JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES PRESIDENT ItnnillAM VOTN'i, HIS TWO COUH S K I j L t) It 8, THE TWELVE APOSTLES, AND OTHER H. : r ■ - -.u i km t s G, D. WATT AND J. V. LONG, AVM HUM PLY DEDICATED TO THE LATTER-DAT SAINTS 117 ALL THE WORLD. VOL JL LIVERPOOL; HMNTED AND PUBLISHED BY DANIEL H, "WELLS, 42, ISLINGTON. LONDON : LATTfcH-DAY RAtSftf BOOK 30 T FLO!tE3fCE STfiEET, leLlKGTOtf. 1865. ENTKttKD AT STATIGNKE3 HALL P II E Y A C K . We have the satisfaction of again presenting to the Saints and the public The present Number complete* the tcuili Volume, and we expect it will prove as interesting and instructive as tho former have done. It would ■ In: e *vork of supererogation to pen a preface upon the writings or sen nana of the First Presidency or the Twelve Apostles, they speak for themselves ; but, we can only say that as every day seems to increase the prosperity of Zion, and crown with success the labors of the Servants of God, the pre- sent Volume, containing as it does many discourses on Temporal and Spiritual improvements, the development of the Work, e^c-j ought to prove a valuable acquisition to all those who love the truth, and long for the re* d c m pt i o 2 j ofiie.it! ereil Isra c 1 . THR IVblISHBR, INDEX. Prefacr. * * ■ in. i i !"! 9k B |\ ; k \ r ILrfc 1 flf Afltl -lA^ri* K 11 iltt Iptl^fl- JLSiil P r' ■ 1 1 ■ 1 1 l.il J i .\ i t l ■ 1 1 *_ s,. Kfl 1*1 * \ II Ulv HIH'" J £ 1 1 L^L- HSH4-H r | l| M^Tp^lUtV tioa* H. Voiiug* Sept. ' 1 1 ■ ■ v' ll ! 1 "i J i 1 1 ' ■ 1 s ■ tJhnrtv imtt^r tlm Kint^l-rtTTi fl/wi J. J II J VI Pj L 14 If ^-rli J J 1 1 V W f \ L PL 1 L T 1 1 E L '. LI. + LI J L 1. 1 1 1 1 PI P L 1 J |t| 1 ■ 1 1 1 , I). 11. Wells. Oct. 2ti 1 1 7 l-uiri1iv.ru! 11 f Prophecy - Power of the Gospel — Cnnsislrncy of 1 1 ^ iVnii W. Woodruff July 27 If 1 NV*er Ending f'harwter of a ti&inVm Mission — Organ jy.-it ion the Kingdom of Guch B. Young* Oct, ■ ■ 17 Future Slate of Existence. B. Yonng, ii M Design of (lie l^ord in Gathering Together His People— Wisdom ami Lanoxin 1;, IViinrstu' A:::l:.-.. B. Youns?. June 8 Forming a State Constitution — Raising Agricultural Products— I'i'llp Kk-Lu'-s. B. Young 1 , April s

(irtl i>i>vflrs of the Unnjfress of thti UjuIc-.I States — Q ro w t h of the K i ngdo m of Gco\ 11. \ i 1 1 1 l' . Marcli i 1 1 IVflt-iu'at lieliffioia— Tnstrnel Inns to VldiTs ""ointf on Muslins, B. Young, 9 Trusting in the Almighty. < K 1 * > u. May April 4 1 i"t 13 47 VfislLn^s i f * ho W.^ii-.iii - l "> : ■ 1 its.Ec liignu c i f f foJ [ini^nu'y > f man to Govern ltighteonsly. J. Taylor. May J- M Keeessity of Understanding the First Principles of the Gospel — Of Union amoti.^ the Priesthood, and Attention to Temporal Duties. G. A. Smith. April 7 n tirantiJ'le for llic pdessm?* nf (ho tjo^pcl T. Bsnson. 1 1 IP If GO PriTilege of Ihe Sainta to enjov the Sjnrit of Vropbeey. G. A. Siuith. Sept. 1S59 JIoif to obtain n Part fn tlip Kingdom of — As^itting the Poor to Kx^igrate— Clarify in g Labor,— The Times livr in. Hyde, Oct. 7 IBG'2 7.% Our Puties ro Gce#eret— Gathering of the Saints— Proper Training of Children. Buili'iTii; Ihi' iVniph 1 and n rn w Tabernacle — Labor — Tithing-<( i all for faith ful Laborer D.H.Wells! April G „ 1 3^> Missionary Fund— Support of the Families of Elders who are on Missions, GL A. Smith. Jt „ „ 143 The Blessings 1 1n- Hniuts will Enjny — How the Kingdom is to he Entaljlished — Building Temples, Tabernacles and Houses — Gal hiring, the Poor. J, Taylor. rt tt 145 foactical Duties of the Saints— Blessings He suiting from their Performance. E.T.Benson. „ „ M lol I > L ' n : r i - [ i o ii {] f B a by 1 on — How the Sai n t s are to Become Nai'im-s ot fchtt U iirldi 0, Hyde. 7 *, 15"/ Building the Temple— -General Buties of the Saints. C. C. Hich. tt „ „ loO Building the Temp L Iviuluwrmenta — Conned tt? MU.-ii. varies. II. C. KimbalL N !i M 103 How ■■■i i-v \ii:.p:n Zion is tu be Built — Manctilication — General Duties of the Saints, B, Young. May 24 „ 170 Ad t ice to Missionaries — Preaehinj* the Clospd — feathering the Poor. A. M. Lyman, April 7 „ 178 Dwte Pago K rledge, Correctly Applied, the True How ' I Wealth ,ind Tower — Unity of Jesus and ilia rather— Minn-Eis Slavery — True Charity. 1L Young, May 31 13I>3 187 Universal Salvation — The Blessings Enjoyed hy the Saint* in Zion, ft, H. Wells. , 10:1 ] Jnnie Manufactures- Tha Necessity of (irpator Attention to Litem -Tithing. ]i l'mintf* J cunt 7 ti SflCI Domerfir Eeonnnyr— Tlie Kingdom of f?oi! UuiMing the Temple— Tithing. B, Young. , t [i M lmh Inspiration Necessary for the Preaching of the Gospel-— Value of our Present Life. \V. Wooitrutf, „ 12 M 211 Instruct ion a to the La! tor- Jay HainK in the Settlement South of ^reat Sail Lake City. B. Young, Aj>nJ ami May M ] A J v ice t o Cali for n Um 15 m i^r ant* — The Pr i n ci j de* of th c ( i on f t r I . It Yonm;. July S „ 2'20 Advancement of the .Saints— Unity of the Temporal arnl Spiri- tual Interests of ihe Pooplo Faith mi J Works Inseparably Connected. J I. C. JuujbaJL June 27 „ 233 The Yminir Missionaries — Inerrasing U&belief of the People of the World — Teach iuga uf Jesus ami His dimples. H. C. KimbalL July 1ft „ 239 Necessity for Watch fulaeai — The proper Course tenure no towards Stranger* ■ .Selling Hour and ijraiu- The War and its Effects upon Slavery. li. Young* Oct 6 „ 243 Tithing— Bw]< I in if Temples — Gold, its Production and Use* — Govenncutai Policy toward* Utah- Pro riding f r tl,^ Peer. Young, 251 ' '-iijfiiJfloce of the faints in the. Ultimate Triumph of the King* tfoui uf (ioil— The Condition of thfl Nations J. Taylor, l-i 2.17 The H'irtib.m of t Jod thnuigrh His Servants— Missionaries Fami- lies to he sustained — How to be Pro spared, O.Hyde, tt 8 2tU Our Relationship and DLttyto God and His Kingdom --The True Source of the Prosperity and Wealth of Individuals and Nations, and how to Obtain them — Counsel to the Saints. „ o || :U> Temporal and Spiritual Affairs— fi o.3 (ho Smireo of nil httelli- gence — The Governments of the Karth — TJie Hand fit" (iod To be Acknowledged in au Things. J.Taylor. „ lil „ -71 Paying Tithing- Fasting and Prayer — -Keeping tho Sabbath Holy— Selling Grain— The Judgments at Uou. 11, Young. Not* 6 lt The latendrd trip North— The Causes; of the Scarcity of Bread- stuff—The Sufferings ofthe Ungodfr in tin' United Slates — The popularity of the Gospel Undesirable. B.Young. May 15 1861 2S9 •i V11J . IND E X'. Date, Page The Earth th(i Home of Man — The "Work to he Accomplished by Man tow aula R«de«frjii_ the World — The Eesto ration of the Gospel, Litid the; Acknowledgment l>y God of Ilia Servants. B. Young, June 4 1864 21)9 Turning out the Water of the Weber— The Suffering of the Saints — The IV si res of the Servants of God to Bless the People- -The Blessing* of the Lord to Israel — Endowments. B. Young, lf 10-13 3C17 Necessity of Preaching — Overruling Power of God — Tiie Lack Of Wlftdom Manifested by the lAorhl— Necessity of Teaching the Saints upon Tempor al Affairs. B, Young. July 17 314 Difference of Lie as Entertainc I Respecting God — The Founda- tion of our llehglon Based upon New ReveJalioD — Man Made iu the linage of God — We arc the Offspring ofljod. K Young. 31 „ 31S Love f »r the Things of God. — The Temporal Nature of the Kingdom — The Proper Use of Grain— The Love of Cod should ride io every Heart 11. Young, ■ June 22-24* „ 32H Necessity of a Li ving Testimony of the Bo]y Ghost — How we are to be United. IL Young, Dot 7 „ ;i39 Thu Jnn-case of Faith An ion g the Saints— More I implicit in thru- UU'iti^jKT now than ID the days of Joseph — Compari- sons made by Men between the Past and Present— The Maguiiuh >of the Work of God. G. Q, Cannon. 340 Attending Meetings — Testtfyiog to the Gospel — Preaching and Pr act i ee — A ] i B lessi u ^ s* t u be Ob t a j □ e 1 1 1 h i o ugh Obemeiiee to the Gospel li. Young, T1 Bti „ 340 Nuc ess it y f Qon ti n urd and Fai t h f til Labor — K i n gly N a t ur e of the Priesthood — Power Attainable Through it — Condition oi the Nations Contrasted with that of the Bunts — Future Glory and Greatness of the Kingdom of God* B. Young. Nov. 6 H 353 Temporal and Spirit iril Duties of the Sab ts— Benefits Resulting t'rnin l'!',],"r [\n-rnru] Authority— Connection Betwixt Temporal and Spiritual Things— Character of Joseph the Prophet— All Blessings from the Lord, B.Young. M ti „ 3ii8 Kumv^dKe of the Saints a cause of Consolation under affliction — < 'hildren Heirs to the Kingdom of God — Power of the Gos- pel to Liuito Parents and Children- Blossiugs of Obedience. B, Young. &o, Nov, 20 „ 3o5 Importance of the Present Age to the Saints — Analogy Betwixt thp History of Joseph in Egypt, aiij the persecutions of tlie Church— Future Greatness of the People of Qu d". U. Hyde. Dec. K „ 373 JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES. ETERNAL EXISTENCE OF MAX.— FOREKNOWLEDGE AND PREDESTINATION. Rerruirl* by Praident Bbigttam Torxo, made in the Boivery, Great Salt Lake City, September 28, 1862. REPORTED BY G. D. WATT. Wc have had a very interesting journey to the southern settlements. In twenty -five days we have travelled nearly eight hundred miles, held thirty meetings, and spoken to thou- sands and thousands of Saints, I am somewhat fatigued, and would like to [ be excused from speaking long to-day, My heart is fall of blessings for the people ; I feel to bear them continu- ally in ray prayers before my Father in heaven, I trust we shall be benefited bv the discourse we have just heard from Elder Amasa Lyman. We should seek to understand and know the principles he has advanced, striving continually to know the things of God for ourselves. All the 1 works of mankind amount to but little, unless they are performed in the name of the Lord stud under the direction of his Spirit, Let every man seek to learn the things of God j by the revelations of Jesus Christ to him sel Ti Th e Gospel we h ave been hearing this morning I am seeking continually to understand. I reduce the Gospel to the present time, cir- No, 1, cumstances and condition of the people, and I can say truly, that the longer I live, and the more experience I gain, the more I see the weakness of humanity. We are but children, and are far from being capable of behold* ing the great things of eternity. As far as we can compare eternal things with earthly things that lie within the scope of our understanding, so far we can understand them. We can think of the greatest earthly wealth, grandeur, magnificence and power that it is possible for mortals to attain, and somewhat understand how great a blessing it would be to be entitled to the possession of all this throughout eternity ; but, to be told that there never was a time when there did not exist an earth like this, peopled with men and women as this is, is a declaration that reaches far beyond the limits of our comprehen- sion. No man can comprehend that there never was a time when there did not exist an enemy to God, that there never mis a beginning to th? order of creation in which we find ourselves situated. Who can com- Vol. X. 2 JOURN.il* OF DISCOURSES. prebend the duration of time ? To return to our friends after an absence of some time and greet theni with a glad heart, to mingle our mutual joy, happiness and congratulations, is one of the sweetest phases of human bliss, and were we told that there never would be a time when this heaven of ; happiness cannot be enjoyed, we could j partially understand it; we only understand it so far as we arc capable of appreciating the co-mingling of kindred joys at the re-union of parted friends. The present is that portion of time that more particularly con- cerns us, and the greatest and most important labour we have to perform is to cultivate ourselves. That man may know his fellow creatures, it is necessary that he should first know himself. When he thoroughly knows himself, he measureably knows God, , whom to know is eternal life. We have been hearing that Jesus Christ is our elder Brother. Yes, he is one of us, flesh of our flesh, bone of our bone, and became a partaker with us of all that is earthly. He also inherited a greater portion of the divine nature than we can possess in i this life. He was the Son of our heavenly Father, as we are the sons of our earthly fathers. God is the , Father of our spirits, which are clothed upon by fleshly bodies, begot- ten for us by our earthly fathers. Jesus is our elder Brother spirit clothed upon with an earthly body begotten by the Father of our spirits. Our heavenly Father delights in his good children, he delights con- tinually to bless them, yea, "lie rnaketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust/* All are equally his children. We are all the children of our common Father, who has placed us on the earth to prove ourselves, to govern, control, educate and sanctify ourselves, body and spirit, unto him, according to his will and pleasure. When all that class of spirits designed to take bodies upon this earth have done S0j then will come the winding-up scene of this particular department of the works of God on this earth. It is his will tli at we should prepare our- selves to build up his kingdom, gather the house of Israel, redeem and buildup Zion and Jerusalem, revolu- tionize the world, and bring back that which has been lost through the fall. The inhabitants of the earth are ignorant of the way to secure their present and future happiness, but, if we are faithful, we shall see the time when we can speak to the understand- ings of the people. It is now very difficult to do that- Their minds are closed against every conviction that would lead to their present and eternal welfare. They take the downward road. This is very lamentable. Let all who call themselves Latter-day Saints walk in the path that points to eternal life. I mourn and lament when any of my brethren come to me and confess that they have been guilty of this or that crime, especially when I learn that they have been in the Church for years. We are yet subject to sin, and more or less give way to it ; and in so doing we more or less disgrace the Priesthood and the high vocation to which we are called. Latter-day Saints should live their religion, as they would that their neighbors should live it If I delight to see my brother walk in the path of obedience, let me pursue the same path, saying come, brethren and sisters, vrtdk as I walk, and follow Christ as I follow him. Were this the case, but few could be found who would raise their voices against the kingdom of God upon the earth. To say that sin is necessary is an unusual saying. Sin is in the wrold, but it is not necessary that we should sin, because sin is in the world; but, to the contrary, it is necessary tha ETERNAL EXISTENCE OF MAN, ETC. Ve should resist sin, and for tins pur- pose is sin necessary. Sin exists in all the eternities. Sin is co-eternal with righteousness, for it must needs be that thereis an opposition in all things, I exhort the Latter-day Saints to live their religion and learn to take care of themselves* The elements with which we are surrounded are as eternal as we are, and are loaded with supplies of every kind for the comfort and happiness of the human race. It ' is designed by the Great Architect of the universe that our bodily wants shall be supplied from the elements, and by judicious and well-du ected labour and a reasonable amount of industry, the wealth of food, clu thing and shelter can be obtained by all. It has been supposed that wealth gives power. In a depraved state of society, in a certain sense it does, if opening a wide field for unrighteous monopolies, by which the poor are robbed and oppressed and the wealthy are more enriched, is power. In a depraved state of society money can buy positions and titles, can cover up a multitude of incapabilities, can open wide the gates of fashionable society to the lowest and most depraved of human beings; it divides society into castes without any reference to good- ness, virtue or truth. It is made to pander to the most brutal passions of the human soul ; it is made to sub- vert every wholesome law of God and man, and to trample down every sacred bond that should tie society together in a national, municipal, domestic and every other relation- ship. Wealth thus used is used out of its legitimate channel. If a man wishes to stamp an honorable fame upon the tablets of eternity, he can du so only by living a holy and vir t uo us li fe. Wh ile st at ions, emolu- ments, sceptres, thrones, or any Jionor this world can give, do not in tihe sight of God rai.se the possessor Ixbove the standing of the poor, 3 humble, hungry supplicant for bread at his gate. God is cognizant of the acts of all men, and dictates the results thereof to his glory, to the salvation of his people, and to the interests of his kingdom on the face of all the earth. u Are not two spar- rows a »ld for a farthing ? and one of them shall not fall on the ground with- out your Fathers notice ; but the very hairs on your head are numbered." There cannot be a more truthful saying than that this people do not yet fully know how to take care of themselves, and hence they expose themselves to many unnecessary suf- ferings and inconveniences* After we have smoothed the path through this life all in our power, by accumu- lating around us all the common OP creature comforts, and done all in our power to make those who depend upon us happy and comfortable, still, there is enough of trial to sufficiently prove to God and the faithful ones, whether we will be true to him and to nur holy religion, or false to him and to our best interests. Let God be first in our thoughts when we awake in the morning, and let our actions through each day reflect honor on ourselves, credit on the cause of God, and secure to us the confidence and good- will of all good and holy beings. While we should be diligent and industrious, filling every moment of our time to some advantage and profit to ourselves and others, we should not sufler a covetous and grasping spirit to take possession of us. It is lamentable to .see the ignorance manifested by many of this people in that respect, for no mart who possesses the wealth of wisdom w T ould worship the wealth of mammon. Let the people build good houses, plant good vineyards and < shards make good roads, build beautiful cities in which may be found magni- ficent edifices for the convenience of the public, handsome streets skirt i I 4 JOtTHNAL OF DlftCOrHBES. with shade trees, fountains of water, crystal streams, and every tree, shrub and flower that will flourish in this climate, to make our mountain home a paradise and our hearts wells of gratitude to the God of Joseph, enjoy- ing it all with thankful hearts, saying constantly, "not mine but thy will be done, Father/' The earth must be redeemed, and it and all that have dwelt upon it be brought back into the presence of God, for all have suffered more or less by the sin that has entered into the world. This is indeed a great work, and our God has given us the privilege of taking part in it ; then let us prepare ourselves for this stupend- ous undertaking by seeking above all things to understand the things of God, by seeking studiously to under- stand ourselves, remembering that no man can know himself without so Jar knowing God. There is nu mystery in the Gospel of salvation fi-r those ; who are heirs of salvation, and they j can readily comprehend the truth in j many places of the Bible where the | language does not do justice to the principles designed to be set forth. Brother Amasa M. Lyman, this morning, quoted the following pas- sage, u Fur whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be con- form td tu the iinajje of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, he also called, and whom he called them he also justified : and whom he justified them he also glorified " The Apostle under- stood lull well the principles here advanced, but it would have filled volumes to have written them out in ftill as they were revealed from God by the power and gift of the Holy Spirit. God foreknows all, and has predestinated all who believe the truth to the possession of eternal life, and this in short is all there is of it. He foreknew Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and placed him upon the throne of Egypt for the express purpose of showing furth his power to Israel, and to the wicked nations of the Gentiles. The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart in the same way that he hardeneth the hearts of his enemies at the present day, after they have rejected the testimony of his sei vants and oppressed his elect. The Lord has led this people out of bondage with a high hand and an outstretched arm. No man acquainted with the history of this people is ignorant of the almighty power of God that has been manifested in the organization, growth and present con- dition of the Church, though they may be unable naturally to account for it And the more we grow and prosper, the more our enemies are angry with us. They are angry with us because we told them, thirty years ago, that calamity would come upon this nation* Their anger still increases, while they are drinking of the bitter cup ; and at the same time the Saints are inci easing in numbers, in faith, in hope, in wealth and in power. 1 have tidked with men who professed to be gentlemen and dispensers of life and salvation to the people, who, Pharoah-like, declared that they would rather be damned than believe that Joseph Smith was a true Prophet of God. I promised them they should have their choice. Who is to blame for this ? Hoses was not to blame because Pharaoh's heart became more and more hard. He was not to blame because an overwhelming destruction came upon that devoted army. Neither is God, Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, myself, or the Apostles and Prophets of this last dispensation to blame for the unbelief of this nation, and for the dark and lowering tempest that now threatens to overthrow them with a ttirible destruction. Still, as Pharaoh's heart became harder and harder, so will it be with the perse- cutors of God's people and purposes in ETERNAL EXISTENCE OF MAN, ETC 5 the latter times, until they are utterly destroyed. 1 Not only did God foreknow the wicked and predestinate them, but he 1 also foreknew the righteous and pre- destinated them j he knew that they would be conformed to the image of his Son and live according to the words of Christ, while he knew that the wicked would not fulfil the terms requisite to be conformed to the image of his Son, but would do the works of the Devil whom they would list to serve. It is written that God knows all things and has all power. He has the rule and command of this earth, and is the Father of all the human beings that have lived, do live and will live upon it. If any of his chil- dren become heirs to all things, they ' in their turn can say, by-and-bye, that they know all things, and they will be called Supreme, Almighty, King of kings, and Lord of lorda All this and more that cannot enter into our hearts to conceive is promised to the faithful, and are but so many stages in that ceaseless progression of eternal lives. This will not detract anything from the glory and might of our heavenly Father, for he will still remain our Father, find we shall still be subject to him, and as we progress, in glory and power i t the more enhances the glory and power of our heavenly Father, This principle holds good in either state, whether mortal or im- mortal ; " For unto us a child is born, onto us a son is given : and the government shall be upon bis shoulder : and his name shall be called Wonder- ful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, Of the increase of his govern- ment and peace there shall be no end j upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever." There will be no end to the increase of the faithful What a pleasing thought! We shall enjoy each other*s society in purity, in holiness and in the power of God, and no time will ever come when we may not enjoy this. Such great happiness is beyond the compreken- , sion of mortals. There never was a time when man did not exist, and there never will be a time when he will cease to exist. Eternity is without confines, and all ! things animate and inanimate have their existence in it. The Priesthood of God, that was given to the ancients and is given to men in the latter-days, is co-equal in duration with eternity — is without beginning of days or end of life. It is unchangeable in its system of government and its Gospel of salvation. It gives to Gods and angels their supremacy and power, and offers wealth, influence, posterity, exaltations, power, glory, kingdoms and thrones, ceaseless in their dura- tion, to all who will accept them on the terms upon which they are oiler ed- it is very pleasing to dwell upon the glory to be revealed in the future, but while our thoughts are thus occu- pied we should not fail to give our attention to our present wMits and necessities* Do we know how to procure the means for our present suhsistence? Have welcomed how to handle the things of this lite in the name of Israel's God to his glory, for the building up of his kingdom, for the bringing forth of his Zion, for the redemption of the earth, for the establishment of everlasting right- eousness, and for the endless hap- piness of those who will thus be made happy ? I am satisfied that there are hundreds of people in this com- munity who would starve to death, if they were not continually told how to obtain the means of suhsistence. Do they know how to cultivate the earth and draw from its bosom beau+y and embellishment ? No ; they would do no more towards this than the 6 J or n k \ l of Indians do, unless some person not only tells them how, but also shows tli em l>y his own works. How many of the ladies present have made the ril h >ns tliey wear ? How many of them have made the bonnets and hats they wear ? The time is at hand when you must make them or do without them, I love to see the human form and the human face adorned, hut let our adorning be the workmanship of our hands, from the elements with which we are constantly surrounded. I love beauty whether adorned or unadorned, I love chaste and refined manners, especially when they are founded upon virtue. The etiquette that is of the world is uot after God and godliness. It hears upon it a false gloss ; it has not for its purpose the happiness of mankind. The etiquette which is x after God Is to make my brother x>v my sister as happy as I am, if they will accept of it. It is to teach men how to rise from a state of degrada- tion to an honourable standing in the society of the just. In the days of the Apostles it was written, "And all that believed were together and had all things common ; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men as every man had need. And they continued" daily with one accord in the urn pie, and breaking bread from home to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, &c/' This