,discourses of ,brigham ,young ,,second ,,president ,,of ,,the ,,church ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ ,,of ,,latter-,,day ,,saints ,i am called to preach the ,gospel of ,life and ,salvation4 --,journal of ,discourses1 ,vol4 #h1 p4 #aa ----- ,selected and ,arranged ,by ,,john ,a4 ,,widtsoe ----- ,salt ,lake ,city1 ,utah ,,preface ,,brigham ,,young1 second ,president of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 and first ,governor of ,utah1 was the founder and chief builder of the ,great ,intermountain ,west of the ,united ,states of ,america4 ,he is recognized as one of the foremost colonizers and empire builders of all time4 ,his unsurpassed methods of conquering for human use the ,great ,american ,desert1 have been adopted to some degree by all who1 since his day1 have been engaged in the reclamation and settlement of unoccupied lands1 especially under a low rainfall4 ,statesmen1 scholars and business men have acclaimed the leadership1 organizing power and sound philosophy which brought social and economic happiness to the people who were led into the wilderness by ,brigham ,young4 ,he not only brought contentment to the people1 gathered from many lands1 but he guided the ,church over which he presided1 until1 at his death1 it was larger in numbers and more firmly established than ever before4 ,the tremendous world significance of the labors of ,brigham ,young1 and the universal applicability of his methods1 under modern conditions1 make it certain that the work he accomplished was not due1 primarily1 to the gigantic personality of the man4 ,rather1 the success achieved must have been due to the possession of a life philosophy of sufficient depth and extent to meet varying human needs4 ,another man1 of less dominant personality1 armed with the same principles1 would have won success4 ,as he1 himself1 would say1 it was the possession of the ,gospel of ,life and ,salvation that enabled him and his associates to do the work so well4 ,in fact1 ,brigham ,young was first a spiritual teacher and secondly a material leader4 ,the religion that he professed made him the man that he became2 its principles were used in guiding the people in all their affairs4 ,books enough to fill a library have been written about the history1 character and accomplishments of ,brigham ,young4 ,few of these books attempt to analyze the system of doctrine and practice that brought unbounded success to the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,many display such extreme religious partisanship that even the sympathetic reader can place no reliance upon their statements4 ,something harsher might be said about the large number of books written about ,brigham ,young and his times that manifestly aim to secure popularity by appealing to the sensational and the lurid1 at the expense of truth4 ,even recently1 when the years have given perspective1 some writers have set up hypotheses concerning ,brigham ,young1 and have proceeded to argue the case--as if that were history6 ,it is amazing that intelligent people1 knowing the high order of accomplishments of the ,latter-day ,saints1 give credence to the weird and crude stories1 appealing to the baser emotions of mankind1 which fill the pages of anti-,mormon literature4 ,in this book ,brigham ,young is allowed to speak for himself4 ,excerpts have been made from his many discourses1 and these have been arranged to show the coherent system of faith which he continuously taught his people and by which he was enabled to win success for his followers4 ,the philosophy thus set forth is clear and unmistakable in its purpose4 ,it reveals ,brigham ,young as a man who applied the simple principles of the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ to the everyday affairs of men2 and who proved the efficacy1 in common life1 among common men1 of the ,gospel of the ,son of ,god4 ,this book was made possible because ,brigham ,young secured stenographic reports of his addresses4 ,as he traveled among the people1 reporters accompanied him4 ,all that he said was recorded4 ,practically all of these discourses 7from ,december #af1 #ahea to ,august #ai1 #ahgg7 were published in the ,journal of ,discourses1 which was widely distributed4 ,the public utterances of few great historical figures have been so faithfully and fully preserved4 ,clearly1 this mass of material1 covering nearly thirty years of incessant public speaking could not be presented with any hope of serving the general reader1 save in the form of selections of essential doctrines4 ,the discourses1 from which this volume has been culled1 were spoken extemporaneously4 ,the state papers of ,governor ,brigham ,young1 and the epistles signed by him and his counselors in the ,presidency of the ,church1 have not been used in this collection4 ,the excerpts here presented came from his lips under the inspiration1 at the moment1 of the ,power that guided his life4 ,the corrections for the printer1 as shown by existing manuscripts1 were few and of minor consequence4 ,the discourses are a remarkable self-revelation of the character and moving impulses of a man who accomplished huge tasks for his generation4 ,it is marvelous that the enemies of ,brigham ,young1 with this wealth of material before them1 have found so little to use to his disadvantage4 ,but1 a dishonest or insincere man would not have had his public utterances reported and published all over the world4 ,the consistency of the views presented1 from the first to the last discourse1 would be astounding1 were it not for the fact that he clung constantly for interpretation to the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ as he had been taught it by the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith4 ,his devotion to his teacher and predecessor1 the ,prophet1 is tenderly beautiful4 ,the school education of ,brigham ,young was very limited1 but his discourses show a wide knowledge of men and affairs and an excellent power to use the ,english language clearly and forcefully4 ,often1 his simple eloquence rises to great heights4 ,those who heard him speak have declared that they were held in tense attention1 however long the address might be4 ,his vivid imagination1 dramatic power and unquestioned sincerity made him a natural orator4 ,he seldom confined himself to one subject in his discourses4 ,the needs of the day were the themes about which he wound his teachings4 ,no liberties have been taken1 in this book1 with the words of ,brigham ,young4 ,in a few instances1 errors in language or spelling1 which should have been caught by the printer1 have been corrected4 ,all distinct sentiments1 as expressed in the discourses1 are represented by one or more quotations1 except such as refer to conditions now no longer existing4 ,the excerpts are confined to the principles of the ,gospel4 ,the mass of historical and autobiographical detail could not be included without making this volume too large for popular use4 ,as it is1 severe pruning and elimination have been employed to enable the inclusion of the message of each of the #cfc addresses in the ,journal of ,discourses1 and the many others printed in the ,deseret ,news1 the ,millennial ,star and other periodicals4 ,the many summaries of ,brigham ,young's discourses1 appearing in the ,deseret ,news have not been used4 ,the excerpts contained in this volume are from verbatim reports4 ,the figures at the end of each excerpt indicates the volume and page of the ,journal of ,discourses4 ,these discourses are ,brigham ,young's witness to the existence of ,god1 the divine mission of ,jesus the ,christ1 the restoration of the ,gospel in its fulness by ,joseph ,smith1 the ,prophet1 and the possibility of securing happiness here and hereafter by obedience to the requirements of the ,gospel4 ,this volume is but another testimony that the ,lord continues to speak through his prophets4 ,,preface ,,to ,,second ,,edition ,the reception of this book far surpassed the hopes of the publishers4 ,the first edition of fifteen thousand was soon exhausted4 ,the second edition of ten thousand is the same as the first edition except for some minor letter corrections4 ,,the ,,publishers4 ,feb4 #ae1 #aibf4 ,,contents ,,chapter ,i ,,the ,,gospel ,,defined ,composed of ,eternal ,laws--,embraces all ,truth--,increasing ,knowledge of ,gospel--,holds ,power of ,priesthood--,the ,gospel of ,life and ,salvation--,offers ,salvation to ,all--,a ,guide in ,daily ,life--,a ,fountain of ,truth--,we ,need a ,practical ,religion--,temporal ,labors are ,necessary--,we ,need a ,present ,everyday ,religion--,we ,must ,learn to ,support ,ourselves ,,chapter ,,ii ,,the ,,godhead ,our ,father in ,heaven--,personality and ,fatherhood of ,god--,the ,son of ,god--the ,holy ,ghost ,,chapter ,,iii ,,the ,,communication ,,between ,,god ,,and ,,man ,the ,spirit of ,god--,revelation--,angels--,prayer ,,chapter ,,iv ,,pre-,,existence1 ,,the ,,plan ,,of ,,salvation ,time--,the ,organized ,universe--,man and ,matter ,eternal--,man the ,offspring of ,god--,the ,spirit of ,man--,the ,council in ,heaven--,the ,plan of ,salvation ,,chapter ,v ,,free ,,agency ,definition of ,,chapter ,,vi ,,the ,,power ,,of ,,evil ,lucifer--,false ,spirits--,priestcraft--,sin and ,wickedness--,temptation--,apostasy ,,chapter ,,vii ,,the ,,law ,,of ,,eternal ,,progression ,object of ,mortal ,life--,man to ,endure ,forever--,the ,business of life--,prepare to ,live--,eternal ,increase--,blessings are ,proportioned to our ,capacity ,,chapter ,,viii ,,the ,,destiny ,,of ,,man ,the ,gift of ,eternal ,life--,eternal ,increase--,the ,celestial ,world--,opposition to ,death ,,chapter ,,ix ,,dispensations ,,of ,,the ,,gospel ,the ,earth--,adam and ,eve--,enoch and ,moses--,jesus on ,earth--,the ,apostasy--,the ,restoration--,the ,book of ,mormon ,,chapter ,x ,,the ,,last ,,days ,confusion of the ,last ,days--,ultimate ,triumph of ,righteousness--,return to ,jackson ,county--,coming of ,christ--,the ,millennium--,rapid ,movements in the ,last ,days--,zion--,the ,land of ,zion--,the ,city of ,zion--,purpose of ,gathering--,the ,jews and ,jerusalem--,the ,indians or ,lamanites ,,chapter ,,xi ,,the ,,scriptures ,the ,bible--the ,standard ,church ,works--,the ,use of the ,scriptures ,,chapter ,,xii ,,the ,,priesthood ,the ,priesthood--,the ,first ,presidency--,the ,apostle and ,melchizedek ,priesthood--,the ,bishop and the ,aaronic ,priesthood--,church ,organization and ,government ,,chapter ,,xiii ,,the ,,first ,,principles ,,of ,,the ,,gospel ,importance of the ,principles of the ,gospel--,need of ,ordinances--,faith--,repentance--,bapti sm--,the ,gift of the ,holy ,ghost--,healing the ,sick ,,chapter ,,xiv ,,the ,,sabbath2 ,,meetings2 ,,the ,,sacrament ,how to ,spend the ,sabbath ,day--,worship on ,every ,day--,preaching and ,listening in ,meetings--,testimony ,meetings--,the ,sacrament of the ,lord's ,supper ,,chapter ,,xv ,,tithing2 ,,the ,,united ,,order ,the ,law of ,tithing--,the ,lord has ,given ,all--,people ,not ,compelled to ,pay ,tithing--,use of the ,tithing--,the ,united ,order ,,chapter ,,xvi ,,the ,,word ,,of ,,wisdom ,moderation--,the ,word of ,wisdom--,live ,long--,eating for ,health--,living ,out-of-,doors--,exercise and ,mental ,vigor--,physiological ,differences--,feeding ,children--,the ,giving of the ,word of ,wisdom ,,chapter ,,xvii ,,the ,,family ,virtue--,marriage--,do ,not ,marry ,unbelievers--,birth ,control--,the ,husband--,the ,wife--,children--,family ,life--,importance of ,early ,training--,influence of the ,mother--,teach ,children the ,gospel--,parents ,should ,teach by ,example--,guides for ,child ,training--,need of ,parent ,training ,,chapter ,,xviii ,,some ,,womanly ,,duties ,the ,housewife--,woman's ,fashions--,some ,duties of the ,relief ,societies ,,chapter ,,xix ,,obedience ,counsel--,obedience--,effect of ,obedience--,obedience and ,free ,agency----,effects of ,disobedience ,,chapter ,,xx ,,gratitude1 ,,humility1 ,,devotion1 ,,liberality1 ,,honesty ,gratitude--,humility--,devotion to the ,gospel--,give ,freely--,be ,honest--,honest in ,labor--,consistency and ,sincerity ,,chapter ,,xxi ,,happiness ,,and ,,social ,,enjoyments ,saints ,should be ,happy--,social ,amusements--,dancing--,the ,theater--,excursions ,,chapter ,,xxii ,,education ,knowledge and ,intelligence--,a ,religion of ,improvement--,knowledge to be ,sought--,continuous ,education--,effects of ,education--,educate ,our ,children--,establish ,schools--,what to ,study--,religious ,education--,science and ,religion--the ,body and the ,mind--,studies in ,sunday ,schools ,,chapter ,,xxiii ,,self ,,control ,the ,will of ,man--,self-,control ,necessary--,check your ,words--,cease your ,anger--,learn to ,know ,ourselves--,let us ,mind our own ,business ,,chapter ,,xxiv ,,our ,,fellow-,,men ,love ,each ,other--,let us be ,merciful--,show ,charity--,establish ,confidence--,avoid ,contention--,do not ,deal ,judgment--,respect for ,neighbors--,lady and ,gentleman ,defined--,the ,negro--,the ,generous ,nature ,,chapter ,,xxv ,,unity ,,and ,,co-,,operation ,be of ,one ,mind and ,one ,heart--,perfect ,oneness will ,save a ,people--,unity in ,god's ,work1 the ,strength of ,zion--,advantage of ,temporal ,unity--,unity ,does not ,mean ,individual ,uniformity--the ,co-operative ,movement ,,chapter ,,xxvi ,,thrift ,,and ,,industry ,faith and ,works--,time ,should be ,spent ,wisely--,labor ,indispensable--,let ,nothing go to ,waste--,we ,must be a ,self-sustaining ,people--,the ,elements of ,wealth are ,around ,us--,agriculture--,manufacturing--,comm erce--,capital and ,labor--,build ,good ,houses and ,beautiful ,cities--,accumulate ,property--,debt ,,chapter ,,xxvii ,,wealth ,wealth ,belongs to the ,lord--,uncertainty of ,temporal ,possessions--,the ,sin of ,covetousness--,true ,riches--,gold is not ,wealth--,how to ,become ,wealthy--,wealth ,must be ,used--,wealth ,brings ,happiness ,only ,when ,used for the ,gospel--,some ,dangers of ,wealth--,the ,poor ,,chapter ,,xxviii ,,missionary ,,work ,the ,gospel to be ,preached to all ,men--,help to ,save ,every ,person--,words to ,departing ,missionaries--,advice to ,missionaries in the ,field--,the ,returned ,missionary--,the ,gospel is ,preached with ,authority--,the ,spirit1 not ,logic or ,debate1 ,makes ,converts--,humility and ,devotion1 the ,essentials--,preach only that which is ,known--,hints to ,teachers ,,chapter ,,xxix ,,visions1 ,,mysteries ,,and ,,miracles ,visions of a ,personal ,matter--,leave ,alone ,mysteries--,providences of ,god1 all ,miracles--,miracles for ,believers--,faith not ,dependent on ,miracles ,,chapter ,,xxx ,,trials ,,and ,,persecution ,trials are ,necessary--,purpose of ,persecution--,persecution ,may be ,expected--,meet ,trials ,cheerfully--,cause of ,persecution--,disobedience ,causes ,persecution--,result of ,persecution--,cannot ,overtake ,falsehood--,danger of ,persecuting the ,saints--,persecution ,comes from ,efforts of ,few ,,chapter ,,xxxi ,,political ,,government ,theocratic ,government--,republican ,government--,god and ,governments--,fitness of ,rulers--,labor and ,politics--,saints and ,politics--,the ,constitution of ,u4 ,s4 an ,inspired ,document--,the ,saints ,will ,yet ,save the ,constitution--,religious ,liberty ,should be ,observed--,opposed to ,corrupt ,administrators of ,law--,the ,president of the ,u4 ,s4--,political ,parties--,states' ,rights--,forebodings of the ,civil ,war--,war--,woman ,suffrage ,,chapter ,,xxxii ,,death ,,and ,,resurrection ,the ,body ,must ,return to ,mother ,earth--,man ,should ,live out ,his ,days--,we ,should ,not ,mourn for the ,righteous ,dead--,our ,identity will be ,preserved--,our ,bodies will be ,resurrected--,jesus1 the ,first ,fruits of the ,resurrection--,the ,resurrected ,body--,resurrection ,necessary to ,full ,salvation ,,chapter ,,xxxiii ,,the ,,spirit ,,world ,all go to the ,spirit ,world--,where is the ,spirit ,world--,labors in the pet ,world--,life in the ,spirit ,world ,,chapter ,,xxxiv ,,eternal ,,judgment ,judgment ,according to ,works--,honesty in ,action ,will ,temper ,judgment--,hell ,defined--,the ,second ,death--,measure of ,human ,judgment ,,chapter ,,xxxv ,,salvation ,universal ,salvation--,the ,way to ,salvation--,salvation an ,individual ,work--,many ,degrees of ,salvation--,exaltation ,proportioned to ,capacity--,the ,celestial ,kingdom ,,chapter ,,xxxvi ,,temples ,,and ,,salvation ,,for ,,the ,,dead ,saints ,always ,commanded to ,build ,temples--,temples ,indispensable for ,higher ,ordinances--,endowments ,given in ,temples--,vicarious ,work for the ,dead in ,temples--,who ,should ,represent the ,dead--,saviors on ,mount ,zion--,powers of ,evil ,opposed to ,temple ,building--,the ,salt ,lake ,temple--,address at the ,laying of the ,corner ,stone of the ,salt ,lake ,temple--,st4 ,george ,temple ,,chapter ,,xxxvii ,,man',s ,,search ,,for ,,truth ,,and ,,salvation ,man ,desires ,salvation--,humanity ,loves ,truth and ,righteousness--,human ,family ,alike in ,sentiments--,a ,variety of ,human ,gifts--,man's ,powers are ,limited--,man ,must have ,confidence in ,himself--,man ,always ,dependent--,we ,must ,fight ,our ,battles--,how to ,know ,oneself--,our ,good ,character ,must be ,cherished--,the ,need of ,leaders--,duty and ,responsibility of ,man ,,chapter ,,xxxviii ,,testimony ,,of ,,the ,,truth ,all ,latter-day ,saints ,may ,know the ,gospel is ,true--,how a ,witness of the ,truth is ,won--,why ,some ,men ,reject the ,gospel--,testimony ,not ,built ,upon a ,man--,joseph ,smith a ,witness of the ,truth--,a ,duty to ,listen to the ,truth ,,chapter ,,xxxix ,,the ,,church ,,and ,,kingdom ,,of ,,god ,,on ,,earth ,israel--,the ,church and the ,kingdom--,an ,object of the ,church--,the ,kingdom of ,god to ,develop ,gradually--,the ,effect of the ,kingdom of ,god--,it ,will ,continue--,the ,business of ,latter-day ,saints--,individual ,labor ,required in the ,kingdom of ,god--,the ,kingdom of ,god or ,nothing ,,chapter ,,xl ,,some ,,effects ,,of ,,the ,,gospel ,the ,nature of the ,gospel--,some of the ,effects of the ,gospel--,his ,personal ,joy in the ,gospel--,blessings ,continued ,upon ,good ,works--,increasing ,blessings--,personal ,blessings ,upon the ,people ,,chapter ,,xli ,,joseph ,,smith ,,the ,,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 a ,prophet of ,god--,joseph ,called and ,directed by ,god--,the ,development of the ,prophet--,what ,joseph ,taught--,results of the ,prophet's ,labors--,persecutions of the ,prophet--,the ,prophet ,harassed by ,law-suits--,joseph of ,good ,character--,why the ,prophet was ,killed--,joseph's ,work in the ,spirit ,world--,nature of the ,prophet and ,his ,family--,the ,twelve1 the ,successors of the ,prophet--,some ,sayings of the ,prophet ,,chapter ,,xlii ,,the ,,settlement ,,in ,,the ,,west ,the ,journey ,across the ,plains--,the ,mormon ,battalion--,settlement in the ,great ,salt ,lake ,valley #a ,discourses of ,brigham ,young ,,chapter ,i ,,the ,,gospel ,,defined ,composed of ,eternal ,laws--,the ,gospel of the ,son of ,god that has been revealed is a plan or system of laws and ordinances1 by strict obedience to which the people who inhabit this earth are assured that they may return again into the presence of the ,father and the ,son4 #ac3bcc ,a ,footnote ,a3 ,the numbers at the end of each excerpt refer to the volume and page of the ,journal of ,discourses4 ,where the excerpt occurs thus1 #ac3bcc1 it means ,journal of ,discourses1 volume #ac1 page #bcc4 ,the laws of the ,gospel are neither more nor less than a few of the principles of eternity revealed to the people1 by which they can return to heaven from whence they came4 ,we delight in the heavenly law--in that law that will preserve us to all eternity4 #h3bjh4 ,the laws and ordinances which the ,lord has revealed in these latter days1 are calculated to save all the sons and daughters of ,adam and ,eve who have not sinned against the ,holy ,ghost1 for all will be saved in a kingdom of glory1 though it may not be in the celestial kingdom1 for there are many mansions4 #ae3abb4 #b ,our religion is nothing more nor less than the true order of heaven--the system of laws by which the gods and the angels are governed4 ,are they governed by law8 ,certainly4 ,there is no being in all the eternities but what is governed by law4 ,who desires to have liberty and no law8 ,they who are from beneath4 #ad3bhj4 ,our religion1 in common with everything of which ,god is the ,author1 is a system of law and order4 ,he has instituted laws and ordinances for the government and benefit of the children of men1 to see if they would obey them and prove themselves worthy of eternal life by the law of the celestial worlds4 ,this holy ,priesthood that we talk about is a perfect system of government4 ,by obedience to these laws we expect to enter the celestial kingdom and to be exalted4 #ad3ie4 ,the principles of truth and goodness1 and of eternal lives and the power of ,god are from eternity to eternity4 ,the principle of falsehood and wickedness1 the power of the ,devil and the power of death are also from eternity to eternity4 ,these two powers have ever existed and always will exist in all the eternities that are yet to come4 #aa3bcd4 ,embraces ,all ,truth--,our religion measures1 weighs1 and circumscribes all the wisdom in the world--all that ,god has ever revealed to man4 ,god has revealed all the truth that is now in the possession of the world1 whether it be scientific or religious4 ,the whole world are under obligation to him for what they know and enjoy2 they are indebted to him for it all1 and ,i acknowledge him in all things4 #h3afb4 ,i want to say to my friends that we believe in all good4 ,if you can find a truth in heaven1 earth or hell1 it belongs to our doctrine4 ,we believe it2 it is ours2 we claim it4 #ae3cce4 ,in a word1 if ,mormonism is not my life1 ,i do not know that ,i have any4 ,i do not understand anything else1 for it embraces everything that comes within the range of the understanding of man4 ,if it does not circumscribe everything #c that is in heaven and on earth1 it is not what it purports to be4 #b3abc4 ,our religion is simply the truth4 ,it is all said in this one expression--it embraces all truth1 wherever found1 in all the works of ,god and man that are visible or invisible to mortal eye4 #aj3bea4 ,the ,gospel is simple1 it is plain4 ,there is no mystery throughout the whole plan of salvation1 only to those who do not understand4 #c3cfg4 ,mormonism embraces all truth that is revealed and that is unrevealed1 whether religious1 political1 scientific1 or philosophical4 #i3adi4 ,it comprehends all true science known by man1 angels1 and the gods4 ,there is one true system and science of life2 all else tends to death4 ,that system emanates from the ,fountain of life4 #h3gj4 ,true science1 true art and true knowledge comprehend all that are in heaven or on the earth1 or in all the eternities4 ,by these all beings exist1 whether they be celestial1 terrestial or telestial2 or whether they are from beneath and dwell with the devils among the damned4 ,all truth is ours4 #ad3bha4 ,where is your code1 your particular creed8 says one4 ,it fills eternity2 it is all truth in heaven1 on earth or in hell4 ,this is ,mormonism4 ,it embraces every true science2 all true philosophy4 #ad3bhj4 ,the philosophy of the heavens and the earth of the worlds that are1 that were1 and that are yet to come into existence1 is all in the ,gospel that we have embraced4 ,every true philosopher1 so far as he understands the principles of truth1 has so much of the ,gospel1 and so far he is a ,latter-day ,saint1 whether he knows it or not4 ,our #d ,father1 the great ,god1 is the author of the sciences1 he is the great mechanic1 he is the systematizer of all things1 he plans and devises all things1 and every particle of knowledge which man has in his possession is the gift of ,god1 whether they consider it divine1 or whether it is the wisdom of man2 it belongs to ,god1 and he has bestowed it upon us1 his children dwelling here upon the earth4 #ah3cei4 ,a fact is a fact1 all truth issues forth from the ,fountain of truth1 and the sciences are facts as far as men have proved them4 #ad3aag4 ,mormonism1 so-called1 embraces every principle pertaining to life and salvation1 for time and eternity4 ,no matter who has it4 ,if the infidel has got truth it belongs to ,mormonism4 ,the truth and sound doctrine possessed by the sectarian world1 and they have a great deal1 all belongs to this ,church4 ,as for their morality1 many of them are1 morally1 just as good as we are4 ,all that is good1 lovely1 and praiseworthy belongs to this ,church and ,kingdom4 ,mormonism includes all truth4 ,there is no truth but what belongs to the ,gospel4 ,it is life1 eternal life2 it is bliss2 it is the fulness of all things in the gods and in the eternities of the gods4 #aa3cge4 ,we wish to frame1 fashion and build after the pattern that ,god has revealed2 and in doing so we take all the laws1 rules1 ordinances and regulations contained in the ,scriptures and practice them as far as possible1 and then keep learning and improving until we can live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of ,god4 #ac3bch4 ,the ,lord reveals a little here and a little there1 line upon line1 and he will continue to do so until we can reach into eternity and embrace a fulness of his glory1 excellency and power4 #ac3bda4 #e ,truth will endure for ever and for ever1 and every man that preaches the ,gospel of salvation may take the old text that some of us took in the commencement of the building up of the ,kingdom of ,god upon the earth in the last days4 ,i took truth for my text1 salvation for my subject1 and the whole world for my circuit1 to go as far as ,i could and talk all ,i could about it4 ,it takes every truth from every sect and party4 ,what6 in a civil capacity also8 ,yes4 ,all law1 all powers1 all kingdoms1 and all thrones1--in fine1 all things are under the control of ,god4 #g3adh4 ,when the ,gospel of the ,son of ,god is introduced among the children of men1 it comes with light and intelligence1 with pure and holy principles4 ,it embraces all morality1 all virtue1 all light1 all intelligence1 all greatness1 and all goodness4 ,it introduces a system of laws and ordinances and a code of moral rectitude which1 if obeyed by the human family1 will lead them back to the presence of ,god4 #aa3bce4 ,for me1 the plan of salvation must be a system that is pure and holy in all its points2 it must reveal things that no other church or kingdom can reveal2 it must circumscribe the knowledge that is upon the face of the earth1 or it is not from ,god4 ,such a plan incorporates every system of true doctrine on the earth1 whether it be ecclesiastical1 moral1 philosophical1 or civil2 it incorporates all good laws that have been made from the days of ,adam until now2 it swallows up the laws of nations1 for it exceeds them all in knowledge and purity1 it circumscribes the doctrines of the day1 and takes from the right and the left1 and brings all truth together in one system1 and leaves the chaff to be scattered hither and thither4 ,that is the proof to me1 and has been from the beginning1 that the #f principles are pure and holy2 and every person living to them will attain through them sanctification4 #g3adh4 ,i will tell you who the real fanatics are3 they are they who adopt false principles and ideas as facts1 and try to establish a superstructure upon a false foundation4 ,they are the fanatics2 and however ardent and zealous they may be1 they may reason or argue on false premises till doomsday1 and the result will be false4 #ac3bga4 ,increasing ,knowledge of ,gospel--,i want to say that we are for the truth1 the whole truth and nothing but the truth2 we are pursuing the path of truth1 and by and by we expect to possess a great deal more than we do now2 but to say that we shall ever possess all truth1 ,i pause2 ,i do not know when4 #ad3aif4 ,the laws that the ,lord has given are not fully perfect1 because the people could not receive them in their perfect fulness2 but they can receive a little here and a little there1 a little today and a little tomorrow1 a little more next week1 and a little more in advance of that next year1 if they make a wise improvement upon every little they receive2 if they do not1 they are left in the shade1 and the light which the ,lord reveals will appear darkness to them1 and the kingdom of heaven will travel on and leave them groping4 ,hence1 if we wish to act upon the fulness of the knowledge that the ,lord designs to reveal1 little by little1 to the inhabitants of the earth1 we must improve upon every little as it is revealed4 #b3cad4 ,we know enough to damn us2 and when we know enough for that1 we know enough to save us1 if that knowledge is improved upon4 #f3aih4 ,holds ,power of ,priesthood--,the ,gospel which we preach is the ,gospel of life and salvation4 ,the ,church #g which we represent is the ,church and ,kingdom of ,god1 and possesses the only faith by which the children of men can be brought back into the presence of our ,father and ,god4 ,the ,lord has set his hands to restore all things as in the beginning1 and by the administration of his holy ,priesthood1 save all who can be saved1 cleanse from the world the consequences of the ,fall and give it to the hands of his ,saints4 ,the ,gospel of salvation--the ,priesthood of the ,son of ,god--is so ordered and organized1 in the very nature of it1 being a portion of that law of heaven by which worlds are organized1 that it is calculated to enlighten the children of men and give them power to save themselves4 ,it is of the same nature as the further principles of eternal existence by which the worlds are and were1 and by which they will endure2 and these principles are pure in their nature1 from the fact that they are of ,god1 who is pure2 but1 without the revelation of the ,spirit of ,god1 no man can understand them4 ,that is the peculiarity there is about this mysterious work4 #g3ed4 ,the power of all truth dwells in the bosom of our ,father and ,god1 which he dispenses to his children as he will1 by the means of his eternal ,priesthood4 ,he is enthroned in the light1 glory and power of truth4 ,he has abided the truth1 and is thereby exalted1 and his power1 light and glory are eternal4 ,the ,gospel and the ,priesthood are the means he employs to save and exalt his obedient children to the possession with him of the same glory and power to be crowned with crowns of glory1 immortality and eternal lives4 #i3ccj4 ,now1 we say to the people of the nineteenth century1 and we speak the truth and lie not1 whosoever believes that #h ,joseph ,smith1 ,junior1 was a ,prophet sent of ,god1 and was ordained by him to receive and hold the keys of the holy ,priesthood1 which is after the order of the ,son of ,god1 and power to build up the ,kingdom of ,god upon the earth1 to gather the ,house of ,israel1 to guide all who believe and obey to redemption1 to restore that which has been lost through transgression--whosoever believes this1 believing in the ,lord1 and obeying his commandments to the end of their lives1 their names shall not be blotted out of the ,lamb's book of life1 and they shall receive crowns of glory1 immortality1 and eternal life4 ,this is for the nineteenth century1 for the generation of people now living4 #ab3aja4 ,the ,gospel of ,life and ,salvation--,we have something more than morality alone to teach the people4 ,what is it8 ,it is how to redeem the human family4 #ai3dg4 ,i will now say to my friends1--and ,i call you all1 and all mankind1 friends1 until you have proved yourselves1 enemies1--you who do not belong to this ,church1 that we have got the ,gospel of life and salvation4 ,i do not say that we have a ,gospel1 but ,i say that we have the definite and only ,gospel that ever was or ever will be that will save the children of men4 #ab3cac4 ,it ,takes the ,whole ,man to ,make a ,saint--,there are no exceptions in ,mormonism4 ,learn so to think and direct your acts in every transaction of life1 that we may overcome the evil that is sown within us4 ,overcome the inward enemy2 then we can overcome the ,devil's kingdom4 ,and while others choose evil principles and build upon a foundation which leads to destruction1 let us build upon the principles of eternal salvation1 as we have striven to do all the day long4 #g3ff4 ,the doctrines of salvation are the same now as they #i were in the days of ,adam1 or ,elijah1 or ,jesus1 when he was upon the earth4 #e3bbi4 ,we have brought the doctrine of life and salvation to you1 that you may exchange your low1 narrow1 contracted1 selfish dispositions for the ennobling ,spirit of the ,lord1 for the ,spirit of the ,gospel1 which gives joy and peace4 ,if you enjoy that1 your food will be sweet to you1 your sleep will be refreshing1 and your days will pass away in usefulness4 #c3aai4 ,we have as good a right to adopt tenets in our religion as the ,church of ,england1 or the ,methodists1 or ,baptists1 or any other denomination have in theirs4 ,our doctrine is a ,bible doctrine1 a patriarchal doctrine1 and is the doctrine of the gods of eternity1 and of the heavens1 and was revealed to our fathers on the earth1 and will save the world at last4 #b3ahg4 ,the revelations of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ are sweeter than honey or the honeycomb4 ,we can eat1 and continue to eat2 drink1 and continue to drink4 ,is there durable satisfaction8 ,yes4 ,i am in the height of my enjoyment4 ,all the pleasure and all the joy that can be bestowed upon a finite being is in the ,gospel of salvation1 through the ,spirit of revelation1 upon the creature--upon the ,saint of ,god--old or young1 male or female4 ,not that this comparison fully conveys the idea2 for the language of mortals fails to fully portray the joys of the ,gospel of life everlasting4 #h3aci4 ,we have the ,gospel of life and salvation1 to make bad men good and good men better4 ,we are to preach1 exhort expound1 continue in our duty1 be fervent in spirit1 bearing and forbearing with our brethren1 being filled with love and kindness4 #h3acj4 #aj ,there is no freedom anywhere outside the ,gospel of salvation4 #e3eb4 ,offers ,salvation to ,all--,a few here and a few there will receive the truth1 and the ,lord will empty the earth of the wickedness that now dwells upon it4 #h3aie4 ,the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ is the opening avenue--the open gate in the road or way from earth to heaven1 through which direct revelation comes to the children of men in their various capacities1 according to their callings and standing in the society in which they live4 ,the ,gospel of salvation is a portion of the law that pertains to the kingdom where ,god resides2 and the ordinances pertaining to the holy ,priesthood are the means by which the children of men find access to the way of life1 wherein they can extend their travels until they return to the presence of their ,father and ,god4 #h3aei4 ,but as many as received him1 to them gave he power to continue to be the sons of ,god4 ,instead of receiving the ,gospel to become the sons of ,god1 my language would be--to receive the ,gospel that we may continue to be the sons of ,god4 ,are we not all sons of ,god when we are born into this world8 ,old ,pharaoh1 ,king of ,egypt1 was just as much a son of ,god as ,moses and ,aaron were his sons1 with this difference--he rejected the word of the ,lord1 the true light1 and they received it4 ,for this is the condemnation1 that light is come into the world1 and men love darkness rather than light1 because their deeds are evil4 ,then we receive not the ,gospel that we may become the sons of ,god but that we may remain the sons of ,god without rebuke4 ,inasmuch as all had apostatized1 they had to become the sons of ,god by adoption1 still1 originally1 all were the sons of ,god4 ,we receive the ,gospel1 not that we #aa may have our names written in the ,lamb's book of life1 but that our names may not be blotted out of that book4 ,for1 saith the ,lord1 ,he that overcometh1 the same shall be clothed in white raiment1 and ,i will not blot out his name out of the book of life4 ,why8 ,because he had overcome through his faithfulness4 ,my doctrine is--that there never was a son and daughter of ,adam and ,eve born on this earth whose names were not already written in the ,lamb's book of life1 and there they will remain until their conduct is such that the angel who keeps the record is authorized to blot them out and record them elsewhere4 #ab3ajj-aja4 ,in conversation not long since with a visitor who was about returning to the ,eastern ,states1 said he1 ,you1 as a people1 consider that you are perfect8 ,oh1 no2 said ,i1 not by any means4 ,let me define to you4 ,the doctrine that we have embraced is perfect2 but when we come to the people1 we have just as many imperfections as you can ask for4 ,we are not perfect2 but the ,gospel that we preach is calculated to perfect the people so that they can obtain a glorious resurrection and enter into the presence of the ,father and the ,son4 #aa3cjd4 ,our motive is to make every man and woman to know just as much as we do2 this is the plan of the ,gospel1 and this is what ,i would like to do4 ,i would like all the ,latter-day ,saints to come up to this standard1 and know as much as ,i do1 and then just as much more as they can learn1 and if they can get ahead of me1 all right4 #ai3if4 ,we declare it to all the inhabitants of the earth from the valleys in the tops of these mountains that we are the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints--not a church but the ,church--and we have the doctrine of life and salvation for all the honest-in-heart in all the world4 #ab3agc4 #ab ,this ,gospel will save the whole human family2 the blood of ,jesus will atone for our sins1 if we accept the terms he has laid down2 but we must accept those terms or else it will avail nothing in our behalf4 ,a ,guide in ,daily ,life--,i reduce the ,gospel to the present time1 circumstances and condition of the people4 #aj3a4 ,that system that brings present security and peace is the best to live by1 and the best to die by2 it is the best for doing business2 it is the best for making farms1 for building cities and temples1 and that system is the law of ,god4 ,but it requires strict obedience4 ,the rule of right1 and the line which ,god has drawn for the people to walk by insures peace1 comfort1 and happiness now and eternal glory and exaltation2 but nothing short of strict obedience to ,god's law will do this4 #ac3bda4 ,we do not allow ourselves to go into a field to plough without taking our religion with us2 we do not go into an office1 behind the counter to deal out goods1 into a counting house with the books1 or anywhere to attend to or transact any business without taking our religion with us4 ,if we are railroading or on a pleasure trip our ,god and our religion must be with us4 ,we are the most religious people in the world2 but we are not so enthusiastic as some are4 ,we have seen plenty of enthusiasm1 but we do not care about it4 ,said ,i1 ,this shouting and singing one's self away to everlasting bliss1 may be all very well in its place1 but this alone is folly to me2 my religion is to know the will of ,god and do it4 #ad3aah4 ,with ,god1 and also with those who understand the principles of life and salvation1 the ,priesthood1 the oracles of truth and the gifts and callings of ,god to the children of men1 there is no difference in spiritual and temporal #ac labors--all are one4 ,if ,i am in the line of my duty1 ,i am doing the will of ,god1 whether ,i am preaching1 praying1 laboring with my hands for an honorable support2 whether ,i am in the field1 mechanic's shop1 or following mercantile business1 or wherever duty calls1 ,i am serving ,god as much in one place as another2 and so it is with all1 each in his place1 turn and time4 #ac3bfj4 ,our religion descends to the whole life of man1 although some1 sometimes1 say1 there is divine law1 there is human law1 and there are principles which pertain to our religion and there are principles which pertain to the philosophy of the world4 ,but let me here say to you1 that the philosophy of the religion of heaven incorporates every truth that there is in heaven1 on earth1 or in hell4 #ae3abe4 ,my mission to the people is to teach them with regard to their every-day lives4 ,i presume there are many here who have heard me say1 years and years ago1 that ,i cared very little about what will take place after the ,millennium4 ,elders may preach long discourses concerning what took place in the days of ,adam1 what occurred before the creation1 and what will take place thousands of years from now1 talking of things which have occurred or that will occur yet1 of which they are ignorant1 feeding the people on wind2 but that is not my method of teaching4 ,my desire is to teach the people what they should do now1 and let the ,millennium take care of itself4 ,to teach them to serve ,god and to build up his ,kingdom is my mission4 ,i have taught faith1 repentance1 baptism for the remission of sins1 and the laying on of hands for the reception of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,we are to be taught with regard to our every-day life in a temporal point of view4 #ab3bbh4 ,our religion incorporates every act and word of man4 #ad ,no man should go to merchandising unless he does it in ,god2 no man should go to farming or any other business unless he does it in the ,lord4 ,no man of council should sit to judge the people but what should judge in the ,lord1 that he may righteously and impartially discern between right and wrong1 truth and error1 light and darkness1 justice and injustice4 ,should any legislature sit without the ,lord8 ,if it do1 sooner or later it will fall to pieces4 ,no nation ever did live that counseled and transacted its national affairs without the ,lord1 but what sooner or later went to pieces and came to naught4 ,the same is true of all the nations that now live or ever will live4 #ac3fj4 ,this ,gospel is full of good sense1 judgment1 discretion and intelligence4 #ad3ag4 ,no matter how true and beautiful truth is1 you have to take the passions of the people and mould them to the law of ,god4 #g3ee4 ,a ,fountain of ,truth--,the ,gospel is a fountain of truth1 and truth is what we are after4 ,we have embraced the truth--namely1 the ,gospel of the ,son of ,god4 ,its first principles are to believe in the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 to repent of our sins1 then go down into the waters of baptism for the remission of our sins1 and have hands laid upon us for the reception of the ,holy ,ghost1 which will lead us into all truth8 #ab4bfh4 ,truth will abide when error passes away4 ,life will remain when they who have rejected the words of eternal life are swallowed up in death4 ,i like the truth because it is true1 because it is lovely and delightful1 because it is so glorious in its nature1 and so worthy the admiration1 faith and consideration of all intelligent beings in heaven or on the earth4 ,should ,i be hated and my name cast out as #ae evil because ,i love the truth8 ,yes1 or the words of ,jesus could not be fulfilled1 for he said1 ,ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake4 ,he told his disciples to rejoice evermore and to pray without ceasing when they were held in derision by their enemies1 and to lift up their heads and rejoice when all men spoke evil of them1 for behold your redemption draweth nigh4 #ac3baf4 ,to me it is more rational for an intelligent being to embrace truth1 than it is to mix up a little truth with a great deal of error1 or to embrace all error and undertake to follow a phantom4 #ac3bce4 ,some who call themselves ,christians are very tenacious with regard to the ,universalians1 yet the latter possess many excellent ideas and good truths4 ,have the ,catholics8 ,yes1 a great many very excellent truths4 ,have the ,protestants8 ,yes1 from first to last4 ,has the infidel8 ,yes1 he has a good deal of truth2 and truth is all over the earth4 ,the earth could not stand but for the light and truth it contains4 ,the people could not abide were it not that truth holds them4 ,it is the ,fountain of truth that feeds1 clothes1 and gives light and intelligence to the inhabitants of the earth1 no matter whether they are saints or sinners4 ,do you think there is any truth in hell8 ,yes1 a great deal1 and where truth is there we calculate the ,lord has a right to be4 ,you will not find the ,lord where there is no truth4 #ab3gj4 ,if you love the truth you can remember it4 #c3ceh4 ,again1 what do you love truth for8 ,is it because you can discover a beauty in it1 because it is congenial to you2 or because you think it will make you a ruler1 or a ,lord8 ,if you conceive that you will attain to power upon such a motive1 you are much mistaken4 ,it is a trick of the unseen power1 that is abroad amongst the inhabitants of the earth #af that leads them astray1 binds their minds1 and subverts their understanding4 ,suppose that our ,father in heaven1 our ,elder ,brother1 the risen ,redeemer1 the ,savior of the world1 or any of the gods of eternity should act upon this principle1 to love truth1 knowledge1 and wisdom1 because they are all powerful1 and by the aid of this power they could send devils to hell1 torment the people of the earth1 exercise sovereignty over them1 and make them miserable at their pleasure2 they would cease to be ,gods2 and as fast as they adopted and acted upon such principles1 they would become devils1 and be thrust down in the twinkling of an eye2 the extension of their kingdom would cease1 and their ,godhead come to an end4 ,no man can disprove a truth4 #h3acb4 ,what do you know on natural principles8 ,i do not say natural philosophy1 because my religion is natural philosophy4 ,you never heard me preach a doctrine but what has a natural system to it1 and1 when understood1 is as easy to comprehend as that two and two equal four4 ,all the revelations of the ,lord ,almighty to the children of men1 and all revealed doctrines of salvation are upon natural principles1 upon natural philosophy4 ,when ,i use this term1 ,i use it as synonymous with the plan of salvation2 natural philosophy is the plan of salvation1 and the plan of salvation is natural philosophy4 #d3bjb4 ,our doctrine and practice is1 and ,i have made it mine through life--to receive truth no matter where it comes from4 #ad3afj4 ,when we demonstrate a truth1 we demonstrate a portion of the faith1 law1 or power by which all intelligent beings exist1 whether in heaven or on earth1 consequently #ag when we have truth in our possession we have so much of the knowledge of ,god4 ,i delight in this1 because truth is calculated to sustain itself2 it is based upon eternal facts and will endure1 while all else will1 sooner or later1 perish4 #ad3aae4 ,all truth is worthy and worth possessing4 #ai3ci4 ,how easy it is to live by the truth4 ,did you ever think of it1 my friends8 ,did you ever think of it1 my brethren and sisters8 ,in every circumstance of life1 no matter whether among the humble or lofty1 truth is always the surest guide and the easiest to square our lives by4 #ad3gf4 ,be willing to receive the truth1 let it come from whom it may2 no difference1 not a particle4 ,just as soon receive the ,gospel from ,joseph ,smith as from ,peter1 who lived in the days of ,jesus4 ,receive it from one man as soon as another4 ,if ,god has called an individual and sent him to preach the ,gospel that is enough for me to know2 it is no matter who it is1 all ,i want is to know the truth4 #ad3acf4 ,all truth is for the salvation of the children of men--for the benefit and learning--for their furtherance in the principles of divine knowledge2 and divine knowledge is any matter of fact--truth2 and all truth pertains to divinity4 #g3bhd4 ,we ,need a ,practical ,religion--,i am preaching to you practical religion4 #ac3aee4 ,i am decidedly in favor of practical religion--of everyday useful life4 ,and if ,i today attend to what devolves upon me to do1 and then do that which presents itself tomorrow1 and so on1 when eternity comes ,i will be prepared to enter on the things of eternity4 ,but ,i would not be prepared for that sphere of action1 unless ,i could manage #ah the things that are now within my reach4 ,you must all learn to do this4 #e3c4 ,i still feel to urge upon the ,latter-day ,saints the necessity of a close application of the principles of the ,gospel in our lives1 conduct and words and all that we do2 and it requires the whole man1 the whole life to be devoted to improvement in order to come to knowledge of the truth as it is in ,jesus ,christ4 ,herein is the fulness of perfection4 ,it was couched in the character of our ,savior2 although but a scanty portion of it was made manifest to the people1 in consequence of their not being able to receive it4 ,all they were prepared to receive he gave them4 ,all we are prepared to receive the ,lord gives us2 all that the nations of the earth are prepared to receive he imparts unto them4 #ab3bbe-bbf4 ,on reading carefully the ,old and ,new ,testaments we can discover that the majority of the revelations given to mankind anciently were in regard to their daily duties2 we follow in the same path4 ,the revelations contained in the ,bible and the ,book of ,mormon are examples to us1 and the book of ,doctrine and ,covenants contains direct revelation to this ,church2 they are a guide to us1 and we do not wish to do them away2 we do not want them to become obsolete and to set them aside4 ,we wish to continue in the revelations of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ day by day1 and to have his ,spirit with us continually4 ,if we can do this1 we shall no more walk in darkness but we shall walk in the light of life4 #aj3bhd4 ,if we wish to enjoy the ,spirit of ,zion1 we must live for it4 ,our religion is not merely theory2 it is a practical religion1 to bring present enjoyment to every heart4 #h3cc4 ,at times when ,i think of addressing you1 it occurs to #ai me that strict sermonizing upon topics pertaining to the distant future1 or reviewing the history of the past1 will doubtless please and highly interest a portion of my hearers2 but my judgment and the spirit of intelligence that is in me teach that1 by taking such a course1 the people would not be instructed pertaining to their every-day duties4 ,for this reason1 ,i do not feel impressed to instruct you on duties to be performed a hundred years hence1 but rather to give those instructions pertaining to the present1 to our daily walk and conversation1 that we may know how to benefit ourselves under the passing time1 and present privileges1 and be able to lay a foundation for future happiness4 #c3bgb4 ,the work of building up ,zion is in every sense a practical work2 it is not a mere theory4 ,a theoretical religion amounts to very little real good or advantage to any person4 ,to possess an inheritance in ,zion or in ,jerusalem only in theory--only in imagination--would be the same as having no inheritance at all4 ,it is necessary to get a deed of it1 to make an inheritance practical1 substantial and profitable4 ,then let us not rest contented with a mere theoretical religion1 but let it be practical1 self-purifying and self-sustaining1 keeping the love of ,god within us1 walking by every precept1 by every law1 and by every word that is given to lead us4 #i3bhd4 ,the religion of ,jesus ,christ is a matter-of-fact religion1 and taketh hold of the every-day duties and realities of this life4 #a3acc4 ,i am in the hands of the ,lord1 and never trouble myself about my salvation1 or what the ,lord will do with me hereafter4 ,it is for me to do the will of ,god today1 and when tomorrow comes1 to inquire what is his will concerning #bj me2 then do the will of my ,father in the work he has appointed me to do1 and that is enough for me4 ,i am serving a ,god who will give me all ,i merit1 when ,i come to receive my reward4 ,this is what ,i have always thought2 and if ,i still think so1 it is enough for me4 #f3bgf4 ,temporal ,labors are ,necessary--,in the mind of ,god there is no such a thing as dividing spiritual from temporal1 or temporal from spiritual2 for they are one in the ,lord4 #aa3ah4 ,the brethren have been talking about temporal things4 ,we cannot talk about spiritual things without connecting with them temporal things1 neither can we talk about temporal things without connecting spiritual things with them4 ,they are inseparably connected4 #aj3cbi4 ,i cannot1 however1 define any difference between temporal and spiritual labors4 ,i call it spiritual to accommodate my language to the ideas of the people4 ,anything that pertains to the building up of the ,lord's kingdom on earth1 whether it be in preaching the ,gospel or building temples to his name1 we have been taught to consider a spiritual work1 though it evidently requires the strength of the natural body to perform it4 #b3ie4 ,be wise3 be as wise as the generations of this world4 ,in the days of ,jesus1 those who received the kingdom and the spirit of the kingdom seemed to lose all sight of a temporal salvation2 and ,jesus said to his disciples1 ,the children of this world are wiser in their generations than the children of light4 ,the children of light did not know how to sustain themselves2 they did not understand how to preserve themselves and the kingdom with them4 #d3cdc4 ,if you cannot provide for your natural lives1 how can you expect to have wisdom to obtain eternal lives8 ,god #ba has given you your existence--your body and spirit1 and has blest you with ability1 and thereby laid the foundation of all knowledge1 wisdom1 and understanding1 and all glory and eternal lives4 ,if you have not attained ability to provide for your natural wants1 and for a wife and a few children1 what have you to do with heavenly things8 #h3fh4 ,we cannot even enter the temple when it is built1 and perform those ordinances which lead to spiritual blessings1 without performing a temporal labor4 ,temporal ordinances must be performed to secure the spiritual blessings the ,great ,supreme has in store for his faithful children4 ,every act is first a temporal act4 ,the ,apostle says1 faith comes by hearing4 ,what should be heard to produce faith8 ,the preaching of the ,word4 ,for that we must have a preacher2 and he is not an invisible spirit1 but a temporal1 ordinary man like ourselves1 and subject to the same regulations and rules of life4 ,to preach the ,gospel is a temporal labor1 and to believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ is the result of a temporal labor4 ,to be baptized is a temporal labor1 both to the person administered to and the administrator4 ,i am a living witness to the truth of this statement1 for ,i have made my feet sore many a time1 and tired myself out traveling and preaching1 that by hearing the ,gospel the people might have faith4 ,the blessings we so earnestly desire will come to us by performing the manual labor required1 and thus preparing all things necessary to receive the invisible blessings ,jehovah has for his children4 #i3bdj4 ,there is a natural body1 and there is a spiritual body4 ,all things are natural1 and all are spiritual4 ,every duty of life1 no matter what it is1 every requirement necessary to sustain and exalt man1 is incorporated in the ,kingdom of ,god and in the ordinances of his house--in the duties ,god #bb requires of his children4 ,it is all in the ,church and ,kingdom of our ,god4 ,what6 our labor8 ,yes4 ,i sometimes take the liberty of preaching upon economy to this people4 ,perhaps some are inclined to think that in so doing ,i transcend my own duties and obligations4 ,i do not4 ,i instruct the husbandman how to till his farm1 because ,i know and ,i understand the nature of the elements that produce grain better than he does4 ,i know how he should prepare the elements for the seed to produce the increase which he desires in the things necessary to sustain himself and family4 ,it is my duty to instruct my brethren1 if ,i understand my branch of business better than they do4 ,if ,i understand how to make myself comfortable--if ,i understand better than others do the organization of the elements ,god has given us ability to operate with for our benefit1 it is my duty to instruct them4 ,here are the elements4 ,they are not made in vain1 but are made for the benefit1 comfort1 convenience1 and happiness of ,god's children4 ,the principles of eternity and eternal exaltation are of no use to us1 unless they are brought down to our capacities so that we practice them in our lives4 #d3bh4 ,we ,need a ,present1 ,every-day ,religion--,my religion must be with me from one ,monday morning to the next1 the year around1 or it will not answer me4 #a3cch4 ,the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ1 as it is given in the ,old and ,new ,testaments1 the ,book of ,mormon1 the book of ,doctrine and ,covenants1 and in the experience of every true ,christian who has lived and still lives upon the earth1 teaches that it is the privilege of every ,saint so to live and walk before their ,god1 as to enjoy the light of the spirit of truth-from day to day1 from week to week1 and from year to year1 through their whole lives4 ,without this privilege #bc in the ,gospel1 connected with the gifts of the ,holy ,ghost1 ,i should be inclined to believe that the religion that is taught in the ,bible and in the ,book of ,mormon1 would amount to nothing more than a mere phantom--an imaginary thing4 ,it would be inadequate to satisfy1 in any degree1 the mind of man1 as it is now organized4 #a3bcc4 ,were it not that our bodies have to be fed and clothed1 ,i would propose that we tarry here a few months1 to give all a chance to speak1 to exhort1 to pray1 to prophesy1 to sing1 to speak in tongues1 or to do whatsoever the ,spirit should manifest unto them4 ,but our work is a work of the present4 ,the salvation we are seeking is for the present1 and sought correctly1 it can be obtained1 and be continually enjoyed4 ,if it continues to-day1 it is upon the same principle that it will continue to-morrow1 the next day1 the next week1 or the next year1 and1 we might say1 the next eternity4 #a3aca4 ,it is present salvation and the present influence of the ,holy ,ghost that we need every day to keep us on saving ground4 ,when an individual refuses to comply with the further requirements of ,heaven1 then the sins he had formerly committed return upon his head2 his former righteousness departs from him1 and is not accounted to him for righteousness2 but if he had continued in righteousness and obedience to the requirements of ,heaven1 he is saved all the time1 through baptism1 the laying on of hands1 and obeying the commandments of the ,lord and all that is required of him by the heavens--the living oracles4 ,he is saved now1 next week1 next year1 and continually1 and is prepared for the celestial kingdom of ,god whenever the time comes for him to inherit it4 #h3abd4 ,there is no life more precious than the present life which #bd we enjoy2 there is no life that is worth any more to us than this life is4 ,it may be said that an eternal life is worth more4 ,we are in eternity1 and all that we have to do is to take the road that leads into the eternal lives4 ,eternal life is an inherent quality of the creature1 and nothing but sin can put a termination to it4 ,the elements in their nature are as eternal as are the gods4 ,let us learn1 under the guidance and direction of ,heaven1 how to use these eternal elements for the building up1 establishment and sending forth1 of the ,kingdom of ,god1 gathering up the poor in heart to begin with1 and the further things we will learn as we progress4 #aj3bb4 ,i wish to urge upon the people the necessity of knowing what to do with their present life1 which pertains more particularly to temporalities4 ,the very object of our existence here is to handle the temporal elements of this world and subdue the earth1 multiplying those organisms of plants and animals ,god has designed shall dwell upon it4 ,when we have learned to live according to the full value of the life we now possess1 we are prepared for eternal advancement in the scale of eternal progression--for a more glorious and exalted sphere4 #i3afh4 ,tradition has taught us that the great purpose of religion is to prepare people to die2 that when they have passed through a change of heart1 become converted1 then they are ready for glory at any moment and to dwell with the ,father and the ,son in the heavens to all eternity4 ,this is a mistake2 for they have to improve1 become substantially changed from bad to good1 from sin to holiness1 here or somewhere else1 before they are prepared for the society they anticipate enjoying4 ,they would not be nearly so well prepared for the society of the sanctified in heaven as a person #be brought up in the lowest classes of society would be prepared to present properly and conduct himself among the highest and most polished grades of mankind4 ,those who are counted worthy to dwell with the ,father and the ,son have previously received an education fitting them for that society2 they have been made fully acquainted with every pass-word1 token and sign which has enabled them to pass by the porters through the doors into the celestial kingdom4 #aj3agb4 ,i want present salvation4 ,i preach1 comparatively1 but little about the eternities and ,gods1 and their wonderful works in eternity2 and do not tell who first made them1 nor how they were made2 for ,i know nothing about that4 ,life is for us1 and it is for us to receive it today1 and not wait for the ,millennium4 ,let us take a course to be saved today1 and1 when evening comes1 review the acts of the day1 repent of our sins1 if we have any to repent of1 and say our prayers2 then we can lie down and sleep in peace until the morning1 arise with gratitude to ,god1 commence the labors of another day1 and strive to live the whole day to ,god and nobody else4 #h3abd4 ,we ,must ,learn to ,support ,ourselves--,i am under obligation to take a course which will sustain life within myself and others1 on rational principles1 without any special manifestation from ,god4 #ad3aaa4 ,i have tried continually to get this people to pursue a course that will make them self-sustaining1 taking care of their poor1 the lame1 the halt and the blind1 lifting the ignorant from where they have no opportunity of observing the ways of the world1 and of understanding the common knowledge possessed among the children of men1 bringing them together from the four quarters of the world1 and making #bf of them an intelligent1 thrifty and self-sustaining people4 #ab3aie4 ,my warfare is1 and has been for years1 to get the people to understand that if they do not take care of themselves they will not be taken care of2 that if we do not lay the foundation to feed and clothe and shelter ourselves we shall perish with hunger and with cold2 we might also suffer in the summer season from the direct rays of the sun upon our naked and unprotected bodies4 #aj3bjj4 ,i see more and more that there are but very few men and women that are even capable of taking care of themselves temporally4 #d3cad4 #bg ,,chapter ,,ii ,,the ,,godhead ,our ,father in ,heaven--,let every person be the friend of ,god4 #d3cgb4 ,some believe or conceive the idea that to know ,god would lessen him in our estimation2 but ,i can say that for me to understand any principle or being1 on earth or in heaven1 it does not lessen its true value to me1 but on the contrary1 it increases it2 and the more ,i can know of ,god1 the dearer and more precious he is to me1 and the more exalted are my feelings towards him4 #ac3eg4 ,there is a ,power that has organized all things from the crude matter that floats in the immensity of space4 ,he has given form1 motion and life to this material world2 has made the great and small lights that bespangle the firmament above2 has allotted to them their times and their seasons1 and has marked out their spheres4 ,he has caused the air and the waters to teem with life1 and covered the hills and plains with creeping things1 and has made man to be a ruler over his creations4 ,all these wonders are the works of the ,almighty ,ruler of the universe1 in whom we believe and whom we worship4 #aa3abj4 ,all the creations are his work1 and they are for his glory and for the benefit of the children of men2 and all things are put into the possession of man for his comfort1 improvement and consolation1 and for his health1 wealth1 beauty and excellency4 #ac3aea4 ,he is a ,god of system1 order1 law1 science1 and art2 a ,god of knowledge and of power4 #ac3cji4 ,he is the ,father1 ,god1 ,savior1 ,maker1 ,preserver1 and #bh ,redeemer of man4 ,he holds in his hands the issue of all things and will judge every man according to his works4 #c3bei-bfj4 ,god is the source1 the fountain of all intelligence1 no matter who possesses it1 whether man upon the earth1 the spirits in the spirit-world1 the angels that dwell in the eternities of the ,gods1 or the most inferior intelligence among the devils in hell4 ,all have derived what intelligence1 light1 power1 and existence they have from ,god--from the same source from which we have received ours4 #h3bje4 ,every good and perfect gift cometh from ,god4 ,every discovery in science and art1 that is really true and useful to mankind has been given by direct revelation from ,god1 though but few acknowledge it4 ,it has been given with a view to prepare the way for the ultimate triumph of truth1 and the redemption of the earth from the power of sin and ,satan4 ,we should take advantage of all these great discoveries1 the accumulated wisdom of ages1 and give to our children the benefit of every branch of useful knowledge1 to prepare them to step forward and efficiently do their part in the great work4 #i3cfi4 ,he is our ,heavenly ,father2 he is also our ,god1 and the ,maker and upholder of all things in heaven and on earth4 ,he sends forth his counsels and extends his providences to all living4 ,he is the ,supreme ,controller of the universe4 ,at his rebuke the sea is dried up1 and the rivers become a wilderness4 ,he measures the waters in the hollow of his hand1 and meteth out heaven with a span1 and comprehendeth the dust of the earth in a measure1 and weigheth the mountains in scales1 and the hills in a balance2 the nations to him are as a drop in a bucket1 and he taketh up the isles as a very little thing2 the hairs of our heads are numbered #bi by him1 and not a sparrow falleth to the ground without our ,father2 and he knoweth every thought and intent of the hearts of all living1 for he is everywhere present by the power of his ,spirit--his minister1 the ,holy ,ghost4 ,he is the ,father of all1 is above all1 through all1 and in you all2 he knoweth all things pertaining to this earth1 and he knows all things pertaining to millions of earths like this4 #aa3da4 ,whether they make good or bad use of it1 all power is ordained of ,god and is in his hand4 ,he sets up a kingdom here1 and pulls down another there at his pleasure4 ,he breaks the nations like a potter's vessel2 he forms a nucleus1 and around it builds up a kingdom or nation1 permitting the people to act upon their own agency1 that they may do right1 or corrupt themselves1 as did the ,children of ,israel2 and after they have become ripe for destruction1 they will be scattered to the four winds4 ,if the people of ,god in ancient days had continued holy they would have continued in power and authority to this day4 #g3adh4 ,if there is anything that is great and good and wise among men1 it cometh from ,god4 ,if there are men who possess great ability as statesmen1 or as philosophers1 or who possess remarkable scientific knowledge and skill1 the credit thereof belongs to ,god1 for he dispenses it to his children whether they believe in him or not1 or whether they sin against him or not2 it makes no difference2 but all will have to account to him for the way and manner in which they have used the talents committed unto them4 ,if we believe the plain1 broad statements of the ,bible1 we must believe that ,jesus ,christ is the light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world2 none are exempt4 #aa3abc4 #cj ,the fulness of the heavens and the earth is the ,lord's--the gold and the silver1 the wheat1 the fine flour1 and the cattle upon a thousand hills2 and when we fully understand his works1 we shall know that he is in all the earth1 and fulfils his will among the children of men1 exalting and debasing them according to his pleasure1 for the systems1 creeds1 thrones1 and kingdoms of the world are all under his control4 #a3di4 ,we believe that ,god is round about all things1 above all things1 in all things1 and through all things3 ,to tell about empty space is to tell of a space where ,god is not1 and where the wicked might safely hide from his presence4 ,there is not such a thing as empty space4 #a3bgf4 ,he is compassionate to all the works of his hands1 the plan of his redemption1 and salvation1 and mercy is stretched out over all2 and his plans are to gather up1 and bring together1 and save all the inhabitants of the earth1 with the exception of those who have received the ,holy ,ghost1 and sinned against it4 ,with this exception1 all the world besides shall be saved4 #c3ib4 ,when the ,lord fights the battles of the ,saints1 he does it so effectually that nobody gets nervous but the enemy4 #h3bce4 ,no person deceives the ,lord4 #af3afc4 ,it is written that ,god knows all things and has all power4 ,he has the rule and command of this earth1 and is the ,father of all the human beings that have lived1 do live and will live upon it4 ,if any of his children become heirs to all things1 they in their turn can say1 by-and-by1 that they know all things1 and they will be called ,supreme1 ,almighty1 ,king of kings1 ,lord of lords4 ,all this and more that cannot enter into our hearts to conceive is promised to #ca the faithful1 and are but so many stages in that ceaseless progression of eternal lives4 ,this will not detract anything from the glory and might of our ,heavenly ,father4 ,for he will still remain our ,father1 and we shall still be subject to him1 and as we progress in glory and power1 the more it enhances the glory and power of our ,heavenly ,father4 ,this principle holds good in either state1 whether mortal or immortal4 #aj3e4 ,all that the ,lord requires of us is a perfect submission in our hearts to his will4 #ah3bch4 ,the ,lord gives us little by little and is ever willing to give us more and more1 even the fulness1 when our hearts are prepared to receive all the truths of heaven4 ,this is what the ,lord desires1 what he would delight in doing1 for his children4 #ah3bag4 ,our ,father in heaven wishes us to preserve that which he gives to us4 #i3afi4 ,he presides over the worlds on worlds that illuminate this little planet1 and millions on millions of worlds that we cannot see2 and yet he looks upon the minutest object of his creations2 not one of these creatures escapes his notice2 and there is not one of them but his wisdom and power has produced4 #a3ci4 ,i believe in a ,god who has power to exalt and glorify all who believe in him1 and are faithful in serving him to the end of their lives1 for this make them ,gods1 even the sons of ,god1 and in this sense also there are ,gods many1 but to us there is but one ,god1 and one ,lord ,jesus ,christ--one ,savior who came in the meridian of time to redeem the earth and the children of men from the original sin that was committed by our first parents1 and bring to pass the restoration of all things through his death and suffering1 open #cb wide to all believers the gates of life and salvation and exaltation to the presence of the ,father and the ,son to dwell with them for evermore4 #aa3abb4 ,as ,i said once to my brethren in the ,school of the ,prophets1 ,i have not asked you1 ,i dare not ask you to fulfil almost the first requirement of the ,kingdom of ,heaven1 almost the simplest principle1 and one of the first things that should be observed4 ,i have not asked the people to perform this great labor1 ,i will say it is a great labor1 and if ,i were to refer it to you1 you would say the same4 ,you may ask what it is8 ,it is to love the ,lord thy ,god with all thy heart1 with all thy mind and with all thy strength1 and thy neighbor as thyself4 ,now1 is this not almost one of the first requirements that ,god has made of his people8 ,and ,i have not yet required it of the people4 ,love the ,lord thy ,god with all thy heart1 and then speak evil of thy neighbor8 ,no6 ,no6 ,love the ,lord thy ,god with all thy heart1 and speak that which is not true8 ,no1 oh1 no6 ,love the ,lord thy ,god with all thy heart1 and take that which is not thy own8 ,no1 no1 no6 ,love the ,lord thy ,god with all thy heart1 and seek after the riches of the world and forsake your religion8 ,no6 ,love the ,lord thy ,god with all thy heart and take his name in vain1 curse and swear8 ,no1 never6 ,if the love of ,god was really in the hearts of all who call themselves ,latter-day ,saints1 there would be no more swearing1 no more lying1 no more deceiving1 no more speaking evil of one another1 no more running after the ungodly nor dealing with the enemies of ,zion1 no more running after the gold mines2 nothing would be sought after1 only to build up the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,this we have not yet asked4 ,but we do ask some things4 ,let us forsake those sins that are so grievous1 and let us try to do right before the ,heavens and with each other4 #ab3bbi4 #cc ,he has not committed the keys of the results of the acts of the nations of the earth to any man on the earth2 but that power he retains to himself4 #h3ca4 ,what is commonly termed idolatry has arisen from a few sincere men1 full of faith and having a little knowledge1 urging upon a backsliding people to preserve some customs--to cling to some fashions or figures1 to put them in mind of that ,god with whom their fathers were acquainted1 without designing or wishing the people to worship an idol--to worship stocks1 stones1 beasts1 and birds4 ,idols have been introduced1 which are now worshiped1 and have been for centuries and thousands of years2 but they were not introduced at once4 ,they were introduced to preserve among the people the idea of the true ,god4 #f3aid4 ,we are nothing1 only what the ,lord makes us4 #e3cdc4 ,cease bringing the names of ,god the ,father and his ,son ,jesus ,christ into disrespect and learn to reverence those names4 #g3adg4 ,the ,lord operates upon the principles of continuing to organize1 of adding to1 gathering up1 bringing forth1 increasing and spreading abroad2 while the opposite power does not4 ,it shows the nature of his opposition to that peculiar trait of ,christianity1 based upon the principles of eternal duration1 increase1 power1 glory1 and exaltation2 and points out the difference between the two adverse powers4 #a3aag4 ,unless ,god blesses our exertions we shall have nothing4 ,it is the ,lord that gives the increase4 #c3cca4 ,the ,god that ,i serve is progressing eternally1 and so are his children3 they will increase to all eternity1 if they are faithful4 #aa3bhf4 ,it is written1 ,prove all things1 hold fast that which is #cd good4 ,refuse evil1 choose good1 hate iniquity1 love truth4 ,all this our fathers have done before us2 ,i do not particularly mean ,father ,adam1 or his ,father2 ,i do not particularly mean ,abraham1 or ,moses1 the ,prophets1 or ,apostles1 but ,i mean our fathers who have been exalted for millions of years previous to ,adam's time4 ,they have all passed through the same ordeals we are now passing through1 and have searched all things1 even to the depths of hell4 #i3bdc4 ,the great architect1 manager and superintendent1 controller and dictator who guides this work is out of sight to our natural eyes4 ,he lives on another world2 he is in another state of existence2 he has passed the ordeals we are now passing through2 he has received an experience1 has suffered and enjoyed1 and knows all that we know regarding the toils1 sufferings1 life and death of this mortality1 for he has passed through the whole of it1 and has received his crown and exaltation and holds the keys and the power of this ,kingdom2 he sways his scepter1 and does his will among the children of men1 among ,saints and among sinners1 and brings forth results to suit his purpose among kingdoms and nations and empires1 that all may redound to his glory and to the perfection of his work4 #aa3bdi4 ,how many ,gods there are1 ,i do not know4 ,but there never was a time when there were not ,gods and worlds1 and when men were not passing through the same ordeals that we are now passing through4 ,that course has been from all eternity1 and it is and will be to all eternity4 ,you cannot comprehend this but when you can1 it will be to you a matter of great consolation4 #g3ccc4 ,wherever the human family dwell upon the face of the earth1 whether they are savage or civilized1 there is a desire implanted within them to worship a great ,supreme ,ruler1 #ce and not knowing him they suppose that through offering worship and sacrifice to their idols they can conciliate his anger which they think they see manifested in the thunder1 in the lightning1 in the storm1 in the floods1 in the reverses of war1 in the hand of death1 etc41 etc42 thus they try to woo his protection and his blessing for victory over their enemies1 and at the termination of this life for a place in the heaven their imaginations have created1 or tradition has handed down to them4 ,i have much charity for this portion of the human family called heathens or idolators2 they have made images to represent to their eyes a power which they cannot see1 and desire to worship a ,supreme ,being through the figure which they have made4 #aa3abj4 ,we believe in one ,god1 one ,mediator and one ,holy ,ghost4 ,we cannot believe for a moment that ,god is destitute of body1 parts1 passions1 or attributes4 ,attributes can be made manifest only through an organized personage4 ,all attributes are couched in and are the results of organized existence4 #aj3aib4 ,the ,lord is perfectly independent4 ,he has received his glory1 he reigns supreme and omnipotent4 ,he is not dependent upon you and me4 ,if every one of us should apostatize and go down to hell1 it would neither add to nor diminish from his glory4 ,he would mourn at our folly in turning away from the holy commandments and suffering the wrath of the ,almighty to come upon us2 the heavens would weep over us1 but still the ,lord has his glory1 and you and ,i are not laboring for his benefit4 ,for whose benefit are we laboring8 ,for our own4 ,all my preaching1 laboring and toils in this ,kingdom have been for myself1 to get into the ,celestial ,kingdom of ,god4 ,i have been laboring for that and nothing else1 #ac3cae4 #cf ,read the history of any kingdom or nation1 and trace through all the channels from the history of nations and kingdoms to that of families and individuals who have not known ,god nor observed his commandments1 and you will find that sorrow and disappointment have been intimately mingled in all the gaiety1 luxuries1 and pretended enjoyments of their mortal lives4 ,they have found a bitter sting in their happiest moments and a deadly poison in their cups4 #f3ci4 ,there is no influence1 truth1 or righteousness in the world1 only what flows from ,god our ,father in the heavens4 #e3gh4 ,personality and ,fatherhood of ,god--,some would have us believe that ,god is present everywhere4 ,it is not so4 ,he is no more everywhere present in person than the ,father and ,son are one in person4 #f3cde4 ,god is considered to be everywhere present at the same moment2 and the ,psalmist says1 ,whither shall ,i flee from thy presence8 ,he is present with all his creations through his influence1 through his government1 spirit and power1 but he himself is a personage of tabernacle1 and we are made after his likeness4 #aj3cai4 ,our ,god and ,father in ,heaven1 is a being of tabernacle1 or1 in other words1 he has a body1 with parts the same as you and ,i have2 and is capable of showing forth his works to organized beings1 as1 for instance1 in the world in which we live1 it is the result of the knowledge and infinite wisdom that dwell in his organized body4 ,his ,son ,jesus ,christ has become a personage of tabernacle1 and has a body like his ,father4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is the ,spirit of the ,lord1 and issues forth from himself1 and may properly be called ,god's minister to execute his will in immensity2 #cg being called to govern by his influence and power2 but he is not a person of flesh as we are1 and as our ,father in ,heaven and ,jesus ,christ are4 #a3ej4 ,the ,kingdom of ,god on earth is a living1 moving1 effective institution1 and is governed1 controlled1 dictated and led by the invisible ,god whom we serve who is an exalted1 living being1 possessing body1 parts and passions1 who listens to the prayers of his ,saints1 is a reasonable1 merciful and intelligent being1 who is filled with knowledge and wisdom1 who is full of light and glory1 and the foundations of whose throne are laid in eternal truth2 whose personal form is perfect in proportion and beauty4 ,he loves the good1 and is angry with the wicked every day as it is written in the ,scriptures4 ,he hates the evil that is done by evil doers1 and is merciful to the repenting sinner4 ,he is beloved by all who know him for the attributes he possesses in and of himself1 in common with all glorified beings who now dwell with him1 and who will yet be glorified and crowned with crowns of glory1 immortality and eternal lives4 #aa3bea4 ,it must be that ,god knows something about temporal things1 and has had a body and been on an earth4 ,were it not so1 he would not know how to judge men righteously1 according to the temptations and sin they have had to contend with4 #d3bga4 ,our ,father in ,heaven begat all the spirits that ever were1 or ever will be1 upon this earth2 and they were born spirits in the eternal world4 ,then the ,lord by his power and wisdom organized the mortal tabernacle of man4 ,we were made first spiritual1 and afterwards temporal4 #a3ej4 ,he is our ,father2 he is our ,god1 the ,father of our spirits2 he is the framer of our bodies1 and set the machine in successful operation to bring forth these tabernacles that #ch ,i now look upon in this building1 and all that ever did or ever will live on the face of the whole earth4 #ac3bej4 ,the ,apostles and ,prophets1 when speaking of our relationship to ,god1 say that we are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone1 ,god is our ,father1 and ,jesus ,christ is our ,elder ,brother1 and both are our everlasting friends4 #f3ccb4 ,the kingdoms he possesses and rules over are his own progeny4 ,every man who is faithful and gets a salvation and glory1 and becomes a ,king of kings and ,lord of lords1 or a ,father of fathers1 it will be by the increase of his own progeny4 ,our ,father and ,god rules over his own children4 ,wherever there is a ,god in all the eternities possessing a kingdom and glory and power it is by means of his own progeny4 #aa3bfb4 ,many have tried to penetrate to the ,first ,cause of all things2 but it would be as easy for an ant to number the grains of sand on the earth4 ,it is not for man1 with his limited intelligence1 to grasp eternity in his comprehension4 ,there is an eternity of life1 from which we were composed by the wisdom and skill of ,superior ,beings4 ,it would be as easy for a gnat to trace the history of man back to his origin as for man to fathom the ,first ,cause of all things1 lift the veil of eternity1 and reveal the mysteries that have been sought after by philosophers from the beginning4 ,what then1 should be the calling and duty of the children of men8 ,instead of inquiring after the origin of ,gods--instead of trying to explore the depths of eternities that have been1 that are1 and that will be1 instead of endeavoring to discover the boundaries of boundless space1 let them seek to know the object of their present existence1 and how to apply1 in the most profitable manner for their mutual good and salvation1 the intelligence they possess4 ,let them seek to #ci know and thoroughly understand things within their reach1 and to make themselves well acquainted with the object of their being here1 by diligently seeking unto a super-power for information and by the careful study of the best books4 #g3bhd-e4 ,god has given this great variety of intelligence4 ,he has also given this great variety of forms--that eternal variety which we see upon this earth1 not only among human beings1 but in every class of all the creations of ,god2 and they are all designed to be preserved to all eternity4 ,none of them were made to be destroyed1 except those that do not abide the law given them4 #h3h4 ,i now see before me beings who are in the image of those heavenly personages who are enthroned in glory and crowned with eternal lives in the very image of those beings who organized the earth and its fulness1 and who constitute the ,godhead4 #i3bdf4 ,the ,son of ,god--,our faith is concentrated in the ,son of ,god1 and through him in the ,father2 and the ,holy ,ghost is their minister to bring truths to our remembrance1 to reveal new truths to us1 and teach1 guide1 and direct the course of every mind1 until we become perfected and prepared to go home1 where we can see and converse with our ,father in ,heaven4 #f3ih4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints believe in ,jesus ,christ1 the only begotten ,son of the ,father1 who came in the meridian of time1 performed his work1 suffered the penalty and paid the debt of man's original sin by offering up himself1 was resurrected from the dead1 and ascended to his ,father2 and as ,jesus descended below all things1 so he will ascend above all things4 ,we believe that ,jesus ,christ will come again1 as it is written of him3 ,and while they looked #dj steadfastly toward heaven as he went up1 behold two men stood by them in white apparel2 which also said1 ,ye men of ,galilee1 why stand ye gazing up into heaven8 this same ,jesus which is taken from you into heaven1 shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven4 #aa3abc4 ,jesus is our captain and leader2 ,jesus1 the ,savior of the world--the ,christ that we believe in4 #ad3aah4 ,i testify that ,jesus is the ,christ1 the ,savior and ,redeemer of the world2 ,i have obeyed his sayings1 and realized his promise1 and the knowledge ,i have of him1 the wisdom of this world cannot give1 neither can it take away4 #ah3bcc4 ,my faith is placed upon the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and my knowledge ,i have received from him4 #c3aee4 ,our ,lord ,jesus ,christ--the ,savior1 who has redeemed the world and all things pertaining to it1 is the ,only ,begotten of the ,father pertaining to the flesh4 ,he is our ,elder ,brother1 and the ,heir of the family1 and as such we worship him4 ,he has tasted death for every man1 and has paid the debt contracted by our first parents4 #ab3fi4 ,none of them have power to produce themselves4 ,jesus ,christ is the ,heir of this vast family4 ,he said that he had power to lay down his life and take it up again2 but he had no more power to produce his life1 in the beginning of his existence1 than we have4 ,every human being is endowed1 more or less1 with eternal intelligence1 with the germ of life everlasting1 of glory immortal4 #h3aec4 ,he did nothing of himself4 ,he wrought miracles and performed a good work on the earth2 but of himself he did nothing4 ,he said1 ,as ,i have seen my ,father do1 so do ,i4 ,i came not to do my will1 but the will of him that sent me4 ,we must come to the conclusion that the ,son of #da ,god did not suggest1 dictate1 act1 or produce any manifestation of his power1 of his glory1 or of his errand upon the earth1 only as it came from the mind and will of his ,father4 #f3if4 ,the ,lord has revealed to us a plan by which we may be saved both here and hereafter4 ,god has done everything we could ask1 and more than we could ask4 ,the errand of ,jesus to earth was to bring his brethren and sisters back into the presence of the ,father2 he has done his part of the work1 and it remains for us to do ours4 ,there is not one thing that the ,lord could do for the salvation of the human family that he has neglected to do2 and it remains for the children of men to receive the truth or reject it2 all that can be accomplished for their salvation1 independent of them1 has been accomplished in and by the ,savior4 ,it has been justly remarked this afternoon that ,jesus paid the debt2 he atoned for the original sin2 he came and suffered and died on the cross4 ,he is now ,king of kings and ,lords of lords1 and the time will come when every knee will bow and every tongue confess1 to the glory of ,god the ,father1 that ,jesus is the ,christ4 ,that very character that was looked upon1 not as the ,savior1 but as an outcast1 who was crucified between two thieves and treated with scorn and derision1 will be greeted by all men as the only ,being through whom they can obtain salvation4 #ac3ei4 ,jesus was appointed1 from the beginning1 to die for our redemption1 and he suffered an excruciating death on the cross4 #h3aae4 ,he has died to redeem it1 and he is the lawful heir pertaining to this earth4 ,jesus will continue to reign with his ,father1 and is dictated by his ,father in all his acts and ruling and governing in the building up and overthrow of #db nations1 to make the wrath of man praise him1 until he brings all into subjection to his will and government4 ,and when he has subdued all his enemies1 destroyed death and him that hath the power of death1 and perfected his work1 he will deliver up the kingdom spotless to his ,father4 #g3add4 ,the character we have been hearing of is our ,savior and ,redeemer1 the ,savior of the whole world of mankind1 and of all creatures pertaining to the earth1 and the earth itself1 for all will be redeemed by the blood of the ,son of ,god4 #ad3acj4 ,the moment the atonement of the ,savior is done away1 that moment1 at one sweep1 the hopes of salvation entertained by the ,christian world are destroyed1 the foundation of their faith is taken away1 and there is nothing left for them to stand upon4 ,when it is gone all the revelations ,god ever gave to the ,jewish nation1 to the ,gentiles1 and to us are rendered valueless1 and all hope is taken from us at one sweep4 #ad3da4 ,the knowledge of the character of the ,only ,begotten of the ,father comes to us through the testimony1 not of disinterested witnesses1 but of his friends1 those who were most especially and deeply interested for their own welfare1 and the welfare of their brethren4 ,we have no testimony concerning the ,savior's character and works1 only from those who were thus interested in his welfare and success1 and in the building up of his kingdom4 ,it has been often said1 if a disinterested witness would testify that ,joseph ,smith is a prophet of ,god1 many might believe his testimony2 but no person could be believed1 by any intelligent person1 who would testify to a matter of such importance1 and who would still view it as a thing in which he had no interest4 ,but they who are interested1 who know the #dc worth of that man and understand the spirit and the power of his mission1 and the character of the ,being that sent and ordained him1 are the proper persons to testify of the truth of his mission1 and they are the most interested of any living upon the earth4 ,so it was with those who bore witness of the ,savior1 and of his mission on the earth4 #aa3da4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints and every other person who is entitled to salvation1 and all except those who have sinned against the ,holy ,ghost1 may know that ,jesus is the ,christ in the same way that ,peter knew it4 ,miracles do not give this knowledge to mankind1 though they may serve as collateral evidence to strengthen the believer4 ,the miracles of ,jesus were known to the ,jews1 yet they suffered him to be put to death as a deceiver of mankind and one possessed of a devil4 #aj3aic4 ,who are the ,saints8 ,all those who believe in ,jesus ,christ and keep his commandments4 ,and who may be ,saints8 ,all the inhabitants of the earth1 for ,jesus said1 ,come unto me1 all ye ends of the earth1 and be ye saved4 #aj3cje4 ,all the ,lord has called us to do is to renovate our own hearts1 then our families1 extending the principle to neighborhoods1 to the earth we occupy1 and so continue until we drive the power of ,satan from the earth and ,satan to his own place4 ,that is the work ,jesus is engaged in1 and we will be co-workers with him4 #aj3agc4 ,i and my ,father are one1 says ,jesus2 what1 one body8 ,no1 it never entered the ,savior's mind that such a rendering of this saying would ever enter into the minds of persons holding the least claim to good sense4 ,they are no more one person than ,i and one of my sons are one person4 ,if my son receives my teaching1 will walk in the path ,i #dd mark out for him to walk in1 if his faith is the same as mine1 his purpose is the same1 and he does the work of his father as ,jesus did the work of his ,father1 then is my son one with me in the scriptural sense4 #aj3aib4 ,inasmuch as the ,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost are one1 the desire of the ,savior1 as manifested in his sayings and teachings1 is1 that his people should also be one1 even as he and his ,father are one4 #f3ig4 ,all the works of mankind amount to but little1 unless they are performed in the name of the ,lord and under the direction of his ,spirit4 ,let every man seek to learn the things of ,god by the revelations of ,jesus ,christ to himself4 #aj3a4 ,jesus undertook to establish the ,kingdom of ,god upon the earth4 ,he introduced the laws and ordinances of the ,kingdom4 #ae3abe4 ,jesus ,christ will draw all men unto him1 except those who contend against the power of ,god and against his ,kingdom until they have sealed their own damnation4 #aa3bch4 ,jesus fulfilled the obligations he had entered into as the heir of all things pertaining to this earth4 #h3aae4 ,we1 the ,latter-day ,saints1 certainly believe that ,christ will accomplish all that he undertook to do1 but he never yet said he would save a sinner in his sins1 but that he would save him from his sins4 ,he has instituted laws and ordinances whereby this can be effected4 ,the ,mormon ,elder says that he will save all who come to him1 all who hearken to his word and keep his commandments1 and ,jesus has said1 ,if ye love me1 keep my commandments4 ,the ,mormon says1 ,i love ,jesus1 and in proof of it ,i keep his commandments4 #ac3bcg4 #de ,jesus will redeem the last and least of the sons of ,adam1 except the sons of perdition1 who will be held in reserve for another time4 ,they will become angels of the ,devil4 #h3aed4 ,christ will not cease his labors pertaining to this earth until it is redeemed and sanctified1 ready to be presented spotless to the ,father4 #aj3ah4 ,we believe that ,jesus ,christ will descend from heaven to earth again even as he ascended into heaven4 ,behold1 he cometh with clouds1 and every eye shall see him1 and they also which pierced him3 and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him4 ,he will come to receive his own1 and rule and reign king of nations as he does king of ,saints2 ,for he must reign1 till he hath put all enemies under his feet4 ,the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death4 ,he will banish sin from the earth and its dreadful consequences1 tears shall be wiped from every eye and there shall be nothing to hurt or destroy in all ,god's holy mountain4 #aa3abc4 ,the ,savior has not finished his work1 and cannot receive the fulness of his glory until the influence and power of the wicked are overcome and brought into subjection4 ,when the wicked inhabitants of the earth1 the beasts of the field1 fowls of the air1 fish of the sea1 all mineral substances1 and all else pertaining to this earth1 are overcome1 then he will take the kingdom1 present it to the ,father1 and say1 ,here is the work you gave me to do--you made the appointment--,i have wrought faithfully1 and here are my brethren and sisters who have wrought with me4 ,we have wrought faithfully together2 we have overcome the flesh1 hell and the ,devil4 ,i have overcome1 they have followed in my footsteps1 and here are all thou hast given me2 ,i have lost none1 except the sons of perdition4 #h3aah4 #df ,when he again visits this earth1 he will come to thoroughly purge his kingdom from wickedness1 and1 as ruler of the nations1 to dictate and administer to them as the heir to the kingdom2 and the ,gentiles will be as much mistaken in regard to his second advent as the ,jews were in relation to the first4 #h3aae4 ,take a pride in acknowledging the ,savior4 ,train and educate yourselves until you will take a pride in acknowledging ,god1 the ,author of all4 ,take a pride in the religion that makes you pure and holy1 and that produces in the heart of every individual who embraces it a feeling to be truthful in every word he speaks1 to be honest in every act he performs1 in all his dealings with his neighbors4 ,take pride in this and fear not the wicked4 #ab3cbf4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints believe in the ,gospel of the ,son of ,god1 simply because it is true4 ,they believe in baptism for the remission of sins1 personal and by proxy2 they believe that ,jesus is the ,savior of the world2 they believe that all who attain to any glory whatever1 in any kingdom1 will do so because ,jesus has purchased it by his atonement4 #ac3cbc4 ,the ,holy ,ghost--,the ,holy ,ghost1 we believe1 is one of the characters that form the ,trinity1 or the ,godhead4 ,not one person in three1 nor three persons in one2 but the ,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost are one in essence1 as the hearts of three men who are united in all things4 ,he is one of the three characters we believe in1 whose office it is to administer to those of the human family who love the truth4 ,i have stated that they are one1 as the hearts of three men might be one4 ,lest you should mistake me1 ,i will say that ,i do not wish you to understand that the ,holy ,ghost is a personage having a tabernacle1 like the ,father and the ,son2 #dg but he is ,god's messenger that diffuses his influence through all the works of the ,almighty4 #f3ie4 ,not a desire1 act1 wish1 or thought does the ,holy ,ghost indulge in contrary to that which is dictated by the ,father4 #f3ie4 ,now ask yourselves whether you believe that the ,holy ,ghost ever commenced to produce a work or an effect before it was in the heart and mind of that ,being we call our ,heavenly ,father4 ,do you think that the ,holy ,ghost ever thought of dictating that ,being we call our ,god8 ,this whole people have learned enough upon this subject to answer at once1 that we do not believe that the ,holy ,ghost ever dictated1 suggested1 moved1 or pretended to offer a plan1 except that which the ,eternal ,father dictated4 #f3ie4 ,though a man should say but a few words1 and his sentences and words be ever so ungrammatical1 if he speaks by the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 he will do good4 #h3abj4 ,i have proven to my satisfaction1 according to the best knowledge ,i can gather1 that man can be deceived by the sight of the natural eye1 he can be deceived by the hearing of the ear1 and by the touch of the hand2 that he can be deceived in all of what is called the natural senses4 ,but there is one thing in which he cannot be deceived4 ,what is that8 ,it is the operations of the ,holy ,ghost1 the ,spirit and power of ,god upon the creature4 ,it teaches him of heavenly things2 it directs him in the way of life2 it affords him the key by which he can test the devices of man1 and which recommends the things of ,god4 ,not only the ,saints who are present1 and who gathered to ,zion1 but those of every nation1 continent1 or island who live the religion taught by our ,savior and his ,apostles1 and also by ,joseph ,smith2 they also bear the same testimony1 their eyes have #dh been quickened by the ,spirit of ,god1 and they see alike1 their hearts have been quickened1 and they feel and understand alike1 and there are no disputations among them with regard to the doctrines of the ,savior4 #ah3bcj4 ,again it is asked3--,is the ,holy ,ghost given in this age of the world8 ,yes1 but they could not send men to ,joppa for ,peter1 for behold there was no ,peter1 or men possessing the holy ,priesthood1 to send for1 neither has there been since the church lost the holy ,priesthood1 until it was restored through the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith4 ,cornelius did not belong to the ,house of ,israel1 yet he received the ,holy ,ghost4 ,continue this history1 and what does it give to us8 ,it gives to us the key of knowledge with regard to receiving the ,holy ,ghost through the ordinances of the ,gospel1 that it is free to all1 ,jew and ,gentile1 as ,peter exclaimed when ,cornelius had related to him how he was instructed to send men to ,joppa3 ,of a truth ,i perceive that ,god is no respecter of persons2 but in every nation1 he that feareth him and worketh righteousness1 is accepted of him4 #aj3cbb4 ,without the power of the ,holy ,ghost a person is liable to go to the right or the left from the straight path of duty2 they are liable to do things they are sorry for2 they are liable to make mistakes2 and when they try to do their best1 behold they do that which they dislike4 #aj3bhi4 ,i want to see men and women breathe the ,holy ,ghost in every breath of their lives1 living constantly in the light of ,god's countenance4 #i3bhh-bhi4 #di ,,chapter ,,iii ,,the ,,communication ,,between ,,god ,,and ,,man ,the ,spirit of ,god--,god is here3 his influence fills immensity4 ,he has his messengers throughout all the works of his hands4 ,he watches every one of his creatures2 their acts1 their affections1 and thoughts are all known to him2 for his intelligence and power fill immensity4 ,not that his person does1 but his ,spirit does2 and he is here teaching1 guiding and directing the nations of the earth4 #g3aei4 ,the ,spirit of the ,lord enlightens every man that comes into the world4 ,there is no one that lives upon the earth but what is1 more or less1 enlightened by the ,spirit of the ,lord ,jesus4 ,it is said of him1 that he is the light of the world4 ,he lighteth every man that comes into the world and every person1 at times1 has the light of the spirit of truth upon him4 #ad3bja4 ,i do not believe for one moment that there has been a man or woman upon the face of the earth1 from the days of ,adam to this day1 who has not been enlightened1 instructed1 and taught by the revelations of ,jesus ,christ4 ,what6 the ignorant heathen8 ,yes1 every human being who has possessed a sane mind4 ,i am far from believing that the children of men have been deprived of the privilege of receiving the ,spirit of the ,lord to teach them right from wrong4 ,no matter what the traditions of their fathers were1 those who were honest before the ,lord1 and acted uprightly1 according to the best knowledge they had1 will have an opportunity to go into the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,i believe this privilege belonged to the sons and daughters of #ej ,adam1 and descended from him1 and his children who were contemporary with him1 throughout all generations4 #b3aci4 ,all who would understand the things of ,god must understand them by the ,spirit of ,god4 #h3aae4 ,i will1 in the commencement of my remarks1 take up a subject upon which much has been said in the pulpit and in the chimney corner4 ,it is regarding the ,spirit of the ,lord manifesting his will to his children4 ,there is no doubt1 if a person lives according to the revelations given to ,god's people1 he may have the ,spirit of the ,lord to signify to him his will1 and to guide and to direct him in the discharge of his duties1 in his temporal as well as his spiritual exercises4 ,i am satisfied1 however1 that in this respect1 we live far beneath our privileges4 ,if this is true1 it is necessary that we become more fervent in the service of ,god--in living our religion--and more truthful and honest with one another1 that we be not slack in the performance of any duty1 but labor with a right good will for ,god and truth4 ,if this people1 called ,latter-day ,saints1 live beneath their privileges in the holy ,gospel of the ,son of ,god1 are they justified in every respect before him8 ,they are not4 ,if we do not live in the lively exercise of faith in the ,lord ,jesus1 possessing his ,spirit always1 how can we know when he speaks to us through his servants whom he has placed to lead us8 #ab3ajd4 ,the light of the ,spirit upon the hearts and understandings of some ,latter-day ,saints1 is like the peeping of the stars through the broken shingles of the roof over our heads1 when we are watching through the silent watches of the night and behold the glimmer of a twinkling star4 #ae3c4 ,no man can gain influence in this ,kingdom1 and maintain #ea himself in it1 or magnify his calling1 without the power of ,god being with him4 ,persons must so live that they can enjoy the light of the ,holy ,spirit1 or they will have no confidence in themselves1 in their religion1 or in their ,god1 and will sooner or later turn from the faith4 #h3fe4 ,you need the ,spirit of the ,almighty to look through a man and discern what is in his heart1 while his face smiles upon you and his words flow as smoothly as oil4 #c3bbe4 ,thrust a man into prison and bind him with chains1 and then let him be filled with the comfort and with the glory of eternity1 and that prison is a palace to him4 ,again1 let a man be seated upon a throne with power and dominion in this world1 ruling his millions and millions and without that peace which flows from the ,lord of ,hosts--without that contentment and joy that comes from heaven1 his palace is a prison2 his life is a burden to him2 he lives in fear1 in dread1 and in sorrow4 ,but when a person is filled with the peace and power of ,god1 all is right with him4 #e3a-b4 ,there are men of talent1 of thought1 of reflection1 and knowledge in all cunning mechanism2 they are expert in that1 though they do not know from whence they receive their intelligence4 ,the ,spirit of the ,lord has not yet entirely done striving with the people1 offering them knowledge and intelligence2 consequently1 it reveals unto them1 instructs them1 teaches them1 and guides them even in the way they like to travel4 ,men know how to construct railroads and all manner of machinery2 they understand cunning workmanship1 etc42 but that is all revealed to them by the ,spirit of the ,lord1 though they know it not4 #e3abd4 ,i rejoice in the privilege of meeting with the ,saints1 in hearing them speak1 and in enjoying the influence that is within and around them4 ,that influence opens to my #eb understanding the true position of those who are endeavoring to serve their ,god4 ,i do not require to hear them speak to enable me to know their feelings4 ,is it not also your experience that1 when you meet persons in the streets1 in your houses1 in your offices1 or in your workshops1 more or less of an influence attends them which conveys more than words can8 ,by this the ,father knows his children1 ,jesus knows his brethren1 and the angels are acquainted with those who delight to associate with them and with those who hate them4 ,this knowledge is obtained through that invisible influence which attends intelligent beings1 and betrays the atmosphere in which they delight to live4 #h3eg4 ,without the light of the ,spirit of ,christ1 no person can truly enjoy life4 #h3ff4 ,now1 my friends1 brethren and sisters1 ladies and gentlemen1 how do you know anything8 ,can you be deceived by the eye8 ,you can1 you have proved this2 you all know that there are men who can deceive the sight of the eye1 no matter how closely you observe their movements4 ,can you be deceived in hearing8 ,yes2 you may hear sounds but not understand their import or whence they come4 ,can you be deceived by the touch of the finger8 ,you can4 ,the nervous system will not detect everything4 ,what will8 ,the revelations of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 the spirit of truth will detect everything1 and enable all who possess it to understand truth from error1 light from darkness1 the things of ,god from the things not of ,god4 ,it is the only thing that will enable us to understand the ,gospel of the ,son of ,god1 the will of ,god1 and how we can be saved4 ,follow it1 and it will lead to ,god1 the ,fountain of light1 where the gate will be open1 and the mind will be enlightened so that we shall see1 know and understand things as they are4 #ac3ccf4 #ec ,there is not a man upon the earth who can magnify even an earthly office1 without the power and wisdom of ,god to aid him4 #aj3db4 ,the eloquence of angels never can convince any person that ,god lives and makes truth the habitation of his throne1 independent of that eloquence being clothed with the power of the ,holy ,ghost2 in the absence of this1 it would be a combination of useless sounds4 ,what is it that convinces man8 ,it is the influence of the ,almighty1 enlightening his mind1 giving instruction to the understanding1 when that which inhabits this body1 that which came from the regions of ,glory1 is enlightened by the influence1 power and ,spirit of the ,father of light1 it swallows up the organization which pertains to this world4 #a3ij4 ,those who love righteousness and possess the ,spirit of ,god1 those who delight to do good can remember good4 ,they can remember every good principle and every good act4 #c3ceh4 ,what causes this people to do as they do8 ,it is written1 ,but there is a spirit in man1 and the inspiration of the ,almighty giveth them understanding4 ,it is a spirit that causes this people to do what they do--to leave their native countries1 to leave their fathers and mothers1 brethren and sisters1 and take up their line of march and travel thousands of miles to this distant country2 and then1 when selected for missions1 again to leave their fathers1 mothers1 and friends1 and travel back to their native lands1 or to some other place1 wherever they are appointed to go4 ,we cannot behold that spirit and influence with our natural eyes4 ,the results alone are known4 #h3agd4 ,you hearken to that still small voice that whispers eternal truth1 that opens the visions of eternity to you that you #ed can discern1 understand and follow1 and the foul spirits that throng the air1 and that fill our houses if we let them in1 will not have power over you4 #ae3g4 ,every individual that lives according to the laws that the ,lord has given to his people1 and has received the blessings that he has in store for the faithful1 should be able to know the things of ,god from the things which are not of ,god1 the light from the darkness1 that which comes from heaven and that which comes from somewhere else4 ,this is the satisfaction and the consolation that the ,latter-day ,saints enjoy by living their religion2 this is the knowledge which every one who thus lives possesses4 #af3afc4 ,now1 ,i ask the wise1 where did you get your wisdom8 ,was it taught you8 ,yes1 ,i say it was taught you4 ,by your professors in college8 ,no1 it was taught you by the influence of the spirit that is in man1 and the inspiration of the ,spirit of ,god giveth it understanding2 and every creature can thus add intelligence to intelligence4 #ac3agb4 ,revelation--,no person can receive a knowledge of this work1 except by the power of revelation4 #h3cae4 ,the spirit of revelation1 even the spirit of eternal life1 is within that person who lives so as to bear properly the yoke of ,jesus4 ,the heavens are open to such persons1 and they see and understand things that pertain to eternity1 and also the things that pertain to this earth4 #h3bjf4 ,the spirit of revelation attends the ,gospel1 and without that spirit no man can understand it4 #h3acj4 ,many of the first revelations given to ,joseph were of a temporal character1 pertaining to a literal kingdom on the earth4 ,and most of the revelations he received in the early part of his ministry pertained to what the few around him should do in this or in that case--when and how they should #ee perform their duties2 at the same time calling upon them to preach the ,gospel and diffuse the spirit and principles of the ,kingdom of ,god1 that their eyes might be open to see and gather the people together that they might begin and organize a literal1 temporal organization on the earth4 #f3aga4 ,how can you know the ,latter-day work to be true8 ,you can know it only by the spirit of revelation direct from heaven4 ,what proved this work true to you in ,england1 ,ireland1 ,scotland1 ,germany1 ,france1 the ,united ,states1 etc48 ,was it not the spirit of revelation that rested upon you8 ,then why should you lose the spirit8 ,you should add to it day by day2 you should add as the ,lord gives--a little here and a little there1 and treasure up truth in your faith and understanding1 until you become perfect before the ,lord and are prepared to receive the further things of the ,kingdom of ,god4 #g3aei-afj4 ,this principle we are in possession of1 and it should be nourished and cherished by us2 it is the principle of revelation1 or1 if you like the term better1 of foreseeing4 ,there are those who possess fore-knowledge1 who do not believe as we believe with regard to the establishment of the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth4 ,take the statesman1 for instance3 he has a certain degree of knowledge with regard to the results of the measures which he may recommend1 but does he know whence he derived that knowledge8 ,no4 ,he may say3 ,i foresee if we take this course we shall perpetuate our government and strengthen it1 but if we take the opposite course we will destroy it4 ,but can he tell whence he has received that wisdom and fore-knowledge8 ,he cannot4 ,yet that is the condition of the statesmen in the nations of #ef the earth4 ,if the philosopher can gaze into the immensity of space1 and understand how to fashion and make glasses that will magnify a million times1 that knowledge comes from the ,fountain of knowledge4 ,a man of the world may say3 ,i can foresee1 ,i can understand1 ,i can frame an engine1 make a track1 and run that engine upon it1 bearing along a train of loaded cars at the rate of forty1 fifty1 or sixty miles an hour4 ,another may say3 ,i can take the lightning1 convey it on wires1 and speak to foreign nations4 ,but where do they get this wisdom8 ,from the same source where you and ,i get our wisdom and our knowledge of ,god and godliness4 #ab3aab-ac4 ,but we should all live so that the ,spirit of revelation could dictate and write on the heart and tell us what we should do1 instead of the traditions of our parents and teachers4 ,but to do this we must become like little children2 and ,jesus says if we do not we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven4 ,how simple it is6 ,live free from envy1 malice1 wrath1 strife1 bitter feelings1 and evil speaking in our families and about our neighbors and friends and all the inhabitants of the earth1 wherever we meet them4 ,live so that our consciences are free1 clean and clear4 #ad3afa4 ,no man can know ,jesus the ,christ except it be revealed from heaven to him4 #ad3aii4 ,no earthly argument1 no earthly reasoning can open the minds of intelligent beings and show them heavenly things2 that can only be done by the ,spirit of revelation4 #ah3bdi4 ,when the ,spirit of revelation from ,god inspires a man1 his mind is opened to behold the beauty1 order1 and glory of the creation of this earth and its inhabitants1 the object of its creation1 and the purpose of its ,creator in peopling it with his children4 ,he can then clearly understand that #eg our existence here is for the sole purpose of exaltation and restoration to the presence of our ,father and ,god1 where we may progress endlessly in the power of godliness4 ,after the mind has thus been illuminated1 the ignorance and blindness of the great mass of mankind are more apparent4 ,yet there is no son or daughter of ,adam and ,eve who has not incorporated in his organization the priceless gem of endless life1 for the endless duration and endless lives which they are approaching4 #i3bef4 ,without the revelations of ,god we know not who we are1 whence we came1 nor who formed the earth on which we live1 move and have our being4 ,did ,i bring the particles of matter together and form the earth8 ,no4 ,did you1 ,mr4 ,philosopher8 ,no8 ,did you ,mr4 ,infidel1 or you ,mr4 ,christian1 ,pagan or ,jew8 ,no1 not any of us4 ,we know that we are here1 but who brought us here1 or how we came are questions the solution of which depends upon a power superior to ours4 ,the ideas of the inhabitants of the earth with regard to the destiny of the earth1 are very crude and vague4 ,but we must all acknowledge that some individual1 being1 power or influence superior to ourselves produced us and the earth and brought us forth and holds us in existence1 and causes the revolutions of the earth and of the planetary system4 ,these are facts that neither we nor all mankind can controvert2 the whole ,christian and even the heathen world will acknowledge all this2 but what do they know about it8 ,who understands the modus operandi by which all this was brought about and continued8 ,who is able to leap forth into the immensity of thought1 space1 contemplation and research1 and search out the principles by which we are here and by which we are sustained8 ,the strangest phenomenon to the inhabitants of the earth today #eh is that ,god1 the maker and preserver of the earth and all it contains1 should speak from heaven to his creatures1 the works of his hands here4 ,what would there be strange in the mechanician1 after constructing the most beautiful and ingenious piece of mechanism it is possible to conceive of1 speaking to it and admiring the beauty1 regularity and order of its motions8 ,nothing whatever4 ,well1 to me it is not at all strange that he who framed and fashioned this beautiful world and all the myriads and varieties of organizations it contains1 should come and visit them2 to me this is perfectly natural1 and when we remember and compare the belief of this people with that of the rest of the world we need not be surprised at being considered a strange people4 #ac3bcd4 ,how do we know that prophets wrote the word of the ,lord8 ,by revelation4 ,how do we know that ,joseph ,smith was called of ,god to establish his ,kingdom upon the earth8 ,by revelation4 ,how do we know that the leaders of this people teach the truth8 ,by revelation4 ,how do we know the doctrine of baptism for the remission of sins to be true8 ,it is written in the ,bible2 but the ,christian world deny it1 because it is not manifested to them by the revelations of the ,lord ,jesus4 #ad3bji4 ,without revelation direct from heaven1 it is impossible for any person to understand fully the plan of salvation4 ,we often hear it said that the living oracles must be in the ,church1 in order that the ,kingdom of ,god may be established and prosper on the earth4 ,i will give another version of this sentiment4 ,i say that the living oracles of ,god1 or the ,spirit of revelation must be in each and every individual1 to know the plan of salvation and keep in the path that leads them to the presence of ,god4 #i3bgi4 #ei ,this people believe in revelation4 ,this people did believe and do believe that the ,lord has spoken from the heavens4 ,they did believe and do believe that ,god has sent angels to proclaim the everlasting ,gospel1 according to the testimony of ,john4 ,it was this that gave rise to the malice1 hatred and vindictive feelings that have been so often made manifest against them4 #ab3bhb4 ,when a revelation is given to any people1 they must walk according to it1 or suffer the penalty which is the punishment of disobedience1 but when the word is1 will you do thus and so8 it is the mind and will of ,god that you perform such and such a duty2 the consequences of disobedience are not so dreadful1 as they would be if the word of the ,lord were to be written under the declaration1 ,thus saith the ,lord4 #ab3abg4 ,instead of considering that there is nothing known and understood1 only as we know and understand things naturally1 ,i take the other side of the question1 and believe positively that there is nothing known except by the revelation of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 whether in theology1 science1 or art4 #ab3bjg4 ,it pleases me a little to think how anxious this people are for new revelation4 ,i wish to ask you a question3 ,do this people know whether they have received any revelation since the death of ,joseph1 as a people8 ,i can tell you that you receive them continually4 #f3bhb4 ,all the revelations of ,god teach simply this--son1 daughter1 you are the workmanship of mine hands2 walk and live before me in righteousness2 let your conversations be chaste2 let your daily deportment be according to my law2 let your dealings one with another be in justice and equity2 let my character be sacred in your mouth1 and do #fj not profane my holy name and trample upon my authority2 do not despise any of my sayings1 for ,i will not be disgraced4 #f3bhd-he4 ,it has been observed that the people want revelation4 ,this is a revelation2 and were it written1 it would then be written revelation1 as truly as the revelations which are contained in the book of ,doctrine and ,covenants4 ,i could give you revelation upon the subject of paying your tithing and building a temple to the name of the ,lord2 for the light is in me4 ,i could put these revelations as straight to the line of truth in writing as any revelation you ever read4 ,i could write the mind of the ,lord1 and you could put it in your pockets4 ,but before we desire more written revelation1 let us fulfil the revelations that are already written1 and which we have scarcely begun to fulfil4 #f3cai4 ,in every part and portion of the revelations of ,god as given to the children of men1 or to any individual in heaven or on earth1 to understand them properly1 a man needs the ,spirit by which they were given--the ,spirit that reveals such matters to the understanding1 and makes them familiar to the mind4 #h3bg4 ,there are revelations1 wisdom1 knowledge1 and understanding yet to be proclaimed4 #h3ei4 ,well1 ,brother ,brigham1 have you had visions8 ,yes1 ,i have4 ,have you had revelations8 ,yes1 ,i have them all the time1 ,i live constantly by the principle of revelation4 ,i never received one iota of intelligence1 from the letter ,a to what ,i now know1 ,i mean that1 from the very start of my life to this time1 ,i have never received one particle of intelligence1 only by revelation1 no matter whether father or mother revealed it1 or my sister1 or neighbor4 ,no person receives knowledge1 only upon the principle #fa of revelation1 that is1 by having something revealed to them4 ,do you have the revelations of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ8 ,i will leave that for others to judge4 ,if the ,lord requires anything of this people1 and speaks through me1 ,i will tell them of it2 but if he does not1 still we all live by the principle of revelation4 ,who reveals8 ,everybody around us2 we learn of each other4 ,i have something which you have not1 and you have something which ,i have not2 ,i reveal what ,i have to you1 and you reveal what you have to me4 ,i believe that we are revelators to each other4 ,are the heavens opened8 ,yes1 to some at times1 yet upon natural principles upon the principle of natural philosophy4 ,do you know the will and mind of the ,lord8 ,yes1 concerning this people1 and concerning myself4 ,does every one of my brethren and sisters know the will of the ,lord8 ,let me say to the ,latter-day ,saints1 if they will take up their cross and follow the ,lord ,jesus ,christ in the regeneration1 many of them will receive more1 know more1 and have more of the ,spirit of revelation than they are aware of2 but the revelations which ,i receive are all upon natural principles4 #c3bji4 ,i am so far from believing that any government upon this earth has constitutions and laws that are perfect1 that ,i do not even believe that there is a single revelation1 among the many ,god has given to the ,church1 that is perfect in its fulness4 ,the revelations of ,god contain correct doctrine and principle1 so far as they go2 but it is impossible for the poor1 weak1 low1 grovelling1 sinful inhabitants of the earth to receive a revelation from the ,almighty in all its perfections4 ,he has to speak to us in a manner to meet the extent of our capacities1 as we have to do with these benighted ,lamanites2 it would be of no benefit to talk to them as ,i am now speaking to you4 ,before you can enter into #fb conversation with them1 give them your ideas1 you are under the necessity of condescending to their low estate1 so far as communication is concerned1 in order to exalt them4 #b3cad4 ,the construction of the electric telegraph and the method of using it enabling the people to send messages from one end of the earth to the other1 is just as much a revelation from ,god as any ever given4 ,the same is true with regard to making machinery1 whether it be a steamboat1 a carding machine1 threshing machine1 or anything else1 it makes no difference--these things have existed from all eternity and will continue to all eternity1 and the ,lord has revealed them to his children4 #ac3cje4 ,many are pleading for revelations2 do you suppose that ,saints lack revelations8 ,they have plenty of them1 and they are stored in the archives of those who have understanding of the principles of the ,priesthood1 ready to be brought forth as the people need4 #c3ccg4 ,men who know nothing of the ,priesthood receive revelation and prophecy1 and yet these gifts belong to the ,church1 and those who are faithful in the ,kingdom of ,god inherit them and are entitled to them2 and all ought to live so as to enjoy the spirit of these gifts and callings continually4 #aa3cbe4 ,should you receive a vision or revelation from the ,almighty1 one that the ,lord gave you concerning yourselves1 or this people1 but which you are not to reveal on account of your not being the proper person1 or because it ought not to be known by the people at present1 you should shut it up and seal it as close1 and lock it as tight as heaven is to you1 and make it as secret as the grave4 ,the ,lord has no #fc confidence in those who reveal secrets1 for he cannot safely reveal himself to such persons4 #d3bhh4 ,take a course to open and keep open a communication with your ,elder ,brother or file-leader--our ,savior4 ,were ,i to draw a distinction in all the duties that are required of the children of men1 from first to last1 ,i would place first and foremost the duty of seeking unto the ,lord our ,god until we open the path of communication from heaven to earth--from ,god to our own souls4 ,keep every avenue of your hearts clean and pure before him4 #h3cci4 ,that man who cannot know things without telling any other living being upon the earth1 who cannot keep his secrets and those that ,god reveals to him1 never can receive the voice of his ,lord to dictate him and the people on this earth4 #d3bhg4 ,it was asked me by a gentleman how ,i guided the people by revelation4 ,i teach them to live so that the ,spirit of revelation may make plain to them their duty day by day that they are able to guide themselves4 ,to get this revelation it is necessary that the people live so that their spirits are as pure and clean as a piece of blank paper that lies on the desk before the inditer1 ready to receive any mark the writer may make upon it4 #aa3bdj4 ,yes1 my brethren and sisters here1 both men and women1 have revelation1 and ,i can say with ,moses of old--,would ,god that all the ,lord's people were prophets4 #a3bdb4 ,angels--,there is a difference of opinion as to getting the word of the ,lord2 but if you will read and cultivate the ,spirit of ,god1 you will understand how it is obtained4 ,the ,lord is not everywhere in person2 but he has his agents speaking and acting for him4 ,his angels1 his messengers1 his apostles and servants are appointed and authorized to #fd act in his name4 ,and his servants are authorized to counsel and dictate in the greatest and what might be deemed the most trifling matters1 to instruct1 direct and guide his ,saints4 #ab3bde4 ,the ,lord is here with us1 not in person1 but his angels are around us1 and he takes cognizance of every act of the children of men1 as individuals and as nations4 ,he is here ready by his agents1 the angels1 and by the power of his ,holy ,spirit and ,priesthood1 which he has restored in these last days1 to bring most perfect and absolute deliverance unto all who put their trust in him1 when they are ready to receive it4 #aa3ad4 ,when an angel is appointed to perform a duty1 to go to the earth1 to preach the ,gospel1 or to do anything for the advancement of his ,father's kingdom in any part of the great domain of heaven1 the vision of that angel is opened to see and understand the magnitude of the work that is expected of him to perform1 and the grand results which will grow out of it4 ,that is the reason why the angels are of one heart and of one mind1 in their faithfulness and obedience to the requirements of their ,father and ,god4 ,they can desire and ask for nothing that will make them happy1 good and great that is withheld from them2 and life eternal is theirs4 ,why1 then1 should they not be of one heart and of one mind8 ,they see alike1 understand alike1 and know alike1 and all things are before them1 and1 as far as their knowledge and experience extend1 they see the propriety of all the works of ,god1 and the harmony and beauty thereof4 #aa3ae4 ,what is the difference between ,saints of ,god and an angel of ,god8 ,one is clothed upon with mortality1 the other has passed through mortality and has received the #fe celestial glory of our ,heavenly ,father1 and is free from the contaminating influences of sin that we have to contend with4 #ai3ff4 ,there is much in my presence besides those who sit here1 if we had eyes to see the heavenly beings that are in our presence4 #h3bjg4 ,when the ,lord commands those invisible beings1 shall ,i say1 those who have had their resurrection8--yes1 millions and millions more than the inhabitants of this earth1 they can fight your battles4 #b3bee4 ,prayer--,let all persons be fervent in prayer1 until they know the things of ,god for themselves and become certain that they are walking in the path that leads to everlasting life2 then will envy1 the child of ignorance1 vanish and there will be no disposition in any man to place himself above another2 for such a feeling meets no countenance in the order of heaven4 ,jesus ,christ never wanted to be different from his ,father4 ,they were and are one4 ,if a people are led by the revelations of ,jesus ,christ1 and they are cognizant of the fact through their faithfulness1 there is no fear but they will be one in ,jesus ,christ1 and see eye to eye4 #i3aej4 ,if we draw near to him1 he will draw near to us2 if we seek him early1 we shall find him2 if we apply our minds faithfully and diligently day by day1 to know and understand the mind and will of ,god1 it is as easy as1 yes1 ,i will say easier than1 it is to know the minds of each other1 for to know and understand ourselves and our own being is to know and understand ,god and his being4 #ac3cab4 ,practice your religion today1 and say your prayers faithfully4 #af3bh4 ,the duty of the ,latter-day ,saints is to pray without #ff ceasing1 and in everything to give thanks1 to acknowledge the hand of the ,lord in all things1 and to be subject to his requirements4 #ae3fc4 ,let every man and every woman call upon the name of the ,lord1 and that1 too1 from a pure heart1 while they are at work as well as in their closet2 while they are in public as well as while they are in private1 asking the ,father in the name of ,jesus1 to bless them1 and to preserve and guide in1 and to teach them1 the way of life and salvation and to enable them so to live that they will obtain this eternal salvation that we are after4 #ae3fc4 ,the ,lord says1 ,i will be sought unto by my people for the blessings that they need4 ,and instead of our classing prayer among the duties devolving upon us as ,latter-day ,saints1 we should live so as to deem it one of the greatest privileges accorded to us2 for were it not for the efficacy of prayer what would have become of us both as a people and as individuals8 #ai3bbb4 ,you know that it is one peculiarity of our faith and religion never to ask the ,lord to do a thing without being willing to help him all that we are able2 and then the ,lord will do the rest4 #e3bic4 ,i shall not ask the ,lord to do what ,i am not willing to do4 #h3adc4 ,do not ask ,god to give you knowledge1 when you are confident that you will not keep and rightly improve upon that knowledge4 #c3cch4 ,i pray both for my friends and for my enemies1 that1 if they will not repent1 the earth may be speedily emptied of the ungodly4 #d3cdf4 ,if ,i ask him to give me wisdom concerning any requirement in life1 or in regard to my own course1 or that of my #fg friends1 my family1 my children1 or those that ,i preside over1 and get no answer from him1 and then do the very best that my judgment will teach me1 he is bound to own and honor that transaction1 and he will do so to all intents and purposes4 #c3bje4 ,when you approach the throne of grace and petition the ,father1 in the name of the ,savior who has redeemed the world1 do you use the name as the name of a stranger8 ,if you understand your own religion1 you petition that ,personage as you would one of your brethren in the flesh4 ,is this strange to you8 ,it should bring near to you things that pertain to eternity1 give your reflections and views a more exalted cast1 stamp your daily actions with truth and honesty1 and cause you to be filled with the ,spirit and power of ,god4 #g3bgd-e4 ,your prayers cannot prevail if there is disunion among you4 #e3cca4 ,i do not know any other way for the ,latter-day ,saints than for every breath to be virtually a prayer for ,god to guide and direct his people1 and that he will never suffer us to possess anything that will be an injury to us4 ,i am satisfied that this should be the feeling of every ,latter-day ,saint in the world4 ,if you are making a bargain1 if you are talking in the house1 visiting in the social party1 going forth in the dance1 every breath should virtually be a prayer that ,god will preserve us from sin and from the effects of sin4 #aj3cac4 ,let us be humble1 fervent1 submissive1 yielding ourselves to the will of the ,lord1 and there is no danger but that we shall have his ,spirit to guide us4 ,if we will open our lips and call upon our ,heavenly ,father1 in the name of ,jesus1 we will have the spirit of prayer4 ,i have proved this to be #fh the best way4 ,if we do everything in the season thereof1 attending to our prayers and daily labors in their proper order and at the right time1 all will go well4 #ac3aee4 ,when you get up in the morning1 before you suffer yourselves to eat one mouthful of food1 call your wife and children together1 bow down before the ,lord1 ask him to forgive your sins1 and protect you through the day1 to preserve you from temptation and all evil1 to guide your steps aright1 that you may do something that day that shall be beneficial to the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth4 ,have you time to do this8 ,elders1 sisters1 have you time to pray8 #ae3cf4 ,say your prayers always before going to work4 ,never forget that4 ,a father--the head of the family--should never miss calling his family together and dedicating himself and them to the ,lord of ,hosts1 asking the guidance and direction of his ,holy ,spirit to lead them through the day--that very day4 ,lead us this day1 guide us this day1 preserve us this day1 save us from sinning against thee or any being in heaven or on earth this day6 ,if we do this every day1 the last day we live we will be prepared to enjoy a higher glory4 #ab3bfa4 ,we may say that our work drives us and that we have not time to pray1 hardly time to eat our breakfasts4 ,then let the breakfasts go1 and pray2 get down upon our knees and pray until we are filled with the spirit of peace4 #aj3agd4 ,it matters not whether you or ,i feel like praying1 when the time comes to pray1 pray4 ,if we do not feel like it1 we should pray till we do4 ,and if there is a heavy storm coming on and our hay is likely to be wet1 let it come4 ,you will find that those who wait till the ,spirit-bids them pray1 will never pray much on this earth4 ,such people would come to meeting and look at each other and then when they had #fi stayed as long as they felt inclined1 address their brethren with--,goodbye1 ,i am going home1 and then leave4 ,but when the time comes to have prayers1 let them be made1 and there will be no danger4 #ac3aee4 ,there are times and places when all should vocally repeat the words spoken1 but in our prayer meetings and in our family circles let every heart be united with the one who takes the lead by being mouth before the ,lord1 and let every person mentally repeat the prayers1 and all unite in whatever is asked for1 and the ,lord will not withhold1 but will give to such persons the things which they ask for and rightly need4 #c3ec4 ,some of the brethren come to me and say1 ,brother ,brigham1 is it my duty to pray when ,i have not one particle of the spirit of prayer in me8 ,true1 at times1 men are perplexed and full of care and trouble1 their ploughs and other implements are out of order1 their animals have strayed and a thousand things perplex them2 yet our judgment teaches us that it is our duty to pray1 whether we are particularly in the spirit of praying or not4 ,my doctrine is1 it is your duty to pray2 and when the time for prayer comes1 ,john should say1 ,this is the place and this is the time to pray2 knees bend down upon the floor1 and do so at once4 ,but ,john said1 ,i do not want to pray2 ,i do not feel like it4 ,knees get down1 ,i say2 and down bend the knees1 and he begins to think and reflect4 ,can you say anything8 ,can you not say1 ,god have mercy on me a sinner8 ,yes1 he can do this1 if he can rise up and curse his neighbor for some ill deeds4 ,now1 ,john1 open your mouth and say1 ,lord1 have mercy upon me4 ,but ,i do not feel the spirit of prayer4 ,that does not excuse you1 for you know what your duty is4 ,you have a passion1 a will1 a temper to overcome4 ,you #gj are subject to temptation as other men2 and when you are tempted1 let the judgment which ,god has placed within you and the intelligence he has given you by the light of the ,spirit be the master in this case4 ,if ,i could not master my mouth1 ,i would my knees1 and make them bend until my mouth would speak4 ,but the cattle are in the corn4 ,let them eat2 you can attend to them when you have finished praying4 ,let the will of man be brought into subjection to the law of ,christ--to all the ordinances of the house of ,god4 ,what1 in his darkness and depression8 ,yes2 for that is the time to prove whether one is a friend of ,god1 that the confidence of the ,almighty may increase in his ,son4 ,we should so live that our confidence and faith may increase in him4 ,we must even go further than that4 ,let us so live that the faith and confidence of our ,heavenly ,father may increase towards us1 until he shall know that we will be true to him under any and all circumstances and at all times4 ,when in our darkness and temptation we are found faithful to our duty1 that increases the confidence of our ,god in us4 ,he sees that we will be his servants4 #g3afd4 ,if the ,devil says you cannot pray when you are angry1 tell him it is none of his business1 and pray until that species of insanity is dispelled and serenity is restored to the mind4 #aj3age4 ,let every ,saint1 when he prays1 ask ,god for the things he needs to enable him to promote righteousness on the earth4 ,if you do not know what to ask for1 let me tell you how to pray4 ,when you pray in secret with your families1 if you do not know anything to ask for1 submit yourselves to your ,father in ,heaven and beseech him to guide you by the inspirations of the ,holy ,ghost1 and to guide this people1 #ga and dictate the affairs of his ,kingdom on the earth1 and there leave it4 ,ask him to put you just where he wants you1 and to tell you what he wants you to do1 and feel that you are on hand to do it4 #f3dc4 ,when you have labored faithfully for years1 you will learn this simple fact--that if your hearts are aright1 and you still continue to be obedient1 continue to serve ,god1 continue to pray1 the ,spirit of revelation will be in you like a well of water springing up to everlasting life4 ,let no person give up prayer because he has not the spirit of prayer1 neither let any earthly circumstance hurry you while in the performance of this important duty4 ,by bowing down before the ,lord to ask him to bless you1 you will simply find this result--,god will multiply blessings on you temporally and spiritually4 ,let a merchant1 a farmer1 a mechanic1 any person in business1 live his religion faithfully1 and he need never lose one minute's sleep by thinking about his business2 he need not worry in the least1 but trust in ,god1 go to sleep and rest4 ,i say to this people--pray1 and if you cannot do anything else1 read a prayer aloud that your family may hear it1 until you get a worshiping spirit1 and are full of the riches of eternity1 then you will be prepared at any time to lay hands on the sick1 or to officiate in any of the ordinances of this religion4 #ab3ajc4 ,if ,i did not feel like praying1 and asking my ,father in ,heaven to give me a morning blessing1 and to preserve me and my family and the good upon the earth through the day1 ,i should say1 ,brigham1 get down here on your knees1 bow your body down before the throne of him who rules in the heavens1 and stay there until you can feel to supplicate at that throne of grace erected for sinners4 #af3bh4 #ga ,,chapter ,,iv ,,pre-,,existence2 ,,the ,,plan ,,of ,,salvation ,time--,when was there a beginning8 ,there never was one2 if there was1 there will be an end2 but there never was a beginning1 and hence there will never be an end2 that looks like eternity4 ,when we talk about the beginning of eternity1 it is rather simple conversation1 and goes far beyond the capacity of man4 #b3cjg4 ,here is time1 where is eternity8 ,it is here1 just as much as anywhere in all the expanse of space2 a measured space of time is only a part of eternity4 #c3cfg4 ,every mind that thinks deeply upon the things of time and eternity1 sees that time1 which we measure by our lives1 is like the stream from the mountains which gushes forth1 yet we cannot tell from whence it comes1 nor do we know naturally where it goeth1 only it passes again into the clouds2 so our lives are here1 and this we are certain of4 ,we do know that we live and that we have the power of sight4 ,we do know and can realize that we possess the faculty of hearing4 ,we can discern between that which we like and that which we dislike4 ,this life that you and ,i possess is for eternity4 ,contemplate the idea of beings endowed with all the powers and faculties which we possess1 becoming annihilated1 passing out of existence1 ceasing to be1 and then try to reconcile it with our feelings and with our present lives4 ,no intelligent person can do it4 ,yet it is only by the spirit of revelation that we can understand these things4 ,by the revelations of the ,lord ,jesus we understand things as they were1 that have been made known unto us2 things that are in the life which we now enjoy1 and #gc things as they will be1 not to the fullest extent1 but all that the ,lord designs that we should understand1 to make it profitable to us1 in order to give us the experience necessary in this life to prepare us to enjoy eternal life hereafter4 #ab3aaa-aab4 ,the present is that portion of time that more particularly concerns us1 and the greatest and most important labor we have to perform is to cultivate ourselves4 ,that man may know his fellow creatures1 it is necessary that he should first know himself4 ,when he thoroughly knows himself1 he measurably knows ,god1 whom to know is eternal life4 #aj3b4 ,as far as we can compare eternal things with earthly things that lie within the scope of our understanding1 so far we can understand them4 #aj3a4 ,as to the word annihilate1 as we understand it1 there is no such principle as to put a thing which exists1 entirely out of existence1 so that it does not exist in any form1 shape1 or place whatever4 ,it would be as reasonable to say that endless1 which is synonymous to the word eternity1 has both a beginning and an end4 #a3ceb4 ,the ,organized ,universe--,the creations of ,god--the worlds that are and the worlds that have been1--who can grasp in the vision of his mind the truth that there never has been a time when there have not been worlds like this1 and that there never will be a time when there will not be worlds organized and prepared for intelligent beings to dwell upon8 #h3ha4 ,there is an eternity of matter4 ,astronomers estimate that there is between us and the nearest fixed star matter enough from which to organize millions of earths like this4 ,there is an eternity of matter1 and it is all acted upon and #gd filled with a portion of divinity4 ,matter is to exist2 it cannot be annihilated4 ,eternity is without bounds1 and is filled with matter2 and there is no such place as empty space4 ,and matter is capacitated to receive intelligence4 #g3b4 ,worlds are made of crude element which floats1 without bounds in the eternities--in the immensity of space2 an eternity of matter--no limits to it1 in its natural crude state1 and the power of the ,almighty has this influence and wisdom--when he speaks he is obeyed1 and matter comes together and is organized4 #ac3bdh4 ,according to all that the world has ever learned by the researches of philosophers and wise men1 according to all the truths now revealed by science1 philosophy and religion1 qualities and attributes depend entirely upon their connection with organized matter for their development and visible manifestation4 #aa3aba4 ,man and ,matter ,eternal--,mankind are organized of element designed to endure to all eternity2 it never had a beginning and never can have an end4 ,there never was a time when this matter1 of which you and ,i are composed1 was not in existence1 and there never can be a time when it will pass out of existence2 it cannot be annihilated4 ,it is brought together1 organized1 and capacitated to receive knowledge and intelligence1 to be enthroned in glory1 to be made angels1 ,gods--beings who will hold control over the elements1 and have power by their word to command the creation and redemption of worlds1 or to extinguish suns by their breath1 and disorganize worlds1 hurling them back into their chaotic state4 ,this is what you and ,i are created for4 #c3cef4 #ge ,the elements with which we are surrounded are as eternal as we are1 and are loaded with supplies of every kind for the comfort and happiness of the human race4 #aj3c4 ,earthly things will be decomposed and their reorganization will be by the power of the resurrection2 then we shall begin to understand the proper use of element4 #g3fe4 ,immaterial substance4 ,it is like the center of a being everywhere and his circumference nowhere1 or like being seated on the top of a topless throne4 ,these are self-confounding expressions1 and there is no meaning to any of them4 #af3ca4 ,if we could so understand true philosophy as to understand our own creation1 and what it is for--what design and intent the ,supreme ,ruler had in organizing matter and bringing it forth in the capacity that ,i behold you here today1 we could comprehend that matter cannot be destroyed--that it is subject to organization and disorganization2 and could understand that matter can be organized and brought forth into intelligence1 and to possess more intelligence and to continue to increase in that intelligence2 and could learn those principles that organized matter into animals1 vegetables1 and into intelligent beings2 and could discern the ,divinity acting1 operating1 and diffusing principles into matter to produce intelligent beings and to exalt them--to what8 ,happiness4 ,will nothing short of that fully satisfy the spirits implanted within us8 ,no4 #g3b-c4 ,gold and silver are composing1 and so does every other kind of metal1 the same as the hair upon my head1 or the wheat in the field2 they do not compose as fast1 but they are all the time composing or decomposing4 #a3bai4 ,there never was a time when man did not exist1 and #gf there never will be a time when he will cease to exist4 ,eternity is without confines1 and all things animate and inanimate have their existence in it4 ,the ,priesthood of ,god1 that was given to the ancients and is given to men in the latter days1 is co-equal in duration with eternity--is without beginning of days or end of life4 ,it is unchangeable in its system of government and its ,gospel of salvation4 ,it gives to ,gods and angels their supremacy and power1 and offers wealth1 influence1 posterity1 exaltations1 power1 glory1 kingdoms and thrones1 ceaseless in their duration1 to all who will accept them on the terms upon which they are offered4 #aj3e4 ,the life that is within us is a part of an eternity of life1 and is organized spirit1 which is clothed upon by tabernacles1 thereby constituting our present being1 which is designed for the attainment of further intelligence4 ,the matter composing our bodies and spirits has been organized from the eternity of matter that fills immensity4 #g3bhe4 ,man is organized and brought forth as the king of the earth1 to understand1 to criticise1 examine1 improve1 manufacture1 arrange1 and organize the crude matter1 and honor and glorify the works of ,god's hands4 ,this is a wide field for the operation of man1 that reaches into eternity2 and it is good for mortals to search out the things of this earth4 #i3bdb4 ,man the ,offspring of ,god--,no human being has had power to organize his own existence4 ,then there is a greater than we4 ,are we our own in our bodies8 ,are we our own in our spirits8 ,we are not our own4 ,we belong to our progenitors--to our ,father and our ,god4 #h3fg4 ,things were first created spiritually2 the ,father actually begat the spirits1 and they were brought forth and #gg lived with him4 ,then he commenced the work of creating earthly tabernacles1 precisely as he had been created in this flesh himself1 by partaking of the coarse material that was organized and composed this earth1 until his system was charged with it1 consequently the tabernacles of his children were organized from the coarse materials of this earth4 ,when the time came that his ,first-born1 the ,savior1 should come into the world and take a tabernacle1 the ,father came himself and favored that ,spirit with a tabernacle instead of letting any other man do it4 ,the ,savior was begotten by the ,father and his ,spirit1 by the same ,being who is the ,father of our spirits1 and that is all the organic difference between ,jesus ,christ and you and me4 ,and a difference there is between our ,father and us consists in that he has gained his exaltation1 and has obtained eternal lives4 ,the principle of eternal lives is an eternal existence1 eternal duration1 eternal exaltation4 ,endless are his kingdoms1 endless his thrones and his dominions and endless are his posterity2 they never will cease to multiply from this time henceforth and forever4 #d3bah4 ,i want to tell you1 each and every one of you1 that you are well acquainted with ,god our ,heavenly ,father1 or the great ,elohim4 ,you are all well acquainted with him1 for there is not a soul of you but what has lived in his house and dwelt with him year after year2 and yet you are seeking to become acquainted with him1 when the fact is1 you have merely forgotten what you did know4 ,there is not a person here to-day but what is a son or a daughter of that ,being4 ,in the spirit world their spirits were first begotten and brought forth1 and they lived there #gh with their parents for ages before they came here4 ,this1 perhaps1 is hard for many to believe1 but it is the greatest nonsense in the world not to believe it4 ,if you do not believe it1 cease to call him ,father2 and when you pray1 pray to some other character4 #d3baf4 ,we are the sons and daughters of celestial ,beings1 and the germ of the ,deity dwells within us4 ,when our spirits took possession of these tabernacles1 they were as pure as the angels of ,god1 wherefore total depravity cannot be a true doctrine4 #aj3aib4 ,our spirits once dwelt in the heavens and were as pure and holy as the angels2 but angels have tabernacles and spirits have none2 and they come to the meanest1 lowest and humblest of the human race to obtain one rather than run any risk of not doing so4 ,i have heard that the celebrated ,mr4 ,beecher1 of ,brooklyn1 once said that the greatest misfortune that could ever happen to man was to be born2 but ,i say that the greatest good fortune that ever happened or can happen to human beings is to be born on this earth1 for then life and salvation are before them2 then they have the privilege of overcoming death1 and of treading sin and iniquity under their feet1 of incorporating into their daily lives every principle of life and salvation and of dwelling eternally with the ,gods4 #ac3ade4 ,when we look upon the human face we look upon the image of our ,father and ,god2 there is a divinity in each person1 male and female2 there is the heavenly1 there is the divine and with this is amalgamated the human1 the earthly1 the weaker portions of our nature1 and it is the human that shrinks in the presence of the divine1 and this accounts for our man-fearing spirit1 and it is all there is of it4 #i3bia4 ,the origin of thought was planted in our organization #gi at the beginning of our being4 ,this is not telling you how it came there1 or who put it there4 ,thought originated with our individual being1 which is organized to be as independent as any being in eternity4 #b3ace4 ,we were created upright1 pure1 and holy1 in the image of our father and our mother1 the image of our ,god4 ,wherein do we differ8 ,in the talents that are given us1 and in our callings4 ,we are made of the same materials2 our spirits were begotten by the same parents2 in the begetting of the flesh we are of the same first parents1 and all the kindreds of the earth are made of one flesh2 but we are different in regard to our callings4 #c3cfe4 ,we have no true interest1 only conjointly with our ,father in ,heaven4 ,we are his children1 his sons and daughters1 and this should not be a mystery to this people1 even though there are many who have been gathered with us but a short time4 ,he is the ,god and ,father of our spirits2 he devised the plan that produced our tabernacles2 the houses for our spirits to dwell in4 #d3bg4 ,the ,spirit of ,man--,the spirits that live in these tabernacles were as pure as the heavens1 when they entered them4 ,they came to tabernacles that are contaminated1 pertaining to the flesh1 by the fall of man4 ,the ,psalmist says1 ,behold1 ,i was shapen in iniquity1 and in sin did my mother conceive me4 ,this ,scripture has established in the minds of some the doctrine of total depravity--that it is impossible for them to have one good thought1 that they are altogether sinful1 that there is no good1 no soundness1 and no spiritual health in them4 ,this is not correct1 yet we have a warfare within us4 ,we have to contend against evil passions1 or the seeds of iniquity that are sown in the flesh through the fall4 ,the pure spirits that occupy these #hj tabernacles are operated upon1 and it is the-right of him that sent them into these tabernacles to hold the pre-eminence1 and to always give the ,spirit of truth to influence the spirits of men1 that it may triumph and reign predominantly in our tabernacles1 the ,god and ,lord of every motion4 ,we not only have this warfare continually1 day by day1 within ourselves1 but we also have an outside influence or pressure to resist4 ,both the religious and the political world have influences to contend against that very much resemble each other2 they are more or less exercised1 governed and controlled by surrounding influences4 ,we1 ,latter-day ,saints1 have an influence of this kind to contend against4 #aj3aje4 ,we see life spring into existence all around us4 ,where is its fountain8 ,and how is it originated8 ,it exists for a day1 a night1 a year1 or an age1 and it is gone2 and who can say where8 ,who can tell what has become of the life that dwelt in that tabernacle1 causing it to think1--that lit up the eye with living fire1 and caused the mouth to utter forth wisdom8 ,can mortal man tell8 ,not unless he is inspired by the ,almighty1 and understands eternal things4 ,the origin of all things is in eternity4 ,like a cloud passing across a clear sky--like a bird that suddenly flits across our path--like a pure gushing stream from a hidden fountain1 that soon sinks in some mountain chasm1 so1 apparently1 life flashes into this mortal existence1 and passes away4 #g3agc4 ,intelligence is given unto us to improve upon4 #h3ha4 ,the origin of thought and reflection is in ourselves4 ,we think1 because we are1 and are made susceptible of external influences1 and to feel our relationship to external objects4 ,thus thoughts of revenge1 and thoughts of blessing will arise in the same mind1 as it is influenced by external circumstances4 #b3ace4 #ha ,there is just as much difference in the spiritual organization1 as you see in the temporal organization4 ,you can see that eternal variety in both4 #i3abe4 ,i see a man grow up from the infant stage to be a scholar1 and by and by he has an empire1 and can give laws to the people1 that can equalize them1 and bring them to a state of happiness and excellency1 and give them all the advantages that man can possess upon the earth1 and make every man happy and comfortable4 ,this is the work that we have upon our hands4 ,teach the people the faith of the ,gospel4 ,teach them what ,god is1 and what his work is1 and that there never was a time such as many of our philosophers speak of1 who drift back and back1 and come to this theory and that theory1 and go back1 and back to the time when we were all reptiles4 ,when was there a time when there was not a ,god8 ,but1 say they1 there must have been a time4 ,then you declare to me1 do you1 that there was a time when there was no time8 ,and this is the philosophy of a great many of the scientific in this day4 ,they see the heavens stretched out1 but they comprehend them not4 ,and why do they not say1 if there was a time when there was no time1 there will be a time again when there will be no time4 ,what a condition for man to be in6 ,can we look onward and upward through the immensity of space1 and behold the worlds on worlds that we call stars1 and imagine that they will be blotted out forever8 ,what an idea6 #ai3di4 ,everything in heaven1 on earth1 and in hell is organized for the benefit1 advantage1 and exaltation of intelligent beings2 therefore there is nothing that is out of the pale of our faith4 ,there is nothing1 ,i may say1 good or bad1 light or darkness1 truth or error1 but what is to be controlled #hb by intelligent beings2 and we should learn how to take into our possession every blessing and every privilege that ,god has put within our reach1 and know how to use our time1 our talents1 and all our acts for the advancement of his ,kingdom upon the earth4 #f3ade4 ,we are all his children4 ,we are his sons and daughters naturally1 and by the principles of eternal life4 ,we are brethren and sisters4 ,what is it that makes the distinctions we see in the classes of the children of men8 ,we see the low and the degraded1 like the aborigines of our country2 what is the cause of their being in their present condition8 ,it is because of the rejection by their fathers of the ,gospel of the ,son of ,god4 ,the ,gospel brings intelligence1 happiness1 and glory to all who obey it and live according to its precepts4 ,it will give them intelligence that comes from ,god4 ,their minds will be open so as to understand things as they are2 they will rejoice in being blessed themselves and in blessing their fellow beings1 and in being prepared to re-enter the presence of the ,father and the ,son4 ,this will be their delight4 #ac3agh4 ,the ,council in ,heaven--,the ,council in heaven said1 ,let there be an earth1 and let there be a firmament above and beneath it1 and it was so4 ,they said1 ,let there be heat and cold1 and it was so4 ,they said1 ,let there be spring and summer1 autumn and winter1 and it was so4 #i3bed4 ,who will redeem the earth1 who will go forth and make the sacrifice for the earth and all things it contains8 ,the ,eldest ,son said3 ,here am ,i2 and then he added1 ,send me4 ,but the second one1 which was ,lucifer1 ,son of the ,morning1 said1 ,lord1 here am ,i1 send me1 ,i will redeem every son and daughter of ,adam and ,eve that lives on the #hc earth1 or that ever goes on the earth4 ,but1 says the ,father1 that will not answer at all4 ,i give each and every individual his agency2 all must use that in order to gain exaltation in my kingdom2 inasmuch as they have the power of choice they must exercise that power4 ,they are my children2 the attributes which you see in me are in my children and they must use their agency4 ,if you undertake to save all1 you must save them in unrighteousness and corruption4 ,you will be the man that will say to the thief on the cross1 to the murderer on the gallows1 and to him who has killed his father1 mother1 brothers1 and sisters and little ones1 ',now1 if you will say1 ,i repent and believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 or on the ,savior of the world1 you shall be saved4' ,this is what all the religious sects of the day are saying now1 but ,jesus did not say any such thing4 #ac3bhb4 ,when there was rebellion in heaven1 judgment was laid to the line and righteousness to the plummet1 and the evil were cast out4 ,yet there was a portion of grace allotted to those rebellious characters4 ,but they must go from heaven1 they could not dwell there1 they must be cast down to the earth to try the sons of men1 and to perform their labor in producing an opposite in all things1 that the inhabitants of the earth might have the privilege of improving upon the intelligence given to them1 the opportunity for overcoming evil1 and for learning the principles which govern eternity1 that they may be exalted therein4 #c3bef4 ,the ,lord ,almighty suffered this schism in heaven to see what his subjects would do preparatory to their coming to this earth4 #ad3ic4 ,in regard to the battle in heaven1 that ,brother ,truman ,o4 ,angell referred to1 how much of a battle it was ,i have #hd forgotten4 ,i cannot relate the principal circumstances1 it is so long since it happened2 but ,i do not think it lasted very long2 for when ,lucifer1 the ,son of the ,morning1 claimed the privilege of having the control of this earth1 and redeeming it1 a contention arose2 but ,i do not think it took long to cast down one-third of the hosts of heaven1 as it is written in the ,bible4 ,but let me tell you that it was one-third part of the spirits who were prepared to take tabernacles upon this earth1 and who rebelled against the other two-thirds of the heavenly host2 and they were cast down to this world4 ,it is written that they were cast down to the earth4 ,they were cast down to this globe--to this terra firma that you and ,i walk upon1 and whose atmosphere we breathe4 ,one-third part of the