But the latter
have not come yet; but people are hunting them up, and they will be
found by and by; when the time comes, and the mountains will flow down
at their presence, and a highway will be cast up, and they will come
to a knowledge of the people. But they could not come without the
restoration of the keys I have referred to.

Vol. 21, p.253
Now, here are all these different dispensations, and there is one I
have not mentioned. We are told to build up Zion, shall we do it? I
tell you in the name of Israel's God we will do it with the help of
the Almighty; we cannot do it without, but with his help we will do
it. We will build up the Zion of our God, and help to roll on the work
which God has commenced. And those children you saw here the other
day, [referring to a general conference meeting of the children of
Weber Stake] many of them will live to participate in these things.
And we will endeavor to train them in the fear of God that their
tender hearts maybe rooted in the principles of truth; and they be led
to acknowledge the God of their fathers. Having said so much I will
pass on to something else.

Vol. 21, p.253
Here we are. We are organized under the direction of the Almighty; and
as I before said, not according to our ideas and notions, but
according to the word and will and revelations and law of God. And
none of us can do anything only as God permits us. What are we going
to do? We are going to build up Zion. What then? When Zion is built
up—and it is not built up yet; but it will be built up; and when that
is done Jerusalem that is spoken of shall be built—and we are a long
way from that—but when that is built up and the glory of God shall
rest upon it, upon every dwelling of Mount Zion as it did in former
times—then we will build up our Zion after the pattern that God will
show us, and we will be governed by his law and submit to his
authority and be governed by the holy priesthood and by the word and
will of God. And then when the time comes that these calamities we
read of shall over, take the earth, those that are prepared will have
the power of translation, as they had in former times, and the city
will be translated. And Zion that is on the earth will rise, and the
Zion above will descend, as we are told, and we will meet and fall on
each other's necks and embrace and kiss each other. And thus the
purposes of God to a certain extent will then be fulfilled. But there
are a great many things to be brought about before that time. And we
are here in an organized capacity trying to prepare ourselves for all
the providences of the Almighty. We are trying to instil into the
hearts of the people the principles of honesty, [p.254] truth and
integrity, and remove covetousness and iniquity of every kind. Never
mind the world nor what they can say or do, for they can only do what
the Lord permits them. We will then continue to do as we have done
only a great deal more abundantly. We will send out the Gospel to
them, and continue to advocate the principles of truth, and to
organize ourselves according to the order of God, and seek to be
one—for if we are not one we are not the Lord's and never can be,
worlds without end. Hear it, you Latter-day Saints! And do not be
figuring for yourselves and for your own aggrandizement; but feel to
say in your hearts, "What can I do to help to build up Zion. I am
here, and everything that I have got is upon the altar, and I am
prepared to do the will of God no matter what it may be, or where it
sends me, to the ends of the earth or not." But we are not doing that
yet; we are too much after our own affairs and drinking into the
spirit of the world, and yielding and catering to that feeling and
influence. Now, while we wish the world well and would desire to
promote their happiness, we cannot be governed by their practices nor
be under their influences. God is the Lord our God; he is to be our
king and lawgiver, and he must rule over us. We must not permit
ourselves to conform to the ideas, notions, dogmas, theories nor the
wickedness that exists in the world, and of which there is too much
already among us. But to the contrary, battle against these evils,
continuing the warfare until we purge them from us, and call upon the
Lord to assist us, and to lead us in the paths of life, and to enable
us to comprehend to some degree the position we occupy to him, and the
magnitude of that priesthood that has been conferred upon us.

Vol. 21, p.254
What will you do with the world? I was talking with a gentleman lately
who thought because of certain inimical legislation that had been
manifested towards us, that we should feel at enmity against our
government. I told him that he was laboring under a very great
mistake; that there was not a more loyal, patriotic feeling people in
the United States than the Latter-day Saints are. But have they not
done so and so to you? Yes, but the Lord has guided us, and we can put
our trust in him and wait his time. We are not in a hurry; he will
bring things about in his own way, ann will abundantly fulfil the
words of the Psalmist—"Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee, the
remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain." Some men seem to think that
we are going to be swallowed up; but we are not very much alarmed
about it. We have been "swallowed up" a great many times, but they
have generally managed to vomit us up again. [Laughter.] Among the
legislators of our nation and throughout the land, there are many
high-minded, honorable men, who desire to see all men protected in
their rights, but because there are a great many who are not and who
feel otherwise, and who do not understand us, should we entertain
feelings of enmity? What was the message that Jesus came to perform?
"Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature; he
that believeth and is baptized shall be saved," etc. What have we been
told to do? To go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every
creature; he that believeth and is baptized shall  be saved he that
believeth not shall be damned. We go and offer the message of life and
salvation. How [p.255] many of these grey-headed men whom I see around
me to-day that have travelled thousands of miles in order to promote
the welfare of the human family. I have travelled hundreds of
thousands of miles myself. And did he ever forsake me? Never; he was
always true to his word. And when you elders have gone forth he has
been true to you. And when people have believed, repented and obeyed
the message you bore to them, and you laid your hands upon them to
confirm them members in this Church, and said, "Receive ye the Holy
Ghost; they received it. Is not that proof that God has been with you?
Yes, it is. Will he not be with us to the end? Yes. What is our
message to the people? Peace on earth and good will to man, and seek
to promote the welfare and happiness of the human family, in every
possible way that we can. And we ought to feel to endure as Jesus did
the contumely of sinners until the Lord shall say: "Stop it is
enough." They will have hard enough times of it. Do we need to seek or
injure anybody? No. Is that our mission? No; but to seek to promote
the welfare of all men.

Vol. 21, p.255
Well, we are here in a political capacity as well. We are an integral
part of the United States—a very small part. What shall we do? Why
live so that no man can bring any reproach against us; treat all men
right, deal honestly with one another, and with all men, and be true
to God and your religion. If we do this then we have a claim upon God;
then we shall be blessed of the Lord and our offspring with us; then
the Almighty will smile upon us, and then we shall advance from wisdom
to wisdom, from intelligence to intelligence and knowledge to
knowledge, until we shall see as we are seen and know as we are known.
And we will go on performing the work God has placed upon us; and we
will continue to teach and instruct and educate and elevate our
children; and also teach all men who will be taught by us, the
principles of life; and by and by God will work with us in a more
powerful manner than he has done yet; and thousands upon thousands
will fleck to the standard of Zion, and many will come and say, "we do
not know much about your religion, but you are an honorable people and
execute justice and we want to be governed by those principles and be
under their influence; and if we cannot endorse your religious views,
we seek your protection and want to be one with you." You will find
hundreds and thousands of people will yet come in this way, and many
are pretty near it now. But we are not prepared; we sometimes pull and
haul, and talk and get hard feelings and seek to tear in pieces and
destroy, and carry out our own ideas and will. I have no will of my
own; I do not want a will of my own; I want to know the will of God,
and then do it. Don't you? We ought to do it; and let our own feelings
and judgment be emerged in the will of God, and seek to carry out his
purposes. As seventies go forth and be ready to go to the ends of the
earth at the drop of the hat, when required to fulfil any mission that
may devolve upon you, or that you may be called to, and consider this
your mission of life, you seventies, do you hear it? I tell you that
this is the will of God concerning you, and not to consider how you
can fix yourselves and make yourselves comfortable; but attend to the
other first, and be on hand to do that, and then it will be all right.

Vol. 21, p.256
May God help us to do right and [p.256] keep his commandments, that we
may have his spirit to be with us and live in the enjoyment of the
same, and be saved in his kingdom, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Orson Pratt, June 13, 1880

The Power of God to Communicate Intelligence—Difference in Capacity
 Between the Mortal and the Immortal—The Future of Man, Etc.

Delivered in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City,
Sunday Afternoon, June 13th, 1880.

(Reported by John Irvine.)

Vol. 21, p.256
I shall endeavor to occupy a few moments of time, and perhaps I may
continue my remarks until it is time to close the meeting. I wish I
enjoyed better health; I should then feel more like speaking. But as
it is, I feel willing to exert myself as far as possible, and also to
bring my mind to bear upon the great subject of salvation, and the
principles that pertain to eternal life and happiness in the world to
come. It is difficult, sometimes, for a person who does not feel well
in body, to concentrate his mind upon those subjects which will be
edifying and instructive to the people.

Vol. 21, p.256
It gives me great joy and pleasure, at all times, when I have the
opportunity to express myself in regard to the great and important
work, which our Father in heaven has seen proper to commence in our
day. We have been made partakers, in a measure, of the spirit of the
living God, pertaining to this last dispensation. This spirit, when
received, and when we give it our attention, and bring our minds to
bear upon the object of its operations, is calculated to instruct and
impart much information and knowledge to both male and female who are
in the possession of it. The Spirit of God is a spirit of revelation.
It always was a spirit that revealed something to the human family,
when mankind were in possession of it. There have been, however, many
ages since the commencement of the world, when the children of men
have so far wandered from the Almighty, so far departed from his
ordinances and precepts, that the spirit of revelation has not had
place within them. The world may be considered in a woeful state of
darkness and unbelief, whenever this great and  glorious gift is
withdrawn from the children of men; for without this gift, without
[p.257] this spirit, without revelation from the Most High, it is
utterly impossible for the human family to be saved in the celestial
kingdom of our Father and God. Perhaps some may think that this is a
very broad statement. They will refer back to the last sixteen or
seventeen centuries, and will say, that our fathers have not enjoyed
the spirit of revelation, during that time, and if your statement, Mr.
Pratt, be true, our fathers are not saved in the celestial kingdom of
God. I do not say that our fathers will all be sent to an endless
hell. I have made no such assertion. I do not say that they will
receive no happiness, no glory, no reward in the world to come; I have
made no such assertion; but understand my assertion, that if the world
have not been in the possession of divine revelation directly to
themselves, during this long period of time, then there have none of
them been saved in the celestial kingdom of our Father and God. Now I
hope that you have understood me. There is quite a difference between
being saved in some kingdom, where there is some glory, some
happiness, and being saved in the kingdom where our Father resides.
There is only one way to obtain this kingdom—the kingdom that is
represented, in its glory, by one of the most brilliant luminaries
that shines in yonder heavens, namely, the sun. We are told by our
Saviour that those who obey his commandments shall shine forth as the
sun in the kingdom of our Father. The Apostle Paul informs us that
there are in the eternal worlds many different kinds of glory. In the
15th chapter of his first epistle to the Corinthians, he says, that
"there is one glory of the sun; and another glory of the moon, and
another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from another star
in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead." They do not all
rise to the same glory, nor to the same happiness, nor to the same
fulness, nor to the same kingdom; but they arise from their graves,
and come forth—those who are counted worthy of any kind of glory—to
receive that which they are worthy of, all that they have lived for,
and nothing more.

Vol. 21, p.257
Our Father who dwells in yonder heavens, and his Son Jesus Christ,
inhabit the highest degree of glory in eternity. They are possessed of
all the fullness of glory. They have a fullness of happiness, a
fullness of power, a fullness of intelligence, light and truth, and
they bear rule over all other kingdoms of inferior glory, of inferior
happiness, and of inferior power. Their glory is like that of the sun,
or at least, the sun being the most conspicuous body with which we are
immediately acquainted, in regard to its glory, it is referred to as
being typical of the highest degree of glory in the heavens. The
Gospel is intended to exalt the children of men to that same degree of
glory, where our Father and where his Son reside. Hence it is said by
our Savior, just as he was taking leave of his apostles in ancient
times, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe
also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so,
I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go
and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto
myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." There is a mansion
where he dwells. Where this mansion is located in the midst of the
vast surrounding space, has not been revealed to us. It may have been
revealed in former ages of the world; but to us, as Latter-day [p.258]
Saints, we have no revelation concerning its location. But there is a
location, where these two glorious personages dwell. It has a
location, just as much as our earth has a location in the solar
system. But when I speak of our Father and our God being located in a
glorious mansion, or celestial world, I do not wish to be understood
that he is confined to that location. Do not misapprehend the subject.
He is not confined to that particular locality, in the midst of
universal space. He has power which we are not in possession of. He
has power to waft himself from that particular locality to other
dominions, other worlds, other creations; and to do this with an
immence velocity. Of course, to accomplish this must occupy time.
There are some, however, so foolish in their ideas that they suppose
that it does not require time for the Almighty to go from world to
world, or for any celestial messenger to do so. But this is a grand
mistake. Time is included in all motion. Time is included between the
event of a heavenly being leaving the celestial abode, where he
dwells, and going to some other abode at a distance. How great this
time may be is not revealed; but I have an idea that it is much
swifter than any velocity with which we are familiar; I mean the
velocity with which our Father and God can convey himself from the
celestial abode where he dwells to some other kingdom. I believe it be
much swifter than that of the common light which shines from the
heavenly bodies of our system, or from the distant bodies of the
stellar system. Now, light travels with immence velocity—185,000 miles
in one beat of the pulse, or in about one second of time. We might
suppose that that is about as swift as any being would want to be
wafted.

Vol. 21, p.258
But suppose that our Father, in the heavenly world where he dwells,
should feel disposed to visit one of the vast dominions of his great
creation as far distant as the nearest fixed star. If he could go no
faster than light is transmitted through space, it would take him
three and a half years to perform the journey. And to go to one that
was situated some ten or fifteen times further off, it would take, of
course, ten or fifteen times longer. And to go to some which are as
far off from him as the distant creations that are just visible
through our most powerful telescopes, it would take him six hundred
thousand years to perform the journey, provided his velocity was only
equal to that of light. I draw the conclusion, therefore, that God is
not confined to the velocity of light, or to any other velocity with
which we are accuainted—that he can go with immence velocity, perhaps
thousands and hundreds of thousands of times swifter than that of
light, if he feels disposed so to do. It is out of the question for us
to suppose that God does not travel in going from creation to
creation. That he could be momentarily and instantaneously in two
creations at the same time is something that I never could comprehend,
although it is believed in by some of the religious professors of the
present day. They believe that God, in his person, can be in infinite
space all at the same moment. That is not our doctrine. It is not my
doctrine, at least. He may be, by his power, by his intelligence, by
his spirit, in infinite space, working throughout all the vast
dominions of space, according to laws he has ordained and instituted.

Vol. 21, p.258
Having said so much, in regard to the locality of our Heavenly Father,
and of the celestial beings who dwell [p.259] in the same abode, or in
the same mansions where he resides, let me now say a few words more in
regard to his presence being everywhere. I cannot, for a moment
suppose, and I do not believe that any intelligent being who exercises
his intelligence, independently of the traditions of the children of
men, can suppose, that a person can be everywhere present at the same
instant. "But," inquires one, "when a good man dies, passes out of
this body of flesh and bones, it is said that he is in the presence of
God. Does this mean that he has actually gone from his tabernacle,
perhaps millions and millions and unnumbered millions of miles, to the
abode or mansion where Jesus is, because he is in the precence of
God?" No; I do not look at it in this way, I look at it in this light:
if this world in which we dwell had the vail withdrawn from off its
face, and the vail taken away from our faces, I consider that we would
see the Lord, however far distant he might be; hence we would be in
his presence; and on the other hand, those who dwell in his abode,
however distant, can see us; for there is no vail over big face, no
vail over the celestial abode of our Father and God, and there being
no vail over him, nor over the beings that dwell in his abode, they
can behold the most distant creations, which they have made. Now, this
is my view. I do not say this is the view of the Latter-day Saints,
but my own individual views, in regard to these matters. If then we
pass out of these bodies of ours, and the vail is taken away, we are
in his presence, just as much as we would be if we were wafted to the
mansion where he dwells: I have no doubt, but what we will be wafted
(if we are worthy) to that mansion, in due time; but I say, that we
are in the presence of God, while our spirits are yet here upon the
earth; because the vail is removed and our eyes can pierce eternity,
and eternal things.

Vol. 21, p.259
Now, we have some examples of this, Latter-day Saints: and I sometimes
wonder, when we have such plain examples as are to be had in this book
which I hold in my hand, (The Pearl of Great Price) I sometimes wonder
that people should be so limited in their ideas and in their views,
concerning the future state of man (I mean the glorified man), as to
suppose that he will be confined in his vision to some particular
locality, and that he will be something similar to what we are here in
this mortal life. Now, even mortal men, before they obtained
immortality, have enjoyed this spirit of seeing things that were
naturally supposed to be utterly impossible. Who that is acquainted
with this book (the Pearl of Great Price) has not read with great and
deep interest, the words of that great man, Moses, before he was sent
down to Egypt to redeem the Israelites? Who is there among the readers
of the Latter-day Saints who cannot comprehend, in some measure, how
the vision of that man was enlarged, while he was yet here in a state
of mortality? He went up into the Mount to pray to the Lord. The veil
was removed. The gloW of God rested upon Moses, and great and
important things were made manifest to him. All things were not
revealed; for he was incapable of receiving all things while yet a
mortal being. But the Lord saw proper to reveal some things; and Moses
sought to know some other things, but the Lord would not grant it. and
told him that no man could behold all his works, except he beheld all
his glory; and no man could behold all his glory and afterwards remain
in the flesh upon the earth; that is, [p.260] in the state of
mortality. But, said he, "Moses, my son, I will show unto thee some of
the works of mine hands. I will reveal unto you concerning the heaven
that is over your head, and this earth upon which you dwell." And as
the Lord talked with Moses, the Spirit of God being upon him, his eyes
were opened, the vail was taken away, and he saw the whole earth, not
merely the surface of it, but the interior of it; every particle of it
was before the eyes of Moses. This, then, shows that there is within
each of these mortal tabernacles a spirit, and this spirit, when lit
up by the Holy Spirit from on high, has certain faculties and powers,
far beyond that which we are able to develop naturally here upon the
earth. We cannot, by our own natural powers, discern one foot
underneath the surface of the earth. We cannot discern through
anything that is opaque in its nature—anything that will not admit the
natural light to be transmitted through is substance. But still, we
have the faculties within us; we have the power; there is merely an
obstacle, or obstruction, in the way; and when this obstruction is
removed it shows the godlike powers that are planted within the
tabernacles of men, by which they can behold and pierce those portions
of creation that are not discernable by the natural man. This Moses
obtained during the few moments that he was thus enwrapt in vision. He
obtained more information in those few moments than could be imparted
in all the universities and colleges that ever existed, since the
creation of the world to the present day. We may study the ponderous
volumes that are published by the learned, and it takes a long time to
grasp the information that some very learned men have received. But
oh, how different is the method of receiving revelation, when it comes
from the Most High! In a moment, as it were, those faculties of ours
that have been lying dormant ever since we were born into this
world—those faculties which are enshrouded with the darkness of a
fallen creation—those faculties, when once illuminated, when once
touched by the finger of the Almighty, can pierce the creations of the
Almighty, so far as he permits us to behold.

Vol. 21, p.260
These things encourage me I am in hopes, when I get to the other side
of the vail, that it will not be so difficult for me to understand the
different laws of science, and the different laws and branches of
education, that are taught in this little creation of ours. I am in
hopes that when my spirit shall launch forth out of this mortal
tabernacle, and go into the eternal world, that I shall not, at that
time, require Lord Ross's great six feet telescope; I am in hopes that
I shall not need any of the telescopes, or other instruments invented
in the nineteenth century; but I am in hopes there will be telescope
prepared for me, by which I can see the vast creations of the
Almighty, and comprehend, in short period of time, more than could be
unfolded to the children of mortality in a thousand years.

Vol. 21, p.260
I mention this in order to bring before the Latter-day Saints a
principle which, I think, we should all, more or less, reflect upon.
How encouraging it is to think we are not always going to be bound
down to this slow process of gaining knowledge, and information, and
wisdom, pertaining to the works of the Almighty! How glorious it is
also, to reflect upon the celestial host, who dwell in the fulness of
celestial glory, where there is no vail, and where they have their
bodies; for some of [p.261] them have been raised from the grave to
immortality, and are clothed upon with all the fulness of the
attributes of the Father. I say, how glorious it is to reflect upon
the heights and depths and lengths and breadths of knowledge that will
then be unfolded to the children of men! These things, as I said
before, inspire my heart with joy. I do not confine my hopes to the
volumes of works on science, with which I may come in contact here in
this world; I do not confine my hopes to the slow process of advancing
in knowledge and intelligence that the children of this world have;
but I look forward to that higher school—that great university which
will scope in boundless and eternal space, that will scope in the most
distant creations that we can imagine in the vast field of eternity,
in which we will be able to comprehend those laws by which the various
creations are governed; not understand them as we now comprehend some
few laws, but understand them in all their perfection and fulness,
being like unto our Father and God, made like unto him, fashioned like
unto his glorious body, and become indeed "sons of God." Shall I go
still further and say Gods? Are we not the children of our Father?
Will not the children ascend to the same height, to the same glory, to
the same celestial world, and to the same fullness of the attributes
of their Father? Are not our children, take them as a body, qualified
to come up to all the perfections and attributes of their fathers, who
came on the earth before them? It seems to be a general law that
children will grow up and possess all of the perfections of their
parents, provided that they take the necessary steps, and are favored
with long life, and have the natural intelligence that is common to
man. If, then, this seems to be a natural law in regard, not only to
man, but also to all animated creation—that the children come up and
possess the perfections of their fathers before them—may we not
reason, by analogy, that our Father who begat us—our Father who dwells
in yonder celestial world, intends to make us one with him, that we
shall receive the same fulness with him, that we shall partake of
light, and truth, and knowledge, and advance from grace to grace, as
the revelations in the Book of Covenants state, until we shall receive
a fulness of all truth? Then will not this make us, in one sense of
the word, sons of God? Will it not make us Gods also, according to the
word of God? "But," inquires one, "how can two persons possess the
same attributes without quarreling with each other?" That is not the
order of heaven. That is not the pure law that God has ordained, that
there should be quarrels with those that have the same degree of
intelligence; but the law is that they shall become one, as "I and my
Father are one, so that these my brethren may also become one in us as
we are one." That is the law; and if they are one there will be as
much unity between his children who are exalted to that high condition
in the celestial glory, as there is a unity and oneness between the
Father and his only begotten Son. Have they any quarrel? Have they any
difficulties? Have they any difference of views? Does one intend to
carry on one government, and another a different kind of government?
No; whatever is the will of the Father, is the will of the Son;
whatever the Father is prepared to do, throughout all his vast
dominions, the Son is in accord with him; and whatever the Father
desires to perform and accomplish, his [p.262] children who are made
like him and one with them, will take hold and perform the same work,
with all that unity and oneness which exist between the Father and the
Son. In the celestial glory they are made equal in oneness, in power,
in knowledge, and in all perfections; and the Lord their God is with
them, and they are one with him, to carry on all his purposes, and
will be one with him throughout all the future ages of eternity.

Vol. 21, p.262
I thought perhaps the time was expired; but I will say a few more
words in regard to this great glory, this high destiny prepared for
the sons of God. I told you that our process of gaining information
would be very rapid—would be immense in its growth, and that we should
have the faculties within us developed to the highest degree. But now
let us for a few moments, look into this high state of perfection.
When our faculties are thus developed, and when we have all the wisdom
that I have been speaking of, that dwells in the bosom of celestial
beings, in the eternal worlds, what will we do with this wisdom? Will
we fold up our arms, and remain throughout all the future ages of
eternity, in perfect indifference and laziness, without anything to
accomplish or perform? No; we will have works assigned to us to
perform in the eternal worlds, that will be proportionate to all the
fulness of that glory and knowledge which we are endowed with. Did the
sons of God in ancient times, come forth and assist in the formation
of this little creation of ours? Did they all shout for joy when the
materials were brought together, and when the foundations of the earth
were laid? Did they all feel happy and sing a song of rejoicing, and
with great joy; did they look upon the works which they were
performing? Yes. Jesus was there—the First Born of this great family
of our Father in heaven. He had the superintendence of this creation.
He had the power, because the power dwelt within him, to build this
earth of ours, the same as you give to your superintendent power to
build your temples, about which Brother Rich has been speaking. It is
said that the worlds were made through our Lord Jesus Christ. But do
you suppose that he alone made them? No; he had the sons and daughters
of God with him. And there were prophets in those days, before our
earth was made. They shouted for joy when they saw the nucleus of this
creation formed. Why? Because they could look into the future, and by
the spirit of prophecy, behold the designs and purposes of the great
Jehovah in regard to the creation which they were then in the act of
forming. Did they not understand that they would have the privilege of
coming forth and peopleing this earth? Yes. Did they not understand
that they were to pass through a probation on this earth, the same as
we are now passing through, in order to prepare them for a still
higher exaltation and glory, with immortal bodies of flesh and bones?
Yes; they understood these things, hence their joy, when they saw the
creation being formed for them. I mention this, in order to show to
the Latter-day Saints that the great work that will be entrusted to
those who are prepared, will be proportionate to the wisdom,
intelligence and understanding that will be imparted to those who
enter into the fulness of the glory of the celestial kingdom They will
not remain in idleness to all eternity. They will have a work to
perform. They will form worlds under  the direction, no doubt, of
those that may be [p.263] uppointed to superintend works of such vast
magnitude. Furthermore, when they have formed these worlds, they will
set them in motion in the midst of universal space, in some location,
where they can continue their mission, and where all necessary things
shall be fulfilled and accomplished doing the days of the probation of
these various creations. There will be laws given to govern these new
creations, the same as there are laws given to govern the creations
with which we are surrounded. The inhabitants upon these creations
will be visited from time to time by those that have taken part in the
great work of their formation. The inhabitants thereof will be dealt
with according to law. They will be intelligent beings. They will have
their agency, and they will pass through their probation the same as
the people are now passing through their probations here in this
world. Everything will be accomplished according to laws that shall be
ordained when these creations are made. Will they visit these
creations? Yes; for they will have the same power of locomotion, the
same power to pass through space (almost in the twinkling of an eye)
that our Father has—that his Son Jesus Christ has—that all celestial
beings who are exalted in his presence have, and possessing the power,
they will visit from creation to creation; they will impart knowledge
and understanding to their children in these creations. They will
visit them with the light of their countenances, and the children of
these creations will be made glad in their hour, in their times, and
in their seasons, by the light and countenances of the celestial
beings who, from time to time, organized them. These are the high
destinies that await the Latter-day Saints, if they are faithful.
These are the high destinies into which many of the Former-day Saints
have already entered. These are the great, and choice, and exalted
blessings in store for all who will keep the commandments of our
Father and God. Amen. [p.264]

George Q. Cannon, November 2, 1879

Natural Fulfillment of Prophecy—The Israelites and the Gentiles

Delivered at Hyde Park, Sunday Evening, November 2nd, 1879.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs.)

Vol. 21, p.264
I will read a portion of a revelation given through the Prophet Joseph
Smith, previous to the organization of the Church, dated April, 1829:
"Oliver Cowder, verily, verily, I say unto you, that assuredly as the
Lord liveth, who is your God and your Redeemer, even so surely shall
you receive a knowledge of whatsoever things you shall ask in faith
with an honest heart, believing that you shall receive a knowledge
concerning the engravings of old records, which are ancient, which
contain those parts of any Scripture of which have been spoken by the
manifestation of my Spirit. Yea, behold I will tell you in your mind
and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you, and
which shall dwell in your heart. Now, behold this is the spirit of
revelation; behold, this is the spirit by which Moses brought the
children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground."

Vol. 21, p.264
The point I wish to call your attention to is contained in the second
and third verses of this revelation. The Latter-day Saints are in many
respects like other people who are not Latter-day Saints. We are apt
to entertain views which are not very correct, and which may be the
result of our traditions and preconceived ideas. This is a peculiarity
that pertains to mankind generally, that whenever they deal with the
things of God, or speak about them, or contemplate them, and
especially when they read the predictions made by the servants of God
concerning future events, or events that may transpire right before
their eyes, they are apt to get, sometimes, erroneous ideas, or, at
least, exaggerated ideas, in relation to them. The prophets have
foretold the events that should take place in connection with this
work. There is one prophecy that comes to my mind, recorded by Isaiah
and Micah, respecting the building of the house of God in the top of
the mountains and the gathering of the people there, and the object
for which they should gather, that they should come up and be taught
of the Lord, etc. Now it might be supposed that when that prediction
would be fulfilled it would be so  prominent and remarkable in the
midst of the nations of the earth, [p.265] that all the inhabitants
thereof who should witness it would say, "This is the fulfillment of
the predictions of Isaiah and Micah." And it might be thought that all
the inhabitants of the earth who witnessed it would be convinced of
the truth of it, and would say, "We have no further opposition to this
work, because we behold the fulfillment of the predictions of those
holy prophets whom we have been taught to regard, and whose writings
we have read as authority from God.

Vol. 21, p.265
And, doubtless, there are many of the Latter-day Saints who have
thought, in the early days of their experience in this Church, when
they have heard the elders predict concerning the great events that
should take place in connection with this work—they have thought and
felt in their hearts that when the wicked and those who oppose this
work should see the fulfillment of these predictions they would be
constrained to acknowledge that this is the work of God, and would
cease from hostility and opposition, and would say they had been
mistaken. For instance, the elders in the early days of this Church,
predicted concerning calamities and wars and troubles of various kinds
that would come upon the inhabitants of the earth. There was a
revelation given to the Prophet Joseph Smith, in December, 1832,
concerning the war that should take place between the Southern States
and the Northern States. This was a definite prediction, stating the
exact point where a certain trouble or rebellion or division in the
nation should take place. Most of us who have been brought up in the
Church knew about this revelation from early days. It has been
published so that all the members of the Church, and the world also,
could have it, and it was but reasonable to expect that so definite a
prophecy as this, which stated the exact character of the difficulty
that should take place between the south and the north, and that also
stated with such definiteness the exact point where the division
should occur—I say it was but reasonable to expect that when it should
be fulfilled, it would have the effect of convincing unbelievers of
the truth of the mission of Joseph Smith, and that he really was a man
inspired of the Lord to speak the word of God to the people.

Vol. 21, p.265
In 1860, Brothers Orson Pratt, Erastus Snow, myself, and others, were
going on missions, and we arrived at Omaha in the month of November of
that year. A deputation of the leading citizens of that city came to
our camp and tendered to us the use of the Court House, as they wished
to hear our principles. The invitation was accepted, and Elder Pratt
preached to them. During the service, there was read the revelation to
which I have referred —the revelation concerning the division between
the South and the North. The reason probably, for reading it was that
when we reached Omaha, the news came that trouble was alreading
brewing, and several States were threatening to secede from the Union.
Its reading made considerable impression upon the people. A good many
had never heard of it before, and quite a number were struck with the
remarkable character of the prophecy. It might have been expected,
naturally speaking and looking at it as men naturally do, that the
reading of such a revelation, at such a time, when the crisis was
approaching, would have had the effect to direct men's attention to
it, and they would be led to investigate its truth and the doctrines
of the Church  and the [p.266] foundation we had for our belief. But
if there were any converted in that audience I am not aware of it.
Good seed was sown, but we did not remain to see what effect it
produced. The revelation being so remarkable, and the events then
transpiring being so corroborative of its truth, one might naturally
think, as there were present on that occasion the leading and thinking
portion of that community, that a great number would have been
impressed with the probability of its truth, and would have
investigated and joined the Church. You doubtless remember it was for
a good while doubtful whether the rebellion should commence at South
Carolina or not. I was in England at the time, and was engaged in
publishing the Millennial Star, and took a great deal of notice of the
American papers, and I well remember that to all human appearances it
seemed for a while as though the trouble would break out at Fort
Pickens, Florida. But the word of God had been spoken concerning that
event, and consequently it had to be fulfilled as predicted, and the
war did commence at South Carolina. It was fulfilled, as you all know,
to the very letter, Fort Sumter being the place where the rebellion
broke out.

Vol. 21, p.266
Now, I allude to that, in connection with this subject, to show you
that not only is the world mistaken in its views respecting the
fulfillment of the predictions of the prophets, but even Latter-day
Saints have doubtless, in many instances, entertained erroneous views
respecting the fulfillment of revelation and prophecies of the Bible.
I have no doubt there are many here to-night, who have had some
experience in this, and can look back at times in their own lives,
when they have thought: "Surely when these things which the prophets
have foretold are brought to pass, the people will be convinced. My
friends who now ridicule me will then be convinced, and they will be
forced to confess that I did right in embracing the Gospel."

Vol. 21, p.266
No doubt there are some in this audience to-night who have had these
ideas, and certainly there are good reasons for entertaining them. But
experience has taught us that, while there may be a few who, when they
have seen the predictions fulfilled, have acknowledged that our course
is right, in the majority of cases throughout the earth where the
Gospel has been preached, the fulfillment of the predictions of the
prophets has not had the effect to convince the people of the truth of
the ministry God has given unto us.

Vol. 21, p.266
Even with this experience in the past, the Latter-day Saints
themselves are not entirely divested of extravagant views respecting
the effects which are likely to follow the fulfillment of predictions
yet in the future. Are we not all inclined to look forward to many
events which have been predicted by the servants of God as being of so
great and wonderful, and I may say so supernatural a character, that
when they shall be fulfilled they will even startle us, who believe
they are coming, and will compel the unbelieving inhabitants of the
earth to accept them as evidences of the truth? In our thoughts this
seems to be the natural tendency. I notice it in myself; I notice it
in others. When we read respecting the great events which are to take
place in connection with this work, as predicted in the Book of
Doctrine and Covenants, are we not inclined to think that, surely,
when these things shall come to pass all the earth, as well as
ourselves, will be  constrained to acknowledge this to be the work of
God, and these events to be indeed those [p.267] which have been
predicted by the prophets?

Vol. 21, p.267
Now I would not, for the world, say one word to lessen in the minds of
my brethren and sisters the importance of these events; I would not
say one word to weaken your proper expectations; but my experience has
taught me that the Lord works in the midst of this people by natural
means, and that the greatest events that have been spoken of by the
holy prophets will come along so naturally as the consequence of
certain causes, that unless our eyes are enlightened by the Spirit of
God, and the spirit of revelation rests us, we will fail to see that
these are the events predicted by the holy prophets.

Vol. 21, p.267
I refer you again to that prophecy of Isaiah and Micah, respecting the
gathering together of the Israel of God from the various nations to
Zion. As we read of that in the Bible, we might think when that was
fulfilled it would be done with such supernatural manifestations that
the people would be constrained to acknowledge it was the work of God.
Yet we see it every day. Our people are gathering, and men and women
who emigrate bear testimony to the friends they leave behind, in
almost the exact language that the prophets said they would, and yet
it is not thought very extraordinary. Why is this? Because it has come
along so naturally. And so with the great events that will take place
in the future; they will come along in so natural a manner, the Lord
will bring them to pass in such a way that they will not be accepted
by the people, except by those who can comprehend the truth, as the
fulfillment of the predictions of the prophets. It requires the Spirit
of God to enable men and women to understand the things of God; it
requires the Spirit of God to enable the people to comprehend the work
of God and to perceive his movements and providences among the
children of men. The man who is destitute of the Spirit of God cannot
comprehend the work of God. A woman whose mind has not been enlightend
by that Spirit, cannot see or comprehend any of these events that take
place in fulfillment of the prophecies of the holy prophets.

Vol. 21, p.267
You take two persons, one who has the Spirit of God, whose mind is
enlightened by that Spirit,—the spirit of revelation, the same spirit,
that rested upon the prophets who wrote the revelations and prophecies
we have—you take a man of that kind, and then take another who has
none of that spirit, and put the two together, and the one man's eyes
will be open to see the hand of God in all these events; he will
notice his movements and his providence in everything connected with
his work and they will be testimonies to him to strengthen his faith
and to furnish his mind with continual reasons for giving thanks to
and worshipping God; while the man, who has not the Spirit of God,
will see nothing Godlike in the occurrences: nothing which he will
view as supernatural (as many suppose everything which exhibits God's
power to be), or nothing which he will accept as a fulfillment of
prophecies; his eyes will be closed, his heart will be hardened, and
to all the evidences of the divinity of these things he will be
impenetrable.

Vol. 21, p.267
To those who have mingled with the world the reasons for this are very
plain. Men do not believe in these days in the direct interposition of
God in the affairs of men. If they even believe in God, they believe
that he governs the universe by  great natural laws. When, [p.268]
therefore, a great and wonderful event occur's, they seek for its
origin and explanation in some natural law. They ignore the fact that
God works through natural laws; but seem to think that if he were to
interpose at all, it would be by manifesting his power through the
suspension of natural laws, by overriding and violating them, and in
such a supernatural manner that mankind would be compelled to
acknowledge it was his act, as they would be utterly unable to account
for it by any laws known to them, or in any other way than as being
through his power. Wars, famines, pestilences, cyclones, earthquakes,
and the great variety of calamities which God has said shall be poured
out upon the wicked nations, are therefore looked upon by men
generally in these days as the results of certain well-defined and
easily explained causes. When any of these calamities visit a city or
a nation they immediately commence to investigate the laws which
govern them, and by the violation of which they assert they are
produced; and when they discover what they allege is the cause, they
triumphantly point to it, and that is sufficient proof that the Lord
has nothing special to do with it; for if It were a visitation from
him, it is supposed it would be so supernatural as to be inexplicable.
And thus men go on, hardening their hearts and denying God's power,
until they will be so completely given over to the evil one, that he
will lead them captive according to his will.

Vol. 21, p.268
My reason for calling your attention to the word of the Lord I have
read to you is, that I have sometimes thought that our people do not
appreciate as they should do the spirit of revelation, the spirit of
prophecy, the power of God, that has been poured out upon us as a
people. The fact seems to be overlooked that it was in the manner in
which the Lord tells Oliver Cowdery that Moses brought the children of
Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground. The Lord said to Oliver: "I
will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which
shall come upon you, and which shall dwell in your heart. Now, behold,
this is the spirit of revelation; behold, this is the spirit by which
Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry
ground." How many of the Latter-day Saints are there who understand
that this is the way in which Moses led the children of Israel so
miraculously How many are there who think that if we had a man like
Moses among us, the people would be led differently and with greater
manifestations of power than they are? How many are there who are
dissatisfied with what God is doing at present, and are looking for
some one to appear in the future who shall exhibit convincing and
overwhelming manifestations of power? How many are there at the
present time who are neglecting the precious and inestimable gift of
revelation which God has bestowed upon his people, because it does not
come to them in the way to suit their preconceived notions and
ideas—or who are not suited with the way the Church has been and is
led, because there is not that wonderful degree of power exhibited
which they imagine should be?