was all right in the Apostles, to show a certain principle that was hereafter to be acted upon. It does not require more than common enlightenment to discover that such an order of things, if persisted in, would result in poverty, hunger, nakedness and destitution. I say to my breihren and sisters, come let us learn how to gather around us from the elements :tn nhinuiance of every comfort of life, and convert them to cur wants and happiness, filling our DISCOURSES. storehouses with wheat, wine and oil* filling our wardrobes with woollen cloth and fine linen, with silks and satins of the finest quality and patterns from the looms of Deseret, going onward and upward until the whole earth is filled with the glory of God . Let us not remain ignorant with the ignorant, but let us show the ignorant how to be wise. I am constantly hying to teach the people how to extract from the ele- ments the means for their present comfort and independence, and how- to first become perfectly obedient to the Gospel of Christ, and then chil- dren will be obedient to their parents, and in the Church and kingdom of God every person will learn to act in his order and station, and wisdom will take up her abode with us. Let fathers he willing to be taught by the Holy Priesthood, then let them in all mildness, by example and precept, teach their families ; and let wives be I one with their husbands in th is labor of salvation, that the rising genera- tion may be a better class of people than is the present j ) I have promised the people South, that if they will cultivate the ground and ask the blessings of God upon it, the desert shall blossom as a rose, pools of living water shall spring np on the parched ground, and the wilderness shall become glad. The Lord has planted the feet of the Saints in the most forbidding portion of the earth, apparently, that he may see what they will do with it. I may confidently say that no other people on the earth could live here and make themselves comfortable. If we settle on these desert and parched plains, upon the sides of these rugged and sterile mountains, and cultivate the earth, praying the blessing of God upon our labors, he will make thia country as fruitful as any other portion of the earth. May the Lord bless the people. Amen. ENJOYMENT OF LlBEBTy, ETC. 7 ENJOYMENT OF LIBERTY UNDER THE KINGDOM OF GOD. Remarks by President Daniel H. Wells, made in the Bowery, Great > Salt Lake City, October 26, 1862. BE PORTED BY G. D. WATT* The Gospel of salvation is interest- ing to me, to you, and should be to all the world, for by it we are to be judged. This test will be pnt to all. The principles of life and salvation the Gospel offers to us, which if we neglect will be brought up against us in a day to come. The light of truth has been revealed by the Savior, and through the mercy of the Lord he has gent forth his servants to proclaim tiiis Gosp°l to all nations. What for ? To injure them ? No; but to bless them. The time has come in this age of the world when God has set himself to take the rule and the power of the earth into his own hands. He has sent forth Joseph, and Hyrum, and Brighani, and Heber, and Jed^diah, and Willard, and Daniel, and the Twelve Apostles and the other authorities of the Holy Priesthood which is established upon the earth. The communication has been opened up between the heavens and the earth. He has sent forth a message to all nations, saying, " Fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment has come." It has been proclaimed to the world by faithful men for many years — it has been sounded in the by-ways and highways, in city and hamlet, and in the nooks and corners of the earth ; and, in a coming day the people will be judged by it, because it has been sent forth by the direct counsel of Heaven. It is our duty to sustain the prin- ciples of truth, virtue and integrity, ^nd every principle that has been revealed from the Almighty to his children on the earth. If it is the dutv of one man to do this, it is the duty of every man to do the same ; and every man will be found wanting unless he obeys this Heavenly mes- sage. How shall we do it when we are compassed about by all the powers of earth and hell to overcome, over- throw and destroy us ? By cleaving to the Lord of hosts, who is mighty to save, and by cleaving to those holy principles of life and power which he hns revealed. The more the floods of iniquity surge up against us, the closer let us cling to those principles, for they will bear us off victoriously to exaltation and glory in this world and in the worlds to come. The same principles have exalted our Father and our God to his present state of glory and power, and they will exalt you and me and all who will abide them in the scale of human existence and eternal progression. They are the same principles which have been revealed in the latter days for the salvation of mankind, and for their exaltation to the presence of God the Father in heaven. They have always existed, and always will continue to exist, Thpy will abide after the refuge of lies has been swept away. It is not now as it has been in days and years gone by. The kingdom is now established ; it is upon the earth never again to be prevailed against or to be overcome by sin and iniquity. All men have their volition, and 3 JOURNAL OF DI6COrH0KS. are responsible to God alone for it. As the kingdom of God grows and becomes mighty upon the earth, laws will be given suited to the condition of the children of men , in their respect- ive governments and nationalities, according to their views and princi- ples, The supreme law of the world will be the law ot God, and all people will choose to obey or disobey as they list. All will be governed according to their circumstances and the princi- ples which will be revealed from time to time for their best good. This is not the work of a day, but of eternity — it is without beginning of days or end of years, I feel gratified that I live in this day and age of the world; I am thankful for this privilege. " Would you not have preferred to live in the days of Jesus ?" says one. No, nor in the days of Moses, nor in the days of Noah. Had I lived in Noah's days I might have been drowned in the great flood. I prefer to live now — to-day — in the days of Brigham and Hcber, and in the days of the great Prophet Joseph and Hyrum, although they did not stay long with us. They are not far away from us, neither is the Lord. Brigham is here, Heber and Daniel are here, and the Twelve Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ are here, and the organization of the Church and kingdom of God is here, with the Holy Priesthood which is after the order of the Son of God ; and this is the great chain which opens up a communication between the heavens and the earth, and in it there is safety j and through it truth will prevail over the face of the whole earth, and by its power the kingdom of God will be established upon the earth no more to be prevailed against. What matters it to us who speaks in anger against it ? The truth is all the same, no matter who walks it under their feet. The eternal princi- ples of salvation and exaltation are the same, no matter who docs despite to them. In trying to injure the Iruth, and impede it in its progress, they only injure themselves, and will bring upon themselves swift destruction and a righteous judgment according as it shall be ordered by our Father in heaven. God is merciful and forbear- ing. Can we forbear as well as he can? "We can, although we are far from being as good as he is. If he can forbear many years with a man who will not say grace over his meat, or bend his knee to his God in acknowledgment of his mercy, we surely can bear a little with the infir- mities of our brethren, and the ignorance of the ungodly world. As a people and community we have borne much ; and all we have ever asked of any people or govern- ment has been our rights in common with the rest of mankind ; but these they seek to withhold from us, which they have no right to do, hence they are under condemnation, and we shall go free. We believe and worship as we choose, and live under a Govern- ment that guarantees unto us that right. Inasmuch as they do not give us those rights, they violate one of the holiest and most sacred provisions of the Constitution of our country, and destruction will be the consequence. The falhei s of the revolution fought and bled to secure this holy right to their children so long as the world should last or the Government con- tinue. We are therefore bold in declaring our principles, and in defend- ing our rights. There are countries ^ in the world where imprisonment would he the penalty of the free ex- pression of principles and rights ; but they do not live under and enjoy the blessings of the Constitution which we live under. Yet even in this free country some have sought to deprive us of the free enjoyment of the privi- leges granted unto us in the Consti- FTFLFHM B NT OF PEOPHECT, XTC. 9 tution of our country, and they will | have to pay the penalty for so doing, for they trample under foot the Constitution that grants to them their own liberties, and thus subvert their own liberties, which it becomes them as well as us to preserve inviolate. It becomes us to cleave to God and our holy religion, trusting in him because in him there is power — in him there is strength ; and if we remain faithful, we shall come off victorious, and walk under our feet every principle that is calculated to destroy, and rear the standard of truth and righteousness in the world in spite of hell and all the hosts thereof Let us be encou- raged, and go steadily on in the performance of our duties, cultivating the earth, and bringing from the elements all we need for our suste- nance that we may be free and independent, so far as we can, b? depending on our own resources with which the Lord has abundantly blessed us. We are greatly blessed in that the Lord has planted our feet in these quiet valleys from those who sought our destruction ; while he has brought an overwhelming destruction on them, he has brought safety to us. We can see his wisdom, and his mighty hand manifested in this* Let us henceforth put our trust in that arm which has been so prominently made bare in saving the righteous. May God add his blessing* Amen. FULFILMENT OF PROPHECY, — POWER OF THE GOSPEL.— CONSISTENCY OF ITS PRINCIPLES. Discourse by Elder Wilfobd Woodruff, delivered in the Bowery, Greql Salt Lake City, July 27, 1862. REPORTED BY J. V, LOXO. Brother Taylor gave us a very j interesting discourse this morning upon the first principles of the Gospel, contrasting them with the religion of the Christian world, showing the authority by which they administered in different agea the ordinances of religion according to the traditions of their fathers. He remarked that the Elders of this Church went forth as the Apostles did in the days of j the Savior, promising to the people, ! on conditions of obedience, the gift of the Holy Ghost ; and he remarked that no other people would do that, because they do not possess the authority to do it. I do not know that I can spend the few moment, that I may 6 peak here, better than to read a little on the authority that we have for pur- suing this course. This portion that 10 JOCBNAL OF DISCOUBSF.S, I am going to read, is the word of | the Lofd to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as well as to the whole world : — " Hearken, O ye people of my church t saith the voice of Him who dwells on high, and whose eyes are upon all men ; yea, verily I .say, hearken ye people from afar, and ye that are upon the islands of the sea, listen together; for verily the voice of the Lord is unto all men, and there is none to escape, and there is no eye that shall not see, neither ear that shall not hear, neitlier heart that shall not be penetrated : arid the rebellious shall be pierced with much sorrow, for their iniquities shall be spoken upon the housetops, and their secret acts shall be revealed ; and the voice of warning shall be unto all people, by the mouths of my dis- ciples, whom I have chosen in these last days, and they shall go forth and none shall stay them, for I the Lord have commanded them. " Behold, this is mine authority, and the authority of my servants, and my preface unto the book of my command inents, which I have given them to publish unto you, inhabi- tants of the earth : wherefore, fear and tremble, ye people, for what I the Lord have decreed in them shall be fulfilled. And verily, I say unto you, that they who go forth, bearing these tidings unto the inhabitants of the earth, to them is power given to seal both on earth and in heaven, the unbelieving and rebellious; yea, verily, to seal Ihem up unto the day when the wrath of God shall be poured out upon the wicked without measure ; mi to the day when the Lord shall come to recompense unto every man according to his work, and measure to every man according to the mea- sure which he has measured to his fellow-man, " Wherefore the voice of the Lord is unto the ends of the earth, that all that will hear may hear : prepare ye p prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh ; and the anger of the Lord is kindled, and his sword is bathed in heaven, and it shall fall upon the inhabitants of the earth; and the arm of the Lord shall be revealed. And the day cometh that they who will not hear the voice of the Lord, neither the voice of his servants, neither give heed to the words of the Prophets and Apostles, shall be cut off from among the people ; for they have strayed from mine ordi- nances, and they have broken mine everlasting covenant ; they seek not the Lord, to establish his righteous- ness, but every man walketh in Iii.s own way, and after the image of his own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose sub- stance is that of an idol, which waxeth old and shall perish in Babylon, even Babylon the great, which shall fall. u Wherefore I, the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, jum, and spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments; and also gave commandments to others, that they should proclaim these things unto the world ; and all this that it might be fulfilled, which was written by the Prophets ; the weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones; that man should not counsel his fellow-man, neither trust in the arm of flesh, but that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world ; that faith also might increase in the earth ; that mine everlasting covenant might be established ; that the fulness of my Gospel might be proclaimed by tho weak and the simple unto the ends cf the world, and before kings and rulers. " Behold, I am God and have FTTLFILM £ NT OP spoken it : these commandments are of me, and were given unto my servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language, that they might come to understanding, and inasmuch as they erred it might be made known : and inasmuch as they sought wisdom they might be in- structed ; and inasmuch as they sinned they might be chastened, that they might repent : and inasmuch as they were humble they might be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive knowledge from time to time I and after having received the record of the Xephites, yea, even my servant Joseph Smith, jun,, might havs power to translate through the mercy of God, by the power of God, the Book of Mormon; and also those tu whom these commandments were given, might have power to lay the founda- tion of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased, speaking unto the church collectively and not Individu- ally, for I, the Lord, cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance ; nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgr, en ; and he that repents not, from him shall be taken even the light which he has received, for my Spirit -hall not always strive with man, saith the Lord of Hosts. 14 And again, verily I say unto you, O inhabitants of the earth, I the Lord am willing to make these things known unto all flesh, for I am no respecter of persons, and will that all men shall know that the day speedily Cometh ; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand, when peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own domi- nion, and also the Lord shall have power over his Saints, and shall reign in their midst, and shall come down PROPHECY, ETC* 11 in judgment upon Idumea, or the world P " Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled. " What I, the Lord, have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but all shall be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same ; for behold and lo, the Lord is God, and the Spirit beareth record, and the record is true, and the truth abideth fur over and ever* Amen." — [See Doc. & Cov., pages 65-6S,] What do you think of that revela- tion, brethren ? Does this look like a Yankee scheme, or something made up to cheat somebody ? No, this id the word of the Lord j it is a sermon of itself The Lord has sustained that revelation from that day lo the present, and that is the reason why brother Taylor and the Elders of this Church go forth declaring the words of life, and they know that they havo not taken this honor upon them- selves, but that they were called of God as was Aaron, I do not care how illiterate an Elder in this Church is, if he has been faithful to his calling; it is a matter I cure but little about if a man can neither read nor write, if he has been called and ordained to the Priesthood in this Church and king- dom by J oseph Smith, or any of those ordained by him to that Priesthood which was given unto the Prophet by Peter, James and John, who by com- mandment came and ordained him to theMelchisedec Priesthood. John the Baptist held the Aaron ic Priesthood, and the authority commenced there, and by those men that held the keys of the kingdom of God in former dis- pensations. It is that authority that has inspired this ; it is this that has inspired the Elders of Israel frojji JOURNAL OF DISCOUBSM. I 12 the commencement to the present day. Why should the Elders and people now think It strange that those mes- sengers who have gone forth, shoulder- ing their knapsacks and travelling thousands of miles to preach the Gospel, should be the especial objects of his favor? The Almighty hps proven them all the day long, and he has been with them, and in fact 1 , there bas never been any portion of the Priesthood officiating in sacred ordi- nances but God has been with them. In this revelation the Lord calls upon his servants, and says, "I, the Lord, am willing to make this known to the children of men, that I have called my servant Joseph, that the world may be left without excuse/' Joseph Smith knew just as well as the Lord knew that he was called of God, and that he M*as called to per- form a work for the redemption of man. Has he ever disappointed any- body when he has made a promise to them ? Has he ever disappointed a Prophet or lawgiver in any age of the world ? No, never. But he has declared that the heavens and the earth shall pass away, but his word fihall never pass away, hut that it shall all be fulfilled. It is just so in our day. All the words which the Hi Lord has spoken through his servants will be fulfilled to the very letter, whether those words are in reference to the salvation of the righteous or the condemnation of the wicked. Christ had his mind upon this point when he said, " Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away " — Matthew xxiv, 35, Again, it is written, " For I will hasten my word to perform it and when the Lord spake through Isaiah upon this subject he said. " So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth : it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." The Riders go forth to preach the Gospel to the nations of the earth, knowing that the Lord will hack up their word by the power and demonstration of the Holy (I host. There is but one Gospel, neither will there be any other for the salva- tion of this, nor of any other world that we know of ; but this we do know that this Gospel preached in any age of the world will produce the same effect. We also know that any man who receives this Priesthood > and is faithful thereunto, will receive the same blessings and power in any and every age of the world. On this account and for this reason, Utah — the valleys of Deseret are being filled with the children of men. The Almighty has sent his servants to preach the Gospel; they have not gone upon their own authority : had they done so, they might have called upon the inhabitants of the earth till dooms- day, and they would not have been suc- cessful, but this land would still have been a desert, occupied only by Indians and wild beasts. But the hand of God was with us, and hence we had no fear of telling the people our message, and now there are tens of thousands who know the truth as well as we do, for they have embraced the Gospel and received this testimony for themselves. There never was a man that embraced this Gospel, but has received this testimony of the truth, if he has done so in sincerity and in truth. The Lord has always been ready to redeem his promise, and in giving that testimony which was necessary for the establishing of them in the most holy faith. The Lord has sustained us as a people in all places and under all chv cumstances. We have gone forth as sheep among wolves ; among a people full of tradition and superstition, and we have had all these things to cope with in our administrations among FULFILMENT OF the people, but the Lord was with us r wherever we went, backing up our words by the testimony and power of ( the Holy Ghost, and the people to ! whom we administered received the same testimony as had been given unto us, ; We are beginning to realize that the things which the Lord has pro- mised unto us thirty years ago are no w being fulfilled to the very letter. Is there much peace in the world of mankind ? No, there is not : peace is fast being taken from the children of men. We are at peace in Utah, bat let me tell you that the Lord lias foretold by the revelations of Jesus Christ all thsse things that are now fulfilling before our eyes, I copied a revelation more than j twenty-five years ago, in which it is stated that war should be in the south and in the north, and that nation aftei* nation would become embroiled , in the tumult and excitement, until war should be poured out upon the whole earth, and that this war would j commence at the rebellion of South Carolina, and that times should be each that every man who did not flee to Zion would have to take up the sword against his neighbor or against his brother. These things are begin- ning to be made manifest, but the end is not yet j but it will conie, and that too much sooner than the world of mankind^ anticipate, and all those things spoken by the mouths of his Prophets will ])o fulfilled. j We are gathering together here for certain purposes understood and in the m ind of the Lord, one of which is that we may be sanctified and pre- pared fur the great work of the future. We have carried this work to the various nations of the earth, and the people to whom we have preached have thought of us saying that there was no other Gospel than that which we hud to proclaim, as wza clearly and demonstratively set forth to-day . The PROPHECY, ETC. IS Gospel of Jesus Christ is perfect in all its parts. The words of th© Psalmist David will apply to our religion, where he says : — " The law | of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul : the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoic- ing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold : sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb/* According to the vision of John the Kevelator, there are to be " six hundred, threescore and sis" false sects of religion : how many of these already exist is a matter of dispute among theologists, but I suppose that the number is neatly complete. Let me now ask if you think things look or indicate that these contending creeds are all of God. It is certainly not like the order carried out in the days of Christ and his Apostles. It is much more like the confusion of the Pharisees, Essenea, Herodians, Sadducees and Stoics, for they had different creeds, principles and notions by which they were governed, and it is just so now with the sectarian world. It is composed of every sect and party that profess religion upon the lace of the earth . But the honest in heart will be gathered out of all these creed:* and systems and be brought home to Zion, There have been thousands of men and women who have listened to the preaching of the Elders of this . Church, who have not embraced it for fear of their good name; and there have been many clergymen who have listened attentively to the Elders of Israel, and they have spent days and nights in meditating upon the things of God, and studying what to ■ 14 JOrilXAL OF BI^COtTRSES do, realizing within themselves that if they received this testimony they would be dishonored in the eyes of the world* They fear becoming a hiss arid a by- word among the children of men in this generation. Hence the majority of them have rejected it. Many celebrated men have investi- gated this subject, and far more of them have had fears that it was true than that it was false. I visited folks in Long Island in 1837; I talked with one minister named Newton, in fact I stayed with him some twelve days and preached the Gospel to him. He attended meetings, and finally became so that he could neither eat, drink, nor sleep, he was so troubled about the Gospel ; but instead of em* bracing it, sent after a minister who lived on the south side of the island, for the purpose of having me put down or silenced. I persevered and soon baptized most of the members of Mr. Newton's church, Mr, Douglass, a Methodist minister of the south side of the island came, stayed a short time and then returned. I followed him home and succeeded in baptizing most of his church ; and instead of these men getting any honor by opposing me they were both brought into disgrace. They lost their religion, their church and members, and were really disgraced. When I was there last, one of them was in the Peni- tentiary for one of the worst crimes that a man can be guilty of, except murder, and the other was travelling 1 the streets peddling small articles for his bread. The chastening hand of the Lord will always follow those that oppose the truth of Heaven as revealed through the Prophet of God. This is in accordance with the experi- ence of all our Elders. The Holy Ghost has been with them to back up their words, and I can say for all that, we have not done a thing but it has Jbeen backed up by the power of the Almighty, so far as we have labored for the upbuilding of the kingdom of God. In regard to holding office in the Priesthood, I can truly say