spirits that were prepared for this earth rebelled against ,jesus ,christ1 and were cast down to the earth1 and they have been opposed to him from that day to this1 with ,lucifer at their head4 ,he is their general--,lucifer1 the ,son of the ,morning4 ,he was once a brilliant and influential character in heaven1 and we will know more about him hereafter4 #e3ed-ee4 ,from the spirit and tenor of the ancient ,scriptures and revelations which we have received1 it is plainly set forth that there are men pre-appointed to perform certain works in their lifetime1 and bring to pass certain ends and purposes in the economy of heaven4 #aa3bec4 ,do you not think that the ,lord has his eye upon a great many8 ,there is a passage of ,scripture that reads thus3 ,for whom he did foreknow1 he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his ,son1 that he might be the firstborn among many brethren1 etc4 ,whom did he not foreknow8 ,i do not think there is anybody now on the earth1 that has lived before us1 or that will come after us1 #he but what he knew4 ,he knew who would be his anointed2 he had his eye upon them all the time1 as he had upon ,moses1 ,pharaoh1 ,abraham1 ,melchizedek1 and ,noah1 who was a chosen vessel to build the ark and save a remnant from the flood4 #h3bbi4 ,it is a mistaken idea that ,god has decreed all things whatsoever that come to pass1 for the volition of the creature is as free as air4 ,you may inquire whether we believe in foreordination2 we do1 as strongly as any people in the world4 ,we believe that ,jesus was foreordained before the foundations of the world were built1 and his mission was appointed him in eternity to be the ,savior of the world1 yet when he came in the flesh he was left free to choose or refuse to obey his ,father4 ,had he refused to obey his ,father1 he would have become a son of perdition4 ,we also are free to choose or refuse the principles of eternal life4 ,god has decreed and foreordained many things that have come to pass1 and he will continue to do so2 but when he decrees great blessings upon a nation or upon an individual they are decreed upon certain conditions4 ,when he decrees great plagues and overwhelming destructions upon nations or people1 those decrees come to pass because those nations and people will not forsake their wickedness and turn unto the ,lord4 ,it was decreed that ,nineveh should be destroyed in forty days1 but the decree was stayed on the repentance of the inhabitants of ,nineveh4 ,god rules and reigns1 and has made all his children as free as himself1 to choose the right or the wrong1 and we shall then be judged according to our works4 #aj3cbd4 ,you cannot give any persons their exaltation unless they know what evil is1 what sin1 sorrow1 and misery are1 for no person could comprehend1 appreciate and enjoy an exaltation #hf upon any other principle4 ,the ,devil with one-third part of the spirits of our ,father's ,kingdom got here before us1 and we tarried there with our friends1 until the time came for us to come to the earth and take tabernacles1 but those spirits that revolted were forbidden ever to have tabernacles of their own4 ,you can now comprehend how it is that they are always trying to get possession of the bodies of human beings2 you read of a man's being possessed of a legion1 and ,mary ,magdalene had seven4 #c3cfi4 ,foreordination1 for instance1 and free grace are both true doctrines2 but they must be properly coupled together and correctly classified1 so as to produce harmony between these two apparently opposite doctrines4 #f3bia4 ,the ,plan of ,salvation--,the great plan called the plan of salvation--the system of doctrine1 ideas1 and practices that pertain to all the intelligence that exists in eternity4 #h3cb4 ,elevation1 exaltation and glory are the objects of the ,father in peopling this earth with his progeny4 #aj3aia4 ,this is the plan of salvation4 ,jesus will never cease his work until all are brought up to the enjoyment of a kingdom in the mansions of his ,father1 where there are many kingdoms and many glories1 to suit the works and faithfulness of all men that have lived on the earth4 ,some will obey the celestial law and receive of its glory1 some will abide the terrestrial and some the telestial1 and others will receive no glory4 #ac3gf4 ,when you understand the ,gospel plan1 you will comprehend that it is the most reasonable way of dealing with the human family4 ,you will discern that purity1 holiness1 #hg justice1 perfection1 and all that adorns the character of the ,deity are contributing to the salvation of men4 #h3aae4 ,our mortal existence is a school of experience4 #i3bi4 ,our mortal bodies are all important to us2 without them we never can be glorified in the eternities that will be4 ,we are in this state of being for the express purpose of obtaining habitations for our spirits to dwell in1 that they may become personages of tabernacle4 #i3bhf4 ,our bodies are all important to us1 though they may be old and withered1 emaciated with toil1 pain1 and sickness1 and our limbs bent with rheumatism1 all uniting to hasten dissolution1 for death is sown in our mortal bodies4 ,the food and drink we partake of are contaminated with the seeds of death1 yet we partake of them to extend our lives until our allotted work is finished1 when our tabernacles1 in a state of ripeness1 are sown in the earth to produce immortal fruit4 ,yet1 if we live our holy religion and let the spirit reign1 it will not become dull and stupid1 but as the body approaches dissolution the spirit takes a firmer hold on that enduring substance behind the veil1 drawing from the depths of that eternal ,fountain of ,light sparkling gems of intelligence which surround the frail and sinking tabernacle with a halo of immortal wisdom4 #i3bhh4 ,until the last spirit that has been designed to come here and take a tabernacle has come upon the earth1 the winding-up scene cannot come4 #h3ceb4 ,can you save all8 ,yes1 you can save all that will be saved4 ,if people are not saved1 it is because they are not disposed to be saved4 ,they act for themselves1 and act from choice4 #i3abe4 ,the whole object of the creation of this world is to exalt the intelligencies that are placed upon it1 that they may live1 #hh endure1 and increase for ever and ever4 ,we are not here to quarrel and contend about the things of this world1 but we are here to subdue and beautify it4 ,let every man and woman worship their ,god with all their heart4 ,let them pay their devotions and sacrifices to him1 the ,supreme1 and the ,author of their existence4 ,do all the good you can to your fellow-creatures4 ,you are flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone4 ,god has created of one blood all the nations and kingdoms of men that dwell upon all the face of the earth3 black1 white1 copper-colored1 or whatever their color1 customs1 or religion1 they have all sprung from the same origin2 the blood of all is from the same element4 #g3bij4 ,the ,lord created you and me for the purpose of becoming ,gods like himself2 when we have been proved in our present capacity1 and have been faithful with all things he puts into our possession4 ,how many will become thus privileged8 ,those who honor the ,father and the ,son2 those who receive the ,holy ,ghost1 and magnify their calling1 and are found pure and holy2 they shall be crowned in the presence of the ,father and the ,son4 #dc3ic4 ,the great and grand secret of salvation1 which we should continually seek to understand through our faithfulness1 is the continuation of the lives4 #ah3bfj4 ,we are all the children of our common ,father1 who has placed us on the earth to prove ourselves1 to govern1 control1 educate and sanctify ourselves1 body and spirit1 unto him1 according to his will and pleasure4 ,when all that class of spirits designed to take bodies upon this earth have done so1 then will come the winding-up scene of this particular department of the works of ,god on this earth4 ,it is his will that we should prepare ourselves to build up his #hi ,kingdom1 gather the ,house of ,israel1 redeem and build up ,zion and ,jerusalem1 revolutionize the world1 and bring back that which has been lost through the fall4 #aj3b4 ,the ,lord has given the earth to the children of men1 that by the union of mind and matter1 inspired and directed by the power of eternal ,priesthood1 all may be made subject to the ,great ,supreme ,ruler of the universe4 #i3bee4 ,the very laws which govern eternity are planned to sustain an eternal growth1 gathering together and increasing2 so that the true servant of ,god cannot possibly suffer loss1 but will reap eternal gain1 though he1 for the cause of truth1 is poor and needy through the whole of this short life4 ,he has made truth his theme2 and what is it8 ,i will say it is that which endures2 it is eternity1 and its power is to grow1 increase1 and expand1 adding life to life1 and power to power1 worlds without end4 #b3abi4 ,you may ask1 ,what is meted out to us8 ,i answer the ordinances1 the sacraments that the ,lord ,jesus ,christ instituted for the salvation of the ,jews1 for all the ,house of ,israel1 and then for the ,gentiles4 ,this is the ,gospel--the plan of salvation the ,lord has given to us4 ,this is the ,kingdom the ,lord has presented to us2 the same he presented to the ,apostles in the days of ,jesus4 #c3ij4 ,it is the wish of our ,heavenly ,father to bring all his children back into his presence4 ,the spirits of all the human family dwelt with him before they took tabernacles of flesh and became subject to the fall and to sin4 ,he is their spiritual ,father1 and has sent them here to be clothed with flesh1 and to be subject1 with their tabernacles1 to the ills that afflict fallen humanity4 ,when they have proved themselves faithful in all things1 and worthy before him1 they can then have the privilege of returning again to his #ij presence1 with their bodies1 to dwell in the abodes of the blessed4 ,if man could have been made perfect in his double capacity of body and spirit1 without passing through the ordeals of mortality1 there would have been no necessity of our coming into this state of trial and suffering4 ,could the ,lord have glorified his children in spirit1 without a body like his own1 he no doubt would have done so4 #aa3dc4 ,we had an existence before we came into the world4 ,our spirits came here pure to take these tabernacles2 they came to occupy them as habitations1 with the understanding that all that had passed previously to our coming here should be taken away from us1 that we should not know anything about it4 #c3cfg4 ,the plan by which ,god works is rational1 and meets the capacity of his children4 ,this earth is the home he has prepared for us1 and we are to prepare ourselves and our habitations for the celestial glory in store for the faithful4 ,none will be destroyed except those who receive the oracles of truth and reject them4 ,none are condemned except those who have the privilege of receiving the words of eternal life and refuse to receive them4 #h3bid4 ,he governs by law4 ,he has also provided means and1 in connection with the attributes he has implanted within us1 has instituted ordinances which1 if we will receive and improve upon1 will enable us to return back into his presence4 #ac3aga4 ,is there a debt contracted between the ,father and his children8 ,there is4 ,our first parents transgressed the law that was given them in the garden2 their eyes were opened4 ,this created the debt4 ,what is the nature of this debt8 ,it is a divine debt4 ,what will pay it8 #ia ,i ask1 ,is there anything short of a divine sacrifice that can pay this debt8 ,no2 there is not4 ,a divine debt has been contracted by the children1 and the ,father demands recompense4 ,he says to his children on this earth1 who are in sin and transgression1 it is impossible for you to pay this debt2 ,i have prepared a sacrifice2 ,i will send my ,only ,begotten ,son to pay this divine debt4 ,was it necessary then that ,jesus should die8 ,do we understand why he should sacrifice his life8 ,the idea that the ,son of ,god1 who never committed sin1 should sacrifice his life is unquestionably preposterous to the minds of many in the ,christian world4 ,but the fact exists that the ,father1 the ,divine ,father1 whom we serve1 the ,god of the ,universe1 the ,god and ,father of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and the ,father of our spirits1 provided this sacrifice and sent his ,son to die for us2 and it is also a great fact that the ,son came to do the will of the ,father1 and that he has paid the debt1 in fulfilment of the ,scripture which says1 ,he was the ,lamb slain from the foundation of the world4 ,is this easy to understand8 ,it is perfectly easy to me2 and my advice to those who have queries and doubts on this subject is1 when they reason and philosophize upon it1 not to plant their position in falsehood or argue hypothetically1 but upon the facts as they exist1 and they will come to the conclusion that unless ,god provides a ,savior to pay this debt it can never be paid4 ,can all the wisdom of the world devise means by which we can be redeemed1 and return to the presence of our ,father and ,elder ,brother1 and dwell with holy angels and celestial beings8 ,no2 it is beyond the power and wisdom of the inhabitants of the earth that now live1 or that ever did or ever will live1 to prepare or create a sacrifice that will pay this divine debt4 ,but ,god #ib provided it1 and his ,son has paid it1 and we1 each and every one1 can now receive the truth and be saved in the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,is it clear and plain8 ,it is to me1 and if you have the ,spirit of ,god1 it is as plain to you as anything else in the world4 #ad3ga4 ,has the ,lord cast an obstacle in the way of any individual1 to deprive him of the privilege of being exalted8 ,no1 not one2 but every thing that could be done has been done1 every provision that could be made has been made1 every law that could be instituted to encourage and elevate the people1 to increase their faith1 their knowledge1 their understanding1 and to lead them to life and salvation1 the ,lord has brought to this people4 #d3aif4 ,the world is before us1 eternity is before us1 and an inexhaustible fountain of intelligence for us to obtain4 #h3h4 ,it seems to be absolutely necessary in the providence of him who created us1 and who organized and fashioned all things according to his wisdom1 that man must descend below all things4 ,it is written of the ,savior in the ,bible that he descended below all things that he might ascend above all4 ,is it not so with every man8 ,certainly it is4 ,it is fit1 then1 that we should descend below all things and come up gradually1 and learn a little now and again1 receive line upon line1 precept upon precept1 here a little and there a little4 #ae3c4 ,we know the design of our ,father in ,heaven in creating the earth and in peopling it1 and bringing forth the myriads of organizations which dwell upon it4 ,we know that all this is for his glory--to swell the eternities that are before him with intelligent beings who are capable of enjoying the height of glory4 ,but1 before we can come in possession of this1 we need large experience1 and its acquisition #ic is a slow process4 ,our lives here are for the purpose of acquiring this1 and the longer we live the greater it should be4 #ad3bbi4 ,it has also been decreed by the ,almighty that spirits1 upon taking bodies1 shall forget all they had known previously1 or they could not have a day of trial--could not have an opportunity for proving themselves in darkness and temptation1 in unbelief and wickedness1 to prove themselves worthy of eternal existence4 #f3ccc4 ,recollect the saying of one of the ,apostles1 when speaking about getting into the kingdom of heaven1 that if the righteous scarcely be saved1 where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear8 ,the best man that ever lived on this earth only just made out to save himself through the grace of ,god4 ,the best woman that ever lived on the earth has only just made her escape from this world to a better one1 with a full assurance of enjoying the first resurrection4 ,it requires all the atonement of ,christ1 the mercy of the ,father1 the pity of angels and the grace of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ to be with us always1 and then to do the very best we possibly can1 to get rid of this sin within us1 so that we may escape from this world into the celestial kingdom4 #aa3cja4 ,millions of them have passed away1 both in the ,christian and in the heathen worlds1 just as honest1 virtuous and upright as any now living4 ,the ,christian world say they are lost2 but the ,lord will save them1 or1 at least1 all who will receive the ,gospel4 ,the plan of salvation which ,jesus has revealed1 and which we preach1 reaches to the lowest and most degraded of ,adam's lost race4 ,is he going to save all in the same glory and bring all the same state of felicity8 ,will they who refuse to obey the ,gospel of the ,son of ,god #id be saved and exalted in the same kingdom and glory as they who have obeyed8 ,no1 never1 never6 ,it is impossible4 #ac3bcb4 ,darkness and sin were permitted to come on this earth4 ,man partook of the forbidden fruit in accordance with a plan devised from eternity1 that mankind might be brought in contact with the principles and powers of darkness1 that they might know the bitter and the sweet1 the good and the evil1 and be able to discern between light and darkness1 to enable them to receive light continually4 #g3aeh4 ,the greatest desire in the bosom of our ,father ,adam1 or of his faithful children who are co-workers with ,god1 our ,father in ,heaven1 is to save the inhabitants of the earth4 #h3agd4 #ie ,,chapter ,v ,,free ,,agency ,all rational beings have an agency of their own2 and according to their own choice they will be saved or damned4 #f3ig4 ,the volition of the creature is free2 this is a law of their existence and the ,lord cannot violate his own law2 were he to do that1 he would cease to be ,god4 ,he has placed life and death before his children1 and it is for them to choose4 ,if they choose life1 they receive the blessing of life2 if they choose death1 they must abide the penalty4 ,this is a law which has always existed from all eternity1 and will continue to exist throughout all the eternities to come4 ,every intelligent being must have the power of choice1 and ,god brings forth the results of the acts of his creatures to promote his ,kingdom and subserve his purposes in the salvation and exaltation of his children4 #aa3bgb4 ,my independence is sacred to me--it is a portion of that same ,deity that rules in the heavens4 ,there is not a being upon the face of the earth who is made in the image of ,god1 who stands erect and is organized as ,god is1 that would be deprived of the free exercise of his agency so far as he does not infringe upon others' rights1 save by good advice and a good example4 #aj3aia4 ,when the ,lord made man1 he made him an agent accountable to his ,god1 with liberty to act and to do as he pleases1 to a certain extent1 in order to prove himself4 ,there is a law that governs man thus far2 but the law of the celestial #if kingdom1 as ,i have frequently told you1 is1 and always will be1 the same to all the children of ,adam4 #b3aci4 ,he has given them the privilege of choosing for themselves1 whether it be good or evil2 but the result of our choice is still in his hand4 ,all his children have the right of making a path for themselves1 of walking to the right or to the left1 of telling the truth or that which is not true4 ,this right ,god has given to all people who dwell on the earth1 and they can legislate and act as they please2 but ,god holds them in his hands1 and he will bring forth the results of his glory1 and for the benefit of those who love and serve him1 and he will make the wrath of men to praise him4 ,all of us are in the hands of that ,god4 #ac3agh4 ,we possess no ability2 only that which is given us of ,god4 ,he has endowed us with glorious faculties1 with ,godlike attributes like those which are incorporated in his own nature1 and he has placed us upon this earth to honor them1 and to sanctify ourselves and the earth preparatory to enjoying it in its celestial state4 ,we are not1 in anything1 independent of ,god4 ,we inherit what we possess from him4 ,yet it is so ordained1 in the fathomless wisdom of ,god1 that we should be agents to ourselves to choose the good or the evil1 and thereby save and exalt our existence1 or lose it4 #aj3bfe4 ,our ,father controls the results of our acts at his own pleasure1 and we cannot prevent it4 ,man can produce and control his own acts1 but he has no control over their results4 ,god causes even the wrath of man to praise him1 to redound to his glory and the salvation of his children4 #h3ah4 ,the ,lord has not established laws by which ,i am compelled to have my shoes made in a certain style4 ,he has never given a law to determine whether ,i shall have a #ig square-toed boot or a peaked-toe boot2 whether ,i shall have a coat with the waist just under my arms1 and the skirts down to my heels2 or whether ,i shall have a coat like the one ,i have on4 ,intelligence1 to a certain extent1 was bestowed both upon ,saint and sinner1 to use independently1 aside from whether they have the law of the ,priesthood or not1 or whether they have ever heard of it or not4 #b3aci4 ,we cannot all do just as we please1 because a great many times we want to and cannot1 and that is what produces misery1 which is called hell4 #ac3cc4 ,how far does our agency extend8 ,there are certain bounds to it4 ,what we have witnessed in thirty years' experience teaches us that man can appoint1 but ,god can disappoint4 ,man can load his gun to shoot his neighbor1 but he cannot make the ball hit him1 if the ,lord ,almighty see fit to turn it away4 ,he can draw the sword to hew down his fellow-man2 but instead of that1 he may fall upon it himself4 #h3ca4 ,there are limits to agency1 and to all things and to all beings1 and our agency must not infringe upon that law4 ,a man must choose life or death1 and if he chooses death he will find himself abridged1 and that the agency which is given to him is so bound up that he cannot exercise it in opposition to the law1 without laying himself liable to be corrected and punished by the ,almighty4 ,a man can dispose of his agency or of his birth-right1 as did ,esau of old1 but when disposed of1 he cannot again obtain it2 consequently1 it behooves us to be careful1 and not forfeit that agency that is given to us4 ,the difference between the righteous and the sinner1 eternal life or death1 happiness or misery1 is this1 to those who are exalted there are no bounds or limits to their privileges1 their blessings #ih have a continuation1 and to their kingdoms1 thrones1 and dominions1 principalities1 and powers there is no end1 but they increase through all eternity2 whereas1 those who reject the offer1 who despise the proffered mercies of the ,lord1 and prepare themselves to be banished from his presence1 and to become companions of the devils1 have their agency abridged immediately1 and bounds and limits are put to their operations4 #c3bfg4 ,the ,lord does not compel any person to embrace the ,gospel1 and ,i do not think he will compel them to live it after they have embraced it4 #aj3bhb4 ,our religion will not permit us to command or force any man or woman to obey the ,gospel we have embraced4 ,and we are under no obligation to do this1 for every creature has as good a right1 according to his organization1 to choose for himself as the ,gods4 #ad3id4 ,not that the diverse creeds are right1 but the agency of the believers therein demands protection for them1 as well as for us4 #c3beg4 ,do you suppose that the ,lord would have ever given a king to ,israel1 if they had not required one of his hands8 ,no1 he would have been their king and ruler1 and there would have been a prophet to guide them1 had it not been for their rebellion4 ,they made choice of a king1 and ,god gave them one in his anger4 ,their rebellion against the law1 the agency given to them allowing their free choice1 induced them to ask for a king1 and ,god gave them one4 #c3beg4 ,when ,i contemplate the endless variety in the dispositions1 understandings1 temperaments1 countenances1 and organizations of people1 ,i am not surprised that there are those who do not understand things as ,i do4 ,i expect people #ii to have their own peculiar views1 forms1 principles1 and notions4 ,in consequence of this great variety1 we should not be astonished if all do not believe the ,gospel--do not love the truth4 #h3aca4 ,it is as much my right to differ from other men1 as it is theirs to differ from me1 in points of doctrine and principle1 when our minds cannot at once arrive at the same conclusion4 ,i feel it sometimes very difficult indeed to word my thoughts as they exist in my own mind1 which1 ,i presume1 is the grand cause of many apparent differences in sentiment which may exist among the ,saints4 #b3abc4 ,i am not going to drive a man or a woman to heaven4 ,a great many think that they will be able to flog people into heaven1 but this can never be done1 for the intelligence in us is as independent as the ,gods4 ,people are not to be driven1 and you can put into a gnat's eye all the souls of the children of men that are driven into heaven by preaching hell-fire4 #i3abd4 ,when misuse of power has reached a certain stage1 the divinity that is within the people asserts its right and they free themselves from the power of despotism4 #aj3aia4 ,when the people do all they can1 the ,lord is bound to do the rest4 #c3aed4 ,many are disposed through their own wickedness to do as ,i damned please1 and they are damned4 #aa3bed4 ,when a truth is presented to an intelligent person he ought to grasp it and receive it in his faith4 #h3ei4 ,you may know whether you are led right or wrong1 as well as you know the way home2 for every principle ,god has revealed carries its own convictions of its truth to the human mind1 and there is no calling of ,god to man on earth #ajj but what brings with it the evidence of its authenticity4 #i3adi4 ,you cannot break nor destroy the will4 ,it is influenced and controlled1 more or less1 by the evil that is sown in the flesh1 but not in the spirit1 until the body has grown to years of accountability2 then evil1 when listened to1 begins to rule and overrule the spirit ,god has placed within man4 #f3ccb4 ,men should not be permitted to do as they please in all things2 for there are rules regulating all good societies and the business intercourse of men with each other1 which are just and righteous in themselves1 the violation of which cannot be countenanced either by civil or religious usages4 ,it is not the privilege of any man to waste the time of his employer under any pretense whatever1 and the cause of religion1 good government1 and humanity is not in the least degree advanced by the practice1 but the contrary is really the case4 ,men should be abridged in doing wrong2 they should not be free to sin against ,god or against man without suffering such penalties as their sins deserve4 #ab3aec4 ,does it follow that a man is deprived of his rights1 because he lists in his heart to do the will of ,god8 ,must a man swear to prove that he has an agency8 ,i contend there is no necessity for that1 nor for stealing nor for doing any wrong4 ,i can manifest to the heavens and to the inhabitants of the earth that ,i am free-born1 and have my liberty before ,god1 angels and men1 when ,i kneel down to pray1 certainly as much as if ,i were to go out and swear4 ,i have the right to call my family together at certain hours for prayer1 and ,i believe that this course proves that ,i am a free agent1 as much as if ,i were to steal1 swear1 lie1 and get drunk4 #aj3cbc4 #aja ,we would not make everybody bow down to our religion1 if we had the power2 for this would not be ,godlike4 #ad3id4 ,the eternal laws by which he and all others exist in the eternities of the ,gods decree that the consent of the creature must be obtained before the ,creator can rule perfectly4 #ae3acd4 ,the ,lord has a school upon the earth1 and we are his scholars2 and the ,devil also has a school attended by a great number of scholars4 ,while we have been learning how to sustain the ,kingdom of ,god upon the earth1 the ,devil and his pupils have been learning how to sustain the kingdom of darkness4 ,from the very nature of the two kingdoms upon one planet1 the crisis must come when there will be a literal open warfare1 just as much as there now is a warfare within us against evil2 and if we1 as individuals and as a community1 have gained the victory over our passions to such a degree that our ,father knows that we are capable of actually sustaining the ,kingdom of ,god upon the earth1 just so true we shall be a kingdom by ourselves4 ,if we are not yet capable of maintaining and rightly managing that kingdom1 it will not at present be given to us in the fulness thereof2 but the time will come when it will be given and established in its perfect organization on the earth4 #e3cbh4 ,the law of liberty is the law of right in every particular4 #ab3aeb4 ,there is not1 has not been1 and never can be any method1 scheme1 or plan devised by any being in this world for intelligence to exist eternally and obtain an exaltation1 without knowing the good and the evil--without tasting the bitter and the sweet4 ,can the people understand that it is #ajb actually necessary for opposite principles to be placed before them1 or this state of being would be no probation1 and we should have no opportunity for exercising the agency given us8 ,can they understand that we cannot obtain eternal life unless we actually know and comprehend by our experience the principle of good and the principle of evil1 the light and the darkness1 truth1 virtue1 and holiness1--also vice1 wickedness1 and corruption8 ,we must discern and acknowledge that the providences of the ,lord are over all the works of his hands--that when he produces intelligent beings he watches over them for their good4 ,he has given human beings an intelligence designed to become eternal1 self-existent1 independent1 and as ,godlike as any being in the heavens4 ,to answer such design1 we are given our agency--the control of our belief1 and must know the darkness from the light and the light from the darkness1 and must taste the bitter as well as the sweet4 #g3bcg-bch4 ,what would we know about heaven or happiness were it not for their opposite8 #c3cba4 ,let the ,kingdom alone1 the ,lord steadies the ark2 and if it does jostle1 and appear to need steadying1 if the way is a little sideling sometimes1 and to all appearance threatens its overthrow1 be careful how you stretch forth your hands to steady it2 let us not be too officious in meddling with that which does not concern us2 let it alone1 it is the ,lord's work4 #aa3beb4 ,every person who will examine his own experience--who will watch closely the leading of his own desires--will learn that the very great majority prefer to do good rather than to do evil1 and would pursue a correct course1 were it not for the evil power that subjects them to its sway4 #ajc ,in wrong doing1 their own consciences condemn them4 #f3ccj-cca4 ,shall we deny the existence of that which we do not understand8 ,if we do1 we would want to keep an iron bedstead to measure every person according to our own measurements and dimensions2 and if persons were too long we would cut them off1 and if too short draw them out4 ,but we should discard this principle1 and our motto should be1 we will let every one believe as he pleases and follow out the convictions of his own mind1 for all are free to choose or refuse2 they are free to serve ,god or to deny him4 ,we have the ,scriptures of divine truth1 and we are free to believe or deny them4 ,but we shall be brought to judgment before ,god for all these things1 and shall have to give an account to him who has the right to call us to an account for the deeds done in the body4 #ad3aca4 ,there is not an individual upon the earth but what has within himself ability to save or to destroy himself2 and such is the case with nations4 #e3ec4 #ajd ,,chapter ,,vi ,,the ,,power ,,of ,,evil ,lucifer--,there was a devil in heaven1 and he strove to possess the birthright of the ,savior4 ,he was a liar from the beginning1 and loves those who love and make lies1 as do his imps and followers here on the earth4 #h3bgi-hj4 ,the spirits that were cast out of heaven1 which you know are recorded to have been one-third part1 were thrust down to this earth1 and have been here all the time1 with ,lucifer1 the ,son of the ,morning1 at their head4 #d3acc4 ,the spirits of devils have been deprived of bodies1 and that constitutes their curse1 that is to say1 speaking after the manner of men1 you shall be wanderers on the earth1 you have got to live out of doors all the time you live4 ,that is the situation of the spirits that were sent to the earth1 when the revolt took place in heaven1 when ,lucifer1 the ,son of the ,morning1 was cast out4 ,where did he go8 ,he came here1 and one-third part of the spirits in heaven came with him4 ,do you suppose that one-third part of all beings that existed in eternity came with him8 ,no1 but one-third part of the spirits that were begotten and organized and brought forth to become tenants of fleshly bodies to dwell upon this earth4 ,they forsook ,jesus ,christ1 the rightful heir1 and joined with ,lucifer1 the ,son of the ,morning1 and came to this earth2 they got here first4 ,as soon as ,mother ,eve made her appearance in the garden of ,eden1 the ,devil was on hand4 #c3cfh-cfi4 ,as it has always been1 and will be yet for some time1 when the sons of ,god assemble together ,satan will be on #aje hand as an accuser of the brethren1 to find fault with those who are trying to do good4 #aa3ada4 ,the power of the ,devil is limited2 the power of ,god is unlimited4 #c3bfg4 ,who owns this earth8 ,does the ,devil8 ,no1 he does not1 he pretended to own it when the ,savior was here1 and promised it all to him if he would fall down and worship him2 but he did not own a foot of land1 he only had possession of it4 ,he was an intruder1 and is still2 this earth belongs to him that framed and organized it1 and it is expressly for his glory and the possession of those who love and serve him and keep his commandments2 but the enemy has possession of it4 #ae3e4 ,if true principles are revealed from heaven to men1 and if there are angels1 and there is a possibility of their communicating to the human family1 always look for an opposite power1 an evil power1 to give manifestations also2 look out for the counterfeit4 #bdj4 ,i frequently think of the difference between the power of ,god and the power of the ,devil4 ,to illustrate1 here is a structure in which we can be seated comfortably1 protected from the heat of summer or the cold of winter4 ,now1 it required labor1 mechanical skill and ingenuity and faithfulness and diligence to erect this building1 but any poor1 miserable fool or devil can set fire to it and destroy it4 ,that is just what the ,devil can do1 but he never can build anything4 ,the difference between ,god and the ,devil is that ,god creates and organizes1 while the whole study of the ,devil is to destroy4 ,every one that follows the evil inclinations of his own natural evil heart is going to destruction1 and sooner or later he will be no more4 ,i pray you ,latter-day ,saints to live your religion4 #ac3d4 #ajf ,what1 then1 is the mission of ,satan1 that common foe of all the children of men8 ,it is to destroy and make desolate4 #aa3bdj4 ,the ,devil delights in the work of destruction--to burn and lay waste and destroy the whole earth4 ,he delights to convulse and throw into confusion the affairs of men1 politically1 religiously and morally1 introducing war with its long train of dreadful consequences4 ,it is evil which causeth all these miseries and all deformity to come upon the inhabitants of the earth4 ,but that which is of ,god is pure1 lovely1 holy and full of all excellency and truth1 no matter where it is found1 in hell1 in heaven1 upon the earth1 or in the planets4 #aa3bdj4 ,every providence and dispensation of ,god to his earthly children tends directly to life and salvation1 while the influences and powers exerted by the enemy upon mankind and every suggestion of our corrupt natures tends to death4 #aj3bba4 ,the adversary presents his principles and arguments in the most approved style1 and in the most winning tone1 attended with the most graceful attitudes2 and he is very careful to ingratiate himself into the favor of the powerful and influential of mankind1 uniting himself with popular parties1 floating into offices of trust and emolument by pandering to popular feeling1 though it should seriously wrong and oppress the innocent4 #aa3bch4 ,show me one principle that has originated by the power of the ,devil4 ,you cannot do it4 ,i call evil inverted good1 or a correct principle made an evil use of4 #c3aeg4 ,the ,devil's forces are particularly marshalled against us4 #e3cec4 ,you are aware that many think that the ,devil has rule #ajg and power over both body and spirit4 ,now1 ,i want to tell you that he does not hold any power over man1 only so far as the body overcomes the spirit that is in a man1 through yielding to the spirit of evil4 ,the spirit that the ,lord puts into a tabernacle of flesh1 is under the dictation of the ,lord ,almighty2 but the spirit and body are united in order that the spirit may have a tabernacle1 and be exalted2 and the spirit is influenced by the body1 and the body by the spirit4 ,in the first place the spirit is pure1 and under the special control and influence of the ,lord1 but the body is of the earth1 and is subject to the power of the ,devil1 and is under the mighty influence of that fallen nature that is of the earth4 ,if the spirit yields to the body1 the ,devil then has power to overcome the body and spirit of that man1 and he loses both4 ,recollect1 brethren and sisters1 every one of you1 that when evil is suggested to you1 when it arises in your hearts1 it is through the temporal organization4 ,when you are tempted1 buffeted1 and step out of the way inadvertently2 when you are overtaken in a fault1 or commit an overt act unthinkingly2 when you are full of evil passion1 and wish to yield to it1 then stop and let the spirit1 which ,god has put into your tabernacles1 take the lead4 ,if you do that1 ,i will promise that you will overcome all evil1 and obtain eternal lives4 ,but many1 very many1 let the spirit yield to the body1 and are overcome and destroyed4 #b3bee4 ,evil is with us1 it is that influence which tempts to sin1 and which has been permitted to come into the world for the express purpose of giving us an opportunity of proving ourselves before ,god1 before ,jesus ,christ1 our ,elder ,brother1 before the holy angels1 and before all good men1 that we are determined to overcome the evil1 and cleave to the good1 for #ajh the ,lord has given us the ability to do so4 ,consequently1 when the evil is present with me1 ,i have a little fighting to do1 ,i must turn and combat it until it is eradicated from my affections1 as well as from my actions1 that ,i may have power to do all the good ,i wish to perform4 ,every person is capable of this1 all can bridle their tongues1 and cease from every evil act from this time henceforth and forever1 and do good instead4 #a3ia4 ,there are but two parties on the earth1 one for ,god and the other for the world or the evil one4 ,no matter how many names the ,christian or heathen world bear1 or how many sects and creeds may exist1 there are but two parties1 one for heaven and ,god1 and the other will go to some other kingdom than the celestial kingdom of ,god4 #ad3gc4 ,do not imagine that ,i am in the least finding fault with the ,devil4 ,i would not bring a railing accusation against him1 for he is fulfilling his office and calling manfully2 he is more faithful in his calling than are many of the people4 ,god is not yet going to destroy wickedness from the earth4 ,how frequently we hear it reiterated from the pulpit that he is going to destroy all wickedness4 ,no such thing4 ,he will destroy the power of sin4 ,the work the ,savior has on hand is to reduce the power of the ,devil to perfect subjection2 and when he has destroyed death and him that has the power of it1 pertaining to this world1 then he will deliver up the kingdom spotless to the ,father4 #i3ajh4 ,cease to mingle with the wicked4 ,many of our ,elders seem to believe that ,christ and ,baal can yet be made friends4 ,how many times ,elders of ,israel try to make me fellowship the ,devil1 or his imps1 or his servants2 also try to make you fellowship your enemies1 to amalgamate the feelings of the ,saints and the ungodly6 ,it cannot be done2 #aji it never was done1 and never can be accomplished4 ,christ and ,baal never can be friends4 ,one or the other must reign triumphantly on the earth1 and ,i say that ,jesus ,christ shall reign1 and ,i will help him2 and ,baal shall not reign here much longer--the ,devil shall not have power much longer upon the land of ,joseph4 #h3cbe-f4 ,who is the enemy of mankind8 ,he who wishes to change truth for error and light for darkness2 he who wishes to take peace from a family1 city1 state or nation and give the sword in return4 ,he is my enemy1 he is your enemy and the enemy of mankind4 ,who is the friend of mankind8 ,he who makes peace between those who are at enmity1 who brings together those who1 perhaps1 through some misunderstanding1 have been at variance with and lost friendship and fellowship for each other1 and shows them that their ill-will is without foundation and existed simply because they did not understand each other4 #af3bd4 ,who is your enemy and mine8 ,he that teaches language that is unbecoming1 that presents falsehood for truth1 that furnishes false premises to build upon instead of true1 or that is full of anger and mischief to his fellow beings4 ,i call no others enemies4 #af3bd4 ,can error live8 ,no1 it is the very plant of destruction1 it destroys itself2 it withers1 it fades1 it falls and decays and returns to its native element4 ,every untruth1 all error1 everything that is unholy1 unlike ,god1 will1 in its time1 perish4 #ad3ic4 ,you need have no fear but the fear to offend ,god4 #d3cfi4 ,who are the evildoers8 ,those who have had the light presented to them1 and rejected it4 #h3ceg4 ,if we live so as to enjoy the spirit of the faith that we #aaj have embraced there is no danger of our being deceived4 #ad3aeg4 ,the wicked cannot do anything against the truth4 ,every move they make to crush the ,kingdom of ,god will be attended with the signal blessings of the ,almighty for its further extension and ultimate triumph4 ,all their efforts will result in the overthrow of sin and iniquity1 and the increase of righteousness and the ,kingdom of ,god upon the earth4 #h3age4 ,false ,spirits--,there are many spirits gone out into the world1 and the false spirits are giving revelations as well as the ,spirit of the ,lord4 #c3dd4 ,there are myriads of disembodied evil spirits--those who have long ago laid down their bodies here and in the regions round about1 among and around us2 and they are trying to make us and our children sick1 and are trying to destroy us and to tempt us to evil4 ,they will try every possible means they are masters of to draw us aside from the path of righteousness4 #f3gc-d4 ,the children of men give heed to the deceiving spirits that are abroad1 and that is the cause of the ten thousand errors1 wrongs1 sins and divisions which are in the world1 and for this reason the multitude are unable to distinguish between the voice of the ,good ,shepherd and the voice of the stranger4 #af3ge4 ,it was revealed to me in the commencement of this ,church1 that the ,church would spread1 prosper1 grow and extend1 and that in proportion to the spread of the ,gospel among the nations of the earth1 so would the power of ,satan rise4 ,it was told you here that ,brother ,joseph warned the ,elders of ,israel against false spirits4 ,it was revealed to me that if the people did not receive the spirit of #aaa revelation that ,god had sent for the salvation of the world1 they would receive false spirits and would have revelation4 ,men would have revelation1 women would have revelation1 the priest in the pulpit and the deacon under the pulpit would have revelation1 and the people would have revelation enough to damn the whole nation1 and nations of them1 unless they would hearken to the voice of ,god4 ,it was not only revealed to ,joseph but to your humble servant1 that false spirits would be as prevalent and as common among the inhabitants of the earth as we now see them4 #ac3bhj4 ,no man gets power from ,god to raise disturbance in any ,branch of the ,church4 ,such power is obtained from an evil source4 #i4ic4 ,we may be within the pale of the ,kingdom of ,god on earth1 yet we are liable to be overcome of evil4 ,there are many spirits who have gone abroad in the world1 and men are overcome by false spirits1 and led astray from the path of truth4 ,they will begin by doing some evil thing out of sight1 and say1 ,o1 it is nothing1 it is a mere trifle1 and the ,lord is merciful and forgiveth sin4 ,the sins which are considered trifles lay the foundation for greater evils1 and expose men to be tempted1 and buffeted by ,satan1 and they will be overcome little by little1 until by and by they are overtaken in a fault which is more aggravating in the sight of justice1 which lays the foundation for another trial more severe1 and to be buffeted more by the ,devil1 for they lay themselves more liable to his power4 #b3aba4 ,suppose ,i were to teach you a false doctrine1 how are you to know it if you do not possess the ,spirit of ,god8 ,as it is written1 ,the things of ,god knoweth no man but by the ,spirit of ,god4 #ah3gb4 ,our doctrine is right--there is no deception in it4 ,it #aab requires no argument1 for it is a self-evident fact4 ,still1 when we meddle with that which we know nothing about1 we are apt to fall into error and differ2 but we have so much which we do know1 and think about and talk about1 that we have no time to speculate about that which we do not know4 ,we know that ,god lives4 #aj3cbg4 ,what is called spirit-rapping1 spirit-knocking1 and so forth1 is produced by the spirits that the ,lord has suffered to communicate to people on the earth1 and make them believe in revelation4 #g3bci4 ,when we go into the world we find quite a portion of the people who belong' to a class called ,spiritualists4 ,they would like to have it considered that ,mormonism is nothing but ,spiritualism4 ,a great many want to know the difference between the two4 ,i will give one-feature of the difference1 and then set the whole scientific world to work to see if they can ever bring to bear the same feature in ,spiritualism4 ,take all who are called ,spiritualists and see if they can produce the order that is in the midst of this people4 ,here are system1 order1 organization1 law1 rule1 and facts4 ,now see if they can produce any one of these features4 ,they cannot4 ,why8 ,because their system is from beneath1 while ours is perfect and is from above2 one is from ,god1 the other is from the ,devil1 that is all the difference4 #ac3bff4 ,spiritualism is a mass of confusion1 it is a body without parts and passions1 principle or power4 #ac3bff4 ,there is evil in the world1 and there is also good4 ,was there ever a counterfeit without a true coin8 ,no4 ,is there communication from ,god8 ,yes4 ,from holy angels8 ,yes2 and we have been proclaiming these facts during nearly thirty years4 ,are there any communications from evil #aac spirits8 ,yes2 and the ,devil is making the people believe very strongly in revelations from the spirit world4 ,this is called ,spiritualism1 and it is said that thousands of spirits declare that ,mormonism is true2 but what do that class of spirits know more than mortals8 ,perhaps a little more in some particulars than is known here1 but it is only a little more4 ,they are subject in the spirit world to the same powers they were subject to here4 #g3bdj4 ,mesmerism is an inverted truth2 it originated in holy1 good and righteous principles1 which have been inverted by the power of the ,devil4 #c3aef4 ,the principle of animal magnetism is true1 but wicked men use it to an evil purpose4 ,speaking is a true gift1 but ,i can speak to the glory of ,god1 or to the injury of his cause and to my condemnation1 as ,i please2 and still the gift is of ,god4 ,the gift of animal magnetism is a gift of ,god1 but wicked men use it to promote the cause of the ,devil1 and that is precisely the difference4 #c3cgj4 ,i know of many whom mesmerism has led out of this ,church2 they would see the sick healed1 and attribute it to the power of ,god2 would fall under its influence1 embrace and practice it1 and thus give the ,devil power over them to lead them out of the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,they could not tell whether it was the power of ,god or the power of the ,devil4 ,what is the reason8 ,they had not the light of revelation within them2 they had not the knowledge of ,god4 ,are you not aware how easily we may be deceived8 #c3aef4 ,there are many ,elders in this house who1 if ,i had the power to mesmerize that vase and make it dance on that table1 would say that it was done by the power of ,god4 ,who could tell whether it was done by the power of ,god or the power of the ,devil8 ,no person1 unless he had the #aad revelations of ,jesus ,christ within him4 ,i suppose you are ready to ask ,brother ,brigham if he thinks the power of the ,devil could make the vase dance4 ,yes1 and could take it up and carry it out doors1 just as easy as to turn up a table and move it here and there1 or to cause a rap1 rap1 rap1 or to bake and pass around pancakes1 or to get hold of a person's hand1 and make him write in every style you can think of1 imitating ,george ,washington's1 ,benjamin ,franklin's1 ,joseph ,smith's1 and other autographs4 ,can you tell whether that is by the power of ,god or by the power of the ,devil8 ,no1 unless you have the revelations of ,jesus ,christ4 #c3aeg4 ,i have seen the effects of animal magnetism1 or some anomalous sleep1 or whatever it may be called1 many a time in my youth4 ,i have seen persons lie on the benches1 on the floor of the meeting house1 or on the ground at their camp meetings1 for ten1 twenty1 and thirty minutes1 and ,i do not know but an hour1 and not a particle of pulse about them4 ,that was the effect of what ,i call animal magnetism2 they called it the power of ,god1 but no matter what it was1 ,i used to think that ,i should like to ask such persons what they had seen in their trance or vision2 and when ,i got old enough and dared ask them1 ,i did so4 ,i have said to such persons3 ,brother1 what have you experienced8 ,nothing4 ,what do you know more than before you had this2 what do you call it--trance1 sleep or dream8 ,do you know any more now than before you fell to the earth8 ,nothing more4 ,have you seen any person8 ,no4 ,then what is the use or utility of your falling down here in the dirt8 ,i could not see it1 and consequently ,i was an infidel to this4 ,but ,i said then as ,i say now--,show me a church that ,god has organized1 and you will find apostles #aae to rule1 govern1 control1 dictate1 and give counsel4 ,you will find prophets1 evangelists1 pastors1 teachers1 governments1 helps1 and diversities of tongues4 ,when the ,church and ,kingdom of ,god is upon the earth you will find all these things and you will also hear prophesying therein4 #ad3aac4 ,many people in this city do not know whether astrology is true or not1 whether it is of ,god or the ,devil2 hence they are liable to be deceived1 as is every person unless they have the power of revelation within themselves4 ,if there are any brethren here who have been studying astrology1 and they were called upon to speak1 would they not say that they believed it to be a true science8 ,they would2 they testify that they know it to be true4 ,but what does it do for them8 ,it leads them into thousands of errors4 ,does ,god ever lead you into error8 ,is he mistaken when he reveals8 ,no2 when he sets you to make calculations and figures1 ,i will insure you that every sum will prove and come out precisely right4 ,the ,lord does not deceive people1 but astrology and mesmerism do lead them astray4 ,how many deceptions are there in the world8 ,millions1 for a great many spirits have gone forth into the world to deceive the people4 ,spirit rappings are of the same class4 #c3aef4 ,priestcraft--,the priests are angry because they are afraid that their religion is nothing but a sandy foundationed fabric2 and whenever they meditate upon the subject and humble themselves1 and the ,spirit of the ,lord finds its way to their hearts and convicts them1 the truth then is made manifest before them1 and they begin to learn the falsity of their systems2 and when that spirit leaves them1 they become angry4 ,mormonism is declared to be true by hosts of witnesses1 and this makes the priests angry2 for #aaf this ,gospel bears its own weight and testimony1 and they know not how to gainsay it4 ,true1 ,i have aimed to point out their errors2 but it is not you or me that they are opposed to1 although they throw their darts at us2 but it is the spirit of conviction that goes with the report of this work2 for wherever it goes it strikes conviction to the heart1 and that is what disturbs the priests and the people4 #e3d-e4 ,go to the ,united ,states1 into ,europe1 or wherever you can come across men who have been in the midst of this people1 and one will tell you that we are a poor1 ignorant1 deluded people2 the next will tell you that we are the most industrious and intelligent people on the earth1 and are destined to rise to eminence as a nation1 and spread1 and continue to spread1 until we revolutionize the whole earth4 ,if you pass on to the third man1 and inquire what he thinks of the ,mormons1 he will say they are fools1 duped and led astray by ,joe ,smith1 who was a knave1 and a false prophet1 and a money digger4 ,why is all this8 ,it is because there is a spirit in man4 ,and when the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ is preached on the earth1 and the ,kingdom of ,god is established1 there is also a spirit in these things1 and an almighty spirit too4 ,when these two spirits come in contact one with the other1 the spirit of the ,gospel reflects light upon the spirit which ,god has placed in man1 and wakes him up to a consciousness of his true state1 which makes him afraid he will be condemned1 for he perceives at once that ,mormonism is true4 ,our craft is in danger1 is the first thought that strikes the wicked and dishonest of mankind1 when the light of truth shines upon them4 ,say they1 ,if these people called ,latter-day ,saints are correct in their views1 the whole world must be wrong1 and what will become of our time-honored institutions1 and of our #aag influence1 which we have swayed successfully over the minds of the people for ages4 ,this ,mormonism must be put down4 ,so priestcraft presents a bold and extended front against the truth4 #a3ahh4 ,it is not in my being called a ,quaker1 a ,methodist or a ,mormon that is the true cause of contention between these two great powers--,christ and ,belial2 but it is in the fact that ,god has established his ,kingdom upon the earth and restored the holy ,priesthood which gives men authority and power to administer in his name4 #aa3bch4 ,instead of seeking unto the ,lord for wisdom1 they seek unto vain philosophy and the deceit and traditions of men1 which are after the rudiments of the world and not after ,christ4 ,they are led by their own imaginations and by the dictates of their selfish will1 which will lead them in the end to miss the object of their pursuit4 #aj3bji4 ,sin and ,wickedness--,god permits sin1 or it could not be here4 #ac3aea4 ,the law is for the transgressor4 #ae3afa4 ,all evil is from beneath1 while all that is good is from ,god4 #ac3bfg4 ,aside from the revelations in our day1 there is not knowledge enough to tell you why ,god suffered sin to come into the world4 ,you have been told the reason why--that all intelligence must prove facts by their opposite4 #f3add4 ,i wish you to understand that sin is not an attribute in the nature of man1 but it is an inversion of the attributes ,god has placed in him4 ,righteousness tends to an eternal duration of organized intelligence1 while sin bringeth to pass their dissolution4 #aj3bea4 ,sin has come into the world1 and death by sin4 ,i frequently ask myself the question3 ,was there any necessity #aah for sin to enter the world8 ,most assuredly there was1 according to my understanding and reasoning powers4 ,did ,i not know the evil ,i could never know the good2 had ,i not seen the light ,i should never be able to comprehend what darkness is4 ,had ,i never tried to see and behold a thing in darkness ,i could not understand the beauty and glory of the light4 ,if ,i had never tasted the bitter or the sour how could ,i define or describe the sweet8 #ac3ei4 ,the annoyances1 difficulties1 errors1 perplexities1 sorrows1 and troubles of this life1 from first to last1 are in consequence of sin being in the world4 ,for me to say it is not right for sin to be in the world1 or if we1 as intelligent beings1 come to the conclusion that sin entered the world by chance1 through some mistake1 and it was contrary to the design of him who created us1 we should err4 #ad3ih4 ,let a ,saint diverge from the path of truth and rectitude1 in the least1 no matter in what1 it may be in a deal with his neighbor1 in lusting after that which is not in his possession1 in neglecting his duty1 in having an over anxiety for something he should not be anxious about1 in being a little distrustful with regard to the providences of ,god1 in entertaining a misgiving in his heart and feeling with regard to the hand of the ,lord towards him1 and his mind will begin to be darkened4 #c3bbb4 ,the law of ,god is pointed against sin and iniquity1 and where they appear it is unbending in its nature and must1 sooner or later1 hold sovereign rule against them1 or righteousness could never prevail4 #c3bef4 ,paul asks1 ,shall we sin that righteousness may abound8 ,no1 there is plenty of sin without your sinning4 ,we can have all the experience we need1 without sinning ourselves1 therefore we will not sin that good may come1 #aai we will not transgress the law of ,god that we may know the opposite4 ,there is no necessity for such a course1 for the world is full of transgression1 and this people need not mingle up with it4 #c3bbd4 ,it is as manly and as praiseworthy for an individual to make the choice to do good1 work righteousness and love and serve ,god--it is more noble1 than to choose the downward road4 ,one or the other will be the choice of every individual4 ,do not trifle with evil1 or you will be overcome by it before you know4 #ab3bca4 ,many imbibe the idea that they are capable of leading out in teaching principles that never have been taught4 ,they are not aware that the moment they give way to this hallucination the ,devil has power over them to lead them onto unholy ground2 though this is a lesson which they ought to have learned long ago1 yet it is one that was learned by but few in the days of ,joseph4 #c3cah4 ,it is far better to die in a good cause than to live in a bad one2 it is better to die doing good than to live doing evil4 #aa3acd4 ,sin is in the world1 but it is not necessary that we should sin1 because sin is in the world2 but1 to the contrary1 it is necessary that we should resist sin1 and for this purpose is sin necessary4 ,sin exists in all the eternities4 ,sin is coeternal with righteousness1 for it must needs be that there is an opposition in all things4 #aj3b4 ,look at ourselves--run over our own experience1 and we shall discover that ourselves1 our neighbors1 our friends1 our acquaintances1 and all people do not always know when they are happy4 ,in other words1 if you could crowd an individual or a community into heaven without experience1 it would be no enjoyment to them4 ,they must know the #abj opposite2 they must know how to contrast1 in order to prize and appreciate the comfort and happiness1 the joy and the bliss they are actually in possession of4 #e3bid4 ,there is a clear distinction made between the sinner and the ungodly4 ,a person to be ungodly must have known godliness1 and must have a knowledge of what the ,lord requires concerning him4 ,there are many in the midst of this people who believe the ,gospel with all their hearts1 but yet do wickedly2 this makes them ungodly4 #b3beh4 ,i would not associate with those who blaspheme the name of ,god1 nor would ,i let my family associate with them4 ,by this you may know whether you are in the path that leads to life and salvation4 ,if you can hear the name of the ,deity lightly spoken of and blasphemed1 and not be shocked at it1 you may know that you are not in that path4 #ab3bai-bbj4 ,improvement belongs to the spirit and plan of the heavens4 ,to improve in our minds1 to increase in wisdom1 knowledge and understanding1 to gather every item of knowledge that we can in mechanism and in science of every description1 respecting the earth1 the object of the organization of the earth1 the heavens1 the heavenly bodies--all this is of ,heaven1 it is from ,god2 but when a person or a people begin to dwindle1 to lessen and to take the downward course1 they are going from heaven and heavenly things4 #af3fe4 ,many of us have been taught the doctrine of total depravity--that man is not naturally inclined to do good4 ,i am satisfied that he is more inclined to do right than to do wrong4 ,there is a greater power within him to shun evil and perform good1 than to do the opposite4 #i3bdg4 ,the wickedness of the children of men is what influences #aba them to fear4 ,they are not afraid of their own laws1 because they originated from themselves2 they can manage them and blot them out of existence whenever they wish4 ,but when that which is said to be the ,kingdom of ,god1 or the theocracy of heaven1 is upon the earth1 many of the inhabitants thereof tremble1 and fear that it is not correct4 #g3adh4 ,how much does it take to prepare a man1 or woman1 or any being1 to become angels to the ,devil1 to suffer with him to all eternity8 ,just as much as it does to prepare a man to go into the celestial kingdom1 into the presence of the ,father and the ,son1 and to be made an heir to his ,kingdom1 and all his glory1 and be crowned with crowns of glory1 immortality1 and eternal lives4 #c3ic4 ,let not your feelings be afflicted or in anywise troubled by the sayings and doings of the wicked1 for they are in the hands of the ,almighty1 and he will dispose of individuals and nations as seemeth him good4 ,he must give them an opportunity to receive the truth and prepare themselves to dwell eternally with him1 or to reject it and prepare themselves to be cut down as cumberers of the ground1 suffer the wrath of the ,almighty1 and perish and be wasted away until they will be known no more4 ,seek for that which will endure4 #g3bgj4 ,it is not right1 ,i will say1 for people to know the truth and live in disobedience to it2 it is not right for them to understand the ways and providences of ,god as they are dealt out to the people on the earth1 when they live and are determined to live in violation of every commandment and law of ,god2 and because they do so live1 ignorance covers them as with a mantle1 shuts out the light of truth from them1 and keeps them in darkness2 and if the light were to #abb shine upon them1 as it does now and as it did in the days of the ,apostles1 would they receive it8 ,no1 they would not4 ,light has come into the world1 but the wicked choose darkness rather than light4 ,why8 ,it was told in days of old that their deeds were evil4 ,that is the fact today--,they choose darkness rather than light1 because their deeds are evil1 and their hearts are fully set in them to do evil4 #ae3fd4 ,let the wicked say what they please1 for their breath is in their nostrils1 and all their glory is like the grass and the flower of the grass that passeth away4 ,they are here but for a moment1 and soon those who know them now will know them no more for ever4 ,they will soon be as though they had not been upon the earth4 #g3bgj4 ,the hand of the ,almighty is over the wicked1 and he handles them according to his good pleasure1 as he does the ,saints4 ,his hand is over us1 and his hand is over them4 ,but there is a thick mist cast before their eyes1 so they do not discern the truth of ,mormonism4 ,do you wonder that they are mad1 when they see the progress of truth8 ,i do not4 #d3ch4 ,i never believed that the righteous have ever suffered as much as the wicked4 #aa3bgd4 ,the wicked do not know how to enjoy life1 but the closer we live to ,god the better we know and understand how to enjoy it4 ,live so that you can enjoy the ,spirit of the ,lord continually4 #aj3ccf4 ,temptation--,i am happy1 brethren1 for the privilege of having temptation4 ,a great many people have thought that in my life ,i was not tempted like other men4 ,i tell them if ,i am it is none of their business2 it is nothing to them4 ,some say1 ,brother ,brigham1 you slide along and #abc the ,devil lets you alone4 ,if ,i have battles with him1 ,i can overcome him single handed quicker than to call in my neighbors to help me4 ,if ,i am tempted to speak an evil word1 ,i will keep my lips locked together4 ,says one1 ,i do not know about that1 that would be smothering up bad feelings1 ,i am wonderfully tried about my neighbor1 he has done wrong1 he has abused me and ,i feel dreadful bad about it4 ,had ,i not better let it out than to keep it rankling within me8 ,no4 ,i will keep bad feelings under and actually smother them to death1 then they are gone4 ,but as sure as ,i let them out they will live and afflict me4 ,if ,i smother them in myself1 if ,i actually choke them to death1 destroy the life1 the power1 and vigor thereof1 they will pass off and leave me clear of fault1 and pure1 so far as that is concerned2 and no man or woman on earth knows that ,i have ever been tempted to indulge in wicked feelings4 ,keep them to yourselves4 ,if you feel evil1 keep it to yourselves until you overcome that evil principle4 ,this is what ,i call resisting the ,devil1 and he flees from me4 ,i strive not to speak evil1 not to feel evil1 and if ,i do1 to keep it to myself until it is gone from me1 and not let it pass my lips4 #c3aie4 ,thousands of temptations assail1 and you make a miss here and a slip there1 and say that you have not lived up to all the knowledge you have4 ,true2 but often it is a marvel to me that you have lived up to so much as you have1 considering the power of the enemy upon the earth4 ,few that have ever lived have fully understood that power4 ,i do not fully comprehend the awful power and influence ,satan has upon the earth1 but ,i understand enough to know that it is a marvel that the ,latter-day ,saints are as good as they are4 #h3bhe4 #abd ,it is necessary in the very nature of things1 in the economy of heaven1 that we should be tried and tempted in all things1 in order to prove ourselves and prepare ourselves to enjoy that eternal life that is prepared for the just4 ,the time will be when people will not be tempted as they now are--when there will be no ,tempter upon the earth4 ,the knowledge and intelligence that will be diffused among the people will enable them to live a time and a season without the ,tempter4 ,but we live in a day when the power and rule of that evil principle is more excessive upon the earth than it ever has been4 #g3bfh4 ,when we neglect any one of these duties1 the enemy says1 ,i have made so much ground4 ,if the-,devil can induce an ,elder to drink a little1 he is not satisfied with this triumph1 but says to him1 ,your wife and children know it1 don't pray tonight4 ,the ,elder says to his family1 ,i feel tired tonight1 we won't have prayers4 ,the enemy says1 ,i have gained another point4 ,you indulge still further1 and you will find other excuses4 ,your head is not right1 your heart is not right1 your conscience is not right1 and you retire again without praying4 ,by and by1 you begin to doubt something the ,lord has revealed to us1 and it is not long before such a one is led away captive of the ,devil4 #ah3baf4 ,when you are tempted to do wrong1 do not stop one moment to argue1 but tell ,mr4 ,devil to walk out of your barn4 #c3cei4 ,when the ,devil cannot overcome an individual through temptation to commit wickedness1 when he sees that a person is determined to walk in the line and travel straight forward into the celestial kingdom1 he will adopt a course of flattery1 will strive to exercise a pleasing influence and move along smoothly with him1 and when he sees an opportunity #abe he will try to turn him out of the way1 if it is only to the extent of a hair's breadth4 #c3cah4 ,do not suppose that we shall ever in the flesh be free from temptations to sin4 ,some suppose that they can in the flesh be sanctified1 body and spirit1 and become so pure that they will never again feel the effects of the power of the adversary of truth4 ,were it possible for a person to attain to this degree of perfection in the flesh1 he could not die1 neither remain in a world where sin predominates4 ,sin has entered into the world1 and death by sin4 ,i think we shall more or less feel the effects of sin so long as we live1 and finally have to pass the ordeals of death4 ,do not understand that in the flesh we shall ever overcome the power of sin to such a degree that we shall never taste death4 ,i do not look for any such thing1 though what we call death1 or laying down this body1 is only the door to a higher state of life for the faithful4 ,if we live our religion it will enable us to so overcome sin that it will not reign in our mortal bodies but will become subject to us1 and the world and its fulness will become our servant instead of our master4 #aj3agc4 ,as soon as a man hears the ,gospel preached and becomes convinced of its truthfulness1 he is tempted of the ,devil1 who1 whenever there is an opportunity1 suggests doubt for his reflection4 ,if he entertain these doubting influences it is not long before what he believed true becomes a matter of conjecture4 ,another may receive the ,gospel1 travel and preach it faithfully1 feeling in his heart to exclaim1 ,glory to ,god in the highest1 having no other motive than to do good to his fellow beings4 ,by and by he perhaps is left to himself1 saying--,i wonder if ,i really was #abf right8 ,this single doubt is perhaps the beginning of his apostasy from the ,church4 #ah3bae4 ,serve ,god according to the best knowledge you have1 and lay down and sleep quietly2 and when the ,devil comes along and says1 ,you are not a very good ,saint1 you might enjoy greater blessings and more of the power of ,god1 and have the vision of your mind opened1 if you would live up to your privileges1 tell him to leave2 that you have long ago forsaken his ranks and enlisted in the army of ,jesus1 who is your captain1 and that you want no more of the ,devil4 #d3bgj4 ,when temptations come to you1 be humble and faithful1 and determined that you will overcome1 and you will receive a deliverance1 and continue faithful1 having the promise of receiving blessings4 #af3afd4 ,apostasy--,it is most astonishing to every principle of intelligence that any man or woman will close their eyes upon eternal things after they have been made acquainted with them1 and let the gay things of this world1 the lusts of the eye1 and the lusts of the flesh1 entangle their minds and draw them one hair's breadth from the principles of life4 #d3ei4 ,if the candle of the ,almighty does not shine from this place1 you need not seek for light anywhere else4 #d3ic4 ,to know the truth of my testimony he must have the visions and revelations of ,god for himself4 ,and when he gets them1 and turns aside becoming a traitor to the cause of righteousness1 the wrath of ,god will beat upon him1 and the vengeance of the ,almighty will be heavy upon him4 #b3adj4 ,it was said here this morning that no person ever apostatized1 without actual transgression4 ,omission of duty #abg leads to commission4 ,we want to live so as to have the ,spirit every day1 every hour of the day1 every minute of the day1 and every ,latter-day ,saint is entitled to the ,spirit of ,god1 to the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 to lead him in his individual duties4 #aj3bif4 ,he will make false prophecies1 yet he will do it by the spirit of prophecy2 he will feel that he is a prophet and can prophesy1 but he does it by another spirit and power than that which was given him of the ,lord4 ,he uses the gift as much as you and ,i use ours4 #c3cfd4 ,let a man or woman who has received much of the power of ,god1 visions and revelations1 turn away from the holy commandments of the ,lord1 and it seems that their senses are taken from them1 their understanding and judgment in righteousness are taken away1 they go into darkness1 and become like a blind person who gropes by the wall4 #b3cja4 ,the person that forsakes the faith of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ will find himself ruined for time and eternity4 ,how are they looked upon who have received the ,spirit of the ,gospel and forsaken it8 ,with a few exceptions1 they are despised by the good and wise among men1 by the noble and ignoble2 all despise them1 and they are in a most miserable condition4 #g3adf4 ,whenever there is a disposition manifested in any of the members of this ,church to question the right of the ,president of the whole ,church to direct in all things1 you see manifested evidences of apostasy--of a spirit which1 if encouraged1 will lead to a separation from the ,church and to final destruction2 wherever there is a disposition to operate against any legally appointed officer of this ,kingdom1 no matter in what capacity he is called to act1 if persisted in1 #abh it will be followed by the same results2 they will walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness1 and despise government4 ,presumptuous are they1 self-willed2 they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities4 #aa3acf4 ,when a man begins to find fault1 inquiring in regard to this1 that1 and the other1 saying1 ,does this or that look as though the ,lord dictated it8 you may know that that person has more or less of the spirit of apostasy4 ,every man in this ,kingdom1 or upon the face of the earth1 who is seeking with all his heart to save himself1 has as much to do as he can conveniently attend to1 without calling in question that which does not belong to him4 ,if he succeeds in saving himself1 it has well occupied his time and attention4 ,see to it that you are right yourselves2 see that sins and folly do not manifest themselves with the rising sun4 ,i repeat that it is as much as any one can well do to take care of himself by3 performing every duty that pertains to his temporal and eternal welfare4 #h3ab4 ,what is that which turns people away from this ,church8 ,very trifling affairs are generally the commencement of their divergence from the right path4 ,if we follow a compass1 the needle of which does not point correctly1 a very slight deviation in the beginning will lead us1 when we have traveled some distance1 far to one side of the true point for which we are aiming4 #ab3abe4 ,when men lose the spirit of the work in which we are engaged1 they become infidel in their feelings4 ,they say that they do not know whether the ,bible is true1 whether the ,book of ,mormon is true1 nor about new revelations1 nor whether there is a ,god or not4 ,when they lose the spirit of this work1 they lose the knowledge of the things of ,god in time and in eternity2 all is lost to them4 #h3caf4 #abi ,those who leave the ,church are like a feather blown to and fro in the air4 ,they know not whither they are going2 they do not understand anything about their own existence2 their faith1 judgment and the operation of their minds are as unstable as the movements of the feather floating in the air4 ,we have not anything to cling to1 only faith in the ,gospel4 #ae3acf4 ,if the people would live their religion1 there would be no apostasy and we would hear no complaining or faultfinding4 ,if the people were hungry for the words of eternal life1 and their whole souls even centered on the building up of the ,kingdom of ,god1 every heart and hand would be ready and willing and the work would move forward mightily and we would advance as we should do4 #ac3aec4 ,men begin to apostatize by taking to themselves strength1 by hearkening to the whisperings of the enemy who leads them astray little by little1 until they gather to themselves that which they call the wisdom of man2 then they begin to depart from ,god1 and their minds become confused4 #ah3bca4 ,you have known men who1 while in the ,church1 were active1 quick and full of intelligence2 but after they have left the ,church1 they have become contracted in their understandings1 they have become darkened in their minds and everything has become a mystery to them1 and in regard to the things of ,god1 they have become like the rest of the world1 who think1 hope and pray that such and such things may be so1 but they do not know the least about it4 ,this is precisely the position of those who leave this ,church2 they go into the dark1 they are not able to judge1 conceive or comprehend things as they are4 ,they are like the drunken man--he thinks that everybody is the worse for liquor but himself1 and he is the only sober man in the neighborhood4 #acj ,the apostates think that everybody is wrong but themselves4 #af3fe4 ,you hear many say1 ,i am a ,latter-day ,saint1 and ,i never will apostatize2 ,i am a ,latter-day ,saint1 and shall be to the day of my death4 ,i never make such declarations1 and never shall4 ,i think ,i have learned that of myself ,i have no power1 but my system is organized to increase in wisdom1 knowledge1 and power1 getting a little here and a little there4 ,but when ,i am left to myself1 ,i have no power1 and my wisdom is foolishness2 then ,i cling close to the ,lord1 and ,i have power in his name4 ,i think ,i have learned the ,gospel so as to know1 that in and of myself ,i am nothing4 #a3ccg4 ,if you want to see the principle of devilism to perfection1 hunt among those who have once enjoyed the faith of the holy ,gospel and then forsaken their religion4 ,we have the best and the worst4 ,why the worst8 ,because the ,devil prompts men and women of the meanest and lowest grade to embrace the ,gospel and get a foothold in the ,kingdom of ,god to destroy it4 #g3ade4 ,people do1 however1 leave this ,church1 but they leave it because they get into darkness1 and the very day they conclude that there should be a democratic vote1 or in other words1 that we should have two candidates for the presiding ,priesthood in the midst of the ,latter-day ,saints1 they conclude to be apostates4 ,there is no such thing as confusion1 division1 strife1 animosity1 hatred1 malice1 or two sides to the question in the house of ,god2 there is but one side to the question there4 #ad3ib4 ,if the ,saints neglect to pray1 and violate the day that is set apart for the worship of ,god1 they will lose his ,spirit4 ,if a man shall suffer himself to be overcome with anger1 and curse and swear1 taking the name of the ,deity in vain1 #aca he cannot retain the ,holy ,spirit4 ,in short1 if a man shall do anything which he knows to be wrong1 and repenteth not1 he cannot enjoy the ,holy ,spirit1 but will walk in darkness and ultimately deny the faith4 #aa3acd4 ,what have the ,latter-day ,saints got to apostatize from8 ,everything that there is good1 pure1 holy1 ,god-like1 exalting1 ennobling1 extending the ideas1 the capacities of the intelligent beings that our ,heavenly ,father has brought forth upon this earth4 ,what will they receive in exchange8 ,i can comprehend it in a very few words4 ,these would be the words that ,i should use3 death1 hell and the grave4 ,that is what they will get in exchange4 ,we may go into the particulars of that which they experience4 ,they experience darkness1 ignorance1 doubt1 pain1 sorrow1 grief1 mourning1 unhappiness2 no person to condole with in the hour of trouble1 no arm to lean upon in the day of calamity1 no eye to pity when they are forlorn and cast down2 and ,i comprehend it by saying death1 hell and the grave4 ,this is what they will get in exchange for their apostasy from the ,gospel of the ,son of ,god4 #af3afj4 ,why do people apostatize8 ,you know we are on the ,old ,ship ,zion4 ,we are in the midst of the ocean4 ,a storm comes on1 and1 as sailors say1 she labors very hard4 ,i am not going to stay here1 says one2 ,i don't believe this is the ',ship ,zion4' ,but we are in the midst of the ocean4 ,i don't care1 ,i am not going to stay here4 ,off goes the coat1 and he jumps overboard4 ,will he not be drowned8 ,yes4 ,so with those who leave this ,church4 ,it is the ,old ,ship ,zion1 let us stay in it4 #aj3bie4 ,will there still be apostasy8 ,yes1 brethren and sisters1 you may expect that people will come into the ,church and then apostatize4 ,you may expect that some people will run well for a season1 and then fall out by the way4 #b3bej4 #acb ,many receive the ,gospel because they know it is true2 they are convinced in their judgment that it is true2 strong argument overpowers them1 and they are rationally compelled to admit the ,gospel to be true upon fair reasoning4 ,they yield to it1 and obey its first principles1 but never seek to be enlightened by the power of the ,holy ,ghost2 such ones frequently step out of the way4 #b3bej4 ,what has already become of those who1 during our short existence as a ,church1 have come out against us1 politically1 judicially1 or otherwise1 those who have raised their puny arms to destroy the ,kingdom of ,god from the earth6 ,they have become powerless1 like the dew before the rising sun2 they have vanished away1 their names are almost forgotten2 and if this is not the case with all1 it will be4 #ah3bcb4 ,one of the first steps to apostasy is to find fault with your ,bishop2 and when that is done1 unless repented of1 a second step is soon taken1 and by and by the person is cut off from the ,church1 and that is the end of it4 ,will you allow yourselves to find fault with your ,bishop8 ,no2 but come to me1 go to the ,high ,council1 or to the ,president of the ,stake1 and ascertain whether your ,bishop is doing wrong1 before you find fault and suffer yourselves to speak against a presiding officer4 #i3ada4 ,god is at the helm of this great ship1 and that makes me feel good4 ,when ,i think about the world1 and the enemies of the cause of ,god1 ,i care no more about them than ,i do for a parcel of mosquitoes4 ,all hell may howl1 and they may run up and down the earth and seek whom they may destroy1 but they cannot move the faithful and pure in heart4 ,let those apostatize who wish to1 but ,god will save all who are determined to be saved4 #d3aaa4 #acc ,,chapter ,,vii ,,the ,,law ,,of ,,eternal ,,progression ,object of ,mortal ,life--,this life is worth as much to us as any life in the eternities of the ,gods4 #i3agj4 ,the object of this existence is to learn1 which we can only do a little at a time4 #i3afg4 ,what are we here for8 ,to learn to enjoy more1 and to increase in knowledge and in experience4 #ad3bbh4 ,the whole mortal existence of man is neither more nor less than a preparatory state given to finite beings1 a space wherein they may improve themselves for a higher state of being4 #a3ccd4 ,we are placed on this earth to prove whether we are worthy to go into the celestial world1 the terrestrial1 or the telestial1 or to hell1 or to any other kingdom1 or place1 and we have enough of life given us to do this4 #d3bfi4 ,this is a world in which we are to prove ourselves4 ,the lifetime of man is a day of trial1 wherein we may prove to ,god1 in our darkness1 in our weakness1 and where the enemy reigns1 that we are our ,father's friends1 and that we receive light from him and are worthy to be leaders of our children--to become lords of lords1 and kings of kings--to have perfect dominion over that portion of our families that will be crowned in the celestial kingdom with glory1 immortality1 and eternal lives4 #h3fa4 ,the first great principle that ought to occupy the attention of mankind1 that should be understood by the child and the adult1 and which is the main spring of all action1 whether people understand it or not1 is the principle of #acd improvement4 ,the principle of increase1 of exaltation1 of adding to that we already possess1 is the grand moving principle and cause of the actions of the children of men4 ,no matter what their pursuits are1 in what nation they were born1 with what people they have been associated1 what religion they profess1 or what politics they hold1 this is the main spring of the actions of the people1 embracing all the powers necessary in performing the duties of life4 #b3ia4 ,man to ,endure ,forever--,hear it1 all ye ,latter-day ,saints6 ,will you spend the time of your probation for naught1 and fool away your existence and being8 ,you were organized1 and brought into being1 for the purpose of enduring forever1 if you fulfil the measure of your creation1 pursue the right path1 observe the requirements of the celestial law1 and obey the commandments of our ,god4 #a3aac4 ,we are urged by the ,spirit to refrain from articles which tend to death1 to preserve this life1 which is the most precious life given to mortal beings preparatory to an immortal life4 ,it is our business to prepare to live here to do good4 ,instead of crying to the people1 prepare to die1 our cry is1 prepare to live forever4 ,these mortal houses will drop off sometime1 and when they are cleansed and purified1 sanctified and glorified1 we shall inherit them again forever and ever4 ,let all the ,saints pursue a course to live4 #ab3bji4 ,mankind1 in general1 do not stop to reflect1 they are pressing headlong to grasp the whole world if possible2 each individual is for himself1 and he is ignorant of the design the ,almighty had in his creation and existence in this life4 ,to obtain a knowledge of this design is a duty obligatory upon all the sons and daughters of ,adam4 #a3ccd4 ,the ,business of ,life--,the only business that we have #ace on hand is to build up the ,kingdom of ,god and prepare the way of the ,son of ,man4 #e3bcj4 ,we are here to live1 to spread intelligence and knowledge among the people4 ,i am here to school my brethren1 to teach my family the way of life1 to propagate my species1 and to live1 if in my power1 until sin1 iniquity1 corruption1 hell1 and the ,devil1 and all classes and grades of abominations are driven from the earth4 ,that is my religion and the object of my existence4 ,we are not here merely to prepare to die1 and then die2 but we are here to live and build up the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth--to promote the ,priesthood1 overcome the powers of ,satan1 and teach the children of man what they are created for--that in them is concealed the germ of all intelligence4 ,here is the starting-point--the foundation that is laid in the organization of man for receiving a fulness of eternal knowledge and glory4 ,are we to go yonder to obtain it8 ,no2 we are to promote it on this earth4 #h3bhb4 ,human beings are expected by their ,creator to be actively employed in doing good every day of their lives1 either in improving their own mental and physical condition or that of their neighbors4 #i3aij4 ,the purpose of our life should be to build up the ,zion of our ,god1 to gather the ,house of ,israel1 bring in the fulness of the ,gentiles1 restore and bless the earth with our ability and make it as the ,garden of ,eden1 store up treasures of knowledge and wisdom in our own understandings1 purify our own hearts and prepare a people to meet the ,lord when he comes4 #aj3bbb4 ,some say that this is a miserable world1 ,i do not care how soon ,i get through4 ,well1 go and destroy yourselves1 if you choose2 you have all the opportunity that you can #acf desire1 there is plenty of arsenic1 calomel1 and other means1 within your reach4 ,but ,i would not give a cent for such persons2 ,i do not delight in such characters1 and ,i do not believe that the ,lord delights in people who wish to die before they have accomplished the work that he designed for them to do4 #b3bgj-bga4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints throughout the valleys in these mountains and throughout the world ought to be learning what they are on this earth for4 ,they are here to increase and multiply1 to enlarge1 to gather the ,house of ,israel1 redeem ,zion1 build up the ,zion of our ,god1 and to promote that eternal intelligence that dwells with the ,gods1 and begin to plant it in this earth1 and make it take root downward and bring forth fruit upward to the glory of ,god1 until every obnoxious principle in the hearts of men is destroyed1 and the earth returns to its paradisical state1 and the ,lord comes and dwells with this people1 and walks and talks with them as he did with ,father ,adam4 ,that is our business1 and not to suffer all our energies to be expended in merely preparing to die4 #h3bhb4 ,it may appear strange to some of you1 and it certainly does to the world1 to say it is possible for a man or woman to become perfect on this earth4 ,it is written ,be ye therefore perfect1 even as your ,father which is in heaven is perfect4 ,again1 ,if any man offend not in word1 the same is a perfect man1 and able also to bridle the whole body4 ,this is perfectly consistent to the person who understands what perfection really is4 ,if the first passage ,i have quoted is not worded to our understanding1 we can alter the phraseology of the sentence1 and say1 ,be ye as perfect as ye can1 for that is all we can do1 though it is written1 be ye perfect as your ,father who is #acg in heaven is perfect4 ,he cannot be any more perfect than he knows how1 any more than we4 ,when we are doing as well as we know how in the sphere and station which we occupy here1 we are justified in the justice1 righteousness1 mercy1 and judgment that go before the ,lord of heaven and earth4 ,we are as justified as the angels who are before the throne of ,god4 ,the sin that will cleave to all the posterity of ,adam and ,eve is1 that they have not done as well as they knew how4 #b3abi4 ,when we use the term perfection1 it applies to man in his present condition1 as well as to heavenly beings4 ,we are now1 or may be1 as perfect in our sphere as ,god and angels are in theirs1 but the greatest intelligence in existence can continually ascend to greater heights of perfection4 #a3ic4 ,prepare to ,live--,instead of preparing to die1 prepare to live in the midst of all the exaltations of the ,gods4 #i3bia4 ,we are organized for the express purpose of controlling the elements1 of organizing and disorganizing1 of ruling over kingdoms1 principalities1 and powers1 and yet our affections are often too highly placed upon paltry1 perishable objects4 ,we love houses1 gold1 silver1 and various kinds of property1 and all who unduly prize any object there is beneath the celestial world are idolators4 #c3beg4 ,but so long as we willingly hold fellowship with that which tends to death and destruction1 we cannot progress as we should in the work of perfection in ourselves1 nor in building up and beautifying ,zion4 #i3bhd4 ,it is our privilege to say1 every day in our lives1 ,that is the best day ,i ever lived4 ,never let a day so pass that you will have cause to say1 ,i will live better to-morrow1 and ,i will promise you1 in the name of the ,lord ,jesus1 that #ach your lives will be as a well of water springing up to everlasting life4 ,you will have his ,spirit to dwell in you continually1 and your eyes will be open to see1 your ears to hear1 and your understandings to comprehend4 #h3adj4 ,he gives a little to his humble followers today1 and if they improve upon it1 tomorrow he will give them a little more1 and the next day a little more4 ,he does not add to that which they do not improve upon1 but they are required to continually improve upon the knowledge they already possess1 and thus obtain a store of wisdom4 ,it is plain1 then1 that we may receive the truth1 and know1 through every portion of the soul1 that the ,gospel is the power of ,god unto salvation2 that it is the way to life eternal2 still there may be added to this1 more power1 wisdom1 knowledge1 and understanding4 #b3b4 ,eternal ,increase--,this people must go forward1 or they will go backward4 #af3afe4 ,this work is a progressive work1 this doctrine that is taught the ,latter-day ,saints in its nature is exalting1 increasing1 expanding and extending broader and broader until we can know as we are known1 see as we are seen4 #af3afe4 ,unless this work is in progress as a whole1 it is not complete--we are found wanting1 and not prepared to do the work we are called and sent to do4 #f3bfg4 ,ignorant8 ,yes1 we are ignorant2 but we are on the high road to that eternal knowledge that fills the bosoms of the ,gods in eternity4 #g3d4 ,we can still improve1 we are made for that purpose1 our capacities are organized to expand until we can receive into our comprehension celestial knowledge and wisdom1 and to continue1 worlds without end4 #a3ib4 #aci ,shall we ever be learning and never be able to come to a knowledge of the truth8 ,no1 ,i say we shall not2 but we shall come to the knowledge of the truth4 ,this is my hope and anticipation1 and this is my joy4 #ah3bcg4 ,we are in the school and keep learning1 and we do not expect to cease learning while we live on earth2 and when we pass through the veil1 we expect still to continue to learn and increase our fund of information4 ,that may appear a strange idea to some2 but it is for the plain and simple reason that we are not capacitated to receive all knowledge at once4 ,we must therefore receive a little here and a little there4 #f3bhf4 ,we have the principle within us1 and so has every being on this earth2 to increase and to continue to increase1 to enlarge1 and receive and treasure up truth1 until we become perfect4 ,it is wisdom for us to be the friends of ,god2 and unless we are filled with integrity and preserve ourselves in our integrity before our ,god1 we actually lay the foundation for our destruction4 #e3ed4 ,if we are saved1 we are happy1 we are filled with light1 glory1 intelligence1 and we pursue a course to enjoy the blessings that the ,lord has in store for us4 ,if we continue to pursue that course1 it produces just the thing we want1 that is1 to be saved at this present moment4 ,and this will lay the foundation to be saved forever and forever1 which will amount to an eternal salvation4 #a3aca4 ,can mortal beings live so that they are worthy of the society of angels8 ,i can answer the question for myself--,i believe that they can2 ,i am sure that they can4 ,but in doing this1 they must subdue the sin that is within themselves1 correct every influence that arises within their own hearts that is opposed to the sanctifying influences of the #adj grace of ,god1 and purify themselves by their faith and by their conduct1 so that they are worthy4 ,then they are prepared for the society of angels4 ,to be ,saints indeed requires every wrong influence that is within them1 as individuals1 to be subdued1 until every evil desire is eradicated1 and every feeling of their hearts is brought into subjection to the will of ,christ4 #ai3ff4 ,we ought not to speak lightly of and undervalue the life we now enjoy1 but so dispose of each passing day that the hours and minutes are spent in doing good1 or at least doing no harm1 in making ourselves useful1 in improving our talents and abilities to do more good1 cultivating the principle of kindness to every being pertaining to our earthly sphere1 learning their uses and how to apply them to produce the greatest possible amount of good2 learning to conduct ourselves towards our families and friends in a way to win the love and confidence of the good1 and overcome every ungovernable passion by a constant practice of cool judgment and deliberate thoughts4 #i3bia4 ,because of the weakness of human nature1 it must crumble to the dust4 ,but in all the revolutions and changes in the existence of men1 in the eternal world which they inhabit1 and in the knowledge they have obtained as people on the earth1 there is no such thing as principle1 power1 wisdom1 knowledge1 life1 position1 or anything that can be imagined1 that remains stationary--they must increase or decrease4 #a3cej4 ,take the history of this ,church from the commencement1 and we have proved that we cannot receive all the ,lord has for us4 ,we have proved to the heavens and to one another that we are not yet capacitated to receive all the ,lord has for us1 and that we have not yet a disposition #ada to receive all he has for us4 ,can you understand that there is a time you can receive1 and there is a time you cannot receive1 a time when there is no place in the heart to receive8 ,the heart of man will be closed up1 the will will be set against this and that1 that we have opportunity to receive4 ,there is an abundance the ,lord has for the people1 if they would receive it4 #aj3bia4 ,to me1 life is increase2 death is the opposite4 #a3cej4 ,do you think that we are always going to remain the same size8 ,i am not a stereotyped ,latter-day ,saint1 and do not believe in the doctrine4 ,every year the ,elders of ,israel are improving and learning1 and have more power1 more influence with the ,heavens1 more power over the elements1 and over diseases1 and over the power of ,satan1 who has ruled this earth from the days of the fall until now4 ,we have to gain power until we break the chain of the enemy4 ,are we going to stand still8 ,away with stereotyped ,mormons4 ,i have more power than ,i had last year4 ,i feel much stronger than ever before1 and that too in the power of ,god2 and ,i feel as though ,i could take the people and bring them into the presence of ,god1 if they only hearken to counsel4 ,do you think that ,i am improving8 ,yes4 ,keep up1 then2 keep your places1 and follow in the track4 #h3ahe4 ,we are privileged1 in a spiritual point of view1 precisely as we are in a temporal point of view4 ,we have the privilege of learning and adding to the knowledge we have already obtained4 ,we have a knowledge1 for instance1 of the rudiments of the ,english language4 ,if we continue in our studies--in our exertions to acquire information1 we obtain more knowledge2 and if we continue still to persevere1 #adb we add still more to that1 until we are perfect masters of the language4 ,again1 with regard to mechanism1 in a certain sense1 the same principle will hold good4 ,we have the privilege of learning the arts and sciences that the learned among the ,gentile nations understand2 we have the privilege of becoming classical scholars--of commencing with the rudiments of all knowledge--of entering into the academies1 we might say1 of perfection4 ,we might study1 and add knowledge to knowledge1 from the time that we are capable of knowing anything until we go down to the grave4 ,if we enjoyed healthy bodies1 so as not to wear upon the functions of the mind1 there is no end to a man's learning4 ,this compares precisely with our situation pertaining to heavenly things4 #f3bhc-bhd4 ,but simply to take the path pointed out in the ,gospel by those who have given us the plan of salvation1 is to take the path that leads to life1 to eternal increase2 it is to pursue that course wherein we shall never1 never lose what we obtain1 but continue to collect1 to gather together1 to increase1 to spread abroad1 and extend to an endless duration4 ,those persons who strive to gain eternal life1 gain that which will produce the increase their hearts will be satisfied with4 ,nothing less than the privilege of increasing eternally1 in every sense of the word1 can satisfy the immortal spirit4 ,if the endless stream of knowledge from the eternal fountain could all be drunk in by organized intelligences1 so sure immortality would come to an end1 and all eternity be thrown upon the retrograde path4 #a3cej4 ,there is one principle that ,i wish the people would understand and lay to heart4 ,just as fast as you will prove before your ,god that you are #adc worthy to receive the mysteries1 if you please to call them so1 of the ,kingdom of heaven--that you are full of confidence in ,god--that you will never betray a thing that ,god tells you--that you will never reveal to your neighbor that which ought not to be revealed1 as quick as you prepare to be entrusted with the things of ,god1 there is an eternity of them to bestow upon you4 ,instead of pleading with the ,lord to bestow more upon you1 plead with yourselves to have confidence in yourselves1 to have integrity in yourselves1 and know when to speak and what to speak1 what to reveal1 and how to carry yourselves and walk before the ,lord4 ,and just as fast as you prove to him that you will preserve everything secret that ought to be--that you will deal out to your neighbors all which you ought1 and no more1 and learn how to dispense your knowledge to your families1 friends1 neighbors1 and brethren1 the ,lord will bestow upon you1 and give to you1 and bestow upon you1 until finally he will say to you1 ,you shall never fall2 your salvation is sealed unto you2 you are sealed up unto eternal life and salvation1 through your integrity4 #d3cga4 ,life is an accumulation of every property and principle that is calculated to enrich1 to ennoble1 to enlarge1 and to increase1 in every particular1 the dominion of individual man4 ,to me1 life would signify an extension4 ,i have the privilege of spreading abroad1 of enlarging my borders1 of increasing in endless knowledge1 wisdom1 and power1 and in every gift of ,god4 ,to live as ,i am1 without progress1 is not life1 in fact we may say that is impossible4 ,there is no such principle in existence1 neither can there be4 ,you may explore all the eternities that have been1 were it #add possible1 then come to that which we now understand according to the principles of natural philosophy1 and where is there an element1 an individual living thing1 an organized body1 of whatever nature1 that continues as it is8 ,it cannot be found4 ,all things that have come within the bounds of man's limited knowledge--the things he naturally understands1 teach him that there is no period1 in all the eternities1 wherein organized existence will become stationary1 that it cannot advance in knowledge1 wisdom1 power1 and glory4 ,if a man could ever arrive at the point that would put an end to the accumulation of life--the point at which he could increase no more1 and advance no further1 we should naturally say he commenced to decrease at the same point4 ,again1 when he has gained the zenith of knowledge1 wisdom1 and power1 it is the point at which he begins to retrograde2 his natural abilities will begin to contract1 and so he will continue to decrease1 until all he knew is lost in the chaos of forgetfulness4 ,as we understand naturally1 this is the conclusion we must come to1 if a termination to the increase of life and the acquisition of knowledge is true4 #a3cdi4 ,the knowledge we now have in our possession is sufficient to guide and direct us step by step1 day by day1 until we are made perfect before the ,lord our ,father4 #h3afg4 ,can you not live it for one hour8 ,begin at a small point2 can you not live to the ,lord for one minute8 ,yes4 ,then can we not multiply that by sixty and make an hour1 and live that hour to the ,lord8 ,yes2 and then for a day1 a week1 a month1 and a year8 ,then1 when the year is past1 it has been spent most satisfactorily4 #h3ei-fj4 ,there are great and glorious things yet to be revealed4 #ade ,we are but babes and sucklings in the knowledge of ,god and godliness4 ,with all we know and understand by the ,priesthood here in the midst of this people1 we are mere infants before the angels in heaven4 #h3bjc4 ,i will apply my heart to wisdom1 and ask the ,lord to impart it to me2 and if ,i know but little1 ,i will improve upon it1 that to-morrow ,i may have more1 and thus grow from day to day1 in the knowledge of the truth1 as ,jesus ,christ grew in stature and knowledge from a babe to manhood4 #a3cac4 ,this principle is inherent in the organization of all intelligent beings1 so that we are capable of receiving1 and receiving1 and receiving from the inexhaustible fountain of knowledge and truth4 #c3ced4 ,it is enough for me to know that mankind are made to improve themselves4 ,all creation1 visible and invisible1 is the workmanship of our ,god1 the supreme ,architect and ,ruler of the whole1 who organized the world1 and created every living thing upon it1 to act in its sphere and order4 ,to this end has he ordained all things to increase and multiply4 ,the ,lord ,god ,almighty has decreed this principle to be the great1 governing law of existence1 and for that purpose are we formed4 ,furthermore1 if men can understand and receive it1 mankind are organized to receive intelligence until they become perfect in the sphere they are appointed to fill1 which is far ahead of us at present4 #a3ib4 ,a time when there was no ,god1 no eternity6 ,it cannot be possible1 and the philosopher who tries to establish such a doctrine cannot possess any correct ideas of his own being4 ,will there ever be such a time8 ,no4 ,but forever onward and upward4 #ai3ej4 ,knowledge increases among this people2 they know #adf more of the things of the ,kingdom of ,god to-day than they did in the days of ,joseph ,smith4 #aj3bbb4 ,if a person suffers his feelings to rise above the natural level of his capacity1 they will sink in the same ratio4 #h3cb4 ,blessings are ,proportioned to ,our ,capacity--,we are prepared for some things1 and we receive just as fast as we prepare ourselves4 #ae3d4 ,the heart of man is incapable of fully comprehending the blessings that ,god has in store for the faithful1 unless he has revealed those blessings to them by the revelations of his ,spirit4 ,the natural man is contracted in his feelings1 in his views1 faith and desires1 and so are the ,saints1 unless they live their religion4 #h3ahh4 ,some might suppose that it would be a great blessing to be taken and carried directly into heaven and there set down1 but in reality that would be no blessing to such persons2 they could not reap a full reward1 could not enjoy the glory of the kingdom1 and could not comprehend and abide the light thereof1 but it would be to them a hell intolerable and ,i suppose would consume them much quicker than would hell fire4 ,it would be no blessing to you to be carried into the celestial kingdom1 and obliged to stay therein1 unless you were prepared to dwell there4 #c3bba4 ,a man who has had his mind opened to the operation of the ,priesthood of the ,son of ,god--who understands anything of the government of heaven1 must understand that finite beings are not capable of receiving and abiding the celestial law in its fulness4 ,when can you abide a celestial law8 ,when you become a celestial being1 and never until then4 #g3adc4 #adg ,,chapter ,,viii ,,the ,,destiny ,,of ,,man ,the ,gift of ,eternal ,life--,this is the greatest gift that can be conferred on intelligent beings1 to live forever and never be destroyed4 #h3bfa4 ,it is written that the greatest gift ,god can bestow upon man is the gift of eternal life4 ,the greatest attainment that we can reach is to preserve our identity to an eternal duration in the midst of the heavenly hosts4 ,we have the words of eternal life given to us through the ,gospel1 which1 if we obey1 will secure unto us that precious gift4 #h3g4 ,suppose it possible that you have the privilege of securing to yourselves eternal life--to live and enjoy these blessings for ever2 you will say this is the greatest blessing that can be bestowed upon you1 to live forever and enjoy the society1 of wives1 children1 and children's children1 to a thousand generations1 and forever2 and also the society of brethren1 sisters1 neighbors1 and associates1 and to possess all you can ask for to make you happy and comfortable4 ,what blessing is equal to this8 ,what blessing is equal to the continuation of life--to the continuation of our organization8 #h3fc4 ,the intelligence that is in me to cease to exist is a horrid thought2 it is past enduring4 ,this intelligence must exist2 it must dwell somewhere4 ,if ,i take the right course and preserve it in its organization1 ,i will preserve to myself eternal life4 #e3ec4 ,never serve ,god because you are afraid of hell2 but live your religion1 because it is calculated to give you eternal #adh life4 ,it points to that existence that never ends1 while the other course leads to destruction4 #e3cdj4 ,i am for life everlasting4 ,i have a being and a life here2 and this life is very valuable2 it is a most excellent life6 ,i have a future6 ,i am living for another existence that is far above this sinful world1 wherein ,i will be free from this darkness1 sin1 error1 ignorance and unbelief4 ,i am looking forward to a world filled with light and intelligence1 where men and women will live in the knowledge and light of ,god4 #ac3bbj4 ,i tell you that if we strive with all our powers1 by-and-by the time will come that we will be ,saints indeed4 ,i have not said that we are ,saints4 ,we are trying to be1 and we profess to have the keys that will lead us in the path of eternal life4 #f3df4 ,understand eternity8 ,there is not and never was a man in finite flesh who understands it4 ,enoch has been referred to in this matter4 ,how many of the ,gods and kingdoms he saw when the vision of his mind was opened1 matters not4 ,if he had seen more than he could have enumerated throughout his long life1 and more than all the men on earth could multiply from the time his vision opened until now1 he would not have attained to the comprehension of eternity4 ,how much ,enoch saw1 how many worlds he saw1 has nothing to do with the case4 ,this is a matter that wise men know nothing about4 #h3ag4 ,we are going to have the ,kingdom of ,god in the fulness thereof1 and all the heights and depths of glory1 power1 and knowledge2 and we shall have fathers and mothers1 and wives and children4 #h3agh4 ,eternal ,increase--,whenever we get into the ,kingdom of ,heaven1 where ,god and ,christ dwell1 we shall find something #adi more to do than to sit and sing ourselves away to everlasting bliss4 ,the mind of man is active1 and we must have exercise and amusement for the mind as well as the body4 #ab3cac4 ,now understand1 to choose life is to choose principles that will lead you to an eternal increase1 and nothing short of them will produce life in the resurrection for the faithful4 ,those that choose death1 make choice of the path which leads to the end of their organization4 ,the one leads to endless increase and progression1 the other to the destruction4 #a3ceb4 ,if men are faithful1 the time will come when they will possess the power and the knowledge to obtain1 organize1 bring into existence1 and own4 ,what1 of themselves1 independent of their ,creator8 ,no4 ,but they and their ,creator will always be one1 they will always be of one heart and of one mind1 working and operating together2 for whatsoever the ,father doeth so doeth the ,son1 and so they continue throughout all their operations to all eternity4 #b3cjd4 ,the ,lord has blessed us with the ability to enjoy an eternal life with the ,gods1 and this is pronounced the greatest gift of ,god4 ,the gift of eternal life1 without a posterity1 to become an angel1 is one of the greatest gifts that can be bestowed2 yet the ,lord has bestowed on us the privilege of becoming fathers of lives4 ,what is a father of lives as mentioned in the ,scriptures8 ,a man who has a posterity to an eternal continuance4 ,that is the blessing ,abraham received1 and it perfectly satisfied his soul4 ,he obtained the promise that he should be the father of lives4 #h3fc4 ,i expect1 if ,i am faithful1 with yourselves1 that ,i shall see the time1 with yourselves1 that we shall know how to #aej prepare to organize an earth like this--know how to people that earth1 how to redeem it1 how to sanctify it1 and how to glorify it1 with those who live upon it who hearken to our counsels4 #f3bgd-e4 ,the faithful will become ,gods1 even the sons of ,god2 but this does not overthrow the idea that we have a father4 #f3bgi4 ,after men have got their exaltations and their crowns--have become ,gods1 even the sons of ,god--are made kings of kings and lords of lords1 they have the power then of propagating their species in spirit4 ,power is then given to them to organize the elements1 and then commence the organization of tabernacles4 #f3bge4 ,the ,father and the ,son have attained to this point already2 ,i am on the way1 and so are you1 and every faithful servant of ,god4 #f3bge4 ,the ,celestial ,world--,if we keep the celestial law when our spirits go to ,god who gave them1 we shall find that we are acquainted there and distinctly realize that we know all about that world4 #d3bah4 ,when you are qualified and purified1 so that you can endure the glory of eternity1 so that you can see your ,father1 and your friends who have gone behind the veil1 you will fall upon their necks and kiss them1 as we do an earthly friend that has been long absent from us1 and that we have been anxiously desiring to see4 #d3ee4 ,when you see celestial beings1 you will see men and women1 but you will see those beings clothed upon with robes of celestial purity4 ,we cannot bear the presence of our ,father now2 and we are placed at a distance to prove whether we will honor these tabernacles1 whether we will be obedient and prepare ourselves to live in the glory of #aea the light1 privileges1 and blessings of celestial beings4 ,we could not have the glory and the light without first knowing the contrast4 ,do you comprehend that we could have no exaltation1 without first learning by contrast8 #d3ed4 ,opposition to ,death--,we are striving for eternal life1 and are opposed to those who love and have the power of death4 ,we have the influence and the power of life1 and that necessarily brings us in opposition to those who prefer the principles of death4 #g3ef4 ,we are not in opposition to anything in earth or hell1 except the principle of death4 ,god has introduced life1 and it is the principle of life that we are after4 ,the power of the enemy is all the time trying to destroy this life1 and ,i am opposed to that power4 #g3ef4 ,the principle opposite to that of eternal increase is that the person decreases1 loses his knowledge1 tact1 talent1 and ultimately1 in a short period of time1 is lost2 ,but where1 ,oh6 where is his spirit8 ,i will not now take the time to follow his destiny2 but here1 strong language could be used1 for when the ,lord ,jesus ,christ shall be revealed1 after the termination of the thousand years' rest1 he will summon the armies of heaven for the conflict1 he will come forth in flaming fire1 he will descend to execute the mandates of an incensed ,god1 and1 amid the thunderings of the wrath of ,omnipotence1 roll up the heavens as a scroll1 and destroy death1 and him that has the power of it4 #a3aah4 ,mankind have forfeited the right they once possessed to the friendship of their ,heavenly ,father1 and through sin have exposed themselves to misery and wretchedness4 ,who is to bring back to the sin-stained millions of earth that which they have lost through disobedience8 ,who is to #aeb plant smiling peace and plenty where war and desolation reign8 ,who is to remove the curse and its consequences from earth--the homestead of mankind8 ,who shall say to the raging and contending elements1 ,peace1 be still1 and extract the poison from the reptile's tooth1 and the savage and destructive nature from beast and creeping thing8 ,who placed the dark stain of sin upon this fair creation8 ,man4 ,who but man shall remove the foul blot1 and restore all things to their primeval purity and innocence8 ,but can he do this independent of heavenly aid8 ,he can not4 ,to aid him in this work heavenly grace is here2 heavenly wisdom1 power1 and help are here1 and ,god's laws and ordinances are here2 the angels and spirits of just men made perfect are here2 ,jesus ,christ1 our ,great ,high ,priest1 with ,prophets1 ,apostles1 and ,saints1 ancient and modern1 are here to help man in the great work of sanctifying himself and the earth for final glorification in its paradisical state4 ,all this will be accomplished through the law of the holy ,priesthood4 #aj3cja4 #aec ,,chapter ,,ix ,,dispensations ,,of ,,the ,,gospel ,the ,earth--,the world and all its various grades of organized denizens1 from the lowest forms of vegetable or animal life1 up to man1 the lord of creation1 were framed and made1 or they would not have been here4 #ad4da4 ,it is said in this book 7the ,bible7 that ,god made the earth in six days4 ,this is a mere term1 but it matters not whether it took six days1 six months1 six years1 or six thousand years4 ,the creation occupied certain periods of time4 ,we are not authorized to say what the duration of these days was1 whether ,moses penned these words as we have them1 or whether the translators of the ,bible have given the words their intended meaning4 ,however1 ,god created the world4 ,god brought forth material out of which he formed this little terra firma upon which we roam4 ,how long had this material been in existence8 ,forever and forever1 in some shape1 in some condition4 ,we need not refer to all of those who were with ,god1 and who assisted him in this work4 ,the elements form and develop1 and continue to do so until they mature1 and then they commence to decay and become disorganized4 ,the mountains around us were formed in this way4 ,by and by1 when they shall have reached their maturity1 the work of disintegration and decay will commence4 ,it has been so from all eternity1 and will continue to be so until they are made celestial4 #ah3bca4 ,this earth is brought together and organized from native elements as we now behold it1 our tabernacles included4 ,the matter of which all animate and inanimate existence is formed is from all eternity1 and it must remain #aed to all eternity1 without beginning and without end4 ,there are certain portions of this native element that will be refined and prepared to enter into the celestial kingdom--into the celestial family of the celestial world4 ,if the spirit honors the body and the body honors the spirit while they are here united1 the particles of matter that compose the mortal tabernacle will be resurrected and brought forth to immortality and eternal life2 but it cannot be brought forth and made immortal1 except it undergoes a change1 for dust thou art1 and unto dust shalt thou return4 ,what for8 ,to prepare the body to be made immortal and fitted to dwell in the presence of the ,gods4 #h3bg4 ,we shall go and come2 and when we are in the eternity1 we shall be on this earth1 which will be brought into the immediate presence of the ,father and the ,son4 ,we shall inhabit different mansions1 and worlds will continue to be made1 formed1 and organized1 and messengers from this earth will be sent to others4 ,this earth will become a celestial body--be like a sea of glass1 or like a ,urim and ,thummim2 and when you wish to know anything1 you can look in this earth and see all the eternities of ,god4 ,we shall make our home here1 and go on our missions as we do now1 but at greater than railroad speed4 #h3bjj4 ,we are for the ,kingdom of ,god1 and not going to the moon1 nor to any other planet pertaining to this solar system2 but are determined to have a heaven here1 and are going to make it ourselves1 by the help of ,god and his angels4 ,we have been traditionated that when we were prepared to be saved1 we ought then to pass from this stage of existence1 and that then we never would have anything more to do with this earth2 for all our connections and associations with it1 as pertaining to this life1 also passed #aee away1 and we should see and know nothing about it in the future4 ,this is not according to the design1 as we believe1 of ,god and his providences and works4 ,it is not the work of the ,lord to organize an earth and destroy it4 ,that is not the system he has devised4 ,his plan is to organize an earth1 people it with intelligent beings1 present to them the principles of eternal life1 and bestow upon them the keys thereof1 that they may be able to prepare themselves to dwell to all eternity1 and to bring forth their increase to dwell with them4 ,this is our belief4 #h3bic4 ,the animal1 vegetable1 and mineral kingdoms abide the law of their ,creator2 the whole earth and all things pertaining to it1 except man1 abide the law of their creation4 #i3bdf4 ,the earth is organized for a glorious resurrection4 #b3abd4 ,but the earth will not be utterly destroyed2 the elements of which it is composed will not be annihilated1 but they will be changed4 ,neither shall those be consumed who can abide the day of the ,lord ,almighty1 and stand in his presence4 ,the earth in that great day will be renovated--cleansed from wickedness--purified from dross1 sanctified1 and prepared for the habitation of the ,saints of the ,most ,high4 #b3abd4 ,the earth is very good in and of itself1 and has abided a celestial law1 consequently we should not despise it1 nor desire to leave it1 but rather desire and strive to obey the same law that the earth abides1 and abide it as honorably as does the earth4 #b3cjb-cjc4 ,the earth will abide its creation1 and will be counted worthy of receiving the blessings designed for it1 and will ultimately roll back into the presence of ,god who formed it and established its mineral1 vegetable1 and animal kingdoms4 #aef ,these will all be retained upon the earth1 come forth in the resurrection1 and abide for ever and for ever4 #h3h4 ,this earth in its present condition and situation1 is not a fit habitation for the sanctified2 but it abides the law of its creation1 has been baptized with water1 will be baptized by fire and the ,holy ,ghost1 and by-and-by will be prepared for the faithful to dwell upon4 #h3hc4 ,adam and ,eve--,mankind is composed of two distinct elements2 the first is a spiritual organization in eternity1 the second is a natural organization on this earth1 formed out of the material of which this earth is composed4 ,man is first spiritual1 then temporal4 ,these spirits ,i shall leave for the present1 and refer to our first parents1 ,adam and ,eve1 who were found in the ,garden of ,eden1 tempted and overcome by the power of evil1 and consequently subject to evil and sin1 which was the penalty of their transgression4 ,they were now prepared1 as we are1 to form bodies or tabernacles for the reception of pure and holy spirits4 #ah3beg4 ,when ,father ,adam came to assist in organizing the earth out of the crude material that was found1 an earth was made upon which the children of men could live4 ,after the earth was prepared ,father ,adam came and stayed here1 and there was a woman brought to him4 ,there was a certain woman brought to ,father ,adam whose name was ,eve1 because she was the first woman1 and she was given to him to be his wife4 #af3afg4 ,when ,moses wrote and said that man was formed precisely in the image of ,god he wrote the truth4 ,we are the children of our ,father--his offspring1 of the same family2 we belong to him by birthright1 and we are his children #aeg and ,jesus is our brother4 ,does the ,bible tell all this8 ,just as plain as words can tell anything4 #ad3bhj4 ,in the beginning1 after this earth was prepared for man1 the ,lord commenced his work upon what is now called the ,american continent1 where the ,garden of ,eden was made4 ,in the days of ,noah1 in the days of the floating of the ark1 he took the people to another part of the earth2 the earth was divided1 and there he set up his kingdom4 #h3aie4 ,the human family are formed after the image of our ,father and ,god4 ,after the earth was organized the ,lord placed his children upon it1 gave them possession of it1 and told them that it was their home--the place of their habitation from thenceforth2 he told them to till the ground and subdue it2 he gave it to them for their inheritance1 and to do their will upon it4 ,then ,satan steps in and overcomes them through the weakness there was in the children of the ,father when they were sent to the earth1 and sin was brought in1 and thus we are subjected to sin4 #aj3cjj4 ,some may regret that our first parents sinned4 ,this is nonsense4 ,if we had been there1 and they had not sinned1 we should have sinned4 ,i will not blame ,adam or ,eve4 ,why8 ,because it was necessary that sin should enter into the world2 no man could ever understand the principle of exaltation without its opposite2 no one could ever receive an exaltation without being acquainted with its opposite4 ,how did ,adam and ,eve sin8 ,did they come out in direct opposition to ,god and to his government8 ,no4 ,but they transgressed a command of the ,lord1 and through that transgression sin came into the world4 ,the ,lord knew they would do this1 and he had designed that they should4 ,then came the curse upon the fruit1 upon the vegetables1 and upon our mother earth2 and it came upon the creeping #aeh things1 upon the grain in the field1 the fish in the sea1 and upon all things pertaining to this earth1 through man's transgression4 #aj3cab4 ,mother ,eve partook of the forbidden fruit4 ,we should not have been here to-day if she had not2 we could never have possessed wisdom and intelligence if she had not done it4 ,it was all in the economy of heaven1 and we need not talk about it2 it is all right4 ,we should never blame ,mother ,eve1 not the least4 ,i am thankful to ,god that ,i know good from evil1 the bitter from the sweet1 the things of ,god from the things not of ,god4 ,when ,i look at the economy of heaven my heart leaps for joy1 and if ,i had the tongue of an angel1 or the tongues of the whole human family combined1 ,i would praise ,god in the highest for his great wisdom and condescension in suffering the children of men to fall into the very sin into which they had fallen1 for he did it that they1 like ,jesus1 might descend below all things and then press forward and rise above all4 #ac3ade4 ,the ,devil had truth in his mouth as well as lies when he came to ,mother ,eve4 ,said he1 ,if you will eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil1 you will see as the ,gods see4 ,that was just as true as anything that ever was spoken on the face of the earth4 ,she did eat1 her eyes were opened1 and she saw good and evil4 ,she gave of the fruit to her husband1 and he ate1 too4 ,what would have been the consequence if he had not done so8 ,they would have been separated1 and where would we have been8 ,i am glad he did eat4 #ab3gj4 ,we are safe in saying that from the day that ,adam was created and placed in the ,garden of ,eden to this day1 the plan of salvation and the revelations of the will of ,god to man are unchanged1 although mankind have not for many #aei ages been favored therewith1 in consequence of apostasy and wickedness4 ,there is no evidence to be found in the ,bible that the ,gospel should be one thing in the days of the ,israelites1 another in the days of ,christ and his ,apostles1 and another in the #aith century1 but1 on the contrary1 we are instructed that ,god is the same in every age1 and that his plan of saving his children is the same4 ,the plan of salvation is one1 from the beginning of the world to the end thereof4 #aj3cbd4 ,i wish you all to understand ,mormonism as it is4 ,we embraced it in different parts of the world1 because we considered it the best religion we could find4 ,can we tell how much better ,mormonism is than other religions and isms of the present day8 ,more or less truth may be found in them all1 both in civilized and barbarous nations4 ,how has it transpired that theological truth is thus so widely disseminated8 ,it is because ,god was once known on the earth among his children of mankind1 as we know one another4 ,adam was as conversant with his ,father who placed him upon this earth as we are conversant with our earthly parents4 ,the ,father frequently came to visit his son ,adam1 and talked and walked with him2 and the children of ,adam were more or less acquainted with him1 and the things that pertain to ,god and to heaven were as familiar among mankind in the first ages of their existence on the earth1 as these mountains are to our mountain boys1 as our gardens are to our wives and children1 or as the road to the ,western ,ocean is to the experienced traveler4 ,from this source mankind have received their religious traditions4 #i3adh4 ,the ,gospel was among the children of men from the days of ,adam until the coming of the ,messiah2 this ,gospel #afj of ,christ is from the beginning to the end4 ,then why was the law of ,moses given8 ,in consequence of the disobedience of the ,children of ,israel1 the elect of ,god2 the very seed that he had selected to be his people1 and upon whom he said he would place his name4 ,this seed of ,abraham so rebelled against him and his commands that the ,lord said to ,moses1 ,i will give you a law which shall be a schoolmaster to bring them to ,christ4 ,but this law is grievous2 it is a law of carnal commandments4 #ac3bfi4 ,cain conversed with his ,god every day1 and knew all about the plan of creating this earth1 for his father told him4 ,but1 for the want of humility1 and through jealousy1 and an anxiety to possess the kingdom1 and to have the whole of it under his own control1 and not allow anybody else the right to say one word1 what did he do8 ,he killed his brother4 ,then the ,lord put a mark on him4 #b3adb-adc4 ,here let me state to all philosophers of every class upon the earth1 when you tell me that ,father ,adam was made as we make adobes from the earth1 you tell me what ,i deem an idle tale4 ,when you tell me that the beasts of the field were produced in that manner1 you are speaking idle words devoid of meaning4 ,there is no such thing in all the eternities where the ,gods dwell4 ,mankind are here because they are the offspring of parents who were first brought here from another planet1 and power was given them to propagate their species1 and they were commanded to multiply and replenish the earth4 #g3bhe-f4 ,we all belong to the races which have sprung from ,father ,adam and ,mother ,eve2 and every son and daughter of that ,god we serve1 who organized this earth and millions of others1 and who holds them in existence by law4 #ad3aaa4 ,there are no persons without evil passions to embitter #afa their lives4 ,mankind are revengeful1 passionate1 hateful1 and devilish in their dispositions4 ,this we inherit through the fall1 and the grace of ,god is designed to enable us to overcome it4 ,the grace of ,god is bestowed upon all1 and the ,kingdom of ,god is planted on the earth expressly to enable mankind to overcome the evil that is in them1 and to save all4 #h3afj4 ,it is true mankind have wandered and have fallen from that which they might have attained through the redemption made by ,jesus ,christ2 but there is one point in connection with this statement on which ,i differ from the orthodox divines of the day4 ,they say that man is naturally prone to evil4 ,in some respects this is true1 where by the force of example and wrong tradition has become ingrained1 but if man had always been permitted to follow the instincts of his nature1 had he always followed the great and holy principles of his organism1 they would have led him into the path of life everlasting1 which the whole human family are constantly trying to find4 #aj3ahi4 ,enoch to ,moses--,the ,lord sent forth his ,gospel to the people2 he said1 ,i will give it to my son ,adam1 from whom ,methuselah received it2 and ,noah received from ,methuselah2 and ,melchizedek administered to ,abraham4 #c3id4 ,enoch possessed intelligence and wisdom from ,god that few men ever enjoyed1 walking and talking with ,god for many years2 yet1 according to the history written by ,moses1 he was a great length of time in establishing his kingdom among men4 ,the few that followed him enjoyed the fulness of the ,gospel1 and the rest of the world rejected it4 ,enoch and his party were taken from the earth1 and the world continued to ripen in iniquity until they were overthrown by the great flood in the days of ,noah2 and1 as it #afb was in the days of ,noah1 so shall it be in the days of the coming of the ,son of ,man4 #i3cfe4 ,enoch had to talk with and teach his people during a period of three hundred and sixty years1 before he could get them prepared to enter into their rest1 and then he obtained power to translate himself and his people1 with the region they inhabited1 their houses1 gardens1 fields1 cattle and all their possessions4 #c3cbj4 ,abraham was faithful to the true ,god1 he overthrew the idols of his father and obtained the ,priesthood after the order of ,melchizedek1 which is after the order of the ,son of ,god1 and a promise that of the increase of his seed there should be no end2 when you obtain the holy ,priesthood1 which is after the order of ,melchizedek1 sealed upon you1 and the promise that your seed shall be numerous as the stars in the firmament1 or as the sands upon the sea shore1 and of your increase there shall be no end1 you have then got the promise of ,abraham1 ,isaac and ,jacob1 and all the blessings that were conferred upon them4 #aa3aah4 ,if they had been sanctified and holy1 the ,children of ,israel would not have traveled one year with ,moses before they would have received their endowments and the ,melchizedek ,priesthood4 #f3ajj4 ,mankind have degenerated2 they have lost the physical and mental power they once possessed4 ,in many points pertaining to mechanism1 men have in modern times been instructed by revelation to them1 and this mechanical knowledge causes them almost to boast against their ,creator1 and to set themselves up as competitors with the ,lord ,almighty1 notwithstanding they have produced nothing but what has been revealed to them4 ,in the knowledge of astronomical and other philosophical truths1 which our #afc modern great men are searching after and pride themselves in1 they are but babes1 compared with the ancient fathers4 ,do the wise men of modern ages understand the laws which govern the worlds that are1 that were1 and that are to come8 ,they cannot fathom this matter4 ,they have grown weaker when they ought to have grown stronger and wiser4 #h3fa4 ,jesus on ,earth--,it was necessary for ,jesus ,christ to open the heavens to certain individuals that they might be witnesses of his personage1 death1 sufferings1 and resurrection2 those men were witnesses4 ,but as ,jesus appeared to the two brethren going out of ,jerusalem1 he was made known to them in the breaking of bread4 ,now suppose he had eaten that bread1 and gone out without opening their eyes1 how could they have known that he was the ,savior who had been crucified on ,mount ,calvary8 ,they could not2 but in the breaking of bread the vision of their minds was opened4 ,this was necessary in order to constitute safe witnesses1 and they returned to ,jerusalem and told the brethren what they had seen4 #c3bjh4 ,when we come to discriminate between the former and the ,latter-day ,saints we shall find there was a little difference in their callings and duties1 and in many points that we may say pertain to our temporal lives4 ,not in the doctrine of baptism1 the laying on of hands for the reception of the ,holy ,ghost1 nor in the gifts of the ,gospel4 ,there is no difference in these things1 but there is a difference in regard to the temporal duties devolving upon us4 #ab3fg4 ,the ,apostasy--,in the early days of the ,christian ,church we understand that there was a good deal of speculation among its members with regard to their belief and practice1 and the propagation of these speculative ideas #afd created divisions and schisms4 ,even in the days of the ,apostles there was evidently considerable division1 for we read that some were for ,paul1 some for ,apollos1 and others for ,cephas4 ,the people in those days had their favorites1 who taught them peculiar doctrines not generally received and promulgated4 #ab3fd4 ,why have they wandered so far from the path of truth and rectitude8 ,because they left the ,priesthood and have had no guide1 no leader1 no means of finding out what is true and what is not true4 ,it is said the ,priesthood was taken from the ,church1 but it is not so1 the ,church went from the ,priesthood and continued to travel in the wilderness1 turned from the commandments of the ,lord1 and instituted other ordinances4 #ab3fi4 ,you can read the account given of our first parents4 ,along came a certain character and said to ,eve1 you know women are of tender heart1 and he could operate on this tender heart1 ,the ,lord knows that in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt not surely die1 but if thou wilt take of this fruit and eat thereof thine eyes will be opened and thou wilt see as the ,gods see2 and he worked upon the tender heart of ,mother ,eve until she partook of the fruit1 and her eyes were opened4 ,he told the truth4 ,and they say now1 ,do this that your eyes may be opened1 that you may see2 do this that you may know thus and so4 ,in the days of ,jesus and his ,apostles the same power was operating1 and1 actuated by that1 men hunted them until the last one was banished from human society1 and until the ,christian religion was so perverted that the people received it with open hands1 arms1 mouth and heart4 ,it was adulterated until it was congenial to the wicked heart1 and they received the ,gospel as they supposed4 ,but that was the time they commenced #afe little by little to transgress the laws1 change the ordinances1 and break the everlasting covenant1 and the ,gospel of the kingdom that ,jesus undertook to establish in his day and the priesthood were taken from the earth4 #ae3abf4 ,the land of ,judea has fallen into disrepute1 and it has become a desert1 just through the apostasy of those who once inhabited it1 who had the oracles of ,god among them4 #af3ff4 ,the ,restoration--,generations have come and gone without the privilege of hearing the sound of the ,gospel1 which has come to you through ,joseph ,smith--that was revealed to him from heaven by angels and visions4 ,we have the ,gospel and the keys of the holy ,priesthood4 #g3agc4 ,we are a people whose rise and progress from the beginning1 has been the work of ,god our ,heavenly ,father1 which in his wisdom he has seen proper to commence for the re-establishment of his ,kingdom upon the earth4 #b3agj4 ,do you think the ,lord ,almighty will reveal the great improvements in the arts and sciences which are being constantly made known and will not revive a pure religion8 ,if any man imagines that with the mighty strides which the sciences have been making for a few years past1 there will be no improvement in religion1 that man is vain in his imagination4 ,god will improve the religion of the nations of the earth in proportion to the improvement made in the sciences4 ,this is true whether you believe it or not4 ,the ,lord has commenced the work1 and it is a marvelous one4 #ab3ace4 ,it was decreed in the counsels of eternity1 long before the foundations of the earth were laid1 that he1 ,joseph ,smith1 should be the man1 in the last dispensation of this #aff world1 to bring forth the word of ,god to the people1 and receive the fulness of the keys and power of the ,priesthood of the ,son of ,god4 ,the ,lord had his eyes upon him1 and upon his father1 and upon his father's father1 and upon their progenitors clear back to ,abraham1 and from ,abraham to the flood1 from the flood to ,enoch1 and from ,enoch to ,adam4 ,he has watched that family and that blood as it has circulated from its fountain to the birth of that man4 ,he was fore-ordained in eternity to preside over this last dispensation4 #g3bhi4 ,but as it was in the days of our ,savior1 so was it in the advent of this new dispensation4 ,it was not in accordance with the notions1 traditions1 and pre-conceived ideas of the ,american people4 ,the messenger did not come to an eminent divine of any of the so-called orthodoxy1 he did not adopt their interpretation of the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,the ,lord did not come with the armies of heaven in power and great glory1 nor send his messengers panoplied with aught else than the truth of heaven1 to communicate to the meek1 the lowly1 the youth of humble origin1 the sincere enquirer after the knowledge of ,god4 ,but he did send his angel to this same obscure person1 ,joseph ,smith1 ,jr4 who afterwards became a ,prophet1 ,seer1 and ,revelator1 and informed him that he should not join any of the religious sects of the day1 for they were all wrong2 that they were following the precepts of men instead of the ,lord ,jesus2 that he had a work for him to perform1 inasmuch as he should prove faithful before him4 ,no sooner was this made known1 and published abroad1 and people began to listen and obey the heavenly summons1 than opposition began to rage1 and the people1 even in this favored land1 began to persecute their neighbors and friends #afg for entertaining religious opinions differing from their own4 #b3aga4 ,you may remember it and lay it to heart1 and if you wish1 write it in your journals that some of the best spirits that have ever been sent to earth are coming at the present time4 #aa3aag4 ,the beginning of this dispensation of the fulness of times may well be compared to the commencement of a temple1 the material of which it is to be built being still scattered1 unshaped and unpolished1 in a state of nature4 ,i am thankful that the way is being prepared1 and that we have the privilege of erecting a spiritual and moral superstructure--a temple of ,god4 #ab3afa4 ,the ,book of ,mormon--,there is not another nation under heaven1 in whose midst the ,book of ,mormon could have been brought forth4 ,the ,lord has been operating for centuries to prepare the way for the coming forth of the contents of that ,book from the bowels of the earth1 to be published to the world1 to show to the inhabitants thereof that he still lives1 and that he will1 in the latter days1 gather his elect from the four corners of the earth4 ,it was the ,lord who directed the discovery of this land to the nations of the ,old ,world1 and its settlement1 and the war for independence1 and the final victory of the colonies1 and the unprecedented prosperity of the ,american nation1 up to the calling of ,joseph the ,prophet4 ,the ,lord has dictated and directed the whole of this1 for the bringing forth1 and establishing of his ,kingdom in the last days4 #aa3ag4 ,here is the ,book of ,mormon4 ,we believe it contains the history of the aborigines of our continent1 just as the ,old ,testament contains the history of the ,jewish nation4 ,in that book we learn that ,jesus visited this continent1 delivered #afh his ,gospel and ordained ,twelve ,apostles4 ,we believe all this1 but we do not ask you to believe it4 ,what we do ask is that you will believe what is recorded in the ,holy ,bible concerning ,god and his revelations to the children of men4 ,do this in all honesty and sincerity1 then you will know that the ,book of ,mormon is true4 ,your minds will be opened and you will know by the visions of the ,spirit of ,god that we teach the truth4 #ac3cce4 ,i was somewhat acquainted with the coming forth of the ,book of ,mormon1 not only through what ,i read in the newspapers1 but ,i also heard a great many stories and reports which were circulated as quick as the ,book of ,mormon was printed1 and began to be scattered abroad4 ,then the spirit of persecution1 the spirit of death1 the spirit of destruction immediately seemed to enter the hearts of the pious priests more particularly than any other portion of the people2 they could not bear it4 #b3bdi4 ,what did ,oliver ,cowdery 7one of the three witnesses to the ,book of ,mormon7 say1 after he had been away from the ,church years and years8 ,he saw and conversed with the angel1 who showed him the plates1 and he handled them4 ,he left the ,church because he lost the love of the truth2 and after he had traveled alone for years1 a gentleman walked into his law office and said to him1 ,mr4 ,cowdery1 what do you think of the ,book of ,mormon now8 ,do you believe that it is true8 ,he replied1 ,no1 sir1 ,i do not6 ,well1 said the gentleman1 ,i thought as much2 for ,i concluded that you had seen the folly of your ways and had resolved to renounce what you once declared to be true4 ,sir1 you mistake me2 ,i do not believe that the ,book of ,mormon is true2 ,i am past belief on that point1 for ,i know that it is true1 as well as ,i know that you now sit #afi before me4 ,do you still testify that you saw an angel8 ,yes1 as much as ,i see you now2 and ,i know the ,book of ,mormon to be true4 ,yet he forsook it4 ,every honest person who has fairly heard it knows that ,mormonism is true1 if they have had the testimony of it2 but to practice it in our lives is another thing4 #g3ee4 #agj ,,chapter ,x ,,the ,,last ,,days ,confusion of the ,last ,days--,the time is coming when a good man will be more precious than fine gold4 #aj3bie4 ,the sinner will slay the sinner1 the wicked will fall upon the wicked1 until3 there is an utter overthrow and consumption upon the face of the whole earth1 until ,god reigns1 whose right it is4 #b3aij4 ,the world is drunk1 but not with wine or strong drink2 and our country is the most drunken of all4 ,they are deluding themselves2 they are drunk with party fanaticism2 they are high-minded1 heady1 and senseless1 and are fast going to destruction4 ,thinking men1 inquiring minds1 ask whether it is really necessary for the ,government of ,god to be on the earth at the present day2 ,i answer1 most assuredly2 there never was a time when it was more needed than it is now4 ,why8 ,because men do not know how to govern themselves without it4 ,would it be considered treason of any ,christian government in our day to profess to believe in the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and in the efficacy of his death and resurrection for the salvation of man1 and to profess and declare that it is his inalienable1 indisputable right and prerogative to reign over men1 the earth and all things upon it8 #aj3cbj4 ,if we live1 we shall see the nations of the earth arrayed against this people2 for that time must come1 in fulfilment of prophecy4 ,tell about war commencing6 ,bitter and relentless war was waged against ,joseph ,smith before he had received the plates of the ,book of ,mormon2 and from that time till now the wicked have only fallen back at times to #aga gain strength and learn how to attack the ,kingdom of ,god4 #e3cci4 ,all we have yet heard and all we have experienced is scarcely a preface to the sermon that is going to be preached4 ,when the testimony of the ,elders ceases to be given1 and the ,lord says to them1 ,come home2 ,i will now preach my own sermons to the nations of the earth1 all you now know can scarcely be called a preface to the sermon that will be preached with fire and sword1 tempests1 earthquakes1 hail1 rain1 thunders and lightnings1 and fearful destruction4 ,what matters the destruction of a few railway cars8 ,you will hear of magnificent cities1 now idolized by the people1 sinking in the earth1 entombing the inhabitants4 ,the sea will heave itself beyond its bounds1 engulfing mighty cities4 ,famine will spread over the nations and nation will rise up against nation1 kingdom against kingdom and states against states1 in our own country and in foreign lands2 and they will destroy each other1 caring not for the blood and lives of their neighbors1 of their families1 or for their own lives4 #h3abc4 ,there never has been a day for ages and ages1 not since the true church was destroyed after the days of the ,apostles1 that required the faith and the energy of godly men and godly women1 and the skill1 wisdom and power of the ,almighty to be with them1 so much as this people require it at the present time4 ,there never was that necessity2 there never has been a time on the face of the earth1 from the time that the church went to destruction1 and the ,priesthood was taken from the earth1 that the powers of darkness and the powers of earth and hell were so embittered1 and enraged1 and incensed against ,god and ,godliness on the earth1 as they are at the present4 ,and when the #agb spirit of persecution1 the spirit of hatred1 of wrath1 and malice ceases in the world against this people1 it will be the time that this people have apostatized and joined hands with the wicked1 and never until then2 which ,i pray may never come4 #d3cbf4 ,the ,devil is just as much opposed to ,jesus now as he was when the revolt took place in heaven4 ,and as the ,devil increases his numbers by getting the people to be wicked1 so ,jesus ,christ increases his numbers and strength by getting the people to be humble and righteous4 ,the human family are going to the polls by and by1 and they wish to know which party is going to carry the day4 #d3ch4 ,ultimate ,triumph of ,righteousness--,i most assuredly expect that the time will come when every tongue shall confess1 and every knee shall bow to the ,savior1 though the people may believe what they will with regard to religion4 #b3ahi4 ,the ,savior will dictate his ,kingdom1 through his ,apostles and ,prophets1 until all the heathen nations are virtually redeemed by the ordinances that effect redemption1 that they may inherit the kingdom that is prepared for them4 #h3hc4 ,this is a day of days1 and a time of times2 this is the fulness of times1 in which all things that are in ,christ are to be gathered in one4 ,this is a momentous period4 #aj3cjh4 ,i expect to see the time when the inhabitants of the earth will pride themselves in doing good4 #h3cfc4 ,the time will come when every knee will bow1 and every tongue confess to and acknowledge him1 and when they who have lived upon the earth and have spurned the idea of a ,supreme ,being and of revelations from him1 will fall with shamefacedness and humble themselves before him1 #agc exclaiming1 ,there is a ,god6 ,o ,god1 we once rejected thee and disbelieved thy word and set at naught thy counsels1 but now we bow down in shame and we do acknowledge that there is a ,god1 and that ,jesus is the ,christ4 ,this time will come1 most assuredly4 ,we have the faith of the ,gospel of the ,lord ,jesus4 #ac3cjf4 ,what will they do8 ,they will hear of the wisdom of ,zion and the kings and potentates of the nations will come up to ,zion to inquire after the ways of the ,lord1 and to seek out the great knowledge1 wisdom and understanding manifested through the ,saints of the ,most ,high4 ,they will inform the people of ,god that they belong to such and such a church1 and do not wish to change their religion4 ,they will be drawn to ,zion by the great wisdom displayed there1 and will attribute it to the cunning and craftiness of men4 ,it will be asked1 ,what do you want to do1 ye strangers from afar8 ,we want to live our own religion4 ,will you bow the knee before ,god with us8 ,o yes1 we would as soon do it as not2 and at that time every knee shall bow1 and every tongue acknowledge that ,god who is the framer and maker of all things1 the governor and controller of the universe4 ,they will have to bow the knee and confess that he is ,god1 and that ,jesus ,christ1 who suffered for the sins of the world1 is actually its ,redeemer2 that by the shedding of his blood he has redeemed men1 women1 children1 beasts1 birds1 fish1 the earth itself1 and everything that ,john saw and heard praising in heaven4 #b3caf-cag4 ,by and by the world will be overturned according to the words of the prophet1 and we will see the reign of righteousness enter in1 and sin and iniquity will have to walk off4 ,but the power and principles of evil1 if they can #agd be called principles1 will never yield one particle to the righteous march of the ,savior1 only as they are beaten back inch by inch1 and we have got to take the ground by force4 ,yes1 by the mental force of faith1 and by good works1 the march forth of the ,gospel will increase1 spread1 grow and prosper1 until the nations of the earth will feel that ,jesus has the right to rule ,king of nations as he does ,king of ,saints4 #ad3bbf4 ,return to ,jackson ,county--,when are we going back to ,jackson ,county8 ,not until the ,lord commands his people2 and it is just as much as you and ,i can do to get ready to go when he does command us4 #f3bfi4 ,if that is back to ,jackson ,county1 do not be scared1 for as the ,lord lives this people will go back and build a great temple there4 ,this people will surely go back to ,jackson ,county4 ,how soon that may be1 or when it may be1 ,i do not care2 but that is not now the gathering place for this people3 #c3bgh4 ,where is the center ,stake of ,zion8 ,in ,jackson ,county1 ,missouri4 #h3aih4 ,there has been considerable said this afternoon with regard to redeeming and building up ,zion1 the ,order of ,enoch1 etc4 ,i see men and women in this congregation--only a few of them--who were driven from the central ,stake of ,zion4 ,ask them if they had any sorrow or trouble2 then let them look at the beautiful land that the ,lord would have given them if all had been faithful in keeping his commandments1 and had walked before him as they should2 and then ask them with regard to the blessings they would have received4 ,if they tell you the sentiments of their minds1 they will tell you that the yoke of ,jesus would have been easy and his burden would have been #age light1 and that it would have been a delightful task to have walked in obedience to his commandments and to have been of one heart and one mind2 but through the selfishness of some1 which is idolatry1 through their covetousness1 which is the same1 and the lustful desire of their minds1 they were cast out and driven from their homes4 ,we have been driven many times2 but each time1 if they who professed to be the servants of ,god had served him with an undivided heart1 they would have had the privilege of living in their houses1 possessing their lands1 attending to their meetings1 and spreading abroad on the right and the left1 lengthening the cords of ,zion1 and strengthening her stakes until the land had been dedicated to the ,gospel of the ,son of ,god4 ,well1 ,i have been with the rest and ,i expect ,i have been covetous like them1 and probably ,i am now2 but if ,i am1 ,i wish somebody would tell me wherein4 #ac3a4 ,coming of ,christ--,do you know that it is the eleventh hour of the reign of ,satan on the earth8 ,jesus is coming to reign1 and all you who fear and tremble because of your enemies1 cease to fear them1 and learn to fear to offend ,god1 fear to transgress his laws1 fear to do any evil to your brother1 or to any being upon the earth1 and do not fear ,satan and his power1 nor those who have only power to slay the body1 for ,god will preserve his people4 #aj3bej4 ,in the progress of the age in which we live1 we discern the fulfilment of prophecy1 and the preparation for the second coming of our ,lord and ,savior to dwell upon the earth4 ,we expect that the refuge of lies will be swept away1 and that city1 nation1 government1 or kingdom which serves not ,god1 and gives no heed to the principles of truth and religion1 will be utterly wasted away and destroyed4 #b3agh4 #agf ,jesus has been upon the earth a great many more times than you are aware of4 ,when ,jesus makes his next appearance upon the earth1 but few of this ,church will be prepared to receive him and see him face to face and converse with him2 but he will come to his temple4 ,will he remain and dwell upon the earth a thousand years1 without returning8 ,he will come here1 and return to his mansions where he dwells with his ,father1 and come again to the earth1 and again return to his ,father1 according to my understanding4 ,then angels will come and begin to resurrect the dead1 and the ,savior will also raise the dead1 and they will receive the keys of the resurrection1 and will begin to assist in that work4 ,will the wicked know of it8 ,they will know just as much about that as they now know about ,mormonism1 and no more4 #g3adb4 ,when your eyes are open1 you will see that this earth has fallen from the glory and presence of the ,father1 to pass through certain ordeals1 together with the people upon it4 ,and by and by1 when ,jesus reigns and rules1 ,king of nations1 he will say to his ,father1 ,here is my work6 ,here are my brethren6 ,here is my redemption--the fruit of my labor6 ,i have ceased not to contend with the ,enemy until ,i have put him under my feet4 ,i have destroyed death1 and him that has the power of death4 #h3big4 ,at times ,i may to many of the brethren appear to be severe4 ,i sometimes chasten them2 but it is because ,i wish them to live so that the power of ,god1 like a flame of fire1 will dwell within them and be around about them4 ,these are my feelings and desires4 ,i wish to see this people take a course to bring back the days1 years1 and intelligence that have been lost through transgression4 ,this cannot be performed in a day4 ,zion will not be redeemed and built up #agg in a day4 ,israel will not be brought back to the fold of ,christ and redeemed in a day4 #h3fb4 ,the ,millennium--,the ,millennium consists in this--every heart in the ,church and ,kingdom of ,god being united in one2 the ,kingdom increasing to the overcoming of everything opposed to the economy of heaven1 and ,satan being bound1 and having a seal set upon him4 ,all things else will be as they are now1 we shall eat1 drink1 and wear clothing4 #a3bjc4 ,when all nations are so subdued to ,jesus that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess1 there will still be millions on the earth who will not believe in him2 but they will be obliged to acknowledge his kingly government4 #g3adb4 ,let the people be holy1 and the earth under their feet will be holy4 ,let the people be holy1 and filled with the ,spirit of ,god1 and every animal and creeping thing will be filled with peace2 the soil of the earth will bring forth in its strength1 and the fruits thereof will be meat for man4 ,the more purity that exists1 the less is the strife2 the more kind we are to our animals1 the more will peace increase1 and the savage nature of the brute creation vanish away4 ,if the people will not serve the ,devil another moment whilst they live1 if this congregation is possessed of that spirit and resolution1 here in this house is the ,millennium4 ,let the inhabitants of this city be possessed of that spirit1 let the people of the territory be possessed of that spirit1 and here is the ,millennium1 and so will it spread over all the world4 #a3bjc4 ,in the ,millennium1 when the ,kingdom of ,god is established on the earth in power1 glory and perfection1 and the reign of wickedness that has so long prevailed is subdued1 #agh the ,saints of ,god will have the privilege of building their temples1 and of entering into them1 becoming1 as it were1 pillars in the temples of ,god1 and they will officiate for their dead4 ,then we will see our friends come up1 and perhaps some that we have been acquainted with here4 ,if we ask who will stand at the head of the resurrection in this last dispensation1 the answer is--,joseph ,smith1 ,junior1 the ,prophet of ,god4 ,he is the man who will be resurrected and receive the keys of the resurrection1 and he will seal this authority upon others1 and they will hunt up their friends and resurrect them when they shall have been officiated for1 and bring them up4 ,and we will have revelations to know our forefathers clear back to ,father ,adam and ,mother ,eve1 and we will enter into the temples of ,god and officiate for them4 ,then man will be sealed to man until the chain is made perfect back to ,adam1 so that there will be a perfect chain of priesthood from ,adam to the winding-up scene4 ,this will be the work of the ,latter-day ,saints in the ,millennium4 #ae3ach4 ,when ,jesus comes to rule and reign1 ,king of nations1 as he now does1 ,king of ,saints1 the veil of the covering will be taken from all nations1 that all flesh may see his glory together1 but that will not make them all ,saints4 ,seeing the ,lord does not make a man a ,saint2 seeing an angel does not make a man a ,saint by any means4 ,a man may see the finger of the ,lord1 and not thereby become a ,saint2 the veil of the covering may be taken from before the nations1 and all flesh see his glory together1 and at the same time declare they will not serve him4 #b3caf4 ,rapid ,movements in the ,last ,days--,do you understand that what the ,lord will perform in the latter days will #agi be done quicker than in the former days8 ,he suffered ,noah to occupy one hundred and twenty years in building the ark4 ,were he to command us to build an ark1 he would not allow so long a time for completing it4 #h3acd4 ,if ,i live as long as ,enoch lived1 who walked with the ,lord three hundred and sixty-five years1 can ,i then see a people prepared to enter at once in the celestial world8 ,no4 ,many may think that ,enoch and his whole city were taken from the earth directly into the presence of ,god4 ,that is a mistaken idea4 ,if1 within three hundred and sixty-five years1 ,i can see a people capable of surmounting every sin1 of overcoming every evil and effect of sin to such a degree as to be separated in the flesh from the sinful portion of the world and from all the effects of the fall--a great people as pure and holy as were the people of ,enoch1 ,i should not complain1 and1 perhaps1 have no cause to4 ,yet1 in the latter days1 ,god will cut short his work in righteousness4 #h3acd4 ,according to my definition of the word1 there is not a strictly and fully civilized community now upon the earth4 ,is there murder by wholesale to be found in a strictly civilized community8 ,will a community of civilized nations rise up one against another1 nation against nation1 and kingdom against kingdom1 using against each other every destructive invention that can be brought to bear in their wars8 ,when will they be civilized8 ,when the ,lord shall judge among the nations1 and shall rebuke many people2 and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares1 and their spears into pruninghooks2 when nations shall not lift up sword against nation1 neither learn war any more4 ,when the world is in a state of true civilization1 man will have ceased to contend against his fellow-man1 either as #ahj individuals1 parties1 communities1 sects1 or nations4 ,this state of civilization will be brought about by the holy ,priesthood of the ,son of ,god2 and men1 with full purpose of heart1 will seek unto him who is pure and holy1 even our great ,creator--our ,father and ,god2 and he will give them a law that is pure--a government and plan of society possessed by holy beings in heaven4 ,then there will be no more war1 no more bloodshed1 no more evil speaking and evil doing2 but all will be contented to follow in the path of truth1 which alone is calculated to exalt and dignify the whole man1 mentally and physically1 in all his operations1 labors1 and purposes4 ,short of this1 mankind cannot be said to be truly civilized4 #h3f-g4 ,then1 do not be too anxious for the ,lord to hasten his work4 ,let our anxiety be centered upon one thing1 the sanctification of our own hearts1 the purifying of our own affections1 the preparing of ourselves for the approach of the events that are hastening upon us4 ,this should be our concern1 this should be our study1 this should be our daily prayer1 and not to be in a hurry to see the overthrow of the wicked4 #i3c4 ,whether