Vol. 21, p.268
Apostates have asserted that there was not the power in the leaders of
the Church which there should be. They said so during the life of the
Prophet Joseph, asserting that he was a fallen prophet. After his
death they made the same statements respecting President Young, his
counselors, and the Twelve Apostles. And, if I am not mistaken, there
are  [p.269] some members of the Church who I have appeared to think
that there has been some power lacking, and have manifested a feeling
of restlessness, anticipating the rising of some one who should have
greater authority than at present exists. While I would not wish to
detract from the reasonable expectations of my brethren and sisters
upon this or any other point, my view is that the apostleship, now
held in this Church, embodies all the authority bestowed by the Lord
upon man in the flesh. Yet I believe that the power of God will be
increased among us, that we will have manifestations of his power such
as we never have before witnessed. For the day of God's power in the
redemption of Zion will come. But I do not expect that to come upon us
all of a sudden. I expect that it will be the natural result of the
natural growth of the people in the things of God. I expect that we
will go on step by step from one degree of knowledge, and of power,
and of faith to another, until we shall be prepared to receive all the
Lord has in store for us and be prepared to enter into that glory
promised to the faithful Saints. The Lord has given unto his people
and to his church every gift and every qualification and every key
which is necessary to lead this people into the celestial kingdom of
our father and our God. There is nothing wanting. When the Lord
restored the Apostleship to the earth he restored all the power that
was possible for a human being to hold in the flesh. When he restored
the keys of the holy priesthood unto his servant Joseph, when he gave
unto him the sealing powers, when he gave unto him the endowments and
the keys of the holy priesthood associated therewith, when the Prophet
Joseph received the keys from Elijah, and from all the prophets that
had existed upon the earth from the beginning down—each one, as he
says himself in one of his epistles—each one in his dispensation
coming forward and bestowing upon him the authority pertaining
thereto, there was embodied in him all the priesthood they held, and
he bestowed upon his fellow Apostles all the priesthood he exercised
and all the power and authority bestowed upon mortal man to exercise
here upon the earth, so far as the present is concerned; that is, all
the keys of the priesthood and everything that is necessary in this
preparatory state, and to make man a fit subject for the celestial
kingdom of God. By the command of the Lord he conferred that authority
upon his fellow servants to bind upon earth and it should be bound in
heaven, to seal the children to the father and the mother, and to seal
the wife to the husband, and to weld all the links necessary in order
to complete the salvation of all the children of men from the days of
Adam down to our day, and also to prepare men and women for the future
that lies before us, the millennium to which we are all hastening. Who
can conceive of any power that was lacking? Who had power to promise
unto man that they should be kings and priests unto God? And in
addition to that, who had the power to seal upon them the actual
kingly and priestly dignity and confirm upon them the fulness of it,
and also to give them promises respecting the Godhead that should be
fulfilled upon them, and if faithful, to come forth in the morning of
the first resurrection? Now, there was nothing lacking, and there was
no power, there was no gift, there was no authority, there were no
keys lacking, and these keys have been handed down through [p.270]
him. Others may have claimed to have had them. We have had Strang,
John E. Page, William Smith, Gladden Bishop, and a host of others;
each has claimed to have received that authority, either through
Joseph Smith or from some other source. Some have claimed that Joseph
was a fallen prophet; and some have set up one claim and some another.
But the fact remains that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, as it is organized in these mountains, has had the
apostleship; that the men who have stood at our head, President Young
and the Twelve Apostles, whose President at the death of the Prophet
Joseph he was, actually received under the hands of the Prophet
Joseph, every key, and power, and authority that he himself possessed,
and that they actually did take hold and complete the temple he
started, and endowed their fellow servants therein with the same
authority and the same priestly and kingly dignity that they had
received from under his hands. And from that time to the present this
work has gone forth with might and power, and the power of God has
attended the labors of his servants who have been sent forth by these
apostles, chosen by revelation to take charge of this work; everything
they have done God has blessed. They have gathered the people
together, they have led the people, they have been delivered by the
mighty power of God when it seemed that they would be overwhelmed by
opposing influences. They have gathered the people together from the
nations of the earth in fulfillment of the predictions of the holy
prophets. Not only that, but they have laid the foundations of temples
here; one temple, at least, has been completed, while three others are
in process of erection, which we hope will soon be completed, into
which buildings the Saints of God can enter and receive their
endowments, receive their washings and anointings and sealings and
ordinances, and have the keys of the holy priesthood bestowed upon
them, which they can exercise in the right way for the building up of
the work of God. And this is the work of God, although men may say
there has been no supernatural manifestation of power, such as some
suppose ought to attend his work. This work has gone forth with a
rapidity and impetus that has been irresistable, and there is no power
able to stand against it. It has gone forward to the fulfilment of all
that has been spoken thus far concerning it, that is as far as we have
gone. And the people have received the Holy Ghost, they have been
filled with it, they have been filled with the spirit of revelation.
The same spirit of revelation that Moses had, concerning which God
speaks through the Prophet Joseph Smith, has rested upon men that have
held the keys of this kingdom, whether it was during President Young's
life or at the present time—that same spirit of revelation rests upon
him who holds the presidency as senior apostle in the midst of the
people of God. The apostles of this Church have all the authority,
they have all the keys, and it is within the purview of their office
and calling to have all the spirit of revelation necessary to lead
this people into the presence of the Lamb in the celestial kingdom of
our God.

Vol. 21, p.270
I have desired to say this much, because I have felt at times there
was a feeling among some people that there was not that manifestation
of power, neither was there that authority wielded by the men who
preside over this Church and  [p.271] kingdom that should be.

Vol. 21, p.271
But it is the truth, that the same spirit of revelation that rested
upon Moses, and which enabled him to lead the children of Israel
through the Red Sea, rests upon the servants of God in the midst of
this people, and you will find it so to your entire satisfaction if
you will listen to their counsels and be guided by them. Does God
reveal himself to his servants now? I, know he does. The same spirit
that rested upon Joseph —the same spirit that rested upon. Moses, I
know it is in the midst of the Latter-day Saints—precisely the same
spirit. But then we are a nation of Gentiles. We who have come here,
what are we? We are called from the Gentile nations. The promises are
not made to us that are made to people who are the unmixed descendants
of Israel. In many respects, when they come into the covenant and are
baptized, and the power of God rests upon them, you will see a
different work than you see at the present time. It is just as much as
we, with our Gentile traditions—an inheritance we have received from
our fathers, which have come down through generations—it is as much as
many of us can do, with all the power we can exercise, to remain in
the Church.

Vol. 21, p.271
I was speaking with Brother Simpson Molen this evening, who, as you
know has latetly returned from a mission to the Sandwich Islands. It
is now 29 years since the Gospel was introduced to the people of that
country. I labored there for four or five years, and was the first to
preach the Gospel to them in their language in this generation. During
my experience among that people, a red skinned race, I never knew a
man, because of transgression or anything else, after he received the
truth—I never knew one of them to turn around and fight this cause in
the manner that we witness men doing among our race. How is it with
the Gentiles, the race of which we are a part? When a man gets a
testimony from God and falls into transgression he is almost
immediately seized with the spirit of murder. He wants to shed the
blood of innocence. He wants to kill the servants of God, is full of
bitterness and hatred, and seeks to find vent for his wicked passions.
We have seen this spirit manifested in our history among our own race.
But here is a people who receive strong testemonies concerning the
Gospel, and from all that I can learn there has not been an instance
of a man's turning around and bitterly fighting this work. There seems
to be a natural receptiveness about them to receive the truth. The
Indians will be the same in my opinion. You will find the same
peculiarity, you will find them ready to receive the truth, and they
will cleave to the truth. It is difficult for the Gentiles to recieve
the truth. It will be easier for them, because unto them are the
promises. I look for a very different condition of things when these
races come into the church and are brought into the covenant, I expect
then to see the work accomplished by a power that we do not witness
just now. But it is not because something is lacking in the
organization or in the authority of the priesthood. We have, as I have
said, all that is necessary, and we have this spirit of which I have
spoken and which is alluded to in this revelation—the same spirit of
revelation which reveals to us that which we should do and the course
we should take in order to please the  Lord and in order to build up
his kingdom, and this Church will [p.272] always be led by that
authority from this time henceforth until Christ himself shall come to
preside over us and be our king.

Vol. 21, p.272
My brethren and sisters, if you want more revelation, here is the
principle upon which to obtain it. Are you entitled to it? Yes, every
one of you—the same spirit of revelation that Moses had, the same
spirit that all the prophets and apostles had, it is your privilege,
it is my privilege, it is the privilege of every man and woman who
possesses the Gospel to receive the spirit of God, the Holy Ghost, to
have that same spirit resting upon him and upon her, and the more we
seek after it and cherish it the more we will have.

Vol. 21, p.272
My time is exhausted. I pray God to bless us and fill us continually
with the light of that spirit, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Orson Pratt, June 20, 1880

Delivered in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday
 Afternoon, June 20th, 1880.

(Reported by John Irvine.)

The Gathering of the Saints—Their Sufferings—Ancient Predictions
 Fulfilled—Crickets and Their Miraculous Destruction—Crops Saved
—Desert Made Fruitful—God's Kingdom in the Mountains—Its
 Future Destiny—The Coming of the Lord

Vol. 21, p.272
I will call the attention of the congregation to a few verses,
contained in the 50th Psalm, and the first six verses: "The mighty
God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising
of the sun unto the going down thereof. Out of Zion, the perfection of
beauty, God hath shined Our God shall some, and shall not keep
silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very
tempestouous round about him. He shall call to the heavens from above,
and to the earth, that he may  judge his people. Gather my saints
[p.273] together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by
sacrifice. And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is
judge himself." It is very evident that the Psalmist, when writing
these words, must have been inspired of the living God; for the
events, here foretold, are clearly set forth in many other parts of
the sacred scriptures. Two very important events are announced here;
one is, the gathering of the Saints,—those who have made a covenant
with the Lord by sacrifice;—and another is the coming of the Lord, not
his first coming, but his second advent, when a fire shall devour
before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him; when he
shall, in other words, come in his majesty, in his power, in great
glory, or, as the apostle Paul expresses it in one of his epistles to
the Thessalonians, "he shall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty
angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God,
and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." There seems to
be connected with this advent of the Lord from the heavens, great
power; his arm is to be made manifest before all people. Preparatory
to this great event, there will be a universal gathering of the Saints
from the four quarters of the earth. It is one of the signs preceding
the second advent. It is clearly foretold by many of the prophets.
David alludes to it, not only in this Psalm, but in many parts of his
Psalms. The Spirit of God seems to have moved upon him to portray more
or less the great work of the gathering of the Saints in the last
days. Many suppose that he will come. and find the Saints scattered
all over the world, not gathered into any special country, but it is
evident that those who have taken this view of the subject don't
understand the Scripture writings. Nothing is plainer in all the
sacred Scriptures than the gathering of the people of God. The apostle
Paul, in the first chapter of his epistle to the Ephesians, prophecies
"that in the dispensation of the fulness of times, he might gather
together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and
which are on earth." It seems to be a new dispensation, a dispensation
that is characterized by the words "fulness of times." When these
times shall be fulfilled: when the day shall come for this great
preparatory work to take place, the Lord will signify it, by speaking
from the heavens; or, as it is here stated, in the fourth verse of
this Psalm which I have just read, "he shall call to the heavens from
above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people. Gather my
Saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by
sacrifice." From this we draw the conclusion, that when the
dispensation shall be fully ushered in: when the time for the great
preparatory work shall take place, the heavens will no longer be
sealed up, but the Lord will again speak, will call to the heavens,
call upon his angels, call upon the ancient prophets who have died and
gone the way of the whole earth, and are dwelling in the heavens, to
do the work assigned to them, in the great and last dispensation of
the fulness of times, in brining about the gathering and restitution
of his people upon the face of the earth. David, in the 107th Psalm,
has very clearly portrayed this wonderful and great event. Perhaps it
may be well for us to read the exact words. He commences the Psalm
thus: "O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy
endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the Lord  [p.274] say so, whom
he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy." Now notice the
gathering—"and gathered them out of the lands, from the east and from
the west, from the north and from the south. It seems to be a
gathering from the four points of the compass, out of all lands. You
might inquire if the prophets have said anything special in relation
to the country where these Saints, or people of God are to be
gathered. Let us read the next verse. After gathering them out of the
different countries and lands, from the east, west, north and south,
the Psalmist says, "They wandered in a wilderness, in a solitary way;
they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted
in them. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he
delivered them out of their distresses. And he led them forth by the
right way," etc. Now this cannot refer to any former dispensation of
gathering. When the children of Israel in ancient days were collected
together as a body, they were not taken from the east, west, north and
south, but they were taken from one little country—the land of Goshen
in Egypt. From there this handful of people, about twenty-five hundred
thousand were taken, and in the course of time were permitted to
inhabit the land of Canaan. But this gathering that is here spoken of
informs us that they are to be gathered out of all lands, Who? The
redeemed of the Lord,—people who have heard the message of redemption,
obeyed the ordinances of redemption, received the Gospel of
redemption, and were the people of God, the people of Christ; they
were the ones that were to wander in the wilderness, after they were
thus gathered, and that wilderness would be a solitary way. Now, in
gathering from Egypt to the land of Canaan, they wandered, it is true,
in a small wilderness, on the east side of the Red Sea, but instead of
bringing them forth where there was no city or habitation, he brought
them forth to large and populous cities. The first city that they came
to, after crossing from the east side of Jordan to the land on the
west side, was the great city of Jericho, which the Lord delivered
into their hands; and then there were humorous other cities that are
mentioned in the Book of Joshua, which were delivered into the hands
of the people. The children of Israel gathered out of one land; but
this latter-day gathering was to be a people called "the redeemed of
the Lord;" they were to go into a wilderness country. They were
called, in many parts of the Scripture writings, "the people of Zion,"
and "the Zion of the latter-days." The Lord calls them by this special
name in the 51st chapter of Isaiah, and these are the words that are
used: "For the Lord shall comfort Zion; he will comfort all her waste
places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like
the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein,
thanksgiving and the voice of melody."

Vol. 21, p.274
When I was a boy. I was inclined to attend very frequently the
meetings that were held by the different denominations in the State of
New York, my native State. I often heard this prophecy of Isaiah sung,
by those who were singing anthems of praise to the Lord, "The Lord
shall comfort Zion," etc., but little did I know, in my boyhood or
youth, what was meant by these predictions of Isaiah. It seems that
the people of Zion are to be gathered out from all lands, from every
nation under  heaven, from the four points of the compass, and are to
be brought into [p.275] a solitary place, a wilderness, and when they
arrive in that solitary place or wilderness, they will, at first, be
greatly afflicted, sorely distressed, so much so that they will be
under the necessity of crying unto the Lord, and be will deliver them
from their distress. "They found no city to dwell in," says David.
Now, this was the case with the Latter-day Saints, whom the Lord
commanded to gather together. When we started forth over the great
desert plain, where there were no settlements, no cities, no towns,
traveling hundreds of miles without any track to guide us, it was a
"solitary way," and rendered more terrible by the wild beasts that
roamed over the plains. We could hear the sound of the wolf in his
howlings; we could hear the sounds of the buffalos in their
bellowings, but the sound of the human voice, from any village, or
town, or settlement was unknown for hundreds of miles.

Vol. 21, p.275
We commenced this journey in the year 1846, leaving the great
Mississippi river in the cold month of February. After a portion of us
had crossed the river in boats, the river was frozen over, and the
rest of the company crossed in wagons on the ice. We had no grass to
sustain our teams. Our teams depended upon the cottonwoods, and barks
of trees, and a little corn that we could occasionally get by sending
down to the settlements, and purchasing it for that purpose. We
Wandered in the wilderness "in a solitary way," and when we had
traveled some fourteen hundred miles, we found no city to dwell in,
just precisely as the Psalmist said would be the case. We entered this
valley in the month of July, 1847, having been detained during the
winter, by sending over 500 of our people—young and middle-aged men—to
help the United States in their war against Mexico. That detained us
during the winter, so that we could not journey any further than
Council Bluffs, or the regions a little above Omaha, where we built up
a temporary residence. The next spring we started off, traveling over
the plains "in a solitary way," and entered this valley just about
where Fort Douglass is now established on the bench; we called it
Emigration Cañon. We came down here upon this plot of ground in the
month of July, and commenced planting a few potatoes. It was very late
to put in any corn, but we wished to try the soil to see whether there
was any virtue in it. We found it, however, like an ash heap. It
seemed as though there had been no rain upon the land for years. We
could dig down a great depth in many places, where this city now
stands, without finding scarcely any moisture, but we succeeded by
taking the water from the creek—City Creek we call it—in flooding a
small portion of ground, and put in our potatoes, and planted corn, a
few beans, garden seeds, etc. to see if there was any virtue in the
soil. What were the results of our first crop? We found that there was
fruitfulness in the soil; but of course it was too late for anything
to be matured. The same fall, or autumn of 1847, several thousand of
the Latter-day Saints followed up our track. They came upon the land
in the fall of the year, brining with them a little breadstuffs to
sustain them during the winter, and also our farm utensils, and
everything in the shape of wearing apparel that could be brought. We
had not much to bring, for we had already been driven four or five
times in the United States, from our houses and from our lands;
[p.276] much of our bedding was burnt; our stores torn down, and the
goods carried into the streets and destroyed. Hence, we had not much
to bring with us: but we came trusting in our God, and we found that
the Lord really fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, and made the
wilderness to blossom as the rose, made the desert to bloom like the
Garden of Eden—literally fulfilling that which our Gentile religious
denominations had been singing in my ears, when I was a youth. Very
pleasant song to those who did not understand it, but much more
pleasant to those who do understand and are fulfilling it. We made
great calculations in laying off this city. We did not lay it off
merely one square mile, as if We were doubtful as to whether there
would be any inhabitants to occupy it, nor two miles square, but we
laid it off, covering an area of about five square miles. We expected
that there would be a great emigration. Upon what did we found our
expectation? Was it upon our own natural judgment? No; we founded our
expectation upon that which God had spoken in the modern revelations
which he had given to us as a people. He told us, by revelation,
before our prophet was martyred, that we would have to leave the
United States: go beyond the Rocky Mountains, and seek our home in the
wilderness, and that we would have a great people gather with us. We
believed his words; we laid out this city accordingly; and now all
that remains for us or strangers to do, in regard to the fulfillment
of these expectations, is to ride from one end of this city to the
other, and see if there is much spare ground: see if the lots are not
pretty generally occupied, and the city pretty well filled with
inhabitants. "And he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her
desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found
therein." At first, before the joy and gladness came, this other
prophecy was fulfilled: "Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in
them," then they cried unto the Lord in their afflictions, and the
Lord heard them, and delivered them out of their distress. It is not
necessary for me to enumerate all our privations, such as the
shortness of provisions, and how many had to live on the roots that
sprang out of the ground; how many had to boil up the hides of their
cattle that had transported them across the plains; it is not
necessary to enter into all these particulars. I do not know that it
is necessary for us even to speak of a great trial of our faith, that
we had after we had been here many months. We planted our crops in the
spring, and they came up, and were looking nicely, and we were cheered
with the hopes of having a very abundant harvest. But alas! it very
soon appeared as if our crops were going to be swallowed up by a vast
horde of crickets, that came down from these mountains—crickets very
different to what I used to be acquainted with in the State of New
York. They were crickets nearly as large as a man's thumb. They came
in immense droves, so that men and women with brush could make no head
way against them; but we cried unto the Lord in our afflictions, and
the Lord heard us, and sent thousands and tens of thousands of a small
white bird. I have not seen any of them lately. Many called them
gulls, although they were different from the seagulls that live on the
Atlantic coast. And what did they do for us? They went to work, and by
thousands and tens of thousands, began to  devour them up, and still
we thought that [p.277] even they could not prevail against so large
and mighty an army. But we noticed, that when they had apparently
filled themselves with these crickets, they would go and vomit them
up, and again go to work and fill themselves, and so they continued to
do, until the land was cleared of crickets, and our crops were saved.
There are those who will say that this was one of the natural courses
of events, that there was no miracle in it. Let that be as it may, we
esteemed it as a blessing from the hand of God; miracle or no miracle,
we believe that God had a hand in it, and it does not matter
particularly whether strangers believe or not.

Vol. 21, p.277
We found no city here to dwell in. What did we do? Went to work and
began to build a great city. This also was foretold in this same
Psalm, "He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the water springs
into dry ground. A fruitful land into barrenness for the wickedness of
them that dwell therein. He turneth the wilderness into a standing
water, and dry ground into water springs." We found that when we came
and began to irrigate the land, and the rains began to descend from
the heavens, the earth began to take on a fresh appearance, and the
dry ground became like water springs. "And there he maketh the hungry
to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation." Now when the
Israelites went into Canaan. they found cities already prepared, but
we had to prepare our own city, "and sow the fields, and plant
vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase. He blesseth them also,
so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to
decrease." Now, the Latter-day Saints who have been here, since the
arrival of the first companies in the year 1847, can realize how much
the Lord has multiplied this people. We are as it were overrun with
children. If strangers will take the opportunity of going to some of
our oldest towns, and through our various settlements, they will find
vast numbers of children, perhaps more children in our country than in
any other country in the United States of the same population. This is
very clearly spoken of here, "He blessed them also, so that they are
multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease." Again
he says, in the 41st verse, "Yet setteth he the poor on high from
affliction, and maketh him families like a flock." Those that are
acquainted with some of our poor men, and when they go and look at one
man's family; for this is in the singular number—"he maketh him
families like a flock"—when we see one man's family like a flock, we
may know the Lord has fulfilled this prophecy in regard to the
gathering of the Saints in the latter-days. "The righteous shall see
it and rejoice; and all iniquity shall stop her mouth." The latter
part of the sentence is not yet fulfilled, but the fore part is
fulfilled; the righteous hath seen these "families like a flock," and
the people greatly multiplied upon the face of the land. "Whose is
wise and will observe these things, even they shall understand the
loving kindness of the Lord." That is, they are the children of the
light. They can see that the Lord our God is fulfilling that which he
had purposed to fulfil, when the day for the gathering of his Saints
should commence. They can see that that which has occurred corresponds
with that which was predicted. Again, they can see how the righteous
prosper and flourish; how their cattle increase, and how the Lord has
made this wilderness, [p.278] this desert, this waste country, like
the garden of Eden.

Vol. 21, p.278
Paul, I have no doubt, saw his dispensation of the "fullness of
times," or he never would have predicted the great gathering that
should then take place, namely "all things in Christ"—notice that
expression; not those who. are out of Christ, not those who have not
been baptized into Christ; but "all things in Christ; both which are
in heaven and which are on the earth; even in him."

Vol. 21, p.278
This forcibly puts me in mind of the parable of our Savior concerning
this great latter-day gathering. In the 24th chapter of Matthew he
speaks of his second coming "in the clouds of heaven, with power and
great glory," and how the Gospel should be preached in all the world
for a witness unto all nations, before he should come in his glory. In
the next chapter, in order that his disciples might fully understand
his sayings, he goes on to explain that at that particular period the
kingdom of heaven should be likened unto ten virgins;not the former
kingdom that was to be built up, when he came on the earth in the
flesh; that was not likened unto ten virgins; but at the time he
should commence the great work of gathering, that wheresoever the main
body of the kingdom is gathered together, from the four quarters of
the earth, preparatory to his second coming, then, at that time,
should the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took
their lamps and went forth—(signifying that they did not remain in
their native lands) to meet the Bridegroom. It was a literal gathering
out; and after they had gathered out, taking their lamps with them,
they began to be sleepy, and it is written, "they all slumbered and
slept." It was a time to sleep, a time of drowsiness; it is called
midnight; but when all was silent, and when probably the world outside
was not looking for anything very great, was careless and indifferent,
a voice was heard in the depth of this silence, saying, "Behold, the
Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him." Then all those virgins
awoke, both the wise and the foolish. The wise ones trimmed their
lamps, and had some oil left; but the lamps of the foolish had gone
out, because there was no oil in them. It seems that they had been so
careless, that all the Spirit of God—which may be compared to the oil
that gives brightness to the lamps—had gone out of them, and their
lamps would not burn. "Well," said they, "what shall we do?" We have
been expecting the Bridegroom as well as you that are wise; we
believed the Gospel, but really we have been too careless; the spirit,
has been withdrawn from us; there is no oil in our lamps; cannot you
give us some? won't you sell us a little?" "Oh, no," say the wise
ones, "we almost fear we have not got enough for ourselves; if you
want any, you had better go and buy of those who want to sell." Hence,
five that had gathered were foolish, and five were wise. The wise
entered in with the Bridegroom, and the door was shut before the
foolish ones could get in. But they afterwards arrived and begged to
be admitted; and the question was asked. "Who are ye?" "We have been
here among your people for a long time. Have we not cast out devils at
a certain time? Have we not been on missions? Have we not healed the
sick and done many wonderful works in your name?" What is  the reply?
"I know you not." Why? Because they have apostatized; they have lost
the oil out of their lamps [p.279] they failed to be prepared for the
coming of the Savior. Therefore they were bound, as it were, hand and
foot, and delivered over to the wicked world, to suffer the same
punishment as those that would not receive the truth, and perhaps even
greater.

Vol. 21, p.279
There is another parable concerning this gathering dispensation. You
recollect the Savior, in speaking of the end of the wicked world, in a
parable, calls it a time of harvest. Before the time of harvest, there
seemed to be a gathering together, and by and by, after this
gathering, the tares were plucked out from among the wheat, and cast
out in bundles, ready to be burned; but those that were not tares,
those that were really wheat, were the ones that were prepared to
enter in and partake of the blessing of the Lord. This was spoken, not
concerning the former dispensation, but that dispensation immediately
preceding the end of the world.

Vol. 21, p.279
In another very plain parable, concerning the gathering in the last
days, the kingdom of heaven is compared—that is the kingdom which
should exist in the last days—to a net that should be cast into the
sea, and gather of all kinds, beth good and bad. They are brought up
to the shore, not left in their native ocean or native waters, but
brought up to the shore. The bad are cast away, and the good were east
into the vessels. Now, this had reference also to the end of the
world. This had reference to the great and last dispensation, when the
servants of God will go forth, being commissioned of the Lord of Hosts
to gather out his Saints, those that have made a covenant with him by
sacrifice, and in the gathering out of these Saints from all the lands
of the earth, and from the four quarters thereof, they will gather up
a great many that are not good, that will not stand the test; but the
bad will be cast out, those who have not on the wedding garment they
will be cast away, and bound hand and foot, as it were, until the end
shall come, that is, the final judgment, which will be more than a
thousand years after the time of the coming of the Savior.

Vol. 21, p.279
This same great gathering is characterized also by Daniel, as a stone
cut out of the mountain without hands. This stone is represented as a
kingdom, and its location is represented as a mountain, showing that
there is to be a kingdom of God set up in the last days by the
gathering together of his people in an elevated region of country,
called a mountain. By and by that stone will roll forth, until the
kingdoms of this world are broken in pieces, and as the Prophet Daniel
said, the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but shall stand
forever; all those other earthly kingdoms, that Nebuchadnezzar saw in
his dream, will vanish away, like a night vision, or, in other words,
become "like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind
carried them away, and no place was found for them." There are many
politicians that are trying to foretell the future. They speak of what
this government, and that government, and the other government will
be, several hundred years hence, or perhaps in ages hence, as though
they could see and understand, naturally, the condition of the various
governments and kingdoms of the earth, for a long time to come; but
Daniel, who was filled with the Spirit of the living God. saw that all
these earthly governments—with the setting up of which God had nothing
to do particularly, that is, their founders were neither prophets nor
revelators [p.280] so as to found them upon the principles of the
everlasting Gospel—were to vanish away, like the chaff of the summer
threshing floor. And you know how that vanishes, especially when the
wind blows strongly. So shall it be with all the governments,
kingdoms, powers, republics, and empires upon the face of this globe,
except one government, namely, that government which the God of heaven
shall establish in the latter-days upon the mountains. This is the
work of God. It is God that causes these kingdoms to vanish away. It
is our God that will cleanse the earth from wickedness. "A fire shall
devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him."
He it is that will speak and the wicked shall melt away. He it is that
will cause violent whirlwinds to go forth and destroy this, that, or
the other city, according to his own will. He it is that will send
forth pestilence and plague, and will perform all that has been spoken
by the mouth of his prophets, concerning the destruction that is to
take place in the latter days.

Vol. 21, p.280
To prove still more clearly the nature of this great latter-day work
of gathering, read the writings of John the Revelater. He saw the
introduction of the Gospel in the latter-days. He saw "another angel"
should bring it. He saw that it should be published to every nation,
kindred, tongue and people. He saw that following that angel there
would come great and terrible judgments. He saw that after that angel
should come with the Gospel, there would come a voice from heaven,
saying, "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her
sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have
reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities." This
voice from heaven, this new revelation, that was promised by the mouth
of John the Revelator, and the sound to all is: "Come out from among
these nations. Come out from the four quarters of the earth. Come out
from Great Babylon, 'Mystery, Babylon the Great,' that you may escape
the desolation and plagues that will soon overtake her." Read
concerning the coming of that angel with the Gospel. Read the
declaration that that should be the hour of God's judgment. When the
Gospel is preached, it is the last message to the human family, the
last warning voice that they will hear before the coming of the Lord.
If they receive it, they will flee out from the nations; if they
receive it not, then know assuredly that the hour of God's judgment is
come, and God himself will judge the people, as written in this 50th
Psalm.

Vol. 21, p.280
But we will not detain you longer. May the Lord bless you. May he pour
out his Spirit upon all the faithful of the Latter-day Saints, and if
there are any unfaithful ones, numbered with the people of God, may
the Spirit of the Lord strive with you, until you shall repent of your
unfaithfulness, and become pure, upright, virtuous, and holy before
the Lord, that you may be entitled to his Holy Spirit. And if there be
any strangers present, this afternoon, who desire to know the truth,
we would ask them to search the sacred Scriptures, call upon the name
of the Most High God, and he will show you whether these Scriptures
are true or not; he will reveal to you whether he has sent his angel
from heaven or not; he will give you a testimony that is greater than
the testimony of men, provided you will go humbly before him, and call
upon him, with all your hearts. Amen. [p.281]

Wilford Woodruff, July 4, 1880

Delivered in the Salt Lake Assembly Hall, at the Priesthood
 Meeting, Sunday Evening, July 4th, 1880.

(Reported by John Irvine.)

Vol. 21, p.281
As this is the priesthood meeting of the elders of Israel and those
bearing the priesthood, I feel I would like to say a few words in
connection with what Brother Taylor has said. I look upon our
condition or our position, as a people, that we are called to a
certain work. When we send men upon missions, or to perform any branch
of business or labor, of course we expect them to perform it, and the
Lord expects them to do the same. Now I look upon the elders of Israel
here to-night, and in this Church and kingdom, as upon a mission. We
have been ordained to a mission, and we have our time set to do it and
to perform it. Not that I know exactly how many days or years we are
going to spend in it. But this mission is required at our hands, not
at the hands of Brother Taylor, Brother Joseph, or Brother Brigham
alone, but it is required at our hands by the God of heaven, and We
are performing a work and laying a foundation which we have got to
meet on the other side of the vail. It does not make any difference to
what position we are called or ordained. If we are called to the
office of a bishop we should fulfill the duties pertaining to that
office. I know it has been considered a very hard office, and one to
which a good deal of time has to be devoted. Yet there are a great
many bishops who don't spend much time in it, while others are true to
their calling. A bishop's calling is an important one. He is called to
be a father to the people of his ward. And when labor is laid upon us
to perform we should not ignore that labor or lay it aside. There is
an account kept, whether we keep one or not. There are a good many
revelations which show us that this is the case. Your history goes
before you. All of you will find it when you get the other side of the
vail. Every man's history—his acts—are written, whether he has kept a
record here or not. This is plainly manifested in the revelation known
as the "Olive Leaf."

Vol. 21, p.281
As I view it, we are not placed here as elders of Israel, apostles, or
bishops, merely to get rich in gold and silver, and the things of this
world. We have a labor laid upon [p.282] our shoulders. Joseph Smith
had, Brigham Young had, the Twelve Apostles have, we all have, and we
will be condemned if we do not fulfill it. We shall find it out when
we get to the other side of the vail. It is through this neglect of
duty that so many have left this Church and kingdom of God. There is
hardly a tithe of the people who have been baptized in water for the
remission of sins that have died in the faith. In the United States
there are tens of thousands of apostate Mormons. Many a time in my
reflections I have wished I could fully comprehend the responsibility
I am under to God, and the responsibility every man is under who bears
the priesthood in this generation. But I tell you, brethren, I think
our hearts are set too much upon the things of this world. We do not
appreciate, as men bearing the holy priesthood in this generation
should, the mighty responsibility we are under to God and high heaven,
as well as to the earth. I think we are too far from the Lord. I do
not think we live our religion as we ought to. I do not think our
hearts are set upon building up this kingdom as they should be as
Latter-day Saints. Now, do not think I am your enemy because I tell
you these things. I feel we have an important work to perform, and
others will continue the work when we have passed away. I look around
and view the work of time. I look around and find that eight of the
Twelve Apostles have passed into the world of spirits since we came
into this valley; I expect to go there myself, I expect my brethren
will; We shall all go there before many years are over. I do not look
for anything else; and I will say that for the last year or two in my
reflections I have felt that I have no other business on this earth
but to try to build up this kingdom. I do not feel that I am justified
in settling my heart upon the things of this world to the neglect of
any duty that God requires at my hands. And another thing, when I look
at this generation, when I think of over twelve hundred millions of
people who dwell in the flesh, many of them ripening for the judgments
of God, a generation that is ready to receive the wrath of God upon
their heads—when I consider these things, I know that if I neglect to
bear my testimony before them, if I neglect to bear my testimony to
this generation when I have an opportunity, I shall feel sorry for it
when I go into the spirit world.

Vol. 21, p.282
That is the way I feel with regard to this work. God requires that we
bear record of it to this generation; and when I think of the extent
of this generation, the greatness of it, when I consider that this is
a generation and dispensation when God has set his hand to establish a
kingdom, the great and last kingdom, and the only kingdom that the
Lord ever did establish in any age of the world, to remain on the
earth through the millenium, when I think of these things I can
realize the greatness of this work. The Lord never had prophets in any
age of the world who could stand in the flesh and live, and build up
the kingdom of God. The world has always made war upon them and
destroyed them, with the exception of Enoch who was taken up to heaven
with his city. Now, if we could realize that we have the kingdom of
God upon the earth to-day, with the promise of God our Father, that it
will stay upon the earth until the coming of the Son of Man—if we
could realize this and realize our responsibility, it seems to me that
we would all have a desire to magnify our calling.

Vol. 21, p.283
[p.283] As I was going to say, with a generation like this, with the
nations of the earth as they are to-day, having the power to build up
the kingdom of God to stay here, having the power to rear temples to
the Most High God, against the wrath and indignation of a thousand
million people—I say, having this power, and being sustained by the
Lord, we certainly ought to be willing to do our part of the work. We
have borne testimony—I have, my brethren have, the elders of Israel
have—to this generation for many years. We have borne testimony of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ, of the Book of Mormon and of the prophets of
God who has been raised in this our own time, and those testimonies
will rise up in judgment against this generation and will condemn
those who reject them.

Vol. 21, p.283
This kingdom is in our hands to bear it off. The God of heaven is with
us. He has sustained us. He turns away the wrath of man. He binds the
hands of our enemies and breaks every weapon that is formed against
Zion. He has established his people in these valleys of the mountains.

Vol. 21, p.283
I would say to bishops, and to all men in authority, we should have an
interest in carrying on this work. We should labor to get the Spirit
of God. It is our right, our privilege, and our duty to call upon the
Lord, that the vision of our mind may be opened, so that we may see
and understand the day and age in which we are living. It is your
privilege, and mine too, to know the mind and will of the Lord
concerning our duties, and if we fail to seek after this, we neglect
to magnify our calling.

Vol. 21, p.283
As Brother Taylor has said, here we are at headquarters. We are an
ensample for all the other Stakes to look at. We should not consider
anything we are called to perform a labor. Anything we are called upon
to do we should do with a will. I look back to the days of our early
missions. Brother Taylor, Brother Brigham, myself and others, had to
go our ways sick with fever, ague, and the power of death surrounding
us; had to leave our wives and children without food, without raiment,
and go without purse and scrip to preach the Gospel. We were commanded
of God to do it, and if we had not done it we should not have been
here to-day. But having done these things, God has blessed us. He has
sustained the faithful elders of this Church and kingdom, and he will
continue to do so until we get through.

Vol. 21, p.283
I wanted to express my feelings in relation to these matters. I
reflect upon our position. I realize that we have a testimony to bear,
and that we shall be held responsible for the manner in which we
perform our duties. As apostles, seventies, elders, priests, etc., we
are accountable to the Most High God. If we do our duty, then our
skirts will be clean. We are watchmen upon the walls of Zion. It is
our duty to warn the inhabitants of the earth of the things that are
to come, and if they reject our testimony, then their blood will be
upon their own heads. When the judgments of God overtake the wicked
they cannot say they have not been warned. My garments, and the
garments of thousands of others, are clean of the people of this
generation, as also the garments of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and
those of the elders of Israel who have died in the faith. We have
borne our testimony, and when the judgments of God come, men cannot
say they have  not been warned. I consider our position before this
generation is of vast [p.284] importance to us and them. I do not
want, when I go into the spirit world, to have this generation rise up
and condemn me, and say I have not clone my duty.