that I never asked any man for any office in this Church, and I believe I never asked the Lord but once, and my asking the Lord came about in this way. I went up to Missouri in Zion's camp; I saw the Prophet every day, and I knew he was a Prophet of God, About this time I had a great anxiety to preach the Gospel; this desire increased upon me, and I finally resolved to ask the Lord to open my way, so I went down into a hickory grove and prayed, during which I asked him to give me the privilege to preach the Gospel, I prayed fervently to the Almighty to give me the privi- lege of preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and when I got through praying I started for the place from whence I came, and I had not walked more than about forty rods before I met a High Priest, and the first thing lie said to me was, " It is the will of the Lord that yon go and preach the Gospel." I told him I was ready and willing to do anything the Lord required of me; I was therefore ordained a Priest and sent to labor in Arkansas. I will now name a circumstance which I have never named in public before. I went into Arkansas, travel- led a hundred miles out of my way to see a man that ha 1 embraced the Gospel some time before I went there. He was full of wrath and indignation when I went in ; he railed against Joseph Smith, Bishop Partridge and Father Morlcy. The Lore! showed me the night before that I had enemies in that town, I talked over my feelings with the brother who accompanied me, and he wanted td leave the town, but I said no, I would not go away, for I wanted to see what the Lord wanted of me. All the people were mad with rage, and we FULFILMENT OF could not get anybody to preach to ; in fact they were all full of rage till they were mad with it. For somq time I could not see my way clearly, but we finally called upon an old man named Hubbard, and engaged to go and clear timber. During the short time that we were employed at that the Lord sent tpe three times to visit that uld apostate, and each time when I went there I could only bear testi- mony to him of the truth of the Gospel- When I went the third time he followed me out of the house as full of wrath as the Devil, and he had not followed me more than about eight rods when he fell dead at my feet. This is a short story and a very singular one. At that time I had not power to lay on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, only holding the Aaronic Priesthood, but the Lord sustained me and his work just as well as if I had been an Apostle. We baptized father Hubbard and his wife, after which we went on our way rejoicing* The Lord has fed and sustained his servants, and manifested his power according to circumstances and so he will continue to do through life to all that are faithful and true to their covenants* * When the United States sent an army to this land for our destruction, the Lord had his eye upon us for good and he delivered us from all our enemies. The wicked have designed our destruction from the first organi- zation of this Church and kingdom, but our leaders have been inspired by the gift and power of God. Who I frustrated that army in their design ? | The Lord our God; and now the judgments that have come upon the aation in consequence of their treat- ment to this people, are a sore vexa- tion to them, but it is the hand-dealing of the Almighty and we cannot help it. Every Elder in this Church who lives his religion knows that this PROPHECY, ETC. 15 which is now transpiring is according to the mind and forshadowings of the Holy Spirit, and those out of the Church may know if they will. If persons will believe the Bible, the Book of Doctrines and Covenants, and the Book of Mormon, they can therein learn the fate of the world, for it is there pointed out in great plainness. Who can stay this war that is devastating the whole nation both North and South ? No human hand 5 it is out of the power of man, excepting by the repentance of the whole nation, for they have shed the blood of the Prophets, driven this Church and people from their midst, yes, the very people that hold the keys of salvation for the world they have banished from their midst, they have turned those keys that will seal their condemnation, and for this the Lord our God has taken peace out of their midst Will there ever be any more peace among them ? No, not until the earth is drenched with the blood of the inhabitants thereof. When the spirit of the Gospel leaves any people it leaves them in a worse condition than it found them, the spirit of ferocity, darkness and war will take hold of that people, and the time will come when every man that does not take his sword against his neighbor will have to go to Zion for safety. These things sound strange in the ears of our neighbors of the nation with which we are connected, but let mc tell you they are strictly true. .Remember Christ's words in regard to the temple, viz., £t There shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down." — Matthew xxiv,, 2, The Lord Jesus Christ is as truthful now aa he was then, and no power can stay his hand. Have we any fears of the cpnse- quences of what will transpire ? No, we have not, for we know that God is at the helm. When this kimjdom commenced it was like a mustard seed, very small, but the Lord has sustained it and he will continue to control it to the end of time. Although peace is being taken from the earth yet this kingdom will thrive and prosper until every kingdom and government shall be broken to pieces, and every power shall be subject to the God of heaven. Here are Elders who are faithful and true who have preached the Gospel from Maine to Texas, and from the Atlantic to California, and the wan, in" voice lias been lifted in Europe and in the Islands of the Sea, and thousands have embraced it and been made to rejoice in the truth. We know that this work is of God, and that it will roll forth and prosper though all the world oppose. War is only one of the troubles that the United States are going to receive; and I can further testify, that there is no nation that will escape the judg- ments of the Almighty. There is no ear but what has to be penetrated with the sound of the Gospel of Christ ; and by-and-hy the Elders of Israel will be taken from those nations where they are now preaching, and there will be another set of Jlis- Eionaries sent amongst the people; there will be the voice cf lightning, the noise of war, and of all those judg- ments which have been enumerated and prophesied of since the begin- ning of time, and they will go forth among the nations until the land is cleansed from the abominations that now reign upon the face of the earth. When this Gospel was first pro* claimed to the world, darkness covered the earth ; and wherever this doctrine Is preached by those having authority and it is rejected, that people become more dark than they were before, and go blindly along like the ox to the slaughter, and they will sooner or later be overtaken by t}ie judg- ments of the Almighty. * This is the nature of our testimony, brethren and sisters, we know that this work is true; we also know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, and the Bible could not have been fulfilled unless the Lord had raised up Prophets to declare the everlasting Gospel unto the children of men; he never could have brought his judg- ments upon the nations until he had raised np those Prophets who were ordained to come and warn the world. The Lord is now doing this work of warning, first by his servants and the r i by his judgments. In speaking of the kinsydom of God I will here remark, that it is always alike, or in other words it is always governed by the same laws, by Apostles and Prophets, and you cannot have a Church of Christ without these officers ; there never was such a church since the beginning of the world. If any person will show me a people that were acloiowledged of God, who did not have Prophets to lead them, I will confess that to be something which I have not found. Paul says, speaking of the Church of Christ, "And be gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Er angel ists, and some Pastors and Teachers/' Then, in another part of the writings of the same Apostle, he shows that with snch an organiza- tion one part cannot say to the other " I have no need of thee," but that all are necessary in the Church ofChrist. It is just so with the gifts and graces of the Gospel A great many of you have seen men without some of their limbs, and just as quick as I come to a man who has lost an arm I see it. I remember once seeing a man in London without any legs, dragging along as best be could, and of course it was very inconvenient for him to travel ; but I will tell you one thing which I never did see, I never saw iny man going around without any head. A man can live without arms or without legs, but lie cannot without a head, and it is precisely so with the Chinch of Christ ; one is jnst as impossible as the other* No other order has been manifested in this our day. We have a Prophet to lead and govern this people; we also have pastors and teachers, the Holy Ghost and the revelations of Jesus Christ riijht from heaven unto < tiSj and Tie are realizing every d^y the fulfilment <»f these things that are promised to the faithful. Brethren and sisters, we ought to be truly thankful to our Father and God, for he has been merciful to us, he has bestowed upon us his Spirit so that our ears have heen opened to hear and our hearts to and erst and and to rejoice in the good things of the kingdom of God* And how lamentable it is that so few in the present generation have embraced the fulness of the Gospel, perhaps nob one in ten thousand have received the truth, r The Jews have suffered long and grievously for their rebellion, and they will continue to suffer for some time yet, but woe unto the GentUes when they reject the fight that is offered, for when that stone, which is spoken of in Scripture, falls upon them they cannot escape the crushing power thereof, it will grind them to powder. Let us be faithful, serve our God pvA trust in him, and then, through the influence of his Spirit we si a'l know the signs of the times, and be prepared and made meet for our Master's use. * I ask that this may be our portion, in the name ol Jesus Christ. Amen, NEVER E\ T nTXG CHATU^TER OF A SAINTS' MISSION. ORGANIZATION OF THE KINGDOM OP GOD. Discourse by President Biuotiam Young, delivered in the Bowery, Great Salt Lake 6ity 3 Oct. 6, 1862. UEPOIITKD BY G„ D, WATT. We have opened our Conference to present before the congregation such principles and doctrines and to trans- act such business as may be neces- sary for the instruction and edification of the Saints and the advancement of the cause of truth. It has been remarked by some of the Missionaries who have lately returned, that though they had arrived [ Na 2. at home, they did not consider their missions at an end. When persona become sub ects of the kincd >m of God they enter upon a mission that will never end. They may turn away from the holy comnmnilmLnta and forsake the kingdom, B o as they remain faithful so long will their missions as advocates for God and his righteuusne^s lie continued. Vol. x. 18 JoriiXAL of mscornsrcs There may be intervals of rest, of relaxation from the more arduous duties of their missions, but in such times they are not by any means to consider their missions ended. Christ will not cease his labors pertaining to this earth until it is redeemed and fructified ready to be presented spot- less to the Father. Luke records the words of Christ as follows: — "But ralher seek ye the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto von/' Matthew If recoids the saying still fuller : — " But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and bis rigbteousnefs, ai d all these thiigs shrill be added unto you/ 1 Jesus Christ did not exhort bis followers to seek something they could not find, something that was flot wilhin their reach. He did not exhort them to ascend up to heaven to bring tlie kingdom down, nor to descend into the deep to bring it up, but he came to establish that kingdom, and it was nigh unto them. I would say to the Latter-day Saints, seek to know that the kingdom of God has been organ- ized in our own time. When this kingdom is organized in any age. the Spirit of it dwells in the hearts of the faithful, while its visible depart- ment, exists among the people, with laws, ordinances, helps, governments, officers, administrators, and every other appendage necessary for its complete operation to 1 lie attainment of the end in view Seek to know that the kingdom of God is organized upon the earth, and be sure to know that you have an interest in that kingdom, and enjoy the Spirit of it day by day, for this is, or ought to be, nearer to our hearts than all earthly considerations. This privilege is within the reach of all, when the Gospel is proclaimed to them. When and heartily repent, find est to the heavens that their repentance is genuine by obedience to the requirements made known to them through the laws of the Gospel, then are they entitled to the administration ot salvation, and no power can withhold the good Spirit from them, Cornelius is an instance of this. The Holv Ghost fell on him and his household, through their faith and earliest repent- ance, before they were baptized. That we may undtn*stand things as they are, and thereby learn to sanctify on! selves before the Loid our God, it is essentially necessary that we prac- tically live our religion. Every true believer of this Gospel is anxious to ga- ther to the home of the Saints. I think I am safe in saying, that if there was a highway cast up fiorn England to the shores of the continent of America, there are men who would be willing to measure the ground with their bodies to reach this place. Even this does not tell their anxiety to be here; it must be seen in the spirit, to know it as it really is. We are agreed in gathering the Saints, as well as in the initiatory ordinances of the Gospel of peace. It may be said that the tug of trials has commenced- when the Saints begin to cross the plains to this place. This temporal duty puts all their spiritual attainments to the test. There are but few persons who thoroughly understand how to orga- nize and lead a company across the plains, and in this alone arises many inconveniences and trials to the immi- grants. How many hearts are pre- pared to meet the difficulties, pri- vations, trials and labors to be encountered on the plains, without murmuring and complaining? I should think but few. To bel ieve the Goppel and embrace it, to believe all that is written in the Bible, Book of Mormon and Book of Doctrine and Covenants, is but a small matter com- pared with giving up comfortable homes, friends and relatives, being tossed upon the boisterous oce?n. con- NEVER ENDING CllAEACXEIL, ETC. 19 fined in narrow limits, and being jostled in railway cars, exposed to the insults and ridicule of rude and wicked persons that always assemble on the public highways, and suffering the hardships and privat'ons incident to travelling over the plains. I wish the people not to lose sight of one thing: that every day's labor, every moment's toil, every prayer and exertion which they make points to the building up of the kingdom of God upon the eaith. Let ns seek daily to know that the kingdom of God is established among us, accord- ing to the pattern in the heavens. Under this knowledge our actions will constantly point in the right direction, and every move wc make will enhance the interests of the general cuise. When this kingdom is established in its two- fold capacity — spiri tual ly an d temporally — th en it is given unto us to know how tu secure everything else that is neces- sary to enjey on the earth. But it is our duty first to seek to know .that the kingdom of God is established and organized upon the earth, that we have an interest in it, that that interest above all others is the nearest and dearest to our hearts, as our pre- sent and eternal welfare is embraced in it, and that we possess the Spirit of this kingdom and enjoy it day by day. Remarks have been made relating to the Saints travelling in independ- ent companies. When an independent company undertakes to travel across the plains, they are generally too independent for their own safety and good. There never was and never will he a people in heaven nor on earth, in time nor in etc rimy, that can be considered truly and entirely independent of counsel and direction. Our iijtlepc -ndupt Companies entertain the same mistaken views of independ- ence as people generally do of the independence of a Republican Govern- ment. Man in his ignorance is impatient of control, and when he finds himself from under its influence he supposes th it he is then independ- ent, or, in other words, thai he is a free man. Independence so viewed and so employed, either individually or collectively, religiously or politi- cally, must open a wide arena of action for all the evil, s*l.Uh and malignant qualities of depraved men, introducing distraction into every ramification of society, destroying confidence, checking the onward pro- gress of industry and universal pros- perity, and bringing in famine, pestilence and destruction everywhere. An independent company of immi- grants can appoint their own captain to guide them across the plains, and they can aho dispute every act of his for their good. They can find fault with him for camping too soon or too late ; fur camping in this, that or the other place; and if he oilers them good advice, reject it because they are independent and free, as they suppose* Individual self-government lies at tho root of all true and effective govern- ment, whether in heaven or on earth. Those who govern should be wiser and better than the governed, that the lesser may be blessed of the greater. Were this so, then the people would willingly repose their dearest interests to the trusts of their rulers or leaders, 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 good. This will apply to great kingdoms and mighty nations, to small companies of immigrants cross- ing the plains, or to the home circle. A Republican Government in the hands of a wicked people must termi* nate in woe to that people, but in the hands of the righteous it is everlasting, while its power reaches to heaven. I had the pleasure of leading the first company of Saints to these 20 JOrKWU, OF DISCOtTItSFS valleys, assisted by a few of my Brethren. In this business we have kad a good experience, I will here t; ke the liberty of relating a little of my first career in "Mormonism" In" 1834, brother Joseph Smith the Prophet, started With a company from the State of Ohio, picking up others as he passed through various States on his route until he arrived in Missouri. We had grumblers in (1 n t camp. We had to he troubled with uneasy, unruly and discontented spirits. This was the first time we ha I ever travelled in the capacity of a large company, and it vrns my first expend ce in that mode of travelling. Brother Joseph led, counselled and guided the com- pany, and contended against those | unruly, evil d sposed persons. When • wean i vi d ih Missouri, the Lord spoke to his servant Joseph and said, " I have accepted your offering," and we t had the privilege to return again. On my return many friends asked nie what profit there vi as in calling men from their labor to go up to Missouri and then return, without apparently accomplishing anything. "Who has it I encfited r" asked they. "If the Lord did command it to be done, whnt object had he in view in doing so r" I was i hen c< mparaf i vcly ignorant, to what I am now, in regard to the spirits and actions of mankind. But I then learned that those persons who asked me such questions w ere weak in the faith and, like a faulty column in an edifice, could not bear up under the burden designed to rest upon them. This has since proved to be the case. I wish this fact to gink into your hearts, that when men or women have doubta, they also have fear; and when they have fear, they are in danger of what? Of themselves. Want of confidence is the parent of moral imbecility and intel- lectual we* kness. Hear it, ye Saints, that man or woman that in crowned with crowns of glory, immortality and eternal lives will never be heard t>j grumble or complain. I told those brethren that I was well paid — paid with heavy interest — yea that my measure was filled to overflowing with the knowl dge that I had received by travelling with the Prophet When con panics are led across the plains by inexperienced persons, especially inde- pendent companies, they are very apt to break into pieces, to divide up into fragments, become weakened, and thus expose themselves to the influences of death and destruction. I sometimes think that T would be willing to give any thing, to do almost anything in reason, to see one fully organized Branch of ih iskin^dom — ui e f u I ly organized Ward. "But says o ne, **I had supposed that the kingdom of Gud was organized long ago." So it it is, in one sense; and again, in another sense it is not. Wheresoever this Gospel has been preached and people have received it, the spiritual kingdom is set up and organized, but is Zion organized ? No. Is there even in f h is Territory a fully organized Ward ? Not one. It may be at4ced f ** Why do you not fully organize the Church ?" Because the people are incapable of being organized, I could organize a laige Ward who would be oiilject to a full organization, by selecting familes from the different Wards, but at present such ;i I i ranch of the Church is not in existence. I am satisfied that the mechanical ability of the people of this Territory will rank with that of any other people, but there is not one in five hundred that knows how to husband his ability and economize his labor when he first comes to this new country. They are for a time like a feather in the wind, until some cir- cumstance occurs to settle them in some position where they can begin to do something to provide for them- selves. It is not easy to find a NEVER ENDING CHARACTER, ETC 21 Bishop that knows how to settle, in a proper way, the smallest difficulty that may occur ir, his Ward. There are but few men that can guide them- selves, and gathjer around them the comforts and wealth of this life. In the settlements I passed through during my late visit south, I saw comparatively little wisdom mani- fested in the sty*e and extent of their improvements. Men who have been in this Church ten, fifteen, and twenty years, and in this country from the first settlement of it, possessing flocks of sheep and herds of catlle and horses running upon the plains, what kind of houses have they ? Log hovels and mud huts. What have they in their houses? Two tin plates, a broken knife, and a fork with one-prong. If a person calls for lodgings, " O yes, you can stay and welcome. Come wife, bake some potatoes and squash, and roast some meat, bake some biscuit, and stew a little of that fruit I bought at the store," and all this the poor woman has to do in one little bake kettle, A good natu^ed man enough, an easy going sort uf person, and his hair lin ks as though it had not been cut or combed fur years. After supper you retire to bed, and before morning yon are made fully satisfied that you are a man of feeling. Is such enter- prise worthy of Saints ? Is this the way to build up cities and make the earth like ihe garden of Eden? Do such people know that the kingdom of God is set up on the earth ? "0 yes, I have it in me." You have the spiritual kingdom within you, but there is a literal kingdom U> build np- There are scores of Elders in this Church who can preach, baptize and lay on hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost, that do not know how to produce a livelihood for them- selves, a wife, and one child. It requires but little experience to do this, and much less do they know how to build a good house, how to lay out and build op a city, how to hty the foundations of Zion, &c M &e. Can they lead a company of Saints across the plains ? They can try, and very likely the company will break to pieces, unless the power of God is among them. This gives us a striking proof of the necessity of the people's having faith and p >.ver with the heavens, that if their Bishop does not know what he ought, their faith will keep him in the right path and (lie Spirit of the Lord will open to the vision of his mind the things that he should do* That is the duty of ^£he people* L We have a kingdom to organize, and I say, Seek to know that you have the kingdoM within yuu and that you are in it. Seek to establish the kingdom of God upon the earth, for that will give you wisdom to add to yourselves everything ucce^ary. The Lord will nut himself plough our grounds, sow our grain, and reap it when it is ripe* The man that undeK stands the kingdom of God will seek to understand the elements in which he lives, and to know something of his own organization, the design of it, and the designs of Heaven iu it. Is the kingdom of God in its perfection on the earth ? It is not. True, we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, we believe in his ordinances. We believe that the Lord called Joseph Smith and ordained him an Apostle and Prophet to this generation, giving him the keys and power of the Holy Priesthood. We believe in the gathering of the house of Israel in the latter days, in the redemption of Zion, In the building up and establishment of Jerusalem, and in the gathering of the Jews from their long dispersion ; in short, we believe all that the ancient Prophets have spoken, bat where is the people that is willing to build up the visible kingdom of Gcd f JOrRNAL OP DlSCOmSftS, 22 and tli at is capable of dictating this great work. The Lord will make the people willing* in the day of his power. This cannot refrr to making the people willing* to acknowledge Jesus to be the Christ ; it roost refer to something else. Shall we wait until we are whipped from among the wicked before we are willing to gather out from among them and flee to Zion ? This has been the case with some, and what are such persons good fur when they get to Zion ? I do not, however, wish to disturb anybody's feelings; I am glad to see them come to a place of safety when they are oblisred to ; bat I would rather have se*m them come in the beginning, when they could have helped to kill the snakes, build the bridges, make the roads, and manifest their faith that we could raise fruit, grain and every staple necessary of life in this country, help to open the katiyons, build the mills, bring out the lumber and build towns and cities. But we are glad to see them as they are, and we will do the best we can with them. There are more coming, Which will be best eventually, to go to with our might to build up the Zion of God on the earth, or wait until we are whipped to it ? I can only broach the subject of building