the world is going to be burned up within a year1 or within a thousand years1 does not matter a groat to you and me4 ,we have the words of eternal life1 we have the privilege of obtaining glory1 immortality1 and eternal lives1 now will you obtain these blessings8 #d3ec4 ,this is the day in which we are to learn-and to increase in our knowledge4 #d3bjd4 ,the ,lord's time is not for me to know2 but he is kind1 long-suffering1 and patient1 and his wrath endureth silently1 and will until mercy is completely exhausted1 and then judgment will take the reins4 ,i do not know how1 neither #aha do ,i at present wish to know4 ,it is enough for us to know how to serve our ,god and live our religion1 and thus we will increase in the favor of ,god4 #d3cga4 ,it is too late in the day for this people ever to be cast off and disowned by the ,lord4 ,the work the ,lord promised to do is too nigh accomplished1 and he has promised to make a short work on the earth4 ,this work has some time since commenced2 and if any of the people will not serve their ,god and do the work he has given them to do1 they will be removed out of the way1 and that speedily4 ,it is too late in the day for this people to apostatize and the ,priesthood to be taken again from the earth2 so there is not much ground for fears even in this respect4 #f3bfg4 ,zion--,where is ,zion8 ,where the organization of the ,church of ,god is4 ,and may it dwell spiritually in every heart2 and may we so live as to enjoy the spirit of ,zion always6 #h3bje4 ,do we realize that if we enjoy a ,zion in time or in eternity we must make it for ourselves8 ,that all1 who have a ,zion in the eternities of the ,gods1 organized1 framed1 consolidated1 and perfected it themselves1 and consequently are entitled to enjoy it8 #i3bhb4 ,this is the ,gospel2 this is the plan of salvation2 this is the ,kingdom of ,god2 this is the ,zion that has been spoken and written of by all the ,prophets since the world began4 ,this is the work of ,zion which the ,lord has promised to bring forth4 #ab3agb4 ,when we conclude to make a ,zion we will make it1 and this work commences in the heart of each person4 ,when the father of a family wishes to make a ,zion in his own house1 he must take the lead in this good work1 which it is impossible for him to do unless he himself possesses the #ahb spirit of ,zion4 ,before he can produce the work of sanctification in his family1 he must sanctify himself1 and by this means ,god can help him to sanctify his family4 #i3bhc4 ,there is not one thing wanting in all the works of ,god's hands to make a ,zion upon the earth when the people conclude to make it4 ,we can make a ,zion of ,god on earth at our pleasure1 upon the same principle that we can raise a field of wheat1 or build and inhabit4 ,there has been no time when the material has not been here from which to produce corn1 wheat1 etc41 and by the judicious management and arrangement of this ever-existing material a ,zion of ,god can always be built on the earth4 #i3bhc4 ,let me say a few words with regard to ,zion4 ,we profess to be ,zion4 ,if we are the pure in heart we are so1 for ,zion is the pure in heart4 ,now when ,zion is built up and reigns1 the question may arise with some1 will all be ,latter-day ,saints8 ,no4 ,will there be this variety of classes and faiths that we now behold8 ,i do not know whether there will be as many1 or whether there will be more4 ,but be that as it may1 ,jesus has gone to prepare mansions for every creature4 ,who will go down as sons of perdition and receive the reward of the damned8 ,none but those who have sinned against the ,holy ,ghost4 ,all others will be gathered into kingdoms where there will be a certain amount of peace and glory4 ,will the ,methodists have their heaven8 ,i will venture to say that ,john ,wesley1 if he never hears the ,gospel preached in the world of spirits1 will enjoy all the happiness and glory that he ever thought of4 ,and so it will be with others2 ,i mention him merely because he is a noted character4 ,in all those kingdoms the people will be as varied as they are here4 ,in the ,millennium men will have the privilege of their own belief1 but they will not have #ahc the privilege of treating the name and character of ,deity as they have done heretofore4 ,no1 but every knee shall bow and every tongue confess to the glory of ,god the ,father that ,jesus is the ,christ4 #ab3bgd4 ,my spiritual enjoyment must be obtained by my own life1 but it would add much to the comfort of the community1 and to my happiness1 as one with them1 if every man and woman would live their religion1 and enjoy the light and glory of the ,gospel for themselves1 be passive1 humble1 and faithful2 rejoice continually before the ,lord1 attend to the business they are called to do1 and be sure never to do anything wrong4 ,all would then be peace1 joy1 and tranquility1 in our streets and in our houses4 ,litigation would cease1 there would be no difficulties before the ,high ,council and ,bishops' ,courts1 and courts1 turmoil1 and strife would not be known4 ,then we would have ,zion1 for all would be pure in heart4 #c3bee4 ,the ,land of ,zion--,this is the land of ,zion4 ,west of us is a body of water that we call the ,pacific1 and to the east there is another large body of water which we call the ,atlantic1 and to the north is where they have tried to discover a northwest passage2 these waters surround the land of ,zion4 #d3cja4 ,and what is ,zion8 ,in one sense ,zion is the pure in heart4 ,but is there a land that ever will be called ,zion8 ,yes1 brethren4 ,what land is it8 ,it is the land that the ,lord gave to ,jacob1 who bequeathed it to his son ,joseph1 and his posterity1 and they inhabit it1 and that land is ,north and ,south ,america4 ,that is ,zion1 as to land1 as to #ahd territory1 and location4 ,the children of ,zion have not yet much in their possession1 but their territory is ,north and ,south ,america to begin with4 ,as to the spirit of ,zion1 it is in the hearts of the ,saints of those who love and serve the ,lord with all their might1 mind and strength4 #b3bec4 ,this ,american continent will be ,zion2 for it is so spoken of by the prophets4 ,jerusalem will be rebuilt and will be the place of gathering1 and the tribe of ,judah will gather there2 but this continent of ,america is the land of ,zion4 #e3d4 ,this is the land of ,zion--this is the continent whereon the ,lord has commenced his work for the last time1 and whereon ,jesus will make his appearance the second time1 when he comes to gather and save the ,house of ,israel4 #h3ha-b4 ,zion will extend1 eventually1 all over this earth4 ,there will be no nook or corner upon the earth but what will be in ,zion4 ,it will all be ,zion4 #i3ach4 ,the ,city of ,zion--,we look forward to the day when the ,lord will prepare for the building of the ,new ,jerusalem1 preparatory to the ,city of ,enoch's going to be joined with it when it is built upon this earth4 ,we are anticipating to enjoy that day1 whether we sleep in death previous to that1 or not4 ,we look forward1 with all the anticipation and confidence that children can possess in a parent1 that we shall be there when ,jesus comes2 and if we are not there1 we will come with him3 in either case we shall be there when he comes4 #h3cdb4 ,we want all the ,latter-day ,saints to understand how to build up ,zion4 ,the ,city of ,zion1 in beauty and magnificence1 will outstrip anything that is now known upon the earth4 ,the curse will be taken from the earth and sin and #ahe corruption will be swept from its face4 ,who will do this great work8 ,is the ,lord going to convince the people that he will redeem the center ,stake of ,zion1 beautify it and then place them there without an exertion on their part8 ,no4 ,he will not come here to build a ,temple1 a ,tabernacle1 a ,bowery1 or to set out fruit trees1 make aprons of fig leaves or coats of skins1 or work in brass and iron1 for we already know how to do these things4 ,he will not come here to teach us how to raise and manufacture cotton1 how to make hand cards1 how to card1 how to make spinning machines1 looms1 etc41 etc4 ,we have to build up ,zion1 if we do our duty4 #aj3agb4 ,i have many times asked the questions1 ,where is the man that knows how to lay the first rock for the wall that is to surround the ,new ,jerusalem or the ,zion of ,god on the earth8 ,where is the man who knows how to construct the first gate of the city8 ,where is the man who understands how to build up the ,kingdom of ,god in its purity and to prepare for ,zion to come down to meet it8 ,well1 says one1 ,i thought the ,lord was going to do this4 ,so he is if we will let him4 ,this is what we want3 we want the people to be willing for the ,lord to do it4 ,but he will do it by means4 ,he will not send his angels to gather up the rock to build up the ,new ,jerusalem4 ,he will not send his angels from the heavens to go to the mountains to cut the timber and make it into lumber to adorn the ,city of ,zion4 ,he has called upon us to do this work2 and if we will let him work by1 through1 and with us1 he can accomplish it2 otherwise we shall fall short1 and shall never have the honor of building up ,zion on the earth4 #ac3cac4 ,purpose of ,gathering--,a remnant of the people of ,israel #ahf are to be saved1 and they will yet be gathered together4 #af3aji4 ,ephraim has become mixed with all the nations of the earth1 and it is ,ephraim that is gathering together4 #b3bfh4 ,we are gathering the people as fast as we can4 ,we are gathering them to make ,saints of them and of ourselves4 #i3acg-h4 ,we have been gathered to the valleys of these mountains for the express purpose of purifying ourselves1 that we may become polished stones in the temple of ,god4 ,we are here for the purpose of establishing the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth4 ,to be prepared for this work it has been necessary to gather us out from the nations and countries of the world1 for if we had remained in those lands we could not have received the ordinances of the holy ,priesthood of the ,son of ,god1 which are necessary for the perfection of the ,saints preparatory to his coming4 #ab3afa4 ,the ,jews and ,jerusalem--,jerusalem is not to be redeemed by our going there and preaching to the inhabitants4 ,it will be redeemed by the high hand of the ,almighty4 ,it will be given into the possession of the ancient ,israelites by the power of ,god1 and by the pouring out of his judgments4 #b3ada4 ,jerusalem is not to be redeemed by the soft1 still voice of the preacher of the ,gospel of peace4 ,why8 ,because they were once the blessed of the ,lord1 the chosen of the ,lord1 the promised seed4 ,they were the people from among whom should spring the ,messiah2 and salvation could be found only through that people4 ,the ,messiah came through them1 and they killed him2 and they will be the last of all the seed of ,abraham to have the privilege of receiving the ,new and ,everlasting ,covenant4 ,you may #ahg hand out to them gold1 you may feed and clothe them1 but it is impossible to convert the ,jews1 until the ,lord ,god ,almighty does it4 #b3adb4 ,by and by the ,jews will be gathered to the land of their fathers1 and the ten tribes1 who wandered into the north1 will be gathered home1 and the blood of ,ephraim1 the second son of ,joseph1 who was sold into ,egypt1 which is to be found in every kingdom and nation under heaven1 will be gathered from among the ,gentiles1 and the ,gentiles who will receive and adhere to the principles of the ,gospel will be adopted and initiated into the family of ,father ,abraham1 and ,jesus will reign over his own and ,satan will reign over his own4 #ab3ch4 ,we have a great desire for their welfare1 and are looking for the time soon to come when they will gather at ,jerusalem1 build up the city and the land of ,palestine1 and prepare for the coming of the ,messiah4 ,when he comes again1 he will not come as he did when the ,jews rejected him2 neither will he appear first at ,jerusalem when he makes his second appearance on the earth2 but he will appear first on the land where he commenced his work in the beginning1 and planted the ,garden of ,eden1 and that was done in the land of ,america4 ,when the ,savior visits ,jerusalem1 and the ,jews look upon him1 and see the wounds in his hands and in his side and in his feet1 they will then know that they have persecuted and put to death the true ,messiah1 and then they will acknowledge him1 but not till then4 ,they have confounded his first and second coming1 expecting his first coming to be as a mighty prince instead of as a servant4 ,they will go back by and by to ,jerusalem and own their ,lord and ,master4 ,we have no feelings against them4 #aa3bgi4 #ahh ,the ,indians or ,lamanites--,the ,lamanites or ,indians are just as much the children of our ,father and ,god as we are4 ,so also are the ,africans4 ,but we are also the children of adoption through obedience to the ,gospel of his ,son4 #aa3bgb4 ,i spoke a harsh word yesterday with regard to a man who professes to be a ,latter-day ,saint who has been guilty of killing an innocent ,indian4 ,i say today that he is just as much a murderer through killing that ,indian1 as he would have been had he shot down a white man4 ,to slay an innocent person is murder according to the law of ,moses4 #aa3bfc4 ,we could circumscribe their camps and kill every man1 woman and child of them4 ,this is what others have done1 and if we were to do it1 what better are we than the wicked and the ungodly8 ,it is our duty to be better than they in our administrations of justice and our general conduct toward the ,lamanites4 ,it is not our duty to kill them2 but it is our duty to save their lives and the lives of their children4 #aa3bfd4 ,there is a curse on these aborigines of our country who roam the plains1 and are so wild that you cannot tame them4 ,they are of the ,house of ,israel2 they once had the ,gospel delivered to them1 they had the oracles of truth2 ,jesus came and administered to them after his resurrection1 and they received and delighted in the ,gospel until the fourth generation when they turned away and became so wicked that ,god cursed them with this dark and benighted and loathsome condition4 #ad3hf4 ,as we have here an assemblage of the people from other settlements1 ,i wish to impress them with the necessity of treating the ,indians with kindness1 and to refrain from harboring #ahi that revengeful1 vindictive feeling that many indulge in4 ,i am convinced that as long as we harbor in us such feelings toward them1 so long they will be our enemies1 and the ,lord will suffer them to afflict us4 ,i certainly believe that the present affliction1 which has come upon us from the ,indians1 is a consequence of the wickedness which dwells in the hearts of some of our brethren4 ,if the ,elders of ,israel had always treated the ,lamanites as they should1 ,i do not believe that we should have had any difficulty with them at all4 ,this is my firm conviction1 and my conclusion according to the light that is in me4 ,i believe that the ,lord permits them to chasten us at the present time to convince us that we have to overcome the vindictive feelings which we have harbored towards that poor1 downtrodden branch of the ,house of ,israel4 #aa3bfc4 ,do we wish to do right8 ,you answer1 yes4 ,then let the ,lamanites come back to their homes1 where they were born and brought up4 ,this is the land that they and their fathers have walked over and called their own2 and they have just as good a right to call it theirs today as any people have to call any land their own4 ,they have buried their fathers and mothers and children here2 this is their home1 and we have taken possession of it1 and occupy the land where they used to hunt the rabbit1 and1 not a great while since1 the buffalo1 and the antelope were in these valleys in large herds when we first came here4 ,when we came here1 they could catch fish in great abundance in the lake in the season thereof1 and live upon them pretty much through the summer4 ,but now their game has gone1 and they are left to starve4 ,it is our duty to feed them4 ,the ,lord has given us ability to cultivate the ground and reap bountiful harvests4 ,we have an #aij abundance of food for ourselves and for the stranger4 ,it is our duty to feed these poor ignorant ,indians2 we are living on their possessions and at their homes4 #aa3bfd4 #aia ,,chapter ,,xi ,,the ,,scriptures ,the ,bible--,in the ,bible are the words of life and salvation4 #ac3bad4 ,we are believers in the ,bible1 and to our unshaken faith in its precepts1 doctrine1 and prophecy1 may be attributed the strangeness of our course1 and the unwarrantable conduct of many towards this people4 #a3bcg4 ,but ,i want to know if we agree with the teachings of the ,bible1 in our belief and practice4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints believe in doing just what the ,lord has told them to do in this book4 #a3bci4 ,we believe the ,new ,testament1 and consequently1 to be consistent1 we must believe in new revelation1 visions1 angels1 in all the gifts of the ,holy ,ghost1 and all the promises contained in these books1 and believe it about as it reads4 #a3bdb4 ,we have a holy reverence for and a belief in the ,bible4 #ad3aac4 ,the ,bible is true4 ,it may not all have been translated aright1 and many precious things may have been rejected in the compilation and translation of the ,bible2 but we understand1 from the writings of one of the ,apostles1 that if all the sayings and doings of the ,savior had been written1 the world could not contain them4 ,i will say that the world could not understand them4 ,they do not understand what we have on record1 nor the character of the ,savior1 as delineated in the ,scriptures2 and yet it is one of the simplest things in the world1 and the ,bible1 when it is understood1 is one of the simplest books in the world1 for1 as far #aib as it is translated correctly1 it is nothing but truth1 and in truth there is no mystery save to the ignorant4 ,the revelations of the ,lord to his creatures are adapted to the lowest capacity1 and they bring life and salvation to all who are willing to receive them4 #ad3ace4 ,take the ,bible just as it reads2 and if it be translated incorrectly and there is a scholar on the earth who professes to be a ,christian1 and he can translate it any better than ,king ,james's translators did it1 he is under obligation to do so4 ,if ,i understood ,greek and ,hebrew as some may profess to do1 and ,i knew the ,bible was not correctly translated1 ,i should feel myself bound by the law of justice to the inhabitants of the earth to translate that which is incorrect and give it just as it was spoken anciently4 ,is that proper8 ,yes1 ,i would be under obligation to do it4 ,but ,i think it is translated just as correctly as the scholars could get it1 although it is not correct in a great many instances4 ,but it is no matter about that4 ,read it and observe it and it will not hurt any person in the world4 #ad3bbf4 ,by reading the ,bible we find that the ,gospel is contained not only in the ,new ,testament1 but also in the ,old4 ,moses and the ,prophets saw and predicted the apostasy of the ,church4 ,they saw that the ,lord would strive with the children of men from time to time1 that he would deliver to them the truth and the ,priesthood2 they also saw that through the wickedness of the people they would change his ordinances1 break the covenants1 and transgress his laws1 until the ,priesthood would be taken from the earth1 and its inhabitants be left in apostasy and darkness4 #af3gd4 ,i have heard ministers of the ,gospel declare that they believed every word in the ,bible was the word of ,god4 ,i have said to them1 ,you believe more than ,i do4 ,i believe #aic the words of ,god are there2 ,i believe the words of the ,devil are there2 ,i believe that the words of men and the words of angels are there2 and that is not all1--,i believe that the words of a dumb brute are there4 ,i recollect one of the prophets riding1 and prophesying against ,israel1 and the animal he rode rebuked his madness4 #ad3bhj4 ,i believe the words of the ,bible are just what they are2 but aside from that ,i believe the doctrines concerning salvation contained in that book are true1 and that their observance will elevate any people1 nation or family that dwells on the face of the earth4 ,the doctrines contained in the ,bible will lift to a superior condition all who observe them2 they will impart to them knowledge1 wisdom1 charity1 fill them with compassion and cause them to feel after the wants of those who are in distress1 or in painful or degraded circumstances4 ,they who observe the precepts contained in the ,scriptures will be just and true and virtuous and peaceable at home and abroad4 ,follow out the doctrines of the ,bible1 and men will make splendid husbands1 women excellent wives1 and children will be obedient2 they will make families happy and the nations wealthy and happy and lifted up above the things of this life4 #ac3age4 ,we take this book1 the ,bible1 which ,i expect to see voted out of the so-called ,christian world very soon1 they are coming to it as fast as possible1 ,i say we take this book for our guide1 for our rule of action2 we take it as the foundation of our faith4 ,it points the way to salvation like a fingerboard pointing to a city1 or a map which designates the locality of mountains1 rivers1 or the latitude and longitude of any place on the surface of the earth that we desire to find1 and we have no better sense than to believe #aid it2 hence1 ,i say that the ,latter-day ,saints have the most natural faith and belief of any people on the face of the earth4 #ac3bcf4 ,we as ,latter-day ,saints have confessed before ,heaven1 before the heavenly hosts1 and before the inhabitants of the earth1 that we really believe the ,scriptures as they are given to us1 according to the best understanding and knowledge that we have of the translation1 and the spirit and meaning of the ,old and ,new ,testaments4 #ab3bbg4 ,take up the ,bible1 compare the religion of the ,latter-day ,saints with it1 and see if it will stand the test4 #ag3df4 ,this ,book1 which is the ,old and ,new ,testament1 preaches but one sermon from ,genesis to ,revelation4 #f3bhd4 ,the doctrine that we preach is the doctrine of the ,bible1 it is the doctrine the ,lord has revealed for the salvation of the children of ,god1 and when men1 who have once obeyed it1 deny it1 they deny it with their eyes wide open1 and knowing that they deny the truth and set at naught the counsels of the ,almighty4 #ad3bjj4 ,i ask you1 brother ,b1 how ,i must believe the ,bible1 and how shall you and every other follower of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ believe it8 ,brother ,mormon1 how do you believe it8 ,i believe it just as it is4 ,i do not believe in putting any man's interpretation upon it1 whatever1 unless it should be directed by the ,lord himself in some way4 ,i do not believe we need interpreters and expounders of the ,scriptures1 to wrest them from their literal1 plain1 simple meaning4 #a3bcg4 ,there is one idea entertained by the ,mormons which is somewhat of a stumbling-block to the people1 and apostates handle it to suit their purpose4 ,it is1 that we consider #aie the ,bible merely as a guide or fingerboard1 pointing to a certain destination4 ,this is a true doctrine1 which we boldly advance4 ,if you will follow the doctrines1 and be guided by the precepts of that book1 it will direct you where you may see as you are seen1 where you may converse with ,jesus ,christ1 have the visitation of angels1 have dreams1 visions1 and revelations1 and understand and know ,god for yourselves4 ,is it not a stay and a staff to you8 ,yes2 it will prove to you that you are following in the footsteps of the ancients4 ,you can see what they saw1 understand what they enjoyed4 #a3bdc4 ,the ,standard ,church ,works4 ,with us the ,bible is the first book1 the ,book of ,mormon comes next1 then the revelations in the book of ,doctrine and ,covenants1 then the teachings of the living oracles1 yet you will find1 in the end1 that the living oracles of ,god have to take all things of heaven and earth1 above and beneath1 and bring them together and devote them to ,god1 and sanctify and purify them and prepare them to enter into the ,kingdom of heaven4 #i3big4 ,there is no clash in the principles revealed in the ,bible1 the ,book of ,mormon1 and the ,doctrine and ,covenants2 and there would be no clash between any of the doctrines taught by ,joseph the ,prophet and by the brethren now1 if all would live in a way to be governed by the ,spirit of the ,lord4 ,all do not live so as to have the ,spirit of the ,lord with them all the time1 and the result is that some get out of the way4 #e3cbi4 ,we have learned much from the ,bible4 ,we have also learned much from the ,book of ,mormon and the book of ,doctrine and ,covenants2 but all the salvation you can obtain by means of those books alone is comparatively of little #aif value4 ,they contain a history of what other men have done1 show the path they walked in1 and the way in which they obtained the words of eternal life for themselves2 but all the ,scriptures from the days of ,adam until now cannot1 alone1 save one individual4 ,were they all committed to memory so perfectly that they could be recited with the greatest ease1 that alone would not save one of the smallest of ,god's creatures1 nor bring any person nearer the gate of the celestial kingdom4 ,in visiting a foreign nation1 an understanding of its language1 geography1 manners1 customs1 and laws is very agreeable and3 beneficial4 ,so the reading of the ,bible gives comfort and happiness to the traveler to eternity1 and points out to him in part the character and attributes of the ,being whom to know is life eternal4 ,we have not yet attained to that knowledge1 and the mere reading of the ,scriptures can never put us in possession of it4 #g3ccb4 ,it is your privilege and duty to live so1 as to be able to understand the things of ,god4 ,there are the ,old and ,new ,testaments1 the ,book of ,mormon1 and the book of ,doctrine and ,covenants1 which ,joseph has given us1 and they are of great worth to a person wandering in darkness4 ,they are like a lighthouse in the ocean1 or a finger-post which points out the road we should travel4 ,where do they point8 ,to the ,fountain of light4 #h3abi4 ,what do the infidel world say about the ,bible8 ,they say that the ,bible is nothing better than last year's almanac2 it is nothing but a fable of priestcraft1 and it is good for nothing4 ,the ,book of ,mormon1 however1 declares that the ,bible is true1 and it proves it2 and the two prove each other true4 ,the ,old and ,new ,testaments are the stick of ,judah4 ,you recollect that the tribe of ,judah tarried in #aig ,jerusalem and the ,lord blessed ,judah1 and the result was the writings of the ,old and ,new ,testaments4 ,but where is the stick of ,joseph8 ,can you tell where it is8 ,yes4 ,it was the children of ,joseph who came across the waters to this continent1 and this land was filled with people1 and the ,book of ,mormon or the stick of ,joseph contains their writings1 and they are in the hands of ,ephraim4 ,where are the ,ephraimites8 ,they are mixed through all the nations of the earth4 ,god is calling upon them to gather out1 and he is uniting them1 and they are giving the ,gospel to all the world4 ,is there any harm or any false doctrine in that8 ,a great many say there is4 ,if there is1 it is all in the ,bible4 #ac3agd4 ,the ,christian world profess to believe the ,old and ,new ,testaments2 the ,jews say they believe the ,old ,testament4 ,we believe both1 and that is not all1 we believe in the ,book of ,mormon1 and the ,doctrine and ,covenants given by the ,lord to ,joseph ,smith and by him to the ,church4 ,we also believe if we were destitute of the ,spirit of the ,lord1 and our eyes were closed so that we could not see and understand things as they are by the spirit of revelation1 we might say farewell to all these books1 no matter how numerous4 ,if we had all the revelation given since the days of ,adam and were without the spirit of revelation to be and abide in the midst of the people1 it would be impossible for us to be saved in the celestial kingdom of ,god4 #ab3bei-bfj4 ,the book of ,doctrine and ,covenants is given for the ,latter-day ,saints expressly for their everyday walk and actions4 #af3ahh4 ,the ,use of the ,scriptures--,do you read the ,scriptures1 my brethren and sisters1 as though you were writing them #aih a thousand1 two thousand1 or five thousand years ago8 ,do you read them as though you stood in the place of the men who wrote them8 ,if you do not feel thus1 it is your privilege to do so1 that you may be as familiar with the spirit and meaning of the written word of ,god as you are with your daily walk and conversation1 or as you are with your workmen or with your households4 #g3ccc4 ,the people on every hand are inquiring1 ,what does this scripture mean1 and how shall we understand this or that passage8 ,now ,i wish1 my brethren and sisters1 for us to understand things precisely as they are1 and not as the flitting1 changing imagination of the human mind may frame them4 ,the ,bible is just as plain and easy of comprehension as the revelation which ,i have just read to you1 if you understand the ,spirit of ,god--the ,spirit of ,revelation1 and know how the ,gospel of salvation is adapted to the capacity of weak man4 #c3ccf4 ,we are not in the same attitude that the people were a few thousand years ago--they were depending on the ,prophet or ,prophets1 or on having immediate revelation for themselves to know the will of the ,lord1 without the record of their predecessors1 while we have the records of those who have lived before us1 also the testimony of the ,holy ,spirit2 and1 to the satisfaction of all who desire a testimony1 we can turn to this book and read that which we believe1 learn the object of our pursuit1 the end that we expect to accomplish--the end of the race as far as mortality is concerned--and the fulness of the glory that is beyond this vale of tears2 consequently we have the advantage of those who lived before us4 ,we are in pursuit of knowledge2 and when you meet together1 if you have a word of prophecy1 #aii a dream1 a vision1 or a word of wisdom1 impart the same to the people4 #ae3ce4 ,is there anything in the ,bible that should not be read by the scholars in schools8 ,if there be1 leave out such parts1 or rather replace the language there used1 with phraseology more in accordance with modern usage1 so that the principles contained in the ,bible may be taught in your catechisms or other books4 ,i know that there is some plain talk in the ,bible1 plainer than ,i heard this morning2 but that plain talk was the custom of the ancients4 ,the mere phraseology there used is not of much consequence1 it is the true principle which that book teaches which renders it so valuable4 ,if any of you1 ladies and gentlemen1 were to step on a steamboat and cross over to ,liverpool1 you would hear language and see customs that you never heard or saw in ,yankee land4 ,it is the same with regard to the ,bible1 the phraseology is that which was customary centuries ago2 but no matter what the language is1 that is merely custom4 ,but ,i will say that the doctrines taught in the ,old and ,new ,testaments concerning the will of ,god towards his children here on the earth2 the history of what he has done for their salvation2 the ordinances which he has instituted for their redemption2 the gift of his ,son and his atonement--all these are true1 and we1 the ,latter-day ,saints1 believe in them4 #ac3agd4 ,i am a witness1 so far as this is concerned1 that the persons whose names are mentioned1 and many others of the first ,elders of the ,church1 were looked upon almost as angels4 ,they were looked upon by the young members as being so filled with the ,spirit and power of ,god1 that we were hardly worthy to converse with them4 ,you hear the names of ,bishop ,partridge1 of ,brother ,w4 ,w4 ,phelps1 who #bjj is now sitting in this stand1 of ,parley ,p4 ,pratt1 of ,david ,whitmer1 of ,oliver ,cowdery1 and the names of many others of the first ,elders who had been up to ,zion1 and ,i declare to you that brethren in other parts of the land1 those who had not seen the persons named1 felt that should they come into their presence they would have to pull off their shoes1 as the ground would be so holy upon which they trod4 ,do you know what distance and age accomplish8 ,they produce in people the most reverential awe that can be imagined4 ,when we reflect and rightly understand1 we learn how easy of comprehension the ,gospel is1 how plain it is in its plan1 in every part and principle fitted perfectly to the capacity of mankind1 insomuch that when it is introduced among the lovers of truth it appears very easy and very plain1 and how very ready the honest are to receive it4 ,but send it abroad and give it antiquity1 and it is at once clothed with mystery4 ,this is the case with all the ancient revelations4 ,those which were received and understood by the ancients are shrouded in mystery and uncertainty to this generation1 and men are employed to reveal the meaning of the ancient ,scriptures4 #c3cce-f4 #bja ,,chapter ,,xii ,,the ,,priesthood ,the ,priesthood--,all ye inhabitants of the earth1 hearken and hear6 ,god has1 in our day1 spoken from the heavens2 he has bestowed his holy ,priesthood on the children of men2 he has called upon all people to repent4 #h3acf4 ,let us submit to him1 that we may share in this invisible1 almighty1 ,god-like power1 which is the everlasting ,priesthood4 #c3bei4 ,the ,priesthood of the ,son of ,god1 which we have in our midst1 is a perfect order and system of government1 and this alone can deliver the human family from all the evils which now afflict its members1 and insure them happiness and felicity hereafter4 #ac3bdb4 ,if anybody wants to know what the ,priesthood of the ,son of ,god is1 it is the law by which the worlds are1 were1 and will continue for ever and ever4 ,it is that system which brings worlds into existence and peoples them1 gives them their revolutions--their days1 weeks1 months1 years1 their seasons and times and by which they are rolled up as a scroll1 as it were1 and go into a higher state of existence4 #ae3abg4 ,when we talk of the celestial law which is revealed from heaven1 that is1 the ,priesthood1 we are talking about the principle of salvation1 a perfect system of government1 of laws and ordinances1 by which we can be prepared to pass from one gate to another1 and from one sentinel to another1 until we go into the presence of our ,father and ,god4 ,this law has not always been upon the earth2 and in its absence1 other laws have been given to the children #bjb of men for their improvement1 for their education1 for their government1 and to prove what they would do when left to control themselves2 and what we now call tradition has grown out of these circumstances4 #b3aci4 ,the ,priesthood of the ,son of ,god in its operations comprises the ,kingdom of ,god4 #aa3bdi4 ,some of the brightest spirits who dwell in the bosom of the ,father are making their appearance among this people1 of whom the ,lord will make a ,royal ,priesthood1 a peculiar nation that he can own and bless1 talk with1 and associate with4 #aa3acb4 ,men who are vessels of the holy ,priesthood1 who are charged with words of eternal life to the world1 should strive continually in their words and actions and daily deportment to do honor to the great dignity of their calling and office as ministers and representatives of the ,most ,high4 #aa3baf4 ,the ,gospel has brought to us the holy ,priesthood1 which is again restored to the children of men4 ,the keys of that ,priesthood are here2 we have them in our possession2 we can unlock1 and we can shut up4 ,we can obtain salvation1 and we can administer it4 #d3bii4 ,this ,priesthood has been on the earth at various times4 ,adam had it1 ,seth had it1 ,enoch had it1 ,noah had it1 ,abraham and ,lot had it1 and it was handed down to the days of the ,prophets1 long after the days of the ancients4 ,this ,high ,priesthood rules1 directs1 governs1 and controls all the ,priesthoods1 because it is the highest of all4 #i3hg4 ,but the ,lord has so ordained that no man shall receive the benefits of the everlasting ,priesthood without humbling himself before him1 and giving him the glory for teaching him1 that he may be able to witness to every man of the #bjc truth1 and not depend upon the words of any individual on the earth1 but know for himself1 live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of ,god1 love the ,lord ,jesus ,christ and the institutions of his ,kingdom1 and finally enter into his glory4 ,every man and woman may be a revelator1 and have the testimony of ,jesus1 which is the spirit of prophecy1 and foresee the mind and will of ,god concerning them1 eschew evil1 and choose that which is good4 #b3ahi4 ,the ,priesthood is given to the people and the keys thereof1 and1 when properly understood1 they may actually unlock the treasury of the ,lord1 and receive to their fullest satisfaction4 ,but through our own weaknesses1 through the frailty of human nature1 we are not capable of doing so4 #c3aia-b4 ,the ,priesthood does not wait for ignorance2 it instructs those who have not wisdom1 and are desirous of learning correct principles4 #g3fd4 ,it is the business1 duty1 and power of the eternal ,priesthood to commence laying the foundation to bring back the days1 years1 and intelligence that have been lost through transgression4 ,i intend to pursue this course so long as ,i possibly can4 ,i trust that ,i shall not commit an act that will annoy my feelings when ,i meet my ,savior4 ,i pray for this every day and every moment4 #h3fb4 ,the ,lord ,almighty will not suffer his ,priesthood to be again driven from the earth4 #b3ahc-ahd4 ,but mark it well1 if we live according to the holy ,priesthood bestowed upon us1 while ,god bears rule in the midst of these mountains1 ,i promise you1 in the name of ,israel's ,god1 that he will give us seed-time and harvest4 ,we must forfeit our right to the ,priesthood1 before the blessings of #bjd the heavens cease to come upon us4 ,let us live our religion and hearken to the counsel given to us4 #aj3bib4 ,much has been said about the power of the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,is it the people called ,latter-day ,saints that have this power1 or is it the ,priesthood8 ,it is the ,priesthood2 and if they live according to that ,priesthood1 they can commence their work here and gain many victories1 and be prepared to receive glory1 immortality1 and eternal life1 that when they go into the spirit-world1 their work will far surpass that of any other man or being that has not been blessed with the keys of the ,priesthood here4 #g3bhh-i4 ,there is not a despot upon the earth whose power has not originally sprung from the ,priesthood1 and there is not a law in the ,priesthood but what is founded on the revelations of ,jesus ,christ4 ,these are the laws upon which all governments were originally based4 ,truth will endure forever1 and every person that cannot abide truth will fail in obtaining eternal life4 ,truth is what we have4 ,let us live to it1 and we shall abide for ever and no power can prevent it4 #g3adi4 ,when the faithful ,elders1 holding this ,priesthood1 go into the spirit world they carry with them the same power and ,priesthood that they had while in the mortal tabernacle4 #c3cga4 ,when the holy ,priesthood is upon the earth1 and the fulness of the ,kingdom of ,god has come to the people1 it requires a strict obedience to every point of law and doctrine and to every ordinance which the ,lord reveals4 #aj3bhf4 ,were your faith concentrated upon the proper object1 your confidence unshaken1 your lives pure and holy1 every one fulfilling the duties of his or her calling according to the #bje ,priesthood and capacity bestowed upon you1 you would be filled with the ,holy ,ghost1 and it would be as impossible for any man to deceive and lead you to destruction as for a feather to remain unconsumed in the midst of intense heat4 #g3bgg4 ,an individual who holds a share in the ,priesthood1 and continues faithful to his calling1 who delights himself continually in doing the things ,god requires at his hands1 and continues through life in the performance of every duty will secure to himself not only the privilege of receiving1 but the knowledge how to receive the things of ,god1 that he may know the mind of ,god continually2 and he will be enabled to discern between right and wrong1 between the things of ,god and the things that are not of ,god4 ,and the ,priesthood--the ,spirit that is within him1 will continue to increase until it becomes like a fountain of living water2 until it is like the tree of life2 until it is one continued source of intelligence and instruction to that individual4 #c3aib4 ,it is the privilege of every person who is faithful to the ,priesthood1 who can overcome the enemy1 thwart the design of death1 or him that hath the power of it1 to live upon the earth until their appointed time2 and they may know1 see1 and understand1 by revelation1 the things of ,god just as naturally as we understand natural things that are around us4 #c3aib-aic4 ,all the acts we perform should be governed by the guidance of the ,priesthood4 #g3fd4 ,there is no act of a ,latter-day ,saint--no duty required--no time given1 exclusive and independent of the ,priesthood4 ,everything is subject to it1 whether preaching1 business1 or any other act pertaining to the proper conduct of this life4 #g3ff4 #bjf ,until a selfish1 individual interest is banished from our minds1 and we become interested in the general welfare1 we shall never be able to magnify our holy ,priesthood as we should4 #aa3aae4 ,no man will gain influence in this ,kingdom1 save what he gains by the influence and power of the ,holy ,one that has called him to truth1 holiness1 and virtue4 ,that is all the influence ,i have1 and ,i pray ,god that ,i may never have any different influence4 #g3adj4 ,let me say to the brethren and sisters1 when you are chastened by any of your leaders1 never consider that the enemy does it1 but receive it always as a kindness from the hand of a friend and not as from an enemy4 ,if your presidents were your enemies they would let you alone in your faults4 ,if you are beloved of the ,lord you will be chastened2 receive it with joy4 #aj3agd4 ,in trying all matters of doctrine1 to make a decision valid1 it is necessary to obtain a unanimous voice1 faith and decision4 ,in the capacity of a ,quorum1 the three ,first ,presidents must be one in their voice2 the ,twelve ,apostles must be unanimous in their voice1 to obtain a righteous decision upon any matter that may come before them1 as you may read in the ,doctrine and ,covenants4 ,whenever you see these ,quorums unanimous in their declaration1 you may set it down as true4 ,let the ,elders get together1 being faithful and true2 and when they agree upon any point1 you may know that it is true4 #i3ia-ib4 ,i would like to see the ,high ,council and ,bishops and all ,judges filled with the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 that when a person comes before them they can read and understand that person1 and be able to decide a case quickly and justly4 ,when men have a just appreciation of right and #bjg wrong1 their decision can be made as well the first minute after hearing a statement of the case1 as to waste hours and days to make it4 ,i would like the ,bishops and other officers to have sufficient power and wisdom from ,god to make them fully aware of the true nature of every case that may come before them4 ,but there are some of our great men who are so ignorant that a personal favor will so bias their minds that they will twist the truth and sustain a person in evil4 ,some1 with a trifling consideration1 can so prejudice the mind of a ,high ,councilor1 a ,high ,priest1 a ,bishop1 or an ,apostle1 that he will lean to the individual instead of the truth4 ,i despise a man that would offer me money to buy me to his favor4 #aj3db4 ,in all ,high ,councils1 in ,bishops' ,courts1 and in all other departments for transacting our business1 the ,church and ,kingdom of ,god1 with the ,lord ,almighty at the head1 will cause every man to exhibit the feeling of his heart1 for you recollect it is written that in the last days the ,lord will reveal the secrets of the hearts of the children of men4 #c3dg4 ,when ,i am brought to the test to fight for my religion1 which ,i trust ,i never will be1 ,i will call men who are full of the power of ,god for such an emergency4 #g3adc4 ,i relate these circumstances to show you that a person who is ordained to the office of an ,elder in this ,kingdom has the same ,priesthood that the ,high ,priests1 that the ,twelve ,apostles1 that the ,seventies1 and that the ,first ,presidency hold2 but all are not called to be one of the ,twelve ,apostles nor are all called to be one of the ,first ,presidency1 nor to be one of the ,first ,presidents of all the ,seventies1 nor to be one of the ,presidents of a ,quorum of ,seventies1 nor to preside over the ,high ,priests' ,quorum2 but every man in his order and place1 possessing a portion #bjh of the same ,priesthood1 according to the gifts and callings to each4 ,does not this clear up the subject8 ,this will explain it to you so that you can understand it4 ,when we find where our callings and positions are in the midst of the people of ,god1 and every person willing to act in the discharge of his duty1 there is enough for us all to do4 ,all persons can have all they desire to do to promote the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth2 they can exercise themselves in all that ,god has granted to them to prove themselves worthy before ,god and the people4 #i3hi4 ,did they destroy it when they took the life of ,joseph8 ,no4 ,mormonism is here1 the ,priesthood is here1 the keys of the ,kingdom are here on the earth2 and when ,joseph went1 they did not go4 ,and if the wicked should succeed in taking my life1 the keys of the ,kingdom will remain with the ,church4 #e3gf-g4 ,if ,i find a man1 as ,i do once in a while1 who thinks that he ought to be sustained in a higher position than he occupies1 that proves to me that he does not understand his true position1 and is not capable of magnifying it4 ,has he not already the privilege of exhibiting all the talents he has--of doing all the good he is capable of in this ,kingdom8 ,is he curtailed in the least1 in anywise or place1 in bringing forth his wisdom and powers1 and exhibiting them before the community and leading out8 ,no1 not in the least4 ,are any of you infringed upon or abridged in the least8 ,is there a sister who has not the privilege of exhibiting all the talent and power she will1 or is capable of1 for the benefit of her sisters and her children8 ,are the sisters deprived of any liberty in displaying their taste and talent to improve the community8 ,when ,i hear persons say that they ought to occupy a #bji station more exalted than they do1 and hide the talents they are in possession of1 they have not the true wisdom they ought to have4 ,there is a lack in them1 or they would improve upon the talents given4 #g3afa-b4 ,i am more afraid that this people have so much confidence in their leaders that they will not inquire for themselves of ,god whether they are led by him4 ,i am fearful they settle down in a state of blind self-security1 trusting their eternal destiny in the hands of their leaders with a reckless confidence that in itself would thwart the purposes of ,god in their salvation1 and weaken that influence they could give to their leaders1 did they know for themselves1 by the revelations of ,jesus1 that they are led in the right way4 ,let every man and woman know1 by the whispering of the ,spirit of ,god to themselves1 whether their leaders are walking in the path the ,lord dictates1 or not4 #i3aej4 ,you may take the ,quorums in this ,church--the ,first ,presidency1 the ,twelve1 the ,presidents of the ,high ,priests1 the ,high ,councilors1 and the ,presidents of the ,seventies2 and a person may go to each of those ,quorums for counsel upon any subject1 and he will invariably receive the same counsel4 ,why is this the case8 ,because they are all actuated by the same spirit4 #e3cbh-i4 ,adam1 ,seth1 ,enoch1 ,noah1 all the ,patriarchs and ,prophets1 ,jesus and the ,apostles1 and every man that has ever written the word of the ,lord1 have written the same doctrine upon the same subject2 and you never can find that ,prophets and ,apostles clashed in their doctrines in ancient days2 neither will they now1 if all would at all times be led by the ,spirit of salvation4 #e3cbi4 ,where the ,priesthood is not1 the people are expected to #baj live according to the best knowledge they have2 but even then they cannot with impunity commit many heinous faults4 ,the ,lord more readily overlooks them in consequence of their unenlightened condition1 and there is a kingdom prepared for them4 #aj3bhf4 ,when a man merely from a spirit of conviction goes forth to build up the ,kingdom of ,god--to reform the nations of the earth1 he can go so far as morality operates upon and enlightens him2 but he is without authority from heaven4 ,we are under no obligation to obey any man or being in matters pertaining to salvation1 unless his words have the authority and sanction of the holy ,priesthood4 #h3abb4 ,i never passed ,john ,wesley's church in ,london without stopping to look at it4 ,was he a good man8 ,yes2 ,i suppose him to have been1 by all accounts1 as good as ever walked on this earth1 according to his knowledge4 ,has he obtained a rest8 ,yes1 and greater than ever entered his mind to expect2 and so have thousands of others of the various religious denominations4 ,why could he not build up the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth8 ,he had not the ,priesthood2 that was all the difficulty he labored under4 ,had the ,priesthood been conferred upon him1 he would have built up the ,kingdom of ,god in his day as it is now being built up4 ,he would have introduced the ordinances1 powers1 grades1 and quorums of the ,priesthood2 but1 not holding the ,priesthood1 he could not do it4 ,did the ,spirit of ,god rest upon him8 ,yes1 and does1 more or less1 at times1 upon all people4 #g3e4 ,many persons think1 if they see a ,prophet they see one possessing all the keys of the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth4 ,this is not so2 many persons have prophesied without having #baa any ,priesthood on them at all4 ,it is no particular revelation or gift for a person to prophesy4 ,you take a good statesman1 for instance1 he will tell you what will become of a nation by their actions4 ,he forsees this and that1 and knows the results of any line of policy that may be pursued4 ,to be a prophet is simply to be a foreteller of future events2 but an ,apostle of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ has the keys of the holy ,priesthood1 and the power thereof is sealed upon his head1 and by this he is authorized to proclaim the truth to the people1 and if they receive it1 well2 if not1 the sin be upon their own heads4 #ac3add4 ,seek diligently to know the will of ,god4 ,how can you know it8 ,in matters pertaining to yourselves as individuals1 you can obtain it directly from the ,lord2 but in matters pertaining to public affairs1 his will is ascertained through the proper channel1 and may be known by the general counsel that is given you from the proper source4 #a3gh4 ,i have already said that ,christ set in his ,church ,apostles and ,prophets2 he also set in his ,church evangelists1 pastors and teachers2 also the gifts of the ,spirit1 such as diverse tongues1 healing the sick1 discernment of spirits1 and various other gifts4 ,now1 ,i would ask the whole world1 ,who has received revelation that the ,lord has discontinued these offices and gifts in his ,church8 ,i have not4 ,i have had revelation that they should be in the ,church1 and that there is no ,church without them4 ,i have had many revelations proving to me that the ,old and ,new ,testaments are true4 ,their doctrines are comprised in the ,gospel that we preach1 which is the power of ,god unto salvation to all who believe4 #ac3add4 ,i plead with the ,elders of ,israel day by day1 when ,i have an opportunity1 to live their religion--to live so that #bab the ,holy ,ghost will be their constant companion2 and then they will be qualified to be judges in ,israel1 to preside as ,bishops1 presiding ,elders1 and ,high ,councilors1 and as men of ,god1 to take their families and friends by the hand and lead them in the path of truth and virtue1 and eventually into the ,kingdom of ,god4 #f3cca4 ,the ,first ,presidency--,in the setting forth of items of doctrine which pertain to the progress and further building up of the ,kingdom of ,god upon the earth1 and the revealing of his mind and will1 he has but one mouth through which to make known his will to his people4 ,when the ,lord wishes to give a revelation to his people1 when he wishes to reveal new items of doctrine to them1 or administer chastisement1 he will do it through the man whom he has appointed to that office and calling4 ,the rest of the offices and callings of the ,church are helps and governments for the edifying of the body of ,christ and the perfection of the ,saints1 etc41 every president1 bishop1 elder1 priest1 teacher1 deacon and member standing in his order and officiating in his standing and degree of ,priesthood as ministers of the words of life as shepherds to watch over departments and sections of the flock of ,god in all the world1 and as helps to strengthen the hands of the ,presidency of the whole ,church4 #aa3ace4 ,the ,lord ,almighty leads this ,church1 and he will never suffer you to be led astray if you are found doing your duty4 ,you may go home and sleep as sweetly as a babe in its mother's arms1 as to any danger of your leaders leading you astray1 for if they should try to do so the ,lord would quickly sweep them from the earth4 ,your leaders are trying to live their religion as far as they are capable of doing so4 #i3bhi4 #bac ,the ,first ,presidency have of right a great influence over this people2 and if we should get out of the way and lead this people to destruction1 what a pity it would be6 ,how can you know whether we lead you correctly or not8 ,can you know by any other power than that of the ,holy ,ghost8 ,i have uniformly exhorted the people to obtain this living witness1 each for themselves2 then no man on earth can lead them astray4 #f3ajj4 ,be careful1 all the world1 and touch not the anointed of the ,lord4 ,afflict not the people who have the oracles of salvation for all the human family4 #h3aie4 ,to possess and retain the spirit of the ,gospel1 gather ,israel1 redeem ,zion1 and save the world must be attended to first and foremost1 and should be the prevailing desire in the hearts of the ,first ,presidency of the ,elders of ,israel1 and of every officer in the ,church and ,kingdom of ,god4 #g3agd4 ,perhaps it may make some of you stumble1 were ,i to ask you a question--,does a man's being a ,prophet in this ,church prove that he shall be the ,president of it8 ,i answer1 ,no6 ,a man may be a ,prophet1 ,seer1 and ,revelator1 and it may have nothing to do with his being the ,president of the ,church4 ,suffice it to say1 that ,joseph was the ,president of the ,church1 as long as he lived4 ,he always filled that responsible station by the voice of the people4 ,can you find any revelation appointing him the ,president of the ,church8 ,the keys of the ,priesthood were committed to ,joseph1 to build up the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth1 and were not to be taken from him in time or in eternity1 but when he was called to preside over the ,church1 it was by the voice of the people2 though he held the keys of the ,priesthood1 independent of their voice4 #a3acc4 #bad ,i would beseech and pray the people to live so that if ,i do not magnify my office and calling1 you will burn me by your faith and good works1 and ,i shall be removed4 #g3bha4 ,the spirit of ,joseph which fell upon me is ready to fall upon somebody else when ,i am removed4 #e3eg4 ,the first name ,i shall present to you is that of ,brigham ,young1 ,president of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints4 ,if any person can say that he should not be sustained in this office1 say so4 ,if there is no objection1 as it is usual in the marriage ceremony of the ,church of ,england1 ,let them for ever afterwards hold their peace1 and not go snivelling around1 saying that you would like to have a better man1 and one who is more capable of leading the ,church4 #g3bbh4 ,suppose that ,sidney ,rigdon and ,frederick ,g4 ,williams had been taken away or had apostatized1 as one of them did soon after the revelation ,i have referred to was given1 and there had been only ,joseph ,smith left of the ,first ,presidency1 would he alone have had authority to set in order the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth8 ,yes4 ,again3 ,suppose that eleven of the ,twelve had been taken away by the power of the ,adversary1 that one ,apostle has the same power that ,joseph had1 and could preach1 baptize1 and set in order the whole ,kingdom of ,god upon the earth1 as much so as the ,twelve1 were they all together4 ,again3 ,if in the providence of ,god he should permit the enemy to destroy these two first ,quorums1 and then destroy the ,quorum of the ,seventy1 all but one man1 what is his power8 ,it would be to go and preach1 baptize1 confirm1 lay on hands1 ordain1 set in order1 build up1 and establish the whole ,kingdom of ,god as it is now4 ,suppose the enemy had power to destroy all but one of the ,high ,priests from the #bae face of the earth1 what would that one possess in the power of his ,priesthood8 ,he would have power and authority to go and preach1 baptize1 confirm1 ordain1 and set in order the ,kingdom of ,god in all its perfection of the earth4 ,could he do this without revelation8 ,no4 ,could the ,seventies8 ,no4 ,could the ,twelve8 ,no4 ,and we ask1 could ,joseph ,smith or the ,first ,presidency do this without revelation8 ,no4 ,not one of them could do such a work without revelation direct from ,god4 ,i can go still further4 ,whoever is ordained to the office of an ,elder to a certain degree possesses the keys of the ,melchizedek ,priesthood2 and suppose only one ,elder should be left on the earth1 could he go and set in order the ,kingdom of ,god8 ,yes1 by revelation4 #i3hh4 ,although ,brothers ,willard ,richards1 ,heber ,c4 ,kimball1 and myself are out of the ,quorum of the ,twelve1 our ,apostleship has not been taken from us4 ,i preached considerable upon this subject in ,nauvoo1 to give the people the understanding of the different callings of men4 #f3cbj4 ,many may think that a man in my standing ought to be perfect2 no such thing4 ,if you would only think of it for a moment you would not have me perfect1 for if ,i were perfect the ,lord would take me to ,paradise quicker than you would be willing to have me go there4 ,i want to stay with you2 and ,i expect to be just nearly perfect enough to lead you on4 #aj3bab4 ,i had the promise1 years ago1 that ,i never should apostatize and bring an evil upon this people4 ,god revealed that through ,joseph1 long before he died2 and if ,i am not doing right1 you may calculate that the ,lord is going to take me home4 ,he will not send me to hell1 but he will take me home to himself4 ,i will take you up here1 ,brigham1 and give you a few lessons4 #i3adb4 #baf 7,after putting the motion for himself to be sustained as ,prophet1 ,seer1 and ,revelator1 the ,president remarked73 ,i will say that ,i never dictated the latter part of that sentence4 ,i make this remark1 because those words in that connection always made me feel as though ,i am called more than ,i am deserving of4 ,i am ,brigham ,young1 an ,apostle of ,joseph ,smith1 and also of ,jesus ,christ4 ,if ,i have been profitable to this people1 ,i am glad of it4 ,the brethren call me so2 and if it be so1 ,i am glad4 #e3bif4 ,the ,apostle and ,melchizedek ,priesthood--,the calling of an ,apostle is to build up the ,kingdom of ,god in all the world2 it is the ,apostle that holds the keys of this power1 and nobody else4 ,if an ,apostle magnifies his calling1 he is the word of the ,lord to his people all the time4 #f3bhb4 ,it is the duty and privilege of the ,twelve ,apostles to have the ,holy ,ghost for their constant companion1 and live always in the ,spirit of ,revelation1 to know their duty and understand their calling2 this is also the duty and privilege of the ,first ,presidency of the ,church4 #aa3ace4 ,i can tell you the spirit of the ,twelve1 which will be a consolation to you1 and also to the ,twelve4 ,if ,i could see every one of the ,elders with their wives and children as obedient to every requirement made of them--the children to the parents1 the wives to the husbands1 and the husbands to the ,priesthood--as the ,twelve are--my soul would be happy4 ,i will say further3 those of the ,twelve that travel the most and serve ,god1 are the most obedient4 #aj3caj4 ,in the last week's ,news ,i published a portion of a revelation1 showing the authority of the ,first ,presidency of the ,church1 composed at first of ,joseph ,smith1 ,sidney ,rigdon1 and ,frederick ,g4 ,williams4 ,when this revelation was #bag given1 the two last-named brethren were ,joseph ,smith's counselors1 and this ,first ,presidency possessed the power and authority of building up the ,kingdom of ,god upon all the earth1 and of setting the ,church in order in its perfection4 ,you read in the revelation alluded to that when the ,twelve were called and ordained1 they possessed the same power and authority as the three ,first ,presidents2 and in reading further you find that there must needs be appendages and helps growing out of this ,priesthood4 ,the ,seventies possess the same power and authority2 they hold the keys of establishing1 building up1 regulating1 ordaining and setting in order the ,kingdom of ,god in all its perfections upon the earth4 ,we have a ,quorum of ,high ,priests1 and there are a great many of them4 ,they are a local body--they tarry at home2 but the ,seventies travel and preach2 so also do the ,high ,priests1 when they are called upon4 ,they possess precisely the same ,priesthood that the ,seventies and the ,twelve and the ,first ,presidency possess2 but are they ordained to officiate in all the authority1 powers1 and keys of this ,priesthood8 ,no1 they are not4 ,still they are ,high ,priests of ,god2 and if they magnify their ,priesthood1 they will receive at some time all the authority and power that it is possible for men to receive4 #i3hg4 ,the ,bishopric by right belongs to the literal descendants of ,aaron1 but we shall have to ordain from the other tribes1 men who hold the ,high ,priesthood1 to act in the ,lesser1 until we find a literal descendant of ,aaron1 who is prepared to receive it4 ,the ,lesser ,priesthood1 then1 you perceive1 comes within the purview of the ,apostleship1 because a man that holds it has a right to act or officiate as a ,high ,priest1 as one of #bah the ,high ,council1 as a ,patriarch1 as a ,bishop1 ,elder1 ,priest1 ,teacher1 and ,deacon1 and in every other office and calling that is in the ,church1 from first to last1 when duty demands it4 #a3acf4 ,now will it cause some of you to marvel that ,i was not ordained a ,high ,priest before ,i was ordained an ,apostle8 ,brother ,kimball and myself were never ordained ,high ,priests4 ,how wonderful6 ,i was going to say how little some of the brethren understood the ,priesthood1 after the ,twelve were called4 ,in our early career in this ,church1 on one occasion1 in one of our ,councils1 we were telling about some of the ,twelve wanting to ordain us ,high ,priests1 and what ,i said to ,brother ,patten when he wanted to ordain me in ,york ,state3 said ,i1 ,brother ,patten1 wait until ,i can lift my hand to heaven and say1 ,i have magnified the office of an ,elder4 ,after our conversation was over in the ,council1 some of the brethren began to query1 and said we ought to be ordained ,high ,priests2 at the same time ,i did not consider that an ,apostle needed to be ordained a ,high ,priest1 an ,elder1 or a ,teacher4 ,i did not express my views on the subject1 at that time1 but thought ,i would hear what brother ,joseph would say about it4 ,it was ,william ,e4 ,mc,lellin who told ,joseph1 that ,i and ,heber were not ordained ,high ,priests1 and wanted to know if it should not be done4 ,said ,joseph1 ,will you insult the ,priesthood8 ,is that all the knowledge you have of the office of an ,apostle8 ,do you not know that the man who receives the ,apostleship1 receives all the keys that ever were1 or that can be1 conferred upon mortal man8 ,what are you talking about8 ,i am astonished6 ,nothing more was said about it4 ,i have tried to show you1 brethren1 as briefly as possible1 #bai the order of the ,priesthood4 ,when a man is ordained to be an ,apostle1 his ,priesthood is without beginning of days1 or end of life1 like the ,priesthood of ,melchizedek2 for it was his ,priesthood that was spoken of in this language and not the man4 #a3acf4 ,twenty-seven years ago1 on the #eth of this month1 in the year #ahcd1 a company started for ,kirtland to redeem the land of ,zion4 ,brother ,heber ,c4 ,kimball and my brother ,joseph were in that camp4 ,there had not then been ordained any ,twelve ,apostles1 nor any ,seventies1 although there was a revelation pertaining to the ,apostles and ,seventies4 ,there were ,high ,priests1 but no ,high ,priests' ,quorum4 ,i am relating this as a little matter of history that will no doubt be interesting to those who were not there4 ,after we returned from ,missouri1 my brother ,joseph ,young and myself had been singing after preaching in a meeting2 and when the meeting was dismissed1 ,brother ,joseph ,smith1 said1 ,come1 go down to my house with me4 ,we went and sung to him a long time1 and talked with him4 ,he then opened the subject of the ,twelve and ,seventies for the first time ,i ever thought of it4 ,he said1 ,brethren1 ,i am going to call out ,twelve ,apostles4 ,i think we will get together1 by-and-by1 and select ,twelve ,apostles1 and select a ,quorum of ,seventies from those who have been up to ,zion1 out of the camp boys4 ,in #ahce the last of ,january or in ,february1 or about that time1 we held our meetings from day to day1 and ,brother ,joseph called out ,twelve ,apostles at that time4 ,he had a revelation when we were singing to him4 ,those who were acquainted with him knew when the ,spirit of ,revelation was on him1 for his countenance wore an expression peculiar to himself while under #bbj that influence4 ,he preached by the ,spirit of ,revelation1 and taught in his council by it1 and those who were acquainted with him could discover it at once1 for at such times there was a peculiar clearness and transparency in his face4 ,he followed up that revelation until he organized the ,church1 and so along until the baptism for the dead was revealed4 #i3hi4 ,how came these ,apostles1 these ,seventies1 these ,high ,priests1 and all this organization we now enjoy8 ,it came by revelation4 ,father ,cahoon1 who lately died in your neighborhood1 was one of the first ordained to the office of ,high ,priest in this ,kingdom4 ,in the year #ahca the ,prophet ,joseph went to ,ohio4 ,he left the ,state of ,new ,york on the last of ,april1 if my memory serves me1 and arrived in ,kirtland sometime in ,may4 ,they held a ,general ,conference1 which was the first ,general ,conference ever called or held in ,ohio4 ,joseph then received a revelation1 and ordained ,high ,priests4 ,you read in the book of ,doctrine and ,covenants how he received the ,priesthood in the first place4 ,it is there stated how ,joseph received the ,aaronic ,priesthood4 ,john the ,baptist came to ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery4 ,when a person passes behind the veil1 he can only officiate in the spirit-world2 but when he is resurrected he officiates as a resurrected being1 and not as a mortal being4 ,you read in the revelation that ,joseph was ordained1 as it is written4 ,when he received the ,melchizedek ,priesthood1 he had another revelation4 ,peter1 ,james1 and ,john came to him4 ,you can read the revelation at your leisure4 ,when he received this revelation in ,kirtland1 the ,lord revealed to him that he should begin and ordain ,high ,priests2 and he then ordained quite a number1 all whose names ,i do not now recollect2 but ,lyman #bga ,wight was one2 ,fathers ,cahoon and ,morley1 ,john ,murdock1 ,sidney ,rigdon1 and others were also then ordained4 ,these were the first that were ordained to this office in the ,church4 ,i relate this to show you how ,joseph proceeded step by step in organizing the ,church4 ,at that time there were no ,seventies nor ,twelve ,apostles4 #i3hh-hi4 ,joseph ,smith never would permit the ,seventies to get together and believe themselves a separate body from the rest of the ,church4 ,i never cared much about this1 for ,i was not a particle afraid that they would get any power that truly does not belong to them2 for1 if they did1 ,i was always satisfied that it would be blown to the four winds4 ,i want to inform the ,seventies living in ,bishop ,miller's ,ward 7and what ,i now say applies to all the other ,wards and ,bishops7 if he calls on them to act as ,teachers1 it is their imperative duty to act as ,teachers1 seeking to benefit and bless the people by enlarging their understandings1 that they may prove themselves before ,god and one another4 ,there is a world of intelligence to impart1 and the ,priesthood 7in its various callings1 appointments1 helps1 and governments7 is the means1 through its ministers1 of imparting it to the people4 ,it is not a duty of a ,seventy or ,high ,priest1 who is appointed a ,teacher or a ,bishop1 to neglect the duties of those callings to attend a ,seventies' or ,high ,priests' meeting4 ,attend to the wishes of your ,bishop1 and never ask who has the most power4 ,the man who has the most power with ,god will wield it1 and earth and hell cannot hinder it4 ,every man who has true influence has obtained it before ,god through faithfulness1 and in all such cases there is not the least danger but what he will have it before the ,saints4 ,it is the man who converses with the heavens1 who delights in doing so1 and knows for himself #bbb that this is the ,kingdom of ,god1 who has true influence4 #i3ib4 ,there is no retrograde movement in ordaining a ,high ,priest to the office of a ,bishop1 for1 properly speaking1 he is set apart to act in that office4 #aj3if4 ,we shall dissolve the present ,high ,council of this ,stake4 ,many of them are far advanced in years1 and some of them live at considerable distances from this city4 ,they have labored according to the best of their ability4 #g3ccg4 ,the ,bishop and the ,aaronic ,priesthood--,the office of a ,bishop belongs to the lesser ,priesthood4 ,he is the highest officer in the ,aaronic ,priesthood1 and has the privilege of using the ,urim and ,thummim--has the administration of angels1 if he has faith1 and lives so that he can receive and enjoy the blessings ,aaron enjoyed4 ,at the same time1 could ,aaron rise up and say1 ,i have as much power and authority as you1 ,moses8 ,no2 for ,moses held the keys and authority above all the rest upon the earth4 ,he holds the keys of the ,priesthood of ,melchizedek1 which is the ,priesthood of the ,son of ,god1 which holds the keys of all these ,priesthoods1 dispensing the blessings and privileges of both ,priesthoods to the people1 as he did in the days of the ,children of ,israel when he led them out of ,egypt4 #i3hg4 ,i will say a few words with regard to a ,bishop4 ,except we find a literal descendant of ,aaron1 a man has to be ordained to the ,high ,priesthood to administer as did ,aaron and his sons4 ,can the ,bishop baptize the people1 according to his ,bishopric8 ,he can4 ,when the people he has baptized assemble for confirmation1 can he confirm them8 ,he cannot1 under the power of his ,bishopric2 but as he has been ordained to the office of a ,high ,priest1 after the order of ,melchizedek1 to prepare him to act in the office of a #bbc ,bishop in the ,priesthood of ,aaron1 when he has baptized the people under the authority of his ,bishopric1 he has a right as a ,high ,priest to confirm them into the ,church by the laying on of hands4 #i3bhj4 ,a ,bishop in his calling and duty is with the ,church all the time2 he is not called to travel abroad to preach1 but is at home2 he is not abroad in the world1 but is with the ,saints4 #b3hi4 ,in the capacity of a ,bishop1 has any person a right to direct the spiritual affairs of the ,kingdom of ,god8 ,no4 ,in that capacity his right is restricted to affairs in a temporal and moral point of view4 ,he has a right to deal with the transgressor4 ,i do not care what office a transgressor bears in the ,church and ,kingdom of ,god1 if he should be one of the ,twelve ,apostles1 and come into a ,bishop's neighborhood1 and purloin his neighbor's books1 defile his neighbor's bed1 or commit any breach of the moral law1 the ,bishop has a right to take that man before himself and his council1 and there hold him to answer for the crime he has been guilty of1 and deal with him for his fellowship in the ,church4 #i3ia4 ,who1 then1 has the greatest power8 ,those who best do the will of ,god4 ,when a ,bishop calls upon a man to officiate as an assistant to him1 he does not call upon him as a ,seventy or as a ,high ,priest1 but as one of his own family--as a member of his ,ward4 #i3ic4 ,instead of my believing for a moment that ,paul wished to signify to ,timothy that he must select a man to fill the office of a ,bishop that would have but one wife1 ,i believe directly the reverse2 but his advice to ,timothy amounts simply to this--it would not be wise for you to ordain a man to the office of a ,bishop unless he has a wife2 you #bbd must not ordain a single or unmarried man to that calling4 #b3hh4 ,the ,bishops should be a perfect example to their ,wards in all things4 #af3dd4 ,let each ,bishop attend faithfully to his ,ward1 and see that every man and woman is well and faithfully and profitably employed2 that the sick and aged are properly cared for that none suffer4 ,let each ,bishop be a tender and indulgent father to his ,ward1 administering a word of comfort and encouragement here1 a word of advice and counsel there1 and a word of chastisement in another place1 where needed1 without partiality1 wisely judging between man and man1 caring for and seeking earnestly the welfare of all1 watching over the flock of ,god with the eye of a true shepherd1 that wolves and dogs may not enter-among the flock to rend them4 #aa3beb4 ,the ,bishops should1 through their teachers1 see that every family in their ,wards1 who is able1 should donate what they would naturally consume on the fast day to the poor4 #ab3aaf4 ,if a ,bishop will act to the extent of his calling and office1 and magnify it1 there will not be an individual in his ,ward that is not employed to the best advantage4 ,he would see that all lived as they should1 walking humbly with their ,god4 ,there would not be a person in his ,ward that he does not know1 and he would be acquainted with their circumstances1 conduct1 and feeling4 #h3adf4 ,the ,bishops should set those whom they have confidence in1 those whom they know to be honest1 to be watchmen on the tower1 and let them find out who are suffering4 #c3bde4 ,there are many of the ,bishops here today1 and my advice #bbe to them is for them to be honest with me1 to be honest with their ,god1 to keep their covenants sacred1 and to make a clean breast of all their business transactions that their consciences may be void of offense towards ,god and man4 #h3caf4 ,when your ,bishop calls upon you1 or advises you to do anything that will be for your good1 do not call that oppression4 ,all the instruction he gives will be calculated to do you good1 to raise you in that scale of intelligence that will make of you wise men and wise women4 ,when we are recommended to do that which will lead to good1 that cannot very well be construed into oppression4 #aj3cac4 ,if the people of a ,ward are living in the faithful performance of their several duties1 their faith and their prayers will be concentrated before the ,lord1 in the name of ,jesus1 for and in behalf of their ,bishop1 that he may know his business and be made fully capable to fulfil the duties of his calling to the honor of ,god and the salvation of the people4 #aa3ace4 ,you have often heard me and my brethren say that if the people in the capacity of a ,ward1 for instance1 would let their faith be perfectly united1 and their whole desires rise to the ,father1 through the name of ,jesus ,christ1 and hold their ,bishop in his calling between ,god and them1 it would hardly be possible for that ,bishop to do wrong1 for he would be filled with wisdom4 #f3ih-ii4 ,do our ,bishops labor for pay8 ,no1 if they are not capable of getting a living and sustaining themselves and families1 and of filling the office of ,bishop without pay1 they are hardly worthy of the ,bishopric4 ,if a ,high ,priest is called to be a president or to travel and preach the ,gospel to the nations of the earth1 he must do it without pay2 and #bbf we think that any man who is not able to keep himself and family and travel and preach one-half or two-thirds of his time without being paid1 is not so good a financier as he ought to be4 #ad3ajh4 ,i say to the ,bishop who has just addressed us1 won't you do as ,i have formerly directed you1 and appoint good1 wise1 judicious men to go through your ,ward1 to find out what is in that ,ward1 and the situation of every family1 whether they have money1 flour1 or costly clothing or whether they are destitute and suffering8 ,this is your business and calling4 ,do not let there be one place1 in the habitations of the ,saints in your ,wards1 about which you are uninformed4 ,brother ,woolley has reported the circumstance of a ,bishop finding a woman who had been living upon the charity of her neighbors1 and who1 at the same time1 had valuable property1 and money hid up4 ,i can refer you to scores of like circumstances1 and what is more1 to some of the ,elders1 those who are supposed to be among the best of our ,elders4 #c3bdd4 ,bishops' ,counselors should be examples to the ,church2 they should be like fathers to the ,church4 ,if they are really the ,counselors of the ,bishop1 they should practice everything that is good that he practices2 and if the ,bishop himself should neglect any duty1 they should perform their duty as counselors1 and should teach1 guide1 direct1 and counsel the ,bishop to improve in his life4 #ac3bge4 ,the ,wards will be organized hereafter2 ,bishops will be placed over them1 with their two ,counselors1 all of whom will be ordained ,high ,priests1 if not already so ordained1 and then be set apart to act in their several offices4 ,they then will form a court2 and all the other quorums of ,priesthood will be set in order4 #ai3dc4 #bbg ,church ,organization and ,government--,the living oracles of the ,lord1 99 99 99 are always in the midst of his people4 #aj3cjb4 ,teach the people true knowledge1 and they will govern themselves4 #aj3aij4 ,the government of this ,church is based upon true principles1 and the reason people fall out by the way is because of their ignorance--because they do not thoroughly canvass their acts1 and wisely ponder the probable results4 #g3fe4 ,we shall never have the keys of authority committed to us to be rulers until we will rule just as ,god would rule if he were here himself4 #ad3ig4 ,but the ,kingdom of heaven1 when organized upon the earth1 will have every officer1 law and ordinance necessary for the managing of those who are unruly1 or who transgress its laws1 and to govern those who desire to do right1 but cannot quite walk to the line2 and all these powers and authorities are in existence in the midst of this people4 #ae3afa4 ,i am for the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,i like a good government1 and then ,i like to have it wisely and justly administered4 ,the government of heaven1 if wickedly administered1 would become one of the worst governments upon the face of the earth4 ,no matter how good a government is1 unless it is administered by righteous men1 an evil government will be made of it4 #aj3agg4 ,but we thought that the government you are talking about was a theocratic government4 ,it is2 and it is the only true form of government on the earth--the only one that possesses all the true principles of republicanism4 ,it puts every man and woman right1 puts everything in its place1 and gives to each one his due according to his work2 for so will they be judged in that day4 #g3h4 #bbh ,people have reason to fear the bogus or spurious theocracy4 ,there are but few upon the earth who do not in their hearts acknowledge a ,supreme ,being1 and also believe that ,being to be holy2 and1 if they could be dictated by that ,being1 and be sure that they were dictated by the influence from him1 there are but few who would object to that influence1 and that government4 #g3adg4 ,i wish you to build up every man who is in the faith of the ,gospel--who is in the faith of ,god1 angels1 and good men2 and if you strive to pull down good men who are around you1 you are sure to fall yourselves4 #h3ga4 ,there is only one way to obtain power and influence in the ,kingdom of ,god1 and only one way to obtain foreknowledge1 and that is to live so that that influence will come from our ,creator1 enlightening the mind and revealing things that are past1 present and future pertaining to the earth and its inhabitants1 and to the dealings of ,god with the children of men2 in short1 there is no source of true information outside of the ,spirit of ,revelation2 it maketh manifest all things1 and revealeth the dispositions of communities and of individuals4 ,by possessing this ,spirit1 mankind can obtain power that is durable1 beneficial1 and that will result in a higher state of knowledge1 of honor and of glory4 ,this can be obtained only by strictly marking the path of truth1 and walking faithfully therein4 #aj3ajd4 ,it is the right and privilege of every ,elder in ,israel to enjoy the ,holy ,ghost1 and the light of it1 to know everything which concerns himself and his individual duties1 but it is not his right and privilege to dictate his superior in office1 nor to give him counsel1 unless he is called upon to do so1 then he may make suggestions4 #aa3ace4 ,now ask yourselves1 and let me ask you1 who has been #bbi to you1 individually1 and told you to vote just as you have voted here today8 ,has any man visited your habitations to tell you that when you come to this house you must all vote precisely alike8 ,i will pause right here and will request that1 if any person present has been so instructed1 he or she will let us know it4 ,i do not see any person rise1 and ,i need not look for any one to do so1 from the simple fact that not a word on this subject has been said to the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,our doctrine is true and we like it2 our faith is one and we are one in it1 our object is one and we unitedly pursue the straight and narrow path that leads to it4 #ad3ia4 ,if the time was that the ,elders of ,israel could not be chastened and corrected for their wrongs1 and be set right1 you may know that they have proved recreant to the faith4 ,and if those who are appointed to lead this people dare not rise up and tell them of their iniquity and chastise them therefor1 and teach them the way of life and salvation1 you may know that your leaders have fallen from their station4 #e3abd4 ,we will first present the ,authorities of the ,church2 and ,i sincerely request the members to act freely and independently in voting--also in speaking if it be necessary4 ,there has been no instance in this ,church of a person's being in the least curtailed in the privilege of speaking his honest sentiments4 ,it cannot be shown in the history of this people that a man has ever been injured1 either in person1 property1 or character1 for openly expressing1 in the proper time and place1 his objections to any man holding authority in this ,church1 or for assigning his reasons for such objections4 ,persons have frequently ruined their own characters by making false accusations4 #g3bbg-bbh4 #bcj ,our ecclesiastical government is the government of heaven4 ,no being possesses intelligence1 in any degree1 that he has not received from the ,god of heaven1 or1 in other words1 from the ,fountain of all intelligence1 whether he acknowledges his ,god in it or not4 ,no man1 independent of the ,great ,ruler of the universe1 is capable of devising that which we see and are well acquainted with4 ,all mechanism1 good government1 wholesome principle1 and true philosophy of whatever name or nature1 flows from ,god to finite man4 ,what for8 ,to determine what he will do with it4 ,it is for his improvement and advancement in the arts of civilized life1 morality1 and true religion4 ,this has been taught you from the beginning as the unmistakable features of our holy religion4 #g3ada4 ,let the ,presidents and ,apostles and ,elders do the work the ,lord has set them to do1 and obey the counsel which is given them1 and the ,kingdom will continue to roll1 to increase in strength1 in importance1 in magnitude and in power1 in wisdom1 intelligence and glory2 and no one need be concerned1 for it is the ,kingdom which the ,lord our ,god has established1 and has sustained by his matchless wisdom and power from the beginning to this day4 #aa3bec4 ,it is a common adage1 ,old men for counsel1 and young men for war4 ,until men born in the ,priesthood grow old therein in faithfulness1 ,i would say1 with comparatively few exceptions1 ,young men for counsel1 and young men for war4 ,for knowledge and understanding1 ,i would rather1 as a general thing1 select young men from eighteen years of age--the sons of men who have been in this ,church from the beginning1 than to select their fathers4 ,their minds have #bca been but little1 if any1 trammeled with erroneous traditions and teachings4 ,let the yoke of the ,gospel be put upon those young men ,brother ,joseph referred to in his remarks1 who have been sowing their wild oats for years1 and they are generally better and more correct in the offices of the ,priesthood than many of the gray-haired fathers4 ,they understand more about ,god1 about ,jesus ,christ1 and the government of ,god on the earth1 than do many of the fathers and grand-fathers4 #g3cce4 ,it is true that under some circumstances we may have to look at the others4 ,for instance1 here is the ,high ,council1 they are called to act upon cases that come before them4 ,of course their duty1 then1 is to examine into the conduct of their brethren and sisters2 and this is required of them4 ,and if they do it without prejudice1 without selfishness1 by the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 divested of every improper feeling1 judging righteous judgment between man and man1 the performance of this duty will purify them just as much any other labor4 #aa3bib4 ,it may be considered that we are a mixed congregation1 consisting of ,bishops1 ,seventies1 ,high ,priests1 ,elders1 the ,twelve1 and the ,first ,presidency2 but ,i consider we are1 strictly speaking1 a meeting of the ,elders of ,israel2 for if we were to be instructed in the duties of any one of these ,quorums1 that instruction would be equally good for all4 #f3cad4 ,high ,councilors1 do you have any trials before you8 ,yes4 ,have the brethren complained of each other8 ,yes4 ,are their feelings alienated one from the other8 ,is there a party spirit manifested in the ,council8 ,sometimes4 ,do the brethren go off satisfied with the decisions of the ,council8 ,bishops1 do you have any trials8 ,are the feelings of #bcb the brethren in your ,wards alienated8 ,yes4 ,what should they do in such cases8 ,they should follow the rules laid down1 and be reconciled to their brethren forthwith4 ,i think that it can be shown that the great majority of difficulties between brethren arises from misunderstandings rather than from malice and a wicked heart1 and instead of talking the matter over with each other in a saint-like spirit1 they will contend with each other until a real fault is created1 and they have brought a sin upon themselves4 ,when we have done good ninety-nine times and then do an evil1 how common it is1 my brethren and sisters1 to look at that one evil all the day long and never think of the good4 ,before we judge each other we should look at the design of the heart1 and if it is evil1 then chasten that individual1 and take a course to bring him back again to righteousness4 #ab3agc4 ,when you are rebuked by each other--when brethren meet you and say1 ,this is wrong in you1 you should receive it kindly1 and express your thanks for the reproof1 and acknowledge the wrong frankly1 and admit that you may frequently do wrong when you do not know it1 and say1 ,i wish you to enlighten my mind1 to take me by the hand1 and let me go along hand-in-hand and strengthen and sustain each other4 ,what1 in your weaknesses8 ,yes4 ,do you expect to see a perfect man8 ,not while you stay here4 #h3cfg4 ,you may1 figuratively speaking1 pound one ,elder over the head with a club1 and he does not know but what you have handed him a straw dipped in molasses to suck4 ,there are others1 if you speak a word to them1 or take a straw and chasten them1 whose hearts are broken2 they are as tender in their feelings as an infant1 and will melt like wax #bcc before the flame4 ,you must not chasten them severely2 you must chasten according to the spirit that is in the person4 ,some you may talk to all day long1 and they do not know what you are talking about4 ,there is a great variety4 ,treat people as they are4 #h3cfg4 ,just a few words to the ,presidency of this ,stake of ,zion4 ,it is now their duty to see that the officers within their jurisdiction perform their several duties1 it is sufficient work for them1 too1 if they will attend to it4 ,the ,high ,council1 ,i hope1 will not have much business to do4 ,i am told that there have only been three cases during the last twenty-three years1 that have gone for trial before the ,high ,council from ,farmington4 ,that is doing very well4 ,to the now acting ,bishops1 who will be ordained ,bishops1 as well as to ,brother ,hess1 who ,i believe is the only ordained ,bishop in the county1 ,i will say that you will now be required to look after your several ,wards more assiduously than heretofore2 see that ,teachers are diligent in the performance of their duties1 and that all difficulties that may arise among the brethren of the ,ward be settled1 if possible1 by the ,teachers2 and also see that all who claim membership in this ,church observe the moral law of our religion4 ,we shall not expect to hear of people breaking the ,sabbath1 and a hundred other things all of which are inconsistent with our holy callings1 and opposed to the accomplishment of the work that the ,father has given us to do4 ,you are called upon now to make yourselves familiar with the revelations and commandments that have been given us of the ,lord for our perfection1 for our sanctification preparatory to our exaltation1 and so live that our acts and conversations may conform to the same4 ,you are called upon now to improve your ways1 to seek with all #bcd earnestness for an increase of faith that you may live according to the higher laws1 which is your privilege to do1 and which is so necessary for our peace and comfort and for the good order of society and for the salvation of the ,latter-day ,saints4 #ai3dc4 #bce ,,chapter ,,xiii ,,first ,,principles ,,of ,,the ,,gospel ,importance of the ,principles of the ,gospel--,by faithfully attending to the first principles of the ,gospel laid down in the ,new ,testament1 you are introduced into the knowledge of the works of ,god in the dispensation of the fulness of time4 #a3bdd4 ,to understand the first principles of the ,gospel--to rightly understand them1 a man must have the wisdom that comes from above2 he must be enlightened by the ,holy ,ghost2 his mind must be in open vision2 he must enjoy the blessings of salvation himself1 in order to impart them to others4 #f3bhc4 ,need of ,ordinances--,there is no ordinance that ,god has delivered by his own voice1 through his ,son ,jesus ,christ1 or by the mouths of any of his ,prophets1 ,apostles or ,evangelists1 that is useless4 ,every ordinance1 every commandment and requirement is necessary for the salvation of the human family4 #ac3bae4 ,with regard to the ordinances of ,god1 we may remark that we yield obedience to them because he requires it2 and every iota of his requirements has a rational philosophy with it4 ,we do not get up things on a hypothesis4 ,that philosophy reaches to all eternity1 and is the philosophy that the ,latter-day ,saints believe in4 ,every particle of truth that every person has received is a gift of ,god4 ,we receive these truths1 and go on from glory to glory1 from eternal lives to eternal lives1 gaining a knowledge of all things1 and becoming ,gods1 even ,sons of ,god4 ,these are the celestial ones4 ,these are they whom the ,lord has #bcf chosen through their obedience4 ,they have not spurned the truth1 when they have heard it4 ,these are they that have not spurned the ,gospel1 but have acknowledged ,jesus and ,god1 in their true character2 that have acknowledged the angels in their true character4 ,these are they that work for the salvation of the human family4 #ai3ej4 ,because we believe in the ordinance of baptism1 the ordinance of the sacrament is not to be done away4 ,to learn that1 if you believe in the laying on of hands for the reception of the ,holy ,ghost1 you are not to deny the laying on of hands for the healing of the sick4 ,it is not for people to take only part of the religion of ,christ1 and say1 ,it is all we require2 but take the whole truth wherever you find it4 ,it is good2 claim it1 take it to yourself1 and cleave to it1 for it will do you good4 ,cease to separate truth from truth4 #h3bfj4 ,however much we may profess attachment to ,god and his cause we are not entitled to the blessings and privileges of his ,kingdom until we become citizens therein4 ,how can we do this8 ,by repenting of our sins1 and obeying the requirements of the ,gospel of the ,son of ,god which has been delivered to us4 ,hundreds and thousands of people have believed on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ and repented of their sins1 and have had the ,holy ,spirit to witness unto them that ,god is love1 that they loved him and that he loved them1 and yet they are not in his ,kingdom4 ,they have not complied with the necessary requirements1 they have not entered in at the door4 #ac3eg4 ,faith--,the ,gospel that we preach is the power of ,god unto salvation2 and the first principle of that ,gospel is1 as ,i have already said1 faith in ,god1 and faith in ,jesus ,christ his ,son1 our ,savior4 ,we must believe that he is the character #bcg he is represented to be in the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,believe that he told the truth when he said to his disciples1 ,go ye forth and preach the ,gospel to every creature2 he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved1 but he that believeth not shall be damned4 ,we must believe that this same ,jesus was crucified for the sins of the world1 that is for the original sin1 not the actual individual transgressions of the people2 not but that the blood of ,christ will cleanse from all sin1 all who are disposed to act their part by repentance1 and faith in his name4 ,but the original sin was atoned for by the death of ,christ1 although its effects we still see in the diseases1 distempers and every species of wickedness with which the human family is afflicted4 #ac3adc4 ,faith is an eternal principle2 belief is an admission of the fact4 ,faith1 to us1 is the gift of ,god2 belief is inherent in the children of men1 and is the foundation for the reception of faith4 ,belief and unbelief are independent in men1 the same as other attributes4 ,men can acknowledge or reject1 turn to the right or to the left1 rise up or remain seated1 you can say that the ,lord and his ,gospel are not worthy of notice1 or you can bow to them4 #h3af4 ,belief is inherent in the creature--implanted within him for his use and benefit--to believe or disbelieve4 ,your own experience may satisfy you that faith is not brought into requisition by the presentation of either facts or falsehoods1 to the external senses1 or to the inward perceptions of the mind4 ,if we speak of faith in the abstract1 it is the power of ,god by which the worlds are and were made1 and is a gift of ,god to those who believe and obey his commandments4 ,on the other hand1 no living1 intelligent being1 whether serving ,god or not1 acts without belief4 ,he might as well undertake to live without breathing as to live without the #bch principle of belief4 ,but he must believe the truth1 obey the truth1 and practice the truth1 to obtain the power of ,god called faith4 #h3bei-bfj4 ,when men are in the habit of philosophising upon every point1 only relying upon what we call human reason1 they are constantly liable to error4 ,but place a man in a situation where he is obliged or compelled1 in order to sustain himself1 to have faith in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 and it brings him to a point where he will know for himself2 and happy are those who pass through trials1 if they maintain their integrity and their faith to their calling4 #g3aeh4 ,when you believe the principles of the ,gospel and attain unto faith1 which is a gift of ,god1 he adds more faith1 adding faith to faith4 ,he bestows faith upon his creatures as a gift2 but his creatures inherently possess the privilege of believing the ,gospel to be true or false4 #h3ag4 ,if the people will only be full of good works1 ,i will insure that they will have faith in time of need4 #c3aed4 ,there is no saving faith merely upon the principles of believing or acknowledging a fact4 ,take a course to let the ,spirit of ,god leave your hearts1 and every soul of you would apostatize4 #g3ee4 ,it is the easiest thing in the world to believe the truth4 ,it is a great deal easier to believe truth than error4 ,it is easier to defend the truth than to defend error4 #ai3db4 ,we are under obligation to trust in our ,god2 and this is the ground-work of all we can do ourselves4 #d3cef4 ,the first principle of the ,gospel is faith in ,god--faith in a ,supreme ,being4 ,this is a point that meets the infidel1 and is one upon which ,i have reflected and talked a great deal1 and ,i have come to this conclusion--that good1 solid1 sound sense teaches me never to judge a matter until ,i #bci understand it1 and infidels should never pass their opinion with regard to the character of a ,supreme ,being until they know whether there is one or not4 ,if this principle were an article in the creed of the infidel world1 ,i think they would not be quite so sceptical as they are2 ,i think we should not meet with any person who would deny the existence of a ,deity4 ,the infidel looks abroad and sees the works of nature1 in all their diversity--the mountain piercing the clouds with its snowy peaks1 the mighty river1 fertilizing1 in its course to the sea1 the valleys and plains in every direction1 the sun in his glory at mid-day1 the moon in her silvery splendor1 and the myriad organizations from man to the minutest form of insect life1 all giving the most irrefutable evidence of a ,designer and ,creator of infinite wisdom1 skill and power1 and yet he says there is no ,deity1 no ,supreme ,ruler1 but all is the result of blind chance4 ,how preposterous6 ,now1 here is a book called the ,bible4 ,it is enclosed in what we call the cover1 consisting of boards1 paper and leather4 ,within the covers we see a vast amount of writing--syllables1 words and sentences2 now if we say there never was a person to compose1 write1 print or bind this book1 but that it is here wholly as the result of chance1 we shall only give expression to the faith1 if faith it can be called1 of those who are termed infidels2 in fact this is infidelity4 ,i do not want to say much about it1 it is too vain6 #ac3adb4 ,when you read the revelations1 or when you hear the will of the ,lord concerning you1 for your own sakes never receive that with a doubtful heart4 #c3ccf4 ,to explain how much confidence we should have in ,god1 were ,i using a term to suit myself1 ,i should say implicit confidence4 ,i have faith in my ,god1 and that faith corresponds #bdj with the works ,i produce4 ,i have no confidence in faith without works4 #d3bd4 ,my faith is1 when we have done all we can1 then the ,lord is under obligation1 and will not disappoint the faithful2 he will perform the rest4 #d3ia4 ,a great many good people1 who possess much of the ,spirit of the ,lord1 are naturally given to doubting1 having so little self-reliance that they sometimes doubt whether they are ,saints in truth or not4 ,these often doubt when they should not4 ,so long as they are walking humbly before ,god1 keeping his commandments1 and observing his ordinances1 feeling willing to give all for ,christ1 and do everything that will promote his ,kingdom1 they need never doubt1 for the ,spirit will testify to them whether they are of ,god or not4 ,there are some who are always fearful1 trembling1 doubting1 wavering1 and at the same time doing everything they can for the promotion of righteousness4 ,yet1 they are in doubt whether they are doing the best possible good1 and they fear and fail here and there1 and will doubt their own experience and the witness of the ,spirit to them4 #ab3afi4 ,when a person is placed in circumstances that he cannot possibly obtain one particle of anything to sustain life1 it would then be his privilege to exercise faith in ,god to feed him1 who might cause a raven to pick up a piece of dried meat from some quarter where there was plenty1 and drop it over the famishing man4 ,when ,i cannot feed myself through the means ,god has placed in my power1 it is then time enough for him to exercise his providence in an unusual manner to administer to my wants4 ,but while we can help ourselves1 it is our duty to do so4 ,if a ,saint of ,god be locked up in prison1 by his enemies1 to starve to #bda death1 it is then time enough for ,god to interpose1 and feed him4 #a3ajh4 ,are you full of faith8 ,you can tell whether ,i am or not by looking at me4 ,you can tell whether the brethren who have been speaking to you are full of faith in the ,gospel by the look of their countenances4 ,you can see this if there is not a word spoken2 we can tell by our feelings when we look at a congregation whether they have faith or not4 ,i see there is a great amount of faith in the midst of the ,latter-day ,saints1 and ,i wish there was a little more patience and obedience4 #ae3cg4 ,if the ,latter-day ,saints will walk up to their privileges1 and exercise faith in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 and live in the enjoyment of the fulness of the ,holy ,ghost constantly day by day1 there is nothing on the face of the earth that they could ask for1 that would not be given to them4 ,the ,lord is waiting to be very gracious unto this people1 and to pour out upon them riches1 honor1 glory and power1 even that they may possess all things according to the promises he has made through his ,apostles and ,prophets4 #aa3aad4 ,when faith springs up in the heart1 good works will follow1 and good works will increase that pure faith within them4 #c3aee4 ,the expression1 true believer1 needs qualifying1 for many believe who do not obey--,i will qualify it by saying1 a believer in ,jesus ,christ1 who manifests his faith to ,god1 angels1 and his brethren1 by his obedience4 ,not but that there are believers who do not obey1 but the only true believers are they who prove their belief by their obedience to the requirements of the ,gospel4 #a3bcd4 ,our ,heavenly ,father does not always reveal to his children the secret workings of his providences1 nor does he #bdb show them the end from the beginning2 for they have to learn to trust in him who has promised to fight our battles1 and crown us with victory1 if we are faithful as was faithful ,abraham4 #aa3ac4 ,repentance--,sin consists in doing wrong when we know and can do better1 and it will be punished with a just retribution1 in the due time of the ,lord4 #b3acc4 ,though we may do the best we know how at this time1 can there be no improvement made in our lives8 ,there can4 ,if we do wrong ignorantly1 when we learn it is wrong1 then it is our duty to refrain from that wrong immediately and for ever1 and the sin of ignorance is winked at1 and passes into oblivion4 #b3acj4 ,when men truly and heartily repent1 and make manifest to the heavens that their repentance is genuine by obedience to the requirements made known to them through the laws of the ,gospel1 then are they entitled to the administration of salvation1 and no power can withhold the good spirit from them4 #aj3ah4 ,now1 my brethren1 you who have sinned1 repent of your sins4 ,i can say to you in regard to ,jesus and the atonement 7it is so written1 and ,i firmly believe it71 that ,christ has died for all4 ,he has paid the full debt1 whether you receive the gift or not4 ,but if we continue to sin1 to lie1 steal1 bear false witness1 we must repent of and forsake that sin to have the full efficacy of the blood of ,christ4 ,without this it will be of no effect2 repentance must come1 in order that the atonement may prove a benefit to us4 ,let all who are doing wrong cease doing wrong2 live no longer in transgression1 no matter of what kind2 but live every day of your lives according to the revelations given1 and so that your examples may be worthy of imitation4 ,let us remember #bdc that we never get beyond the purview of our religion--never1 never6 #aa3cge4 ,some of our old traditions teach us that a man guilty of atrocious and murderous acts may savingly repent when on the scaffold2 and upon his execution will hear the expression1 ,bless ,god6 he has gone to heaven1 to be crowned in glory1 through the all-redeeming merits of ,christ the ,lord4 ,this is all nonsense4 ,such a character never will see heaven4 ,some will pray1 ,o that ,i had passed through the veil on the night of my conversion6 ,this proves the false ideas and vain notions entertained by the ,christian world4 #h3fa4 ,when ,i first came into the ,church it was a subject of considerable thought to me why people whom ,i knew to be as good and moral as they could be1 should have to repent4 ,but ,i could see afterwards that if they had nothing else to repent of they could and ought to repent of their false religions1 of their narrow1 contracted creeds in which they were bound1 of the ordinances of men1 and get something better4 ,these narrow1 contracted religions have spread infidelity in the world4 ,they should repent of these and take hold of the things of ,god and receive the truths of heaven4 ,well1 say the ministers1 we have lived according to the light we have received4 ,we say1 are you willing to receive more8 ,if so1 here is more for you4 ,so far as your faith in ,christ goes1 and your morality1 we say1 ,amen4 ,but here is something more4 #af3dc4 ,the ,savior has warned us to be careful how we judge1 forgiving each other seven times seventy in a day1 if we repent1 and confess our sins one to another4 ,can we be more merciful and forgiving than our ,father in ,heaven8 ,we cannot4 ,therefore let people do the best they can1 and #bdd they will pave the way for the rising generation to walk up into the light1 wisdom1 and knowledge of the angels1 and of the redeemed from this earth1 to say nothing of other earths1 and they will be prepared to enjoy in the resurrection all the blessings which are for the faithful1 and enjoy them in the flesh4 #b3acb4 ,we should never cease reforming and seeking to the ,lord our ,god4 #d3bfi4 ,all ,i have ever asked for or contended for is a reformation in the life of this people2 that the thief should stop his stealing1 the swearer his swearing1 the liar his lying1 the deceiver his deceiving1 and the man who loves the world more than his ,god and his religion wean his affections from those objects and place them where they of right belong4 ,i do not wish anybody to cherish a wild enthusiasm1 so common in the world1 which is produced by the excitement of animal passions1 and makes people weep and cry out in an insane manner4 ,i wish the people to make themselves acquainted with facts pertaining to ,god1 to heaven1 to mankind upon the earth1 their errand here1 for what they are created1 the nature of their organization1 who has power over them1 who controls them1 how much they can control themselves1 etc41 etc42 and then let us see whether we can be men and conduct ourselves like ,saints1 or live and act like the wicked4 #i3ajc4 ,keep your follies that do not concern others to yourselves1 and keep your private wickedness as still as possible2 hide it from the eyes of the public gaze as far as you can4 ,i wish to say this upon this particular point in regard to people's confessing4 ,we wish to see people honestly confess as they should and what they should4 #h3cfb4 #bde ,if ,i have injured any person1 ,i ought to confess to that person and make right what ,i did wrong4 #h3cfa4 ,but if you have stolen your neighbor's cattle1 own it1 and restore the property1 with fourfold if it is requested4 ,if you have taken your neighbor's spade1 own it1 and return it1 with fourfold if he requires it4 ,i believe in coming out and being plain and honest with that which should be made public1 and in keeping to yourselves that which should be kept4 ,if you have your weaknesses1 keep them hid from your brethren as much as you can4 ,you never hear me ask the people to tell their follies4 ,but when we ask the brethren1 as we frequently do1 to speak in sacrament meetings1 we wish them1 if they have injured their neighbors1 to confess their wrongs2 but do not tell about your nonsensical conduct that nobody knows of but yourselves4 ,tell to the public that which belongs to the public4 ,if you have sinned against the people1 confess to them4 ,if you have sinned against a family or a neighborhood1 go to them and confess4 ,if you have sinned against your ,ward1 confess to your ,ward4 ,if you have sinned against one individual1 take that person by yourselves and make your confession to him4 ,and if you have sinned against your ,god1 or against yourselves1 confess to ,god1 and keep the matter to yourselves1 for ,i do not want to know anything about it4 #h3cfb4 ,baptism--,we1 the ,latter-day ,saints1 believe in being baptized by immersion for the remission of sins1 according to the testimony of the disciples of ,jesus and the revelations of the ,lord given in these last days4 ,infants are pure1 they have neither sorrow of heart1 nor sins to repent of and forsake1 and consequently are incapable of being baptized for the remission of sin4 ,if we have sinned1 we must know good from evil2 an infant does not know this1 it cannot #bdf know it2 it has not grown into the idea of contemplation of good and evil2 it has not the capacity to listen to the parent or teacher or to the priest when they tell what is right or wrong or what is injurious2 and until these things are understood a person cannot be held accountable and consequently cannot be baptized for the remission of sin4 #ac3bcg4 ,the ,lord has instituted laws and ordinances1 and all have their peculiar design and meaning4 ,and though we may not know the origin of the necessity of being baptized for the remission of sins1 it answers that portion of the law we are now under to teach the people in their ignorance that water is designed for purification1 and to instruct them to be baptized therein for the remission of their sins4 ,if the people could fully understand this matter1 they would perceive that it is perfectly reasonable and has been the law to all worlds4 #g3afb-afc4 ,what is required of us as soon as we come to the years of accountability8 ,it is required of us1 for it is an institution of heaven1 the origin of which you and ,i cannot tell1 for the simple reason that it has no beginning1 it is from eternity to eternity--it is required of us to go down into the waters of baptism4 ,here is a fountain or element1 typical of the purity of the eternities4 ,go down into the waters1 and there be baptized for the remission of sins1 and then have hands laid upon us to confirm us members of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints4 ,then receive the ,spirit of ,truth1 or the ,holy ,ghost4 ,then live according to every word that proceeds out of the mouth of ,god1 through those men whom he has appointed here upon the earth1 until we are perfect4 #ai3dh4 ,if you have been righteous from your birth up1 and have never committed known sins and transgressions1 be #bdg baptized to fulfil all righteousness1 as ,jesus was4 ,if you can say you have no sins to repent of1 forsake your false theories1 and love and serve ,god with an undivided heart4 #ad3bha4 ,has water1 in itself1 any virtue to wash away sin8 ,certainly not2 but the ,lord said1 ,if the sinner will repent of his sins1 and go down into the waters of baptism1 and there be buried in the likeness of being put into the earth and buried1 and again be delivered from the water1 in the likeness of being born--if in the sincerity of his heart he will do this1 his sins shall be washed away4 ,will the water of itself wash them away8 ,no2 but keeping the commandments of ,god will cleanse away the stain of sin4 #b3d4 ,in the beginning ,god cursed the earth2 but did he curse all things pertaining to it8 ,no1 he did not curse the water1 but he blessed it4 ,pure water is cleansing--it serves to purify2 and you are aware that the ancient ,saints were very tenacious with regard to their purification by water4 ,from the beginning the ,lord instituted water for that purpose among others4 ,i do not mean from the beginning of this earth alone2 and although we have no immediate concern in inquiring into the organization of other earths that do not come within reach of our investigation1 yet ,i will say that water has been the means of purification in every world that has been organized out of the immensity of matter4 #g3afb4 ,all ,latter-day ,saints enter the new and everlasting covenant when they enter this ,church4 ,they covenant to cease sustaining1 upholding and cherishing the kingdom of the ,devil and the kingdoms of this world4 ,they enter the new and everlasting covenant to sustain the ,kingdom of ,god and no other kingdom4 ,they take a vow of the most #bdh solemn kind1 before the heavens and earth1 and that1 too1 upon the validity of their own salvation1 that they will sustain truth and righteousness instead of wickedness and falsehood1 and build up the ,kingdom of ,god1 instead of the kingdoms of this world4 #ab3bcj4 ,you have not the power to baptize yourselves1 neither have you power to resurrect yourselves2 and you could not legally baptize a second person for the remission of sins until some person first baptized you and ordained you to this authority4 #f3bge4 ,gift of the ,holy ,ghost--,in the ,new ,testament and ,book of ,mormon1 we learn that when the ,gospel is preached the people are taught to believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 to repent of their sins1 be baptized for the remission of sin1 and receive the ,holy ,ghost by the laying on of hands2 the ,holy ,ghost is then the special gift of the ,father and is his minister4 ,he also gives intelligence by angels1 as well as by the inspiration of the ,holy ,spirit1 and by opening the minds of the ,saints to behold in vision things as they are in eternity4 ,when true doctrines are advanced1 though they may be new to the hearers1 yet the principles contained therein are perfectly natural and easy to be understood1 so much so that the hearers often imagine that they had always known them4 ,this arises from the influence of the ,spirit of ,truth upon the spirit of intelligence that is within each person4 ,the influence that comes from heaven is all the time teaching the children of men4 #i3bed4 ,we believe we are entitled to the gift of the ,holy ,ghost in extent according to the discretion and wisdom of ,god and our faithfulness2 which gift brings all things to our remembrance1 past1 present1 and to come1 that are necessary for us to know1 and as far as our minds are prepared #bdi to receive the knowledge of ,god revealed by that all-wise ,agent4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is ,god's minister1 and is delegated to visit the sons and daughters of men4 ,all intelligent beings pertaining to this earth are instructed from the same source4 #i3bed4 ,the ,holy ,ghost reveals unto you things past1 present1 and to come2 it makes your minds quick and vivid to understand the handiwork of the ,lord4 ,your joy is made full in beholding the footsteps of our ,father going forth among the inhabitants of the earth2 this is invisible to the world1 but it is made visible to the ,saints1 and they behold the ,lord in his providences1 bringing forth the work of the last days4 #d3bb4 ,my knowledge is1 if you will follow the teachings of ,jesus ,christ and his ,apostles1 as recorded in the ,new ,testament1 every man and woman will be put in possession of the ,holy ,ghost2 every person will become a ,prophet1 ,seer1 and ,revelator1 and an expounder of truth4 ,they will know things that are1 that will be1 and that have been4 ,they will understand things in heaven1 things on the earth1 and things under the earth1 things of time1 and things of eternity1 according to their several callings and capacities4 #a3bdc4 ,there is a variety of blessings2 a different blessing being probably given to one1 two1 three or four of this congregation4 ,thus1 one will have faith to lay hands upon the sick and rebuke disease1 and drive it from the person afflicted4 ,many may receive this blessing of faith1 the gift of healing4 ,some may receive faith to the discerning of spirits2 they can discern the spirit of a person1 whether it is good or evil4 ,they have such power that when a person enters this congregation they can tell the spirit of such #bej person2 then they have received the gift of discerning of spirits4 ,some may receive the gift of tongues1 that they will get up and speak in tongues1 and speak in many other languages beside their mother tongue1 the language that they were brought up in1 that they were first taught1 and be able to proclaim the ,gospel of life and salvation that all men could understand it4 ,these are the blessings2 but others might receive the gift of prophecy1 get up and prophesy what is to befall this nation1 what will befall this or that individual1 and what will befall the different nations of the earth1 etc4 #af3afd4 ,the gifts of the ,gospel are given to strengthen the faith of the believer4 #aj3cbd4 ,suppose you obey the ordinances of the ,gospel1 and do not speak in tongues today1 never mind that4 ,suppose you do not have the spirit of prophecy1 no matter4 ,suppose you do not receive any particular gift attended by the rushing of a mighty wind1 as on the day of ,pentecost1 there is no particular necessity that you should4 ,on the day of ,pentecost there was special need for it1 it was a peculiarly trying time4 ,some special and powerful manifestation of the power of the ,almighty was necessary to open the eyes of the people and let them know that ,jesus has paid the debt1 and that they had actually crucified him who1 by his death1 had become the ,savior of the world4 ,it required this at that time to convince the people4 #ad3aad4 ,the gift of seeing with the natural eyes is just as much a gift as the gift of tongues4 ,the ,lord gave that gift and we can do as we please with regard to seeing2 we can use the sight of the eye to the glory of ,god1 or to our own destruction4 #c3cfd4 ,the gift of communicating one with another is the gift #bea of ,god1 just as much so as the gift of prophecy1 of discerning spirits1 of tongues1 of healing1 or any other gift1 though sight1 taste1 and speech1 are so generally bestowed that they are not considered in the same miraculous light as are those gifts mentioned in the ,gospel4 ,we can use these gifts and every other gift ,god has given us1 to the praise and glory of ,god1 to serve him1 or we can use them to dishonor him and his cause2 we can use the gift of speech to blaspheme his name4 #c3cfd4 ,healing the ,sick--,we lay hands on the sick and wish them to be healed1 and pray the ,lord to heal them1 but we cannot always say that he will4 #d3bhd4 ,i am here to testify to hundreds of instances1 of men1 women1 and children being healed by the power of ,god1 through the laying on of hands1 and many ,i have seen raised from the gates of death1 and brought back from the verge of eternity2 and some whose spirits had actually left their bodies1 returned again4 ,i testify that ,i have seen the sick healed by the laying on of hands1 according to the promise of the ,savior4 #a3bdj4 ,when ,i lay hands on the sick1 ,i expect the healing power and influence of ,god to pass through me to the patient1 and the disease to give way4 ,i do not say that ,i heal everybody ,i lay hands on2 but many have been healed under my administration4 ,jesus said1 on one occasion1 ,who has touched me8 ,a woman had crept up behind him in the crowd1 and touched the hem of his garment1 and he knew it1 because virtue had gone from him4 ,do you see the reason and propriety of laying hands on each other8 ,when we are prepared1 when we are holy vessels before the ,lord1 a stream of power from the ,almighty can pass through the tabernacle of the administrator to the system of the patient1 #beb and the sick are made whole2 the headache1 fever or other disease has to give way4 ,my brethren and sisters1 there is virtue in us if we will do right2 if we live our religion we are the temples of ,god wherein he will dwell2 if we defile ourselves1 these temples ,god will destroy4 #ad3gb4 ,instead of calling for a doctor you should administer to them by the laying on of hands and anointing with oil1 and give them mild food1 and herbs1 and medicines that you understand2 and if you want the mind and will of ,god at such a time1 get it1 it is just as much your privilege as of any other member of the ,church and ,kingdom of ,god4 ,it is your privilege and duty to live so that you know when the word of the ,lord is spoken to you and when the mind of the ,lord is revealed to you4 ,i say it is your duty to live so as to know and understand all these things4 #ah3ga4 ,many people are unwilling to do one thing for themselves in case of sickness1 but ask ,god to do it all4 #d3be4 ,i am sent for continually1 though ,i only go occasionally1 because it is a privilege of every father1 who is an ,elder in ,israel1 to have faith to heal his family1 just as much so as it is my privilege to have faith to heal my family2 and if he does not do it he is not living up to his privilege4 ,it is just as reasonable for him to ask me to cut his wood and maintain his family1 for if he had faith himself he would save me the trouble of leaving other duties to attend to his request4 #c3df4 ,you may go to some people here1 and ask what ails them1 and they answer1 ,i don't know1 but we feel a dreadful distress in the stomach and in the back2 we feel all out of order1 and we wish you to lay hands on us4 ,have you used any remedies8 ,no4 ,we wish the ,elders to lay hands upon us1 and we have faith that we shall be healed4 #bec ,that is very inconsistent according to my faith4 ,if we are sick1 and ask the ,lord to heal us1 and to do all for us that is necessary to be done1 according to my understanding of the ,gospel of salvation1 ,i might as well ask the ,lord to cause my wheat and corn to grow1 without my plowing the ground and casting in the seed4 ,it appears consistent to me to apply every remedy that comes within the range of my knowledge1 and to ask my ,father in ,heaven1 in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 to sanctify that application to the healing of my body2 to another this may appear inconsistent4 ,but supposing we were traveling in the mountains1 and all we had or could get1 in the shape of nourishment1 was a little venison1 and one or two were taken sick1 without anything in the world in the shape of healing medicine within our reach1 what should we do8 ,according to my faith1 ask the ,lord ,almighty to send an angel to heal the sick4 ,this is our privilege1 when so situated that we cannot get anything to help ourselves4 ,then the ,lord and his servants can do all4 ,but it is my duty to do1 when ,i have it in my power4 #d3bd4 #bed ,,chapter ,,xiv ,,the ,,sabbath2 ,,meetings2 ,,the ,,sacrament ,how to ,spend the ,sabbath ,day--,spend the ,sabbath day prudently1 in the love and fear of ,god4 #ai3fe4 ,persons professing to be ,saints should assemble themselves together on the ,lord's day1 except those who may be necessarily detained at home to keep the house1 take care of the children1 or to perform some work of necessity and mercy2 the rest should assemble in the place appointed for worship and the offering up of our sacraments4 #aj3bhd4 ,you take this book 7the book of ,doctrine and ,covenants7 and you will read here that the ,saints are to meet together on the ,sabbath day4 ,it is what we call the first day of the week4 ,no matter whether it is the ,jewish ,sabbath or not4 ,i do not think there is anybody who can bring facts to prove which is the seventh day1 or when ,adam was put in the garden1 or the day about which the ,lord spoke to ,moses4 ,this matter is not very well known1 so we call the day on which we rest and worship ,god1 the first day of the week4 ,this people called ,latter-day ,saints1 are required by the revelations that the ,lord has given1 to assemble themselves together on this day4 ,in this commandment we are required to come together and repent of our sins and confess our sins and partake of the bread and of the wine1 or water1 in commemoration of the death and sufferings of our ,lord and ,savior4 #af3afh4 ,instead of suffering our labors to occupy the ,sabbath--instead of planning our business to infringe upon the first day of the week1 we should do as little as possible2 if #bee it is necessary to cook food1 do so2 but even if that could be dispensed with1 it would be better4 ,as to keeping the ,sabbath according to the ,mosaic law1 indeed1 ,i do not2 for it would be almost beyond my power4 ,still1 under the new covenant1 we should remember to preserve holy one day in the week as a day of rest--as a memorial of the rest of the ,lord and the rest of the ,saints2 also for our temporal advantage1 for it is instituted for the express purpose of benefiting man4 ,it is written in this book 7the ,bible71 that the ,sabbath was made for man4 ,it is a blessing to him4 ,as little labor as possible should be done upon that day2 it should be set apart as a day of rest1 to assemble together in the place appointed1 according to the revelation1 confessing our sins1 bringing our tithes and offerings1 and presenting ourselves before the ,lord1 there to commemorate the death and sufferings of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 #f3bgg-h4 ,now1 remember1 my brethren1 those who go skating1 buggy riding or on excursions on the ,sabbath day--and there is a great deal of this practiced--are weak in the faith4 ,gradually1 little by little1 little by little1 the spirit of their religion leaks out of their hearts and their affections1 and by and by they begin to see faults in their brethren1 faults in the doctrines of the ,church1 faults in the organization1 and at last they leave the ,kingdom of ,god and go to destruction4 ,i really wish you would remember this1 and tell it to your neighbors4 #ae3hc4 ,the ,lord has directed his people to rest one-seventh part of the time1 and we take the first day of the week1 and call it our ,sabbath4 ,this is according to the order of the ,christians4 ,we should observe this for our own temporal good and spiritual welfare4 ,when we see a farmer in such a hurry1 that he has to attend to his harvest1 and to haying1 #bef fence-making1 or to gathering his cattle on the ,sabbath day1 as far as ,i am concerned1 ,i count him weak in the faith4 ,he has lost the spirit of his religion1 more or less4 ,six days are enough for us to work1 and if we wish to play1 play within the six days2 if we wish to go on excursions1 take one of those six days1 but on the seventh day1 come to the place of worship1 attend to the ,sacrament1 confess your faults one to another and to our ,god1 and pay attention to the ordinances of the house of ,god4 #ae3ha4 ,i said yesterday to a ,bishop who was mending a breach in the canal1 and expressed a wish to continue his labor on the following ,sabbath1 as his wheat was burning up1 let it burn1 when the time comes that is set apart for worship1 go up and worship the ,lord4 #c3cca4 ,the ,lord has planted within us a divinity2 and that divine immortal spirit requires to be fed4 ,will earthly food answer for that purpose8 ,no2 it will only keep this body alive as long as the spirit stays with it1 which gives us an opportunity of doing good4 ,that divinity within us needs food from the ,fountain from which it emanated4 ,it is not of the earth1 earthy1 but is from heaven4 ,principles of eternal life1 of ,god and godliness1 will alone feed the immortal capacity of man and give true satisfaction4 #g3ach4 ,we are under the necessity of assembling here from ,sabbath to ,sabbath1 and in ,ward meetings1 and besides1 have to call our solemn assemblies1 to teach1 talk1 pray1 sing1 and exhort4 ,what for8 ,to keep us in remembrance of our ,god and our holy religion4 ,is this custom necessary8 ,yes2 because we are so liable to forget--so prone to wander1 that we need to have the ,gospel sounded in our ears as much as once1 twice1 or thrice a week1 or1 behold1 we will turn again to our idols4 #f3aie4 #beg ,if you can make as good a beginning as did an old lady1 you will do well4 ,she went to a schoolhouse1 and1 on her return1 called at a neighbor's who inquired where she had been4 ,she replied1 ,i have been to meeting4 ,has there been a meeting8 ,oh1 yes1 and a glorious one1 too4 ,dear me1 we did not hear of it4 ,were there many there8 ,no1 there were not many4 ,who was there8 ,why1 the ,lord was there1 and ,i was there1 and had a blessed good meeting4 ,if you cannot get any person to meet with you1 be sure and have the ,lord meet with you1 and you will soon gain confidence in yourselves and have influence with your brethren4 #h3fe4 ,worship on ,every ,day--,monday1 ,tuesday1 ,wednesday1 ,thursday1 ,friday1 and ,saturday must be spent to the glory of ,god1 as much as ,sunday1 or we shall come short of the object of our pursuit4 #ac3bfa4 ,the ,lord knows the wants of his mortal children1 and has appointed unto them one-seventh part of the time for rest1 though we cannot say1 in every sense of the word1 that this is a day of rest to the ,latter-day ,saints or to the professing ,christians1 some of whom are in the habit of rising at sunrise to hold prayer-meetings2 they then eat breakfast and hurry away to the morning service until noon2 in the afternoon they again have meetings1 and class meetings1 prayer meetings1 confessing meetings1 etc41 and so continue until nine in the evening4 ,to such persons ,i cannot consider it really a day of rest4 #aj3ahg4 ,coming to this ,tabernacle to worship and do the will of ,god for one day in the week1 and following our own inclinations and doing our own will at all other times1 is a folly2 it is useless1 and a perfect burlesque on the service of ,god4 ,we should do the will of ,god1 and spend all our time #beh for the accomplishment of his purposes1 whether we are in this ,tabernacle or elsewhere4 #ab3cd4 ,if ,i had my own mind1 ,i would devote the time for meetings like this within the measure of the six days1 and on the seventh rest from all my labors1 for the express purpose of renewing the mental and physical powers of man4 ,they require it1 as the ,lord well knew2 hence he established a day of rest4 ,the natural tendency of the physical powers of man is to decay2 and to preserve them as long as possible1 they need this retirement from labor--this rest--this ease4 #h3eh4 ,preaching and ,listening in ,meetings--,while we have the privilege of speaking to each other1 let us speak words of comfort and consolation4 ,when you are influenced by the ,spirit of holiness and purity1 let your light shine2 but if you are tried and tempted and buffeted by ,satan1 keep your thoughts to yourselves--keep your mouths closed2 for speaking produces fruit1 either of a good or evil character4 #g3bfh4 ,as we have met in the capacity of a ,general ,conference1 we shall expect to hear instructions from the ,elders pertaining to the building up of the ,kingdom of ,god on earth4 ,this is our calling1 this is the labor devolving upon us1 and it should occupy our attention day by day from morning until evening and from week to week2 in fact1 we have no other calling or business4 #ac3bfj4 ,today we are able to meet together to speak to each other1 to strengthen and do each other good2 and by forsaking our fields for a season1 to gather together to worship our ,god1 ,i can assure you that our crops will be better than they would be if we were to spend all our time in our fields4 ,we may water and plant and toil1 but we should never forget #bei that it is ,god who gives the increase2 and by meeting together1 our health and spirits will be better1 we will look better1 and the things of this world will increase around us more1 and we will know better how to enjoy them4 #aa3aaf4 ,i will take the liberty of suggesting to my brethren who address the congregation that our sermons should be short1 and if they are not filled with life and spirit let them be shorter1 for we have not time at this ,conference to let all the ,elders who speak preach a long sermon1 but we have time to say a few words in bearing testimony1 to give a few words of counsel to encourage the ,saints1 to strengthen the weak1 to endeavor to confirm those who are wavering1 and so forward the ,kingdom of ,god4 #ab3bg4 ,brethren and sisters1 ,i will make one request of you4 ,when you speak1 speak so that we can hear and understand you1 whether it be much or little1 good or bad4 ,if you have nothing to say1 take my counsel1 and keep your seat4 ,if you have anything to say1 say it2 and when you get through1 stop4 ,let your feelings be governed and controlled by the principles of eternal life1 as should the children of ,god1 delighting in truth and righteousness4 #g3bgj4 ,many have a foreboding in their hearts2 a fearfulness1 a tremor comes over them1 when they arise to address a congregation4 ,they think that it will not do to tell the people just what they understand1 but talk about it and talk about it4 ,in this way they darken counsel3 ,do not darken counsel by your words4 #d3cfh4 ,when people assemble to worship they should leave their worldly cares where they belong1 then their minds are in a proper condition to worship the ,lord1 to call upon him in the name of ,jesus1 and to get his ,holy ,spirit1 that #bfj they may hear and understand things as they are in eternity1 and know how to comprehend the providences of our ,god4 ,this is the time for their minds to be open1 to behold the invisible things of ,god1 that he reveals by his ,spirit4 #c3ec4 ,every person should be silent when we meet here to worship ,god4 ,remember and try to keep perfectly quiet1 and do not whisper1 talk1 nor scrape your feet2 and do not let your children cry if you can help it4 #ad3dd4 ,my greatest desire to my ,father and ,god is that ,i may so speak that my remarks will be acceptable to him and beneficial to those who hear me4 #g3aca4 ,i am responsible for the doctrine ,i teach2 but ,i am not responsible for the obedience of the people to that doctrine4 #ac3a4 ,the same weakness is in me1 that is common to the most of my brethren who address you from this stand1 that is1 a degree of timidity1 which arises from a sense of the importance of the work in which we are engaged2 but my resolution overbalances this4 #a3ccd4 ,i am extremely anxious so to convey my ideas to the people that they will understand them as ,i do4 ,our language is deficient1 and ,i do not possess in this particular the natural endowment that some men enjoy4 ,i am a man of few words1 and unlearned in the learning of this generation4 #i3bhg4 ,i have never yet seen the time that ,i had wisdom1 strength1 and ability enough to preach a ,gospel discourse--to commence it1 and finish it1 setting before the people the plan of salvation sufficiently full1 that thereby they might be saved4 ,but it is only given in portions--a little here1 and a little there1 by feeble man1 #f3bhc4 #bfa ,when ,i have endeavored to address a congregation1 ,i have almost always felt a repugnance in my heart to the practice of premeditation1 or of pre-constructing a discourse to deliver to the people1 but let me ask ,god my ,heavenly ,father1 in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 to give me his ,spirit1 and put into my heart the things he wishes me to speak whether they be for better or worse4 ,these have been my private feelings1 as a general thing4 #a3bfd4 ,i need the attention of the congregation and the faith of those who have faith2 ,i need the wisdom of ,god and his ,spirit to be in my heart to enable me to speak to the edification of the people4 ,although ,i have been a public speaker for thirty-seven years1 it is seldom that ,i rise before a congregation without feeling a child-like timidity2 if ,i live to the age of ,methuselah ,i do not know that ,i shall outgrow it4 ,there are reasons for this which ,i understand4 ,when ,i look upon the faces of intelligent beings ,i look upon the image of the ,god ,i serve4 ,there are none but what have a certain portion of divinity within them2 and though we are clothed with bodies which are in the image of our ,god1 yet this mortality shrinks before that portion of divinity which we inherit from our ,father4 ,this is the cause of my timidity1 and of all others who feel this embarrassment when they address their fellow beings4 #ac3aci4 ,in addressing a congregation1 though the speaker be unable to say more than half a dozen sentences1 and those awkwardly constructed1 if his heart is pure before ,god1 those few broken sentences are of more value than the greatest eloquence without the ,spirit of the ,lord and of more real worth in the sight of ,god1 angels1 and all good men4 ,in praying1 though a person's words be few and awkwardly expressed1 if the heart is pure before ,god1 that #bfb prayer will avail more than the eloquence of a ,cicero4 ,what does the ,lord1 the ,father of us all1 care about our mode of expression8 ,the simple1 honest heart is of more avail with the ,lord than all the pomp1 pride1 splendor1 and eloquence produced by men4 ,when he looks upon a heart full of sincerity1 integrity1 and child-like simplicity1 he sees a principle that will endure forever--,that is the spirit of my own kingdom--the spirit ,i have given to my children4 #h3bhc-d4 ,i believe1 according to my feelings1 that if ,i had all the mastery of language that has ever been obtained by the learned1 my spirit would delight more in childlike conversation1 and that too1 in a simple language1 than in the most learned literary style that is used4 ,a plain1 clear method of expressing ideas is the most pleasing to me4 #d3cda4 ,i believe it is our duty to imitate everything that is good1 lovely1 dignified and praiseworthy4 ,we ought to imitate the best speakers1 and study to convey our ideas to each other in the best and choicest language1 especially when we are dispensing the great truths of the ,gospel of peace to the people4 ,i generally use the best language ,i can command4 #aa3bee4 ,testimony ,meetings--,you know that the first ,thursday in each month we hold as a fast day4 ,how many here know the origin of this day8 ,before tithing was paid1 the poor were supported by donations4 ,they came to ,joseph and wanted help1 in ,kirtland1 and he said there should be a fast day1 which was decided upon4 ,it was to be held once a month1 as it is now1,a and all that would have been eaten #bfc that day1 of flour1 or meat1 or butter1 or fruit1 or anything else1 was to be carried to the fast meeting and put into the hands of a person selected for the purpose of taking care of it and distributing it among the poor4 #ab3aae4 ,footnote ,a3 ,at present the first ,sunday of the month is designated fast day4 ,do not hesitate to tell your feelings4 #d3cfh4 ,in our fast-day meetings1 the ,saints meet to express their feelings and to strengthen each other in their faith in the holy ,gospel4 #g3bfg4 ,we wish the ,latter-day ,saints to meet at their respective houses1 erected for that purpose1 on the day appointed for a fast1 and take with them of their substance to feed the poor and the hungry among us1 and1 if it is necessary1 to clothe the naked4 ,we expect to see the sisters there2 for they are generally first and foremost in deeds of charity and kindness4 ,let the hearts of the poor be made glad1 and let their prayers and thanksgiving ascend unto ,god1 and receive an answer of rich blessings upon our heads4 #ab3abf4 ,do you not receive as much of the spirit of intelligence1 of the spirit of knowledge1 and the consoling influences of the ,holy ,ghost1 to have people rise and testify of the things of ,god which they do know1 of those things which they have experienced themselves8 ,does not that vividly bring to your minds the goodness of the ,lord in revealing to you the truths of the ,gospel8 ,does not that strengthen your faith1 give you an increase of confidence and witness to you that you are a child of ,god8 ,most assuredly it does4 ,therefore1 when any testify of the things of ,god1 it strengthens their brethren1 precisely as it did in days of old when they observed the counsel to1 ,speak often one to another1 strengthen the brethren1 and so on4 #d3cfg4 ,if any of you feel that there is no life in your meetings1 as ,i occasionally hear some of the brethren say1 then it becomes #bfd your duty to go and instill life into that meeting1 and do your part to produce an increase of the ,spirit and power of ,god in the meetings in your locality4 #aj3cji4 ,i always feel to urge our youth to attend meetings when strangers preach1 that they may be able to understand that which is not of ,god1 and learn the difference between the doctrine taught by us and others4 #ac3cbc4 ,now1 then1 if our brethren of the ,presbyterians1 ,methodists or any others visit here and want to preach to you1 certainly let them preach1 and have your children hear them4 ,they will tell you to keep the ,sabbath and to love your father and mother2 they will tell you to be true1 honest1 industrious1 to be faithful to your studies1 to read the ,bible and all good books1 to study the sciences1 etc41 which is all good1 and as far as such teaching goes just as good as it can be4 ,i say1 parents1 do not be afraid of having your children learn everything that is worth learning4 ,and if any of our ,christian brethren want to go into our ,sabbath schools to teach our children1 let them do so4 ,they will not teach them anything immoral in the presence of those who are in charge of the schools4 #ad3aif4 ,whether we are poor or rich1 if we neglect our prayers and our sacrament meetings1 we neglect the ,spirit of the ,lord1 and a spirit of darkness comes over us4 #aj3cjj4 ,when a man opens or closes a meeting with prayer1 every man1 woman1 and child in the congregation who professes to be a ,saint should have no desire or words in their hearts and mouths but what are being offered by the man who is mouth for all the congregation4 #f3db4 ,the ,sacrament of the ,lord's ,supper--,the revelations of ,god to ,joseph ,smith instruct the ,latter-day ,saints to live their religion day by day1 and to meet on the first day #bfe of the week to break bread1 confess their faults one to another and pray with and for each other4 ,i would like this tradition fastened not only upon the people generally1 but particularly upon the ,bishops and other leaders of this ,church4 #i3cfi4 ,i say to the brethren and sisters1 in the name of the ,lord1 it is our duty and it is required of us1 by our ,father in ,heaven1 by the spirit of our religion1 by our covenants with ,god and each other1 that we observe the ordinances of the house of ,god1 and especially on the ,sabbath day1 to attend to the ,sacrament of the ,lord's ,supper4 ,then attend the ,ward meetings and the ,quorum meetings4 #ae3hb4 ,in the ordinance we here attend to in the afternoon1 we show to the ,father that we remember ,jesus ,christ1 our ,elder ,brother2 we testify to him that we are willing to take upon us his name4 ,when we are doing this1 ,i want the minds here as well as the bodies4 ,i want the whole man here when you come to meeting4 #h3acg4 ,this is a very solemn ordinance4 ,the ,christian world accepts it1 in preference to any other1 as one of the ordinances of the house of ,god4 ,with some1 this ordinance is the first and the last2 and with others this ordinance is not thought to be of sufficient importance to be attended to4 ,i wish to say to the ,latter-day ,saints1 and also to those who do not believe in the fulness of the ,gospel1 that this ordinance1 which we are now attending to this afternoon1 is1 in reality1 no more sacred than any other ordinance of the house of ,god in the eyes of him who has instituted the same4 ,the validity of one divine law is the same as the validity of another with our ,father and ,god4 #aa3ci-dj4 ,i would exhort my brethren and sisters to receive this ordinance every ,sabbath1 when they meet together1 as is #bff our practice2 not following the customs of others1 for with some denominations this is administered once a month1 with others once in three months1 with others never1 they not believing in outward ordinances4 ,we are in the habit of partaking of the contents of the cup each ,sabbath when we meet together1 and ,i do pray you1 my brethren and sisters1 to contemplate this ordinance thoroughly1 and seek unto the ,lord with all your hearts that you may obtain the promised blessings by obedience to it4 ,teach its observance to your children2 impress upon them its necessity4 ,its observance is as necessary to our salvation as any other of the ordinances and commandments that have been instituted in order that the people may be sanctified1 that ,jesus may bless them and give unto them his spirit1 and guide and direct them that they may secure unto themselves life eternal4 ,impress the sacredness of this important ordinance upon the minds of your children4 #ai3ia4 ,we do this in remembrance of the death of our ,savior2 it is required of his disciples until he comes again1 no matter how long that may be4 ,no matter how many generations come and go1 believers in him are required to eat bread and drink wine in remembrance of his death and sufferings until he comes again4 ,why are they required to do this8 ,to witness unto the ,father1 to ,jesus and to the angels that they are believers in and desire to follow him in the regeneration1 keep his commandments1 build up his ,kingdom1 revere his name and serve him with an undivided heart1 that they may be worthy to eat and drink with him in his ,father's ,kingdom4 ,this is why the ,latter-day ,saints partake of the ordinance of the ,lord's ,supper4 ,i know that in the ,christian world sermon after sermon is preached on this subject2 yet people there differ in their #bfg belief concerning these emblems4 ,the ,mother ,church1 of the ,christian world1 believes that the bread becomes the actual flesh of ,jesus1 and that the wine becomes his blood2 this is preposterous to me4 ,it is bread1 and it is wine2 but both are blessed to the souls of those who partake thereof4 ,but to be followers of the ,lord ,jesus more is required than merely to partake of the bread and wine--the emblems of his death and suffering--it is necessary that strict obedience be rendered to his requirements4 #ac3aci-adj4 ,in what consists the benefit we derive from this ordinance8 ,it is in obeying the commands of the ,lord4 ,when we obey the commandments of our ,heavenly ,father1 if we have a correct understanding of the ordinances of the house of ,god1 we receive all the promises attached to the obedience rendered to his commandments4 #b3c4 ,it is one of the greatest blessings we could enjoy1 to come before the ,lord1 and before the angels1 and before each other1 to witness that we remember that the ,lord ,jesus ,christ has died for us4 ,this proves to the ,father that we remember our covenants1 that we love his ,gospel1 that we love to keep his commandments1 and to honor the name of the ,lord ,jesus upon the earth4 #f3bgg4 ,in the days of ancient ,israel1 while in the land of ,palestine1 they were not blessed so profusely as we are with the crystal streams from the mountains4 ,they were in the habit of drinking a great deal of wine1 and among the few who have continued to inhabit that land1 this habit1 ,i believe1 has been kept up to the present time4 ,it is a wine country4 ,but the ,lord has said to us it mattered not what we partake of when we administer the cup to the people1 inasmuch as we do it with an eye single to the glory of ,god2 it is then acceptable to him4 ,consequently we use water as #bfh though it were wine2 for we are commanded to drink not of wine for this sacred purpose except it be made by our own hands4 #ai3ib4 ,in some of our ,wards and settlements the administering of the ,sacrament has been introduced in the ,sunday schools4 ,it is very pleasing and gratifying to the spirit that ,i possess1 for the parents to see that their children attend ,sunday school and receive the proper instruction with regard to their faith4 ,after the ,sunday school is over1 let the parents take the pains to bring their children to meeting4 #ai3ib4 ,i will now express a wish in relation to all who may rise here to ask a blessing on the bread and water of the ,sacrament1 or to preach to such large congregations as assemble here4 ,when the ,elders rise here to speak1 ,i want them to raise their voices so that the people can hear them1 that the audience may be able to say ,amen to all the good2 and if there is evil1 refuse it4 ,when any one rises to preach1 pray1 sing1 exhort1 or bless the ,sacramental emblems1 let him do so with voice sufficient for all to hear4 #h3ahc4 #bfi ,,chapter ,,xv ,,tithing2 ,,the ,,united ,,order ,the ,law of ,tithing--,one thing is required at the hands of this people1 and to understand which there is no necessity for receiving a commandment every year1 viz43 to pay their tithing4 ,i do not suppose for a moment1 that there is a person in this ,church1 who is unacquainted with the duty of paying tithing1 neither is it necessary to have revelation every year upon the subject4 ,there is the ,law--pay one-tenth4 #a3bgh4 ,i like the term1 because it is scriptural1 and ,i would rather use it than any other4 ,the ,lord instituted tithing2 it was practiced in the days of ,abraham1 and ,enoch and ,adam and his children did not forget their tithes and offerings4 ,you can read for yourselves with regard to what the ,lord requires4 ,i want to say this much to those who profess to be ,latter-day ,saints--if we neglect our tithes and offerings we will receive the chastening hand of the ,lord4 ,we may just as well count on this first as last4 ,if we neglect to pay our tithes and offerings we will neglect other things and this will grow upon us until the spirit of the ,gospel is entirely gone from us1 and we are in the dark1 and know not whither we are going4 #ae3afc4 ,if the ,lord requires one-tenth of my ability to be devoted to building temples1 meeting houses1 school houses1 to schooling our children1 gathering the poor from the nations of the earth1 bringing home the aged1 lame1 halt and blind1 and building houses for them to live in1 that they may be comfortable when they reach ,zion1 and to sustaining the ,priesthood1 it is not my prerogative to question the #bgj authority of the ,almighty in this1 nor of his servants who have charge of it4 ,if ,i am required to pay my tithing it is my duty to pay it4 ,in the days of ,joseph1 when my circumstances were very1 very straitened1 ,i never had #ejj1 #ajj1 one dollar1 fifty cents or twenty-five cents1 but what1 if it were wanted1 it went as free as a cup of water from a well--,joseph was welcome to it4 ,was ,i tried in this8 ,yes1 for many and many has been the time in my poverty1 when if ,i had a dollar or fifty cents in my possession ,i have thought1 ,i can buy a pint or a half pint of molasses for my children to sop their bread in1 but it was called for1 and it went as free as the water of the river here would be to a thirsty person4 ,and as for my time1 from the day that ,i entered this ,church until now1 ,i have paid no attention to any business except that of building up this ,kingdom4 ,the question may be asked1 ,do you not attend to your private affairs and business8 ,yes1 when ,i can1 but ,i do not know that ,i have ever spent one minute in attending to business belonging to ,brigham ,young1 when the business of the ,church and ,kingdom of ,god on the earth required his attention4 ,yet ,i would not say that this is any excuse for not strictly paying my tithing4 ,i have paid a great deal of tithing1 more perhaps than any other man1 or any other ten men who were ever in the ,church1 and yet my tithing is not paid4 ,but ,i pay tithing1 and when the grain upon my farm is ripened1 or the cattle upon it are matured1 ,i say to my men1 ,be sure and pay the tithing on whatever we have raised4 ,but in some instances ,i have found that it was neglected4 #af3aaa4 ,it is very true that the poor pay their tithing better than the rich do4 ,if the rich would pay their tithing we should have plenty4 ,the poor are faithful and prompt in paying #bga their tithing1 but the rich can hardly afford to pay theirs--they have too much4 ,if he has only ten dollars he can pay one2 if he has only one dollar he can pay ten cents2 it does not hurt him at all4 ,if he has a hundred dollars he can possibly pay ten4 ,if he has a thousand dollars he looks over it a little and says1 ,i guess ,i will pay it2 it ought to be paid anyhow2 and he manages to pay his ten dollars or his hundred dollars4 ,but suppose a man is wealthy enough to pay ten thousand1 he looks that over a good many times and says1 ,i guess ,i will wait until ,i get a little more1 and then ,i will pay a good deal4 ,and they wait and wait1 like an old gentleman in the ,east2 he waited and waited and waited to pay his tithing until he went out of the world1 and this is the way with a great many4 ,they wait and continue waiting1 until1 finally1 the character comes along who is called ,death1 and he slips up to them and takes away their breath1 then they are gone and cannot pay their tithing1 they are too late1 and so it goes4 #ae3afc-afd4 ,the ,saints abroad are required to pay their tithing4 #h3ahb4 ,when men are ,saints1 they will bring their thousands and lay them at the feet of the ,bishops1 ,apostles1 and ,prophets1 saying1 ,here is my money2 it is now where it should be4 #f3age4 ,when a man wishes to give anything1 let him give the best he has got4 ,the ,lord has given to me all ,i possess2 ,i have nothing in reality1 not a single dime of it is mine4 ,you may ask1 ,do you feel as you say8 ,yes1 ,i actually do4 ,the coat ,i have on my back is not mine1 and never was2 the ,lord put it in my possession honorably1 and ,i wear it2 but if he wishes for it1 and all there is under it1 he #bgb is welcome to the whole4 ,i do not own a house1 or a single farm of land1 a horse1 mule1 carriage1 or wagon1 or wife1 nor child1 but what the ,lord gave me1 and if he wants them1 he can take them at his pleasure1 whether he speaks for them1 or takes them without speaking4 #b3cjg4 ,when my ,bishop came to value my property1 he wanted to know what he should take my tithing in4 ,i told him to take anything ,i had1 for ,i did not set my heart upon any one thing2 my horses1 cows1 hogs1 or any other thing he might take2 my heart is set upon the work of my ,god1 upon the public good of his great ,kingdom4 #a3cgf4 ,if we live our religion we will be willing to pay tithing4 #aj3bhc4 ,here is a character--a man--that ,god has created1 organized1 fashioned and made1--every part and particle of my system from the top of my head to the soles of my feet1 has been produced by my ,father in ,heaven2 and he requires one-tenth part of my brain1 heart1 nerve1 muscle1 sinew1 flesh1 bone1 and of my whole system1 for the building of temples1 for the ministry1 for sustaining missionaries and missionaries' families1 for feeding the poor1 the aged1 the halt and blind1 and for gathering them home from the nations and taking care of them after they are gathered4 ,he has said1 ,my son1 devote one-tenth of yourself to the good and wholesome work of taking care of your fellow-beings1 preaching the ,gospel1 bringing people into the ,kingdom2 lay your plans to take care of those who cannot take care of themselves2 direct the labors of those who are able to labor2 and one-tenth part is all-sufficient if it is devoted properly1 carefully and judiciously for the advancement of my ,kingdom on the earth4 #af3fi4 ,the ,lord ,has ,given ,all--,it is not for me to rise up #bgc and say that ,i can give to the ,lord1 for in reality ,i have nothing to give4 ,i seem to have something4 ,why8 ,because the ,lord has seen fit to bring me forth1 and has blessed my efforts in gathering things which are desirable1 and which are termed property4 #b3cjj4 ,we are not our own1 we are bought with a price1 we are the ,lord's2 our time1 our talents1 our gold and silver1 our wheat and fine flour1 our wine and our oil1 our cattle1 and all there is on this earth that we have in our possession is the ,lord's1 and he requires one-tenth of this for the building up of his ,kingdom4 ,whether we have much or little1 one-tenth should be paid in for tithing4 #ad3hh4 ,what object have ,i in saying to the ,latter-day ,saints1 do this1 that or the other8 ,it is for my own benefit1 it is for your benefit2 it is for my own wealth and happiness1 and for your wealth and happiness that we pay tithing and render obedience to any requirement of ,heaven4 ,we can not add anything to the ,lord by doing these things4 ,tell about making sacrifices for the ,kingdom of heaven4 ,there is no man who ever made a sacrifice on this earth for the ,kingdom of heaven1 that ,i know anything about1 except the ,savior4 ,he drank the bitter cup to the dregs1 and tasted for every man and for every woman1 and redeemed the earth and all things upon it4 ,but he was ,god in the flesh1 or he could not have endured it4 ,but we suffer1 we sacrifice1 we give something1 we have preached so long4 ,what for8 ,why1 for the ,lord4 ,i would not give the ashes of a rye straw for the man who feels that he is making sacrifice for ,god4 ,we are doing this for our own happiness1 welfare and exaltation1 and for nobody else's4 ,this is the fact1 and what we do1 we do for the salvation of the inhabitants #bgd of the earth1 not for the salvation of the heavens1 the angels1 or the ,gods4 #af3aad4 ,i do not expect to see the day when ,i am perfectly independent1 until ,i am crowned in the celestial kingdom of my ,father1 and made as independent as my ,father in ,heaven4 ,i have not yet received my inheritance as my own1 and ,i expect to be dependent until ,i do1 for all that ,i have is lent to me4 #c3bde4 ,we own nothing but the talents ,god has given to us to improve upon1 to show him what we will do with them4 #h3bic4 ,people ,not ,compelled to ,pay ,tithing--,the people are not compelled to pay their tithing1 they do as they please about it1 it is urged upon them only as a matter of duty between them and their ,god4 #ab3cf4 ,we do not ask anybody to pay tithing1 unless they are disposed to do so2 but if you pretend to pay tithing1 pay it like honest men4 #h3bjb4 ,some complain and say that they are taxed by tithing4 ,we ask no tithing of any man4 ,in this we are as independent as the ,lord is4 ,i say1 do not pay another dollar in tithing unless you want to4 #h3cde4 ,pay your tithing1 just because you like to1 not unless you want to4 ,they say we cut people off the ,church for not paying tithing2 we never have yet1 but they ought to be4 ,god does not fellowship them4 ,the law of tithing is an eternal law4 ,the ,lord ,almighty never had his ,kingdom on the earth without the law of tithing being in the midst of his people1 and he never will4 ,it is an eternal law that ,god has instituted for the benefit of the human family1 for their salvation and exaltation4 ,this law is in the ,priesthood1 #bge but we do not want any to observe it unless they are willing to do so4 #ad3hi4 ,use of the ,tithing--,it may be supposed by some that the tithing is used to sustain and feed the ,first ,presidency and the ,twelve2 this is a false impression4 ,i can say1 without boasting1 that there is not another man in this ,kingdom has done more in dollars and cents to build it up than ,i have1 and yet ,i have not done a farthing's worth of myself1 for the means ,i have handled ,god has given me2 it is not mine1 and if it ever is mine it will be when ,i have overcome and gained my exaltation and received it from him who rightfully owns all things4 #aj3bgj4 ,the little moiety that is now paid on tithing is used to bring the poor here1 to find them houses to live in1 bread to eat1 and wood to burn4 ,now1 suppose we had a little more of this surplus on hand1 could we not help the brethren on their way to preach the ,gospel to the nations8 ,yes1 we could4 ,some of them will leave families that will1 probably1 be destitute1 and if we had means on hand we could donate to help them1 and to prevent them from running continually to the ,bishops4 #ab3cf4 ,the ,lord requires one-tenth of that which he has given me2 it is for me to pay the one-tenth of the increase of my flocks and of all that ,i have1 and all the people should do the same4 ,the question may arise1 ,what is to be done with the tithing8 ,it is for the building of temples to ,god2 for the enlarging of the borders of ,zion2 sending ,elders on missions to preach the ,gospel and taking care of their families4 ,by and by we shall have some temples to go into1 and we will receive our blessings1 the blessings of heaven1 by obedience to the doctrine of tithing4 ,we shall have temples built throughout these mountains1 in the #bgf valleys of this ,territory and the valleys of the next ,territory1 and finally1 all through these mountain valleys4 ,we expect to build temples in a great many valleys4 ,we go to the ,endowment ,house1 and before going1 we get a recommendation from our ,bishop that we have paid our tithing4 #af3afh4 ,in regard to this whining of the world about ,brigham's handling the tithing1 ,i can say that he has put in ten dollars where he has taken one out of the treasury1 and he has paid more tithing than any other man in the ,church4 ,everybody should pay their tenth4 ,a poor woman ought to pay her tenth chicken1 if she has to draw out ten times its value for her support4 ,it is all the ,lord's and we are only his stewards4 #af3de4 ,it is my business to control the disbursements of the tithing paid by the ,saints1 and not the business of every ,elder in the ,kingdom who thinks the tithing belongs to him4 #h3agj4 ,the ,united ,order--,the ,lord has