Vol. 21, p.284
There never was a generation like this. There has never been a people
like this. There has never been a work like this since God made the
world. True, there have been men who have preached the Gospel; but in
the fulness of times the Lord has set his hand to establish his
kingdom. This is the last dispensation. He has raised up men and women
to carry on his work, and as I have often said, many of us have been
held in the spirit world from the organization of this world, until
the generation in which we live. Our lives have been hid with Christ
in God, and the devil has sought to kill us from the day we were born
until the present hour. But the Lord has preserved us. He has given us
the priesthood, he has given us the kingdom and the keys thereof.
Shall we disappoint our heavenly Father? Shall we disappoint the
ancient prophets and apostles who looked forward to this day? Shall we
disappoint Joseph Smith, and those brethren who have gone before, who
laid the foundation of this work and left us to labor after them?
Brethren, for God's sake do not let us set our hearts on the things of
this world to the neglect of the things of eternal life. Do not let
the bishops feel it is a hard matter to carry out any of the counsels
given by those who are called to direct all these things. Bless your
souls, if you lived here in the flesh a thousand years, as long as
Father Adam, and lived and labored all your life in poverty, and when
you got through, if, by your acts, you could secure your wives and
children in the morning of the first resurrection, to dwell with you
in the presence of God, that one thing would amply pay you for the
labors of a thousand years. What is anything we can do or suffer, to
be compared with the multiplicity of kingdoms, thrones and
principalities that God has revealed to us

Vol. 21, p.284
Well, we have got the kingdom, and we must bear it off. It won't pay
you nor me to apostatize. But then there is this danger, you know.
Brother Joseph used to counsel us in this wise: "The moment you permit
yourselves to lay aside any duty that God calls you to perform, to
gratify your own desires; the moment you permit yourselves to become
careless, you lay a foundation for apostasy: Be careful; understand
you are called to a work, and when God requires you to do that work do
it." Another thing he said: "In all your trials, tribulations and
sickness, in all your sufferings, even unto death, be careful you
don't betray God, be careful you don't betray the priesthood, be
careful you don't apostatize; because if you do, you will be sorry for
it." We received a great deal of that kind of counsel, and I have
remembered it from that day until the present.

Vol. 21, p.284
But I do not wish to detain you. I felt to back up the testimony
Brother Taylor has given. I take it to myself. I can make nothing by
neglecting any duty. I have never committed a sin in this Church and
kingdom, but what it has cost me a thousand times more than it was
worth. We cannot sin with impunity; we cannot neglect any counsel with
impunity, but what it will bring sorrow; and the only safe way is to
round up our shoulders and do our duty, and thus bear off the
kingdom. None of us have a long time to stay here. When I look around
and reflect upon my brethren that [p.285] are gone, I ask, Where are
they Where are they gone? Here is Brother Taylor, myself and others
who form part of the early organization of this quorum, who have
traveled with the Church for a great many years; but Brother Joseph
Smith and others have been gone for a long time—gone into the spirit
world. While I reflect upon these things I often ask, What are their
views toward us? How does the Lord look upon us as a people? I
consider the Lord and the heavenly hosts are watching us. I know they
manifest great interest in our welfare and in the course we pursue. I
do not want to miss salvation. I want to go where Brother Joseph is. I
want to go to my heavenly Father, and to his Son Jesus Christ, and to
the old prophets who lived in their generations.

Vol. 21, p.285
Let us try to live our religion. Let us seek for the Holy Spirit, that
it may dwell in our bosoms day by day. Bless your souls, we have all
we want of this world's goods. Who ever saw a people so well off as
the people of Utah in these valleys of the mountains? Who has given us
these things? Our heavenly Father. He has blessed the land for our
use. This donation that has been made, some may call it a sacrifice;
but Brother Taylor had a desire to stretch out the hand of kindness to
the oppressed of the Latter-day Saints. We want them to have the
benefit of this. We should therefore labor with a will. No matter how
long you are a bishop, your work will be closed in the flesh by and
by. Where are many of the bishops of this Church and kingdom who held
office thirty years ago? Gone; and the bishops who are here to-night,
others will supply their places by and by. We will all pass away in
our turn, and the faithful will come forth it the coming of the Son of
Man, which is but a little while.

Vol. 21, p.285
I feel anxious that we may not forget God; I feel anxious that we may
not forget the position we occupy before him; for I will say this
concerning myself: if ever I had any satisfaction or happiness, I have
had it in "Mormonism." If there is anything to me or about me, it has
been given to me in "Mormonism." If I have ever received any
blessings; if I have ever had power to testify of the things of God,
and been the means of bringing any into the Church and kingdom of God,
it has been by the power of God, or by that which is termed
"Mormonism," the Gospel of Christ. I know it is the power of God that
has accomplished these things. It has been by the power of God that we
have received all we are in possession of—our riches, our gifts, our
wives and our children. How many of you have had sealed upon your
heads kingdoms, powers and principalities in the world to come? Who
can compare these blessings with gold and silver and the things of
this world? Or what is to be compared with the gift of eternal life?

Vol. 21, p.285
I pray God, our heavenly Father, to bless you, to bless all those who
bear the holy priesthood; that the blessings of God may be over you. I
feel that we as a people have got to rise up and clothe ourselves with
the power of God. There must be a reformation, or a change, in our
midst. There is too much evil among us. The devil has got too much
power over us. A good many that bear the name of Christ and the holy
priesthood, are getting cold in the things of God. We must wake up; we
must trim our lamps, and be prepared for the coming of the Son of Man.
May God bless you. May he guide and direct us [p.286] all. May he keep
us in the hollow of his hand. May he sanctify us and prepare us to
inherit eternal life, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Orson Pratt, July 18, 1880

Visions of Moses—Rebellion in Heaven—Satan Cast Down—
Our First Parents Fell—Before the Fall They Were Immortal—After the
Fall,
 Mortal—the Command to Multiply Was Given to Two Immortal Beings—
This Command More Fully to Be Carried Into Effect, After the
Resurrection, Etc.

Delivered in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City,
Sunday Afternoon, July 18th, 1880.

(Reported by John Irvine.)

Vol. 21, p.286
I will call the attention of the congregation to a portion of the word
of God, that was given unto Moses before he delivered the children of
Israel out of the land of Egypt. It may be well for me to mention,
before reading, that Moses received many communications, by visions
and by revelation, before he was sent from the land of Midian to visit
his brethren who were in bondage in Egypt. He beheld, in these
visions, many great and important events, some of which took place in
the spirit world. Among other things which he saw was the
pre-existence of the children of men, and also the rebellion that took
place among the great family of spirits before the world was made; and
in this vision the Lord thus speaks to him:

Vol. 21, p.286
"And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying, that Satan whom thou
hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which
was from the beginning, and he came before me saying: Behold I, send
me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul
shall not be lost; and surely I will do it. Wherefore, give me thine
honor.  But, behold, my beloved Son, which was my beloved and chosen
from the beginning, said [p.287] unto me, Father, thy will be done,
and the glory be thine forever. Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled
against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord
God, had given him, and also that I should give unto him mine own
power, by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be
east down, and he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all
lies, to deceive, and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his
will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice. And now, the
serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which I, the Lord
God, had made. And Satan put it into the heart of the serpent (for he
had drawn away many after him), and be sought also to beguile Eve, for
he knew not the mind of God, wherefore he sought the destroy the
world, and he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, ye shall not
eat of every tree in the garden? (And he spake by the mouth of the
serpent.) And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit
of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which thou
beholdest in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat
of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said
unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die; for God doth know that in the
day ye eat thereof then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as
Gods, knowing good and evil."

Vol. 21, p.287
These few words which I have read from the "Pearl of Great Price,"
were suggested to my mind immediately before rising to my feet. The
short history that is here given, by new revelation to Joseph the
Prophet, contains a vast amount of information for so few words. It
shows the origin of evil, pertaining to the inhabitants of this
creation. I do not suppose that this was the first origin of evil. We
do not consider that this creation on which we dwell was the first one
that was made. We do not consider that the rebellion which took place
in heaven prior to this creation was the first rebellion that had ever
existed. We do not consider that those beings who rebelled was the
first ones that ever had their agency; but we believe that God has
always been at work, from all eternity; and that the creations which
he has made are innumerable unto men. No man is capable of conceiving
of the number. And those creations were made to be inhabited by
rational, intelligent beings, having their agency. But this seems to
be the origin of evil so far as the inhabitants intended for this
earth, and who were then living in heaven, were concerned. they had
their agency; and when I speak of the inhabitants that dwell in
heaven, pertaining to this creation, I mean the spirits of men and
women. I have no reference to the mortal tabernacles which we have
received here, but I have reference to those beings who dwell within
these tabernacles, who are intelligent, who have their agency, who had
a pre-existence, who lived before the world was made. The inhabitants
of heaven, who were selected to come on this creation, were agents,
just as much as we are. They had a law given to them, just as much as
we have. They had penalties affixed to that law, just the same as we
have. They could keep that law given to them in heaven, just as well
as we could keep a law given to us. They could rebel against that law,
because of their agency, the same as we rebel against the laws of
heaven.

Vol. 21, p.289
We have an account given here of a personage called Satan, who stood
[p.288] up in heaven, being an angel of light, an holy angel, prior to
that time—who stood up before the Father and the Soft, and made a
proposition concerning the new creation that was to be made. "Behold,"
said he to the Father, "send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem
all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it;
wherefore give me thine honor." This was the language, according to
this revelation which I have just read, made use of by this angel who
stood in the presence of God. But the Only Begotten of the Father, the
First-born of this great and numerous family in heaven, said unto his
Father: "Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever."
Then we have an account that the Lord, because Satan thus
transgressed, and because he sought to destroy the agency of man, and
to redeem all mankind, that not a soul should be lost, was displeased
with the proposition. And why should he not be? An agency was given to
all intelligent beings; and without a proper agency, intelligent
beings could not receive glory and honor, and a reward and a fullness
of happiness in the celestial kingdom. There must be an agency
wherever intelligence exists, and without agency no intelligent beings
could exist; and because Satan sought to destroy this, and to
frustrate the great and eternal plan of Jehovah, the Lord was
displeased with him. He did not repent of his rebellion, nor of the
wicked proposition; but he sought to turn away the family of
heaven—the family of spirits that were in the presence of God—he
sought to turn them away and convert them to his plan. But he did not
succeed. He did succeed in leading away about one third part of that
great family of spirits, because of their agency. They hearkened to
his proposition; they thought it would be a very great and important
thing to destroy the agency of man in the future creation that was
about to be made, and to redeem them all in their sins, and
consequently they joined with this rebellious character; hence came
the fallen angels. What became of them? They were thrust down from the
presence of God and the Lamb after this creation was made, and they
were permitted to dwell in this creation. Finally, one of those
spirits who kept their first estate was placed in a body upon this
creation, and likewise a woman; and Satan came before the woman in the
Garden of Eden, and tempted her. What was his object in tempting this
woman? He did not succeed in overcoming her in the first estate—I mean
he did not succeed in turning her away from God's commands; but
inasmuch as they were now placed under different circumstances—placed
in bodies of flesh and bones—placed in the Garden of Eden, he thought
that he would assault them with a new temptation, to see if he could
possibly overcome them. He succeeded in overcoming Eve, the woman that
was given to this first man, and prevailed upon her to trangress the
law of heaven, to partake of the forbidden fruit, and she succeeded in
leading her husband to transgress the same law. Now, here arises a
question. Did Adam partake of this forbidden fruit, being deceived as
Eve was deceived? or did he partake of it knowingly and
understandingly? I will give you my views upon this subject. Adam very
well knew that his wife Eve, after she had partaken of the forbidden
fruit, having transgressed the law of God, must die. He knew this; he
knew  [p.289] that she would have to be cast out of the garden of
Eden, from the presence of her husband; she could no longer be
permitted to dwell with him. Hence, inasmuch as there was a great
separation threatened between husband and wife—the wife having
transgressed—he concluded that he would not be separated from the
woman, and hence he was not deceived, but the woman was deceived; he
partook of the fern bidden fruit to prevent a separation between the
two, and fell, even as the woman fell, and both were cast out
together. If one only had transgressed and been cast out, the great
command that had been given prior to that time—to multiply and
replenish the earth—could not have been fulfilled, because of the
separation. In order, therefore, that the command first given might be
fulfilled, Adam, though not deceived, partook of the forbidden fruit,
was cast out with Eve, and hence began, as far as possible, to fulfil
the command, and to multiply his species upon this earth. There is one
very important item, right here, to be understood, and should be
thoroughly understood by every person desirous of knowing the truth,
and that is, that when Adam and Eve were in the garden of Eden, before
this transgression took place, they were not subject to death; they
were not subject to any kind of pain, or disease, or sickness, or any
of the afflictions of mortality. Now, perhaps those who are not in the
habit of reflecting upon this matter, may suppose that when Adam was
placed on the earth, and Eve, his wife, they were mortal, like unto
us; but that was not so. God did not make a mortal being. It would be
contrary to this great goodness to make a man mortal, subject to pain,
subject to sickness, subject to death. When he made this creation, and
when he made these two intelligent beings and placed them upon this
creation, he made them after his own likeness and his own image. He
did not make them mortal, but he made them immortal, like unto
himself. If he had made them mortal, and subject to pain, there would
have been some cause, among intelligent beings, to say that the Lord
subjected man, without a cause, to afflictions, sorrows, death and
mortality. But he could not do this; it was contrary to the nature of
his attributes, contrary to the nature of that infinite goodness which
dwells in the bosom of the Father and the Son, to make a being subject
to any kind of pain. At the time of the creation, all things that
proceeded forth from his hands were considered very good. How came,
then, Adam to be mortal? How came Adam to be filled with pain and
affliction and with great sorrow? It was in consequence of
transgression. Hence, the Apostle Paul, in speaking upon this subject,
said, that by transgression sin entered into the world, and death by
sin. Death, then, instead of being something that the Lord created,
instead of being something that he sent into the world, and by sin;
the Lord suffered it to come upon Adam in consequence of
transgression. Two immortal beings, then, were placed in the garden of
Eden, male and female. Was there any commandment given to those two
immortal beings before the fall? There was one commandment, namely:
"Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth." What! Did the
Lord command two immortal beings to multiply limit species! He did. In
meditating upon this great command given to these two immortal beings;
it opens to us a field of reflection, of knowledge, [p.290] concerning
the great designs of the Almighty. It imparts to us a knowledge that
the Lord our God intended that immortal beings should multiply their
species. Can you find any place in the book of Genesis where our first
parents were commanded to multiply after the fall? I do not remember
any such scripture. I have read the scriptures very diligently; I do
not remember any such command. Yet they did so, and the consequences
were that children of mortality were born—mortal beings came upon the
earth. Why? Because after the fall, Adam and Eve became mortal, and
their species, of course, were after the order of the world, mortal in
their nature. As the parents were subject to death, subject to pain,
and sorrow, and distress, and all kinds of evil, so were all their
posterity. It was contrary to the law of God for mortal beings to
bring forth children of immortality; it was contrary to, the order of
heaven for mortal beings to multiply their species in the form of
immortal beings. But may we not suppose that it was really necessary,
notwithstanding there was no command given, that the children of
mortality should multiply their species? Notwithstanding the Lord said
nothing to Adam and Eve upon this subject after the fall, so far as it
written, yet we may suppose it was according to his purpose and design
that they should multiply children of mortality, even though he gave
them no command after their fall to this effect. They have continued
to do so, and their children after them, in all of their generations,
until the present time, and will continue to do so in future
generations, until the earth has filled the measure of its creation,
according to the number of souls that existed before the world was
organized, in the family of the two-thirds who kept their first
estate.

Vol. 21, p.290
But will the time come in the endless duration of the future, when our
first parents will fulfill that command which was given to them while
they were yet children of immortality? In other words will the time
ever come when Adam and Eve will become immortal and carry out the
command that was given to them in the days of their first immortality?
I answer, yes; without this, the command of God never could be, in all
respects, fulfilled. Though there should be hundreds of thousands of
millions, or more, of the descendants of those mortal beings come here
upon the earth, the command is not fully complied with; though he may
have begotten sons and daughters, Cain, Abel, Seth and many others for
some nine hundred years and upwards, yet all the sons and daughters he
begat while he was mortal here upon the earth did not, in all
respects, fulfill the command given to him while an immortal being.
That has to be fulfilled after Adam and Eve are resurrected from the
grave. Have they yet been resurrected? I think so. There were a great
many that were resurrected at the time of the resurrection of Christ.
Christ was the first fruits of the resurrection, and then there were a
great many Saints who came forth out of their graves and were
resurrected, and permitted to enter into the celestial glory and dwell
at his right hand. Among the number, I have no doubt but what our
first parents Adam and Eve, were permitted to come forth and enter
into celestial glory; and I have no doubt but what they have been
fulfilling the commandment given to  them before they fell. Nearly two
thousand [p.291] years have passed since the first resurrection of the
Saints. I cannot believe that Adam and Eve, during these nineteen
centuries, have been in idleness. I cannot believe that they alone
constitute their whole family; but I believe that during this time
they have been fulfilling literally the commandment that was given to
them in the morn of creation and as immortal beings have brought forth
immortal sons and daughters since their resurrection. Thus the
commandment of the Most High was not made void, but is in process of
fulfillment.

Vol. 21, p.291
But let us enquire still further concerning this matter; for this
seems to open up another field before our minds. The children of
immortality are obliged to multiply, in order to fulfill this
commandment. Hence, there is more contained in the Gospel in all its
fulness and glory than what this world ever dreamt of. The Christian
world, so called, have not looked forth unto the great future; they
have not recognized the great law which God ordained for immortal
beings to bring forth their species; for if our first parents must do
this, in order to obey the commandment that was given before the fall,
so must their children, or else ever be transgressors, one or the
other. Their children, I say, never can fulfill the object of the
commandment, that was given to immortal beings, unless they, as
immortal beings, so multiply their species; and for this reason, we
find incorporated in the Gospel that Paul preached this great saying,
"Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman
without the man, in the Lord." What! Can I, can you, can the
inhabitants of the earth really not be in, the Lord, and yet not be
united together in the holy covenant of marriage the male with the
female? so Paul says. It is a very curious kind of saying, however, in
the case of this generation, who have lost the knowledge of God though
the apostasy of their fathers. They have all the time supposed that
they could enter into a fulness of the glory of the celestial world
without being united in the bonds of eternal union. But it is not so;
it was not so in the beginning. The very first marriage that was ever
known in this creation, was not a marriage between the children of
mortality, but was a marriage consummated by divine authority, by
divine power. It was a marriage between two immortal beings. No other,
marriage could be so important, so essentially necessary, to the
inhabitants of this creation, as the first, one celebrated in the
beginning. What do you think, Christians of the nineteenth century,
who belong to the various denominations?—what are your views in regard
to marriage? Your looks inform us. Your articles of faith inform us.
The disciplines that you, have, for the government of your churches,
inform us that when marriage is performed among you, it is between two
mortal beings, and they are only married till death shall separate and
part them. Oh! how different from the first marriage on record between
two immortal personages, whose days, inasmuch as they keep the
commandments of God, were never to end, but their lives were to be
endless or eternal. The Latter-day Saints have a different form of
marriage from these sectarians. We have a marriage in our church,
between the male and female, which reaches forward to the endless ages
of eternity; we do not consider a marriage of very great importance,
unless is takes hold of eternity. We do not believe in [p.292] these
marriages which are to remain in force barely while this mortal thread
Of existence continues; we do not believe in a marriage that must be
broken up, dissolved and divorced by that tyrant called death. Death
has nothing to do with dissolving marriages—I mean those marriages
that are performed according to the mind and will of God. Death may
come in and separate the two for a short season, but it does not
dissolve the marrige ties. If Eve dies before her husband, Adam, she
is not divorced from him, neither is he divorced from her, but she
considers, while dwelling in a celestial paradise, that she has
legally and lawfully a husband in the flesh on the earth. Adam, if he
still continues to live on the earth, while Eve has taken her flight
to the eternal world, considers that he has a wife in heaven, though
separated for a short time from her. She still is his wife, and will
be his, until he himself shall fall into the grave, and even that does
not dissolve the marriage tie. The great redemption wrought out
through the only begotten Son —the great redemption that reclaims Adam
and Eve from their graves, restores them also from this short period
of separation that has taken place by reason of death; it restores
them again to each other's society, as husband and wife; and they will
remain in that relationship while eternity shall endure.

Vol. 21, p.292
But here arises another question,—one of the greatest importance to
the children of men of all generations, and that is, are there any
marriages that God will recognize which he is not the author of? In
other words, supposing that two persons in the Roman Catholic church,
in the Greek church, in any Protestant church, or two persons that do
not belong to any religious denomination, are married by a minister,
by a justice of the peace, by any person professing to have authority
among men, to celebrate the marrige ceremony —have they any claim upon
each other when death separates them? According to their own covenants
they do not. The minister only married them till death should them
part. When death comes along and separates these two persons their
marriage covenant has expired; it has run out, it is at an end, But
inquires one, will not the Lord permit them to live together as
husband and wife, after the resurrection? Why should he? If he had
joined them together, according to the marriage ceremony that was
administered to the first pair of immortality, then they could claim
each other, after the resurrection; but inasmuch as the ceremony was
performed by an uninspired man, not sent of God, and having no power
to seal on earth that it should be sealed in heaven, of course their
marriage covenant expires, that is the eternal end of their
association. Now, the Latter-day Saints are not willing to go
according to the tradition of the sectarian denominations of the
earth; but we desire this great, this important ceremony to be
performed so that it may be enduring, so that it never shall have an
end, but last while eternal ages shall last.

Vol. 21, p.292
How came we to obtain any knowledge upon this subject? Not of our own
wisdom, not by searching the scriptures of truth. If God had not
revealed himself, had not given instructions upon this important
point, we should be in ignorance, the same as all the rest of the
world; and our marriages, like them, would only be for time.

Vol. 21, p.293
Another important question arises right here, in relation to those
marriages [p.293] administered without authority; it is this. Many of
you Latter-day Saints when you embraced this Gospel in Great. Britain,
in Scandinavia, in various parts of the United States, and among the
various nations—were men having families, wives and children; you were
married by the laws of the respective nations among whom you dwelt;
you were married till death should separate you; you were not married
for eternity. When you came up here to this land you began to inquire
more fully into the nature of the marriage covenant. You found that
there should be an eternal covenant, an eternal union. The question
then arises, will your former marriage be sufficient? Not at all. You
would have no wife in the morning of the resurrection, no children
that would be yours legally and lawfully. Why? Because your marriage
was not legal, only legal so far as the laws of the land were
concerned, only legal according to the traditions of men. What should
you do, then, in order that you may be legally married, in order that
your marriage may stand the test in the judgment day, in order that
you may have claim upon your families after the resurrection? You
should have the ceremony performed again. Every couple that was
married abroad, among the nations, must be re-married, not by man's
authority, but by divine authority. Your covenants should be eternal,
and sealed by divine authority, and then you will have a claim upon
each other. But what about your children, that were begotten while you
were yet among the nations? Can you claim them in the morning of the
resurrection? No: you cannot, unless they are sealed to you by proper
authority—your sons and your daughters must be sealed to you, by one
having authority from God; otherwise you have no claim upon them, Why?
Because they were begotten under a marriage with which the Lord had
nothing to do, only to suffer it; he suffered it for a wise purpose,
that the human species might not be destroyed, or come to an end upon
the earth; but as for commanding them he had nothing to do with that;
consequently, not only your husbands and wives have to be re-married,
by divine authority, but all of your children, that were born to you,
under the old marriage, must be sealed to you in order that you may
claim them in the morning of the resurrection.

Vol. 21, p.293
But this opens up another field, I am talking to some who have a
second wife. You lost your first wife, did you not, and you re-married
according to the laws of the nations? What about these two wives? one
living and the other dead; perhaps the dead one was just as good as
the living; perhaps the person that died, before you gathered here to
these mountains, was morally as good as any Latter-day Saint, lived up
to all the light and knowledge which she was in possession of, yet she
was not married to you by divine authority —what of her? Must she
stand aside in the resurrection? and the second wife, because she
happens to live and to receive the Gospel, and to gather up from among
the nations, into the mountains, where the authority to adminster
these ordinances is revealed—must she supplant the first one that
happened to fall into her grave before she heard these things? Must
the first one remain without her family, without her children,
according to the order that exists in the eternal world, while the
second one enjoys all these things because she happened to live
[p.294] a little longer? What do you think about it? Are there no
provisions made for the first wife that has fallen asleep just as
much, as there is for the second? for God is without respect of
persons, so far as people are honest and obedient; and though people
may fail to receive: the fulness of the blessings, portaining to the
Gospel, because it might not be sent to them and they fall asleep, yet
God was not so short-sighted, in laying of the plan of salvation, that
he made no provisions for them. He did make provisions for them; and
in what way? That the living shall act for the dead; this is the
provision. Hence, we read concerning one of the sacred and holy
ordinances, called baptism, that the saints in the Corinthian church,
in ancient times; were baptised for those that were dead. What was the
object of this? The object was that eternal blessings might be
bestowed upon those who were dead; because of the actions of the
living in their behalf, providing that the dead would receive what was
done for them by the living. "The same great Being that ordained the
principle of baptism for and in behalf of the dead, also ordained
eternal union through other sacred ordinances referring to the man and
the woman; not only for the living but also for the dead, that they
might be benefited not only by the actions of the living in baptism,
but also by the acts of the living in relation to the marriage
covenant; one is just as consistent as the other. If there is any
great principle that has a bearing upon the eternal welfare of the
human family, any great ordinance necessary to be attended to that
will give them a right and title to eternal blessings, it matters not
whether it be baptism, or the laying on of hands, or any other
ordinance which God has instituted, it will be recognized in the
eternal heavens. Well did the Apostle say, "Neither is the man without
the woman, neither the without the man in Lord." He understood the
principle.

Vol. 21, p.294
But shall we carry this one step further? I have spoken of these two
women, one dying without hearing the Gospel. the other having all the
privileges of the Gospel, pertaining to every blessing relating to
eternity. Now if the living can act for the dead, by proxy, in other
words, if the Lord our God gives a commandment, to his living Saints,
to administer in all of these ordinances for and in behalf of the
dead, then the dead will have claim upon these sealing powers and
ordinances, the same as though they were living. But, says one, I see
one difficulty here. What is it? Why, if these two women come forth in
the resurrection, and these ordinances are recognized in heaven, the
man would have two wives at once in the eternal world, and that would
shock our consciences very much! Well, the Lord is not particularly
anxious that your consciences should not be shocked. He is not going
to swerve from the principles of eternal truth in order that your
consciences or traditions may not be in the least degree disturbed. He
is not going to vary from this law, he ordained from before the
foundation of the world, in order to suit, your's or anybody else's
conscience. But, says one, that would be preaching up plurality, for
those that are brought forth in the eternal world. Two Women would go
into the same family, and be wives for all eternity; and as you have
said that the Lord commanded this multiplication to take place,  when
they were immortal beings, then, of course, both of these wives would
raise up posterity [p.295] in all ages of eternity, being immortal
personages, and thus fulfil the great and first commandment. Now, says
one, these are the consequences that grow out of the doctrines you are
teaching. I admit they are; perhaps you may be willing to admit the
truth of this, so far as eternity is concerned, and those that have
left here without hearing the Gospel. But let me ask a question
here—Is it any more right for two women to claim the same husband,
after they come forth from the grave, than it is for two women, here
in time living on this earth, to claim a man as their husband? If one
is right, the other is right also; and if the latter is not right,
then the first doctrine that I have named is not right.

Vol. 21, p.295
But I have not got through with this subject. There are other points
to be considered. I have only spoken of two women. Now, says one, here
is a woman who survives her husband and marries a second husband. The
second husband receives the Gospel and comes into the Church; the
first husband died without ever hearing it. What are you going to do
with him? Do you suppose that God, in laying down the great plan of
salvation would forget to make any laws, provisions, or conditions, in
regard to these matters? Not at all. He has ordained that every man
who is worthy shall have a family of his own; but he never did ordain,
neither before the foundation of the world nor during any of the
dispensations that have existed on the earth, that a woman should have
two husbands living at the same time. He did ordain that a man should
have two or more wives, and did acknowledge it, sanction it, did bless
those that entered into his order of marriage in ancient times; but we
have no account of his ever approbating the contrary. Well, inquires
one, what will become of this good man that happened to be in this
condition? There are provisions ordained from before the foundation of
the world, which take into consideration all these cases; namely, that
all the human family who have died without the law or between the
dispensations, when there was no divine authority on the earth, shall
have a proper chance, by the living acting for the dead; and as there
are innumerable females who have died and who never had wives,
provisions are made for them all providing that they embrace, in the
spirit world the great plan of salvation in all its fulness,

Vol. 21, p.295
We might say much more upon this subject. We might set forth before
this congregation a case something like this: Here is a young man. He
goes forth into the community, and seeks out a wife. He goes before
those holding divine authority—power to bind on earth, and it shall be
bound in heaven—and he is married to her for time and all eternity. By
and bye she dies. Perhaps she may have had one or two children,
perhaps she may not have had any children, as the case may be. She
dies, leaves her husband still in his youth. Must this youth, this
good man, the man that has kept the commandments of God and been
obedient to the Gospel of the Son of God—must he remain all the days
of his life, perhaps 50 or 60 years longer, without having the
privilege of taking another wife, his first wife having died? Oh, says
one, the law does not forbid, when a man's wife dies, his taking
another. Suppose he takes another, what then? If he could have only
one wife after the resurrection from the dead, what would his second
wife do? Would she not be apt to say, [p.296] "No, sir, you have a
wife, she is in her grave, she was married to you for time and all
eternity, now I desire a husband for all eternity myself. Is there any
provision made for me if I go in as the second wife?" Why, yes. The
provision is that both may be sealed to him for time and all eternity
and not violate the law of God.

Vol. 21, p.296
All these principles that I have treated upon, pertaining to eternal
marriage, the very moment that they are admitted to be true, it brings
in plurality of marriage, and if plurality of marriage is not true or
in other words, if a man has no divine right to marry two wives or
more in this world, then marriage for eternity is not true: and your
faith is all vain, and all the scaling ordinances and powers,
pertaining to marriages for eternity are vain, worthless, good for
nothing; for as sure as one is true the other also must be true. Amen.

Wilford Woodruff, August 1, 1880

Revelation, Prophesying, Predictions of the Servants of God, Etc.

Delivered in the Tabernacle, at Logan, Sunday Morning, August 1st,
1880.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs.)

Vol. 21, p.296
It is a common saying with us, that the Lord has set his hand to build
up his kingdom; but, notwithstanding, it is a true and a very
interesting one. Let us turn our minds which way we will, as men of
God, as Elders in Israel, if we enjoy any portion of the Spirit of the
Lord, we cannot help seeing the hand of the Lord in his works in these
mountains and in the earth. It is a difficult matter, many times, for
men of the world to understand the literal fulfilment of revelation;
in fact, some of our leading men, men of wisdom, men who have enjoyed
a good portion of the Spirit of the Lord—it has been difficult for
them to understand the fulfilment of prophecy. In conversation with
[p.297] persons with regard to the affairs of our nation, I remember
President Young telling them that there would be a division in our
nation between the North and South. "But," said they, "that cannot be;
the stability of our government is of too durable a nature to even
permit of any such thing." This is the way that our leading men felt
before the rebellion this is the way, as a general thing, that leading
men feel to-day. They cannot comprehend, it is not in their hearts to
believe in the fulfilment of prophecy; they cannot understand how it
is that any power or wisdom that God can exercise, can bring to pass
the prophecies that remain to be fulfilled. We had examples of this,
as I have said. But the crisis came; a four years' war was waged,
which laid in the grave a million and a half of the strength of our
nation, and, as I have often said, and which I believe is true, cost
them a debt which they will never live to pay. They could not
comprehend this until it was over. It is so with our nation to-day;
they cannot comprehend, notwithstanding the mighty evidence that is
rolling before them like the waves of the sea, one event after another
in their fulfilment; but they cannot realize how the Lord can make use
of the elements known to mankind to bring about the destruction of a
nation like ours. When Brother John Morgan was speaking, I was
reminded of a certain spirit that arose in the hearts of men a few
years ago, incited through the oppression of capital against labor. A
few men rose up in Pittsburg and other places in Pennsylvania, and in
three days destroyed some twenty million dollars worth of railroad
property. When this element once rises, what power has law, what power
have the officers of the law or the government to control it? It
cannot be controlled by human power. As Latter-day Saints, we can in a
measure understand, when we come to reflect that God rules and
overrules and can do anything he has a mind to with regard to the
fulfilment of these events. I believe the Bible; I believe the Book of
Mormon; I believe the Doctrine and Covenants, and I believe that the
predictions they contain will in their fulfilment roll upon our heads,
and upon the heads of this nation, and upon the heads of the people of
Zion, and the judgment of God, that have been proclaimed in the
hearing of the people for the last fifty years, through the mouth of
Joseph Smith and of Brigham Young and the apostles and the elders of
Israel, by the gilt and power of the Holy Ghost—not one jot or tittle
of what has been declared will fall to be ground unfulfilled, and the
Latter-day Saints ought to be prepared for them. I know many of these
things look dark when men look upon them with the natural vision, and
as a consequence doubt and unbelief follow; but when you look upon
them with your mind enlightened by the Spirit of God, the spirit of
inspiration and revelation, we then are able to understand them, and
how easily it is for God to bring to pass the predictions of his
servants.

Vol. 21, p.297
The Lord, in a revelation given to Orson Hyde and William McClellan in
the early days of the Church, in sending them out to preach the
Gospel, told them that when they preached they should speak as they
were moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and that if they did not have the
Holy Spirit to direct them, they were told not to teach. "And," said
the Lord, "when you do speak as you are moved upon by the Holy Ghost,
your words are the words of [p.298] God, they are scripture, and they
are the mind of the Lord to the people." (Sec. 68.) Many have an idea
that it is something very strange for men now-a-days to have
revelation, and that nobody should have revelation excepting Brother
Taylor. Here, my brethren and sisters, you are upholding the quorum of
the Twelve twice a year in General Conference, besides doing so at
your quarterly conference, as prophets, seers and revelators, and you
pray for them twice a day, and perhaps oftener, and should it be
anything very strange if they should receive a revelation? How
strange, indeed! There are in this Church some six thousand seventies,
and four thousand high priests, and for thousand elders, who hold the
Melchisedec priesthood, which is after the order of the Son of God,
besides many thousands of priests holding the Aaronic priesthood, and
I would like to ask, if it was wrong to desire revelation? What
business have we with this priesthood, if we have not power to receive
revelation? What is the priesthood given for? If we do not have
revelation, it is because we do not live as we should live, because we
do not magnify our priesthood as we ought to; if we did we would not
be without revelation, none would be barren or unfruitful. We have one
man who holds the keys of the kingdom of God upon the earth, and it is
his business to give the word of the Lord for the guidance of the
Church. But here we have apostles and men of God, holding the holy
priesthood, acting in behalf of the Church in different parts of this
Territory, and also in different parts of the earth; and we have men,
say, acting as Church agents in Europe, part of whose business it is
to charter ships for the transit across the ocean of tens of thousands
of the people of God; is it the right of such men to have revelation
from the Lord to guide them in their operations? Yes, it is; and no
man should undertake to act in positions affecting the interests of
Zion, unless he lives so as to be guided and directed by revelations
of God. And every man who presides over a temple should live day by
day in the revelations of Jesus Christ. And every seventy, and every
high priest, and every man bearing the holy priesthood should live in
that way to get revelation to guide and direct him in his labors. This
idea that no man has any right to call upon God and receive revelation
is wrong, and it has been wrong wherever it has existed in any age of
the world. As was said of old, when a complaint was made concerning
certain of the elders prophesying in the Camp of Israel, so say I: "I
would to God that all were prophets;" because the spirit of prophecy
is the testimony of Jesus.

Vol. 21, p.298
With regard to prophesying, I wish to say, that we have a great many
times the revelations of God given unto us through his spirit, when we
do not comprehend what revelation is. How many of you have had the
still small voice of the spirit whisper things to you, and when you
have followed the dictations of that spirit it has become in you a
principle of revelation. I would not be here to-day if I had not
listened to the whisperings of that still small voice which has guided
me in my journeyings; I never could have passed through the dangerous
scenes and incidents of my life had I not followed the whisperings of
the spirit of the Lord to me. And with regard to our preaching I will
say, that as apostles of  God and as men appointed to lead land guide
Israel, we have a great [p.299] many things presented to our minds
that at the time appear to be beyond our comprehension. Brother Heber
C. Kimball, for instance, was a natural prophet; he would at times
give utterance to things when preaching under the influence of the
holy Spirit that would frighten himself and has many times been known
to say after he had finished preaching, "What have I said?" I am
reminded of a circumstance which occurred in the early settlement of
Utah, at a time when we were all in very destitute circumstances,
without the shadow of any reasonable hope for seeing better times. At
such a time Brother Kimball in preaching one day told the congregation
that many months would not pass before we would be able to buy goods
in Salt Lake City as cheaply as they could be bought in New York City.
When Brother Kimball had said this he actually felt frightened for he
could not see how it could come to pass, but it was spoken under the
influence of the Holy Ghost, and therefore it was revelation. I was
thinking to-day of a time many years ago, when President Young and
several brethren of the Twelve, were in Logan; it was a time when a
railroad up to this region was not even dreamed of, the time when
Brothers Ezra T. Benson and Peter Maughan presided here: when at a
meeting President Young called upon me to talk to the people
assembled. The night before, however, we had been met by a long line
of children and young people, from three up to twenty years of age;
they had come out to meet the prophet, and presented a fine sight.
While talking to the people I felt led to speak to the children and
young people; and I told them that I wanted them to remember the visit
which the president was making them because the day would come when
they were grown up, when they would talk to one another and say, that
on such a day President Young and party visited us, and we were told
then that we should see the day when a temple should be built in this
place, from the top of which we would be able to survey the country
around which would be occupied by ten thousand of our people; and you
will say that this was told to us when brother Benson and brother
Maughan presided here. We never thought of building a temple here at
that time, it had never entered into the heart of man to do so.
Brother Benson and Maughan have been for some years now in the spirit
world. To-day you are engaged building a temple which will be
completed and dedicated; and when this shall be done these young
people will have the opportunity of going to the top of the building
and will then see what I promised to you in those early days.

Vol. 21, p.299
I mention this to show you how things are presented to our minds and
given utterance to in our public teachings about which, at the time,
we have little or no idea.

Vol. 21, p.299
When in the western country, many years ago, before we came to the
Rocky Mountains, I had a dream. I dreamed of being in these mountains,
and of seeing a large fine looking temple erected in one of these
valleys which was built of cut granite stone, I saw that temple
dedicated, and I attended the dedicatory services, and I saw a good
many men that are living to-day in the midst of this people. And I saw
them called of God and sent forth into the United States and to
Babylon, or what is called the Christian world, to bind up the law and
seal up the testimony against the nations of the  earth, because they
had [p.300] rejected the testimony of Jesus; and of the establishment
of the kingdom of God upon the earth. When the foundation of that
temple was laid I thought of my dream and a great many times since.
And whenever President Young held a council of the brethren of the
Twelve and talked of building the temple of adobe or brick, which was
done I would say to myself, "No, you will never do it;" because I had
seen it in my dream built of some other material. I mention these
things to show you that things are manifested to the Latter-day Saints
sometimes which we do not know anything about, only as they are given
by the Spirit of God.