up the kingdom of God as it must be built up in the latter days; I will leave it for others to talk upon during the Conference, or not, as they please. I know what I have to do, and that is to teach this people to appreciate their own present lives. There is no life more precious than the present life which we enjoy; there is no life that is worth any more to us than this life is* It may be said that an eternal life is worth more. We are in eternity, and all that we have to do ia to take the road that leads into the eternal lives. Eternal life is an inherent quality of the creature, and nothing but sin can put a termination to it. The elements in their nature are as eternal as are the Go Is. L ■* us learn, under the guidance and direc- tion of Heaven, how to use these eternal elements for the building up, establishment and sending forth of the kingdom of God, gathering up the poor in heart to begin with, and the fort her things we will learn as we progress. Some of you may ask why the Lord did not perfectly organize at least one, Branch of the Church ? When a great blessing is bestowed upon a people, and that blessing is not strictly/ honored and lived to, in proportion to the greatness of that blessing, over and above what has been previously enjoyed, it will be a cur^e to them. I recollect tl ■ t Joseph once said to me, when he was talking upon the prin- ciple of the Lord's raising up seed to himself upon the earth — a royal Priesthood, a holy nation that can offer sacrifices acceptable to God — *' Brother Brigham, it w I! damn many of the Elders of Israel." There are but few men in this kingdom that are now worthy of that blessing, yet all who are in full fellowship must enjoy it We will wait patiently until we can get the people to know how to secure to themselves the comforts of life, good houses, for instance, and know how to raise fruit as well as bread. The best fruit I ever saw in any country I saw exhibited in our recent fair. It has been told the people, from the first of our coming into this country, there existed in these ele- ments as good mater ial for fruit as can be found anywhere. Then let us go forth in faith and plant seed in the ground, and cultivate mother earth and pray over the earth and over our crops and over all we possess, and the curse will be removed, and God will restore geniality to the atmos- phere and fertility to the soil. LI wish to teach the Elders of this Church how to lead a company across the plains, as well as how to preach the Gospel ; to learn them how to be a Bishop, a father to the people, as well as how to kneel down and pray, or to ^ rise up and preach, I wish to learn them how to reconcile the people one to another , how to build cities, how to beautify and redeem the earth, how to lead and guide this people to life eternal, huw to preside over their families, and how to conduct them- selves in the common avocations of life. I have all this and more con- stantly before me. Brethren is yonr Mission ended ? No t it is as much upon you here as when you are out in the distant parts f of the earth preaching the GospeL Jesus Christ made water into wine by calling together from the elements the properties of wine. He fed thou- sands of people with 0ve loaves and two small fishes by calling the ele- ments together to compose bread and fish; and he says, " Greater works than these shall ye do, because I go to the Father." Ifc is our privilege * and our duty to continue to learn, until we shall have wisdom enough to command the elements as he did, and until the earth is brought back I to its paradisaical state. But we must first redeem ourselves from every root of bitterness that may be in our nature, striving daily to overcome the evil that is in the world and in ourselves, sanctifying our hearts and affections until there shall be nothing abiding in us contrary to the Holy Ghost in its perfect and full fruition of enjoyment to the creature. I think it likely that after a while I may be able to so humble myself and become like a little child, as to be taught more fully by the Heavens. , Perhaps, when I am eighty years of age, I may be able to talk with soma Being of a higher sphere than this. Moses saw the glory of God at that age, and held converse with better beings than he had formerly con- versed with. I hope and trust that by the time I am that age I shall also ' be counted worthy to eujuy the same privilege, T pray you not to forget what I have said to you this morning, but lay ifc up in your hearts, and pray that it may bring forth fruit for the more perfect establishment of the kingdom of God upon the earth. Amen. 24 JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES, FUTURE STATE OF EXISTENCE. Remarks ly President Brtoham Young, made in the Bowery , Great Salt Lake Cify^ Oct. 6, 1862. R E FOR Til) RY I will ofler a few remarks in rela- tion to the difference between this aiid the next state of existence. The next state of existence is a spiritual one. The spirit which is now clothed with mortal flesh will be set free from that encumbrance, and the spirits of Saints will be free from the power of fiin aod Satan, \ This state is a state of trial, wherein the spirit clothed upon with flesh labors to sanctify, redeem and save the flesh, that in the resurrection the spirit and the body may be made eternally one, through the power of , the atonement :oid resurrection of Jesus Christ. Tht? next state of existence is the paradisaical state of the spirit, a state of waiting until the body shall pass through the purification and refine- ment given tu it by passing through death and the grave; then cometh the resurrection which bringeth to pass the reunion of the body and the spirit. " O, how great the plan of our God. For on the other. In*, ml, Ihe paradise of God must deliver up the spirit of the righteous, and the grave deliver up the body of the righteous ; and the .spirit and the body are re- | stored to each other again, and all men become incorruptible and im- mortal, and they are living souls/* &c. , From the state of embryo to the time of birth, and lrom infancy to ripe old age, unseen dangers lurk in our path to mar our bodies or to | render our senses ii-efficient; hence G. D* WATT. we see the lame, the maimed, the blind, the deaf, dumb, weak, sickly and so on. I think it has been taught by some that as we lay our bodies down, they will so rise again in the resurrection with all the impediments and imper- fections that they had here ; and that if a wife docs not love her husband in this state she cannot love hi in in the next. This is not so. Those who attain to the blessing of the first or celestial resurrection will be pure and holy, and perfect in body. Every man and woman that reaches to this unspeakable attainment will be as beautiful as the angels that surround the throne of God. If you can, by faithfulness in this life, obtain the right to come up in the morning of the resurrection, you need entertain no fears that the wife will be dissatis- fied with her husband, or the husband with the wife; for those of the first resurrection will be free from sin and from the consequences and power of sin. This body " is sown in corrup- tion, it is raised in incorruption ; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory ; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power ; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body." H And, as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." God has done his part towards putting us in possession of celestisd glory and happiness, by provid- ing the means -whereby we may * DESIGN OF THT5 LOAD, ETC. 25 attain to it; and if ever we pos- sess it, we must do so by conform- ing to the means provided. God has given the children of men dominion over the earth and over all things that pertain to it, and has commanded them to subdue it, and to sanctify them- selves before him, and also to sanctify and beautify the earth by their in- dustry, and by their wisdom and skill which cometh from God. Learr, for instance, how to yoke together a pair of oxen, how to manage and drive them across the plains, how to get timber from the kanyons, how to make brick, and how to hew stone and bring them into si jape and posi- tion to please the eye and create com- fort and happiness for the Saints. These are some of the mysteries of the kingdom. To receive the Gospel and believe and enjoy it in the spirit, is the simplest part of the work the Latter-day Saints have to learn and perform. God has made man lord of all things here below, and it is the labor of man to bring all things unto sub- jection to God, by first subjecting himself to the will of God, and then subjecting all things over which he has control, in their time and order. The will of God is eternal life to his people and to all they control* J fay God bless you. Amen. DESIGN OF THE IjOKD IN GATHERING TOGETHER HIS PEOPLE. WISDOM AND ECONOMY IN DOMESTIC AFFAIRS. Remarks by President Briqham Young, made in (he Ttbernacle, Great Salt Lake City, June 8, 1862. BE PORT ED BY G. D. WATT. The miracles wrought in the days of Moses for the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage, as they are recorded in the Old Testament, appear to be wonder- ful displays of the power of God. I need not here rehearse the history of the children of Israel, with which the majority of this congregation are well ficquainted, but I wish to say that if all instances where the power of God has been displayed through the Elders of this Church were written, we should find that as great and wonderful miracles have been wrought among this people as have been wrought among any people in any age of the world, and yet this Church is only in its infancy. The children of Israel, it is written, were brought out of Egypt with an high hand and an outstretched arm, to inherit a land flowing with milk and honey j we have assembled in these distant valleys for the trial of our faith. They were delivered out of a * 26 JOURNAL OF dreadful bondage, leaving none be- hind ; we have willingly sold and otherwise left oar possessions, at the same time leaving friends, parents, companions, behind. The dts-« tance to their land of promise was but a few miles from the country of their bondage, while a great many of this people have traversed over one- half of the globe to reach the valleys of Utah. Brother Goddard spoke this morn- ing in relation to the words of the Lord pertaining to the saving of paper rags. His remarks were amusing, and had he coupled some of the ancient revelations and say- ings, recorded as the Lord's, with his remarks concerning paper rags, those remarks would have been still more amusing; such, for instance, as "If a bird's nest chance to be before thee in the way in any tree, or on the ground, whether they be young ones or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the young or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the young; but thou shalt in any wise let the \ dam go, and take the young to thee ; that it may be well with thee, and that thou niayest prolong thy days." Again, " Thou shalt not plough with an ox and an ass together.'* Again, " Thou shall make thee fringes upou the four quarters of thy vesture, wherewith thou coverest thyself/' Ac, &a Seeing many such instances as these in the Bible, we cannot marvel at a man's talking about paper rags in a religions meeting, and say- : ing that it is the word of the Lord or at least the word of wisdom that we should save our rags. j Let us realize one fact in addition to the great miracles that have ever been exhibited among God's people, From the beginning of the world to | this time, when the Lord has gathered together a people to be a chosen people to him, he has always begun to educate theai by ins true ting them piscouhses. in the little things pertaining to life, which he never does when his people remain mixed with the wicked. Be- fore the Lord, through Moses, called upon the children of Israel to leave Egypt, he had no such instructions for them as we have quoted ; he had nothing to say to them about govern- ing themselves, nor about driving out their enemies before them, nor taking a course to sustain themselves: in fact, they were far below this people in the scale of independence and civilized life. Lin righteousness this people far excel the ancient Israelites; _ indeed, I would not wUh to com j mi the righteousness of the children of Israel with f.he righteousness of the Latter-day Saints, for multitudes of the Latter-day Saints will enter into the rest of the Lord, but only two persons out of the hosts of Israel were permitted to do so, v While the meek of the earth re- main scattered among the wicked, * the Elders of this Church can go forth with the Old and^New Testa- ment in their bauds, and show what the Lord is going to do in the latter days, the great miracles he will per- form, the gathering of his people, the saving of his Saints, the building up of Zion, i he redeeming of the house ot Israel, the establishing of the New Jerusalem, the bringing back of the ten tribes, and the consuming of their enemies before them, over- throwing kingdoms, &c, &c, and this is proclaimed to both Saint and sinner* But when the people of God are gathered out to one place, they are then taught the so-calted little things that pertain to every day life, which they cannot be taught while they are in a scattered condition. .Many come here under a mistaken impression ; they think they are gathered to this place to be told how people live in heaven, to receive a minute description of the inhabitants of heaven, to be told how they asso DESIGN OF THE LORD, ETC. 27 elate together, whether they live in cities, of what the houses are built, what kind of architecture prevails there, how the cities are laid out, and how the heaven of heavens is built, who dwells there, where the inha* bitants came from, their stature and complexion, whether God is a per- sonage of tabernacle or not, what means for locomotion he uses when he visits his friends, what he eats for breakfast, how often he changes his clothes, what style of clothing he wears, of what kind of material it is made, whether they have winter and summer in heaven, seed time and harvest, &a, &c* But no, my brethren, this is not what you have come here for; the Lord has called the people together expressly to teach them the things which pertain to this world and to this life, that they may know how to honor the life he has given them here.] The inhabitants of the earth are ignorant with regard to the design of their being ; they are as ignorant in this respect as the wild animals that roam over the plains. They may be very religions, but the religion that is popular in the world now is entirely another thing from the ways of the Lord. Many of their traditions are good, and many of the people possess much good moral religion ; 1 may say, so far as morality goes, that they are just as good as people can be, but they are not taught bow to govern and control themselves, they are not taught the worth of their present life. The whole drift, labor, and exertions of the priests of the day among the people are to prepare them to die. 1 never had such a mission given to me, nor received such a calling from the heavens ; I have been called to preach life, and not death. It is my business to teach mankind how to live, how to honor their present existence, how to treat their bodies so as to live to a good old age on the earth, an 1 have power to do good and not evil all their days, and be ready to enter into the rest prepared for the Saints. H Almost anv Elder in this Church can preach the Gospel, if he is humble before God j he can tell all that the wicked would need to hear from the Old and New Testament. Many of the Elders are scholars, and when they preach we expect to hear almost a HiUUi and a half preached before they get through; they can carry yon through the historical portions, repeat the sayings of the old pruphets, dilate largely upon t\\v doctrinal portions of the New Testament, gu»ge the mora- lity of the present age by repeating verbatim the moral lessons of the Savior, are at home among the beasts of the Apocalypse and the prophetical heads and horns of Daniel, are thoroughly posted in the time, times, and half-a-time, know the contents of all the vials, when they will be poured out, can deliniate to a nicety the dif- ferent parts of Daniel's metal image — in a word, they are paragons in Bible lore, but if you ask them whether they know how to raise pota- toes to feed their wives and children, their answer is "No." Do you know how to raise grain for your bread ? " No/' Do you know how to raise watermelons ? u No/' Do you know how to raise pigs for your meat? "No/* Do you know how to raise chickens? "No/* Do you love to eat them? "Yes/' Do you know how to raise calves ? " No/' You may give them a cow and calf, and two years will not pass before they have neither cow nor calf. Do you know how to improve your fruit? m No/' And thus they live without trying to produce for themselves these necessaries and comforts of life. Finally, what do you know ? " Why, wo know that we must prepare to die/'" There are people who have been iu this city twelve years, and JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES 28 hare not planted in their gardens a single fruit tree. The Lord wishes us to know how to provide for our- bpU'cs nil things necessary for our comfort in bread, fruit, and clothing. Sisters, do you know how to make woolen cloth, linen cloth, or cotton cloth? Probably a few of you do. Almost any female can knit a stock- ing, for th is seems to be their employ* merit when they sit down to rest. Children are taught to knit, but the mHjorjty never progress any further than this in the art of manufacturing. In addition to this, needlework is generally understood by the female portion of the community, but as a general thing what do they know alout making cloth? Very little. They need to be taught; yet they know as much about these matters as the children of Israel did. They also- need to be taught, when their bus- bands bring into the house a hundred we li ht of flour, not to throw it out of the dwr; and when they make bread of it to make it light, palatable, and healthy, instead of making cakes as indigestible as a whet-stone, that when your husbrnds come from work and your ch i 1 d n:- 1 1 from seh ool they may have bread to eat that will sit easy on their stomachs. Many hus- bands are made sick and many chil- dren are sent to an untimely grave through eating badly prepared food, the result of ignorance or careless- ness. ■*. * y Tli is is the place to become ac- quainted with this knowledge. It is for the husband to learn how to gather around his family the comforts of life, how to control his passions and temper, and how to command the respect, not cnly of his family but of all his brethren, sisters and friends. It is the calling of the wife and mother to know what to do with everything that is brought into the house, laboring to mnke her home desirable to her husband and children, making herself an Eve in the midst of a little paradise of her own creating, securing her husband's love and confidence, and tying her off- spring to herself, with a love that is stronger than death, for an everlast- ing inheritance. There is a saying that a wife so disposed can throw out of the window with a tea-spoon more than her husband can throw into the door with a shovel. I am sorry to say that this is too much the case, A good housewife disposes of her cooking utensils, dusters, towels, floorcloths, barrels, buckets, &c., in a neat, cleanly, and labor saving manner. A good mechanic has a place for every tool, and when he has done using a tool it is returned to its place as by magic, without any apparent eflot t. I have watched our mechanics here, and, take them first and last, i heir ways, if not strewed to strangers, are strewed to nonsense. A good farmer takes care of his implements of husbandry. Instead of leaving them scattered all over the farm, they are carefully gathered together, properly cleaned and greased to de- fend them from rust, and put in a safe place unJil they are wanted* There are very few of our farmers that know how to prepare the ground and plant the seed in a way to secure a ready germination and quick growth, I told my farmers this spring how to prepare (he ground for sugar-cane, and to plant the seed three-fourths of an inch deep. I waited ten days for the plants to show themselves, when I found the seed was put away six inches below the surface, and I thought well laid away from the frost of the winter of 1862-3« It is now beginning to show itself, five weeks since it was planted. I would that people knew more than they do about these important matters, but we are where we can be t&jght. WilJ the people be taught ? Will they cheerfully receive instruc- DESIGN Or THR LORD, ETC. tion and profit by it ? I hire the best gardeners I can find, and they are ignorant of their business ; they scarcely know one apple from another or one fruit tree from another. If I spend five hundred dollars to have a straw berry-bed made, I may perhaps get a quart or two of the ftuit; I may safely say that I shall nut receive enough fruit to half cover the outlay. I can instruct any man how to im- prove seedling fruit, and have it as good as the imported kinds* The best fruit that ever grew will dete- riorate under bad manngcmenfc and neglect I advise farmers and gar- deners to understand their business and make it profitable ; also to mechanics would I give the same advice. And I would advise the sisters not only to save their paper rags* but to learn how to properly and profitably dispose of new cloth when they get it. Cleanliness and neatness of person are desirable and good to see, but this i nay be carried to an extreme that is b ith tiresome and expensive; there is a class that is more nice than wise. Nothing less than linen pocket- handkerchiefs by the dozen will answer for some of our ladies, "Husband, don't get me less than three d^zen handkerchiefs, fori must have from three to half-a-dozen a-day, it is so nice to be cleim," When the}' have used a handkerchief twice or three times, it is thrown into the wash -tub to be rubbed to pieces and wasted away. In this way you get no good of your money ; the article is not worn out in service, but it is washed out. Then, when you hang and pin your clothes on the clothos- line, thvy are left to be whipped to pieces in a high wind, and are more used up in one operation of this kind than if they had been worn three months. It is useless for husbands to saggest tu them the expediency of 29 let them remain notwithstanding, and be worn out. Go into the kitchens of these very nice, neat wives who can nurse a pocket-handkerchief to a charm aud apply it to their nasal protuberances with such refined grace, aud you hear Sally asking Sue for the dishcloth, "Where is the dishcloth f" It is found stuffed into a mouse- hole, or Jim has just come iu from the kanyon and is washing his feet with it. Then there is au outcry for the knife they cut meat with. . " Where is the butcher knife i" Billy has had it out of doors, and has left it in a neighboring ditch. They m iy have bread and meat, a bread knife aud a meat knife, but neither of these articles has a recognized home in the house, and you are just as likely to find them in one place as another, " Where is the bag of flour?" "I don't know; I think I saw it under the stairs tlx is morning when I was rummaging about/' lb is at last found stuck in a dirty corner, with dirty clothes thrown over it, and perforated with mouse-holes. The bread pan is lust ; the rolling-pin and board cannot be found, and when the board is found it has been converted into a checker-board, and then used in the chicken-coop; and when the broom is wanted little Jack is astride taking the clothes in, for they will of it in the street, deliberately walk- ing through a mud hole. Instead of their houses being houses where order and economy reign, confusion, dis- order, and waste prevail. Some of our professed good home- k-epers, in my opinion, come far short of really deserving that cha- racter, at least I should think so, were I permitted to see them cook breakfast. There are potatoes to boil, bread to bake, meat to cook, and fruit to stew. Perhaps the first thing that is dune is to put the tea to steeping, then fry the meat, then prepare the potatoes for boiling, and about the time the potatoes are djno the bread must bo 30 JOURNAL Of DlSCOrR^S. mixed ; while the bread is baking the tea is spoiling, the meat and potatoes are getting cold and unfit to eat; when the bread is ready, as likely as mot the fruit is forgotten, and a great effort has to be tnade to prepare the fruit ; much bustle, con fusion, labor, and time ha\e been expended to get the food ready, and when it is served up the tea is not worth drinking, the potatoes are tough, watery, and cold, the meat is dry, hard, and unpalatable, the biscuit 9 are baked too much on the outside a£kd not enough in the inside, while the fruit is only half cooked; and taking it altogether, it would he better for the stomach to reject such a meal of victuals, if there existed a prospect of dining upon a more wholesome and better prepared meal at noon. We have been gathered together in these valleys to be taught. We must first learn to control ourselves before we can think to control our fellow creatures. The Lord has given extensive lines of ope- ration to both Saint and sinner, but when he gathers his family be expects them to first- master these so-calh d little things ; he wishes us to learn to live with each other, and to surround ourselves with all the common necessaries and comforts of life. Until this is done we are un- prepared to receive the greater bless- ings, for if we had them now we should not know what to do with them. C It is our business to live, to learn how to preserve our lives, and labor to make the earth into a Garden of Eden ; unless we do this, we are unworthy to possess eternal life. " And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant, because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities/* He that is not faithful in the things of this world, who will commit unto him the things which pertain to eternity ? All things belong to the Lord, and we belong to the Lord, and if we are faithful until w*; have passed the ordeal and proved ourselves worthy before the heavens to receive our crowns, then we shall receive a deed of that which the Lord gives to us- Until then, that which we hold we hold only as stewards for the Lord. It is our privilege to grow and in- crease continually, 10 receive know- ledge upon knowledge, and prepare to enter upon the higher duties of eternal life. We thus proceed from one step to another until we merge into immortality. We do not be- come another kind of beings in pass- ing through the resurrection, but we are more refined through the appli- cation of the laws of the Gospel to our lives and passing through the grave. The grave will take away every deformity from the mortal organisms of the faithful, and they will be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect. We have now space to prove our- selves worthy to receive the glory that God has in store for the faithful, but we have to learn the little things first. We are brought here expressly, in the first place, to raise potatoes, grain, fruit, wool, flux, and every other necessaiy and mortal comfort we can produce in this climate* Some of our Elders will preach until they preach the people blind, and will die in their ignorance and go to hell, unless they learn what their livqs are worth and how to preserve thera. I am speaking to the Saints. If we do not learn what God has brought us here for, and the nature of t lie mission he has given us, we may preach the Bible until we are Wind and old as Methusela, and die and be damned at last. U is our duty to learn how to govern ourselves, and how to conduct ourselves pleasingly in the sight of heaven towards our friends, families, and neighbors, build- ingup cities and towns 3 opemng farms, BISHOPS AND PRESIDENTS. 