declared it to be his will that his people enter into covenant1 even as ,enoch and his people did1 which of necessity must be before we shall have the privilege of building the ,center ,stake of ,zion1 for the power and glory of ,god will be there1 and none but the pure in heart will be able to live and enjoy it4 #ah3bfc4 ,when the ,lord gave the revelation instructing us in our duty as to consecrating what we have1 if the people then could have understood things precisely as they are2 and had obeyed that revelation1 it would have been neither more no less than yielding up that which is not their own1 to him to whom it belongs4 ,and so it is now4 #b3cjc4 ,when they bow down to worship the ,lord1 they acknowledge that the earth is his1 and the cattle upon a #bgg thousand hills2 and tell the ,lord there is no sacrifice they are not willing to make for the sake of the religion of ,jesus ,christ4 ,the people were crying this continually among the churches when the ,book of ,mormon came forth1 and the ,lord spoke through ,joseph1 revealing the law of consecration1 to see whether they were willing to do as they said in their prayers4 #b3cje4 ,there is another revelation still prior to this time1 stating that it is the duty of all people who go to ,zion to consecrate all their property to the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints4 ,this revelation was referred to at the ,april ,conference in #ahed4 ,it was one of the first commandments1 or revelations given to this people after they had the privilege of organizing themselves as a ,church1 as a body1 as the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth4 ,i observed then1 and ,i now think1 that it will be one of the last revelations which the people will receive into their hearts and understanding1 of their own free will and choice1 and esteem it as a pleasure1 a privilege1 and a blessing unto them to observe and keep most holy4 #b3bii4 ,i have said1 and say today1 that according to the age of the people we have improved as fast as the church of ,enoch4 ,i trust we improve faster1 for we have not as much time as they had4 ,in some of the first revelations which were given to this ,church1 the ,order of ,enoch was given for a pattern to this people2 and ,enoch patterned after the heavens4 ,in the commencement of the ,church1 the ,latter-day ,saints could not receive it1 and they were driven from city to city1 as the ,lord said they should be1 through the mouth of his servant ,joseph1 until they should be willing to receive this ,order4 #ab3baj4 ,will the time ever come that we can commence and #bgh organize this people as a family8 ,it will4 ,do we know how8 ,yes2 what was lacking in these revelations from ,joseph to enable us to do so was revealed to me4 ,do you think we will ever be one8 ,when we get home to our ,father and ,god1 will we not wish to be in the family8 ,will it not be our highest ambition and desire to be reckoned as the sons of the living ,god1 as the daughters of the ,almighty1 with a right to the household1 and the faith that belongs to the household1 heirs of the ,father1 his goods1 his wealth1 his power1 his excellency1 his knowledge and wisdom8 #aa3cbf4 ,i will say1 first1 that the ,lord ,almighty has not the least objection in the world to our entering into the ,order of ,enoch4 ,i will stand between the people and all harm in this4 ,he has not the least objection to any man1 every man1 all mankind on the face of the earth turning from evil and loving and serving him with all their hearts4 ,with regard to all those orders that the ,lord has revealed1 it depends upon the will and doings of the people1 and we are at liberty1 from this ,conference1 to go and build up a settlement1 or we can join ourselves together in this city1 do it legally--according to the laws of the land--and enter into covenant with each other by a firm agreement that we will live as a family1 that we will put our property into the hands of a committee of trustees1 who shall dictate the affairs of this society4 #af3h4 ,and when this people become one1 it will be one in the ,lord4 ,they will not look alike4 ,we will not all have grey1 blue1 or black eyes4 ,our features will differ one from another1 and in our acts1 dispositions1 and efforts to accumulate1 distribute1 and dispose of our time1 talents1 wealth1 and whatever the ,lord gives to us1 in our journey #bgi through life1 we will differ just as much as in our features4 ,the point that the ,lord wishes to bring us to is to obey his counsel and observe his word4 ,then every one will be dictated so that we can act as a family4 #ab3eg4 ,but to the text4 ,we want to see a community organized in which every person will be industrious1 faithful and prudent4 ,what will you do with the children8 ,we will bring them up until they are of legal age1 then say1 ,go where you please4 ,we have given you a splendid education1 the advantage of all the learning of the day1 and if you do not wish to stay with the ,saints1 go where you please4 ,what will you do with those who apostatize after having entered into covenant and agreement with others1 that their property shall be one1 and be in the hands of trustees1 and shall never be taken out8 ,if any of these parties apostatize1 and say we wish to withdraw from this community1 what will you do with them8 ,we will say to them1 ,go1 and welcome1 and if we are disposed to give them anything1 it is all right4 #ae3bbf4 ,i know how to start such a society1 right in this city1 and how to make its members rich4 ,i would go to now1 and buy out the poorest ,ward in this city1 and then commence with men and women who have not a dollar in the world4 ,bring them here from ,england1 or any part of the earth1 set them down in this ,ward and put them to work1 and in five years we would begin to enter other ,wards1 and we would buy this house and that house1 and the next house1 and we would add ,ward to ,ward until we owned the whole city1 every dollar's worth of property there is in it4 ,we could do this1 and let the rich go to ,california to get gold1 and we would buy their property4 ,would you like to know how to do this8 ,i can tell you #bhj in a very few words--never want a thing you cannot get1 live within your means1 manufacture that which you wear1 and raise that which you eat4 ,raise every calf and lamb2 raise the chickens1 and have your eggs1 make your butter and cheese1 and always have a little to spare4 ,the first year we raise a crop1 and we have more than we want4 ,we buy nothing1 we sell a little4 ,the next year we raise more2 we buy nothing and we sell more4 ,in this way we could pile up the gold and silver and in twenty years a hundred families working like this could buy out their neighbors4 ,i see men who earn four1 five1 ten or fifteen dollars a day and spend every dime of it4 ,such men spend their means foolishly1 they waste it instead of taking care of it4 ,they do not know what to do with it1 and they seem to fear that it will burn their pockets1 and they get rid of it4 ,if you get a dollar1 sovereign1 half-eagle or eagle1 and are afraid it will burn your pockets1 put it into a safe4 ,it will not burn anything there1 and you will not be forced to spend1 spend1 spend as you do now4 #af3aa4 ,i have looked upon the community of ,latter-day ,saints in vision and beheld them organized as one great family of heaven1 each person performing his several duties in his line of industry1 working for the good of the whole more than for individual aggrandizement2 and in this ,i have beheld the most beautiful order that the mind of man can contemplate1 and the grandest results for the upbuilding of the ,kingdom of ,god and the spread of righteousness upon the earth4 ,will this people ever come to this order of things8 ,are they now prepared to live according to that patriarchal order that will be organized among the true and faithful before ,god receives his own8 ,we all concede the point that when this mortality falls off1 and with it its cares1 anxieties1 #bha love of self1 love of wealth1 and love of power1 and all the conflicting interests which pertain to this flesh1 that then1 when our spirits have returned to ,god who gave them1 we will be subject to every requirement that he may make of us1 that we shall then live together as one great family2 our interest will be a general1 a common interest4 ,why can we not so live in this world8 #ab3aec4 #bhb ,,chapter ,,xvi ,,the ,,word ,,of ,,wisdom ,moderation--,by temperance and moderation lay the foundation for the development of the mind4 #ai3fh4 ,indulgence of appetite is not worthy the notice of men and women1 though the body must be sustained1 for that is a duty ,god has placed upon us4 #h3ada4 ,satisfying the appetite brings to an end the pleasure of eating2 and where food is partaken of chiefly to gratify the pleasureable sensation derived from eating1 disease is engendered1 and true misery springs out of this unwise gratification4 ,some healthy1 strong-constitutioned persons can eat large quantities of food with apparent impunity2 but1 in so doing1 the tax they place upon their systems will ultimately bring disease and death4 #h3aci4 ,as ,i said to the brethren the other day in the ,thirteenth ,ward schoolhouse1 with regard to worldly pleasure1 comfort1 and enjoyment3 you may take as much as you please of the ,spirit of the ,lord1 and it will not make your stomach or head ache4 ,you may drink nine cups of strong spiritual drink1 and it will not hurt you2 but if you drink nine cups of strong tea1 see what it will do for you4 ,let a person that is very thirsty and warm satiate his appetite with cold water1 and when he gets through he will perhaps have laid the foundation for death1 and may go to an untimely grave1 which is frequently done4 ,excessive eating1 drinking1 or exercise all tend to the grave4 #aa3cbi4 ,the blessings of food1 sleep1 and social enjoyment are ordained of ,god for his glory and our benefit1 and it is for us to learn to use them and not abuse them1 that his ,kingdom #bhc may advance on the earth1 and we advance in it4 #f3adi4 ,the ,word of ,wisdom--,this ,word of ,wisdom prohibits the use of hot drinks and tobacco4 ,i have heard it argued that tea and coffee are not mentioned therein2 that is very true2 but what were the people in the habit of taking as hot drinks when that revelation was given8 ,tea and coffee4 ,we were not in the habit of drinking water very hot1 but tea and coffee--the beverages in common use4 ,and the ,lord said hot drinks are not good for the body nor the belly1 liquor is not good for the body or the belly1 but for the washing of the body1 etc4 ,tobacco is not good1 save for sick cattle1 and for bruises and sores1 its cleansing properties being then very useful4 #ac3bgg4 ,i know that some say the revelations upon these points are not given by way of commandment4 ,very well1 but we are commanded to observe every word that proceeds from the mouth of ,god4 #ac3c4 ,now ,i want you should recollect--,bishops1 ,elders of ,israel1 ,high ,priests1 ,seventies1 the ,twelve ,apostles1 the ,first ,presidency1 and all the ,house of ,israel1 hearken ye4 ,o my people6 keep the word of the ,lord1 observe the ,word of ,wisdom1 sustain one another1 sustain the household of faith1 and let our enemies alone4 #ab3bi4 ,now1 ,elders of ,israel1 if you have the right to chew tobacco1 you have a privilege ,i have not2 if you have a right to drink whisky1 you have a right that ,i have not2 if you have a right to transgress the ,word of ,wisdom1 you have a right that ,i have not4 #ab3cj4 ,i said to the ,saints at our last annual ,conference1 the ,spirit whispers to me to call upon the ,latter-day ,saints to observe the ,word of ,wisdom1 to let tea1 coffee1 and tobacco alone1 and to abstain from drinking spirituous drinks4 #bhd ,this is what the ,spirit signifies through me4 ,if the ,spirit of ,god whispers this to his people through their leader1 and they will not listen nor obey1 what will be the consequences of their disobedience8 ,darkness and blindness of mind with regard to the things of ,god will be their lot2 they will cease to have the spirit of prayer1 and the spirit of the world will increase in them in proportion to their disobedience until they apostatize entirely from ,god and his ways4 #ab3aah4 ,in the name of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 ,i command the ,elders of ,israel--those who have been in the habit of getting drunk--to cease drinking strong drink from this time henceforth4 ,but some may think they need it as soon as they go out of this house4 ,let me be your physician in this matter4 ,so long as you are able to walk and attend to your business1 it is folly to say that you need ardent spirits to keep you alive4 ,the constitution that a person has should be nourished and cherished2 and whenever we take anything into the system to force and stimulate it beyond its natural capacity1 it shortens life4 ,i am physician enough to know that4 ,when you are tired and think you need a little spirituous liquor1 take some bread and butter or bread and milk1 and lie down and rest4 ,do not labor so hard as to deem it requisite to get half drunk in order to keep up your spirits4 ,if you will follow this counsel1 you will be full of life and health1 and you will increase your intelligence1 your joy1 and comfort4 #g3ccg4 ,i now again request the authorities of this ,church in their various localities to sever from this society those who will not cease getting drunk4 #g3cch4 ,it is my positive counsel and command that drinking liquor be stopped4 ,if ,i had the influence the world gives me #bhe credit for1 ,i would not have a single drunkard1 thief1 or liar in this society4 ,i do not profess to have that influence1 but ,i can raise my voice against those evils4 #a3ccg4 ,this ,word of ,wisdom which has been supposed to have become stale1 and not in force1 is like all the counsels of ,god1 in force as much today as it ever was4 ,there is life1 everlasting life in it--the life which now is and the life which is to come4 #ab3bji4 ,it is a piece of good counsel which the ,lord desires his people to observe1 that they may live on the earth until the measure of their creation is full4 ,this is the object the ,lord had in view in giving that ,word of ,wisdom4 ,to those who observe it he will give great wisdom and understanding1 increasing their health1 giving strength and endurance to the faculties of their bodies and minds until they shall be full of years upon the earth4 ,this will be their blessing if they will observe his word with a good and willing heart and in faithfulness before the ,lord4 #ab3aef4 ,mankind would not become attached to these unnecessary articles were it not for the poison they contain4 ,the poisonous or narcotic properties in spirits1 tobacco and tea are the cause of their being so much liked by those who use them4 #ac3bgf4 ,i say to all the ,elders of ,israel1 if it makes you sick and so sleepy that you cannot keep out of bed unless you have tobacco1 go to bed and there lie4 ,how long8 ,until you can get up and go to your business like rational men1 like men who have heads on their shoulders and who are not controlled by their foolish appetites4 ,i have said to my family1 and ,i now say to all the sisters in the ,church1 if you cannot get up and do your washing without a cup of tea in the morning1 go to bed1 and there lie4 ,how long8 #bhf ,until the influence of tea is out of the system4 ,will it take a month8 ,no matter if it does2 if it takes three months1 six months1 or a year1 it is better to lie there in bed until the influence of tea1 coffee and liquor is out of the system1 so that you may go about your business like rational persons1 than to give way to these foolish habits4 ,they are destructive to the human system2 they filch money from our pockets1 and they deprive the poor of the necessaries of life4 #ac3bgh4 ,the sisters may inquire1 ,what can we do8 ,rule your own passions1 and exercise faith until you can govern and control your appetites1 instead of drinking tea1 coffee1 and hot drinks4 ,that is one of the smallest duties ,i can think of4 ,permit your bodies to have natural forms2 also take pains to have the bodies of your daughters grow naturally1 and teach them what they are made for1 and that they1 through faith1 must overcome every besetting sin and every unholy passion and appetite4 #h3bhc4 ,and now that we have commenced to observe the ,word of ,wisdom1 never treat resolution with a cup of tea or coffee1 for as sure as you treat resolution once1 it will plead hard for a treat again4 ,keep the ,word of ,wisdom--help the poor1 feed the hungry1 and clothe the naked4 ,never let it be said of the ,territory of ,utah that a poor person had to go to the second house for a morsel to eat4 #ab3ed-ee4 ,many of our sisters think they cannot live without tea4 ,i will tell you what we can do--,i have frequently said it to my brethren and sisters--if they cannot live without tea1 coffee1 brandy1 whiskey1 wine1 beer1 tobacco1 etc41 they can die without them4 ,this is beyond controversy4 ,if we had the determination that we should have1 we would live without them or die without them4 ,let the mother #bhg impregnate her system with these narcotic influences when she is bringing forth a family on the earth1 and what does she do8 ,she lays the foundation of weakness1 palpitation of the heart1 nervous affections1 and many other ills and diseases in the system of her offspring that will afflict them from the cradle to the grave4 ,is this righteous or unrighteous1 good or evil8 ,let my sisters ask and answer the question for themselves1 and the conclusion which each and every one of them may come to is this1 ,if ,i do an injury to my child1 ,i sin4 #ac3bgf4 ,last week ,i received a note in which was enclosed three dollars from a sister2 ,i cannot tell her name1 for she did not give it4 ,she said she had not drunk any tea since ,conference1 and she had saved about three dollars1 which she enclosed for me to do good with4 ,i felt ,god bless her1 and she will be blessed as sure as she lives4 #ab3eb4 ,if you observe faithfully the ,word of ,wisdom1 you will have your dollar1 your five dollars1 your hundred dollars1 yea1 you will have your hundreds of dollars to spend for that which will be useful and profitable to you4 ,why should we continue to practice in our lives those pernicious habits that have already sapped the foundation of the human constitution1 and shortened the life of man to that degree that a generation passes away in the brief period of from twenty-seven to twenty-nine years8 ,the strength1 power1 beauty and glory that once adorned that form and constitution of man have vanished away before the blighting influences of inordinate appetite and love of this world4 ,the health and power and beauty that once adorned the noble form of man must again be restored to our race2 and ,god designs that we shall engage in this great work of restoration4 ,then let us not trifle with our mission1 by indulging in the use #bhh of injurious substances4 ,these lay the foundation of disease and death in the systems of men1 and the same are committed to their children1 and another generation of feeble human beings is introduced into the world4 ,such children have insufficient bone1 sinew1 muscle1 and constitution1 and are of little use to themselves1 or to their fellow creatures2 they are not prepared for life4 #ab3aah4 ,a man who indulges in any habit that is pernicious to the general good in its example and influence1 is not only an enemy to himself but to the community so far as the influence of that habit goes4 ,a man who would not sacrifice a pernicious habit for the good it would do the community is1 to say the least of it1 lukewarm in his desires and wishes for public and general improvement4 ,so we see that almost the very first teachings the first ,elders of this ,church received were as to what to eat1 what to drink1 and how to order their natural lives that they might be united temporally as well as spiritually4 ,this is the great purpose which ,god has in view in sending to the world1 by his servants1 the ,gospel of life and salvation4 #ab3aeh4 ,there is more strength and nutriment in a bowl of water gruel than there is in tea2 and there is no unhealthy influence in the water gruel1 but there is in tea and coffee4 #aa3cej4 ,live ,long4 ,take care of yourselves1 and live as long as you can1 and do all the good you can4 #d3cjb4 ,the first principle that pertains to the intelligence ,god has bestowed upon us is to know how to preserve the present organization with which we are endowed4 ,it is man's first duty to his existence1 a knowledge of which would cause him to use all prudent efforts for the preservation #bhi of his life on the earth until his work here is completed4 #h3bha4 ,prepare to die1 is not the exhortation in this ,church and ,kingdom2 but prepare to live is the word with us1 and improve all we can in the life hereafter1 wherein we may enjoy a more exalted condition of intelligence1 wisdom1 light1 knowledge1 power1 glory1 and exaltation4 ,then let us seek to extend the present life to the uttermost1 by observing every law of health1 and by properly balancing labor1 study1 rest1 and recreation1 and thus prepare for a better life4 ,let us teach these principles to our children1 that1 in the morning of their days1 they may be taught to lay the foundation of health and strength and constitution and power of life in their bodies4 #aa3acb4 ,this is the duty of the human family1 instead of wasting their lives and the lives of their fellow-beings1 and the precious time ,god has given us to improve our minds and bodies by observing the laws of life1 so that the longevity of the human family may begin to return4 ,by and by1 according to the ,scriptures1 the days of a man shall be like the days of a tree4 ,but in those days people will not eat and drink as they do now2 if they do their days will not be like a tree1 unless it be a very short-lived tree4 ,this is our business4 #ad3hi4 ,we are trying to become natural in our habits1 and are striving to fulfil the end and design of our creation4 #ac3bcc4 ,the fathers and mothers have laid the foundation for many of these diseases1 from generation to generation1 until the people are reduced to their present condition4 ,true1 some live to from fifty to ninety years of age1 but it is an unusual circumstance to see a man an hundred years old1 or a woman ninety4 ,the people have laid the foundation of #bij short life through their diet1 their rest1 their labor1 and their doing this1 that1 and the other in a wrong manner1 with improper motives1 and at improper times4 #b3bfi4 ,you1 mothers and daughters in ,israel1 who are taking this course1 how do you expect to live to accomplish the work the ,lord has assigned you8 ,you get up in the morning and have your cup of tea1 your fried ham1 your cold beef and mince pies1 and everything you can possibly cram into the stomach1 until you surfeit the system and lay the foundation for disease and early death4 ,says the mother--,do eat1 my little daughter1 you are sick2 take a piece of pie1 toast1 or meat1 or drink a little tea or coffee2 you must take something or other4 ,mothers in ,israel1 such a course engenders disease1 and you are laying a foundation that will cut off one-half or two-thirds of the lives of your children4 #ab3cg4 ,eating for ,health--,instead of doing two days' work in one day1 wisdom would dictate to our sisters1 and to every other person1 that if they desire long life and good health1 they must1 after sufficient exertion1 allow the body to rest before it is entirely exhausted4 ,when exhausted1 some argue that they need stimulants in the shape of tea1 coffee1 spirituous liquors1 tobacco1 or some of those narcotic substances which are often taken to goad on the lagging powers to greater exertions4 ,but instead of these kind of stimulants they should recruit by rest4 ,work less1 wear less1 eat less1 and we shall be a great deal wiser1 healthier1 and wealthier people than by taking the course we now do4 ,it is difficult to find anything more healthy to drink than good cold water1 such as flows down to us from springs and snows of our mountains4 ,this is the beverage we should drink4 ,it should be our drink at all times4 ,if we #bia constantly drink even malt liquor made from our barley and wheat1 our health would be injured more or less thereby4 ,it may be remarked that some men who use spirituous liquors and tobacco are healthy1 but ,i argue that they would be much more healthy if they did not use it1 and then they are entitled to the blessings promised to those who observe the advice given in the ,word of ,wisdom4 ,some few persons who have been addicted to the use of hot drinks1 etc4 have reached the age of eighty1 eighty-three1 and eighty-four years1 but had they not been addicted to such habits of living they might have reached the age of an hundred or an hundred and five years4 #ab3abb4 ,i do not mean to go without food and go to fasting4 ,this is the other extreme4 ,a sufficient amount of food that will agree with the-stomach is healthy1 and should be partaken of4 ,aged or middle aged1 youth or children1 never should go without food until their stomachs are faint1 demanding something to sustain their systems1 and continue to undergo this2 for this lays the foundation of weakness1 and this weakness will tempt disease4 ,but keep the stomach in a perfectly healthy condition4 ,now ,i do not mean fasting1 but eating moderately2 and if my sisters will go home and commence to adopt this rule1 you will find that you begin to get better1 your children and neighbors will get better4 ,we do not expect all to be free from sickness4 ,i have had a great deal of sickness in my life4 ,i do not expect to be free from the ills1 the weakness1 debility and disease that prey upon the human family1 but we can amend our ways1 and amend our life by being prudent2 and ,i wish the sisters to understand this1 and to adopt these instructions4 #ai3fh4 ,the citizens of this city are tolerably comfortable2 a #bib great many of them have an abundance of fruit1 and they enjoy it4 ,it is very healthy for them and their children to eat in the season thereof4 #aa3ada4 ,as we got richer and built warm houses1 and have lived more richly1 indulging in sweet cake1 plum pudding1 roast beef and so on1 we have had more or less disease among us4 #ac3acb4 ,go into their houses and you will find beef1 pork1 apple pie1 custard pie1 pumpkin pie1 mince pie1 and every luxury1 and they live so as to shorten their days and the days of their children4 ,you may think that these things are not of much importance2 no more they are1 unless they are observed1 but let the people observe them and they lay the foundation for longevity1 and they will begin to live out their days1 not only a hundred years1 but1 by and by1 hundreds of years on the earth4 ,do you think they will stuff themselves then with tea and coffee1 and perhaps with a little brandy sling before breakfast and a little before going to bed1 and then beef1 pork1 mutton1 sweet meats1 and pastry1 morning1 noon and night8 ,no2 you will find they will live as our first parents did1 on fruits and on a little simple food1 and they will never overload the stomach4 #ab3cg4 ,suppose ,i happen to say1 ,come1 wife1 let us have a good dinner today2 what does she get8 ,pork and beef boiled1 stewed1 roasted1 and fried potatoes1 onions1 cabbage1 and turnips1 custard1 eggs1 pies of all kinds1 cheese and sweet meats4 #b3bfi4 ,a thorough reformation is needed in regard to our eating and drinking1 and on this point ,i will freely express myself1 and shall be glad if the people will hear1 believe and obey4 ,if the people were willing to receive the true knowledge from heaven in regard to their diet they would cease #bic eating swine's flesh4 ,i know this as well as ,moses knew it1 and without putting it in a code of commandments4 ,the beef fed upon our mountain grasses is as healthy food as we need at present4 ,beef1 so fattened1 is as good as wild meat1 and is quite different in its nature from stall-fed meat4 ,but we can eat fish2 and ,i ask the people of this community1 ,who hinders you from raising fowls for their eggs8 ,who hinders you from cultivating fruit of every variety that will flourish in the different parts of this ,territory8 ,there has not been a day through the whole winter that ,i have not had fresh peaches1 and plenty of apples and strawberries4 ,who hinders any person in this community from having these different kinds of food in their families8 ,fish is as healthy a food as we can eat1 if we except vegetables and fruit1 and with them will become a very wholesome diet4 #ab3aib4 ,when we go on a trip to the settlements and stop at the brethren's houses1 it is1 ,brother ,brigham1 let us manifest our feelings towards you and your company4 ,i tell them to do so1 but give me a piece of ,johnny-cake2 ,i would rather have it than their pies and tarts and sweet meats4 ,let me have something that will sustain nature and leave my stomach and whole system clear to receive the ,spirit of the ,lord and be free from headache and pains of every kind4 ,the ,americans1 as a nation1 are killing themselves with their vices and high living4 ,as much as a man ought to eat in half an hour they swallow in three minutes1 gulping down their food like the canine quadruped under the table1 which1 when a chunk of meat is thrown down to it1 swallows it before you can say twice4 ,if you want a reform1 carry out the advice ,i have just given you4 ,dispense #bid with your multitudinous dishes1 and1 depend upon it1 you will do much towards preserving your families from sickness1 disease and death4 ,if this method were adopted in this community1 ,i will venture to say that it would add ten years to the lives of our children4 ,that is worth a great deal4 #ac3aec-aed4 ,if the days of man are to begin to return1 we must cease all extravagant living4 ,when men live to the age of a tree1 their food will be fruit4 ,mothers1 to produce offspring full of life and days1 must cease drinking liquor1 tea1 and coffee1 that their systems may be free from bad effects4 ,if every woman in this ,church will now cease drinking tea1 coffee1 liquor1 and all other powerful stimulants1 and live upon vegetables1 etc4 not many generations will pass away before the days of man will again return4 ,but it will take generations to eradicate entirely the influences of deleterious substances4 #h3fc4 ,living out-of-,doors--,people need not be afraid of living out of doors1 nor sleeping out of doors4 ,this country is much healthier than the lowlands in the ,states1 or than many places in the ,old ,world4 #d3ib4 ,good pure air is the greatest sustainer of animal life4 ,other elements of life we can dispense with for a time1 but this seems to be essential every moment2 hence the necessity of well ventilated dwelling-houses1 especially the rooms occupied for sleeping4 ,you can live without water and food longer than you can without air1 and water is of more importance than meat and bread4 #h3afh4 ,the out-door air is what the people need for health1 it is good for them to camp out4 ,close houses are injurious to the health2 if our houses were every one of them levelled to the ground1 and we were obliged to live in our wagons #bie and tents1 the people would be healthier1 from year to year1 than they are now4 ,good houses are comfortable and very convenient1 and please our feelings1 and are tolerably healthful when properly ventilated4 #b3bhd4 ,what gives the people colds and makes them sick8 ,you hear many say ,i had not had a cold this fall1 until ,i came into our new house4 ,brethren and sisters that have come into the city from living in the canyons1 and those who have arrived from the ,states this season1 have not been troubled with colds until they came into warm houses2 that gives them colds1 by depriving their lungs of the benefit they are organized to receive from the atmosphere4 #d3ia4 ,we should have plenty of pure1 fresh air4 ,if children are kept in close bed-rooms1 they become puny and weakly4 ,let them sleep where they can have abundance of pure air1 in well ventilated rooms1 or out of doors1 in the summer time1 in a safe place2 it will be most beneficial for their health4 #ab3bah4 ,exercise and ,mental ,vigor--,do you know that it is your privilege so to live that your minds may all the time be perfectly within your control8 ,study to preserve your bodies in life and health1 and you will be able to control your minds4 #h3ace4 ,my mind becomes tired1 and perhaps some of yours do4 ,if so1 go and exercise your bodies4 #f3adh4 ,in the eastern country there was a man who used to go crazy1 at times1 and then come to his senses again4 ,one of his neighbors asked him what made him go crazy2 he replied1 ,i get to thinking1 and thinking1 until finally ,i think so far that ,i am not always able to think back again4 ,can you think too much for the spirit which is put in the tabernacle8 #bif ,you can1 and this is a subject which ,i wish the brethren instructed upon1 and the people to understand4 ,the spirit is the intelligent part of man1 and is intimately connected with the tabernacle4 ,let this intelligent part labor to excess1 and it will eventually overcome the tabernacle1 the equilibrium will be destroyed1 and the whole organization deranged4 ,many people have deranged themselves by thinking too much4 ,the thinking part is the immortal or invisible portion1 and it is that which performs the mental labor2 then the tabernacle1 which is formed and organized for that express purpose1 brings about or effects the result of that mental labor4 ,let the body work with the mind1 and let them both labor fairly together1 and1 with but few exceptions1 you will have a strong-minded1 athletic individual1 powerful both physically and mentally4 ,when you find the thinking faculty perfectly active1 in a healthy person1 it should put the physical organization into active operation1 and the result of the reflection is carried out1 and the object is accomplished4 ,in such a person you will see mental and physical health and strength combined1 in their perfection4 #c3bdg4 ,as for health1 it is far healthier to walk than to ride1 and better every way for the people4 #d3ajc4 ,many persons are so constituted1 that if you put them in a parlor1 keep a good fire for them1 furnish them tea1 cake1 sweet meats1 etc41 and nurse them tenderly1 soaking their feet1 and putting them to bed1 they will die in a short time2 but throw them into snow banks1 and they will live a great many years4 ,brother ,heywood would have been in his grave long ago1 if he had not led an out-door life1 and #big such is the case with others2 but he is again here1 and we have the privilege of seeing him4 #d3bie4 ,physiological ,differences--,the study and practice of anatomy and surgery are very good2 they are mechanical1 and are frequently needed4 ,do you not think it is necessary to give medicine sometimes8 ,yes1 ,i can see the faces of this congregation1 but ,i do not see two alike2 and if ,i could look into your nervous systems and behold the operations of disease1 from the crowns of your heads to the soles of your feet1 ,i should behold the same difference that ,i see in your physiognomy--there would be no two precisely alike4 ,doctors make experiments1 and if they find a medicine that will have the desired effect on one person1 they set it down that it is good for everybody1 but it is not so1 for upon the second person that medicine is administered to1 seemingly with the same disease1 it might produce death4 ,if you do not know this1 you have not had the experience that ,i have4 ,i say that unless a man or woman who administers medicine to assist the human system to overcome disease1 understands1 and has that intuitive knowledge1 by the ,spirit1 that such an article is good for that individual at that very time1 they had better let him alone4 ,let the sick do without eating1 take a little of something to cleanse the stomach1 bowels and blood1 and wait patiently1 and let nature have time to gain the advantage over the disease4 #ae3bbe4 ,feeding ,children--,now1 mothers1 if you want to do good1 do not let your sons and daughters drink either tea or coffee1 while under your protection4 #aa3ceb4 ,some mothers1 when bearing children1 long for tea and coffee1 or for brandy and other strong drinks1 and if they give way to that influence the next time they will want #bih more1 and the next still more1 and thus lay the foundation for drunkenness in their offspring4 ,an appetite is engendered1 bred1 and born in the child1 and it is a miracle if it does not grow up a confirmed drunkard4 #b3bgj4 ,infants1 children1 youth1 young men1 and young women1 thousands and tens of thousands of them1 go to an untimely grave through the diseases engendered in their systems by their progenitors4 #ac3bgf4 ,sisters1 will you take notice1 and instruct those who are not here today1 to adopt this rule--stop your children from eating meat1 and especially fat meat2 let them have composition to drink1 instead of unhealthy water2 let them eat a little milk porridge2 let them eat sparingly and not oppress the stomach so as to create a fever4 ,no matter whether it is a child or a middle-aged person1 whenever the stomach is over-loaded and charged with more than is required it creates a fever2 this fever creates sickness1 until death relieves the sufferer4 #ai3fh4 ,many husbands are made sick and many children are sent to an untimely grave through eating badly prepared food1 the result of ignorance or carelessness4 #aj3bh4 ,children should have milk1 bread1 water1 and potatoes2 and everything that would lay the foundation for disease should be strenuously kept from their stomachs1 that no appetites may be formed for pernicious substances1 which1 when formed1 cannot be overcome easily1 if at all4 #b3ba4 ,i will tell you how you can enjoy health4 ,you let your children have a little milk in the morning4 ,give them a little bread with it--not soft bread2 teach your children to eat crust--hard baked bread1 that the ,americans would call stale1 but the ,english would not4 ,teach them to eat this1 #bii and to eat sparingly4 ,instead of drinking unhealthy water1 boil such water1 and let it stand until it is cool4 ,if the children are in the least troubled with summer complaint1 and are weak in their bowels1 make a weak composition tea1 sweeten it with loaf sugar and put a little nice cream in it2 and let the children make a practice of drinking composition instead of cold water4 ,mothers1 keep the children from eating meat2 and let them eat vegetables that are fully matured1 not unripe1 and bread that is well baked1 not soft4 ,do not put your loaf into the oven with a fire hot enough to burn it before it is baked through1 but with a slow heat1 and let it remain until it is perfectly baked2 and ,i would prefer1 for my own eating1 each and every loaf to be not thicker than my two hands--you tell how thick they are--and ,i would want the crust as thick as my hand4 #ai3fg4 ,be careful of your bodies2 be prudent in laying out your energies1 for when you are old you will need the strength and power you are now wasting4 ,preserve your lives4 ,until you know and practice this1 you are not thoroughly good soldiers nor wise stewards4 #h3acf-acg4 #cjj ,,chapter ,,xvii ,,the ,,family ,virtue--,purity preserves1 sustains and increases4 #af3ajh4 ,the principle of pure affection is the gift of ,god1 and it is for us to learn to control it and exercise proper dominion over it4 #f3adi4 ,learn the will of ,god1 keep his commandments and do his will1 and you will be a virtuous person4 #c3bjd4 ,any man who humbles a daughter of ,eve to rob her of her virtue1 and cast her off dishonored and defiled1 is her destroyer1 and is responsible to ,god for the deed4 ,if the refined ,christian society of the nineteenth century will tolerate such a crime1 ,god will not2 but he will call the perpetrator to an account4 ,he will be damned2 in hell he will lift up his eyes1 being in torment1 until he has paid the uttermost farthing1 and made a full atonement for his sins4 #aa3bfh4 ,the defiler of the innocent is the one who should be branded with infamy and cast out from respectable society1 and shunned as a pest1 or1 as a contagious disease1 is shunned4 ,the doors of respectable families should be closed against him1 and he should be frowned upon by all high-minded and virtuous persons4 ,wealth1 influence and position should not screen him from their righteous indignation4 ,his sin is one of the blackest in the calendar of crime1 and he should be cast down from the high pinnacle of respectability and consideration1 to find his place among the worst of felons4 #aa3bfg4 ,i would rather follow her to the grave1 and send her #cja home pure1 than suffer my daughter to be prostituted4 ,i will not suffer any female member of my family to be polluted through the corruptions of wicked men4 #b3cbb4 ,ever since ,i knew that my mother was a woman ,i loved the sex1 and delighted in their chastity4 ,the man who abuses1 or tries to bring dishonor upon the female sex is a fool1 and does not know that his mother and his sisters were women4 #ab3aid4 ,marriage--,let every man in the land over eighteen years of age take a wife1 and then go to work with your hands and cultivate the earth1 or labor at some mechanical business1 or some honest trade to provide an honest living for yourselves and those who depend upon you for their subsistence2 observing temperance1 and loving truth and virtue2 then would the woman be cared for1 be nourished1 honored and blest1 becoming honorable mothers of a race of men and women farther advanced in physical and mental perfection than their fathers4 ,this would create a revolution in our country1 and would produce results that would be of incalculable good4 #ab3aid-aie4 ,young men1 fit you up a little log cabin1 if it is not more than ten feet square1 and then get you a bird to put in your little cage4 ,you can then work all day with satisfaction to yourself considering that you have a home to go to1 and a loving heart to welcome you4 ,you will then have something to encourage you to labor and gather around you the comforts of life1 and a place to gather them to4 ,strive to make your little home attractive4 ,use lime freely1 and let your houses nestle beneath the cool shades of trees1 and be made fragrant with perfume of flowers4 #ab3bjd4 ,the ,lord says--,let my servants and handmaidens be sealed1 and let their children be sealed4 #ab3afd4 #cjb ,we understand that we are to be made kings and priests unto ,god2 now if ,i be made the king and lawgiver to my family1 and if ,i have many sons1 ,i shall become the father of many fathers1 for they will have sons1 and their sons will have sons1 and so on1 from generation to generation1 and1 in this way1 ,i may become the father of many fathers1 or the king of many kings4 ,this will constitute every man a prince1 king1 lord1 or whatever the ,father sees fit to confer upon us4 ,in this way we can become king of kings1 and lord of lords1 or father of fathers1 or prince of princes1 and this is the only course1 for another man is not going to raise up a kingdom for you4 #c3bfe-bff4 ,but the whole subject of the marriage relation is not in my reach1 nor in any other man's reach on this earth4 ,it is without beginning of days or end of years2 it is a hard matter to reach4 ,we can tell some things with regard to it2 it lays the foundation for worlds1 for angels1 and for the ,gods2 for intelligent beings to be crowned with glory1 immortality1 and eternal lives4 ,in fact1 it is the thread which runs from the beginning to the end of the holy ,gospel of ,salvation--of the ,gospel of the ,son of ,god2 it is from eternity to eternity4 #b3ij4 ,when a man and woman have received their endowments and sealings,a1 and then had children born to them afterwards1 those children are legal heirs to the ,kingdom and to all its blessings and promises1 and they are the only ones that are on this earth4 ,there is not a young man in our community who would not be willing to travel from here to ,england to be married right1 if he understood things as they are2 there is not a young woman in our community1 #cjc who loves the ,gospel and wishes its blessings1 that would be married in any other way2 they would live unmarried until they could be married as they should be1 if they lived until they were as old as ,sarah before she had ,isaac born to her4 ,many of our brethren have married off their children without taking this into consideration1 and thinking it a matter of little importance4 ,i wish we all understood this in the light in which heaven understands it4 #aa3aah4 ,footnote ,a3 ,in the ,temple--,for ,eternity4 ,our children who are born in the ,priesthood are legal heirs1 and entitled to the revelations of the ,lord1 and as the ,lord lives1 his angels have charge over them1 though they may be left to themselves occasionally4 #ab3agd4 ,there is no ecclesiastical law that you know anything about1 to free a wife from a man to whom she has been sealed1 if he honors his ,priesthood4 #h3cde4 ,i will give each of the young men in ,israel1 who have arrived at an age to marry1 a mission to go straightway and get married to a good sister1 fence a city lot1 lay out garden and orchard and make a home4 ,this is the mission that ,i give to all young men in ,israel4 ,and ,i say to you1 sisters1 if you do not know how to milk a cow1 you can soon learn4 ,if you do not know how to feed the cows1 you can learn4 ,if you do not know how to feed the chickens1 get them and learn how1 and if your husband takes you to live in ever so small and humble a cottage1 make it neat and nice and clean1 and set out flowers around the doors1 and let the husband plant fruit trees and shade trees1 and let wives help their husbands that they may be encouraged to take hold of more important business that will create an income sufficient to sustain their wives1 and by economy and care become wealthy in a short time1 and have your carriage to ride in4 ,what a satisfaction it will be to you to know that #cjd what you possess is the result of your industry and economy4 #ab3bjj-bja4 ,do ,not ,marry ,unbelievers--,be careful1 ,o ye mothers in ,israel1 and do not teach your daughters in future1 as many of them have been taught1 to marry out of ,israel4 ,woe to you who do it2 you will lose your crowns as sure as ,god lives4 #ab3ig4 ,what was the cause of the first1 or one of the first1 curses that came upon ,israel8 ,i will tell you4 ,one of the first transgressions of the family called ,israel1 was their going to other families or other nations to select partners4 ,this was one of the great mistakes made by the children of ,abraham1 ,isaac and ,jacob1 for they would go and marry with other families1 although the ,lord had forbidden them to do so1 and had given them a very strict and stringent law on the subject4 ,he commanded them not to marry among the ,gentiles1 but they did and would do it4 ,inasmuch as they would not do what he required of them1 then he gave them what ,i call a portion of the law of carnal commandments4 ,this law told them what they might and whom they might not marry4 ,it was referred to by the ,savior and his ,apostles and it was a grievous yoke to place on the necks of any people2 but as the children of this family would run after ,babylon1 and after the pride and the vanity and evils of the world1 and seek to introduce them into ,israel1 the ,lord saw fit to place this burden upon them4 #af3aaa4 ,how is it with you1 sisters8 ,do you distinguish between a man of ,god and a man of the world8 ,it is one of the strangest things that happens in my existence1 to think that any man or woman can love a being that will not receive the truth of heaven4 ,the love this ,gospel produces #cje is far above the love of women2 it is the love of ,god--the love of eternity--of eternal lives4 #h3aii-bjj4 ,birth ,control--,there are multitudes of pure and holy spirits waiting to take tabernacles1 now what is our duty8--,to prepare tabernacles for them2 to take a course that will not tend to drive those spirits into the families of the wicked1 where they will be trained in wickedness1 debauchery1 and every species of crime4 ,it is the duty of every righteous man and woman to prepare tabernacles for all the spirits they can4 #d3ef4 ,this is the reason why the doctrine of plurality of wives was revealed1 that the noble spirits which are waiting for tabernacles might be brought forth4 #d3ef4 ,to check the increase of our race has its advocates among the influential and powerful circles of society in our nation and in other nations4 ,the same practice existed forty-five years ago1 and various devices were used by married persons to prevent the expenses and responsibilities of a family of children1 which they must have incurred had they suffered nature's laws to rule preeminent4 ,that which was practiced then in fear and against reproving conscience1 is now boldly trumpeted abroad as one of the best means of ameliorating the miseries and sorrows of humanity4 ,infanticide is very prevalent in our nation4 ,it is a crime that comes within the purview of the law1 and is therefore not so boldly practiced as is the other equally great crime1 which no doubt1 to a great extent1 prevents the necessity of infanticide4 ,the unnatural style of living1 the extensive use of narcotics1 the attempts to destroy and dry up the fountains of life1 are fast destroying the ,american element of the nation2 it is passing away before the increase of the more healthy1 robust1 honest1 and less sinful class of the #cjf people which are pouring into the country daily from the ,old ,world4 ,the wife of the servant man is the mother of eight or ten healthy children1 while the wife of his master is the mother of one or two poor1 sickly children1 devoid of vitality and constitution1 and1 if daughters1 unfit1 in their turn1 to be mothers1 and the health and vitality which nature has denied them through the irregularities of their parents are not repaired in the least by their education4 #ab3abj-aba4 ,the ,husband--,let the father be the head of the family1 the master of his own household2 and let him treat them as an angel would treat them2 and let the wives and the children say amen to what he says1 and be subject to his dictates1 instead of their dictating the man1 instead of their trying to govern him4 #d3ee4 ,now let me say to the ,first ,presidency1 to the ,apostles1 to all the ,bishops in ,israel1 and to every quorum1 and especially to those who are presiding officers1 ,set that example before your wives and your children1 before your neighbors and this people1 that you can say3 ,follow me1 as ,i follow ,christ4 ,when we do this1 all is right1 and our consciences are clear6 #ae3bbi4 ,i exhort you1 masters1 fathers1 and husbands1 to be affectionate and kind to those you preside over4 ,and let them be obedient1 let the wife be subject to her husband1 and the children to their parents4 ,mothers1 let your minds be sanctified before the ,lord1 for this is the commencement1 the true foundation of a proper education in your children1 the beginning point to form a disposition in your offspring1 that will bring honor1 glory1 comfort1 and satisfaction to you all your life time4 #a3fi4 ,let the husband and father learn to bend his will to the #cjg will of his ,god1 and then instruct his wives and children in this lesson of self-government by his example as well as by precept1 and his neighbors also1 showing them how to be brave and steadfast1 in subduing the rebellious and sinful disposition4 ,such a course as this will eventually subdue that unhallowed influence which works upon the human heart4 #i3bef4 ,it is for the husband to learn how to gather around his family the comforts of life1 how to control his passions and temper1 and how to command the respect1 not only of his family but of all his brethren1 sisters1 and friends4 ,it is the calling of the wife and mother to know what to do with everything that is brought into the house1 laboring to make her home desirable to her husband and children1 making herself an ,eve in the midst of a little paradise of her own creating1 securing her husband's love and confidence1 and tying her offspring to herself1 with a love that is stronger than death1 for an everlasting inheritance4 #aj3bh4 ,let the husband make an improvement upon his kitchen and pantry and upon his bedrooms for the benefit of his family1 and improve his gardens1 walks1 etc41 beautifying your habitations and their surroundings1 making pavements and planting shade trees4 #aj3agg4 ,i have been into houses which have not had the least convenience for the women1 not so much as a bench to set their water pails on1 and they have to set them on the floor1 and yet their husbands will sit there year after year1 and never make so much improvement as a bench to set the pail on4 ,yet they have the ability1 but they will not exercise it4 #ah3ge4 ,the father should be full of kindness1 and endeavor to #cjh happify and cheer the mother1 that her heart may be comforted and her affections unimpaired in her earthly protector1 that her love for ,god and righteousness may vibrate throughout her whole being1 that she may bear and bring forth offspring impressed and endowed with all the qualities necessary to a being designed to reign king of kings and lord of lords4 #h3fb4 ,the ,wife--,you cannot read in the ,bible that women take the lead--that the responsibility is upon the women1 for it is not so4 #i3adc4 ,one thing is very true and we believe it1 and that is that a woman is the glory of the man2 but she was not made to be worshiped by him4 ,as the ,scriptures say1 ,man is not without the woman1 neither is woman without the man in the ,lord4 ,yet woman was not made to be worshiped anymore than man was4 ,woman has her influence1 and she should use that in training her children in the way they should go2 if she fails to do this she assumes fearful responsibilities4 #ad3ajf4 ,i have a word to say to my sisters4 ,when ,i reflect upon the duties and responsibilities devolving upon our mothers and sisters1 and the influence they wield1 ,i look upon them as the mainspring and soul of our being here4 ,it is true that man is first4 ,father ,adam was placed here as king of the earth1 to bring it into subjection4 ,but when ,mother ,eve came she had a splendid influence over him4 ,a great many have thought it was not very good2 ,i think it was excellent4 ,now1 ,i say the women have great influence4 ,look at the nations of the earth4 ,any nation you like1 no matter which1 and you enlist the sympathies of the female portion of it and what is there you cannot perform8 ,if the government wants soldiers1 they are on hand2 if means1 it is forthcoming4 #cji ,if you want influence and power1 and have the ladies on your side1 they will give it you4 #ad3ajb4 ,now1 a few words directly to my sisters here in the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,we want your influence and power in helping to build up that ,kingdom and what ,i wish to say to you is simply this1 if you will govern and control yourselves in all things in accordance with good1 sound1 common sense and the principles of truth and righteousness1 there is not the least fear but what father1 uncle1 grandfather1 brothers1 and sons will follow in the wake4 #ad3ajb4 ,you ought to love a woman only so far as she adorns the doctrine you profess4 #c3cfj4 ,the mothers are the moving instruments in the hands of ,providence to guide the destinies of nations4 ,let the mothers of any nation teach their children not to make war1 the children would grow up and never enter into it4 ,let the mothers teach their children1 ,war1 war upon your enemies1 yes1 war to the hilt6 and they will be filled with this spirit4 ,consequently1 you see at once what ,i wish to impress upon your mind is1 that the mothers are the machinery that give zest to the whole man1 and guide the destinies and lives of men upon the earth4 #ai3gb4 ,it is the right of the mother who labors in the kitchen1 with her little prattling children around1 to enjoy the ,spirit of ,christ1 and to know her duty with regard to those children2 but it is not her duty and privilege to dictate to her husband in his duties and business4 ,if that mother or wife enjoys the gift and power of the ,holy ,ghost1 she will never intrude upon the rights of her husband4 ,it is the right and privilege of the husband to know his duty with regard to his wives and children1 his flocks and his herds1 his fields and his possessions2 though ,i have seen women who1 ,i #caj thought1 actually knew more about the business of life than their husbands themselves did1 and were really more capable of directing a farm1 the building of a house1 and the management of flocks and herds1 etc41 than the men were2 but if men were to live up to their privileges this would not be the case2 for it is their right to1 claim the light of truth and that intelligence and knowledge necessary to enable them to carry on every branch of their business successfully4 #aa3ace4 ,study order and cleanliness in your various occupations4 ,adorn your city and neighborhood4 ,make your homes lovely1 and adorn your hearts with the grace of ,god4 #h3big4 ,you may say that it is hard work to please a man2 yes1 and woman too4 ,but when a man does his duty in providing for a family1 there can reasonably be but little complaint on the part of any sensible woman4 #d3cad4 ,many of the sisters grieve because they are not blessed with offspring4 ,you will see the time when you will have millions of children around you4 ,if you are faithful to your covenants1 you will be mothers of nations4 #h3bjh4 ,it is your right1 wives1 to ask your husbands to set out beautiful shade and fruit trees1 and to get you some vines and flowers with which to adorn the outside of your dwellings2 and if your husbands have not time1 get them yourselves and plant them out4 ,some1 perhaps1 will say1 ,o1 ,i have nothing but a log house1 and it is not worth that4 ,yes2 it is worth it4 ,whitewash and plaster it up1 and get vines to run over the door1 so that everybody who passes will say1 ,what a lovely little cottage6 ,this is your privilege and ,i wish you to exercise yourselves in your own rights4 #ad3aje4 #caa ,it is not my general practice to counsel the sisters to disobey their husbands1 but my counsel is--obey your husbands2 and ,i am sanguine and most emphatic on that subject4 ,but ,i never counseled a woman to follow her husband to the ,devil4 ,if a man is determined to expose the lives of his friends1 let that man go to the ,devil and to destruction alone4 #a3gg4 ,a few words to the sisters1 you mothers who are trifling with the ordinances of the house of ,god1 and the blessings that are proffered to you1 ,i will say that the time will come1 if you persist in doing so1 when you will mourn1 and will be willing to give worlds1 if you possessed them1 for the privilege of living your lives over again4 ,some of you are treating with contempt the oracles of the ,kingdom of ,god upon the earth1 and in the commission of this sin you trifle with your own salvation1 as well as the salvation of your children4 ,repent1 and turn unto ,god1 and teach your children the importance of doing the same1 and of the sacredness of the ordinances and the laws of ,god4 #ah3bfc4 ,the duty of the mother is to watch over her children and give them their early education1 for impressions received in infancy are lasting4 ,you know1 yourselves1 by experience1 that the impressions you have received in the dawn of your mortal existence1 bear1 to this day1 with the greatest weight upon your mind4 ,the child reposes implicit confidence in the mother1 you behold in him a natural attachment1 no matter what her appearance may be1 that makes him think his mother is the best and handsomest mother in the world4 ,i speak for myself4 ,children have all confidence in their mothers2 and if mothers would take proper pains1 they can instill into the hearts of their children what they please4 ,you will1 no doubt1 recollect reading1 in the #cab ,book of ,mormon1 of two thousand young men1 who were brought up to believe that1 if they put their whole trust in ,god1 and served him1 no power would overcome them4 ,you also recollect reading of them going out to fight1 and so bold were they1 and so mighty their faith1 that it was impossible for their enemies to slay them4 ,this power and faith they obtained through the teachings of their mothers4 ,these duties and responsibilities devolve upon mothers far more than upon fathers1 for you know the latter are often in the field or canyon1 and are frequently away from home1 sometimes for several days together1 attending to labors which compel them to be absent from home4 ,but the mother is at home with the children continually2 and if they are taught lessons of usefulness it depends upon her4 #ad3aje4 ,mothers1 remember that when your husbands are engaged in the service of the ,church1 and are all the time occupied in the duties of the ,priesthood1 so that they have not time to instruct their children1 the duty devolves upon you4 ,then bring your children up in the ways of truth1 and be to them both a father and mother1 until they are old enough to perform duties by the side1 and under the immediate eye1 of their father4 ,i like to see mothers bring their children to meeting1 as soon as they can be brought without injuring them1 and when they can tell what they want1 and call for water when they are faint4 ,as soon as they are old enough to receive instruction1 bring them here to be taught4 #b3ba4 ,were ,i a woman possessed of great powers of mind1 filled with wisdom1 and1 upon the whole1 a magnanimous woman1 and had been privileged with my choice1 and had married a man1 and found myself deceived1 he not answering #cac my expectations1 and ,i being sorry that ,i had made such a choice1 let me show my wisdom by not complaining about it4 ,a woman's wisdom and judgment has failed her once in the choice of a husband1 and it may again1 if she is not very careful4 ,by seeking to cast off her husband--by withdrawing her confidence and good will from him1 she casts a dark shade upon his path1 when1 by pursuing a proper course of love1 obedience1 and encouragement1 he might attain to that perfection she had anticipated in him4 #g3bhj4 ,is it not a blessing to you1 mothers1 to raise up ,prophets and ,apostles--men filled with the glory of ,god1 to go forth and extend the work of our ,god8 #h3ib4 ,i can say to the sisters1 if you have superior talents1 arise and let your light shine4 ,prove to your neighbors and the community that you are capable of teaching those sisters whom you deem to be ignorant or neglectful4 #g3afb4 ,children--,i wish to say to the children1 obey your parents1 be good1 never suffer yourselves to do that which will mortify you through life1 and that will cause you to look back with regret4 ,while you are pure and spotless preserve yourselves in the integrity of your souls4 ,although you are young you know good from evil1 and live so that you can look back on your lives and thank the ,lord that he has preserved you1 or has enabled you to preserve yourselves1 so that you have no misconduct to regret or mourn over4 ,take this course and you will secure to yourselves an honorable name on earth among the good and the pure2 you will maintain your integrity before heaven1 and prove yourselves worthy of a high state of glory when you get through with this world4 #ad3bjj4 ,you may say to yourselves1 ,if ,i can do as well as my #cad parents1 ,i think ,i shall do well1 and be as good as ,i want to be1 and ,i should not strive to excel them4 ,but if you do your duty you will far excel them in everything that is good--in holiness1 in physical and intellectual strength1 for this is your privilege1 and it becomes your duty4 #b3ah4 ,our young folks who have arrived at years of maturity should think and act for themselves4 ,they are citizens of the earth2 they have a share here1 and have a part to bear--a character to form and frame and present to the world1 or they will sink into oblivion and forgetfulness4 #ac3bfc4 ,the spirits which are reserved have to be born into the world1 and the ,lord will prepare some way for them to have tabernacles4 #c3bfd4 ,i can pick out scores of men in this congregation who have driven their children from them by using the wooden rod4 ,where there is severity there is no affection or filial feeling in the hearts of either party2 the children would rather be away from father than be with him4 #i3aif4 ,those whom ,i once knew as little boys are growing out of my recollection2 these young men know nothing but ,mormonism4 ,they are in some instances called wild and ungovernable2 but these wild boys1 properly guided and directed1 will make the greatest men who have ever lived upon this earth2 and ,i want them to throw aside their diffidence and come up and shake hands with me1 and say1 ,how do you do1 ,brother ,brigham8 for ,i feel warmly towards them4 #aa3aah4 ,family ,life--,if every person1 who professes to be a ,latter-day ,saint1 was actually a ,saint1 our home would be a paradise1 there would be nothing heard1 nothing felt1 nothing realized1 but praise to the name of our ,god1 doing our duty1 and keeping his commandments4 #c3bed4 #cae ,to gain the spiritual ascendancy over ourselves1 and the influences with which we are surrounded1 through a rigid course of self-discipline1 is our first consideration1 it is our first labor1 before we can pave the way for our children to grow up without sin unto salvation4 #b3aca4 ,in my experience ,i have learned that the greatest difficulty that exists in the little bickerings and strifes of man with man1 woman with woman1 children with children1 parents with children1 brothers with sisters1 and sisters with brothers1 arises from the want of rightly understanding each other4 #d3cfh4 ,in our daily pursuits in life1 of whatever nature and kind1 ,latter-day ,saints1 and especially those who hold important positions in the ,kingdom of ,god1 should maintain a uniform and even temper1 both when at home and when abroad4 ,they should not suffer reverses and unpleasant circumstances to sour their natures and render them fretful and unsocial at home1 speaking words full of bitterness and biting acrimony to their wives and children1 creating gloom and sorrow in their habitations1 making themselves feared rather than loved by their families4 ,anger should never be permitted to rise in our bosoms1 and words suggested by angry feelings should never be permitted to pass our lips4 ,a soft answer turneth away wrath1 but grievous words stir up anger4 ,wrath is cruel1 and anger is outrageous2 but the discretion of a man deferreth his anger2 and it is his glory to pass over a transgression4 #aa3acf4 ,fathers1 mothers1 brothers and sisters are no more to me than are any other persons1 unless they embrace this work4 ,here are my fathers1 my mothers1 my sisters1 and my brethren in the ,kingdom1 and ,i have none outside of it1 neither in any part of the earth1 nor in all the eternity of #caf the ,gods4 ,in this ,kingdom are my acquaintances1 relatives1 and friends1--my soul1 my affections1 my all4 #h3aii4 ,if a child or relative of mine forsakes the ,gospel1 the holy ,priesthood1 his ,god1 and the ,kingdom of ,god1 farewell to that child or relative1 whether near or distant4 ,i own none as relatives1 only those who love and serve our ,lord and ,savior1 ,jesus ,christ4 ,all that belong to my ,father's house ,i own4 ,i love them1 ,i delight in their society1 no matter whether they are poor or rich1 learned or unlearned1 if they observe the laws of the ,kingdom of ,god and live according to it4 #i3aee4 ,if children have sinned against their parents1 or husbands against their wives1 or wives against their husbands1 let them confess their faults one to another and forgive each other1 and there let the confession stop2 and then let them ask pardon from their ,god4 ,confess your sins to whoever you have sinned against1 and let it stop there4 ,if you have committed a sin against the community1 confess to them4 ,if you have sinned in your family1 confess there4 ,confess your sins1 iniquities1 and follies1 where that confession belongs1 and learn to classify your actions4 #d3gh4 ,let us live so that the spirit of our religion will live within us1 then we have peace1 joy1 happiness and contentment1 which makes such pleasant fathers1 pleasant mothers1 pleasant children1 pleasant households1 neighbors1 communities and cities4 ,that is worth living for1 and ,i do think that the ,latter-day ,saints ought to strive for this4 #ae3ace4 ,i will illustrate the method of establishing confidence in each other by taking1 for example1 the child of four or five years of age4 ,the mother allows that child to own a small chest in which to keep his little trinkets1 such as little bosom pins1 ribbons1 doll clothes1 etc4 ,this is considered #cag by all the family the child's chest4 ,now let none go into that chest and take anything from it1 without the consent of the child4 ,this is a very small matter1 some may think2 but begin at as small a point as this to create confidence1 and let it grow up from little to much4 ,wives1 let your husband's stores alone1 if they have not committed them to your charge4 ,husbands1 commit that to your wives that belongs to them1 and never search their boxes without their consent4 ,i can boast of this4 ,i have lived in the marriage relation nearly thirty years1 and ,i never was the man to open my wife's chest1 without her consent1 except once1 and that was to get out a likeness that ,i wanted on the instant1 and she was not at home to get it for me4 ,that was the first time ,i ever opened a trunk in my life1 that belonged to my wife1 or to my child4 ,the child's little chest1 with its contents1 is as sacred to him1 as mine is to me4 ,if this principle were strictly carried out by every man1 woman1 and child among the ,saints1 it would make them a blessed people indeed4 #a3cae4 ,i wish the daughters of ,israel to far exceed their mothers in wisdom4 ,and ,i wish these young men and boys to far exceed their fathers4 ,i wish my sons to far exceed me in goodness and virtue4 #b3ag4 ,i say to our young men1 be faithful1 for you do not know what is before you1 and abstain from bad company and bad habits4 ,let me say to the boys sixteen years old and even younger1 make up your minds to mark out the path of rectitude for yourselves1 and when evil is presented1 let it pass by unnoticed by you1 and preserve yourselves in truth1 in righteousness1 virtue and holiness before the ,lord4 ,you were born in the ,kingdom of ,god2 it is to be built up2 the earth has to be renovated1 and the people sanctified1 #cah after they are gathered from the nations1 and it requires considerable skill and ability to do this2 let our young men prepare themselves to aid and do their part in this great work4 ,i want you to remember this teaching with regard to our youth4 #aa4aah4 ,importance of ,early ,training--,we see the infant in its mother's arms4 ,what is this infant here for8 ,what is the design in the creation of this little infant child8 ,it lies here in its mothers' arms2 it would not resist1 in the least1 if it were dropped into a caldron of boiling oil2 if it were thrown into fire it would not know it until it felt the flames2 it might be laid down here1 and the wolf might come and lick its face1 and it would not know but that its mother was soothing it4 ,you see this foundation1 the starting point1 the germ of intelligence embodied in this infant1 calculated to grow and expand into manhood1 then to the capacity of an angel1 and so onward to eternal exaltation4 ,but here is the foundation4 ,sent to school1 the child learns to read1 and continues to improve as long as it lives4 ,is this the end of the knowledge of man8 ,no4 ,it is only the beginning4 ,it is the first stage of all the intelligence that the philosopher in his reflections1 taking the starry world before him1 and looking into the immensity of the creations of ,god1 can imagine4 ,here is the first place where we learn1 this is the foot of the hill4 #ai3df4 ,when children are old enough to labor in the field1 then the father will take them in charge4 ,if children are not taught by their mothers1 in the days of their youth1 to revere and follow the counsels of their fathers1 it will be hard indeed for the father ever to control them4 #a3fh4 ,parents1 have you ever noticed that your children have exercised faith for you when you have been sick8 ,the little #cai daughter1 seeing you sick1 will lift her heart with a pure1 angelic-like prayer to heaven2 and disease is rebuked when that kind of faith is exercised4 ,god bless the children6 ,i pray that they may live and be reared up in righteousness1 that ,god may have a people that will spread and establish one universal reign of peace1 and possess the powers of the world to come4 #h3aag4 ,influence of the ,mother--,let mothers commence to teach their children while in their laps1 there do you teach them to love the ,lord1 and keep his commandments4 ,teach them to keep your commandments1 and you will teach them to keep the commandments of your husbands4 ,it is not the prerogative of a child to dictate to his mother1 or his father2 and it is not the prerogative of the father to rise up and dictate to his ,god whom he serves4 #a3fh4 ,if you1 mothers1 will live your religion1 then in the love and fear of ,god teach your children constantly and thoroughly in the way of life and salvation1 training them up in the way they should go1 when they are old they will not depart from it4 ,i promise you this1 it is as true as the shining sun1 it is an eternal truth4 ,in this duty we fail2 we do not bring up our children in the way they should go1 or there would be no turning away1 wandering here and there from the society of the ,saints4 ,we let our children do too much as they have a mind to2 if they want this or that their wishes must be gratified4 #ai3ib4 ,if a mother wishes to control her child1 in the first place let her learn to control herself1 then she may be successful in bringing the child into perfect subjection to her will4 #ad3bgg4 ,the first thing that is taught by the mother to the child #cbj should be true2 we should never allow ourselves to teach our children one thing and practice another4 #ac3bdd4 ,i have often thought and said1 ,how necessary it is for mothers1 who are the first teachers of their children and who make the first impressions on their young minds1 to be strict4 ,how careful they should be never to impress a false idea on the mind of a child6 ,they should never teach them anything unless they know it is correct in every respect4 ,they should never say a word1 especially in the hearing of a child that is improper4 ,how natural it is for women to talk baby talk to their children2 and it seems just as natural for the men to do so4 ,it is just as natural for me as to draw my breath to talk nonsense to a child on my lap1 and yet ,i have been trying to break myself of it ever since ,i began to have a family4 #ad3aje4 ,teach ,children the ,gospel--,if we do not take the pains to train our children1 to teach and instruct them concerning these revealed truths1 the condemnation will be upon us1 as parents1 or at least in a measure4 #ai3ib4 ,teach your children from their youth1 never to set their hearts immoderately upon an object of this world4 #c3ceg4 ,bring up your children in the love and fear of the ,lord2 study their dispositions and their temperaments1 and deal with them accordingly1 never allowing yourself to correct them in the heat of passion2 teach them to love you rather than to fear you1 and let it be your constant care that the children that ,god has so kindly given you are taught in their early youth the importance of the oracles of ,god1 and the beauty of the principles of our holy religion1 that when they grow to the years of man and womanhood they may always cherish a tender regard for them and never forsake the truth4 ,i do not wish you to lay the stress and importance #cba upon outward ceremonies that many do4 ,parents1 teach your children by precept and example1 the importance of addressing the ,throne of grace2 teach them how to live1 how to draw from the elements the necessaries of life1 and teach them the laws of life that they may know how to preserve themselves in health and be able to minister to others4 ,and when instructing them in the principles of the ,gospel1 teach them that they are true1 truth sent down from heaven for our salvation1 and that the ,gospel incorporates every truth whether in heaven1 in earth1 or in hell2 and teach them1 too1 that we hold the keys of eternal life1 and that they must obey and observe the ordinances and laws pertaining to this holy ,priesthood1 which ,god has revealed and restored for the exaltation of the children of men4 #ai3bba4 ,if the law of ,christ becomes the tradition of this people1 the children will be brought up according to the law of the celestial kingdom1 else they are not brought up in the way they should go4 #c3cbg4 ,latter-day ,saints1 have your children come to meeting4 ,sisters1 let your little girls go to ,sunday school or come to meeting6 ,brethren1 let your children go to ,sunday school1 or to meeting1 and advise your neighbors to do the same4 #ad3aah4 ,in the morning1 it is true1 there are many in the ,sunday school1 and that we recommend2 but in the afterpart of the day1 where are these school children8 ,are they playing in the streets1 or are they visiting8 ,in going to ,sunday school they have done their duty so far2 but they ought to be here4 ,in their youth they ought to learn the principles and doctrines of their faith1 the arguments for truth1 and the advantages of truth4 #ae3hc4 ,teach your children honesty and uprightness1 and teach #cbb them also never to injure others4 ,as ,i say to my ,sisters sometimes1 ,look here1 my dear sister1 if your child quarrels with your neighbor's child1 do not chasten your neighbor's child4 ,go and make peace1 be a peace-maker4 ,teach your child never to do a wrong2 and if your neighbor's child has injured you or yours1 or taken anything from you1 never mind4 ,you stop until you find out4 ,perhaps the child has meant no wrong4 ,you should learn the facts in the case1 and go with a meek1 humble1 quiet spirit1 and peace will result4 #ac3beb4 ,parents ,should ,teach by ,example3 ,if parents will continually set before their children examples worthy of their imitation and the approval of our ,father in ,heaven1 they will turn the current1 and the tide of feelings of their children1 and they1 eventually1 will desire righteousness more than evil4 #ad3aie4 ,let the father and mother1 who are members of this ,church and ,kingdom1 take a righteous course1 and strive with all their might never to do a wrong1 but to do good all their lives2 if they have one child or one hundred children1 if they conduct themselves towards them as they should1 binding them to the ,lord by their faith and prayers1 ,i care not where those children go1 they are bound up to their parents by an everlasting tie1 and no power of earth or hell can separate them from their parents in eternity2 they will return again to the fountain from whence they sprang4 #aa3bae4 ,we should never permit ourselves to do anything that we are not willing to see our children do4 ,we should set them an example that we wish them to imitate4 ,do we realize this8 ,how often we see parents demand obedience1 good behavior1 kind words1 pleasant looks1 a sweet voice #cbc and a bright eye from a child or children when they themselves are full of bitterness and scolding6 ,how inconsistent and unreasonable this is6 #ad3aib4 ,parents should never drive their children1 but lead them along1 giving them knowledge as their minds are prepared to receive it4 ,chastening may be necessary betimes1 but parents should govern their children by faith rather than by the rod1 leading them kindly by good example into all truth and holiness4 #ab3agd4 ,our children will have the love of the truth1 if we but live our religion4 ,parents should take that course that their children can say1 ,i never knew my father to deceive or take advantage of a neighbor2 ,i never knew my father to take to himself that which did not belong to him1 never1 never6 ,no1 but he said1 ',son1 or daughter1 be honest1 true1 virtuous1 kind1 industrious1 prudent and full of good works4' ,such teachings from parents to their children will abide with them forever1 unless they sin against the ,holy ,ghost1 and some few1 perhaps1 will do this4 #ad3aie4 ,guides for ,child ,training--,we can guide1 direct1 and prune a tender sprout1 and it inclines to our direction1 if it is wisely and skilfully applied4 ,so1 if we surround a child with healthy and salutary influences1 give him suitable instructions and store his mind with truthful traditions1 may be that will direct his feet in the way of life4 #i3bdh4 ,a child loves the smiles of its mother1 but hates her frowns4 ,i tell the mothers not to allow the children to indulge in evils1 but at the same time to treat them with mildness4 ,if a child is required to step in a certain direction1 and it does not seem willing to do so1 gently put it in the desired way1 and say1 ,there1 my little dear1 you must step when ,i speak to you4 ,children need directing and #cbd teaching what is right in a kind1 affectionate manner4 #h3gd4 ,you cannot break down the indomitable will of the human family4 ,i have known children to be so abused and whipped as to render them almost or entirely worthless1 and still the indomitable will remained4 #f3ccb4 ,now understand it--when parents whip their children for reading novels1 and never let them go to the theater1 or to any place of recreation and amusement1 but bind them to the moral law1 until duty becomes loathsome to them2 when they are freed by age from the rigorous training of their parents1 they are more fit for companions to devils1 than to be the children of such religious parents4 #b3id4 ,it never hurts my feelings to see young exuberant life and animation manifest themselves4 ,do not be discouraged about the follies of the young4 #g3ccf4 ,you see1 hear and witness a good deal of contention among children--some of you do1 if not all--and ,i will give you a few words with regard to your future lives1 that you may have children that are not contentious1 not quarrelsome4 ,always be good-natured yourselves1 is the first step4 ,never allow yourselves to become out of temper and get fretful4 ,why1 mother says1 this is a very mischievous little boy or little girl4 ,what do you see8 ,that amount of vitality in those little children that they cannot be still4 ,if they cannot do anything else they will tip over the chairs1 cut up and pull away at anything to raise a row4 ,they are so full of life that they cannot contain themselves2 and they are something like ourselves--boys4 ,they have so much vitality in them that their bones fairly ache with strength4 ,they have such an amount of vitality--life1 strength and activity1 that they must dispose of them2 and the young ones will contend with each other4 ,do not be out of temper #cbe yourselves4 ,always sympathize with them and soothe them4 ,be mild and pleasant4 #ai3fi4 ,i believe in indulging children1 in a reasonable way4 ,if the little girls want dolls1 shall they have them8 ,yes4 ,but must they be taken to the dressmaker's to be dressed8 ,no4 ,let the girls learn to cut and sew the clothing for their dolls1 and in a few years they will know how to make a dress for themselves and others4 ,let the little boys have tools1 and let them make their sleds1 little wagons1 etc41 and when they grow up1 they are acquainted with the use of tools and can build a carriage1 a house1 or anything else4 #i3agc4 ,be careful of the clothing1 you have4 ,do not let your children's clothing lie underfoot when you undress them at night1 but teach your boys and girls1 when they come into the house1 to find a place for their hats1 cloaks1 and bonnets1 that1 when they want them1 they can put their hands upon them in a moment4 ,when they take off their boots and shoes1 let them be deposited where they can be found in the dark1 that1 if the children are obliged to get up at night1 perhaps in case of fire1 they can find their clothing1 and not be under the necessity of being turned out naked4 ,if a person can put his hand on his clothing1 he can dress in the dark4 #i3agb-c4 ,what did you promise your little girl if she would do so and so8 ,did you promise her a present for well doing8 ,yes4 ,have you recollected it8 ,no1 it has gone from my mind1 says the mother4 ,if she does ill have you promised her a chastisement8 ,yes4 ,did you keep your word8 ,you have not1 and the child forms the conclusion in its own mind directly that the mother tells that which is not true--she says she will do this or that1 and she does not do it4 ,it #cbf is an easy lesson for mothers to learn to pass their time with their children and never give them a false impression4 ,think before you speak2 promise your children nothing4 ,if you wish to make them presents1 do so2 if you promise a chastisement1 keep your word1 but be cautious6 #ac3bdd4 ,mothers1 will you be missionaries8 ,we will appoint you a mission to teach your children their duty1 and instead of ruffles and fine dresses to adorn the body1 teach them that which will adorn their minds4 ,let what you have to clothe them with be neat and clean and nice4 ,teach them cleanness and purity of body and the principles of salvation1 and they will delight to come to these meetings4 #ad3bbj4 ,i delight to see the mother teach her daughters to be housekeepers1 to be particular1 clean1 and neat2 to sew1 spin1 and weave2 to make butter and cheese2 and ,i have no objection to their learning to cultivate flowers1 herbs1 and useful shrubs in the gardens4 ,it is good for their health to rise early in the morning and work in the soil an hour or two before breakfast1 this practice is especially beneficial to those who have weak lungs4 ,and while you delight in raising flowers1 etc41 do not neglect to learn how to take care of the cream1 and how to make of it good wholesome butter1 and of the milk good healthy nutritious cheese2 neither forget your sewing1 spinning1 and weaving2 and ,i would not have them neglect to learn music and would encourage them to read history and the ,scriptures1 to take up a newspaper1 geography1 and other publications1 and make themselves acquainted with the manners and customs of distant kingdoms and nations1 with their laws1 religion1 geographical location on the face of the world1 their climate1 natural productions1 the extent of their commerce1 and the #cbg nature of their political organization2 in fine1 let our boys and girls be thoroughly instructed in every useful branch of physical and mental education4 ,let this education begin early4 ,teach little children the principles of order2 the little girl to put the broom in its right place1 to arrange the stove furniture in the neatest possible way1 and everything in its own place4 ,teach them to lay away their clothing neatly1 and where it can be found2 and when they tear their frocks and aprons teach them how to mend the rent so neatly that the place cannot be seen at a short distance2 and instead of asking your husbands to buy them ribbons and frills1 teach them to make them of the material we can produce4 ,teach the little boys to lay away the garden hoe1 the spade1 etc41 where they will not be destroyed by rust2 and let them have access to tools that they may learn their use1 and develop their mechanical skill while young2 and see that they gather up the tools when they have done with them1 and deposit them in the proper place4 ,let both males and females encourage within them mechanical ingenuity1 and seek constantly to understand the world they are in1 and what use to make of their existence4 #i3ahh-ahi4 ,i would like to see the time when our sisters will take more pains to beautify their children4 ,when your children arise in the morning1 instead of sending them out of doors to wash in cold1 hard water1 with a little soft soap1 and wiping them as though you would tear the skin off them1 creating roughness and darkness of skin1 take a piece of soft flannel1 and wipe the faces of your children smooth and nice1 dry them with a soft cloth2 and instead of giving them pork for their breakfast1 give them good wholesome bread and sweet milk1 baked potatoes and also buttermilk if they like it1 and a little fruit1 and ,i would have no objections #cbh to their eating a little rice4 ,rice is an excellent food for children1 and ,i wish some of the brethren would cultivate it in these valleys4 ,upland rice will flourish in this country4 ,train up your children to be beautiful and fair1 instead of neglecting them until they are sunburned and become like the natives of our mountains4 #ab3bja4 ,need of ,parent ,training--,you should go to work to study and see what you can do for the recovery of your children4 ,if a child is taken sick with fever1 give it something to stay that fever or relieve that stomach and bowels1 so that mortification may not set in4 ,treat the child with prudence and care1 with faith and patience1 and be careful in not overcharging it with medicine4 ,if you take too much medicine into the system1 it is worse than too much food4 ,but you will always find that an ounce of preventive is worth a pound of cure4 ,study and learn something for yourselves4 ,it is the privilege of a mother to have faith and to administer to her child2 this she can do herself1 as well as sending for the ,elders to have the benefit of their faith4 #ac3aee4 #cbi ,,chapter ,,xviii ,,some ,,womanly ,,duties ,the ,housewife--,i am addressing myself to the ladies of the ,kingdom of ,god1 to those who know how to keep their houses1 furniture and beds pure and clean1 who can cook food for their husbands1 and children in a way that it will be clean1 tasteful and wholesome4 ,the woman that can do this ,i call a lady4 ,in this view ,i differ from the world generally2 for the lady of the world is not supposed to know anything about what is going on in the kitchen2 her highest ambition is to be sure and be in the fashion1 at no matter what cost to her husband or father2 she considers that she may as well be out of the world as out of the fashion4 #aa3ach4 ,a good housewife1 whether she possesses much or little1 will have a place for everything she has in the house1 and make her house orderly and comfortable1 and everything when wanted can be found in its place4 #i3aeg4 ,if ,i had nothing but a piece of an old newspaper folded for a holder ,i would have it where ,i could put my hand on it in a moment1 in the dark if ,i wanted it4 ,and so with the dishcloth1 the broom1 the chairs1 tables1 sofas1 and everything about the house1 so that if you had to get up in the night you could lay your hand on whatever you wanted instantly4 ,have a place for everything and everything in its place4 #ad3hi4 ,when ,i go into a house1 ,i can soon know whether the woman is an economical housekeeper or not2 and if ,i stay a few days1 ,i can tell whether a husband can get rich or not4 ,if she is determined on her own course1 and will waste and #ccj spoil the food entrusted to her1 that man will always be poor4 #d3cac4 ,it is an old saying that a woman can throw out of the window with a spoon as fast as a man can throw into the door with a shovel2 but a good house-keeper will be saving and economical and teach her children to be good housekeepers1 and how to take care of everything that is put in their charge4 #ab3aie4 ,ladies1 if you are the means of plunging this whole people into debt so as to distress them1 will there be anything required of you8 ,i think there will1 for you will be judged according to your works4 ,are not the men as extravagant as the women8 ,yes1 certainly they are1 and just as foolish4 ,i could point out instances by the score and by the hundred of men who are just as unwise1 shortsighted1 and foolish as the women can be2 but a condemnation of the male portion of the community will not justify the female portion of it4 #ad3aje4 ,now1 sisters1 if you will consider these things you will readily see that time is all the capital stock there is on the earth2 and you should consider your time golden1 it is actually wealth1 and1 if properly used1 it brings that which will add to your comfort1 convenience1 and satisfaction4 ,let us consider this1 and no longer sit with hands folded1 wasting time1 for it is the duty of every man and of every woman to do all that is possible to promote the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth4 #ah3gg4 ,if there are women who want to do good1 let them do their own work1 and save their sixpences and dollars for the building of temples1 tabernacles1 meeting-houses1 school-houses1 educating the youth1 preaching the ,gospel1 and gathering the poor4 #aa3cea4 #cca ,what ,i say of housewives will fully apply to farmers and mechanics4 ,i labored many years as a mechanic1 and in the darkest night ,i could put my hand upon any tool ,i used4 ,you may call this boasting1 but it is not4 ,it is merely mentioning the order in which ,i kept my shop4 #h3bif4 ,count the steps that a woman takes when she is doing her work1 let them be measured1 and it will be found that in many instances she had taken steps enough to have traveled from fifteen to twenty miles a day2 ,i will warrant this to be the case4 #d3aja4 ,woman's ,fashions--,beauty must be sought in the expression of the countenance1 combined with neatness and cleanliness and graceful manners4 #ah3ge4 ,anything is ridiculous1 more or less1 that is not comely4 #ad3ag4 ,let the beauty of your adorning be the work of your hands4 #ai3ge4 ,i love to see the human form and the human face adorned1 but let our adorning be the workmanship of our hands1 from the elements with which we are constantly surrounded4 ,i love beauty whether adorned or unadorned4 ,i love chaste and refined manners1 especially when they are founded upon virtue4 #aj3f4 ,in the works of ,god1 you see an eternal variety1 consequently we do not ask the people to become ,quakers1 and all the men wear wide-brimmed hats1 and the ladies wear drab or cream-colored silk bonnets projecting in the front1 perhaps six or seven inches1 rounded on the corners1 with a cape behind4 #ad3ag4 ,the daughters of ,israel should understand what fashions they should have1 without borrowing from the impure and unrighteous4 #ab3bbj4 #ccb ,create your own fashions1 and make your clothing to please yourselves1 independent of outside influences2 and make your hats and bonnets to shade you4 ,i wish you1 sisters1 to listen to these counsels1 and place yourselves in a condition to administer to the poor4 ,get your husbands to provide you with a little of this and a little of that of which you can make something by adding your own labor4 ,i do not mean that you shall apply to them for five dollars and ten dollars to spend for that which is of no profit1 but manufacture something that will be useful as well as beautiful and comely4 #ab3bjb4 ,not flaunting1 flirting and gossiping1 as a great many are1 and thinking continually of their dresses1 and of this that and the other that will minister to and gratify their vanity4 ,such women seldom think of their prayers4 #ae3afb4 ,i am ashamed to see the tight clothes--to see the shape of the ladies4 #ai3ge4 ,ask your mothers1 then1 to make your clothes suitable and becoming2 and keep your hair smooth and nice4 ,the hair is given to the female for adornment2 and therefore let the ladies1 young and old1 adorn their heads with their hair4 ,mothers should study and children should study to preserve the skin of the children from being ruined by dirt1 and the heat of a scorching sun1 and to keep themselves clean and pure4 #ai3fe4 ,if ,i were a lady and had a piece of cloth to make me a dress1 ,i would cut it so as to cover my person handsomely and neatly2 and whether it was cut according to the fashion or not1 custom would soon make it beautiful4 #ae3ch4 ,it adds no beauty to a lady1 in my opinion1 to adorn her with fine feathers4 ,when ,i look at a woman1 ,i look at her face1 which is composed of her forehead1 cheeks1 nose1 #ccc mouth and chin1 and ,i like to see it clean1 her hair combed neat and nice1 and her eyes bright and sparkling2 and if they are so1 what do ,i care what she has on her head1 or how or of what material her dress is made8 ,not the least in the world4 #ah3gd4 ,the ,lord instructs us in a revelation1 to let our clothing be plain3 ,let all thy garments be plain1 and their beauty the beauty of the work of thine own hands4 ,he never said to us1 ,do not make a silk or satin ribbon1 or fine broadcloth1 but he has said to us1 ,make the articles of clothing that you wear2 if we do not1 we shall find by and by that we shall not be able to get them4 #aj3caa4 ,let the sisters take care of themselves1 and make themselves beautiful1 and if any of you are so superstitious and ignorant as to say that this is pride1 ,i can say that you are not informed as to the pride which is sinful before the ,lord1 you are also ignorant as to the excellency of the heavens1 and of the beauty which dwells in the society of the ,gods4 ,were you to see an angel1 you would see a beautiful and lovely creature4 ,make yourselves like angels in goodness and beauty4 ,let the mothers in ,israel make their sons and daughters healthy and beautiful1 by cleanliness and a proper diet4 ,whether you have much or little clothing for your children1 it can be kept clean and healthy1 and be made to fit their persons neatly4 ,make your children lovely and fair that you may delight in them4 ,cease to send out your children to herd sheep with their skins exposed to the hot sun1 until their hands and faces appear as though they lived in an ash heap4 ,i call upon my sisters to lead out in these things4 #ab3bja4 ,it is a disgrace to a community to drag their cloth in the dirt4 ,how many women are there here today who #ccd walked to this ,tabernacle without throwing dirt every step they took1 not only on themselves but upon those who walked near them8 ,i shun them2 when ,i see them coming4 ,i try to make my way in some other direction in order to avoid their dust4 ,i can get enough of it without receiving it from them4 ,if there is a nuisance in the path1 they are sure to wipe up a portion of it with their dress1 and then trail it on to their carpet or into the bedrooms and distribute it through the house4 ,on the other hand ,i will say1 ladies1 if we ask you to make your dresses a little shorter1 do not be extravagant and cut them so short that we can see the tops of your stockings4 ,bring them down to the top of your shoes1 and have them so that you can walk and clear the dust1 and do not expose your persons4 ,have your dresses neat and comely1 and conduct yourselves1 in the strictest sense of the word1 in chastity4 #ab3bii4 ,if my mother and her grandmother got one silk dress1 and they lived to a hundred years old1 it was all that they wanted4 ,i think my grandmother's silk dress came down to her children4 ,she put her silk dress on when ,i went to see her4 ,it was1 ,i think1 her wedding dress1 and she had been married some seventy years4 #ai3gd4 ,that which is convenient should be beautiful4 #ae3ch4 ,as for fashion1 it does not trouble me1 my fashion is convenience and comfort4 #ad3ba4 ,some ,duties of the ,relief ,societies--,these societies are for the improvement of our manners1 our dress1 our habits1 and our methods of living4 #ai3fh4 ,the sisters in our ,female ,relief ,societies have done great good4 ,can you tell the amount of good that the mothers and daughters in ,israel are capable of doing8 ,no1 #cce it is impossible4 ,and the good they do will follow them to all eternity4 #ac3cd4 ,as ,i have often told my sisters in the ,female ,relief ,societies1 we have sisters here who1 if they had the privilege of studying1 would make just as good mathematicians or accountants as any man2 and we think they ought to have the privilege to study these branches of knowledge that they may develop the powers with which they are endowed4 ,we believe that women are useful1 not only to sweep houses1 wash dishes1 make beds1 and raise babies1 but that they should stand behind the counter1 study law or physic1 or become good bookkeepers and be able to do the business in any counting house1 and all this to enlarge their sphere of usefulness for the benefit of society at large4 ,in following these things they but answer the design of their creation4 #ac3fa4 ,now1 ladies1 go to and organize yourselves into industrial societies1 and get your husbands to produce you some straw1 and commence bonnet and hat making4 ,if every ,ward would commence and continue this and other industrial pursuits1 it would not be long before the females of the ,wards of our ,territory would have stores in their ,wards1 and means sufficient to send and get the articles which they need1 that cannot yet be manufactured here and which they may want to distribute4 #ab3aie4 ,when the sisters1 for instance1 meet together at a quilting or for a visit1 if every one speaks1 believes and loves the truth1 and there is nothing in them that is deceptive1 how easy it is to converse and pass the time6 ,we all delight in the truth2 and if a wrong1 or that which is false1 is manifested it must be corrected or banished1 and truth be adopted in the place thereof4 ,it is the easiest life to lead #ccf on the face of the earth4 ,how do ,i know it8 ,by experience2 ,i never tried the opposite much4 #ad3gf4 ,i will here say to the ,latter-day ,saints1 if you will feed the poor with a willing heart and ready hand1 neither you1 nor your children1 will ever be found begging bread4 ,in these things the people are right2 they are right in establishing ,female ,relief ,societies1 that the hearts of the widow and the orphan may be made glad by the blessings which are so abundantly and so freely poured out upon them4 #ab3aga4 ,sisters1 do you see any children around your neighborhood poorly clad and without shoes8 ,if you do1 ,i say to you1 ,female ,relief ,societies1 pick up these children and relieve their necessities1 and send them to school4 ,and if you see any young1 middle-aged or old ladies in need find them something to do that will enable them to sustain themselves2 but don't relieve the idle1 for relieving those who are able but unwilling to work is ruinous to any community4 ,the time we spend here is our life1 our substance1 our capital1 our fortune1 and that time should be used profitably4 ,take these old ladies1 there are a great many of them around rather poor1 and give them something to do2 that is their delight4 ,you will hardly find an old lady in the community who has not been brought up to work2 and they would rather knit stockings or do some other useful labor than eat the bread of charity4 ,relieve the wants of every individual in need in your neighborhoods4 ,this is in the capacity and in the power of the ,female ,relief ,societies when it is not in the power of the ,bishops4 #ad3ajg4 ,i wish to call the attention of our sisters to our ,relief ,societies4 ,we are happy to say that many of them have done a great deal4 ,we wish them to continue and progress4 #ccg ,in our ,relief ,societies we wish to introduce many improvements4 ,we wish our sisters of experience to teach the young girls not to be so anxious for the gratification of their imaginary wants1 but to confine themselves more to their real necessities4 ,fancy has no bounds1 and ,i often think it is without form and comeliness4 ,we are too apt to give way to the imagination of our hearts1 but if we will be guided by wisdom1 our judgment will be corrected1 and we will find that we can improve very much4 ,we can improve the language we use4 #ab3bih4 ,the ladies can learn to keep books as well as the men2 we have some few1 already1 who are just as good accountants as any of our brethren4 ,why not teach more of them to keep books and sell goods1 and let them do this business1 and let the men go to raising sheep1 wheat1 or cattle1 or go and do something or other to beautify the earth and help to make it like the ,garden of ,eden1 instead of spending their time in a lazy1 loafing manner8 #ab3cgd-e4 ,i have a short sermon for my sisters4 ,i wish you1 under the direction of your ,bishops and wise men1 to establish your ,relief ,societies1 and organize yourselves under the direction of the brethren1 and establish yourselves for doing business1 gathering up your little amounts of means that would otherwise go to waste1 and put them to usury1 and make more of them1 and thus keep gathering in4 ,let this be commenced forthwith4 #ab3bja4 #cch ,,chapter ,,xix ,,obedience ,counsel--,how my heart longs to see the brethren and sisters in a condition that when the words of truth and virtue--righteous words of counsel--are poured upon them1 they will meet like drops of water meeting each other4 ,how ,i long to see the brethren1 when they hear the words of truth poured upon them1 ready to receive those words because they are perfectly congenial to their feelings1 and every soul exclaim1 ,those words savor of the ,spirit that is in me2 they are my delight1 my meat1 and my drink2 they are the streams of eternal life4 ,how congenial they are1 instead of their being contrary to my feelings4 #i3c4 ,if we hearken to counsel1 we shall be the best people in the world2 we shall be as a bright light set upon a hill1 that cannot be hid1 or like a candle upon a candlestick4 #ab3agc4 ,if ,i or any other man give counsel that meets with opposition1 that intrudes upon the affections1 meditations1 and feelings of the people1 and is harsh to their ears1 bitter to their souls1 it is either not the words of truth1 or they have not the fountain of life within them1 one of the two4 ,if the ,lord speaks from the heavens1 reveals his will1 and it comes in contact with our feelings and notions of things1 or with our judgments1 we are destitute of that fountain of truth which we should possess4 ,if our hearts are filled with the ,spirit of truth1 with the ,spirit of the ,lord1 no matter what the true words from heaven are1 when ,god speaks1 all his subjects should shout1 ,hallelujah6 praise ,god6 ,we are ready to receive those words1 for they are true4 #i3c-d4 #cci ,every man in the ,kingdom of ,god would give the same counsel upon each subject1 if he would wait until he had the mind of ,christ upon it4 ,then all would have one word and mind1 and all men would see eye to eye4 #e3ajj4 ,if you would always pause and say1 ,i have no counsel for you1 ,i have no answer for you on this subject1 because ,i have no manifestation of the ,spirit1 and be willing to let everybody in the world know that you are ignorant when you are1 you would become wise a great deal quicker than to give counsel on your own judgment1 without the ,spirit of revelation4 #e3ajj4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints who hearken to the words of the ,lord1 given to them touching their political1 social1 and financial concerns1 ,i say1 and say it boldly1 that they will have wisdom which is altogether superior to the wisdom of the children of darkness1 or the children of this world4 ,i know this by the revelations of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and by the results of my own actions4 ,they who have hearkened to the counsels given to them in temporal matters1 have invariably bettered their condition temporally and spiritually4 #ab3aah4 ,obedience--,when the ,lord commands the people1 let them obey4 #b3abc4 ,every son and daughter of ,god is expected to obey with a willing heart every word which the ,lord has spoken1 and which he will in the future speak to us4 ,it is expected that we hearken to the revelations of his will1 and adhere to them1 cleave to them with all our might2 for this is salvation1 and any thing short of this clips the salvation and the glory of the ,saints4 #b3b4 ,obedience is one of the plainest1 most every-day and home principles that you ever thought or know anything #cdj about4 ,in the first place1 learn that you have a father1 and then learn strict obedience to that parent4 ,is not that a plain1 domestic1 home principle8 #f3agc4 ,i cannot save you4 ,i can tell you how to save yourselves1 but you must do the will of ,god4 #aj3cag4 ,how shall we know what to do8 ,by being obedient to every requirement of the ,gospel4 #h3adh4 ,a mere theory amounts to but little1 while practice and obedience have to do with stern realities4 #i3ccj4 ,every good and wholesome law we should obey strictly1 and do it with a good and honest-heart4 #aa3acd4 ,blessed are they who obey when the ,lord gives a direct commandment1 but more blessed are they who obey without a direct commandment4 #ab3abh4 ,do you think that people will obey the truth because it is true1 unless they love it8 ,no1 they will not4 ,truth is obeyed when it is loved4 ,strict obedience to the truth will alone enable people to dwell in the presence of the ,almighty4 #g3ee4 ,the ,lord has sent forth his laws1 commandments1 and ordinances to the children of men1 and requires them to be strictly obeyed1 and we do not wish to transgress those laws1 but to keep them4 ,we do not wish to change his ordinances1 but to observe them2 we do not wish to break the everlasting covenant1 but to keep that with our fathers1 with ,jesus1 with our ,father in ,heaven1 with holy angels1 and to live according to them4 #af3ca4 ,if a man is called to go and labor for the poor1 if his ,bishop calls upon him to go into the canyon after a load of wood for the poor1 and he goes there1 with his heart uplifted to ,god1 and with his eye single to the building up of the ,kingdom1 and gets the load of wood and lays it at the #cda door of the ,bishop for the poor1 for the widow or for those who cannot help themselves1 he is just as much in the line of his duty in so doing as though he were on his knees praying4 #aa3bic4 ,this people have got to become of one heart and one mind4 ,they have to know the will of ,god and do it1 for to know the will of ,god is one thing1 and to bring our wills1 our dispositions1 into subjection to that which we do understand to be the will of ,god is another4 #c3ed-e4 ,we believe in obeying the laws of the land1 we should also obey the laws of ,god4 #af3de4 ,some of you may ask1 ,is there a single ordinance to be dispensed with8 ,is there one of the commandments that ,god has enjoined upon the people1 that he will excuse them from obeying8 ,not one1 no matter how trifling or small in our own estimation4 ,no matter if we esteem them non-essential1 or least or last of all the commandments of the house of ,god1 we are under obligation to observe them4 #h3cci4 ,with regard to the obedience of heavenly beings1 to which reference has been made to-day2 they live pure and holy1 and they have attained unto this power through suffering4 ,many of them have drunk of the bitter cup even to the dregs4 ,they have learned that righteousness will prevail1 that truth is the foundation of their very existence4 #aa3ae4 ,the most effectual way to establish the religion of ,heaven is to live it1 rather than to die for it3 ,i think ,i am safe in saying that there are many of the ,latter-day ,saints who are more willing to die for their religion than to live it faithfully4 ,there is no other proof can be adduced to ,god1 angels1 and men1 that a people faithfully live their #cdb religion1 than that they repent truly of their sins1 obey the law of baptism for the remission of sins1 and then continue to do the works of righteousness day by day4 #i3ccc4 ,there are a great many texts which might be used1 very comprehensive and full of meaning1 but ,i know of none1 either in the ,old or ,new ,testament1 more so than that saying1 said to have been made by the ,savior1 and ,i have no doubt it was1 ,if ye love me1 keep my commandments4 ,how long8 ,for a day8 ,keep the commandments of the ,lord for a week8 ,observe and do his will for a month or a year8 ,there is no promise to any individual1 that ,i have any knowledge of1 that he shall receive the reward of the just1 unless he is faithful to the end4 ,if we fully understand and faithfully carry out in our lives the saying of ,jesus1 ,if ye love me1 keep my commandments1 we shall be prepared to go back and dwell in the presence of the ,father and the ,son4 ,what are his commandments8 ,did he ever teach the people anything that is wrong8 ,if we read the requirements made by ,jesus1 by the ,father1 or by any messenger sent from the heavens to the children of men1 we shall find nothing that will injure any human being or that will destroy the soul of one of the sons or daughters of ,adam and ,eve4 ,many think that the sayings and doings of some of the prophets and servants of ,god1 in ancient and modern times1 said and done in obedience to the commands of the ,lord ,almighty1 tend to evil2 but it is not so4 ,all ,god's requirements tend to do good to his children4 ,any notion to the contrary is the result of ignorance4 ,the human family are enveloped in ignorance1 so far as the origin and object of their existence here is concerned4 ,their ignorance1 superstition1 darkness and blindness are very #cdc apparent to all who are in the least enlightened by the ,spirit of truth4 ,they seek to hide themselves in ignorance and blindness rather than learn who they are and the object of their being here4 ,what do the human family know of ,god or ,jesus1 or of the words which ,i have quoted ,if ye love me1 keep my commandments8 ,search the ,scriptures1 for in them ye think ye have eternal life1 says ,jesus1 and they are they which testify of me4 ,they testify of the ,savior1 of his doctrines and requirements1 and of the ordinances of his house2 the plan of salvation is there portrayed1 and any person who follows its dictation may redeem himself from the thraldom of sin1 and know1 by the ,spirit1 that ,jesus is the ,christ4 ,all who will take this course will know by revelation that ,god is our ,father2 they will understand the relationship they hold to him and to their fellow-beings4 ,the world may in vain ask the question1 ,who are we8 ,but the ,gospel tells us that we are the sons and daughters of that ,god whom we serve4 ,some say1 ,we are the children of ,adam and ,eve4 ,so we are1 and they are the children of our ,heavenly ,father4 ,we are all the children of ,adam and ,eve1 and they are the offspring of him who dwells in the heavens1 the highest ,intelligence that dwells anywhere that we have any knowledge of4 ,here we find ourselves1 and when infants1 the most helpless1 and needing the most care and attention of any creatures that come into being on the face of the earth4 ,here we find in ourselves the germ and the foundation1 the embryo of exaltation1 glory1 immortality and eternal lives4 ,as we grow up we receive strength1 knowledge and wisdom1 some more and some less2 but only by keeping the commands of the ,lord ,jesus can we have the privilege of #cdd knowing the things pertaining to eternity and our relationship to the heavens4 #ac3caj4 ,the most excellent human or divine laws are of no use to earthly or heavenly beings1 unless they are faithfully observed4 ,law is for the protection of the law-abider2 and the penalty of the law is for the law-breaker4 #i3ccb4 ,people will never be taken and sacrificed for their ignorance1 when they have had no opportunity to know and understand the truth4 ,such a proceeding would be contrary to the economy of heaven4 ,but after we receive and understand things as they are1 if we then disobey1 we may look for the chastening hand of the ,almighty4 #c3bdf4 ,walk up1 ,o ye ,latter-day ,saints1 and wake up6 ,come to the ,lord1 forsake your covetousness1 your back-slidings1 forsake the spirit of the world1 and return to the ,lord with full purpose of heart until you get the ,spirit of ,christ within you1 that you1 like others1 can cry1 ,abba ,father1 the ,lord1 he is ,god1 and ,i am his servant4 #ae3f4 ,we have nothing to sacrifice4 ,all we have to do is to love and serve our ,god1 and do everything we can to bring knowledge to ourselves and to the people4 #f3aif4 ,when the ,gospel is preached to the honest in heart they receive it by faith1 but when they obey it labor is required4 ,to practice the ,gospel requires time1 faith1 the heart's affections and a great deal of labor4 ,here many stop4 ,they hear and believe1 but before they go on to practice they begin to think that they were mistaken1 and unbelief enters into their hearts4 #af3dj4 ,when we get to understand all knowledge1 all wisdom1 that it is necessary for us to understand in the flesh1 we will be like clay in the hands of the potter1 willing to be moulded and fashioned according to the will of him who #cde has called us to this great and glorious work1 of purifying ourselves and our fellow-beings1 and of preparing the nations of the earth for the glory that awaits them through obedience4 #ai3ic4 ,i believe that it is a hell intolerable for a people1 a family or a single person1 to strive to grasp truth with one hand1 and error with the other1 to profess to walk in obedience to the commandments of ,god1 and1 at the same time1 mingle heart and hand with the wicked4 #c3bed4 ,effect of ,obedience--,great peace have they who love the law of the ,lord and abide in his commandments4 #h3aba4 ,if you wish to receive and enjoy the favor of our ,heavenly ,father1 do his will4 #h3cc4 ,when will this people become ,saints indeed8 ,not until they observe every counsel that is given to them of this kind1 doing with their might the things that are required of them4 #aa3aci4 ,all who receive eternal life and salvation will receive it on no other conditions than believing in the ,son of ,god and obeying the principles that he has laid down4 ,can we devise any other means and plan of salvation8 ,we cannot4 #ac3bac4 ,the ,saints who live their religion will be exalted1 for they never will deny any revelation which the ,lord has given or may give1 though1 when there is a doctrine coming to them which they cannot comprehend fully1 they may be found saying1 ,the ,lord sendeth this unto me1 and ,i pray that he will save and preserve me from denying anything which proceedeth from him1 and give me patience to wait until ,i can understand it for myself4 ,such persons will never deny1 but will allow those subjects which they do not understand1 to remain until the #cdf visions of their minds become open4 ,this is the course which ,i have invariably pursued1 and if anything came that ,i could not understand1 ,i would pray until ,i could comprehend it4 ,do not reject anything because it is new or strange1 and do not sneer nor jeer at what comes from the ,lord1 for if we do1 we endanger our salvation4 ,it is given to us1 as agents1 to choose or refuse1 as brother ,s4 ,w4 ,richards has set before you1 but we are agents within limits2 if it were not so there would be no law4 #c3bff4 ,by obeying the ordinances of ,god1 mankind glorify ,god1 but if they do not obey him1 they do not detract one particle from his glory and power4 ,the commandments of ,god are given to us expressly for our benefit1 and if we live in obedience to them we shall live so as to understand the mind and will of ,god for ourselves1 and concerning ourselves as individuals4 #ab3abf4 ,how shall we know that we obey him8 ,there is but one method by which we can know it1 and that is by the inspiration of the ,spirit of the ,lord witnessing unto our spirit that we are his1 that we love him1 and that he loves us4 ,it is by the spirit of revelation we know this4 ,we have no witness to ourselves internally1 without the spirit of revelation4 ,we have no witness outwardly1 only by obedience to the ordinances4 #ab3ii4 ,law is made for the lawless4 ,let the ,saints live their religion1 and there is not a law that can justly infringe upon them4 #h3adj4 ,there is no law against doing good4 ,there is no law against love4 ,there is no law against serving ,god4 ,there is no law against charity and benevolence4 ,there is no law #cdg against the principles of eternal life4 ,live them1 and no righteous law of man can reach you4 #h3adj4 ,when the law of ,god is written on the hearts of a people1 every person will know his place4 #h3bif4 ,when men and women talk about giving everything for the salvation which they anticipate and live for1 behold1 they have nothing to give2 nor have they anything to do1 only to do their duty4 ,and what is that8 ,to improve upon that which is committed to their possession--to prove themselves worthy to their ,father and ,god1 that ere long they may be worthy to receive crowns of glory1 immortality and eternal life4 ,then we shall be beyond the power of ,satan4 #f3aif4 ,so long as the ,latter-day ,saints will live their religion1 they shall never be confounded1 worlds without end4 ,never be afraid2 your hearts are brave1 your arms are strong1 and ,god is our defense4 #aj3dj4 ,those who live their religion will enjoy the ,spirit1 and that enjoyment will increase2 and if we will be faithful1 the ,lord will make our feet as firm in these valleys as are the everlasting riches in these mountains1 and no power can remove us4 ,he will give us a sure place in these mountains until we go forth and redeem ,zion4 ,do right1 be faithful1 and make no calculations about removing before the time comes4 #h3bhe4 ,obedience and ,free ,agency--,here is a brother who says1 ,why1 yes1 you may have some of my property or even take it all2 but ,i want to be a man for myself2 ,i do not want to be dictated2 ,i want to preserve my own freedom2 ,i do not want to be a slave4 ,what an idea6 ,it is from the enemy1 and because a person has not the ,spirit of the ,lord to see how things are4 ,there is not a man of #cdh us but what is willing to acknowledge at once that ,god demands strict obedience to his requirements4 ,but in rendering that strict obedience1 are we made slaves8 ,no1 it is the only way on the face of the earth for you and me to become free1 and we shall become slaves of our own passions1 and of the wicked one1 and servants to the ,devil1 if we take any other course1 and we shall be eventually cast into hell with the devils4 ,now to say that ,i do not enjoy the volition of my own will just as much when ,i pray as ,i would to swear1 is a false principle1 it is false ground to take4 ,you take the man who swears1 and he has no more freedom1 and acts no more on his own will than the man who prays2 the man who yields strict obedience to the requirements of ,heaven1 acts upon the volition of his own will and exercises his freedom just as much as when he was a slave to passion2 and ,i think it is much better and more honorable for us1 whether children or adults1 youthful1 middle-aged or old1 it is better to live by and better to die by1 to have our hearts pure1 and to yield strict obedience to the principles of life which the ,lord has revealed1 than be a slave to sin and wickedness4 ,all that the ,lord requires of us is strict obedience to the laws of life4 ,all the sacrifice that the ,lord asks of his people is strict obedience to our own covenants that we have made with our ,god1 and that is to serve him with an undivided heart4 #ah3bdf4 ,one of the simplest things in the world is to control a people4 ,is there any particular art in making this people obedient8 ,there is just one4 ,if you1 ,elders of ,israel1 can get the art of preaching the ,holy ,ghost into the hearts of the people1 you will have an obedient people4 ,this is the only art required4 ,teach the people truth1 teach them correct principles2 show them what is for their greatest good #cdi and don't you think they will follow in that path8 ,they will1 just as far as it is consistent with their weaknesses and the power of darkness that is over the inhabitants of the earth--with us as with others4 #ab3beg4 ,a person before he can understand the law and government of ,god must see and understand the propriety of it and see its beauties4 ,so it is with the whole system of salvation4 ,not that ,i would say we are machines1 for we have our agency2 but ,god has placed us here1 and he exacts strict obedience to his laws before we can derive the benefit and blessings their observance will yield4 ,you may take a beautiful machine of any kind you please1 and when the machinist has finished his work and set it in perfect order1 how could it be expected to operate satisfactorily if a hook here or a journal yonder were to say1 ,i am not going to stay here1 or1 ,i am going to jump out of place and am going somewhere else2 and then another piece of the machinery would jump out of its place into another part of the machine4 ,what would be the state of such a machine8 ,confusion and disorganization would soon result and the machinist might very properly say1 what a pity that ,i bestowed so much labor on such unruly members of my machine4 #ac3bda4 ,the world will not receive the ,gospel1 unless they can have it on their own terms1 and will persecute the few that do receive it4 #i3cca4 ,we as a people1 will be chastened until we can wholly submit ourselves to the ,lord and be ,saints indeed4 #e3ced4 ,effects of ,disobedience--,when light comes1 if the people reject that light1 it will condemn them1 and will add to their sorrow and affliction4 #f3bhh4 ,if we live our religion we shall prosper1 and if we live #cej in the neglect of our duty1 and continue to do so1 there will be tribulation and anguish here1 and the chastening hand of the ,almighty will be on this people4 #c3cdj4 ,i feel in my heart to bless you2 it is full of blessings and not cursing4 ,it is something that does not occupy my feelings to curse any individual1 but ,i will modify this by saying those who ought not to be cursed4 ,who ought to be8 ,those who know their ,master's will1 and do it not2 they are worthy of many stripes2 it is not those who do not know1 and do not do1 but those who know it1 and do not do it--they are the ones to be chastised4 #a3bdh4 ,as soon as you are overcome by the spirit of the world1 you forget every good deed and kindness that has been extended to you1 and you only remember the transpiring and infliction of what you deemed to be evil that would have resulted in good1 had you done right4 #c3ceh4 ,it is the misapplied intelligence ,god has given us that makes all the mischief on the earth4 ,that intelligence he designed to carry out the purposes of his will1 and endowed it with capabilities to grow1 spread abroad1 accumulate1 and endeavor to enjoy greater happiness1 glory1 and honor1 and continue to expand wider and wider1 until eternity is comprehended by it2 if not applied to this purpose1 but to the grovelling things of earth1 it will be taken away1 and given to one who has made better use of this gift of ,god4 #b3abd-e4 ,if we will only practice what we profess1 ,i tell you we are at the defiance of hell4 #b3ahf4 ,for a man to undertake to live a ,saint and walk in darkness is one of the hardest tasks that he can undertake4 ,you cannot imagine a position that will sink a person more deeply in perplexity and trouble than to try to be a ,saint without living as a ,saint should--without enjoying the #cea spirit of his religion4 ,it is our privilege to live so as to enjoy the spirit of our religion4 ,that is designed to restore us to the presence of the ,gods4 ,gods exist1 and we had better strive to be prepared to be one with them4 #g3bch4 ,anything that is impure must1 sooner or later1 perish2 no matter whether it is in the faith and practice of an individual1 town1 nation1 or government4 ,that kingdom1 principality1 power or person that is not controlled by principles that are pure and holy must eventually pass away and perish4 #ad3ge4 ,i know it is hard to receive chastisement1 for no chastisement is joyous1 but grievous at the time it is given2 but if a person will receive chastisement and pray for the ,holy ,spirit to rest upon him1 that he may have the ,spirit of truth in his heart1 and cleave to that which is pleasing to the ,lord1 the ,lord will give him grace to bear the chastisement1 and he will submit to and receive it1 knowing that it is for his good4 #c3dg4 ,men must quit swearing and taking the name of ,god in vain2 they must refrain from lying1 stealing1 cheating1 and doing that which they know they ought not to do1 or they must be severed from this ,church and ,kingdom4 #d3cjg4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints1 in all their travels1 have not been as rebellious as the ,children of ,israel were4 #aa3bgi4 #ceb ,,chapter ,,xx ,,gratitude1 ,,humility1 ,,devotion1 ,,liberality1 ,,honesty ,gratitude--,i do not know of any1 excepting the unpardonable sin1 that is greater than the sin of ingratitude4 #ad3bgg4 ,we rejoice because the ,lord is ours1 because we are sown in weakness for the express purpose of attaining to greater power and perfection4 ,in everything the ,saints may rejoice--in persecution1 because it is necessary to purge them1 and prepare the wicked for their doom2 in sickness and in pain1 though they are hard to bear1 because we are thereby made acquainted with pain1 with sorrow1 and with every affliction that mortals can endure1 for by contrast all things are demonstrated to our senses4 ,we have reason to rejoice exceedingly that faith is in the world1 that the ,lord reigns1 and does his pleasure among the inhabitants of the earth4 ,do you ask if ,i rejoice because the ,devil has the advantage over the inhabitants of the earth1 and has afflicted mankind8 ,i most assuredly answer in the affirmative2 ,i rejoice in this as much as in anything else4 ,i rejoice because ,i am afflicted4 ,i rejoice because lam poor4 ,i rejoice because ,i am cast down4 ,why8 ,because ,i shall be lifted up again4 ,i rejoice that ,i am poor because ,i shall be made rich2 that ,i am afflicted1 because ,i shall be comforted1 and prepared to enjoy the felicity of perfect happiness1 for it is impossible to properly appreciate happiness except by enduring the opposite4 #a3cei4 ,humility--,i delight extremely in plain simplicity4 #d3cda4 #cec ,the humble will live1 their spirits will be buoyant1 and they will live to a great age4 #h3aha4 ,we have to humble ourselves and become like little children in our feelings--to become humble and childlike in spirit1 in order to receive the first illuminations of the spirit of the ,gospel1 then we have the privilege of growing1 of increasing in knowledge1 in wisdom1 and in understanding4 #c3aib4 ,the hearts of the meek and humble are full of joy and comfort continually4 #d3bb4 ,when a person sees things as they are1 flattery and reproach are all the same to him1 he sees no difference4 ,if he finds that he is pleasing ,god and his brethren1 he is exceedingly rejoiced1 and feels an increase of humility and resignation4 ,when a man is proud and arrogant1 flattery fills him with vanity and injures him2 but it is not so when he is increasing in the faith of ,god4 #ab3ej4 ,i exhort the brethren not to boast over our enemies' downfall4 ,boast not1 brethren4 ,god has come out of his hiding-place1 and has commenced to vex the nations that have rejected us1 and he will vex them with a sore vexation4 #h3cbd4 ,devotion to the ,gospel--,to the ,latter-day ,saints ,i say1 live your religion1 sanctify the ,lord ,god in your hearts1 live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of ,god1 and we shall be prospered4 #ac3cah4 ,a man1 or a woman1 desiring to know the will of ,god1 and having an opportunity to know it1 will apply their hearts to this wisdom until it becomes easy and familiar to them1 and they will love to do good instead of evil4 #c3cfc4 ,to enjoy the protection of the ,almighty1 we have got #ced to live our religion--to live so that we have the mind of ,christ within us4 #d3ceh4 ,all ,i ask of you is to apply your hearts to the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ and be ,saints4 ,i will not ask anything else on this earth of you1 only to live so as to know the mind and will of ,god when you receive it1 and then abide in it4 ,if you will do that1 you will be prepared to do a great many things1 and you will find that there is much good to be done4 #c3cge4 ,when you know how to be a ,saint today1 you are in a fair way to know how to be a ,saint tomorrow4 ,and if you can continue to be a ,saint today1 you can through the week1 and through the year1 and you can fill up your whole life in performing the duty and labor of a ,saint4 #b3ec4 ,if ,i am organized and capacitated to receive this glory and this exaltation1 ,i must be the friend of him who has brought me forth and instituted this exaltation for me2 ,i must not be his enemy at any time4 #d3aih4 ,i have sought to teach you how to get rich1 but ,i never taught you to neglect your duty2 ,i never instructed you nor taught you to forsake the ,lord2 and today ,i would rather not own one farthing1 and take my valise in my hand1 as ,i did at the rise of the ,church1 and travel among the nations of the earth1 and beg my bread from door to door1 than to neglect my duty and lose the ,spirit of ,almighty ,god4 ,if ,i have wealth and cannot use it to the glory of ,god and the building up of his ,kingdom1 ,i ask the ,lord to take it from me4 #ac3bhj4 ,there is not a wicked man on the face of the earth but what reveres a pure servant of ,god4 ,they may not acknowledge it with their organs of speech1 but in their hearts1 sentiments and feelings they revere such a character4 #cee ,when they see a pure and holy man or woman1 say they1 ,i wish ,i was as good as you are4 ,then let us take a pride in acknowledging our religion and living it1 by being virtuous1 true and good in everything1 and then take pride in educating your minds until you can conquer and control yourselves in everything4 ,educate your children in all the knowledge the world can give them4 ,god has given it to the world1 it is all his4 ,every true principle1 every true science1 every art1 and all the knowledge that men possess1 or that they ever did or ever will possess1 is from ,god4 ,we should take pains and pride to instill this knowledge into the minds of our neighbors1 and our brethren1 and rear our children so that the learning and education of the world may be theirs1 and that virtue1 truth and holiness may crown their lives that they may be saved in the ,kingdom of ,god4 #ab3cbf4 ,i say to this community1 ,be humble1 be faithful to your ,god1 true to his ,church1 benevolent to the strangers that may pass through our ,territory1 and kind to all people1 serving the ,lord with all your might1 trusting in him2 but never fear the frowns of an enemy1 nor be moved by the flatteries of friends or of enemies from the path of right4 ,serve your ,god2 believe in him1 and never be ashamed of him1 and sustain your character before him4 ,i say to the aged1 to the middle-aged1 and to the young--,all be true to your ,god1 true to your brethren1 and kind to all1 serving ,god with all your heart4 ,and may he bless you for ,jesus' sake4 ,amen4 #a3adf4 ,while speaking the other day to the people1 ,i observed that the race was not to the swift1 nor the battle to the strong1 neither riches to men of wisdom4 ,i happened to cast my eyes upon ,ira ,ames1 who was sitting in the congregation4 #cef ,i knew he had been in the ,church a considerable length of time1 ,i have been personally acquainted with him for twenty years4 ,my eye also caught many more of the first ,saints at the same time4 ,these men know that ,mormonism is true1 they have moved steadily forward1 and have not sought to become noted characters as many have2 but1 unseen as it were1 they have maintained their footing steadily in the right path4 ,i could place my hand upon many in this congregation1 who will win the race1 though they are not very swift1 to outward appearance1 and they make no great pretensions2 they are found continually attending to their own business4 ,they do not appear to be great warriors1 or as if they were likely to win the battle4 ,but what is their true character8 ,they have faith today1 they are filled with faith1 their words are few1 but they are full of integrity4 ,you will find them tomorrow as they were yesterday1 or are today4 ,visit them when you will1 or under what circumstances1 and you find them unalterably the same2 and finally when you have spent your life with them1 you will find that their lives throughout have been well spent1 full of faith1 hope1 charity1 and good works1 as far as they have had the ability4 ,these are the ones who will win the race1 conquer in the battle1 and obtain the peace and righteousness of eternity4 #a3hi4 ,you may examine from the beginning to this day1 and continue to watch in the future1 and where you find a man who wishes to steady the ark of ,god1 without being called to do so1 you will find a dark spot in him4 ,the man full of light and intelligence discerns that ,god steadies his own ark1 dictates his own affairs1 guides his people1 controls his kingdom1 governs nations1 and holds the hearts of all living in his hands1 and turns them hither and thither at his #ceg pleasure1 not infringing upon their agency4 ,there is not the least danger of disagreeing with persons enjoying the ,holy ,spirit4 #h3ff4 ,to be great is to be good before the ,heavens and before all good men4 #aj3aaa4 ,give ,freely--,let us not love the things of this world above the things of ,god1 but strip for the race and harness for the battle of the ,gospel plan of salvation4 #aj3cbh4 ,how contracted in mind and short-sighted we must be to permit the perishable things of this world to swerve us in the least degree from our fidelity to the truth4 ,it shows that we lack knowledge which we should possess4 #aa3bhc4 ,suppose that you are required to do ten pieces of work1 but of the ten only one is necessary for the promotion of the ,kingdom of ,god2 which had you better do--perform the ten pieces of labor1 to be sure of doing the right piece1 or neglect the whole ten because you do not know which the right one is8 ,had you not better do the whole ten pieces1 that you may be sure of performing that which the ,lord really requires at your hands8 #h3ab-ac4 ,i wish you to understand1 however1 that a man giving his means to build up the ,kingdom of ,god is no proof to me that he is true in heart4 ,i have long since learned1 that a person may give a gift with an impure design4 #aj3bfh4 ,man may think1 and some of them do1 that we have a right to work for ourselves2 but ,i say we have no time to do that in the narrow1 selfish sense generally entertained when speaking about working for self4 ,we have no time allotted to us here on the earth to work for ourselves in that sense2 and yet when laboring in the most disinterested and fervent manner for the cause and ,kingdom of ,god1 it is all for ourselves4 ,though our time be entirely occupied #ceh in laboring for the advancement of the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth we are in reality laboring most effectually for self1 for all our interest and welfare1 both in time and eternity1 are circumscribed and bound up in that ,kingdom4 #ad3aja4 ,be ,honest--,woe to those who profess to be ,saints and are not honest4 ,only be honest with yourselves1 and you will be honest to the brethren4 #b3ec4 ,men must be honest1 they must live faithfully before their ,god1 and honor their calling and being on the earth4 ,you ask if that is possible8 ,yes2 the doctrine which we have embraced takes away the stony hearts4 #c3aah-aai4 ,we need to learn1 practice1 study1 know and understand how angels live with each other4 ,when this community comes to the point to be perfectly honest and upright1 you will never find a poor person2 none will lack1 all will have sufficient4 ,every man1 woman1 and child will have all they need just as soon as they all become honest4 ,when the majority of the community are dishonest1 it maketh the honest portion poor1 for the dishonest serve and enrich themselves at their expense4 #f3gf4 ,it is much better to be honest2 to live here uprightly1 and forsake and shun evil1 than it is to be dishonest4 ,it is the easiest path in the world to be honest1--to be upright before ,god2 and when people learn this1 they will practice it4 #e3bie4 ,honest hearts produce honest actions--holy desires produce corresponding outward works4 ,fulfil your contracts and sacredly keep your word4 #aj3ig4 ,i have no fellowship for a man that will make a promise and not fulfil it4 #ac3cja4 #cei ,simple truth1 simplicity1 honesty1 uprightness1 justice1 mercy1 love1 kindness1 do good to all and evil to none1 how easy it is to live by such principles6 ,a thousand times easier than to practice deception6 #ad3gf4 ,honesty in ,labor--,i have tried to suppress dishonesty in individuals1 and have tried thereby to make them honest4 ,if ,i hire a carpenter and pay him three dollars a day1 and he is three days in making a six-panel door that a good workman can make in one1 or even a door and a half1 ,i do not want to pay him three dollars a day for that labor4 #f3gc4 ,we want the ,saints to increase in goodness1 until our mechanics1 for instance1 are so honest and reliable that this ,railroad ,company will say1 ,give us a ',mormon' ,elder for an engineer1 then none need have the least fear to ride1 for if he knows there is danger he will take every measure necessary to preserve the lives of those entrusted to his care4 ,i want to see our ,elders so full of integrity that they will be preferred by this ,company for their engine builders1 watchmen1 engineers1 clerks1 and business managers4 ,if we live our religion and are worthy the name of ,latter-day ,saints1 we are just the men that all such business can be entrusted to with perfect safety2 if it can not it will prove that we do not live our religion4 #ab3cjj4 ,if you see honest persons1 you see those who are ready to take hold and labor with their might1 even though they have but one potato in a day2 they will suffer rather than impoverish the ,church4 #c3cdj4 ,one liar is like a bad king4 ,a corrupt and wicked king can corrupt a whole nation4 ,one liar can deceive thousands4 #af3cj4 ,a very simple person can tell the truth1 but it takes a #cfj very smart person to tell a lie and make it appear like the truth4 #aa3cjd4 ,consistency and ,sincerity--,o1 consistency1 thou art one of the fairest jewels in the life of a ,saint4 #aa3acf4 ,if we teach righteousness1 let us also practice righteousness in every sense of the word2 if we teach morality1 let us be moral2 let us see to it that we preserve ourselves within the bounds of all the good which we teach to others4 ,i am sure this course will be good to live by and good to die by1 and when we get through the journey of life1 here1 what a consolation it will be to us to know that we have done as we have wished others to do by us in all respects4 #aa3acj4 ,there is not one man in this city1 nor in the ,territory1 who hates the truth and the ,latter-day ,saints1 whose influence ,i dread1 no1 not even the hundredth part1 as ,i do a smooth1 slick hypocrite who professes to be a ,latter-day ,saint4 ,the former cannot sow the seeds of infidelity and unbelief in the hearts of the people2 but the latter can4 #ah3cei4 ,a person who is a thief1 a liar1 and a murderer in his heart1 but professes to be a ,saint1 is more odious in the sight of ,god1 angels and good men1 than a person who comes out and openly declares that he is our enemy4 ,i know how to take such a man1 but a devil with a ,saint's cloak on is one of the meanest characters you can imagine4 ,i say1 blessings on the head of a wicked ,gentile who is my avowed enemy1 far sooner than upon an enemy cloaked with a ,saint's profession4 #c3abj4 ,but ,i hope and trust in the ,lord my ,god that ,i shall never be left to praise this people1 to speak well of them1 for the purpose of cheering and comforting them by the art #cfa of flattery2 to lead them on by smooth speeches day after day1 week after week1 month after month1 and year after year1 and let them roll sin as a sweet morsel under their tongues1 and be guilty of transgressing the law of ,god4 ,i hope ,i shall never be left to flatter this people1 or any people1 on the earth1 in their iniquity1 but far rather chasten them for their wickedness and praise them for their goodness4 #d3bb4 ,the religion that we have embraced must last a man from ,monday morning until ,monday morning1 and from ,saturday night until ,saturday night1 and from one new year until another2 it must be in all our thoughts and words1 in all our ways and dealings4 ,we come here to tell the people how to be saved2 we know how1 consequently we can tell others4 ,suppose our calling tomorrow is to conduct a railroad1 to go into some philosophical business1 or no matter what1 our minds1 our faith or religion1 our ,god and his ,spirit are with us2 and if we should happen to be found in a room dedicated for purposes of amusement and an accident should occur1 and an ,elder engaged in the dance is called upon to go and lay hands on the sick1 if he is not prepared to exercise his calling and his faith in ,god as much there as at any other time and in any other place1 he never should be found there1 for none have a legal right to the amusements which the ,lord has ordained for his children except those who acknowledge his hand in all things and keep his commandments4 #ad3aag4 #cfb ,,chapter ,,xxi ,,happiness ,,and ,,social ,,enjoyments ,saints ,should be ,happy--,then learn to be happy when you have the privilege4 #e3bid4 ,the whole world are after happiness4 ,it is not found in gold and silver1 but it is in peace and love4 #ab3cad4 ,what will give a man joy8 ,that which will give him peace4 #g3c4 ,if the heart is cheerful1 all is light and glory within2 there is no sorrow4 #f3da4 ,when man is industrious and righteous1 then is he happy4 #i3bdd4 ,the person who enjoys the experience of the knowledge of the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth1 and at the same time has the love of ,god within him1 is the happiest of any individuals on the earth4 #ah3bcf4 ,what principal object have human beings in view8 ,happiness4 ,give me glory1 give me power1 give me wealth1 give me a good name1 give me influence with my fellowmen1 give me all these1 and it does not follow that ,i am thereby made happy2 that depends altogether upon what principle those acquisitions were gained4 #g3c4 ,the only heaven for you is that which you make yourselves4 ,my heaven is here--7laying his hand upon his heart74 ,i carry it with me4 ,when do ,i expect it in its perfection8 ,when ,i come up in the resurrection2 then ,i shall have it1 and not till then4 #d3eg4 ,you never saw a true ,saint in the world that had sorrow1 neither can you find one4 ,if persons are destitute of the fountain of living water1 or the principles of eternal life1 #cfc then they are sorrowful4 ,if the words of life dwell within us1 and we have the hope of eternal life and glory1 and let that spark within us kindle to a flame1 to the consuming of the least and last remains of selfishness1 we never can walk in darkness and are strangers to doubt and fear4 #f3da4 ,if this is the work of ,god1 let us understand its beauty and glory4 ,i do not say that all are like myself2 but from the day ,i commenced preaching the ,gospel to this present moment1 ,i never had a feeling in my heart to occupy much time in preaching hell to the people1 or in telling them much about being damned4 ,there are the kingdoms and worlds which ,god has prepared1 and which are waiting for the just4 ,there are more beauty1 glory1 excellency1 knowledge1 power1 and heavenly things than ,i have time to talk about1 without spending my time in talking about the hells prepared for the damned4 ,i have not time to talk much about them4 #h3db4 ,it does make the ,devil mad4 ,that is true1 it makes him mad that he cannot afflict this people so as to make them have a sad countenance4 #d3bii4 ,to make ourselves happy is incorporated in the great design of man's existence4 ,i have learned not to fret myself about that which ,i cannot help4 ,if ,i can do good1 ,i will do it2 and if ,i cannot reach a thing1 ,i will content myself to be without it4 ,this makes me happy all the day long4 #b3ie4 ,where is happiness1 real happiness8 ,nowhere but in ,god4 ,by possessing the spirit of our holy religion1 we are happy in the morning1 we are happy at noon1 we are happy in the evening2 for the spirit of love and union is with us1 and we rejoice in the spirit because1 it is of ,god1 and we rejoice in ,god1 for he is the giver of every good thing4 ,every #cfd ,latter-day ,saint1 who has experienced the love of ,god in his heart1 after having received the remission of his sins1 through baptism1 and the laying on of hands1 realizes that he is filled with joy1 and happiness1 and consolation4 ,he may be in pain1 in error1 in poverty1 or in prison1 if necessity demands1 still1 he is joyful4 ,this is our experience1 and each and every ,latter-day ,saint can bear witness to it4 #ah3bac4 ,truly happy is that man or woman1 or that people1 who enjoys the privileges of the ,gospel of the ,son of ,god1 and who know how to appreciate his blessings4 #a3cji4 ,men and women1 for slight causes1 make shipwreck of faith1 lose the spirit of the ,gospel1 losing the object for which they left their homes and their friends4 ,we are all searching for happiness2 we hope for it1 we think we live for it1 it is our aim in this life4 ,but do we live so as to enjoy the happiness we so much desire8 ,there is only one way for ,latter-day ,saints to be happy1 which is simply to live their religion1 or in other words believe the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ in every part1 obeying the gospel of liberty with full purpose of heart1 which sets us free indeed4 ,if we will1 as a community1 obey the law of ,god1 and comply with the ordinances of salvation1 then we may expect to find the happiness we so much desire1 but if we do not pursue this course we cannot enjoy the unalloyed happiness which is to be found in the ,gospel4 ,to profess to be a ,saint1 and not enjoy the spirit of it1 tries every fibre of the heart1 and is one of the most painful experiences that man can suffer4 #ab3afh4 ,social ,amusements--,there is no true enjoyment in life--nothing that can be a blessing to an individual or to a #cfe community1 but what is ordained of ,god to bless his people4 #f3adc4 ,we want to see every countenance full of cheerfulness1 and every eye bright with the hope of future happiness4 #ab3cad4 ,we are made to enjoy all that ,god enjoys1 to inherit all he inherits1 to possess all the power that he possesses1 all the excellency with which he is endowed--all things are to be brought into subjection to him by his faithful children1 that they may enjoy all things with him2 these considerations bring peace to the heart that is opened to understanding4 #aj3aga4 ,a gathering and social spirit seems to be the order of heaven--of the spirit that is in the ,gospel we have embraced4 ,though it may be esteemed as a fault--as an unwarrantable act to separate ourselves from those who do not believe as we believe1 yet such is the nature of a portion of our religion pertaining to the performance of outward duties4 ,if the ,latter-day ,saints can associate together1 free from the contaminating influences that are in the world1 it is a blessing and a great privilege4 ,what would induce a child to grow up in the wickedness of the wicked world1 if it never saw or heard any of it8 #g3bfg4 ,is there anything immoral in recreation8 ,if ,i see my sons and daughters enjoying themselves1 chatting1 visiting1 riding1 going to a party or a dance1 is there anything immoral in that8 ,i watch very closely1 and if ,i hear a word1 see a look1 or a sneer at divine things or anything derogatory to a good moral character1 ,i feel it in a moment1 and ,i say1 ,if you follow that it will not lead to good1 it is evil2 it will not lead to the fountain of life and intelligence2 follow1 only1 the path that leads to life everlasting4 #cff ,it is the privilege of the ,saints to enjoy every good thing1 for the earth and its fulness belong to the ,lord1 and he has promised all to his faithful ,saints2 but it must be enjoyed without spirit of covetousness and selfishness--without the spirit of lust1 and in the spirit of the ,gospel2 then the sun will shine sweetly upon us2 each day will be filled with delight1 and all things will be filled with beauty1 giving joy1 pleasure1 and rest to the ,saints4 #h3hb4 ,we are to learn how to enjoy the things of life--how to pass our mortal existence here4 ,there is no enjoyment1 no comfort1 no pleasure1 nothing that the human heart can imagine1 with all the spirit of revelation we can get1 that tends to beautify1 happify1 make comfortable and peaceful1 and exalt the feelings of mortals1 but what the ,lord has in store for his people4 ,he never objected to their taking comfort4 ,he never revealed any doctrine1 that ,i have any knowledge of1 but what in its nature is calculated to fill with peace and glory1 and lift every sentiment and impulse of the heart above every low1 sad1 deathly1 false and grovelling feeling4 ,the ,lord wishes us to live that we may enjoy the fulness of the glory that pertains to the upper world1 and bid farewell to all that gloomy1 dark1 deathly feeling that is spread over the inhabitants of the earth4 #h3abh-abi4 ,our organism makes us capable of exquisite enjoyment4 ,do ,i not love my wife1 my son1 my daughter1 my brother1 my sister1 my father1 and my mother8 ,and do ,i not love to associate with my friends8 ,i do1 and love to reflect and talk on eternal principles4 #g3ach4 ,we say to the ,bishops and to everybody1 exercise yourselves1 provide innocent amusement for the youth1 attract the minds of the children1 and get the upper hand of them #cfg and be on the lead4 ,i see mothers right among us whose course is very imprudent with their children4 ,you ought always to take the lead of your children in their minds and affections4 ,instead of being behind with the whip1 always be in advance1 then you can say1 ,come along1 and you will have no use for the rod4 ,they will delight to follow you1 and will like your words and ways1 because you are always comforting them and giving them pleasure and enjoyment4 ,if they get a little naughty1 stop them when they have gone far enough4 ,we say to the brethren1 humor your wives and children as far as you can1 but when they transgress1 and transcend certain bounds we want them to stop4 ,if you are in the lead they will stop1 they cannot run over you2 but if you are behind they will run away from you4 ,husbands1 always be in advance of your wives1 and then if they undertake to do something that is very displeasing to you they will run right against you1 and then stop and sit down because they can't go any further4 ,do you know how to do this8 ,no1 says one1 ,i don't know that ,i do4 ,well1 then1 learn by searching after truth1 according to the revelations given in this book4 ,search after truth in all good books1 and learn the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of ,god1 and put them together and you will be able to benefit yourselves4 #ab3cac4 ,our work1 our every-day labor1 our whole lives are within the scope of our religion4 ,this is what we believe and what we try to practice4 ,yet the ,lord permits a great many things that he never commands4 ,i have frequently heard my old brethren in the ,christian world make remarks about the impropriety of indulging in pastimes and amusements4 ,the ,lord never commanded me to dance1 yet ,i have danced3 you all know it1 for my life is before the world4 #cfh ,yet while the ,lord has never commanded me to do it1 he has permitted it4 ,i do not know that he ever commanded the boys to go and play at ball1 yet he permits it4 ,i am not aware that he ever commanded us to build a theater1 but he has permitted it1 and ,i can give the reason why4 ,recreation and diversion are as necessary to our well-being as the more serious pursuits of life4 ,there is not a man in the world but what1 if kept at any one branch of business or study1 will become like a machine4 ,our pursuits should be so diversified as to develop every trait of character and diversity of talent4 ,if you would develop every power and faculty possessed by your children1 they must have the privilege of engaging in and enjoying a diversity of amusements and studies2 to attain great excellence1 however1 they cannot all be kept to any one individual branch of study4 ,i recollect once while in ,england1 in the district of country called the ,potteries1 seeing a man pass along the street1 his head1 perhaps1 within sixteen or eighteen inches of the ground4 ,i inquired what occupation he had followed for a living1 and learned that he had never done anything in his life but turned a tea cup1 and he was then seventy-four years of age4 ,how do we know but what1 if he had had the privilege1 he would have made a statesman or a fine physician1 an excellent mechanic or a good judge8 ,we cannot tell4 ,this shows the necessity of the mind being kept active and having the opportunity of indulging in every exercise it can enjoy in order to attain to a full development of its powers4 #ac3fa4 ,little boys play with their wagons1 tops1 marbles1 etc42 little girls with their dolls1 cradles1 and skipping ropes4 ,they are in the height of their enjoyment1 while there sits the mother whose mind comprehends all the children can #cfi enjoy1 and then she can see enjoyment far beyond what they are then capable of enjoying4 ,perhaps her vision is open to see forward into the eternity before her1 and that she will be able to preserve her identity in her future existence4 ,do you not see how easy it is for her to circumscribe all those little children can enjoy8 ,her feeling is1 ,i am delighted3 it is a great satisfaction to see my children enjoy themselves4 ,but how would she like to engage in their plays8 ,it is my joy to see them enjoy themselves4 ,do you like to get together in your parties8 ,how are you looked upon by beings in the eternal worlds8 ,precisely as a mother looks upon her children when they are enjoying themselves and passing their time so kindly with each other4 ,says the mother1 ,i do delight in seeing my children enjoy themselves4 ,i also delight in enjoying myself with the brethren and sisters1 and giving to my natural organization the food that the natural body requires4 ,the body requires food1 and the immortal spirit requires food2 the whole organization requires something to feast upon1 and we get up amusements to satisfy it4 #h3ceh-i4 ,i repeat that it is not your lawful privilege to yield to anything in the shape of amusement1 until you have performed every duty1 and obtained the power of ,god to enable you to withstand and resist all foul spirits that might attack you1 and lead you astray2 until you have command over them1 and by your faith1 obtained1 through prayer and supplication1 the blessings of the ,holy ,spirit1 and it rests upon1 and abides continually with you4 #a3aac4 ,in all your social communications1 or whatever your associations are1 let all the dark1 discontented1 murmuring1 unhappy1 miserable feelings--all the evil fruit of the mind1 #cgj fall from the tree in silence and unnoticed2 and so let it perish1 without taking it up to present to your neighbors4 ,but when you have joy and happiness1 light and intelligence1 truth and virtue1 offer that fruit abundantly to your neighbors1 and it will do them good1 and so strengthen the hands of your fellow-beings1 even though you may be looked upon as an outcast1 vile people1 not worthy of the society of what are commonly deemed the intelligent portion of the world4 #g3bfi4 ,i have frequently told the people at our places of recreation1 if they cannot go there with the ,spirit of the ,lord1 they had better stay at home4 #aa3bhc4 ,on every such occasion1 it is right1 reasonable1 and necessary1 that every heart be directed to the ,lord4 ,when we have had sufficient recreation for our good1 let that suffice4 ,it is all right2 then let our minds labor instead of our bodies2 and in all our exercises of body and mind1 it is good to remember the ,lord4 #a3cj4 ,i am most perfectly satisfied to associate with those whose hearts are filled with peace1 with praise and adoration to our ,god1 and whose lives are full of good works4 ,their voices to me are like sweet music4 ,i have not the least desire to mingle with or look upon the faces of those who hate ,god and his cause4 #h3eg4 ,we are now enjoying our pastimes4 ,we often meet together and worship the ,lord by singing1 praying1 and preaching1 fasting1 and communing with each other in the ,sacrament of the ,lord's ,supper4 ,now we are met in the capacity of a social community--for what8 ,that our minds may rest1 and our bodies receive that recreation which is proper and necessary to keep up an equilibrium1 to promote healthy action to the whole system4 #cga ,let our minds sing for joy1 and let life diffuse itself into every avenue of the body2 for the object of our meeting is for its exercise1 for its good4 ,this party was gotten up by the members of the ,legislature1 to rest their minds1 to convene in a social capacity1 and enjoy the society of each other1 with their families1 and to give renewed activity and energy1 which will invigorate and strengthen them in the discharge of the arduous duties devolving upon them4 #a3bi4 ,our present situation1 and the enjoyments of this evening1 will become subjects of pleasant and agreeable reflection1 when we shall be separated from this community1 and go to the right and to the left2 then these moments of festive joy will be remembered with pleasing emotions1 and cherished in fond memory in after years4 #a3cj4 ,is there any harm in ,sunday school parties8 ,no6 ,it is one of the most harmless kinds of enjoyment when conducted aright4 ,if they wish to dance1 let them dance2 let them talk and play2 but not do any wrong4 ,they must not get angry with each other2 and if any do wrong instruct them to do right4 ,if our children are thus taught1 they will be patterns of piety and their conduct will be worthy of imitation4 #ab3bci4 ,one of the most useful amusements we could have would be for the ,seventies and ,high ,priests to meet here1 instead of in their small halls1 and lecture4 ,which is the most delightful1 to satisfy the wants of the natural body1 or those of the intelligent part within us8 ,which is the most precious8 ,both4 #h3ceh4 ,my first remarks will be concerning such exercises as we have seen here this morning4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints have many pastimes1 and they enjoy themselves in social #cgb society with one another4 ,yet ,i think1 in my reflections1 that we should have an increase--and we are having partially an increase of recreation for our youth4 ,we have very few holidays4 ,when the #dth of ,july comes1 we have our amusements and exercises4 ,when the #bdth of ,july comes1 we hail it as the anniversary of a day of deliverance4 ,on reflection1 ,i have come to the conclusion that it would be better if we would pay more attention to these public exercises1 and direct the minds of our children by observing them1 taking a course to have them avoid getting into the habit of drinking and every kind of rowdyism1 and other things that are unbecoming2 and in all of our amusements have objects of improvement that are worthy of pursuit4 ,we should have more of the children attend ,sunday school1 and the teachers should continually place objects before them that will lead them to study to improve in their manners1 in their words1 in their looks and in their behavior2 and that will guide their minds aright4 ,you will find we can place before them objects that will do them much good in their thoughts and reflections1 that will improve their young and tender minds1 and have an influence upon their future lives for good2 and we can thus bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the ,lord by taking a course to lead their minds4 #ab3bch-i4 ,i am satisfied that those persons who stamp1 clap hands1 whistle1 and make other noisy and boisterous demonstrations in the theaters1 so untimed and uncalled for1 have but little sense1 and know not the difference between a happy smile of satisfaction to cheer the countenance of a friend1 or a contemptuous sneer that brings the curses of man upon man4 #i3bij4 ,never give way to vain laughter4 ,i have seldom #cgc laughed aloud for twenty or thirty years without regretting it1 and ,i always blush for those who laugh aloud without meaning4 #i3bij4 ,dancing--,those that have kept their covenants and served their ,god1 if they wish to exercise themselves in any way1 to rest their minds and tire their bodies1 go and enjoy yourselves in the dance1 and let ,god be in all your thoughts in this as in all other things1 and he will bless you4 #f3adi4 ,there are many of our aged brethren and sisters1 who1 through the traditions of their fathers and the requirements of a false religion1 were never inside a ball-room or a theater until they became ,latter-day ,saints1 and now they seem more anxious for this kind of amusement than are our children4 ,this arises from the fact they have been starved for many years for that amusement which is designed to buoy up their spirits and make their bodies vigorous and strong1 and tens of thousands have sunk into untimely graves for want of such exercises to the body and the mind4 ,they require mutual nourishment to make them sound and healthy4 ,every faculty and power of both body and mind is a gift from ,god4 ,never say that means used to create and continue healthy action of body and mind are from hell4 #i3bdd4 ,i want it distinctly understood1 that fiddling and dancing are no part of our worship4 ,the question may be asked1 ,what are they for1 then8 ,i answer1 that my body may keep pace with my mind4 ,my mind labors like a man logging1 all the time2 and this is the reason why ,i am fond of these pastimes--they give me a privilege to throw everything off1 and shake myself1 that my body may exercise1 and my mind rest4 ,what for8 ,to get strength1 and be renewed and quickened1 and enlivened1 and animated1 so #cgd that my mind may not wear out4 ,experience tells us that the most of the inhabitants of the earth wear out their bodies without wearing their minds at all1 through the sufferings they endure from hard labor1 with distress1 poverty1 and want4 ,while on the other hand1 a great portion of mankind wear out their bodies without laboring1 only in anxiety4 ,but when men are brought to labor entirely in the field of intelligence1 there are few minds to be found possessing strength enough to bear all things2 the mind becomes overcharged1 and when this is the case1 it begins to wear upon the body1 which will sink for want of the proper exercises4 ,this is the reason why ,i believe in and practice what ,i do4 #a3cj4 ,there is no music in hell1 for all good music belongs to heaven4 ,sweet harmonious sounds give exquisite joy to human beings capable of appreciating music4 ,i delight in hearing harmonious tones made by the human voice1 by musical instruments1 and by both combined4 ,every sweet musical sound that can be made belongs to the ,saints and is for the ,saints4 ,every flower1 shrub and tree to beautify1 and to gratify the taste and smell1 and every sensation that gives to man joy and felicity are for the ,saints who receive them from the ,most ,high4 #i3bdd4 ,it you happen to be in a party where ,i am and wearing dresses made with your own hands1 ,i shall take pleasure in dancing with you in preference to the lady dressed in silks and satins4 #i3aij4 ,i am opposed to making a cotillion hall a place of worship4 #i3aid4 ,i am opposed to having cotillions or theatrical performances in this ,tabernacle4 ,i am opposed to making this a fun hall1 ,i do not mean for wickedness1 ,i mean for the #cge recuperation of our spirits and bodies4 ,i am not willing that they should convert the house that has been set apart for religious meetings into a dancing hall4 #i3aie4 ,,image3 ,,the ,,old ,,tabernacle1 ,,salt ,,lake ,,city ,,image3 ,,the ,,present ,,tabernacle1 ,,salt ,,lake ,,city ,those who cannot serve ,god with a pure heart in the dance should not dance4 #f3adh4 ,if you want to dance1 run a foot race1 pitch quoits1 or play at ball1 do it1 and exercise your bodies1 and let your minds rest4 #f3adi4 ,if you wish to dance1 dance2 and you are just as much prepared for a prayer meeting after dancing as ever you were1 if you are ,saints4 ,if you desire to ask ,god for anything1 you are as well prepared to do so in the dance as in any other place1 if you are ,saints4 ,are your eyes open to know that everything in the earth1 in hell1 or in heaven1 is ordained for the use of intelligent beings8 #f3adh4 ,the ,theater--,is there evil in the theater2 in the ball room2 in the place of worship2 in the dwelling2 in the world8 ,yes1 when men are inclined to do evil in any of these places4 ,there is evil in persons meeting simply for a chit chat1 if they will allow themselves to commit evil while thus engaged4 #i3bdc4 ,i built that theater to attract the young of our community and to provide amusement for the boys and girls1 rather than have them running all over creation for recreation4 ,long before that was built ,i said to the ,bishops1 ,get up your parties and pleasure grounds to amuse the people4 #ab3cab-cac4 ,upon the stage of a theater can be represented in character1 evil and its consequences1 good and its happy results and rewards2 the weakness and the follies of man1 the magnanimity of virtue and the greatness of truth4 ,the stage can be made to aid the pulpit in impressing upon the minds #cgf of a community an enlightened sense of a virtuous life1 also a proper horror of the enormity of sin and a just dread of its consequences4 ,the path of sin with its thorns and pitfalls1 its gins and snares can be revealed1 and how to shun it4 #i3bdc4 ,tragedy is favored by the outside world2 ,i am not in favor of it4 ,i do not wish murder and all its horrors and the villainy leading to it portrayed before our women and children2 ,i do not want the child to carry home with it the fear of the fagot1 the sword1 the pistol1 or the dagger1 and suffer in the night from frightful dreams4 ,i want such plays performed as will make the spectators feel well2 and ,i wish those who perform to select a class of plays that will improve the public mind1 and exalt the literary taste of the community4 #i3bde4 ,excursions--,if the people should conclude to take short excursions with their families1 except the smallest children1 it would be much to their comfort1 and would cheer them up4 #b3bhc4 ,i would be very pleased to learn that your ,bishop1 ,brother ,miller1 was preparing a place for parties2 with a little pond to float boats on1 and other means of enjoyment1 where the people could assemble to have their exercises4 ,get the young minds to follow after you in these things1 and they will follow after you in every precept that is good4 ,and ,i would like to hear of other ,bishops taking steps to prepare suitable places for the same purpose4 #ab3bci4 #cgg ,,chapter ,,xxii ,,education ,knowledge and ,intelligence--,education is a good thing1 and blessed is the man who has it1 and can use it for the dissemination of the ,gospel without being puffed up with pride4 #aa3bad4 ,when we speak upon education1 it is not to be understood that it alone consists in a man's learning the letters of the alphabet1 in being trained in every branch of scholastic lore1 in becoming a proficient in the knowledge of the sciences1 and a classical scholar1 but also in learning to classify himself and others4 #a3ff4 ,find a true philosopher and you find one who has the true principles of ,christianity4 ,he delights in them2 and sees and understands the hand of ,providence guiding and directing in all the affairs of this life4 #ad3hb4 ,a firm1 unchangeable course of righteousness through life is what secures to a person true intelligence4 #h3cb4 ,intelligent beings are organized to become ,gods1 even the ,sons of ,god1 to dwell in the presence of the ,gods1 and become associated with the highest intelligencies that dwell in eternity4 ,we are now in the school1 and must practice upon what we receive4 #h3afj4 ,when we have faith to understand that he must dictate1 and that we must be perfectly submissive to him1 then we shall begin to rapidly collect the intelligence that is bestowed upon the nations1 for all this intelligence belongs to ,zion4 ,all the knowledge1 wisdom1 power1 and glory that have been bestowed upon the nations of the earth1 from the #cgh days of ,adam till now1 must be gathered home to ,zion4 #h3bgh4 ,this people have embraced the philosophy of eternal lives1 and in view of this we should cease to be children and become philosophers1 understanding our own existence1 its purpose and intimate design1 then our days will not become a blank through ignorance1 but every day will bring with it its useful and profitable employment4 ,god has placed us here1 given us the ability we possess1 and supplied the means upon which we can operate to produce social1 national1 and eternal happiness4 #i3aij4 ,when a man is capable of correcting you1 and of giving you light1 and true doctrine1 do not get up an altercation1 but submit to be taught like little children1 and strive with all your might to understand4 #a3dg4 ,learning a1 b1 c1 d1 does not hinder me learning e1 f1 g4 #af3bg4 ,a ,religion of ,improvement--,ours is a religion of improvement2 it is not contracted and confined2 but is calculated to expand the minds of the children of men and lead them up into the state of intelligence that will be an honor to our being4 #aj3bij4 ,every art and science known and studied by the children of men is comprised within the ,gospel4 ,where did the knowledge come from which has enabled man to accomplish such great achievements in science and mechanism within the last few years8 ,we know that knowledge is from ,god1 but why do they not acknowledge him8 ,because they are blind to their own interests1 they do not see and understand things as they are4 ,who taught men to chain the lightning8 ,did man unaided of himself discover that8 ,no1 he received the knowledge from the ,supreme #cgi ,being4 ,from him1 too1 has every art and science proceeded1 although the credit is given to this individual1 and that individual4 ,but where did they get the knowledge from1 have they it in and of themselves8 ,no1 they must acknowledge that1 if they cannot make one spear of grass grow1 nor one hair white or black without artificial aid1 they are dependent upon the ,supreme ,being just the same as the poor and the ignorant4 ,where have we received the knowledge to construct the labor-saving machinery for which the present age is remarkable8 ,from ,heaven4 ,where have we received our knowledge of astronomy1 or the power to make glasses to penetrate the immensity of space8 ,we received it from the same ,being that ,moses1 and those who were before him1 received their knowledge from2 the same ,being who told ,noah that the world should be drowned and its people destroyed4 ,from him has every astronomer1 artist and mechanician that ever lived on the earth obtained his knowledge4 ,by him1 too1 has the power to receive from one another1 been bestowed1 and to search into the deep things pertaining to this earth and every principle connected with it4 #ab3beg4 ,it is highly gratifying to the ,lord1 to angels1 and to all good men1 to see intelligent beings organized to receive a great amount of intelligence--seeking to possess eternal life4 #h3acf4 ,the ,lord has chosen the poor of this world1--rich in faith--and the time will come when he will give the earth to his poor for an everlasting inheritance4 ,i speak this for the comfort of my brethren and sisters who have been poor4 ,they have come here1 and what do we see8 ,the youth1 the middle-aged and the old improving in letters1 in mechanism and in the arts and sciences4 ,we bring them #chj here to improve them1 and if the ,lord will bless us sufficiently1 and the people will bless themselves1 we will have a nation that understands all things pertaining to the earth that it is possible for man to grasp4 ,will this people be praiseworthy8 ,yes1 and honored and honorable4 ,will they be looked to as examples8 ,yes2 and it is the duty of the ,latter-day ,saints to live their religion so that all the world can say there is a pattern for us1 not only in our business and worship1 but in our knowledge of things that are1 things that have been and of things that are yet to come1 until the knowledge of ,zion shall reach the uttermost parts of the earth1 and the kings and great men shall say1 ,let us go up to ,zion and learn wisdom4 #ab3beg4 ,the greatest difficulty we have to meet is what may be termed ignorance1 or want of understanding in the people4 #g3fc4 ,not only does the religion of ,jesus ,christ make the people acquainted with the things of ,god1 and develop within them moral excellence and purity1 but it holds out every encouragement and inducement possible1 for them to increase in knowledge and intelligence1 in every branch of mechanism1 or in the arts and sciences1 for all wisdom1 and all the arts and sciences in the world are from ,god1 and are designed for the good of his people4 #ac3adg4 ,knowledge to be ,sought--,the religion embraced by the ,latter-day ,saints1 if only slightly understood1 prompts them to search diligently after knowledge4 ,there is no other people in existence more eager to see1 hear1 learn1 and understand truth4 #h3f4 ,let there be a mutual desire in every man to disseminate knowledge1 that all may know4 ,i have always followed #cha out the rule of dispensing what ,i know to others1 and been blessed in so doing4 #i3cgj4 ,put forth your ability to learn as fast as you can1 and gather all the strength of mind and principle of faith you possibly can1 and then distribute your knowledge to the people4 #h3adf4 ,we1 who believe in and have obeyed this ,gospel1 look forward with the anticipation of obtaining a great amount of knowledge and wisdom4 ,when we embraced the ,gospel1 the spirit opened up to our minds the fact that the wisdom1 the knowledge and the power of ,god would increase in the midst of the ,saints4 ,this is our experience1 knowing for myself1 what the ,spirit of the ,lord brings to the understanding1 testify what it reveals to others4 #ah3bcf4 ,let us train our minds until we delight in that which is good1 lovely and holy1 seeking continually after that intelligence which will enable us effectually to build up ,zion1 which consists in building houses1 tabernacles1 temples1 streets1 and every convenience and necessity to embellish and beautify1 seeking to do the will of the ,lord all the days of our lives1 improving our minds in all scientific and mechanical knowledge1 seeking diligently to understand the great design and plan of all created things1 that we may know what to do with our lives and how to improve upon the facilities placed within our reach4 #aj3agg4 ,if we wish to be taught1 to receive1 and understand1 we must train ourselves4 #f3ii4 ,we are in a great school1 and we should be diligent to learn1 and continue to store up the knowledge of heaven and of earth1 and read good books1 although ,i cannot say that ,i would recommend the reading of all books1 for it is not all books which are good4 ,read good books1 and extract #chb from them wisdom and understanding as much as you possibly can1 aided by the ,spirit of ,god4 #ab3abd4 ,every man and woman that has talent and hides it will be called a slothful servant4 ,improve day by day upon the capital you have4 ,in proportion as we are capacitated to receive1 so it is our duty to do4 #g3g4 ,it is our duty and calling1 as ministers of the same salvation and ,gospel1 to gather every item of truth and reject every error4 ,whether a truth be found with professed infidels1 or with the ,universalists1 or the ,church of ,rome1 or the ,methodists1 the ,church of ,england1 the ,presbyterians1 the ,baptists1 the ,quakers1 the ,shakers1 or any other of the various and numerous different sects and parties1 all of whom have more or less truth1 it is the business of the ,elders of this ,church 7,jesus1 their ,elder ,brother1 being at their head7 to gather up all the truths in the world pertaining to life and salvation1 to the ,gospel we preach1 to mechanism of every kind1 to the sciences1 and to philosophy1 wherever it may be found in every nation1 kindred1 tongue1 and people and bring it to ,zion4 #g3bhc4 ,continuous ,education--,this is our labor1 our business1 and our calling--to grow in grace and in knowledge from day to day and from year to year4 #f3bfh4 ,i shall not cease learning while ,i live1 nor when ,i arrive in the spirit-world2 but shall there learn with greater facility2 and when ,i again receive my body1 ,i shall learn a thousand times more in a thousand times less time2 and then ,i do not mean to cease learning1 but shall still continue my researches4 #h3aj4 ,we shall never see the time when we shall not need to be taught1 nor when there will not be an object to be gained4 ,i never expect to see the time that there will not #chc be a superior power and a superior knowledge1 and1 consequently1 incitements to further progress and further improvement4 #aj3bba4 ,if ,i do not learn what is in the world1 from first to last1 somebody will be wiser than ,i am4 ,i intend to know the whole of it1 both good and bad4 ,shall ,i practice evil8 ,no2 neither have ,i told you to practice it1 but to learn by the light of truth every principle there is in existence in the world4 #b3id4 ,we need constant instruction1 and our great heavenly ,teacher requires of us to be diligent pupils in his school1 that we may in time reach his glorified presence4 ,if we will not lay to heart the rules of education which our ,teacher gives us to study1 and continue to advance from one branch of learning to another1 we never can be scholars of the first class and become endowed with the science1 power1 excellency1 brightness and glory of the heavenly hosts2 and unless we are educated as they are1 we cannot associate with them4 #aj3bff4 ,and inasmuch as the ,lord ,almighty has designed us to know all that is in the earth1 both the good and the evil1 and to learn not only what is in heaven1 but what is in hell1 you need not expect ever to get through learning4 ,though ,i mean to learn all that is in heaven1 earth1 and hell4 ,do ,i need to commit iniquity to do it8 ,no4 ,if ,i were to go into the bowels of hell to find out what is there1 that does not make it necessary that ,i should commit one evil1 or blaspheme in any way the name of my ,maker4 #b3id4 ,the extent of knowledge incorporated within the salvation extended to the children of men1 will vastly exceed the researches of the human family1 and when they have #chd passed the veil1 they will then understand that they have but just commenced to learn4 ,brother ,morley says he never expects to be too old to learn2 ,i believe that doctrine4 ,could we live to the age of ,methuselah1 and eat the fruits which the earth would produce in her strength1 as did ,adam and ,eve before the transgression1 and spend our lives in searching after the principles of eternal life1 we would find1 when one eternity had passed to us1 that we had been but children thus far1 babies just commencing to learn the things which pertain to the eternities of the ,gods4 ,we might ask1 when shall we cease to learn8 ,i will give you my opinion about it3 never1 never4 #c3bjb4 ,if we continue to learn all that we can1 pertaining to the salvation which is purchased and presented to us through the ,son of ,god1 is there a time when a person will cease to learn8 ,yes1 when he has sinned against ,god the ,father1 ,jesus ,christ the ,son1 and the ,holy ,ghost--,god's minister2 when he has denied the ,lord1 defied him and committed the sin that in the ,bible is termed the unpardonable sin--the sin against the ,holy ,ghost4 ,that is the time when a person will cease to learn1 and from that time forth1 will descend in ignorance1 forgetting that which they formerly knew4 ,they will cease to increase1 but must decrease4 ,these are the only characters who will ever cease to learn1 both in time and eternity4 #c3bjc4 ,i ask1 have the great and learned men completed their education8 ,no1 they are ever learning1 and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth4 #a3gj4 ,i will not say1 as do many1 that the more ,i learn the more ,i am satisfied that ,i know nothing2 for the more ,i learn the more ,i discern an eternity of knowledge to improve upon4 #che ,one scholar in a school may far outstrip the rest2 but give them sufficient time1 and they can learn what the quick1 bright scholar has learned so easily and quickly4 ,if we are capacitated to learn one thing today1 we can learn another tomorrow4 ,it is the height of folly to say that a man can only learn so much and no more4 ,the further literary men advance in their studies1 the more they discern there is to learn1 and the more anxious they are to learn4 ,we may live here year after year1 and store up knowledge all the time1 and yet not have an opportunity of exhibiting it to others2 it is on hand2 whenever the time comes it should be used4 #f3bgd4 ,experience has taught us that it requires time to acquire certain branches of mechanism1 also all principles and ideas that we wish to become masters of4 ,the closer people apply their minds to any correct purpose the faster they can grow and increase in the knowledge of the truth4 ,when they learn to master their feelings1 they can soon learn to master their reflections and thoughts in the degree requisite for attaining the objects they are seeking4 ,but while they yield to a feeling or spirit that distracts their minds from a subject they wish to study and learn1 so long they will never gain the mastery of their minds4 #f3id4 ,no matter what your circumstances ate1 whether you are in prosperity or in adversity1 you can learn from every person1 transaction1 and circumstance around you4 #d3bhg4 ,effects of ,education--,the results of the education and traditions of the inhabitants of the earth1 are interwoven with their feelings1 and are like a cloak that envelops them1 in the capacity of societies1 neighborhoods1 people1 or individuals2 they frame that kind of government and religion1 #chf and pursue that course collectively or individually1 that seemeth good to themselves4 #c3hh4 ,every principle of true philosophy convinces a person who understands the spirit of the ,gospel and has received the good word of life1 that the darkness is in proportion to the light that has been forsaken4 ,rear a child in a cell which only admits a small glimmer of light1 and the child will pass its time with some degree of satisfaction1 when a person accustomed to the bright light of day could not at first see anything4 ,and the greater the light bestowed upon an individual or upon a people1 the greater the darkness when that light is forsaken4 #h3aba4 ,will education feed and clothe you1 keep you warm on a cold day1 or enable you to build a house8 ,not at all4 ,should we cry down education on this account8 ,no4 ,what is it for8 ,the improvement of the mind2 to instruct us in all arts and sciences1 in the history of the world1 in the laws of nations2 to enable us to understand the laws and principles of life1 and how to be useful while we live4 #ad3hc4 ,what is the religion of the day8 ,what are all the civil laws and governments of the day8 ,they are merely traditions1 without a single exception4 ,do the people realize this--that it is the force of their education that makes right and wrong with them8 ,it is not the line which the ,lord has drawn out2 it is not the law which the ,lord has given them2 it is not the righteousness which is according to the character of him who has created all things1 and by his own law governs and controls all things2 but by the prejudice of education--the prepossessed feeling that is begotten in the hearts of the children of men1 by surrounding objects4 #c3hf4 ,if ,i should hear a man advocate the erroneous principles #chg he had imbibed through education1 and oppose those principles1 some might imagine that ,i was opposed to that man1 when1 in fact1 ,i am only opposed to every evil and erroneous principle he advances4 #f3cca4 ,there is not a law of ,god1 nor a law of any nation that exercises so strong an influence upon us as do our traditions at times1 to1 bind us to certain customs1 habits and ceremonies4 #h3eh4 ,educate our ,children--,believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 obey his doctrine1 cease your warring and contention1 beat your swords into ploughshares and your spears into pruning hooks2 make railroads1 build colleges1 teach the children1 give them the learning of the world and the things of ,god2 elevate their minds1 that they may not only understand the earth we walk upon1 but the air we breathe1 the water we drink1 and all the elements pertaining to the earth2 and then search other worlds1 and become acquainted with the planetary system1 the dwellings of the angels and the heavenly beings1 that they may ultimately be prepared for a higher state of being1 and finally be associated with them4 ,i wish we would do it2 ,i pray the ,lord to do it1 but he will not1 unless we help him4 #ad3baj4 ,the education of our children is worthy of our attention1 and the instruction of the ,elders from this stand4 ,it is a subject that should be thoroughly impressed upon the minds of parents and the rising generation2 and those who wish to preach from this text may do so4 #ac3bfb4 ,it is a duty we owe to our children to educate and train them in every principle of honor and good manners1 in a knowledge of ,god and his ways1 and in popular school education4 ,i am happy to hear the little children sing1 and #chh hope they are also learning to read and write1 and are progressing in every useful branch of learning4 #aa3aaa4 ,see that your children are properly educated in the rudiments of their mother tongue1 and then let them proceed to higher branches of learning2 let them become more informed in every department of true and useful learning than their fathers are4 ,when they have become well acquainted with their language1 let them study other languages1 and make themselves fully acquainted with the manners1 customs1 laws1 governments and literature of other nations1 peoples1 and tongues4 ,let them also learn all the truth pertaining to the arts and sciences1 and how to apply the same to their temporal wants4 ,let them study things that are upon the earth1 that are in the earth1 and that are in the heavens4 #h3i4 ,i wish this people to pay particular attention to the education of their children4 ,if we can do no more1 we should give them the facilities of a common education1 that when our sons are sent into the world as ministers of salvation and as representatives of the ,kingdom of ,god in the mountains1 they can mingle with the best society and intelligibly and sensibly present the principles of truth to mankind1 for all truth is the offspring of heaven1 and is incorporated in the religion which we have embraced4 ,every accomplishment1 every polished grace1 every useful attainment in mathematics1 music1 and in all science and art belongs to the ,saints1 and they should avail themselves as expeditiously as possible of the wealth of knowledge the sciences offer to every diligent and persevering scholar4 #aj3bbd4 ,the education of youth is an important text for the brethren to preach from4 ,a very high value should be #chi placed upon it by the ,saints4 ,we have the privilege of enjoying the spirit of revelation and the knowledge which comes from above1 and in addition to this1 every branch of education known in the world should be taught among and acquired by us4 #ac3bfc4 ,my policy is to keep everybody busy in building up this ,kingdom2 in building houses2 in breaking up land2 in setting out fruit and ornamental trees2 in laying out fine gardens1 pleasant walks1 and beautiful groves2 and in building academies and other places of learning4 ,there are hundreds of young men here who can go to school1 which is far better than to waste their time4 ,study languages1 get knowledge and understanding2 and while doing this1 get wisdom from ,god1 and forget it not1 and learn how to apply it1 that you may be good with it all the days of your lives4 #b3ade4 ,establish ,schools--,is it not a blessing to have schools in our community1 where our teachers can teach our children correct principles1 and impart to them education that will be useful8 #h3ib4 ,let a few schools be started by those who are capable of teaching the sciences4 ,the science of architecture1 for instance1 is worthy the attention of every student4 ,it yields a great amount of real pleasure to be able to understand the grand architectural designs of those magnificent structures that are scattered over ,europe and other countries4 #i3agc4 ,go to work and start some schools1 go to school and study2 have the girls go1 and teach them chemistry1 so that they can take any of these rocks and analyze them4 ,the sciences can be learned without much difficulty4 ,i want to have schools to entertain the minds of the people and draw #cij them out to learn the arts and sciences4 ,send the old children to school1 and the young ones also2 there is nothing ,i would like better than to learn chemistry1 botany1 geology1 and mineralogy1 so that ,i could tell what ,i walk on1 the properties of the air ,i breathe1 what ,i drink1 etc4 #af3agj4 ,let our teachers ask the ,father1 in the name of ,jesus1 to bestow upon them and upon their scholars the ,spirit of wisdom and intelligence from heaven2 ask for skill to control and ability to teach on the part of the teacher1 and willingness to be controlled and adaptability to be taught on the part of the scholars4 ,let parents aid the teacher in his labors1 by seeing that their children attend school punctually1 with a proper supply of books1 slates1 pencils1 etc41 and permit not a good diligent1 faithful school-teacher to suffer for the common necessaries of life1 while he is laboring to educate and bless their children4 #i3cfi4 ,i will now urge it upon the people--the young men and middle-aged--to get up schools and study4 ,if they are disposed to study physic or surgery1 all right2 they will know then what to do if a person is sickly1 or has his elbow1 wrist1 or shoulder put out of joint1 or his arm or any bone broken4 ,it is just as important to learn such things as it is to learn to plant potatoes4 ,pay more attention to arithmetic and other things that are useful1 instead of acquiring a little ,french and ,german and other fanciful studies that are not of so much practical importance4 ,i do not know how long it will be before we call upon the brethren and sisters to enter upon business in an entirely different way from what they have done4 ,i have been an advocate for our printing to be done by females1 and as for men being in stores1 you might as well set them to knitting stockings as to sell tape4 ,such business ought to be done by the sisters4 ,it would #cia enable them to sustain themselves1 and would be far better than for them to spend their time in the parlor or in walking the streets4 ,hardy men have no business behind the counter2 they who are not able to hoe potatoes1 go to the canyon1 cut down the trees1 saw the lumber1 etc41 can attend to that business4 ,study arithmetic and bookkeeping4 ,introduce stenography into every school2 it is an excellent thing to learn4 ,by its means we can commit our thoughts and reflections to paper with ease and rapidity1 and thus preserve that which will be of benefit to ourselves and others1 and which would otherwise be forever lost4 ,introduce every kind of useful studies into our schools4 ,get up classes for the study of law4 ,the laws of this ,territory1 of the ,united ,states1 of the different ,states1 of ,england1 and foreign lands4 ,do this instead of riding over the prairies hunting and wasting your time1 which is property that belongs to the ,lord our ,god1 and if we do not make good use of it we shall be held accountable4 #ab3ca-cb4 ,let good schools be established throughout all the settlements of the ,saints in ,utah4 ,let good teachers1 who are ,latter-day ,saints in principle and at heart1 be employed to educate our children4 ,a good school teacher is one of the most essential members in society2 he relieves parents1 in part1 of a great responsibility and labor2 we should1 therefore1 make the business of school teaching a permanent institution1 and the remuneration should be in amount and in kind equal to the receipts of our best mechanics2 it should also be promptly and willingly paid1 and school commissioners and trustees should see to it that teachers are properly qualified and do earn their pay4 ,could ,i have my wish1 ,i would introduce into our system of education every real improvement4 #aj3bbe4 #cib ,understand men and women as they are1 and not understand them as you are4 #h3cg4 ,what to ,study--,it is our privilege and our duty to search all things upon the face of the earth1 and learn what there is for man to enjoy1 what ,god has ordained for the benefit and happiness of mankind1 and then make use of it without sinning against him4 #i3bdc4 ,learn everything that the children of men know1 and be prepared for the most refined society upon the face of the earth1 then improve upon this until we are prepared and permitted to enter the society of the blessed--the holy angels that dwell in the presence of ,god1 for our ,god1 because of his purity1 is a consuming fire4 #af3gg4 ,we should be a people of profound learning pertaining to the things of the world4 ,we should be familiar with the various languages1 for we wish to send missionaries to the different nations and to the islands of the sea4 ,we wish missionaries who may go to ,france to be able to speak the ,french language fluently1 and those who may go to ,germany1 ,italy1 ,spain1 and so on to all nations1 to be familiar with the languages of those nations4 ,we also wish them to understand the geography1 habits1 customs1 and laws of nations and kingdoms1 whether they be barbarians or civilized4 ,this is recommended in the revelations given to us4 ,in them we are taught to study the best books1 that we may become as well acquainted with the geography of the world as we are with our gardens1 and as families with the people--so far at least as they are portrayed in print--as we are with our families and neighbors4 #h3dj4 ,how gladly would we understand every principle pertaining to science and art1 and become thoroughly acquainted #cic with every intricate operation of nature1 and with all the chemical changes that are constantly going on around us6 ,how delightful this would be1 and what a boundless field of truth and power is open for us to explore6 ,we are only just approaching the shores of the vast ocean of information that pertains to this physical world1 to say nothing of that which pertains to the heavens1 to angels and celestial beings1 to the place of their habitation1 to the manner of their life1 and their progress to still higher degrees of perfection4 #i3afg4 ,our education should be such as to improve our minds and fit us for increased usefulness2 to make us of greater service to the human family2 to enable us to stop our rude methods of living1 speaking1 and thinking4 #ad3hc4 ,learn to be good for something4 #aa3bih4 ,if we could only learn enough to be self-preserving and self-sustaining1 we should then have learned what the ,gods have learned before us1 and what we must eventually learn before we can be exalted4 #i3afi4 ,learn all you can4 ,learn how to raise calves1 chickens1 lambs1 and all kinds of useful fowls and animals2 learn how to till the ground to the best advantage for raising all useful products of the soil2 and learn how to manufacture molasses and sugar from the sugar-cane4 ,raise flax1 husbands1 and let your wives learn to manufacture fine linen4 #i3agc4 ,let the boys from ten to twenty years of age get up schools to learn sword exercise1 musket and rifle exercise1 and1 in short1 every act of war4 ,shall we need this knowledge8 ,no matter2 it is good to be acquainted with this kind of exercise4 #i3agc4 ,if ,i could get my own feelings answered ,i would have law in our school books1 and have our youth study law at #cid school4 ,then lead their minds to study the decisions and counsels of the just and the wise1 and not forever be studying how to get the advantage of their neighbor4 ,this is wisdom4 #af3i4 ,i have a few things to lay before the ,conference1 one of which is--and ,i think my brethren will agree with me that this is wise and practicable--for from one to five thousand of our young and middle-aged men to turn their attention to the study of law4 ,i would not speak lightly in the least of law1 we are sustained by it2 but what is called the practice of law is not always the administration of justice1 and would not be so considered in many courts4 #af3i4 ,every ,elder should have at least one trade1 and if possible more than one4 #aj3gg4 ,i am happy to see our children engaged in the study and practice of music4 ,let them be educated in every useful branch of learning1 for we1 as a people1 have in the future to excel the nations of the earth in religion1 science and philosophy4 ,great advancement has been made in knowledge by the learned of this world1 still there is yet much to learn4 ,the hidden powers of nature which give life1 growth1 and existence to all things have not yet been approached by the wisdom of this world4 ,there exists around us1 in the works of ,god1 an everlasting variety--no two leaves1 no two blades of grass are alike4 ,natural philosophy1 so far as known1 marks these phenomena of nature1 and reveals her wonders1 but is incapable of revealing the modus operandi of the production4 ,let the children in our schools be taught everything that is necessary with regard to doctrine and principle1 and then how to live2 and let mothers teach their daughters regarding themselves1 and how they should live in their #cie sphere of existence1 that they may be good wives and good mothers4 ,let the sisters study economy in the labor and management of their homes4 ,i am satisfied that more than one-half of the labor that is done in our houses can be saved by a judicious exercise of thought and good judgment ,then be wise in these things1 and we shall not need tea and coffee1 or any other stimulant stronger than our natural food4 #ab3abb-abc4 ,study to apply your labor to advantage1 and you will accomplish much more1 without wearing yourselves out so fast4 ,if you have to roll a log1 cut down a tree1 etc41 study how to take advantage of the work4 ,contrive to accomplish your work with the least expenditure of strength4 #h3big4 ,i would advise you to read books that are worth reading2 read reliable history1 and search wisdom out of the best books you can procure4 #i3agc4 ,shall ,i sit down and read the ,bible1 the ,book of ,mormon1 and the ,book of ,covenants all the time8 says one4 ,yes1 if you please1 and when you have done1 you may be nothing but a sectarian after all4 ,it is your duty to study to know everything upon the face of the earth in addition to reading those books4 ,we should not only study good1 and its effects upon our race1 but also evil1 and its consequences4 #b3ic-id4 ,all men should study to learn the nature of mankind1 and to discern that divinity inherent in them4 ,a spirit and power of research is planted within1 yet they remain undeveloped4 #g3a4 ,novel reading--is it profitable8 ,i would rather that persons read novels than read nothing4 #i3agc4 ,i hope to see the time when we shall have a reformation #cif in the orthography of the ,english language1 among this people1 for it is greatly needed4 ,such a reformation would be a great benefit1 and would make the acquirement of an education much easier than at present4 #ab3agd4 ,i long for the time that a point of the finger1 or motion of the hand1 will express every idea without utterance4 ,when a man is full of the light of eternity1 then the eye is not the only medium through which he sees1 his ear is not the only medium by which he hears1 nor the brain the only means by which he understands4 ,when the whole body is full of the ,holy ,ghost1 he can see behind him with as much ease1 without turning1 his head1 as he can see before him4 ,if1 you have not that experience1 you ought to have4 ,it is not the optic nerve alone that gives the knowledge of surrounding objects to the mind1 but it is that which ,god has placed in man--a system of intelligence that attracts knowledge1 as light cleaves to light1 intelligence to intelligence1 and truth to truth4 ,it is this which lays in man a proper foundation for all education4 ,i shall yet see the time that ,i can converse with this people1 and not speak to them1 but the expression of my countenance will tell the congregation what ,i wish to convey1 without opening my mouth4 ,religious ,education--,we have established a school in ,salt ,lake ,city for the instruction of the ,elders of ,israel in the doctrines which are contained in the ,bible1 ,book of ,mormon1 and book of ,doctrine and ,covenants1 etc41 and that is also the place where questions may be asked1 and instructions given touching all doctrines and principles that may be entertained by them4 ,that is also the place where correction may be given and explanations be made upon all matters which pertain to the temporal and spiritual lives #cig of the ,saints4 ,it is about two months since that school was established4 #ab3aei4 ,we are starting the ,school of the ,prophets4 ,we have been in this school all the time4 ,the revelations of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ to the human family are all the learning we can ever possess4 ,much of this knowledge is obtained from books1 which have been written by men who have contemplated deeply on various subjects1 and the revelation of ,jesus have opened their minds1 whether they knew it or acknowledged it or not4 ,we will start this ,school of the ,prophets to increase in knowledge4 #ab3aajf4 ,there are a great many branches of education3 some go to college to learn languages1 some to study law1 some to study physic1 and some to study astronomy1 and various other branches of science4 ,we want every branch of science taught in this place that is taught in the world4 ,but our favorite study is that branch which particularly belongs to the ,elders of ,israel--namely1 theology4 ,every ,elder should become a profound theologian--should understand this branch better than all the world4 #f3cag4 ,the ,christian world is actually coming to the point that they will dismiss the ,bible from their schools2 and by and by they will dismiss it from their pulpits and get one to suit themselves2 they will hew out for themselves cisterns that will hold no water4 #ac3bac4 ,science and ,religion--,i am not astonished that infidelity prevails to a great extent among the inhabitants of the earth1 for the religious teachers of the people advance many ideas and notions for truth which are in opposition to and contradict facts demonstrated by science1 and which are generally understood4 ,you take1 for instance1 our geologists1 and they tell us that this earth has been in existence #cih for thousands and millions of years4 ,they think1 and they have good reason for their faith1 that their researches and investigations enable them to demonstrate that this earth has been in existence as long as they assert it has2 and they say1 ,if the ,lord1 as religionists declare1 made the earth out of nothing in six days1 six thousand years ago1 our studies are all vain2 but by what we can learn from nature and the immutable laws of the ,creator as revealed therein1 we know that your theories are incorrect and consequently we must reject your religions as false and vain2 we must be what you call infidels1 with the demonstrated truths of science in our possession2 or1 rejecting those truths1 become enthusiasts in1 what you call1 ,christianity4 ,in these respects we differ from the ,christian world1 for our religion will not clash with or contradict the facts of science in any particular4 ,you may take geology1 for instance1 and it is true science2 not that ,i would say for a moment that all the conclusions and deductions of its professors are true1 but its leading principles are2 they are facts--they are eternal2 and to assert that the ,lord made this earth out of nothing is preposterous and impossible4 ,god never made something out of nothing2 it is not in the economy or law by which the worlds were1 are1 or will exist4 ,there is an eternity before us1 and it is full of matter2 and if we but understand enough of the ,lord and his ways1 we would say that he took of this matter and organized this earth from it4 ,how long it has been organized it is not for me to say1 and ,i do not care anything about it4 ,as for the ,bible account of the creation we may say that the ,lord gave it to ,moses4 ,if we understood the process of creation there would be no mystery about it1 it would be all reasonable and plain1 for there is no mystery except to #cii the ignorant4 ,this we know by what we have learned naturally since we have had a being on the earth4 ,we can now take a hymn book and read its contents2 but if we had never learned letters and knew nothing about type or paper or their uses1 and should take up a book and look at it1 it would be a great mystery2 and still more so would it be to see a person read line after line1 and give expression therefrom to the sentiments of himself or others4 ,but this is no mystery to us now1 because we have learned our letters1 and then learned to place those letters into syllables1 the syllables into words1 and the words into sentences4 ,fifty or a hundred years ago1 if any one had told the people of the ,east ,indies that water could be congealed1 and form ice so thick and hard that you could walk on and drive teams over it1 they would probably have said1 ,we do not believe a word of it4 ,why8 ,because they did not know anything about it4 ,a proper reply for all mankind to make under similar circumstances would be1 ,we do not know anything about what you say1 and do not know whether we should have faith in it or not4 ,perhaps we should1 but we have no evidence at present on which to found such a belief4 ,you go down south here among some of our native ,indian tribes1 where some of the very best of blankets are made1 and you will find them twisting their yarn with their fingers and little sticks1 and their loom attached to the limbs of trees for weaving purposes4 ,show them a loom such as white people use1 and it would be a perfect mystery to them4 ,sixty or seventy years ago a loom worked by water power would have been a mystery to an ,american1 but there is no mystery in that today1 because the process is understood4 ,so it is with the ,east ,indians and ice1 for the chemist now1 by a chemical #djj process1 will congeal the water and make ice of it before their eyes1 and it is in this way1 by testimony1 evidence1 and demonstration that ignorance and prejudice are removed1 faith implanted and knowledge acquired4 ,it is so with regard to all the facts in existence that we do not understand4 #ad3aae4 ,there is no ingenious mind that has ever invented anything beneficial to the human family but what he obtained it from the one ,source1 whether he knows or believes it or not4 ,there is only one ,source whence men obtain wisdom1 and that is ,god1 the ,fountain of all wisdom2 and though men may claim to make their discoveries by their own wisdom1 by meditation and reflection1 they are indebted to our ,father in ,heaven for all4 #ac3adh4 ,it has been observed here this morning that we are called fanatics4 ,bless me6 ,that is nothing4 ,who has not been called a fanatic who has discovered anything new in philosophy or science8 ,we have all read of ,galileo the astronomer1 who1 contrary to the system of astronomy that had been received for ages before his day1 taught that the sun1 and not the earth1 was the center of our planetary system8 ,for this the learned astronomer was called fanatic1 and subjected to persecution and imprisonment of the most rigorous character4 ,so it has been with others who have discovered and explained new truths in science and philosophy which have been in opposition to long-established theories2 and the opposition they have encountered has endured until the truth of their discoveries has been demonstrated by time4 ,the term fanatic is not applied to professors of religion only4 ,how was it with ,dr4 ,morse1 when shut up in the attic of an old building in ,baltimore for more #dja than a year1 with a little wire stretched round the room1 experimenting upon it with his battery1 he told a friend that by means of that he could sit there and talk to ,congress in ,washington8 ,was he not considered a fanatic1 and wild1 and crazy8 ,certainly he was2 and so it was with ,robert ,fulton1 when he was conducting his experiments with steam and endeavoring to apply it so as to propel a vessel through the water4 ,and all great discoverers in art1 science1 or mechanism have been denounced as fanatics and crazy2 and it has been declared by their contemporaries that they did not know what they were saying1 and they were thought to be almost as wild and incoherent as the generality of the people now think ,george ,francis ,train to be4 #ac3bgj4 ,how difficult it is to teach the natural man1 who comprehends nothing more than that which he sees with the natural eye6 ,how hard it is for him to believe6 ,how difficult would be the task to make the philosopher1 who1 for many years1 has argued himself into the belief that his spirit is no more after his body sleeps in the grave1 believe that his intelligence came from eternity1 and is as eternal1 in its nature1 as the elements1 or as the ,gods4 ,such doctrine by him would be considered vanity and foolishness1 it would be entirely beyond his comprehension4 ,it is difficult1 indeed1 to remove an opinion or belief into which he has argued himself from the mind of the natural man4 ,talk to him about angels1 heavens1 ,god1 immortality1 and eternal lives1 and it is like sounding brass1 or a tinkling cymbal to his ears2 it has no music to him2 there is nothing in it that charms his senses1 soothes his feelings1 attracts his attention1 or engages his affections1 in the least2 to him it is all vanity4 #a3b4 #djb ,true principles will abide1 while all false principles will fall with those who choose and cleave to them4 #g3fe4 ,we should seek substantial information1 and trust little to that kind of so-called learning that is based upon theory4 ,we should pluck fruit from the tree of knowledge1 and taste1 then shall our eyes be open to see1 our ears to hear and our hearts to understand4 ,i would recommend the same course to those who have not embraced and tasted the sweets of ,mormonism4 ,we should get wisdom by reading and by study4 ,we should introduce the best books into our schools for the education and improvement of our children4 ,let our school teachers seek constantly to fasten upon the young mind useful information1 and banish from their schools1 every study that only tends to perplex the student and waste his valuable time4 #i3cfi4 ,the ,body and the ,mind--,some think too much1 and should labor more1 others labor too much and should think more1 and thus maintain an equilibrium between the mental and physical members of the individual2 then you will enjoy health and vigor1 will be active1 and ready to discern truly1 and judge quickly4 ,men who do much thinking1 philosophers for instance1 should apply their bodies to more manual labor in order to make their bodies more healthy and their minds more vigorous and active4 #c3bdh4 ,studies in ,sunday ,schools--,we wish in our ,sunday and day schools1 that they who are inclined to any particular branch of study may have the privilege to study it4 #ac3fa4 ,wisdom--,the person that applies his heart to wisdom1 and seeks diligently for understanding1 will grow to be mighty in ,israel4 #c3cfc4 ,let wisdom be sown in your hearts1 and let it bring forth a bountiful harvest4 ,it is more profitable to you than #djc all the gold and silver and other riches of earth4 ,let wisdom spring up in your hearts1 and cultivate it4 #h3adj4 ,after all our endeavors to obtain wisdom from the best books1 etc41 there still remains an open fountain for all2 ,if any man lack wisdom let him ask of ,god4 ,let every ,latter-day ,saint constantly practice himself in the performance of every good word and work1 to acknowledge ,god to be ,god1 to be strict in keeping his laws1 and learning to love mercy1 eschew evil and delight in constantly doing that which is pleasing to ,god4 ,this is the only sure way to obtain influence with ,god and all good men4 #i3cgj4 ,as we prepare materials to build a house or temple1 so man can prepare himself for the reception of eternal wisdom4 ,we go where the materials for a house are1 and prepare them to answer our purpose2 so we may go to where eternal wisdom dwells and there diligently seek to possess it1 for its price is above rubies4 #i3bej4 ,who is it that understands wisdom before ,god8 ,in some respects we have to define it for ourselves--each for himself--according to our own views1 judgment and faith1 and the observance of the ,word of ,wisdom or the interpretation of ,god's requirements on this subject1 must be left partially1 with the people4 #ad3bj4 ,it is our privilege to be as wise in our generation as the children of this world2 and not only so1 but it is our duty to be as wise in our generation as the children of this world4 ,we have the true light and knowledge and we ought to know as much as the philosophical world1 or as any other people on the earth4 ,we ought at least to know as much about politics as do the political world1 or as do any other people4 ,i expect that we do2 and if we only apply our minds in the proper time and channel1 we know as much #djd about the ,christian world as do any other people1 and we ought to know as much about the whole world as do any other people4 ,in fact1 we ought to know more upon all those matters than any other people2 for we are privileged with far superior advantages1 through faith and obedience to the ,gospel4 #d3cef4 ,we pray for wisdom1 but ,god will as soon put bread and meat in our cupboards without any endeavor of ours1 as he will give us wisdom without our trying to get it4 ,if a man wants a farm1 let him make it2 if he wishes an orchard he plants it2 if he wants a house for his family to live in1 he must gather the materials and build it4 ,he will give us wisdom in these things1 but he will not come down to do the manual labor4 #i3bej4 ,this people are increasing in the wisdom which cometh from ,god1 and their power to organize the crude elements around them into the necessaries of life is in ratio to their increase of intelligence and application of labor4 ,in this way we ought to understand these great principles4 ,we need not seek for a revelation to know how to make cloth1 when the mode is plainly marked before our eyes4 ,sheep produce a textile material1 and how to make it into cloth has been known time out of mind2 we can raise sheep in abundance4 ,i do not look for power from the heavens that will produce for us wool1 cloth1 iron1 food1 or anything we need1 without being made with hands4 ,we should understand what is required of us to sustain ourselves4 #i3bee4 ,it is the privilege of man to search out the wisdom of ,god pertaining to the earth and the heavens4 #i3bdb4 ,real wisdom is a real pleasure2 real wisdom1 prudence1 and understanding1 is a real comfort4 #ai3if4 ,i want our children to go and hear all there is to hear1 #dje for the whole sum of it will be wound up as ,i once heard one of the finest speakers ,america has ever produced say1 when speaking on the soul of man4 ,after laboring long on the subject1 he straightened himself up--he was a fine looking man--and1 said he1 ,my brethren and sisters1 ,i must come to the conclusion that the soul of man is an immaterial substance4 ,said ,i1 ,bah6 #ad3aih4 #djf ,,chapter ,,xxiii ,,self ,,control ,the ,will of ,man--,you call it will4 ,it is the divinity ,god has placed in his intelligent creatures4 #h3bji4 ,have we a will8 ,yes4 ,it is an endowment1 a trait of the character of the ,gods1 with which all intelligence is endowed1 in heaven and on earth1--the power to accept or reject4 #i3ajf4 ,god has placed within us a will1 and we should be satisfied to have it controlled by the will of the ,almighty4 ,let the human will be indomitable for right4 ,it has been the custom of parents to break the will until it is weakened1 and the noble1 ,god-like powers of the child are reduced to a comparative state of imbecility and cowardice4 ,let that heaven-born property of human agents be properly tempered and wisely directed1 instead of pursuing the opposite course1 and it will conquer in the cause of right4 ,break not the spirit of any person1 but guide it to feel that it is its greatest delight and highest ambition to be controlled by the revelations of ,jesus ,christ1 then the will of man becomes ,god-like in overcoming the evil that is sown in the flesh1 until ,god shall reign within us to will and do of his good pleasure4 #i3aej4 ,take people in every capacity of life1 and their wills are first and foremost4 ,you can gain and lead the affections of the people1 but you cannot scare them1 nor whip them1 nor burn them to do right against their wills4 ,the human family will die to gratify their wills4 ,then learn to rightly direct those wills1 and you can direct the influence and power of the people4 #h3cfc4 #djg ,there is no man or woman on the earth in the habit of stealing1 but what can cease the practice right square if they are disposed4 ,and so with the liar1 he can stop lying1 and lie no more1 and tell the truth4 ,it only wants the will to do it1 and that will brought into exercise to enable the liar to be truthful1 the thief to be honest1 and the swearer to stop his evil speaking4 #ah3gg4 ,we want the spirit1 knowledge1 power and principle within us to govern and control our tempers2 there is no danger of having too much if we will only control them by the ,spirit of the ,almighty4 ,every intelligent being on the earth is tempered for glory1 beauty1 excellency and knowledge here1 and for immortality and eternal lives in the worlds to come4 ,but every being who attains to this must be sanctified before ,god and be completely under the control of his ,spirit4 ,if ,i am thus controlled by the ,spirit of the ,most ,high1 ,i am a king4 ,i am supreme so far as the control of self is concerned2 and it also enables me to control my wives and children4 ,and when they thus see that ,i am under the government and control of the good ,spirit1 they will be perfectly submissive to my dictates4 #ac3bgb4 ,now ,i charge you again1 and ,i charge myself not to get angry4 ,never let anger arise in your hearts4 ,no1 ,brigham1 never let anger arise in your heart1 never1 never6 ,although you may be called upon to chastise and to speak to the people sharply1 do not let anger arise in you1 no1 never6 #ad3aef4 ,self ,control ,necessary--,we are trying to govern ourselves1 and if we continue trying and faint not1 we shall assuredly conquer4 #aa3bef4 ,let the people study to bring their thinking or reflecting faculties into subjection4 #f3id4 ,learn to control yourselves2 learn to be in the hands of #djh ,god as clay in the hands of the potter2 and if he will turn our enemies away1 praised be his name4 ,but if it should become a duty to take the sword1 let us do it manfully and in the strength of ,israel's ,god4 #e3bbi4 ,i answer1 it is the absolute and imperative duty of the ,elders of ,israel to try and control themselves and their families and their brethren1 until they can hold control over all things in righteousness4 #aj3ccc4 ,i have frequently said that the greatest endowment ,god ever gave to man is good1 sound1 solid sense to know how to govern ourselves4 #i3bej4 ,no man can ever become a ruler in the ,kingdom of ,god1 until he can perfectly rule himself2 then is he capable of raising a family of children who will rise up and call him blessed4 #i3ccd4 ,no man ever did1 or ever will rule judiciously on this earth1 with honor to himself and glory to his ,god1 unless he first learn to rule and control himself4 ,a man must first learn to rule himself rightly before his knowledge can be fully brought to bear for the correct government of a family1 a neighborhood1 or nation1 over which it is his lot to preside4 #c3bef4 ,in this probation1 we have evil to contend with1 and we must overcome it in ourselves1 or we never shall overcome it anywhere else4 #f3ii4 ,you have been taught the standard of right4 ,now subdue your rebellious passions1 dismiss everything that you know or consider to be wrong1 and embrace that which is better4 #f3gd4 ,let each person be determined1 in the name of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 to overcome every besetment--to be the master of himself1 that the ,spirit ,god has put in your tabernacles #dji shall rule2 then you can converse1 live1 labor1 go here or there1 do this or that1 and converse and deal with your brethren as you ought4 #h3aci4 ,you cannot inherit eternal life1 unless your appetites are brought in subjection to the spirit that lives within you1 that spirit which our ,father in ,heaven gave4 ,i mean the ,father of your spirits1 of those spirits which he has put into these tabernacles4 ,the tabernacle must be brought in subjection to the spirit perfectly1 or your bodies cannot be raised to inherit eternal life2 if they do come forth1 they must dwell in a lower kingdom4 ,seek diligently1 until you bring all into subjection to the law of ,christ4 #d3bjj4 ,we often hear people excuse themselves for their uncouth manners and offensive language1 by remarking ,i am no hypocrite1 thus taking to themselves credit for that which is really no credit to them4 ,when evil arises within me1 let me throw a cloak over it1 subdue it1 instead of acting it out upon the false presumption that ,i am honest and no hypocrite4 ,let not thy tongue give utterance to the evil that is in thine heart1 but command thy tongue to be silent until good shall prevail over the evil1 until thy wrath has passed away and the good ,spirit shall move thy tongue to blessings and words of kindness4 ,so far ,i believe in being a hypocrite4 ,this is practical with me4 ,when my feelings are aroused to anger by the ill-doings of others1 ,i hold them as ,i would hold a wild horse1 and ,i gain the victory4 ,some think and say that it makes them feel better when they are mad1 as they call it1 to give vent to their madness in abusive and unbecoming language4 ,this1 however1 is a mistake4 ,instead of its making you feel better1 it is making bad worse4 ,when you think and say it makes you better you give credit to a falsehood4 ,when the wrath #daj and bitterness of the human heart are moulded into words and hurled with violence at one another1 without any check or hindrance1 the fire has no sooner expended itself than it is again re-kindled through some trifling course1 until the course of nature is set on fire2 and it is set on fire of hell4 #aa3bee4 ,be patient2 do not murmur at the dealings of ,providence4 ,the ,lord rules in the heavens and works his pleasure upon the earth4 ,can you comprehend the meaning of the ,prophet ,amos in the question3 ,shall there be evil in the city1 and the ,lord hath not done it8 ,his providences are constantly ruling and overruling1 to a greater or less degree1 in the affairs of the children of men4 #g3bcg4 ,the sooner an individual resists temptation to do1 say1 or think wrong1 while he has light to correct his judgment1 the quicker he will gain strength and power to overcome every temptation to evil4 #f3id4 ,i am trying to civilize myself4 ,are you trying to do the same8 ,if we have succeeded in this1 then we have control over our words and over our actions1 and also1 so far as our influence goes1 over our associates4 ,if we are civilized ourselves1 we shall be partially prepared to receive the things that our ,father and ,god has in store for all such as prepare themselves to become recipients of his choice gifts--for enlightenment1 for intelligence1 for glory1 for power1 and for every qualification he wishes to bestow upon his children here upon the earth1 to prepare them to dwell in mansions of eternal light4 #h3g4 ,until we can subdue our own passions1 and bring every human feeling and aspiration into subjection to the will of ,god1 we are not really capable of guiding and dictating others to the full possession of victory in the ,kingdom of ,god4 #daa ,to conquer and subdue1 and school ourselves until we bring everything into subjection to the law of ,christ1 is our work4 #aa3ac4 ,the thousands and tens of thousands of incidents that make up the sum of human lives1 whether for good or evil1 depend on a momentary watchfulness and care4 #h3eb4 ,a righteous person will never be discouraged1 but will constantly contend against his evil passions1 and against evil in his family and neighborhood2 and the ,lord will utterly cleanse his thrashing floor as with the besom of destruction4 #h3aea4 ,many men will say they have a violent temper1 and try to excuse themselves for actions of which they are ashamed4 ,i will say1 there is not a man in this house who has a more indomitable and unyielding temper than myself4 ,but there is not a man in the world who cannot overcome his passion1 if he will struggle earnestly to do so4 ,if you find passion coming on you1 go off to some place where you cannot be heard2 let none of your family see you or hear you1 while it is upon you1 but struggle till it leaves you2 and pray for strength to overcome4 ,as ,i have said many times to the ,elders1 pray in your families2 and if1 when the time for prayer comes1 you have not the spirit of prayer upon you1 and your knees are unwilling to bow1 say to them ,knees1 get down there2 make them bend1 and remain there until you obtain the ,spirit of the ,lord4 ,if the spirit yields to the body1 it becomes corrupt2 but if the body yields to the spirit it becomes pure and holy4 #aa3bij4 ,thirty years' experience has taught me that every moment of my life must be holiness to the ,lord1 resulting from equity1 justice1 mercy1 and uprightness in all my actions1 #dab which is the only course by which ,i can preserve the ,spirit of the ,almighty to myself4 #i3bbj4 ,check ,your ,words--,if you first gain power to check your words1 you will then begin to have power to check your judgment1 and at length actually gain power to check your thoughts and reflections4 #f3ih4 ,you should succeed in bringing your tongues into subjection1 so as never to let them speak evil1 so that they will perfectly obey your judgment and the discretion ,god has given you1 and are perfectly obedient to the will of the holy ,gospel4 #c3aie4 ,there is an old maxim1 and in many cases an excellent one4 ,it is1 ,think twice before you speak1 and three times before you act4 ,if we train ourselves to think what we are about to do1 before we do it1 and have understanding to know1 and power to perform the good1 we can thereby avoid the evil that is present with us4 #a3ib4 ,it is also a precious gift1 that some people seem to be possessed of1 to have knowledge enough not to talk until they can say something to advantage and benefit to themselves1 or others1 or both4 #i3hf4 ,if any are in the habit of taking the name of ,god in vain1 cease doing so today1 tomorrow and throughout the coming week1 and so continue1 and you will soon gain strength to overcome the habit entirely2 you will gain power over your words4 ,some are in the habit of talking about their neighbors1 of vending stories they know nothing about1 only that ,aunt ,sally said that ,cousin ,fanny told ,aunt ,betsy that old ,aunt ,ruth said something or other1 or somebody had had a dream2 and by the time the story or dream reaches you1 it has assumed the semblance of a fact1 and you are very foolishly spending your time in #dac talking about things that amount to nothing1 or that you have no concern with4 ,a report is started that such a one has done wrong1 and1 by the time it has gone its round1 has become anointed with the salve of the backbiter and talebearer--become endowed with their spirit4 ,one and another falls in with it and says1 ,that is true--your cause is just1 you are exactly right1 and the other is surely wrong1 when they know nothing about the matter1 thereby engendering entirely groundless ill feelings against each other4 ,before we condemn1 we should wait until the heavens clearly indicate a fault in a father1 brother1 sister1 wife1 husband1 or neighbor4 ,and if heaven declares a fault1 wait until the ,holy ,ghost manifests to you that such is a fault4 ,let the ,father reveal to you that the person you are thinking or talking about is actually wrong4 ,traduce no person4 ,when you know what right is1 and are capable of correcting a person that is wrong1 then it is time enough for you to judge4 #f3ig-ih4 ,cease ,your ,anger--,no man or people possessing wisdom will give vent to wrath1 for that is calculated to weaken1 to destroy1 to blot out of existence4 #g3aj4 ,cease your anger1 and sullenness of temper1 and serve the ,lord with cheerfulness1 and singleness of heart4 ,you need not expect salvation1 except you can administer the same salvation to others1 both in precept and example4 ,if you expect compassion from me1 administer the same to me4 ,if you wish kind words and kind treatment from me1 give me the same blessing you desire yourself2 and that is the way you will be saved4 #a3bde4 ,do not get so angry that you cannot pray2 do not allow yourselves to become so angry that you cannot feed an enemy--even your worst enemy1 if an opportunity should #dad present itself4 ,there is a wicked anger1 and there is a righteous anger4 ,the ,lord does not suffer wicked anger to be in his heart2 but there is anger in his bosom1 and he will hold a controversy with the nations1 and will sift them1 and no power can stay his hand4 #e3bbh4 ,if you give way to your angry feelings1 it sets on fire the whole course of nature1 and is set on fire of hell2 and you are then apt to set those on fire who are contending with you4 ,when you feel as though you would burst1 tell the old boiler to burst1 and just laugh at the temptation to speak evil4 ,if you will continue to do that1 you will soon be so masters of yourselves as to be able1 if not to tame1 to control your tongues--able to speak when you ought1 and to be silent when you ought4 #f3ge4 ,learn to ,know ,ourselves--,the greatest lesson you can learn is to know yourselves4 ,when we know ourselves1 we know our neighbors4 ,when we know precisely how to deal with ourselves1 we know how to deal with our neighbors4 ,you have come here to learn this4 ,you cannot learn it immediately1 neither can all the philosophy of the age teach it to you2 you have to come here to get a practical experience and to know yourselves4 ,you will then begin to learn more perfectly the things of ,god4 ,no being can thoroughly know himself1 without understanding more or less of the things of ,god2 neither can any being learn and understand the things of ,god1 without knowing himself3 he must know himself1 or he never can know ,god4 #h3ccd4 ,but people cannot judge themselves as they can others1 nor look upon their own conduct as they do upon the conduct of others4 ,we must learn to look at ourselves1 to judge ourselves1 and know how to deal with ourselves and #dae that will enable us to bring ourselves into perfect subjection to the law of ,christ4 #f3gc4 ,there is a trait in the character of man which is frequently made manifest in the ,saints4 ,it is simply this--to see faults in others when we do not examine our own4 ,when you see people1 professing to be ,latter-day ,saints1 examining the faults of others1 you may know that they are not walking in the path of obedience as strictly as they should4 #aa3bib4 ,let ,us ,mind ,our ,own ,business--,i will repeat part of the ,mormon ,creed1 viz3 ,let every man mind his own business4 ,if this is observed1 every man will have business sufficient on hand1 so as not to afford time to trouble himself with the business of other people4 #b3ib-ic4 ,if we will faithfully mind our own concerns1 live our religion1 do good to all men1 preach the ,gospel to the nations of the earth1 gather up the honest in heart1 build up and establish ,zion in the earth1 and send the ,gospel to the ,house of ,israel1 and live and serve ,god in all things1 all will be well with us1 we have no cause for fear in the least4 #ai3e4 ,the question may be asked3 ,are we never to know the doings of others8 ,are we never to look to see how others are walking and progressing in this ,gospel8 ,must we forever and forever confine our minds to thinking of ourselves1 and our eyes to looking at ourselves8 ,i can merely say that if persons only understand the path of duty and walk therein1 attending strictly to whatever is required of them1 they will have plenty to do to examine themselves and to purify their own hearts2 and if they look at their neighbors and examine their conduct1 they will look for good and not for evil4 #aa3bib4 #daf ,my position in the presence of ,god1 before the angels and upon the face of the earth1 is that it is easier and more delightful to serve ,god than to serve ourselves and the ,devil4 #ac3a4 #dag ,,chapter ,,xxiv ,,our ,,fellow ,,men ,love ,each ,other--,go on until we are perfect1 loving our neighbor more than we love ourselves4 #ai3di4 ,put away all unkind feelings1 and let all your meditations be correct4 #h3gb4 ,it is folly in the extreme for persons to say that they love ,god2 when they do not love their brethren2 and it is of no use for them to say that they have confidence in ,god1 when they have none in righteous men4 #d3big4 ,we are not here isolated and alone1 differently formed and composed of different material from the rest of the human race4 ,we belong to and are part of this family1 consequently we are under obligations one to another1 and the ,latter-day ,saints in these mountains are under obligations to their brethren and sisters scattered in the nations who1 through indigent circumstances1 are unable to gather to themselves the comforts of life4 #ac3cja4 ,be just as independent as a ,god to do good4 ,love mercy1 eschew evil1 be a savior to yourselves and to your families1 and to your fellow beings just as much as you possibly can1 and go on with your independence and do not yield yourselves servants to obey an evil principle or an evil being4 #ae3g4 ,it should be satisfactory evidence that you are in the path of life1 if you love ,god and your brethren with all your hearts4 ,you may see1 or think you see1 a thousand faults in your brethren2 yet they are organized as you are2 they are flesh of your flesh1 bone of your bone2 they are of your ,father who is in heaven2 we are all his children1 and #dah should be satisfied with each other as far as possible4 ,the main difficulty in the hearts of those who are dissatisfied is1 they are not satisfied with themselves4 #h3bhg4 ,we should commence our labors of love and kindness with the family to which we belong2 and then extend them to others4 #aa3bhh4 ,a man or woman who has embraced1 and who enjoys1 the principles of this ,church1 ought to live like an angel4 ,they ought never to be angry with each other1 but live in the light of the truth continually1 and every man be kind to his neighbor4 #a3bde4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints have got to learn that the interest of their brethren is their own interest1 or they never can be saved in the celestial kingdom of ,god4 #c3cca4 ,let us have compassion upon each other1 and let the strong tenderly nurse the weak into strength1 and let those who can see guide the blind until they can see the way for themselves4 #aj3bac4 ,when you see a neighbor begin to slip1 pray for him that he may have the ,spirit of the ,gospel as he once had4 ,and if you feel this ,spirit within yourselves1 pray for an increase of that light you received when you first received the ,gospel1 and you will save yourself and house4 #h3afd4 ,envy not those who do better than you do2 do not pursue them with malice1 but try to shape and frame your life by theirs4 #aa3bef4 ,reason as to why it is that you can remember an injury better than a kindness2 why you can retain hatred longer than love4 ,is it through your fallen nature8 ,is it because you were begotten and born in sin8 ,or is it not rather because the power of the tempter has control over you1 and because the world is full of evil principles1 and you have #dai adhered to them8 ,yes1 this is the cause1 and you must acknowledge it4 ,the whole world is contaminated with a spirit to remember evil and forget the good4 #c3cef4 ,i have examined myself very closely2 ,i have been trying to know myself1 to govern myself1 and purify my own heart4 ,the worst evil ,i can imagine or wish to come upon the enemies of truth is1 that they be obliged to live by holy principles1 and to deal by their fellow-creatures as they would wish to be dealt by4 #h3ac-ad4 ,be kind to all as our ,father in ,heaven is kind4 ,he sends his rain upon the just and the unjust2 and gives the sun to shine upon the evil and the good4 ,so let our goodness extend to all the works of his hands1 where we can2 but do not yield to the spirit and influence of evil4 ,do not encourage wickedness in our midst4 #ab3bbj4 ,do ,i say1 ,love your enemies8 ,yes1 upon certain principles4 ,but you are not required to love their wickedness2 you are only required to love them so far as concerns a desire and effort to turn them from their evil ways1 that they may be saved through obedience to the ,gospel4 #h3ga4 ,if there is nothing in the heart which governs us1 and controls to an evil effect1 the tongue of itself will never produce evil4 #c3aif4 ,let ,us ,be ,merciful--,the genius of our religion is to have mercy upon all1 do good to all1 as far as they will let us do good to them4 #aa3bhb4 ,god bless the humble and the righteous1 and may he have compassion upon us because of the weakness that is in our nature4 ,and considering the great weakness and ignorance of mortals1 let us have mercy upon each other4 #i3aeh4 ,let us be just1 merciful1 faithful and true1 and let us #dbj live our religion1 and we shall be taught all things pertaining to the building up of ,zion4 #aj3agg4 ,the merciful man shall find mercy4 ,when a man designedly does wrong1 he ought to be chastised for that wrong1 receiving according to his works4 ,if a man does wrong through ignorance1 and manifests sincere sorrow for the wrong1 he is the one whom we should forgive seventy times in a day1 if necessary1 and not the one who has designedly done wrong and repents not4 #g3bdd4 ,men should act upon the principle of righteousness1 because it is right1 and is a principle which they love to cherish and see practiced by all men4 ,they should love mercy1 because of its benevolence1 charity1 love1 clemency1 and all of its lovely attributes1 and be inspired thereby to deal justly1 fairly1 honorably1 meting out to others their just deservings4 #a3aai4 ,when we hold unrighteous1 ungodly persons in fellowship1 it injures the whole body of ,christ2 but we do it because we have compassion for them4 #aj3bhd4 ,be steadfast1 always abiding in the truth4 ,never encourage malice or hatred in your hearts2 that does not belong to a ,saint4 ,i can say in truth1 that with all the abuse ,i have ever met1 driven from my home1 robbed of my substance1 ,i do not know that a spirit of malice has ever rested in my heart4 ,i have asked the ,lord to mete out justice to those who have oppressed us1 and the ,lord will take his own time and way for doing this4 ,it is in his hands1 and not in mine1 and ,i am glad of it1 for ,i could not deal with the wicked as they should be dealt with4 #aj3big4 ,show ,charity--,only a few men on the earth understand the charity that fills the bosom of our ,savior4 ,we should have charity2 we should do all we can to reclaim the lost #dba sons and daughters of ,adam and ,eve1 and bring them back to be saved in the presence of our ,father and ,god4 ,if we do this1 our charity will extend to the utmost extent that it is designed for the charity of ,god to extend in the midst of this people4 #h3age4 ,let all ,latter-day ,saints learn that the weaknesses of their brethren are not sins4 ,when men or women undesignedly commit a wrong1 do not attribute that to them as a sin4 ,let us learn to be compassionate one with another2 let mercy and kindness soften every angry and fretful temper1 that we may become long suffering and beneficent in all our communications one with another4 #i3ccd4 ,let us be patient with one another4 ,i do not altogether look at things as you do4 ,my judgment is not in all things like yours1 nor yours like mine4 ,when you judge a man or woman1 judge the intentions of the heart4 ,it is not by words1 particularly1 nor by actions1 that men will be judged in the great day of the ,lord2 but1 in connection with words and actions1 the sentiments and intentions of the heart will be taken1 and by these will men be judged4 #h3aj4 ,ye mighty men of ,god1 make sure the path for your own feet to walk to eternal life1 and take as many with you as you can4 ,take them as they are1 understand them as they are1 and deal with them as they are2 look at them as ,god looks at them1 and then you can judge them as he would judge them4 #h3aj4 ,respect one another2 do not speak lightly of each other4 ,some1 if they get a little pique against an individual1 are disposed to cast him down to hell1 as not worthy of a place upon earth4 ,o fools6 not to understand that those you condemn are the workmanship of ,god1 as well as yourselves6 ,god overlooks their weaknesses2 and so far as they do good1 #dbb they are as acceptable as we are4 ,thank ,god that you know better1 and be full of mercy and kindness4 #h3adi4 ,suppose that in this community there are ten beggars who beg from door to door for something to eat1 and that nine of them are imposters who beg to escape work1 and with an evil heart practice imposition upon the generous and sympathetic1 and that only one of the ten who visit your doors is worthy of your bounty2 which is best1 to give food to the ten1 to make sure of helping the truly needy one1 or to repulse the ten because you do not know which is the worthy one8 ,you will all say1 administer charitable gifts to the ten1 rather than turn away the only truly worthy and truly needy person among them4 ,if you do this1 it will make no difference in your blessings1 whether you administer to worthy or unworthy persons1 inasmuch as you give alms with a single eye to assist the truly needy4 #h3ab4 ,my experience has taught me1 and it has become a principle with me1 that it is never any benefit to give1 out and out1 to man or woman1 money1 food1 clothing1 or anything else1 if they are able-bodied1 and can work and earn what they need1 when there is anything on the earth1 for them to do4 ,this is my principle1 and ,i try to act upon it4 ,to pursue a contrary course would ruin any community in the world and make them idlers4 ,people trained in this way have no interest in working2 but1 say they1 we can beg1 or we can get this1 that1 or the other4 ,no1 my plan and counsel would be1 let every person1 able to work1 work and earn what he needs2 and if the poor come around me--able-bodied men and women--take them and put them into the house4 ,do you need them8 ,no2 but ,i will teach this girl to do housework1 and teach that woman to sew and do other kinds of work1 that they may be profitable when they #dbc get married or go for themselves4 ,will you give them anything to wear8 ,o1 yes make them comfortable1 give them plenty to eat and teach them to labor and earn what they need2 for the bone and sinew of men and women are the capital of the world4 #aa3big4 ,to give to the idler is as wicked as anything else4 ,never give anything to the idler4 #af3ai4 ,set the poor to work--setting out orchards1 splitting rails1 digging ditches1 making fences1 or anything useful1 and so enable them to buy meal and flour and the necessaries of life4 #ab3fj-fa4 ,have the poor got greedy eyes8 ,are they covetous and penurious8 ,i shall go a little too far if ,i am not careful4 ,i must guard myself1 because the ,lord has chosen the poor of this world4 ,but what kind of poor8 ,now the poor may be divided into three classes4 ,in the first place there is the ,lord's poor1 of which you may pick up one here and another there1 one in a city1 two in a family4 ,is there any other kind8 ,yes1 you come across a certain class that may be called the ,devil's poor4 ,is there any other class8 ,yes1 there is another class1 who1 long before ,i ever mentioned them1 were denominated poor devils4 ,hence we have the ,lord's poor1 the ,devil's poor1 and poor devils4 #ab3eg4 ,establish ,confidence--,preserve your honor1 and your integrity1 and ever cherish the confidence that men repose in you4 #aa3bef4 ,want of confidence is the parent of moral imbecility and intellectual weakness4 #aj3bj4 ,but if we lack confidence in each other1 and be jealous of each other1 our peace will be destroyed4 ,if we cultivate the principles of unshaken confidence in each other1 our joy will be full4 #a3cc4 #dbd ,if we could obtain that faith and confidence in each other1 and in our ,god1 that when we ask a favor1 we could do so with a full assurance and knowledge that we should receive1 do you not perceive that it would lead us directly to do as we would be done by1 in every transaction and circumstance of life8 ,it would prompt us to do1 not only as much as requested1 but more4 ,if your brother should request you to go with him a mile1 you would go two2 if he should sue you for your coat1 you would give him your cloak also4 ,this principle prompts us to do all we can to promote the interest of each other1 the cause of ,god on the earth1 and whatever the ,lord desires us to do2 makes us ready and willing to perform it at once4 #a3aae4 ,if you wish to establish a confidence such as the ,gods enjoy1 let us cease from every evil act1 and from the contemplation of every evil design2 never infringe upon another's rights1 but let each one sustain his brother in the enjoyment of his privileges and rights1 holding them as sacred as our own salvation4 ,if confidence has been lost1 this is the surest and only successful way to restore it4 ,hear it1 ye preachers1 ye ,apostles1 and ,prophets2 ye ,elders1 ,high ,priests1 and ,seventies2 ye ,priests1 ,teachers1 ,deacons1 and ,bishops2 every man and woman in the ,church of ,god throughout the world2 commence to preach this discourse at home1 beginning with your own heart2 then teach your wives and your children2 then let it spread its warning and cheering influence1 like the genial sunbeam1 from family to family1 until the whole ,church of-,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints is united as the heart of one man4 #a3cae4 ,let us from this time forth live so as to create confidence in all men with whom we deal and come in contact2 and treasure up each particle of confidence we obtain as #dbe one of the most precious possessions mortals can possibly possess4 ,when by my good actions ,i have created confidence in my neighbor towards me1 ,i pray that ,i may never do anything that will destroy it4 #aa3bef4 ,the work in which you and ,i have enlisted is to restore confidence in the minds of the people2 and when ,i hear of circumstances transpiring in which brethren forfeit their word ,i regard it as a blot upon the character of this people4 ,we should keep our word with each other4 ,and if we have difficulty or misunderstanding with each other1 talk it over1 canvass the subject thoroughly1 seriously and discreetly1 and we shall find that all difficulties will be remedied in this way easier than any other2 and we shall also find that nearly every difficulty that arises in the midst of the inhabitants of the earth1 is through misunderstanding2 and if a wrong in intent and design really exists1 if the matter is canvassed over1 the wrong-doer is generally willing to come to terms4 #ad3bgh4 ,avoid ,contention--,i consider it as a disgrace to the community1 and in the eyes of the ,lord1 and of angels1 and in the eyes of all the ,prophets and ,revelators that have ever lived upon the earth1 when a community will descend to a low1 degraded state of contention with each other4 #a3cb4 ,i wish men would look upon that eternity which is before them4 ,in the great morning of the resurrection1 with what grief would they look upon their little trifling affairs of this probation2 they would say1 ,o6 do not mention it1 for it is a source of mortification to me to think that ,i ever should be guilty of doing wrong1 or of neglecting to do good to my fellowmen1 even if they have abused me4 #a3cb3 ,when a difference of judgment exists between two #dbf parties1 let them come together and lay their difficulties at each other's feet1 laying themselves down in the cradle of humility1 and say1 brother 7or sister7 ,i want to do right2 yea1 ,i will even wrong myself1 to make you right4 ,do you not think that a man or woman1 acting in that manner towards his or her neighbor1 would be justified by the law of righteousness8 ,their judgments come together1 and they are agreed3 there would1 consequently1 be no need of calling in a third person to settle the difference4 ,after taking this course1 if you cannot come together1 then call in a third person and settle it4 #f3cai4 ,contentions frequently arise to so alienating a degree that brethren have no faith in each other's honesty and integrity1 when1 perhaps1 both parties have stumbled over a little1 selfish1 ignorant1 personal misunderstanding1 are carrying it to the extent of wishing to cut each other off from the ,church4 ,very frequently such cases are presented before me4 ,unravel the difficulty1 and it is found to have started in a trifling misunderstanding in relation to some small matter2 all the trouble has arisen from a most frivolous cause4 ,avoid nursing misunderstandings into difficulties4 ,some talk with a heavy1 deep stress upon their words1 without intending anything harsh or unkind4 #h3gb4 ,if your neighbors talk about you1 and you think that they do wrong in speaking evil of you1 do not let them know that you ever heard a word1 and conduct yourselves as if they always did right1 and it will mortify them1 and they will say1 ,we'll not try this game any longer4 #ai3gj4 ,let us make ourselves capable of doing at least a little good1 and this will occupy our minds upon something that is indeed profitable to others1 and will somewhat divert our #dbg attention from worshiping ourselves and blaming everybody that does not do the same4 #aj3bje4 ,now1 if you do not want to quarrel1 take measures to prevent it4 #ab3cae4 ,do ,not ,deal ,out ,judgment--,cease looking at others4 ,cease to judge each other4 #f3gd4 ,kindness1 love1 and affection are the best rod to use upon the refractory4 #i3aie4 ,away with all little meannesses1 and deal out kindness to all4 ,chasten1 where chastening will answer best2 but try persuasion before you try the rod4 #h3fc4 ,do not throw away a man or a woman1 old or young4 ,if they commit an evil today1 and another tomorrow1 but wish to be ,saints and to be forgiven1 do you forgive them1 not only seven times1 but seventy times seven in a-day1 if their hearts are fully set to do right4 ,let us make it a point to pass over their weaknesses and say1 ,god bless you in trying to be better in time to come1 and act as wise stewards in the ,kingdom of ,god4 #h3cfh4 ,you are not as you should be1 unless you can correct every person you know to be wrong1 without having personal ill-feelings against them4 #h3aia4 ,judge not1 that ye be not judged4 ,let no man judge his fellow being1 unless he knows he has the mind of ,christ within him4 ,we ought to reflect seriously upon this point2 how often it is said--,such a person has done wrong1 and he cannot be a ,saint1 or he would not do so4 ,how do you know8 ,we hear some swear and lie2 they trample upon the rights of their neighbor1 break the ,sabbath by staying away from meeting1 riding about the city1 hunting horses and cattle1 or working in the canyons4 ,do not judge such persons1 for you do not know the design of the ,lord #dbh concerning them2 therefore1 do not say they are not ,saints4 ,what shall we do with them8 ,bear with them4 ,the brethren and sisters from the old countries frequently place great confidence in the ,american ,elders who have been their pastors1 but some trifling thing occurs that does not appear right to them1 and they say in a moment1 ,that ,elder is not a ,latter-day ,saint4 ,judge no man4 ,a person who would say another is not a ,latter-day ,saint1 for some trifling affair in human life proves that he does not possess the ,spirit of ,god4 ,think of this1 brethren and sisters2 write it down1 that you may refresh your memories with it2 carry it with you and look at it often4 ,if ,i judge my brethren and sisters1 unless ,i judge them by the revelations of ,jesus ,christ1 ,i have not the spirit of ,christ2 if ,i had1 ,i should judge no man4 #a3cci4 ,i am very thankful that it is not our province1 in our present condition1 to judge the world2 if it were1 we would ruin everything4 ,we have not sufficient wisdom1 our minds are not filled with the knowledge and power of ,god2 the spirit needs to contend with the flesh a little more until it shall be successful in subduing its passions1 until the whole soul is brought into perfect harmony with the mind and will of ,god4 ,and we must also acquire the discretion that ,god exercises in being able to look into futurity1 and to ascertain and know the results of our acts away in the future1 even in eternity1 before we will be capable of judging4 #ai3g4 ,if you are ever called upon to chasten a person1 never chasten beyond the balm you have within you to bind up4 #i3abd-e4 ,when a man has power over his neighbor1 over his fellow-being1 and puts him in torment1 which is like the #dbi flames of everlasting fire1 so that he never dares to speak his mind1 or walk across the street1 or attend to any branch of business without a continual fear of his oppressor1 and of the rod hanging over him for punishment1 it is worse than to kill and eat him4 ,that is as the torment of hell4 #b3adj4 ,respect for ,neighbors--,treat the passing strangers with kindness and respect2 treat all kindly and respectfully who respect you and your rights as ,american citizens4 #aj3bdi4 ,here is truth--here are life and salvation4 ,will you have them8 ,if you say1 ,nay1 all right2 for you have the privilege of making your own choice4 ,it has never altered my feelings towards individuals1 as men or as women1 whether they believe as ,i do or not4 ,can you live as neighbors with me8 ,i can with you2 and it is no particular concern of mine whether you believe with me or not4 #g3afe4 ,in our intercourse with outsiders--do not call them ,gentiles--let our example be such as is worthy of imitation2 then every one among them who is honest will say1 ,i guess you are right1 ,i think ,i will come and stay with you4 #ab3bgc4 ,lady and ,gentleman ,defined--,now1 my brethren and sisters1 from the high and from the lower circles of life1 find if you can on the face of the earth a gentleman or lady1 in the strict sense of the word1 and you will find a man or woman that would border very closely on an angel4 ,every word that they speak will be seasoned with grace2 every act of their lives would be as nigh as mortals can come to angels2 nothing pertaining to them low1 degrading or disgraceful4 ,you find a gentleman and you will find a man who possesses a heart full of charity1 faith and love1 full of #dcj good works1 whose hand is always open to do good to every creature4 ,you find a lady1 and she is one who is ready to impart wisdom1 knowledge1 truth1 and every virtuous and holy principle to her sisters and her fellow beings4 ,these are the true lady and gentleman2 but they are of a higher order than those we now call ladies and gentlemen4 #ab3bei4 ,the ,negro--,the seed of ,ham1 which is the seed of ,cain descending through ,ham1 will1 according to the curse put upon him1 serve his brethren1 and be a servant of servants to his fellow-creatures1 until ,god removes the curse2 and no power can hinder it4 #b3ahd4 ,the ,generous ,nature--,it floods my heart with sorrow to see so many ,elders of ,israel who wish everybody to come to their standard and be measured by their measure4 ,every man must be just so long1 to fit their iron bedstead1 or be cut off to the right length2 if too short1 he must be stretched1 to fill the requirement4 ,the faithful will exercise faith1 and pray always for all who are within the reach of mercy4 ,the good desire good to all4 #aa3bgc4 ,if they see an erring brother or sister1 whose course does not comport with their particular ideas of things1 they conclude at once that he or she cannot be a ,saint1 and withdraw their fellowship1 concluding that1 if they are in the path of truth1 others must have precisely their weight and dimensions4 ,the ignorance ,i see1 in this particular1 among this great people is lamentable4 ,let us not narrow ourselves up2 for the world1 with all its variety of useful information and its rich hoard of hidden treasure1 is before us2 and eternity1 with all its sparkling intelligence1 lofty aspirations1 and unspeakable glories1 is before us1 and ready to aid us in the #dca scale of advancement and every useful improvement4 #h3i4 ,serve the ,lord1 and try not to find fault with each other4 ,live so that you will not have any fault to find with yourselves1 and never mind the faults of your brethren1 for each person has enough of his own to attend to4 #h3bia4 ,to be gentle and kind1 modest and truthful1 to be full of faith and integrity1 doing no wrong is of ,god2 goodness sheds a halo of loveliness around every person who possesses it1 making their countenances beam with light1 and their society desirable because of its excellency4 ,they are loved of ,god1 of holy angels1 and of all the good on earth1 while they are hated1 envied1 admired and feared by the wicked4 #aa3bdj4 ,we ought to be ourselves and not anybody else4 ,we do not wish to be anybody else1 neither do we wish to be anybody but ,saints4 #c3cfc4 ,every moment of human life should be devoted to doing good somewhere and in some way4 #i3bif4 ,if every person in the community would correct his own errors each day he lives1 the errors of the whole would continually be effectually corrected4 ,it is an individual business1 over which each man must preside1 until every fault in our whole lives is corrected and we are sanctified before the ,lord4 #f3caf4 ,it is good to hold on to an old friend2 and1 no matter how many new friends ,i have1 ,i always hold fast to the old ones1 and never let them go1 unless their wicked conduct breaks the thread of fellowship between us4 #aj3db4 ,what comes of litigation8 ,poverty and degradation to any community that will encourage it4 ,will it build cities1 open farms1 build railroads1 erect telegraph lines and #dcb improve a country8 ,it will not2 but it will bring any community to ruin4 #aa3bei4 ,he will bless any man1 any family1 or any people who is liberal4 ,as it is written in the good book1 ,the liberal man deviseth liberal things1 and if he deviseth liberal things by his liberality he shall stand4 ,the ,lord will bless that people that is full of charity1 kindness and good works4 #ac3bgi4 ,i also say1 ,cease speaking evil one of another1 and cease being dishonest4 ,masters1 deal honestly and justly with those whom you hire1 who are called servants4 ,servants1 deal honestly and uprightly with those who employ you1 who are called masters1 that confidence and the spirit of brotherhood may be kindled1 where now1 in too many instances1 the desire to take advantage exists4 #ah3bcc4 #dcb ,,chapter ,,xxv ,,unity ,,and ,,co-,,operation ,be of ,one ,mind and ,one ,heart--,i pray1 my brethren1 the ,bishops1 the ,elders1 the ,seventies1 the ,apostles1 yea1 every man and woman and child who has named the name of ,christ1 to be of one heart and of one mind1 for if we do not become of one heart and mind we shall surely perish by the way4 #ab3aef4 ,if we were one1 we should then prove to heaven1 to ,god our ,father1 to ,jesus ,christ our ,elder ,brother1 to the angels1 to the good upon the earth1 and to all mankind that we are the disciples of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,if we are not one1 we are not in the true sense of the word the disciples of the ,lord ,jesus4 #aa3bgc4 ,when truth comes1 receive it as from the ,lord1 and let everything be simplified to us as unto children1 for the ,lord has ordained that we may grow in grace1 and in the knowledge of the truth1 and be able to receive more knowledge1 wisdom1 and understanding1 and it is not possible for us to receive it any other way1 only as we apply our hearts strictly to overcome every evil and cleave to that which is pleasing to the ,lord--to that which tends to life and salvation4 ,this is the only channel in which we can become of one heart1 and of one mind4 #c3cee4 ,jesus offered up one of the most essential prayers that could possibly be offered up by a human or heavenly being--no matter who1 pertaining to the salvation of the people1 and embodying a principle without which none can be saved1 when he prayed the ,father to make his disciples one1 as he and his ,father were one4 ,he knew that if they did #dcd not become one1 they could not be saved in the celestial kingdom of ,god4 ,if persons do not see as he did while in the flesh1 hear as he heard1 understand as he understood1 and become precisely as he was1 according to their several capacities and callings1 they can never dwell with him and his ,father4 #f3if4 ,the ,church of ,jesus ,christ could not exist1 and be divided up into parties4 ,where such disunion exists in any government1 it ultimately becomes the means of the utter overthrow of that government or people1 unless a timely remedy is applied4 ,party spirit once made its appearance in heaven1 but was promptly checked4 #i3ccb4 ,that perfect union1 which must ultimately be enjoyed by the ,latter-day ,saints1 can only be brought about by every man and woman living so as to keep their minds pure and unspotted like a piece of clean1 white paper1 being constantly free from the love of the world1 that the spirit of revelation may easily indite upon the heart whatever is the mind and will of the ,lord4 ,we cannot be truly the members of ,christ's mystical body without living in this way1 that the ,spirit may indite as easily upon the heart the things of ,god1 as these brethren1 our reporters can write with ink on paper4 #aa3ai4 ,perfect ,oneness ,will ,save a ,people--,we must become of one heart and mind1 in order to fully enjoy the blessings we anticipate4 #f3da4 ,if we are united1 we are independent of the powers of hell and of the world4 #e3beg4 ,unity of purpose and action1 in carrying out the will of our ,father1 has been my theme all the day long4 #ah3cef4 ,a perfect oneness will save a people1 because intelligent beings cannot become perfectly one1 only by acting upon #dce principles that pertain to eternal life4 ,wicked men may be partially united in evil2 but1 in the very nature of things1 such a union is of short duration4 ,the very principle upon which they are partially united will itself breed contention and disunion to destroy the temporary compact4 ,only the line of truth and righteousness can secure to any kingdom or people1 either of earthly or heavenly existence1 an eternal continuation of perfect union2 for only truth and those who are sanctified by it can dwell in celestial glory4 #g3bgg4 ,the ,savior sought continually to impress upon the minds of his disciples that a perfect oneness reigned among all celestial beings--that the ,father and the ,son and their ,minister1 the ,holy ,ghost1 were one in their administration in heaven and among the people pertaining to this earth4 ,between them and all the heavenly hosts there can be no disunion1 no discord1 no wavering on a suggestion1 on a thought or reflection1 on a feeling or manifestation2 for such a principle would differ widely from the character of him who dictates them1 who makes his throne the habitation of justice1 mercy1 equity1 and truth4 ,if the heavenly hosts were not one1 they would be entirely unfit to dwell in the eternal burnings with the ,father and ,ruler of the universe4 #g3bgf4 ,all who keep the faith are of one heart and one mind1 and this testimony is so confirmed to all that we cannot be mistaken4 #ah3bca4 ,how is it that the ,latter-day ,saints feel and understand alike1 are of one heart and one mind1 no matter where they may be when they receive the ,gospel1 whether in the north1 or the south1 the east or the west1 even to the uttermost parts of the earth8 ,they receive that which was promised by the ,savior when he was about to leave the earth1 namely1 #dcf the ,comforter1 that holy unction from on high which recognizes one ,god1 one faith1 one baptism1 whose mind is the will of ,god the ,father1 in whom there dwelleth unity of faith and action1 and in whom there cannot be division or confusion2 when they received this further light1 it matters not whether they have seen each other or not1 they have at once become brothers and sisters1 having been adopted into the family of ,christ through the bonds of the everlasting covenant1 and all can then exclaim1 in the beautiful language of ,ruth1 ,thy people shall be my people1 and their ,god my ,god6 ,and the fact that we receive this ,comforter1 the ,holy ,ghost1 is proof that the spirit in warring with the flesh has overcome1 and by continuing in this state of victory over our sinful bodies we become the sons and daughters of ,god4 ,christ having made us free1 and whoever the ,son makes free is free indeed4 ,having fought the good fight we then shall be prepared to lay our bodies down to rest to await the morning of the resurrection when they will come forth and be reunited with the spirits1 the faithful1 as it is said1 receiving crowns1 glory1 immortality and eternal lives1 even a fulness with the ,father1 when ,jesus shall present his work to the ,father1 saying1 ,father1 here is the work thou gavest me to do4 ,then will they become ,gods1 even the sons of ,god2 then will they become eternal fathers1 eternal mothers1 eternal sons and eternal daughters2 being eternal in their organization they go from glory to glory1 from power to power2 they will never cease to increase and to multiply1 worlds without end4 ,when they receive their crowns1 their dominions1 they then will be prepared to frame earths like unto ours and to people them in the same manner as we have been brought forth by our parents1 by our ,father and ,god4 #ah3bei4 #dcg ,to be a ,saint is to be as ,jesus was2 to be assimilated to the spirit and character which he exhibited while here on earth4 #ab3caj4 ,unity in ,god's ,work1 the ,strength of ,zion--,who can resist the power possessed by the ,latter-day ,saints in their union8 ,and the stronger our union1 the more mighty are the bands of our strength4 #i3bda4 ,i wish the people to understand that they have no interest apart from the ,lord our ,god4 ,the moment you have a divided interest1 that moment you sever yourselves from eternal principles4 #d3ca4 ,the faith of the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ is calculated to unite the people in one1 and to bring them back to the unity and faith of those who obeyed the ,gospel anciently1 and finally to bring them back to glory4 #e3bbh4 ,we have not in our society an aristocratic circle4 ,whether a brother wears a coon skin cap or a fine beaver hat is all the same to us4 ,if a person is a faithful servant of ,god we do not object to his coming to meeting1 though he has only a piece of buffalo skin to wear on his head4 ,we partake of the ,sacrament with him1 hail him in the street as a brother and a friend1 converse with him1 meet with him in social parties and greet him as an equal4 #i3ahh4 ,we have been gathered from many nations1 and speak many languages2 we have been ruled by different nationalities1 and educated in different religions1 yet we dwell together in ,utah under one government1 believe in the same ,god and worship him in the same way1 and we are all one in ,christ ,jesus4 ,the world wonder at this1 and fear the union that prevails among this1 as they are called1 singular people4 ,why is this8 ,it is because the ,spirit of the ,lord ,almighty is in the people1 and they follow its dictates1 and #dch they hearken to the truth1 and live by it2 this unites them in one1 and causeth them to dwell together in peace4 #aa3abd4 ,i will give you a text3 ,except ,i am one with my good brethren1 do not say that ,i am a ,latter-day ,saint4 ,we must be one4 ,our faith must be concentrated in one great work--the building up of the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth1 and our works must aim at the accomplishment of that great purpose4 #g3bhj4 ,we have come here to build up ,zion4 ,how shall we do it8 ,i have told you a great many times4 ,there is one thing ,i will say in regard to it4 ,we have got to be united in our efforts4 ,we should go to work with a united faith like the heart of one man2 and whatever we do should be performed in the name of the ,lord1 and we will then be blessed and prospered in all we do4 ,we have a work on hand whose magnitude can hardly be told4 #ac3aee4 ,now1 besides being our duty to pray1 it is our duty to live in peace with one another4 ,it is also our duty to love the ,gospel and the spirit of the ,gospel1 so that we can become one in the ,lord1 not out of him1 that our faith1 our affections for the truth1 the kingdom of heaven1 our acts1 all our labor will be concentrated in the salvation of the children of men1 and the establishment of the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth4 ,this is co-operation on a very large scale4 ,this is the work of redemption that is entered into by the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,unitedly we perform these duties1 we stand1 we endure1 we increase and multiply1 we strengthen and spread abroad1 and shall continue so to do until the kingdoms of this world are the kingdoms of our ,god and his ,christ4 #ae3fc4 ,to ,saint and sinner1 believer and unbeliever1 ,i wish here to offer one word of advice and counsel1 by revealing the #dci mystery that abides with this people called ,latter-day ,saints2 it is the ,spirit of the living ,god that leads them2 it is the ,spirit of the ,almighty that binds them together1 it is the influence of the ,holy ,ghost that makes them love each other like little children2 it is the ,spirit of ,jesus ,christ that makes them willing to lay down their lives for the cause of ,truth2 and it was that same ,spirit that caused ,joseph1 our martyred ,prophet1 to lay down his life for the testimony of what the ,lord revealed to him4 ,this mystery1 the great mystery of ,mormonism1 is1 that the ,spirit of the ,lord binds the hearts of the people together4 ,let the world look at it4 #a3ade4 ,if we will live so that ,christ can make us one through our obedience1 where are wars and contentions8 ,all will cease4 ,where is the spirit of bickering8 ,there will be no more of it4 #ad3bji4 ,the religion of heaven unites the hearts of the people and makes them one4 ,you may gather a people together1 and no matter-how widely they differ in politics1 the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ will make them one1 even if among them were found members of all the political parties in the country4 ,if members of all these various organizations were to obey the ,gospel and gather together1 the religion of heaven would clear their hearts of all political rubbish and make them one in voting for principles and measures1 instead of men1 and ,i think that any religion that will not do this is very feeble in its effects4 #ad3aei4 ,advantage of ,temporal ,unity--,would you like to live at ease and get rich8 ,would you like to keep your homes in this city8 ,i know you would4 ,you can do so by being one in all things4 #aa3bgh4 ,i want you to be united4 ,if we should build up and organize #ddj a community1 we would have to do it on the principle of oneness1 and it is one of the simplest things ,i know of4 ,a city of one hundred thousand or a million of people could be united into a perfect family1 and they would work together as beautifully as the different parts of the carding machine work together4 ,why1 we could organize millions into a family under the ,order of ,enoch4 #af3agj4 ,i can see no good accruing to this community in maintaining a divided interest2 our interest must be one throughout1 in order to produce the good we desire4 ,if we will work unitedly1 we can work ourselves into wealth1 health1 prosperity and power1 and this is required of us4 ,it is the duty of a ,saint of ,god to gain all the influence he can on this earth1 and to use every particle of that influence to do good4 ,if this is not his duty1 ,i do not understand what the duty of man is4 #ab3cgf4 ,if we would work together in our farming1 in our mechanism1 be obedient and work as a family for the good of all1 it would be almost impossible for anybody to guess the success we would have4 ,but we have got to do it in the ,lord4 ,we must not do it with a covetous heart4 ,always be ready and willing that the ,lord should have it all1 and do what he pleases with it4 ,i have asked a favor of the ,lord in this thing1 and that is not to place me in such circumstances that what he has given me shall go into the hands of our enemies4 ,god forbid that6 ,but let it go for the preaching of the ,gospel1 to sustain and to gather the poor1 to build factories1 make farms1 and set the poor to work1 as ,i have hundreds and thousands that had not anything to do4 ,i have fed and clothed them and taken care of them until they have become comparatively independent4 ,i have made no man poor1 but thousands and thousands #dda rich1 that is1 the ,lord has1 through your humble servant4 #ae3aff4 ,suppose there was a union of effort in every political and financial matter undertaken for the benefit of the whole people1 who cannot see the good that would result8 ,we have tried this to some extent in relation to our markets here2 but suppose we were fully agreed on the point1 we could demand a fair price for our products1 and we need not be imposed upon by traders and traffickers4 ,if we were agreed we could supply ourselves from distant markets1 say with our clothing1 at a far less cost than now4 #ab3ce4 ,now the object is to improve the minds of the inhabitants of the earth1 until we learn what we are here for1 and become one before the ,lord1 that we may rejoice together and be equal4 ,not to make all poor1 no4 ,the whole world is before us4 ,the earth is here1 and the fulness thereof is here4 ,it was made for man2 and one man was not made to trample his fellowman under his feet1 and enjoy all his heart desires1 while the thousands suffer4 ,we will take a moral view1 a political view1 and we see the inequality that exists in the human family4 ,we take the inhabitants of the civilized world1 and how many laboring men are there in proportion to the inhabitants8 ,about one to every five that are producers1 and the supposition is that ten hours work by the one to three persons in the twenty-four hours will support the five4 ,it is an unequal condition to mankind4 ,we see servants that labor early and late1 and that have not the opportunity of measuring their hours ten in twenty-four4 ,they cannot go to school1 nor hardly get clothing to go to meeting in on the ,sabbath4 ,i have seen many cases of this kind in ,europe1 when the young lady would have to take her clothing on a ,saturday night and #ddb wash it1 in order that she might go to meeting on the ,sunday with a clean dress on4 ,who is she laboring for8 ,for those who1 many of them1 are living in luxury4 ,and1 to serve the classes that are living on them1 the poor1 laboring men and women are toiling1 working their lives out to earn that which will keep a little life within them4 ,is this equality8 ,no4 ,what is going to be done8 ,the ,latter-day ,saints will never accomplish their mission until this inequality shall cease on the earth4 #ai3df4 ,unity ,does ,not ,mean ,individual ,uniformity--,how could you ever get a people equal with regard to their possessions8 ,they never can be1 no more than they can be in the appearance of their faces4 #d3bi4 ,we never shall become one to that extent that we shall look alike or possess precisely the same mental power and ability2 this is not the design of heaven4 ,but we expect to become one in all our operations to bring forth the fulness of the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth1 that ,jesus may come and reign ,king of nations as he does ,king of ,saints4 ,shall we call this a union for political purposes8 ,i say it is good policy for people to be of one heart and mind in all their operations4 #ab3ce4 ,the ,co-operative ,movement--,this co-operative movement is only a stepping stone to what is called the ,order of ,enoch1 but which is in reality the ,order of ,heaven4 ,it was revealed to ,enoch when he built up his city and gathered the people together and sanctified them1 so that they became so holy and pure that they could not live among the rest of the people and the ,lord took them away4 #ac3b4 ,now1 ,i will tell you the facts about this movement4 ,we started the co-operative system here when we thought we would wait no longer2 we opened the ,wholesale ,co-operative #ddc ,store2 and since that1 retail stores have been established1 although some of the latter were opened before the wholesale store was opened4 ,i know this1 that as soon as this movement was commenced the price of goods came down from twenty to thirty percent4 ,i recollect very well1 after our vote last ,october ,conference1 that it was soon buzzed around1 ,why you can get calico down street at eighteen and seventeen cents a yard2 and it came down to sixteen4 ,but when it came down to sixteen cents1 who had a chance to buy any8 ,why1 nobody unless it was just a few yards that were sold to them as a favor4 ,but when it came to the ,wholesale ,co-operative ,store the price was put at sixteen cents1 and retail stores are selling it today at seventeen and a half or eighteen cents a yard4 #ab3cgc4 ,what ,i have in my mind with regard to this co-operative business is this3 ,there are very few people who cannot get twenty-five dollars to put into one of these co-operative stores4 ,there are hundreds and thousands of women who1 by prudence and industry1 can obtain this sum4 ,and we say to you put your capital into one of these stores4 ,what for8 ,to bring you interest for your money4 ,put your time and talents to usury4 ,we have the parable before us4 ,if we have one1 two1 three or five talents1 of what advantage will they be if we wrap them in a napkin and lay them away8 ,none at all4 ,put them out to usury4 ,these co-operative stores are instituted to give the poor a little advantage as well as the rich4 ,brethren1 if you will start here and operate together in farming1 in making cheese1 in herding sheep and cattle and every other kind of work1 and get a factory here and cooperative store--,i have been told there is no co-operative store here--get a good co-operative store1 and operate together #ddd in sheep-raising1 store-keeping1 manufacturing and everything else1 no matter what it is1 by-and-by1 when we can plant ourselves upon a foundation that we cannot be broken up1 we shall then proceed to arrange a family organization for which we are not yet quite prepared4 ,you know1 right here in this place1 commence to carry on your business in a co-operative capacity4 ,in every instance ,i could show every one of you what a great advantage would be gained in working together2 ,i could reason it out here just how much advantage there is in co-operation in your lumbering and in your herding4 ,you have men here1 ,i suppose1 who have had an arm shot off2 they cannot go into the canyons and get out wood4 ,another1 perhaps1 has had a leg cut off2 he cannot run here and there like some of you2 but he can do something2 he will make a first-rate shopman1 and at keeping books1 perhaps1 he will be one of the best4 ,he cannot take the scythe and mow2 he cannot attend to a threshing machine2 he cannot go into the woods lumbering2 he could not herd well1--but he could go into the factory1 and he can do many things4 ,well1 we can do this and keep up co-operation4 ,i can take fifty men who have not a cent1 and if they would do as ,i would wish them to do1 they would soon be worth their thousands1 every one of them4 #af3afi4 ,i am prepared to prove to any sensible congregation1 any good philosopher or thinking person or people1 who have steady brain and nerve to look at things as they are1 that can tell white from black and daylight from midnight darkness1 that the closer the connection in a business point of view that a community hold themselves together1 the greater will be their joy and wealth4 ,i am prepared to prove1 from all the facts that have existed or that now exist #dde in all branches of human affairs1 that union is strength1 and that division is weakness and confusion4 #ac3bfg4 ,if the people called ,latter-day ,saints do not become one in temporal things1 as they are in spiritual things1 they will not redeem and build up the ,zion of ,god upon the earth4 ,this co-operative movement is a stepping stone4 ,we say to the people1 take advantage of it1 it is your privilege4 ,instead of giving it into the hands of a few individuals to make their hundreds and thousands1 let the people generally1 enjoy the benefit arising from the sale of merchandise4 ,i have already told you that this will stop the operations of many little traders1 but it will make them producers as well as consumers4 ,you will find that if the people unitedly hearken to the counsel that is given them1 it will not be long before the hats1 caps1 bonnets1 boots and shoes1 pants1 coats1 vests and underclothing of this entire community will all be made in our midst4 #ac3c4 #ddf ,,chapter ,,xxvi ,,thrift ,,and ,,industry ,faith and ,works--,they who secure eternal life are doers of the word as well as hearers4 #ad3cg4 ,the grand difficulty with the people is they do not do quite as well as they know how2 it is that which hinders us from accomplishing the work given us to do4 #ai3bbj4 ,unless you improve upon it1 every correct principle advanced through the authority of the holy ,priesthood becomes to you a dead letter4 ,but if you have the life within you1 you1 will grow1 whether you stay at home or come to meeting2 and every true principle1 power1 and manifestation that ,god gives you1 you will improve upon and treasure up in your hearts4 #h3abj4 ,know whether you ought to do a thing or not1 and if you ought not1 let it alone4 ,that is the way to live4 #ad3afa4 ,time ,should ,be ,spent ,wisely--,what have we8 ,our time4 ,spend it as you will4 ,time is given to you2 and when this is spent to the best possible advantage for promoting truth upon the earth1 it is placed to our account1 and blessed are you2 but when we spend our time in idleness and folly it will be placed against us4 #ai3ge4 ,we have to give an account of the days we spend in folly4 #ai3ge4 ,idleness and wastefulness are not according to the rules of heaven4 ,preserve all you can1 that you may have abundance to bless your friends and your enemies4 #ad3dd4 ,do those things that are necessary to be done and let those alone that are not necessary1 and we shall accomplish more than we do now4 #c3afj4 #ddg ,of the time that is allotted to man here on the earth there is none to lose or to run to waste4 ,after suitable rest and relaxation there is not a day1 hour or minute that we should spend in idleness1 but every minute of every day of our lives we should strive to improve our minds and to increase the faith of the holy ,gospel1 in charity1 patience1 and good works1 that we may grow in the knowledge of the truth as it is spoken and prophesied of and written about4 #ac3caj4 ,i told them that we brought nothing but knowledge to direct them in their labors and to teach them how to employ their time4 ,this is the greatest wealth we possess--to know how to direct our labors rightly1 spending every hour advantageously for the benefit of our wives and children and neighbors4 #ab3agb4 ,labor ,indispensable--,is not the upbuilding of the ,kingdom of ,god on earth a temporal labor all the time8 ,it will be built up by physical force and means1 by manual labor more than by any particular mental effort of the mind4 #c3abb4 ,everything connected with building up ,zion requires actual1 severe labor4 ,it is nonsense to talk about building up any kingdom except by labor2 it requires the labor of every part of our organization1 whether it be mental1 physical1 or spiritual1 and that is the only way to build up the ,kingdom of ,god4 #c3abb4 ,if we are to build up the ,kingdom of ,god1 or establish ,zion upon the earth1 we have to labor with our hands1 plan with our minds1 and devise ways and means to accomplish that object4 #c3ea4 ,you count me out fifty1 a hundred1 five hundred1 or a thousand of the poorest men and women you can find in #ddh this community2 with the means that ,i have in my possession1 ,i will take these ten1 fifty1 hundred1 five hundred1 or a thousand people1 and put them to labor2 but only enough to benefit their health and to make their food and sleep sweet unto them1 and in ten years ,i will make that community wealthy4 ,in ten years ,i will put six1 a hundred1 or a thousand individuals1 whom we have to support now by donations1 in a position not only to support themselves1 but they shall be wealthy1 shall ride in their carriages1 have fine houses to live in1 orchards to go to1 flocks and herds and everything to make them comfortable4 #ad3hh4 ,as was observed this morning1 in a wholesome1 lovely1 excellent discourse1 we will have to go to work and get the gold out of the mountains to lay down1 if we ever walk in streets paved with gold4 ,the angels that now walk in their golden streets1 and they have the tree of life within their paradise1 had to obtain that gold and put it there4 ,when we have streets paved with gold1 we will have placed it there ourselves4 ,when we enjoy a ,zion in its beauty and glory1 it will be when we have built it4 ,if we enjoy the ,zion that we now anticipate1 it will be after we redeem and prepare it4 ,if we live in the city of the ,new ,jerusalem1 it will be because we lay the foundation and build it4 ,if we do not as individuals complete that work1 we shall lay the foundation for our children and our children's children1 as ,adam has4 ,if we are to be saved in an ark1 as ,noah and his family were1 it will be because we build it4 ,if the ,gospel is preached to the nations1 it is because the ,elders of ,israel in their poverty1 without purse or scrip1 preach the ,gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth4 #h3ced-ee4 ,my faith does not lead me to think the ,lord will provide us with roast pigs1 bread already buttered1 etc42 he #ddi will give us the ability to raise the grain1 to obtain the fruits of the earth1 to make habitations1 to procure a few boards to make a box1 and when harvest comes1 giving us the grain1 it is for us to preserve it--to save the wheat until we have one1 two1 five1 or seven years' provisions on hand1 until there is enough of the staff of life saved by the people to bread themselves and those who will come here seeking for safety4 #aj3bic4 ,let ,nothing ,go ,to ,waste--,take things calm and easy1 pick up everything1 let nothing go to waste4 #ad3hh4 ,never let anything go to waste4 ,be prudent1 save everything1 and what you get more than you can take care of yourselves1 ask your neighbors to help you consume4 #a3bej4 ,never consider that you have bread enough around you to suffer your children to waste a crust or a crumb of it4 ,if a man is worth millions of bushels of wheat and corn1 he is not wealthy enough to suffer his servant girl to sweep a single kernel of it into the fire2 let it be eaten by something and pass again into the earth1 and thus fulfil the purpose for which it grew4 ,remember it1 do not waste anything1 but take care of everything4 #a3bec4 ,there is not a family in this city1 where there are two1 three1 four1 or five persons1 but what can save enough from their table1 from the waste made by the children1 and what must be swept in the fire and out of the door1 to make pork sufficient to last them through the year1 or at least all they should eat4 #d3cad4 ,go to the poorest family in this community1 and ,i will venture to say that they waste rags enough every year to buy the school books that are needed for their children1 and do even more4 #af3af4 #dej ,if you wish to get rich1 save what you get4 ,a fool can earn money2 but it takes a wise man to save and dispose of it to his own advantage4 #aa3cja4 ,it is to our advantage to take good care of the blessings ,god bestows upon us2 if we pursue the opposite course1 we cut off the power and glory ,god designs we should inherit4 ,it is through our own carefulness1 frugality1 and judgment which ,god has given us1 that we are enabled to preserve our grain1 our flocks and herds1 wives and children1 houses and lands1 and increase them around us1 continually gaining power and influence for ourselves as individuals and for the ,kingdom of ,god as a whole4 #i3aga4 ,you may see some little girls around the streets here with their mothers' skirts on1 or their sun bonnets1 and with their aprons full of dirt4 ,your husbands buy you calico1 but you do not know what to do with it4 ,it is to be carefully worn until the last thread is worn out1 and then put into the rag bag to make paper with4 #d3cai4 ,it is good policy and economy to sustain each other4 #ab3fc4 ,use just enough of your earnings to make your bodies and your families happy and comfortable1 and save the residue4 #i3bie2 ,we ,must be a ,self-,sustaining ,people--,we want you henceforth to be a self-sustaining people4 ,hear it1 ,o ,israel6 hear it1 neighbors1 friends and enemies1 this is what the ,lord requires of this people4 #ab3bhe4 ,ye ,latter-day ,saints1 learn to sustain yourselves1 produce everything you need to eat1 drink or wear2 and if you cannot obtain all you wish for today1 learn to do without that which you cannot purchase and pay for2 and bring #dea your minds into subjection that you must and will live within your means4 #ab3bca4 ,who are deserving of praise8 ,the persons who take care of themselves or the ones who always trust in the great mercies of the ,lord to take care of them8 ,it is just as consistent to expect that the ,lord will supply us with fruit when we do not plant the trees2 or that when we do not plow and sow and are saved the labor of harvesting1 we should cry to the ,lord to save us from want1 as to ask him to save us from the consequences of our own folly1 disobedience and waste4 #ab3bdc-bdd4 ,implicit faith and confidence in ,god is for you and me to do everything we can to sustain and preserve ourselves2 and the community that works together1 heart and hand1 to accomplish this1 their efforts will be like the efforts of one man4 #d3be4 ,brethren1 learn4 ,you have learned a good deal1 it is true2 but learn more2 learn to sustain yourselves2 lay up grain and flour1 and save it against a day of scarcity4 ,sisters1 do not ask your husbands to sell the last bushel of grain you have to buy something for you out of the stores1 but aid your husbands in storing it up against a day of want1 and always have a year's1 or two1 provision on hand4 #ab3bjd4 ,instead of searching after what the ,lord is going to do for us1 let us inquire what we can do for ourselves4 #i3agb4 ,the first revelation given to ,adam was of a temporal nature4 ,most of the revelations he received pertained to his life here4 ,that was also the case in the revelations to ,noah4 ,we have but very few of the instructions the ,lord gave to ,enoch1 concerning his city2 but1 doubtless1 most of the revelations he received pertained to a temporal nature #deb and condition4 ,and certainly the revelations ,noah received1 so far as in our possession1 almost exclusively pertained to this life4 ,the same principle was carried out in the days of ,moses1 and in the days of his fathers1 ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob4 ,we may say that eight or nine-tenths of the doctrines and principles set forth in the revelations given to those men were of a temporal nature4 ,as soon as ,moses was called upon to go and deliver ,israel1 the revelations the ,lord gave to him were of a temporal nature1 pertaining to the temporal life of the children of ,israel--instructing ,moses how to deliver them from bondage and lead them from the servile state in which they then were4 ,he taught them in the same manner while they were traveling through the wilderness2 and so it continued down to the days of the judges1 and then to ,saul1 whom the ,lord permitted them to make a king1 and then through the teachings of the ,prophets4 #f3agj4 ,whatever the ,latter-day ,saints have gained has been obtained by sheer wrestling and unconquerable resolution4 #ac3ic4 ,as an instance1 we have men who quarry rock out of the mountains2 and we would say to those men1 can you go and quarry rock without the suitable instruments8 ,says one1 ,i must have so many picks and wedges1 and ,i must have so many drills of different sizes1 and so many sledges and hammers4 ,another man says1 ,i am going to make the tools2 ,i have the ability1 and ,i will make the instruments from the ore in the mountain4 ,you remember what ,nephi did4 ,when he came to the sea1 and prepared to build his barge1 the ,lord showed him the ore1 and ,nephi made the tools with which he formed his barge4 ,he did not have to go back to ,jerusalem to get tools4 ,i would like to see a #dec little more of that skill displayed here than ,i do at the present time4 ,i am using this comparison to show that we1 in our poverty1 have this work to do4 #h3ced4 ,the ,elements of ,wealth are ,around ,us--,i say to my brethren and sisters1 come let us learn how to gather around us from the elements an abundance of every comfort of life1 and convert them to our wants and happiness4 ,let us not remain ignorant1 with the ignorant1 but let us show the ignorant how to be wise4 #aj3f4 ,the ,lord has done his share of the work2 he has surrounded us with the elements containing wheat1 meat1 flax1 wool1 silk1 fruit1 and everything with which to build up1 beautify and glorify the ,zion of the last days1 and it is our business to mould these elements to our wants and necessities1 according to the knowledge we now have and the wisdom we can obtain from the heavens through our faithfulness4 ,in this way will the ,lord bring again ,zion upon the earth1 and in no other4 #i3bhc4 ,while we have a rich soil in this valley1 and seed to put in the ground1 we need not ask ,god to feed us1 nor follow us round with a loaf of bread begging of us to eat it4 ,he will not do it1 neither would ,i1 were ,i the ,lord4 ,we can feed ourselves here2 and if we are ever placed in circumstances where we cannot1 it will then be time enough for the ,lord to work a miracle to sustain us4 #a3ajh4 ,it is our duty to be active and diligent in doing everything we can to sustain ourselves1 to build up his ,kingdom1 to defend ourselves against our enemies1 to lay our plans wisely1 and to prosecute every method that can be devised to establish the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth1 and to sanctify and prepare ourselves to dwell in his presence4 ,yet1 after all this1 if the ,lord should not help--if he should #ded not lend his aid to our endeavors1 all our labors will prove in vain4 #b3bgi-bhj4 ,this world is before us4 ,the gold1 silver and precious stones are in the mountains1 in the rivers1 in the plains1 in the sands and in the waters1 they all belong to this world1 and you and ,i belong to this world4 ,is there enough to make each of us a finger ring8 ,certainly there is4 ,is there enough to make us a breast pin8 ,certainly there is4 ,is there enough to make jewelry for the ladies to set their diamonds and precious stones in8 ,certainly there is4 ,is there enough to make the silver plate1 the spoons1 platters1 plates and knives and forks8 ,there is4 ,there is plenty of it in the earth for all these purposes4 ,then what on earth are you and ,i quarrelling about it for8 ,go to work systematically and take it from the mountains1 and put it to the use that we want it1 without contending against each other1 and filching the pockets of each other4 ,the world is full of it4 ,if it goes from my pocket it is still in the world1 it still belongs to-this little ball1 this little speck in ,god's creation1 so small that from the sun ,i expect you would have to have a telescope that would magnify it many times to see it2 and from any of the fixed stars ,i do not expect that it has ever been seen1 only by the celestials--mortals could not see this earth at that distance4 ,and here people are contending1 quarrelling1 seeking how to get the advantage of each other1 and how to get all the wealth there is in the world2 wanting to rule nations1 wanting to be president1 king or ruler4 ,what would they do if they were8 ,most of them would make everybody around them miserable1 that is what they would do4 ,there are very few men on the earth who try to make people happy4 ,occasionally there have been emperors and monarchs who have made #dee their people happy but they have been very rare4 ,but suppose we go to work to gather up all that there is in the bosom and upon the surface of our mother earth and bring it into use1 is there any lack8 ,there is not1 there is enough for all4 ,then do look at these things as they are1 ,latter-day ,saints1 and you who are not ,latter-day ,saints1 look at things as they are4 ,and ,i do hope and pray for your sakes1 outsiders1 and for the sakes of those who profess to be ,latter-day ,saints1 that we shall have good peace for a time here1 so that we can build our furnaces1 open our mines1 make our railroads1 till the soil1 follow our mercantile business uninterrupted2 that we may attend to the business of beautifying the earth4 #ae3ai4 ,agriculture--,the increase of our children1 and their growing up to maturity1 increases our responsibilities4 ,more land must be brought into cultivation to supply their wants4 ,this will press the necessity of digging canals to guide the waters of our large streams over the immense tracts of bench and bottom lands which now lie waste4 ,we want our children to remain near us1 where there is an abundance of land and water1 and not go hundreds of miles away to seek homes4 ,in these great public improvements the people should enter with heart and soul1 and freely invest in them their surplus property and means1 and thus prepare to locate the vast multitudes of our children which are growing up1 and strengthen our hands1 and solidify still more--make still more compact our present organized spiritual and national institutions4 #aa3aaf4 ,you have a living off an acre and a quarter of land4 ,such a little farm well tilled and well managed1 and the products of it economically applied1 will do wonders towards keeping and educating a small family4 ,let the little #def children do their part1 when they are not engaged in their studies1 in knitting their stockings and mittens1 braiding straw for their hats1 or spinning yarn for their frocks and underclothing4 ,if this people would strictly observe these simple principles of economy1 they would soon become so rich that they would not have room sufficient to hold their abundance2 their store-houses would run over with fulness4 #aa3adb4 ,now1 cultivate your farms and gardens well1 and drive your stock to where they can live through the winter1 if you have not feed for them4 ,do not keep so many cattle1 or1 in other words1 more than you can well provide for and make profitable to yourselves and to the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,we have hundreds and thousands of fat cattle upon the ranges1 and yet we have no beef to eat1 or very little4 ,kill your cattle when they are fat1 and salt down the meat1 that you may have meat to eat in the winter and some to dispose of to your neighbors for their labor to extend your improvements4 ,lay up your meat1 and not let it die on your hands4 ,such a course is not right4 ,cattle are made for our use1 let us take care of them4 #aa3adb4 ,i intend to plant and sow1 not only in the month of ,may1 but in the month of ,june1 and in the month of ,july1 and ,i will continue my labors to raise what is necessary to sustain life1 as long as the season lasts4 #b3bhj4 ,let groves of olive trees be planted1 and vineyards of the most approved varieties of grapes1 and let sweet potatoes be raised in abundance1 and all trees and roots that bear fruit in the ground and above the ground that can be used as food for man and beast1 that plenty may flow in the land like a river1 and contentment be enthroned in every #deg household1 while industry1 frugality1 and peace prevail everywhere4 #aj3bbg4 ,instead of people being poor1 we already have too much1 unless we take better care of it4 ,i heard a man who is living in this city--one who has always been well off--state that he used to keep twelve cows when he first came here1 and was often nearly destitute of milk and butter4 ,after a few years2 the number of his cows was reduced to six1 and he said that the six did him more good than the twelve had done4 ,in two years more1 they were reduced to two1 and the two cows have done him much more good than the twelve or the six did1 for they could be and were more properly attended to4 #d3cag4 ,everything which we use to feed the life of man or beast1 not a grain of it should be permitted to go to waste1 but should be made to pass through the stomach of some animal2 everything1 also1 which will fertilize our gardens and our fields should be sedulously saved and wisely husbanded1 that nothing may be lost which contains the elements of food and raiment for man and sustenance for beast4 #aa3acj4 ,save your hay2 save your chaff2 save your straw2 save your wheat2 save your oats2 save your barley1 and everything that can be saved and preserved against a day of want4 #ab3bda4 ,wives1 go into the garden and raise the salad and numerous other articles within your judgment and strength4 ,who hindered you from making a little vinegar last year8 ,people are frequently running round and asking1 ,where can ,i buy some vinegar8 ,when ,i was keeping a house1 if my neighbors had a million hogsheads of vinegar1 ,i had no need to buy a spoonful of it1 for ,i would make a plenty #deh for my own use1 and would have eggs1 butter1 and pork1 of my own production1 and manage to secure beef1 and salt it away nicely1 and we had all the essentials for comfortable diet4 #d3cah4 ,what hinders you from raising something to feed a cow8 ,nothing4 ,who hinders you from planting your garden with corn1 and having the suckers and the fodder8 ,who hinders you from raising carrots1 parsnips1 etc41 to feed a cow with through the winter8 ,this you can do on a little more than a quarter of an acre1 but will you do it8 #d3cag4 ,the riches of a kingdom or nation do not consist so much in the fulness of its treasury as in the fertility of its soil and the industry of its people4 #aj3bff4 ,our wants are many1 but our real necessities are very few4 ,let us govern our wants by our necessities1 and we shall find that we are not compelled to spend our money for naught4 ,let us save our money to enter and pay for our land1 to buy flocks of sheep and improve them1 and to buy machinery and start more woolen factories4 #ab3bhi4 ,we are not anxious to obtain gold2 if we can obtain it by raising potatoes and wheat1 all right4 ,can't you make yourselves rich by speculating8 ,we do not wish to4 ,can't you make yourselves rich by going to the gold mines8 ,we are right in the midst of them4 ,why don't you dig the gold from the earth8 ,because it demoralizes any community or nation on the earth to give them gold and silver to their hearts' content2 it will ruin any nation4 ,but give them iron and coal1 good hard work1 plenty to eat1 good schools and good doctrine1 and it will make them a healthy1 wealthy and happy people4 #ac3agf4 ,purchase cows1 for if we have not already supplied you with cows1 we are able and willing to do so4 ,most1 if not #dei all1 have already been furnished with cows4 ,what did you do with the calves8 ,we sold them for a trifle4 ,why did you not raise them8 ,do you not know that they would very soon be valuable8 ,no1 but you waste your calves1 neglect buying pigs1 and live without milk1 and many of the easily procured comforts of life4 #d3cae4 ,the time will come that gold will hold no comparison in value to a bushel of wheat4 #a3bej4 ,when a farmer has done with his ploughs1 he should put them under shelter until they are again wanted4 ,when harness is taken off1 it should be so hung up that you can go at any time of night and find it1 or a saddle1 bridle1 saddle-blanket1 or any other trapping1 and be ready at once4 #h3bif4 ,manufacturing--,i pray the ,lord to hedge up the way and shut down the gate so1 that we may be compelled to depend upon our own manufacturing for the comforts of life4 #g3fg4 ,also raise flax1 and prepare it for the women to manufacture into summer clothing4 #d3caf4 ,save your wool1 and send it to the factory4 ,if we want a little cotton cloth1 we can raise it in the southern country2 and we could raise some here as well as in some other places4 ,we can raise about two gatherings4 #ai3gc4 ,i want them to save their wool and to keep it in this ,territory4 ,if we have not factories sufficient to work up all the wool that grows in this ,territory1 and in these mountains1 we will send and get more machinery1 and build more factories1 and work up the wool for the people4 #ae3aei4 ,go and build a tannery1 that the hides that come off our beef cattle1 can be made into leather4 #ai3gc4 ,we want glass4 ,some man will come along1 by and by1 #dfj and take the quartz rock1 rig up a little furnace and make glass4 #i3ca4 ,by-and-by some man will come along1 not worth fifty dollars1 and take the feldspar1 which enters so largely into our granite rock1 and make the best of chinaware4 #i3ca4 ,dye-stuffs have opened another drain through which considerable of our money has passed off4 ,wherever ,indian corn will flourish madder can be produced in great quantities1 yet we have been paying out our money to strangers for this article4 ,indigo can be successfully and profitably raised in this region4 #aj3bbf4 ,importing sugar has been a great drain upon our floating currency4 ,i am satisfied that it is altogether unnecessary to purchase sugar in a foreign market4 ,the sorghum is a profitable crop1 in ,great ,salt ,lake and the adjoining counties1 for the manufacture of molasses2 in this section it can be profitably raised for the manufacture of sugar4 ,i have tasted samples of sugar produced from the sorghum raised in the south of ,utah1 and a better quality of raw sugar ,i never saw4 ,let some enterprising persons prosecute this branch of home-production1 and thus effectually stop another outlet for our money4 ,sugar ranks high among the staples of life1 and should be produced in great abundance4 #aj3bbf4 ,go to and raise silk4 ,you can do it1 and those who cannot set themselves to work we will set them to work gathering straw1 and making straw hats and straw bonnets2 we will set others to gathering willow1 and others to making baskets2 we will set others to gathering flags and rushes1 and to making mats1 and bottoming chairs and making carpets4 #ab3bjb4 ,as ,i told the people1 when we first came into this valley #dfa in #ahdg1 there is plenty of silk in the elements here1 as much as in any other part of the earth4 #i3cb4 ,the capitalists may say1 ',what are we to do with our means8' ,go and build factories and have one1 two1 or three thousand spindles going4 ,send for fifty1 a hundred1 or a thousand sheep and raise wool4 ,some of you go to raising flax and build a factory to manufacture it1 and do not take every advantage and pocket every dollar that is to be made4 ,you are rich and ,i want to turn the stream so as to do good to the whole community4 #ac3cf4 ,commerce--,it may be said that we shall always be poor without commerce2 we shall always be poor with it1 unless we command it2 and unless we can do this1 we are better without it4 #aa3acd4 ,but1 again1 with regard to this railroad2 when it is through1 even in ordinary times it opens to us the market1 and we are at the door of ,new ,york1 right at the threshold of the emporium of the ,united ,states4 ,we can send our butter1 eggs1 cheese1 and fruits and receive in return oysters1 clams1 cod fish1 mackerel1 oranges1 and lemons4 ,let me say more to you--do up your peaches in the best style1 for they will want them4 #ab3ed4 ,whatsoever administers to the sustenance1 comfort and health of mankind forms the basis of the commerce of the world4 ,gold and silver in coin are only valuable as mediums to facilitate exchange4 ,they can be made useful to us and add to our comfort when made into cups1 plates1 etc41 in our household economy4 #aj3bbg4 ,recollect that in trading there is great advantage in turning over your capital often4 #ac3ce4 ,are our merchants honest8 ,i could not be honest and do as they do2 they make five hundred percent on some of #dfb their goods1 and that1 too1 from an innocent1 confiding1 poor1 industrious people4 #aa3aad4 ,capital and ,labor--,all the capital there is upon the earth is the bone and sinew of workingmen and women4 ,were it not for that1 the gold and the silver and the precious stones would remain in the mountains1 upon the plains and in the valleys1 and never would be gathered or brought into use4 ,the timber would continue to grow1 but none of it would be brought into service1 and the earth would remain as it is2 but it is the activity and labor of the inhabitants of the earth that bring forth the wealth4 ,labor builds our meeting-houses1 temples1 court houses1 fine halls for music and fine school houses2 it is labor that teaches our children1 and makes them acquainted with the various branches of education1 that makes them proficient in their own language and in other languages1 and in every branch of knowledge understood by the children of men2 and all this enhances the wealth and the glory and the comfort of any people on the earth4 #af3ff4 ,we say to the-,latter-day ,saints1 work for these capitalists1 and work honestly and faithfully1 and they will pay you faithfully4 ,i am acquainted with a good many of them1 and as far as ,i know them1 ,i do not know but every one is an honorable man4 ,they are capitalists1 they want to make money1 and they want to make it honestly and according to the principles of honest dealing4 ,if they have means and are determined to risk it in opening mines you work for them by the day4 ,haul their ores1 build their furnaces and take your pay for it1 and enter your lands1 build houses1 improve your farms1 buy your stock1 and make yourselves better off4 #ad3he4 ,there are many in the city of ,new ,york who never #dfc went to school a day in their lives2 they are wallowing in the gutter1 ragged1 dirty1 and filthy4 ,they learn sharpness1 it is true2 but where do they sleep8 ,by the wayside1 or crawl into some old building--girls and boys1 and live there by the thousand4 ,they have not a shelter to place their heads under1 but when night comes their only refuge is old buildings1 hovels1 and corners of streets forsaken by the police1 and there they must spend the night4 ,why not take such characters and bring them out to this country1 or to ,california1 ,oregon1 or to the plains of ,illinois1 ,wisconsin1 etc41 and make a town1 settle up the country1 and make these poor1 miserable creatures better off8 ,you would prove yourselves worthy of existence on the earth if you would4 #ad3hd4 ,to pay people the wages they want here would prevent us from raising silk profitably4 ,we look forward to the period when the price of labor here will be brought to a reasonable and judicious standard4 #ab3bjb4 ,time and the ability to labor are the capital stock of the whole world of mankind1 and we are all indebted to ,god for the ability to use time to advantage1 and he will require of us a strict account of the disposition we make of this ability2 and he will not only require an account of our acts1 but our words and thoughts will also be brought into judgment4 #ah3gc4 ,a young woman1 compelled to labor for her daily bread1 applies for work to some lady in comfortable circumstances4 ,the lady perhaps says1 ,what wages do you want8 ,i do not know4 ,what will you give me8 ,the reply is1 probably1 ,well1 ,i will give you fifty cents a week and your board1 but ,i shall want you to do my washing1 ironing1 milking1 scrubbing1 and cooking1 the whole of it1 most #dfd likely1 keeping the poor girl at work from five o'clock in the morning until ten at night4 ,yet her poverty leaves her no choice1 and she is compelled to become a slave in order to procure1 day by day1 her breakfast1 dinner1 and supper4 ,it is probable that if her father be alive he is too poor to help her2 and if she has a mother she may be a widow and unable to rescue her from a life of toil and slavery4 ,a lady1 whom ,i knew in my youth1 the wife of a minister1 where ,i used to attend meeting1 said once to some of her sisters in the church1 ,do you suppose that we shall be under the necessity of eating with our hired help when we get into heaven8 ,we do not do it here1 and ,i have an idea that there will be two tables in heaven4 ,yet she was a lady of refinement and education1 still the traditions that had been woven into her very being proved the folly she possessed to ask such a question4 #ad3ii4 ,let mechanics and every man who has capital create business and give employment and means into the hands of laborers2 build good and commodious houses1 magnificent temples1 spacious tabernacles1 lofty halls1 and every other kind of structure that will give character and grandeur to our cities and create respect for our people4 ,let us make mechanics of our boys1 and educate them in every useful branch of science and in the history and laws of kingdoms and nations1 that they may be fitted to fill any station in life1 from a ploughman to a philosopher4 #aj3bgj4 ,the non-producer must live on the products of those who labor4 ,there is no other way4 ,if we all labor a few hours a day1 we could then spend the remainder of our time in rest and the improvement of our minds4 ,this would give an opportunity to the children to be educated in the #dfe learning of the day1 and to possess all the wisdom of man4 #ai3dg4 ,do not oppress the poor1 but trust in ,god1 and you will go neither hungry1 naked1 nor thirsty4 ,if you oppress the poor1 the day will come when you will be naked1 thirsty1 and hungry1 and will not be able to get anything to supply your wants4 #h3gc4 ,build ,good ,houses and ,beautiful ,cities--,let the people build good houses1 plant good vineyards and orchards1 make good roads1 build beautiful cities in which may be found magnificent edifices for the convenience of the public1 handsome streets skirted with shade trees1 fountains of water1 crystal streams1 and every tree1 shrub and flower that will flourish in this climate1 to make our mountain home a paradise and our hearts wells of gratitude to the ,god of ,joseph1 enjoying it all with thankful hearts1 saying constantly1 not mine but thy will be done1 ,o ,father4 #aj3c4 ,beautify your gardens1 your houses1 your farms2 beautify the city4 ,this will make us happy1 and produce plenty4 ,the earth is a good earth1 the elements are good if we will use them for our own benefit1 in truth and righteousness4 ,then let us be content1 and go to with our mights to make ourselves healthy1 wealthy1 and beautiful1 and preserve ourselves in the best possible manner1 and live just as long as we can1 and do all the good we can4 #ae3bj4 ,every improvement that we make not only adds to our comfort but to our wealth4 #af3fd4 ,make good houses2 learn how to build2 become good mechanics and business men1 that you may know how to build a house1 a barn1 or a store-house1 how to make a farm1 and how to raise stock1 and take every care of it by providing #dff proper shelter and every suitable convenience for keeping it through the winter2 and prove yourselves worthy of the greater riches that will be committed to you than this valley and what it can produce4 #h3bhi4 ,accumulate ,property--,efforts to accumulate property in the correct channel are far from being an injury to any community1 on the contrary they are highly beneficial1 provided individuals1 with all that they have1 always hold themselves in readiness to advance the interests of the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth4 ,let every man and woman be industrious1 prudent1 and economical in their acts and feelings1 and while gathering to themselves1 let each one strive to identify his or her interests with the interests of this community1 with those of their neighbor and neighborhood1 let them seek their happiness and welfare in that of all1 and we will be blessed and prospered4 #c3ccj4 ,to do right can be reduced to perfect simplicity in a few words1 viz41 from this time henceforth1 let no person work1 or transact any kind of business whatever1 that he cannot do in the name of the ,lord4 #a3ccg4 ,this life is worth as much as any life that any being can possess in time or in eternity4 ,there is no life more precious to us in the eye of eternal wisdom and justice than the life which we now possess4 ,our first duty is to take care of this life4 #aa3aac4 ,to be prudent and saving1 and to use the elements in our possession for our benefit and the benefit of our fellow beings is wise and righteous2 but to be slothful1 wasteful1 lazy and indolent1 to spend our time and means for naught1 is unrighteous4 #af3af4 ,we all believe that the ,lord will fight our battles2 but how8 ,will he do it while we are unconcerned and make #dfg no effort whatever for our own safety when an enemy is upon us8 ,if we make no efforts to guard our towns1 our houses1 our cities1 our wives and children1 will the ,lord guard them for us8 ,he will not2 but if we pursue the opposite course and strive to help him to accomplish his designs1 then will he fight our battles4 ,we are baptized for the remission of sins2 but it would be quite as reasonable to expect remission of sins without baptism1 as to expect the ,lord to fight our battles without our taking every precaution to be prepared to defend ourselves4 ,the ,lord requires us to be quite as willing to fight our own battles as to have him fight them for us4 ,if we are not ready for an enemy when he comes upon us1 we have not lived up to the requirements of him who guides the ship of ,zion1 or who dictates the affairs of his ,kingdom4 #aa3aca4 ,debt--,pay your debts1 we will help you to do so1 but do not run into debt any more4 #ad3aje4 ,be prompt in everything1 and especially to pay your debts4 #ad3bgi4 ,a man who will run into debt1 when he has no prospect of paying it back again1 does not understand the principles that should prevail in a well regulated community1 or he is wilfully dishonest4 #aa3beh4 ,a man who will not pay his honest debts is no ,latter-day ,saint1 if he has the means to pay them4 #aa3beh4 ,it is bad enough1 quite bad enough1 to borrow from an enemy and not to repay him2 to do this is beneath the character of any human being2 but all who will borrow from a friend1 and especially from the poor1 are undeserving the fellowship of the ,saints if they do not repay4 #ad3bgf4 #dfh ,,chapter ,,xxvii ,,wealth ,wealth ,belongs to the ,lord--,earthly riches are concealed in the elements ,god has given to man1 and the essence of wealth is power to organize from these elements every comfort and convenience of life for our sustenance here1 and for eternal existence hereafter4 ,the possession of all the gold and silver in the world would not satisfy the cravings of the immortal soul of man4 ,the gift of the ,holy ,spirit of the ,lord alone can produce a good1 wholesome1 contented mind4 ,instead of looking for gold and silver1 look to the heavens and try to learn wisdom until you can organize the native elements for your benefit2 then1 and not until then1 will you begin to possess the true riches4 #aj3ce4 ,there is any amount of property1 and gold and silver in the earth and on the earth1 and the ,lord gives to this one and that one--the wicked as well as the righteous--to see what they will do with it1 but it all belongs to him4 ,he has handed over a goodly portion to this people1 and1 through our faith1 patience and industry1 we have made us good1 comfortable homes here1 and there are many who are tolerably well off1 and if they were in many parts of the world they would be called wealthy4 ,but it is not ours1 and all we have to do is to try and find out what the ,lord wants us to do with what we have in our possession1 and then go and do it4 ,if we step beyond this1 or to the right or to the left1 we step into an illegitimate train of business4 ,our legitimate business is to do what the ,lord wants us to do with that which he bestows upon us1 and dispose of #dfi it just as he dictates1 whether it is to give all1 one-tenth1 or the surplus4 #af3aj4 ,no person on the earth can truly call anything his own1 and never will until he has passed the ordeals we are all now passing1 and has received his body again in a glorious resurrection1 to be crowned by him who will be ordained and set apart to set a crown upon our heads4 ,then will be given to us that which we now only seem to own1 and we will be forever one with the ,father and the ,son1 and not until then4 #i3ajf4 ,the elements are to be brought into shape and operation for the benefit1 happiness1 beauty1 excellency1 glory1 and exaltation of the children of men that dwell upon the earth4 #i3bdb4 ,uncertainty of ,temporal ,possessions--,do you not know that the possession of your property is like a shadow1 or the dew of the morning before the noonday sun1 that you cannot have any assurance of its control for a single moment6 ,it is the unseen hand of ,providence that controls it4 #a3aad4 ,we cannot trust to the certainty of mortal possessions2 they are transitory1 and a dependence upon them will plunge into hopeless disappointment all those who trust in them4 #b3abb4 ,we should find that the things of this world called riches1 are in reality not riches4 ,wee should find they are like mirages to the ignorant1 mere phenomena to the inhabitants of the earth2 to-day they are1 to-morrow they are not2 they were1 but now they are gone1 it is not known where4 ,the earthly king upon his throne1 who reigns triumphantly over his subjects1 is blasted1 with all his kingdom1 and brought to naught at one breath of him who possesses true riches4 ,let him who possesses the true riches say to the #dgj elements around that kingdom1 produce no wheat1 nor oil1 nor wine1 but let there be a famine upon that people1 in such a circumstance where is the wealth of that king1 his power1 his grandeur1 and his crown8 ,there is no bread1 no oil1 there are no flocks1 no herds1 