Vol. 21, p.300
I will say to Israel who are here to-day, we should take hold of this
work in earnest and build this temple and redeem the dead as well as
the living; and have faith in God believing that this is the work of
God which will roll on to its fulfilment in the earth. God will not
disappoint you in these the last days; he will not disappoint the
wicked, he will not disappoint the devils in hell, nor the angels of
God in the heaven will not be disappointed with regard to the
fulfilment of the revelations; whatever may be the unbelief of this
generation it will make no difference with regard to the fulfilment of
the revelations of God and the predictions of his servants.

Vol. 21, p.300
When in the Tabernacle at Salt Lake City on the 24th of July, in
looking upon the assembled multitude and in contemplating the
magnitude and grandeur of the procession, I said to myself "What can
be the feelings of the world?" What can be the feelings of our enemies
who are laboring to "break up Mormonism," and who have for these many
years past indulged in the fond expectation, and have even gone so far
as to predict year after year that in a few years more "Mormonism"
will be done away. The world do not know what to do with "Mormonism;"
the heads of our own nation and the kings of the earth are alike
undecided, with regard to this handful of people that are growing up
in these mountains. They see our union and the work already
accomplished by us; they see the elements of prosperity and power
manifested in this people, and although they do not say it themselves
it is a fact, the spirit of fear to a degree is taking hold of them,
they are afraid that the "Mormons" tell the truth when the say the God
of heaven has set his hand again for the last time to establish his
rule and government in the earth, which is destined to become a great
kingdom and fill the whole earth. The great men of the earth are not
ignorant of the existence of this people; they are studying our
history, and they are watching the result of our labors. Although we
are located in the interior of this mountain country, and so recently
considered without the pale of civilization, the Latter-day Saints are
not hid from view, their light is not under a bushel, but they are
already known and talked of throughout all Christendom; and this Zion
will continue to grow and no power will hinder it. Let us prepare
ourselves and keep the faith, obey the commandments of God and
exercise faith in these things; and let our prayers ascend into the
ears of the God of Sabaoth day and night, for the fulfilment of these
revelations and prophecies.

Vol. 21, p.300
The Lamanites will fulfill all that God has said about them, and the
Jews will fulfill and realize all that has been said  respecting them
and all that has been promised and [p.301] predicted upon their heads
by their father Jacob and by the prophets. It was foretold by the
prophet Moses that they should be driven and despised by their
enemies, and that they should be cursed of God, and that his curse
should follow them until Christ came; and that they would reject him,
and then they would be scattered as corn is sifted in a seive, etc.
But hear it all Israel, after your sorrow and pain and distress and
after the days of your tribulation, your great Eloheim will stretch
out his hand and gather you from every nation wherever you are driven,
and he will bring you home to your own land, and you shall rebuild,
your temple and city, and you shall be delivered by Shiloh when he
comes. That will be fulfilled; and all that God has said with regard
to the ten tribes of Israel. strange as it may appear, will come to
pass. They will, as has been said concerning them, smite the rock and
the mountains of ice will flow before them, and a great highway will
be cast up, and their enemies will become a prey to them; and their
records, and their choice treasures they will bring with them to Zion
These things are as true as God lives.

Vol. 21, p.301
When I contemplate the condition of our nation, and see that
wickedness and abominations are increasing, so much so that the whole
heavens groan and weep over the abominations of this nation and the
nations of the earth, I ask myself the question, can the American
nation escape? The answer comes, No; its destruction, as well as the
destruction of the world, is sure; just as sure as the Lord cut off
and destroyed the two great and prosperous nations that once inhabited
this continent of North and South America, because of their
wickedness, so will he them destroy, and sooner or later they will
reap the fruits of their own wicked acts, and be numbered among the
past.

Vol. 21, p.301
I cannot help it; I would to God they would repent, that their eyes
might be opened to see their condition; but the devil has power over
them; he rules the children of men, he holds Babylon in his own hand,
and leads the people whithersover he will. There are changes awaiting
us, they are even nigh at our very doors, and I know it by the
revelations of Jesus Christ; I know it by the visions of heaven: I
know it by the administrations of angels, and I know it by the
inspiration of heaven, that is given to all men who seek the Lord; and
the hand of God will not stay these things. We have no time to lose.

Vol. 21, p.301
I pray God's blessing upon the men working on the temple, and his
blessing upon the Saints, that their hearts may be inclined to build
them. If you knew and understood the feelings of the Prophet Joseph
Smith, and those of his brethren associated with him, and the feelings
of the millions of the human family who are shut up in their prison
houses we would not tire, we would labor with all our might until the
building was finished and dedicated, and then we would labor for the
redemption of our dead. Ask Bishop Hunter if he ever expects to meet
with his friends and associate with those who have passed away, unless
he redeems them in the flesh, and he will tell you, no. He could not
mingle with them if he did not redeem them in the flesh. I know the
same, too.

Vol. 21, p.301
I pray God to bless you, and to pour out his spirit upon my brethren
of the quorum of the Twelve, that we may walk in  the light and be
guided aright in all our [p.302] ministrations. And I tell you again;
God will not disappoint you; this kingdom will never go backward,
neither will it ever be given into the hands of another people; but it
will rest upon the shoulders of, our sons and daughters when Christ
comes in the clouds of heaven. We have no time to throw away, or spend
in the foolish things of the flesh; what time is at our disposal
should be used in building up the Zion of God, and in preparing
ourselves and our families for the things that await us. Oh, I wish
many times that the vail was lifted off the face of the Latter-day
Saints; I wish we could see and know the things of God as they do who
are laboring for the salvation of the human family who are in the
spirit world; for if this were so, this whole people, with very few,
if any, exceptions, would lose all interest in the riches of the
world, and instead thereof their whole desires and labors would be
directed to redeem their dead, to perform faithfully the work and
mission given us on earth; so that when we ourselves should pass
behind the vail and meet with Joseph and the ancient apostles, and
others who are watching over us and who are deeply interested in our
labors, we might feel satisfied in having done our duty.

Vol. 21, p.302
This is how I feel, this is my faith. I read the Bible, the Book of
Mormon and the Book of Covenants, and I look for everything contained
in them to be fulfilled. We are making history day by day, and we are
fulfilling the events which they predicted would transpire in the
latter days. Isaiah, when he saw in vision this people in the
mountains, exclaims:

Vol. 21, p.302
"Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into
staging, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will
have mercy on his afflicted.

Vol. 21, p.302
"But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten
me.

Vol. 21, p.302
"Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she could not have
compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I
not forget thee."

Vol. 21, p.302
In the own due time of the Lord all things spoken by the prophets will
be literally fulfilled.

Vol. 21, p.302
I pray God to help us to do our duty and to help us to feel interested
in our labors in the flesh. And as a closing remark, seeing that this
is election time, I will say, do not, my brethren, allow the spirit of
contention and dissension to creep in among you. I am ashamed of some
of our people who, instead of using their powers and influence in
endeavoring to unite the people, go rework and raise strife, and the
result is that in some of our cities an opposition ticket is gotten
up, and our own people in these places divide one against the other. I
say, shame on the elder or man holding the priesthood, the authority
delegated to him by high heaven, who will do this thing; the heavens
are displeased with such a man, and unless he repents he will
certainly be found numbered with those who are arrayed against God and
his kingdom on the earth. We have the whole world against us, besides
many evil spirits to contend with, and we certainly should not divide
one against another.

Vol. 21, p.302
May God bless Israel, is my prayer, through Jesus Christ. Amen.
[p.303]

Orson Pratt, September 18, 1880

A Double Birthday—the Authority of the Priesthood, Etc.

Delivered in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City,
 Sunday Afternoon, Sept. 19th, 1880.

(Reported by John Irvine.)

Vol. 21, p.303
It is with peculiar feelings that I arise to address this congregation
who are assembled this afternoon. An event in regard to myself has
this day happened that generally only happens once in the course of a
man's life. Fifty years ago to-day I was baptized into the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Hence, it might be said that it is
in reality a year of jubilee, so far as I am concerned—I mean that the
past year, which is the fiftieth year of my membership in the Church,
closing with to-day, has been, indeed and in truth, a year of Jubilee.

Vol. 21, p.303
There is another thing, connected with these fifty years in the
Church, that is also pleasing to your humble servant. Sixtymine years
ago today I was born into this world, making this day a double
birthday to myself. How very thankful I ought to be for this great
privilege which has been bestowed upon me. The hearing of the fulness
of the everlasting Gospel, yielding obedience to the same, and
entering into the Church and kingdom of God, in my early youth,
certainly is a blessing that is worthy of all thanks and praise to my
Father who is in heaven, who granted this privilege to me in my youth.
There were many scores of millions—yes, hundreds of millions of the
inhabitants of our globe that did not enjoy this privilege.

Vol. 21, p.303
It seems that the Lord our God, some fifty years ago and a little
upwards, saw proper to organize his kingdom, to establish it on the
earth by the ministration of holy angels, and by the revelations of
his Spirit, and by sending down authority from the heavens to minister
here on the earth, and by bringing forth that great and precious
record, the Book of Mormon, and causing the same to be printed for the
benefit of all mankind. How great a privilege conferred on me, to come
to the understanding of the contents of that book when I was but
nineteen years of age! How great a privilege to live in a day and age
of the world when God has again revealed himself to the children of
men! There [p.304] have been many periods of time since the creation
in which the heavens, in an especial manner, have been favorable to
the children of men, by sending communications and revelations from on
high. But a long time had intervened, during which no such privilege
had been granted to mortal man. So far as the nations of the Eastern
Hemisphere were concerned, upwards of seventeen centuries hurl passed
away, during which they were left in darkness, having no legally
authorized minister, no one that could legally baptize, or administer
the Lord's Supper, or build the Church of God, or administer in any of
the ordinances of his Gospel; that was a long time for the nations to
be left in darkness. So far as our Western Hemisphere is concerned,
they were not left quite so long a period without information from the
heavens. Some fourteen hundred years and upwards had passed away, on
this Western continent, during which the people were left in darkness;
hence, the whole earth for fourteen centuries, at least, had no Gospel
preached by divine authority, no Church of the living God in any
quarter thereof—so far as we are acquainted. It is true, that during
these fourteen centuries the nations had a book that contained the
history of the Gospel as it was preached in ancient times—a book
called the Bible. But a book containing the history of the Gospel is
one thing, and the power and authority to administer the ordinances of
the Gospel is another thing; they are entirely distinct. A book,
itself, authorizes no man, under the whole heavens, to build up the
Church of Christ; it authorizes no man to preach the Gospel. No man
ever receives divine authority by means of an ancient book that was
given to prophets and inspired men centuries before he was born. We
never knew of the Lord's calling men by ancient books. If the Lord
calls any one In this day, it is by a new revelation, not a revelation
given 1800 years ago, How inconsistent it would be to suppose that a
man is now called to sit in the presidential chair of the United
States, because we have the history that Washington once sat in that
chair. Would that authorize any person, among the scores of millions
of the population of these States, to go and take possession of that
chair, and undertake to administer in the office of a president over
this great people? The thing would be so ridiculously absurd, that the
people would rise up universally and condemn any such imposition. So
in regard to the things of God. God is a God of order. And if mankind
have an order in relation to authority to administer in governmental
affairs, how much more the Lord? Has he not as much wisdom as his
creatures? Is the Lord so much beneath his own creation that he would
prefer illegality to legality? that he would let any one assume the
authority and power without calling him to an account in the great
judgment day? "But," inquires one, "how do you know, Mr. Pratt, but
what the Lord has called some one during the many centuries that you
say the people have lived in darkness? How do you know but what he has
authorized servants and ministers, to proclaim his Gospel among the
children of men?" Now this is a very important point. I do not blame
those who have not considered this subject, in putting such a
question. It is perfectly reasonable that they should inquire how a
person may  know what grounds we have for supposing that there has
been no one commissioned with divine [p.305] authority, during the
fourteen centuries that have rolled over the heads of the people,
until the Lord sent his angel, upwards of fifty years ago, and
restored the authority. There are various reasons that can be advanced
to prove that the earth has been destitute of any such authority. One
reason is, that among the three or four hundred millions of
Christendom, or those who profess to be the followers of Christ, we
find one universal belief among them, and they have acted upon that
belief, namely: that God gives no new revelation to the inhabitants of
the earth during their day. That is enough for me; it is all the
evidence that I would want, although there is an abundance of other
evidence; but that is sufficient for me to know that God never sent
them. "But," enquires one, "may not a person be sent of the Lord, be
divinely commissioned, and yet no revelation be given in his day?" I
answer, impossible, impossible! "But," you may still further inquire,
"may not others who received divine revelation in ancient times, have
communicated that authority to their cotemporaries who outlived them?
And may not those cotemporaries, thus receiving divine authority, have
conferred it upon others still younger, and they upon others? And
thus, may not the authority have been handed down by a regular
succession of ordination, from the days of the apostles to our own
period of time?" I will say that would be possible, just the same as
the Church of God, in the first century of the Christian era,
delivered the authority to preach and administer ordinances from one
to another, among the various nations of the earth; it was continued
along during the whole of that century—just as easily it could have
continued, the second century, and the third, and each succeeding
century down to our own time.

Vol. 21, p.305
Here, then, arises another question—may not the authority have thus
been transferred? I answer—where has there been an unbroken succession
of that same authority that was administered in the first century? I
will tell you where the succession was broken. In the very period that
new revelation ceased to be given to the human family, no further
succession could be continued. It would be impossible for any person
to be ordained with divine authority, for instance, to the
apostleship, unless there was some person that had authority, and had
really obtained divine intelligence, by new revelation, from the
heavens, that such authority should he conferred upon some other
person. When did divine revelation cease? Where shall we go for
testimony upon this subject? So far as the inhabitants of the eastern
portions of our globe were concerned, divine authority ceased about
the close of the first century of the Christian era. Why did it cease?
Because we have no account of any new revelation having been given
after the close of that century; and when new revelation ceased:
divine callings ceased; divine authority ceased; persons ceased to
confer that authority in succession; because, for this obvious reson,
they, without new revelation, did not know whom to call; they did not
know who should be authorized to receive the apostleship, or any other
calling. Every person, during the first century of the Christian era,
who was ordained with authority and power to administer in the
ordinances of the Gospel, was ordained by the spirit of prophecy and
revelation. Timothy was a young man; compared with many of the
apostles, He only  received the calling, [p.306] bestowed upon him
through the laying on of the hands of the servants of God, or of those
who were authorized, by new revelation, to administer and to confer
authority upon him. Thus it is written in this good book (the Bible)
that Paul, who was authorized as an apostle, called Timothy by virtue
of the spirit of revelation and prophecy. "Neglect not," said Paul,
"the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy with the
laying of the hands of the presbytery." And when we speak of missions,
in those early periods of Christianity no person assumed to go on a
mission among the inhabitants of the earth, unless he was sent, unless
he was set apart. Even as great a man as the Apostle Paul had no
authority to go forth as a missionary, only by the laying on of the
hands of the persons who administered to him. Hence, it is written in
the Acts of the Apostles, that the Holy Ghost said unto certain
prophets that were in the Church at Antioch, "Separate me Barnabas and
Saul for the work whereunto I have called them," Here is a new
revelation. Saul could not be separated and set apart to any work of
the ministry, only as the Lord called him; and that calling was made
known to the prophets that were in the Church at Antioch. If
peradventure, a man had been called by the spirit of revelation and
prophecy, and set apart by the laying of the hands of a prophet or
apostle, to be an especial minister to the nations of the earth, there
would arise still another great question to be solved, in regard to
whether that man, thus set apart, could fulfil the object of his
mission without new revelation? I say that it would be utterly
impossible, No man can fill a mission aceptably before; the heavens,
unless God should give to him revelation, from time to time, to direct
him in all his missonary labors. We have abundant testimony in the New
Testament concerning this matter. Even when some of the very greatest
revelators that we have any record of, undertook to do things of their
own accord, they were led directly different from their own judgments,
in regard to their missionary labors. Paul had, at a certain time, a
great desire to visit a certain place; such desire arose from his own
natural judgment; but the Holy Ghost forbade him. Here it required a
new revelation to know whether his own inclinations should be followed
or not. Again, we find that the revelations of the Most High were very
necessary, in the case of the travels of these missionaries, among the
inhibitants of the earth, Philip had done a great work in the city of
Samaria. He had succeeded in convincing large numbers, concerning
Jesus, and had baptized them, and organized a great church in the city
of Samaria. One would have thought, that after having performed labors
of such magnitude, he would be required to stay among that people, and
administer to them; but no; the Lord gave a new revelation to the man
Philip. He said, "Arise and go toward the south, unto the way that
goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert." In other words,
"leave your present field of labor; you can do more good somewhere
else." Now, a man left to his own judgment, without new revelation,
would not want to go somewhere else; his own inclinations would be to
stay where so many had received his testimony. But no; the Spirit of
God thought differently. "Arise Philip, go unto the south country." He
was not told what he should do in the South country, but he started
off according to the new [p.307] revelation. And after journeying a
short distance, he saw a chariot before him, probably driving along at
a slow pace, and it required another revelation. The old one that he
got awhile before, requiring him to go to the south, he had already
begun to fulfil. But while he yet journeyed, he did not know his
further duty; and if God had not given him new revelations, he would
have gone forth blindly in his missionary labor. But another
revelation came, "Go near and join thyself to his chariot." He
therefore obeyed, and when he arrived at the chariot, he found a man
reading not the new Testament, but the law and the prophets. Philip,
being wrought upon by the Holy Ghost, said unto this man,
"Understandest thou what thou readest?" "How can I," said the man in
the chariot, except some man should guide me?" And Philip began to
explain unto him, the things that he happened to be reading from the
prophecies of Isaiah, concerning Jesus, and Philip was invited into
the chariot. They rode along until they came to where there was water
of sufficient depth to attend to baptism, for it seems that Philip had
converted, or, in other words, had proved by his arguments that Jesus
was the very Christ, and the man desired baptism and the chariot stood
still, and Philip went down into the water and baptized him. Now
Philip had no authority to confirm by the laying on of hands, as is
evident, in the case of those who were baptized in the great city of
Samaria. There was great rejoicing there because Philip had baptized
them, but none had received the Holy Ghost, till another authority,
higher than that of Philip, came and laid hands upon them for the
reception of the Holy Ghost; having baptized these people, he could go
no further; he could not administer the blessing of the Holy Ghost;
and hence, having fulfilled the object of the two revelations on this
subject, the Lord had another place for him. He did not go there of
his own accord, but it required a very powerful manifestation to get
him away from that water; the scriptures testify that "the spirit of
the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more; and he
went on his way rejoicing." Have you ever heard anything of the kind
in these days, where men, in fulfilling their missions, have been
caught away to some other place? "But they that wait upon the Lord
shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with the wings of
eagles;" says the Prophet Isaiah. Philip must have been borne, as it
were upon eagle's wings, Now if a person—a man light enough, I
mean—could get on an eagle's wings and be carried through the air, it
would be a very good representation of some of those that wait upon
the Lord.

Vol. 21, p.307
I mention these various circumstances—and might mention scores of
others—to show, that without the Spirit of the living God, to impart
revelations, no man could administer to his fellow man, no man would
have the authority to administer. This brings me back to the statement
I have already made. You recollect the question is, can it be proved,
or is there any evidence that there has been any man called to the
ministry among all the nations during the long period to which I have
referred? We take their own testimony. They say that there has been no
revelation since the first century of the Christian era. Who says so?
The whole Catholic church to begin with, and the Greek Church, another
branch of the [p.308] Christian church so called, and then the
Protestants that protested against those two branches, and came out
from among them, have continued the same false traditions, that no new
revelation is needed—that the last revelation which was intended for
the human family, was given towards the close of the, first century of
the Christian era; They do not seem to know how such. an expression,
if admitted, cuts them off from all authority and power which are
divine; they do not seem to know that they cannot possibly be ordained
by proper authority, unless God speaks again; they do not seem to know
that the writings of men who are dead and gone, centuries ago, do not
authorize them to preach the Gospel, nor give them ally divine
authority to administer its ordinances. Hence you see the
impossibility of there being a regular succession from generation to
generation, because of the want of new revelation." A great many other
testimonies might be brought to prove this fact, but this one is
sufficient. "Well then," says one, if your arguments be true, if your
belief be correct, there has been no Christian church on the earth:
for many generations. We can come to no other conclusion; there is no
half-way business about it. We come to testily that there has been no
church on the earth that God has recognized as his church for the last
fourteen centuries, at least; and among the European nations and the
nations of Asia and Africa there has been none since the close of the
second century of the Christian era. What a woeful condition it is for
the inhabitants of the earth to be in. We would be in the same
condition that they are, if God had not condescended again to give new
revelation; and this brings me to the subject of the Book of Mormon.

Vol. 21, p.308
Fifty-three years will have passed away, next Wednesday morning, the
22nd day of September, since the gold plates of the Book of Mormon
were delivered into the bands of a boy, by the name of Joseph Smith, a
farmer's boy, an illiterate boy, uneducated in the higher branches of
learning, uneducated in regard to what is contained in the Old and New
Testament, uneducated in the dogmas and creeds of men, uneducated in
all branches of science, except it be some of the first principles,
the rudiments of education, as taught in the common schools of the
State of New York. I say, fifty three years have almost expired since
this great, this marvelous, this wonderful event happened; since an
angel of God delivered sacred records into the hands of an illiterate,
common youth, not yet twenty-two years of age. Such was the beginning,
as it were, of a great revelation. I will not say the precise time of
the beginning; for God prior to this time, had given revelation to
this youth, on many occasions. The first one that he gave to him was
in the spring of 1820, before Joseph Smith was of the ago of fifteen.
Then a wonderful revelation was given to him, the first one he ever
received. In a great and glorious open vision, in answer to his
prayers, there was the manifestation of two of the great personages in
the heavens—not angels, not messengers, but two persons that hold the
keys of authority over all the creations of the universe. Who were
they? God the Eternal Father and his Son Jesus Christ, through whom
God the Father made the  worlds! These glorious personages descended
from heaven; two personages whose countenances outshone [p.309] the
sun at noonday; two personages clothed with a pillar of light round
about them, descended, stood before this lad, and revealed themselves
to him. He saw their countenances; he saw the glory of their
personages; he heard the glorious words that proceeded from the
Father, as he pointed to his Son and said, to Joseph, "This is my
beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." This was a new revelation;
something different from what had been made manifest for a great many
centuries, according to the declarations of the articles and creeds of
men, How often I have read the declaration of King James' translator
of the Bible, wherein King James is represented as the head of the
church, and wherein the Bible, as translated by those that were chosen
and appointed for that purpose, was intended for the light and benefit
of the children of men; and for fear that mankind would cavil on the
subject these uninspired men, the translators, in connection with
those who were in their council, concluded to tell the people that
this was the whole canon of scripture; in other words, we have
translated sixty-six books, and they are compiled, or about to be
compiled and printed for the benefit of mankind; and these sixty-six
books of the Old and New Testament are the only books that Christians
should receive, the only revelation that they should have to guide
them in all their future lives. The people were just simple enough to
believe what they said,—just simple enough to take it for granted,
because learned men, that were not inspired of God, had made this
unqualified, unproved declaration. Now, "we, the Church of England,
must get up, besides these 66 books, some 'Articles of Faith'—some
thirty-nine Articles we will invent. We have got no prophets among us
to write these Articles,—no inspired revelator sent from God; and
therefore, we will originate out of our own hearts something that will
prevent the people from receiving any new revelation. We will
cunningly tell them that these 66 books, called the Bible, contain all
the revelation that God ever gave to man." What further have you to
say in your thirty-nine articles? "We say that every person that does
not limit and confine his faith to the sixty-six books of the Old and
New Testament, or if he undertakes to receive any other revelation, he
is to be expelled from our church. That is what is said—not directly,
but indirectly. In other words, every person who pretends to be a
prophet, he is not to be a person considered worthy of belonging to
our church." Has any other church but the Church of England adopted
these false, soul-destroying delusions? Yes, a great many others. They
have invented articles—not exactly thirty-nine, but articles of faith,
creeds the are called in some instances, and disciplines in others,
and so on. What are the objects of these? They are not revelation; God
had nothing to do with giving them, men wrote them out of their own
uninspired hearts, but they were all very careful to take up the ideas
inculcated in the days of King James, namely, that the sixty-six books
of the Old and New Testament were to be their rule of faith, and be
their guide and nothing else was to be received as inspired. Oh, how
blind! If they did but know it these very declarations in these
articles and creeds would cut them off from all authority. But they
were just simple enough to receive such a false doctrine; just simple
enough to accept their want of authority before God; and thus by their
own [p.310] acknowledgement, by their own printed works they prove to
the whole world that God did not establish their churches, that God
did not establish among them the ancient order of things; for the
ancient church of the living God was never destitude of the spirit of
revelation.

Vol. 21, p.310
If the Lord had left us in this condition, we would have been
wandering in darkness to this day. The people who are here assembled
this afternoon, would be no better off than the Protestant
denominations, no better off than the Greek and Roman Catholic
Churches that have existed from generation to generation, during many
long centuries of apostacy. But God having looked upon the darkness
that covered the earth, and the minds of the people, having looked
upon the people that were honest in heart, and seeing the dilemma in
which they were placed—without inspiration, without any knowledge that
comes from heaven in their day, without any one who has the right and
the authority from heaven to baptize—concluded to fullfil that which
was predicted by the ancient apostles, namely, to send an angel again
to the inhabitants of the earth. It was a long time for the earth to
be left without angels. Perhaps some of you may inquire, "Why did the
Lord leave the people so long? Why did so many generations pass away,
and no Church of Christ on the earth, no prophets, no revelators,
etc.?" It was because of the apostasy of the people; and then after
the apostasy commenced, near the close of the first century, they
killed off the apostles, prophets and revelators—killed off the Saints
who embraced the true Gospel, and the world became so exceedingly
wicked and corrupt that the Lord did not see proper to send them any
other message. But perhaps you may inquire, must all those people who
have lived so many generations ago, go down to an endless perdition in
the eternal worlds, because no one had authority on the earth to
administer Gospel ordinances to them? No; the Lord is more just than
this. Every man and every roman that has not had the privilege of
hearing the Gospel in this life, preached by one holding divine
authority, will have the opportunity of hearing it in the world to
come; so that there is no partiality, so far as the preaching of the
Gospel is concerned. But, says one, there is a little partiality, it
seems to me; for some have the privilege of hearing the Gospel in this
life, instead of waiting till the next. But the Lord in looking upon
the various generations upon the earth, judges after this wise: that
when a people become so darkened, through their own apostacy, through
their own wickedness, through their shedding the blood of righteous
men, the Lord sees proper, because of this, to make them wait. If the
true authority had been revealed, during the time of the
administration of these corrupt men, the Gospel would have been
banished again. from the earth. For instance, if God had sent the
angel in the second century of the Christian era, to renew his church
on the earth, what would have been the consequence? There would have
been no place upon all the face of the globe, where the people would
have suffered such a church to exist. If he had sent the angel in the
third century, or in the fourth, or in any of the centuries
interventing, before religious liberty was established, the
consequence would have been the shedding of the blood of apostles
prophets and saints again, and in order that they might not bring upon
themselves this great condemnation the Lord saw that it  [p.311] was
far better to postpone the sending of the angel, until he should
prepare, among the political governments of the earth, a nation where
the church could exist, and have a little degree of safety. And even
our nation, the best nation on the earth, having the wisest laws, laws
that are calculated, if put into execution, to protect all religious
denominations, laws founded upon justice and principles of equity—even
in our nation, it has been just as much as the Lord could do, without
destroying the agency Of man to get his Church once more established
on the earth. See what persecution has attended it! See what hatred!
See the Saints fleeing before infuriated mobs; men, women and
children, murdered; prophets, patriarchs, apostles and revelators
martyred. The Saints could scarcely find a resting place for the soles
of their feet, after all the preparation that was made by the
establishment of a great and free government: No wonder; then, that
the Lord did not begin it two or three centuries ago; no wonder that
he did not begin it in the days when Catholicism and the Greek church
had universal sway over the eastern continent. The Church of the
living God, if it had been established then, would have been
immediately rooted out from the earth; and great would have been the
condemnation resting upon the nations if such had been the case. But
now it lives. Circumstances have changed, and though the saints have
been driven from their homes, and from their farms, though they have
been persecuted, and the lives of many of the Saints destroyed, and
their prophets put to death, yet, notwithstanding all this the Lord
has preserved his Church, until the present time; Fifty years have
rolled away, and upwards since the Lord commenced this great work.

Vol. 21, p.311
Now, then, a few words on the future. Years are to come, as Brother
Angus Cannon said to me while sitting upon the seat this morning. He
came to me, and I mentioned to him that this last year was my fiftieth
in the Church—in other words—that I had been in the Church fifty
years. A peculiar kind of answer was made by Brother Cannon. Said he,
"Brother Pratt, I hope you may have millions of days or anniversaries
of your birthday." I thanked him very much. Well, now, let me begin to
speak upon this subject. God has promised eternal life to his
children. "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have
eternal life:" Now, I can see a consistency in the good wishes of
Brother Cannon, upon this subject. I hope for eternal life, I have had
this hope for the last fifty years. If I obey the commandments of
heaven, if I receive his sayings, and abide in his word, I hope never
to die, as it is promised in the New Testament: But, Says one, did not
Jesus die? and he kept all of his Father's sayings. Did not the
apostles die? and they kept the Father's words. And were not all the
ancient Saints subject to death? And they kept the sayings of the
Lord. Yes, they suffered what is termed the death of the body. There
is, however, quite a difference between the death of the outward
tabernacle, and the death of the spirit. In other words, the spirit
that God has placed within the tabernacle will live forever, and those
who have the opportunity of dwelling in the next world, in light, in
glory and in a fullness of happiness, get what is, termed eternal
life; there is no end to it. Consequently it cannot be expressed fully
in the language of [p.312] brother Cannon that millions of such
anniversaries might be enjoyed. But there is something still greater
in the expression of eternal life, than that of a few millions of
years. It is something that has no end. It may have a beginning. A
person may begin to exist in this fleshly tabernacle as I commenced my
existence here on this earth sixty-nine years ago to day. That was the
beginning of my existence here in this world; but there is such a
thing as a person having a beginning to his existence in the flesh,
and yet have no end. Those persons that were translated in the
twinkling of an eye in ancient days did not have a separation of body
and spirit. They were changed; they were, by the power of Almighty
God, wrought upon instantaneously; they were changed from mortality to
immortality; but still retain their flesh and bones. Now, I would ask,
is there any end to their immortal tabernacles when thus changed?
There is a beginning but no end. Their spirits are combined with their
bodies forever. I have this hope. You Latter-day Saints have the same
hope, so far as eternal life is concerned. You expect it, you pray for
it, you desire to have a life that is endless; figures are unable to
express the endless duration of ages that are to come. Eternal life is
said to be the greatest gift of God unto the human family. There are
many gifts of God, but this is the greatest of all. In the first
place, God has given his Son to die for the human family. What a great
gift! If it had not been for this gift of our Heavenly Father to the
inhabitants of our fallen world, the consequence would have been that
we should have had eternal death. What are we to understand by the
term eternal death, supposing that there had been no atonement made?
What is the meaning of the term? Could you multiply figures enough if
you were to take the figures that are now in use and extend them in a
line—extend them in a series so that the figures themselves would be
as numerous as the particles of the globe—would that express eternal
life? or would it express the duration of eternal death, provided
there had been no atonement? No; it cannot be expressed. Hence the
atonement of our Savior, which is the gift of God to the fallen
inhabitants of this creation, lies at the foundation of all the other
gifts given unto the children of men. It is because of this gift that
we are permitted to repent of our sins. How could there have been an
individual upon all the face of the globe who could have repented,
provided there had been no atonement? Hence you see that repentance is
the gift of God, purchased by the atonement. Again, could baptism have
been a holy ordinance if it had no saying power in it t Could it have
been for the remission of sins, had it not been for the blood of the
atonement? No. Baptism, then, is a gift to the children of men as well
as repentance. Would the laying on of hands have had any effect upon
any person of the human family, in bestowing the gift of the Holy
Ghost had there been no atonement? No. Then that is also a gift—the
gift of God to man, that his servants should lay their hands upon
baptized believers, and that they should be baptized with the Holy
Ghost and with fire. Could we have been permitted to partake of the
Lord's Supper with any effect whatever? No. Then it is also a gift of
God unto man. And thus we may go through all the ordinances,  that God
ordained from before the foundation of the world unto the present
time, and all of them can be called [p.313] the gifts of God unto man
on conditions, and some of them without conditions. The atonement came
without any condition on the part of man. it was without repentance,
without faith on the part of man. The atonement was something given
through the pure love of God to fallen man, without any acts of good
works on the part of man. There are some of the blessings, then, that
God has ordained for the fallen inhabitants of our globe which come
independent of our works, and this is one of which I have been
speaking. Would there have been any light or intelligence, or goodness
or happiness, to be partaken of by fallen man, if it had not been for
the atonement? None at all; there could have been no righteousness.
But then, all the other gifts that we receive are through works, and
by faith and works combined, and it is because of the distinction
between these two separate gifts that many of the inhabitants of the
earth have erred. Some of them profess to believe that they can obtain
all the gifts of God without works, because of some of the sayings of
the ancient apostles; while others consider that work must be combined
with faith. Now both of these ideas are true when taken in their true
light. Eternal life is among all those gifts that are promised of God;
such as the gift of repentance, baptism, laying on of hands, etc. All
these are not to be compared with the greatness of the gift called
eternal life. I hope that all the Latter-day Saints under the sound of
my voice may attain to this, the greatest of all the gifts of God.

Vol. 21, p.313
Now, I wish, before taking my seat to bear my testimony before the
people here assembled. I do know by the power of God, by the shedding
forth of the Holy Ghost upon my heart, by the revelations of the
spirit, by the many manifestations of the goodness of God to me, I do
know that God has sent his angel from heaven. I do know that he has
raised up the great latter-day kingdom predicted by Daniel. I do know
that he has called apostles and prophets; that he has sent forth his
servants divinely commissioned, with power from on high, to declare to
the nations of the earth the great and last message of mercy unto the
inhabitants thereof, to prepare all those that are willing to be
prepared, for the great day when the heavens shall be opened, and all
the heavenly hosts shall descend with power and with great glory, to
reign here on the earth. I do know that God by his power has gathered
together his people from the various nations of the earth, and
established them here in these mountains for a little season, for an
especial purpose. And what is that purpose? To prepare you while
dwelling here in these mountains, territories and regions, that you
may receive the blessings ordained for you in a future time, which
time is not far distant. I do know that this people will return and
will possess the land that God has promised to them, even in Missouri,
and in Kansas, and in the regions round about. I do know that God will
build up in Jackson County, Missouri, a great, and wonderful, and
beautiful city, that shall be called "the Perfection of Beauty," the
knew Jerusalem. I do know that God will light up the habitations of
that city by his power, by his glory, by a cloud in the day time, and
by a pillar of fire in the night. I do know that when the people shall
gather together in their religious assemblies, as you are here
gathered this afternoon, that God will light up your assemblies, by
his divine power even in [p.314] the night time, making your
habitations, where you meet, glorious in the extreme. I do know that
God will fulfil all that which he has spoken, by the mouths of his
holy prophets, since the world began, pertaining to this last
dispensation of the fulness of times, which will come to pass in their
times, and in their seasons, and that this dispensation will be far
more glorious, than all the other dispensations combined together,
before everything shall be completed, for the bursting heavens to
reveal the Son of God, and all those that are with him. These things,
and scores of other things that I might name, I know will be fulfilled
in their times and in their seasons, and that all who are faithful
will be made partakers of these blessings. Amen.

Remarks By Elder Wilford Woodruff

Vol. 21, p.314
It is not my purpose at all to detain this congregation, but before
dismissing I feel that I would like to say a few words. We are not in
the habit of flattering any man, but I want to say a few words
concerning Brother Pratt. If there is any man dead or alive who has
dwelt longer in this church and kingdom than he has I do not know him.
If there is any man that has travelled more miles in preaching the
Gospel of Christ, in bearing testimony of the kingdom of God on the
earth, I do not know who he is. When Brother Pratt embraced this
Gospel he was a boy—in one sense of the word illiterate and unlearned,
the same as Joseph Smith and the most of us. Whatever knowledge
Brother Pratt has obtained, either of the learning of the world or of
the kingdom of God, he has obtained it by diligence and labor since he
embraced this Gospel. I have been associated with Brother Pratt myself
for 47 years. I have travelled with him by sea and by land, in foreign
countries and at home, and I never saw a man in my life that I know of
that has spent as few moments idly as he has. I have never seen a
storm at sea so heavy—even when shipping seas over the bow, side and
stern but what he would read his book. Whenever the breakers became
too heavy he would simply shut up the book until they were over. If
there is a man on this continent who is more at home in the starry
heavens, in the astronomical world than Brother Pratt I do not know
who he is. If there is a man more deeply versed in mathematics than
Brother Pratt, I do not know who he is. There may be many men equal to
him in these things, but if there are, I do not know them. How has he
obtained his knowledge? He has obtained it since he embraced this
work. He has improved his time. Brother Pratt is the only living man
to-day that was in the first quorum of the Twelve in its first
organization, and I am pleased to listen to his testimony of the
Gospel of Christ; for I want to say to Brother Pratt and to all other
men we all have to acknowledge this; Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, the
Apostles, and, all men in this Church and kingdom, if there is
anything to us, if there is anything about us, if we have any
knowledge, or any power, or any influence, we have to give God the
honor of it. It is not of ourselves. Joseph Smith always acknowledged
this, as have all men in this Church and Kingdom. We have been called
from the plow, from the plane, from the hammer—ignorant, illiterate
boys, and thrust into the vineyard; and all  the power we have, or
ever had, in [p.315] building up the Kingdom, we have to acknowledge
it as coming from the hand of God. Brother Pratt was one of the
earliest men who shouldered his knapsack and traveled through the
American continent to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to this
nation. Frequently he would suffer from ague all day and go along and
preach his sermon at night. These are experiences that he and others
have passed through in the early rise of this Church, and I feel to
thank God that we can still hear his voice and the voice of others who
have been long in this Church and Kingdom. I hope the Lord will
preserve his life until he is satisfied with it. He has lifted up his
voice long and loud, according to the commandment of God to him, in
bearing record of this Gospel and kingdom to the nations of the earth.
I was struck, in contemplating our own experience, with some of the
remarks he has made to-day with regard to the Apostle Philip—how our
own experience has agreed with that of the ancient apostle. How many
times have we been called by revelation to go to the right and left,
here, there and the other place, contrary to our expectation?