31 planting vineyards and orchards, and improving our country, until finally, we shall be ready to rule. May God bless the faithful, and overthrow the wicked and nn godly, find establish his kingdom no more to be thrown down is my daily prayer. Amen. BISHOPS AND PRESIDENTS. ItemarJa by Elder Obson Hydr, made in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, April 7, 1862. REPORTED BY J. V. LONG. Brethren and sisters, I have been highly edified this morning, as I pre- &ii£De Jon all have, and - I doubt not but the seed has fallen upon good ground, and when we retnrn to our homes we shall feel sensibly that the seed sown has done goo i. It has been in my mind to remark that the office of both President and Bishop are in our President, and therefore he has the undoubted right to place those two offices on one man, or to ordain two separate men as he may see proper. There may possibly arise circumstances that may appear to came the authority of the two to conflict, and thus to be incompatible one with the other, but this is only on account of the ignorance of the people. We ought so to live as all to be capable of being Presidents and Bishops, for there is certainly ample room for us all to do all the good we can ; bat I have thought in the pre- sent state of our limited knowledge it would be better to dispense with the office of President in the country settlements, I am happy to inform you that I have never heard of any feeling of difficulty between the Presi- dent and Bishop at Spanish Fork. Brother Young did not know of a single exception to the rule, but I am informed by all parties that these brethren have never conflicted. [Pre- sident B. Young : I wish I had never heard anything to the contrary.] My reason for desiring to have this matter brought here was to have the duties of Bishops and Presidents defined, thinking that probably the result of the investigation would be the abolish- ing of the office of President for the present in the country Branches, and I can truly say that I feel thankful, brethren and sisters, for what I have heard, and I can say with regard to the people in the region where I have labored there is a good degree of union there among the people. In fact, I rejoice to say that there is no schism in that region; we have no difficulty there with our High Priests, none with our Seventies, only what we have been enabled to arrange. A good feeling exists there, and I am 32 JOUftXAL OF DISCOURSES. glad ant! happy to know that there is an increase of good feeling with the people of Sanpet^. I feel thankful that when the people from all quarters meet here the spirit and the atmos- phere seem to bear witness to what I have said. Well, brethren and sisters, I have spoken before, and I do not wish to occupy much time at the present, but the spirit that is here is good, and all thing.** that have been done feel like a buhn to my soul. God bless you all. Amen. FORMING A STATE CONSTITUTION. — RAISING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS.— TRUE RICHES, Remarks by President Biuoham Youko, delivered m tft£ Tabernacle^ G rent Salt Lake City, April 8, 18 52, ItEPORTKU BY G. D. IV ATT. I wish to inform nil the inhabitants of the Territory of Utah, Jew and Gentile, bond and free, mule and female, black and white, red, copper- -colcred and yellow, that, in organiz- ing a Slate Government, we shall not infringe in the least upon the Constitution of our country, upon any principle contained in the Declaration of Independence, nor upon any con- stitutional law that has been enacted by the Congress of the United States, Will this step bring upon us the dis- approbation of the Government of the United States? That is not fur me to say ; it will be as God may direct. As the kingdom of God rises and . advances upon the earth, so will the power of Satan increase to impede its progress until God shall pdrge that power from the earth, and su give I he Saints the victory, that they can bear offh is kingdom triumphantly in spite of the powers of Satan fuA wicked men. But so far as the power of Satan extends, just so far will be seen his operations to over- throw all righteousness. There is nothing that would so soon weaken my hope and discuuirige me as to seo this people in full fellowship with the world, and receive no more persecu- tion from them because they are one with them. In such an event, wo might bid farewell to the Holy Priesthood with all its blessings, pri- vileges, and aids to exaltations, princi- palities and powers in the eternities of the Gods, I can say with confidence, if we will live so as to enjoy the revelations of the Lord Jesus Christ to ourselves day by day, overcoming every passion, feeling and desire that has bet n sownr in our nature through the fall, over- coming nil that is contrary to the law of Heaven and the principles of sal- vation thut is purchased by Jesus Christ for us, which is the plan of God has devised to exalt the human FOB MING A IT ATE CONSTITUTION, ETC 33 family to immortality and eternal lives, if we will let that Spirit and power of God reign wi thin us j we shall never be afflicted more than we can bear, and that is as far as I can promise. | We have seen the power and wisdom that have been displayed by our ene- mies since we have been in these moun- tains, which has all amounted to but little toward accomplishing what they desired. No more will be accomplished than has been. j Brother Orson Pratt's remarks on the powers of the Congress of the United States are strictly correct. It is well known that the Congress of the United States has no power gran ted in the Constitution to organize a Ter- ritorial Government, and every power that is not named in the Constitution for Congress to act upon is reserved to the people* But Congress assumes powers that dues not belong to it, and if it continues to do so, soon the last vestige of the free, independ- ent, Republican and Democratic Go- vernment we have enjoyed will be merged in a military despotism, if there is anything left. Our Government is at present en- gaged in an expensive war. It has been supposed that the South would soon lie subjugated, that they would yield the point and submit Thoy will not, and the war has scarcely commenced,^ The slave States do not as yet appear to be whipped or conquered. Both North and South are in the hands of the Lord, and so are we. Let us from this time strive more diligently to overcome our own evil passions. We may talk about Priest- hood, about pdwer and authority, about blessings and exaltations, about the kingdom of God upon the earth, about gathering the house of Israel, about redeeming Zion and enjoying its fulness, about preparing for the coming of the Son of Man and enjoy- ing celestial glory with him, but all this is vain if we do not sanctify our- No. 3. selves before God, and sanctify the Lord our Cod in our hearts. Wc wish you fully to comprehend this ; and when you go from this Confer- ence, we do not wish to hear of contentions. And as soon as Elders have wisdom sufficient to magnify their calling and Priesthood, we will give to every Branch, no matter how small the Ward, both a Bishop and a President It is our privilege and duty to sanctify our own hearts. Perhaps I have as much acknowledgment to make as anybody for sometimes suffering my feelings to be a little ruffled. I cannot say that I felt entirely free from vexations at remarks made, by one of the speakers this morning, upon the impurity of seeds in our Territory, Notwithstanding s > much has been said upon that subject, there does not seem to be care enough in the heads of Israel to provide even for them- selves, to s^y nothing about setting a proper example to the people. If it were left to such men, there never would be a grain of pure sugar cane seed in the country. Where is your care fjr Israel ? You will preach the spiritual things of the kingdom, and let your bodies and the bodies of the people go into the grave. Before you preach to a starving man to arise and be baptized, first carry him some bread and wine ; first unlock his prison house and let him go free. Is there a Bishop in this Territory that knows whether there is a particle of pure cabbage seed in the Territory, or in his Ward ? whether there is a bushel of pure . buck-wheat, or Cal ifor a i a barley? whether there is a peck of clean, pure flaxseed, n this coming sum- mer. What will you do with the increase of your fields ? Will you strew it to strangers ? Some com- plain at the hand of Jehovah fjr giving them wheat. I have beard it said, " It is a curse to us; it annoys me to see so much wheat.'* There never has been a land, from the days of Adam until now, that has been blessed more than this land \\w< been blessed by oit Father in heaven; and it will still be blessed more and more, if we are faithful and humble, and thankful to God for the wheat l and the com, the oats, the fruit, l the vegetables, the cattle and every- 1 tiling he bestows upon us, and try to JOUBKAL OP DISCOURSES. nse them for the building up of Ins kingdom on tbe earth. There will be no luck of teams for doing our work, if we will go to with our mights to bring the poor Saints here and to build this Temple, There will be teams to bring us the rock from the quarries ; and let the young men come and learn to cut stone. I wish to hurry the building of the Temple, for I would like to have it completed before we are called to more important duties. > God bless the righteous* Amen, POWER ACCOMPANYING THE FAITHFUL ELDERS. Remarks by Elder John* Taylor, delivered in the Tahernade^ Qreat Salt Lake City, April 27, 1S62. HEPOBTED BY I. V. LONG. I have felt very much interested, as doubtless you all have, in the remarks which we have heard from those brethren who have addressed us this morning, and who are going abroad to proclaim the everlasting Gospel of peace. I never see the Elders go forth on missions to preach the Gospel, but I consider that they are going forth to take part in one of the greatest works ever committed to the human family. Whatever their feelings may be, they go forth as the angels of mercy bearing the precious seeds of the Gospel, and they shall be the means of bringing many from darkness to light, from error and superstition to life, light, truth and intelligence, and finally, to exalt, it ion in the celestial kingdom of our God. When these brethren go forth, it may be a new work to them, but th^y will have to combat the errors of aires, to contend with the prejudices which they themselves stated to you held such a powerful influence over them ; they will also have to preach to and reason with men who have no regard for truth, much less for the religion which we have embraced, yet these Elders go forth as the sent messen- gers of the Lord Jesus Christ. They go to proclaim that God has estal> v lished his work upon the earth, that he has spoken from the heavens, and that the visions of tbe Almighty have been opened to our view ; the light of ages is being revealed to the servants of the Most High, the darkness which has enshrouded the world for ages is being dispersed, and these chosen Elders of Israel are sent forth to proclaim these glad tidings of salva- tion to the dark and benighted nations of the earth. I consider it a great privilege for any man to be set apart to so honorable, so praiseworthy and so important a mission ; and I am glad to find that these brethren who POWBB ACCOMPANYING, IHC have spoken to us tins morning feel the importance of the mission in which they are soon to he engaged. They go forth and they shall come back rejoicing, hearing precious sheaves with them, and they will bless the name of the God of Israel, that they have had the privilege of taking a part in warning this generation. As regards the circumstances of their families, it is proper and correct that men should have some feelings for those they have left at home* It is true there ought to be sympathy and some care for those with whom they have been immediately associated ; yet their families as well as our fan lilies, and all of us and our affairs, are in the hands of God, and, inas- much as they go forth putting their trust in the living God all will be peace, and they will find peace and contentment from this time forth until they return, inasmuch as they will magnify their callings and lean upon their God, In this is their safety, in order that they may be enabled to bear a faithful testimony to the world among whom they may travel to deliver their message of warning and of glad tidings of great joy to the honest in heart. There was one remark made bv if brother Shearman that would be a lesson to any man going on a mission* If they possess the principles of intel- ligence and truth, there will be a power and an influence manifested in and accompanying all their words, and it will be just as he felt when he went to brother Spencer's, he was 37 convinced that brother Spencer was sincere, and believed him to be a man of God, If you go forth with the same sincerity it will manifest itself to others. Just so with brother Richard Attwood, he first heard the Gospel preached in an unknown language, a tongue that he did not understand, and yet he knew there was a power accompanying the man who was preaching, and that power accorded with his own feelings and spirit, and if we live as we should there will be a halo around us con- tinually, and wherever we go, if there is a spa**k of sincerity in men's bosoms they will know that whether "this man is a sinner or not, the power of God is with him." They will know, whether they know that the doctrine is true or not, that the influence is good, and that whether they have much language or little they hare the Spirit of God with them, and it will accompany every faithful Elder of Israel, And if there are sheep they will hear, because, says Jesus, " Jty sheep hear my voice, and they follow me, but a stranger they will not follow," I feel t'i I loss these brethren in the name of the Lord, and I would say to them, biethren, be faithful and true to your missions, to God and to his work, preserve inviolate your integrity and not a hair of your heads shal perish; your families shall he com- fortable and happy during your absence. Brethren, God bless you all, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen. 38 JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES, CONSTITUTIONAL POWERS OF THE CONGRESS OP THE UNITED STATES, — GROWTH OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, Remarks by President Brtgham Young, made in the Tabernade % Great Salt Lake City, March 9, 1862. REPORTED DY G, D. WaTT. f a:n very much gratified with what I have heard from our brethren to- day* I think they have spoken well I have been interested and instructed. As I have often told you, I am unable to draw the dividing line between the spiritual and the tem- poral. We set apart one day in the week for the purpose of meeting together to administer the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and to speak upon things which pertain to building up the kingdom of God on the earth. This is our business — this labor ifl upon us — and I do not know that we have anything else to do, for it comprehends the whole existence of man. Thus far we have been successful in this great work; in it we have been blessed, and in it we delight U be blessed. Every person is seeking after hap- piness , and all persons pursue a course that seems to them to lead to the possession of happiness; when they pursue an opposite course to that they ar<* fully aware of it. The most profligate and wicked person is always ready to acknowledge, when willing to tell the truth, that he knows that he does wrong and is not happy in doing so ; and that, if he ever enjoys happiness, he must cease to do evil and leern to do well. We wish to obtain happiness; we wish to obtain our rights. In regard to our political rights, I will a.sk, have we ever seen a day, since Joseph found &e plates fr w 1 JlL which was taken the Book of Mormon until this day, in which the Christian, the moral and the political world, or any other portion of the inhabitants of the earth, ever gave to Joseph Smith and his brethren one blessing that they could possibly keep from them ? They have withheld eveiy favor, every blessing, every accom- modation that was possible for them to hold from the Latter-day Saints, Yet every move they have made has actually tended to sustain, build up, strengthen and increase the very power they were trying to destroy. They \m\o tried to destroy the truth, to hinder the increase of the Latter- day Saints, to lessen their numbers, rob them of their location and homes, and last of all drive them from what is called civilization. Hut the results of all these acts, instead of accom- plishing what they desired, have given the Latter-day Saints territory and comparative independence. All the evil they have sought to bring upon us the Lord, through his inscrut- able providence, has converted into blessings for his people. We are infinitely more blessed by the persecutions and injustice we have suffered, than we could have been if we had remained in our habitations from which we have been driven— than if we had been sufiered to occupy our farms, gardens, stores, mills, machinery and everything we had in our former possessions. Had we not teen persecuted, we would CONSTITUTIONAL POWERS, ETC, 39 tiow be in tlie midst of the wars and bloodshed that are desolating the nation, instead of where we are, com- fortably located in our peaceful dwellings in these silent, far o!F mountains and vallevs. Instead of seeing my brethren comfortably seated around me to-day, many of them would be found in the front ranks on the battle field, 1 realize the blessings of God in our present safety. We are greatly blessed, greatly favored and greatly exalted, while our enemies, who sought to destroy us, are being humbled. We want oar political rights, and they are here within our reach ; we need not go to California, Oregon, Washington Territory, Nebraska, Missouri, nor New York to obtain them. The people are here, and they possess rights. We have a right to labor, to accumulate food and cloth- ing, to gather the various products of the earth, to cat the timber and saw it into boards, tn make adobies and quarry rock and build habitations, and then we hare a right to inhabit them. We have a right to drink of the water that flows from thq moun- tains, and we have a right to get up in the morning when we are suffi- ciently, rested* We have a right to go to the kanyons after wood, or to harness our teams and go on a visit to Davis, Utah, or any other county. W§ have also a right to assemble, as we did a short time ago, in the capacity of a mass meeting, and we have ft right to say that we will have laws, rules and regulations for the public good, and officers and adjudi- cators of the laws. It is our right to frame our own laws, and to elect our own officers to administer them. We were told this morning, that €1 7 some brethren prayed but did not J believe they would receive an answer. I do not find fault with them for this, but I say, pray on until you ca* make yourselves believe that your wil! l>e fully Ahswtffi'trf accord- ing to that which is best for you to receive. Self-argument is the most effectual argument that can be used. Let each person argue himself into the belief that God will grant to him his request in righteousness. Some people are naturally of a doubtful mind, and have to contend continually against unbelief The enemies of God and truth do not love us any better this year than they did last year, nor will their love for us increase in the year that is to come. They would dethrone the Almighty, and would have destroyed Joseph Smith, when he had not three men to stand by him, had they the power to do so ; and they would blot out every vestige of this kingdom if they could. The body may be de- stroyed, but the spirit still lives. According to the Constitution of our Government, we have rights in common with our fellow-conntr} T men. We have a right to settle in any unoccupied and unclaimed part of the public domain owned by our Govern- ment, where the machinery of the Government has not extended, and there govern and control ourselves according to republican principles; and the Congress of the United States is not authorized in the least, by the Constitution that governs it, to make laws for that new settlement, and appoint adjudicators and adminis- trators of the law for it, any more than we have a right to make laws and appoint administrators of the law for California, Ohio, Illinois, or Missouri. This, however, is doae by the Congress of the United States ; but it is an assumption of power not within the Constitution of the Ame- rican Republic- When Congress, or the President of the United States, appoints a governor for a territory, that appointment is not according to the Constitution, though it is accord- ing to laws enacted by Congress, In 40 JOUBNAL OF BISCOUEBEfl. V " Amen elm cuts to the Constitution of the United States," articles nine and ten, it is definitely stated that " The enumeration In the Constitution of certain rights, shrill not be construed to deny or dispan ge others retained by the people." " The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people," We were told this morning that we shall not always be driven. Were we driven in 1857 and 15:58 r Xo. And they might have travelled up and down Ham's Fork to this day, and we still would have remained here enjoying our safe retreat. They had no power, and did not exercise an J* * \ I say to the enemies of truth that I can tell them the words that are spoken in their private counsels. The very thoughts of their hearts are made known to ma They lay their plans to accomplish such and such a work in so long a time, and then plan a movement to destroy the u Mor- mons," That is what they talk about and what is in their hearts, but they will be disappointed in it all. Every time they make a movement against this kingdom they will sink still lower in the scale of national power, while the kingdom of God will rise more and more in influence and importance in the eyes of all people. If any of you are afraid, think not that you can escape danger by fleeing to the States east, or west to Cali- fornia, "For it shall come to pass that he who fleeth from the noise of fear shall fall into the pit ; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare." Again, " The fear of man bringeth a pnare; but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe," The valleys of Utah are the safest places in the world. There is not another place upon this globe where* a people can with more safety assert their rights before the heavens and in the face of all men, Look at those ranges of rocky peaks with which we are surrounded, for "He that walketh righteously and speaketk uprightly — he that despUeth the gain of oppressions, that shuketh his hands from holding bribes, that stopper li his ears from hearing of blood and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil ; he shall dwell on high : his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him : his waters shall be sure." "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted abo ve the hills ; and all nations shall flow unto it." " The noise of a multi- tude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together; the Lord of hosts mus- tereth the host of the battle." There- fore, Israel, fear not. If any are afraid, search out among the caves of the impregnable rocks safe places to store up grain and other nutritious substances, and when trouble comes you can retire and crawl into your hiding places, while the more coura- geous of your brethren shall fight your battles, and we will whip your enemies soundly, God being our helper* When I think of the weakness and littleness of men, and the folly of their trying to thwart the purposes of the Almighty, it makes mc feel like the Prophet Elijah ;— " For it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, Cry aloud, for be is a god : either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is on a journey, or pcrad venture he sleepeth and must be awaked." I laugh at their folly ; God laughs at their folly. So long as the Latter-day Saints will live CONSTITUTIONAL their religion, they shall never be con- j founded, worlds without end. Never be afraid ; your hearts are brave, your arms are strong, and God is our defence. There are those among us ' who are timid, and are apt to flee from nnder the protecting care of our heavenly Father, and be caught weak and unprotected by the very enemy they are trying to escape from. Wc will cling to the Constitution of our country, and to the Govern- ment that reveres that sacred charter of freemen's rights; and, if neces- j sary, pour out our best blood for the defence of every good and righteous principle, I heard a gentleman say, not long ago, that he was going to stick to the Union. When the Southern revolt transpired, it was asked of him, ** Where is the Union now ? There are now two Governments, instead of one," His reply was, that he should stick to the Government that pro* tected him in the possession of free- men's rights* The spirit and letter of our Constitution and laws will always give us our rights, and under them we could have served God in Missouri and Illinois as well as in the courts of high heaven. But tlie ad- ministrators of the law trampled it under their feet, and wilfully and openly desecrated the holy principles ' held forth in the Constitution of our country. The kingdom of God has sustained me a good while, and I mean to stick to it. We shall form a State Govern- ment, and you need not fear any con- sequences that may arise from such a course. You may tell your neighbors that in this step we do not violate any law, nor in the least transcend the bounds of our rights. If we do not do this, we are living beneath those rights set forth in the Declaration of Independence, and the privileges granted to us in the Constitution of the United States which our fathers I F0WEIL3, ETC- 41 bought so dearly for us. Let us unfurl the stars and stripes — the flag of our country ; let us sustain the Constitution that our fathers have bequeathed to us in letters of blood ; and those who violate it will have to meet the crushing and damning penal- ties that will bury them in the mire of everlasting disgrace. If we sustain it, it will be sustained ; otherwise it i will not. Let ns so live that the spirit and power of onr religion will be con- stantly with us; that the Holy Ghost will be our constant companion, open- ing for us an unobstructed inter- course with our heavenly Father and his Son Jesus Christ, and all is right — there is no danger then. Our own evils make for us danger; and if chastisement comes upon us, it is the result of our own unrighteous acts. But if we live our religion, honor our God and his Priesthood, then we shall honor every wholesome govern- ment and law there is upon I he earth, and become aliens to all unrighteous, unjust and unlawful administrators, wherever they may be found. In the various nations, kingdoms and governments of the world are to be found laws, ordinances and statutes as good as can be made for mortal man. We have forsaken the kingdom of darkness, have cutne out in open rebellion to the power of the Devil on this earth, and I for one will fight him, so help me God, as long as there is breath in my body, and do all in my power to overthrow his govern- ment and rule. And if he complains that I am infringing upon his ground, I shall very politely ask him to go to his own place, where he belongs* If any among this community want to sustain the Government of the Devil, in preference to the kingdom of God, I wish them to go where they belong. I want to sustain the government of Heaven, and shall stick fast to it, by the help of God. If we sustain it, it 42 JOUBNAL OJ DISCOURSES* will build qs np and crown us with victory and eternal life. There is not a man upon the earth who can magnify even an carthly ofiice, without the power and wisdom of God to aid him. When Mr- Fill- more appointed rne Governor of Utah, I proclaimed openly that my Priest- hood should govern and control that office. I am of the same mind to- day. We have not yet received our election returns; but, should I be elected Governor of the State of Deseret, that office shall be sustained and controlled by the power of the eternal Priesthood of the Son of God, or I will walk the ottice under my feet. Hear it, both Saint and sinner, and send it to the nttermost parts of the earth, that whatever office I hold from any Government on this earth shall honor the Government of heaven, or I will not hold it. There was a notice read to-day for the High Council to meet next Thurs- day. I would like to see the High Council and Bishops and all Judges filled with the power of the Holy Ghost, that when a person comes before them they can read and under- stand thut person, and be able to decide a case quickly and justly. When men have u just appreciation of right and wrong, their decision can be made a* well the I i ret minute after hearing a statement of the ease, as to waste hours and days to make it 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 them. 