for they have perished upon the plains1 his wheat is blasted1 and all his crops are mildewed4 ,what good does his wealth do him8 ,his subjects are lying all around him lifeless for want of bread2 he may cry to them1 but in vain2 his wealth1 power1 and influence have vanished1 they are swept away like the flimsy fabric of a cobweb4 #a3bff4 ,the ,sin of ,covetousness--,how the ,devil will play with a man who so worships gain6 #aj3agd4 ,i am more afraid of covetousness in our ,elders than ,i ami of the hordes of hell4 #e3cec4 ,those who are covetous and greedy1 anxious to grasp the whole world1 are all the time uneasy1 and are constantly laying their plans and contriving how to obtain this1 that1 and the other4 #c3aai4 ,men are greedy for the vain things of this world4 ,in their hearts they are covetous4 ,it is true that the things of this world are designed to make us comfortable1 and they make some people as happy as they can be here2 but riches can never make the ,latter-day ,saints happy4 ,riches of themselves cannot produce permanent happiness2 only the ,spirit that comes from above can do that4 #g3ace4 ,when ,i cast my eyes upon the inhabitants of the earth and see the weakness1 and ,i may say1 the height of folly in the hearts of the kings1 rulers1 and the great1 and those who should be wise and good and noble2 when ,i see them grovelling in the dust2 longing1 craving1 desiring1 contending for the things of this life1 ,i think1 ,o foolish men1 to set #dga your hearts on the thing's of this life6 ,to-day they are seeking after the honors and glories of the world1 and by the time the sun is hidden by the western mountains the breath is gone out of their nostrils1 they sink to their mother earth4 ,where are their riches then8 ,gone forever4 ,as ,job says1 ,naked ,i came into the world4 ,destitute and forlorn1 they have to travel a path that is untried and unknown to them1 and wend their way into the spirit world4 ,they know not where they are going nor for what4 ,the designs of the ,creator are hidden from their eyes2 darkness1 ignorance1 mourning and groaning take hold of them and they pass into eternity4 ,and this is the end of them concerning this life as far as they know4 ,a man or a woman who places the wealth of this world and the things of time in the scales against the things of ,god and the wisdom of eternity1 has no eyes to see1 no ears to hear1 no heart to understand4 ,what are riches for8 ,for blessings1 to do good4 ,then let us dispense that which the ,lord gives us to the best possible use for the building up of his ,kingdom1 for the promotion of the truth on the earth1 that we may see and enjoy the blessings of the ,zion of ,god here upon this earth4 ,i look around among the world of mankind and see them grabbing1 scrambling1 contending1 and every one seeking to aggrandize himself1 and to accomplish his own individual purposes1 passing the community by1 walking upon the heads of his neighbors--all are seeking1 planning1 contriving in their wakeful hours1 and when asleep dreaming1 ,how can ,i get the advantage of my neighbor8 ,how can ,i spoil him1 that ,i may ascend the ladder of fame8 ,this is entirely a mistaken idea4 ,you see that nobleman seeking the benefit of all around him1 trying to bring1 we will say1 his servants1 if you please1 his tenants1 to his knowledge1 to #dgb like blessings that he enjoys1 to dispense his wisdom and talent among them and to make them equal with himself4 ,as they ascend and increase1 so does he1 and he is in the advance4 ,all eyes are upon that king or that nobleman1 and the feelings of those around him are1 ,god bless him6 ,how ,i love him6 ,how ,i delight in him6 ,he seeks to bless and to fill me with joy1 to crown my labors with success1 to give me comfort1 that ,i may enjoy the world as well as himself4 ,but the man who seeks honor and glory at the expense of his fellow-men is not worthy of the society of the intelligent4 #ae3ah4 ,i hope to see the day when there will be no such thing as one man taking usury from another4 #ac3ib4 ,true ,riches--,there is no such thing as a man being truly rich until he has power over death1 hell1 the grave1 and him that hath the power of death1 which is the ,devil4 ,for what are the riches1 the wealth possessed by the inhabitants of the earth8 ,why1 they are a phantom1 a mere shadow1 a bubble on the wave1 that bursts with the least breath of air4 ,suppose ,i possessed millions on millions of wealth of every description ,i could think of or ask for1 and ,i took a sudden pain in my head1 which threw me entirely out of my mind1 and baffled the skill of the most eminent physicians1 what good would that money do me1 in the absence of the power to say to that pain1 ,depart8 ,but suppose ,i possessed power to say to the pain1 ,go thou to the land from whence thou comest2 and say1 ,come1 health1 and give strength to my body2 and when ,i want death1 to say1 ,come you1 for ,i have claim upon you1 a right1 a warranty deed1 for this body must be dissolved2 says death1 ,i want it1 to prey upon2 but again ,i can say to death1 ,depart from me1 thou canst not touch me2 would ,i not be #dgc rich indeed8 ,how is it now8 ,let the slightest accident come upon one of the human family1 and they are no more4 ,do we then possess true riches in this state8 ,we do not4 #a3bga4 ,to possess this world's goods is not in reality wealth1 it is not riches1 it is nothing more nor less than that which is common to all men1 to the just and the unjust1 to the ,saint and to the sinner4 ,the sun rises upon the evil and the good2 the ,lord sends his rain upon the just and upon the unjust2 this is manifest before our eyes1 and in our daily experience4 ,old ,king ,solomon1 the wise man1 says1 the race is not to the swift1 nor the battle to the strong1 neither riches to men of wisdom4 ,the truth of this saying comes within our daily observation4 ,those whom we consider swift are not always the ones that gain the mastery in the race1 but those who are considered not so fleet1 or not fleet at all1 often gain the prize4 ,it is1 ,i may say1 the unseen hand of ,providence1 that over-ruling power that controls the destinies of men and nations1 that so ordains these things4 ,the weak1 trembling1 and feeble1 are the ones frequently who gain the battle2 and the ignorant1 foolish1 and unwise will blunder into wealth4 ,this is all before us1 it is the common lot of man2 in short1 ,i may say1 it is the philosophical providence of a philosophical world4 #a3bfg4 ,gold is ,not ,wealth--,what use is gold when you get enough to eat1 drink1 and wear without it8 #a3bej4 ,there is no happiness in gold1 not the least4 ,it is very convenient as an article of exchange1 in purchasing what we need2 and instead of finding comfort and happiness in gold1 you exchange it to obtain happiness1 or that which may conduce to it4 ,there is no real wealth in gold4 ,people talk about being wealthy--about being rich2 but place the #dgd richest banking company in the world upon a barren rock1 with their gold piled around them1 with no possible chance of exchanging it1 and destitute of the creature comforts1 and they would be poor indeed4 ,where then is their joy1 their comfort1 their great wealth8 ,they have none4 #h3afh4 ,true wealth consists in the skill to produce conveniences and comforts from the elements4 ,all the power and dignity that wealth can bestow is a mere shadow1 the substance is found in the bone and sinew of the toiling millions4 ,well directed labor is the true power that supplies our wants4 ,it gives regal grandeur to potentates1 education and supplies to religious and political ministers1 and supplies the wants of the thousands of millions of earth's sons and daughters4 ,there are conditions and panics in society that all the power of earthly wealth cannot avert4 #aj3ahi4 ,it has been supposed that wealth gives power4 ,in a depraved state of society1 in a certain sense it does1 if opening a wide field for unrighteous monopolies1 by which the poor are robbed and oppressed and the wealthy are more enriched1 is power4 ,in a depraved state of society money can buy positions and titles1 can cover up a multitude of incapabilities1 can open wide the gates of fashionable society to the lowest and most depraved of human beings2 it divides society into castes without any reference to goodness1 virtue or truth4 ,it is made to pander to the most brutal passions of the human soul2 it is made to subvert every wholesome law of ,god and man1 and to trample down every sacred bond that should tie society together in a national1 municipal1 domestic and every other relationship4 ,wealth thus used is used out of its legitimate channel4 #aj3c4 ,how to ,become ,wealthy--,when men act upon the #dge principles which will secure to them eternal salvation1 they are sure of obtaining all their hearts' desire1 sooner or later2 if it does not come today1 it may come tomorrow2 if it does not come in this time1 it will in the next4 #b3abb4 ,i am not for hoarding up gold and other property to lie useless1 ,i wish to put everything to a good use4 ,i never keep a dollar lying idly by me1 for ,i wish all the means to be put into active operation4 #c3afj4 ,i can witness one fact1 and so can others1 that by paying attention to the building up of the ,kingdom of ,god alone we have got rich in the things of this world2 and if any man can tell how we can get rich in any other way1 he can do more than ,i can4 ,we leave our business and our families and go out to preach the peaceable things of the ,kingdom1 and pay attention to that1 never thinking of our business or our families1 except when we ask the ,lord to bless our families in common with all the families of the ,saints everywhere4 #aa3aaf4 ,do you want wealth8 ,if you do1 do not be in a hurry4 ,do you want the riches pertaining to this world8 ,yes1 we acknowledge we do4 ,then1 be calm1 contented1 composed2 keep your pulses correct1 do not let them get up to a hundred and twenty1 but keep them as high as you can1 ranging from seventy to seventy-six2 and when there is an appointment for a meeting be sure to attend that meeting4 ,if there is to be a two-days' meeting1 come to it2 spend the time here and learn what is going on4 ,watch closely1 hear every word that is spoken1 let every heart be lifted to ,god for wisdom1 and know and understand every word of prophecy1 every revelation that may be given1 every counsel that may be presented to the people1 that you may be able to weigh1 measure1 comprehend and decide between #dgf that which is of ,god and that which is not of ,god4 ,refuse the evil1 learn wisdom1 and grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth4 #ae3ce4 ,the course pursued by men of business in the world has a tendency to make a few rich1 and to sink the masses of the people in poverty and degradation4 #aa3cdh4 ,this is the counsel ,i have for the ,latter-day ,saints today4 ,stop1 do not be in a hurry4 ,i do not know that ,i could find a man in our community but what wishes wealth1 would like to have everything in his possession that would conduce to his comfort and convenience4 ,do you know how to get it8 ,well1 replies one1 if ,i do not1 ,i wish ,i did2 but ,i do not seem to be exactly fortunate--fortune is somewhat against me4 ,i will tell you the reason of this--you are in too much of a hurry2 you do not go to meeting enough1 you do not pray enough1 you do not read the ,scriptures enough1 you do not meditate enough1 you are all the time on the wing1 and in such a hurry that you do not know what to do first4 ,this is not the way to get rich4 ,i merely use the term rich to lead the mind along1 until we obtain eternal riches in the celestial kingdom of ,god4 ,here we wish for riches in a comparative sense1 we wish for the comforts of life4 ,if we desire them let us take a course to get them4 ,let me reduce this to a simple saying--one of the most simple and homely that can be used--,keep your dish right side up1 so that when the shower of porridge does come1 you can catch your dish full4 #ae3cf4 ,these are a few words of consolation to the brethren who wish to keep their riches1 and with them ,i promise you leanness of soul1 darkness of mind1 narrow and contracted hearts1 and the bowels of your compassion will be shut up1 and by and by you will be overcome with the spirit #dgg of apostasy and forsake your ,god and your brethren4 #ab3abg4 ,my policy is to get rich2 ,i am a miser in eternal things4 ,do ,i want to become rich in the things of this earth8 ,yes1 if the ,lord wishes me to have such riches1 and ,i can use them to good advantage4 ,my policy is to keep every man1 woman1 and child busily employed1 that they may have no idle time for hatching mischief in the night1 and for making plans to accomplish their own ruin4 #b3add4 ,i told you the other day what makes me rich1 it is the labor of those whom ,i feed and clothe2 still ,i do not feel that ,i have a dollar in the world that is my own1 it is the ,lord's and he has made me a steward over it2 and if ,i can know where the ,lord is pleased to have it appropriated1 there it shall go4 #c3aah4 ,one-third or one-fourth of the time that is spent to procure a living would be sufficient1 if your labor were rightly directed4 ,people think they are going to get rich by hard work--by working sixteen hours out of the twenty-four2 but it is not so4 ,a great many of our brethren can hardly spend time to go to meeting4 ,six days is more time than we need to labor4 #h3cee4 ,the great majority of men and women do not know how to take care of themselves4 ,let me refer the whole of you to a circumstance in ,winter ,quarters4 ,we left ,nauvoo in ,february1 #ahdf1 made our own roads through ,iowa1 except some #dj or #ej miles1 built bridges1 cut down timber1 turned out #ejj men to go to ,mexico1 came this side of the ,missouri river1 and there wintered4 ,how did you live there8 ,do you know how you got anything to eat8 ,brethren came to me1 saying1 ,we must go to ,missouri4 ,can we not take our families and go to ,missouri and get work8 ,do you know1 to this day1 how you lived8 ,i will tell you1 and then #dgh you will remember it4 ,i had not five dollars in money to start with2 but ,i went to work and built a mill1 which we knew we should want only for a few months1 that cost #c1fjj dollars4 ,i gave notice that ,i would employ every man and pay him for his labor4 ,if ,i had a sixpence1 ,i turned it into #be cents2 and a half-bushel of potatoes ,i turned into half-a-bushel of wheat4 ,how did ,i do that8 ,by faith4 ,i went to ,brother ,neff1 who had just come in the place1 and asked him for and received #b1fjj dollars1 though he did not know where the money was going4 ,he kept the mill another year1 and it died on his hands4 ,i say1 ,god bless him forever6 for it was the money he brought from ,pennsylvania that preserved thousands of men1 women1 and children from starving4 ,i handled and dictated it1 and everything went off smoothly and prosperously4 #f3agc4 ,shall ,i give you my ideas in brief with regard to business and business transactions8 ,here for instance1 a merchant comes to our neighborhood with a stock of goods2 he sells them at from two to ten hundred per cent1 above what they cost4 ,as a matter of course he soon becomes wealthy1 and after a time he will be called a millionaire1 when perhaps he was not worth a dollar when he commenced to trade4 ,you will hear many say of such person1 what a nice man he is1 and what a great financier he is6 ,my feeling of such a man is1 he is a great cheat1 a deceiver1 a liar6 ,he imposes on the people1 he takes that which does not belong to him1 and is a living monument of falsehood4 ,such a man is not a financier6 ,the financier is he that brings the lumber from the canyons and shapes it for the use of his fellowman1 employing mechanics and laborers to produce from the elements and the crude material everything necessary for the sustenance and comfort of man2 #dgi one who builds tanneries to work up the hides instead of letting them rot and waste or be sent out of the country to be made into leather and then brought back in the shape of boots and shoes2 and that can take the wool1 the furs and straw and convert the same into cloth1 into hats and bonnets1 and that will plant out mulberry trees and raise the silk1 and thus give employment to men1 women and children1 as you have commenced to do here1 bringing the elements into successful use for the benefit of man1 and reclaiming a barren wilderness1 converting it into a fruitful field1 making it to blossom as the rose2 such a man ,i would call a financier1 a benefactor of his fellow man4 ,but the great majority of men who have amassed great wealth have done it at the expense of their fellows4 #ai3ig4 ,wealth ,must ,be ,used--,few men know what to do with riches when they possess them4 #a3bej4 ,you know very well that it is against my doctrine and feelings for men to scrape together the wealth of the world and let it waste and do no good4 #i3ahf4 ,then do not hoard up your gold2 if you do1 it will canker1 but put out every dollar to usury4 ,instead of your souls being bound up in your cattle and other property1 put it all where it should be placed for the benefit of the ,kingdom of ,god on earth and for his glory4 #i3aia4 ,a man has no right with property1 which1 according to the laws of the land1 legally belongs to him1 if he does not want to use it2 he ought to possess no more than he can put to usury1 and cause to do good to himself and his fellowman4 ,when will a man accumulate money enough to justify him in salting it down1 or1 in other words1 laying it away in the chest1 to lock it up1 there to lie1 doing no manner of good either to himself or his neighbor4 ,it is #dhj impossible for a man ever to do it4 ,no man should keep money or property by him that he cannot put to usury for the advancement of that property in value or amount1 and for the good of the community in which he lives2 if he does1 it becomes a dead weight upon him4 ,every man who has got cattle1 money1 or wealth of any description1 bone and sinew1 should put it out to usury4 ,if a man has the arm1 body1 head1 the component parts of a system to constitute him a laboring man1 and has nothing in the world to depend upon but his hands1 let him put them to usury4 ,never hide up anything in a napkin1 but put it forth to bring an increase4 ,if you have got property of any kind1 that you do not know what to do with1 lay it out in making a farm1 or building a saw mill or a woolen factory1 and go to with your mights to put all your property to usury4 ,if you have more oxen and other cattle than you need1 put them in the hands of other men1 and receive their labor in return1 and put that labor where it will increase your property value4 #a3beb4 ,if a man comes in the midst of this people with money1 let him use it in beautifying his inheritance in ,zion1 and in increasing his capital by thus putting out his money to usury4 ,let him go and make a great farm1 and stock it well1 and fortify all around with a good and efficient fence4 ,what for8 ,why for the purpose of spending his money4 ,then let him cut it up into fields1 and adorn it with trees1 and build a fine house upon it4 ,what for8 ,why for the purpose of spending his money4 ,what will he do when his money is gone8 ,the money thus spent1 with a wise and prudent hand1 is in a situation to accumulate and increase a hundred-fold4 ,when he has done making his farm1 and his means still increase by his diligent use of it1 he can #dha then commence and build a woolen factory for instance2 he can send and buy the sheep and have them brought here1 and have them herded here1 and shear them here1 and take care of them1 then set the boys and girls to cleaning1 carding1 spinning1 and weaving the wool into cloth1 and thus employ hundreds and thousands of the brethren and sisters who have come from the manufacturing districts of the old country1 and have not been accustomed to dig in the earth for their livelihood1 who have not learned anything else but to work in the factory4 ,this would feed them and clothe them1 and put within their reach the comforts of life2 it would also create at home a steady market for the produce of the agriculturist1 and the labor of the mechanic4 #a3bec4 ,wealth ,brings ,happiness ,only ,when ,used for the ,gospel--,all the real business we have on hand is to promote our religion4 #d3cee4 ,if you come naked and barefooted 7,i would not care if you had naught but a deer skin around you when you arrive here71 and bring your ,god and your religion1 you are a thousand times better than if you come with wagon loads of silver and gold and left your ,god behind4 #d3bjd4 ,if1 by industrious habits and honorable dealings1 you obtain thousands or millions1 little or much1 it is your duty to use all that is put in your possession1 as judiciously as you have knowledge1 to build up the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth4 #d3bi4 ,if we are destroyed through the possession of wealth1 it will be because we destroy ourselves4 ,if we possessed hundreds of millions of coin1 and devoted that means to building up the ,kingdom of ,god and doing good to his creatures1 with an eye single to his glory1 we would be as much blessed and as much entitled to salvation as the poor #dhb beggar that begs from door to door2 the faithful rich man is as much entitled to the revelations of ,jesus ,christ as is the faithful poor man4 #aj3cjj4 ,we must watch and pray1 and look well to our walk and conversation1 and live near to our ,god1 that the love of this world may not choke the precious seed of truth1 and feel ready1 if necessary1 to offer up all things1 even life itself1 for the ,kingdom of ,heaven's sake4 #aa3aaa4 ,look out1 ye men of ,israel1 and be careful that you love not the world or the things of the world in their present state1 and in your loftiness and pride1 forget the ,lord your ,god4 ,we ought to care no more for the silver and the gold1 and the property that is so much sought for by the wicked world1 than for the soil or the gravel upon which we tread4 #aa3ah4 ,i do not care what becomes of the things of this world1 of the gold1 of the silver1 of the houses and of the lands1 so we have power to gather the ,house of ,israel1 redeem ,zion1 and establish the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth4 ,i would not give a cent for all the rest4 ,true1 these things which the ,lord bestows upon us are for our comfort1 for our happiness and convenience1 but everything must be devoted to the upbuilding of the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth4 #c3cfa4 ,it is thought by many that the possession of gold and silver will produce for them happiness1 and1 hence1 thousands hunt the mountains for the precious metals2 in this they are mistaken4 ,the possession of wealth alone does not produce happiness1 although it will produce comfort1 when it can be exchanged for the essentials and luxuries of life4 ,when wealth is obtained by purloining1 or in any other unfair and dishonorable way1 fear of detection and punishment #dhc robs the possessor of all human happiness4 ,when wealth is honorably obtained by man1 still the possession of it is embittered by the thought that death will soon strip them of it and others will possess it4 ,what hopes have they in the future1 after they get through with this sorrowful world8 ,they know nothing about the future2 they see nothing but death and hell4 ,solid comfort and unalloyed joy are unknown to them4 #aa3ae4 ,men and women who are trying to make themselves happy in the possession of wealth or power will miss it1 for nothing short of the ,gospel of the ,son of ,god can make the inhabitants of the earth happy1 and prepare them to enjoy heaven here and hereafter4 #aa3cbi4 ,it matters little1 though we have many times left our houses and other possessions1 having been driven from them by our enemies2 for the earth is the ,lord's and the fulness thereof2 the gold and the silver they are taking from the earth are all in his hands to dispose of at his pleasure4 ,he sets up kingdoms and casts them down at his pleasure4 ,the fulness of the earth is in his hands1 but it cannot be enjoyed1 in the full sense of the term1 without enjoying it in connection with his ,kingdom4 #h3afa-b4 ,though ,i possessed millions of money and property1 that does not excuse me from performing the labor that it is my calling to perform1 so far as ,i have strength and ability1 any more than the poorest man in the community is excused4 ,the more we are blessed with means1 the more we are blessed with responsibility2 the more we are blessed with wisdom and ability1 the more we are placed under the necessity of using that wisdom and ability in the spread of righteousness1 the subjugation of sin and misery1 and the amelioration of the condition of mankind4 ,the man that #dhd has only one talent and the man that has five talents have responsibility accordingly4 ,if we have a world of means1 we have a world of responsibility4 ,if we have an eternity of knowledge1 we shall have an eternity of business to transact and to occupy every particle of the knowledge bestowed upon us4 #i3agb4 ,some ,dangers of ,wealth--,the question will not arise with the ,lord1 nor with the messengers of the ,almighty1 how much wealth a man has got1 but how has he come by this wealth and what will he do with it8 #aa3bid4 ,if the ,lord ever revealed anything to me1 he has shown me that the ,elders of ,israel must let speculation alone and attend to the duties of their calling1 otherwise they will have little or no power in their missions or upon their return4 #h3agi4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints who turn their attention to money-making soon become cold in their feelings toward the ordinances of the house of ,god4 ,they neglect their prayers1 become unwilling to pay any donations2 the law of tithing gets too great a task for them2 and they finally forsake their ,god1 and the providences of heaven seem to be shut from them--all in consequence of this lust after the things of this world1 which will certainly perish in handling1 and in their use they will fade away and go from us4 #ah3bac4 ,if ,i had only seen in my young days an interest manifested by those who had wealth1 power and influence to reach down a hand to take the suffering1 ignorant poor and elevate them to the standard they occupied1 and to place them in possession of every comfort1 it would have been a matter of great joy to me4 ,but it was not so then1 neither is it now4 ,men generally use their wealth for selfish purposes1 #dhe and do not seek to devote it to ,god and to the glory of his name4 #ac3adg4 ,do not be anxious to have this people become rich1 and possess the affection of the world4 ,i have been fearful lest we come to fellowship the world4 #aj3bih4 ,some say1 ,if we had a gold mine1 we would do well4 ,if ,i knew where there was a gold mine1 ,i would not tell you4 ,i do not want you to find one1 and ,i do not mean that you shall2 or1 if you do1 it shall be over my faith4 ,we have gold enough in the world1 and it is all the ,lord's1 and we do not deserve more than we get4 ,let us make good use of that1 and send out the ,elders4 #h3bjd4 ,i would as soon see a man worshiping a little god made of brass or of wood as to see him worship his property4 #f3aif4 ,never pray for riches2 do not entertain such a foolish thought4 ,in my deep poverty1 when ,i knew not where ,i could procure the next morsel of food for myself and family1 ,i have prayed ,god to open the way that ,i might get something to keep myself and family from dying4 ,those who do more than this are off1 more or less1 from the track that leads to life eternal4 #g3ach4 ,we are the greatest speculators in the world4 ,we have the greatest speculation on hand that can be found in all the earth4 ,i never denied being a speculator4 ,i never denied being a miser1 or of feeling eager for riches2 but some men will chase a picayune five thousand miles when ,i would not turn round for it1 and yet we are preachers of the same ,gospel1 and brethren in the same ,kingdom of ,god4 ,you may consider this is a little strong2 but the speculation ,i am after1 is to exchange this world1 which1 in its present state1 passes away1 for a world that is eternal #dhf and unchangeable1 for a glorified world filled with eternal riches1 for the world that is made an inheritance for the ,gods of eternity4 #a3cbf4 ,the ,poor--,the poor are the people of ,god1 and they shall inherit the earth4 #h3ahf4 ,the ,gospel of life and salvation does not reduce those who obey it to beggary2 but it takes the poor and the ignorant1 makes them wise and happy1 and surrounds them with the comforts of life and everything desirable1 and teaches them to serve ,god with all their hearts4 #ad3aba4 ,if a man comes to me and says he is out of food1 what of that8 ,he is out of food2 that is all4 ,if a man comes along and says1 ,my family is destitute of food and clothing1 what of that8 ,simply that they are destitute of food and clothing1 and still they may be gentlemen and ladies1 for all that1 and be honoring their tabernacles and being on the earth4 ,the customs of the world have made it degrading to ask for food1 but it is not1 when a person cannot honestly procure it in any other way4 ,the man who is hungry and destitute has as good a right to my food as any other person1 and ,i should feel as happy in associating with him1 if he had a good heart1 as with those who have an abundance1 or with the princes of the earth4 ,they all are esteemed by me1 not according to the wealth and position they hold1 but according to the character they have4 #c3bde4 ,the ,lord's poor do not forget their covenants1 while the ,devil's poor pay no regard to their promises4 #c3b4 ,what causes poverty among this people8 ,it is the want of discretion1 calculation1 sound judgment4 ,i am paying men more or less by the day1 and where do you see those who get the least wages8 ,seated back in the barber's chair #dhg three or four times a week4 ,next at a store to get a box of blacking to put upon fifteen dollar boots1 if they can get them4 ,they must have four or five dollar handkerchiefs1 as fine things for their wives and children1 and as much in quantity as any other man has4 ,at the end of the year there are two or three hundred dollars on the debit side of their accounts4 #i3big4 ,let the poor1 those who have to depend upon their brethren for bread1 after they have done all they can to obtain it themselves be thankful1 and take no more than they require to use in a frugal manner4 #c3cge4 ,the poor are filled with idolatry as well as the rich1 and covet the means of those who have helped them2 the rich also have the same spirit of idolatry1 and stick to what they have4 ,let the poor be honest1 let the rich be liberal1 and lay their plans to assist the poor1 to build up the ,kingdom of ,god1 and at the same time enrich themselves1 for that is the way to build up ,god's ,kingdom4 #c3f4 ,poor men1 or poor women1 who have nothing1 and covet that which is not their own1 are just as wicked in their hearts1 as the miserly man who hoards up his gold and silver1 and will not put it out to use4 ,i wish the poor to understand1 and act as they would wish others to act towards them in like circumstances4 #b3eb4 ,if the poor had all the surplus property of the rich many of them would waste it on the lusts of the flesh1 and destroy themselves in using it4 ,for this reason the ,lord does not require the rich to give all their substance to the poor4 ,it is true that when the young man came to ,jesus to know what he must do to be saved1 he told him1 finally1 sell all that thou hast and distribute unto the poor1 and thou shalt have treasure in heaven1 and come1 follow me2 and a great #dhh many think that he told the young man to give away all that he had1 but ,jesus did not require any such thing1 neither did he say so1 but simply1 distribute to the poor4 ,if the poor knew what to do with what they have many1 yea very many1 in this land would have all that is necessary to make them comfortable4 #ac3cjb4 ,if they had the privilege of dictating the affairs of this people1 or of any other1 they would divide the substance of the rich among the poor1 and make all what they call equal4 ,but the question would arise with me at once1 how long would they remain equal8 ,make the rich and the poor of this community1 or of any other1 equal by the distribution of their earthly substance1 and how long would it be before a certain portion of them would be calling upon the other portion1 for something with which to sustain themselves8 ,the cry would soon be--,i have no bread1 no house1 no team1 no farm2 ,i have nothing4 ,and in a very few years1 at the most1 large properties would thus pass from the hands of such individuals1 and would be distributed among those who know how to accumulate wealth and to preserve it when accumulated4 #ab3ef4 ,it is a disgrace to every man and woman that has sense enough to live1 not to take care of their own relatives1 their own poor1 and plan for them to do something they are able to do4 #h3ade4 #dhi ,,chapter ,,xxviii ,,missionary ,,work ,the ,gospel to be ,preached to all ,men--,the ,gospel must be preached to the world1 that the wicked may be left without excuse4 #d3eh4 ,it is necessary that all have the privilege of receiving or rejecting eternal truth1 that they may be prepared to be saved1 or be prepared to be damned4 #g3aci4 ,our ,father in ,heaven1 ,jesus1 our ,elder ,brother and the ,savior of the world1 and the whole heavens1 are calling upon this people to prepare to save the nations of the earth1 also the millions who have slept without the ,gospel4 #ah3gg4 ,the ,lord has called me to this work1 and ,i feel as though ,i will do it4 ,we will send the ,gospel to the nations2 and when one nation turns us away we will go to another and gather up the honest in heart1 and the rest we care not for until we come on ,mount ,zion as saviors1 to attend to the ordinances of the house of ,god for them4 #h3bcj-a4 ,the ,lord has restored the ,priesthood in our day for the salvation of ,israel4 ,does he design to save anybody else8 ,yes2 he will save the ,house of ,esau1 and ,i hope to live until ,i see ,mount ,zion established1 and saviors come up to save those poor1 miserable beings who are continually persecuting us--all who have not sinned against the ,holy ,ghost4 ,our labor is to save ourselves1 to save the ,house of ,israel1 to save the ,house of ,esau1 and all the ,gentile nations--every one that can be saved4 #g3bha4 ,this ,kingdom or work is proffered to the whole of the human family1 even to all who will accept it1 upon the terms of strict obedience to all its ordinances and requirements1 #dij and to its organization of ,prophets and ,apostles1 gifts and blessings and graces4 #aa3bdi4 ,there are1 doubtless1 millions of just as honest people among the several religious denominations as are amongst the professedly ,latter-day ,saints4 ,but they have not the ,gospel1 they are in darkness with regard to the plan of salvation1 and their teachers are blind guides1 totally unable to give the people the living word1 the way of life4 ,if they live up to the best light and knowledge they have and can get1 they are safe1 and in a saved condition4 ,what is the sin of the ministry and people of the present ,christian denominations8 ,it is that light has come to them and they reject it4 ,the condemnation of the ,jewish nation was that light had come into the world1 but they chose darkness rather than light1 because their deeds were evil2 so says the ,savior4 ,the same ,gospel that ,jesus taught to those who rejected him is entrusted to us to preach to the whole world with the same consequences which must reach them at some time1 in some condition4 #ag3bfb4 ,i shall be very happy when ,i can know that the people of the ,east ,indian ,archipelago1 and the people on every island and continent1 both the high and the low1 the ignorant and intelligent1 have received the words of eternal life1 and have had bestowed upon them the power of the eternal ,priesthood of the ,son of ,god1 by which they may become truly civilized4 #h3g4 ,the day will come when the ,gospel will be presented to the kings and queens and great ones of the earth2 but it will be presented with a different influence from that with which it has been presented to the poor1 but it will be the same ,gospel4 ,we shall not present any other ,gospel2 it is the same from everlasting to everlasting4 #ac3aej4 #dia ,the ,elders have also preached through the different nations of ,europe so far as they were allowed to do so4 ,in some countries the law would not permit them2 but the ,lord will yet revolutionize those nations until the door will be opened and the ,gospel will be preached to all4 #ab3bef4 ,had ,i the choice whether to go to the ,saints and gather ,saints1 or to go where the ,gospel was preached by the ancient ,apostles of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 among the children of the people who have formerly had the ,gospel preached to them1 ,i would engage to go to the ,states and gather one hundred ,saints to one that could be gathered from among the children of those who heard ,peter1 ,paul1 and others of the ancient ,apostles preach the ,gospel4 #d3cjf4 ,though the people in the ,states are daily becoming more hardened against the truth1 yet if ,i were in ,new ,york this day1 and it was my business to be there1 ,i would not be there long before ,i would have many ,elders preaching through different parts of that city2 ,i would have them preaching in the ,english1 ,danish1 ,french1 ,german1 and other languages4 ,and soon would have ,elders dispersed all over the ,state1 and would raise up new friends enough to sustain me1 that is1 if the ,lord would help me1 and if he did not1 ,i would leave4 #d3cg4 ,help to ,save ,every ,person--,what is ,babylon8 ,it is the confused world3 come out of her1 then1 and cease to partake of her sins1 for if you do not you will be partakers of her plagues4 #ab3bhb4 ,if to all eternity you could praise ,god1 through being the means of saving one soul1 ,i may say the least or most inferior intelligence upon the earth1 pertaining to the human family1--if you could be the means of saving one such #dib person1 how great would be your joy in the heavens6 ,then let us save many1 and our joy will be great in proportion to the number of souls we save4 ,let us destroy none4 #i3abd4 ,a true servant of ,god takes more pleasure in saving the meanest capacity organized in human form upon the face of the earth than a wicked person can in leading hosts astray4 ,let a ,prophet of ,god1 an ,apostle1 or any servant of the ,lord ,jesus have the privilege of bringing the very smallest degree of organized intelligence up higher and higher until it is capable of receiving the intelligence of angels1 and it will give more consolation and happiness than to lead all the posterity of ,adam into a wrong path4 #h3ei4 ,we had better gather nine that are unworthy than to neglect the tenth if he is worthy4 #ae3ah4 ,we gather the poorest of the people1 the unlearned1 and a few of the learned2 but generally1 we gather those who are poor1 who wish to be redeemed2 who feel the oppression the high and the proud have made them endure2 they have felt a wish to be delivered1 and consequently their ears were open to receive the truth4 ,take those who are in the enjoyment of all the luxuries of this life1 and their ears are stopped up2 they cannot hear4 #ab3bef4 ,and when you are called to preach the ,gospel on foreign missions1 take a course to save every person4 ,there is no man or woman within the pale of saving grace but that is worth saving4 ,there is no intelligent being1 except those who have sinned against the ,holy ,ghost1 but that is worth1 ,i may say1 all the life of an ,elder to save in the ,kingdom of ,god4 #i3abd4 ,this people are mostly gathered from what are termed the laboring and middle classes4 ,we have not gathered #dic into this ,church men that are by the world esteemed profound in their principles1 ideas1 and judgment4 ,we have none in this ,church that are called by them expert statesmen4 ,how frequently it is cast at the ,elders1 when they are abroad preaching1 that ,joseph ,smith1 the founder of their ,church and religion1 was only a poor illiterate boy4 ,that used to be advanced as one of the strongest arguments that could be produced against the doctrine of salvation1 by the wise and learned of this world1 though it is no argument at all4 ,the ,lord should have revealed himself to some of the learned priests or talented men of the age1 say they1 who could have done some good and borne off the ,gospel by their influence and learning1 and not to a poor1 ignorant1 unlettered youth4 ,not many wise1 not many mighty1 not many noble1 speaking after the manner of men1 are called2 but ,god hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise1 the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty2 and base things of the world--things which are despised by the world1 hath ,god in his wisdom chosen2 yea1 and things which are not1 to bring to naught things that are1 that no flesh should glory in his presence4 #f3gj4 ,it is the ,house of ,israel we are after1 and we care not whether they come from the east1 the west1 the north1 or the south2 from ,china1 ,russia1 ,england1 ,california1 ,north or ,south ,america1 or some other locality2 and it is the very lad on whom ,father ,jacob laid his hands1 that will save the ,house of ,israel4 ,the ,book of ,mormon came to ,ephraim1 for ,joseph ,smith was a pure ,ephraimite4 #b3bfh4 ,if this net does not gather the good and the bad we should have no idea that it is the net that ,jesus spoke about when he said that it should gather of all kinds4 #ad3gh4 #did ,i may say that this ,gospel is to spread to the nations of the earth1 ,israel is to be gathered1 ,zion redeemed1 and the land of ,joseph1 which is the land of ,zion1 is to be in the possession of the ,saints1 if the ,lord ,almighty lets me live2 and if ,i go behind the veil somebody else must see to it4 ,my brethren must bear it off shoulder to shoulder4 #c3cfa4 ,words to ,departing ,missionaries--,we wish the brethren to understand the facts just as they are2 that is1 there is neither man or woman in this ,church who is not on a mission4 ,that mission will last as long as they live1 and it is to do good1 to promote righteousness1 to teach the principles of truth1 and to prevail upon themselves and everybody around them to live those principles that they may obtain eternal life4 #ab3ai4 ,when ,i came into this ,church1 ,i started right out as a missionary1 and took a text1 and began to travel on a circuit4 ,truth is my text1 the ,gospel of salvation my subject1 and the world my circuit4 #i3acg4 ,we do not wish a man to enter on a mission1 unless his soul is in it4 #b3bfg4 ,the brethren who have been called upon foreign missions we expect to respond to the call cheerfully4 #d3bfd4 ,go forth and preach the ,gospel1 gain an experience1 learn wisdom1 and walk humbly before your ,god1 that you may receive the ,holy ,ghost to guide and direct you1 and teach you all things past1 present1 and to come4 #h3agf4 ,go trusting in ,god1 and continue to trust in him1 and he will open your way and multiply blessings upon you1 and your souls will be satisfied with his goodness4 ,i cannot promise you any good in taking an unrighteous course2 your lives must be examples of good works4 #h3gc4 ,i think that the brethren were required to go and preach #die without purse and scrip1 and that is what ,i am now trying to get them to do--to go without purse and scrip1 and not beg the poor ,saints to death4 ,let us support the ,elders1 instead of making the poor do it4 ,we are able to send these men out to preach the ,gospel1 and they may go without purse or scrip4 #h3afi4 ,i wish the ,elders to go forth as ,i have taught them4 ,if you have a clean shirt and one to be washed1 then be satisfied4 ,if you are clothed so as to be comfortable1 be satisfied1 and do not let your minds reach out after anything1 only to preach the ,gospel and gather the souls of men4 ,that is all the business you have upon your hands--it is your whole mission2 and trust in ,god to get home--trust in the ,lord to go from place to place1 and the way will be opened for you4 #h3ahe4 ,those who now go forth upon missions will feel more of the power of ,god than they ever had1 and will speak as men having authority1 asking no odds of the wicked4 #h3agb4 ,i would like to impress upon the minds of the brethren1 that he who goes forth in the name of the ,lord2 trusting in him with all his heart1 will never want for wisdom to answer any question that is asked him1 or to give any counsel that may be required to lead the people in the way of life and salvation1 and he will never be confounded worlds without end4 ,go in the name of the ,lord1 trust in the name of the ,lord1 lean upon the ,lord1 and call upon the ,lord fervently and without ceasing1 and pay no attention to the world4 ,you will see plenty of the world--it will be before you all the time--but if you live so as to possess the ,holy ,ghost you will be able to understand more in relation to it in one day than you could in a dozen days without it1 and you will at once see the difference between #dif the wisdom of men and the wisdom of ,god1 and you can weigh things in the balance and estimate them at their true worth4 #ab3cd4 ,if the ,elders cannot go with clean hands and pure hearts1 they had better stay here4 ,do not go thinking1 when you arrive at the ,missouri ,river1 at the ,mississippi1 at the ,ohio1 or at the ,atlantic1 that then you will purify yourselves2 but start from here with clean hands and pure hearts1 and be pure from the crown of the head to the soles of your feet2 then live so every hour4 ,go in that manner1 and in that manner labor1 and return again as clean as a piece of pure white paper4 ,this is the way to go2 and if you do not do that1 your hearts will ache4 ,will you be liable to fall into temptation and be overtaken by sin8 ,yes1 unless you live so as to have the revelation of ,jesus ,christ continually1 not only to live in it today or while you are preaching1 in a prayer meeting1 or in a conference2 and when you are out of these meetings1 when you are guarded more particularly by the ,spirit1 say that you can get along without the ,holy ,ghost4 ,you must have it all the time--on ,sunday1 ,monday1 ,tuesday1 and every day through the week1 and from year to year1 from the time you leave home until you return2 so that when you come back1 you may not be afraid if the ,lord ,almighty should come into the midst of the ,saints and reveal all the acts and doings and designs of your hearts in your missions2 but be found clean like a piece of white paper4 ,that is the way for the ,elders to live in their ministry at home and abroad4 #f3bgc-d4 ,i want to say for the consolation of the ,elders of ,israel and those who go forth to preside1 you need have no trouble with regard to the building up of this ,kingdom1 only do #dig your duty in the sphere to which you are assigned4 #ad3gi4 ,elders who go forth to proclaim the ,gospel1 unless they do something to clip their faith1 or cause them to apostatize from their religion1 so that they are left in the dark1 are generally on the increase in improvement1 grow in grace and in knowledge4 ,they are advancing in the principles of truth1 while the world are receding from the truth they once had2 consequently1 it appears to the ,elders1 and to those who go from the ,saints into the world1 that it is growing wicked faster than it really is1 and the ,elders do not always realize that their advancement in truth produces much of the appearance of the great distance between them and the world4 #c3bba-b4 ,if those who are going to preach do not go with that faith that pertains to eternal life1 and that spirit that is like a well of water1 springing up into everlasting life1 their labors will be vain4 ,they may be the best theoretical theologians in the world--may be able to preach a ,bible and a half in a sermon1 to read history without a book1 and understand all the dealings with men from the days of ,adam till now2 and1 without the ,spirit of the living ,god to guide them1 they will not be able to accomplish anything to their credit towards building up his ,kingdom4 ,they must realize that success in preaching the ,gospel springs not from the wisdom of this world4 ,they must so live as to enjoy the power of ,god4 #h3gj-ga4 ,don't carry your wives or your children in your hearts or in your affections with you one rod4 ,dedicate them to the ,lord ,god of ,israel1 and leave them at home2 and when you are in ,england1 or among other nations1 no matter where1 when you pray for your families1 pray for them as being in the ,great ,salt ,lake ,valley1 and do not bring them #dih close to you1 as though they were in your carpet-bag4 ,pray for them where they are4 ,you must feel--if they live1 all right2 if they die1 all right2 if ,i die1 all right2 if ,i live1 all right2 for we are the ,lord's1 and we shall soon meet again4 #f3bgf4 ,i wish to say to you that are left here1 whose husbands and fathers are going away for a season--don't cling to them one particle1 but let them go as cheerfully as you would give a weary traveler a cup of cold water4 ,if you live1 it is all right2 and if you fall asleep before they return1 it is all right4 ,don't send your hearts after them one step1 nor suffer your spirits to cling to them one moment4 ,then you1 wives1 in very deed will be blessed and be helpmeets to your husbands4 #f3bgf4 ,many have such feelings1 that they are greater who are in the world preaching the ,gospel than those who remain here4 ,it is a grand mistake4 #f3bgd4 ,look over the history of the ,church of the living ,god on the earth from the days of ,adam until now1 and ,i will ensure that you cannot find the equal to the excessive labor of the ,elders of ,israel in our day in spreading the ,truth through the world to save mankind4 ,i have no idea that it was done in the days of ,enoch2 for the human family had then spread over the earth but little1 and the ,elders did not have to travel scores of thousands of miles without purse or scrip among the wicked4 ,so also in the days of ,noah2 they had but a short distance to travel4 ,in the days of the ,israelites1 of the ,prophets1 of ,jesus ,christ1 and the ,apostles1 what was their labor in the extent of its field1 compared with that of this people8 ,very small4 ,you may trace the course of their travel1 and you will find that it #dii was far less than that of the ,elders of ,israel in our day4 #e3cea4 ,if you go on a mission to preach the ,gospel with lightness and frivolity in your hearts1 looking for this and that1 and to learn what is in the world1 and not having your minds riveted--yes1 ,i may say riveted--on the cross of ,christ1 you will go and return in vain4 ,go forth weeping1 bearing precious seed1 full of the power of ,god1 and full of faith to heal the sick even by the touch of your hand1 rebuking and casting out foul spirits1 and causing the poor among men to rejoice1 and you will return bringing your sheaves with you4 ,let your minds be centered on your missions and labor earnestly to bring souls to ,christ4 #ab3cc-cd4 ,advice to ,missionaries in the ,field--,the travels and labors of the ,elders about to go on missions will throw them into positions which will cause them to seek unto the ,lord4 ,they need to live their religion1 to go forth with pure hearts and clean hands1 and then preach the ,gospel by the power of ,god sent down from heaven4 ,they should touch not and taste not of sin1 and when they return they should come pure and clean1 ready to meet the ,saints with open countenances4 #h3agh4 ,when you reach your respective fields of labor in the ,states1 in ,england1 or elsewhere1 do not begin to pull down your predecessors4 ,so far as their conduct will permit1 speak of them as your brethren1 and as men who have done the best they knew how4 ,testify that you know them to be good men1 when you know that they have been doing according to their best judgment and understanding2 and do not say hard words about your predecessors in the vineyard4 ,not one who does this will gain anything by it4 #ejj ,do not discourage1 deride1 or bring anything against any of your predecessors to lessen the character of any one who has done the best he knew how4 #h3aha4 ,gather the ,saints1 but do not flatter2 invite1 but do not urge1 and by no means compel any one4 #h3gb4 ,if you have a happy influence with your brethren and sisters1 preserve it1 for it is more choice than fine gold4 ,how many times have ,i told the ,elders1 ,when you go on missions1 be careful to preserve your ,god-like dignity and integrity4 #h3cdf4 ,the ,elders who are going abroad should deal out kindness to those they are sent to watch over1 and your smiles will be far better than your cursings could be4 #h3gd4 ,you know that ,i have said that1 if it were now my calling to go and preach the ,gospel1 ,i could make as many converts as ,i ever did2 for ,i would go in such a manner that the bitterly prejudiced would have to labor hard to find out that ,i was a ,mormon until ,i had induced them to love the truth4 ,then they would say1 ,if that is ',mormonism' ,i want it4 #e3e4 ,i wish the ,elders of ,israel to understand mankind as they are--to go to the people and take them as they are4 #i3aba4 ,i wish you all to understand that no ,elders go to any place among the world but what the wicked find fault with the people of ,god4 #d3gh4 ,let me now say to my brethren1 the ,elders of ,israel1 it is always proper to ask kindly and affectionately the people to perform what you wish performed1 instead of ordering them to do it4 ,this principle is always good for parents and teachers to observe4 #aj3bbh4 ,elders of ,israel1 learn to be spiritual physicians4 ,carry #eja the medicine with you to deal out to every patient as he needs it4 ,if a patient has chills and fever in his spirit1 you must carry the medicine to cure it4 #i3abe4 ,never suffer yourselves to mingle in any of those recreations that tend to sin and iniquity1 while you are away from the body of the ,church1 where you cannot so fully control yourselves4 #a3dh4 ,i recollect1 in ,england1 sending an ,elder to ,bristol1 to open a door there1 and see if anybody would believe4 ,he had a little more than thirty miles to walk2 he starts off one morning1 and arrives at ,bristol2 he preached the gospel to them1 and sealed them all up to damnation1 and was back next morning4 ,he was just as good a man1 too1 as we had4 ,it was want of knowledge caused him to do so4 ,i go and preach to the people1 and tell them at the end of every sermon1 ,he that believeth and is baptized1 shall be saved2 and he that believeth not1 shall be damned4 ,i continue preaching there day after day1 week after week1 and month after month1 and yet nobody believes my testimony1 that ,i know of1 and ,i don't see any signs of it4 ,what shall ,i do in this case1 if ,i am sent to preach there8 you may inquire4 ,you must continue to preach there1 until those who sent you shall tell you to leave that field of labor2 and if the people don't manifest by their works1 that they believe1 as long as they come to hear me1 ,i will continue to plead with them until they bend their dispositions to the ,gospel8 ,why8 ,because ,i must be patient with them1 as the ,lord is patient with me2 as the ,lord is merciful to me1 ,i will be merciful to others2 as he continues to be merciful to me1 consequently ,i must continue in long-suffering to be merciful to others--patiently waiting1 with all diligence1 until the people will believe1 and until they are prepared to #ejb become heirs to a celestial kingdom1 or angels to the ,devil4 #c3ia4 ,in the first place1 ,i want to say to the ,elders who go forth to preach the ,gospel--no matter who may apply to you for baptism1 even if you have good reason to believe they are unworthy1 if they require it1 forbid them not1 but perform that duty and administer the ordinance for them2 it clears the skirts of your garments1 and the responsibility is upon them4 #ad3gh4 ,the meek and lowly ,jesus sent his disciples without purse or scrip2 and when the honest in heart see our ,elders go in the same manner that ,jesus' disciples did1 with the doctrine that he delivered to his disciples1 and preach without purse or scrip1 our ,elders will find plenty of honest-hearted persons who will receive their testimony4 ,but when the ,elders go into the great cities1 hire large halls and hire carriages to ride to their pulpit in1 the people say it is a speculation1 and such ,elders do not have much of the ,spirit of the ,lord to preach to the people4 #ac3ij4 ,when you reach your fields of labor1 do the best you can2 and when the enemy comes along and tells you that you are somebody1 say1 ,mr4 ,devil1 it is none of your business4 ,what ,i have spoken is what the ,lord gave to me4 ,i have presented it to the people1 and that is all ,i have to do with it4 ,if you cannot preach as nicely and smoothly as you wish1 and a feeling rises that you cannot preach at all--that you had better return home1 tell ,satan to get behind you--that he has no power to dictate whether you preach a word or not1 for you are in the ,lord's service4 ,so live that the ,spirit of the ,lord can instruct your minds at all times1 and you can then defy the ,devil and all his emissaries4 ,if you have nothing from the ,lord to present #ejc to the people1 be as willing to be silent as you would to preach what might be termed a splendid discourse4 #h3ee4 ,i do not think there was worse said about the ,savior and his disciples in ancient days than has been said about the people of ,utah in modern times4 ,take no notice of this1 but attend to the business about which you have been sent4 ,tell this generation the truth1 and pass along4 ,do not contend or argue much but pass along peaceably and preach the first principles of the ,gospel4 #h3ef4 ,if you should have visits here from those professing to be ,christians1 and they intimate a desire to preach to you1 by all means invite them to do so4 ,accord to every reputable person who may visit you1 and who may wish to occupy the stands of your meeting houses to preach to you1 the privilege of doing so1 no matter whether he be a ,catholic1 ,presbyterian1 ,congregationalist1 ,baptist1 ,free-will ,baptist1 ,methodist1 or whatever he may be2 and if he wishes to speak to your children let him do so4 ,of course you have the power to correct whatever false teachings or impressions1 if any1 your children may hear or receive4 #ad3aie4 ,when men enjoy the spirit of their missions and realize their calling and standing before the ,lord and the people1 it constitutes the happiest portions of their lives4 #h3ec4 ,some inquire1 ,why cannot we serve ,god in other countries as well as here8 ,you can just as well in ,england1 in ,france1 in ,germany1 in ,italy1 on the islands of the sea1 in the ,united ,states1 in ,california1 or anywhere else1 as you can here4 #b3bec4 ,the ,returned ,missionary--,come home with your heads up4 ,keep yourselves clean1 from the crowns of your heads to the soles of your feet2 be pure in heart1--otherwise you will return bowed down in spirit and with a fallen countenance1 #ejd and will feel as though you never could rise again4 #b3bec4 ,i wish to make this request3 that the ,elders who return from missions consider themselves just as much on a mission here as in ,england or in any other part of the world4 #ad3bbj4 ,we frequently call the brethren to go on missions to preach the ,gospel1 and they will go and labor as faithfully as men can do1 fervent in spirit1 in prayer1 in laying on hands1 in preaching to and teaching the people how to be saved4 ,in a few years they come home1 and throwing off their coats and hats1 they will say1 ,religion1 stand aside1 ,i am going to work now to get something for myself and my family4 ,this is folly in the extreme4 ,when a man returns from a mission where he has been preaching the ,gospel he ought to be just as ready to come to this pulpit to preach as if he were in ,england1 ,france1 ,germany1 or on the islands of the sea4 ,and when he has been at home a week1 a month1 a year1 or ten years1 the spirit of preaching and the spirit of the ,gospel ought to be within him like a river flowing forth to the people in good words1 teachings1 precepts1 and examples4 ,if this is not the case he does not fill his mission4 #ad3ajj4 ,do not come from your missions leaving behind you people whom you have oppressed1 from whom you have begged their money4 ,i would work my way there and back again1 or beg from strangers1 before ,i would take one dime from the ,saints1 unless they of their own free will and accord wished to make me presents1 and were able to do so without distressing themselves4 ,true1 ,i have seen the time1 and so have many of my brethren1 when my heart has ached to see men and women go without food day after #eje day for the sake of feeding me1 when ,i could feed myself2 but any other course would not satisfy them4 ,under such circumstances you must humor the people and yield to their feelings4 #h3ee4 ,those faithful ,elders who have testified of this work to thousands of people on the continents and islands of the seas will see the fruits of their labors1 whether they have said five words or thousands4 ,they may not see these fruits immediately1 and perhaps1 in many cases1 not until the ,millennium2 but the savor of their testimony will pass down from father to son4 #h3adb4 ,the ,gospel is ,preached ,with ,authority--,when a man who is called and ordained of ,god goes forth he preaches the ordinances1 faith in ,christ and obedience to him as our ,savior4 ,he declares that the first step to be taken1 after believing in the ,father and the ,son1 is to go down into the waters of baptism and there be immersed in the water1 and come up out of the water as ,jesus did4 ,some may inquire why the ,latter-day ,saints are so strenuous on this point8 ,we do it for the remission of sins2 ,jesus did this to fulfil all righteousness4 #ad3if4 ,perhaps some may say that ,i have too much faith in the prophecies of ,god1 in the latter-day work1 and in the administration of individuals that now live and have lived on the earth in our day4 ,be it so1 no matter to me4 ,i am here to testify in the name of the ,god of ,israel that for many years past there have been men traveling through the length and breadth of the earth who possess the same power and authority as that with which ,jesus endowed his ,apostles when he told them to go into all the world and preach the ,gospel to every creature1 and he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved1 but he that believeth not shall be #ejf damned1 and these signs shall follow them that believe4 ,in my name they shall cast out devils1 heal the sick1 speak with new tongues1 etc4 #ad3aca4 ,the ,spirit1 ,not ,logic or ,debate1 ,makes ,converts--,let one go forth who is careful to prove logically all he says by numerous quotations from the revelations1 and let another travel with him who can say1 by the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 ,thus saith the ,lord1 and tell what the people should believe--what they should do--how they should live1 and teach them to yield to the principles of salvation1--though he may not be capable of producing a single logical argument1 though he may tremble under a sense of his weakness1 cleaving to the ,lord for strength1 as such men generally do1 you will invariably find that the man who testifies by the power of the ,holy ,ghost will convince and gather many more of the honest and upright than will the merely logical reasoner4 #h3ec4 ,however good and useful a classical education may be in the possession of a good and wise man1 yet it is not essentially necessary for him to have it1 to tell the simple truth which is given to mankind by the revelations of ,god1 because it can be told by the simple and the unlearned4 #aa3bae4 ,debate and argument have not that saving effect that has testifying to the truth as the ,lord reveals it to the ,elder by the ,spirit4 ,i think you will all agree with me in this2 at least1 such is my experience4 ,i do not wish to be understood as throwing a straw in the way of the ,elders storing their minds with all the arguments they can gather to urge in defense of their religion1 nor do ,i wish to hinder them in the least from learning all they can with regard #ejg to religions and governments4 ,the more knowledge the ,elders have the better4 #h3ec4 ,i had only traveled a short time to testify to the people1 before ,i learned this one fact1 that you might prove doctrine from the ,bible till doomsday1 and it would merely convince a people1 but would not convert them4 ,you might read the ,bible from ,genesis to ,revelation1 and prove every iota that you advance1 and that alone would have no converting influence upon the people4 ,nothing short of a testimony by the power of the ,holy ,ghost would bring light and knowledge to them--bring them in their hearts to repentance4 ,nothing short of that would ever do4 ,you have frequently heard me say that ,i would rather hear an ,elder1 either here or in the world1 speak only five words accompanied by the power of ,god1 and they would do more good than to hear long sermons without the ,spirit4 ,that is true1 and we know it4 #e3cbg4 ,when a false theory has to be maintained1 it requires to be set forth with much care2 it requires study1 and learning1 and cunning sophistry to gild over a falsehood and give it the semblance of truth1 and make it plausible and congenial to the feelings of the people2 but the most simple and unlearned person can tell you the truth4 ,a child can tell you the truth1 in child-like language1 while falsehood requires the lawyer and the priest to tell it to make it at all plausible2 it requires a scholastic education to make falsehood pass for truth4 #aa3bad4 ,the servants of ,god have truth1 and nothing but truth1 to present to the world1 that the world may be sanctified by the truth4 ,the truth needeth no polish to make it lovely and desirable to those who love it4 #aa3bcd4 ,they must eventually either acknowledge that he is the #ejh ,son of ,god and that his ,gospel is the only ,gospel1 or they must take infidelity4 ,sooner or later the sects1 one after another1 will deny the ,savior and every one of the ordinances of his ,gospel1 until they are all enveloped in infidelity1 or they must accept the whole4 ,strange as it may appear1 they are now following shadows1 phantoms of the brain1 and mischievous manifestations4 #ad3gd4 ,what should the wicked hear8 ,they should hear a man testify that ,joseph ,smith was and is a ,prophet of ,god1 that he was a good man1 and that he did plant and establish the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth1 and we know it4 ,how shall ,i know8 says one4 ,by obeying the commandments given to you4 ,the ,lord has said1 go into the waters of baptism and be baptized for the remission of your sins1 and you shall receive a witness that ,i am telling you the truth4 ,how8 ,by baptism and the laying on of hands alone8 ,no4 ,by seeing the sick healed8 ,no1 but by the ,spirit that shall come unto you through obedience1 which will make you feel like little children1 and cause you to delight in doing good1 to love your ,father in ,heaven and the society of the righteous4 ,have you malice and wrath then8 ,no1 it is taken from you1 and you feel like the child in its mother's lap4 ,you will feel kind to your children1 to your brothers and sisters1 to your parents and neighbors1 and to all around you2 you will feel a glow1 as of fire1 burning within you2 and if you open your mouths to talk you will declare ideas which you did not formerly think of2 they will flow into your mind1 even such as you have not thought of for years4 ,the ,scriptures will be opened to you1 and you will see how clear and reasonable everything is which this or that ,elder teaches you4 ,your hearts will be comforted1 you can lie down and sleep in peace1 and #eji wake up with feelings as pleasant as the breezes of summer4 ,this is witness to you4 #c3baa4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints realize that there is no period of man's existence not incorporated with the plan of salvation1 and directly pointing to a future existence4 ,consequently1 when we stand here to speak to the people1 let every man speak what is in his heart4 ,if one of our ,elders is capable of giving us a lecture upon any of the sciences1 let it be delivered in the spirit of meekness--in the spirit of the holy ,gospel4 ,if1 on the ,sabbath day1 when we are assembled here to worship the ,lord1 one of the ,elders should be prompted to give us a lecture on any branch of education with which he is acquainted1 is it outside the pale of our religion8 ,i think not4 ,if any of the ,elders are disposed to give a lecture to parents and children on letters1 on the rudiments of the ,english language1 it is in my religion1 it is a part of my faith4 ,or if an ,elder shall give us a lecture upon astronomy1 chemistry1 or geology1 our religion embraces it all4 ,it matters not what the subject be1 if it tends to improve the mind1 exalt the feelings1 and enlarge the capacity4 ,the truth that is in all the arts and sciences forms a part of our religion4 ,faith is no more a part of it than any other true principle of philosophy4 ,were ,i to give you a lecture today upon farming1 would ,i be speaking upon a matter that transcends the bounds of our religion8 ,agriculture is a part of it as well as any other truth4 ,were ,i to lecture on business principles of any kind1 our religion embraces it2 and what it does not circumscribe1 it would be well for us to dispense with at once and forever4 #a3ccd4 ,humility and ,devotion1 the ,essentials--,the ,kingdom of our ,god1 that is set upon the earth1 does not require men #eaj of many words and flaming oratorical talents1 to establish truth and righteousness4 ,it is not the many words that accomplish the designs of our ,father in ,heaven1 with him it is the acts of the people more than their words2 this ,i was convinced of before ,i embraced the ,gospel4 ,had it not been that ,i clearly saw and understood that the ,lord ,almighty would take the weak things of this world to confound the mighty1 the wise1 and the talented1 there was nothing that could have induced me1 or persuaded me1 to have ever become a public speaker4 #d3bj4 ,on the other hand1 ,i do not wish any of the brethren to be discouraged1 for if you feel that you cannot say a single word1 no matter1 if you will only be faithful to your ,god and to your religion1 and be humble1 and cleave unto righteousness1 and forsake iniquity and sin1 the ,lord will guide you and give you words in due season4 #b3bfh4 ,i have known some of the ,elders when they thought they would be called out to preach1 keep away from meeting lest they should be called upon1 for they feel their littleness1 their nothingness1 their inability to rise up and preach to the people4 ,they do not feel that they are anybody1 and why should they expose their weaknesses8 ,i have noticed one thing in regard to this--quite as many of these men become giants in the cause of truth1 as there are of any other class2 for when they get away they begin to lean on the ,lord1 and to seek unto him1 and feeling their weaknesses1 they ask him to give them wisdom to speak to the people as occasion may require4 ,others can rise up here and preach a flaming discourse1 insomuch that you would think they were going to tear down the nations2 but when they go out into the world they often accomplish but little4 #b3bfg4 #eaa ,preach ,only ,that ,which is ,known--,with regard to doctrinal points1 that which we do not understand should not be talked about in1 this stand2 and the ,elders of ,israel should never contend about any point of doctrine that does not pertain to the present day's salvation4 #g3dg4 ,i will give a caution to my brethren1 the ,elders--never undertake to teach a thing that you do not understand4 ,such things will come into your minds2 but without launching out on such subjects1 questions may be asked and answered1 and we gain knowledge from each other4 ,there is plenty within the scope of our own brains that1 by the assistance of the ,spirit of the ,lord1 will enable us to tell many things--more than the world1 or even more than the ,saints can receive4 #ac3bfc4 ,if you do not understand a doctrine or a portion of ,scripture1 when information is asked of you1 say that the ,lord has not revealed that to you1 or that he has not opened your understanding to grasp it1 and that you do not feel safe in giving an interpretation until he does4 #h3ef4 ,hints for ,preachers--,short sermons fitly spoken1 are better than long ones ill spoken4 #c3bdi4 ,the spirit of truth will do more to bring persons to light and knowledge1 than flowery words4 #d3ba4 ,i wish to see the ,elders get up here and manifest their spirits1 and speak as they feel when they are alone in their meditations4 #c3bcg4 ,i care little for a man's language1 if his spirit proves to me that he has the love of ,god within him4 #i3bij4 ,the preacher needs the power of the ,holy ,ghost to deal out to each heart a word in due season1 and the hearers need the ,holy ,ghost to bring forth the fruits of the preached word of ,god to his glory4 #h3afg4 #eab ,no man ever preached a ,gospel sermon1 except by the gift and power of the ,holy ,ghost sent down from heaven4 ,without this power1 there is no light in the preaching4 #h3ach4 ,elders in this ,church--men who have been members for years1--often speak of principles in the abstract1 when they would be better understood if they spoke of them in connection with other kindred principles4 #h3bei4 ,perfection in conveying ideas is not yet given to the children of men4 ,our language is altogether inadequate for always conveying our ideas with unmistakable precision1 and the same ideas are generally advanced in different words by different persons4 #h3bei4 ,when a person opens his mouth1 no matter what he talks about1 to a person of quick discernment he will disclose more or less of his true sentiments4 ,you cannot hide the heart1 when the mouth is open4 ,if you want to keep your heart secret1 keep your mouth shut4 #f3gd4 ,there are two thousand persons in this assembly1 and if only half a dozen of them have done wrong1 ,i could not chastise them without appearing to chastise the whole congregation1 which in reality is not so4 ,by chastising the guilty1 however1 it is impossible to spot the conscience of good men and women1 whose hearts are clean and pure as a piece of white paper4 #a3ib4 ,we can form some kind of an idea how a man feels by looking at him1 but if you wish a man to portray himself faithfully you must get him to talk1 and ,i will insure that the organs of speech will show out the true state of the mind1 sooner or later1 and reveal the fruit of his heart4 ,no man can hide it if he is allowed to talk2 he will be sure to manifest his true feelings4 #c3bcg4 #eac ,if you wish to impress on the minds of individuals or an audience anything that you desire them to remember1 you will have to use language accordingly4 #ad3aic4 ,when we hear a man that can speak of heavenly things1 and present them to the people in a way that they can be understood1 you may know that to that man the avenue is open1 and he1 by some power1 has communication with heavenly beings2 and when the highest intelligence is exhibited1 he1 perhaps1 has communication with the highest intelligence that exists4 #h3bjf4 ,i do not like to hear men make excuses1 although it is natural1 and ,i put up with it4 ,i wish they could see and understand that they have had advantages above many of their brethren--that they have been greatly blessed1 and should never complain1 but should stand up here and exercise themselves according to the best of their ability1 and do all the good possible for them to do4 #e3ig4 ,the truth is easily understood1 and as easily told4 ,the agriculturist and the mechanic can tell the truth1 and become efficient ministers of it1 by living faithfully in accordance with what they know of the ,gospel2 for in this way they obtain the ,holy ,ghost1 which giveth utterance4 #aa3bad4 ,when people are hungry they need substantial food2 when they are thirsty they need substantial drink4 ,moses' smiting the rock would not have benefited the people in the least1 if water had not gushed out4 ,it is the duty of the true minister of ,christ to instruct the people of ,god how to get their food today1 and to teach them by precept and example how to become an independent nation4 #aa3acc4 ,it is my business to teach mankind how to live1 how to honor their present existence1 how to treat their bodies so as to live to a good old age on the earth1 and have power #ead to do good and not evil all their days1 and be ready to enter into the rest prepared for the ,saints4 #aj3bg4 ,it yields solid satisfaction to hear men testify of the truth of the ,gospel4 ,it is always peculiarly interesting to me to hear the ,saints tell their experience4 ,it is to me one of the best of sermons to hear men and women relate to each other how the ,lord has wrought upon their understanding and brought them into the path of truth1 life1 and salvation4 ,i would rather hear men tell their own experience1 and testify that ,joseph was a ,prophet of the ,lord1 and that the ,book of ,mormon1 the ,bible1 and other revelations of ,god1 are true2 that they know it by the gift and power of ,god2 that they have conversed with angels1 have had the power of the ,holy ,ghost upon them1 giving them visions and revelations1 than hear any kind of preaching that ever saluted my ears4 #a3hi4 ,a man who wishes to receive light and knowledge1 to increase in the faith of the ,holy ,gospel1 and to grow in the knowledge of the truth as it is in ,jesus ,christ1 will find that when he imparts knowledge to others he will also grow and increase4 ,be not miserly in your feelings1 but get knowledge and understanding by freely imparting it to others1 and be not like a man who selfishly hoards his gold2 for that man will not thus increase upon the amount1 but will become contracted in his views and feelings4 ,so the man who will not impart freely of the knowledge he has received1 will become so contracted in his mind that he cannot receive truth when it is presented to him4 ,wherever you see an opportunity to do good1 do it1 for that is the way to increase and grow in the knowledge of the truth4 #b3bfg4 ,if a congregation wish to be instructed so as to understand alike and alike receive an increase of wisdom and #eae knowledge1 their minds must be intent on the subject before them4 ,they must not suffer their thoughts to be roaming over the earth2 they must not permit their minds to be scanning and traversing their every-day duties and avocations4 #f3ic-d4 ,elders of ,israel and ,bishops1 be fathers1 and take a course by which you will win the affections of the people4 ,how8 ,with your silken lips8 ,no1 no2 but with the fear of the ,almighty4 ,do you know that men and women of ,god love truth8 ,they do not love sophistry1 it is an abomination to them4 #d3bhc4 ,a few words now1 with regard to preaching4 ,the greatest and loudest sermon that can be preached1 or that ever was preached on the face of the earth1 is practice4 ,no other is equal to it4 #ab3bga-b4 ,if you will reflect upon what class of speakers have most edified you1 no matter whether they are taught or untaught in1 the learning of the schools1 you will readily discover that it has been those whose minds were stored with good ideas1 and who spoke so that you could readily and easily understand them1 whether their language was couched in the most approved style or not4 ,when you hear individuals speak whose minds are stored with rich ideas1 do they not benefit you the most8 ,i care but little about your language1 hand out the ideas1 and let us know what you have stored in your minds4 #c3bdc-d4 ,i have the same diffidence in my feelings that most public speakers have1 and am apt to think that others can speak better and more edifying than ,i can4 ,there are but few public speakers but what feel more or less timidity4 ,that is probably not so much a man-fearing spirit as it is a natural delicacy or timidity4 ,all of you have doubtless to #eaf some extent realized the same feeling1 either in large or small assemblies1 and also in social conversation4 ,people generally are more or less disturbed and thrown off their balance by the sound of their own voices1 especially when speaking to an audience1 even after being much used to addressing assemblies4 ,some of our most eloquent and interesting speakers would rather do almost anything than speak to the congregations that assemble here4 ,that diffidence or timidity we must dispense with4 ,when it becomes our duty to talk1 we ought to be willing to talk4 ,if we never exhibit the knowledge within us1 the people will not know really whether we have any4 #f3ic4 ,if an ,elder in preaching the ,gospel1 does not feel that he has the power to preach life and salvation1 and legally to administer the ordinances1 and that1 too1 by the power of ,god1 he will not fill his mission to his own credit1 nor to the good of the people1 and the advancement and honor of the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,from all ,i can read1 from all ,i can gather1 from the revelations from ,god to man1 and from the revelations of the ,spirit to me1 no man can successfully preach the ,gospel and be owned1 blessed1 and acknowledged by the heavens1 unless he preaches by the power of ,god through direct revelation4 ,not but that1 in a great many instances1 a man may not be manifestly under the immediate and powerful influences and direction of revelation to dictate him all the time in his meditations and reasonings1 and yet can advance many good ideas that he has gathered by means of his natural reasoning4 ,but to magnify and make honorable the calling of an ,elder in this ,church1 ,i cannot conceive1 in my understanding1 any other true principle by which it can be done1 only when perfectly controlled by the ,spirit of the ,lord4 #h3eb-ec4 #eag ,when a ,mormon ,elder offers evidence of this great work to unbelievers1 they tell him that he is a party concerned1 and his evidence cannot be taken with regard to ,joseph ,smith's mission4 ,i ask the ,christian world1 ,where are your witnesses that ,jesus is the ,christ8 ,who are those who testified of his mission1 and how many are there8 ,eight persons testified of him1 and their testimony is recorded1 and they were his disciples and parties concerned2 yet at this day all the ,christian world is ready to receive their testimony4 ,i testify that this work of ,god in which we are engaged has been commenced to gather the ,house of ,israel and establish ,zion in the last days1 and has more outward and weighty evidence to prove that it is of ,god than there was in the days of ,jesus to prove that he was the ,christ4 ,when the ,book of ,mormon came forth it was testified to by twelve witnesses1 and who can dispute their testimony8 ,no living person on the earth can do it2 and besides the testimony of these twelve witnesses1 hundreds and thousands have received a witness to themselves from the heavens1 and who can dispute their testimony8 ,no living person on the earth can do it4 ,this infidel world inquires1 ,where do you get your testimony8 ,we answer1 we get it from the heavens4 ,were we to ask them where they get the knowledge they possess1 they reply1 ,we do not know2 it came to us2 we know not its source4 ,we have testimony that the ,bible is true1 that the prophecies contained in it are true1 that ,jesus is the ,son of ,god1 and came to redeem the world4 ,have the so-called ,christian world this kind of testimony8 ,they have not4 ,all the testimony they can boast of is the testimony of eight men who lived nearly two thousand years ago4 ,the infidel world cannot #eah receive their testimony1 because they were parties concerned4 #ab3bjh4 ,brother ,whiting says that he is a man of but few words4 ,i am satisfied that there is greater wisdom with many who say but little1 than there is with those who talk so much2 as for the multitude of words1 they are but of little consequence1 the ideas are by far the greatest importance4 #d3bj4 #eai ,,chapter ,,xxix ,,visions1 ,,mysteries ,,and ,,miracles ,visions of a ,personal ,nature--,i ask1 ,is there a reason for men and women being exposed more constantly and more powerfully1 to the power of the enemy1 by having visions than by not having them8 ,there is and it is simply this--,god never bestows upon his people1 or upon an individual1 superior blessings without a severe trial to prove them1 to prove that individual1 or that people1 to see whether they will keep their covenants with him1 and keep in remembrance what he has shown them4 ,then the greater the vision1 the greater the display of the power of the enemy4 ,so when individuals are blessed with visions1 revelations1 and great manifestations1 look out1 then the ,devil is nigh you1 and you will be tempted in proportion to the visions1 revelation1 or manifestation you have received4 #c3bje-bjf4 ,if the ,lord ,almighty should reveal to a ,high ,priest1 or to any other than the head1 things that are true1 or that have been and will be1 and show to him the destiny of this people twenty-five years from now1 or a new doctrine that will in five1 ten1 or twenty years hence become the doctrine of this ,church and ,kingdom1 but which has not yet been revealed to this people1 and reveal it to him by the same ,spirit1 the same messenger1 the same voice1 the same power that gave revelations to ,joseph when he was living1 it would be a blessing to that ,high ,priest1 or individual2 but he must rarely divulge it to a second person on the face of the earth1 until ,god reveals it through the proper source to become #ebj the property of the people at large4 ,therefore when you hear ,elders say that ,god does not reveal through the ,president of the ,church that which they know1 and tell wonderful things1 you may generally set it down as a ,god's truth that the revelation they have had is from the ,devil1 and not from ,god4 ,if they had received from the proper source1 the same power that revealed to them would have shown them that they must keep the things revealed in their own bosoms1 and they seldom would have a desire to disclose them to the second person4 #c3cah4 ,leave ,mysteries ,alone--,now1 brethren1 preach the things that we verily believe1 and when we come to points of doctrine that we do not know1 even if we have good reason to believe them1 if our philosophy teaches us they are true1 pass them by and teach only to the people that which we do know4 #ac3bfe4 ,what is a mystery8 ,we do not know1 it is beyond our comprehension4 ,when we talk about mystery1 we talk about eternal obscurity2 for that which is known1 ceases to be a mystery2 and all that is known1 we may know as we progress in the scale of our intelligence4 ,that which is eternally beyond the comprehension of all our intelligence is mystery4 #a3bgd4 ,these are the mysteries of the ,kingdom of ,god upon the earth1 to know how to purify and sanctify our affections1 the earth upon which we stand1 the air we breathe1 the water we drink1 the houses in which we dwell and the cities which we build1 that when strangers come into our country they may feel a hallowed influence and acknowledge a power to which they are strangers4 #aj3agf4 ,jesus said to his disciples1 to them it was given to know the mysteries of the ,kingdom of ,heaven1 but to them that #eba were without1 it was not given4 ,if we were to examine the subject closely1 we should learn that a very scanty portion of the things of the ,kingdom were ever revealed1 even to the disciples4 ,if we were prepared to gaze upon the mysteries of the ,kingdom1 as they are with ,god1 we should then know that only a very small portion of them has been handed out here and there4 ,god1 by his ,spirit1 has revealed many things to his people1 but1 in almost all cases1 he has straightway shut up the vision of the mind4 ,he will let his servants gaze upon eternal things for a moment1 but straightway the vision is closed1 and they are left as they were1 that they may learn to act by faith1 or as the ,apostle has it1 not walking by sight1 but by faith4 #a3bfd4 ,you may now be inclined to say1 ,we wish to hear the mysteries of the kingdoms of the ,gods who have existed from eternity1 and of all the kingdoms in which they will dwell2 we desire to have these things portrayed to our understandings4 ,allow me to inform you that you are in the midst of it all now1 that you are in just as good a kingdom as you will ever attain to1 from now to all eternity1 unless you make it yourselves by the grace of ,god1 by the will of ,god1 which is a code of laws perfectly calculated to govern and control eternal matter4 #c3ccf4 ,if they will only live up to it1 there has already been enough taught the brethren who have lived here for years to prepare them to enter into the strait gate and into the ,new ,jerusalem1 and be prepared to enjoy the society of the holy angels4 #h3agg4 ,providences of ,god1 ,all ,miracles--,the providences of ,god are all a miracle to the human family until they understand them4 ,there are no miracles1 only to those who are #ebb ignorant4 ,a miracle is supposed to be a result without a cause1 but there is no such thing4 ,there is a cause for every result we see2 and if we see a result without understanding the cause we call it a miracle4 #ad3gi4 ,the ,gospel plan is so devised1 that a miracle to make people believe would only be a condemnation to them4 ,when you hear people tell what they have seen--that they have seen great and powerful miracles wrought1 and they could not help believing1 remember that devils believe and tremble1 because they cannot help it4 ,when the voice of the ,good ,shepherd is heard1 the honest in heart believe and receive it4 ,it is good to taste with the inward taste1 to see with the inward eyes1 and to enjoy with the sensations of the ever-living spirit4 ,no person1 unless he is an adulterer1 a fornicator1 covetous1 or an idolator1 will ever require a miracle2 in other words1 no good1 honest person ever will4 #h3db4 ,you have gathered the idea from me that it is not the miracles that are performed before a person's eyes that convince him that one is of ,god1 or of the ,devil2 yet1 if the ,lord designs that a person should heal the sick1 the individual can do so2 but is that to convince the wicked that the operator is sent of ,god8 ,no1 it is a blessing on the ,saints1 and the wicked have nothing to-do with it1 they have no business to hear of it2 that is for the ,saints1 it is especially for their benefit1 and theirs alone4 #c3baa4 ,this1 in my own mind1 is argued out perfectly1 upon natural principles4 ,it is natural for me to believe that1 if ,i plough the ground and sow wheat1 in the proper season ,i shall reap a crop of wheat2 this is the natural result4 ,it was precisely so with the miracles that ,jesus wrought upon the earth8 ,at the wedding in ,cana of ,galilee1 when they #ebc had drunk all the wine1 they went to the ,savior and asked him what they should do4 ,he ordered them to fill up their pots with water1 and after having done so they drew forth of that water and found that it was wine4 ,i believe that was real wine2 ,i do not believe that it was done on the principle that such things are done in these days by wicked men1 who1 by means of what they term psychology1 electrobiology1 mesmerism1 etc41 influence men and make them believe that water is wine1 and other things of a similar character4 ,the ,savior converted the water into wine4 ,he knew how to call the necessary elements together in order to fill the water with the properties of wine4 ,the elements are all around us2 we eat1 drink and breathe them1 and ,jesus1 understanding the process of calling them together1 performed no miracle except to those who were ignorant of that process4 ,it was the same with the woman who was healed by touching the hem of his garment2 she was healed by faith1 but it was no miracle to ,jesus4 ,he understood the process1 and although he was pressed by the crowd1 behind and before1 and on each side1 so that he could scarcely make his way through it1 the moment she touched him he felt virtue leave him and enquired who touched him4 ,this was no miracle to him4 ,he had the issues of life and death in his power2 he had power to lay down his life and power to take it up again4 ,this is what he says1 and we must believe this if we believe the history of the ,savior and the sayings of the ,apostles recorded in the ,new ,testament4 ,jesus had this power in and of himself2 the ,father bequeathed it to him2 it was his legacy1 and he had the power to lay down his life and take it again4 ,he had the streams and issues of life within him and when he said ,live to individuals1 they lived4 ,the diseases that are #ebd and ever have been prevalent among the human family are from beneath1 and are entailed upon them through the fall--through the disobedience of our first parents2 but ,jesus1 having the issues of life at his command1 could counteract those diseases at his pleasure4 ,the case of the ,centurion's servant is a striking instance of this4 ,the ,centurion sent and besought ,jesus to heal his servant4 ,say in a word1 said he1 and my servant shall be healed4 ,jesus1 seeing the man's earnestness and solicitude1 said1 ,i have not found so great faith1 no1 not in ,israel4 ,and it is said that they who were sent1 returned to the ,centurion's house and found the servant healed4 ,jesus counteracted the disease preying upon the system of this man1 but to himself1 knowing the principle by which the disease was rebuked1 it was no miracle4 #ac3adj-ada4 ,as quick as ,i admit that the history ,moses gives of himself is true1 ,i cannot have any question in the world but what in ancient days they understood in a measure how to command the elements4 ,the magicians of ,egypt were instructed in things pertaining to true riches1 and had obtained keys and powers enough to produce a bogus in opposition to the true coin1 as it were1 and thus they deceived the king and the people4 ,they could cause frogs to come upon the land1 as well as ,moses could4 ,they could turn the waters of ,egypt into blood1 and in many more things compete with ,moses4 ,there was one thing1 however1 they could not do1 though they produced a very good bogus1 but it was not quite the true coin4 ,when they threw their staffs on the floor before the king1 these could not swallow the staff of ,moses1 but the staff of ,moses swallowed the staffs of the magicians4 ,i have no #ebe doubt that men can perform many such wonders by the principles of natural philosophy4 #a3bgj4 ,miracles for ,believers--,miracles1 or these extraordinary manifestations of the power of ,god1 are not for the unbeliever2 they are to console the ,saints1 and to strengthen and confirm the faith of those who love1 fear1 and serve ,god1 and not for outsiders4 #ab3ig4 ,why do not the people speak with tongues8 ,we do1 and we speak with tongues that you can understand1 and ,paul says he would rather speak five or ten words in a language that can be understood1 than many in a language that cannot be4 ,this is what may be conveyed4 #ae3acc4 ,faith ,not ,dependent on ,miracles--,i do not want to see a miracle to confirm the truth of any doctrine or saying that is revealed to me4 ,if ,i can see that it is calculated to purify the hearts of the people and to sanctify their affections1 and to reconcile them to ,god and to his law and government1 it satisfies me2 and so far as this goes1 ,i might say that ,i am like the ,christian world1 in the belief that miracles are no longer needed4 ,but ,i believe that miracles are as absolutely necessary now as they ever were4 #ac3adj4 ,take the case of the ,children of ,israel and the miracles that were wrought in their deliverance from the land of ,egypt4 ,the question arises1 was it through their faith1 or because of the promises which ,god had made to their fathers8 99 99 99 ,it was not because of the righteousness of the ,children of ,israel1 but because of the promises of the ,lord to ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob1 for he must fulfil the promises made to his servants4 ,he wanted at one time to destroy the whole people1 and told ,moses to let him alone that he might destroy them because of their wickedness #ebf and rebellion1 and he would make of him 7,moses7 a great nation2 but ,moses pleaded in their behalf1 and called upon the ,lord to remember his promises1 and they were preserved4 #ab3bdb-bdc4 ,do you suppose that ,jesus ,christ healed every person that was sick1 or that all the devils were cast out in the country where he sojourned8 ,i do not4 ,working miracles1 healing the sick1 raising the dead1 and the like1 were almost as rare in his day as in this our day4 ,once in a while the people would have faith in his power1 and what is called a miracle would be performed1 but the sick1 the blind1 the deaf and dumb1 the crazy1 and those possessed with different kinds of devils were around him1 and only now and then could his faith have power to take effect1 on account of the want of faith in the individuals4 #c3de-df4 ,if we have faith to feel that the issues of life and death are in our power1 we can say to disease1 ,be ye rebuked in the name of ,jesus1 and let life and health come into the system of this individual1 from ,god1 to counteract this disease2 and our faith will bring this by the laying on of hands by administering the ordinance of the holy ,gospel4 #ac3ada4 ,men who have professedly seen the most1 known and understood the most1 in this ,church1 and who have testified in the presence of large congregations1 in the name of ,israel's ,god1 that they have seen ,jesus1 etc41 have been the very men who have left this ,kingdom1 before others who had to live by faith4 #c3bje4 ,you will recollect that ,i have often told you that miracles would not save a person1 and ,i say that they never should4 ,if ,i were to see a man come in here this day1 and say1 ,i am the great one whom the ,lord has sent1 #ebg and cause fire to come down in our sight1 through the ceiling that is over our heads1 ,i would not believe any more for that4 ,it is no matter what he does1 ,i cannot believe any more on that account4 ,what will make me believe8 ,what made the twelve ,apostles of ,jesus ,christ witnesses8 ,what constituted them ,apostles--special witnesses to the world8 ,was it seeing miracles8 ,no4 ,what was it8 ,the visions of their minds were opened1 and it was necessary that a few should receive light1 knowledge1 and intelligence1 that all the powers of earth and hell could not gainsay or compete with4 ,that witness was within them1 and yet1 after all that was done for them1 after all that ,jesus showed them1 and after all the power of the spirit of revelation which they possessed1 you find that one of them apostatized1 turned away and sold his ,lord and ,master for thirty pieces of silver1 in consequence of his not being firm to his covenant in the hour of darkness and temptation4 ,another of them was ready to say1 ,i do not know anything about the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and denied him4 ,some are apt now to say1 ,i don't know anything about this ,mormonism1 ,i don't know about the ,priesthood4 ,did you not once know8 ,i thought ,i did1 but now ,i find myself deceived4 ,what is the reason8 ,because they give way to temptation2 they may have had great light1 knowledge1 and understanding1 the visions of their minds may have been opened and eternity exhibited to their view1 but when this is closed up1 in proportion to the light given to them1 so is the darkness that comes upon them to try them4 #c3bjf-bjg4 ,a sister who receives the gift of tongues is not thereby empowered to dictate her president1 or the ,church4 ,all gifts and endowments given of the ,lord to members of his #ebh ,church are not given to control the ,church2 but they are under the control and guidance of the ,priesthood1 and are judged by it4 ,some have erred upon this point1 and have been led captive by the ,devil4 #aa3acf4 ,if you say that you want mysteries1 commandments1 and revelations1 ,i reply that scarcely a ,sabbath passes over your heads1 those of you who come here1 without your having the revelations of ,jesus ,christ poured upon you like water on the ground4 #c3ccf-ccg4 ,some are very anxious that ,i should have visions4 ,i have all that the ,lord gives to me2 and all that he keeps back he may2 for that is no concern of mine4 ,we are on the old ship ,zion2 and if ,god is not at the helm1 the old ship will wreck and go to the ,devil4 ,as for my taking charge of the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth1 exclusively and independently of direction from heaven1 ,i shall not do any such thing4 ,if the ,lord does not direct the old ship and act as captain and pilot1 it will go to destruction4 ,he is at the helm1 and will stay there4 ,if you and ,i will bring our feelings to the point ,i have just spoken of1 he will continue to guide the welfare of ,zion and all its rights4 #e4ceb4 #ebi ,,chapter ,,xxx ,,trials ,,and ,,persecution ,trials are ,necessary--,we are now in a day of trial to prove ourselves worthy or unworthy of the life which is to come4 #ab3afg4 ,if we have correct doctrines1 and will fashion our lives to them1 we may sanctify ourselves without being chastened4 #ab3caj4 ,the people of the ,most ,high ,god must be tried4 ,it is written that they will be tried in all things1 even as ,abraham was tried4 ,if we are called to go upon mount ,moriah to sacrifice a few of our ,isaacs1 it is no matter2 we may just as well do that as anything else4 ,i think there is a prospect for the ,saints to have all the trials they wish for1 or can desire4 #d3cfi4 ,all intelligent beings who are crowned with crowns of glory1 immortality1 and eternal lives must pass through every ordeal appointed for intelligent beings to pass through1 to gain their glory and exaltation4 ,every calamity that can come upon mortal beings will be suffered to come upon the few1 to prepare them to enjoy the presence of the ,lord4 ,if we obtain the glory that ,abraham obtained1 we must do so by the same means that he did4 ,if we are ever prepared to enjoy the society of ,enoch1 ,noah1 ,melchizedek1 ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob1 or of their faithful children1 and of the faithful ,prophets and ,apostles1 we must pass through the same experience1 and gain the knowledge1 intelligence1 and endowments that will prepare us to enter into the celestial kingdom of our ,father and ,god4 ,how many of the ,latter-day ,saints will endure all these #ecj things1 and be prepared to enjoy the presence of the ,father and the ,son8 ,you can answer that question at your leisure4 ,every trial and experience you have passed through is necessary for your salvation4 #h3aej4 ,should our lives be extended to a thousand years1 still we may live and learn4 ,every vicissitude we pass through is necessary for experience and example1 and for preparation to enjoy that reward which is for the faithful4 #i3bib4 ,if ,adam had not sinned1 and if his posterity had continued upon the earth1 they could not have known sin1 or the bitter from the sweet1 neither would they have known righteousness1 for the plain and simple reason that every effect can only be fully manifested by its opposite4 ,if the ,saints could realize things as they are when they are called to pass through trials1 and to suffer what they call sacrifices1 they would acknowledge them to be the greatest blessings that could be bestowed upon them4 ,but put them in possession of true principles and true enjoyments1 without the opposite1 and they could not know enjoyment1 they could not realize happiness4 ,they could not tell light from darkness1 because they have no knowledge of darkness and consequently are destitute of a realizing sense of light4 ,if they should not taste the bitter1 how could they realize the sweet8 ,they could not4 #b3cja-cjb4 ,you will learn this in the ,bible1 the ,book of ,mormon1 and in the revelations given through ,joseph4 ,we must know and understand the opposition that is in all things1 in order to discern1 choose1 and receive that which we do know will exalt us to the presence of ,god4 ,you cannot know the one without knowing the other4 ,this is a true principle4 #d3cgc4 ,now if you possess the light of the ,holy ,spirit1 you #eca can see clearly that trials in the flesh are actually necessary4 #b3h4 ,purpose of ,persecution--,let any people enjoy peace and quiet1 unmolested1 undisturbed1--never be persecuted for their religion1 and they are very likely to neglect their duty1 to become cold and indifferent1 and lose their faith4 #g3db4 ,he led this people in different parts of the ,united ,states1 and the finger of scorn has been pointed at them4 ,officers of the ,government of the ,united ,states have lifted their heel against them1 and this people have been driven from town to town1 from county to county1 and from state to state4 ,the ,lord has his design in this4 ,you may ask what his design is4 ,you all know that the ,saints must be made pure1 to enter into the celestial kingdom4 ,it is recorded that ,jesus was made perfect through suffering4 ,if he was made perfect through suffering1 why should we imagine for one moment that we can be prepared to enter into the kingdom of rest with him and the ,father1 without passing through similar ordeals8 #h3ff4 ,we are infinitely more blessed by the persecutions and injustice we have suffered1 than we could have been if we had remained in our habitations from which we have been driven--than if we had been suffered to occupy our farms1 gardens1 stores1 mills1 machinery and everything we had in our former possessions4 #aj3ch4 ,persecution ,may ,be ,expected--,i wish to inform you1 brethren and sisters1 who have just arrived in these valleys1 that all your trials hitherto are but trifling in comparison to the trials you will now be called to meet and pass through4 #h3afc4 ,war has been declared against the ,saints over twenty-seven #ecb years1 and our enemies have only fallen back so as to gain strength and pretexts for making another attack4 ,will that spirit increase8 ,if it does1 and we love our religion1 let me tell you that we will increase faster than our enemies will4 #e3cdj4 ,only be faithful1 brethren and sisters1 and ,i promise that you shall have all such privileges as shall be for your good4 ,you need not be discouraged1 or mourn1 because you were not in ,jackson ,county persecutions1 or were not driven from ,ohio1 ,missouri1 and ,illinois1 and stripped1 robbed and plundered of all your property4 ,do not mourn and feel bad1 because you were not in ,nauvoo2 have no fears1 for if the word of the ,lord is true1 you shall yet be tried in all things2 so rejoice1 and pray without ceasing1 and in everything give thanks1 even if it is in the spoiling of your goods1 for it is the hand of ,god that leads us1 and will continue so to do4 ,let every man and woman sanctify themselves before the ,lord1 and every providence of the ,almighty shall be sanctified for good of them4 #a3bgi4 ,the ancient ,saints were1 and the ,saints of latter days have been1 driven from pillar to post1 their name a hiss and a by-word1 and their character traduced to the lowest degree4 ,i will appeal to men in this congregation1 who have lived for years in the society of the world1 who are judges1 magistrates1 sheriffs1 merchants1 mechanics1 and farmers1 if anything was ever alleged against their character until they joined the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,but where are your characters now in the world8 ,your former friends now have found out that you always were miserable creatures1 they now declare they never had any confidence in you1 for you always were enthusiastic beings1 and knew not what you were doing4 ,they always believed you would prove yourselves #ecc dishonest1 etc4 ,this has been the character given to the ,saints by the world in all ages4 #a3bcf4 ,,image3 ,,brigham ,,young ,,as ,a ,,young ,,man ,,image3 ,,brigham ,,young ,,matured ,,image3 ,,the ,,home ,,of ,,brigham ,,young ,,in ,,nauvoo ,meet ,trials ,cheerfully--,we are the happiest people when we have what are called trials2 for then the ,spirit of ,god is more abundantly bestowed upon the faithful4 ,if the ,lord requires it1 ,i would as soon consume all ,i have and go into the mountains with my family as to do a good many other things4 #e3ccb4 ,i say to the ,latter-day ,saints1 all we have to do is to learn of ,god4 ,let the liars lie on1 and let the swearers swear on1 and they will go to perdition4 ,all we have to do is to go onward and upward1 and keep the commandments of our ,father and ,god2 and he will confound our enemies4 #ai3ej4 ,there is not a hardship1 there is not a disappointment1 there is not a trial1 there is not a hard time1 that comes upon this people in this place1 but that ,i am more thankful for than ,i am for full granaries4 #d3ea4 ,we have passed through a great many scenes1 we may say1 of tribulation1 though ,i would have all my brethren understand that ,i do not take this to myself1 for all that ,i have passed through has been joy and joyful to me2 but we have seemingly sacrificed a great deal1 and passed through many scenes of trial and temptations1 no doubt of this4 ,we have had to suffer temptation more or less1 and we have taken the spoiling of our goods joyfully4 ,i have1 myself1 five times before ,i came to this valley1 left everything that the ,lord had blessed me with pertaining to this world's goods1 which1 for the country where ,i lived1 was not a very little4 #ah3bcg4 ,as to trials1 why bless your hearts1 the man or woman who enjoys the spirit of our religion has no trials2 but the #ecd man or woman who tries to live according to the ,gospel of the ,son of ,god1 and at the same time clings to the spirit of the world1 has trials and sorrows acute and keen1 and that1 too1 continually4 ,cast off the yoke of the enemy1 and put on the yoke of ,christ1 and you will say that his yoke is easy and his burden is light4 ,this ,i know by experience4 #af3abc4 ,i have heard a great many tell about what they have suffered for ,christ's sake4 ,i am happy to say ,i never had occasion to4 ,i have enjoyed a great deal1 but so far as suffering goes ,i have compared it a great many times1 in my feelings and before congregations1 to a man wearing an old1 worn-out1 tattered and dirty coat1 and somebody comes along and gives him one that is new1 whole and beautiful4 ,this is the comparison ,i draw when ,i think of what ,i have suffered for the ,gospel's sake--,i have thrown away an old coat and have put on a new one4 ,no man or woman ever heard me tell about suffering4 ,did you not leave a handsome property in ,ohio1 ,missouri1 and ,illinois8 ,yes4 ,and have you not suffered through that8 ,no1 ,i have been growing better and better all the time1 and so have this people4 ,and you may take the history of the world from the days of ,adam down1 and ,i am at the defiance of any historian to prove that the ,saints have ever suffered as much as the sinners4 ,this is my belief about the religion of ,jesus ,christ4 ,some may say1 ,did not the children of ,israel suffer8 ,yes4 ,why8 ,because of their iniquity4 ,they transgressed the laws ,god had given them2 they changed the ordinances and broke the everlasting covenant1 and for their sin and disobedience they were led into captivity4 ,if they had been obedient1 ,i reckon they would have been led direct to the ,holy ,land1 and stayed there4 #ece ,some may say1 ,now1 ,mr4 ,speaker1 you have been driven from your home1 was it for righteousness8 ,no1 ,i expect not4 ,i expect it was to chasten me and make me better4 #ac3adg4 ,cause of ,persecution--,hatred and persecution have been the lot of every man that ever lived upon the earth holding the oracles of the ,kingdom of ,heaven to deliver to the children of men4 ,wicked men1 ,satan1 and all the powers of hell and hate are at war with every holy principle that ,god wishes to place in the possession of his children4 ,that is the true reason of the hatred and persecution meted out to us4 #h3ac4 ,do you know that that very principle caused the death of all the ,prophets1 from the days of ,adam until now8 ,let a ,prophet arise upon the earth1 and never reveal the evils of men1 and do you suppose that the wicked would desire to kill him8 ,no1 for he would cease to be a ,prophet of the ,lord1 and they would invite him to their feasts1 and hail him as a friend and brother4 ,why8 ,because it would be impossible for him to be anything but one of them4 ,it is impossible for a ,prophet of ,christ to live in an adulterous generation without speaking of the wickedness of the people1 without revealing their faults and their failings1 and there is nothing short of death that will stay him from it1 for a ,prophet of ,god will do as he pleases4 #c3dh4 ,the false religion that is in the world1 is what raises this hue and cry1 misguides the people1 and opposes itself against the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth4 ,now if we would only fall in with the wicked all would be right1 and then no person would wish to persecute us4 #b3aha4 ,why should we have enemies8 ,why is it1 say our objectors1 that you cannot mingle and mix in society like #ecf other religious denominations8 ,it has been seen that the people would not permit us to dwell in their midst in peace4 ,we have been universally driven by illegal force1 by mobs1 murderers1 and assassins1 as unworthy of having a place amongst the abodes of civilized man1 until1 as a last resort1 we found peace in these distant valleys4 ,it is because our religion is the only true one4 ,it is because we have the only true authority1 upon the face of the whole earth1 to administer in the ordinances of the ,gospel4 ,it is because the keys of this dispensation were committed by messengers sent from the ,celestial world unto ,joseph ,smith1 and are now held on the earth by this people4 ,it is because ,christ and ,lucifer are enemies1 and cannot be made friends2 and ,lucifer1 knowing that we have this ,priesthood1 this power1 this authority1 seeks our overthrow4 #b3agg4 ,all hell is moved against this people1 because we are of one heart and of one mind4 #e3bbh4 ,it is light1 intelligence1 the power of ,god that make the wicked tremble and wish ,mormonism out of the way4 ,if it were a false doctrine or a false theory1 the ,devil would not endeavor to disturb it1 wicked men would not fear it1 ,heaven would not smile upon it1 nor give a revelation to any man or woman to believe it1 and we should have poor success2 and ,heaven forbid that we should have success or gain influence upon any other principle than the revelations of ,jesus ,christ4 #g3afj4 ,we were not persecuted because we believed in having many wives1 for that principle was not known to our persecutors until we came to these mountains1 although the revelation was received by ,joseph ,smith and written a year before his death4 #ad3aai4 ,we are ,christians professedly1 according to our religion4 #ecg ,people have gathered to themselves certain ideas1 and laid them down as systems1 calling them religion1 all professing to believe and obey the ,scriptures4 ,their religions are peculiar to themselves--our religion is peculiar to ,god1 to angels1 and to the righteous of time and eternity4 ,why are we persecuted because of our religion8 ,why was ,joseph ,smith persecuted8 ,why was he hunted from neighborhood to neighborhood1 from city to city1 from state to state1 and at last suffered death8 ,because he received revelations from the ,father1 from the ,son1 and was ministered to by holy angels1 and published to the world the direct will of the ,lord concerning his children on the earth4 ,again1 why was he persecuted8 ,because he revealed to all mankind a religion so plain and so easily understood1 consistent with the ,bible1 and so true4 ,it is now as it was in the days of the ,savior2 let people believe and practice these simple1 ,god-like truths1 and it will be as it was in the old world1 they will say1 if this man be let alone he will come and take away our peace and nation4 #ah3bca4 ,disobedience ,causes ,persecution--,when we look at the ,latter-day ,saints1 we ask1 is there any necessity of their being persecuted8 ,yes1 if they are disobedient4 ,is there any necessity of chastening a son or a daughter8 ,yes1 if they are disobedient4 ,but suppose they are perfectly obedient to every requirement of their parents1 is there any necessity of chastening them then8 ,if there is1 ,i do not understand the principle of it4 ,i have not yet been able to see the necessity of chastening an obedient child1 neither have ,i been able to see the necessity of chastisement from the ,lord upon a people who are perfectly obedient4 ,have this people been chastened8 ,yes1 they have4 #ab3cjh4 ,we have been persecuted1 driven1 smitten1 cast out1 #ech robbed and hated2 and ,i may say it was for our coldness and neglect of duty2 and if we did not exactly deserve it1 there have been times when we did deserve it4 ,if we did not deserve it at the time1 it was good for and gave us an experience1 though ,i must say that one of the hardest lessons for me to learn on earth is to love a man who hates me and would put me to death if he had the power4 ,i do not think ,i have got this lesson by heart1 and ,i do not know how long ,i shall have to live to learn it4 ,i am trying4 #ad3ig4 ,those who turn away from the holy commandments will meet trials that are trials indeed4 ,they will feel the wrath of the ,almighty upon them4 ,those who are still and are good children will receive the rich blessing of their ,father and ,god4 ,be still1 and let your faith rest on the ,lord ,almighty4 #g3acf4 ,result of ,persecution--,every time you kick ,mormonism you kick it upstairs2 you never kick it downstairs4 ,the ,lord ,almighty so orders it4 #g3ade4 ,can you destroy a true religion by persecuting it8 ,no4 #g3ade4 ,joseph could not have been perfected1 though he had lived a thousand years1 if he had received no persecution4 ,if he had lived a thousand years1 and led this people1 and preached the ,gospel without persecution1 he would not have been perfected as well as he was at the age of thirty-nine years4 ,you may calculate1 when this people are called to go through scenes of affliction and suffering1 are driven from their homes1 and cast down1 and scattered1 and smitten1 and peeled1 the ,almighty is rolling on his work with greater rapidity4 #b3g4 ,well1 do you think that persecution has done us good8 #eci ,yes4 ,i sit and laugh1 and rejoice exceedingly when ,i see persecution4 ,i care no more about it than ,i do about the whistling of the north wind1 the croaking of the crane that flies over my head1 or the crackling of the thorns under the pot4 ,the ,lord has all things in his hand2 therefore let it come1 for it will give me experience4 #b3h4 ,every time they persecute and try to overcome this people1 they elevate us1 weaken their own hands1 and strengthen the hands and the arms of this people4 ,and every time they undertake to lessen our number1 they increase it4 ,and when they try to destroy the faith and virtue of this people1 the ,lord strengthens the feeble knees1 and confirms the wavering in faith and power in ,god1 in light1 and intelligence4 ,righteousness and power with ,god increase in this people in proportion as the ,devil struggles to destroy it4 #h3bbe-f4 ,if we did not have to bear the iron hand of persecution1 the principles we believe in1 which attract the attention of the good and the evil upon the earth and which occupy so many tongues and circumscribe their philosophy1 would be embraced by thousands who are now indifferent to them4 ,the evil-doer would crowd upon our borders2 and we have plenty of them now without receiving any more4 ,they would crowd into this ,church4 #ah3cei4 ,i say the same now4 ,let us alone1 and we will send ,elders to the uttermost parts of the earth1 and gather out ,israel1 wherever they are2 and if you persecute us1 we will do it the quicker1 because we are naturally dull when let alone1 and are disposed to take a little sleep1 a little slumber1 and a little rest4 ,if you let us alone1 we will do it a little more leisurely2 but if you persecute us1 we will sit up nights to preach the ,gospel4 #b3cbj4 ,moses was not to blame because ,pharaoh's heart became #edj more and more hard4 ,he was not to blame because an overwhelming destruction came upon that devoted army4 ,neither is ,god1 ,jesus ,christ1 ,joseph ,smith1 myself1 or the ,apostles and ,prophets of this last dispensation to blame for the unbelief of this nation1 and for the dark and lowering tempest that now threatens to overthrow them with a terrible destruction4 ,still1 as ,pharaoh's heart became harder and harder1 so will it be with the persecutors of ,god's people and purposes in the latter times1 until they are utterly destroyed4 #aj3d4 ,cannot ,overtake ,falsehood--,we have been asked a good many times1 ,why do you not publish the truth in regard to these lies which are circulated about you8 ,we might do this if we owned all the papers published in ,christendom4 ,who will publish a letter from me or my brethren8 ,who will publish the truth from us8 ,if it gets into one paper1 it is slipped under the counter or somewhere else2 but it never gets into a second4 ,they will send forth lies concerning us very readily4 ,the old adage is that a lie will creep through the keyhole and go a thousand miles while truth is getting out of doors2 and our experience has proved this4 ,we have not the influence and power necessary to refute the falsehoods circulated about us4 ,we depend on ,god1 who sits in the heavens4 ,our trust is in him who created the heavens1 who formed the earth1 and who has brought forth his children on the earth1 and who has given the intelligence which they possess4 #ac3agg4 ,if ,i now had in my possession one hundred million dollars in cash1 ,i could buy the favor of the publishers of newspapers and control their presses2 with that amount ,i could make this people popular1 though ,i expect that popularity would send us to hell4 #c3afj4 #eda ,danger of ,persecuting the ,saints--,when men lift their hands against the ,latter-day ,saints1 they lift them against the ,almighty4 #aa3aai4 ,he who lifts his heel against the ,lord and against his anointed will find himself a poor1 pusillanimous1 weak instrument in the hands of the ,devil to accomplish his designs4 #h3cc4 ,when men operate against this people1 they may spend all they possess and all their ability1 and it will pass away like an empty sound1 and they will be forgotten4 ,such persons have always come to naught1 and all who fight against the people of the ,most ,high will continue to come to naught4 #c3bei4 ,tell the world--sound it in the ears of kings and rulers1 that they are persecuting a people to whose ,god they will have to pay every debt they contract2 they will be brought into judgment for every act against this ,kingdom4 ,this is the ,kingdom of ,god2 these are the people of ,god1 as are all who receive the truth and follow its principles4 ,as to parentage1 we are no more the children of ,god than are the rest of the inhabitants of the earth4 ,originally1 as to our parents1 as to our organization and that which pertains to our life1 we are all the children of one ,father1 whether we be ,jew or ,gentile1 bond or free1 black or white1 noble or ignoble4 ,the difference we see arises in consequence of the different use made of the agency given to man4 #h3aid-e4 ,the sufferings that have come upon the ,latter-day ,saints1 through persecution1 will not compare in severity with the sufferings which have come upon the wicked in our own day4 #aa3bgd4 ,persecution ,comes ,from ,efforts of ,few--,now to tell the truth1 there are but few1 in comparison with the numbers #edb that now live1 who are rabid against and seek to destroy the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,a great portion of the human family are honorable men and women1 and they would just as soon that ,mormonism should live as any other ism4 ,the few who seek to destroy the ,kingdom of ,god are priests1 politicians1 and office seekers1 and they would care nothing about it1 only they are afraid we will take away their place and station4 #aa3cbc4 #edc ,,chapter ,,xxxi ,,political ,,government ,theocratic ,government--,i believe in a true republican theocracy1 and also in a true democratic theocracy1 as the term democratic is now used2 for they are to me1 in their present use1 convertible terms4 #f3cdf4 ,what do ,i understand by a theocratic government8 ,one in which all laws are enacted and executed in righteousness1 and whose officers possess that power which proceedeth from the ,almighty4 ,that is the kind of government ,i allude to when ,i speak of a theocratic government1 or the ,kingdom of ,god upon the earth4 ,it is1 in short1 the eternal powers of the ,gods4 #f3cdf-g4 ,if the ,kingdom of ,god1 or a theocratic government1 was established on the earth1 many practices now prevalent would be abolished4 ,one community would not be permitted to array itself in opposition to another to coerce them to their standard2 one denomination would not be suffered to persecute another because they differed in religious belief and mode of worship4 ,every one would be fully protected in the enjoyment of all religious and social rights1 and no state1 no government1 no community1 no person would have the privilege of infringing on the rights of another2 one ,christian community would not rise up and persecute another4 #f3cdc4 ,but few1 if any1 understand what a theocratic government is4 ,in every sense of the word1 it is a republican government1 and differs but little in form from our ,national1 ,state1 and ,territorial ,governments2 but its subjects will #edd recognize the will and dictation of the ,almighty4 ,the ,kingdom of ,god circumscribes and comprehends the municipal laws for the people in their outward government1 to which pertain the ,gospel covenants1 by which the people can be saved2 and those covenants pertain to fellowship and faithfulness4 ,the ,gospel covenants are for those who believe and obey2 municipal laws are for both ,saint and sinner4 ,the ,constitution and laws of the ,united ,states resemble a theocracy more closely than any government now on the earth1 or that ever has been so far as we know1 except the government of the ,children of ,israel to the time when they elected a king4 ,all governments are more or less under the control of the ,almighty1 and1 in their forms1 have sprung from the laws that he has from time to time given to man4 ,those laws1 in passing from generation to generation1 have been more or less adulterated1 and the result has been the various forms of government now in force among the nations2 for1 as the ,prophet says of ,israel1 ,they have transgressed the laws1 changed the ordinances1 and broken the everlasting covenant4 ,whoever lives to see the ,kingdom of ,god fully established upon the earth will see a government that will protect every person in his rights4 ,if that government was now reigning upon this land of ,joseph1 you would see the ,roman ,catholic1 the ,greek ,catholic1 the ,episcopalian1 the ,presbyterian1 the ,methodist1 the ,baptist1 the ,quaker1 the ,shaker1 the ,hindoo1 the ,mahometan1 and every class of worshipers most strictly protected in all their municipal rights and in the privileges of worshiping who1 what1 and when they pleased1 not infringing upon the rights of others4 #ede ,does any candid person in his sound judgment desire any greater liberty8 #f3cdb-cdc4 ,in the sincere observances of the principles of true religion and virtue1 we recognize the base1 the only sure foundation of enlightened society and well-established government4 #b3agh4 ,i have had some people ask me how ,i manage and control the people4 ,i do it by telling them the truth and letting them do just as they have a mind to4 #ad3afb4 ,republican ,government--,there is no other platform that any government can stand upon and endure1 but the platform of truth and virtue4 #aj3ajh4 ,how can a republican government stand8 ,there is only one way for it to stand4 ,it can endure2 but how8 ,it can endure1 as the government of heaven endures1 upon the eternal rock of truth and virtue2 and that is the only basis upon which any government can endure4 #i3d4 ,what is a true republican government is easily answered4 ,it is a government or institution that is perfect--perfect in its laws and ordinances1 having for its object the perfection of mankind in righteousness4 ,this is true democracy4 #g3aj4 ,individual self-government lies at the root of all true and effective government1 whether in heaven or on earth4 ,those who govern should be wiser and better than the governed1 that the lesser may be blessed of the greater4 ,were this so1 then the people would willingly repose their dearest interests to the trusts of their rulers or leaders1 and with a feeling of pleasure bow to and carry out to the letter their instructions and conclusions on all matters that pertained to the general good4 ,this will apply to great kingdoms and mighty nations1 to small companies of immigrants crossing the plains1 or to the home circle4 ,a republican government in the hands #edf of a wicked people must terminate in woe to that people1 but in the hands of the righteous it is everlasting1 while its power reaches to heaven4 #aj3ai4 ,suppose this people inhabiting these mountains are broken off entirely from the nations of the world1 rendering no allegiance to any earthly power combined or isolated2 free to make laws1 to obey them1 or to break them2 free to act1 to choose1 and to refuse1 and1 in every sense of the word1 to do as they please1 without any fixed order of government whatever1 and they make a constitution a system of government for mutual protection and advancement in the principles of right1 to be framed according to the best wisdom that can be found in this community2--,i say1 let them govern themselves by a republican system of government1 selecting a man from their midst to preside over them4 #g3aa4 ,a true system of civilization will not encourage the existence of every abomination and crime in a community but will lead them to observe the laws ,heaven has laid down for the regulation of the life of man4 ,there is no other civilization4 ,a truly civilized person is one who is a real gentleman or lady2 in language and manners he is truly refined1 and gives way to no practice that is unhallowed or uncomely4 ,this is what we are after1 and trying to attain to4 #ab3bhg4 ,i believe in a true republican government2 but where is the man capable of exhibiting in their true character the principles of such a government8 #g3aj4 ,the man who fights with coolness and calculation in moral and domestic reform will win every time4 #aj3bje4 ,god and ,governments--,every government not ordained of ,god1 as we have just been hearing1 will1 in its time1 crumble to the dust and be lost in the fog of forgetfulness4 #ad3ic4 ,if your eyes were opened1 you would see his hand in the #edg midst of the nations of the earth in the setting up of governments and in the down-fall of kingdoms--in the revolutions1 wars1 famine1 distress1 and wretchedness among the inhabitants of the earth4 ,in these manifestations you would discern the footsteps of the ,almighty just as plainly as you may see the footsteps of your children upon the soft earth4 #g3add4 ,why are they thus led to sow the seeds of their own destruction8 ,because the kingdoms of this world are not designed to stand4 ,when men are placed at the head of government who are actually controlled by the power of ,god--by the ,holy ,ghost--they can lay plans1 they can frame constitutions1 they can form governments and laws that have not the seeds of death within them1 and no other men can do it4 #d3bfg4 ,in the laws of every government now on this earth1 there are certain principles in their constitutions that will ere long sap the foundations of their existence2 and so it will be1 so long as men continue to persist in ruling and making laws1 in regulating and controlling by human wisdom alone1 and in issuing their mandates and sending their officers to administer laws1 made by the wisdom of man4 #d3bfg4 ,if a nation transgresses wholesome laws and oppresses any of its citizens or another nation1 until the cup of its iniquity is full1 through acts that are perfectly under its own control1 ,god will hurl those who are in authority from their power1 and they will be forgotten2 and he will take another people1 though poor and despised1 a hiss and a by-word among the popular nations1 and instill into them power and wisdom2 and they will increase and prosper1 until they in turn become a great nation on the earth4 #f3adf4 ,great and mighty empires are raised to the summit of human greatness by him1 to bring to pass his inscrutable purposes1 #edh and at his pleasure they are swept from existence and lost in the oblivion of antiquity4 ,all these mighty changes are pointing to and preparing the way for the introduction of his ,kingdom in the latter times1 that will stand forever and grow in greatness and power until a holy1 lasting1 religious and political peace shall make the hearts of the poor among men exult with joy in the ,holy ,one of ,israel1 and that his ,kingdom is everywhere triumphant4 #i3cfh4 ,fitness of ,rulers--,no being is fit to rule1 govern1 and dictate1 until he has been controlled1 governed1 and dictated1--has yielded obedience to law1 and proved himself worthy1 by magnifying the law that was over him1 to be master of that law4 #h3cbd4 ,what is the reign of a king who cannot control his passions8 ,will not his subjects sorrow8 ,yes1 they will feel the weight of his wrath1 and their backs will ache1 and their heads will ache1 and they will receive the lash from a heavy hand4 #h3cbd4 ,labor and ,politics--,put a community in possession of knowledge by means of which they can obtain what they need by the labor of their bodies and their brains1 then1 instead of being paupers they will be free1 independent and happy1 and these distinctions of classes will cease1 and there will be but one class1 one grade1 one great family4 #af3bj4 ,do you wish to possess enlarged influence in a political point of view8 ,gather around you the poor and honest of mankind and bestow your charity on them1 not by giving them in the way that charity is almost universally understood1 but supply them labor that will pay an interest on the outlay of means and1 at the same time1 afford food1 raiment and shelter to the laborer2 in this way the man of means becomes a benefactor to his race4 #aj3aic4 #edi ,if you wish to gain power in the minds of any people1 give them the same opportunity that you possess to become independent and self-sustaining1 and endow them with all the wisdom and knowledge that they are capable of receiving1 and let them increase with you and unitedly grow and become strong4 #aj3aij4 ,saints and ,politics--,i stand for ,constitutional law1 and if any transgress1 let them be tried by it1 and1 if guilty1 suffer its penalty4 #aj3aji4 ,i say ,god speed everybody that is for freedom and equal rights6 ,i am with you4 ,whom do we want to fill our public offices8 ,we want the best men that we can find for governor1 president and statesmen1 and for every other office of trust and responsibility2 and when we have obtained them1 we will pray for them and give them our faith and influence to do the will of ,god and to preserve themselves and the people in truth and righteousness4 #ac3bgd4 ,if we live our religion1 honor our ,god and his ,priesthood1 then we shall honor every wholesome government and law there is upon the earth and become aliens to all unrighteous1 unjust and unlawful administrators1 wherever they may be found4 ,in the various nations1 kingdoms and governments of the world are to be found laws1 ordinances and statutes as good as can be made for mortal man4 #aj3da4 ,are we a political people8 ,yes1 very political indeed4 ,but what party do you belong to or would you vote for8 ,i will tell you whom we will vote for3 we will vote for the man who will sustain the principles of civil and religious liberty1 the man who knows the most and who has the best heart and brain for a statesman2 and we do not care a farthing whether he is a whig1 a democrat1 a barnburner1 a republican1 a new light or anything else4 ,these are our politics4 #ac3adi4 #eej ,if nobody will speak for us1 let us speak for ourselves2 if no person else will do anything for us1 let us do something for ourselves4 ,this is right2 it is politically right1 religiously right1 nationally right1 socially and morally right1 and it is right in every sense of the word for us to sustain ourselves4 #aa3adj4 ,let those called ,latter-day ,saints so learn wisdom as to carry out the true principles of government1 that they may be able to govern and control all things wisely4 #g3fd4 ,the ,constitution of the ,united ,states1 an ,inspired ,document--,we mean to sustain the ,constitution of the ,united ,states and all righteous laws4 #i3aeg4 ,we will cling to the ,constitution of our country1 and to the government that reveres that sacred charter of freemen's rights2 and1 if necessary1 pour out our best blood for the defense of every good and righteous principle4 #aj3da4 ,it was observed this morning that the ,government of the ,united ,states was the best or most wholesome one on the earth1 and the best adapted to our condition4 ,that is very true4 #b3caj4 ,to accuse us of being unfriendly to the ,government1 is to accuse us of hostility to our religion1 for no item of inspiration is held more sacred with us than the ,constitution under which she acts4 ,as a religious society1 we1 in common with all other denominations1 claim its protection4 #b3age4 ,the signers of the ,declaration of ,independence and the framers of the ,constitution were inspired from on high to do that work4 ,but was that which was given to them perfect1 not admitting of any addition whatever8 ,no2 for if men know anything1 they must know that the ,almighty has never yet found a man in mortality that was capable1 at the first intimation1 at the first impulse1 to receive anything in a state of #eea entire perfection4 ,they laid the foundation1 and it was for after generations to rear the superstructure upon it4 ,it is a progressive--a gradual work4 #g3ad4 ,the general ,constitution of our country is good1 and a wholesome government could be framed upon it1 for it was dictated by the invisible operations of the ,almighty2 he moved upon ,columbus to launch forth upon the trackless deep to discover the ,american ,continent2 he moved upon the signers of the ,declaration of ,independence2 and he moved upon ,washington to fight and conquer1 in the same way as he moved upon ancient and modern ,prophets1 each being inspired to accomplish the particular work he was called to perform in the times1 seasons1 and dispensations of the ,almighty4 ,god's purpose1 in raising up these men and inspiring them with daring sufficient to surmount every opposing power1 was to prepare the way for the formation of a true republican government4 ,they laid its foundation2 but when others came to build upon it1 they reared a superstructure far short of their privileges1 if they had walked uprightly as they should have done4 #g3ac4 ,we believe that the ,lord has been preparing that when he should bring forth his work1 that1 when the set time should fully come1 there might be a place upon his footstool where sufficient liberty of conscience should exist1 that his ,saints might dwell in peace under the broad panoply of constitutional law and equal rights4 ,in this view we consider that the men in the ,revolution were inspired by the ,almighty1 to throw off the shackles of the mother government1 with her established religion4 ,for this cause were ,adams1 ,jefferson1 ,franklin1 ,washington1 and a host of others inspired to deeds of resistance to the acts of the ,king of ,great ,britain1 who might also have been led to those aggressive acts1 for ought we know1 to bring to pass the purposes of ,god1 in thus establishing a new #eeb government upon a principle of greater freedom1 a basis of self-government allowing the free exercise of religious worship4 ,it was the voice of the ,lord inspiring all those worthy men who bore influence in those trying times1 not only to go forth in battle but to exercise wisdom in council1 fortitude1 courage1 and endurance in the tented field1 as well as subsequently to form and adopt those wise and efficient measures which secured to themselves and succeeding generations1 the blessing of a free and independent government4 ,this government1 so formed1 has been blessed by the ,almighty until she spreads her sails in every sea1 and her power is felt in every land4 #b3agj4 ,this1 then1 is our position towards the ,government of the ,united ,states and towards the world1 to put down iniquity1 and exalt virtue2 to declare the word of ,god which he revealed unto us1 and build up his ,kingdom upon the earth4 ,and1 know all men1 ,governments1 ,nations1 ,kindreds1 ,tongues1 and ,people1 that this is our calling1 intention1 and design4 ,we aim to live our religion1 and have communion with our ,god4 ,we aim to clear our skirts of the blood of this generation1 by our faithfulness in preaching the truth of heaven in all plainness and simplicity2 and ,i have often said1 and repeat it now1 that all other considerations of whatever name or nature1 sink into insignificance in comparison with this4 ,to serve ,god and keep his commandments1 are first and foremost with me4 ,if this is higher law1 so be it4 ,as it is with me1 so should it be with every department of the ,government2 for this doctrine is based upon the principles of virtue and integrity2 with it1 the ,government1 her ,constitution1 and free institutions are safe2 without it no power can avert their speedy destruction4 ,it is the life giving power to the ,government2 it is the vital #eec element on which she exists and prospers2 in its absence she sinks to rise no more4 #b3agf4 ,the ,saints ,will ,yet ,save the ,constitution--,when the day comes in which the ,kingdom of ,god will bear rule1 the flag of the ,united ,states will proudly flutter unsullied on the flag staff of liberty and equal rights1 without a spot to sully its fair surface2 the glorious flag our fathers have bequeathed to us will then be unfurled to the breeze by those who have power to hoist it aloft and defend its sanctity4 #b3cag4 ,how long will it be before the words of the prophet ,joseph will be fulfilled8 ,he said if the ,constitution of the ,united ,states were saved at all it must be done by this people4 ,it will not be many years before these words come to pass4 #ab3bjd4 ,when the ,constitution of the ,united ,states hangs1 as it were1 upon a single thread1 they will have to call for the ,mormon ,elders to save it from utter destruction2 and they will step forth and do it4 #b3ahb4 ,the present ,constitution1 with a few alterations of a trifling nature1 is just as good as we want2 and if it is sustained on this land of ,joseph1 it will be done by us and our posterity4 #h3cbd4 ,i expect to see the day when the ,elders of ,israel will protect and sustain civil and religious liberty and every constitutional right bequeathed to us by our fathers1 and spread these rights abroad in connection with the ,gospel for the salvation of all nations4 ,i shall see this whether ,i live or die4 #aa3bfb4 ,religious ,liberty ,should be ,observed--,the ,government of the ,united ,states1 and the ,president of the ,united ,states ought to treat the religion of the ,latter-day ,saints as they do ,methodism1 ,presbyterianism1 ,quakerism1 ,shakerism1 and many other isms1 and say1 ,here1 ,i wish you to hold your tongues about the ',mormons1' for they have just as good a #eed right to their religion as you have to yours4 ,and when the people petition for this or that 7as the right of petition should never be denied71 it is the duty of those who are addressed to hearken to the petitions of the people #b3ahf4 ,are not our religious sentiments as sacred to us as to any other portion of the community8 ,and should it not be the duty1 as well as the pride1 of every ,american citizen to extend that provision of the ,constitution to us which he claims for himself8 ,and is not that sacred instrument invaded and broken as much in debarring and excluding this people from its privileges1 rights1 and blessings1 as it would be if your rights and privileges were thus invaded8 ,no1 gentlemen1 we have broken no laws1 our glorious ,constitution guarantees unto us all that we claim4 ,under its broad folds1 in its obvious meaning and intents1 we are safe1 and can always rejoice in peace4 ,all that we have ever claimed1 or wish to1 on the part of the ,government1 is the just administration of the powers and privileges of the ,national ,compact4 #b3agb4 ,i pause now to ask1 ,had not ,joseph ,smith a right to promulgate and establish a different1 a new religion and form of worship in this ,government8 ,every one must admit he had4 ,this right was always held sacred1 for upon it was based the religious liberty of every citizen of the ,republic4 ,it was a privilege held sacred in the bosom of every class of people2 no judge dared invade its holy precincts4 ,no legislator nor governor ventured to obstruct the free exercise thereof4 ,whenever the iron hand of oppression and persecution has fallen upon this people1 our opposers have broken their own laws1 set at defiance and trampled under foot every principle of equal rights1 justice1 and liberty found written in that rich legacy of our fathers1 ,the ,constitution of the ,united ,states4 #b3aga4 ,whether our religion is believed by any other people or #eee not1 it is by us1 and no power or authority in the ,government can lawfully or righteously molest us in the peaceable and quiet enjoyment thereof4 ,it cannot be done without law1 and surely the ,government has no right to make any law concerning it1 or to prevent the free exercise thereof4 #b3agg4 ,the ,government of the ,united ,states has never engaged in a crusade against us as a people1 although she has remained silent1 or refused us1 when appealed to for redress of grievances4 ,she has permitted us to be driven from our own lands1 for which she had taken our money1 and that too with her letters patent in our hands1 guaranteeing to us peaceable possession4 ,she has calmly looked on and permitted one of the fundamental and dearest provisions of the ,constitution to be broken2 she has permitted us to be driven and trampled under foot with impunity4 ,under these circumstances1 what course is left for us to pursue8 ,i answer that1 instead of seeking to destroy the very best ,government in the world1 as seems to be the fears of some1 we1 like all other good citizens1 should seek to place those men in power who will feel the obligations and responsibilities they are under to a mighty people2 who would feel and realize the important trusts reposed in them by the voice of the people who call them to administer law under the solemn sanction of an oath of fidelity to that heaven inspired instrument1 to the inviolate preservation of which we look for the perpetuity of our free institutions4 #b3age4 ,opposed to ,corrupt ,administrators of ,law--,i do not lift my voice against the great and glorious ,government guaranteed to every citizen by our ,constitution1 but against those corrupt administrators who trample the ,constitution and just laws under their feet4 #e3bcb4 ,it is a pretty bold stand for this people to take1 to say that they will not be controlled by the corrupt administrators of our #eef general ,government4 ,we will be controlled by them1 if they will be controlled by the ,constitution and laws2 but they will not4 ,many of them do not care any more about the ,constitution and the laws that they make than they do about the laws of another nation4 ,that class trample the rights of the people under their feet1 while there are many who would like to honor them4 ,all we have ever asked for is our ,constitutional rights4 ,we wish the laws of our ,government honored1 and we have ever honored them2 but they are trampled under foot by administrators4 #e3bca4 ,i repeat that the ,constitution1 laws1 and institutions of our ,government are as good as can be1 with the intelligence now possessed by the people4 ,but they1 as also the laws of other nations1 are too often administered in unrighteousness2 and we do not and cannot love and respect the acts of the administrators of our laws1 unless they act justly in their offices4 #f3cdd4 ,the ,president of the ,united ,states--,as ,i have already stated1 the ,president of the ,united ,states should be a perfect pattern for all the people to walk after2 so also should the ,vice-,president1 the members of the ,cabinet1 and of ,congress1 the ,governors of ,states and ,territories1 and in fine1 all the officers in the ,government1 be patterns for the people to imitate4 #b3ahc4 ,and the people should concentrate their feelings1 their influence1 and their faith to select the best man they can find to be their ,president1 if he has nothing more to eat than potatoes and salt--a man who will not aspire to become greater than the people who appoint him1 but be contented to live as they live1 be clothed as they are clothed1 and in every good thing be one with them4 #g3ab-ac4 ,when the best man is elected ,president1 let him select the best men he can find for his counselors or cabinet2 and let all #eeg the officers within the province of the ,chief ,magistrate to appoint1 be selected upon the same principle to officiate wisely in different parts of the nation4 #f3cde4 ,the ,government of the ,united ,states is republican in form1 and should be in its administration1 and requires a man for ,president who is capable of communicating to the understanding of the people1 according to their capacity1 information upon all points pertaining to the just administration of the ,government4 ,he should understand what administrative policy would be most beneficial to the nation4 ,he should also have the knowledge and disposition to wisely exercise the appointing power1 so far as it is constitutionally within his control1 and select only good and capable men for the office4 ,he should not only carry out the legal and just wishes of his constituents1 but should be able to enlighten their understanding and correct their judgment4 ,and all good officers in a truly republican administration will constantly labor for the security of the rights of all1 irrespective of sect or party4 #g3fc4 ,in the free and independent ,government of the ,united ,states1 who in the eyes of the ,almighty ought to have the privilege of sitting in the ,presidential chair1 to be countenanced1 adored1 loved1 and reverenced in his capacity1 and be justified therein by the heavenly hosts8 ,it is that man who is sanctified before ,god1 and who loves the ,lord ,jesus with all his heart1 or in other words1 who is endowed with wisdom from on high1 and has revelations1 visions1 and dreams1 giving him understanding to provide for the welfare of every portion of the nation1 and a willingness to preserve to every one their fair and just religious rights1 as well as political1 for the good and benefit of all4 ,in the eyes of eternal justice1 only such a man has a right to that office4 ,they are afraid to put a man there who is a professor of religion1 lest he favor his own party4 ,a #eeh man is a fool that would do that1 when he has laws to preserve and keep inviolate towards all religious denominations4 #b3ahh-ahi4 ,in our ,government a ,president is elected for four years1 and by custom re-elected but once1 thus limiting the time of any one person to but eight years at most4 ,would it not be better to extend that period during life or good behavior2 and when the people have elected the best man to that office1 continue him in it as long as he will serve them8 ,would it not be better for the ,states to elect their ,governors upon the same principle2 and if they officiate unjustly1 hurl them from office8 ,if a good man is thus elected and continues to do his duty1 he will keep in advance of the people2 and if he does not1 he does not magnify his office4 ,such is the ,kingdom of ,god1 in comparison4 #f3cde4 ,is a man fit to be ,president of the ,united ,states1 who will bow and succumb to the whims of the people8 ,no4 ,a ,president should learn the true situation of his constituents1 and deal out even-handed justice to all1 utterly regardless of the clamor of party4 #e3abf4 ,we want men to rule the nation who care more for and love better the nations' welfare than gold and silver1 fame1 or popularity4 #g3ab4 ,who is the most suitable judge between man and man8 ,the man who is the most capable of judging between right and wrong2 let him sit upon the judgment seat1 and do not ask him whether he is a ,democrat1 a ,whig1 a ,tory1 or a ,republican4 ,is he a just man1 and will he render an impartial judgment8 ,if so1 ,i care not to what political party he belongs2 ,i am content that he should adjudicate between me and my neighbor4 #aj3aic4 ,political ,parties--,it has been told me from my youth up #eei that opposition is the life of business1 especially in the political arena4 ,it is opposition that has ruined our nation1 and has been1 is and will be the ruin of all nations4 #aj3aij4 ,when the people's affections are interwoven with a republican government administered in all its purity1 if the administrators act not in virtue and truth it is but natural that the people become disaffected with mal-administration1 and divide and sub-divide into parties1 until the body politic is shivered to pieces4 #aj3ajh4 ,parties in our ,government have no better idea than to think the ,republic stands all the firmer upon opposition2 but ,i say that it is not so4 ,a republican government consists in letting the people rule by their united voice1 without a dissension1--in learning what is for the best1 and unitedly doing it4 ,that is true republicanism4 #e3bbh4 ,states' ,rights--,suppose there is a division between the ,north and ,south1 and the fifteen slave ,states try to form a permanent government1 can they do it8 ,i tell you they cannot4 ,how long will it be before some other ,states1 perhaps ,new ,york1 forms a separate government8 ,and if a ,state has a right to secede1 so has a ,territory1 and so has a county from a ,state or ,territory1 and a town from a county1 and a family from a neighborhood1 and you will have perfect anarchy4 #h3cbb4 ,if we are what we profess to be--a republican ,government1 there is no ,state in the ,union but what should be amenable to the general ,government holding to the old ,english rights in ,rhode ,island4 ,then ,congress1 with the ,president at their head1 could meet and veto every act made by any department of the ,government1 if it was necessary4 ,so let ,congress come together when any of the ,states transcend the bounds of right and hold them amenable for their actions4 ,the general ,government should never give any portion of the nation license #efj to say they are free and independent4 ,this should only apply to the nation as a whole4 #g3ac4 ,so it is with ,states and ,territories4 ,let them be unduly fostered and sustained by the general ,government1 and it will lead them into idleness1 inactivity1 and corruption2 they will not be as spirited and active as when they are made to rely upon their own resources4 #b3cba4 ,forebodings of the ,civil ,war--,the nation that gave me and many of you birth is very nigh to the hours of sorrow4 ,their cup is very nigh filled to the brim4 ,they reject the servants of ,god2 they reject the ,gospel of salvation2 they turn away from the principles of truth and righteousness2 and they are sinking in their own sins and corruptions4 ,i would that they would have mercy on themselves3 ,i will pray the ,lord to have mercy on them1 but ,i pray them to have mercy on themselves to return to the ,lord1 forsake their wickedness and learn righteousness1 and then ,god would have mercy on them1 and bestow his blessings upon them1 if they would receive them4 #d3cga4 ,what will be their condition when the ,spirit of the ,lord is withdrawn8 ,they will whet the knife to cut each other's throats1 and as ,brother ,hooper remarked1 try to make ,mason and ,dixon's the dividing line2 but that will not remain1 for they will cross it to destroy each other1 and the sword and fire will be prevalent in the land4 #h3adg-h4 ,yes1 his mercy yearns over the ,nation that has striven for a score of years to rid the earth of the ,priesthood of the ,son of ,god and to destroy the last ,saint4 ,he has mercy upon them1 he bears with them1 he pleads with them by his ,spirit1 and occasionally sends his angels to administer to them4 ,marvel not1 then1 that ,i pray for every soul that can be saved4 #h3abd4 #efa ,war--,if ,i had my wish1 ,i should entirely stop the shedding of human blood4 #aj3ajh4 ,there is a spirit which prompts the nations to prepare for war1 desolation1 and bloodshed--to waste each other away4 #h3agd4 ,from the authority of all history1 the deadly weapons now stored up and being manufactured will be used until the people are wasted away1 and there is no help for it4 ,the spirit of revolution goes on through the nations3 it never goes back4 #h3aeg4 ,do not be discouraged when you hear of wars1 and rumors of wars1 and tumults1 and contentions1 and fighting1 and bloodshed2 for behold they are at the thresholds of our doors4 #d3cfi4 ,does one nation rise up to war with another without having motives1 and those which they will substantiate as being good and sufficient8 ,will one people rise up to war with another people1 except the motive that moves them is of a nature to justify them in their own minds and judgment for doing so8 ,no4 ,there is not a people upon the face of this earth that would do so2 they all calculate to do that which seemeth good to them4 #c3hh4 ,the difficulty with the whole world in their divisions and sub-divisions1 is that they have no more confidence in each other than they have in their ,god1 and that is none at all1 no1 not one particle4 ,this confuses nations1 and breaks them up2 it weakens them1 and they tumble to pieces4 ,it disturbs cities and countries1 and really the seeds of destruction are within those kingdoms where the people have not confidence in each other4 #d3bif4 ,wars1 commotions1 tumults1 strife1 nation contending against nation1 and people against people1 have all been governed #efb and controlled by him whose right it is to control such matters4 ,among wicked nations1 or among ,saints1 among the ancient ,israelites1 ,philistines1 and ,romans1 the hand of the ,lord was felt2 in short1 all the powers that have been upon the earth1 have been dictated1 governed1 controlled1 and the final issue of their existence has been brought to pass1 according to the wisdom of the ,almighty4 ,then my testimony is1 it is all right4 #a3afc4 ,of one thing ,i am sure2 ,god never institutes war2 ,god is not the author of confusion or of war2 they are the results of the acts of the children of men4 ,confusion and war necessarily come as the results of the foolish acts and policy of men2 but they do not come because ,god desires they should come4 ,if the people1 generally1 would turn to the ,lord1 there would never be any war4 ,let men turn from their iniquities and sins1 and1 instead of being covetous and wicked1 turn to ,god and seek to promote peace and happiness throughout the land1 and wars would cease4 ,we expect to see the day when swords shall be turned into ploughshares1 spears into pruning hooks1 and when men shall learn war no more4 ,this is what we want4 ,we are for peace1 plenty and happiness to all the human family4 #ac3adi4 ,our traditions have been such that we are not apt to look upon war between two nations as murder2 but suppose that one family should rise up against another and begin to slay them1 would they not be taken up and tried for murder8 ,then why not nations that rise up and slay each other in a scientific way be equally guilty of murder8 ,but observe the martial array1 how splendid6 ,see the furious war horses1 with their glittering trappings4 ,then the honor and glory and pride of the reigning king must be sustained1 and the strength and power #efc and wealth of the nation must be displayed in some way2 and what better way than to make war upon neighboring nations1 under some slight pretext8 ,does it justify the slaying of men1 women1 and children that otherwise would have remained at home in peace1 because a great army is doing the work8 ,no3 the guilty will be damned for it4 #g3acg4 ,the very ,indians who massacre men1 women1 and children on the plains1 have their religious ceremonies and pray to their ,god for success in killing men1 women1 and children4 ,the ,french and ,austrians meet and slay one another by hundreds and thousands2 and thousands of women and children who were not engaged in battle are also sacrificed by the folly of those ,christian wars4 ,the instigators of those wars are just as guilty of murder1 before ,god1 as the ,indians are for killing the men1 women1 and children who are passing through their country4 ,what is the difference in the eyes of our ,father and ,god8 ,it is just as much murder to kill1 unjustly1 a million at a blow as it is to kill one1 though ,dr4 ,young has stated that ,one murder makes a villain2 millions make a hero4 ,were ,i to make war upon an innocent people1 because ,i had the power1 to possess myself of their territory1 their silver1 gold1 and other property1 and be the cause of slaying1 say fifty thousand strong1 hale1 hearty men1 and devolving consequent suffering upon one hundred thousand women and children1 who would suffer through privation and want1 ,i am very much more guilty of murder than is the man who kills only one person to obtain his pocket-book4 #g3acg4 ,woman ,suffrage--,now1 sisters1 ,i want you to vote also1 because women are the characters that rule the ballot box4 #a3bah4 #efd ,,chapter ,,xxxii ,,death ,,and ,,resurrection ,the ,body ,must ,return to ,mother ,earth--,every person possessing the principle of eternal life should look upon his body as of the earth earthy4 ,our bodies must return to their mother earth4 ,true1 to most people it is a wretched thought that our spirits must1 for a longer or shorter period1 be separated from our bodies1 and thousands and millions have been subject to this affliction throughout their lives4 ,if they understood the design of this probation and the true principles of eternal life1 it is but a small matter for the body to suffer and die4 #g3bdj4 ,the ,lord has pleased to organize tabernacles here1 and put spirits into them1 and they then become intelligent beings4 ,by and by1 sooner or later1 the body1 this that is tangible to you1 that you can feel1 see1 handle1 etc41 returns to its mother dust4 ,is the spirit dead8 ,no4 ,you believe the spirit still exists1 when this body has crumbled to the earth again1 and the spirit that ,god puts into the tabernacle goes into the world of spirits4 ,what is their situation8 ,is there any opportunity for them whatever8 ,yes1 there is4 #b3ach4 ,well1 says ,mr4 ,b43 ,if you have got this great power1 and can heal the sick by the laying on of hands1 come with me and heal the sick in our neighborhood2 or how is it that any of you ',mormons' die at all8 ,take your time1 ,mr4 ,b4 ,the ,bible teaches me ,i am dust1 and to dust ,i must return4 ,it is