Vol. 21, p.315
I will here relate what took place in my own experience. I was in
Staffordshire in the year 1840. I was in the town of Stanley and held
a meeting in the City Hall. I had a week's appointments out in that
town. Before I rose to speak to the people, the Spirit of the Lord
said to me, "this is the last meeting you will hold with this people
for many days." I told the congregation when I arose what the Spirit
of the Lord had manifested to me. They were as much surprised as I
was. I did not know what the Lord wanted, but I saw the purpose of God
afterwards. The Spirit of the Lord said to me, "Go south." I traveled
eighty miles; went into the south of England. As soon as I arrived, I
met John Benbow. It was clearly made manifest to me why I had been
called thither. I had left a good field, where I was baptizing every
night in the week. When I got to this place, I found a people—some 600
of them—who had broken off from the Wesleyan Methodists and formed
themselves into a sect called the United Brethren. I found that they
were praying for light and truth and that they had gone about as far
as they could go. I saw that the Lord had sent me to them. I went to
work amongst them and ultimately baptized their superintendent, forty
preachers and some 600 members; I baptized every member of that
denomination, but one. Altogether some 1800 were baptized in that
field of labor. I suppose some of those then baptized may be in this
congregation to-day. I name these things to show how we have to be
governed and controlled by the revelations of God day by day. Without
this we can do nothing. Many of our brethren who were with us at that
time and who came to this valley, have passed behind the vail. Eight
of the quorum of the Twelve who were in the flesh and most of them
with the pioneers, today are in the spirit world. We are passing away.

Vol. 21, p.315
I know as Brother Pratt has said, that this is the kingdom of God.
Israel is being gathered together. The revelations of God are being
fulfilled, and nothing will be left unfulfilled. Therefore, as Saints
of the living God, let us be faithful to our testimony. We have the
kingdom of God. We are called of God by inspiration and commandment to
warn this generation, to preach the [p.316] Gospel, to gather the
people, to build up Zion, to build temples, to redeem the living and
the dead, and to carry on the great work which is laid upon our
shoulders; and may God enable us to accomplish these things for Jesus'
sake. Amen.

Wilford Woodruff, October 10, 1880

Organization of the First Presidency—Responsibility of the Saints,
Etc.

Delivered at the General Conference, Salt Lake City,
Sunday Afternoon, Oct. 10th, 1880.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs.)

Vol. 21, p.316
There are many times when I feel a great desire to speak to the people
because I have things in my heart that I would like to say. I cannot
say at the present time however, that I have any great desire to
speak, still I will bear my testimony and express a few thoughts in my
reflections that are upon me to-day.

Vol. 21, p.316
I am happy and greatly pleased in what I have witnessed, and I feel
that the heavens are pleased with our proceedings this day. I feel
that they are right. The kingdom of God is onward; it is not backward.
It is wisdom that we perform what we have done to-day.

Vol. 21, p.316
The act of organizing the council of the first presidency of the
church and kingdom of God, I have regarded as a most solemn scene, to
See this mighty host of priesthood who are assembled in this house
vote in such unanimity, and to see this vast congregation rise in a
body with uplifted hands to heaven, it is like the rushing of many
waters—there is power in it; there is power with this people; there is
power with the priesthood and in the ordinances of the house of God,
And what we have done to day will have its effect, it will have its
effect in the heavens and on the earth. The responsibility  that we
bear as elders of Israel, before the heavens and before the [p.317]
earth and before each other, is very great. We are called of God; we
have been chosen, we have been ordained as men who have been called to
bear the priesthood and to attend to the ordinances of the house of
God, to preach the Gospel, to warn this generation, to build up Zion,
to redeem the earth, to erect temples unto the name of the Most High
God, to redeem the living and the dead, and to carry out those great
purposes which have been fore-ordained before the world was. It is a
great calling, it is a great responsibility: and I feel that we, as
servants of God and as elders of Israel, that we should try in our
minds to comprehend these things.

Vol. 21, p.317
I reflect a good deal with regard to our position, as was described to
us to-day by Brother Pratt. It has been my faith and belief from the
time that I was made acquainted with the Gospel that no greater
prophet than Joseph Smith ever lived on the face of the earth save
Jesus Christ. He was raised up to stand at the head of this great
dispensation—the greatest of all dispensations God has ever given to
man. He remarked on several occasions when conversing with his
brethren: "brethren you do not know me, you do not know who I am." As
I remarked at our priesthood meeting on Friday evening, I have heard
him in my early days while conversing with the brethren, say, (at the
same time smiting himself upon the breast) "I would to God that I
could unbosom my feelings in the house of my friends." Joseph Smith
was ordained before he came here, the same as Jeremiah was. Said the
Lord unto him, "Before you were begotten I knew you" etc.

Vol. 21, p.317
So do I believe with regard to this people, so do I believe with
regard to the apostles, the high priests, seventies and the elders of
Israel bearing the holy priesthood, I believe they were ordained
before they came here; and I believe the God of Israel has raised them
up, and has watched over them from their youth, and has carried them
through all the scenes of life both seen and unseen, and has prepared
them as instruments in his hands to take this kingdom and bear it off.
If this be so, what manner of men ought we to be? If anything under
the heavens should humble men before the Lord and before one another,
it should be the fact that we have been called of God.

Vol. 21, p.317
I believe the eyes of the heavenly hosts are over this people; I
believe they are watching the elders of Israel, the prophets and
apostles and men who are called to bear off this kingdom. I believe
they watch over us all with great interest.

Vol. 21, p.317
I will here make a remark concerning my own feelings. After the death
of Joseph Smith I saw and conversed with him many times in my dreams
in the night season. On one occasion he and his brother Hyrum met me
when on the sea going on a mission to England. I had Dan Jones With
me. He received his mission from Joseph Smith before his death; and
the prophet talked freely to me about the mission I was then going to
perform. And he also talked to me with regard to the mission of the
Twelve Apostles in the flesh, and he laid before me the work they had
to perform; and he also spoke of the reward they would receive after
death. And there were many other things he laid before me in his
interview on that occasion. And when I awoke many of the things he had
told me were taken from me, I could not comprehend them. I have had
[p.318] many interviews with Brother Joseph until the last 15 or 20
years of my life; I have not seen him for that length of time. But
during my travels in the southern country last winter I had many
interviews with President Young, and with Heber C. Kimball, and Geo.
A. Smith, and Jedediah M. Grant, and many others who are dead. They
attended our conference, they attended our meetings. And on one
occasion, I saw Brother Brigham and Brother Heber ride in carriage
ahead of the carriage in which I rode when I was on my way to attend
conference; and they were dressed in the most priestly robes. When we
arrived at our destination I asked Prest. Young if he would preach to
us. He said, "No, I have finished my testimony in the flesh I shall
not talk to this people any more. But (said he) I have come to see
you; I have come to watch over you, and to see what the people are
doing. Then (said he) I want you to teach the people—and I want you to
follow this counsel yourself—that they must labor and so live as to
obtain the Holy Spirit, for without this you cannot build up the
kingdom; without the spirit of God you are in danger of walking in the
dark, and in danger of failing to accomplish your calling as apostles
and as elders in the church and kingdom of God. And, said he, Brother
Joseph taught me this principle: "And I will here say, I have heard
him refer to that while he was living. But what I was going to say in
this: the thought came to me that Brother Joseph had left the Work of
watching over this church and kingdom to others, and that he had gone
ahead, and that he had left this work to men who have lived and
labored with us since he left us. This idea manifested itself to me,
that such men advance in the spirit world. And I believe myself that
these men who have died and gone into the spirit world had this
mission left with them, that is, a certain portion of them, to watch
over the Latter-day Saints.

Vol. 21, p.318
I feel myself as though we are blessed of the Lord, and that we ought
to be satisfied. I feel that we should humble ourselves before God,
that we should labor to magnify our callings, and honor this
priesthood which we received before we came here while we live out the
few days appointed to man in the flesh. And I do hope and pray God
that we may magnify our priesthood and calling while we tarry here, so
that when we get through our earthly mission and go into the spirit
world, we may meet with Brothers Joseph and Brigham and Heber and the
rest of the faithful men whom we knew and labored with while in the
flesh, as well as Father Adam, Enoch, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and
all the prophets and apostles who have had their day and their time
and their generation, and who have finished their work here below and
gone home to glory. Do you not think they are interested about us I
tell you they are. And I desire when I die, and my spirit goes into
the spirit world, to meet these men and to go where they are; and I
wish to live in that way and manner so as to be worthy of this
blessing. And when I say this of myself I wish it to apply to all
Israel. It will not pay us apostatize; neither will it pay us to sin,
it costs ten thousand times more than it is worth from beginning to
end. Therefore, let us be true and faithful to God. And inasmuch as we
have voted today to sustain the presidency of this  church and
kingdom, let our prayers ascend night and morning into the [p.319]
ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, in behalf of the men who now stand at our
head, and also in behalf of the apostles and in behalf of all the
priesthood of God in their place and station. And inasmuch as we do
this we will grow, we will advance, the Spirit of God will be poured
out upon us which will reveal unto us the mind and the will of God
concerning us. And Zion will continue to increase in power on the
earth, and eventually accomplish all for which it is designed, which
is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Orson Pratt, August 1, 1880

Introductory Remarks—Heaven and Earth to Pass Away—Not Annihilated
—Heaven and Earth not Created From Nothing—Materials Eternal
—Materials Under the Dominion of Laws—Central and Orbital Forces
—Compound and Elementary Substances—Earth in the Beginning
—No Mortality, Then Known, on this Creation—The Fall—The Earth's
Baptism
 in Water—Its Baptism in Fire—Its Baptism By the Spirit—Its
Justification
—Its Sanctification—Its Purification—Its Thousand Years' Rest, Etc.

Delivered in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City;
 Sunday Morning, August 1st, 1880.

(Reported by John Irvine.)

Vol. 21, p.319
I will call the attention of the congregation to a few passages of
Scripture, which will be found in the 20th and 21st chapters of the
Revelations, given to St, John. In the 20th chapter we find these
words:—

Vol. 21, p.319
"And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose
face the earth and, heaven fled away: and there was found no place for
them.

Vol. 21, p.320
"And I saw the dead, small and great stand before God; and the [p.320]
books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of
life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written
in the books, according to their works.

Vol. 21, p.320
"And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell
delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every
man according to their works.

Vol. 21, p.320
"And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the
second death, and whomsoever was not found written in the book of life
were cast into the lake of fire."

Vol. 21, p.320
In the 21st chapter, commencing with the 1st verse, we read these
words:—

Vol. 21, p.320
"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the
first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

Vol. 21, p.320
"And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out
of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Vol. 21, p.320
"And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold the tabernacle
of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his
people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

Vol. 21, p.320
"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. 21, p.320
"And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold I make all things new.
And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful

Vol. 21, p.320
"And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning
and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of
the water of life freely.

Vol. 21, p.320
"He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God,
and he shall be my son."

Vol. 21, p.320
It is a great and important undertaking to rise up before a
congregation of the children of men, and endeavor to declare the words
of eternal life to them. No man living can do this acceptably in the
sight of God, unless God is with him, by the power of his spirit and
by the inspiration thereof. I often feel my own weakness and
imperfection as a man, when endeavoring to do a work of this nature. I
oftentimes feet to ask myself the question—what am I, and how can I
perform the work which the Lord requires at my hand, unless he assists
me? Sometimes I almost feel to shrink; but then I know, from past
experience, that God has assisted me, and I have every reason to
believe that, he will continue so to do, inasmuch as I am humble and
exercise faith in him, and strive to do his will.

Vol. 21, p.320
These words written in the 20th and 21st, chapters of the Revelations,
given to St. John on the Isle of Patmos, occurred to my mind, a few
moments before I rose to my feet; for it is the practice of most of
the elders of this church, to take no thought before hand, what they
shall say, and it is very seldom that the officers of the church
endeavor to plan out in their own minds any particular form of
discourse, but, sometimes the spirit of the Lord may suggest certain
passages of scripture, and then that same spirit may dictate and
direct, in regard to the form of words that shall be used. in
delineating the ideas contained in those texts.

Vol. 21, p.320
We are told in the words which I have read, that there is a period of
time yet in the future, wherein this earth upon which  we stand, where
[p.321] we have our being, and from which we derive our sustenance,
will pass away; and the heavens that are over our heads will also pass
away; at the time this great event shall happen, we are informed that
a great white throne shall appear; that a certain personage will sit
thereon, and that so great will be his glory, and so great the power
attending him, that the earth itself will flee away from before his
presence, and the heavens, the literal heavens that are over our
heads—probably meaning the heavens that pertain to this creation—will
pass away; the atmosphere and those things included in the atmosphere;
and the earth itself, the solid portions thereof, and the liquid
portions, will all pass away, before the face of him that sits upon
this throne. This is believed not only by the Latter-day Saints, but
by all Christian denominations, with very few exceptions. They believe
that the heaven and the earth will, at some future period have a great
change wrought upon them. They expect that they will pass away but I
believe that most of them consider that the earth will become
annihilated; that the very materials of which it is composed will be
reduced to nothing. I think that used to be, when I was a boy, a tenet
of the sectarian world; it used to be their idea, that the earth was,
in the beginning, made out of nothing by the word of God, and that it
would be reduced to nothing when it passed away.

Vol. 21, p.321
But I have not time to dwell upon the idea of the Christian world, and
their views, concerning this matter; I shall touch upon those things
according to the ideas and the faith of the people called Latter-day
Saints. We do not believe that the earth was made out of nothing, like
the modern Christian idea; we have no such belief; for we do not find
any such declaration contained anywhere in the scripture. We do not
take it for granted, because they have incorporated these things in
their modern theology, in their doctrines, in their disciplines, in
their church articles, in their creeds—we do not receive it on this
testimony; but we search to see what the scriptures of truth have said
upon this subject; and when we have searched them, we find there is no
indications whatever, that the earth was made out of nothing, or that
it sprang into existence, where there was nothing on which to work.

Vol. 21, p.321
We read in the first chapter of Genesis that God created the heaven
and the earth, and the earth was without form and void, but there is
nothing in this passage that informs us that he made the earth Out of
nothing. Our view is that the elements out of which this and all other
worlds were made existed from all eternity; they never had any
beginning. There are a few individuals on the earth that make no
profession of religion—some call them materialists—who believe this
same principle; and in doing so, they have got one truth incorporated
among their ideas, though they do not believe in God. The materials of
this creation, according to our view, and that which God has revealed
to us, in this last dispensation, have existed from all eternity.
These materials have been, from all eternity, subject to the Command
of the great Jehovah; they are under his jurisdiction; he has power to
control them; he gave them laws; they act according to these laws; and
they have been governed by laws, so far as we have any knowledge, and
so far as our creation is concerned, for indefinate ages past; and we
have every reason to believe that they have been under the [p.322]
dominion of law, so long as there has been a Supreme Being. And you
might ask how long is that? We answer, that he is co-eternal in his
existence, with the materials of creation;—one existed as long as the
other; and neither of them had any beginning. There may have been an
endless cycle of organizations and disorganizations among the
materials of nature, governed for a certain period of time, for a wise
purpose, according to wise and just and holy laws, adapted to their
condition, and to bring about the great purposes of the great Jehovah.
We find that everything, at present, so far as we have any knowledge
and understanding to discern the workings of nature, seems to be under
the dominion of law: The earth rolls in its destined orbit according
to laws. The force by which it is supposed to have been projected, is
according to a certain law. The great central force by which it is
governed, or to use a modern word "attracted," is according to a
certain law. The projectile force, so called, is adapted to the
central force; and it has rolled in its destined path, ever since its
present organization, or for some 6000 years, and how much longer it
has rolled in that path or orbit, we do not know. It had a beginning
in its present organization, as Moses clearly gives us an idea. But in
organizing this world the Lord did not call it into existence from
nothing, but called the eternal elements that were spread abroad in
space and commanded them to come together, according to certain laws;
and the earth was formed and placed in its proper position, in the
midst of many other creations which roll around the great central
orb,—the sun. It was no small work; it required the power of an
Almighty Creator to organize a world like this, to adapt it, in its
organization, to the principle of life, which, more or less, pervades
all of its materials, causing them to fulfil various laws, ordained in
relation to their action, obeying what are called chemical laws, in
forming the numerous compounds of which our earth is composed. The
solid portions, the liquid portions, and the aerial positions, were
all formed chemically by the power of the Almighty,—I mean the
compounds which constitute those portions,—and when we come to reduce
these compounds to their elements, we find upwards of sixty elementary
principles, from which, being joined together according to chemical
laws, all the numerous compounds are formed. Now, these laws in all
their operations, are laws given by the Divine Being. He it is that
causes them to operate. Light, heat, electricity, and every substance
combined with the materials of our globe, are all under the dominion
of numerous laws; and the results that are brought about, or the good
that is bestowed upon the inhabitants of the earth, upon the animal
creation, giving them life, happiness, and peace—have all been brought
about by the wise ordination of these laws, exhibited through all the
elements of this creation. I say it required an Almighty power to so
wisely organize these elements; and when they were organized it
required great wisdom and judgment to produce the orbital motion of
the earth. The ascertained velocity that the earth has in its orbit,
as it flies in its destined course around the sun, is between eighteen
and nineteen miles per second. It not only requires great power to
organize the elements  into a world, but it requires infinite wisdom
to organize the elements into flesh as at present [p.323] an the
animal creation, including man, to give life to the beings which dwell
in these tabernacles.

Vol. 21, p.323
This world, however, is not now as it was in the beginning, that is
when I speak of the beginning, I have reference to the beginning of
the earth, in its present organization; I do not have reference to the
beginning of duration, for it had no beginning; I do not have
reference to the beginning of an endless past, but I have reference to
the beginning relative to our little globe. In the beginning of our
creation, the earth was very fair, quite different from what it is
now. There were no children of mortality upon it, no animals that were
mortal upon it, no birds, nothing wherein we observe life in this
creation existed in its mortal state; but everything that had life was
immortal; every bird, fish, fowl, insect, creeping thing, cattle, and
man—all were immortal. The earth had no curse resting upon it; the
earth itself was immortal, and would have continued in all its glory,
as it issued from the hand of the Creator to the present time, without
any curse, had it not been for the transgression of our first parents.
That was the introduction of mortality, of pain and sorrow, misery and
wretchedness, not only upon man, but upon all creation that then
existed; everything was brought under the dominion of the curse. The
curse came upon man—that being who could stand in the presence of God
and converse with him face to face the seeds Of mortality were sown in
his immortal body;—a change came and his whole system was affected
thereby. The seeds of death were placed within the tabernacle of man,
within the tabernacle of the lion, of the ox, and every beast of the
field, and every fish of the sea, and every fowl of the air. A very
great change then came over this creation. First, it was spiritual in
all its blessings and fullness of life and glory. Then it was reduced
to a temporal condition, wherein misery and wretchedness existed.

Vol. 21, p.323
Another great change happened nearly two thousand years after the
earth was made. It was baptized by water. A great flow of water came,
the great deep was broken up, the windows of heaven were opened from
on high, and the waters prevailed upon the face of the earth, sweeping
away all wickedness and transgression—a similitude of baptism for the
remission of sins. God requires the children of men to be baptized.
What for? For the remission of sins. So he required our globe to be
baptized by a flow of waters, and all of its sins were washed away,
not one sin remaining. You were baptized, Latter-day Saints, for the
remission of your sins, believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, repenting
of your sin with all your heart, going down and being buried beneath
the liquid grave, you came forth as new creatures. So says the New
Testament; you buried the old man with all of his wicked deeds, and
came forth out of the liquid element born anew. So the earth in a
measure was renewed, not fully; no more then we are renewed fully by
baptism; we are not made immortal, when we come out of the waters of
baptism; we still retain the effects of the fall, so far as mortality
is concerned. So does the earth; the earth retains the effects of sin
and transgression that came upon its face. But notwithstanding it
retains these effects so far as mortality is concerned, yet it was
cleansed in a measure from this transgression. But alas! this earth
has again become corrupted. We are required, after being baptized for
the remission of  our sins, to sin no more; to live holy and perfect
lives, so far as we [p.324] possibly can, and to keep the commandments
of God in all things, and to walk in newness of life, and this to the
end of our days. The earth has not been permitted to rest during the
period of four thousand years and upwards since its baptism.
Wickedness again has accumulated upon its face. The inhabitants of the
earth have corrupted and defiled the earth by their transgression. By
and by another great change will come. As the earth was cleansed from
its transgression by baptism in water, so it must again be cleansed,
before it is made immortal. It must be cleansed by an element that is
stronger and more purifying than that of water, namely, the element of
fire. Fire must prevail over all the face of this earth. What for For
the purpose of cleansing the earth from its transgressions, the same
as the Latter-day Saints expect to be cleansed and purified more fully
than by baptism in water—by the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost.
This is the promise to all that will repent of their sins and be
baptized for the remission of the same, that they shall receive the
gift of the Holy Ghost, which is another baptism, more effectual, more
cleansing, more purifying in its nature, sanctifying the inner man and
the outward man, and making him a new creature. So this earth in due
time must be baptized with fire first, and then the Holy Ghost. Fire
will cleanse all the proud and they that do wickedly from its face—all
persons that are corrupt, all sinful persons, all disobedient persons,
all who do not keep the commandments of God; it will cleanse the earth
by burning them as stubble, fulfilling the words of the prophet
Malachi, in the last chapter, which reads thus: "For, behold, the day
cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all
that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn
them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither
root nor branch."

Vol. 21, p.324
It seems, then, that this earth has to undergo a process very similar
to that of the redeemed man. It has to obey all the great sacred
ordinances of the Gospel, so far as its first principles are
concerned; the earth has to undergo a cleansing process, first by
water, a similitude of water baptism, and then by the Holy Ghost, a
similitude of baptism by fire and the Holy Ghost which you receive by
the laying on of the hands of those who have authority. Does this make
man immortal? No; man still retains his mortality, even after he is
baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost—his body is subject still
to death. It may be burned at the stake; it may pass away as the earth
will pass away; not annihilated, not, one particle of our earthly
tabernacles shall be struck out of existence; but the elements may be
separated asunder, they may mingle perhaps with other elements—all
this may take place, even after we have been sanctified and purified
by the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost. So with our earth, when it
is renewed by the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, when he
shall descend, as Paul says, in flaming fire. What effect will that
have It will have the effect that is spoken of by Malachi, all the
proud, including every wicked man, every wicked woman, will be swept
away like stubble before the devouring flame. It will be thus when
Jesus descends in the clouds of glory. The elements will be cleansed,
the same as  you receive a cleansing by the Holy Ghost. You are made
new creatures. So the earth will be made [p.325] new, and great
knowledge will be imparted to the inhabitants thereof, as predicted in
the 11th chapter of the prophecy of Isaiah. The knowledge of God will
then cover the earth as the waters cover the mighty deep. There will
be no place of ignorance, no place of darkness, no place for those
that will not serve God. Why? Because Jesus, the Great Creator, and
also the Great Redeemer, will be himself on the earth, and his holy
angels will be on the earth, and all the resurrected Saints that have
died in former dispensations will all come forth, and they will be on
the earth. What a happy earth this creation will be, when this
purifying process shall come, and the earth be filled with the
knowledge of God as the waters cover the great deep! What a change!
Travel then, from one end of the earth to another, you can find no
wicked man no drunken man, no man to blaspheme the name of the Great
Creator, no one to lay hold on his neighbor's goods, and steal them,
no one to commit whoredoms—for all who commit whoredoms will be thrust
down to hell, saith the Lord God Almighty, and all persons who commit
sin will be speedily visited by the judgments of the Almighty! But,
inquires one, can they sin? Yes; their agency will still be left. We
read in the 65th chapter of Isaiah that then "There will be no more
thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his
days; for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner
being an hundred old shall be accursed." Children will grow up without
sin unto salvation, as a general thing, and in order to show how swift
the judgments will come upon the people, after Jesus comes and stands
upon the Mount of Olives, and all the Saints with him, we have only to
refer to the last chapter of Zechariah, where it is stated, "that
avery one that is left of all the nations which came against
Jerusalem, shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the
Lord of Hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be
that whose will not come up of all the families of the earth unto
Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts, even unto them shall
be no rain." From this it appears that people who refuse to come up to
the land of Jerusalem, to worship God and to keep the feast of
tabernacles, are to be immediately visited with famine. They shall
have no rain, and that will stir them up, during the Millennium, to
repent of their sins; but if the Egyptians do not come up from year to
year to Jerusalem, they shall be visited with a great plague. What
kind of a plague? The plague will be so severe in its operations, says
the prophet Zechariah, that "their flesh shall consume away, while
they stand upon their fact, and their eyes shall consume away in their
holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth." Thus you
see that swift judgment will come upon those that are rebellious,
after Jesus descends. This shows that mortality still continues, that
people are subject to plauges, subject to pain, and subject to be
afflicted with famine, for the want of rain. But by and by, when Jesus
has been here in person a thousand years, and all the ancient Saints
that have been resurrected, and the modern Saints also, after they
have lived upon the earth for the space of a thousand years, it seems
that Satan is to be loosed out of his prison, and permitted to go
forth and tempt. Whom shall he tempt? Those whom Jesus has brought
from heaven? No, they are beyond temptation. Whom will he tempt? Those
that are yet [p.326] mortal—the inumerable inhabitants of the earth
who have multiplied and spread forth, and become almost as numerous as
the sands upon the sea shore. He will tempt them. He will go out into
the four quarters of the earth, and gather together all that he can
overcome, and bring them up against the camp of the Saints and the
beloved city. He thinks that he will fight and overcome the camp of
the Saints. They will be camped beside the beloved city; for all the
Saints will then be gathered, just the same as you are now gathered
from the four quarters of the earth, to escape the various judgments
that are coming, and finally the judgment of fire. So will the Saints
be gathered together to the new Jerusalem, and round about old
Jerusalem, and Satan will gather up his hosts, that have apostatized
from the truth, and he will marshal them round about the city, and
fire will descend from God out of heaven, and devour that portion of
the army of Satan that is still mortal. The elements of their bodies
will be separated; they will be consumed, the same as the wicked will
have been consumed over a thousand years before that, and this will be
another great change. But the earth is not yet immortal, not yet in
its glorified state, as it was before man fell. Then, after Satan's
army is devoured, and after Satan is cast into hell, and all over whom
he has power—then all the inhabitants of the earth will be judged;
this great white throne that I have been reading about, will appear;
the great and final judgment will come; and when this white throne
appears, the earth itself and the literal, temporal heavens that are
overhead will flee away, and there will be found no place for them.
What does this mean? Does it mean that the elements themselves will be
annihilated? or is there no place for the earth in its organized form;
for the elements will pass away, be scattered in space over millions
and millions of miles, just the same as our bodies after we have been
sanctified and purified, may be burned as martyrs at the stake and the
elements of our bodies passed into the atmosphere and into the
surrounding country. So will the earth pass away in like manner. But
by and by the same voice, the same power that calls forth our bodies
from the sleeping tomb, that unites bone to its bone, sinews and skin
and muscles, and the various compartments of the system, that breathes
the breath of life into them, that makes them immortal, even so will
the Lord God, in due time, speak by his power and call the scattered
elements of this creation from their dispersion, bring them together
again, and organize them into a new heaven and a new earth. Will there
be one particle of the earth lost? No every particle that now is
combined with the heaven and the earth will still exist. Will it be
modelled after the present model? No. It may have the same shape and
form that it now has, the same as our bodies when they are brought
forth out of the grave will have a form something after the present
form. Every hair of the head will be restored, every part will be
restored to its proper form, not after the form of mortality, to
sicken again, to have pain and to die; but though the body is restored
to the same, image, so far as the outlines are concerned, yet it is
immortal, no more subject to pain, or sorrow, but is restored to
perfect happiness and to bodies that will endure while eternity
endures. So it will be with the earth. A great many of our scientific
men consider that the earth has never had a  beginning as an [p.327]
organized body, but they look back many millions and millions of
years, when they suppose that such and such an event brought about
such and such a cause; and they say, (the infidel portion of them)
that the earth will never have an end. Well, now, they are right so
far as the materials are concerned, but they are entirely out of the
way so far as the great revolutions I have named are concerned, and so
far as the annihilation of the earth is concerned. The earth never
will have an end, so far as the materials are concerned. The earth
after it is made anew, resurrected from its old materials, will
continue forever, and will be the abiding place of all the righteous,
throughout all the future ages of eternity. Hence, we read that John,
after the earth fled away, saw a new heaven and a new earth; but the
new one was much altered. There was no more sea. There must be a great
alteration when the sea, the elements that compose the water, the
oxygen and hydrogen, and the various elements that enter into the
constitution of sea water, shall be otherwise combined. Will there be
a new set of geologist in those days, who will figure as they do in
our days, and say such and such events exist, and they must have
existed from all eternity, or they must have been brought about by
such and such changes; that is, will the geologists be as limited in
their views as the present ones are? But the geologists that shall
live ten thousand years hence, or even two thousand years hence, when
this great change shall have come over the earth, will be able to
philosophize clearly; for they w be full of knowledge, understanding
and comprehension, and they will be able to understand something about
the process of world-making, creating worlds, the changes that come
upon worlds, and the final change when worlds are made anew and
immortal, and their philosophy, their ideas, and their system of
geology will be correct and can be depended upon. Why? Because they
were there; they saw the changes, they were present when the changes
were made, and they have not forgotten all these things, and they will
know them, and understand them, after the final change comes. There
will, however, be a change which some of the mortal inhabitants of
this earth will forget. Isaiah says, in the 65th chapter: "For behold,
I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be
remembered, nor come into mind." Now, that has reference to the
creation that will be renewed, at the beginning of the millennium.
People will not remember. Our children that will be born during the
millennium will not remember all the wickedness and corruption that
existed in the days of their fathers. It will not come into their
minds, unless God puts it there; but when they become immortal, after
the thousand years have ended, then I think they will comprehend the
process by which this world was made. But, inquires one, how will they
know it? They will know it because they were all present when it was
made. You understand it, Latter-day Saints; you and I were there when
this world was made. We have forgot ten it, but we will remember it
when we wake up in eternity, with all the fulness of knowledge that
will be given after everything is made anew. Well, inquires one, what
will be the occupation of this people, after descending upon the new
earth? After Jesus has been on the earth thousand years, God himself
is to be on the new earth. What is he to do? He is to "wipe away all
tears; [p.328] 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." We will be there if we are righteous enough, if we
keep the commandments of God. If we will endure to the end, we will
have an inheritance in this world when it is resurrected and made
anew. Moreover, it says there will be no more death. What! a world
without death? A world thickly populated as this creation will be?
What a joyful creation! The tree of life will be on the earth n the
midst of that city that will descend on the earth, and whoever eats of
the fruit of that tree will live forever, just the same as the tree of
life was placed upon the earth before Adam transgressed. Any one
eating of the fruit of that tree could not die, for the decree of the
Lord had gone forth, and his word must be fulfilled.

Vol. 21, p.328
There are some few things to which I wish now especially to call your
attention, in relation to this new earth of which I am speaking. I
said that the saints would receive an inheritance upon it. I would ask
you, my brethren, upon what principle they receive an inheritance upon
the new earth? It is by securing it through a promise here in this
life. If you can secure 40, or 80, or 160, or 640 acres of land by
promise here in this life—I do not mean the promise of mortal men, I
would not give much for their promise concerning any blessing after
death comes; but if you can get a promise from him who has a right to
promise, (for the earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof,) that
you shall inherit the earth for an everlasting possession, then it
will be given to you. But, says one, supposing I do not get any
promise? I do not know, then, that you will have a claim on a solitary
foot of it. Abraham got the promise, not after he was dead, but here
in this life. The Lord, because of his faith, made him a promise, and
told him to go out from his own country to a land he had never seen;
and after getting there, the Lord said unto him, "Now, Abraham, walk
through this land in the length and breadth of it; to thee will I give
it, and to thy seed." For how long? For an everlasting possession.
Abraham did not care about having a deed for time only, did no; care
about getting a few acres just merely for a little while, and then
have it taken from him, and he have no claim upon it afterwards. Did
Abraham inherit it on this earth? Did his seed, Isaac, or his
grandson, Jacob, to whom the promises were confirmed and renewed—did
they get any of it while they lived? No. The prophet Stephen, who was
murdered for the Christian religion, has recorded in the New
Testament, speaking of this promise made to Abraham, that the Lord
"gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot
on." What! Stephen, are you not mistaken? You lived several thousand
years after Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were in their graves—do you mean
to say that the Lord did not even give them as much as a foot? What
did he do for them, Stephen? He made them a promise that they should
have it, and their seed after them; for an everlasting inheritance.
Oh, then, they are still to have it, are they, for an everlasting
inheritance, by virtue of the promise made in this mortal state who
are Abraham's seed? All that do the works of Abraham—all that are
baptized into Christ. They are Abraham's seed according to the
promise. What promise? The promise that he and his seed should have
the land [p.329] of Palestine, east and north-east of the
Mediterranean Sea, for an everlasting possession. Now all who have
received the same covenants, obeyed the same Gospel, obeyed the new
and everlasting covenant, have the promise in connection with
Abraham's seed.

Vol. 21, p.329
Has the earth been parcelled out to anybody else except Abraham and
his seed? Yes. The Lord brought a nation to this great western
hemisphere, called Jaredites, from the Tower of Babel. When He brought
them here they were a righteous people, and he made promises to them;
and among the promises given was the promise that this great western
hemisphere should be given to them, and to those that were worthy
besides them, for an everlasting possession. We Gentiles have come
here; we have got upon the land of these Jaredites, and we think we
are very rich if we have got 640 acres, or perhaps ten times that
amount of land. Says one man, "I have got my deed from the Land
office; I am the owner." But, hold on; there is the original owner;
that you know nothing of, that came here from the tower of Babel, that
had all this western hemisphere promised to him and the righteous of
his seed for an everlasting possession. What will become of your 640
acres then? What will become of your farms when these resurrected men
shall come forth and show their deeds. Perhaps you may think they did
not keep any records in those day. But let me tell you they had
records of deeds; and all these things are spoken of and testified of
in the great books that are kept in the eternal world, and it will be
found that they are the inheritors before us, that is before the
Gentiles that came over here four hundred years ago and upwards. But
what about the Nephites that came here about six hundred years before
Christ. When they got here, the first thing the Lord did was to
confirm his promise unto them. He told them it was their inheritance
for an everlasting possession. Hold on, says one, that would take away
the right of the Jaredites. Oh, no. The Lord, in making this promise,
did not do it according to the deed-makers of this day; he did not
follow after the pattern of men. The records that he makes on the
books in eternity are records made upon principles in accordance with
celestial law, not in accordance with Gentile laws, nor our notions of
things. The notion, or idea, that the Lord had was that this
continent, North and South America, should be inhabited by the
righteous who will be resurrected from the dead, and who lived here on
this continent.

Vol. 21, p.329
Latter-day Saints, do you not feel a little concerned? Has any promise
been made to you, or are you left out while the Nephites and Jaredites
gobble up all the land, and leave you to go around the streets
begging? Hear what the Lord, our God, had to say, through the Prophet
Joseph, concerning you, on the 2nd day of January, 1831. I was present
when the Lord gave this revelation, in the midst of a conference, to
his servant Joseph. I will repeat the words: "And I will hold forth
and deign to give unto you" (speaking to the Latter-day Saints
assembled in conference, and to all that should become Saints)
"greater riches, even a land of promise, a land flowing with milk and
honey, upon which there shall be no curse when the Lord cometh. And I
will give it unto you for the land of your inheritance. And this shall
be my covenant with you, ye shall have it for the land of your
inheritance, and [p.330] 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." The same promise you see; very
different from the promise of men; you will possess it again in
eternity, no more to pass away. He did not reveal to us the central
portion of our land of promise on that conference day, but told us it
should be revealed at a future time. Hence, in that same year he
appointed his servant Joseph and some twenty or thirty of the elders
to go kern Kirtland. Ohio, westward through the State of Ohio, State
of Indiana, State of Illinois, State of Missouri, to the western
boundaries thereof. There he pointed out by revelation—which you will
find recorded in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants—the central
portion of our inheritance, where the great temple should be built
upon which a cloud of glory should rest, and told us that that was the
land of promise, in time and in eternity, the same as the promise made
to the ancient Saints of God. We are not in possession of it at the
present time. It cannot, however, be said concerning us, as it was
said by Stephen concerning Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He said he gave
those old ancient men not so much as to set their foot on. But it
happens we paid for some of that land, and we got our deeds at the
Land Office, and we claim this at the hands of our God, and ask him,
if we do not get it right now, this year, or ten years' hence, we will
ask our Father to give us that land after the resurrection, at any
rate. But will we inhabit any of it in time? Oh, yes. We will build a
great city in Missouri. We will also build a great temple unto the
Lord our God, in that city, and the temple block and place where it is
to stand is already known. It was laid out in the year 1831, and the
corner stone laid, and we will build a temple there, and build it
after the pattern that the Lord gave to his servant Joseph, the
Prophet, and also according to the pattern that he Shall hereafter
show, if the pattern is not already given in full. I will tell you
another thing that will happen in our promised land, after that temple
is built: there will a cloud of glory rest upon that temple by day,
the same as the cloud rested upon the tabernacle of Moses, that was
carried in the wilderness. Not only that, but also a flaming fire will
rest upon the temple by night, covering the whole temple; and if you
go inside of the temple, the glory of God will be seen there as it was
anciently; for the Lord will not only be a glory and a defense on the
outside of that wonderful building, but he will also he a glory and a
power in the inside thereof, and it shall come to pass that every man
and every woman who is pure in heart, who shall go inside of that
temple, will see the Lord. Now, how great a blessing it will be to see
the Lord of Hosts as we see one another in the flesh. That will take
place, but not till after the temple is built. Moreover, you will not
only be favored with this great privilege, but Isaiah tells us that
"the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and
upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a
flaming fire by night." When you hold your meeting in the day time,
you shall be sheltered by a cloud, and when you hold your meetings in
the night time, instead of lighting up your lamps with common oil, or
with gas, or anything of this kind, you will have no need of  any
artificial light, for the Lord God will be the light thereof, and his
[p.331] glory will be there, and you will see it and you will hear his
voice. Have you not read in this book called the Bible, about the Lord
suddenly coming to his temple? Read the 3rd chapter of Malachi:
"Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before
me; and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple. * * *
And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and he shall
purify the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver, that they
may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness." That same fire
will rest upon the abodes of those that come into that temple, and
they will be filled with fire and the Holy Ghost. They will be purged
of all iniquity, and every ordinance that will be administered in that
temple will be administered by holy hands, and you will understand and
know the meaning thereof. The Lord will reveal these things in their
day; he will reveal everything that is needful, so that the knowledge
of God may rest upon you, and that there may be no darkness with you.
Amen.