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 eviL This principle is to be found, more or less, in the old, middle-aged and youth. Some, with a trifling consideration, can so preju- dice the mind of a High Councillor, a High Priest, a Bishop, or an Apostle, that he will lean to the indi- vidual instead of the truth. I despise a man that would offer me money to buy me to his favor. Goodness will always fipd stout supporters in the good, and need not to buy favor. The man who tries to buy the influence of another to cover up liis iniquity, will go to hell. The kingdom of God is indebted to no man ; though a man should give to it all he possesses, he has only given that which the Lord put in his possession, and is not excusable in sin on that account, for in giving his all to the kingdom of God he has done no more than his duty. I hate to see a man bought I hate to see High Councillors bought. It is good to hold on to an old friend; and, no matter how many new r friends I have, I always hold fast to the old ones and never let them go, unless their wicked conduct breaks the thread of fellowship between us. But with all the friends I have, I hope in God never to see the day, while I live, that I cannot decide a case as the Almighty would, whether it ^*oes against friend or foe. What my friends have done for me, and the deep affection I bear them, are not taken into account in the considera- tion of right and wrong. Let me judge in righteousness before God, if it cuts off every friend I have. May the Lord bless you. Amen* r PRACTICAL RELIGION.— INSTRUCTION TO ELDERS GOING ON MISSIONS. Remarks by President Heber C. Kimball, made in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, May 4, 1862. REPORTED BY G. D. WATT* I feel continually in my heart desirous to do good. Our religion is a practical religion. We administer the sacrament, for instance, in re- membrance of Jesus Christ, which ordinance he has established to imitate the things he has suftered. We break bread as an imitation of his body, which has been broken; and we pour out wine (which should be of our own make) and drink of it in imitation of his blood, which was poured out that our sins might be remitted. Our sins are forgiven, on condition that we observe these ordinances before all people, before the Father, before the San, before the Holy Ghost and before all the holy angels that God sends to take charge of nsTJ To repent is to forsake our sins and sin no more. When we thus repent, it is a repentance that needeth not to be repented of. True repent- ance requires restitution to the injured, and such satisfaction as the wrong demands. For by this you may know that a man truly repents of his sins, and that the Father has forgiven them in the name of his Son Jesus Christ. There are people out of the Church a: d in it, who are stubborn and will not make satisfaction to those they have injured, di.sobeyed or neglected, ami will welter under it for weeks and months before they will make an humble acknowledge- ment to give satisfaction to the in- jmed piuly, liemisiian of sins is [riven by going down inio the water with an authorized servant of God, who, after saying, 11 Having been com- missioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in water for the remission of your skis, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost,'* immerses him in the water. After this ordinance has been ad- ministered, remission of sins is as ware as that repentance and restitution have been truly made* This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth and practiseth it; which will be in them and round about them, until they are full of the living oracles and attributes of the Father and the Son* Paul says that baptism is not the washing away of the filth of the' flesh, but the answer of a good conscience before God. How can a man's conscience be good, if, after the truth is made known to him, he shall wilfully neglect to comply with it ? Then, after baptism, the servant of God, having authority given to him through the holy Priesthood, lays his hand on the baptized persons for the gift of the Holy Ghost. When an authorized servant of God lays his hands on a person, he receives the gift and power of the Holy Ghost as surely as though God had administered the ordinance himself This authority the Father has given us, and we should honor it. It is impossible to honor Gud and 4ti JOURNAL OF his authority except we honor his ordinances; neither can you honor him, and, at the same time, dishonor liis delegates and authorities he has sent. In all these ordinances of the Gospel, we imitate Christ — we go furth in his authority, and administer as he administered. He received his authority from his Father and gave it to his Apostles, they gave it to Joseph Smith, Joseph gave it to us and we place it upon you Elders of Israel. The authority is one — the same as the roots and branches of a tree are one ; and the power of the Holy Ghost will dwell with you the same as it does with us. showing us things to come and bringing things to our remembrance that we may have a foreknowledge of future things, and all this in proportion to our faith, confidence and integrity in God and in his authority. Baptism is an imitation — the can- didate is buried in water in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, in likeness of the death of Christ, and then he is raised up out of the water in likeness of his resurrection. The Holy Ghost de- scended on the Savior in the form of a dove after he was baptized ; in imi- tation of this, we receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. Even in the endowments, there is not a solitary thing but what is an imita- tion of the Son or the Father in some way or other; and all this is done to keep us in remembrance of him, AY hen we sit down to cat food, we ask God to bless it and sanctify it to our benefit, that we may partake of it in re* membrance of his kindness, generosi ty and blessings unto us. We ask the Father to bless lour wheat, to bless all the seeds we sow in the ground, to bless the earth and to give us power and wisdom to nurse and take care of the tender plants, which are an imi- tation of his bountiful goodness to us.; DlSCOTTESEfl. ■ Our religion is not artificial — it is a reality; it is natural. It teaches us how to keep ourselves pure, that we may not become tainted with the world, the flesh and the Devil, but hold ourselves sacred and pure as the children of God. Let my brethren who are going on foreign missions remember these things, holding them in view ; all of which are comprehended in the imi- tation of Christ and the sufferings he passed through ; and 1 will promise them, in the name and by the autho- rity of Jesus Christ that is in me and my brethren, they shall be blessed as they nover were blessed ; they shall win souls unto Christ, and when the}" come home they shall bring some of them with them. I do not know how I could gft along upon any other principle, as a preacher of righteous- ness among nations, than by the dic- tation of the Hoi) 7 Ghost and doing as we have been told, which is to teach nothing but repentance to this generation and baptism for the remis- sion of sins, administering the sacra- ment of the Lord's Supper to believer^ that they may have Jesus in remem- , brance. It is the business of the y Elders of this Church, n hen they go abroad, to gather the lost sheep of the house of Israel, carrying the salt with them, or the power and the authority' of the holy Priesthood ; let them go with their hearts full of the power of God and their mouths fall of the goocl words of life, suflering themselves to be used by the Al migh ty as a musician would use an instrument of music, letting God speak through them as the trumpeter would speak through a trumpet. Let the sheep lick a little salt through your fingers ; do not give them a handful at once, or it may blind them, but give them a mere trifle, and chat will make them hungry for mo: v. If you wish, in the soonest and most effectual manner, to destroy a flock PRACTICAL RELIGION, ETC 45 of sheep, over-feed them. Under such a circumstance, yon may call " Nan, nan, nan," until you are tired, and they will not take any heed to the voice of the shepherd, for they are surfeited with too much food. Let the Elders gather the lost sheep of the house of Israel, bring them home, and put [them into the fold; then go to the Good Shepherd and ask him if you may have one, and if yon receive one upon the principles of honor and righteousness you will b^ blessed in the gift. Preach the Gospel by the power of the Holy Ghost, and it will melt the people into humility, and God will be with you to bless your labors to that degree that they have never been blessed . You receive light and know- ledge here, and your minds begin to expand ; yet some imagine that they had more religion when they were first baptized than now. This, how- ever, is not so ; your experience now is much greater than then, according to your age in the Church and your integrity and sobmission to the will of God and his authority. Tour in- formation is increasing, and your power to ask of God, in the name of Jesus, and receive, is greater now than when you first received the Gospel : (t Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you." Learning is good, but learning does not give the power of God to man. An unlearned man, with the power of God upon him, can build up churches and gather the sheep of Israel into the fold ; and it has been the case that learned men — men who trusted in their learning and not in the power of the Holy Ghost — have stepped forward and taken charge of the sheep that the unlearned man had gathered, trying to supersede him in their affections by preaching some great and learned sermon, seek- ing to destroy the influence of the true shepherd. Such men were not after the sheep, but the fleece j and they have gone over the dam, In- stead of commencing at the root, where that poor, unlearned man com- menced, they go to the top of the tree he has planted, and jump from limb to limb, knocking off the precious fruit. I have had an experience in the vineyard labor, having travelled and preached near twenty years of my life not only in America but in England, and I know the nature of men and things pretty well. When I was on my mission abroad I lived humbly before God. I did not know much — I know but little now — but I knew that God worked and spake mightily through weak instruments. A poor speaker may suppose his language is nothing, that it is very small, yet God can make it pierce like a javelin to the hearts of Saints and sinners, and the honest will conceive the .truth and bring forth fruit, while others will hear and will not receive the truth — they will see but do not perceive. The same cause will produce the same effect now as thirty years ago, God is the same, the Gospel is the same, baptism is the same, repentance is the same ; none of these principles have changed in the least. Then why should we leave the doctrine of Christ to go on to perfection ? For no man can become perfect in God without a constant faith in, and observance of, those first principles of the doctrine of Christ, any more than we can progress in learning and leave out of the question the alphabet of our language and the first rudiments of education. After people are baptized and confirmed into the Church, the first ordinance that is attended to is the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, that they may think of Jesus and what he suffered to bring to pass the remission of sin; that they may think of his Father and our Father and Gcd, who has organized this 48 JOURNAL OF DlSCOtTlSM ear tii and placed everything in it that Is in it. And when he came into the world we came with him; the earth is bis and the fulness thereof, and he has handed over to his Son the work of redeeming it, of making it per* fec^, when he will deliver it up to the Pal her. Not a single soul of us will be lost if we will do as well as we know how, keeping these things in viepr and practising them. When we practise them we Honor them ; and we honor the Father by honoring his word si and the words of his Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost takes up his abode with us to comfort and cheer our hearts. There are thou- sands of good and wholesome prin- ciples that people do not see, because they have no spirit of comprehension nor understanding of the works of God, The South and the North are at war with each other— are slaying each other — and if they were not doing that they would be trying to play us ; this they do already in their hearts, and the sin is the same upon the nation as though they did it in reality. I am a martyr in the sight of God, and so is brother Brigham and other men of God whose lives they have hunted. God will chastise them and all those who had a hand in seeking our destruc- tion. There is great blessing to be placed upon faithful men in the Jatter days — they are to be sealed up unto eternal life, and against all sins and blasphemies, except the shedding of innocent blood, or consenting there- unto, which is the same in the eyes of God, The wicked are slaying the wicked, and the North calculates to use up the South in a few days ; in this they will be mistaken. They will whip each other, first one and then the other. Let the Saints kcknow ledge the hand of God in it all. WflT and bloodshed will follow the Gospel of the Son of God, until it has spread over every nation, tongue and people who reject the Chapel after it is proffered tu them, and have spilled innocent blood or consented to it. If you see these principles as I do, you will see them clearly, though, in my weakness, I may not have been able to make them plain to your understandings. Ye Elders of Israel, never try to circumscribe each other, but build each other tip. God does not look witb the same eyes that we do. He looks at the hearts and intentions of men, and he will honor those he can work with. When I worked at my busi- ness, and the clay was rebellions and stiff, I would throw a little water upon it, and soften and molifyit, and then put it into the mill where it is ground up. When it is passive, it is again brought \if>c>ii the wheel after it has been well cleared of all foi eign matter, and it is turned into pitchers, into jags, into churns, "milk-pans, bowls and cups, and every kind of vessel to adorn the kitchen and the palace, and to make the Church and kingdom of God interesting, and more magnificent than all the glory of the kingdom of the world. All these vessels are made at the dicta- tion of the master potter. When the brethren arrive at their fields of labor, brothers Biigham, Heber and Daniel, and the Twelve Apostles will not be there to dictate you. ^Tien I was sent to England twenty-five years ago, I felt myself one of the very weakest of God's servants. I asked Joseph what ; I should say when I got there ; he told me to go to the Lord and he would guide me, and speak through me by the same Spirit that dictated him. He also told brother Brigham when he got there he would know all about it. My experience is, the more I preach upon the first principles of the Gospel, the more I discovered limbs and branches of the subject I had never seen, leading to the foun- TRUSTING IN THE ALMIGHTY 47 tain of life. The H^ly Ghost led me all the time, and God spake through me when I would let him* I have related a little of my experience] / for the benefit of my brethren who are going oat on missions. When you get to England, the Saints will rejoice to see you, expecting yon will tell them all about it. Here is brother John Smith, the Patriarch, at the head of the Church, he knows every thing they will say, and lie will tell us all about wives we had in heaven or eaith or in hell. Now, brethren, go in the name of Jesus Christ and preach the first principle* of the Gospel, and tell thebrethren and sisters to gather to the fold of Christ, where all things shall be told them. Amen. TRUSTING IN THE ALMIGHTV. Remarks hy Elder Obson Hyde, made in the Tabernacle^ Great Salt Lake Citijt April 6, 1862, BFPOnTEP BY J. T, LONG. Brethren and sisters, I am called upon and requested to make a few remarks to yon this afternoon, in which privilege I feci thankful to my heavenly Father, and also for the privilege of meeting with the Saints in general Conference. The representatives of every part of the Territory are here, and to be privileged to speak, though perhaps but a few minutes, still it is a gratification; and to look upon you and your countenances is a privi- lege that I prize If we were pre- pared to enter into heaven, to do according to our ideas of heaven, or as we have boon used to believe, and should get up there in the presence of God, or in the presence of the spirits that are greater than we are, and undertake to teach and instruct them it would not seem exactly in place, and yet perhaps it might be in place, for those spirits might wish to kngw what was in us. It is in this manner that I do it at this time; it is not with a wish to instruct those that hear rule in the kingdom of God, but I suppose that they would like to know from us who have been at a dis- tance, to know what kind of spirit we possess. Therefore as liberty is given to speak upon whatever subject is desired by the person addressing you, it may be supposed that every speaker will speak upon some favorite theme, that our spirits may be weighed in the balances and compared with the principles of the Gospel. I feel when I contemplate the principles of our holy religion very much as I do when I go into a very nice orchard and get hold of a good ripe peach, I naturally exclaim, this is excellent! I taste another, and say that is very good ; of another I say it is luscious. Then I meet with some apples; I get hold of a Rhode Island Grening in the season thereof, and of course I say this is the finest going; then I get hold of a golden pippin and I think this is the finest of all. So I think with the spirits of gieut and good men in the Gospel ; they are all best, and I do not know which to select of the principles of life an 1 salvation. President Young gave us a key some time ago, to certain principles, and I thought I would make a few remarks upon a principle that seems to present itself to my mind. Sup- pose that there is in this town a man of honor, a man who fulfils his con- tracts, who never was known to cheat the laborer or cut him down in his price- His character is known ; you enlist in his employment, and yon have no doubt but you will he rewarded, and you know he is abundantly able and qualified to fulfil his word and promise, and you have no doubt or hesitancy in regard to receiving pay for your labor. You go on working and laboring, and you are confident that you will get your pay; not the least doubt in the world, "Well, really, that is no more than we Bhould do; it is no very high com- pliment to us, if while trusting in that individual and iielieving that we will get our pay and get justly rewarded unless we turn the tables and ask the question to ourselves, t£ Has that indi- vidual who has employed us got con- fidence in us, that we will execute and perform according to his wishes?" It is good to trust in the Lord, to repose confidence in what he has said to us, but it is better to secure and be sure that we have the confidence of the Almighty. When a man that you have employed in this service has proven that he is worthy, that he is faithful, wise, discreet and understands what belongs to his duties in every branch of his profession, and who understands well how tQ keep all things in order, then he can be trusted and promoted according to his master's pleasure. Your employer has looked down upon you and seen your wisdom and the interest that you have taken in his aflairs, till by-and-bye it comes to something that is wanted to be done, then the employer goes to his master and*savs, " Sir, how shall I execute this piece of work ? In what manner shall I perform this branch of busi- ness ?" " Why," Bays the master, u you understand my policy, and you under- stand that 1 have full confidence in you, therefore go and do it in a manner that will suit yourself." Now, an employer won't saj that to every individual, hnt lie might say it to one in whom he had the most unlimited confide! ce. May we not arrive at a point where we can secure the confi- dence of the Almighty, so that he will say, " Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven* You know my policy ; I have full confi- dence in you, indeed the light of Heaven shines in your hearts, and with this Li"<> ai d do as seemeth good unto you ?" Arriving at this point may we not get the entire confidence of our heavenly Father in regard to all the duties that lie before us, , Now, it would not be a very high compliment for us to trust in that wealthy man who has plenty of means T |aid who never violated his word, still it is good to trust in him ; it shows that we consider him abundantly able and willing to fulfil his contracts, It is good to trust in the Lord, but what fool would not ? There are some men who would not, especially if that trust touched their pockets. The gold, the silver, and everything that we own belongs to him, and ire cannot trust too much in him. It is no very high compliment for us to say that we trust in. the Lord ; still it is good, it VASTNESS Or THE WISDOM, T.TC, 49 eliows that we appreciate bis policy and goodness; but? when we can take a course of life to cause the Almighty to trust in us, and whenever he ran find us to be a people in whom he can trust, then all those blessings referred to by the President this morning will be poured out upon us. What will he put upon us when we show our obedience to his laws? He will take from the world their sovereignty and leave only desolation and confusion, and he will take the power which they claim to have and will transfer it to his chosen and anointed ones Just so soon as he can feel safe in doing so. Well, brethren and sisters, I just wanted to impress this idea upon our minds. I say our, because I take it to myself, and it is my determination to pursue that course in all my teachings and in all my operations tli at will secure to me the coufidenco of our heavenly Father, the Lord being my helper. My heart is fully set to secure the confidence of the Almighty, and also of all the just ones. A m - * : - May this be the desire and deter* mination of every heart, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen, VASTNESS OF THE WISDOM AKB INTELLIGENCE OF GOD. IMPOTENCY OF MAN TO GOVERN RIGHTEOUSLY. DUcourtse by Elder John Taylor, delivered in the TahernacZe, Great Salt Lake (% # May 18, 1SG2, BEPORTED BY J. V. LONG. We have just beard that "Angel* from heaven, and truth from earth, Have met, and both bare record borne/ 1 We have also been hearing of things pertaining to the kingdom, of the events that are about to transpire, and that are transpiring in these last days. Jesus said in hia day, when speak- ing of a certain class of individuals, " Because they seeing, see not ; and hearing, they hear nut; neither do they understand/' — Jtatt xiii, 13. It has been so in almost every age, and it is so at the present time in the world, and to a certain extent among No. 4. the Saints of the Most High God. It is difficult for ua, sometimes, to see and comprehend, and to appreciate our privileges. Mankind have labored under this difficulty in every age of the world. We come into existence ; we find ourselves surrounded with blessings ; we entertain idqas in rela- tion to the Great God who rules and overrules in the affairs of the universe, but we are more or less beclouded in our minds in relation to the great principles of eternal truth. It is so among the people in the world, and also among this people, although we sec things more clearly and with a Vol X 50 JOtTRKAL OF DlSCOTJJRiESp g different vision, and understand things more correctly than the rest oi the human family, yet vi e do not compre- hend our true position and relation- ship to each other. If we do, we do not walk according to the light which is gi ven unto us by the Spirit of eternal truth. What is more pleasant, natu- rally, for the mind of man to reflect upon than the things of the kingdom ! of God? The power, the wisdom and intelligence of the Great Eloheim in his works and designs, and our relationship to him, to the world, and to each other ? How deep and sublime and incomprehensible to us, at present, is that wisdom and intelli- gence that governs this world and all others,, that regulates the planetary system, that produces seed time and harvest, summer and winter, that causes all the vivifying influences that operate to* supply the necessities of animal life in the myriads of the creatures of God, that spreads through- out the universe and fills all wo: Ms as well as ours with life, being and existence, What could he r$ore joyous and pleasing than for this and every other world to be under the control of that intelligence and wisdom that governs all animate or .inanimate matter. In relation to this world, it has been a tiling that the Prophets have delighted to dwell upon in days that are past and gone ; it is a theme that the poets have sung about ; they rejoiced in the prospect of the new heaven and new earth, wherein dwelleth righteous- ness; they have also delighted to dwell upon that which shall exist in % the animal creation, where the stronger shall no longer press upon the weaker. They have also deplored the follen condition of mankind gene- rally ; they have lamented over the evil passions and feelings that prevail among the human family. They have \ deplored the crime, the war, the v bloodshed and strife, and in their ; songs they have rejoiced in the j prospect of the time coming when these things shall be done away, j when the Lord shall take the govern- ment into his own hands, when the lion and the lamb shall lie down together, and the leopard become docile and harmless, and when there shall be nothing to hurt nor destroy in all the holy mountain of the Lord. But the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. I Among the " Red Republicans" of France, as they are called, a great many of the leading and prominent infidels think that by their influence they will be enabled to bring about the millennial glory. They depre- cate all those influences that lead to evil, and they would like another state of things to be introduced among the human family. In fact, us the President stated here not long ago, it is not natural for men to be evil. All men admire that which is good ; all men admire virtue and truth, whether they possess them themselves or not, they still admire that which ! is good in other*. You may go to the most wicked man that exists and talk to him upon this subject, and he will say at once, " I am not an example, but such a man is and there are certain principles that I admire, and if I could see them carried out I should be glad. 1 ' Who does not admire the truth ? And if men cany out good principles in their lives, all others admire both them and the principles. Who is there that does not admire virtue, no matter how lascivious they may be them- selves ? However dishonest the man may be himself, there is a feeling of admiration of honesty in others* This feeling prevails among the children of men. The only thing with them, and that which puzzles is, how shall the world be redeemed ? How shall mankind be purified and correct prin- YASTNESS OP TH eiples be introduced among the human ftmily ? Men know that their hearts are evil, and they are ever ready to charge this upon others. The ques- tion now is, how shall good and god- like principles predominate among the human family ? and how shall fraud and unrighteousness be put down and correct principles rise to the rescue of a fill le n world ? This is the problem that philosophers have tried to intro- duce, and that wise men in all ages have endeavored to solve. Great men in every age have tried to introduce something good — something that was calculated to do away with the evil* that have existed ; and to this end they have introduced something which they thought was more no hie, more dignified, pure and philanthropic, principles more holy than those that have prevailed* This subject has attracted the attention of all men, and the design of many of these philan- thropists has been to lead n a ikind in the way of life ; to introduce correct principles amongst a fallen world, to bring people to a state of truth i light, life, happiness and exalta- tion in this world or in the kingdom of God. What is it that missionary, in.-dilu- tions are put on foot for ? To convert the heathen, that they may introduce among them correct principles, sup- posing that they have got them themselves, and that all the world may be brought under this Divine influence which they suppose they possess, and be civilized and evange- lized and obtain an exaltation in the kingdom of our God. All kinds of societies have been organized in the world, which have had for their object the amelioration of the condition of the human family. For instance, almost all have seen that drunkenness was an evil, and, henco men have introduced temperance societies, which are very good; but that doea not con- stitute the kingdom of God, but it E WTSBOM, ETC. 51 shows what feelings have inspired the human bosom, striking at the founda- tion of evil Another large class of men have supposed thnt war was a great evil, and so it is ; and they have striven to introduce peace ; and some of the most influential men in Europe have united together to form peace societies, but what do their efforts in this respect amount to ? What have they accom- plished? Nothing; there is nothing done; iniquity abounds just as much as it did before they tried to prevent it. Temperance societies have tried to make people sober, but people are as much given to intemperance as they were before the temperance societies were introduced. There does not seem to be any difference. Their agents have been sent forth, and their missionaries for years and year? have been laboring? to ameliorate the con- dition of mankind and to lead them to the knowledge of God, and what "have they done ? , Let the world I answer. What have they done among the heathen nations? What have they done among what are called Christians? The Peace Society — what has it done ? Let the United States answer ; let the present powers of Europe answer ; let the world answer. Notwithstanding human 1 exertions may have been very neces- sary in many of these moves to try ! to better the condition of the world, it must be acknowledged that they have signally failed, and that unless something more be done, a more ' powerful and a better kind of religion introduced, and a better kind of tem- perance, of philosophy, a better kind of morality, a more wise and liberal kind of government, and a better code of laws instituted, the world has got to go on as it has done, without any amendment;, in fact it is getting worse and worse, instead of better and better, The great problem, it is presumed, will have to rest with us 52 jotinal of and the Almighty in relation to this matter. It requires something more potent , intelligent, powerful and wise tli an anything that has existed here- tofore among men to introduce that change which is so desirable. Man by searching cannot find it out, Man with the utmost stretch of his intel- ligence, is unable to comprehend or introduce the kingdom of God upon the earth, and all the earth, and all the various societies separate and combined have failed to introduce any principle commensurate with the - wants of humanity, and in all respects calculated to ameliorate the condition of the human family, and to place them in the condition in which the Prophets have beheld them when wrapped in pt ophetie vision they beheld the opening glories of the kingdom of God, Who doubts the sincerity of many of the reformers, whether religi- ous, social, moral or philosophical? No man. Many of these men have been sincere, noble, brave and ingeni- ous, and have tried to stop the torrent of iniquity ; but their means have not been commensurate to the end de- signed ; iniquity, like the mountain snow when the sun shines upon it and the south wind blows, is loosed from its resting-place and comes down like a mighty avalanche breaking down all barriers, bursting all bonds and deluging and destroying all before it, leaving morality and religion aghast, destroying social order, delug- ing philosophy and proving that man alone may as well attempt to blow out the sun or stop the wheels of time, as in his pigmy efforts to regu- late the world. How shall these things be accomplished ? I think we shall have to say as John Wesley said : — \ ** Except the Lord eonuuct the plan* The best concerted scheme is T&ia, And never can succeed/' I think that unless there is a more Comprehensive philosophy than that I DISCOITHSE6. which has entered into the brains of our learned men, that there can be none of that intelligence that dwells in the bosom of the Great God, to control and guide a man's feelings and desires and to bring them into subjection to some law, by which all can be managed orderly and systematically. There is something in the designs of God and in all his operations that so far out- strip the operat ions of man in his most mighty efforts, for they are all puny, weak and childlike. Look, for in- stance, at the embarrassments which the United States at present labor under in providing for their armies ; at the difficulties they are placing them- selves under. In a very short time, unless some change takes place, they will be bankrupts, and doubtless obliged to dishonour their contracts ; and yet the United States are a wealthy and powerful nation. What is it they are running in debt for? To feed their armies and their navy, There is upwards of 30,000,000 of people in the United States, and about one million of them are ergaged fighting each other, and the others are busy supplying their friends* wants. It would really seem as if they were all bankrupts, notwith- standing all their financiering, their resources and their wealth ; and not only is that the case with them, but look at Great Britain and what they have tried to accomplish; with all their professed wisdom they have depended upon obtaining cotton from * this land and now cannot do it. It is supposed that they can never get from under their indebtedness, which places a great part of the nation in a state of vassalage and poverty. , What is the case with other nations ? They are just the same or worse. They are maintaining their large standing armies to preserve their dignity and their pride in the midst of the proud spirited aristocrats of the old world. What does their present condition VASTNESS OF THR WISDOM, HTC, 53 show ? Tt shows there is a weakness ami a want of union and of confidence one in another. Let us look at the acts of the Al migh ty and compare them with the acts of men. Look at the human family ; there is from 800,000,000 to 1,000,000,000 that inhabit the face of this earth, on the right hand and on the left, in the north and in the south ; and who is it that provides their dinner, supper and all their supplies ? Why, it is the Great God — Him who hears the young ravens when they cry, whose wisdom is infinite and who is capable of taking care of the human family. Then look at the hills and valleys and the animal creation ; the fish in the sea, the beasts of the forest, all teem : ng with life, and yet this intelligence which is in the Almighty, and the knowledge by which he controls all things, and which enables him to take care of and provide for all creation, the myriads and myriads of beings that fill the air and sea, and yet, notwithstanding they exist in countless numbers, his wisdom provides for all of them, and he is not bankrupt, but is still abundantly able to meet his engagements for fifty years to come just as well as he is to-day. Ifow contrast the def- erence between one thing and the other. Well, it it not necessary to dwell long upon these things; enough per* haps may have been said to show the wisdom, the knowledge and the fore- thought of the Almighty, Now, what is it that we want? If we could have it and know how to obtain it, and if there was any way of accomplishing it, we want to get that wisdom which dwells in the bosom of God ; that intelligence which governs the uui verse, that produces seed-time and harvest, and causes everything to progress in regular order, under the sanction of that care, forethought and comprehension and power that enables the Lord our God to provide for all of his creatures, to supply our wants ; and this shows something of that beneficence that dwells in his bosoiiij that enables him to feel for the wants of his neighbors as for his own, and to seek after common welfare and interest If we cannot get God to be interested in our cause, if he won't put his hand to the wheel, we may despair of ever bringing about that thing that the Prophets have spoken about, just as much as Moses did in former days when Israel had ginned against God, After that the Lord led them by the pillar of fire by night and a cloudy pillar by day. If they had been faithful the Lord would have allowed them to accomplish their journey through the wilderness in a short time, but in consequence of their hard-hearted ness and their rebellion against the servants of God and the principles that he introduced, the L' >rd g :t angry, as he had :i right lo do, at the corruption and the prevari- cation and lebellion that prevailed among that people. For their hard- hearted ness he got angry with them and said, " I won't go any longer with this people, you can go, Hoses, bob they won't be governed by my advice, therefore, you can take them along." Moses knew very well that he could not do it, and therefore, he said, " Oh Lord, if thou go not up with us, let us not go. There are difficulties to contend with and the Philistines will be against us ; we have got to depend upon thee to feed us with manna from heaven. We have had to depend upon thy wisdom thus far; we shall be swept from off the land if thou go not up with us, therefore carry us not up hence/* This was the feeling of Moses when he stood in the midst of the rebel- lious children of Israel. Well, what is it that we are engaged to do now ? Why , we are engaged in just the very thing that we have been singing about, viz, : — 54? JOURNAL OP " Angels froii I i tvcf). and tnitli fron earth, H i\ e mut aivJ both have rcc T'l borne/' God lias sent his angels, and he has declared that he would introduce his kingdom find his government, and establish his dominion and authority according to the saying of one of the old Prophets, " The Lord is our king, the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our law- giver, and he shall reign over us." That was the kind of feeling the people had in those days when they felt right, and this is the kind of feel- ing the people have in these days when they have the right Spirit ; and this is the feeling that we profess to carry in our bosoms, and which we profess to carry out in our lives. We have generally been able to see through the fallacy and weakness of all human institutions. We believe that the Lord has revealed himself from the Leavens, and that the manifestations of the power of the heavens have been revealed, and the intelligence that dwells in the bosura. of the Almighty and the records that have been hid up for ages we have found ; they have been developed and made known to us hi connection with the revelations of the Spirit of the Most High God, for the purpose of establishing the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ upon the earth, and bringing in a reign of righteousness, freedom and peace. These things have been introduced for the very purpose of developing and accomplishing those things that have been hid up in the bosom of Jehcvah from before the commencement of this earth. He well understood his designs ere the morning stars sang together for joy ; he knew what he was to accomplish years and years ago, before any of our fathers had an exist en re upon the earth ; and for this reason the earth was orgauised and framed, and for this purpose we came here. God had designs generations ago to accomplish his purposes, and hose purposes which he designed DISCOURSES. from the beginning will be accom- plished in spite of all the combined influences of earth and hell What was the object of our formation and the formation of the earth and of all intelligent beings upon it? God in his own due time, after the folly, strength, weakness and vanity of the human family have exhausted them- selves, and after trying Jl their experiments, and all their wUdam being exerted to find out God, then the Almighty will show them that he can accomplish his purposes. It is our business to lean on the Lord and seek unto him for wisdom and intel- ligence. The Lord has opened up this work by opening the heavens, by communicating his will and unveiling his purposes and designs to the chil- dren of meft, by the introduction of the Holy Priesthood and by tha manifestation of his power, and by the marvellous deliverance vhicli has been wrought for us, for our guidance; in this way he hi\< given proof upon proof, and intelligence upon intelligence, and testimony upon testimony; and evidence upon evi- dence have been given to convince us of the position that we occupy and of the will of God that has been com- municated unto us. The Spirit of inspiration has been given unto us, and we have had our testimony made as firm and sure as the Rock of Ages, upon the principles of eternal truth, and all this that our steps might not waver and that we might yield obedi- ence to the laws of heaven and con- tinue in the observation of the statutes* But, notwithstanding all our privileges and blessings, a great many of us seem to have ears to hear but. hear not, hearts but we understand not, and although we are made partakers of the munificence and goodness of God, and notwithstanding his intel- ligence continues to be poured oat | upon us frpm day to day and from year to year, we seem to treat lightly TASTNESS OF THE WISDOM, ETC* 55 the blessings he has showered out upon os. This is not the case with nil ; I believe the great majority of this people feel it in their hearts to do right, to keep the commandments of God and to vield obedience to his laws, and to magnify their high callings and help to build up his kingdom on the earth. This is the feeling and desire of the great majority of this people ; and probably as others learn more and comprehend more, they will feel a stronger desire to walk in accordance with the commandments of God and fulfil all his behests. If we could see and feel our position we should feci, when men surround us with their temptations, and tell us of privileges — we should feel something like a man that was building the Temple in former days, he said " I am doing a great work, hinder me not : why should I come down?" If we as Elders, as Saints of the Most High, could comprehend the respon- sibilities that rest upon us, and the obligations that rest upon us, we should feel when these lit He things come in our way, and we should say, ^'-Get thee behind me Satan," We should feel as this man said, " I am doing a great work, and I, myself, and my family and all my interests, and in fact everything that I have are bound up in the kingdom of God, I am a servant of the Great Jehovah ; God is my father, he has established his kingdom upon the earth. I am one of his servants, one of his Elders, and I am trying to help to build up his kingdom, and to introduce a reign of righteousness, to roll back the dark cloud that has overspread the world, and to do something that will tend to roll forth the Redeemers kingdom, and therefore I cannot condescend to the woidly vanity that I see around me." This would be the feeling of all the Elders and of all Saints, if they felt right and realized their true positions and responsibilities, and they would feel, moreover, a good deal as all good men feel who know them- selves and feel correctly their calling. They would likewise feel, that if men for generations past have been erring and going astray for want of the knowledge of the laws of God, and that if God called out men to carry the message of life and salvation to this generation, that they would go and try, if they died while trying, and thus enable mankind to approach God and to conduct themselves aright; and also teach their families the first principles of true government, that, perad venture, with the united efforts and co operations of the Priesthood and the members of the Church and kingdom of God upon the earth, they might be able to introduce a reign of righteousness into the world. This would be the feeling that would exist. It is just as some men are over a picayune. Don't you know how men wiJI twist and pick and cringe to get hold of a dollar or two? If men would be as valiant in trying to pray to God to give them wisdom and power to control themselves and their thoughts and passions, then in all their business transact ions, they would feel that they know themselves to be accepted of the Almighty. They would feel and know that they had ears to hear and hearts to understand and comprehend the mind and will of God ; they would then feel ten thousand times more interest in the kingdom and to work for the spread of true and holy principles, and in all things pertaining to the great work in which they are engaged, than in those little temporal matters. Yet, notwithstanding all our experience, how anxious we are about the ono and how careless about the other ; yet our father is merciful and remembers that we are but poor, weak, erring creatures. He knows the things that are transpiring, and he com- prehends all our faults and infirm- 56 JOURNAL OF D I SCOUR S JIB it : es, and hen re he is merciful nnto 1 us, and really we ought some- 1 times to be ashamed of our own acts. Many of yon have doubtless heard people talk, aiul say, Why I thought I r uld get a living better, get more money and clothes and everything I needed* Yes, this is the way many felt, and they came here to the gathering-place of the Saints with a view to get rich, that they might eat and drink, get plenty of beer, spirits and wine, such as was made in the old countries and in the Eastern States, whereas men should come with a feeling to build up the kingdom of God. Not that yoa need be united with the Temperance Society, for our religion comprehends all that is good in that society. Is there a temper- ance society or principle necessary ? We have it. Is there any good prin- ciple in the Peace Society? We have it with us j it is all conipre- * hended in our holy religion. Now, Jesus said to his disciples, u Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you ; not as the world gireth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." In another place^ he says, when speaking to his disciples, "Let not your heart be troubled ; ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions : if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself ; that where I am, there ye may be also." Peace is the gift of God. Do you want peace? Go to God. Do you want peace in your families ? Go to God. Do you want peace to brood over your families ? If you do, live your re- I 1 ligion, and the very peace of God will dwell and abide with you, for that is where peace comes from, and it don't dwell anywhere else. We had peace societies in the world, it is true, for many years, but- what have they done ? Simply nothing ; but peace is good, and I say seek for it, cherish it in your bosoms, in your neighborhoods, and wherever you go among your friends and associates, for they are good principles and dwell in the bosom of God, arid if we only get that peace that dwells in the bosom of God all will be right. Remember that it is a great deal better to suffer wrong than to do wronff. We have enlisted in this kingdom for the purpose of working righteousness, growing up in right- eousnesss and in purity that we might have a heaven in our families, in our city and neighborhoods, a Zion right in our midst, live in it ourselves and persuade every body else to abide its holy laws. Philosophers have been seeking after and searching into philosophy. The Lord has revealed unto the great family of heaven and of earth, and he is continually com* municating his will and giving us good principles. Others h;ive been trying to understand the things of God by their various creeds and systems, but we have got all the truth combined, instead of having a multi- tude of systems. There is not a religion upon the face of the earth but has truth in it that is embraced in our religion, for it embraces all truth that has or will exist, so far as we can comprehend it. Consequently, our religion is something like the re- ligion of Mosea, You remember that Moses had a rod, and the magicians had rods ; the magi* Wans cast down their rods, and through some power and influence they became serpents. When Moses cast down his, through some power and influence superior to that of the magicians, it swallowed up theirs. We have cast down our rod, we have set up our standard, and it will swallow up all the rest. TASTNESS OF THE WlSDOTtf, ETC 57 Is there a true principle of science in the world ? It is ours. Are there true principles of music, of mechan- ism, or of philosophy ? If there are, they are all ours. Is there a true principle of government that exists in the wnrld anywhere ? It is ours, it is God's ; for every good and perfect gift that does exist in the world among men proceeds from the " Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turn- ing," It is God that has given every good gift that the world ever did pos- sess. He is the giver of all good principles, principles of law, of govern- ment and of everything else, and he is now gathering them together into one place, and withdrawing them from the world, and hence the misery and darkness that begin to prevail among the nations ; and hence the light, life and intelligence that begin to manifest themselves among us. But, again, in relation to govern- ment, who can govern the human family? The world have tried it, with all their great spirits, with all their power and authority, and what have they done among the nations of the earth? They have had misery pressed down, shaken together and running over. At