not for me to thwart the plans of ,jehovah1 or do away with any item of doctrine the ,lord has taught me4 ,from dust ,i am1 and to dust ,i must return4 ,so it is with the rest of us1 we shall all die and be buried in the silent grave4 #a3bdj4 #efe ,we shall suffer no more in putting off this flesh and leaving the spirit houseless than the child1 in its capacity1 does in its first efforts to breathe the breath of this mortal life4 #h3bh4 ,our bodies are composed of visible1 tangible matter1 as you all understand2 you also know that they are born into this world4 ,they then begin to partake of the elements adapted to their organization and growth1 increase to manhood1 become old1 decay1 and pass again into the dust4 ,now in the first place1 though ,i have explained this many times1 what we call death is the operation of life1 inherent in the matter of which the body is composed1 and which causes the decomposition after the spirit has left the body4 ,were that not the fact1 the body1 from which has fled the spirit1 would remain to all eternity1 just as it was when the spirit left it1 and would not decay4 ,what is commonly called death does not destroy the body1 it only causes a separation of spirit and body1 but the principle of life1 inherent in the native elements1 of which the body is composed1 still continues with the particles of that body and causes it to decay1 to dissolve itself into the elements of which it was composed1 and all of which continues to have life4 ,when the spirit given to man leaves the body1 the tabernacle begins to decompose4 ,is that death8 ,no1 death only separates the spirit and body1 and a principle of life still operates in the untenanted tabernacle1 but in a different way1 and producing different effects from those observed while it was tenanted by the spirit4 ,there is not a particle of element which is not filled with life1 and all space is filled with element2 there is no such thing as empty space1 though some philosophers contend that there is4 ,life in various proportions1 combinations1 conditions1 etc41 fills all matter4 ,is there life in a tree when it ceases to put forth leaves8 ,you see it standing upright1 and when it ceases #eff to bear leaves and fruit you say it is dead1 but that is a mistake4 ,it still has life1 but that life operates upon the tree in another way1 and continues to operate until it resolves it to the native elements4 ,it is life in another condition that begins to operate upon man1 upon animal1 upon vegetation1 and upon minerals when we see the change termed dissolution4 ,there is life in the material of the fleshly tabernacle1 independent of the spirit given of ,god to undergo this probation4 ,there is life in all matter1 throughout the vast extent of all the eternities2 it is in the rock1 the sand1 the dust1 in water1 air1 the gases1 and in short1 in every description and organization of matter1 whether it be solid1 liquid1 or gaseous1 particle operating with particle4 ,i have heard some philosophers argue that because no body could move without displacing other matter1 therefore there must be empty space4 ,that reasoning is nonsense to me1 because eternity is1 was1 and will continue to be full of matter and life4 ,we put a ship in motion on the water1 and have we created an empty space8 ,no1 we have only changed the position of matter4 ,men and animals move upon the earth1 birds and fishes cleave the elements they are organized to operate in1 but do they leave a track of empty space8 ,no1 for all eternity is full of matter and life4 ,true1 element is capable of contraction and expansion1 but that does not by any means imply empty space4 ,you see life in human beings and in the growing vegetation1 and when that spirit of life departs1 another condition of life at once begins to operate upon the organization which remains4 ,by way of illustration ,i will quote one passage from the ,book of ,job1 who in his afflictions was visited by several friends1 and after he had concluded that they were all miserable comforters1 he exclaimed1 ,though worms destroy this body1 yet in my flesh shall ,i see ,god4 ,to make this passage clearer #efg to your comprehension1 ,i will paraphrase it1 ,though my spirit leave my body1 and though worms destroy its present organization1 yet in the morning of the resurrection ,i shall behold the face of my ,savior1 in this same tabernacle2 that is my understanding of the idea so briefly expressed by ,job4 #c3bgf-g4 ,man ,should ,live ,out ,his ,days--,it is not the design of the ,father that the earthly career of any should terminate until they have lived out their days2 and the reason that so few do live out their days is because of the force of sin in the world and the power of death over the human family4 ,to these causes1 and not to the design of the ,creator1 may be attributed the fact that disease stalks abroad1 laying low the aged1 middle-aged1 youth1 and infants1 and the human family generally by millions4 #ad3bcj4 ,so live that when you wake in the spirit-world you can truthfully say1 ,i could not better my mortal life1 were ,i to live it over again4 ,i exhort you1 for the sake of the ,house of ,israel1 for the sake of ,zion which we are to build up1 to so live1 from this time1 henceforth1 and forever1 that your characters may with pleasure be scrutinized by holy beings4 ,live godly lives1 which you cannot do without living moral lives4 #h3afd4 ,we ,should ,not ,mourn for the ,righteous ,dead--,those who have honored their calling and ,priesthood to the end die in the ,lord1 and their works do follow them4 #ac3ge4 ,it is a great cause of joy and rejoicing and comfort to his friends to know that a person has passed away in peace from this life1 and has secured to himself a glorious resurrection4 ,the earth and the fulness of the earth and all that pertains to this earth in an earthly capacity is no comparison with the glory1 joy and peace and happiness of the soul that departs in peace4 #ab3ahf4 ,mourning for the righteous dead springs from the ignorance #efh and weakness that are planted within the mortal tabernacle1 the organization of this house for the spirit to dwell in4 ,no matter what pain we suffer1 no matter what we pass through1 we cling to our mother earth1 and dislike to have any of her children leave us4 ,we love to keep together the social family relation that we bear one to another1 and do not like to part with each other2 but could we have knowledge and see into eternity1 if we were perfectly free from the weakness1 blindness1 and lethargy with which we are clothed in the flesh1 we should have no disposition to weep or mourn4 #d3aca4 ,nothing remains here for us but to pay our last respects to that which came from mother earth4 ,it was formed and fashioned and the spirit was put into it1 and it has grown and become what it is1 and the spirit having departed1 the body lies ready to return to the bosom of its mother1 there to rest until the morning of the resurrection4 ,but the life and intelligence which once dwelt in that body still live1 and ,sister ,aurelia moves1 talks1 walks1 enjoys and beholds that which we cannot enjoy and behold while we are in these tabernacles of clay4 ,she is in glory2 she has passed the ordeals and has reached a position in which the power of ,satan has no influence upon her4 ,the advantage of this ,priesthood is that when persons yield obedience to it1 they secure to themselves the sanction of him who is its author1 and who has bestowed it upon the children of men4 ,his power is around them and defends them2 and when they pass into the spirit world they are out of the reach of the power of ,satan4 ,where the pure in heart are the wicked cannot come4 ,this is the state of the spirit world4 #ad3bbi4 ,when death is past1 the power of ,satan has no more influence over a faithful individual2 that spirit is free1 and can command the power of ,satan4 ,the penalty demanded by the #efi fall has been fully paid2 all is accomplished pertaining to it1 when the tabernacle of a faithful person is returned to the earth4 ,all that was lost is passed away1 and that person will again receive his body4 ,when he is in the spirit world1 he is free from those contaminating and condemning influences of ,satan that we are now subject to4 ,here our bodies are subject to being killed by our enemies--our names to being cast out as evil4 ,we are persecuted1 hated1 not beloved3 though ,i presume that we are as much beloved here as the spirits of the ,saints are in the spirit world by those spirits who hate righteousness4 ,it is the same warfare1 but we will have power over them4 ,those who have passed through the veil have power over the evil spirits to command1 and they must obey4 #g3bdj-bda4 ,shall we rejoice that we have the opportunity of paying the last respects due to this lifeless clay1 which a few days ago was alive and active1 full of spirit1 attending the ,high ,council1 giving decisions full of knowledge8 ,yes1 we will rejoice4 ,it is a matter of rejoicing more than the day of his birth4 ,it is true it is grievous to part with our friends4 ,we are creatures of passion1 of sympathy1 of love1 and it is painful for us to part with our friends4 ,we would keep them in the mortal house1 though they should suffer pain4 ,are we not selfish in this8 ,should we not rather rejoice at the departure of those whose lives have been devoted to doing good1 to a good old age8 ,brother ,spencer has lived beyond what is counted to be the common age of man some four or five years2 his judgment was as active as it was twenty-five years ago4 ,he has been faithful in this holy war4 ,he instructed all with whom he met in the way of life4 ,he never gave counsel but what marked the way to life everlasting4 #ac3ge4 ,our ,identity ,will ,be ,preserved--,and the thought of #egj being annihilated--of being blotted out of existence--is most horrid1 even to that class called infidels4 #e3ec4 ,this intelligence must endure4 ,we must preserve our identity before the ,lord1 who has sent his ,son and angels1 and is sending the ,holy ,ghost1 and his ministers1 and revelations1 to comfort1 cheer1 guide1 and direct the affairs of his ,kingdom on the earth4 #h3aee4 ,i am after life2 ,i want to preserve my identity1 so that you can see ,brigham in the eternal worlds just as you see him now4 ,i want to see that eternal principle of life dwelling within us which will exalt us eternally in the presence of our ,father and ,god4 #g3eg4 ,the ,gospel of life and salvation reveals to each individual who receives it that this world is only a place of temporary duration1 existence1 trials1 etc4 ,its present fashion and uses are but for a few days1 while we were created to exist eternally4 ,the wicked can see no further than this world is concerned4 ,we understand that when we are unclothed in this present state1 then we are prepared to be clothed upon with immortality--that when we put off these bodies we put on immortality4 ,these bodies will return to dust1 but our hope and faith are that we will receive these bodies again from the elements--that we will receive the very organization that we have here1 and that1 if we are faithful to the principles of freedom1 we shall then be prepared to endure eternally4 #e3ec4 ,our ,bodies ,will be ,resurrected--,after the spirit leaves the body1 it remains without a tabernacle in the spirit world until the ,lord1 by his law that he has ordained1 brings to pass the resurrection of the dead4 ,when the angel who holds the keys of the resurrection shall sound his trumpet1 then the peculiar fundamental particles that organized our bodies here1 if we do honor to them1 though they be deposited in the depths of the #ega sea1 and though one particle is in the north1 another in the south1 another in the east1 and another in the west1 will be brought together again in the twinkling of an eye1 and our spirits will take possession of them4 ,we shall then be prepared to dwell with the ,father and the ,son1 and we never can be prepared to dwell with them until then4 ,spirits1 when they leave their bodies1 do not dwell with the ,father and the ,son1 but live in the ,spirit world1 where there are places prepared for them4 ,those who do honor to their tabernacles1 and love and believe in the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 must put off this mortality1 or they cannot put on immortality4 ,this body must be changed1 else it cannot be prepared to dwell in the glory of the ,father4 #h3bh4 ,the only true riches in existence are for you and me to secure for ourselves a holy resurrection4 #a3bgb4 ,after the body and spirit are separated by death1 what1 pertaining to this earth1 shall we receive first8 ,the body2 that is the first object of a divine affection beyond the grave4 ,we first come in possession of the body4 ,the spirit has overcome the body1 and the body is made subject in every respect to that divine principle ,god has planted in the person4 ,the spirit within is pure and holy1 and goes back pure and holy to ,god1 dwells in the spirit world pure and holy1 and1 by and by1 will have the privilege of coming and taking the body again4 ,some person holding the keys of the resurrection1 having previously passed through that ordeal1 will be delegated to resurrect our bodies1 and our spirits will be there and prepared to enter into their bodies4 ,then1 when we are prepared to receive our bodies1 they are the first earthly objects that bear divinity personified in the capacity of the man4 ,only the body dies2 the spirit is looking forth4 #i3aci4 ,but this our place of abode is only temporary2 we are on a #egb journey2 we have only to winter and summer1 as it were4 ,brother ,grant has got through here1 and has gone to his spiritual place of abode for a season4 ,not that he has reached his journey's end1 nor will he1 until he has again received this body that now lies before me4 ,every material part and portion pertaining to his body1 to the temporal organization that constitutes the man1 will clothe his spirit again1 before he is prepared to receive the place and habitation that is prepared for him2 yet he has gone to his spiritual home for a season4 #d3abi4 ,yes1 we will lay down these bodies in the grave4 ,what for8 ,that the dust1 our mother earth1 that composes the house of the spirit1 may be purified by passing through this ordeal1 and be prepared to be called up and united with the intelligent heavenly body that ,god has prepared4 ,this is nothing but a change4 ,it is not the dissolution of the creature2 it is merely putting off the flesh that pertains to this world4 ,the particles of this earth that now compose this body will be rearranged1 and the spirit will be clothed with an immortal tabernacle4 ,let the spirit reign predominant over the flesh1 and bring into subjection the whole man1 every feeling and every desire of his heart1 and let him be devoted wholly1 body and spirit1 to the end for which the has been created4 ,when the flesh is brought into subjection1 it is made worthy through that means4 #h3dc4 ,we are here in circumstances to bury our dead according to the order of the ,priesthood4 ,but some of our brethren die upon the ocean2 they cannot be buried in a burying ground1 but they are sewed up in canvas and cast into the sea1 and perhaps in two minutes after they are in the bowels of the shark1 yet those persons will come forth in the resurrection1 and receive all the glory of which they are worthy1 and be clothed upon with all the beauty of resurrected ,saints1 as much so as if they had #egc been laid away in a gold or silver coffin1 and in a place expressly for burying the dead4 #i3aic4 ,the resurrection from the dead may also1 with propriety1 be called a birth4 #h3bfj4 ,the blood he spilled upon ,mount ,calvary he did not receive again into his veins4 ,that was poured out1 and when he was resurrected1 another element took the place of the blood4 ,it will be so with every person who receives a resurrection2 the blood will not be resurrected with the body1 being designed only to sustain the life of the present organization4 ,when that is dissolved1 and we again obtain our bodies by the power of the resurrection1 that which we now call the life of the body1 and which is formed from the food we eat and the water we drink will be supplanted by another element2 for flesh and blood cannot inherit the ,kingdom of ,god4 #g3afc4 ,jesus1 the ,first ,fruits of the ,resurrection--,jesus is the first begotten from the dead1 as you will understand4 ,neither ,enoch1 ,elijah1 ,moses1 nor any other man that ever lived on earth1 no matter how strictly he lived1 ever obtained a resurrection until after ,jesus ,christ's body was called from the tomb by the angel4 ,he was the first begotten from the dead4 ,he is the ,master of the resurrection--the first flesh that lived here after receiving the glory of the resurrection4 #h3bfj4 ,you read about a first resurrection4 ,if there is a first1 there is a second4 ,and if a second1 may there not be a third1 and a fourth1 and so on8 ,yes2 and happy are they who have a part in the first resurrection4 ,yes1 more blessed are they than any others4 ,but blessed also are they that will have part in the second resurrection1 for they will be brought forth to enjoy a kingdom that is more glorious than the sectarian world ever dreamed of4 #g3bhg4 ,the ,resurrected ,body--,we bear the image of our #egd earthly parents in their fallen state1 but by obedience to the ,gospel of salvation1 and the renovating influences of the ,holy ,ghost1 and the holy resurrection1 we shall put on the image of the heavenly1 in beauty1 glory1 power and goodness4 ,jesus ,christ was so like his ,father that on one occasion in answer to a request1 ,show us the ,father1 he said1 ,he that hath seen me hath seen the ,father4 #aa3abc4 ,in the resurrection everything that is necessary will be brought from the elements to clothe and to beautify the resurrected ,saints1 who will receive their reward4 ,i do not trouble myself about my dead4 ,if they are stripped of their clothing1 ,i do not want to know it4 #i3aib4 ,when the body comes forth again1 it will be divine1 ,godlike according to the capacity and ordinations of the ,lord4 ,some are fore-ordained to one station1 and some to another4 ,we want a house1 and when we get it and our spirits enter into it1 then we can begin to look forth--for what8 ,for our friends4 ,we want them resurrected4 ,here is this friend and that friend1 until by and by all are resurrected4 ,and the earth is resurrected8 ,yes1 and every living thing on the earth that has abided the law by which it was made4 ,then that which you and ,i respect1 are fond of1 and love with an earthly love1 will become divine1 and we can then love it with that affection which it is not now worthy of4 #i3adj4 ,our bodies are now mortal4 ,in the resurrection there will be a reunion of the spirits and bodies1 and they will walk1 talk1 eat1 drink1 and enjoy4 ,those who have passed these ordeals are society for angels--for the ,gods1 and are the ones who will come into the ,temple of the ,lord that is to be built in the latter days1 when saviors shall come up upon ,mount ,zion1 and will say1 ,here1 my children1 ,i want this and this done4 ,here are the names of such and such ones1 of our fathers1 and #ege mothers--our ancestors2 we will bring them up4 ,go forth1 you who have not passed the ordeals of death and the resurrection--you who live in the flesh1 and attend to the ordinances for those who have died without the law4 ,those who are resurrected will thus dictate in the temple4 ,when the ,saints pass through death1 they cannot officiate in this sinful world1 but they will dictate those who are here4 ,go1 now1 and be baptized for the honorable--for those who would have received the law of ,god and the true religion1 if they had lived2 be baptized for the heathen--for all who were honest2 officiate for them1 and save them1 and bring them up4 ,be baptized for them1 anointed for them1 washed and sealed for them1 and fulfil all the ordinances which cannot be dispensed with4 ,they will all be performed for the living and the dead upon ,mount ,zion4 #h3bbe4 ,resurrection ,necessary to ,full ,salvation--,no man can enter the celestial kingdom and be crowned with a celestial glory1 until he gets his resurrected body2 but ,joseph and the faithful who have died have gained a victory over the power of the ,devil1 which you and ,i have not yet gained4 ,so long as we live in these tabernacles1 so long we will be subject to the temptations and power of the ,devil2 but when we lay them down1 if we have been faithful1 we have gained the victory so far2 but even then we are not so far advanced at once as to be beyond the neighborhood of evil spirits4 #c3cga4 #egf ,,chapter ,,xxxiii ,,the ,,spirit ,,world ,all ,go to the ,spirit ,world--,when we get through this state of being1 to the next room1 ,i may call it1 we are not going to stop there4 ,we shall still go on1 doing all the good we can1 administering and officiating for all whom we are permitted to administer and officiate for1 and then go on to the next1 and to the next1 until the ,lord shall crown all who have been faithful on this earth1 and the work pertaining to the earth is finished1 and the ,savior1 whom we have been helping1 has completed his task1 and the earth1 with all things pertaining to it1 is presented to the ,father4 ,then these faithful ones will receive their blessings and crowns1 and their inheritances will be set off to them and be given to them1 and they will then go on1 worlds upon worlds1 increasing for ever and ever4 #af3gj4 ,no spirit of ,saint or sinner1 of the ,prophet or him that kills the ,prophet1 is prepared for their final state2 all pass through the veil from this state and go into the world of spirits2 and there they dwell waiting for their final destiny4 #f3bid4 ,where ,is the ,spirit ,world--,is the spirit world here8 ,it is not beyond the sun1 but is on this earth that was organized for the people that have lived and that do and will live upon it4 ,no other people can have it1 and we can have no other kingdom until we are prepared to inhabit this eternally4 #c3cgb4 ,when you lay down this tabernacle1 where are you going8 ,into the spiritual world4 ,are you going into ,abraham's bosom8 ,no1 not anywhere nigh there but #egg into the spirit world4 ,where is the spirit world8 ,it is right here4 ,do the good and evil spirits go together8 ,yes1 they do4 ,do they both inhabit one kingdom8 ,yes1 they do4 ,do they go to the sun8 ,no4 ,do they go beyond the boundaries of the organized earth8 ,no1 they do not4 ,they are brought forth upon this earth1 for the express purpose of inhabiting it to all eternity4 ,where else are you going8 ,nowhere else1 only as you may be permitted4 #c3cfi4 ,you are in the presence of ,god1 and when your eyes are opened you will understand it4 ,brother ,grant's spirit is in the presence of ,god2 and he is with ,joseph1 when he is not required to be somewhere else4 ,he is at work for the benefit of ,zion1 for that is all the business that ,joseph and the ,elders of this ,church have on hand4 #d3acc4 ,it reads that the spirit goes to ,god who gave it4 ,let me render this scripture a little plainer2 when the spirits leave their bodies they are in the presence of our ,father and ,god1 they are prepared then to see1 hear and understand spiritual things4 ,but where is the spirit world8 ,it is incorporated within this celestial system4 ,can you see it with your natural eyes8 ,no4 ,can you see spirits in this room8 ,no4 ,suppose the ,lord should touch your eyes that you might see1 could you then see the spirits8 ,yes1 as plainly as you now see bodies1 as did the servant of ,elijah4 ,if the ,lord would permit it1 and it was his will that it should be done1 you could see the spirits that have departed from this world1 as plainly as you now see bodies with your natural eyes4 #c3cfh4 ,the ,prophet lays down his body1 he lays down his life1 and his spirit goes to the world of spirits2 the persecutor of the ,prophet dies1 and he goes to ,hades2 they both go to #egh one place1 and they are not to be separated yet4 ,now understand1 that this is part of the great sermon the ,lord is preaching in his providence1 the righteous and the wicked are together in ,hades4 ,if we go back to our mother country1 the ,states1 we find there the righteous1 and we there find the wicked2 if we go to ,california1 we there find the righteous and the wicked2 all dwelling together2 and when we go beyond this veil1 and leave our bodies which were taken from mother earth1 and which must return1 our spirits will pass beyond the veil2 we go where both ,saints and sinners go2 they all go to one place4 #c3id4 ,if the wicked wish to escape from his presence1 they must go where he is not1 where he does not live1 where his influence does not preside4 ,to find such a place is impossible1 except they go beyond the bounds of time and space4 #b3id4 ,labors in the ,spirit ,world--,they must go into prison1 both ,saints and sinners4 ,the good and bad1 the righteous and the unrighteous must go to the house of prison1 or ,paradise1 and ,jesus went and opened the doors of salvation to them4 ,and unless they lost the keys of salvation on account of transgression1 as has been the case on this earth1 spirits clothed with the ,priesthood have ministered to them from that day to this4 ,and if they lost the keys by transgression1 some one who had been in the flesh1 ,joseph1 for instance1 had to take those keys to them4 ,and he is calling one after another to his aid1 as the ,lord sees he wants help4 #d3bhe4 ,compare those inhabitants on the earth who have heard the ,gospel in our day1 with the millions who have never heard it1 or had the keys of salvation presented to them1 and #egi you will conclude at once as ,i do1 that there is an almighty work to perform in the spirit world4 ,joseph has not yet got through there4 ,when he finishes his mission in the spirit world1 he will be resurrected1 but he has not yet done there4 ,reflect upon the millions and millions and millions of people that have lived and died without hearing the ,gospel on the earth1 without the keys of the ,kingdom4 ,they were not prepared for celestial glory1 and there was no power that could prepare them without the keys of this ,priesthood4 #d3bhe4 ,jesus was the first man that ever went to preach to the spirits in prison1 holding the keys of the ,gospel of salvation to them4 ,those keys were delivered to him in the day and hour that he went into the spirit world1 and with them he opened the door of salvation to the spirits in prison4 #c3cgj4 ,father ,smith and ,carlos and ,brother ,partridge1 yes1 and every other good ,saint1 are just as busy in the spirit world as you and ,i are here4 ,they can see us1 but we cannot see them unless our eyes were opened4 ,what are they doing there8 ,they are preaching1 preaching all the time1 and preparing the way for us to hasten our work in building temples here and elsewhere1 and to go back to ,jackson ,county and build the great temple of the ,lord4 ,they are hurrying to get ready by the time we are ready1 and we are all hurrying to get ready by the time our ,elder ,brother is ready4 #c3cfi-cgj4 ,when men overcome as our faithful brethren have1 and go where they see ,joseph1 who will dictate them and be their head and ,prophet all the time1 they have power over all disembodied evil spirits1 for they have overcome them4 ,those evil spirits are under the command and control of every man that has had the ,priesthood on him1 and has #ehj honored it in the flesh1 just as much as my hand is under my control4 #d3acb4 ,every faithful man's labor will continue as long as the labor of ,jesus1 until all things are redeemed that can be redeemed1 and presented to the ,father4 ,there is a great work before us4 #ac3gg4 ,the spirits that dwell in these tabernacles on this earth1 when they leave them go directly into this world of spirits4 ,what6 ,a congregated mass of inhabitants there in spirit1 mingling with each other1 as they do here8 ,yes1 brethren1 they are there together1 and if they associate together1 and collect together1 in clans and in societies as they do here1 it is their privilege4 ,no doubt they yet1 more or less1 see1 hear1 converse and have to do with each other1 both good and bad4 ,if the ,elders of ,israel in these latter times go and preach to the spirits in prison1 they associate with them1 precisely as our ,elders associate with the wicked in the flesh1 when they go to preach to them4 #b3acg4 ,if a person is baptized for the remission of sins1 and dies a short time thereafter1 he is not prepared at once to enjoy a fulness of the glory promised to the faithful in the ,gospel2 for he must be schooled1 while in the spirit1 in the other departments of the house of ,god1 passing on from truth to truth1 from intelligence to intelligence1 until he is prepared to again receive his body and to enter into the presence of the ,father and the ,son4 ,we cannot enter into celestial glory in our present state of ignorance and mental darkness4 #g3ccb4 ,suppose1 then1 that a man is evil in his heart--wholly given up to wickedness1 and in that condition dies1 his spirit will enter the spirit world intent upon evil4 ,on the other hand1 if we are striving with all the powers and faculties #eha ,god has given us to improve upon our talents1 to prepare ourselves to dwell in eternal life1 and the grave receives our bodies while we are thus engaged1 with what disposition will our spirits enter their next state8 ,they will be still striving to do the things of ,god1 only in a much greater degree--learning1 increasing1 growing in grace and in the knowledge of the truth4 #g3ccc4 ,if we are faithful to our religion1 when we go into the spirit world1 the fallen spirits--,lucifer and the third part of the heavenly hosts that came with him1 and the spirits of wicked men who have dwelt upon this earth1 the whole of them combined will have no influence over our spirits4 ,is not that an advantage8 ,yes4 ,all the rest of the children of men are more or less subject to them1 and they are subject to them as they were while here in the flesh4 #g3bdj4 ,spirits are just as familiar with spirits as bodies are with bodies1 though spirits are composed of matter so refined as not to be tangible to this coarser organization4 ,they walk1 converse1 and have their meetings2 and the spirits of good men like ,joseph and the ,elders1 who have left this ,church on earth for a season to operate in another sphere1 are rallying all their powers and going from place to place preaching the ,gospel1 and ,joseph is directing them1 saying1 go ahead1 my brethren1 and if they hedge up your way1 walk up and command them to disperse4 ,you have the ,priesthood and can disperse them1 but if any of them wish to hear the ,gospel1 preach to them4 ,can they baptize them8 ,no4 ,what can they do8 ,they can preach the ,gospel1 and when we have the privilege of building up ,zion1 the time will come for saviors to come up on ,mount ,zion4 ,some of those who are not in mortality will come along and say1 ,here are a thousand names ,i wish you #ehb to attend to in this temple1 and when you have got through with them ,i will give you another thousand2 and the ,elders of ,israel and their wives will go forth to officiate for their forefathers1 the men for the men1 and the women for the women4 #c3cga-cgb4 ,life in the ,spirit ,world--,we have more friends behind the veil than on this side1 and they will hail us more joyfully than you were ever welcomed by your parents and friends in this world2 and you will rejoice more when you meet them than you ever rejoiced to see a friend in this life2 and then we shall go on from step to step1 from rejoicing to rejoicing1 and from one intelligence and power to another1 our happiness becoming more and more exquisite and sensible as we proceed in the words and powers of life4 #f3cdi4 ,when the breath leaves the body1 your life has not become extinct2 your life is still in existence4 ,and when you are in the spirit world1 everything there will appear as natural as things now do4 ,spirits will be familiar with spirits in the spirit world--will converse1 behold1 and exercise every variety of communication with one another as familiarly and naturally as while here in tabernacles4 ,there1 as here1 all things will be natural1 and you will understand them as you now understand natural things4 ,you will there see that those spirits we are speaking of are active2 they sleep not4 ,and you will learn that they are striving with all their might--laboring and toiling diligently as any individual would to accomplish an act in this world--to destroy the children of men4 #g3bci4 ,i can say with regard to parting with our friends1 and going ourselves1 that ,i have been near enough to understand eternity so that ,i have had to exercise a great deal #ehc more faith to desire to live than ,i ever exercised in my whole life to live4 ,the brightness and glory of the next apartment is inexpressible4 ,it is not encumbered so that when we advance in years we have to be stubbing along and be careful lest we fall down4 ,we see our youth1 even1 frequently stubbing their toes and falling down4 ,but yonder1 how different6 ,they move with ease and like lightning4 ,if we want to visit ,jerusalem1 or this1 that1 or the other place--and ,i presume we will be permitted if we desire--there we are1 looking at its streets4 ,if we want to behold ,jerusalem as it was in the days of the ,savior2 or if we want to see the ,garden of ,eden as it was when created1 there we are1 and we see it as it existed spiritually1 for it was created first spiritually and then temporally1 and spiritually it still remains4 ,and when there we may behold the earth as at the dawn of creation1 or we may visit any city we please that exists upon its surface4 ,if we wish to understand how they are living here on these western islands1 or in ,china1 we are there2 in fact1 we are like the light of the morning1 or1 ,i will not say the electric fluid1 but its operations on the wires4 ,god has revealed some little things1 with regard to his movements and power1 and the operation and motion of the lightning furnish a fine illustration of the ability of the ,almighty4 ,when we pass into the spirit world we shall possess a measure of this power4 ,here1 we are continually troubled with ills and ailments of various kinds4 ,in the spirit world we are free from all this and enjoy life1 glory1 and intelligence2 and we have the ,father to speak to us1 ,jesus to speak to us1 and angels to speak to us1 and we shall enjoy the society of the just and the pure who are in the spirit world until the resurrection4 #ad3bca4 #ehd ,,chapter ,,xxxiv ,,eternal ,,judgment ,judgment ,according to ,works--,this is a subject ,i have reflected upon a great deal1 and ,i have come to the conclusion that we shall be judged according to the deeds done in the body and according to the thoughts and intents of the heart4 #ad3ii4 ,there are none ticketed for the pit1 unless they fill up that ticket themselves through their own misconduct4 #d3bfh4 ,i do know that the trying day will soon come to you and to me2 and ere long we will have to lay down these tabernacles and go into the spirit world4 ,and ,i do know that as we lie down1 so judgment will find us1 and that is scriptural2 as the tree falls so it shall lie1 or in other words1 as death leaves us so judgment will find us4 #d3eb4 ,the sectarian doctrine of final rewards and punishments is as strange to me as their bodyless1 partless1 and passionless ,god4 ,every man will receive according to the deeds done in the body1 whether they be good or bad4 ,all men1 excepting those who sin against the ,holy ,ghost1 who shed innocent blood or who consent thereto1 will be saved in some kingdom2 for in my ,father's house1 says ,jesus1 are many mansions4 #aa3abe4 ,how many kingdoms there are has not been told to us2 they are innumerable4 ,the disciples of ,jesus were to dwell with him4 ,where will the rest go8 ,into kingdoms prepared for them1 where they will live and endure4 ,jesus will bring forth1 by his own redemption1 every son and daughter of ,adam1 except the sons of perdition1 who will be cast into hell4 ,others will suffer the wrath of ,god--will suffer #ehe all the ,lord can demand at their hands1 or justice can require of them2 and when they have suffered the wrath of ,god till the utmost farthing is paid1 they will be brought out of prison4 ,is this dangerous doctrine to preach8 ,some consider it dangerous2 but it is true that every person who does not sin away the day of grace1 and become an angel to the ,devil1 will be brought forth to inherit a kingdom of glory4 #h3aed4 ,how many glories and kingdoms will there be in eternity8 ,you will see the same variety in eternity as you see in the world4 #f3bic4 ,we read in the ,bible1 that there is one glory of the sun1 another glory of the moon1 and another glory of the stars4 ,in the book of ,doctrine and ,covenants1 these glories are called telestial1 terrestrial1 and celestial1 which is the highest4 ,these are worlds1 different departments1 or mansions1 in our ,father's house4 ,now those men1 or those women1 who know no more about the power of ,god1 and the influences of the ,holy ,spirit1 than to be led entirely by another person1 suspending their own understanding1 and pinning their faith upon another's sleeve1 will never be capable of entering into the celestial glory1 to be crowned as they anticipate2 they will never be capable of becoming ,gods4 ,they cannot rule themselves1 to say nothing of ruling others1 but they must be dictated to in every trifle1 like a child4 ,they cannot control themselves in the least1 but ,james1 ,peter1 or somebody else must control them4 ,they never can become ,gods1 nor be crowned as rulers with glory1 immortality1 and eternal lives4 ,they never can hold sceptres of glory1 majesty1 and power in the celestial kingdom4 ,who will8 ,those who are valiant and inspired with the true independence of heaven1 who will go forth boldly #ehf in the service of their ,god1 leaving others to do as they please1 determined to do right1 though all mankind besides should take the opposite course4 #a3cab4 ,more will prove faithful than will apostatize4 ,a certain class of this people will go into the celestial kingdom1 while others cannot enter there1 because they cannot abide a celestial law2 but they will attain to as good a kingdom as they desire and live for4 #h3ci4 ,the punishment of ,god is ,god-like4 ,it endures forever1 because there never will be a time when people ought not to be damned1 and there must always be a hell to send them to4 ,how long the damned remain in hell1 ,i know not1 nor what degree of suffering they endure4 ,if we could by any means compute how much wickedness they are guilty of1 it might be possible to ascertain the amount of suffering they will receive4 ,they will receive according as their deeds have been while in the body4 ,god's punishment is eternal1 but that does not prove that a wicked person will remain eternally in a state of punishment4 #i3adg4 ,you hear some of them preach and teach that which ,i never taught2 you hear them preach people into hell4 ,such doctrine never entered into my heart2 but you hear others preach1 that people will go there to dwell throughout the endless ages of eternity4 ,such persons know no more about eternity1 and are no more capable of instructing others upon the subject1 than a little child4 #a3ceb4 ,but when the light of the knowledge of ,god comes to a man1 and he rejects it1 that is his condemnation4 #b3adj4 ,all who believe1 have honest hearts1 and bring forth fruits of righteousness1 are the elect of ,god and heirs to all things4 ,all who refuse to obey the holy commandments of the ,lord and the ordinances of his house will be judged out #ehg of their own mouths1 will condemn themselves as they do now1 will be accounted unworthy and will have no part or lot with the righteous4 #h3hc4 ,well1 says one1 if ,i am pretty sure to get a state of glory better than this1 ,i guess ,i will not take the trouble to inherit anything more4 ,well1 run the risk of it1 every man on the earth has the privilege4 ,the ,gospel is preached1 sin revives1 some die and some contend against it--some receive it and some do not2 but this is the sin of the people--truth is told them and they reject it4 ,this is the sin of the world4 ,light has come into the world1 but men love darkness rather than light1 because their deeds are evil4 ,so said ,jesus in his day4 ,we say1 here is the ,gospel of life and salvation1 and everyone that will receive it1 glory1 honor1 immortality and eternal life are theirs2 if they reject it1 they take their chance4 #ae3abh4 ,honesty in ,action ,will ,temper ,judgment--,a man or woman must know the ways of ,god before they can become ungodly4 ,persons may be sinners1 may be unrighteous1 may be wicked1 who have never heard the plan of salvation1 who are even unacquainted with the history of the ,son of ,man1 or who have heard of the name of the ,savior1 and1 perhaps1 the history of his life while on the earth1 but have been taught unbelief through their tradition and education2 but to be ungodly1 in the strict sense of the word1 they must measurably understand godliness4 #d3eh4 ,don't cast them down to hell for their honest belief4 #b3adj4 ,if you do evil ignorantly and in good faith1 ,i promise you it shall result in good4 #g3aci4 ,it has appeared to me1 from my childhood to this day1 as a piece of complete nonsense1 to talk about the inhabitants #ehh of the earth being thus irretrievably lost--to talk of my father and mother1 and yours1 or our ancestors1 who have lived faithfully according to the best light they had2 but because they had not the everlasting covenant and the holy ,priesthood in their midst1 that they should go to hell and roast there to all eternity4 ,it is nonsense to me2 it always was1 and is yet4 #f3bia4 ,so far as morality is concerned1 millions of the inhabitants of the earth live according to the best light they have--according to the best knowledge they possess4 ,i have told you frequently that they will receive according to their works2 and all1 who live according to the best principles in their possession1 or that they can understand1 will receive peace1 glory1 comfort1 joy and a crown that will be far beyond what they are anticipating4 ,they will not be lost4 #f3ccb4 ,i say to every priest on the face of the earth1 ,i do not care whether they be ,christian1 ,pagan or ,mohammedan1 you should live according to the best light you have2 and if you do you will receive all the glory you ever anticipated4 ,we should not be prejudiced against you in the least2 even if you are against us and declare falsehoods about us we should not retaliate4 ,but how prone we are to rebuke if we are rebuked1 or if we receive a sharp word to return one4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints have to overcome this2 and the world may cry out and say all manner of evil against us1 but1 my brethren and sisters1 let us so live that it will be said falsely4 #ad3aea4 ,the very heathen we were talking about2 if they have a law1 no matter who made it1 and do the best they know how1 they will have a glory which is beyond your imagination1 by any description ,i might give2 you cannot conceive #ehi of the least portion of the glory of ,god prepared for his beings1 the workmanship of his hands4 #c3ic4 ,none will become angels to the ,devil except those who have sinned against the ,holy ,ghost4 #aa3bga4 ,hell ,defined--,any person knowing and understanding the ,scriptures as they are1 and understanding the mind and will of ,god1 can understand at once that when he is shut out from the presence of the ,lord1 when he does not hear his voice1 sees not his face1 receives not the ministering of his angels or ministering spirits1 and has no messenger from the heavens to visit him1 he must surely be in hell4 #b3acg4 ,were the wicked1 in their sins1 under the necessity of walking into the presence of the ,father and ,son1 hand-in-hand with those who believe that all will be saved--that ,jesus will leave none1 their condition would be more excruciating and unendurable than to dwell in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone4 ,the fatalist's doctrine consigns to hell the infant not a span long1 while the adulterer1 whoremonger1 thief1 liar1 false swearer1 murderer1 and every other abominable character1 if they but repent on the gallows or their death-beds1 are1 by the same doctrine1 forced into the presence of the ,father and the ,son1 which1 could they enter there1 would be a hell to them4 #h3aec-d4 ,there is not a man or woman1 who violates the covenants made with their ,god1 that will not be required to pay the debt4 ,the blood of ,christ will never wipe that out1 your own blood must atone for it2 and the judgments of the ,almighty will come1 sooner or later1 and every man and woman will have to atone for breaking their covenants4 ,to what degree8 ,will they have to go to hell8 ,they are in hell enough now4 ,i do not wish them in a greater hell1 #eij when their consciences condemn them all the time4 ,let compassion reign in our bosoms4 ,try to comprehend how weak we are1 how we are organized1 how the spirit and the flesh are continually at war4 #c3bdg4 ,will ,i prophesy evil8 ,no4 ,let us prophesy good4 ,but the justice and mercy of ,god must have their demands4 #h3aie4 ,the ,second ,death--,what is that we call death1 compared to the agonies of the second death8 ,if people could see it1 as ,joseph and ,sidney saw it1 they would pray that the vision be closed up2 for they could not endure the sight4 ,neither could they endure the sight of the ,father and the ,son in their glory1 for it would consume them4 #ah3bag4 ,it is a curious idea1 but one in favor of which there is much testimony1 that when people take the downward road1 one that is calculated to destroy them1 they will actually in every sense of the word be destroyed4 ,will they be what is termed annihilated8 ,no1 there is no such thing as annihilation1 for you cannot destroy the elements of which things are made4 #b3cjb4 ,none will be lost or turned away except those who sin against the ,holy ,ghost4 #af3cb4 ,measure of ,human ,judgment--,every man and woman has got to have clean hands and a pure heart1 to execute judgment1 else they had better let the matter alone4 #c3bdg4 ,i have a certain knowledge within me that the ,elders of ,israel will never be permitted to lay judgment to the line and righteousness to the plummet1 with regard to the wicked and ungodly1 until they understand righteous principles1 and live to them4 #g3df4 ,you may judge of the truth you hear today and of that which you will hear in times to come2 for we shall be judges #eia of ourselves as well as of our enemies1 and we shall also judge angels4 #e3beh4 ,when the judgment is given to the ,saints1 it will be because of their righteousness1 because they will judge even as the angels and as the ,gods1 and not as the wicked do4 #ai3g4 #eib ,,chapter ,,xxxv ,,salvation ,universal ,salvation--,salvation is the full existence of man1 of the angels1 and the ,gods2 it is eternal life--the life which was1 which is1 and which is to come4 ,and we1 as human beings1 are heirs to all this life1 if we apply ourselves strictly to obey the requirements of the law of ,god1 and continue in faithfulness4 #ab3aaa4 ,the economy of heaven is to gather in all1 and save everybody who can be saved4 #aa3bfb4 ,people should understand that there is no man born upon the face of the earth but what can be saved in the ,kingdom of ,god1 if he is disposed to be4 #h3afj4 ,i have heard a great many sermons1 prayers and exhortations for people to go and get religion and have their names written in the ,lamb's ,book of ,life4 ,i want to inform the whole world1 all the sons and daughters of ,adam1 that their names are written there1 and there they will remain to all eternity unless they by their evil acts blot them out4 #ac3adi4 ,there never was any person over-saved2 all who have been saved1 and that ever will be in the future1 are only just saved1 and then it is not without a struggle to overcome1 that calls into exercise every energy of the soul4 #b3acb4 ,all that have lived or will live on this earth will have the privilege of receiving the ,gospel4 ,they will have ,apostles1 ,prophets1 and ministers there1 as we have here1 to guide them in the ways of truth and righteousness1 and lead them back to ,god4 ,all will have a chance for salvation and eternal life4 #f3adi4 #eic ,if our faith is one1 and we are united to gain one grand object1 and ,i1 as an individual1 can possibly get into the celestial kingdom1 you and every other person1 by the same rule1 can also enter there4 #b3acb4 ,how many shall be preserved8 ,all who do not deny and defy the power and character of the ,son of ,god--all who do not sin against the ,holy ,ghost4 #f3bib4 ,the heathen nations that now exist and that have existed on the earth will all be blessed1 will see the time when they will have the privilege of receiving the blessings of the covenant established on the earth by the ,son of ,god1 and through it will be brought into glory and rest4 #h3hc4 ,the names of every son and daughter of ,adam are already written in the ,lamb's ,book of ,life4 ,is there ever a time when they will be taken out of it8 ,yes1 when they become sons of perdition1 and not till then4 ,every person has the privilege of retaining it there for ever and ever4 ,if they neglect that privilege1 then their names will be erased1 and not till then4 ,all the names of the human family are written there1 and the ,lord will hold them there until they come to the knowledge of the truth1 that they can rebel against him1 and can sin against the ,holy ,ghost2 then they will be thrust down to hell1 and their names be blotted out from the ,lamb's ,book of ,life4 #f3big4 ,now1 the inquiry on our minds is1 are all the world going to share in these blessings8 ,yes1 all the world4 ,are there none going to be lost8 ,are there none going to suffer the wrath of the ,almighty8 ,i can say1 in the first place1 as ,i have said all my life1 where ,i have been preaching1 ,i never had the spirit to preach hell and damnation to the people4 ,i have tried a great many times--,i tried last ,sabbath1 and ,i have tried today to come to that point--the sufferings of #eid the wicked4 ,they will suffer1 it seems2 but ,i cannot get my heart upon anything else1 only salvation for the people4 ,all nations are going to share in these blessings2 all are incorporated in the redemption of the ,savior4 ,he has tasted death for every man2 they are all in his power1 and he saves them all1 as he says1 except the sons of perdition2 and the ,father has put all the creations upon this earth in his power4 ,the earth itself1 and mankind upon it1 the brute beasts1 the fish of the sea1 and the fowls of heaven1 the insects1 and every creeping thing1 with all things pertaining to this earthly ball1--all are in the hands of the ,savior1 and he has redeemed them all4 #f3bif-big4 ,where ,god and ,christ dwell1 that is a kingdom of itself--the celestial kingdom4 #g3bhh4 ,how many ,gods there are1 and how many places there are in their kindgoms1 is not for me to say2 but ,i can say this1 which is a source of much comfort1 consolation1 and gratification to me3 ,behold the goodness1 the long-suffering1 the kindness1 and the strong parental feeling of our ,father and ,god in preparing the way and providing the means to save the children of men--not alone the ,latter-day ,saints--not alone those who have the privilege of the first principles of the celestial law1 but to save all4 ,it is a universal salvation--a universal redemption4 #h3ce4 ,it will be a pleasure to know that we have saved all the ,father gave into our power4 ,jesus said that he lost none except the sons of perdition4 ,he will lose none of his brethren1 except sons of perdition4 ,let us save all the ,father puts in our power4 #i3abd4 ,all heaven is anxious that the people should be saved4 ,the heavens weep over the people1 because of their #eie hardheartedness1 unbelief1 and slowness to believe and act4 #d3aif4 ,our religion is adapted to the capacity of the whole human family4 ,it does not send a portion of the people to howl in torment for ever and ever1 but it reaches after the last son and daughter of ,adam and ,eve1 and will pluck them from the prison1 unlock the doors1 and burst the bonds and bring forth every soul who will receive salvation4 #ab3cji4 ,the salvation that ,jesus has purchased will reach the whole human family and save1 in a kingdom or in some place where they will enjoy to the extent of their capacity1 those who reject not the ,gospel and despise not the ,savior4 #ad3acc4 ,there is a chance for those who have lived and for those who now live4 ,the ,gospel has come4 ,truth and light and righteousness are sent forth into the world1 and those who receive them will be saved in the celestial kingdom of ,god4 ,and many of those who1 through ignorance1 through tradition1 superstition1 and the erroneous precepts of the fathers1 do not receive them1 will yet inherit a good and glorious kingdom1 and will enjoy more and receive more than ever entered into the heart of man to conceive1 unless he has had a revelation4 #h3cf4 ,the ,way to ,salvation--,you will be no more perfect in your sphere1 when you are exalted to thrones1 principalities1 and powers1 than you are required to be and are capable of being in your sphere today4 #f3ii4 ,no man will be saved and come into the presence of the ,father1 only through the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ--the same for one as the other4 ,the ,lord has his cause1 his ways1 his work2 he will finish it up4 ,jesus is laboring with his might #eif to sanctify and redeem the earth and to bring back his brethren and sisters into the presence of the ,father4 ,we are laboring with him for the purification of the whole human family1 that we and they may be prepared to dwell with ,god in his ,kingdom4 #ac3aej4 ,no matter what the outward appearance is--if ,i can know of a truth that the hearts of the people are fully set to do the will of their ,father in ,heaven1 though they may falter and do a great many things through the weaknesses of human nature1 yet they will be-saved4 #e3bef4 ,and if we accept salvation on the terms it is offered to us1 we have got to be honest in every thought1 in our reflections1 in our meditations1 in our private circles1 in our deal1 in our declarations1 and in every act of our lives1 fearless and regardless of every principle of error1 of every principle of falsehood that may be presented4 #e3abd4 ,to look for salvation fifty years hence and do nothing for salvation at the present time is preposterous4 ,god has placed the means of salvation within our reach1 and the volition of the creature is at his own disposal4 ,when his sons and daughters avail themselves of the means he has supplied for their salvation1 doing good for themselves1 it is gratifying to him4 #aj3bba4 ,salvation an ,individual ,work--,though our interest is one as a people1 yet remember1 salvation is an individual work2 it is every person for himself4 ,i mean more by this than ,i have time to tell you in full1 but ,i will give you a hint4 ,there are those in this ,church who calculate to be saved by the righteousness of others4 ,they will miss their mark4 ,they are those who will arrive just as the gate is shut1 so in that case you may be shut out2 then you will call upon some one1 who1 by their own faithfulness1 through the #eig mercy of ,jesus ,christ1 have entered in through the celestial gate1 to come and open it for you2 but to do this is not their province4 ,such will be the fate of those persons who vainly hope to be saved upon the righteousness and through the influence of ,brother ,somebody4 ,i forewarn you therefore to cultivate righteousness and faithfulness in yourselves1 which is the only passport into celestial happiness4 #b3acb4 ,if ,brother ,brigham shall take a wrong track1 and be shut out of the ,kingdom of heaven1 no person will be to blame but ,brother ,brigham4 ,i am the only being in heaven1 earth1 or hell1 that can be blamed4 ,this will equally apply to every ,latter-day ,saint4 ,salvation is an individual operation4 ,i am the only person that can possibly save myself4 ,when salvation is sent to me1 ,i can reject or receive it4 ,in receiving it1 ,i yield implicit obedience and submission to its great ,author throughout my life1 and to those whom he shall appoint to instruct me2 in rejecting it1 ,i follow the dictates of my own will in preference to the will of my ,creator4 ,there are those among this people who are influenced1 controlled1 and biased in their thoughts1 actions1 and feelings by some other individual or family1 on whom they place their dependence for spiritual and temporal instruction1 and for salvation in the end4 ,these persons do not depend upon themselves for salvation1 but upon another of their poor1 weak1 fellow mortals4 #a3cab4 ,many ,degrees of ,salvation--,when ,god revealed to ,joseph ,smith and ,sidney ,rigdon that there was a place prepared for all1 according to the light they had received and their rejection of evil and practice of good1 it was a great trial to many1 and some apostatized because ,god was #eih not going to send to everlasting punishment heathens and infants1 but had a place of salvation1 in due time1 for all1 and would bless the honest and virtuous and truthful1 whether they ever belonged to any church or not4 ,it was a new doctrine to this generation1 and many stumbled at it4 #af3db4 ,these words set forth the fact to which ,jesus referred when he said1 ,in my ,father's house are many mansions4 ,how many ,i am not prepared to say2 but here are three distinctly spoken of3 the celestial1 the highest2 the terrestrial1 the next below it2 and the telestial1 the third4 ,if we were to take the pains to read what the ,lord has said to his people in the latter days we should find that he has made provision for all the inhabitants of the earth2 every creature who desires1 and who strives in the least1 to overcome evil and subdue iniquity within himself or herself1 and to live worthy of a glory1 will possess one4 ,we who have received the fulness of the ,gospel of the ,son of ,god1 or the ,kingdom of heaven that has come to earth1 are in possession of those laws1 ordinances1 commandments and revelations that will prepare us1 by strict obedience1 to inherit the celestial kingdom1 to go into the presence of the ,father and the ,son4 #ad3adh4 ,there are millions and millions of kingdoms that the people have no conception of4 ,the ,christians of the day have no knowledge of ,god1 of godliness1 of eternity1 of the worlds that are1 and that have been1 and that are coming forth4 ,there are myriads of people pertaining to this earth who will come up and receive a glory according to their capacity4 #f3cdg4 ,is it not a glorious thought that there are kingdoms1 mansions of glory and comfortable habitations prepared for #eii all the sons and daughters of ,adam1 except the sons of perdition8 ,all will not have part in the first resurrection1 and perhaps many will not appear in the second2 but all will be resurrected1 and1 except the sons of perdition1 enter kingdoms1 the least of which ,i presume is more glorious than ever ,john ,wesley saw in vision4 #h3aif-aig4 ,exaltation ,proportioned to ,capacity---,the man or woman who lives worthily is now in a state of salvation4 #a3f4 ,is every man and woman capable of receiving the highest glory of ,god8 ,no4 #i3ajd4 ,are all spirits endowed alike8 ,no1 not by any means4 ,will all be equal in the celestial kingdoms8 ,no4 ,some spirits are more noble than others2 some are capable of receiving more than others4 ,there is the same variety in the spirit world that you behold here1 yet they are of the same parentage1 of one ,father1 one ,god4 #d3bfh4 ,some are not capable of the same exaltation as are others1 arising from the difference in the conduct and capacities of people4 ,there is also a difference in the spirit world4 ,it is the design1 the wish1 the will1 and mind of the ,lord that the inhabitants of the earth should be exalted to thrones1 kingdoms1 principalities1 and powers1 according to their capacities4 ,in their exaltation1 one may be capable of presiding over ten cities1 while another may not be capable of presiding over more than five1 another over only two1 and another over but one4 ,they must all first be subjected to sin and to the calamities of mortal flesh1 in order to prove themselves worthy2 then the ,gospel is ready to take hold of them and bring them up1 unite them1 enlighten their understandings1 and make them one in the ,lord ,jesus1 that their faith1 prayers1 hopes1 affections1 and all their desires may ever be concentrated in one4 #f3ig4 #fjj ,the ,celestial ,kingdom--,the celestial is the highest of all4 ,the telestial and terrestrial are also spoken of2 and how many more kingdoms of glory there are1 is not for me to say4 ,i do not know that they are not innumerable4 ,this is a source of great joy to me4 #h3ce4 ,the ,kingdom that this people are in pertains to the celestial kingdom2 it is a ,kingdom in which we can prepare to go into the presence of the ,father and the ,son4 #h3aig4 ,the men and women1 who desire to obtain seats in the celestial kingdom1 will find that they must battle every day4 #aa3ad4 ,as for a person being saved in the celestial kingdom of ,god without being prepared to dwell in a pure and holy place1 it is all nonsense and ridiculous2 and if there be any who think they can gain the presence of the ,father and the ,son by fighting for1 instead of living1 their religion1 they will be mistaken1 consequently the quicker we make up our minds to live our religion the better it will be for us4 #ad3aeg4 ,who can define the divinity of man8 ,only those who understand the true principles of eternity--the principles that pertain to life and salvation4 ,man1 by being exalted1 does not lose the power and ability naturally given to him2 but1 on the contrary1 by taking the road that leads to life1 he gains more power1 more influence and ability during every step he progresses therein4 #g3bgd4 ,our spirits1 thousands of years ago1 were first begotten2 and at the consummation of all things1 when the ,savior has finished his work and presented it to the ,father1 he will be crowned4 ,none of you will receive your crowns of glory1 immortality1 and eternal lives before he receives his4 ,he will be crowned first1 and then we shall be crowned1 #fja every one in his order2 for the work is finished1 and the ,spirit is complete in its organization with the tabernacle4 ,the world is the first to be redeemed1 and the people last to be crowned upon it4 #f3bhb4 #fjb ,,chapter ,,xxxvi ,,temples ,,and ,,salvation ,,for ,,the ,,dead ,saints ,always ,commanded to ,build ,temples--,we are going to build temples4 ,this law is given to the children of men4 #ad3ie4 ,concerning revelations pertaining to building temples1 ,i will give you the words of our beloved ,prophet while he was yet living upon the earth4 ,many of us that are here today1 were with him from the commencement of the ,church4 ,he was frequently speaking upon the building of temples in ,kirtland1 ,missouri1 and ,illinois4 ,when the people refused in ,kirtland to build a temple1 unless by a special revelation1 it grieved his heart that they should be so penurious in their feelings as to require the ,lord to command them to build a house to his name4 ,it was not only grievous to him1 but to the ,holy ,spirit also4 ,he frequently said that if it were not for the covetousness of the people1 the ,lord would not give revelations concerning the building of temples1 for we already knew all about them2 the revelations giving us the order of the ,priesthood make known to us what is wanted in that respect at our hands4 #a3bgg4 ,we that are here are enjoying a privilege that we have no knowledge of any other people enjoying since the days of ,adam1 that is1 to have a temple completed1 wherein all the ordinances of the house of ,god can be bestowed upon his people4 ,brethren and sisters1 do you understand this8 ,it seems that a great many of the people know nothing about it4 ,it is true that ,solomon built a temple for the purpose of giving endowments1 but from what we can learn of #fjc the history of that time they gave very few if any endowments1 and one of the high priests was murdered by wicked and corrupt men1 who had already begun to apostatize1 because he would not reveal those things appertaining to the ,priesthood that were forbidden him to reveal until he came to the proper place4 ,i will not say but what ,enoch had temples and officiated therein1 but we have no account of it4 ,we know that he raised up a people so pure and holy that they were not permitted to remain with the wicked inhabitants of the earth1 but were taken to another place4 #ah3cjc4 ,the earth1 the ,lord says1 abides its creation2 it has been baptized with water1 and will1 in the future1 be baptized with fire and the ,holy ,ghost1 to be prepared to go back into the celestial presence of ,god1 with all things that dwell upon it which have1 like the earth1 abided the law of their creation4 ,taking this view of the matter1 it may be asked why we build temples4 ,we build temples because there is not a house on the face of the whole earth that has been reared to ,god's name which will in anywise compare with his character1 and that he can consistently call his house4 ,there are places on the earth where the ,lord can come and dwell1 if he pleases4 ,they may be found on the tops of high mountains1 or in some cavern or places where sinful man has never marked the soil with his polluted feet4 ,he requires his servants to build him a house that he can come to and where he can make known his will4 #aj3beb4 ,we enjoy the privilege of entering into a temple1 built to the name of ,god1 and receiving the ordinances of his house1 with all the keys and blessings preparatory to entering #fjd into the lives2 we also enjoy the privilege of administering for our fathers and mothers1 our grandfathers and grandmothers1 for those who have slept without the ,gospel4 #ai3bb4 ,in the spirit world those who have got the victory go on to prepare the way for those who live in the flesh1 fulfilling the work of saviors on ,mount ,zion4 ,to accomplish this work there will have to be not only one temple but thousands of them1 and thousands and tens of thousands of men and women will go into those temples and officiate for people who have lived as far back as the ,lord shall reveal4 ,if we are faithful enough to go back and build that great temple which ,joseph has written about1 and should the ,lord acknowledge the labor of his servants1 then watch1 for you will see somebody whom you have seen before1 and many of you will see him whom you have not seen before1 but you will know him as soon as you see him4 #c3cgb4 ,temples ,indispensable for ,higher ,ordinances--,in consequence of our having been driven from our homes1 and because of our destitute circumstances1 the ,lord has permitted us to do what we have done1 namely1 to use this ,endowment ,house for temple purposes4 ,but since1 through the mercies and blessings of ,god1 we are able to build temples1 it is the will and commandment of ,god that we do so4 #ah3bfc4 ,do we need a temple8 ,we do1 to prepare us to enter in through the gate into the city where the ,saints are at rest4 ,ordinances necessary to this have not yet been performed and cannot be in the absence of a suitable place4 ,we wish a temple1 not for the public congregation1 but for the ,priesthood1 wherein to arrange and organize fully the #fje ,priesthood in its order and degrees1 to administer the ordinance of the ,priesthood to the ,saints for their exaltation4 #i3bdj4 ,we cannot now administer the further ordinances of ,god1 in the fullest sense of the word1 legally unto the people1 neither shall we be able to do so until we have a temple built for that purpose4 ,some may consider that ,i am notifying our common foe in saying this1 but it is true1 notwithstanding1 and our common foe knows it4 ,we must be situated in local circumstances wherein we can efficiently administer in those ordinances of the house of ,god that cannot be administered to a people while they are scattered abroad among the nations of the wicked4 #ab3afb4 ,there are some of the sealing ordinances that cannot be administered in the house that we are now using2 we can only administer in it some of the first ordinances of the ,priesthood pertaining to the endowment4 ,there are more advanced ordinances that cannot be administered there2 we would1 therefore1 like a temple1 but ,i am willing to wait a few years for it4 ,i want to see the temple built in a manner that it will endure through the ,millennium4 ,this is not the only temple we shall build2 there will be hundreds of them built and dedicated to the ,lord4 ,this temple will be known as the first temple built in the mountains by the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,and when the ,millennium is over1 and all the sons and daughters of ,adam and ,eve1 down to the last of their posterity1 who come within the reach of the clemency of the ,gospel1 have been redeemed in hundreds of temples through the administration of their children as proxies for them1 ,i want that temple still to stand as a proud monument of the faith1 perseverance and industry of the ,saints of ,god in the mountains1 in the nineteenth century4 #aj3bed4 #fjf ,we have often told you that we want to build a temple1 but not for convening promiscuous congregations4 ,i inform you1 long before you see the walls reared and the building completed1 that it will be for the purposes of the ,priesthood1 and not for meetings of the people2 we shall not hold public meetings in it4 ,i should like to see the temple built1 in which you will see the ,priesthood in its order and true organization1 each ,quorum in its place4 #h3bjb-bjc4 ,endowments ,given in ,temples--,the commandments contained in the ,new ,testament with regard to the ordinances of the house of ,god are obligatory upon us4 #ac3cad4 ,every individual who is prepared for the celestial kingdom must go through the same things4 #c3aie4 ,it is absolutely necessary that-the ,saints should receive the further ordinances of the house of ,god before this short existence shall come to a close1 that they may be prepared and fully able to pass all the sentinels leading into the celestial kingdom and into the presence of ,god4 #ab3afc-d4 ,then go on and build the temples of the ,lord1 that you may receive the endowments in store for you1 and possess the keys of the eternal ,priesthood1 that you may receive every word1 sign1 and token1 and be made acquainted with the laws of angels1 and of the kingdom of our ,father and our ,god1 and know how to pass from one degree to another1 and enter fully into the joy of your ,lord4 #b3cae4 ,some of us are not dependent on the temple for our endowment blessings1 for we have received them under the hands of ,joseph the ,prophet1 and know where to go to bestow the same on others4 ,you may ask me whether the leaders of this ,church have received all their endowment blessings4 ,i think that we have got all that you can get in your probation1 if you live to be the age of ,methuselah2 and #fjg we can give what we possess to others who are worthy4 #aj3bed4 ,a great many of you have had your endowments1 and you know what a vote with uplifted hands means4 ,it is a sign which you make in token of your covenant with ,god and with one another1 and it is for you to perform your vows4 ,when you raise your hands to heaven and let them fall and then pass on with your covenants unfulfilled1 you will be cursed4 ,i feel sometimes like lecturing men and women severely who enter into covenants without realizing the nature of the covenants they make1 and who use little or no effort to fulfil them4 ,some ,elders go to the nations and preach the ,gospel of life and salvation1 and return without thoroughly understanding the nature of the covenant4 ,it is written in the ,bible that every man should perform his own vows1 even if to his own hurt2 in this way you will show to all creation and to ,god that you are full of integrity4 #c3ccb4 ,most of you1 my brethren1 are ,elders1 ,seventies1 or ,high ,priests2 perhaps there is not a ,priest or ,teacher present4 ,the reason of this is that when we give the brethren their endowments1 we are obliged to confer upon them the ,melchizedek ,priesthood2 but ,i expect to see the day1 when we shall be so situated that we can say to a company of brethren1 ,you can go and receive the ordinances pertaining to the ,aaronic order of ,priesthood1 and then you can go into the world and preach the ,gospel1 or do something that will prove whether you will honor that ,priesthood before you receive more4 ,now we pass them through the ordinances of both ,priesthoods in one day1 but this is not as it should be and would1 if we had a temple wherein to administer #fjh these ordinances4 ,but this is all right at present2 we should not be satisfied in any other way1 and consequently we do according to the circumstances we are placed in4 #aj3cji4 ,the ordinances of the house of ,god are for the salvation of the human family4 ,we are the only ones on the earth at the present time1 that we have any knowledge of1 who hold the keys of salvation committed to the children of men from the heavens by the ,lord ,almighty2 and inasmuch as there are those who hold these keys1 it is important that they should be acted upon for the salvation of the human family4 ,the building of temples1 places in which the ordinances of salvation are administered1 is necessary to carry out the plan of redemption1 and it is a glorious subject upon which to address the ,saints4 #ac3bfb4 ,giving endowments to a great many proves their overthrow1 through revealing things to them which they cannot keep4 ,they are not worthy to receive them4 #d3cgb4 ,were it not for what is revealed concerning the sealing ordinances1 children born out of the covenant could not be sealed to their parents4 #ah3bdi4 ,the ordinances of the house of ,god are expressly for the ,church of the ,firstborn4 #h3aed4 ,i would rather see this people cleansed1 and give the righteous their endowments after they have waited awhile4 ,let the poor1 and those who are humble before the ,lord1 have the first chance4 #b3add4 ,vicarious ,work for the ,dead in ,temples--,we are preaching to them the ,gospel of ,salvation--to the dead--through those who have lived in this dispensation4 #c3ij4 ,there is an opportunity for men who are in the spirit to receive the ,gospel4 ,jesus1 while his body lay in the grave two nights and one day1 went to the world of spirits to #fji show the brethren how they should build up the kingdom1 and bring spirits to the knowledge of the truth in the spirit world2 he went to set them the pattern there1 as he had done on this earth4 ,hence you perceive that there1 spirits have the privilege of embracing the truth4 ,you may ask if they are baptized there8 ,no4 ,can they have hands laid upon them for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost8 ,no4 ,none of the outward ordinances that pertain to the flesh are administered there1 but the light1 glory1 and power of the ,holy ,ghost are enjoyed just as freely as upon this earth2 and there are laws which govern and control the spirit world1 and to which they are subject4 #b3ach4 ,now a few words to the brethren and sisters upon the doctrine and ordinances of the house of ,god4 ,all who have lived on the earth according to the best light they had1 and would have received the fulness of the ,gospel had it been preached to them1 are worthy of a glorious resurrection1 and will attain to this by being administered for1 in the flesh1 by those who have the authority4 ,all others will have a resurrection1 and receive a glory1 except those who have sinned against the ,holy ,ghost4 ,it is supposed by this people that we have all the ordinances in our possession for life and salvation1 and exaltation1 and that we are administering in these ordinances4 ,this is not the case4 ,we are in possession of all the ordinances that can be administered in the flesh2 but there are other ordinances and administrations that must be administered beyond this world4 ,i know you would ask what they are4 ,i will mention one4 ,we have not1 neither can we receive here1 the ordinance and the keys of the resurrection4 ,they will be given to those who have passed off this stage of action and have received their bodies again1 as many have already done and #faj many more will4 ,they will be ordained1 by those who hold the keys of the resurrection1 to go forth and resurrect the ,saints1 just as we receive the ordinance of baptism1 then the keys of authority to baptize others for the remission of their sins4 ,this is one of the ordinances we cannot receive here1 and there are many more4 ,we hold the authority to dispose of1 alter and change the elements2 but we have not received authority to organize native element1 to even make a spear of grass grow4 ,we have no such ordinance here4 ,we organize according to men in the flesh4 ,by combining the elements and planting the seed1 we cause vegetables1 trees1 grains1 etc41 to come forth4 ,we are organizing a ,kingdom here according to the pattern that the ,lord has given for people in the flesh1 but not for those who have received the resurrection1 although it is a similitude4 ,another item3 ,we have not the power in the flesh to create and bring forth or produce a spirit2 but we have the power to produce a temporal body2 the germ of this1 ,god has placed within us4 ,and when our spirits receive our bodies1 and through our faithfulness we are worthy to be crowned1 we will then receive authority to produce both spirit and body4 ,but these keys we cannot receive in the flesh4 ,herein1 brethren1 you can perceive that we have not finished1 and cannot finish our work1 while we live here1 no more than ,jesus did while he was in the flesh4 ,we cannot receive1 while in the flesh1 the keys to form and fashion kingdoms and to organize matter1 for they are beyond our capacity and calling1 beyond this world4 ,in the resurrection1 men who have been faithful and diligent in all things in the flesh2 have kept their first and second estate1 and are worthy to be crowned ,gods1 even the ,sons of ,god1 #faa will be ordained to organize matter4 ,how much matter do you suppose there is between here and some of the fixed stars which we can see8 ,enough to frame many1 very many millions of such earths as this1 yet it is now so diffused1 clear and pure1 that we look through it and behold the stars4 ,yet the matter is there4 ,can you form any conception of this8 ,can you form any idea of the minuteness of matter8 #ae3acf4 ,do you recollect that in about the year #ahdj-da1 ,joseph had a revelation concerning the dead8 ,he had been asked the question a good many times3 ,what is the condition of the dead1 those that lived and died without the ,gospel8 ,it was a matter of inquiry with him4 ,he considered this question for himself1 and for the brethren and the ,church1 ,what is the condition of the dead8 ,what will be their fate8 ,is there no way today by which they can receive their blessings as there was in the days of the ,apostles1 and when the ,gospel was preached upon the earth in ancient days8 ,when ,joseph received the revelation that we have in our possession concerning the dead1 the subject was opened to him1 not in full1 but in part1 and he kept on receiving4 ,when he had first received the knowledge by the spirit of revelation how the dead could be officiated for1 there are brethren and sisters here1 ,i can see quite a number here who were in ,nauvoo1 and you recollect that when this doctrine was first revealed1 and in hurrying in the administration of baptism for the dead1 that sisters were baptized for their male friends1 were baptized for their fathers1 their grandfathers1 their mothers and their grandmothers1 etc4 ,i just mention this so that you will come to understanding1 that as we knew nothing about this matter at first1 the old ,saints recollect1 there was little by little given1 and the subject was made plain1 but little was given at once4 ,consequently1 in #fab the first place people were baptized for their friends and no record was kept4 ,joseph afterwards kept a record4 ,then women were baptized for men and men for women1 etc4 ,it would be very strange1 you know1 to the eyes of the wise and those that understood the things pertaining to eternity1 if we were called upon to commence a work that we could not finish4 ,this1 therefore1 was regulated and all set in order2 for it was revealed that if a woman was baptized for a man1 she could not be ordained for him1 neither could she be made an ,apostle or a ,patriarch for the man1 consequently the sisters are to be baptized for their own sex only4 ,this doctrine of baptism for the dead is a great doctrine1 one of the most glorious doctrines that was revealed to the human family2 and there are light1 power1 glory1 honor and immortality in it4 #af3afe4 ,there are many of the ordinances of the house of ,god that must be performed in a temple that is erected expressly for the purpose4 ,there are other ordinances that we can administer without a temple4 ,you know that there are some which you have received--baptism1 the laying on of hands for the gifts of the ,holy ,ghost1 such as the speaking in and interpretation of tongues1 prophesying1 healing1 discerning of spirits1 etc41 and many blessings bestowed upon the people1 we have the privilege of receiving without a temple4 ,there are other blessings1 that will not be received1 and ordinances that will not be performed according to the law that the ,lord has revealed1 without their being done in a temple prepared for that purpose4 ,we can1 at the present time1 go into the ,endowment ,house and be baptized for the dead1 receive our washings and anointing1 etc41 for there we have a font that has been erected1 dedicated expressly for baptizing people for the remission of sins1 for their #fac health and for their dead friends2 in this the ,saints have the privilege of being baptized for their friends4 ,we also have the privilege of sealing women to men1 without a temple4 ,this we can do in the ,endowment ,house2 but when we come to other sealing ordinances1 ordinances pertaining to the holy ,priesthood1 to connect the chain of the ,priesthood from ,father ,adam until now1 by sealing children to their parents1 being sealed for our forefathers1 etc41 they cannot be done without a temple4 ,when the ordinances are carried out in the temples that will be erected1 men will be sealed to their fathers1 and those who have slept1 clear up to ,father ,adam4 ,this will have to be done1 because of the chain of the ,priesthood being broken upon the earth4 ,the ,priesthood has left the people1 but in the first place the people left the ,priesthood4 ,they transgressed the laws1 changed the ordinance1 and broke the everlasting covenant1 and the ,priesthood left them2 but not until they had left the ,priesthood4 ,this ,priesthood has been restored again1 and by its authority we shall be connected with our fathers1 by the ordinance of sealing1 until we shall form a perfect chain from ,father ,adam down to the closing up scene4 ,this ordinance will not be performed anywhere but in a temple2 neither will children be sealed to their living parents in any other place than a temple4 ,for instance1 a man and his wife come into the ,church1 and they have a family of children4 ,these children have been begotten out of the covenant1 because the marriage of their parents is not recognized by the ,lord as performed by his authority2 they have1 therefore1 to be sealed to their parents1 or else they cannot claim them in eternity2 they will be distributed according to the wisdom of the ,lord1 who does all things right4 ,when we had a temple prepared in ,nauvoo1 many #fad of the brethren had their children1 who were out of the covenant1 sealed to them1 and endowments were given4 ,then parents1 after receiving their endowments and being sealed for time and eternity1 and they have other children2 they are begotten and born under the covenant1 and they are the rightful heirs to the kingdom1 they possess the keys of the kingdom4 ,children born unto parents1 before the latter enter into the fulness of the covenants1 have to be sealed to them in-a temple to become legal heirs of the ,priesthood4 ,it is true they can receive the ordinances1 they can receive their endowments1 and be blessed in common with their parents2 but still the parents cannot claim them legally and lawfully in eternity unless they are sealed to them4 ,yet the chain would not be complete without this sealing ordinance being performed4 ,now1 to illustrate this1 ,i will refer to my own father's family4 ,my father died before the endowments were given4 ,none of his children have been sealed to him4 ,if you recollect1 you that were in ,nauvoo1 we were very much hurried in the little time we spent there after the temple was built4 ,the mob was there ready to destroy us2 they were ready to burn our houses1 they had been doing it for a long time2 but we finished the temple according to the commandment that was given to ,joseph1 and then took our departure4 ,our time1 therefore1 was short1 and we had no time to attend to this4 ,my father's children1 consequently1 have not been sealed to him4 ,perhaps all of his sons may go into eternity1 into the spirit world1 before this can be attended to2 but this will make no difference2 the heirs of the family will attend to this if it is not for a hundred years4 ,it will have to be done sometime4 ,if1 however1 we get a temple prepared before the sons of my father shall all #fae have gone into the spirit world1 if there are any of them remaining1 they will attend to this1 and as heirs be permitted to receive the ordinances for our father and mother4 ,this is only one case1 and1 to illustrate this subject perfectly1 ,i might have to refer to hundreds of examples for each case4 #af3ahf4 ,we trust in ,god4 ,i reckon he will fight our battles and we will be baptized for and in behalf of the human family during a thousand years2 and we will have hundreds of temples and thousands of men and women officiating therein for those who have fallen asleep1 without having had the privilege of hearing and obeying the ,gospel1 that they may be brought forth and have a glorious resurrection1 and enjoy the kingdom which ,god has prepared for them4 ,the ,devil will fight hard to hinder us1 and we shall not take an inch of ground except by obedience to the power of1 and faith in1 the ,gospel of the ,son of ,god4 ,the whole world is opposed to this doctrine4 ,but is there any harm in it8 ,if they could only see it as it is in the ,lord1 they would rejoice in it1 and instead of fighting it1 they would praise ,god for having revealed so glorious a doctrine4 ,suppose that the notion entertained by some is true1 that after the death of our bodies our spirits sleep an eternal sleep1 and ,i am baptized for my father1 grandfather1 and so on1 above1 beneath1 or around about the earth6 ,all will admit that no harm would be done in practicing these ordinances4 ,then let us alone if our practices will do no harm1 why oppose us in their observance8 ,the result might possibly affect beneficially our progenitors1 and then you who oppose would be found fighting against ,god4 ,better let the ,gospel have its course4 #ac3ccj4 ,let me say to you1 if it is true that no man can enter the #faf ,kingdom of ,god unless he is born of the water and of the ,spirit1 ,god must provide a plan by which those who have died ignorant of the ,gospel may have the privilege of doing so1 or he would appear to be a partial being4 ,has he provided that way8 ,he has4 ,the ,christian world have taught1 preached1 contemplated1 meditated1 sung about and prayed for the ,millennium4 ,what are you going to do during that period1 ,christians8 ,do you know what the ,millennium is for1 and what work will have to be done during that period8 ,suppose the ,christian world were now one in heart1 faith1 sentiment and works1 so that the ,lord could commence the ,millennium in power and glory1 do you know what would be done8 ,would you sit and sing yourselves away to everlasting bliss8 ,no1 ,i reckon not4 ,i think there is a work to be done then which the whole world seems determined we shall not do4 ,what is it8 ,to build temples4 ,we never yet commenced to lay the foundation of a temple but what all hell was in arms against us4 ,that is the difficulty now4 ,we have commenced the foundation of this temple4 ,what are we going to do in these temples8 ,anything to be done there8 ,yes1 and we will not wait for the ,millennium and the fulness of the glory of ,god on the earth2 we will commence as soon as we have a temple1 and work for the salvation of our forefathers2 we will get their genealogies as far as we can4 ,by and by1 we shall get them perfect4 ,in these temples we will officiate in the ordinances of the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ for our friends1 for no man can enter the ,kingdom of ,god without being born of the water and of the ,spirit4 ,we will officiate for those who are in the spirit world1 where ,jesus went to preach to the spirits1 as ,peter has written in the third chapter1 verses #ah1 #ai1 #bj1 of his first epistle4 #fag ,we will also have hands laid on us for the reception of the ,holy ,ghost2 and then we will receive the washing and anointings for and in their behalf1 preparatory to their becoming heirs of ,god and joint-heirs with ,christ4 ,are you going to do this1 ,latter-day ,saints8 ,yes4 ,what will the ,christian world do with their dead8 ,let them sleep an eternal sleep1 for there are no provisions made for them in the ,gospel they believe in and have taught to them4 #ac3cbi4 ,we will bring up all the inhabitants of the earth1 except those who have sinned against the ,holy ,ghost1 and save them in some kingdom where they will receive more glory and honor than ever the ,methodist contemplated4 ,this should be a comfort and a consolation to all the inhabitants of the earth4 ,they will not save themselves1 millions have not had a chance1 and millions now living1 through the strength of their traditions1 will not do it2 their consciences and feelings are bound up in their systems and creeds1 whereas if they felt as independent as they should feel1 they would break loose and receive the truths2 but they will live and die in bondage1 and we calculate to officiate for them4 ,many a man ,i know of1 who has fallen asleep1 we have been baptized for1 since the ,church was organized--good1 honest1 honorable men1 charitable to all1 living good1 virtuous lives4 ,we will not let them go down to hell2 ,god will not4 ,the plan of salvation is ample to bring them all up and place them where they may enjoy all they could anticipate4 #ad3ig4 ,can we do anything for them8 ,yes4 ,what are we trying to build a temple for8 ,and we shall not only build a temple here1 if we are successful1 and are blessed and preserved1 but we shall probably commence two or three more1 and so on as fast as the work requires1 for the express purpose of redeeming our dead4 ,when ,i get a revelation that #fah some of my progenitors lived and died without the blessings of the ,gospel1 or even hearing it preached1 but were as honest as ,i am1 as upright as ,i am1 or as any man or woman could be upon the earth2 as righteous1 so far as they knew how1 as any ,apostle or ,prophet that ever lived1 ,i will go and be baptized1 confirmed1 washed1 and anointed1 and go through all the ordinances and endowments for them1 that their way may be open to the celestial kingdom4 ,as ,i have frequently told you1 that is the work of the ,millennium4 ,it is the work that has to be performed by the seed of ,abraham1 the chosen seed1 the royal seed1 the blessed of the ,lord1 those the ,lord made covenants with4 ,they will step forth1 and save every son and daughter of ,adam who will receive salvation here on the earth2 and all the spirits in the spirit world will be preached to1 conversed with1 and the principles of salvation carried to them1 that they may have the privilege of receiving the ,gospel2 and they will have plenty of children here on the earth to officiate for them in those ordinances of the ,gospel that pertain to the flesh4 #b3ach4 ,what do you suppose the fathers would say if they could speak from the dead8 ,would they not say1 ,we have lain here thousands of years1 here in this prison house1 waiting for this dispensation to come8 ,here we are1 bound and fettered1 in the association of those who are filthy8 ,what would they whisper in our ears8 ,why1 if they had the power the very thunders of heaven would be in our ears1 if we could but realize the importance of the work we are engaged in4 ,all the angels in heaven are looking at this little handful of people1 and stimulating them to the salvation of the human family4 ,so also are the devils in hell looking at this people1 too1 and trying to overthrow us1 and #fai the people are still shaking hands with the servants of the ,devil1 instead of sanctifying themselves and calling upon the ,lord and doing the work which he has commanded us and put into our hands to do4 ,when ,i think upon this subject1 ,i want the tongues of seven thunders to wake up the people4 #ah3cjd4 ,we are trying to save the living and the dead4 ,the living can have their choice1 the dead have not4 ,millions of them died without the ,gospel1 without the ,priesthood1 and without the opportunities that we enjoy4 ,we shall go forth in the name of ,israel's ,god and attend to the ordinances for them4 ,and through the ,millennium1 the thousand years that the people will love and serve ,god1 we will build temples and officiate therein for those who have slept for hundreds and thousands of years--those who would have received the truth if they had had the opportunity2 and we will bring them up1 and form the chain entire1 back to ,adam4 #ad3ig4 ,if we preserve ourselves in the truth and live so that we shall be worthy of the celestial kingdom1 by and by we can officiate for those who have died without the ,gospel--the honest1 honorable1 truthful1 virtuous and pure4 ,by and by it will be said unto us1 ,go ye forth and be baptized for them and receive the ordinances for them1 and the hearts of the children will be turned to the fathers who have slept in their graves1 and they will secure to them eternal life4 ,this must be1 lest the ,lord come and smite the earth with a curse4 ,the children will go forth and revive this law for those who have slept for thousands of years who died without the ,gospel4 ,jesus will prepare a way to bring them up into his presence4 ,but were it not for the few who will be prepared here on the earth to officiate #fbj when the ,lord shall come to reign ,king of nations1 what would be the condition of the world8 ,they would sleep and sleep on2 but the way is prepared for their redemption4 #ad3aea4 ,hundreds of millions of human beings have been born1 lived out their short earthly span1 and passed away1 ignorant alike of themselves and of the plan of salvation provided for them4 ,it gives great consolation1 however1 to know that this glorious plan devised by ,heaven follows them into the next existence1 offering for their acceptance eternal life and exaltation to thrones1 dominions1 principalities1 and powers in the presence of their ,father and ,god1 through ,jesus ,christ1 his ,son4 #i3adh4 ,if we obey this law1 preserve it inviolate1 live according to it1 we shall be prepared to enjoy the blessings of a celestial kingdom4 ,will any others8 ,yes1 thousands and millions of the inhabitants of the earth who would have received and obeyed the law that we preach1 if they had had the privilege4 ,when the ,lord shall bring again ,zion1 and the watchmen shall see eye to eye1 and ,zion shall be established1 saviors will come upon ,mount ,zion and save all the sons and daughters of ,adam that are capable of being saved1 by administering for them4 #h3ce4 ,our enemies will yet be glad to come to us for safety and salvation2 and we will do as ,brother ,kimball has said--we will save the old veteran fathers2 and the time will come when we will be baptized for them1 while those who trample upon the rights of their fellow men will be weltering in hell4 ,yes1 we will bring up those old revolutionary sires and save them2 for ,god loves men who are true to each other and are true to him4 #e3bab4 ,who ,should ,represent the ,dead--,a man is ordained #fba and receives his washings1 anointings1 and endowments for the male portion of his and his wife's progenitors1 and his wife for the female portion4 #c3cgb4 ,for instance1 a man and his wife come into the ,church2 he says1 ,my father and mother were good people2 ,i would like to officiate for them4 ,well1 have you any other friends in the ,church8 ,nobody but myself and my wife4 ,well1 now1 the wife is not a blood relation1 consequently she is not in reality the proper person1 but she can be appointed the heir if there are no other relatives--if there are no sisters1 this wife of his can officiate for the mother2 but if the man has a sister in the ,church1 it is the privilege and place of the sister of this man1 the daughter of those parents that are dead1 to go and officiate--be baptized1 to go and be sealed with her brother for her father and mother4 ,if this man and woman have a daughter old enough to officiate for her grandmother1 she is a blood relation1 and is the heir1 and can act2 but if there is no daughter1 the man's wife can be appointed as the heir4 #af3ahh4 ,some brethren here are anxious to know whether they can receive endowments for their sons or for their daughters4 ,no1 they cannot until we have a temple2 but they can officiate in the ordinances so far as baptism and sealing are concerned4 ,a man can be baptized for a son who died before hearing the ,gospel4 ,a woman can be baptized for her daughter1 who died without the ,gospel4 ,suppose that the father of a dead son wishes to have a wife sealed to his son2 if the young woman desired as a wife is dead and have a mother or other female relative in the ,church1 such mother is the heir1 and she can act in the sealing ordinances in the stead of her daughter4 ,but if the young woman desired as a wife have no relative in the ,church1 to act in her behalf1 #fbb then the mother of the young man can be baptized for her1 and act as proxy for her in the sealing ordinances4 ,we can attend to these ordinances now before the temple is built here2 but no one can receive endowments for another1 until a temple is prepared in which to administer them4 ,we administer just so far as the law permits us to do4 ,in reality we should have performed all these ordinances long ago1 if we had been obedient2 we should have had temples in which we could attend to all these ordinances4 ,now1 the brethren have the privilege of being baptized for their dead friends--when ,i say the brethren1 ,i mean the brethren and sisters--and these friends can be sealed4 #af3ahg4 ,we will operate here1 in all the ordinances of the house of ,god which pertain to this side of the veil1 and those who pass beyond and secure to themselves a resurrection pertaining to the lives will go on and receive more and more1 more and more1 and will receive one after another until they are crowned ,gods1 even the sons of ,god4 ,this idea is very consoling4 ,we are now baptizing for the dead1 and we are sealing for the dead1 and if we had a temple prepared we should be giving endowments for the dead--for our fathers1 mothers1 grandfathers1 grandmothers1 uncles1 aunts1 relatives1 friends and old associates1 the history of whom we are now getting from our friends in the ,east4 ,the ,lord is stirring up the hearts of many there1 and there is a perfect mania with some to trace their genealogies and to get up printed records of their ancestors4 ,they do not know what they are doing it for1 but the ,lord is prompting them2 and it will continue and run on from father to father1 father to father1 until they get the genealogy of their forefathers as far as they possibly can4 #ae3ach4 ,we want to sacrifice enough to do the will of ,god in #fbc preparing to bring up those who have not had the privilege of hearing the ,gospel while in the flesh1 for the simple reason that1 in the spirit world1 they cannot officiate in the ordinances of the house of ,god4 ,they have passed the ordeals1 and are beyond the possibility of personally officiating for the remission of their sins and for their exaltation1 consequently they are under the necessity of trusting in their friends1 their children and their children's children to officiate for them1 that they may be brought up into the celestial kingdom of ,god4 #ah3bch4 ,saviors on ,mount ,zion--,we have a work to do just as important in its sphere as the ,savior's work was in its sphere4 ,our fathers cannot be made perfect without us2 we cannot be made perfect without them4 ,they have done their work and now sleep4 ,we are now called upon to do ours2 which is to be the greatest work man ever performed on the earth4 ,millions of our fellow creatures who have lived upon the earth and died without a knowledge of the ,gospel must be officiated for in order that they may inherit eternal life 7that is1 all that would have received the ,gospel74 ,and we are called upon to enter into this work4 #ah3bac4 ,we are called1 as it has been told you1 to redeem the nations of the earth4 ,the fathers cannot be made perfect without us2 we cannot be made perfect without the fathers4 ,there must be this chain in the holy ,priesthood2 it must be welded together from the latest generation that lives on the earth back to ,father ,adam1 to bring back all that can be saved and placed where they can receive salvation and a glory in some kingdom4 ,this ,priesthood has to do it2 this ,priesthood is for this purpose4 #ac3bhj4 ,can the fathers be saved without us8 ,no4 ,can we be #fbd saved without them8 ,no1 and if we do not wake up and cease to long after the things of this earth1 we will find that we as individuals will go down to hell1 although the ,lord will preserve a people unto himself4 ,now1 we are ready to give endowments1 do you have any feelings for those who have died without having the ,gospel8 #ah3cjd4 ,the ordinance of sealing must be performed here man to man1 and woman to man1 and children to parents1 etc41 until the chain of generation is made perfect in the sealing ordinances back to ,father ,adam2 hence1 we have been commanded to gather ourselves together1 to come out from ,babylon1 and sanctify ourselves1 and build up the ,zion of our ,god1 by building cities and temples1 redeeming countries from the solitude of nature1 until the earth is sanctified and prepared for the residence of ,god and angels4 #ab3afe4 ,the doctrines of the ,savior reveal and place the believers in possession of principles whereby saviors will come upon ,mount ,zion to save the ,house of ,esau1 which is the ,gentile nations1 from sin and death1--all except those who have sinned against the ,holy ,ghost4 ,men and women will enter into the temples of ,god1 and be1 in comparison1 pillars there1 and officiate year after year for those who have slept thousands of years4 #f3cdd4 ,when his ,kingdom is established upon the earth1 and ,zion built up1 the ,lord will send his servants as saviors upon ,mount ,zion4 ,the servants of ,god who have lived on the earth in ages past will reveal where different persons have lived who have died without the ,gospel1 give their names1 and say1 ,now go forth1 ye servants of ,god1 and exercise your rights and privileges2 go and perform the ordinances of the house of ,god for those who have passed their #fbe probation without the ,gospel1 and for all who will receive any kind of salvation2 bring them up to inherit the celestial1 terrestrial1 and telestial kingdoms1 and probably many other kingdoms not mentioned in the ,scriptures2 for every person will receive according to his capacity and according to the deeds done in the body1 whether good or bad1 much or little4 #f3cdg4 ,who will possess the earth and all its fulness8 ,will it not be those whom the ,lord has reserved to this honor8 ,and they will come upon ,mount ,zion as saviors to labor through the ,millennium to save others4 #h3aia4 ,suppose we are ready to go into the temples of ,god to officiate for our fathers and our grandfathers--for our ancestors back for hundreds of years1 who are all looking to see what their children are doing upon the earth4 ,the ,lord says1 ,i have sent the keys of ,elijah the ,prophet--,i have imparted that doctrine to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children1 and the hearts of the children to the fathers4 ,now1 all you children1 are you looking to the salvation of your fathers8 ,are you seeking diligently to redeem those that have died without the ,gospel1 inasmuch as they sought the ,lord ,almighty to obtain promises for you8 ,for our fathers did obtain promises that their seed should not be forgotten4 ,o ye children of the fathers1 look at these things4 ,you are to enter into the temples of the ,lord and officiate for your forefathers4 ,suppose we are ready to enter into the temple to be baptized and attend to the ordinances for one hundred of our best forefathers1 and ,thomas should say to ,john1 ,john1 take this affair and see to it2 ,i want to go to this ferry to make a little money2 or1 ,joseph1 you know the names of our ancestors better than ,i do2 won't you go and see to #fbf their salvation8 ,i have not time myself2 ,i want to build a bridge4 ,james1 are you ready to perform your duties for the dead8 ,no2 ,i want to go and keep a grocery4 ,and you know the language that is common to such places2 the name of the ,lord is blasphemed1 and his servants are cursed with bitter oaths4 ,what do you think of it1 gentlemen1 ,elders in ,israel8 ,what would money have to do with you1 if you were now upon the threshold of eternity1 and eternity open to you8 ,would you have the apostasy1 as you have now8 ,a little money is more to such persons than the salvation of all the sons and daughters of ,adam4 ,i wish ,i had a voice like ten thousand earthquakes1 that all the world might hear and know the loving kindness of the ,lord4 #f3bif4 ,what is going to be done with them8 ,by and by ,zion will be built up2 temples are going to be reared1 and the holy ,priesthood is going to take effect and rule1 and every law of ,christ will be obeyed1 and he will govern and reign ,king of nations as he now does ,king of ,saints4 ,pretty soon you will see temples reared up1 and the sons of ,jacob will enter into the temples of the ,lord4 ,what will they do there8 ,they will do a great many things4 ,when you see ,zion redeemed and built up--when you see the people performing the ordinances of salvation for themselves and for others1 7and they will hereafter17 you will see simply this 7but ,i have not time this morning to tell you1 only a little part of it73 ,about the time that the temples of the ,lord will be built and ,zion is established--pretty nigh this time1 you will see 7those who are faithful enough17 the first you know1 there will be strangers in your midst1 walking with you1 talking with you2 they will enter into your houses and eat and drink with you1 go to meeting with you1 and begin #fbg to open your minds1 as the ,savior did the two disciples who walked out in the country in the days of old4 ,about the time the temples are ready1 the strangers will be along and will converse with you1 and will inquire of you1 probably1 if you understand the resurrection of the dead4 ,you might say you have heard and read a great deal about it1 but you do not properly understand it2 and they will then open your minds and tell you the principles of the resurrection of the dead and how to save your friends2 they will point out ,scriptures in the ,old and ,new ,testament1 in the ,book of ,mormon1 and other revelations of ,god1 saying1 ,don't you recollect reading so and so1 that saviors should come up on ,mount ,zion8 etc41 and they will expound the ,scriptures to you4 ,you have got your temples ready2 now go forth and be baptized for those good people4 ,there are your father and your mother--your ancestors for many generations back--the people that have lived upon the face of the earth since the ,priesthood was taken away1 thousands and millions of them1 who have lived according to the best light and knowledge in their possession4 ,they will expound the ,scriptures to you1 and open your minds1 and teach you of the resurrection of the just and the unjust of the doctrine of salvation1 they will use the keys of the holy ,priesthood1 and unlock the door of knowledge1 to let you look into the palace of truth4 ,you will exclaim1 ,that is all plain3 why did ,i not understand it before8 and you will begin to feel your hearts burn within you1 as they walk and talk with you4 ,you will enter into the temple of the ,lord and begin to offer up ordinances before the ,lord for your dead4 ,says this or that man1 ,i want to save such a person--,i want to save my father2 and he straightway goes forth in the ordinance #fbh of baptism1 and is confirmed1 and washed1 and anointed1 and ordained to the blessings of the holy ,priesthood for his ancestors8 ,before his work is finished1 a great many of the ,elders of ,israel in ,mount ,zion will become pillars in the temple of ,god1 to go no more out4 ,they will eat and drink and sleep there2 and they will often have occasion to say1 ,somebody came to the temple last night2 we did not know who he was1 but he was no doubt a brother1 and told us a great many things we did not before understand4 ,he gave us the names of a great many of our forefathers that are not on record1 and he gave me my true lineage and the names of my forefathers for hundreds of years back4 ,he said to me1 you and ,i are connected in one family2 there are the names of your ancestors2 take them and write them down1 and be baptized and confirmed1 and save such and such ones1 and receive of the blessings of the eternal ,priesthood for such and such an individual1 as you do for yourselves4 ,this is what we are going to do for the inhabitants of the earth4 ,when ,i look at it1 ,i do not want to rest a great deal1 but be industrious all the day long2 for when we come to think upon it1 we have no time to lose1 for it is a pretty laborious work4 #f3bid-e4 ,then in the spirit world they will say1 ,do you not see somebody at work for you8 ,the ,lord remembers you and has revealed to his servants on the earth1 what to do for you4 #c3cgb4 ,when the ,lord shall usher in the morning of rest1 we may enter into our labors to officiate for our dead friends back to ,adam4 #f3adi4 ,powers of ,evil ,opposed to ,temple ,building--,some say1 ,i do not like to do it1 for we never began to build a temple without the bells of hell beginning to ring4 ,i want to hear #fbi them ring again4 ,all the tribes of hell will be on the move1 if we uncover the walls of this temple4 ,but what do you think it will amount to8 ,you have all the time seen what it has amounted to4 #h3cee-f4 ,image3 ,,the ,,salt ,,lake ,,temple ,i can say1 for my comfort and consolation1 and for yours too1 that we did build two temples1 and commenced another4 ,we completed a temple in ,kirtland and in ,nauvoo2 and did not the bells of hell toll all the time we were building them8 ,they did1 every week and every day4 #h3cef4 ,the ,salt ,lake ,temple--,this ,i do know--there should be a temple built here4 ,i do know it is the duty of this people to commence to build a temple4 ,now1 some will want to know what kind of a building it will be4 ,wait patiently1 brethren1 until it is done1 and put forth your hands willingly to finish it4 ,i know what it will be4 ,i scarcely ever say much about revelations1 or visions1 but suffice it to say1 five years ago last ,july ,i was here1 and saw in the spirit the temple not ten feet from where we have laid the chief cornerstone4 ,i have not inquired what kind of a temple we should build4 ,why8 ,because it was represented before me4 ,i have never looked upon that ground1 but the vision of it was there4 ,i see it as plainly as if it was in reality before me4 ,wait until it is done4 ,i will say1 however1 that it will have six towers1 to begin with1 instead of one4 ,now do not any of you apostatize because it will have six towers1 and ,joseph only built one4 ,it is easier for us to build sixteen1 than it was for him to build one4 ,the time will come when there will be one in the centre of temples we shall build1 and1 on the top1 groves and fish ponds4 ,but we shall not see them here1 at present4 #a3acb4 ,i have determined1 by the help of the ,lord and this people1 to build him a house4 ,you may ask1 ,will he dwell #fcj in it8 ,he may do just as he pleases2 it is not my prerogative to dictate to the ,lord4 ,but we will build him a house1 that1 if he pleases to pay us a visit1 he may have a place to dwell in1 or if he should send any of his servants1 we may have suitable accommodations for them4 ,i have built myself a house1 and the most of you have done the same1 and now1 shall we not build the ,lord a house8 #a3cgf4 ,does the ,lord require the building of a temple at our hands8 ,i can say that he requires it just as much as ever he required one to be built elsewhere4 ,if you should ask1 ,brother ,brigham1 have you any knowledge concerning this2 have you ever had a revelation from heaven upon it8 ,i can answer truly1 it is before me all the time1 not only today1 but it was almost five years ago1 when we were on this ground1 looking for locations1 sending our scouting parties through the country1 to the right and to the left1 to the north and the south1 to the east and the west2 before we had any returns from any of them1 ,i knew1 just as well as ,i now know1 that this was the ground on which to erect a temple--it was before me4 #a3bgg4 ,we shall attempt to build a temple to the name of our ,god4 ,this has been attempted several times1 but we have never yet had the privilege of completing and enjoying one4 ,perhaps we may in this place1 but if1 in the providence of ,god1 we should not1 it is all the same4 ,it is for us to do those things which the ,lord requires at our hands1 and leave the result with him4 ,it is for us to labor with a cheerful good will2 and if we build a temple that is worth a million of money1 and it requires all our time and means1 we should leave it with cheerful hearts1 if the ,lord in his providence tells us so to do4 ,if the ,lord permits our enemies to drive us from it1 why1 we should abandon it with as much #fca cheerfulness of heart as we ever enjoy a blessing4 ,it is no matter to us what the ,lord does1 or how he disposes of the labor of his servants4 ,but when he commands1 it is for his people to obey4 ,we should be as cheerful in building this temple1 if we knew beforehand that we should never enter into it when it was finished1 as we would though we knew we were to live here a thousand years to enjoy it4 #a3bgg4 ,i want this temple that we are now building to the name of our ,god1 to stand for all time to come as a monument of the industry1 faithfulness1 faith1 and integrity of the ,latter-day ,saints who were driven into the mountains4 ,i want to see the temple finished as soon as it is reasonable and practicable4 ,whether we go in there to work or not makes no difference2 ,i am perfectly willing to finish it to the last leaf of gold that shall be laid upon it1 and to the last lock that should be put on the doors1 and then lock every door1 and there let it stand until the earth can rest before the ,saints commence their labors there4 ,they receive more in the house of the ,lord now than is their due4 ,our brethren and sisters1 baptized three1 four1 or six months ago1 go and get their endowments1 the sealing blessings for all eternity1 the highest that can be conferred upon them1 yet how lightly they are treated6 ,many do not consider1 they do not realize these things4 ,they have not the spirit of revelation1 they do not live for it1 hence they do not see these things in their proper light1 and we are not in such a hurry as many think we ought to be4 #aa3cgb4 ,the temple will be for the endowments--for the organization and instruction of the ,priesthood4 ,if you want to build a temple on these conditions1 you can have the privilege4 ,but ,i never again want to see one built to go into the hands of the wicked4 ,i have asked my ,father to give me #fcb power to build a temple on this block1 but not until ,i can forever maintain my rights in it4 ,i would rather see it burnt than to see it go into the hands of devils4 ,i was thankful to see the temple in ,nauvoo on fire4 ,previous to crossing the ,mississippi river1 we had met in that temple and handed it over to the ,lord ,god of ,israel2 and when ,i saw the flames1 ,i said1 ,good1 ,father1 if you want it to be burned up4 ,i hoped to see it burned before ,i left1 but ,i did not4 ,i was glad when ,i heard of its being destroyed by fire1 and of the walls having fallen in1 and said1 ,hell1 you cannot now occupy it4 ,when the temple is built here1 ,i want to maintain it for the use of the ,priesthood2 if this cannot be1 ,i would rather not see it built1 but go into the mountains and administer there in the ordinances of the holy ,priesthood1 which is our right and privilege4 ,i would rather do this than to build a temple for the wicked to trample under their feet4 #h3bjc4 ,address at the ,laying of the ,cornerstone of the ,salt ,lake ,temple--,this morning we have assembled on one of the most solemn1 interesting1 joyful1 and glorious occasions that ever have transpired1 or will transpire among the children of men1 while the earth continues in its present organization1 and is occupied for its present purposes4 ,and ,i congratulate my brethren and sisters that it is our unspeakable privilege to stand here this day1 and minister before the ,lord on an occasion which has caused the tongues and pens of ,prophets to speak and write for many scores of centuries which are past4 ,when the ,lord ,jesus ,christ tabernacled in the flesh--when he had left the most exalted regions of his ,father's glory1 to suffer and shed his blood for sinning1 fallen creatures1 like ourselves1 and the people crowded around him1 #fcc a certain man said unto him1 ,master1 ,i will follow thee withersoever thou goest4 ,jesus said unto him1 ,foxes have holes1 and the birds of the air have nests2 but the ,son of ,man hath nowhere to lay his head4 ,and we find no record that this man followed him any farther4 ,why had not the ,son of ,man where to lay his head8 ,because his ,father had no house upon the earth--none dedicated to him1 and preserved for his exclusive use1 and the benefit of his obedient children4 ,the ,ark containing the covenant--or the ,ark of the ,covenant in the days of ,moses1 containing the sacred records1 was moved from place to place in a cart4 ,and so sacred was that ,ark1 if a man stretched forth his hand to steady it1 when the cart jostled1 he was smitten1 and died4 ,and would to ,god that all who attempt to do the same in this day1 figuratively speaking1 might share the same fate4 ,and they will share it sooner or later1 if they do not keep their hands1 and tongues1 too1 in their proper places1 and stop dictating the order of the ,gods of the ,eternal ,worlds4 ,when the ,ark of the ,covenant rested1 or when the ,children of ,israel had an opportunity to rest 7for they were mobbed and harrassed somewhat like the ,latter-day ,saints71 the ,lord1 through ,moses1 commanded a tabernacle to be built1 wherein should rest and be stationed1 the ,ark of the ,covenant4 ,and particular instructions were given by revelation to ,moses1 how every part of said tabernacle should be constructed1 even to the curtains--the number thereof1 and of what they should be made2 and the covering1 and the wood for the boards1 and for the bars1 and the court1 and the pins1 and the vessels1 and the furniture1 and everything pertaining to the tabernacle4 ,why did ,moses need such a particular revelation to build a tabernacle8 ,because #fcd he had never seen one1 and did not know how to build it without revelation1 without a pattern4 ,thus the ,ark of the ,covenant continued until the days of ,david1 ,king of ,israel1 standing or occupying a tabernacle1 or tent4 ,but to ,david1 ,god gave commandment that he should make preparation for a house1 wherein he1 himself1 might dwell1 or which he might visit1 and in which he might commune with his servants when he pleased4 ,from the day the ,children of ,israel were led out of ,egypt to the days of ,solomon1 ,jehovah had no resting place upon the earth 7and for how long a period before that day1 the history is unpublished71 but walked in a tent or tabernacle1 before the ,ark1 as it seemed him good1 having no place to lay his head4 ,david was not permitted to build the house which the ,lord told him should be built1 because he was a man of blood1 that is1 he was beset by enemies on every hand1 and had to spend his days in war and bloodshed to save ,israel 7much as the ,latter-day ,saints have done1 only he had the privilege of defending himself and the people from mobocrats and murderers1 while we have hitherto been denied that privilege71 and1 consequently1 he had no time to build a house unto the ,lord1 but1 commanded his son ,solomon1 who succeeded him on the throne1 to erect the temple at ,jerusalem1 which ,god had required at his hands4 ,the pattern of this temple1 the length and breadth1 and height of the inner and outer courts1 with all the fixtures thereunto appertaining1 were given to ,solomon by revelation1 through the proper source4 ,and why was this revelation-pattern necessary8 ,because ,solomon had never built a temple1 and did not know what was necessary in the #fce arrangement of the different apartments1 any better than ,moses did what was needed in the tabernacle4 ,this temple1 called ,solomon's temple1 because ,solomon was the master workman1 was completed some time previous to the appearance of the ,son of ,man on the earth1 in the form of the babe of ,bethlehem1 and had been dedicated as the house of the ,lord1 and accepted as a finished work by the ,father1 who commanded it to be built1 that his ,son might have a resting place on the earth1 when he should enter on his mission4 ,why1 then1 did ,jesus exclaim to the man who volunteered to follow him wheresoever he went1 that the ,son of ,man hath not where to lay his head8 ,jesus knew the pretended saint and follower to be a hypocrite1 and that if he told him plainly that he would not fare as well as the birds and foxes1 he would leave him at once1 and that would save him much trouble4 ,but how could ,jesus' saying1 that he had not where to lay his head1 be true8 ,because the house which the ,father had commanded to be built for his reception1 although completed1 had become polluted1 and hence the saying1 ,my house is the house of prayer2 but ye have made it a den of thieves1 and he made a scourge of cords1 and drove the money-changers1 and dove-sellers1 and faro-gamblers1 all out of his house1 and overthrew their tables2 but that did not purify the house1 so that he could not sleep in it1 for an holy thing dwelleth not in an unholy temple4 ,if ,jesus could not lay his head in an unholy1 polluted temple1 how can the ,latter-day ,saints expect that the ,holy ,spirit will take and abide its residence with them1 in their tabernacles and temples of clay1 unless they keep themselves pure1 spotless1 and undefiled8 #fcf ,it is no wonder that the ,son of ,man1 soon after his resurrection from the tomb1 ascended to his ,father1 for he had no place on earth to lay his head2 his house still remaining in the possession of his enemies1 so that no one had the privilege of purifying it1 if they had the disposition1 and otherwise the power1 to do it2 and the occupants thereof were professors in name1 but hypocrites and apostates1 from whom no good thing can be expected4 ,soon after the ascension of ,jesus1 through mobocracy1 martyrdom1 and apostasy1 the ,church of ,christ became extinct from the earth1 the ,man ,child1--the ,holy ,priesthood1 was received up into heaven from whence it came1 and we hear no more of it on the earth1 until the angels restored it to ,joseph ,smith1 by whose ministry the ,church of ,jesus ,christ was restored1 reorganized on earth1 twenty-three years ago this day1 with the title of ,latter-day ,saints to distinguish them from the ,former-day ,saints4 ,soon after1 the ,church1 through our beloved ,prophet ,joseph1 was commanded to build a temple to the ,most ,high1 in ,kirtland1 ,ohio4 ,joseph not only received revelation and commandment to build a temple1 but he received a pattern also1 as did ,moses for the tabernacle1 and ,solomon for his temple2 for without a pattern1 he could not know what was wanted1 having never seen one1 and not having experienced its use4 ,without revelation1 ,joseph could not know what was wanted1 any more than any other man1 and1 without commandment1 the ,church were too few in number1 too weak in faith1 and too poor in purse1 to attempt such a mighty enterprise4 ,but by means of all these stimulants1 a mere handful of men1 living on air1 and a little hominy and milk1 and often salt or no salt1 when milk could not be had2 the great #fcg ,prophet ,joseph1 in the stone quarry1 quarrying rock with his own hands2 and the few then in the ,church1 following his example of obedience and diligence wherever most needed2 with laborers on the walls1 holding the sword in one hand to protect themselves from the mob1 while they placed the stone and moved the trowel with the other1 the ,kirtland temple--the second house of the ,lord1 that we have any published record of on the earth1 was so far completed as to be dedicated4 ,and those first ,elders who helped to build it1 received a portion of their first endowments1 or we might say more clearly1 some of the first1 or introductory1 or initiatory ordinances1 preparatory to an endowment4 ,the preparatory ordinances there administered1 though accompanied by the ministrations of angels1 and the presence of the ,lord ,jesus1 were but a faint similitude of the ordinances of the house of the ,lord in their fulness2 yet many1 through the instigation of the ,devil1 thought they had received all1 and knew as much as ,god2 they have apostatized1 and gone to hell4 ,but be assured1 brethren1 there are but few1 very few of the ,elders of ,israel1 now on earth1 who know the meaning of the word endowment4 ,to know1 they must experience2 and to experience1 a temple must be built4 ,let me give you a definition in brief4 ,your endowment is1 to receive all those ordinances in the house of the ,lord1 which are necessary for you1 after you have departed this life1 to enable you to walk back to the presence of the ,father1 passing the angels who stand as sentinels1 being enabled to give them the key words1 the signs and tokens1 pertaining to the holy ,priesthood1 and gain your eternal exaltation in spite of earth and hell4 #fch ,who has received and understands such an endowment1 in this assembly8 ,you need not answer4 ,your voices would be few and far between1 yet the keys to these endowments are among you1 and thousands have received them1 so that the ,devil1 with all his aids1 need not suppose he can again destroy the holy ,priesthood from the earth1 by killing a few1 for he cannot do it4 ,god has set his hand1 for the last time1 to redeem his people1 the honest in heart1 and ,lucifer cannot hinder him4 ,before these endowments could be given at ,kirtland1 the ,saints had to flee before mobocracy4 ,and1 by toil and daily labor1 they found places in ,missouri1 where they laid the cornerstones of temples1 in ,zion and her stakes1 and then had to retreat to ,illinois1 to save the lives of those who could get away alive from ,missouri1 where fell the ,apostle ,david ,w4 ,patten1 with many like associates1 and where were imprisoned in loathsome dungeons1 ,joseph and ,hyrum1 and many others4 ,but before all this had transpired1 the temple at ,kirtland had fallen into the hands of wicked men1 and by them been polluted1 like the temple at ,jerusalem1 and consequently it was disowned by the ,father and the ,son4 ,at ,nauvoo1 ,joseph dedicated another temple1 the third on record4 ,he knew what was wanted1 for he had previously given most of the prominent individuals then before him their endowment4 ,he needed no revelation then1 of a thing he had long experienced1 any more than those now do1 who have experienced the same things4 ,it is only where experience fails1 that revelation is needed4 ,before the ,nauvoo temple was completed1 ,joseph was murdered--murdered at sun light1 under the protection of the most noble ,government that then existed1 and that now #fci exists1 on our earth4 ,has his blood been atoned for8 ,no6 ,and why8 ,a martyr's blood to true religion was never atoned for on our earth4 ,no man1 or nation of men1 without the ,priesthood1 has power to make atonement for such sins4 ,the souls of all such1 since the days of ,jesus1 are under the altar1 and are crying to ,god1 day and night1 for vengeance4 ,and shall they cry in vain8 ,god forbid6 ,he has promised he will hear them in his own due time1 and recompense a righteous reward4 ,but what of the temple in ,nauvoo8 ,by the aid of sword in one hand1 and trowel and hammer in the other1 with fire arms at hand1 and a strong band of police1 and the blessings of heaven1 the ,saints1 through hunger1 and thirst1 and weariness1 and watchings1 and prayings1 so far completed the temple1 despite the devices of the mob1 that many received a small portion of their endowment1 but we know of no one who received it in its fulness4 ,and then1 to save the lives of all the ,saints from cruel murder1 we removed westward1 and being led by the all-searching eye of the great ,jehovah1 we arrived at this place4 ,of our journey hither1 we need say nothing1 only1 ,god led us4 ,of the sufferings of those who were compelled to1 and did1 leave ,nauvoo in the winter of #ahdf1 we need say nothing4 ,those who experienced it know it1 and those who did not1 to tell them of it would be like exhibiting a beautiful painting to a blind man4 ,we will not stop to tell you of the sufferings of widows and orphans on ,omaha lands1 while their husbands and fathers were traversing the burning plains of the south1 to fight the battles of a country which had banished them from civilization1 for they secured the land on which we dwell1 from our ,nation's foe1 exposed the gold of ,california1 #fdj and turned the world upside down4 ,all these things are before you1 you know them1 and we need not repeat them4 ,while these things were transpiring with the ,saints in the wilderness1 the temple at ,nauvoo passed into the hands of the enemy1 who polluted it to that extent the ,lord not only ceased to occupy it1 but he loathed to have it called by his name1 and permitted the wrath of its possessors to purify it by fire1 as a token of what will speedily fall upon them and their habitations unless they repent4 ,but what are we here for1 this day8 ,to celebrate the birthday of our religion6 ,to lay the foundation of a temple to the ,most ,high ,god1 so that when his ,son1 our ,elder ,brother1 shall again appear1 he may have a place where he can lay his head1 and not only spend a night or a day1 but find a place of peace1 that he may stay till he can say1 ,i am satisfied4 ,brethren1 shall the ,son of ,man be satisfied with our proceedings this day8 ,shall we have a house on the earth which he can call his own8 ,shall we have a place where he can lay his head1 and rest over night1 and tarry as long as he pleases1 and be satisfied and pleased with his accommodations8 ,these are questions for you to answer4 ,if you say yes1 you have got to do the work1 or it will not be done4 ,we do not want any whiners about this temple4 ,if you cannot commence cheerfully1 and go through the labor of the whole building cheerfully1 start for ,california1 and the quicker the better4 ,make you a golden calf1 and worship it4 ,if your care for the ordinances of salvation1 for yourselves1 your living1 and dead1 is not first and foremost in your hearts1 in your actions1 and in everything you possess1 go6 ,pay your debts1 if you have any1 and go in peace1 and prove #fda to ,god and all his ,saints that you are what you profess to be1 by your acts4 ,but if you are what you profess to be1 do your duty--stay with the ,saints1 pay your tithing1 and be prompt in paying1 as you are in feeding your family2 and the temple1 of which we have now laid the southeast corner stone1 will arise in beauty and grandeur1 in a manner and time which you have not hitherto known or contemplated4 ,the ,saints of these valleys have grown in riches1 and abundance of the comforts of life1 in a manner hitherto unparalleled on the page of history1 and if they will do by their ,heavenly ,father as he has done by them1 soon will this temple be inclosed4 ,but if you go in for a speculation with passers by1 as many have hitherto done1 you will not live to see the topstone of this temple laid2 and your labors and toils for yourselves and friends1 dead and alive1 will be worse than though you had no existence4 ,we dedicate this1 the southeast corner stone of this temple1 to the ,most ,high ,god4 ,may it remain in peace till it has done its work1 and until he who has inspired our hearts to fulfil the prophecies of his holy ,prophets1 that the house of the ,lord should be reared in the ,tops of the ,mountains shall be satisfied1 and say1 ,it is enough4 ,and may every tongue1 pen1 and weapon1 that may rise against this or any other corner stone of this building1 feel the wrath and scourging of an incensed ,god6 ,may sinners in ,zion be afraid1 and fearfulness surprise the hypocrite1 from this hour4 ,and may all who do not feel to say ,amen1 go speedily to that long night1 of rest from which no sleeper will awake1 till roused by the trump of the second resurrection4 #b3bi-cc4 ,st4 ,george ,temple--,now we have a temple which will #fdb all be finished in a few days1 and of which there is enough completed to commence work therein1 which has not been done since the days of ,adam1 that we have any knowledge of4 #ah3cjd4 ,we have dedicated this spot of ground upon which we expect to erect a temple in which to administer the ordinances of the ,house of ,god4 ,into this house1 when it is completed1 we expect to enter to enjoy the blessings of the ,priesthood1 and receive our washings1 our anointings1 our endowments1 and our sealings2 and the brethren will be sealed to brethren to connect the links and make perfect the chain from ourselves to ,father ,adam3 ,this is the object of the temple which we are about to commence building at this place4 #ai3cc4 ,never have ,i seen to so great an extent that willingness to labor for the cause of righteousness1 which was witnessed in the temple at ,st4 ,george last winter4 ,the ,spirit of ,god pervaded the hearts of the brethren and sisters1 and how willing they were to labor6 ,this work will continue1 and the brethren and sisters will go into the temples of the ,lord1 to officiate for those who have died without the ,gospel from the days of ,father ,adam to the winding up scene1 until every one is officiated for2 who can or will receive the ,gospel so that all may have the opportunity and privileges of life and salvation4 ,don't you think we have a work to perform8 ,yes1 and it will take a thousand years to accomplish it4 ,in the temple last winter the brethren and sisters enjoyed themselves the best that they ever did in their lives4 ,so they said4 ,and our children1 just old enough to work1 how happy they were6 ,they would exclaim1 ,i never knew anything about ',mormonism' before6 ,if you were in the temple #fdc of ,god working for the living and the dead1 your eyes and hearts would not be after the fashions of the world1 nor the wealth of the world4 ,yet the whole of this world's wealth belongs to the ,lord1 and he can give to whomsoever he pleases4 #ai3de4 ,i am aware that you wish to hear something of our labors in the south4 ,i will say that we have had a blessed time1 such a time as no other people on the earth have enjoyed for many centuries1 that we have any knowledge of4 ,we have been permitted to enjoy privileges for the possession of which we have been striving and laboring for many years4 ,for almost half a century we have been exerting ourselves that we might have the privilege of entering into a temple of ,god1 there to officiate and receive the ordinances of his holy house1 both for ourselves and for our friends that have slept without the ,gospel4 ,this privilege and blessing we have not enjoyed until within a very few months past4 ,the feeling experienced by those who have participated in the blessings administered in the temple is something which cannot be described to your understanding4 ,those only who have shared with us in the temple ordinances know for themselves the satisfaction there is in realizing that we are indeed co-workers with our ,lord and ,savior2 that we bear a humble part in the great work of salvation2 that we have the privilege of receiving and obeying the truth1 and of securing to ourselves that happiness which the ,gospel alone affords2 and not only of performing these ordinances for ourselves1 but of doing the necessary work for our parents and forefathers who have slept without the ,gospel1 that they may partake also of the waters of life1 and be judged according to men in the flesh4 ,this is a privilege1 a blessing1 which no one can sense unless #fdd he is in possession of it4 ,we are happy to know by our faith and feelings through the spirit of revelation within us that our labors have been accepted of the ,lord4 ,we have enjoyed ourselves exceedingly in the society of each other2 the aged1 the middle-aged and the youth have rejoiced and been made glad in this glorious work4 #ai3a4 ,we are now prepared to attend to baptizing and giving endowments1 and shall appoint ,tuesdays and ,wednesdays for baptisms1 and ,thursdays and ,fridays for endowments and sealings1 as a standing appointment for the present4 #ah3cje4 ,i am so thankful we have completed our temple1 it is the greatest blessing that could be bestowed upon us4 ,i know of nothing that could equal it4 ,but we are not satisfied with this one1 we must hurry the building of another one1 and thus another one and so on1 and perform the great work therein that is required at our hands4 #ai3bbb4 ,we enjoy privileges that are enjoyed by no one else on the face of the earth4 ,suppose we were awake to this thing1 namely1 the salvation of the-human family1 this house would be crowded1 as we hope it will be1 from ,monday morning until ,saturday night4 ,this house 7,st4 ,george7 was built here in this place purposely1 where it is warm and pleasant in the winter time1 and comfortable to work1 also for the ,lamanites1 and also those coming from the south1 and other places to receive their endowments1 and other blessings1 #ah3cjd4 #fde ,,chapter ,,xxxvii ,,man',s ,,search ,,for ,,truth ,,and ,,salvation ,man ,desires ,salvation--,honest hearts1 the world over1 desire to know the right way4 ,they have sought for it1 and still seek it4 ,there have been people upon the earth all the time who sought diligently with all their hearts to know the ways of the ,lord4 ,those individuals have produced good1 inasmuch as they had the ability4 ,and to believe that there has been no virtue1 no truth1 no good upon the earth for centuries1 until the ,lord revealed the ,priesthood through ,joseph the ,prophet1 ,i shall say is wrong4 ,there has been more or less virtue and righteousness upon the earth at all times from the days of ,adam until now4 ,that we all believe4 #f3agj4 ,until they sin away the day of grace1 there is something in all persons that would delight to rise up and reject the evil and embrace the truth4 ,there is not a person on the earth so vile but1 when he looks into his own heart1 honors the man of ,god and the woman of ,god--the virtuous and holy--and despises his comrades in iniquity who are like himself4 ,there is not a man upon the earth1 this side of saving grace1 unless he has sinned so far that the ,spirit of the ,lord has ceased to strive with him and enlighten his mind1 but delights in the good1 in the truth1 and in the virtuous4 #h3cbf4 ,reflect for a moment upon the sensitive faculty implanted within us4 ,we know when we touch anything with our hands4 ,when we discern an object with our eyes1 we know that we see4 ,how do we know8 ,by a principle common to all intelligent beings--by the sensations ,god has #fdf placed within us4 ,were it not for this1 the eye could not see1 nor sensation be communicated by touch4 ,were it not for the intelligent principle ,god has placed within us1 we could neither feel1 see1 hear1 taste1 nor smell4 ,it is recorded that some have eyes to see1 and see not2 ears to hear1 and hear not2 hearts have they1 but they understand not4 ,you who are spiritually-minded1 who have the visions of your minds opened--have studied yourselves1 your organizations1 the power by which you have been organized1 and the influences that act upon you1 can understand that the power that has given you physical sensation is the power of the same ,god that gives you understanding of the truth4 ,the latter power is inward4 ,my inward eyes see1 my inward hands handle1 my inward taste tastes of the word of ,god4 ,the ,apostle used this language4 ,he spoke of tasting the good word of ,god and the powers of the world to come4 ,do you taste8 ,yes1 by the sensations ,god has planted within you4 ,thousands and thousands know1 by their inward and invisible sensation1 things that have been1 things that are1 and things that are in the future1 as well as they know the color of a piece of cloth by means of their outward or physical vision4 ,when this inner light is taken from them1 they become darker than they were before1 they cannot understand1 and turn away from the things of ,god4 #h3da4 ,descend from the busy1 wealth-seeking middle classes1 to the humbler grade of society1 and follow them in their various ,occupations and pursuits1 and each one of them #as seeking earnestly that which he imagines to be salvation4 ,the poor1 ragged1 trembling mendicant1 who is forced by hunger and cold to drag his feeble body from under some temporary shelter1 to seek a bit of bread1 or a coin from his #fdg more fortunate fellow-mortal1 if he can only obtain a few crusts of bread to satisfy the hunger-worm that gnaws his vitals1 and a few coppers to pay his lodgings1 he has attained to the summit of his expectations1 to what he sought for--salvation1 and he is comparatively happy1 but his happiness vanishes with the shades of night1 and his misery comes with the morning light4 ,from the match-maker up to the tradesman1 all have an end in view1 which they suppose will bring to them salvation4 ,king1 courtier1 commanders1 officers1 and common soldiers1 the commodore1 and sailor before the mast1 the fair-skinned ,christian1 and the dark-skinned savage1 all1 in their respective grades and spheres of action1 have a certain point in view1 which1 if they can obtain1 they suppose will put them in possession of salvation4 #a3a4 ,humanity ,loves ,truth and ,righteousness--,what would satisfy the children of men1 if they had it in their possession8 ,only truth and the true principles and conduct flowing from its observance4 ,true1 certain classes of the inhabitants of the earth are pretty well satisfied with themselves1 through their researches in the philosophies of the day2 and yet they are not fully satisfied4 ,what will satisfy us8 ,if we understood all principles and powers that are1 that have been1 and that are to come1 and had wisdom sufficient to control powers and elements with which we are associated1 perhaps we would then be satisfied4 ,if this will not satisfy the human mind1 there is nothing that will4 #g3b4 ,the spirit which inhabits these tabernacles naturally loves truth1 it naturally loves light and intelligence1 it naturally loves virtue1 ,god and godliness2 but being so closely united with the flesh their sympathies are blended1 #fdh and their union being necessary to the possession of a fulness of joy to both1 the spirit is indeed subject to be influenced by the sin that is in the mortal body1 and to be overcome by it and by the power of the ,devil1 unless it is constantly enlightened by that spirit which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world1 and by the power of the ,holy ,ghost which is imparted through the ,gospel4 ,in this1 and this alone1 consists the warfare between ,christ and the ,devil4 #aa3bcg4 ,the greater portion of the inhabitants of the earth are inclined to do right4 ,that is true4 ,there is a monitor in every person that would reign there triumphantly1 if permitted so to do1 and lead to truth and virtue4 #h3cbj4 ,as to the mortals of the world1 ,i have said it a great many times and still say that there are just as good men and women on the earth in other societies and communities as we have here1 as far as they understand2 and we are after such ones4 #ab3cbf4 ,there are as honest men in other churches as there are in ours4 #h3ceg4 ,human ,family ,alike in ,sentiments--,in reality1 the inhabitants of the earth do not vary so much in their sentiments as they do in the explaining of them to each other4 ,this ,i have good reason to believe2 when feelings and ideas are explained1 people vary more in language than in sentiment1 yet they differ widely in their sentiments1 feelings1 customs1 habits1 and manner of life4 #a3gd4 ,when we see and comprehend things in the spirit1 we oftimes realize an utter inability to simplify and tell them in our language1 to others2 though we may receive principles1 and convey the same to others1 to some extent4 ,it would be a great consolation to me1 inasmuch as faith comes #fdi by hearing the word of ,god1 if ,i had language to express my feelings4 ,no man can tell all that he can see in the spirit1 when the vision of the spirit is upon him4 ,he can see and understand in the spirit only4 ,he cannot tell it1 yet many things may be given1 in part1 to others4 #a3aae4 ,a ,variety of ,human ,gifts--,i am sensible that people are not gifted and capacitated alike4 ,there is not that depth of understanding and intensity of thought in some that there is in others1 neither is there the same scope of perception4 ,some are quick to apprehend1 while others are slow4 #f3ic4 ,we all enjoy the power of sight1 but how differently we look at and comprehend things6 ,and we are very much like the people who have lived before us4 ,we are a strange and curious composition--no two alike4 ,of all the faces before me this afternoon there are no two alike4 ,we might possibly find those whose judgment would be pretty much alike on various subjects1 still there are no two whose judgments are precisely the same4 ,human life is a great stage1 and it contains a very great variety of scenes and scenery1 of thought and of action4 #af3bc4 ,there is quite a diversity in men as to their capacity for learning1 and also in regard to retaining what they learn4 ,some comprehend their lessons quickly1 while others are not so gifted4 ,i have also noticed that some children commit their lessons quickly and well2 but ask them the meaning and intent of what they have committed1 and they cannot answer you2 while others pay more attention to the intent and meaning of what they learn4 ,such is the case with all persons1 no matter what their age2 and some are capacitated to receive more and faster than others4 #h3aeh4 ,let the people bring out their talents1 and have the variety within them brought forth and made manifest so #fej that we can behold it1 like the variety in the works of nature4 ,see the variety ,god has created--no two trees alike1 no two leaves1 no two spears of grass alike4 ,the same variety that we see in all the works of ,god1 that we see in the features1 visages and forms1 exists in the spirits of men4 ,now let us develop the variety within us1 and show to the world that we have talent and taste1 and prove to the heavens that our minds are set on beauty and true excellence1 so that we can become worthy to enjoy the society of angels1 and raise ourselves above the level of the wicked world and begin to increase in faith1 and the power that ,god has given us1 and so show to the world an example worthy of imitation4 #aa3cje4 ,man's ,powers are ,limited--,the inhabitants of the earth have the pleasure of performing the labors they list to do1 but they have never enjoyed the privilege of controlling the results of their labors1 and never will until they are crowned with glory1 immortality and eternal lives4 ,we have the privilege of going to the gold mines1 or staying at home2 of serving ,god1 or not serving him2 but the result of our acts is not in our hands1 it is in the hands of our ,father and ,god4 ,so it is with individuals1 with neighborhoods1 with communities1 and with the nations of the earth4 #aj3cca4 ,if the ,latter-day ,saints and all the world understood the philosophy of their own being1 they would bow in humble reverence to him who is the ,author of our being and the ,author of all wisdom and all knowledge known among the children of men4 ,it is very little comparatively that we do know1 and but very little we can really comprehend4 ,it is believed that our scientists and philosophers are very far advanced1 and that wonderful progress has been made #fea in the nineteenth century2 but notwithstanding all the knowledge and power of philosophy which so distinguish our age1 who among our most learned can create as simple a thing as a spear of grass1 or the leaf of a tree8 ,no one2 this can only be done through the natural process2 no one can organize the simplest particle of element independent of the laws of nature4 ,when the philosopher of the age reaches that perfection that one can waft himself to the moon or to the ,north star1 or to any other of the fixed stars1 and be there in an instant1 in the same manner that ,jesus did when he ascended to the ,father in heaven and returned to the earth again1 then we may begin to think we know a little4 ,when we shall possess the power and knowledge to cause heavenly planets to take their position1 giving them their laws and boundaries which they must obey1 and which they cannot pass1 then we may begin to feel that we possess a little wisdom and power4 #ah3bei4 ,if ,i look through my telescope1 and my friends inquire how far ,i can see1 ,i tell them ,i can see anything in sight1 no matter how far from me the object may be2 but ,i cannot see anything out of sight1 or that which is beyond the power of the instrument4 ,so it is in the intellectual faculties of mankind2 it is easy for them to see that which is before their eyes1 but when the object is out of sight1 it is a difficult matter for them to see it2 and they are at a loss how to form an estimate of it1 or what position to put themselves in1 so as to see the object they desire to see4 #a3cea4 ,there is but a hair's breadth between the vulgar and sublime4 ,there is but a hair's breadth between the depths pot infidelity and the heights of the faith of the ,gods4 ,man is here like a feather trembling between the two1 liable continually to be operated upon by the power of the enemy2 #feb and it is through that power that the children of men are made to doubt the evidences of their own senses1 when1 at the same time1 if they would reflect for a moment and listen to the intelligence which ,god has placed within them1 they would know1 when they saw what is termed a miracle1 the power by which it is wrought2 they would know when they have seen with their eyes and felt with their hands1 or when they have had a heavenly vision4 #g3afc-afd4 ,man ,must ,have ,confidence in ,himself--,we must be ourselves4 #c3cfe4 ,there are a great many men who know but little about what they can do1 and there are a great many women that never consider what they can perform2 people do not fully reflect upon their own acts1 upon their own ability1 and therefore do not understand what they are capable of doing4 #d3aja4 ,it is not for any man to think he is a cipher--that what he can do will not tell in this matter1 and say1 ,they will get along well enough without me4 #a3ec4 ,when a person is thinking all the time he is little better than a machine1 he perverts the purpose of his organization1 and injures both mind and body4 ,why8 ,because the mental labor does not find vent through the organism of the tabernacle1 and has not that scope--that field of labor which it desires1 and which it was wisely designed that it should have4 ,think according to your labor1 labor according to your thinking4 #c3bdh4 ,man ,always ,dependent--,shall we ever see the time we shall be perfectly independent of every other being in all the eternities8 ,no2 we shall never see that time4 ,many have fallen on as simple ground as this1 and were ,i to use ,western term1 ,i would say1 ,they were troubled with a big #fec head4 ,such persons think they have power to do this1 that1 and the other1 but they are left to themselves1 and the ,lord loves to show them they have no power4 #a3cch4 ,we ,must ,fight ,our ,battles--,but some may say1 ,i have faith-the ,lord will turn them away4 ,what ground have we to hope this8 ,have ,i any good reason to say to my ,father in ,heaven1 ,fight my battles1 when he has given me the sword to wield1 the arm and the brain that ,i can fight for myself8 ,can ,i ask him to fight my battles and sit quietly down waiting for him to do so8 ,i cannot4 ,i can pray the people to hearken to wisdom1 to listen to counsel2 but to ask ,god to do for me that which ,i can do for myself is preposterous to my mind4 #ab3bdj-a4 ,how to ,know ,oneself--,no man can know himself unless he knows ,god1 and he cannot know ,god unless he knows himself4 #af3ge4 ,our ,good ,character ,must ,be ,cherished--,when a man by his course in life has acquired a character that is spotless1 it is a priceless jewel1 and nothing should induce him to barter it away4 ,if the wicked try to bring a blemish or cast a stain upon it their efforts will not be successful4 ,they may throw their mud1 but it will not stain the garments of the pure and holy4 #ac3bah4 ,are our characters our own8 ,we may say1 ,yes1 we form these characters4 ,suppose that we are fortunate enough to form a good1 honest character in the minds and in the faith of those who are acquainted with us1 do not those characters belong to our neighbors1 although we may be the framers of them8 ,and ,i would like to ask1 have we the right to destroy them8 ,it is a serious question with me4 ,if we have confidence in each other1 and our conduct has been such that we have created confidence in the feelings of #fed our neighbors toward us1 have we a right to destroy that confidence8 ,is it not sacrilege8 ,i will simply reply by giving my views with regard to myself4 ,according to the knowledge which ,i possess it is a great deal easier for an individual to preserve a good character than to frame and make one if it is lost4 ,it is much easier to keep a fort when it is well armed and defended than to give it into the hands of the enemy and then regain it4 ,consequently1 we had better keep our characters1 if they are good1 than to suffer the enemy to rob us of them4 #ad3bgg4 ,the ,need of ,leaders--,the whole world are sadly in want of what they call a master-spirit4 #f3dd4 ,when ,i say rule1 ,i do not mean with an iron hand1 but merely to take the lead--to lead them in the path ,i wish them to walk in4 ,they may be determined not to answer my will1 but they are doing it all the time without knowing it4 #i3aie4 ,it is not every man that is capable of filling every station1 though there is no man but what is capable of filling his proper station1 and that1 too1 with dignity and honor to himself4 ,when you find a person that is capable of receiving light and wisdom1 one that can descend to the capacity of the weakest of the weak1 and can comprehend the highest and most noble intelligence that can be obtained by man1 can receive it with all ease1 and comprehend it1 circumscribe it1 understand it from first to last1 that is the man that can ripen for eternity in a few years2 that is the individual who is capable of occupying stations that many cannot occupy4 #d3acj4 ,let the people see to it that they get righteous men to be their leaders1 who will labor with their hands and administer to their own necessities1 sit in judgment1 legislate1 and #fee govern in righteousness2 and officers that are filled with peace2 and see to it that every man that goes forth among the people as a traveling officer is full of the fear of the ,lord1 and would rather do right at a sacrifice than do wrong for a reward4 #g3ab4 ,duty and ,responsibility of ,man--,to mind your own business incorporates the whole duty of man4 #aj3bie4 ,what is the duty-of a ,latter-day ,saint8 ,to do all the good he can upon the earth1 living in the discharge of every duty obligatory upon him4 #aj3bie4 ,his labor is to build up1 not to destroy2 to gather together1 not to scatter abroad2 to take the ignorant and lead them to wisdom2 to pick up the poor and bring them to comfortable circumstances4 ,this is our labor--what we have to do4 #aj3caf4 ,it is the business of a ,latter-day ,saint1 in passing through the street1 if he sees a fence pole down1 to put it up2 if he sees an animal in the mud to stop and help get it out4 #aj3bif4 ,the greater our privileges and the greater the blessings bestowed upon us1 the more faithfulness and diligence are required in our callings to save the children of men4 #g3bgd4 ,there are men upon whom ,god has bestowed gifts and graces1 and women who are endowed with strong mental ability1 and yet they cannot receive the truth2 and then the truth condemns them2 it leaves them in darkness4 ,when they cannot receive every truth1 let it be ever so important or unimportant to them1 their neglect to grasp in their faith the truth ,god reveals for their benefit weakens them1 comparatively1 from the crowns of their heads to the soles of their feet1 and the enemy may have the advantage over them in an hour when they think not4 #h3ei4 #fef ,strive to be righteous1 not for any speculation1 but because righteousness is lovely1 pure2 holy1 beautiful1 and exalting2 it is designed to make the soul happy and full of joy1 to the extent of the whole capacity of man1 filling him with light1 glory1 and intelligence4 #h3agb4 ,if we do the best we know how1 and yet commit many acts that are wrong and contrary to the counsel given to us1 there is hope in our case4 #b3acb4 #feg ,,chapter ,,xxxviii ,,the ,,testimony ,,of ,,the ,,truth ,all ,latter-day ,saints ,may ,know the ,gospel ,is ,true--,it is a special privilege and blessing of the holy ,gospel to every true believer1 to know the truth for himself4 #a3bcd4 ,it is both the duty and privilege of the ,latter-day ,saints to know that their religion is true4 #h3adh4 ,we are the witnesses of this great work which the ,lord has commenced in the latter days4 #aa3bac4 ,let every one get a knowledge for himself that this work is true4 ,we do not want you to say that it is true until you know that it is2 and if you know it1 that knowledge is as good to you as though the ,lord came down and told you4 #h3adb4 ,there is not a man or a woman on this earth who receives the spirit of the ,gospel but what can testify to its truth4 #aa3bac4 ,we must have the testimony of the ,lord ,jesus to enable us to discern between truth and error1 light and darkness1 him who is of ,god1 and him who is not of ,god1 and to know how to place everything where it belongs4 ,that is the only way to be a scientific ,christian2 there is no other method or process which will actually school a person so that he can become a ,saint of ,god1 and prepare him for a celestial glory2 he must have within him the testimony of the spirit of the ,gospel4 #c3aee4 ,if you are satisfied1 in your sensitive powers and faculties1 that ,god has revealed the holy ,priesthood1 established his ,kingdom upon the earth1 restored the fulness of the ,gospel1 and set his hand to gather the ,house of ,israel1 #feh this will answer your purpose just as well as though you went into heaven to see for yourselves4 #h3bfa4 ,if ,i attain to the knowledge of all true principles that have ever existed1 and do not govern myself by them1 they will damn me deeper in hell than if ,i had never known anything about them4 #a3bdd4 ,how a ,witness of the ,truth ,is ,won--,i do not want men to come to me or my brethren for testimony as to the truth of this work2 but let them take the ,scriptures of divine truth1 and there the path is pointed out to them as plainly as ever a guideboard indicated the right path to the weary traveler4 ,there they are directed to go1 not to ,brothers ,brigham1 ,heber1 or ,daniel1 to any ,apostle or ,elder in ,israel1 but to the ,father in the name of ,jesus1 and ask for the information they need4 ,can they who take this course in honesty and sincerity receive information8 ,will the ,lord turn away from the honest heart seeking for truth8 ,no1 he will not2 he will prove to them1 by the revelations of his ,spirit1 the facts in the case4 ,and when the mind is open to the revelations of the ,lord it comprehends them quicker and keener than anything that is seen by the natural eye4 ,it is not what we see with our eyes--they may be deceived--but what is revealed by the ,lord from heaven that is sure and steadfast1 and abides forever4 ,we do not want the people to rely on human testimony1 although that cannot be confuted and destroyed2 still1 there is a more sure word of prophecy that all may gain if they will seek it earnestly before the ,lord4 #ab3if4 ,you and ,i must have the testimony of ,jesus within us1 or it is of but little use for us to pretend to be servants of ,god4 ,we must have that living witness within us4 #d3cfh4 ,i will now make a few remarks upon testimony4 ,i have #fei heard a great many ,elders in this ,church1 and people who were professing ,christians before this work was revealed1 testifying of the things of ,god4 ,men rise up here and say they do know that this is the work of ,god1 that ,joseph was a ,prophet1 that the ,book of ,mormon is true1 that the revelations through ,joseph ,smith are true1 and this is the last dispensation and the fulness of times1 wherein ,god has set his hand to gather ,israel for the last time1 and redeem and build up ,zion on this land4 ,how do they know this8 ,persons know and will continue to know and understand1 many things by the manifestations of the ,spirit1 that through the organization of the tabernacle it is impossible otherwise to convey4 ,much of the most important information is alone derived through the power and testimony of the ,holy ,ghost in the speaker1 revealing itself to the understanding and spirit of the hearer4 ,this is the only way you can convey a knowledge of the invisible things of ,god4 #h3da4 ,a man or woman desirous of knowing the truth1 upon hearing the ,gospel of the ,son of ,god proclaimed in truth and simplicity1 should ask the ,father1 in the name of ,jesus1 if this is true4 ,if they do not take this course1 they try and argue themselves into the belief that they are as honest as any man of woman can be on the face of the earth2 but they are not1 they are careless as to their own best interests4 #ab3ie4 ,on the other hand1 nothing short of the power of the ,almighty1 nothing short of the ,holy ,spirit of ,jesus ,christ1 can prove to you that this is the work of ,god4 ,men uninspired of ,god cannot by