H. W. Naisbitt, August 29,1880

The Increase and Future of the Saints—True Education, Etc.

Delivered in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City,
 Sunday Afternoon, August 29, 1880.

(Reported by John Irvine.)

Vol. 21, p.331
I stand here to-day, as you are all aware, to speak of those things
which pertain to the faith that we have received, of that order which
we call the Gospel of the Son of God, that order which the world
entities "Mormonism," a system which contains within itself many
elements which are strange to mankind, but which are very powerful in
their character and calculated in their progress and growth to arrest
the attention of the human family. With all the faults, weaknesses and
traditions which encumber the people who dwell in these mountains, I
believe the universal testimony is, that they are entitled to credit
for earnestness, for industry, for honesty, and for many results which
have grown out of these characteristics. One source of territorial, or
state, or national greatness consists in a proper understanding of the
purposes for which men dwell upon the earth, upon their ideas in
regard to family organization, social ethics, or those principles
which bind man to man and family to family, and make of a nation a
grand united whole.

Vol. 21, p.332
The Latter-day Saints it is well [p.332] known are strong advocates of
marriage. They believe that every man and every woman should enter
into that relationship. They believe in the divinity of that first
command, that the human race were destined to multiply and replenish
the earth. Consequently, wherever any large assembly of the Latter-day
Saints are brought together, there you will find a very large
proportion of those who are young in years. The theories which are
held by some philosophers, by some men and women who enter the
marriage state, find no place among the Latter-day Saints. The
universal faith among them is that children are "an heritage from the
Lord;" that "happy is the man who hath his quiver full of them," in
contradistinction to an increasing tendency elsewhere, to believe that
there should be a limit to the number of children which a man should
possess, and that wheresoever they may be considered undesirable, from
the claims of society, from the disposition to follow the fashions of
the age, from a feeling that self-gratification is the highest destiny
of the human family, that there the family increase should be
curtailed. Among the Latter-day Saints those ideas have not obtained a
foothold. Although they have come from the outside world, gathered
from the nations of the earth and measurably partaken of the
influences which prevail there, yet they have not so far done violence
to the instincts which God has planted within them as to practice the
theories of the parties to whom I have alluded. And in all our
assemblies, as I have said before, in this tabernacle as an
illustration, in our ward meetings and in all our settlements and
colonies, there is substantial testimony to be found of the fact that
in this obedience to the law of primitive times, to the law of the
constitution of human nature, and to the law as revealed to us in this
"dispensation of the fullness of times," the Latter-day Saints have
paid marked and decided attention.

Vol. 21, p.332
This increase of population brings with it many thoughts; it is the
father or parent of much reflection to those who grasp the situation.
I recollect many a time in my travels east, when gentlemen in the
great cities of this country made reflections in regard to our
emigration from the different portions of the earth, I have said:
"Yes, we have quite an emigration; the gathering is a fixed fact,
fundamental in the economy of this Gospel." But outside of this
gathering there is another one, which fails to arrest the attention of
the world because it comes in a less ostentatious manner, and that is
the wonderful home increase of that people dwelling in the mountains.
And whenever tourists visit here, if they travel outside the limits of
this city, if they visit our settlements in the length and breadth
thereof, they cannot fail to be struck with the rapid multiplication
of those who have thus gathered from the nations of the earth. When we
inform the world that in a population of 150,000 souls there can be
found in the neighborhood of 50,000 in attendance upon our schools;
when we realize the immense number under the age of maturity, it would
require a mathematician to tell what will speedily be the increase if
the present policy is pursued. In a few generations to come, if this
characteristic continues to manifest itself proportionately, there
will be a continual necessity for spreading forth, Utah will become
too small for her  spreading population, and in all the adjacent
Territories and States, those who [p.333] have been drawn together
under her institutions, who have accepted her faith and believe in her
destiny,—those will be found measurably carrying out the ideas which
to-day permeate our society in a local capacity.

Vol. 21, p.333
In considering this element growing up in our midst, we may form some
idea in regard to the future of the people who dwell here. I believe
there is an ancient proverb which says that "the stream cannot rise
higher than its fountain," that "as men sow so shall they also reap;"
and whatever we may have anticipated when illuminated with the spirit
of prophecy, whatever our private ideas may be in regard to the glory
and the greatness that shall rest upon the people, one thing is sure,
that it depends upon the growth, development and characteristics which
are imprinted and made manifest in the posterity of the Latter-day
Saints.

Vol. 21, p.333
Education is one of the "catch words" of this generation. It is
considered to be one of the mightiest levers for the future prosperity
of the United States; but opinions in regard to what constitutes
education are as various almost as the individuals who are questioned.
With a very large number, education is supposed to consist in the
ability to read and write, and in the understanding of the
geographical character of the country in which the student lives. It
is considered to be comprehended in the rules of arithmetic and in the
various branches of an advanced or classical education, as it is
called, where the youth of the country graduate, and are then called
scholars. But I apprehend this style of education may be given with a
generous and extended hand to every son and daughter of this republic,
and yet when you come to analyze the whole you will find that the mass
of the people thus trained are, as a rule, absolutely deficient in the
great and grand element which constitutes the higher form of education
and of human culture.

Vol. 21, p.333
There is in the scholastic institutions of the United States something
of a disposition to eradicate from them everything which savors of
religious training. It has been sought in many places to exclude the
Bible as a text book, or a book to be used in any form whatever, much
more the idea of including any form of religious faith or practice.
Rather has there been an idea in the mind of most Americans that it
was fundamental in the constitution and genius of the country that
there should be an eternal separation between what is considered and
called religious and secular things. Yet, when we reflect upon the
wonderful organization we have and that we see around us, when we
reflect upon the faculties and endowments which men possess, can we
not see that this very idea of "church and state," or religious and
secular faculty, is interwoven and is the very fabric of humanity,
placed there by God himself, and that there is a disposition under the
religious sentiment to draw sustenance and support, comfort and solace
from the conceptions which pertain to divinity; and growing out from
this fundamental religious idea or sentiment and established thereupon
can come alone all the highest attributes that we look for in the
future, a time when man shall find all his powers and functions
harmoniously developed. And it is just as impossible to separate this
great constitutional principle which exists in the human organization
as it is to divide or break asunder anything which is formed, created,
or intended to be [p.334] formed, created, or intended to be adopted
by the great ruler of the universe. Man possesses his religious
faculties, no matter how dormant they may be, no matter how wrapt up
by superstition, or blinded by the ignorance and misconceptions of the
teachers who have moulded him. God has planted in the human
organization those attributes which seek communion with the divine.
And it is upon righteous conceptions of man's origin that his future
will depend. If the young men of any community have no correct ideas
in regard to this; if they believe that they are but the product of
chance: if they are impregnated with the thought that they are simply
in a transitory condition and that they may "eat and drink, for
to-morrow we die," if these are the thoughts which entertain, all
their actions will correspond with these thoughts, they will not reach
out, nor after the higher attributes which belong to humanity, they
will be filled with selfishness, with a disposition to gratify their
own passions, even if they have to accomplish this at the sacrifice of
the feelings and interests of these with whom they come in contact.
But if the youth of our country realize that they are the sons and
daughters of the living God; if they realize and comprehend the fact
that before they dwelt upon the earth they enjoyed a pre-existence,
that their spirits dwelt in the eternities, and had a home there, had
associations there, and that they comprehended something of the
purposes for which they should come and tabernacle in the flesh, then
we may be sure that such thoughts and feelings will have their
influence upon the entire course of their after life. If the youth of
a community are thus trained, if they comprehend the relationship
which they sustain, to the great ruler of the universe if they have
faith in God and have received of the fact that God lives, that he
holds in his hand the destinies of the human family, that he hath
provided rewards for virtue and penalties for vice—if they comprehend
these things, their actions in life will be shaped by these ennobling
thoughts. But if the education which the youth of a country receives
is devoid of training for the religious sentiment, if the grand
revelations of the ancient times which God has given through "his
servants the prophets," are set on one side, and if instead thereof
education is supposed to consist of arithmetic and the kindred
branches of that science, of political knowledge and all that goes to
make up what is called a scholar, leaving out the cultivation of other
attributes which God has implanted in man,—if that is the kind of
education imparted, then of necessity it will, at some period of time
in the history of that country, bring about religious death, and as a
consequence the bonds of society would become loosened, men would live
for themselves instead of bring for each other, and they would become
simply as "the beasts that perish," ignoring the past and caring
nothing at all for the future. Hence I believe that this education and
training is an important matter as pertaining to the youth of a
country, that it should not be a Sabbath exercise only, but that at
home, at the family circle, and in the common day school there should
be as much attention given to the religious faculties as there should
be given to intellectual and mental culture about which we talk so
much, and for which we erect so many schools. And it is also to be
remarked that according to the conceptions of the  people on religious
[p.335] matters, so also will be their conceptions in regard to
morality. Morality is the outgrowth of religion. It is the fruitage of
the tree of life in regard to men's ideas of God, of the past, and of
the future. Without the cultivation and spirit of true religion, the
moral faculties are very likely to he perverted, warped and
misdirected. If the idea of brotherhood finds no place in the
education of our youth, they will be disposed to take advantage of
their brethren, take advantage in trade, speculation, etc., and
society would thus become so individualized, that men would become a
race of Ishmaelites, "every man's hand against his brother."

Vol. 21, p.335
I believe that among the people who inhabit these mountains that this
idea of brotherhood—the brotherhood of the human family—forms a very
prominent feature in their education. I think our youth are taught
that they should not live for themselves alone, but rather that in
living for others they can and do best subserve their own interests.
And we have examples of this in many directions, most notable among
which is the missionary system which obtains among the Latter-day
Saints, Have we not seen in our experience in this Territory, some 300
to 400 men called at once to go forth and preach the Gospel, to leave
their homes and families, their friends and business, and travel to
the nations of the earth to propagate the religious ideas which they
had received. We have known those men sent throughout the United
States, to every section of Europe, to Australia, to the Islands of
the sea, to China and to India, and such has been the devotion of
those who were thus called, that in the course of three or four weeks,
every man had left the scenes and associations that were dear to him,
and through the midst of difficulties and trials have finally found
themselves in these widely divergent points of the compass, to which
they had been called by the voice of the people and by the authority
presiding over them. And when they have gone to these different
nations they have gone in the spirit of brotherhood, they have looked
upon the human family as their brethren and their sisters. They have
gone in the capacity of saviors, and they have carried with them those
principles which are the foundation of that civilization which the
Almighty intends to establish on the face of the earth. They have not
gone to preach that which would narrow the views of mankind; they have
not gone to teach that which would introduce a spirit of selfishness
or of anything degrading, but have gone carrying with them the
principle of universal brotherhood which, when put into practice, will
cement and bind society together in such a manner, that should any
power touch the interests of one they would inevitably touch the
interests of the whole. And it has been by the faith which they have
exhibited; by the earnestness with which they have labored, by the
blessings of God and the power of his spirit which accompanied them,
that they have been able to gather from among the nations the best
elements of their society, and transplant them into these valleys of
the mountains, then weld them into a comparatively united people—a
people measurably animated by one thought, one impulse, one faith,
believing in one God, and putting into practice one order—a people who
are looking for one result, and that is the regeneration and
redemption of all those  who place themselves beneath the influence of
those ideas and [p.336] ordinances which have been advanced. This is
the tree which has been planted, and the seed which has been sown, and
the result can be best calculated by those who have given most
attention to that which has been taught.

Vol. 21, p.336
This idea creeps out in almost every direction. I have given this
illustration, of the missionary effort which has sent its thousands
and tens of thousands from this community—even when it was much
smaller in numbers than it is at present—around the habitable globe.
There is also another phase of this same spirit which the Latter-day
Saints have exhibited, they have not only sent and are sending these
men on missions, and sustaining them by their means, by their faith
and prayers, but in obedience to the spirit of gathering they have
given great assistance to those who were unable to gather of
themselves. Indeed, in the history of the past have we not seen the
time when the authorities of the Church have called for from 200 to
600 teams to journey to the Missouri River to transport the poor and
the meek of the earth across those dreary plains—where the railroad
now makes its welcome music—and they have landed thousands in this way
in the midst of these mountains and introduced them to the new order
of civilization which has been inspired by the spirit of the living
God. In addition to all this they have taken from these valleys, and
laid up at convenient points on the route, provisions enough to
sustain those thousands while thus traveling for three or four months
across the plains, they have also provided at such times a strong
mounted body guard of the youth of the territory to protect the
emigrants from the assaults of the Indians, so that they might perform
their journey in safety. And they have gone still further: they have
not only brought those thousands from the boundaries of civilization,
and from the training and education of the systems and governments of
the old world, but they have colonized all these valleys, and it is
these thousands who constitute to-day the cities, towns, and villages
of Utah. Not only have they been placed in these settlements but they
have been taught the rudiments and the advanced principles of
self-sustenance and of positive independence. The thousands and tens
of thousands of Utah are beyond the depths of poverty that you find
exhibited in the old world. The poverty which is known to exist there,
the strikes which occur in the ranks of labor in the old world, the
difficulties which belong to even in so blessed country as the United
States, find no place among the people who dwell in these valleys. The
majority of those who have thus come in strangers, who have been thus
surrounded by new conditions, and subjected to new influences, have
produced good results. Travel wherever you will throughout this
territory and you will find the majority of people bye in their own
homes; they pay no rent to anybody; they are not, when poor and
unemployed, subject to be turned out into the public streets; they are
not, when old age creeps upon them, likely to be thrust into the
union, or poor house as it is called, where the husband is separated
from the wife and the wife from the husband, thereby giving practical
force to the new reading of the marriage ceremony as suggested by some
of the radicals of the old world, that that service should read, not
as it does at present, but "till death or poverty do us part"—they are
not  subject to [p.337] these conditions, but a man and woman have the
privilege of living together, the man with the wife of his youth; they
see their posterity grow up in thrift and peace, and when "the weary
wheels of life stand still" they lay themselves down in hope of a
glorious resurrection unto eternal life!

Vol. 21, p.337
There is also another feature which is worthy of remark in this
territory. Can it not be safely said that the mortality of the people
thus gathered together bears a marked contrast to that which exists
elsewhere? Can it not be said that the influence of industry, of
peace, and of good order, has had a good effect upon the masses in
many directions. The mental pressure which excites elsewhere sends
tens of thousands to suicide or drives them into houses built for
those suffering from insanity, does not exist in the midst of the
Latter-day Saints. Mentally, the people of this territory are pretty
evenly balanced; one of the results of their faith in God, is that it
enables them to contend manfully and patiently with difficulties
instead of yielding to the circumstances thrust upon them, and thus
they become valiant in the battle of life; they are not afraid of
obstacles, or danger, or duties which may surround them; they believe
that it is best to work, to fight and overcome, instead of cowardly
taking into their hands the opportunity of depriving themselves of
living upon the earth and filling a suicide's grave. The faith of the
Gospel teaches them that life is a school, that it is an honor and
works out future glory to submit to its discipline, to overcome its
difficulties, to solve its problems and to fill its purposes, so that
all the attributes of their manhood may be cultured and developed.
This springs from the fundamental idea which the people of this
territory have received and which they have accepted in their faith,
and whatever social, commercial, political, or other class of
difficulties may arise, and even though surrounded by the fire of
persecution, they will still exercise this faith in God, and believe
that from all apparent evil he will bring forth good. Does not the
mental balance which this people exhibit, this absence of that
tendency toward suicide and lunacy—which exists in all the nations of
the earth by virtue of the pressure which society brings to bear upon
the characteristics of men—does not the fact that this pressure is
unknown among the people of Utah, (or at least if not unknown, nearly
so) stand as an evidence of the better character of the institutions
under which they live? On the other hand they are giving to their
posterity all that the world calls education. Not that they consider
it the primary object and end of life, but they do consider it useful
to their children in enabling them to fulfil some of the
responsibilities of manhood, to attend to the business duties and
affairs of life, and for this they are building schoolhouses, for this
they employ teachers and erect academies, and in this way they have
spent in poverty as much, comparatively speaking, as will bear a
pleasant contrast with any part of this country, of which they are a
part. And while they have endeavored to carry out this joint style of
education—that is, the cultivation of the highest attributes, which
consist of faith in God, faith that we can commune with him, faith in
the Scriptures handed down to us by the ancient servants of God, faith
that by the introduction of the Gospel and the practice of its
principles wilt be laid the foundation of a higher [p.338]
civilization, calculated in its nature to supercede all other forms
with which man may have been acquainted in the ages that are past—yet
for all this, politically they do not feel obliged to be either
democrats or republicans, whigs or nationalists, but rather feel to
cultivate all the qualities of patriotism and citizenship, developing
these to the highest possible perfection. But even in connection with
a system which aims at these results, a system which has set before
its believers so elevated a platform, there will occasionally in
individuals be comparative failure. But wherever men are possessed of
this faith, it is simply a question of time as to its ultimate
success, and the day is not far distant when those who hold this faith
will not be confined to Utah and the adjacent territory, they will not
be held in bondage and vassalage, and have appointed over them men in
whose election they have no voice, but they will stand qualified with
all that of excellence they desire, and have the privilege of being
free and full American citizens.

Vol. 21, p.338
I said awhile ago that there had been a good deal of talking and a
good deal of writing in regard to a bugbear called the union of Church
and State. But it is folly to talk or write against a thing which God
has incorporated into the very fabric of man's being; and it would be
a good deal better now for the nation in which we live if the ranks of
political parties were less divided, were more imbued with a sense of
honor, virtue, purity, and the spirit of brotherhood. This would
remove from them a great many of the evils with which they are
afflicted: it would help to strengthen their efforts for the good of
the nation—in every way—if they, in the spirit of the Christian faith,
went forth to receive the suffrages of their fellow men, and then take
with them into the halls of Congress the same spirit, there to labor
with just conceptions of justice and brotherhood, realizing that "God
hath made of one blood all the nations of the earth." If our political
parties were animated by this spirit, would not the name of America
stand higher than has ever yet been dreamed of by those who entered
her counsels or sat to administer her affairs. I an an advocate for
the system which has been established in Utah Territory, because I
have studied it, I have seen its influences, I have marked its power
over the lives of those who have been obedient and subservient to it,
and I know myself that it is calculated to develop the best features
of our humanity, to unite the human family together, to bring heaven
to earth, to bring men into communion with the angels, and to hasten
the day when not only the angels, but Jesus shall come to the earth
and reign, and when the thousands of those who have been prepared
under the influence and institutions of Zion shall have the privilege
of associating with "the Church of the first-born; and the spirits of
just men made perfect." This I know to be the power and spirit, the
end and aim, the final triumph of the Gospel of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ, and I feel proud that thousands in Utah have consecrated
all that they possess to the establishment of this divine system which
you can read of in the history of the past, and which has again been
revealed in our day through the ministration of angels to the Prophet
Joseph, on the eastern shores of the continent of North America I know
also that in the progress of this work it will not only take hold of
the poor and meek [p.339] of the earth, but the day is not far distant
when it will take hold of many of the more thoughtful and cultivated
among men; and while we may look back through the history of the past
and think there never were statesmen like Washington and others who
have left their names on the records of fame, yet, my brethren and
sisters, the Gospel tells us that these were only the precursors of
many in the future who in intellect and culture shall stand unfolded
in all that harmony and glory which belongs to the eternities.

Vol. 21, p.339
I know the Latter-day Saints understand these things, and in the
spirit thereof they are seeking to cultivate their faith in God,
seeking to consecrate their time, talent and ability to the building
up of Zion upon the earth; and to those who are strangers in their
midst who are not acquainted with their programme, not acquainted with
the ambition which prompts and inspires the Latter-day Saints—to such
we say these are the ideas by which we are actuated. They know they
are workers for God, they are laborers in the great field of human
progress, and they are using that which they have received from the
heavens, believing that divine purposes are best served by divine
education and divine culture, and when these are operating, all the
facilities about which men boast, sink into comparative insignificance
in contrast with that higher education which belongs to and grows out
of the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Vol. 21, p.339
I ask our friends who turn in with us occasionally, to give us credit
for this earnestness of purpose, and although they may not see as we
see, although they may consider the Latter-day Saints mad, yet they
must admit that "there is method in their madness." The results which
are now seen are but the drops before the shower, the little progress
now made is but the shadow of that which shall be seen when they shall
return to the land of the rising sun, for then in every State of the
Union will be found wonderful colonies of the Latter-day Saints,
wielding power and influence under the administration and institutions
of Zion, working as they work now for the elevation and progress and
redemption of the human family.

Vol. 21, p.339
May God give us wisdom "to work while it is day," to labor diligently
in the duties to which we have been called, and when we have done
this, may we be saved in the celestial kingdom of our God, through
Jesus Christ. Amen. [p.340]

John Taylor, January 2, 1881

The Eternities Before the Saints—the Sublimity of the Gospel, Etc.

Delivered in the Assembly Hall, Sunday
 Afternoon, Jan. 2d, 1881.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs.)

Vol. 21, p.340
I am pleased to have another opportunity of meeting with you on this
the first Sabbath of the New Year; and I will add to all the faithful,
ten thousand more of them. For we, as Latter-day Saints, do not
consider that our existence ends with time, as we generally term it,
but that it reaches into eternity. And that while we are here in a
state of probation to fulfil the various duties devolving upon us, as
Saints of the living God; while we come into the world and exist in it
for a time and then leave it, we have hopes and aspirations beyond the
grave, and anticipate that, as ages and cycles shall pass along and
generation succeeds generation, if we are true to our trust and live
our religion, keeping the commandments of God and fulfilling the
various covenants devolving upon us to attend to, that we shall
associate with the just in the eternities to come! therefore we are
living, and hoping, and expecting, and planning, and contriving and
operating, for the accomplishment of this object. We do not look upon
the affairs of this life as those alone in which humanity is
interested. We have been taught differently by those who have had
communication with the Lord, and to whom he has revealed his will. We
have been taught differently by the holy priesthood that we have in
our midst; we have been taught differently by the Holy Spirit which we
have received in God's appointed way, according to his law; which
spirit has enlightened our minds and given unto us an evidence and a
testimony similar to that, which we heard Brother Smith speak of that
he knew this work to be of God. How did he know it? Through obedience
to the law of God, by the reception of the Holy Ghost and through the
union and communion that exists between God and his children upon the
earth. This is a principle of certainty and testimony, and an evidence
that we all have the privilege of enjoying for ourselves, and of
knowing that God lives; of knowing that this is the Church of Jesus
Christ and the kingdom of God; and of knowing also that God lives and
that he is our Father, and that we are his children; and of further
knowing that, "when this earthly house of our tabernacle is
dissolved," we can feel like one of old, that "we have a building of
God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens," waiting for
us, and not for us only but for all [p.341] who love the appearing of
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Were it not for this hope, were it
not for this spirit, were it not for this intelligence that has been
communicated unto us by the light of revelation and by the
manifestation of the Spirit of God, through the revelations of God to
man in these the last days, by the opening of the heavens, by the
administration of holy angels, and by the revelations of the will of
God to man; were it not for this we should not have been here to day,
this congregation would not have been assembled here as they are; the
Latter-day Saints would not have been in this territory; nor would
they have been anywhere else; for it is because God has seen fit in
the fullness of times, according to the testimony given by the holy
prophets, who have prophesied since the world was, according to the
designs and eternal purposes of God pertaining to the inhabitants of
the earth—those who now live, those who have lived and those who will
live; were it not for the purposes of God pertaining to these things,
and the communications of his will to us, we could not be, as I before
stated, in the position we now occupy, But God having designed to
accomplish his work in the interests of the people of the world, in
this day and age, in the interest of the myriads who have passed out
of the world, in the interest of the living and the dead, he has
commenced his work for the salvation, for the redemption and for the
exaltation of the human family, and hence things are as we see them
among us to-day.

Vol. 21, p.341
When we talk about the theories of men, they are matters of very
little importance; when we reflect upon their ideas or views, they are
really unimportant, but when we talk about the law of God, the plates
of Jehovah and his designs pertaining to the world in which we live
and its inhabitants, and to the inhabitants that have lived, and to
all humanity, then we touch upon a subject that is grand, noble and
sublime; one that enters into the recesses of the heart and that
touches every fibre, and that causes our hopes and aspirations to
reach within the vail, where Christ our forerunner has gone, and we
feel convinced that there is an eternal fitness in all the laws, in
all the truths, in all the ordinances, and in everything that God has
revealed for the salvation and exaltation of the human family. We are
here, and how did we come here? What was it that brought us here? Some
hardly know; and then there are a great many who do understand this
thing very well. We are here because we listened to the eternal truths
of the gospel, and that gospel could not have been known unless it had
been revealed. For no men nor any set of men, to-day, understand those
principles which are calculated to exalt men in the celestial kingdom
of God, nor could they comprehend them unless God had revealed them.
And when we hear of the folly, the raving and ranting of ignorant men
who know not God nor his laws, who would presume to dictate to
Jehovah, who would teach something that they know nothing about; but
being without revelation, are fitly represented in the Scriptures as
"Knowing nothing but what they know naturally as brute beasts, made to
be taken and destroyed." For instance, we have our cattle, our sheep
and other animals which we raise and provide food for and feed and
fatten them. What for? For the knife. How could we do it if they knew
what we were doing it for? I do [p.342] not think they would get very
fat. Still; one of the old prophets, in speaking of these men who are
with put revelation. says, "They know nothing but what they know
naturally as brute beasts." We certainly do not wish such men for our
instructors.

Vol. 21, p.342
Many men at the present day will tell us that they will believe
nothing but what they can see with their eyes, handle with their hands
and comprehend with their judgments. And what are they prepared for? I
might here ask, What does man in reality know of God and of his laws,
or of the proper fitness of things what does he know about that
vitality that he himself is in possession of, or that which any other
animal is in possession of? He knows nothing pertaining to it, nor can
he impart it. When we talk about the wisdom of man, how far does it
go? We learn a few of the laws of nature. Who gave these laws? Who
originated or organized them? Who placed these eternal laws in nature?
Who made the solar system, for instance, to move with that accuracy
and punctuality according to exact rules and laws who made any portion
of that system, gave it its original force or sustains it in its
motion? Who planted in matter its exact and various laws? Can any of
the learned and the wise of this day and age make anything of that
kind or anything approaching to it? Who gives life and vitality to
man? Does man give it? We are told that "there is a spirit in man, and
the inspiration of the Almighty giveth it understanding," but without
that what are we, although our organization may be complete in all its
parts, yet without the spirit the body is lifeless, motionless and
inanimate. What are we? At best but little specs in motion moving
about in the world? puffed up, in many instances, with things we
profess to know, when really we know nothing only as God communicates
it, and can understand nothing only as he makes it manifest. Can all
the philosophers of to-day make a grain of wheat and give vitality to
it, much less a world? Or can they make a simple blade of grass? It is
not a big thing to ask a wise man to do, especially those who desire
to ignore God in his works, but can the wisest of our philosophers do
it? No, nor can they discover the secrets of life, nor the impulses
which act upon all nature in all the varied operations. Who governs
the planetary system? The great God, the same who causes our earth as
well as other systems to revolve upon their axes, and provides for
them, and has measured and given them their times and seasons, and
their laws. Who is it that causes the blood to flow through our veins?
He that has given and does give intelligence to man. Can anybody point
out any of those vital principles and show that they originated
independently of God? No, they cannot. And so it is through all
creation, no matter what you touch pertaining to nature. When man
discovers a law of nature either in the mineral, the animal, the
vegetable or any other kingdom, he will find that it is governed by
strict eternal and unchangeable and undeviating laws? And when men
discover that, what do they find out? Something which God has placed
there, something that has always existed. We talk sometimes about the
great discoveries we have made. We will refer to gas, for instance;
some of us can remember very well when there was no such thing known
among us as gas for lighting purposes. Who originated the [p.343]
elements of which it is composed? The great God; and that principle
always existed. We speak about electricity and the uses to which it
can be applied. Who originated that principle? "O, it was found out a
few years ago and we found it very useful in communicating one with
another; through its use we can send a message today from one part of
the world to another, and can be in communication really with the
world." Well, we think we have done something very remarkable, in
discovering something of that kind, and it really is a great
discovery; but then that principle always existed, ever since the woad
was framed; the only thing that we can boast of is that we have
discovered a certain principle which we did not know of before; and
there are ten thousand other principles beyond, which we have not yet
discovered; but when we do discover them we shall find them to be the
same eternal laws of God. I am reminded sometimes of a little infant.
You look at the body; it comes into the world; it has its common
faculties. By and by it makes a discovery, it finds out that it has a
hand, and it looks at it as much as to say, It is a very curious
thing, and it is a remarkable discovery that I have made. Why, it
always had a hand, but the baby did not always know it.

Vol. 21, p.343
It has been remarked here by Bro. Penrose that all things are governed
by law. This is so whether in the material world, or whether—I was
going to say—in the immaterial world, but we do not know of such a
thing; I will say therefore, the spiritual world, if you please. We
are very singularly constituted, forming a combination of body and
spirit. We learn a little about the bodies of men, but do we know
about the spirits? We know from history of some things which have
taken place in the past, but what do we know about things pertaining
to the future? Who can comprehend God or his ways? One of old in
speaking upon this subject says, "It is high as heaven; what canst
thou do? Deeper than hell; what canst thou understand?" There are some
prominent features which God has revealed to us; and there are ten
thousands of principles which he has not revealed. Those principles
that he has revealed to us, like everything else pertaining to the
works and the designs of God, bring a degree of certainty, assurance,
intelligence and satisfaction that nothing earthly can impart. The
Saints themselves, do not, in many instances, understand the "whys"
and the "wherefores" pertaining to these matters. We are taught to
obey certain laws; we are taught to repent of our sins, and to have
hands laid upon our heads for the reception of the Holy Ghost. Here is
a law that God has appointed, just the same as he has regulated these
other systems of which I speak, and with which we are more or less
familiar. We have electricity floating around us in every direction.
In order to make it subserve our desires we have to use it according
to certain laws. At present we have to string up wire properly
connecting it and use a battery and a machine made for the purpose, in
order to convey our thoughts to others at a distance; and without
first paying due regard to these or other appliances that perhaps
might be substituted, we could not communicate. When you comply with
the law governing this matter, that is, when you erect the poles,
string the wire, make your battery and have the machine and the
circuit [p.344] complete, you may then convey your thoughts correctly
over the wire by the means of electricity to others at a distance. You
know they have been correctly sent because you can receive your answer
back; and if necessary, have the message you sent repeated. Now the
same principle is true in regard to the other things. And do the
persons who operate the telegraph machine always understand all about
the philosophy of it? No, but very few of them comparatively. Yet they
learn to operate while somebody else does the thinking and prepares
the machine and appliances for them for the purpose of introducing
this mode of communicating. Now then, look at the principle that looks
to many very simple associated with that way which God has ordained
and appointed for man to become acquainted with him, and to be
introduced to him and to his laws. How is it? why the elder goes forth
to preach, and what is he told to preach? Faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ. Repentance and baptism for the remission of sins, and the
laying on of hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost. Now these look
to many as being very simple things, very simple; yet they are things
which God has ordained, they are his laws, they were in former times,
they are in this time. We cannot violate these and receive the
blessings, and no other people can; I do not care who they are, they
cannot do it. Let us go back to our experience. There are hundreds of
you present who have received the spirit of the living God; how did
you receive it? You say, an elder came along, and we heard him preach;
he told me to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and to repent of my
sins, and that he was authorized to baptize me for the remission of my
sins, and he told me that if I did this that hands should then be laid
upon my head and I should receive the Holy Ghost. This is the doctrine
you heard. Then you had faith in God; you repented of your sins, your
follies and wickedness, and you covenanted to fear God and keep his
commandments, and to observe his laws. The elder then went forth and
led you into the water, and he said, "Being commissioned of Jesus
Christ I baptize you for the remission of your sins in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, Amen." He then buried you
in the water and raised and brought you out of it. After he did this,
he laid his hands upon your head, and by the same authority he
confirmed you a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, and said, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost."

Vol. 21, p.344
Now that is a very peculiar operation when you come to think upon it.
Why is it thus? A man goes forth who has authority given him of Jesus
Christ, he baptized you for the remission of your sins in the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. There is something
very peculiar about it. It looks very simple; but if that man had no
such authority, then he was an impostor; and if the man or men who
ordained that elder conferring on him this priesthood, had not the
authority to do so, then he or they were impostors; and if God had not
given revelation instructing Joseph Smith in relation to these things,
how they were to be done, then Joseph Smith himself was an impostor,
as well as the apostles and all men professing authority. These are
self-evident facts. We as a people do not profess to have received
any authority from any other source, [p.345] from any man or set of
men, or any church or any organization existing; and if God has not
revealed it, then the whole thing is a falsehood and fiction, and
there is nothing to it. Here is a picture [pointing to the ceiling] of
the angel Moroni appearing unto Joseph Smith, revealing to him among
other things the plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated.
We have another here [pointing to John the Baptist conferring upon
Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery the Aaronic priesthood], and still
another, representing Peter, James and John conferring upon Joseph
Smith the Melchisedec priesthood. Very well. Are these things true?
There are thousands of Latter-day Saints who will tell you they know
it. We will come to these things by and by. But if these things were
not so, then our faith is in vain, then we are dark and benighted as
others are, then the things we believe in are a phantom and can avail
us nothing, either pertaining to this world or the world to come; then
the building of these temples amounts to nothing, if these things are
a fiction, and everything we have done and are engaged in amounts to
nothing. But if they are true, then there is nothing of so great
importance to the world of mankind and to us, as the revelation of
these truths to man in these last days, and pertaining also to our
association there with.

Vol. 21, p.345
Now, when an elder lays his hands upon a man and confirms upon him the
Holy Ghost, he tells him to receive it by virtue of the authority
conferred upon him. What authority? Why God restored the authority of
the holy priesthood by those who held the keys of that priesthood and
who administer in time and in eternity, who hold that priesthood upon
the earth, and who now hold it in the heavens. They came here to
impart it to men, and did restore it to men. Very well, that being the
case, man was again placed in communion with his God; not left any
longer to guess and suppose and surmise and to think, but to know. For
instance, I have myself been thousands of miles and hundreds of
thousands to preach this Gospel; would I have gone if I had not known
it to be true? No, I would not. There is nothing very pleasing in
going forth to an unbelieving world to meet the errors and the
prejudices of ages, and to oppose the false theories of men, to
introduce the principles that are opposed and repudiated by the carnal
mind, and by the corrupt everywhere; there is nothing very pleasant or
inviting to be traduced and to have your name cast out as evil, no
matter how honorable you may be, this has been the lot of the elders
of this Church and is their lot to-day, by men who know not of what
they speak, by men who are bigoted, superstitious and ignorant; men
who comprehend not God nor his laws; but we know it, and I know the
truths of which I speak, and bear testimony to it before you. If
others do not know it, I cannot help it; I have obeyed the method
appointed to receive these things, as you have had to do, to be
initiated into the Church and kingdom, according to the laws which God
has ordained. What I have done, then, all others in this Church have
done; and the elders of Israel have been actuated by the same
impulses, have obeyed the same doctrines and ordinances, and have
administered the same ordinances to others. They are influenced by the
same spirit, and they realized and knew for themselves of the things
which they promulgated and taught. Is this [p.346] confined to elders
alone! No. To the apostles and presidents? No. To the seventies or
high priests or elders, bishops, priests, teachers or deacons? No.
This is a thing which pertains to all; all who are Latter-day Saints,
all who have complied with the requirements and who have thus placed
themselves in the condition to receive this knowledge; and you men who
are before and around me to-day are witnesses of the truth of that
which I say, because you yourselves did receive the Holy Ghost, the
Spirit of God which imparted to you a knowledge of the principles of
the Gospel and placed you in communion with God your heavenly Father.
And this Spirit has borne witness to our spirits as it has been said
by one of old, "that we are the children of God, and if children, then
heirs; heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ." We sometimes treat
these things rather lightly, scarcely comprehending what we are doing;
and I often think that our elders themselves hardly realize the
significance of the situation they occupy when they say to him that
believes, repents and is baptised, "Receive thou the Holy Ghost." Is
there a thing of more importance that, we can think of anywhere than
this which so many of us treat so lightly. The idea of a man, human
and fallible, pronouncing the reception of the Holy Ghost upon his
fellow man. and his fellow receiving that heavenly treasure, is one of
the greatest manifestations of the faithfulness of God, in sanctioning
the acts of his elders that it is possible for us to conceive of. He
has said that through these ordinances he would confer the Holy Ghost;
he has also fulfilled it, as the thousands who hear me to-day can bear
record. Here is the thing that operated upon you and which was the
means of bringing you here to this place, from many of the nations of
the earth.