their worldly wisdom disprove it1 or prevail against it2 neither can they by wisdom alone prove it to be true1 either to themselves or to others4 ,their #ffj not being able to prevail against it does not prove it to be the ,kingdom of ,god1 for there are many theories and systems on the earth1 incontrovertible by the wisdom of the world1 which are nevertheless false4 ,nothing less than the power of the ,almighty1 enlightening the understanding of men1 can demonstrate this glorious truth to the human mind4 #a3caj4 ,how are we to know the voice of the ,good ,shepherd from the voice of a stranger8 ,can any person answer this question8 ,i can4 ,it is very easy4 ,to every philosopher upon the earth1 ,i say1 your eye can be deceived1 so can mine2 your ear can be deceived1 so can mine2 the touch of your hand can be deceived1 so can mine2 but the ,spirit of ,god filling the creature with revelation and the light of eternity1 cannot be mistaken--the revelation which comes from ,god is never mistaken4 ,when an individual1 filled with the ,spirit of ,god1 declares the truth of heaven1 the sheep hear that1 the ,spirit of the ,lord pierces their inmost souls and sinks deep into their hearts2 by the testimony of the ,holy ,ghost light springs up within them1 and they see and understand for themselves4 ,this is the way the ,gospel should be preached by every ,elder in ,israel1 and by this power every hearer should hear2 and if we would know the voice of the ,good ,shepherd1 we must live so that the ,spirit of the ,lord can find its way to our hearts4 #af3gd4 ,peter was blessed1 because he had eyes to see2 and when he saw with his spiritual eyes1 he acknowledged it4 ,he was not so proud and high-minded as to turn round and deny4 ,if the conviction of their own minds had free course1 and were not trammeled through their erroneous traditions1 millions and millions would hail this day with thanksgiving4 #g3h4 #ffa ,if there is a person in the midst of the ,latter-day ,saints--one who has named the name of ,christ as a ,latter-day ,saint1 that can ask for any more literal testimony than we have1 ,i do not know what he would ask4 ,he might wish to see some person that had power to bring fire down from heaven4 ,should such a person appear1 the exercise of that power would by no means prove that he was a messenger of salvation4 ,or suppose that ,i should see a man capable of raising the dead every hour in a day1 could ,i merely for that believe he was sent of ,god8 ,no4 ,some may think it strange1 but should ,i see a man come along here and cast his cane on the floor1 and it became a serpent and ran out of the door1 would ,i any more believe that man to be sent of ,god8 ,no1 ,i would not4 ,were ,i to see a person fill the air with living creatures1 turn the dust into life1 or the river ,jordan into blood1 do you suppose ,i would any more for that consider that man sent of ,god8 ,not in the least4 ,there is but one witness--one testimony1 pertaining to the evidence of the ,gospel of the son of ,god1 and that is the ,spirit that he diffused among his disciples4 ,do his will1 and we shall know whether he speaks by the authority of the ,father or of himself4 ,do as he commands us to do1 and we shall know of the doctrine1 whether it is of ,god or not4 ,it is only by the revelations of the ,spirit that we can know the things of ,god4 #i3b4 ,many men and women who have obeyed the ,gospel1 and have not received from the ,lord these striking testimonies1 will say1 ,well1 ,i really do not know that ,i can tell whether the ,gospel is true or not4 ,to all such ,i say1 ,then you are no philosopher at all1 for upon the rational principles of common philosophy you can tell whether it is true or not4 ,does it contain the seeds of life8 ,does it promote the #ffb plants and yield the fruits of life1 or does it produce the plants and yield the fruits of death8 ,not that ,i wish to make a mere historical convert1 or a people who believe historically1 mathematically1 or philosophically2 but ,i know and understand that the ,lord never leaves his children without a witness4 #ad3aab4 ,the older portion of this community embraced the truth through the conviction of it1 and prayed unto the ,lord for the light of it1 and they received the testimony of the ,spirit of ,god2 but our children do not know the greatness of their blessings and privileges4 ,they are entitled to the spirit of the ,gospel from their mothers' wombs2 they have it with them all the time2 they are born in it4 #aa3bae4 ,a great many come to me and say1 ,i wish to do exactly as the ,lord shall direct through you1 ,brother ,brigham4 ,if ,i had the word of the ,lord1 ,i would not dare give it to them1 unless ,i knew it was an absolute duty4 ,they never would obey it1 because they are taught the word of the ,lord here all the time1 but do they hearken to it8 ,those who have wisdom within themselves1 who have in possession the spirit of the ,gospel1 know what they hear from this stand4 ,they know truth from error2 they are satisfied1 and never ask the ,lord to give them more revelation1 but to give them grace to observe and keep what they have received4 #c3cch4 ,truth commends itself to every honest person1 it matters not how simply it is told1 and when it is received it seems as though we had been acquainted with it all our lives4 ,it is the testimony of the majority of the ,latter-day ,saints that when they first heard the ,gospel preached1 as contained in the ,bible and ,doctrine and ,covenants1 although entirely new to them1 it seemed as though they already #ffc understood it1 and that they must have been ,mormons from the beginning4 #ai3db4 ,i frequently think that the only way for a man to prove any fact in the world is by experience4 ,we go1 for instance1 into an orchard and someone says there is a sweet apple tree1 and he may say the same of other trees1 but without tasting1 how shall ,i know they are sweet8 ,unless ,i taste of them ,i cannot know it4 ,i may take the testimony of others who have tasted them1 as to whether they are sweet1 sour or bitter1 but without tasting it cannot prove to my senses that they are so4 ,now1 as ,i understand it1 it is the same with all facts that have come to the knowledge of all beings in heaven1 or on earth--all facts are proved and made manifest by their opposite4 #ac3ei4 ,my testimony is based upon experience1 upon my own experience1 in connection with that obtained by observing others4 ,to me it has become positively true--no doubt remains upon my mind1 whatever1 as to the power of the revealed will of heaven to man upon the minds of the people1 when the principles of salvation are set before them by1 the authorized ministers of heaven4 ,the heavenly truth commends itself to every person's judgment and to their faith2 and more especially to the sense of those who wish to be honest with themselves1 with their ,god1 and with their neighbor4 ,yet ,i must admit that all men are not operated upon alike2 the evidence of truth comes more forcibly to the understandings of some than others4 ,this is owing to numerous influences4 ,the ,gospel may be preached to an individual1 and the truth commend itself to the conscience of that person1 creating but a little faith in its truth1 to which there may be an addition made4 ,if persons can receive a little1 it proves they may receive more4 ,if they can receive #ffd the first and second principles with an upright feeling1 they may receive still more1 and the words of the prophet be fulfilled4 #b3a-b4 ,my testimony is positive4 ,i know that there are such cities as ,london1 ,paris1 and ,new ,york--from my own experience or from that of others2 ,i know that the sun shines1 ,i know that ,i exist and have a being1 and ,i testify that there is a ,god1 and that ,jesus ,christ lives1 and that he is the ,savior of the world4 ,have you been to heaven and learned to the contrary8 ,i know that ,joseph ,smith was a ,prophet of ,god1 and that he had many revelations4 ,who can disprove this testimony8 ,any one may dispute it1 but there is no one in the world who can disprove it4 ,i have had many revelations2 ,i have seen and heard for myself1 and know these things are true1 and nobody on earth can disprove them4 ,the eye1 the ear1 the hand1 all the senses may be deceived1 but the ,spirit of ,god cannot be deceived2 and when inspired with that ,spirit1 the whole man is filled with knowledge1 he can see with a spiritual eye1 and he knows that which is beyond the power of man to controvert4 ,what ,i know concerning ,god1 concerning the earth1 concerning government1 ,i have received from the heavens1 not alone through my natural ability1 and ,i give ,god the glory and the praise4 ,men talk about what has been accomplished under my direction1 and attribute it to my wisdom and ability2 but it is all by the power of ,god1 and by intelligence received from him4 ,i say to the whole world1 receive the truth1 no matter who presents it to you4 #af3df4 ,why ,some ,men ,reject the ,gospel--,i have often heard men say they were convinced that ,mormonism was true1 and that they would cleave to it2 but as for their hearts being converted1 it is altogether another thing4 #f3cba4 #ffe ,wherever the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ has been preached1 either in these or former days1 it has met with a class of men to whom the truth looked lovely and ,god-like1 and the spirit within would prompt them to embrace it2 but they find themselves so advantageously connected in the world1 and have so many interests at stake if they should embrace it1 they conclude that it will not do1 and here comes the warfare again4 ,some few will overcome the reasonings of the flesh1 and follow the dictates of the spirit2 while the great majority of this class of persons are won over by sordid considerations and cleave to their idols4 #aa3bcg4 ,they-would come now by thousands and thousands1 if the ,latter-day ,saints were only popular4 ,what1 these honorable men8 ,yes1 they would say1 ,i want to be baptized4 ,i admire your industry1 and your skill in governing4 ,you have a system of governing that is not to be found anywhere else4 ,you know how to govern cities1 territories1 or the world1 and ,i would like to join you4 ,but take care1 if you join this people without the love of ,god in your soul it will do you no good4 ,if they were to do this1 they would bring in their sophistry1 and introduce that which would poison the innocent and honest and lead them astray4 ,i look at this1 and ,i am satisfied that it will not do for the ,lord to make this people popular4 ,why8 ,because all hell would want to be in the ,church4 ,the people must be kept where the finger of scorn can be pointed at them4 ,although it is admitted that we are honest1 industrious1 truthful1 virtuous1 self-denying1 and1 as a community1 possess every moral excellence1 yet we must be looked upon as ignorant and unworthy1 and as the offscouring of society1 and be hated by the world4 ,what is the reason of this8 ,christ and ,baal can not become friends4 ,when ,i #fff see this people grow and spread and prosper1 ,i feel that there is more danger than when they are in poverty4 ,being driven from city to city or into the mountains is nothing compared to the danger of our becoming rich and being hailed by outsiders as a first-class community4 ,i am afraid of only one thing4 ,what is that8 ,that we will not live our religion1 and that we will partially slide a little from the path of rectitude1 and go part of the way to meet our friends4 #ab3bgb4 ,testimony ,not ,built ,upon a ,man--,some men declare that they wish to have such confidence in their leaders as not to enquire whether this or that is right1 but to perform what they are bid to do4 ,no man will have that degree of confidence1 unless it is founded in truth4 #d3bif4 ,joseph ,smith a ,witness of the ,truth--,the ,devil and his emissaries thought if they could only destroy ,joseph ,smith1 that the system he had laid the foundation to build upon would crumble and fall to rise no more2 but it is evident to all1 that since the death of ,joseph1 the system has flourished with greater vigor than before1 for where there is a testament in full force1 there must also of necessity be the death of the testator1 for a testament is of force after men are dead4 #aj3cjd4 ,whosoever confesseth that ,joseph ,smith was sent of ,god to reveal the holy ,gospel to the children of men1 and lay the foundation for gathering ,israel1 and building up the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth1 that spirit is of ,god1 and every spirit that does not confess that ,god has sent ,joseph ,smith1 and revealed the everlasting ,gospel to and through him1 is of ,antichrist1 no matter whether it is found in a pulpit or on a throne4 #h3agf4 ,this whole people were cast out for believing that ,god #ffg spake to ,joseph ,smith and chose him to be his messenger--his ,apostle--to this generation4 ,i testify to you that we were not cast out for teaching and practicing the ,patriarchal doctrine1 as our enemies now declare1 for at that time it had not been published to the world1 but it was for believing1 preaching and practicing the doctrines of the ,new ,testament2 for believing in the events to take place in the latter days1 as foretold by the ancient ,prophets2 and1 for believing the declarations of ,joseph ,smith1 that ,jesus was indeed the ,christ and the ,savior of all men1 but especially of them that believe1 and that he had set his hand the second time to gather his people1 to establish his ,kingdom1 to build up ,zion1 redeem ,jerusalem1 empty the earth of wickedness and bring in everlasting righteousness4 #i3cff4 ,a ,duty to ,listen to the ,truth--,do not say1 ,you are ,mormons1 and we do not want to hear anything about you4 ,wait until you have searched and researched and have obtained wisdom to understand what we preach1 or to prove it to be untrue4 ,if you cannot prove it untrue and are not disposed to receive it1 let it alone4 ,if it is the work of ,god1 it will stand4 ,what do you say1 outsiders8 ,what do you say1 ,christian world and heathen world8 ,if we have the truth to present to you1 which will do you good here and hereafter1 which will save you today and tomorrow and every day1 until it saves you in the ,kingdom of ,god and brings you to a perfect state of felicity and happiness in the presence of the ,father1 will you have it8 #ab3cac-cad4 ,in the ,christian world1 thousands and millions of them are as close to the truth as any man that ever lived upon the face of the earth1 so far as moral1 ,christian deportment is concerned4 ,i can find a great many of this community who live as moral lives as men and women can4 ,is there #ffh anything else necessary and important8 ,yes--so to live as to have the light of the ,spirit of truth abiding within you day by day1 that when you hear the truth1 you know it as well as you know the faces of your father's family1 and also understand every manifestation produced by erroneous principles4 #f3cca4 #ffi ,,chapter ,,xxxix ,,the ,,church ,,and ,,kingdom ,,of ,,god ,,on ,,earth ,israel--,who are ,israel8 ,they are those who are of the seed of ,abraham1 who have received the promise through their forefathers2 and all the rest of the children of men1 who receive the truth1 are also ,israel4 ,my heart is always drawn out for them1 whenever ,i go to the throne of grace4 #a3ajg4 ,israel is dispersed among all the nations of the earth2 the blood of ,ephraim is mixed with the blood of all the earth4 ,abraham's seed is mingled with the rebellious seed through the whole world of mankind4 #af3ge4 ,the ,elders who have arisen in this ,church and ,kingdom are actually of ,israel4 #b3bfh4 ,those islanders and the natives of this country are of the ,house of ,israel--of the seed of ,abraham1 and to them pertain the promise2 and every soul of them1 sooner or later1 will be saved in the ,kingdom of ,god1 or be destroyed root and branch4 #f3aii4 ,again1 if a pure ,gentile firmly believes the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ1 and yields obedience to it1 in such a case ,i will give you the words of the ,prophet ,joseph3 ,the effect of the ,holy ,ghost upon a ,gentile1 is to purge out the old blood1 and make him actually of the seed of ,abraham4 #b3bfi4 ,we are to build up and establish ,zion1 gather the ,house of ,israel1 and redeem the nations of the earth4 ,this people have this work to do1 whether we live to see it or not4 ,this is all in our hands4 #h3fh4 ,it is obligatory upon us to see that the ,house of ,israel #fgj have the ,gospel preached to them2 to do all that is in our power to gather them to the land of their fathers1 and to gather up the fulness of the ,gentiles before the ,gospel can go with success to the ,jews4 #ab3aac4 ,we are now gathering the children of ,abraham who have come through the loins of ,joseph and his sons1 more especially through ,ephraim1 whose children are mixed among all the nations of the earth4 ,the sons of ,ephraim are wild and uncultivated1 unruly1 ungovernable4 ,the spirit in them is turbulent and resolute2 they are the ,anglo-,saxon race1 and they are upon the face of the whole earth1 bearing the spirit of rule and dictation1 to go forth from conquering to conquer4 ,they search wide creation and scan every nook and corner of this earth to find out what is upon and within it4 ,i see a congregation of them before me today4 ,no hardship will discourage these men2 they will penetrate the deepest wilds and overcome almost insurmountable difficulties to develop the treasures of the earth1 to further their indomitable spirit for adventure4 #aj3ahh4 ,the ,church and the ,kingdom--,out of this ,church will grow the ,kingdom which ,daniel saw4 ,this is the very people that ,daniel saw would continue to grow and spread and prosper2 and if we are not faithful1 others will take our places1 for this is the ,church and people that will possess the ,kingdom forever and ever4 #h3adc4 ,we shall preach on1 we shall struggle on until the kingdoms of this world shall become the ,kingdom of our ,god and his ,christ4 #aa3bdj4 ,this is the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth4 ,the people that sit before me1 in connection with the many thousands that are upon the earth1 are the people of ,god4 ,if we have become so taught that the ,lord sees that we shall be capable #fga of managing1 governing1 and controlling the ,kingdom of ,god upon the earth in a more perfect manner than it has been heretofore1 you may rest assured that this people are bound to victory4 ,just as fast as we are capable of rightly dispensing the principles of power1 of light1 of knowledge1 of intelligence1 of wealth1 of heaven1 and of earth1 just so fast will they be bestowed upon this people4 #e3cbg4 ,if this ,gospel goes to the uttermost parts of the earth and fulfils its destiny as predicted by the ,prophets1 by ,jesus and by the ,apostles1 it will eventually swallow up all the good there is on the earth2 it will take every honest1 truthful and virtuous man and woman and every good person and gather them into the fold of this ,kingdom1 and this society will enlarge1 spread abroad and multiply1 and will increase in knowledge until the members composing it know enough to lengthen out their days and man's longevity returns1 and they begin to live as men did anciently4 #aa3cjc4 ,what will be the final result of the restoration of the ,gospel1 and the destiny of the ,latter-day ,saints8 ,if they are faithful to the ,priesthood which ,god has bestowed upon us1 the ,gospel will revolutionize the whole world of mankind2 the earth will be sanctified1 and ,god will glorify it1 and the ,saints will dwell upon it in the presence of the ,father and the ,son4 #ab3aac4 ,an ,object of the ,church--,we are exhorted to make our own heaven1 our own paradise1 our own ,zion4 #i3agj4 ,we have an object in view1 and that is to gain influence among all the inhabitants of the earth for the purpose of establishing the ,kingdom of ,god in its righteousness1 power and glory1 and to exalt the name of the ,deity1 and cause that name by which we live to be revered everywhere that he may be honored1 that his works may be honored1 #fgb that we may be honored ourselves1 and deport ourselves worthy of the character of his children4 #aa3bgd4 ,if the ,latter-day ,saints think1 when the ,kingdom of ,god is established on the earth1 that all the inhabitants of the earth will join the ,church called ,latter-day ,saints1 they are mistaken4 ,i presume there will be as many sects and parties then as now4 ,still1 when the ,kingdom of ,god triumphs1 every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that ,jesus is the ,christ1 to the glory of the ,father4 ,even the ,jews will do it then2 but will the ,jews and ,gentiles be obliged to belong to the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints8 ,no2 not by any means4 ,jesus said to his disciples1 ,in my ,father's house are many mansions2 were it not so ,i would have told you2 ,i go to prepare a place for you1 that where ,i am1 there ye may be also1 etc4 ,there are mansions in sufficient numbers to suit the different classes of mankind1 and a variety will always exist to all eternity1 requiring a classification and an arrangement into societies and communities in the many mansions which are in the ,lord's house1 and this will be so for ever and ever4 ,then do not imagine that if the ,kingdom of ,god is established over the whole earth1 all the people will become ,latter-day ,saints4 ,they will cease their persecutions against the ,church of ,jesus ,christ1 and they will be willing to acknowledge that the ,lord is ,god1 and that ,jesus is the ,savior of the world4 #aa3bge4 ,the ,kingdom of ,god to ,develop ,gradually--,the ,kingdom we are talking about1 preaching about and trying to build up is the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth1 not in the starry heavens1 nor in the sun4 ,we are trying to establish the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth to which really and properly everything that pertains to men--their feelings1 their #fgc faith1 their affections1 their desires1 and every act of their lives--belong1 that they may be ruled by it spiritually and temporally4 #aj3cbh4 ,in that helpless infant upon its mother's breast we see a man1 an ,apostle1 a ,saint1--yea generations of men with kingdoms1 thrones1 and dominions4 ,then the life of that little frail mortal is fraught with great and mighty results1 and its value is inestimable4 ,if this be true of an infant1 what may we expect to grow out of this infant ,kingdom8 ,we may look forward to all that belongs to greatness and goodness1 to might and power1 to dominion and glory4 ,then how jealously we ought to guard the rights of this infant power8 ,how zealous and constant we should be in maintaining its interests and supporting its laws and sacred institutions6 #i3agj-aga4 ,we are called to establish the ,kingdom of ,god literally1 just as much as we are spiritually4 ,if we do not build it up in a temporal point of view1 we will not accomplish what we are called to do2 we will come short of our duty1 and be removed out of the way1 and others will be called to succeed us who will perform the labor we are called to do4 #aj3ccb4 ,i do not believe that the ,city of ,enoch made greater advancement1 in the same period of time1 than this people have done in the twenty-six years of their career1 which is saying a great deal for them4 #c3cgd4 ,the ,effect of the ,kingdom of ,god--,what is the ,kingdom of ,god going to accomplish on the earth8 ,it will revolutionize not only the ,united ,states1 but the whole world1 and will go forth from the morning to the evening1 from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same1 so shall be the ushering forth of the ,gospel until the whole #fgd earth is deluged with it1 and the righteous are gathered4 #b3aij4 ,no unrighteous person1 no person who is filthy in their feelings will ever enter into the ,kingdom of ,god4 #c3bge4 ,as this ,kingdom of ,god grows1 spreads1 increases1 and prospers in its course1 it will cleanse1 thoroughly purge1 and purify the world from wickedness4 ,he who supposes his house to be built upon a rock1 and well calculated to withstand any test that may be applied to it1 finds1 when it is tried by the ,gospel of the ,kingdom1 that its foundation proves to be sand1 and the whole fabric appears nothing in which a man may securely trust for salvation4 #a3aij4 ,when the ,kingdom of ,god is fully set up and established on the face of the earth1 and takes the preeminence over all other nations and kingdoms1 it will protect the people in the enjoyment of all their rights1 no matter what they believe1 what they profess1 or what they worship4 ,if they wish to worship a god of their own workmanship1 instead of the true and living ,god1 all right1 if they will mind their own business and let other people alone4 #b3caj4 ,if we wish this ,church and ,kingdom of ,god upon earth1 to be like a fine1 healthy1 growing tree1 we should be careful not to let the dead branches remain too long4 #c3bgd4 ,government of the ,kingdom of ,god--,every kingdom will be blotted out of existence1 except the one whose ruling spirit is the ,holy ,ghost1 and whose king is the ,lord4 #b3abd4 ,it may be asked what ,i mean by the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,the ,church of ,jesus ,christ has been established now for many years1 and the ,kingdom of ,god has got to be established1 even that ,kingdom which will circumscribe all the kingdoms of this world4 ,it will yet give laws to every nation that exists upon the earth4 ,this is the ,kingdom that #fge ,daniel1 the ,prophet1 saw should be set up in the last days4 ,what ,daniel saw should come to pass in the latter times is believed by nearly all the religious societies of ,christendom4 ,the only great difference between us and them is in the method of its establishment4 #aa3bge4 ,when this ,kingdom is organized in any age1 the ,spirit of it dwells in the hearts of the faithful1 while its visible department exists among the people1 with laws1 ordinances1 helps1 governments1 officers1 administrators1 and every other appendage necessary for its complete operation to the attainment of the end in view4 #aj3ah4 ,the ,lord designs to build up a ,kingdom that will be both a spiritual and temporal ,kingdom upon the earth4 ,the earth and the kingdoms thereof will be given unto the ,saints of the ,most ,high ,god4 ,will they be rich then8 ,do you not think they will possess the gold mines and the treasures of the earth8 ,yes4 ,but some cry out1 ,that is not yet4 ,that is right4 ,how long will it be until then8 ,as soon as we are prepared to receive them4 #aj3ccb4 ,if we ever attain faith enough to obtain the ,kingdom of ,god1 as we anticipate1 we shall obtain all the wealth there is for this ,kingdom in time and eternity4 ,we shall not rob other kingdoms1 but we shall possess the eternity of matter that lies in the path of the onward progress of this ,kingdom1 and still eternity and its fulness will continue to stretch out before us4 ,the great powers of eternal wisdom will be exercised to enhance the wealth1 beauty1 excellency and glory of this ,kingdom1 previous to its being introduced into the presence of the ,father and the ,son4 ,this work we have to help perform4 #aj3cja4 ,i have learned years ago that the ,lord stands at the helm that guides ,zion's ship4 ,he is its ,dictator2 and unless #fgf we work exactly to the line that is marked out by him1 our works will be in vain4 ,this has been my experience from the beginning4 ,in every branch and avenue of our lives we must learn to work to the line of truth4 ,it is for us to know what ought to be done1 and then do it4 ,though there should be no earthly prospect of accomplishing it1 we can certainly try2 and if we try with all our might1 that act will prove at least a resolute and determined mind1 adorned with patience and perseverance4 ,and if1 with all our resolute endeavors we are still unable to accomplish our purpose1 the ,lord will be very likely to stretch forth his hand and give the victory4 #f3cae4 ,if this people live to the principles they have embraced1 they will be capable of counselling the nations2 for we build upon a just foundation1 and our principles are truth1 righteousness1 and holiness4 ,let us stand by those principles until they crush out folly from these valleys1 and we become teachers of wisdom to the nations4 #g3ff4 ,it ,will ,continue--,all is right4 ,god can carry on his own work4 ,this ,kingdom will stand forever4 #h3fi4 ,the ,lord will never suffer this people to dwindle down1 and be hid up in a corner2 it cannot be2 neither does he want any person to help them but himself4 #a3cfd4 ,god has commenced to set up his ,kingdom on the earth1 and all hell and its devils are moving against it4 ,hell is yawning and sending forth its devils and their imps4 ,what for8 ,to destroy the ,kingdom of ,god from the earth4 ,but they cannot do it4 #e3ge4 ,the soldiers of the ,lord are in the mountains1 in the canyons1 upon the plains1 on the hills1 along the mighty streams1 and by the rivulets4 ,thousands and thousands #fgg more are for us than those who are against us1 and you need not have any fears4 #e3eg4 ,my heart is comforted4 ,i behold the people of ,god1 that they have been hunted1 cast out1 driven from the face of men4 ,the powers of earth and hell have striven to destroy this ,kingdom from the earth4 ,the wicked have succeeded in doing so in former ages2 but this ,kingdom they cannot destroy1 because it is the last dispensation--because it is the fulness of times4 ,it is the dispensation of all dispensations1 and will excel in magnificence and glory every dispensation that has ever been committed to the children of men upon the earth4 ,the ,lord will bring again ,zion1 redeem his ,israel1 plant his standard upon the earth1 and establish the laws of his ,kingdom1 and those laws will prevail4 #h3cf4 ,if there are any hearts or spirits in this city1 or elsewhere1 that are fearfully wondering whether or not we are going to be destroyed1 or whether this ,church will endure and become the mighty power in the earth1 according to the predictions of the servants of ,god1 ,i will say to all such trembling souls1 you need entertain no such fears4 ,you need have only one fear1 and that is with regard to yourselves1 lest you should leave the light that the ,lord has imparted to you and wander into darkness1 returning to the beggarly elements of the world1 lusting again after the things of the world in their sinful state4 #ai3c4 ,we cannot help being ,saints2 we cannot prevent the rolling forth of the work of ,god2 in and of ourselves we have no power to control our own minds and passions2 but the grace of ,god is sufficient to give us perfect victory4 ,the power of the ,lord our ,god helps us1 and the ,devil and his emissaries help us--the one on the one hand1 the other on #fgh the other hand4 ,we have power to receive the truth or reject it1 and we have power to reject the evil or receive it4 #h3bbf4 ,when the wicked have power to blow out the sun1 that it shines no more2 when they have power to bring to a conclusion the operations of the elements1 suspend the whole system of nature1 and make a footstool of the throne of the ,almighty1 they may then think to check ,mormonism in its course1 and thwart the unalterable purposes of heaven4 ,men may persecute the people who believe its doctrines1 report and publish lies to bring tribulation upon their heads1 earth and hell may unite in one grand league against it1 and exert their malicious powers to the utmost1 but it will stand as firm and immovable in the midst of it all as the pillars of eternity4 ,men may persecute the ,prophet1 and those who believe and uphold him1 they may drive the ,saints and kill them1 but this does not affect the truths of ,mormonism one iota1 for they will stand when the elements melt with fervent heat1 the heavens are wrapt up like a scroll1 and the solid earth is dissolved4 ,mormonism stands upon the eternal basis of omnipotence4 ,jehovah is the ,mormonism of this people1 their ,priesthood and their power2 and all who adhere to it will1 in the appointed day1 come up into the presence of the ,king ,eternal1 and receive a crown of life4 #a3hh4 ,the ,business of ,latter-day ,saints--,our work is to bring forth ,zion1 and produce the ,kingdom of ,god in its perfection and beauty upon the earth4 #i3bic4 ,we have no business here other than to build up and establish the ,zion of ,god4 ,it must be done according to the will and law of ,god1 after that pattern and order by which ,enoch built up and perfected the former-day ,zion1 which #fgi was taken away to heaven1 hence the saying went abroad that ,zion had fled4 ,by and by it will come back again1 and as ,enoch prepared his people to be worthy of translation1 so we1 through our faithfulness1 must prepare ourselves to meet ,zion from above when it shall return to earth1 and to abide the brightness and glory of its coming4 #ah3cef4 ,i have ,zion in my view constantly4 ,we are not going to wait for angels1 or for ,enoch and his company to come and build up ,zion1 but we are going to build it4 ,we will raise our wheat1 build our houses1 fence our farms1 plant our vineyards and orchards1 and produce everything that will make our bodies comfortable and happy1 and in this manner we intend to build up ,zion on the earth and purify it and cleanse it from all pollutions4 ,let there be an hallowed influence go from us over all things over which we have any power2 over the soil we cultivate1 over the houses we build1 and over everything we possess2 and if we cease to hold fellowship with that which is corrupt and establish the ,zion of ,god in our hearts1 in our own houses1 in our cities1 and throughout our country1 we shall ultimately overcome the earth1 for we are the lords of the earth2 and1 instead of thorns and thistles1 every useful plant that is good for the food of man and to beautify and adorn will spring from its bosom4 #i3bhd4 ,individual ,labor ,required in the ,kingdom of ,god--,we have all kinds of fish in the ,gospel net4 #c3abj4 ,the ,lord will have a tried people4 #af3bh4 ,to be a ,saint in the full sense of the word1 is to be something very nearly perfect4 ,if1 however1 we are striving to the utmost of the ability ,god has given us to prove that we are willing to serve him and perform our duties1 we are justified4 ,we have the ,kingdom of ,god to build up1 ,zion #fhj to redeem2 we have to sanctify ourselves so that we may be prepared to be caught up with the ,church of the ,firstborn1 and if we improve every day and hour1 then if we die we shall be found justified4 ,but if we continue to live1 we must become ,saints in very deed1 or come short of the fulness of the glory of ,god that is to be revealed4 #af3da4 ,many ,latter-day ,saints think when they have obeyed the ,gospel1 made a sacrifice in forsaking their homes1 perhaps their parents1 husbands1 wives1 children1 farms1 native lands1 or other things held dear1 that the work is done2 but it is only just commenced4 ,the work of purifying ourselves and preparing to build up the ,zion of ,god on this continent has only just begun with us when we have got as far as that4 #ac3cac4 ,a great many think that the ,kingdom of ,god is going to bless them and exalt them1 without any efforts on their part4 ,this is not so4 ,every man and woman is expected to aid the work with all the ability ,god has given them4 ,each person belonging to the human family has a portion of labor to perform in removing the curse from the earth and from every living thing upon it4 ,when this work is performed1 then will they possess all things4 #aj3cja4 ,we have no correct individual interest separate from this ,kingdom2 if we have true interest at all1 it is in the ,kingdom of ,god4 #c3aed4 ,the ,kingdom of ,god or ,nothing--,when the ,kingdom of ,god is established1 if each member of that ,kingdom singly and individually will do his or her duty it will take care of itself1 for it is a living1 self-moving1 self-sustaining1 independent and heaven-ordained establishment4 #aa3bdi4 ,the ,kingdom of ,god is all that is real worth4 ,all else is not worth possessing1 either here or hereafter4 ,without #fha it1 all else would be like a dry tree prepared for the burning--it is all consumed and the ashes are driven to the four winds4 #h3ahe4 ,to me it is the ,kingdom of ,god or nothing upon the earth4 ,without it ,i would not give a farthing for the wealth1 glory1 prestige and power of all the world combined2 for like the dew upon the grass1 it passeth away and is forgotten1 and like the flower of the grass it withereth1 and is not4 ,death levels the most powerful monarch with the poorest starving mendicant2 and both must stand before the judgment seat of ,christ to answer for the deeds done in the body4 #aa3abf4 ,with us1 it is the ,kingdom of ,god1 or nothing2 and we will maintain it1 or die in trying--though we shall not die in trying4 ,it is comforting to many to be assured that we shall not die in trying2 but we shall live in trying4 ,we will maintain the ,kingdom of ,god1 living2 and if we do not maintain it1 we shall be found dying not only a temporal1 but also an eternal death4 ,then take a course to live4 #e3cdb4 ,if you give anything for the building up of the ,kingdom of ,god1 give the best you have4 ,what is the best thing you have to devote to the ,kingdom of ,god8 ,it is the talents ,god has given you4 ,how many8 ,every one of them4 ,what beautiful talents6 ,what a beautiful gift6 ,it is more precious than fine gold that ,i can stand here and give you my ideas1 and you can rise up and tell me what you think and feel1 and thus exchange our ideas4 ,it is one of the precious gifts bestowed upon human beings4 ,let us devote every qualification we are in possession of to the building up of ,god's ,kingdom1 and you will accomplish the whole of it4 #h3cdf4 #fhb ,,chapter ,,xl ,,some ,,effects ,,of ,,the ,,gospel ,the ,nature of the ,gospel--,we have ,zion in our view in her perfection4 #d3bgj4 ,all knowledge and wisdom and every good that the heart of man can desire is within the circuit and circle of the faith we have embraced4 #ac3aej4 ,the design of the ,gospel is to reveal the secrets of the hearts of the children of men4 #c3dg-dh4 ,is there war in our religion8 ,no2 neither war nor bloodshed4 ,yet our enemies cry out bloodshed1 and ,oh1 what dreadful men these ,mormons are1 and those ,danites6 how they slay and kill6 ,such is all nonsense and folly in the extreme4 ,the wicked slay the wicked1 and they will lay it on the ,saints4 #ab3cj4 ,we offer life and salvation to the whole human family in the ,gospel of the ,son of ,god1 and if they are not disposed to receive it they will suffer the consequence4 ,it is for the ,latter-day ,saints to live their religion4 #ab3cae4 ,do you know that here is the standard1 the nucleus1 the fountain1 the head for all the exercises of the ,kingdom of ,god upon the face of the whole earth8 ,now1 let the ,saints in this congregation droop in their faith1 and that spirit will spread before tomorrow morning throughout the vast domain of this creation4 ,every ,elder that goes abroad is a witness of this fact4 ,this spirit spreads through a telegraphic influence or force that is independent of wires4 ,let this people at the gathering-place wake out of their slumbers1 gird on their armour1 and go forth like men of #fhc war against wickedness1 and every ,branch throughout the ,church feels the influence in a very short time--it is speedily imparted to all creation4 ,the wires1 as it were1 are set1 the lightnings flash over them1 and all feel the influence1 when we are doing our duty here4 ,it all depends upon us here4 #h3ahd4 ,the ,gospel of life and salvation is the best institution that we1 as mortal beings1 can invest in4 ,go into the financial circles of the world1 and you will find men gather and project their plans for business1 for railroads1 for ship companies1 for merchandizing1 and various other pursuits4 ,you will see those engaged in these companies associate together1 confer with each other1 lay their plans before each other1 investigate them1 scan every branch1 and every part and particle of their business4 ,we are engaged in a higher-toned branch of business than any merchants or railroad men1 or any institution of an earthly nature1 and it is pleasing to see the ,latter-day ,saints meet together to talk over this matter1 and to learn the course they should pursue to gain the object of their pursuit4 ,if an inquiry arises in any of your minds with regard to this1 ,i will answer it by saying that we are in pursuit of all there is before us--life1 light1 wealth1 intelligence1 all that can be possessed on the earth by mortal man1 and then in a higher state1 where there will be a more perfect development of the smattering knowledge than we received here1 and all that can be enjoyed by intelligent beings in the celestial kingdoms of our ,god4 #ae3cd4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints are a very peculiar people1 and they are led in a peculiar way4 ,we are brought into circumstances so as to be a stumbling block to the nations1 through the failings and weaknesses of the ,latter-day #fhd ,saints4 ,jesus was a stumbling block to the nation of the ,jews1 and to the generation in which he lived1 and to all that knew him1 and how singular it is that ,jesus ,christ1 at this late day1 and at such a distance from the theater of his operations1 should have attained such celebrity and fame2 even his disciples are not only canonized1 but almost deified1 and looked upon as though they were ,gods come down to dwell with men4 ,every circumstance connected with the ,savior's life is looked upon as being divine4 ,christendom now acknowledge that ,jesus was the ,son of ,god2 they look upon him as ,god manifested in the flesh according to the ,new ,testament2 yet the generation in which he lived did not see these tokens of divinity which this generation recognize4 ,to them he was a root out of dry ground--a stumbling block1 a rock of offense4 ,so with the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,they are a stumbling block to this generation4 ,the world see all their weaknesses and faults1 and see no divinity in the work in which they are engaged4 ,yet this is not to be wondered at1 inasmuch as the world could not see it in ,jesus when he dwelt in mortality4 ,we are looked upon as a low1 degraded1 ignorant set of fanatics4 ,this is the opinion of the great majority of the learned and refined world4 ,others say that our people are the dupes of a few4 ,we do not claim to be very wise1 but we do know that that portion of mankind called ,christians in our day1 who profess to be followers of the meek and lowly ,jesus1 are grossly ignorant of his character1 and of the means and way of salvation which he offers to the world4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints1 as a people1 may not be so far advanced in the knowledge of many of the sciences1 as their neighbors2 but they are learning how to take care of themselves1 which is one of the greatest arts known to man4 ,when the most learned #fhe and scientific among men scrutinize their own lives and experience1 they are under the necessity of acknowledging that they are faulty1 weak1 ignorant2 they are strangers from the covenants of promise1 having no hope1 and without ,god in the world4 #ab3bjf-bjg4 ,there are professing ,christians in our midst1 who are so strict in their religious notions that they would rise in the morning at five o'clock and walk miles1 if necessary1 rather than miss their religious services2 and they are those who are so zealous that they would measure the soil from here into old ,jerusalem with their bodies if they could1 to pay penance1 as they call it4 ,god does not require any such sacrifices as this2 neither does he require any of these sacrifices which involve the shedding of blood or the loss of life4 ,such things do not belong to ,god's religion1 they come through sin and transgression4 ,perhaps they who show such manifestations of their faith strengthen it and do themselves some good4 ,all that is required of us is to sacrifice our feelings and to overcome the adversary by subduing the lust within us for anything but the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth1 the glory of ,god1 and the salvation of our friends and families and of the human family from first to last2 that our whole souls may be devoted to the building up of the ,kingdom of ,god on the earth1 and for the salvation of those who sleep1 who died without the ,gospel4 #ah3bch4 ,our religion is called ,mormonism because the ancient records revealed to ,joseph ,smith were entitled1 the ,book of ,mormon1 according to the instructions given to him by the ,lord2 but ,i will call it the ,plan of ,salvation devised in the heavens for the redemption of mankind from sin1 and their restoration to the presence of ,god4 #fhf ,it embraces every fact there is in the heavens and in the heaven of heavens--every fact there is upon the surface of the earth1 in the bowels of the earth1 and in the starry heavens2 in fine1 it embraces all truth there is in all the eternities of the ,gods4 #i3adi4 ,some of the ,effects of the ,gospel--,the religion that we have embraced teaches us to prepare to live4 #e3beg4 ,but ,mormonism has opened up light4 ,removing the curtain from the broad sunshine1 it has lighted up the souls of hundreds of thousands1 and they have been made to rejoice in the light of truth4 #h3abi4 ,with all the rest of the good that you can commit to memory1 be sure to recollect that the ,gospel of salvation is expressly designed to make ,saints of sinners1 to overcome evil with good1 to make holy1 good men of wicked1 bad men1 and to make better men of good4 ,wherein we are wicked2 wherein we have evil passions1 the ,gospel will aid us in overcoming evil4 ,it gives us the influence1 the power1 the knowledge1 the wisdom1 and the understanding to overcome our weaknesses and to purify ourselves before the ,lord our ,god4 #h3afj4 ,when people receive the ,gospel1 their minds are opened2 they see ,zion in its glory2 but they do not see the troubles on the plains1 or the troubles with false brethren4 #h3ga4 ,what are the fruits of this ,gospel when it is received into the hearts of an individual8 ,it will make a bad man good1 and a good man better2 it increases their light1 knowledge1 and intelligence1 and enables them to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth1 as the ,savior did1 until they understand men and things1 the world and its doctrines1 whether ,christian1 heathen or pagan1 and will ultimately #fhg lead them to knowledge of things in heaven1 on the earth or under the earth4 #ac3add4 ,our religion teaches us truth1 virtue1 holiness1 faith in ,god and in his ,son ,jesus ,christ4 ,it reveals mysteries1 it brings to mind things past and present--unfolding clearly things to come4 ,it is the foundation of mechanism2 it is the spirit that gives intelligence to every living being upon the earth4 ,all true philosophy originates from that ,fountain from which we draw wisdom1 knowledge1 truth1 and power4 ,what does it teach us8 ,to love ,god and our fellow creatures--to be compassionate1 full of mercy1 long-suffering1 and patient to the froward and to those who are ignorant4 ,there is a glory in our religion that no other religion that has ever been established upon the earth1 in the absence of the true ,priesthood1 ever possessed4 ,it is the fountain of all intelligence2 it is to bring heaven to earth and exalt earth to heaven1 to prepare all intelligence that ,god has placed in the hearts of the children of men--to mingle with the intelligence which dwells in eternity1 and to elevate the mind above the trifling and frivolous objects of time1 which tend downward to destruction4 ,it frees the mind of man from darkness and ignorance1 gives him that intelligence that flows from heaven1 and qualifies him to comprehend all things4 ,this is the character of the religion we believe in4 #g3adj-ada4 ,our belief will bring peace to all men and good will to all the inhabitants of the earth4 ,it will induce all who sincerely follow its dictates to cultivate righteousness and peace2 to live peaceably in their families2 to praise the ,lord morning and evening2 to pray with their families1 and will so fill them with the spirit of peace that they will never condemn or chasten any one unless it is well deserved4 #fhh ,they will rise in the morning with their spirits as smooth and serene as the sun that is rising and giving life and heat to the world2 just as calm and as smooth as the breezes on a summer evening4 ,no anger1 no wrath1 no malice1 contention or strife4 ,if a wrong arises1 the party wronged will go to his neighbor and quietly investigate whether wrong was designed2 and if the seeming transgressor is living according to the spirit of his religion1 it will be found that he had designed no wrong1 and that he will make ample amends1 forgiveness will be accorded1 and the trouble will end4 ,this is the spirit and teaching of the ,gospel4 ,how will perfection be obtained8 ,by all persons in the ,kingdom of ,god living so as to be revelators from the heavens for themselves and for all they preside over1 that everything they have to perform in this life--every worldly care and duty1 and all their walk and conversation before each other and before the ,lord1 may be marked out by the spirit of revelation4 ,is this the way to perfection8 ,it is4 ,this is the ,gospel of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ2 this is the ,gospel of life and salvation4 #ac3bae4 ,we ought to understand that when our lives have been filled with all manner of wickedness1 to turn and repent of our sins1 to be baptized for the remission of them1 and have our names written upon the ,church records1 does not prepare us for the presence of our ,father and ,elder ,brother4 ,what will8 ,a continuation of faithfulness to the doctrines of ,christ2 nothing short of this will do it4 #c3aic-aid4 ,it is very fortunate for those who receive this ,gospel and the spirit of it in their hearts1 for it awakes within them a desire to know and understand the things of ,god more than they ever did before in their lives1 and they begin to inquire1 read and search1 and when they go to the #fhi ,father in the name of ,jesus he will not leave them without a witness4 #ad3ace4 ,when people receive this ,gospel1 what do they sacrifice8 ,why1 death for life4 ,this is what they give3 darkness for light1 error for truth1 doubt and unbelief for knowledge and the certainty of the things of ,god4 #af3ajfa4 ,the ,saints in all ages have been protected1 sustained and upheld by an ,almighty ,power in their sufferings1 and the power of the religion of ,jesus ,christ has ever sustained them4 ,the ,jews anciently said1 ,let his blood be upon us and upon our children1 and ,god took them at their word4 #aj3bhg4 ,you may as well undertake to terrify the ,almighty on his throne1 as to terrify a ,latter-day ,saint of the true stripe--one who has the true blood in him4 #b3cac4 ,the sound of the ,gospel of life and salvation1 to gather the ,house of ,israel and redeem the children of men1 is a terror to all nations4 #h3ac4 ,no blessing that is sealed upon us will do us any good1 unless we live for it4 #aa3aag4 ,personal ,joy in the ,gospel--,with me ,mormonism is1 ,out with the truth4 #c3bee4 ,the great object of my life is to establish the ,kingdom of ,god upon the earth4 #aa3bge4 ,it may be asked whether ,i have any idols8 ,yes1 ,i have most darling idols--my ,god and my religion1 and they are all the idols ,i wish to have4 #i3ajf4 ,i feel happy4 ,mormonism has made me all ,i am1 and the grace1 the power1 and the wisdom of ,god will make me all that ,i ever will be1 either in time or eternity4 #h3afb4 ,you hear many talk about having made sacrifices2 if ,i had that word in my vocabulary ,i would blot it out4 ,i have #fij never yet made what ,i call sacrifices2 in my experience ,i know nothing about making them4 #c3bbc4 ,again1 ,i say1 if ,mormonism is not all ,i anticipated it to be1 it is nothing4 ,if it is not in me1 and ,i in it1 if it is not all and in all to me1 ,i am deceived in myself4 ,it is everything in heaven and on earth to those who possess it truly4 #b3abh4 ,our religion has been a continual feast to me4 ,with me it is ,glory6 ,hallelujah6 ,praise ,god6 instead of sorrow and grief4 ,give me the knowledge1 power1 and blessings that ,i have the capacity of receiving1 and ,i do not care how the ,devil originated1 nor anything about him2 ,i want the wisdom1 knowledge1 and power of ,god4 ,give me the religion that lifts me higher in the scale of intelligence--that gives me the power to endure--that when ,i attain the state of peace and rest prepared for the righteous1 ,i may enjoy to all eternity the society of the sanctified4 #h3aai4 ,the last time ,i spoke to you here ,i told you that ,i found my religion just as sweet to me in my private capacity1 in my secret meditations upon my bed1 and in my closet1 in my office1 or with my family1 as it is when ,i am in this stand4 ,i love it as well--esteem it as highly2 it is as precious to my understanding1 and it invigorates1 buoys up1 strengthens1 and fills every power of my capacity with unspeakable joy1 just as much at home as it does here4 ,i hope this is the case with you all4 ,if you live your religion1 it is as dear to you when you are out of this ,tabernacle as when you are here4 #h3ch4 ,i am happy2 ,i am full of joy1 comfort1 and peace2 all within me is light1 for ,i desire nothing but to do the will of my ,father in heaven4 ,i delight not in unrighteousness1 but in righteousness and truth4 ,i seek to promote the good and #fia happiness of myself and those with whom ,i am associated4 #f3dj4 ,my business is to save the people1 not to oppress1 plunder1 and destroy them4 ,it is also the duty of all the ,elders to labor to save the people4 #g3bbi4 ,i am so thankful that tongue cannot express what ,i feel1 that ,i have the privilege of associating with the ,saints1 and of being a member in the ,kingdom of ,god1 and that ,i have friends in the ,church of the ,living ,god4 #aj3cad4 ,i can say that ,i do not consider that ,i have ever suffered anything for this ,kingdom--nothing in the least4 ,i have never sacrificed anything1 without it be the evil propensities that are sown in our nature1 springing from the seed that was sown at the fall4 #h3fg4 ,the ,lord has blessed me2 he has always blessed me2 from the time ,i commenced to build up ,zion1 ,i have been extremely blessed4 ,i could relate circumstances of so extraordinary a character in regard to the providences of ,god to me1 that my brethren and sisters would say in their hearts1 ,i can hardly give credence to this4 ,but my heart has been set in me to do the will of ,god1 to build up his ,kingdom on the earth1 to establish ,zion and its laws1 and to save the people2 and ,i can say1 truly and honestly1 that the thought never came into my mind1 in all my labors1 what my reward will be1 or whether my crown would be large or small1 or any crown at all1 a small possession1 a large possession1 or no possession4 ,i have never had any thoughts or reflections upon this1 or cared the first thing about it4 ,all that ,i have had in my mind has been that it was my duty to do the will of ,god1 and to labor to establish his ,kingdom on the earth4 ,i do not love1 serve or fear the ,lord for the sake of getting rid of being damned1 nor for the sake of #fib getting some great gift or blessing in eternity1 but purely because the principles which ,god has revealed for the salvation of the inhabitants of the earth are pure1 holy and exalting in their nature4 ,in them there is honor and eternal increase1 they lead on from light to light1 strength to strength1 glory to glory1 knowledge to knowledge1 and power to power4 #af3gj4 ,mormonism has done everything for me that ever has been done for me on the earth2 it has made me happy2 it has made me wealthy and comfortable2 it has filled me with good feelings1 with joy and rejoicing4 ,whereas1 before ,i possessed the spirit of the ,gospel ,i was troubled with that which ,i hear others complain of1 that is1 with1 at times1 feeling cast down1 gloomy1 and despondent2 with everything wearing to me1 at times1 a dreary aspect4 ,but have the trees1 the streams1 the rocks1 or any part of creation worn a gloomy aspect to me for one half minute since ,i came in possession of the spirit of this ,gospel8 ,no1 though before that time ,i might view the most beautiful gardens1 buildings1 cities1 plantations1 or anything else in nature1 yet to me they all wore at times a shade of death4 ,they appeared at times as though a vail was brooding over them1 which cast a dark shade upon all things1 like the shade of the valley of death1 and ,i felt lonesome and bad4 ,but since ,i have embraced the ,gospel not for one half minute1 to the best of my recollection1 has anything worn to me a gloomy aspect2 under all circumstances ,i have felt pleasant and cheerful4 ,when surrounded by mobs1 with death and destruction threatening on every hand1 ,i am not aware but that ,i felt just as joyful1 just as well in my spirit1 as ,i do now4 ,prospects might appear dull and very dark1 but ,i have never #fic seen a time in this ,gospel but what ,i knew that the result would be beneficial to the cause of truth and the lovers of righteousness1 and ,i have always felt to joyfully acknowledge the hand of the ,lord in all things4 #c3cbj4 ,i present myself before this congregation as a teacher of the way of life and salvation4 #aj3cah4 ,permit me to say1 that ,i am proud of my religion4 ,it is the only thing ,i pride myself in1 on the earth4 ,i may heap up gold and silver like the mountains2 ,i may gather around me property1 goods and chattels1 but ,i could have no glory in that1 compared with my religion2 it is the fountain of light and intelligence2 it swallows up the truth contained in all the philosophy of the world1 both heathen and ,christian2 it circumscribes the wisdom of man2 all the wisdom and power of the world2 it reaches to that within the veil4 ,its bounds1 its circumference1 its end1 its height1 and depth1 are beyond the comprehension of mortals1 for it has none4 #a3ci4 ,i have an impulse within me to preach the ,gospel of salvation4 #d3dc4 ,god1 angels1 and good men being my helpers1 ,i will never cease to contend1 inch by inch1 until we gain the ground and possess the ,kingdom4 ,that is my feeling and faith1 and we will accomplish it4 ,i will prophesy1 in the name of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 that we will possess the ,kingdom of ,god upon the whole earth1 and possess the earth4 #h3aff4 ,i know enough to let the ,kingdom alone1 and do my duty4 ,it carries me1 ,i do not carry the ,kingdom4 ,i sail in the old ship ,zion1 and it bears me safely above the raging elements2 ,i have my sphere of action and duties to perform #fid on board of that ship2 to faithfully perform them should be my constant and unceasing endeavor4 #aa3beb4 ,for nearly thirty years ,i have sought to know the truth1 and to properly understand the principles of the holy ,priesthood revealed from heaven through the ,prophet ,joseph2 and ,i have ceased not1 when ,i have had an opportunity1 at the proper time and in the proper place1 to present those principles to my fellow-men4 #g3aca4 ,i love to fight the devils1 but ,i love to overcome them4 #c3bbd4 ,we have forsaken the kingdom of darkness1 have come out in open rebellion to the power of the ,devil on this earth1 and ,i for one will fight him1 so help me ,god1 as long as there is breath in my body1 and do all in my power to overthrow his government and rule4 ,and if he complains that ,i am infringing upon his ground1 ,i shall very politely ask him to go to his own place1 where he belongs4 ,if any among this community want to sustain the government of the ,devil1 in preference to the ,kingdom of ,god1 ,i wish them to go where they belong4 ,i want to sustain the government of heaven1 and shall stick fast to it1 by the help of ,god4 ,if we sustain it1 it will build us up and crown us with victory and eternal life4 #aj3da4 ,but ,i am proud to say of my religion1 ,i have studied it faithfully for twenty-two years1 day and night1 at home and abroad1 upon the rivers1 and upon the lakes1 when travelling by sea and by land2 have studied it in the pulpit2 from morning till night2 whatsoever might be my pursuit1 ,i have studied it with as close an application as any college student ever did any subject he wished to commit to memory2 and ,i can say ,i have only just got into the ,a ,b ,c of it2 it leads the vision of my mind into eternity4 #a3ci4 #fie ,blessings ,conditioned ,upon ,good ,works--,every blessing the ,lord proffers to his people is on conditions4 ,these conditions are3 ,obey my law1 keep my commandments1 walk in my ordinances1 observe my statutes1 love mercy1 preserve the law that ,i have given to you inviolate1 keep yourselves pure in the law1 and then you are entitled to these blessings1 and not until then4 #af3afb4 ,good actions always result in blessings4 ,the history of the people of ,god in all ages testifies that whenever they have listened to the counsel of heaven they have always been blessed4 ,all this people are satisfied that they will be more blessed to hearken to good counsel than not to do so4 #ab3abb4 ,brethren and sisters1 if we wish the blessings of heaven upon us1 let us be faithful to our covenants and callings1 faithful in paying tithing1 in keeping the ,word of ,wisdom and in building temples4 #af3fi4 ,if the brethren will take hold and perform the labors devolving upon them1 they shall be blessed in them4 ,they will increase in health and in wealth4 ,the ,lord will bless the people in proportion as they bless themselves4 #af3fh4 ,i wish the people could realize that they walk1 live1 and abide in the presence of the ,almighty4 ,the faithful shall have eyes to see as they are seen1 and you shall behold that you are in the midst of eternity and in the presence of holy beings1 and be enabled ere long to enjoy their society and presence4 ,you are greatly blessed4 #h3bjj4 ,do just as well as you know how in all things1 never permitting yourself to commit an act unless the ,spirit of ,god within you justifies you in doing it4 ,and if you live every day of your lives according to the best light and understanding you possess1 glorifying ,god1 our ,heavenly #fif ,father1 just as far as your knowledge extends1 ,i will promise you eternal life in the ,kingdom of ,god4 #ai3bbj4 ,the man1 or the woman1 that mainly looks after the fruit1 after the luxuries of life1 good food1 fine apparel and at the same time professes to be a ,latter-day ,saint1 if he does not get that spirit out of his heart1 it will obtain a perfect victory over him2 whereas he is required to obtain a victory over his lusts and over his unwise feelings4 #d3eb4 ,increasing ,blessings--,instead of the righteous being bound tighter and tighter1 they will continue to have more and more liberty1 as we are more and more faithful1 and obtain more power with the heavens and more of the power of ,god upon us4 ,let us seek diligently unto the ,lord1 until we obtain the faith of ,jesus in its fulness1 for those who possess this are free indeed4 #aj3bhh4 ,if the ,lord had a people on the earth that he had perfect confidence in1 there is not a blessing in the eternities of our ,god1 that they could bear in the flesh1 that he would not pour out upon them4 ,tongue cannot tell the blessings the ,lord has for a people who have proved themselves before him4 #d3gi4 ,the greatest blessing that can be bestowed on the children of men is power to civilize themselves after the order of the civilization of the heavens--to prepare themselves to dwell with heavenly beings who are capable of enduring the presence of the ,gods4 #h3g4 ,mormonism keeps men and women young and handsome2 and when they are full of the ,spirit of ,god1 there are none of them but what will have a glow upon their countenances2 and that is what makes you and me young2 for the ,spirit of ,god is with us and within us4 #e3baj4 ,personal ,blessings ,upon the ,people--,brethren and #fig sisters1 may ,god bless you6 ,i bless you all the time1 ,hallelujah6 ,praise the name of ,israel's ,god2 for my soul exults in his name4 #f3ajj4 ,i will say to you1 my brethren and sisters1 ,i bless you4 ,i bless you according to the ,priesthood that ,i hold and the keys thereof4 ,i bless you in the name of ,jesus ,christ4 #af3agj4 ,god bless you6 ,peace be with you1 and love be multiplied upon the people4 ,i pray for the good all over the earth4 ,my desire is to see the ,kingdom of ,god prosper4 #ae3acd4 ,may ,god bless you6 ,peace be upon you6 ,be fervent in spirit1 humble1 teachable1 and prayerful1 taking care of yourselves1 endeavoring to save yourselves1 and all you have any influence over1 which is my continual prayer for you1 in the name of ,jesus4 ,amen4 #a3aaa4 ,brethren and sisters1 inasmuch as ,i have the right and privilege1 through the ,priesthood1 ,i bless you in the name of the ,lord1 and say1 be you blessed4 ,these are my feelings to the ,latter-day ,saints1 and would be to all the human family1 if they would receive my blessings1 in the name of ,jesus ,christ4 ,amen4 #b3aj4 ,may the ,lord ,god ,almighty bless the ,saints1 and every one who will permit his blessings to come upon them4 ,i am under the same obligations to bless sinners as ,i am to bless ,saints1 if they will receive my blessings4 ,i pray for the blessings of heaven upon the work of his hands1 for we are all his children--the sons and daughters of our ,parent who dwells in the heavens4 #h3bfa4 ,god bless every good man4 ,god bless the works of nature1 ,god bless his own work1 overthrow the wicked and ungodly and them that would destroy their fellow beings1 that war and contentions may cease on the earth4 ,o ,lord1 #fih remove these from office and place good men at the head of the nations1 that they may learn war no more1 but go to1 like rational and civilized beings1 sustain peace on the earth and do good to each other4 #ab3bhi4 ,god bless you1 and ,i pray that you may be blessed2 but ,i pray you to bless yourselves4 ,brethren and sisters1 let us bless ourselves1 by doing the will of ,god1 then we are right4 #af3ga4 ,i have experienced much in my life1 and ,i will not ask you to do any better by one another1 nor by me1 than ,i do by you1 and ,i will bless you all the time4 ,i feel to bless you continually2 my life is here1 my interest1 my glory1 my pride1 my comfort1 my all are here1 and all ,i expect to have1 to all eternity is wrapped up in the midst of this ,church4 ,if ,i do not get it in this channel2 ,i shall not have it at all4 ,how do you suppose ,i feel8 ,i feel as a father should feel towards his children4 ,i have felt so for many years1 even when ,i durst not say so2 ,i have felt as a mother feels towards her tender offspring1 and durst not express my feelings2 but ,i have tried to carry out their expression in my life4 ,may ,god bless1 you4 ,amen4 #d3ccc4 ,i do not hate any man on earth or in hell4 ,the worst wish ,i have for the wicked is that they may be obliged to live according to good and wholesome laws4 #h3dc4 ,there is not a man or woman on this earth that ,i hate2 but ,i do most cordially hate their wicked acts4 ,i am at war with false principles--with wickedness1 sin1 and abomination2 and ,i expect to continue my warfare until ,i overcome4 #g3f4 ,i feel happy2 ,i feel at peace with all the inhabitants of the earth2 ,i love my friends1 and as for my enemies1 ,i pray for them daily2 and if they do not believe ,i would do them #fii good1 let them call at my house1 when they are hungry1 and ,i will feed them2 yea1 ,i will do good to those who despitefully use and persecute me4 ,i pray for them1 and bless my friends all the time4 #aa3aaa4 ,if ,i had power1 ,i certainly would bless the people with everything their hearts could wish if they would not sin4 ,i would do1 as ,i heard the mothers of some of my children say that went with me to ,st4 ,george this winter1 that ,i indulged them in every thing they wanted4 ,why8 ,because they never manifested a desire for anything wrong4 ,and if it were in my power ,i would bless all the inhabitants of the earth1 with everything in which they could glorify ,god1 and purify their own hearts4 #ah3cfb4 ,god bless you1 my children1 my little ones4 ,i love you1 ,i am a great lover of children and innocence and purity1 and ,i am a hater of iniquity4 ,i think very frequently1 in looking upon the actions of men that ,i do not have compassion enough2 but when ,i see the wolf among the lambs ,i am after them1 to see that they do not destroy the lambs4 ,i would have given worlds if ,i could have known the truth in my childhood1 as ,i now hear it4 ,i had a great desire to know it1 and the priests were after me from the time ,i was eight years of age4 ,i was infidel to their creeds1 but not to the ,bible1 not to ,god1 not to holiness1 but to the creeds of the children of men ,i was infidel1 and am to this day4 ,i say1 ,god bless you1 my children4 #ai3fe4 #gjj ,,chapter ,,xli ,,joseph ,,smith ,a ,prophet of ,god--,i honor and revere the name of ,joseph ,smith4 ,i delight to hear it2 ,i love it4 ,i love his doctrine4 #ac3baf4 ,what ,i have received from the ,lord1 ,i have received by ,joseph ,smith2 he was the instrument made use of4 ,if ,i drop him1 ,i must drop these principles2 they have not been revealed1 declared1 or explained by any other man since the days of the ,apostles4 ,if ,i lay down the ,book of ,mormon1 ,i shall have to deny that ,joseph is a ,prophet2 and if ,i lay down the doctrine and cease to preach the gathering of ,israel and the building up of ,zion1 ,i must lay down the ,bible2 and1 consequently1 ,i might as well go home as undertake to preach without these three items4 #f3bgi-bhj4 ,i feel like shouting ,hallelujah1 all the time1 when ,i think that ,i ever knew ,joseph ,smith1 the ,prophet whom the ,lord raised up and ordained1 and to whom he gave keys and power to build up the ,kingdom of ,god on earth and sustain it4 ,these keys are committed to this people1 and we have power to continue the work that ,joseph commenced1 until everything is prepared for the coming of the ,son of ,man4 ,this is the business of the ,latter-day ,saints1 and it is all the business we have on hand4 #c3ea4 ,not that ,joseph was the ,savior1 but he was a ,prophet4 ,as he said once2 when some one asked him1 ,are you the ,savior8 ,no1 but ,i can tell you what ,i am--,i am his brother4 ,so we can say4 #ad3bjb4 ,joseph ,smith has laid the foundation of the ,kingdom of #gja ,god in the last days2 others will rear the superstructure4 #i3cfd4 ,i never saw any one1 until ,i met ,joseph ,smith1 who could tell me anything about the character1 personality and dwelling-place of ,god1 or anything satisfactory about angels1 or the relationship of man to his ,maker4 ,yet ,i was as diligent as any man need to be to try and find out these things4 #af3df4 ,what is the nature and beauty of ,joseph's mission8 ,you know that ,i am one of his ,apostles4 ,when ,i first heard him preach1 he brought heaven and earth together2 and all the priests of the day could not tell me anything correct about heaven1 hell1 ,god1 angels1 or devils2 they were as blind as ,egyptian darkness4 ,when ,i saw ,joseph ,smith1 he took heaven1 figuratively speaking1 and brought it down to earth2 and he took the earth1 brought it up1 and opened up1 in plainness and simplicity1 the things of ,god2 and that is the beauty of his mission4 ,i had a testimony1 long before that1 that he was a ,prophet of the ,lord1 and that was consoling4 ,did not ,joseph do the same to your understandings8 ,would he not take the ,scriptures and make them so plain and simple that everybody could understand8 ,every person says1 ,yes1 it is admirable2 it unites the heavens and the earth together1 and as for time1 it is nothing1 only to teach us how to live in eternity4 #e3ccb4 ,when you hear a man pour out eternal things1 how well you feel1 to what a nearness you seem to be brought with ,god4 ,what a delight it was to hear ,brother ,joseph talk upon the great principles of eternity2 he would bring them down to the capacity of a child1 and he would unite heaven with earth1 this is the beauty of our religion4 #d3ed4 ,there is not that being that ever had the privilege of #gjb hearing the way of life and salvation set before him as it is written in the ,new ,testament1 and in the ,book of ,mormon1 and in the book of ,doctrine and ,covenants1 by a ,latter-day ,saint1 that can say that ,jesus lives1 that his ,gospel is true1 and at the same time say that ,joseph ,smith was not a ,prophet of ,god4 ,that is strong testimony1 but it is true4 ,no man can say that this book 7laying his hand on the ,bible7 is true1 is the word of the ,lord1 is the way1 is the guide-board in the path1 and a charter by which we may learn the will of ,god2 and at the same time say1 that the ,book of ,mormon is untrue2 if he has had the privilege of reading it1 or of hearing it read1 and learning its doctrines4 ,there is not that person on the face of the earth who has had the privilege of learning the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ from these two books1 that can say that one is true1 and the other is false4 ,no ,latter-day ,saint1 no man or woman1 can say the ,book of ,mormon is true1 and at the same time say that the ,bible is untrue4 ,if one be true1 both are2 and if one be false1 both are false4 ,if ,jesus lives1 and is the ,savior of the world1 ,joseph ,smith is a ,prophet of ,god1 and lives in the bosom of his father ,abraham4 ,though they have killed his body1 yet he lives and beholds the face of his ,father in ,heaven2 and his garments are pure as the angels that surround the throne of ,god2 and no man on the earth can say that ,jesus lives1 and deny1 at the same time1 my assertion about the ,prophet ,joseph4 ,this is my testimony1 and it is strong4 #a3ch4 ,who can justly say aught against ,joseph ,smith8 ,i was as well acquainted with him1 as any man4 ,i do not believe that his father and mother knew him any better than ,i did4 ,i do not think that a man lives on the earth that knew him any better than ,i did2 and ,i am bold to say that1 ,jesus #gjc ,christ excepted1 no better man ever lived or does live upon this earth4 ,i am his witness4 ,he was persecuted for the same reason that any other righteous person has been or is persecuted at the present day4 #i3ccb4 ,i never have professed to be ,brother ,joseph1 but ,brother ,brigham1 trying to do good to this people4 ,i am no better1 nor any more important than another man who is trying to do good4 ,if ,i am1 ,i don't know it4 ,if ,i improve upon what the ,lord has given me1 and continue to improve1 ,i shall become like those who have gone before me2 ,i shall be exalted in the celestial kingdom1 and be filled to overflowing with all the power ,i can wield2 and all the keys of knowledge ,i can manage will be committed unto me4 ,what do we want more8 ,i shall be just like every other man--have all that ,i can1 in my capacity1 comprehend and manage4 #f3bge-bgf4 ,called and ,directed by ,god--,he called upon his servant ,joseph ,smith1 ,jr41 when he was but a boy1 to lay the foundation of his ,kingdom for the last time4 ,why did he call upon ,joseph ,smith to do it8 ,because he was disposed to do it4 ,was ,joseph ,smith the only person on earth who could have done this work8 ,no doubt there were many others who1 under the direction of the ,lord1 could have done that work2 but the ,lord selected the one that pleased him1 and that is sufficient4 #aa3bec4 ,in all ages of the world that we have any knowledge of1 when there was a people on the earth whom ,god acknowledged as his people1 he has invariably dictated them in ,spiritual and in temporal things4 ,this question was agitated year after year in the days of ,joseph4 ,the first two ,bishops in the ,church--,edward ,partridge was the first--,i was well acquainted with him1 and ,newel ,k4 ,whitney was #gjd the second--questioned the propriety of ,joseph having anything to do with temporal things4 ,joseph would argue the case with them a little1 and tell them how things were1 and bring up scripture to show them that it could not be otherwise--that it was impossible for the ,lord to dictate to people unless he dictated them in temporal affairs4 ,the very first act after believing is a temporal act4 ,after ,i hear the ,gospel preached and believe it1 ,i go down into the waters of baptism1 which is a temporal act2 it is an act that pertains to my will and my body2 ,i will that my body shall go down into the water and be immersed for the remission of my sins2 consequently1 ,i have to go to the ,elder who taught me the ,gospel1 the spiritual portion of the ,kingdom1 and apply to him to administer this temporal ordinance1 and he has to do it2 having taught the doctrine he officiates in the act and you will find it through life1 every circumstance1 in every case1 the man that dictates the spiritual ,kingdom of ,god1 must dictate the temporal affairs1 it cannot be otherwise4 ,i say this to you1 because the idea in the minds of a few of the people is1 ,brigham ought not to meddle with temporal affairs4 ,they said so to ,joseph1 and they said so much about it1 that ,i went into the temple at ,kirtland1 and challenged the men who were querying on this1 to prove or bring up one instance where ,god did not manifest his will concerning temporal things whenever he made known his will to the children of men for establishing his ,kingdom on the earth4 ,they always came to the floor2 they had to do it1 there was nothing else for them2 it prostrated every person4 ,there were ,william ,e4 ,mc,lellin1 ,john ,f4 ,boynton1 and ,lyman ,johnson who belonged to the ,twelve1 ,frederick ,g4 ,williams1 second counselor to ,joseph1 and two-thirds of the ,high ,council1 all talking #gje about this1 and ,i went into the temple and just challenged them to show wherein the ,lord ever conferred upon any man in the world the power to dictate in spiritual affairs1 that he did not in temporal affairs8 ,they could not do it4 ,i told them they could not draw the line between the spiritual and the temporal4 ,all things were created first spiritual1 and then temporal4 ,everything in the spirit world was presented as we see it now1 and this temporal earth was presented there4 ,we were in the spirit world1 and we came here into this time1 which is in eternity1 nothing in the world only a change of time and season is allotted to a change of being that makes it time to us4 ,it is in eternity1 and we are just as much in eternity now1 as we shall be millions of years hence4 ,but it is time measured to finite beings1 and it is changeable1 and we call it temporal1 while the fact is it is all spiritual in the first place1 then temporal1 then spiritual1 and made immortal1 consequently you cannot divide them4 ,i say this for those to reflect upon who think that there is a difference between temporal and spiritual things4 ,i do not say1 for ,i do not know that there are any such here4 #ah3bdc4 ,development of the ,prophet--,from the day that ,joseph obtained the plates1 and previous to that time1 the ,lord dictated him4 ,he directed him day by day and hour by hour4 #h3ff4 ,joseph continued to receive revelation upon revelation1 ordinance upon ordinance1 truth upon truth1 until he obtained all that was necessary for the salvation of the human family4 ,all the inhabitants of the earth are called of ,god2 they are called to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins4 #af3db4 ,we have passed from one thing to another1 and ,i may #gjf say from one degree of knowledge to another4 ,when ,joseph first received the knowledge of the plates that were in the hill ,cumorah1 he did not then receive the keys of the ,aaronic ,priesthood1 he merely received the knowledge that the plates were there1 and that the ,lord would bring them forth1 and that they contained the history of the aborigines of this country4 ,he received the knowledge that they were once in possession of the ,gospel1 and from that time he went on1 step by step1 until he obtained the plates1 and the ,urim and ,thummim and had power to translate them4 ,this did not make him an ,apostle1 it did not give to him the keys of the ,kingdom1 nor make him an ,elder in ,israel4 ,he was a ,prophet1 and had the spirit of prophecy1 and had received all this before the ,lord ordained him4 ,and when the ,lord1 by revelation1 told him to go to ,pennsylvania1 he did so1 and finished the translation of the ,book of ,mormon2 and when the ,lord1 in another revelation1 told him to come back1 into ,new ,york ,state1 and to go to old ,father ,whitmer's1 who lived in a place opposite ,waterloo1 and there stop1 he did so1 and had meetings1 and gathered up a few who believed in his testimony4 ,he received the ,aaronic ,priesthood1 and then he received the keys of the ,melchizedek ,priesthood1 and organized the ,church4 ,he first received the power to baptize1 and still did not know that he was to receive any more until the ,lord told him there was more for him4 ,then he received the keys of the ,melchizedek ,priesthood1 and had power to confirm after he had baptized1 which he had not before4 ,he would have stood precisely as ,john the ,baptist stood1 had not the ,lord sent his other messengers1 ,peter1 ,james and ,john1 to ordain ,joseph to the ,melchizedek ,priesthood4 ,then1 after some of the brethren had been out preaching1 he had a revelation that they should go up to #gjg the ,state of ,ohio4 ,i knew of them1 though ,i was not acquainted with them before they went up there4 ,they were seen by some of my family1 my father saw and conversed with them4 ,then the way opened for a large gathering in the ,state of ,ohio4 ,parley ,p4 ,pratt1 ,oliver ,cowdery1 ,ziba ,peterson1 ,david ,whitmer1 ,john ,whitmer1 and a few others1 went up there and preached the ,gospel1 and they came among the members of the society called ,campbellites1 formerly members of the ,close ,communion ,baptists1 their leader's name being ,alexander ,campbell4 ,this man preached the doctrine that baptism was for the remission of sins1 and that split the church2 but when the brethren came to these societies and taught them1 not only baptism for the remission of sins1 but the laying on of hands for the reception of the ,holy ,ghost1 they believed it1 and were baptized for the remission of their sins1 and received the laying on of hands for the ,holy ,ghost1 and then received other ordinances4 ,at this time #ahda came a revelation that we could be baptized for our dead friends1 but at first it was not revealed that a record should be kept of those who were baptized2 but when he received an additional revelation to that effect1 then a record was kept4 ,hundreds and thousands1 ,i suppose1 were baptized before any record was kept at all1 and they were baptized over1 and a record kept of the baptisms and the names of the administrator1 those who acted for the dead1 and of the dead1 and of the witnesses4 ,you can read in the book of ,doctrine and ,covenants1 the letter that ,joseph wrote1 when he was away from home1 in regard to having witnesses at these baptisms4 ,i relate this to show you that the ,lord did not reveal everything at once4 ,but ,i need not dwell on this any longer1 #ah3bci-dj4 #gjh ,what ,joseph ,taught--,all that ,joseph ,smith did was to preach the truth--the ,gospel as the ,lord revealed it to him--and tell the people how to be saved1 and the honest-in-heart ran together and gathered around him and loved him as they did their own lives4 ,he could do no more than to preach true principles1 and that will gather the ,saints in the last days1 even the honest-in-heart4 ,all who believe and obey the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ are his witnesses to the truth of these statements4 #aj3cbf4 ,the excellency of the glory of the character of ,brother ,joseph ,smith was that he could reduce heavenly things to the understanding of the finite4 ,when he preached to the people--revealed the things of ,god1 the will of ,god1 the plan of salvation1 the purposes of ,jehovah1 the relation in which we stand to him and all the heavenly beings1 he reduced his teachings to the capacity of every man1 woman1 and child1 making them as plain as a well-defined pathway4 ,this should have convinced every person that ever heard of him of his divine authority and power1 for no other man was able to teach as he could1 and no person can reveal the things of ,god1 but by the revelations of ,jesus ,christ4 #h3bjf4 ,no man was to be found who could teach repentance and baptism for the remission of sins1 with authority to administer in the ordinances1 until ,god commissioned ,joseph ,smith1 and sent him forth with his commandment to the people4 ,previous to that time1 ,i searched everything pertaining to the churches2 ,i searched high and low to find whether there was any such thing as pure religion upon the earth2 ,i searched for a man that could tell me something of ,god1 of heaven1 of angels and of eternal life4 ,i believed in ,god the ,father1 and in ,jesus ,christ1 but ,i could not believe that the ,church of ,christ was upon the earth4 ,the question #gji was frequently asked1 ,is the ,methodist ,church1 the ,quakers1 or the ,mother ,church right8 ,no1 ,i would reply1 there is not a ,bible church upon the earth4 ,i might have continued to study the ,bible and all the books that have been written1 and without revelation from ,god ,i would have been like the sounding brass or tinkling cymbal1 having no knowledge of ,god1 of true religion1 of the redemption of the living or of the dead2 ,i would have lived and died in ignorance2 and this was the condition of all the inhabitants of the earth4 #aj3caa4 ,there was nothing of a temporal or spiritual nature suggested by ,joseph ,smith in his day1 for the action of the ,latter-day ,saints that would not have been beneficial for them1 if they had1 with one heart and mind1 performed all he desired them to do4 #aa3ah4 ,results of the ,prophet's ,labors--,joseph ,smith1 though he spent only fourteen years in presiding over this people1 organizing the ,church1 proclaiming the ,gospel and receiving revelations1 yet had hundreds and thousands of men and women who were ready to go to the death with him4 #ad3adi4 ,now1 as bad as myself and my brethren are1 and as far as we are from the mark1 and from the privileges we should enjoy1 if ,joseph ,smith1 ,jr41 the ,prophet1 could have seen the people in his day as willing to obey his voice1 as they are today to obey the voice of their ,president1 he would have been a happy man4 ,he lived1 labored1 toiled1 and worked2 his courage was like the courage of an angel1 and his will was like the will of the ,almighty1 and he labored till they killed him4 #aa3cbb4 ,persecutions of the ,prophet--,are there not scores of men and women here who are familiar with the death of our ,prophet8 ,why did people hate him8 ,because of his #gaj influence4 ,did he gain or exercise an unrighteous influence8 ,by no means4 ,he possessed a righteous influence over the spirits1 feelings1 passions1 and dispositions of all who delighted in truth and goodness1 so far as he associated1 and could guide them at his pleasure4 ,am ,i hated for the same cause8 ,i am4 ,i am hated for teaching people the way of life and salvation--for teaching them principles that pertain to eternity1 by which the ,gods were and are1 and by which they gain influence and power4 ,obtain that influence1 and you will be hated1 despised1 and hunted like the roe upon the mountains4 ,the way to obtain that influence is pointed out--by whom8 ,by him through whom the worlds were created1 and who has redeemed this earth and all things upon it4 #g3c4 ,our situation is peculiar at the present time4 ,has it not been peculiar ever since ,joseph found the plates8 ,the circumstances that surrounded him when he found the plates were singular and strange4 ,he passed a short life of sorrow and trouble1 surrounded by enemies who sought day and night to destroy him4 ,if a thousand hounds were on this ,temple ,block1 let loose on one rabbit1 it would not be a bad illustration of the situation at times of the ,prophet ,joseph4 ,he was hunted unremittingly4 ,we have the privilege of believing the same ,gospel that ,joseph taught1 and with him of being numbered with those whose names are cast out as evil4 #aj3cae4 ,june #bg1 #ahdd1 a little over fourteen years after the organization of this ,church1 ,joseph ,smith was slain4 ,in his day there were but very few years of rest for the ,saints4 ,they occupied ,nauvoo longer than any other one place2 they lived there about seven years4 ,we left ,nauvoo in #ahdf1 and from that time until now this ,church has not been #gaa compelled to abandon their property and homes4 ,we came here in the best and quickest way in our power1 and have been building1 fencing1 planting1 sowing1 and making ourselves comfortable4 ,it is now more than ten years since we first located here1 unmolested and undisturbed4 #g3db4 ,i lived close by where these plates were found4 ,i knew that ,joseph found them1 from outward circumstances that transpired at the time4 ,i shall not take time to relate but a little of the delicate1 kind1 benevolent1 ,christian-like1 ,i will say anti-,godlike feelings of the priests and of the people who professed ,christianity at the time that ,joseph organized this ,church4 ,the very first thing that was circulated was this--,did you hear that ,joe ,smith and his followers got together last night1 blew out the light1 stripped themselves stark naked1 and there they had the holy roll8 ,a great many of you do not understand this term4 ,it came from the ,shaking ,quakers4 ,i shall not attempt to relate here the conduct attributed to them1 but from that sprung the peculiar phrase ,i have mentioned in your hearing this afternoon4 ,in a very short time we were all thieves in the estimation of our so-called ,christian neighbors4 ,said the priest to a beloved sister1 ,sister1 did you hear of such a man1 he was a member of our church a few days since1 but he has joined old ,joe ,smith8 ,says the sister1 ,no1 can it be possible8 ,well1 they say so1 says the priest1 and he himself had fabricated the entire story4 ,this sister would tell it to another1 and it would go all through the neighborhood that such a man1 who only a few days before had been considered by them as good a brother as they had in their church1 had become a chicken thief4 ,but you cannot mention any crime that this people called ,latter-day ,saints have not been accused of committing by their so-called #gab ,christian neighbors2 and these stories would generally commence by the priests whispering to some sister1 ,did you hear of such and such a thing8 ,that was enough1 all that was wanted1 it became a solemn fact by the time it passed the third mouth4 #af3fg4 ,had ,joseph ,smith been an impostor and of the world1 the world would not have hated him1 but would have loved its own4 ,had ,joseph ,smith made political capital of his religion and calling1 and raised up a political party1 he doubtless would have become celebrated and renowned in the world as a great man and as a great leader4 #i3ccb4 ,harrassed by ,lawsuits--,he was poor1 harrassed1 distressed1 afflicted1 and tormented with lawsuits1 persecution upon persecution1 and it cost thousands and hundreds of thousands of dollars to keep him alive1 which a few had to sustain4 ,is this affliction upon them now8 ,it is not4 ,the scene is reversed4 ,and as the people once thought1 that many by one man could be made poor1 they now believe1 by one man many will be made rich4 ,at the present day ,i do not know where the opportunity is to prove the people4 #a3ge4 ,joseph ,smith was arraigned before ,judge ,austin ,a4 ,king1 on a charge of treason4 ,the ,judge inquired of ,mr4 ,smith1 ,do you believe and teach the doctrine that in the course of time the ,saints will possess the earth8 ,joseph replied that he did4 ,do you believe that the ,lord will raise up a kingdom that will fill the whole earth and rule over all other kingdoms1 as the ,prophet ,daniel has said8 ,yes1 sir1 ,i believe that ,jesus ,christ will reign ,king of nations as he does ,king of ,saints8 ,write that down1 clerk2 we want to fasten upon him the charge of treason1 for if he believes this1 he must believe that the ,state of ,missouri #gac will crumble and fall to rise no more4 ,lawyer ,doniphan said to the ,judge1 ,judge1 you had better make the ,bible treason and have done with it4 #i3cca4 ,joseph1 our ,prophet1 was hunted and driven1 arrested and persecuted1 and although no law was ever made in these ,united ,states that would bear against him1 for he never broke a law1 yet to my certain knowledge he was defendant in forty-six lawsuits1 and every time ,mr4 ,priest was at the head of and led the band or mob who hunted and persecuted him4 ,and when ,joseph and ,hyrum were slain in ,carthage jail1 the mob1 painted like ,indians1 was led by a preacher4 #ad3aii4 ,joseph ,smith1 in forty-six prosecutions1 was never proved guilty of one violation of the laws of his country4 ,they accused him of treason1 because he would not fellowship their wickedness4 #aj3aaa4 ,of ,good ,character--,we can find no person who presents a better character to the world1 when the facts are known1 than ,joseph ,smith1 ,jr41 the ,prophet1 and his brother1 ,hyrum ,smith1 who was murdered with him4 #ad3bjc4 ,the history of ,joseph and ,mary is given to us by their best friends1 and precisely as we will give the history of the ,prophet ,joseph4 ,we know him to have been a good man1 we know that he performed his mission1 we know that he was an honorable man and dealt justly1 we know his true character4 #c3cff4 ,but let his enemies give his character1 and they will make him out one of the basest men that ever lived4 ,let the enemies of ,joseph and ,mary give their characters to us1 and you would be strongly tempted to believe as the ,jews believe4 #c3cff4 ,why the ,prophet ,was ,killed--,if it be the will of the #gad ,lord for the people to live1 they will live4 ,if it had been the will of the ,lord that ,joseph and ,hyrum should have lived1 they would have lived4 ,it was necessary for ,joseph to seal his testimony with his blood4 ,had he been destined to live he would have lived4 ,the ,lord suffered his death to bring justice on the nation4 ,the debt is contracted and they have it to pay4 #ac3ie4 ,many of the ,prophets have sealed their testimony with their blood1 that their testament might go forth with force and not return void4 ,as in ancient days1 so in modern days4 ,when ,joseph ,smith sealed his testimony with his blood1 his testament from that moment was in force to all the world2 and woe to those who fight against it4 #ai3e4 ,joseph ,smith knew this1 and when he went to ,carthage he said1 ,i go to death2 ,i go like a lamb to the slaughter2 ,i go to my fate4 #aj3aid4 ,if ,brother ,joseph ,smith had taken a company and come to this country1 as he intended to do1 he could have been living here now1 in spite of earth and hell4 #e3cdb4 ,forty-five years ago they were determined to kill the ,prophet ,joseph4 ,i have lain upon the floor scores of nights ready to receive the mob who sought his life4 ,this persecution commenced with a little neighborhood1 then a town1 then a county1 then a state1 and then the people of the ,united ,states2 and by and by other nations will be just as bitter towards us and the doctrines we preach1 as many of the people of our own nation now are4 ,they will struggle and strive1 and plan and devise1 saying1 ,let us take this course1 and that course2 and they will struggle until they will come to a stop as though they were against a mountain of solid rock4 ,they will do all they can to break us up1 and even destroy us2 this has been the case now for the last #gae forty-five years4 ,joseph ,smith had forty-six lawsuits1 and ,i was with him through the most of them1 and never was the first thing proved against him2 he was never guilty of the first violation of the law or of good order4 ,and when ,governor ,ford asked him to go to prison1 as the mob were so enraged that he could not insure his life1 that he might be safe until he returned from ,nauvoo1 he said3 ,i will pledge you the faith of the ,state of ,illinois for your safety4 ,but as soon as he was gone1 the mob murdered both ,joseph and his brother ,hyrum1 in the jail4 ,that was to be so4 ,i heard ,joseph say many a time1 ,i shall not live until ,i am forty years of age4 ,the spring before he was killed--his death occurred the #bgth of ,june1 #ahdd--;he hurried off the first ,elders of the ,church4 ,all right1 ,i thought then1 and ,i think so now4 ,it is all in the hands of ,god4 ,they killed ,joseph1 and what for8 ,for the ,gospel's sake4 ,it was for no evil1 for ,i was well acquainted with him4 ,he testified to the truth1 he sealed his testimony with his blood4 ,whether we believe in blood atonement or not1 the ,lord so ordered it1 that ,joseph1 as well as others of the ,prophets1 sealed their testimony with their blood4 #ah3cfa4 ,joseph's ,work in the ,spirit ,world--,jesus had a work to do on the earth4 ,he performed his mission1 and then was slain for his testimony4 ,so it has been with every man who has been foreordained to perform certain important missions4 ,joseph truly said1 ,no power can take away my life1 until my work is done4 ,all the powers of earth and hell could not take his life1 until he had completed the work the ,father gave him to do2 until that was done1 he had to live4 ,when he died he had a mission in the spirit world1 as much so as ,jesus had4 #d3bhe4 ,is ,joseph glorified8 ,no1 he is preaching to the spirits #gaf in prison4 ,he will get his resurrection the first of any one in this ,kingdom1 for he was the first that ,god made choice of to bring forth the work of the last days4 ,his office is not taken from him1 he has only gone to labor in another department of the operations of the ,almighty4 ,he is still an ,apostle1 still a ,prophet1 and is doing the work of an ,apostle and ,prophet2 he has gone one step beyond us and gained a victory that you and ,i have not gained1 still he has not yet gone into the celestial kingdom1 or1 if he has1 it has been by a direct command of the ,almighty1 and that1 too1 to return again so soon as the purpose has been accomplished4 #c3cga4 ,nature of the ,prophet and ,his ,family--,what of ,joseph ,smith's family8 ,what of his boys8 ,i have prayed from the beginning for ,sister ,emma and for the whole family4 ,there is not a man in this ,church that has entertained better feelings towards them4 ,joseph said to me1 ,god will take care of my children when ,i am taken4 ,they are in the hands of ,god1 and when they make their appearance before this people1 full of his power1 there are none but what will say1 ,amen6 we are ready to receive you4 #h3fi4 ,the ,twelve1 the ,successors of the ,prophet--,at the death of ,joseph1 when the ,twelve returned to ,nauvoo1 to use a comparison1 the horses were all harnessed and the people were in the big carriage1 and where were they going8 ,they did not know4 ,who would gather up the lines and guide the team8 ,no man would step forward1 until ,i did4 ,there was not one of the ,twelve with me when ,i went to meet ,sidney ,rigdon on the meeting-ground4 ,i went alone1 and was ready alone to face and drive the dogs from the flock4 #h3cag4 ,now1 it is no more my duty to live so as to know the #gag mind and will of the ,lord than it is the duty of my brethren1 the rest of the ,twelve4 ,i say the rest of the ,twelve1 because ,i am the ,president of the ,quorum of the ,twelve ,apostles on the earth1 and the only one that the ,lord has ever acknowledged4 ,it is true that ,thomas ,b4 ,marsh was once ,president1 but the ,lord never acknowledged any man by revelation as ,president of that ,quorum but myself4 ,at the death of ,joseph ,i stepped out from that position in the advance1 according to the organization of the ,church1 for the sake of preserving the flock of ,god1 but not according to my wishes1 nor the desire of my heart1 but it was my duty4 ,when ,i heard of the ,prophet's death ,i said1 ,what will become of the people8 ,what will the ,saints do now that the ,prophet has gone8 ,it was my whole desire to preserve the sheep of the flock of ,god1 and it is so today4 ,brother ,kimball also stepped into the first ,presidency1 and we called others and ordained them to take our place for the time being1 that the ,church might be fully organized1 and we expect to ordain more when we feel like it4 #ah3gj4 ,some ,sayings of the ,prophet--,joseph used to say1 ,when you get the ,latter-day ,saints to agree on any point1 you may know it is the voice of ,god4 #ab3cja4 ,will the ,constitution be destroyed8 ,no2 it will be held inviolate by this people2 and1 as ,joseph ,smith said1 ,the time will come when the destiny of the nation will hang upon a single thread4 ,at this critical juncture1 this people will step forth and save it from the threatened destruction4 ,it will be so4 #g3ae4 ,hundreds of people in this house are my witnesses1 who heard ,joseph say1 when asked whether we should ever dare to leave ,nauvoo1 ,the ,saints will leave ,nauvoo4 ,i do not say they will be driven1 as they were from ,jackson ,county1 #gah ,missouri1 and from that ,state2 but they will leave here and go to the mountains4 ,and the next time the ,saints remove1 or are caused to remove1 they will be turned out of the frying-pan1 not into the fire1 but into the middle of the floor4 ,if this is not the middle of the floor1 ,i do not know where you will find it4 #h3cef4 ,i recollect many times when ,brother ,joseph1 reflecting upon how many would come into the ,kingdom of ,god and go out again1 would say1 ,brethren1 ,i have not apostatized yet1 and don't feel like doing so4 ,many of you1 no doubt1 can call to mind his words4 ,joseph had to pray all the time1 exercise faith1 live his religion1 and magnify his calling1 to obtain the manifestations of the ,lord1 and to keep him steadfast in the faith4 #b3beg4 ,who delivered ,joseph ,smith from the hands of his enemies to the day of his death8 ,it was ,god2 though he was brought to the brink of death time and time again1 and1 to all human appearance1 could not be delivered1 and there was no probability of his being saved4 ,when he was in jail in ,missouri1 and no person expected that he would ever escape from their hands1 ,i had the faith of ,abraham1 and told the brethren1 ,as the ,lord ,god liveth1 he shall come out of their hands4 ,though he had prophesied that he would not live to be forty years of age1 yet we all cherished hopes that that would be a false prophecy1 and we should keep him forever with us2 we thought our faith would outreach it1 but we were mistaken--he at last fell a martyr to his religion4 ,i said1 ,it is all right2 now the testimony is in full force2 he has sealed it with his blood1 and that makes it valid4 #a3cfd4 ,the question was asked a great many times of ,joseph ,smith1 by gentlemen who came to see him and his people1 #gai ,how is it that you can control your people so easily8 ,it appears that they do nothing but what you say2 how is it that you can govern them so easily8 ,said he1 ,i do not govern them at all4 ,the ,lord has revealed certain principles from the heavens by which we are to live in these latter days4 ,the time is drawing near when the ,lord is going to gather out his people from the wicked1 and he is going to cut short his work in righteousness1 and the principles which he has revealed ,i have taught to the people and they are trying to live according to them1 and they control themselves4 ,gentlemen1 this is the great secret now in controlling this people4 ,it is thought that ,i control them1 but it is not so4 ,it is as much as ,i can do to control myself and to keep myself straight and teach the people the principles by which they should live4 #ac3agf4 ,i recollect one remark that ,brother ,joseph used to make frequently1 when talking to the ,elders4 ,no matter what he set them to do1 whether he wanted them to go to a foreign land on a mission1 or to go into business1 he would say1 ,when you commence1 go in at the little end of the horn2 for if you do not1 but enter at the big end1 you will either have to turn round and come out at the end you went in at1 or go out at the small end1 and be squeezed nigh unto death4 ,let an ,elder hire the best halls in large cities to begin with1 and go to lecturing1 and it will take him a long time to raise a ,branch of this ,church4 ,but let him begin among the poor of the earth--those who live in the cellars1 and garrets1 and back streets2 for1 says the ,almighty1 ,i am going to take the weak things of the earth1 and with them confound the wisdom of the wise4 ,you will see that trait #gbj in every step of ,mormonism4 ,god has chosen the obscure and weak1 to bring them up and exalt them4 ,is not that the work of a ,god1 the performance of this work without money and without price8 ,the ,gospel is sent to all the inhabitants of the earth--to the high and the low1 the noble and the ignoble1 the young and the old4 ,here is the ,gospel2 you are welcome to it4 ,don't you ask anything for it8 ,not a farthing4 ,it has to go to the world1 without money and price4 ,now1 compare this with carrying the ,gospel with your pockets full of money2 and in the latter case1 where is your glory and honor8 #h3ced4 ,i recollect1 in ,far ,west1 ,joseph1 talking upon these matters1 said1 ,the people cannot bear the revelations that the ,lord has for them4 ,there were a great many revelations if the people could bear them4 ,i think it was the eighth day of ,july1 #ahca1 ,joseph had a revelation that the people should consecrate their surplus property for the building of a temple there in ,far ,west1 for the support of the ,priesthood1 for the paying of the debts of the ,presidency1 etc41 which ,i could give an account of1 for ,i was present when it came4 ,joseph was doing business in ,kirtland1 and it seemed as though all creation was upon him1 to hamper him in every way1 and they drove him from his business1 and it left him so that some of his debts had to be settled afterwards2 and ,i am thankful to say that they were settled up2 still further1 we have sent ,east to ,new ,york1 to ,ohio1 and to every place where ,i had any idea that ,joseph had ever done business1 and inquired if there was a man left to whom ,joseph ,smith1 jr41 the ,prophet1 owed a dollar1 or a sixpence4 ,if there was we would pay it4 ,but ,i have not been able to find one4 ,i have advertised this through every #gba neighborhood and place where he formerly lived1 consequently ,i have a right to conclude that all his debts were settled4 #ah3bdb4 ,brother ,kimball quoted a saying of ,joseph the ,prophet1 that he would not worship a ,god who had not a ,father2 and ,i do not know that he would if he had not a mother2 the one would be as absurd as the other4 ,if he had a ,father1 he was made in his likeness4 ,and if he is our ,father we are made after his image and likeness4 ,he once possessed a body1 as we now do2 and our bodies are as much to us1 as his body to him4 ,every iota of this organization is necessary to secure for us an exaltation with the ,gods4 #i3bhf4 ,my name is had for good and evil upon the whole earth1 as promised to me4 ,thirty years ago ,brother ,joseph1 in a lecture to the ,twelve said to me1 ,your name shall be known for good and evil throughout the world1 and it is so4 ,the good love me1 weak and humble as ,i am1 and the wicked hate me2 but there is no individual on the earth but what ,i would lead to salvation1 if he would let me2 ,i would take him by the hand1 like a child1 and lead him like a father in the way that would bring him to salvation4 #aj3big4 #gbb ,,chapter ,,xlii ,,the ,,settlement ,,in ,,the ,,west ,the ,journey ,across the ,plains--,a short recital of the reasons1 why these children before me were born here instead of being born in the ,states1 ,i can give to you1 and will endeavor to do so in a few words4 ,in #ahcj1 forty-seven years ago last ,march1 the ,book of ,mormon was printed and bound4 ,joseph ,smith had received revelation1 and plates on which were engraved characters from which the book was translated4 ,before the book was printed1 before ,joseph had the privilege of testifying to the truth of the latter-day work1 persecution was raised against him4 ,on the #fth day of ,april of the same year the ,church of ,jesus ,christ was organized4 ,persecution increased and continued to increase4 ,he left the ,state of ,new ,york and went to the ,state of ,ohio4 ,the ,gospel was preached there and many received it4 ,a settlement was formed1 but ,joseph had not the privilege of staying there long before they hunted him so determinedly that he was forced to leave ,kirtland and the ,state of ,ohio4 ,he then went to ,missouri4 ,in the year #ahch1 in the month of ,march1 in company with a number of brethren1 myself included1 ,joseph arrived at ,far ,west1 ,caldwell ,county1 ,missouri4 ,we had not the privilege of staying there more than for a few months before the cry was raised against ,joseph ,smith1 that he was guilty of high treason4 ,this aroused the people and the government of the state2 and in ,october1 thirty-five hundred of the militia of the state of ,missouri were marched against a few of us in ,far ,west4 ,they succeeded in taking ,joseph and ,hyrum #gbc and sixty-five others and putting them in prison4 ,when ,joseph had his trial1 the great accusation against him was that he believed in the fulfilment of prophecy--the prophecies that had been made by ,prophets of old and contained in ,holy ,writ4 ,when ,judge ,king asked ,joseph if he believed the predictions of ,daniel the ,prophet1 that in the latter-days the ,god of heaven would set up a kingdom which should succeed and finally rule and hold dominion over all other kingdoms1 ,joseph replied that he did believe this scripture as well as the rest4 ,this was considered treason6 ,joseph's lawyer turned to ,judge ,king and said1 ,judge1 ,i think you had better write it down that the ,bible is treason1 and this was all they found against him4 ,but the mob continued until they drove the ,latter-day ,saints out of the state of ,missouri4 ,we were told if we remained there the people would be upon us4 ,what we were guilty of we did not know1 only that we believed in the ,bible and the fulfilment of prophecy1 or1 in other words1 in the literal reading of the word of ,god4 ,they succeeded1 after killing many of the ,latter-day ,saints--men1 women1 and children1 cruelly massacring them--in driving us out of the state to the ,state of ,illinois1 where the people received us with open arms1 especially the inhabitants of the city of ,quincy2 for which kindness the hearts of our people who passed through these scenes have ever been lifted to ,god1 petitioning for blessings upon them4 ,and they have been blessed4 ,we lived in the ,state of ,illinois a few years2 and here1 as elsewhere1 persecution overtook us4 ,it came from ,missouri1 centering itself upon ,joseph1 and fastened itself upon others4 ,we lived in ,illinois from #ahci to #ahdd1 by which time they again succeeded in kindling the spirit of persecution against ,joseph and the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,treason6 ,treason6 #gbd ,treason6 they cried1 calling us murderers1 thieves1 liars1 adulterers1 and the worst people on the earth4 ,and this was done by the priests1 those pious dispensers of the ,christian religion whose charity was supposed to be extended to all men1 ,christian and heathen2 they were joined by drunkards1 gamblers1 thieves1 liars1 in crying against the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,they took ,joseph and ,hyrum1 and as a guarantee for their safety1 ,governor ,thomas ,ford pledged the faith of the ,state of ,illinois4 ,they were imprisoned1 on the pretense of safe keeping1 because the mob was so enraged and violent4 ,the ,governor left them in the hands of the mob1 who entered the prison and shot them dead4 ,john ,taylor1 who is present with us today1 was in the prison too1 and was also shot1 and was confined to his bed for several months afterwards4 ,after the mob had committed these murders1 they came upon us and burned our houses and grain4 ,when the brethren would go out to put out the fire1 the mob would lie concealed under fences1 and in the darkness of the night1 they would shoot them4 ,at last they succeeded in driving us from the ,state of ,illinois4 ,three congressmen came in the fall of #ahde1 and had a conference with the ,twelve and others2 they were desirous that we should leave the ,united ,states4 ,we told them we would do so1 we had stayed long enough with them2 we agreed to leave the ,state of ,illinois in consequence of that religious prejudice against us that we could not stay in peace any longer4 ,these men said the people were prejudiced against us4 ,stephen ,a4 ,douglas1 one of the three1 had been acquainted with us4 ,he said1 ,i know you1 ,i know ,joseph ,smith2 he was a good man1 and this people are a good people2 but the prejudices of the priests and the ungodly #gbe are such that1 said he1 ,gentlemen1 you cannot stay here and live in peace4 ,we agreed to leave4 ,we left ,nauvoo in ,february1 #ahdf4 ,there remained behind a few of the very poor1 the sick and the aged1 who suffered again from the violence of the mob2 they were whipped and beaten1 and had their houses burned4 ,we travelled west1 stopping in places1 building settlements1 where we left the poor who could not travel any farther with the company4 ,exactly thirty years today myself1 with others1 came out of what we named ,emigration ,canyon2 we crossed the ,big and ,little mountains1 and came down the valley about three quarters of a mile south of this4 ,we located1 and we looked about1 and finally we came and camped between the two forks of ,city ,creek1 one of which ran south-west and the other west4 ,here we planted our standard on this temple block and the one above it2 here we pitched our camps and determined that here we would settle and stop4 ,still our brethren who tarried by the way were toiling through poverty and distress4 ,at one time1 ,i was told1 they would have perished from starvation1 had not the ,lord sent quails among them4 ,these birds flew against their wagons1 and they either killed or stunned themselves1 and the brethren and sisters gathered them up1 which furnished them with food for days1 until they made their way in the wilderness4 ,children1 we are the pioneers of this country1 with one exception1 west of the ,mississippi river2 we established the first printing press in every state from here to the ,pacific ,ocean1 and we were the first to establish good schools2 we were the first to plant out orchards and to improve the desert country1 making it like the ,garden of ,eden4 #ai3fj4 ,we wish strangers to understand that we did not come here out of choice1 but because we were obliged to go somewhere1 #gbf and this was the best place we could find4 ,it was impossible for any person to live here unless he labored hard and battled and fought against the elements1 but it was a first-rate place to raise ,latter-day ,saints1 and we shall be blessed in living here1 and shall yet make it like the ,garden of ,eden2 and the ,lord ,almighty will hedge about his ,saints and will defend and preserve them if they will do his will4 ,the only fear ,i have is that we will not do right2 if we do we will be like a city set on a hill1 our light will not be hid4 #ad3aba4 ,in the year #ahde ,i addressed letters to all the ,governors of states and territories in the ,union1 asking them for an asylum1 within their borders1 for the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,we were refused such privilege1 either by silent contempt or a flat denial in every instance4 ,they all agreed that we could not come within the limits of their territory or state4 ,three members of ,congress came to negotiate with us to leave the confines of the ,united ,states1 and of the public domain4 ,it was understood that we were going to ,vancouver ,island2 but we had our eye on ,mexico1 and here we are located in the midst of what was then northern ,mexico4 #aa3ah4 ,when we were driven from ,nauvoo1 our ,elders went to the east to lay our case before the judges1 governors1 and rulers of the different states to ask for an asylum2 but none was offered us4 ,we sent men through the eastern country to try and raise some means for the destitute women and children1 whose husbands1 fathers and brothers had gone into the ,mexican war at the call of the general ,government1 leaving their wives and children and aged fathers and mothers upon the open prairies without home or shelter1 and the brethren who went east hardly got enough to bear their expenses4 ,the great men of the nation #gbg were asked if they would do anything for the ,lord's people4 ,no2 not a thing would they do1 but hoped they would perish in the wilderness4 #aa3ag4 ,when ,i was written to in ,nauvoo by the ,president of the ,united ,states1 through another person1 inquiring1 ,where are you going1 ,mr4 ,young8 ,i replied that ,i did not know where we should land4 ,we had men in ,england trying to negotiate for ,vancouver's ,island1 and we sent a shipload of ,saints round ,cape ,horn to ,california4 ,men in authority asked1 ,where are you going to8 ,we may go to ,california1 or to ,vancouver's ,island4 ,when the ,pioneer company reached ,green ,river1 we met ,samuel ,brannan and a few others from ,california1 and they wanted us to go there4 ,i remarked1 ,let us go to ,california1 and we cannot stay there over five years2 but let us stay in the mountains1 and we can raise our own potatoes1 and eat them2 and ,i calculate to stay here4 ,we are still on the backbone of the animal1 where the bone and the sinew are1 and we intend to stay here1 and all hell cannot help themselves4 #e3bcj-bca4 ,mark our settlements for six hundred miles in these mountains and then mark the path that we made coming here1 building the bridges and making the roads across the prairies1 mountains and canyons6 ,we came here penniless in old wagons1 our friends back telling us to take all the provisions1 you can2 for you can get no more6 ,take all the seed grain you can1 for you can get none there6 ,we did this1 and in addition to all this we have gathered all the poor we could1 and the ,lord has planted us in these valleys1 promising that he would hide us up for a little season until his wrath and indignation passed over the nations4 ,will we trust in the ,lord8 ,yes4 #ac3baf4 #gbh ,the ,saints were poor when they came into this valley1 twenty-five years ago4 ,they picked up a few buckskins1 antelope skins1 sheep skins1 buffalo skins1 and made leggings and moccasins of them1 and wrapped the buffalo robes around them4 ,some had blankets and some had not2 some had shirts1 and ,i guess some had not4 ,one man told me that he had not a shirt for himself or family4 #ae3aeh4 ,i will venture to say that not one of four out of my family had shoes to their feet when we came to this valley4 #aa3bhh4 ,we printed the first papers1 except about two1 set out the first orchards1 raised the first wheat1 kept almost the first schools1 and made the first improvements in our pioneering1 in a great measure1 from the ,mississippi river to the ,pacific ,ocean2 and here we got at last1 so as to be out of the way of everybody1 if possible4 ,we thought we would get as far as we could from the face of man2 we wanted to get to a strange land1 like ,abraham1 that we might be where we should not be continually wrong with somebody or other1 and have them crying1 ,oh1 you ,mormons6 and have the priests preaching1 the press printing1 the drunkard swearing1 and all1 high and low1 rich and poor1 wishing these poor ,mormons were out of the way4 ,we got out of the way as far as we could2 and if we can get out of the way any farther and do any good1 we are ready to get out of the way2 but ,i think we are as far out of the way as we need to be2 and we have got on the highway which has been cast up1 and ,i think we had better stay here4 #ad3bjh4 ,mormon ,battalion--,when we were right in the midst of ,indians1 who were said to be hostile1 five hundred men were called to go to ,mexico to fight the ,mexicans1 and1 said ,mr4 ,benton--,if you do not send them we will cover you up1 #gbi and there will be no more of you4 ,i do not want to think of these things1 their authors belong to the class ,i referred to yesterday--the enemies of mankind1 those who would destroy innocence1 truth1 righteousness and the ,kingdom of ,god from the earth4 ,we sent these five hundred men to fight the ,mexicans1 and those of us who remained behind labored and raised all that we needed to feed ourselves in the wilderness4 ,we had to pay our own school teachers1 raise our own bread and earn our own clothing1 or go without1 there was no other choice4 ,we did it then1 and we are able to do the same today4 #af3ai4 ,with regard to our going into the wilderness1 and our there being called upon to turn out five hundred able-bodied men to go to ,mexico1 we had then seen every religious and political right trampled under foot by mobocrats2 there were none left to defend our rights2 we were driven from every right which freemen ought to possess4 ,in forming that battalion of five hundred men1 brother ,kimball and myself rode day and night1 until we had raised the full number of men the ,government called for4 ,captain ,allen said to me1 using his own words1 ,i have fallen in love with your people4 ,i love them as ,i never loved a people before4 ,he was a friend to the uttermost4 ,when he had marched that ,mormon ,battalion as far as ,fort ,leavenworth1 he was thrown upon a sick bed where ,i then believed1 and do now1 he was nursed1 taken care of1 and doctored to the silent tomb1 and the battalion went on with ,god for their friend4 ,that battalion took up their line of march from ,fort ,leavenworth by way of ,santa ,fe1 and over the desert and dreary route1 and planted themselves in3 the lower part of ,california1 to the joy of all the officers and men that were loyal4 ,at the time of their arrival1 ,general ,kearney was #gcj in a straitened position1 and ,colonel ,p4 ,st4 ,george ,cooke promptly marched the battalion to his relief1 and said to him1 ,we have the boys here now that can put all things right4 ,the boys in that battalion performed their duty faithfully4 ,i never think of that little company of men without the next thoughts being1 ,god bless them for ever and for ever4 ,all this we did to prove to the ,government that we were loyal4 ,previous to this1 when we left ,nauvoo1 we knew that they were going to call upon us1 and we were prepared for it in our faith and in our feelings4 ,i knew then as well as ,i do now that the ,government would call for a battalion of men out of that part of ,israel1 to test our loyalty to the ,government4 ,thomas ,h4 ,benton1 if ,i have been rightly informed1 obtained the requisition to call for that battalion1 and1 in case of non-compliance with that requisition1 to call on the militia of ,missouri and ,iowa1 and other states1 if necessary1 and to call volunteers from ,illinois1 from which state we had been driven1 to destroy the camp of ,israel4 ,this same ,mr4 ,benton said to the ,president of the ,united ,states1 in the presence of some other persons1 ,sir1 they are a pestilential race1 and ought to become extinct4 #aj3ajf4 ,have not this people invariably evinced their friendly feelings1 disposition1 and patriotism towards the ,government by every act and proof which can be given by any people8 ,permit me to draw your attention1 for a moment1 to a few facts in relation to raising the battalion for the ,mexican war4 ,when the storm cloud of persecution lowered down upon us on every side1 when every avenue was closed against us1 our leaders treacherously betrayed and slain by the authorities of the ,government in which we lived1 and #gca no hope of relief could penetrate through the thick darkness and gloom which surrounded us on every side1 no voice was raised in our behalf1 and the general ,government was silent to our appeals4 ,when we had been insulted and abused all the day long1 by those in authority requiring us to give up our arms1 and by every other act of insult and abuse which the prolific imagination of our enemies could devise to test1 as they said1 our patriotism1 which requisitions1 be it known1 were always complied with on our part2 and when we were finally compelled to flee1 for the preservation of our lives and the lives of our wives and children to the wilderness2 ,i ask1 had we not reason to feel that our enemies were also in favor of our destruction8 ,had we not1 ,i ask1 some reason to consider them all1 both in people and the ,government1 alike our enemies8 ,and when1 in addition to all this1 and while fleeing from our enemies1 another test of fidelity and patriotism was contrived by them for our destruction1 and acquiesced in by the ,government 7through the agency of a distinguished politician who evidently sought1 and thought he had planned1 our overthrow and total annihilation7 consisting of a requisition from the war department1 to furnish a battalion of five hundred men to fight under their officers1 and for them1 in the war then existing with ,mexico1 ,i ask again1 could we refrain from considering both people and ,government our most deadly foes8 ,look a moment at our situation1 and the circumstances under which this requisition was made4 ,we were migrating1 we knew not whither1 except that it was our intention to go beyond the reach of our enemies4 ,we had no home1 save our wagons and tents1 and no stores of provisions and clothing2 but had to earn our daily bread by leaving our families in isolated locations for safety1 and #gcb going among our enemies to labor4 ,were we not1 even before this cruel requisition was made1 unmercifully borne down by oppression and1 persecution past endurance by any other community8 ,but under these trying circumstances we were required to turn out of our travelling camps five hundred of our most efficient men1 leaving the old1 the young1 the women upon the hands of the residue1 to take care of and support2 and in case we refused to comply with so unreasonable a requirement1 we were to be deemed enemies to the ,government1 and fit only for the slaughter4 ,look also at the proportion of the number required of us1 compared with that of any other portion of the ,republic4 ,a requisition of only thirty thousand from a population of more than twenty millions was all that was wanted1 and more than was furnished1 amounting to only one person and a half to a thousand inhabitants4 ,if all other circumstances had been equal1 if we could have left our families in the enjoyment of peace1 quietness1 and security in the houses from which we had been driven1 our quota of an equitable requisition would not have exceeded four persons4 ,instead of this1 five hundred must go1 thirteen thousand per cent above an equal ratio1 even if all other things had been equal1 but under the peculiar circumstances in which it was made comparison fails to demonstrate1 and reason itself totters beneath its enormity4 ,and for whom were we to fight8 ,as ,i have already shown1 for those that we had every reason to believe were our most deadly foes4 ,could the ,government have expected our compliance therewith8 ,did they expect it8 ,did not our enemies believe that we would spurn1 with becoming resentment and indignation1 such an unhallowed proposition8 ,and were they not prepared to make our rejection of it a pretext #gcc to inflame the ,government still more against us1 and thereby accomplish their hellish purposes upon an innocent people1 in their utter extinction8 ,and how was this proposition received1 and how was it responded to by this people8 ,i went myself1 in company with a few of my brethren1 between one and two hundred miles along the several routes of travel1 stopping at every little camp1 using our influence to obtain volunteers1 and on the day appointed for the rendezvous the required complement was made up2 and this was all accomplished in about twenty days from the time that the requisition was made known4 ,our battalion went to the scene of action1 not in easy berths on steam-boats1 nor with a few months' absence1 but on foot over two thousand miles across trackless deserts and barren plains1 experiencing every degree of privation1 hardship1 and suffering during some two years' absence before they could rejoin their families4 ,thus was our deliverance again effected by the interposition of that ,all-wise ,being who can discern the end from the beginning1 and overrule the wicked intentions of men to promote the advancement of his cause upon the earth4 ,thus were we saved from our enemies by complying with their1 as hitherto1 unjust and unparalleled exactions2 again proving our loyalty to the ,government4 ,here permit me to pay a tribute of respect to the memory of ,captain ,allen1 the bearer of this requisition from the ,government4 ,he was a gentleman full of humane feelings1 and1 had he been spared1 would have smoothed the path1 and made easy the performance of this duty1 so far as laid in his power4 ,his heart was wrung with sympathy when he saw our situation1 and filled with wonder when he witnessed the enthusiastic patriotism and ardor which so #gcd promptly complied with his requirement2 again proving1 as we had hundreds of times before proved1 by our acts1 that we were belied by our enemies1 and that we were as ready1 and even more so than any other inhabitants of the ,republic1 to shoulder the musket1 and go forth to fight the battles of our common country1 or stand in her defense4 ,history furnishes no parallel1 either of the severity or injustice of the demand1 or in the alacrity1 faithfulness1 and patriotism with which it was answered and complied4 ,thus can we cite instance after instance of persons holding legal authority1 being moved upon1 through the misrepresentation and influence of our enemies to insult us as a people1 by requiring a test of our patriotism4 ,how long must this state of things continue8 ,so long as the people choose to remain in wilful ignorance with regard to us2 so long as they choose to misinterpret our views1 misrepresent our feelings1 and misunderstand our policy4 #b3agc4 ,we made and broke the road from ,nauvoo to this place4 ,some of the time we followed ,indian trails1 some of the time we ran by the compass2 when we left the ,missouri river we followed the ,platte4 ,and we killed rattlesnakes by the cord in some places2 and made roads and built bridges till our backs ached4 ,where we could not build bridges across rivers1 we ferried our people across1 until we arrived here1 where we found a few naked ,indians1 a few wolves and rabbits1 and any amount of crickets2 but as for a green tree or a fruit tree1 or any green field1 we found nothing of the kind1 with the exception of a few cottonwoods and willows on the edge of ,city ,creek4 ,for some #abjj or #acjj miles we carried every particle of provision we had when we arrived here4 ,when we left our homes we picked up what the mob did not steal of our #gce horses1 oxen and calves1 and some women drove their own teams here4 ,instead of #cfe pounds of breadstuff when they started from the ,missouri river1 there was not half of them had half of it4 ,we had to bring our seed grain1 our farming utensils1 bureaus1 secretaries1 sideboards1 sofas1 pianos1 large looking glasses1 fine chairs1 carpets1 nice shovels and tongs1 and other fine furniture1 with all the parlor1 cook stoves1 etc41 and we had to bring these things piled together with some women and children1 helter skelter1 topsy turvy1 with broken down horses1 ring-boned1 spavined1 pole evil1 fistula and hipped2 oxen with three legs1 and cows with one teat4 ,this was our only means of transportation1 and if we had not brought our goods in this manner we would not have had them1 for there was nothing here4 ,you may say this is a burlesque4 ,well1 ,i mean it as such1 for we1 comparatively speaking1 really came here naked and barefoot4 #ab3bhf-bhg4 ,settlement in the ,great ,salt ,lake ,valley--,in the days of ,joseph we have sat many hours at a time conversing about this very country4 ,joseph has often said1 ,if ,i were only in the ,rocky ,mountains with a hundred faithful men1 ,i would then be happy1 and ask no odds of mobocrats4 #aa3af4 ,i do not wish men to understand ,i had anything to do with our being moved here1 that was the providence of the ,almighty2 it was the power of ,god that wrought out salvation for this people1 ,i never could have devised such a plan4 #d3da4 ,i did not devise the great scheme of the ,lord's opening the way to send this people to these mountains4 ,joseph contemplated the move for years before it took place1 but he could not get here1 for there was a watch placed upon #gcf him continually to see that he had no communication with the ,indians4 ,this was in consequence of that which is written in the ,book of ,mormon2 one of the first evils alleged against him was that he was going to connive with the ,indians2 but did he ever do anything of the kind8 ,no1 he always strove to promote the best interest of all1 both red and white4 ,was it by any act of ours that this people were driven into their midst8 ,we are now their neighbors1 we are on their land1 for it belongs to them as much as any soil ever belonged to any man on earth2 we are drinking their water1 using their fuel and timber1 and raising our food from their ground4 #d3da4 ,we have faith1 we live by faith2 we came to these mountains by faith4 ,we came here1 ,i often say1 though to the ears of some the expression may sound rather rude1 naked and barefoot1 and comparatively this is true4 #ac3agb4 ,we had to have faith to come here4 ,when we met ,mr4 ,bridger on the ,big ,sandy ,river1 said he1 ,mr4 ,young1 ,i would give a thousand dollars if ,i knew an ear of corn could be ripened in the ,great ,basin4 ,said ,i1 ,wait eighteen months and ,i will show you many of them4 ,did ,i say this from knowledge8 ,no1 it was my faith2 but we had not the least encouragement--from natural reasoning and all that we could learn of this country--of its sterility1 its cold and frost1 to believe that we could ever raise anything4 ,but we travelled on1 breaking the road through the mountains and building bridges until we arrived here1 and then we did everything we could to sustain ourselves4 ,we had faith that we could raise grain2 was there any harm in this8 ,not at all4 ,if we had not had faith1 what would have become of us8 ,we would have gone down in unbelief1 have closed #gcg up every resource for our sustenance and should never have raised anything4 #ac3agc4 ,i cannot help being here4 ,we might have gone to ,vancouver's ,island2 and if we had1 we should probably have been driven away or used up before this time4 ,but here we are in the valleys of the mountains1 where the ,lord directed me to lead the people4 ,the brethren who are in foreign countries desire to gather to the gathering-place of the ,saints1 and they have for the present to come to ,great ,salt ,lake ,city4 ,they cannot help that4 ,why did we not go to ,san ,francisco8 ,because the ,lord told me not3 ,for there are lions in the way1 and they will devour the lambs1 if you take them there4 ,what now can we do8 ,why1 instead of being merchants1 instead of going to ,st4 ,louis to buy goods1 we can go down to our ,dixie land1 the southern part of our ,territory1 and raise cotton and manufacture goods for ourselves4 #i3aje4 ,a great many wanted to go to the ,gila ,river2 that was proposed when we first came to this valley4 ,it was said to be a lovely country1 and that men could live there almost without labor4 ,what if we had gone there8 ,you see what has followed us here2 but what would have been the result1 if we had gone there8 ,long before this time we would have been outnumbered by our enemies2 there would have been more against us than for us in our community4 ,suppose we had gone to ,texas1 where ,lyman ,wight went8 ,he tried to make all the ,saints believe that ,joseph wanted to take the whole ,church there4 ,long before this1 we would have been killed1 or compelled to leave the country4 ,we could not have lived there4 #d3cdd4 ,we came to these mountains because we had no other place to go to4 ,we had to leave our homes and possessions #gch on the fertile lands of ,illinois to make our dwelling places in these desert wilds1 on barren1 sterile plains amid lofty1 rugged mountains4 ,none dare come here to live until we came here1 and we now find it to be one of the best countries in the world for us4 #aj3bbc4 ,five years ago we were menaced on every side by the cruel persecutions of our inveterate enemies2 hundreds of families1 who had been forced from their homes1 and compelled to leave behind them their all1 were wandering as exiles in a state of abject destitution2 but1 by the favor of heaven1 we have been enabled to surmount all these difficulties1 and can assemble here today in the chamber of these mountains1 where there are none to make us afraid1 far from our persecutors1 far from the turmoil and confusion of the old world4 #a3cgf4 ,seven years ago tomorrow1 about eleven o'clock1 ,i crossed the ,mississippi ,river1 with my brethren1 for this place1 not knowing1 at that time1 whither we were going1 but firmly believing that the ,lord had in reserve for us a good place in the mountains1 and that he would lead us directly to it4 ,it is but seven years since we left ,nauvoo1 and we are now ready to build another temple4 ,i look back upon our labors with pleasure4 ,here are hundreds and thousands of people that have not had the privileges that some of us have had4 ,do you ask1 what privileges8 ,why1 of running the gauntlet1 of passing through the narrows4 ,they have not had the privilege of being robbed and plundered of their property1 of being in the midst of mobs and death1 as many of us have4 #a3bgi4 ,when the pioneers came into these valleys we knew nearly all the families which composed the settlements in ,upper and ,lower ,california4 #aj3ahi4 #gci ,the most of the people called ,latter-day ,saints have been taken from the rural and manufacturing districts of this and the old countries1 and they belonged to the poorest of the poor4 ,many of them1 ,i may say the great majority1 never had anything around them to make life very desirable2 they have been acquainted with poverty and wretchedness1 hence it cannot be expected that they should manifest that refinement and culture prevalent among the rich4 ,many and many a man here1 who is now able to ride in his wagon and perhaps in his carriage1 for years before he started for ,zion never saw daylight4 ,his days were spent in the coal mines1 and his daily toil would commence before light in the morning and continue until after dark at night4 ,now what can be expected from a community so many of whose members have been brought up like this1 or if not just like this1 still under circumstances of poverty and privation8 ,certainly not what we might expect from those reared under more favorable circumstances4 ,but ,i will tell you what we have in our mind's eye with regard to these very people1 and what we are trying to make of them4 ,we take the poorest we can find on earth who will receive the truth1 and we are trying to make ladies and gentlemen of them4 ,we are trying to educate them1 to school their children1 and to so train them that they may be able to gather around them the comforts of life1 that they may pass their lives as the human family should do--that their days1 weeks1 and months may be pleasant to them4 ,we prove that this is our design1 for the result1 to some extent1 is already before us4 #ad3ajc4 ,talk about these rich valleys1 why there is not another people on the earth that could have come here and lived4 ,we prayed over the land1 and dedicated it and the water1 #gdj air and everything pertaining to them unto the ,lord1 and the smiles of heaven rested on the land and it became productive1 and today yields us the best of grain1 fruit and vegetables4 #ab3bhh4 ,there never has been a land1 from the days of ,adam until now1 that has been blessed more than this land has been blessed by our ,father in ,heaven2 and it will still be blessed more and more1 if we are faithful and humble1 and thankful to ,god for the wheat and the corn1 the oats1 the fruit1 the vegetables1 the cattle and everything he bestows upon us1 and try to use them for the building up of his ,kingdom on the earth4 #aj3ce4 ,you inquire if we shall stay in these mountains4 ,i answer yes1 as long as we please to do the will of ,god1 our ,father in ,heaven4 ,if we are pleased to turn away from the holy commandments of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 as ancient ,israel did1 every man turning to his own way1 we shall be scattered and peeled1 driven before our enemies and persecuted1 until we learn to remember the ,lord our ,god and are willing to walk in his ways4 #aa3bgd4 ,many may inquire1 ,how long shall we stay here8 ,we shall stay here just as long as we ought to4 ,shall we be driven1 when we go8 ,if we will so live as to be satisfied with ourselves1 and will not drive ourselves from our homes1 we shall never be driven from them4 ,seek for the best wisdom you can obtain1 learn how to apply your labor1 build good houses1 make fine farms1 set out apple1 pear1 and other fruit trees that will flourish here1 also the mountain currant and raspberry bushes1 plant strawberry beds1 and build up and adorn a beautiful city4 ,the question now arises--,do you think it best for us to live in cities8 ,lay out your #gda cities1 but not so large that you cannot readily raise the whole city1 should an enemy come upon you4 #h3bhh4 ,i do not know that ,i have prayed for rain since ,i have been in these valleys until this year1 during which ,i believe that ,i have prayed two or three times for rain1 and then with a faint heart1 for there is plenty of water flowing down these canyons in crystal streams as pure as the breezes of ,zion1 and it is our business to use them4 #c3cca4 ,when water is brought to the termination of the canal1 which we can accomplish in a few days1 ,i presume that the reservoirs on the line of the work and those portions which are excavated in full will contain water enough to allow the people to irrigate when necessary1 and thus do away with the practice of watering only two hours a week on a city lot1 and much of that to be done in the night4 ,and that is not all1 for by the time the water is fairly on a lot it is taken by the next person whose right it is to use it4 ,and lots which have had thousands of dollars expended on them1 and which would yield more than a thousand dollars' worth of fruit and vegetables1 could they be properly irrigated1 are only allowed a small stream of water for two hours once a week1 and at the same time an adjoining lot planted with corn1 the hills six feet apart and one stalk in a hill1 comparatively speaking1 the balance of the ground being covered with weeds1 is allotted the same time and amount of water as the one on which the fruit trees and other choice vegetation are worth thousands of dollars4 ,there ought to be a reformation in the distribution of the water4 ,the man who will not raise five dollars' worth of produce on his lot1 has the same water privilege as the man who could raise a thousand dollars' worth4 ,for instance1 brother ,staines gets the water for two hours in a #gdb week1 and what are his fruit trees worth8 ,he could make his thousand dollars a year from them1 if he were disposed to sell the fruit instead of giving it away1 could he have a fair portion of water4 ,i have a lot just below him well cultivated in fruit trees1 a nursery1 and choice vegetables1 ,i also can only have the water on my lot for two hours in a week2 when lots nearby with but little on them except weeds1 get the same water privilege1 and that too in the day time1 while we have to use it in the night4 ,water masters ought to look to this matter1 until they have arranged a more just distribution4 #c3cbi4 ,the river ,jordan will be brought out and made to flow through a substantial canal to ,great ,salt ,lake ,city4 ,when this is done1 it will not only serve as a means of irrigating1 but it will form a means of transportation from the south end of ,utah ,lake to ,great ,salt ,lake ,city4 #aa3aaf4 ,as soon as that is completed from big ,cottonwood to this city1 we expect to make a canal on the west side of ,jordan1 and take its water along the east base of the west mountains1 as there is more farming land on the west side of that river than on the east4 ,when that work is accomplished we shall continue our exertions1 until ,provo river runs to this city4 ,we intend to bring it around the point of the mountain to ,little ,cottonwood1 from that to ,big ,cottonwood1 and lead its waters upon all the land from ,provo canyon to this city1 for there is more water runs in that stream alone than would be needed for that purpose4 #c3cbi4 ,until the ,latter-day ,saints came here1 not a person among all the mountaineers and those who had traveled here1 so far as we could learn1 believed that an ear of corn would ripen in these valleys4 ,we know that corn and #gdc wheat produce abundantly here1 and we know that we have an excellent region wherein to raise cattle1 horses1 and every other kind of domestic animal that we need4 ,we also knew this when we came here thirteen years ago this summer4 ,bridger said to me1 ,mr4 ,young1 ,i would give a thousand dollars1 if ,i knew that an ear of corn could be ripened in these mountains4 ,i have been here twenty years1 and have tried it in vain1 over and over again4 ,i told him if he would wait a year or two we would show him what could be done4 ,a man named ,wells1 living with ,miles ,goodyear1 where now is ,ogden ,city1 had a few beans growing1 and carried water from the river in a pail to irrigate them4 #h3bhh4 #gde ,,index ,a ,aaron #bbb2 literal descendant of1 #bbb4 ,aaronic ,priesthood1 conferred by ,john the ,baptist1 #bbj2 ,bishop head of1 #bbb2 ,aaron held1 #bbb4 ,abraham1 #afa2 received ,priesthood1 #afb4 ,accountants1 ladies can learn to be1 #ccg4 ,acts1 more essential than words1 #eaj4 ,adam1 greatest desire of1 #id2 receives the gospel1 #aei2 creation of1 #afj4 ,administering to the sick1 #beb2 duty of fathers in1 #beb2 remedies should be applied before1 #bec2 can be done by mothers1 #cbh4 ,administrators of ,law1 opposed to the corrupt1 #eee1 #eef4 ,agency1 ,free1 see ,free ,agency4 ,agriculture1 more lands must be brought into cultivation1 #dee2 canals built1 #dee2 redeem lands which now lie in waste1 #dee2 prepare children for1 #dee2 cultivate your farm and gardens1 #def2 plant orchards and vineyards1 #def2 produce that which can be used for food of man1 #def2 part of our religion1 #eji4 ,see also under cotton1 flax1 indigo1 silk1 sugar1 wheat4 ,allen1 ,captain1 friend to the ,saints1 #gbi1 #gcc2 death of1 #gbi3 ,angel1 duty of1 #fc2 difference between1 and ,saints1 #fd4 ,anger1 pray when in1 #gj2 check your words of1 #dab2 never speak evil when in1 #dab2 no ,man possessing wisdom will give vent to1 #dac2 cease your1 #dac2 wicked1 #dad2 righteous1 #dad2 not to rise in our bosom1 #cae4 ,annihilation1 no such thing as1 #gc4 ,anointing the sick with oil1 #beb4 ,apostasy1 #abf1 #acb2 the1 #afc4 ,apostates1 condition of1 #acj4 ,apostles1 priesthood of1 #bjg2 hold keys of ,priesthood1 #baa1 #bah2 to be in ,church of ,christ1 #baa2 calling of an1 #baf2 obedience of1 testified to by ,president ,young1 #baf2 called from members of ,zion's ,camp1 #bai2 can be brought before ,bishop1 #bbc2 to do work set them1 #bcj2 what makes them special witnesses1 #ebg4 ,ark of ,covenant1 sacredness of1 #fcc2 place of its keeping1 #fcd4 ,astrology1 #aae4 ,atonement1 #db4 ,b ,babylon1 what is1 #dia4 ,baptism1 by immersion1 #bde2 not necessary for infants1 #bde2 has been a law to all worlds1 #bdf2 for all who apply1 #eja2 a temporal act1 #gjd4 ,baptists1 #i4 ,baptize1 you have not power to1 yourselves1 #bdh2 who can legally1 #bdh4 ,beautify1 build beautiful cities1 #dfe2 your gardens1 #dfe2 and make your mountain homes a paradise1 #dfe2 and plant shade trees along the boulevards1 #dfe2 by cultivating flowers and shrubbery1 #dfe4 ,begging1 if ,saints will feed poor willingly1 their children will not be found1 #ccf4 ,benton1 ,thomas ,h41 attitude of1 toward ,saints1 #gcj4 ,bible1 ,gospel doctrine in1 #i2 words of life in1 #aia2 ,saints believers in1 #aia2 is true1 #aia2 ,gospel contained in1 #aib2 to be voted out of ,christian world1 #aic2 guide of ,saints1 #aic2 ,saints preach doctrine of1 #aid2 words of1 not to be wrested1 #aid2 standard work of ,church1 #aie2 what infidel world says about1 #aif2 plainness of1 #aih2 language of1 #aii4 ,big ,cottonwood1 a canal to be built from1 #gdb4 ,big ,mountain1 #gbe4 ,birth ,control1 #cje4 ,bishop1 should be filled with power of ,holy ,ghost1 #bjf2 office of1 belongs to ,aaronic ,priesthood1 #bag1 #bbb2 rights of a1 #bbb1 #bbc2 not called to travel abroad1 #bbc2 to act as judge1 #bbc2 and members of ward1 #bbc2 #gdf to be a married man1 #bbc2 to be perfect example1 #bbd2 duties of a1 #bbd1 #bbf2 to be prayed for1 #bbe2 counselors of1 to be examples1 #bbf4 ,blessings1 proportioned to capacity1 #adf2 my heart is full of1 #cej4 ,blessed1 are they who obey direct commandment1 #cdj2 more1 are they who obey without direct commandment1 #cdj4 ,bodies1 will be resurrected1 #egj4 ,body1 importance of1 #hg2 returns to ,mother ,earth1 #efd2 the resurrected1 #egc1 #egd4 ,bookkeepers1 ladies can learn to be1 #ccg4 ,book of ,doctrine and ,covenants1 #ah4 ,book of ,mormon1 #afg2 printed in ,march1 #ahcj1 #gbb4 ,boynton1 ,john ,f41 #gjd4 ,bridger1 ,jim1 ,president ,young's statement concerning corn to1 #gcf1 #gdc4 ,business1 ladies can conduct1 #ccg4 ,c ,cahoon1 ,reynolds1 one of first ,high ,priests1 #bbj1 #bba4 ,cain1 #afj4 ,campbell1 ,alexander1 #gjg4 ,cana of ,galilee1 miracle performed at1 #ebb1 #ebc4 ,canal1 to be from ,big ,cottonwood to ,salt ,lake ,city1 #gdb2 to be built on west side of ,jordan1 #gdb4 ,capacity1 blessings proportioned to1 #adf4 ,capitalists1 need your labor1 #dfb2 honorable men1 #dfb2 want to make money1 #dfb2 build up your farms with earnings from1 #dfb2 should bring price of labor to a reasonable standard1 #dfc2 should create business1 #dfd2 do not oppress the poor1 #dfe4 ,capital ,stock1 is time1 #ccj4 ,carpentry1 how to teach to children1 #cbe4 ,carthage1 where ,joseph and ,hyrum were martyred1 #gbd4 ,catholics1 #ae4 ,celestial beings1 #aej4 ,celestial ,kingdom1 who enter1 #ehf2 where ,god and ,christ dwell1 #eid2 highest of all1 #eih1 #fjj2 men to obtain1 must battle1 #fjj4 ,celestial world1 #aej4 ,center ,stake of ,zion1 #agd4 ,centurion's ,servant1 healing of1 no miracle1 #ebd4 ,character1 of ,saints traduced1 #ecb4 ,charity1 show1 #dbj2 only a few men understand1 #dbj2 we should have1 #dbj2 will extend1 #dba2 of ,god1 #dba2 administer charitable gifts1 #dbb2 true gentleman possesses1 #dbi2 ,lord will bless the people that is full of1 #dcb4 ,chastened1 ,saints will be1 #cdi2 we will be1 if we neglect our duty1 #cej4 ,cheating1 men must quit1 #cea4 ,child1 training1 guide to1 #cbh4 ,children1 duties of1 #cac1 #cad2 how and what to teach1 #cbj1 #cba1 #cbb2 ,gospel to be taught to1 #cbj2 when and how bound up to parents1 #cbb4 ,children of ,israel1 more rebellious than the latter-day ,saints1 #cea2 government of1 a theocracy1 #edd4 ,church of ,england1 #i4 ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 is the ,church1 #aa2 has ,gospel of life and salvation1 #aa2 how guided1 #fc2 ,god is at the helm of1 #acb2 warfare against1 #aga2 led by ,lord ,almighty1 #bab2 who can organize1 #bad2 government of1 #bbg2 to be a theocratic government1 #bbg2 how to become members of1 #bcf4 ,church of ,god1 definition of1 and kingdom1 #fgj2 object of1 #fga2 to develop gradually1 #fgb2 effect of1 #fgc2 filthy cannot enter1 #fgd2 government of1 #fgd2 will continue1 #fgf2 ,jehovah head of1 #fgh2 business of1 #fgh1 #fgi2 individual labor required in1 #fgi2 is of real worth1 #fhj2 give best you have to1 #fha4 ,city ,creek1 two forks of1 #gbe2 camp made on1 #gbe4 ,city of ,zion1 beauty of1 #ahd2 ,new ,jerusalem to be1 #ahe4 ,civil ,war1 forebodings of the1 #efj4 ,cleanliness1 to be taught to children1 #cbf4 ,close ,communion ,baptists1 #gjg4 ,clothing1 proper care of1 #cbe4 ,columbus1 inspired1 #eea4 #gdg ,condemnation1 upon parents1 if they do not properly teach their children1 #cbj4 ,congressmen1 desired ,saints to leave ,united ,states1 #gbd1 #gbg4 ,commandments1 none to be dispensed with1 #cda2 the keeping of1 #cdb2 none of1 tend to evil1 #cdb2 given for our benefit1 #cdf4 ,commerce1 we must command1 #dfa2 unless we can command1 better without it1 #dfa2 railroad will furnish us a market for our1 #dfa4 ,common ,consent1 how to vote by1 #bbi2 authorities sustained by1 #bbi4 ,compassion1 let us have1 #dah4 ,communication between ,god and man1 #di4 ,confess sins to those sinned against1 #caf4 ,confession of sin1 when and how to be made1 #bdd1 #bde1 #caf4 ,confidence1 to be established between each other1 #caf2 established1 #dbc2 cherish1 #dbc2 want of1 #dbc2 if we lack1 #dbc2 unshaken1 #dbc2 faith and1 #dbd2 in each other1 #dbd2 if we wish to establish1 #dbd2 if1 has been lost1 #dbd2 let us live to create1 #dbd2 treasure up each particle of1 #dbd2 in my neighbor1 #dbe2 restore1 #dbe4 ,confounded1 ,saints will not be1 if they live their religion1 #cdg4 ,confusion of last days1 #agj4 ,consistency and ,sincerity1 practice what we teach1 #cfj2 thou art the fairest jewels in the life of a saint1 #cfj2 flatter not the people in their iniquity1 but chasten them for their wickedness1 #cfa2 our religion must last from ,monday morning till ,monday morning1 #cfa4 ,constitution of the ,united ,states--an inspired document1 #eej2 is theocratic1 #edd2 will yet be saved by the ,saints1 #eec2 ,saints opposed to corrupt administrators of the1 #eef4 ,contention1 between ,christ and ,belial1 #aag2 how to prevent among children1 #cbd2 avoid1 #dbe2 a disgrace1 #dbe2 frequently arises1 #dbf2 take measures to prevent1 #dbg4 ,control1 of a people1 #cdh2 of self necessary1 #djg2 duty of ,elders to1 themselves1 #djh2 let every man be the master of himself1 #djh2 appetites must be brought in subjection to spirit that lives within1 #dji2 subdue our own passions1 #daj4 ,cooke1 ,col4 ,p4 ,st4 ,george1 leader of ,mormon ,battalion1 #gcj4 ,co-operation1 be of one heart1 #dcc2 become one as the ,father and ,son are one1 #dcc2 perfect union1 #dcd2 unity of purpose1 #dcd2 ,church can not exist and be divided1 #dcd2 is-stepping stone to ,order of ,enoch1 #ddb2 become one in temporal things1 #dde4 ,corn1 conversation about1 between ,president ,young and ,jim ,bridger1 #gcf1 #gdc4 ,cotton1 raise1 #dei4 ,council in ,heaven1 #hb1 #hc4 ,counsel1 #cch1 #cci2 is not given without the spirit of revelation1 #cci2 in temporal matters1 #cci4 ,covenant1 ,latter-day ,saints enter new and everlasting1 when they enter this ,church1 #dbg2 to sustain the ,kingdom of ,god1 #bdh-i4 ,covetousness1 the sin of1 #dgj2 ,devil will play with a man who worships gain1 #dgj2 ,elders who have1 #dgj2 men who are greedy1 #dgj2 men who place wealth of this world above the things of ,god have no eyes to see1 #dga2 takes advantage of neighbor1 #dga4 ,cowdery1 ,oliver1 testimony of1 #afh2 early missionary1 #bbj1 #gjg4 ,creation1 purpose of1 #hg1 #hh4 ,creations1 work of ,god1 #bg4 ,creeds1 entitled to protection1 #ih4 ,cumorah1 plates hid in1 #gjf4 ,cursed1 who ought to be1 #cej4 ,d ,daily duties1 #ah4 ,damnation1 know enough for1 #f4 ,dancing1 go and enjoy yourselves in1 #cgc2 let ,god be in your thoughts in1 #cgc2 exercise to the body and mind2 #cgc2 not in houses set apart for religious meetings1 #cge2 who should not be1 #cge4 ,day of rest1 needed1 #beh4 ,dead1 should not mourn for righteous1 #efg4 #gdh ,death1 came by sin1 #aag2 defined1 #ada2 opposed to1 #aea2 and resurrection1 #efd2 separation of body and spirit1 #efe4 ,debt1 pay your1 #dfg2 do not go into1 #dfg2 man who goes into1 who has no prospect of paying1 is dishonest1 #dfg2 man who will not pay1 is no ,latter-day ,saint1 #dfg2 borrowers who do not pay1 undeserving of the fellowship of the ,saints1 #dfg4 ,deceive1 cannot1 the ,lord1 #cj4 ,declaration of ,independence1 signers of1 were inspired1 #eej4 ,decomposition1 #ge4 ,defiler1 how to treat1 #cjj4 ,denying1 revelations of the ,lord1 #cde4 ,destiny of man1 #ca1 #cc1 #adg4 ,devil1 in heaven1 #ajd2 cast out of heaven1 #ajd2 does not own the earth1 #aje2 power of1 #aje2 mission of1 #ajf2 has not power over body1 only as man lets him1 #ajg2 enemy of ,god and man1 #ajh2 angels of1 #aba2 servants of1 #cdh4 ,devotion1 to the ,gospel1 #cec4 ,devotion and ,humility1 essentials1 #eji4 ,diet1 #bij1 #bib1 #bic4 ,disease1 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performs miracle at ,cana1 #ebb1 #ebc2 first-fruits of the resurrection1 #egc2 died for every man1 #eid4 ,jews1 to be gathered1 #ahg2 to prepare for coming of the ,messiah1 #ahg2 to see ,savior1 #ahg4 ,job1 expresses idea of resurrection1 #efg4 ,johnson1 ,lyman1 #gjd4 ,jordan ,river1 to be turned into canal1 #gdb2 a canal to be made on west side of1 #gdb4 ,judgment1 do not deal out1 #dbg1 #dbh2 eternal1 #ehd2 according to works1 #ehd2 of ,god1 ,god-like1 #ehf2 to be out of own mouths1 #ehg2 honesty of action will temper1 #ehg2 measure of human1 #eij2 given to ,saints1 #eia4 ,justice1 ,lord to mete out1 #dbj4 ,k ,kimball1 ,heber ,c41 #bae1 #bai4 ,kingdom1 of ,god1 defined1 #cg2 a government1 that protects every person in his rights1 #edd2 definition of1 #fgj2 to develop gradually1 #fgb2 effect of1 #fgc2 #geb filthy cannot enter1 #fgd2 government of1 #fgd2 will continue1 #fgf2 or nothing1 #fhj2 give best you have to1 #fha4 ,kingdoms1 not controlled by holy and pure principles must pass away1 #cea4 ,kirtland ,temple1 ,joseph commanded to build1 #fhf2 ,saints built1 under trials1 #fcg2 preparatory ordinances in1 #fcg4 ,know1 how to1 that we obey ,god1 #cdf2 those who1 ,master's will and do it not1 ought to be cursed1 #cej4 ,knowledge1 is divine1 #ag2 by revelation1 #eg2 of eternity learned only by keeping commandments1 #cdc1 #cdd2 do everything possible to bring1 to ourselves and to the people1 #cdd4 ,l ,labor1 ,gospel in daily1 #ab2 all1 in gospel1 #ac2 for ourselves1 #ce2 indispensable1 #ddg2 manual1 #ddg2 building up of ,zion requires1 #ddg2 mental1 physical1 spiritual1 #ddg2 cannot produce without1 #dfb2 timber will continue to grow but not brought into service without1 #dfb2 precious metals would remain in mountains without1 #dfb2 capitalists need your1 #dfb2 price of labor should be brought to a reasonable standard1 #dfc4 ,labor and politics1 #edh4 ,lady1 defined1 #dbi4 ,lamanites1 children of ,god1 #ahh2 duty of ,saints toward1 #ahh1 #ahi1 #aij2 of ,house of 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friends1 #h4 ,manner1 children need directing and teaching what is right in a kind and affectionate1 #cbc-d4 ,manufacturing1 depend upon our own1 #dei2 may the ,lord hedge up the way against foreign1 #dei2 close the gate against foreign1 #dei2 save your wool for1 #dei2 if we have not factories sufficient1 will send and get more machinery for1 #dei2 build a tannery for1 #dei2 glass1 #dei2 own dye stuffs1 #dfj4 ,marriage1 early1 advocated1 #cja1 #cjc2 relation1 #cjb2 foundation for many blessings1 #cjb1 #cjc2 to unbelievers not approved1 #cjd4 ,mason and ,dixon's ,line1 #efj4 ,masters1 deal honestly those your hire1 #dcb4 ,matter1 organized1 #bg2 eternity of1 #gc1 #gd2 decomposition of1 #ge2 mind and1 #hi4 ,medicine1 to be used carefully1 #big4 ,meetings1 ,saints instructed to have their children come to1 #cba4 ,melchizedek1 #afa4 ,melchizedek ,priesthood1 conferred by ,peter1 ,james and ,john1 #bbj2 ,moses held1 #bbb2 to be conferred on men before receiving endowments1 #fjg4 ,merchants1 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hard1 #cej4 ,taylor1 ,john1 #gbd4 ,teach1 mothers to commence with children in their lap1 #cai2 how and what to1 #cbj4 ,teachers1 to be in ,church of ,christ1 #baa4 ,telegraph1 a new revelation1 #fb4 ,temper1 even temper to be maintained1 #cae4 ,temples1 temporal labor in1 #ba2 to be built in ,millennium1 #agh2 to be built1 #bge-bgf2 ,saints commenced to build1 #fjb2 endowments given in ,solomon's1 #fjc2 for ,god to come to1 #fjc2 indispensable for higher ordinances1 #fjd2 hundreds of1 to be built1 #fje2 endowments to be given in1 #fjf2 ordinances of1 for salvation of human family1 #fjh2 work for dead in1 #fjh2 instruction pertaining to ordinances in1 #fji2 during ,millennium1 #fae2 built expressly to save people1 #fag2 sons of ,jacob to work in1 #fbf2 angels to converse and explain work of1 #fbg2 angels to bring list of names to1 #fbg2 some to remain in1 all the time1 #fbh2 powers of evil opposed to1 #fbh2 ,saints built two1 #fbi2 to have groves and fish ponds on1 #fbi2 ,david not 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#dgi2 do not hoard up1 #dgi2 put to usury1 #dhj2 to beautify ,zion1 #dhj2 brings happiness when used for the ,gospel1 #dha2 produces comfort1 #dhb2 #gfj and does not bring happiness1 #dhc2 some dangers of1 #dhc2 used for selfish purposes1 #dhc2 not used to build ,kingdom of ,god1 #dhc4 ,wesley1 ,john1 #baj4 ,wheat1 save your1 #deg4 ,whipping children1 effects of1 #cbd4 ,wicked1 have no power over truth1 #aji2 what they should hear1 #ejh4 ,wickedness1 #aag-abb4 ,wife1 not to lead husband1 #cjh2 responsibilities and duties of1 #cjh-cac4 ,wight1 ,lyman1 #bbj2 wanted ,saints to go to ,texas1 #gcg4 ,will1 the1 #ajj4 ,will1 ,god has placed1 in his intelligent creatures1 #djf2 a trait of ,god's divinity1 #djf2 power to accept or reject1 #djf2 ours1 should be controlled by the will of ,god1 #djf2 first and foremost1 #djf2 human family die to gratify1 #djf2 learn to direct1 #djf4 ,will of ,god1 this people must know and do1 #cda4 ,williams1 ,frederick1 ,g41 #bad-baf2 #gjd4 ,wisdom1 obtain1 #bj2 apply your heart to1 #djb2 seek diligently for1 #djb2 sow in your hearts1 #djb2 more profitable than gold1 #djb2 obtain1 from best books1 #djc2 if any man lack1 let him ask of ,god1 #djc2 our privilege to have1 #djc2 pray for1 but add with that prayer works1 #djd2 this people are increasing in1 #djd2 search out the1 of ,god1 #djd4 ,wives1 many1 not cause of persecution1 #ecf4 ,woman suffrage1 #efc4 ,word of ,wisdom1 #bhb-bhc2 people of ,god commanded to keep1 #bhc2 ,elders of ,israel have no right to transgress1 #bhc2 consequences of disobedience to1 #bhd-bhf2 ,elders of ,israel commanded to cease drinking strong drinks1 #bhd2 ,church authorities requested to cut off those who will not cease getting drunk1 #bhd2 everlasting life in it1 #bhe2 for what purpose given1 #bhe4 ,words1 not so essential as acts1 #eaj4 ,work1 #bij4 ,world1 will not receive gospel1 only on their own terms1 #cdi2 ,see also ,earth4 ,worlds1 many1 #ca2 composition of1 #gd4 ,worship1 desire to1 #cd2 needful on every day1 #beg2 on one day only a folly1 #beg4 ,y ,young1 ,brigham1 mission of #ac2 has had revelations1 #fj2 spirit of ,joseph fell upon1 #bad2 sustained as ,president1 #bad-baf2 never to apostatize1 #bae2 brief ,sayings of1 #cdj2 gospel did everything for1 #fbi2 blesses people1 #fig4 ,z ,zion1 built by practical labor1 #ai2 where it is1 #aha2 make for ourselves1 #aha-ahb2 pure in heart is1 #ahb2 peace and joy in1 #ahc2 knowledge of1 shall reach the uttermost parts of the earth1 #chj2 let us go up to1 #chj2 build up1 #cha2 establish1 #dae2 strength of1 #dcg2 come here to build up1 #dch2 beautify and glorify1 #dec4 ,zion's ,camp1 #bai4 ,zion's ship1 ,god at helm1 #ebh4