Vol. 21, p.346
Some people find fault with us about these things. I have said
frequently to men that I cannot help my faith and I am sure you cannot
help it; no man living can control my faith, for I have received a
portion of the Spirit of the Lord and I know it; and if you have
received a portion of that same Spirit you know it, and you cannot
unknow it—it is impossible, you cannot unknow it, unless you sin
against God and, as the apostle said, grieve the Spirit by which you
were sealed; then it withdraws from you, then you will not know much
about it, no more than some do who take this course against us. The
apostle said, "Grieve not the Spirit of God by which you are sealed to
the day of redemption;" do not grieve it, do not sin against God, do
not violate his laws, do not corrupt yourselves; do not corrupt your
bodies, for are they not, as one has said, "the temples of the living
God?" Do not allow your spirits to be contaminated and led astray from
correct principles, but cleave unto God in all humility, fidelity,
faithfulness; observing his laws and keeping his commandments. Why,
then, let me ask, are you here? You are here because the elders of
Israel visited the place where you lived in this nation, or in nations
afar off, preaching the principles of the everlasting Gospel which had
been restored; and you believed their testimony, and obeyed the
Gospel, and received a knowledge of its divinity, and because of this
you came here; and hence the elders, the apostles, the presidents, and
all the various peoples and members being touched by the  spark of
that fire that dwells in the bosom of God, being [p.347] enlightened
by that Holy Spirit which is promised to those who obey his law, you
left your homes, your friends, your associations, and came here to
mingle with the Saints of the Most High, to unite with them and to
assist in carrying out those purposes that God designs pertaining to
the human family. Now in all this Joseph Smith and those associated
with him—Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris, Hyrum Smith, Sidney Rigdon and
others,—understood these principles; they commenced this work not of
their own free will, and, yes, of their own free will, too; but they
did not originate them. God originated them and they were instrumental
in his hands in introducing them. These men having been ordained
themselves, ordained others who went forth to proclaim that word of
truth which they had received. And why did you come here? Because you
received that testimony and believed it and obeyed it and received the
Holy Ghost, and associated with those who believed the same
principles. There was something that propelled you forward, you hardly
knew why or how, but you were desirous to come to Zion. Why? Because
you are living in the dispensation of the fulness of times, when God
will gather together all things in one, and the keys of the gathering
dispensation had been introduced; and because you had received of that
spirit, and you never felt easy until you got here. Well, how was
that? What operated upon you? The Spirit of God. Was it a something
that was craving after wealth and position and power and
aggrandizement, to have a great and honorable name? No, it was as you
first were taught and as you afterwards comprehended, it was how to
learn to save yourselves, to save your progenitors, to save your
posterity; it was that you might obtain a knowledge of the laws of
life, fulfil the measure of your creation, and that while you felt as
a man among men upon the earth, you might, by and by, through
obedience to pure principles, stand among the Gods as a God, in the
eternal worlds, and be exalted through the power of the Gospel. This
is why you came here, and are coming here, and being here, we brought
our bodies with us. We have to eat and drink, we need clothing. The
curse has not been removed from the earth yet, therefore we have "to
eat our bread by the sweat of our brow." We have to do in regard to
these matters as others do; and being here, what then? Why a number of
people make what may be termed a community. We are living on land, and
that land, in a territorial capacity is part and parcel of the United
States, and as a territory of the United States, we necessarily form
an integral part of the United States; being men, and having bodies as
other men, independent of our general feelings, thoughts, actions and
sentiments, we have to live and move, to eat, to drink, to occupy
farms, houses, cities, and lands; and to perform all the varied duties
of citizens, associated with the body politic. What next? We have our
religious duties to perform, and that is to fear God and to observe
his laws.

Vol. 21, p.347
What else? We build temples. What for? To administer the ordinances of
God. What ordinances? Those that God has revealed, and those that the
world know nothing about; and if they had the temples already built
for them to-day they would not know any more what to do with them than
that pitcher does; [p.348] nor would we unless God had revealed it.
Now we are going on quietly to attend to our duties, building our
temples and administering in them. Here is Brother John L. Smith—how
long Brother Smith have you been administering in the Temple at St.
George? [Brother Smith: Four years, sir.] And for whom? For himself?
Yes, a little, not much however, principally for others. For the
welfare of whom? The living. Who else? Of the dead; that we may fulfil
certain duties that God has called us to perform, to help in the
accomplishment of his designs and purposes. And that as God has been
pleased to restore to the earth the keys which Elijah held, who
conferred his power upon others to turn the hearts of the fathers to
the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, that the
fathers who existed upon the earth in generations gone past, and we
who are now in existence and our children that are following after us,
might be cemented and united together by eternal bonds which God has
pointed out. That there might be an alliance and cooperation between
those in the heavens and those on the earth; that there might be a
welding, uniting, cementing principle; in which the priesthood in the
heavens and on the earth are united, to carry out the great designs of
our heavenly Father in the salvation and redemption of the living and
the dead, and that we might operate for them on the earth while they
are operating for us in the heavens. For it is written, that "They
without us cannot be made perfect," neither can we become perfect
without them. We, then, are operating in our part and they in theirs;
we on the earth, they in the heavens; and with God they are operating,
and with Jesus Christ, who is the mediator of the new covenant, and
with the ancient prophets and apostles of God, who lived before. who
administered in time and in eternity, holding the everlasting
priesthood, and who are all interested in the welfare of the world and
the exaltation of man.

Vol. 21, p.348
Well, now, what shall we do? Shall we go on with it? We will try to,
the Lord being our helper. Some people say we are very wicked. Well, I
do not think we, are as good as we ought to be by a long way, but I do
think we are very much better than they are. This is my opinion, with
all our follies and all our weaknesses, and all our infirmities.
And—well, I would not like to say what I know about them. God knows
it. We will let that go. The Lord will judge men by their acts, and he
will judge us and all others by our acts.

Vol. 21, p.348
Now, we have a territorial form of government. I will come to that
again. What shall we do? Observe the laws of men? I think that is a
very easy thing to do. There is nothing very hard about that; if they
will not interfere with us in religious matters, there is nothing very
hard about keeping the laws of the land. Will we pay taxes? Yes. Will
be loyal to the government? Yes. Will we sustain all good, honorable
men that are rulers? Yes, and pray God to inspire them with wisdom,
that they may be led in the right path. Will we fight with them and
quarrel with them, and say hard words about them and misrepresent them
as they do us? No, we will not. It would try me very much sometimes to
have to tell the plain and unpalatable truth about them, of things
which, without falsehood, I can say, I know for myself. Still,  will
they try to interfere with us? Yes. Who? All [p.349] kinds of foolish
people, ignorant; narrow-minded, degraded, wallowing in iniquity and
besmeared with corruption of every kind; and yet they talk to us about
our impurities. They have reason to talk a little, but not much. We
are not what we should be by a long way; we ought to be a great deal
better than we are. I pray that God may enable us to be so.

Vol. 21, p.349
Well, we do not interfere with them. Whose religion do we interfere
with? Nobody's. I hope you do not, I know I do not; if they are
satisfied with it, I am satisfied that they should have it. I believe
in every man using the free exercise of his judgment and conscience,
leaving the balance with God. I will tell people the truth; if they
obey it, all right, if not, certainly I will not prosecute them or
persecute them because of their views. But on the contrary, if anybody
were to interfere in any way with the religious faith of any one, I
care not how foolish it might be, I would be among the first to stand
forth in the defense of him whose rights were assailed; not because I
believed in his religion at all; but because my sense of justice and
equal rights would impel me to this action; for if I claim those
rights myself I ought to respect them in others, holding as I do that
it is the right of all men to believe in and worship as they please.
And while there are thousands of highminded honorable men in this
great nation who believe in and sustain the principles of freedom and
equal rights, there are very many foolish, inconsiderate men who would
recklessly tear down the temple of freedom erected by the fathers of
this nation, and ruthlessly proscribe, prosecute and persecute all who
cannot subscribe to their narrow erratic, unsupported ideas. But will
you not conform to their ideas? No, I will not, the Lord being my
helper, and then the people will not God being their helper. The Lord
has revealed unto us the truth, and we know it, and we will stand by
it and maintain it from this time forth, God being our helper; and all
who believe in that say aye [the. congregation said aye]. That, is the
feeling of the Latter-day Saints I know. But will we interfere with
anybody? No! no! we will not. With their politics? Not, much. For
while we are interested in the welfare of the nation, we care very
little about the present political issues. We think that a great and
magnanimous nation, however, could well afford to let us alone, and
would feel like endorsing General Grant's axiom, "Let us have peace."
But then if people will interfere with us while we are pursuing the
even tenor of our way, we will defend and protect ourselves from their
assaults as best we may, and then we will commit them to God. We have
not started this work, God commenced it, not us, and we are simply
endeavoring to carry out his will and law. Will we do it? With the
Lord's help we will. Will we fight against authority? No. Will we
oppose the principles of this government? No. We will sustain them.
But if people will act foolishly we cannot help it. If this nation can
stand the results; of the violation of constitutional principles, we
can. If they tear down the bulwarks of freedom and with impunity
trample under foot the rights of men we cannot help it. If it is our
turn, to-day, to suffer. wrong, it will be somebody else's to-morrow,
national retrogressions are not often arrested. It behooves statesmen
to pause in their career. The floodgates once opened who [p.350] shall
stay the torrent? We of all men would save the ship of state and would
say to these national parricides avaunt! But if they will act
foolishly and continue to do so until they subvert the principles of
liberty, and thus destroy one of the best governments ever instituted
on earth, then if forsaken by all else, the elders of this Church will
rally round the Constitution, lift up the standard of freedom, which
is being trodden under foot and bedrabbled by demagogues, and proclaim
liberty to the world; equal rights, liberty and equality; freedom of
conscience and of worship to all men everywhere. That is not a
prophecy of mine; it is a prophecy of Joseph Smith's, and I believe it
very strongly. Will we oppose them? No. Let them go on in their own
way and we will pray to God to turn the designs of wicked men, and if
they will not repent and turn from their evil deeds, pray to him that
they may be taken in their own trap, be caught in their own snare, and
fall into the pit which they dig for us. Can you pray with a good
conscience that this may befall them? Certainly. If men dig a pit for
others they should not find fault if they fall into it themselves. And
as sure as God lives they will do it, if they persevere in their
iniquity, and as sure as we stand faithful to the principles of truth,
God will stand by us, and the wrath of man will be made to praise him,
and the remainder he will restrain; and they cannot help themselves.
For both they and we are in the hands of God, and they can go no
further than he permits them, neither can we. And we will try, as the
friends of this nation and of humanity, to do right, and to sustain
all correct principles, in the maintenance of justice and equal rights
to all; cultivating peace, respecting law, sustaining our
institutions, and praying that right, justice and equity may prevail
throughout the land; and that the hands of all honorable men may be
strengthened to preserve inviolable the God-given institutions of this
great nation. Let us also try to fulfil all of our duties as fathers,
and our duties as mothers, our duties as children and our duties as
citizens of the United States, our duties as Presidents, our duties as
Apostles, our duties as High Priests, our duties as Seventies, our
duties as Elders and our duties as Priests, Teachers and Deacons, and
our duties as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints. Let us humble ourselves before the Lord, live in the light of
the Spirit of God, that the Holy Spirit which we have received may be
in us "as a light that shines brighter and brighter until the perfect
day." And if we are faithful, God will stand by Israel; he will
preserve his elect; he will listen to our prayers: and we will go to
work by his help to build up Zion and establish the Kingdom of God
upon the earth; and we and our posterity will never cease doing it
until the "kingdom of this world shall become the kingdoms of our God
and his Christ, and he shall rule forever and forever;" and then
throughout the endless ages of eternity among the Gods in the eternal
worlds we will join in singing, "blessing and glory and honor and
power and might and majesty and dominion be ascribed to him that
sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb forever." Even so. Amen.
[p.351]

Charles. W. Penrose, January 2, 1881

The Gospel,—A Practical and Comprehensive Religion,
 and the Means of Eternal Exaltation

Delivered in the Salt Lake Assembly Hall, Sunday
 Afternoon, January 2nd, 1881.

(Reported by John Irvine.)

Vol. 21, p.351
I can endorse heartily the remarks that have been made to us by
Brother John L. Smith, an old acquaintance whom I am pleased to see. I
feel gratified to know that he is still laboring for Israel, that his
heart is in the right place, and that his desires are, as they always
have been so far as I have been acquainted with him, to serve God, to
keep his commandments, and teach men so.

Vol. 21, p.351
When Jesus was on the earth he said, "Whosoever therefore shall break
one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be
called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and
teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
I believe it is the object and desire of all our brethren Who are
called to occupy responsible positions in the midst of the people to
carry out this saying of Jesus—that is, to keep his commandments
themselves and to teach others to do the same. This desire, at any
rate, should animate every one who is called to be a servant of God.
It is not enough to believe in the Gospel; it is not enough to have
faith in the work that God Almighty has commenced on the earth; it is
not enough to have a testimony that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God,
that angels have come from heaven, restored the Gospel and brought
back the ancient priesthood, that God has commenced the great
latter-day work spoken of by all the ancient prophets and that we are
called to assist in that work—a mere testimony that this is the case
is not enough. We are called to be workers of righteousness. And we
are not only called to do what is right, but also to aid in
establishing righteousness on the earth by teaching others to follow
our example.

Vol. 21, p.351
The religion which we have received is a practical religion. It offers
something for us to do all the time. There is no need for us at any
time to stand still, we are called to be active workers in the cause
of God. Every man and every woman who has received the Gospel and been
baptized into the Church is expected to take an active part in this
work; not to leave it to those who are called upon to preside in the
various wards and stakes and over the Church of God, but each one of
us has an individual interest in this Church (or ought to have)
[p.352] and should manifest it by a desire to do something that the
work of our God may roll forward in the earth.

Vol. 21, p.352
We have had made plain to our understanding some few of the first
principles of salvation, and these have been made clear to our minds
not merely as objects of faith, but as something for us to lay hold
of, as a guide to our feet, as a light to our path, and as an
incentive to action. We are called to be Saints not only in the
Assembly Hall, or in the Tabernacle, or in the place of prayer, but in
every condition of life, and to bring into practice those things that
God has made known to us to influence us in all that we do, that we
might be a different people from the great mass of mankind, striving
after the condition of sainthood—that is, to become holy in the Lord,
to be sanctified in all our being to the service of the Almighty and
the establishment of his kingdom and government on the earth. That is
what we are here for, in these valleys of the mountains.

Vol. 21, p.352
There is an idea in the world concerning religious affairs that they
are mere matters of sentiment, something to think about, something to
pray about, something to sing about, something to exalt the feelings.
This is all very good so far as it goes, but it is only a small part
of religion. Religion is not a mere matter of emotion or of sentiment,
or of feeling. True religion is something to guide us, to make us
better, to teach us in every respect. True religion will teach us how
to use properly every power with which our great Creator has endowed
us. True religion not only affects the spiritual part of our being,
the internal part of man or woman, but affects the whole nature,
spiritual, mental and physical. It comes here on the earth and is
fitted to our condition where we live and while we live. It is adapted
to us to-day. It not only unfolds to us something of the future and
elevates that standard of beauty and perfection before us, that we
expect some time to arrive at, but it unfolds to us our duty to-day
and tails us how to act in every movement of our lives and in every
condition in which we may be situated; in fact, there is no place that
we may be called upon to occupy, or in which we may find ourselves,
where our religion ought not to influence us in what we should do. Not
only does our religion come to us to influence us in our acts, in our
bodies as well as our spirits, but it also comes to us to direct us in
our thoughts, that we may be able to turn our minds in the proper
channel, so that we may think good thoughts and not evil, that we may
have good desires and not evil, and that we may become so sanctified
in our natures that the spirit and influence which comes direct, from
God our Heavenly Father, who dwells in the bosom of eternity, may
descend into our souls and have free and uninterrupted access thereto,
and that we may become Saints, individually and collectively, a royal
generation, a peculiar people, zealous of good works. This is the kind
of religion we have received.

Vol. 21, p.352
When we heard the Gospel and believed in Christ and in God the Father,
and went forth repenting of our sins and were baptized for the
remission of sins, and received the Holy Ghost by the laying on of
hands, this was the beginning of our religion, these were the
preliminary steps in the path that leads to the presence of God. When
we came into the Church,  having put off the old man with his deeds,
we were supposed to have put on Christ, to [p.353] pattern after him
in all our acts, to seek for his spirit, to be guided by his example,
so that by and by we might become as he is and fit to stand where he
stands—in the presence of God, and abide there. Some people who are in
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as well as some
people outside the church, have an idea that salvation consists in
belonging to a certain sect or party or in having a certain condition
of mind. They do not grasp the idea that exaltation is only brought
about through a natural process—the putting away of that which is evil
and laying hold of that which is good; the putting away of that which
is wrong and taking hold of that which is right: departing from the
ways of the world and walking in the ways of God. We need to
understand this fully and clearly, my brethren and sisters. You and I
will not be saved in the presence of God with an exaltation like that
which is held out to us simply because we are called Latter-day
Saints, or because we have complied with a certain form of religion,
or even because we have gone into sacred places and received holy
ordinances whereby we might be washed and cleansed and made anew and
anointed unto righteousness. We shall not be brought up into the
presence of our Father to abide there and participate in his glory
simply because of these things. If we ever get there to stay, it will
be because we are fitted to be there, because we are prepared to abide
his glory, to stand in his presence and rejoice with him and aid him
in his glorious works in the midst of the universe. We will stay there
because we are like him and fit to be where he is. If it is found that
we are not like him, that we are not of his spirit, not actuated by
the same motives that animate his bosom, not governed by the same
laws, we shall not be able to abide his presence and cannot stay
there. If we do stay there, it will be because we are fit to be there
in the nature of things because natures correspond with his, our
spirits harmonizing with his, our acts being controlled by the same
motives and governed by the same laws as those by which he governs
himself, and not merely because we have adopted a certain creed, not
merely because we have bowed to a certain form, not merely because we
have submitted to certain ordinances and ceremonies.

Vol. 21, p.353
All these ordinances and ceremonies instituted by the Almighty and
comprehended in that which is called the Gospel are necessary. There
is no such thing as non-essential ordinances; every one of them is
essential. Exaltation cannot be arrived at without them. But
exaltation does not consist of the mere compliance to certain forms
and ceremonies that the Almighty has instituted and placed in his
Church. There is something more required, something superior to all
this. What is it? It is the spirit that comes from our Father to
dictate us in every act, to make us righteous and holy unto the Lord,
and to sanctify us and bring us into complete subjection to and
harmony with the laws that govern the celestial kingdom. There is no
real happiness either in this world or the world to come except
through obedience to proper law. That is the only way that happiness
can be obtained. We ought to understand this and teach it to our
children. There is a spirit growing in the world which leads mankind
to throw off restraint, to east aside laws and regulations, which
leads people to become "a law [p.354] unto themselves." This is the
teaching "spiritualism," that peeping and muttering system. The
expounders of that faith—if it may be called a faith—teach the
doctrine of mankind becoming a law unto themselves—no forms, no
ceremonies, no regulations—each one independent for himself and
herself. Now, while we sing sometimes

"Know this that every soul is free,
To choose his life and what he'll be;"

and while we acknowledge,

"For this eternal truth is given,
That God will force no man to heaven."

Yet on the other hand, we recognize the fact that there is a law given
to all things in the economy of God in the heavens above and in the
earth beneath. "All kingdoms have a law given." So we are told here in
the Book of Doctrine and Covenants. We learn from that Book that,
"there are many kingdoms; for there is no space in which there is no
kingdom; and there is no kingdom in which there is no space, either a
greater or lesser kingdom. And unto every kingdom is given a law; and
unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions." Every
kingdom that is governed by law is preserved by law and sanctified by
the same, no matter in what part of the universe it may be and those
who abide the laws of that kingdom and that condition in which they
find themselves, gain happiness and are preserved and sanctified and
become exalted thereby. Now, although these laws are given of God,
they do not interfere with the volition of man. Every man has his free
agency. Light and truth are placed before us, truth and error are
here, and we can choose the one and refuse the other, or refuse the
one and choose the other, just as it was with our first parents in the
garden of Eden. The history of the fall is placed before us that we
might understand this great principle of agency; the tree of life and
the tree of death, the tree of light and the tree of darkness. The
Lord has said to us in substance, "I have placed before you truth and
error, choose which you will receive. You can receive the light or the
darkness, you can receive the truth or the error as you please; but by
and by you must give an account of your acts." We find ourselves here
on this planet that God has created for us, a branch of his great
family, and he has given us certain principles to govern ourselves by.
He does not force them upon us. God will force no man to heaven or to
hell; but if we choose we can lay hold of these principles and be
governed thereby, and by doing that we will be improved in our nature
in proportion to our reception of light and truth, and exaltation will
come to us on this principle and no other.

Vol. 21, p.354
This spirit of so-called independence, or "liberty," as some persons
misuse the term, is spreading throughout the world. It has its
influence among us. There is to a certain extent in our midst a desire
and disposition to throw off the restraint that comes from the heads
of families, the influence that parents exercise over children, to
rebel against the laws of the community in which we live, to resist
the restriction that comes from the laws of the land, and from the
laws of the Church—the laws of God. This spirit exists to a great
extent in the world, and is bound to have more or less effect upon us
here in the mountains, because, although we are in some degree
separated from the world, yet we are also connected  with the world,
and must expect, [p.355] as a part of the human family, that some
among us will be more or less affected by this spirit. Now, we ought
to get this idea clearly upon our minds and upon the minds of our
children. We ought to understand the necessity of yielding obedience
to proper laws. We ought to learn to understand the laws that pertain
to our bodies so that they may be kept healthy. And we should become
fully acquainted with the laws that govern our Church. Every principle
that God has revealed should be clear to our minds, and in order to
understand them we should read the books given to us, the Bible, the
Book of Mormon, and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants. These ought to
direct us in our every day lives. Then when we come to meeting and
hear our brethren speak the word of the Lord, we should try to
treasure up in our hearts the words of life, put them into practice,
and also teach the same to our children; for it is on this principle
that we will become prepared to go into the presence of God by and by,
and not merely because we are called Saints, not merely because we
have been ordained to some office in the priesthood, not merely
because we may have been put into some position to preside or direct
our fellows. This will not exalt us, but the practice of what is right
and true will exalt us. In fact every person in doing what is good and
right is naturally bettered thereby, and every individual in doing
what is evil is degraded thereby. All our acts are known by the powers
on high whom we cannot see. They understand us, although we may think
no one sees what we do. Yet though no one should see us, if no one but
ourselves knows our acts, if we do what is evil and debasing we are
that much the worse for it; if we do that which is right and good we
are that much the better for it. And if we practice righteousness and
teach men, so we will become great in the kingdom of heaven on natural
principles.

Vol. 21, p.355
We should all live according to the laws of God, to the best of our
ability—although we are beset with many weaknesses and infirmities and
faults, many of which have been transmitted to us from our forefathers
away back for ages and are concentrated in us who live in the
latter-days. But so far as we have power and ability, we are required
to battle with and overcome our inherent failings, and if we take hold
of the principles of righteousness, in the very act of doing that we
are bettered, and if we continue in this path we will go on from grace
to grace, from light to light, from purity to purity, from holiness to
holiness, "till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the
knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of
the stature of the fulness of Christ." We must be clothed with his
light, and be filled with his fullness, and be fit to stand in his
presence and dwell with the Father. And this is the promise: "To him
that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I
overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." There is no
need for us at any time to be in the dark concerning our duties. We
need not be in the dark concerning any act we desire to perform, if we
will go to the Father and say, "Father, make thy will known to me.
Enable me to walk in thy light to do that which is pleasing to thee;
enable me to overcome all that is contrary to thy law." If we live in
this kind of spirit, there will always [p.356] be a voice whispering
in our souls telling us that which is right and wrong, and our
progress will be onward and upward in the straight and narrow path
that leadeth unto the eternal continuation of the lives.

Vol. 21, p.356
Now, by and by, when we come into the presence of God to be judged we
will be valued for what we are, not for what men have called us, not
for what we have appeared to be to one another, but we will stand just
as we are, with all of our spots and blemishes. If we are clean and
white and pure when we appear in the presence of our Heavenly Father,
and in the presence of the hosts around him, we shall be seen as such;
if we are foul and evil, no matter how fair we have appeared to men,
we will be comprehended as we are, we will "see as we are seen and
known as we are known." We shall not be able to hide our imperfections
from one another. We shall be weighed in the balance, and if we are
found wanting we cannot receive a fullness of glory. But, says some
one, I have had certain blessings pronounced upon my head, I have been
promised an exaltation in the presence of God; I have been promised
thrones, principalities, powers and dominions, and are not the
promises of God to be fulfilled? Yes; but every promise is made on
certain conditions, and unless we comply with these conditions God
cannot, in consonance with eternal justice, bestow those blessings
upon us, no matter what may have been promised upon our heads. We are
told that those who will not sanctify themselves by the law of the
celestial kingdom cannot receive a celestial glory. Now, what glory
will you and I have? Just exactly that glory we are fitted to have and
no other. This is only just, and God must be just or he would cease to
be God. Yet God will force no man or woman to keep. the law of light
and truth; but unless we live the laws of righteousness and obey the
law of the celestial kingdom we cannot in the nature of things receive
and abide a celestial glory. Then our chief business is to find out
the law of God, and do that which is right and true and good. We
should watch well the path of our feet and avoid everything that is
evil; for that which is evil naturally contaminates and debases, and
that which is good naturally purifies and exalts. We should all the
time strive for the guidance of the Holy Spirit that we may be in
harmony with those who are placed over us, and that we may train our
desires and our acts so as. to be in consonance with the mind and will
of God.

Vol. 21, p.356
Now, the Lord has made known to us a few things. We should make it our
business to carry these things out, and we shall find the value of
them by and by if we do not sense them to-day; for as I said just now
when we are in the act of performing that which is right we become
purified in our character, and more. fit to abide the glory of our
Father, while the less we do what is right the further we will be away
from that purity which is necessary for dwelling in his presence. We
expect to gain a celestial glory. That is what you and I started out
to win. We are not satisfied, as our sectarian friends are, to sing:

"I want to be an angel,
And with the angels stand."

That is not what you and I are aiming at. We are after a glory
superior to that. We read that the Saints shall judge the  angels, Who
are the angels? They are ministering spirits to those that are worthy
of "a far [p.357] more and exceeding and eternal weight of glory."
That is what you and I have started out to gain, to obtain a celestial
glory, to obtain a celestial crown, and we shall be satisfied with
nothing else than that. How shall we obtain it? We shall obtain it in
no other way than by abiding the laws that pertain to the celestial
kingdom. Let us, then, find out the laws of the celestial kingdom as
fast as we can and practice them, and if we make this the business of
our lives we will find the Lord very near to us, we will find it easy
to approach him and learn of his ways. We can have the still, small
voice to make glad our souls and open out our understandings. We
should live in this spirit, my brethren and sisters, so that we may
enjoy happiness and peace to-day as well as the prospect of having
eternal happiness and peace in the world to come.

Vol. 21, p.357
I pray God, in the name of Jesus Christ, to stamp these truths upon
our hearts, so that we may be able to order our lives by the laws of
truth and righteousness, individually and as a people; that we may
live for the Lord and for the truth, and for one another—not for
selfish objects, but for the glory of God and the salvation of our
race.

Vol. 21, p.357
I feel thankful this afternoon to be in the congregation of the
Saints, to be numbered among the people of the Most High God, and to
take part in the religion that God Almighty has revealed in this day
and age of the world. I know this is the work of God. I know this by
the witness of the eternal spirit in my soul. I know the peace it
brings when I act in consonance with its laws. My desire is to live as
becomes a Saint of God; to live as a servant of the Most High; to
incorporate in my being the principles that will make men and women
holy and pure, for I know that they make men and women great. I desire
to live these principles, and as far as I have ability to teach them
to others, for I know that in them is joy and happiness, power and
might—power to the spirit and might to the body. The power of God
belongs to and is with this Church. It enters into our whole being,
spiritual and physical. This work is good for the body and for the
soul, and if we live according to the dictations of the Holy Spirit,
we will be happier, stronger and mightier in all our being, and when
we come up in the presence of the Father, having been purified and our
robes made white through the blood of the Lamb and our faithfulness to
the cause of truth, we will be able to abide the presence of the Great
Eternal without shame.

Vol. 21, p.357
May the blessing of God rest upon us, and may we be saved in the
celestial kingdom of our Father, is my prayer in the name of Jesus.
Amen. [p.358]

John Taylor, August 8, 1880

The Order and Duties of the Priesthood, Etc.

Delivered at Paris, Bear Lake, Sunday Morning, August 8th, 1880.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs.)

Vol. 21, p.358
[It will be perceived that it is a long, time since this discourse was
delivered, and at a time when the Twelve Apostles were acting as First
Presidency of the Church.]

Vol. 21, p.358
I arise this morning to make a few remarks to you as I may be led and
dictated by the Spirit of God. I am sorry that we have not more time
to spend with you, but having a conference to attend at Manti,
Sanpete, on next Saturday and Sunday, which is quite a long way from
here, and in the meantime having business to attend to at home, we
shall be obliged, in order to make connections with the train at
Logan, to leave this place at the close of this meeting. I should, and
so would my brethren with me, have been very much pleased to have
visited you at your several settlements, but owing to these
circumstances it will be impracticable to do so.

Vol. 21, p.358
There are a few items to which I wish to call your attention.
Yesterday we heard a very interesting discourse from Brother Snow is
which he compared the climate, etc., of your valley with that of
Southern Utah; and the remarks made will doubtless have the effect to
dispel a good deal of the restlessness which I understand many have
manifested because of the severity of your winters. And I would
further remark in relation to these matters, that this is the Zion of
our God; that we are gathered here not for the purpose of seeking to
do our own wills or to carry out our own designs, our own ideas or
theories; but to be subject to the law of God, to the order of God and
to the priesthood of God; and that our greatest safety and happiness,
under all circumstances, is in rendering strict obedience to His law,
and to the counsels that may be given from time to time through the
Holy priesthood. We are to-day a kingdom of priests holding to a very
great extent the holy priesthood; and it is essential that we submit
ourselves to the laws of that priesthood and be governed by them in
all of our actions. The Seventies, for instance—that is, those who
understand themselves—expect to be on hand at any time to go to all
the world and preach the Gospel to every creature, That would be no
more than their duty, which is in keeping with the command of God to
them. And as to whether they live in hot or cold countries is  really
a matter of very little importance [p.359] to them, their calling
being to preach the Gospel to every creature the world over. Then the
High Priests have certain duties to perform, and if they are in an
organized condition, as the people of this Stake are, for instance,
their duties are to prepare themselves for certain events that may
transpire and to be learning to preside. For the duties of the
Melchisedek or High Priesthood have been in all ages of the world to
preside. So says the Doctrine and Covenants, extracts from which I may
read to you. But it is not because a man is a High Priest that he
should necessarily preside until he is called to fulfil some of the
duties and responsibilities devolving upon that Priesthood. And it is
the duty of a President of the High Priests to get the members of his
quorum under him together and to instruct them as to the duties of the
presidency, so that in the event of any being called, say, to occupy
the office of one of the Twelve Apostles who are High Priests, they
would be prepared to enter upon such duty; or that in case they should
be called to preside over a Stake, they would be prepared to enter
upon the duties of that office; or if they should be called to be
Counselors to the President of the Stake, they could act wisely and
efficiently in that position; or if they should be called upon to be
High Counselors, they would know how to act righteously and equitably
in all cases, that they might be called upon to adjudicate. And then
if they should be called to be Bishops or Bishop's Counselors, as the
case may be, they should be prepared to occupy these or any other
offices that they might be called to officiate in. High Priests have
those duties devolving upon them just as much as it devolves upon the
Seventies to go to the nations to preach, and there is no such thing
in the programme as sitting and "singing ourselves away to everlasting
bliss." or, if we are called to fill an office we should not feel at
liberty to neglect its responsibilities and sit down and do nothing.
The idea is that we are to magnify our office and calling, no matter
what its duties may be.

Vol. 21, p.359
Then, there are certain duties devolving upon the Bishops, and also
upon the Presidents of Stakes. And, then, the Twelve, wherever they
may be located, have also their particular duties, and especially is
this the case in the present organization of the Church; the Twelve
occupying the position of the First Presidency. I wish, for your
information, to offer some few ideas on some of these leading points
that yell may understated something of the nature of the duties and
responsibilities that devolve upon us to attend to.

Vol. 21, p.359
It is not correct, to suppose that the whole duty of carrying this
kingdom devolves upon the Twelve or the First Presidency, as the case
may be, or upon the Presidents of the Stakes, or upon the High
Priests, or upon the Seventies, or upon the Bishops, or upon any other
officer in the Church and Kingdom of God; that to the contrary, all of
us have our several duties to perform. And I may go farther in regard
to the ditties of men, and also in regard to those of women, all have
their duties to perform before God. The organization of this Church
and Kingdom is for the express purpose of putting every man in his
place, and it is then expected that every man in that place will
magnify his office and calling. For through the ordinances of the
Gospel and the operations of the priesthood the blessings of [p.360]
God are manifested, and without the ordinances we cannot enjoy the
fulness of these blessings among us, Latter-day Saints, nor could the
Saints in any age of the world among any people that ever existed.

Vol. 21, p.360
We are of the household of faith, the children of God. We are gathered
together for the express purpose of being taught in the laws of life,
so that we may comprehend the position that we occupy, and the duties
and responsibilities which devolve upon us, And as I have before
stated, we are not here simply to carry out our own designs or to suit
our own feelings or wishes, or to aggrandize ourselves. Beyond this
earth as it now is, beyond time, in the eternities that are to come we
have a work to perform and we have to prepare in part for it while we
are upon this earth; and God has called us together for this purpose.
The whole world is wallowing in iniquity, corruption, wickedness and
evil; and it is for us, in the first place, to rid ourselves of
everything of that kind, and to feel that we are the children of God,
that He is our Father, and that we are under His law, and that we have
to be subject to His commands; and that He has ordained and organized
and set apart a Priesthood for this purpose. And what is that
Priesthood? It is the rule and government of God; whether on the earth
or in the heavens; and is the means by which God has operated in all
the ages of the world. There is an order in this, every man in his
place, the First Presidency, or Twelve, as the case may be, in their
place, the Presidents of Stakes in their places, the High Council in
their places, the High Priesthood in their place. the Seventies in
their place, the Elders in their place, the Presiding Bishop, with his
Counselors, in his place, and the other Bishops in their place, and
the Priests, Teachers and Deacons in their place, and every one
feeling that they are the servants of the living God, and that they
are clothed upon with the Holy Priesthood, and that they have a duty
to perform in His kingdom—that they stand ready, at all times, to
carry out anything that God may dictate through His regularly
constituted authority in regard to themselves, their families, their
neighborhoods wherein they live, or in the Church or the world, that
their duty is to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth, to gather
the people, to build temples, and to accomplish anything and
everything that God requires, and that when we have built temples it
is our duty to administer in them, that we may be the children of God,
saviors upon Mount Zion, and be the blessed of the Lord of Hosts and
our offspring with us. This is the position we occupy here upon the
earth.

Vol. 21, p.360
Now, I will read to you from the Doctrine and Covenants. In speaking
of Priesthood we are told that, "There remains hereafter, in the due
time of the Lord, other Bishops to be set apart, in the Church, to
minister even according to the first. Wherefore they shall be High
Priests who are worthy, and they shall be appointed by the First
Presidency of the Melchisedek Priesthood, except they be literal
descendants of Aaron. If they be the literal descendants of Aaron they
have a legal right to the Bishopric, if they are the first-born among
the sons of Aaron; for the first-born holds the right of the
Presidency over this Priesthood and the keys and the authority of the
same.

Vol. 21, p.361
"No man has a legal right to this [p.361] office, to hold the keys of
this Priesthood, except he is a literal descendant of Aaron.

Vol. 21, p.361
"But as a High Priest of the Melchisedek Priesthood has authority to
officiate in all the lesser offices, he may officiate in the office of
a Bishop when no literal descendant of Aaron can be found, provided he
is called and set apart and ordained unto this power by the hands of
the Presidency of the Melchisedek Priesthood.

Vol. 21, p.361
"And a literal descendant of Aaron also must be designated by this
Presidency and found worthy, and appointed and ordained under the
hands of this Presidency; otherwise they are not legally authorized to
officiate in their Priesthood."

Vol. 21, p.361
"But by virtue of the decree concerning their right to the Priesthood
descending from father to son, they may claim their appointment if at
any time they can prove their lineage or ascertain it by revelation
from the Lord, under the hands of the above named Presidency."

Vol. 21, p.361
This is speaking more particularly in regard to the Bishops. I have
not time, to-day, to enter into many details pertaining to this; but
will simply draw your attention to one point, which is this: If we had
among us a literal descendant of Aaron, who was the firstborn, he
would have a right to the keys, or presiding authority of the
Bishopric. But then he would have to be set apart and directed by the
First Presidency, no matter what his or their claims might be, or how
clear their proofs. The same would have to be acknowledged by the
First Presidency. These claims of descent from Aaron would have to be
acknowlegded by the First Presidency, and, further, the claimant would
have to be set apart to his Bishopric by them, the same as in the case
of a High Priest of the Melchisedek Priesthood called to fill the same
office. Thus, in either case, as a literal descendant of Aaron, or as
a High Priest, the right to officiate is held first by authority of
the Priesthood, and by appointment and ordination as above stated.

Vol. 21, p.361
And, then, here is another thing I desire briefly to mention. A Bishop
of this kind, holding the keys of this Priesthood, must be set apart
by the First Presidency, and, should occasion arise, must also be
tried by the First Presidency. This, however, does not apply to all
Bishops, for there are a variety of Bishops, as for instance Bishop
Partridge, who presided over the Land of Zion, and whose duty was to
purchase land and divide it among the people, as their inheritances,
and to take charge of the temporal affairs of the Church, not only in
Zion but throughout all the western country, and also to sit as a
common judge in Israel, and to preside in the capacity of Bishop, not
to act as President over a district of country that was then called
Zion, but as a general Bishop. George Miller was afterward appointed
to the same Bishopric. Newel K. Whitney was appointed also as a
general Bishop, and presided over Kirtland and all the churches in the
eastern country. The calling of these men, you will perceive, was very
different from that of a Bishop over one of the Wards of a Stake, for
he can only preside over his own Ward; outside of that he has no
jurisdiction. While the calling of the former was general, that of the
latter is local. And there were Bishops' agents appointed formerly.
There was Sidney Gilbert; he was a Bishop's agent appointed to assist
Bishop Partridge in his duties; and Bishop Whitney also had his
assistants or [p.362] agents to assist him in his administrations, the
one presiding as Bishop over the affairs of the Church in the west,
the other presiding over the affairs of the Church in the east. But
neither of them was presiding Bishop of the Church at that time. But
you will find that afterwards George Miller was appointed to the same
Bishopric that Edward Partridge held; and that Vinson Knight was
appointed to the Presidency over the Bishopric, with Samuel H. Smith
and Shadrach Roundy as his counselors.

Vol. 21, p.362
I speak of these things to throw out some general ideas; and you will
have to examine the Doctrine and Covenants for yourselves, and this
will give to you the key how to arrive at the truth in relation to
these principles.

Vol. 21, p.362
Now, these general Bishops had to be appointed by the First
Presidency; they had to be tried by the First Presidency as well as
the Presiding Bishop, because they were general Bishops, and were
appointed by the First Presidency. But Stake Bishops stand in another
capacity. They have a presidency over them, and although it is proper
for them (the Stake Presidency) to consult with the First Presidency
of the Church, yet they preside over them, as well as over the affairs
of their Stake. There is one thing associated with this matter that I
will mention here, which is this. While you have a High Council in
your Stake, and a presidency of your Stake, you also have Brother
Charles C. Rich residing here, who is one of the First Council of the
Church. And if I were a President of this Stake I should always confer
with him about any matters of importance pertaining to the interests
of the Church in the Stake over which I presided. Because the Twelve
now hold the right of Presidency; and as he is one of the Twelve, it
would be proper, and, indeed, I should consider it quite a privilege,
if I was a president here, to apply to hint for council in all matters
pertaining to the interests of the Stake.

Vol. 21, p.362
Now, I speak of this for your information, and by so doing you will
avoid a great deal of trouble that you might otherwise fall into.
Because Brother Rich is not only an Apostle, but you, in connection
with the other Stakes, have voted for him as one of the First
Presidency, and therefore he would be the proper person to counsel in
any matters of that kind. And, then, if there should be anything not
exactly clear to him, it would be his privilege to apply to his quorum
to obtain their mind in regard to it; and when this course is adopted
everything moves on harmoniously. Now, for instance, here is Brother
Erastus Snow, he and Brother Brigham Young, under the counsel and
direction of the First Presidency, will shortly take a mission into
the southern portions of the Church, in Colorado and Arizona, and,
perhaps, in New Mexico, to look after the interests of the community
there. Over the settlements throughout those regions of country there
are Presidents, and these Presidents preside over Stakes where Stakes
are organized. Brother Snorer informs me there are two Stakes. He and
Brother Brigham go clothed upon with the authority of the First
Presidency to regulate, to set in order, and counsel in all matters
pertaining to the interests of that people. Wherever they may go, no
matter who presides, we should expect them to regard their counsel,
and to be governed by them in all of their acts. Because the  Twelve
cannot go everywhere as a body, and the interests of the [p.363]
Church are being extended, and we are growing larger all the time; and
Zion will continue to grow until the kingdoms of this world will
become the kingdoms of our God and his Christ, and that as a matter of
course means that if this is the kingdom of God and the Priesthood is
the representation of that kingdom, the proper authorities of the holy
Priesthood, wherever they go to represent the Priesthood, must be
respected in their position; and as these brethren represent the First
Presidency where they are going, they must be respected and their
counsels adhered to as such.

Vol. 21, p.363
Now if that would be proper for Brother Snow and Brother Brigham, it
would also be proper for Brother Rich, for they all hold the same
authority; and we expect them to represent to us things as they are,
that we may be enabled to counsel and direct—and they always do
counsel with us, and are glad to get our counsel. On the other hand,
for instance, I am President of the Twelve Apostles, and by that means
President of the Church at present. Well, say that Brother Rich or any
member of the Quorum of the Twelve comes along, having something to
offer or lay before the Council, I would say, such a man is an Apostle
of the Lord Jesus Christ, and I have a right to listen to his counsel
or to whatever he has got to say, and at the same time pay due
deference to it. For I am glad to have the counsel of my brethren, and
they are always pleased to receive mine. That is the kind of feeling
existing among us, and this same feeling should exist everywhere
throughout the whole Church.

Vol. 21, p.363
It is not for a member of the High Council to say, "I am one of the
prominent men, and I am going to show you how things are done here;
and furthermore, I have my own ideas about things, and am going to try
to carry them out." It will not do for a president to say that; but it
would be more in accordance with our calling for us to say, "O God,
thou art our Father, and we are thy children. We are engaged in thy
service; wilt thou, O Lord, show unto us thy will, that we may do it?"
Not our own will; we do not want to do our will nor carry out our
purposes, nor do anything for our personal aggrandizement, nor for
that of our friends or anybody else; but to do that which is right and
just and equitable before God and the holy angels and all honorable
men. And then when we have done that, we do not ask any odds of the
turbulent or dissatisfied, who are crying, good Lord and good devil,
not knowing whose hands they may fall into. We do not care about their
ideas; but we do care about having the smiles and approbation of our
Heavenly Father and of all good men. so that when we get through and
are called upon for an account of our stewardship, we may say, O God,
we have done, so far as thou hast given us ability, the work thou hast
placed in our hands. And then every member of the priesthood ought to
feel just the same; not like some of our unruly horses when they get
the bits in their mouths and run off, because they make a good deal of
trouble for themselves and other people too. We should ever seek to
operate together and be one according to the laws of the Holy
Priesthood.

Vol. 21, p.363
I now want to show something about this Priesthood, and will again
read: "As a High Priest of the Melchisedek Priesthood has authority to
officiate in all the lesser offices, he may officiate in the office of
Bishop where no literal descendant of Aaron [p.364] can be found,
provided he is called and set apart and ordained unto this power by
the hands of the presidency of the Melchisedek priesthood." There is
where it comes in, and this applies primarily to the presiding Bishop;
but I would say that it applies in a more extended view to High
Priests who are ordained and set apart as Bishops, in the several
Stakes of Zion, and who thus come under the supervision of those
presidents of Stakes, and stand in the same relationship to them that
the First Bishops did to the First Presidency of the Church. The First
Presidency at that time presided over the Stake in Kirtland, over the
High Council, over the Bishops and over all the organizations of the
Stake, and were really the presidents of that Stake. But it will be
seen that while they were presidents of the Stake and occupied the
same position that presidents now do over the Stakes, they were at the
same time presidents of the Church in all the world, whilst the
authority of our present presidents of Stakes is confined to the
limits of their several Stakes. And thus there is perfect order in all
these things in relation to these matters.

Vol. 21, p.364
I again quote: "There are in the Church two Priesthoods, namely, the
Melchisedek and Aaronic, including the Levitical Priesthood." Now I
will make a statement or two about this. What is the Levitical
Priesthood? There were in the days of Moses a tribe of the children of
Israel set apart to officiate in some of the lesser duties of the
Aaronic Priesthood, and their office was called the Levitical
Priesthood. You High Priests, you Seventies and Bishops can examine
these things from your Bible, and what the Bible does not tell you the
Book of Covenants will, and you ought to be acquainted with this
matter, it is your duty to investigate these things, to search in the
records, to examine the revelations of God and make yourselves
acquainted with principle, and laws, and governments, and all things
calculated to promote the welfare of humanity.

Vol. 21, p.364
"The office of an Elder comes under the Priesthood of Melchisedek. The
Melchisedek Priesthood holds the right of presidency, and has power
and authority over all the offices in the Church in all ages of the
world, to administer in spiritual things."

Vol. 21, p.364
"Well," say you, "I thought that; that has been my idea, the Bishops
should have all the temporal things to attend to." We will read a
little further. It is by taking up little old texts that mistakes are
often made and incorrect ideas conveyed. We must take the whole thing
to ascertain what is intended, and rightly divine the word of truth.

Vol. 21, p.364
"The Presidency of the High Priesthood, after the order of
Melchisedek, have a right to officiate in all the offices in the
Church."

Vol. 21, p.364
Now, will you show me an office, or calling, or duty, or
responsibility, temporal or spiritual, that does not come under this
statement? From this I think this Presidency have something to do with
the Bishops and temporal things as well as with the Melchisedek
Priesthood and spiritual things, and with all things pertaining to the
interests and welfare of Zion. That is the way I understand these
matters. I could enter very elaborately into these questions, but I do
not purpose to do so, there not being time. But this is the position
they occupy.

Vol. 21, p.364
"High Priests after the order of the Melchisedek Priesthood, have a
right to officiate in their own [p.365] standing, under the direction
of the Presidency, in administering spiritual things; and also in the
office of an Elder, Priest (of the Levitical order) Teacher, Deacon
and member," etc.

Vol. 21, p.365
This shows really, in as few words as the matter could be conveyed to
your understanding, the way that God has appointed for the governing
of those affairs in His Church and Kingdom, without entering
elaborately into detail.

Vol. 21, p.365
When we have a Stake organization, as you have here, the Presidency of
the Stake presides over all Bishops, High Councils, and all
authorities of the Stake. The several Bishops preside over their
respective wards and manage their affairs, under the direction of the
Stake Presidency, who in their office and calling are responsible to
the First Presidency of the Church. The Bishops are also under the
direction of presiding Bishop Hunter in all affairs connected with the
temporal interests of the Church. And Bishop Hunter is under the
direction of the First Presidency, the Aaronic Priesthood being an
appendage to the Melchisedek Priesthood. It is however, the special
duty of the Aaronic Priesthood to attend to temporal matters; but then
the First Presidency presides over all Bishops, all Presidents, all
authorities, and lastly God presides over all.

Vol. 21, p.365
Now we are sometimes fond, that is, some of us are, of talking about
our authority. It is a thing I care very little about. I tell you what
I want to do if I can: I want to know the will of God so that I may do
it; and I do not want to dictate or domineer or exercise arbitrary
control. Then again, all men ought to be under proper control to the
Presidency and Priesthood presiding over them. If I were a Bishop I
should want to know what the President of my Stake desired, and I
should confer with him: and if there was anything in which Bishop
Hunter was interested, I should want to know his mind.

Vol. 21, p.365
I will read a little further with regard to this subject of
priesthood:

Vol. 21, p.365
"How long can rolling waters remain impure? What power shall stay the
heavens? As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the
Missouri river in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream, as to
hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the
heads of the Latter-day Saints. Behold there are many called, but few
are chosen. And why are they not chosen? Because their hearts are set
so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of
men."

Vol. 21, p.365
Now, I wish you to take particular notice of this, you Elders, you
High Priests, you Seventies, and you Priests, Teachers and Deacons,
and all men holding the Priesthood; "That they do not learn this one
lesson—that the rights of the Priesthood are inseparably connected
with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be
controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness;" and
not upon any other principle. And when anybody steps aside from that
and acts upon a principle of unrighteousness, the result will be as is
stated in the context, namely: "That they 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 [p.366]
Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the
Priesthood, or authority of that man." That is the result of
wrongdoing; that is the result of perverting the authority that God
has conferred upon us to our personal ends and to gratify our own
ambition. "Behold! ere he is aware, he is left unto himself to kick
against the pricks, to persecute the Saints, and to fight against
God." Can they thwart the purposes of God? No. They are as harmless as
babies. He that sits in the heavens laughs at them, and all men
holding the Priesthood of the Son of God, care nothing about their
fulminations and the efforts they make to hinder the progress of truth
in the earth, for all they can do, we know, will be overruled for our
good. They are going the downward road that leads to death, and by and
by they will have their reward. We would like to see it otherwise, but
we cannot, that is one of the things they have to see to themselves;
it belongs to us to be true to God and to our Priesthood, and all will
be well with us.

Vol. 21, p.366
Again, we quote, "We have learned by sad experience that it is the
nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little
authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise
unrighteous dominion. Hence many are called, but few are chosen. No
power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the
Priesthood only by persuasion, by long suffering, by gentleness and
meekness and by love unfeigned; by kindness and pure knowledge, which
shall greatly enlarge the soul, without hypocrisy, and without guile,
reproving betimes with sharpness when moved upon by the Holy Ghost,
and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom
thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy, that he may
know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death. Let
thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the
household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly;
then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God, and the
doctrine of the Priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from
heaven. The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy
sceptre an unchanging sceptre of righteousness and truth, and thy
dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory
means it shall flow unto thee for ever and ever."

Vol. 21, p.366
What a beautiful state of things God presents to us! Shall we try to
live it? or shall we take our own way and pursue our own course?

Vol. 21, p.366
These things are beautiful when we reflect upon them. We all know they
are true, and they are principles which recommend themselves to our
hearts. Let us try then and live them.

Vol. 21, p.366
There are other orders of the Priesthood; we have Elders, and they
have theft duties to perform, which I do not propose to talk about
now. And we have our Priests, Teachers and Deacons, all of whom hold
important positions, and all should seek to magnify their calling. And
what should they do? I will tell you a circumstance that took place
with me upwards of forty years ago. I was living in Canada at the
time, and was a traveling Elder. I presided over a number of the
churches in that district of country. A difficulty existed in a branch
of the church, and steps were taken to have the matter  brought before
me for settlement. I thought very [p.367] seriously about it, and
thought it a very insignificant affair. Because we ought to soar above
such things, and walk on a higher plane, for we are the children of
God and should be willing to suffer wrong rather than do wrong; to
yield a good deal to our brethren for the sake of peace and quietness,
and to secure and promote good feelings among the Saints. At that time
I did not have the experience I now have, and yet I do not know that I
could do anything better than I did then. Before going to the trial I
bowed before the Lord, and sought wisdom from him to conduct the
affair aright, for I had the welfare of the people at heart. When we
had assembled I opened the meeting with prayer, and then called upon a
number of those present to pray; they did so, and the Spirit of God
rested upon us. I could perceive that a good feeling existed in the
hearts of those who had come to present their grievances, and I told
them to bring forward their case. But they said they had not anything
to bring forward. The feelings and spirit they had been in possession
of had left them, the Spirit of God had obliterated these feelings out
of their hearts, and they knew it was right for them to forgive one
another.

Vol. 21, p.367
You Priests, Teachers and Deacons, seek unto the Lord, and he will
bless you. And you, my brethren, when the Teachers visit you, do not
think that you are High Priests and that they are only Teachers hardly
worthy of your attention. They are your Teachers, and you should
reverence them. And if you expect to be honored in your calling, you
must honor them in theirs. When the Teachers come to visit me I am
pleased to see them; and I call together the members of my family that
may be in the house at the time, to hear what they have to say to us.
And I tell them to talk freely and plainly to us, to myself, my wives
and children; in other words, to do their duty as Teachers, and then I
will help them to carry out their instructions. This is how I feel
towards our Teachers. The eye cannot say to the ear, we have no need
of thee; neither the head to the feet, I have no need of thee, for if
one of the members suffer all the other members suffer with it; and if
one member rejoice, all the other members partake of the same feeling.
Consequently I feel in duty bound to attend to these things.

Vol. 21, p.367
We have here our Relief Societies, and they have done a good work. And
people are desirous to know something of these organizations. I was in
Nauvoo at the time the Relief Society was organized by the Prophet
Joseph Smith, and I was present on the occasion. At a late meeting of
the Society held in Salt Lake City I was present, and I read from a
record called the Book of the Law of the Lord, the minutes of that
meeting. At that meeting the Prophet called Sister Emma to be an elect
lady. That means that she was called to a certain work; and that was
in fulfilment of a certain revelation concerning her. She was elected
to preside over the Relief Society, and she was ordained to expound
the Scriptures. In compliance with Brother Joseph's request I set her
apart, and also ordained Sister Whitney, wife of Bishop Newel K.
Whitney, and Sister Cleveland, wife of Judge Cleveland, to be her
counselors. Some of the sisters have thought that these sisters
mentioned were, in this ordination, ordained to the priesthood. And
for the information of all interested in this subject I will say, it
is not the calling of these sisters to [p.368] hold the Priesthood,
only in connection with their husbands, they being one with their
husbands. Sister Emma was elected to expound the Scriptures, and to
preside over the Relief Society; then Sisters Whitney and Cleveland
were ordained to the same office, and I think Sister Eliza R. Snow to
be secretary. A short time ago I attended a meeting in Salt Lake City,
where Sister Snow and Sister Whitney were set apart. I happened to be
the only member of the Twelve in town at the time, the other members
of the Quorum being unavoidably absent. I went to this meeting and set
apart Sister Whitney and Sister Snow who were two of those I set apart
some forty years ago, in Nauvoo. And after I had done so, they
reminded me of the coincidence. At this meeting, however, Sister Snow
was set apart to preside over the Relief Societies in the land of
Zion, and Sister Whitney her counselor, with Sister Zina D. Young, her
other counselor. I speak of this for the information of the Sisters,
although I presume they may have read of it in their paper, the
Exponent.

Vol. 21, p.368
With regard to those Societies, I will say, they have done a good work
and are a great assistance to our Bishops, as well as being peculiarly
adapted to console, bless, and encourage those of their sisters who
need their care, and also to visit the sick, as well as to counsel and
instruct the younger women in the things pertaining to their calling
as children and Saints of the Most High. I am happy to say that we
have a great many honorable and noble women engaged in these labors of
love, and the Lord blesses them in their labors, and I bless them in
the name of the Lord. And I say to our sisters, continue to be
diligent and faithful in seeking the wellbeing and happiness of your
sex, instruct and train your own daughters in the fear of God, and
teach your sisters to do likewise, that we may be the blessed of the
Lord and our offspring with us.

Vol. 21, p.368
Our young people's Improvement Associations are very creditable
institutions, and the fruits of the labors of those engaged in this
work are already manifesting themselves. I feel in my heart to say,
God bless the young men and young women of Israel; let it be the
desire of your hearts to imitate the virtues of your parents and of
all good men and women, keeping your bodies and spirits pure before
God and man.

Vol. 21, p.368
Then, we have our Sunday Schools; and many of our brethren and sisters
in this direction are doing a good work. I would advise the
superintendents of Sunday Schools to endeavor to collect the best
talent they can to teach and instruct our children. What greater or
more honorable work can we be engaged in than in teaching the children
the principles of salvation? You that are diligent and that give your
hearts. to these things God will bless, and the day will come when the
youth of Israel will rise up and call you blessed.

Vol. 21, p.368
Then with regard to our common schools, let us try to instruct our
youth as best we can, and get the best of teachers, men and women of
intelligence and education who are not only moral, but good Latter-day
Saints; men and women who are not only capable of imparting to our
children the rudiments of education, but who are also capable of
teaching them the laws of God as he has revealed them for our
guidance. And when you get good teachers you should appreciate them,
and you should co-operate with them [p.369] in their endeavors to
teach our youth; and then see that they are properly remunerated for
their services.

Vol. 21, p.369
Some people talk about the great ignorance of the "Mormons." In regard
to education we are the peers of the United States. We, it is true, do
not possess such notable academies and universities as may be found in
the great centres of our nation, but official figures show our
educational status to be above that of the average of the United
States. And I may add, that our grade of literacy is higher than that
of the nation: When we take into consideration the fact that we have
not received one penny from any outside source, while the leading
institutions of learning have realized millions, yes scores of
millions of dollars to enable them to educate their youth. This is
something that we have a right to be proud of. Then let us continue to
encourage education; and let our trustees be alive to supply the
school houses with all the necessary charts and books; let them not
feel niggardly in regard to these things. And above all, let
everything we do conspire to advance the interests of the Church and
Kingdom of God upon the earth.

Vol. 21, p.369
I feel like saying, God bless you, my brethren and sisters. And God
bless Brother Budge, who is doing a good work in England, and who, by
the way, will be back among you very shortly. And God bless Brother
Hart and Brother Osmond, and the High Council, and the Bishops and
their counselors, and may God bless the Elders and the Seventies, and
the High Priests, together with the Relief Societies and Mutual
Improvement Associations; and may God bless all men who love Israel
and who are desirous to keep the commandments of God; and the Lord
help us to be true to our religion, and true to our God, and true to
our integrity, that we may be saved ultimately in the Celestial
Kingdom of God. I ask it in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Elder Erastus Snow

Then made the following Remarks:

Vol. 21, p.369
I feel that we have had a feast of fat things this morning; that the
remarks made by President Taylor have been replete with genuine
truths, and full of instruction and counsel, and that blessing will
abide with all those who permit these instructions to find place in
their hearts and understandings.

Vol. 21, p.369
While President Taylor was treating upon the order of the Priesthood,
the history of which has been given in the Bible through Moses, and
also in certain revelations given unto this Church through the
Prophet; Joseph Smith, he awakened a train of reflection that carried
the mind back from the time of Moses to that of Abraham, Noah, Enoch
and Adam. Adam was the first man appointed of God as the ruler of the
earth; to him it was said, thou shalt have dominion over the earth and
over the things therein. And as he began to multiply and replenish the
earth, and as his children and their families increased in the land,
there was a right of dominion given; it was called the birth-right,
and it belongs to the first-born of the sons. And this seems to have
been an order existing in the heavens even before Adam. For it is
written of Jesus, the Lamb of God; that he was the first-born of many
brethren. Moreover, his rights of dominion as the first-born continued
with him because he loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore
was he anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows. But
[p.370] notwithstanding his birthright, had be not loved righteousness
and bated iniquity, and exercised his rights and his dominion in
connection with the powers of heaven and the principles of
righteousness, he would not have been chosen nor have received this
anointing with the oil of gladness above his fellows. But because he
did exercise it rightly and pleased his Father, he was chosen, as was
his right to have been, or, I will say, his privilege rather, because
he honored his birthright, and, therefore, he was anointed above his
fellows, and became the Chief Apostle, the High Priest of our
profession, the Son, the mediator between us and the Father.

Vol. 21, p.370
The same principle fell upon Adam's children; and hence Cain, being
the first-born of his father's family, according to the Bible account,
might have been the head of this Priesthood, under his father, holding
the right by birth; but instead of exercising his birthright on the
principles of righteousness, and in accord with the powers of heaven,
he was befogged and under stood not his true position; and his
offering was not accepted. But Abel, his younger brother, who was meek
and lowly of heart, and who sought the inspiration of the Spirit, was
led to bring as his offering the firstlings of his flock, which were a
true representation of the Lamb of God; and besides, the offering was
made in the true spirit of his ministry and priesthood, therefore it
pleased the Father, and he accepted it. Then when Cain found that his
offering was not accepted, and his brother, Abel's was accepted, Satan
tempted him, and entered into him and led him into the way of all
apostates,—he became possessed with the spirit of murder. I mention it
as the first apostacy of which we have record after the fall of man,
through it Cain lost his privilege as first-born, and the blessing
fell on one more worthy, and the rights of the priesthood passed to
the next son of Adam, which according to Bible record was Seth, who
magnified the Priesthood, honored his birth-right, and held the
blessing of the Priesthood, which was sealed upon him by his father;
and from him it descended upon the righteous of his posterity.

Vol. 21, p.370
There are many instances, from that time forward, of which the
scriptures speak of this birthright continuing among the descendants
of Seth, until it came to Noah and his sons, of which sons Shem
received the blessings pertaining to the priesthood. Abraham came
through Shem, and the Savior came through this lineage; and through
this blessing of Noah upon Shem, the Priesthood continued through his
seed; while the offspring of Ham inherited a curse, and it was
because, as a revelation teaches, some of the blood of Cain became
mingled with that of Ham's family, and hence they inherited that
curse.

Vol. 21, p.370
Now we will pass by the places in the Bible which speak of this
birthright until we come to Isaac, the son of Abraham, and to Jacob,
the son of Isaac, who bought the birthright of his brother Esau. From
the story that is told of Rebekah helping her son Jacob to get the
first blessing from his father Isaac, on purpose to secure the
birthright from his brother Esau, really would be inclined to think
that deceit, dishonesty and unrighteous means were employed to secure
it, and they perhaps wonder why it should be so. This was really not
the case; it is only made to appear so in the eyes of those  who do
not understand the dealings of God with man, and the [p.371] workings
of the Holy Spirit to bring about His purposes. There was neither
unrighteousness in Rebekah nor in Jacob in this matter; but on the
contrary, there was the wisdom of the Almighty, showing forth his
providences in guiding them in such a manner as to bring about his
purposes, in influencing Esau to transfer his birthright to Jacob,
that He might ratify and confirm it upon the head of Jacob; knowing as
He did that Jacob and his seed were, and would be, more deserving of
the birthright, and would magnify it in its true spirit. While Esau
did not sense nor appreciate his condition and birthright; he did not
respect it as he should have done, neither did be hearken to the
counsels of his father and mother, On the contrary, he went his own
way with, a stubborn will, and followed his own passions and
inclinations and took to wife one of the daughters of the Cannaanites
whom the Lord had not blessed; land he therefore rendered himself
unacceptable to God and to his father and mother. He gave himself to
wild pursuits—to hunting, and to following the ways of the Canaanites,
and displeased the Lord and his parents, and was not worthy of this
right of seniority. The Lord therefore saw fit to take it from him,
and the mother was moved upon to help the younger son to bring about
the purpose of the Lord, in securing to himself the blessing through
the legitimate channel of the Priesthood. And as you know, his father
was induced to bless him and confirm this blessing upon him.

Vol. 21, p.371
Now, whilst all these instances in Scripture recognize the right
called the birthright, that has descended from the beginning, the same
principle is exhibited in all those instances set forth in the
revelation read by President Taylor—that none can hold these rights of
the Priesthood except in connection with the powers of heaven, and
cannot be exercised only on the principles of righteousness; and all
who fail to exercise these rights on the principles of righteousness
and in connection with the powers of heaven subject to its counsels
and directions and laws, forfeit their birthright, and the right
passes to another.

Vol. 21, p.371
We have another instance of this kind in Reuben, the eldest of the
twelve sons of Jacob. We find that the birthright passed from him. He
committed a transgression which offended the Lord and offended his
father, and it was of such a character that it could not be passed
over with impunity; and the birthright was taken from him and given to
the sons of Joseph. We find it explained in Chronicles, that because
Reuben defiled his father's bed, the birthright was taken from him and
given to the sons of Joseph; and the Priesthood was reckoned after
that lineage, though Judah prevailed above his brethren to this
extent, that through him came the Chief Ruler of Israel, while unto
Ephraim, the son of Joseph, was given the keys of the Priesthood—or
those rights that apply to the birthright. Of the two sons of
Joseph—Ephraim and Manassah, the Lord said, Manassah shall be great,
but Ephraim shall be greater than he; and he shall become a multitude
in the earth. And when the patriarch was blessing Joseph's two sons,
though he was blind, he was careful to cross his hands in blessing the
boys. Joseph observing what his father was doing, informed him that he
was putting his right hand on the head of the younger boy, but the old
man replied, I know it, my son. The Spirit of the Lord prompted him to
do as he did—to confer the greater blessing upon Ephraim, the younger
brother. It [p.372] was for this reason that God spake through the
mouth of Jeremiah concerning the gathering of Israel: "I am a father
to Israel, and Ephraim is my first-born." That is according to his
purposes. He acknowledged and re-confirmed this birthright upon
Ephraim the younger of the two sons of Joseph, when he referred to the
dispensation of the fullness of times and the ushering in of its great
work—when the Lord should set his hand to gather His people, and be a
father to Israel, even to Ephraim His firstborn.

Vol. 21, p.372
Now, the Levitical Priesthood referred to was not a new Priesthood. We
do not understand it to be an order of the Priesthood instituted at
the time Israel was in the wilderness of Sinai, but that it had been
from the beginning a part of the Holy Priesthood, an appendage, or a
subdivision, or branch of the same Priesthood. The rights of this
descended from father to son, among the first-born, unless the
first-born failed to appreciate it and exercise it in righteousness.
In that event it passed to one of the others.

Vol. 21, p.372
We see the same principle set forth when the Lord commanded Moses to
take the tribe of Levi and set them apart to be Priests. He told them
the reason. Now, said He, I have claimed the first-born of all the
families of Israel as my own. When I sent forth my angel to smite the
first-born of the sons of Egypt, I caused mine angel to pass by the
families of Israel, that he smite not their first-born. In remembrance
of this He instituted the ordinance called the Passover, to preserve
in the minds of the Israelites, the occasion when the Lord passed over
their first-born, while the first-born of the sons of Egypt He caused
to be slain. For this reason, He said, I have consecrated the
first-born as mine own; and now, said He to Moses, I will take from
the tribes of Israel the house of Levi, and you shall consecrate them
to officiate, etc. This principle has continued from the beginning. We
see it exemplified in the calling of the Lamb of God, who was the
first born among many brethren, and was in all things obedient to his
Father; who loved righteousness and hated iniquity, and was therefore
chosen and anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows. So in
after years, those who in like manner exercised their birthright in
connection with the powers of heaven, and on the principles of virtue,
integrity and righteousness had these rights confirmed upon him. But
in no case, when acting unrighteously, were they chosen to receive the
confirmation of the ordinances of the Priesthood. In the days of Eli,
who permitted his sons, who were heirs of the Priesthood, to set bad
examples and work iniquities in Israel, God held the father
responsible for their course, and He destroyed both Eli and his sons,
and raised up another in his place.

Vol. 21, p.372
The article read in your hearing from the Doctrine and Covenants,
shows most clearly that the rights and blessings and keys of this
Priesthood can only be held and exercised in connection with the
powers of heaven and on the principles of righteousness. It is most
beautiful to contemplate. It is like apples of gold in pictures of
silver.

Vol. 21, p.372
And that God may enable and preserve these things in our hearts, and
that we may attain to all He has prepared for us, is my earnest
prayer, in the name of Jesus Amen. [p.373]

John Taylor, October 7, 1879

Opposition to the Work of God, Etc.

Delivered at the General Conference, Salt Lake City,
 Tuesday Afternoon, Oct. 7th, 1879.

(Reported by Geo. F. Gibbs.)

Vol. 21, p.373
[Owing to press of important business the publication of this
discourse has been delayed. Its contents will be found as valuable
today as when it was delivered.—Ed D.E.N.]

Vol. 21, p.373
I will state to the Conference that we have no financial account to
present, because we do not get our returns from the various Stakes
until the close of each year; in consequence of this we find it
impracticable to present a satisfactory account to the General
Conference oftener than once a year.

Vol. 21, p.373
The Lord has given us a certain work to accomplish; and the feelings
or ideas of men in the world in relation to this work have but little
to do with us. We are gathered here for the express purpose of
building up the Church and Kingdom of God upon the earth. We are
endeavoring to do this—that is, a great many of the people are, to the
very best of their ability; and we consider ourselves responsible to
God for the action we take and for the course we pursue in relation to
the fulfilment of His purposes. We think that in building Temples,
sending the Gospel to the nations of the earth and prosecuting our
other labors that we are carrying out the word and will, and the
commands of God. Yet it not unfrequently happens, that when we are
doing our very best to promote correct principles among ourselves, as
well as to spread them abroad, even to all nations, that we meet with
determined and unrelenting opposition. This we cannot help. We do not
seek it, but we do not fear it.

Vol. 21, p.373
There has existed a principle of antagonism ever since the dawn of
creation, namely, the powers of God have been opposed by the powers of
the Evil One. Satan and wicked men have operated to subvert the plans
and designs of Jehovah. And if we have a little of such opposition to
contend with in our day, there is nothing new in it. The martyr
Stephen when arraigned before "the Council" to answer to a charge of
blasphemy, said, "Which of the prophets have not your fathers
persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before of the coming
of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and
murderers." We have always expected that there would be a spirit of
antagonism to the Church and Kingdom of God, and our Elders have been
telling us, more or less, during the last fifty years, that this
feeling still existed [p.374] and, indeed, every now and then, we have
occasion to believe them; or, to use an old saying, "The devil is not
dead yet;" and he uses his influence now, as in former days, to oppose
the principles that God has revealed.

Vol. 21, p.374
We are gathered here from many nations in order that God may plant
among us the principles and laws of eternal lives; that we may operate
in the Priesthood with the holy men who hold it in former ages, and
with God the Father, and with Jesus the Mediator, and with the holy
angels in the interests of mankind, not only in things pertaining to
ourselves individually, but in those that concern the whole world; not
only to the people that now live, but also to those who have lived;
for the plans of God reach back into eternity and forward into
eternity, and we are being taught and instructed through the holy
Melchisedek Priesthood, which holds now, as in past ages, the keys of
the mysteries of the revelations of God. It is our privilege to
operate through this order, with men who have held the same keys and
possessed the same powers and have had the same communication with
God, and who have, looked forward to the time, with joyful
anticipation, that we now live in, namely, to the dispensation of the
fulness of times. For this purpose we are gathered together, for this
purpose we are building Temples according to the order and revelations
of God—for until He revealed these things to us we knew nothing about
them. And the world of mankind to day know nothing about Temples and
their uses. If we were to build Temples for them according to the
order of God, they would not know how to administer in them; neither
could we know had the Lord not revealed to us how to do it, which he
did through the Prophet Joseph. We are acting upon this revealed
knowledge to-day, seeking to carry out the will, the designs and the
purposes of God, in the interest of common humanity, not for a few
people only, not for the people of the United States only, nor for
those of two or three nations, but for the people of the whole world.
And the hearts of the people are being drawn after these principles;
or, in other words, the hearts of the children are being turned
towards the fathers, as well as the hearts of the fathers towards the
children.

Vol. 21, p.374
The spirit that is being manifested in the various Stakes of Zion is
very creditable in this respect to the Latter-day Saints. And we
purpose, God being our helper, and the devil not hindering us to go on
with our work, to build our Temples and to administer in them and to
act as the friends of God upon the earth. And if we are not His
friends, He has none, for there is no people anywhere, except the
Latter-day Saints, who will listen to His laws—and as they say
sometimes, "it's a tight squeeze" for us to do it. The question is,
Shall we falter in our calculations; I think not; but I think we will
say, as the ancient servant of God said to a man who was seeking to
hinder the progress of the building of a Temple to the Lord of Hosts:
"I am doing a great work; hinder me not." We are doing a great work,
and we would say to our outside friends and to people generally who
are not conversant with our affairs, will you be so kind as to let us
alone and hinder us not; so that we may go on with our labor of love
in the common interests of humanity and in our efforts to promote the
welfare of the world at large.

Vol. 21, p.375
[p.375] This is one thing we have to do, and we will try to do it, the
Lord being our helper.

Vol. 21, p.375
Then another thing we are called upon to do is to preach the Gospel to
every creature throughout the world. "Why, the people will oppose
you?" That they always did. But Jesus said, and I will say by way of
repeating His words—for they are as true to-day as they ware in His
day—"Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and
shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven;
for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." Therefore
we need not be troubled about it. When we first started out in this
work we never looked for anything else, and we have not looked in vain
either; we have found an abundance of it, and we have commenced to
regard it as a natural thing. But we must not forget that we owe a
duty to the world. The Lord has given to us the light of eternity; and
we are commanded not to conceal our light under a bushel, but on the
contrary we should let it shine forth as a city set upon a hill that
cannot be hid. We need not try to get into an out-of-the-way corner
from the gaze of the public eye, for we cannot. We thought we had
wandered a long way from civilization when we came here; but,
according to the remarks of the speakers this morning, a certain
degree of it has followed us, and we are not quite out of it yet. But
there are some things we can do. We will let them pursue their course,
and we will ask them, if they will be so good and so kind as to let us
worship God according to the dictates of our consciences. This is not
a very great boon to ask of anybody. Still we do ask that we may be
permitted, in this land of liberty, in this land which we call the
home of the brave and the land of the free; the asylum of the
oppressed of all nations, we ask that we may have the simple privilege
of worshiping God according to the dictates of our own consciences.
Then, while they are trying to injure us, we will try to do them good.
We will teach them good principles at home, and we will send the
Gospel abroad. And the kind of men we want as bearers of this Gospel
message are men who have faith in God; men who have faith in their
religion; men who honor their Priesthood; men in whom the people who
know them have faith and in whom God has confidence, and not some poor
unfortunate beings who are wanted to leave a place because they cannot
live in it; but we want men full of the Holy Ghost and the power of
God that they may go forth weeping bearing precious seed and sowing
the seeds of eternal life, and then returning with gladness, bringing
their sheaves with them. These are the kind of men we want. We do not
want the names of men of the former class presented to us to go on
missions; if they are and we find it out, we shall not send them; for
such men cannot go with our fellowship and good feeling. Men who bear
the words of life among the nations, ought to be men of honor,
integrity, virtue and purity; and this being the command of God to us,
we shall try and carry it out.

Vol. 21, p.375
Some imagine that we have almost got through with our work; when the
truth of the matter is, we have hardly commenced yet. Here is Brother
Joseph Young, who represents the Seventies,—Brother [p.376] Joseph,
how many Seventies are there enrolled? [Brother Young replied that
there were 5,320]. I am told that there are 5,320 Seventies; we expect
to call upon a great many of these men to go abroad and proclaim the
fulness of the Gospel. We received a small order lately—you know, we
talk business sometimes—for forty missionaries to go and labor in one
place; they did not send the money to pay their fares; but then, we
have the missionaries, and we will trust in God for our pay and we
shall get it if we are found doing His will and carrying out His
purposes.

Vol. 21, p.376
Again, another duty we have to do is to preserve the order of God
among ourselves. And here is a great responsibility resting upon the
Presidents of Stakes and their Counselors, and upon the Bishops and
their Counselors, and upon all men holding authority in the Church and
Kingdom of God, and upon the Twelve specially, to see that the order
of God is carried out, and that iniquity does not exist among the
Saints of the Most High God.

Vol. 21, p.376
We talk sometimes about the outside world, and we sometimes indulge in
casting reflections upon them—and there is plenty of room for it, no
doubt; but then, what of ourselves? What do we do? Do not our own
members keep some of the very saloons we talk about? and do not we
engage in this business because we are afraid somebody else will? Why,
that is the argument of the thief. He says, "If I do not steal,
somebody else will," But, besides, say these brethren, "We want to get
a living." But before I would live in that way, I would die and make
an end of it; I would not be mixed up with such concerns nor have any
hand in them, but pursue another and more honorable course to get a
living than in seeking to put the cup to the mouth of the drunkard and
in leading our youth and others who may be inclined that way, in the
path that leads to death. What else do we do? Why some of us Elders,
and some of us High Priests and Seventies, frequent these places and
get drunk and disgrace ourselves and our families, and the people with
whom we are associated. And what else do we do? We are commanded to
remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy; and yet we find that our
trains leave this city every Sabbath, until the weather gets too cold
to bathe, carrying many of our people, who indulge in all kinds of
amusements and thus violate tike Sabbath, which we are commanded to
keep holy, which many respectable Gentiles would never think of doing.
And yet you are Latter-day Saints, are you? You are a good people, and
you will talk about the gift of the Holy Ghost and the Spirit of God
being in you, while you ate violating some of the plainest everyday
principles of the Gospel of Christ.