the same time there have been many good principles amoncr the nations of the earth; many good and equitable laws ; and among the rest religion and politics have had a liberal share, and every- thing else that has had some good in it; but mankind have not been able to introduce the millennial reign, and who knows how the Lord and those to whom he will give wisdom, will govern mankind ? It cannot be known; man never could and never will be able to govern his fellows, except the power, the wisdom and the authority be given from heaven. We have had a great deal of talk about Republican Governments, and look what a specimen we have before us. Look at the desolation and destruction that prevail through this once happy land. I ask the question, can man govern himself? No, he cannot; and unless the Lord takes the government and introduces correct principles, it cannot be done ; the intelligence we have will never do it, and in fact nothing but the light and intelligence of the Most High will enable us to progress in the things of the kindgom of God ; and how few there are that can govern themselves. What will enable you, brethren and sisters, to govern yourselves ? The Spirit of God ; and you cannot do it without the Spirit of the living God dwelling in you, — you must have I he light of revelation, or else vou cannot do it. If yon get the gift f >f the Holy Ghost and walk in the light of the co u n t en ance of t h e Lord y o u can govern yourselves and families, that is, if you retain it by your good works. Yon may govern peopled a certain kind of way, as they have done in former days, but you will need the Spirit of the living God to dwell in your bosoms. What would be the effect of such a government ? If carried out, it would be as we sing sometimes, that A * Kvery man in evcrv \ larc Will meet a brother and a friend." When you get the Spirit of God, you feel full of kindness, charity, long- suffering, and you are willing all the day long to accord to every man that which you want yourself You feel disposed all the day long to do unto all men as you would wish them to do unto you. What is it that will enable one man to govern his fellows aright ? It is just as Joseph Smith said to a certain man who asked him, " How do you govern such a vast people as this ?" " Ob/' says Joseph, " it is very easy " * Why," says the man, " but we find it very difficult." " But," said Joseph, " it is very easy, for I teach the people correct principles 58 JOTJPXAL OF DISCO FUSES. and they govern themselves;" .:id if correct principles will do this 1 1 one J family they will in ten, in a hu.: I red and in ten hundred thousand. How j easy it Is to govern the people in this way ! It is just like the streams from City Creek j they spread through the valleys and through every lot and piece of lot* So it is with the government of God ; the streams of life flow from the Great Fountain through the various channels which the Almighty has opened up, and they spread not only throughout this city but throughout the world, where- ever there are any Saints that have yielded obedience to the command- ments of God. The fountain is inex- haustible, and the rivers of life flow fivnn the fountain unto the people. The Lord said that his people should be willing in the day of his power, and this principle commands the influence of his good Spirit, con- nects with the fountain, with the i intelligence that dwells in the bosom of God, it is that which lights and fills every bosom, and enters into every house, and every family and heart ; all are made glad with the i joys of the Spirit of God ; under its benigning influence they are made to feel that the yoke of Christ is easy and his burden is light. This is the feeling that governs the Saints and controls them in all their acts, and this spirit has commenced to spread abroad and will continue to spread until the earth shall be full of the knowledge of God as the waters cover the great deep. Some in speaking of war and troubles, will say are you not afraid ? No, I am a servant of God, and this is enough, for Father is at the helm. I It is for me to be as clay in the hands of the potter, to be pliable and walk in the light of the counte- nance of the Spirit of the Lord, and then no matter what comes* Let the lightnings flash and the earthquakes bellow, God is at the helm, and I feel like saying but little, fur the Lord God Omnipotent reigueth and will continue his work until he has put all enemies under his feet, and his kingdom extends from the rivers to the ends of the earth. Brethren, God bless you, in the name of Jesus. Amen, NECESSITY OF UNDERSTANDING*, ETC 50 NECESSITY OF UNDE R STANDING THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF THE GOSPEL — OF UNION AMONG THE PRIESTHOOD, AND ATTENTION TO TEMPORAL DUTIES. Discourse hy Elder Geokgb A. Smith, delivered in tJie Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, April 7, 1862. REPOBTEB BY J. V. L05TG. **For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God ; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk, is unskilful in the word of righteousness : for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use hare their senses exercised to discern both good and evil" — Hebrews v. 12, 13 and 14 verses. It may seem to my brethren and sisters a little surprising, that I should introduce the remarks which I have the privilege of addressing to you this morning, by reading the senti- ment which is conveyed in this text. For when for the time we ought to be teachers, we have need that one teach us again the first principles of the oracles of God. But how often is it necessary, and has it been neces- sary, for those who are inspired of the Lord to complain of the brethren making such slow progress in the things of the kingdom of God ? How often do we hear onr Presidency lament the i go ranee, folly and vanity that are exhibited by many of those who are called upon to be and who should be teachers indeed. I have thought that in some circumstances there was a neglect in the Branches of preaching to and rehearsing in the ears of the rising generation, those first princi- ples of the Gospel which were taught to ns when we received the Work of the last days, and especially the prin- ciple of faith. TYe grow up in this community and the principles of the Gospel become, to a great extent, natural to us. But many of the young are untried and without ex- perience, :md they luck the power to contrast the principles of truth with those of error, and hence it is regarded as important by the Elders that they should have the opportunity, at some period, of going abroad to preach the Gospel and have a chance to test, by actual experience, the power of the principles of truth when brought in contact with the wild fanaticisms which the world has dignified with the title of religion. Lit was remarked yesterday, that the progress of the people was so slow, that the Presidency could not develope those principles which were for the benefit of the people, for their glory and exaltation, only at a very slow rate, powerful as we may think the " Mormon" mill to be. The Presi dent tells us that he has to regulate the feed very moder ately, or injure the weak minded. Some of the brethren, for want of a more perfect understanding perhaps, give way to temptation and turn away, and become to a considerable extent like a man who comes out of the dark into a well lighted room, he is blinded with the light, his eyes are unprepared to meet such brilliancy. This is illus- trated very clearly in the organiza- 60 JOntNAL 07 DISCOURSES. tion of the several Branches, settle- ments, and stakes of Zion throughout Deseret. To use a figure, in almost all the Branches containing from one hundred to three hundred families, it has been found necessary to combine all the authority of Presidency in one man, at least I will say this has been the case in many instances ; there are a few exceptions to this rule, but not many. A Bishop while he presides at the meetings looks after the spiritual welfare of the settlements; he preaches on the Sabbath day, gives counsel to the people, spiritual and temporal ; he gives counsel in relation to the dona- tions, public buildings, the erection of school-houses; and almost every- thing is made to devolve upon the head of the Bishop. In the first instance many of these places were organized with a Presi- dent and Bishop who were expected to act in concert, and, with their counsellors, work and exert themsel ves for the general good of the people, and with a strong hand all pull together and strive to strengthen each other, And when for the time these men ought to have been teachers they have proven that they required to bo taught, for the very first question that would arise, was " which of ua is the biggest man, fur it is important that, we should know the precise line between our authority, to know where the jurisdiction of the one ends and the other begins," A man uf this disposition and feeling would want a rule and tapedine to draw his line of jurisdiction on the ground and stake it out. Then it would 1 >e ? Bishop you must toe this line, and President you must keep your side of it. is o famili- arity. You must not tread on my toes, remember that* Now, 1 have had experience in these matters to some little extent, by visiting and attempting to regulate, explain and set in order these diffi- culties- At one place, containing about three hundred families, the President held the doctrine that the Bishop was a mere temporal officer, and therefore he had no right or business to talk on the Sabbath day on temporal matters. If he wished to talk about donations, emigration, teams, building meeting-houses, or of Tithing, he was told that that was temporal business and that he must call a meeting on a week day. Elder E. T. Benson and myself went to that place after they had been con- tending upon this subject, and it had become well understood that no man must talk there on temporal subjects on the Sabbath day. But we occu- pied the whole day in telling how to make bread, build cities, make farms, fences, and in fact we told them how to do every useful thing that we could think of AVe asserted that a certain amount of temporal preparation was necessary in order that a man might enjoy his religion. We also asserted, that if a man made no preparations for the future he was constantly sub- jected to annoyances. For instance, a man lives in one of our agricultural villages, and he makes little or no preparation for taking care of what he has around him ; he neglects to fence his field and stack-yard. Now, 1 have thought that a man could not enjoy his religion as he should do unless he had a good fence around his field and stack-yard ; for if he has no fence, or only a poor one, when he gets ready for praying there is per- haps a rap at the door, and when the door is opened, the message delivered is, *' there are twenty head of cattle destroying your wheat in your stack- yaid/* ** The Devil there is," says the man, u and whose are they ? M He puts them in the astray pound, and he puts an exorbitant tax upon them, and charges the pound-keeper not to let them go until he gets this pay, say, damages to the amount of $50, The next thing is, another neighbor who is religious also, but perhaps a little later in his devotions, is aroused by the report, " your cattle are all in the astray pound and there is 050 damage ' against them/* " The Devil they are, who put them there ?" Why brother « ; his feelings of reverence and devotion having been badly shaken by this report, he rises from his prayerful mood in a rage and uses very violent language ; and, suffice it to say, that much trouble is caused by men not having a good fence, and it is exceedingly doubtful whether many men can preserve an even temper of mind under such circumstaross. Now, 1 all this was the result of ignorance. If that Presidency had known their duties they would never have closed a meeting without asking the Bishop if he Lad anything to say, or any business to attend to ; it was a matter of courtesy and of duty also ; and instead of pulling against each other they should have united and all pulled together for the accomplish- ment of the same object For this reason we have had to organize several Branches with a Bishop and his coun- sellors only, and, as I express it some- times in the settlements where I visit, we have had to use a wheel -barrow instead of a six horse coach. The Bishop must do this, that and the other, in fact everything. He must preach, collect the Tithing; for if we set another man to assist him, men are so ignorant, they have learned so little that they will Immediately start up and strive for the mastery, and hence contentions have risen among the brethren acting in the capacity of Bishops and Presidents. In most of the settlements there bave been quorums of High Priests organized, and they call meetings and ^vateh over each other, blow the coal and Wet p the fire alive within each other's bosoms, and see if they can keep one another wide awake. The I same thing has occurred in reference to the Seventies, and the organiza- tions are very numerous. Well, the question arises have these Quorums a right to call meetings at the snme time the President has called a public meeting of the whole Branch ? Here comes a question of jurisdiction. For i instance, when half of the males in a Branch are Seventies, the President of the Mass Quorum notifies that they are to have a meeting at 10 or 11 o'clock, the very hour that the Presi- dent of the Branch has his meeting. Has the President of the Seventies a right to do this ? No, he has not; it is a discourtesy. Every Quorum should so arrange its appointments that there will be no difficulty, no necessity for any law to regulate the matter, but that of common decency and common manhood, and itdoes seem that a man with less than half a share of discernment could see that while the meeting called by the President is going on all the Branch ought to be there, and therefore that there should be no other meeting holden at the same time. Brethren, we should so arrange our appointments when our High Priests arid whatever other Quorums meet, , as not to conflict, and in this way have and show our respect to the President of the Branch. Have our meetings of course, but submit to the President of the Branch as the first to be attended to, and then have our other meetings subordinate in point of time. Well, now, almost any man in the world would say that a man is a fool that would raise such a question, but men that have been ordained Elders, High Priests and Seventies are just such teachers, for when, for the time that they should be teachers, they have need to be taught, for they seem to operate liWe children and pull against each other; they labor to I define each others duties, to mark out 02 JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES the whereabouts of the line of de- marcation, whereas they should each and every cue strive to build up the kingdom of God, and so live as to enjoy the Holy Spirit; each man should strive to be humble instead of exalting himself ; iustend of drawing the line and saying I belong just here and nobody must interfere with my rights, he should feel to sustain the hands of his brethren. I will here say that there have been places where these two organizations have existed for years without any difficulty, and there are other places where the two have existed at the same time, and the matter has been taken up by the people and worked at until it has been found necessary to reduce the organi- zation hy uniting the Presidency Slid Bishopric in one person, or, as I term it, the wheelbarrow arrangement, or if you please, a three wheeled coach* There was one settlement where the people got so very wise that the Bishop had to have two sets of coun- sellors, and they had to be selecte \ according to the wishes of the parties that took sides with the President, or rather that were in favor of having one, and then those who were willing to be contented with a Bishop had to have their choice, and thus was formed what I call an unlimited de- mocracy. The fact is that as soon as the brethren can realize that they are to be servants of God, and that it is their individual duty, to sustain each other and put away that jealousy which in many cases, exists at the present time, "and which in tact is the chief cause uf all this trouble; and so soon as they find that they are not to be as large as they desire to be, and as they think they ought to be, it will be found that ih use organizations will be in- creased in numbers; they wiU also increase in faith, in good works and in power and influence with the heavens, and if they will be faithful the idea will be fairly illustrated that a man with a wheelbarrow cannot travel as fast nor accomplish as much as the man who drives a four horse coach. Still, I know, that owing to the ignorance and short-sighted-* ness of the people, a case of this kind will occasionally occur. There seems to be a disposition to put everything in a nut shell- For instance, a few years ago, there were some Bishops sent out of Salt Lake City to explain to the country Bishops their duties. These brethren would go into a settle- ment where there were both a Bishop and a President, and they would go on and tell the Bishops what their duties were, and it: doing so, embrace the whole circle of duties required of both Bishop and President, and never think that in that Branch of the Church those duties weremot united or cehtred in one man but divided between two. And in some instances, there would be a sort of half ^harp- looking fellow get up and a,sk what the President was to do, if all those explained and fully defined duties were centred in the Bishop. " Q," they would say, " we were not sent to instruct anybody but the Bishops;" and as might be expected, the result was a contention, if not among the authorities, among the people, and I had some of these difficulties to settle, and I found that the best way to do it was to dispense with one of the officers. There are several stakes of Zion in the country, where High Councils have been organized, composed of twelve Councillors and a President of the Stake and his two Counsellors, in settlements where, in the commence- ment, the inhabitants were very small in numbers, and it was natural that some member of the Council should represent or be personally interested in each and every party in the town that might be litigant before that body. In some such instances it has NECESSITY OF TTNDEESTANDIXG, ETC, A3 become necessary to dissolve the High Council altogether. The fact is, that every High Council should have enough of the Spirit of the Lord with them to investigate every case, so that when the decision is given, it will be the decision of Heaven, Instead of this, little petty disputes arise among the brethren, and two or three mem- bers of the Council, perhaps , would have their minds made up before- hand what they would (Jo. There is one thing I have noticed in regard to High Councils; the organization is well understood. One portion of the Council takes the side of justice and investigates the facts iirthe case, pre- senting them as they should be pre- sented by an honest attorney ; then the other portion of the Council , brings up the defence and shows what the side of mercy is, in an unpre- judiced manner* After the Council have investigated the subject before them thoroughly, the case is sub- mitted by both complainant and de- fendant. There have been cases where men have tried to drag in attorneys to plead their cause before j these councils, and in some instances, it has been permitted. If this kind of practice were allowed, and petty- fogging, contriving lawyers allowed to practice before the High Councils, the organization of heaven would soon be superseded altogether. I wish to see all High Councillors magnify their own callings, I do not know that I would cany out this rule strictly myself, but I believe that, if I were a judge, and a lawyer were to come before me and assert an absolute lie, and I should find it out, I never would allow him to plead in my pre- sence again ; I should set him down I as a lawyer not of good moral character, and not legally entitled to be a member of the bar. It appears that I have got off from religion to law, still I believe that however a man may try to pour on the oil and soft soap, the decision of the High j Council will be according to the prin- ciples of equity. If there is to be an investigation before a council of this kind, it is the duty of that body of men to strive to learn the truth for the sake of doing justice to both parties ; and if a man for the sake of a fee, for the sake of gain, if bound and will come into court or council, and state a lie, he has no business there, and I am sorry to believe, if this principle was tried, it would pinch some of our brethren who have dabbled in the law, (President B. Young : I wish it would pinch them to death.) I believe that there never was a more correct organization of a court on earth than our High Councils, for these men go to work and investigate a case, hear the testimony pro and cow, the Councillors for each party litigant present the case, it is sub- mitted to the President who sums up, gives his decision and calls on the i Council to sanction it by their vole, and if they are not united, they have to go to work and try the case over again in order that they may ascertain more perfectly the facts in the case and be united in their decision. Why, all the courts in the w r orld are boobies compared to it. It is an organization that shows its own authenticity and divine origin. Perhaps it is not well for me to further describe the operation of the High Council, but I will take the liberty of saying that men occupying this high position in the Church of I Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Humid constantly cultivate the prin- ciple of justice and study to know what is right and what is wrong, always keeping within them the Spirit of the Almighty. Tf they have got prejudices against anybody, they should do as the President said yes- terday. And so long as a man acts upon this principle upon which Presi- 64 JOtTANAL OF DISCOURSES dent Young gave us instruction, - he Las me far a friend, and just so sure as a man comes up without envy or prejudice, simply to learn what is ' right, and 1 understand my position and my duty, and so long as I can vindicate myself, I will put that , man in the path of right and in the way of salvation* What has caused the corruption and wickedness that exist in the world at the present day ? It is the feeling that exists among the people that one man cannot tell another his faults, j because he tells them to everybody else to the injury and prejudice of the guilty party. The Prophet Joseph in his day would tell a man of his faults to save him from error and destruction, but he offended many because he told them of their faults ; they thought ue wished to injure them, j because they were unwilling to fur- Bake their follies, but his purpose in thus reproving was to redeem, to bless , and to save. : It frequently happens that men who commit faults are not i aware of it. The man who can and ; will show yon your faults, your follies and blindness, and make you fully aware of your position, can awaken up in your mind those uflective powers that will cause you to square Yourselves up with correct principles and cause you tu prepare yourselves to inherit life, light and glory. But the , very moment that a " Mormon" Elder can be instructed by the wicked, and allow those acts of folly and vice to creep in in all their hideous deform- i£y t that man is on the road to ! destruction. Thei Elder, Priest, Teacher or any man in this kingdom that willisufibr position to cause him to eonapi^tsaoiise principle for wealth, is blind and ennnot see afar off, and is bound to destruction. We Iwive got to turn right round from that track, if wc have been walking in it; if we have coveted other men's goods, if we have suffered i or caused our hearts to fall in love with property that is not our own, wo are laying the foundation for des- truction. I can look -over the history of this Church, the great apostacy there has been from i t at different periods, and I can see that the apostacy of many has been the result of dishonesty, adultery, selfishness and wickedness in general, and this has been the key to the whole trouble. These are my sentiments, the honest convictions of my heart, drawn from long experience and attentive observation ; and I know that the man who would stand upon the holy hill of Zion, his hands must not be tilled with bribes- Brethren, I know these principles to be true, and it is my desire to walk so that I may be prepared to .stand upon the holy hill of Zion. This is what I labor and strive for, I can tell you, if 3-011 encourage a spirit of fault-finding and complaining, you will suffer the canker worm to gnaw at your vitals, to cause you to distrust everybody, and you will begin to say that you have not been respected, put in office and encouraged as you ought to have been. Suffer these feelings to come into your bosoms, and they will speedily gain posses- sion and control of the whole passion. What a glorious thing it is for men to meet the Elders of this Church, as some-met me in the States in 1856 ! They would say, we should have been with you still if we had been treated right ! What a glorious consolation it will be when a man lifts up his eyes in hell and says, I should have been up there in heaven If I had been treated right ! Brethren and sisters, let ns ever remember that it is our business to treatt ourselves right/' May the Lord enable us to do light, is my prayer in the name of Ocsus Christ, Amen. GBATTTUDK FOR TILE ELESSIXGS OF THE GOSPEL, 65 GRATITUDE FOR THE BLESSINGS OP THE GOSPEL. Remarks by Elder Ezha T. Benson, made in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, April 7, 1862. UK PORTED BY J* \\ LOXG. I have the privilege of making a few remarks to ray brethren and sisters, upon tlie condition that I stop speaking or pumping when the pond is out* This may seem a singular introduction, but I feel perfectly free and at home when I meet with you in general Conference, I have enjoyed myself very much during this Conference, and I really feel that we have been well instructed on the great principles of oar holy religion. I am fully satisfied that our brethren who have spoken from this stand have laid before us the things that we need, and especially for the benefit of those that are labor- ing in the different portions of Utah, or, as I was about to say, in different portions of Deseret, I am proud of the name of being a Saint of God, for there is something that is sweet— there is something that is glorious about it I rejoice that we have the priri- lege here in Deseret of naming our own children when they are born; it is not so in the nations of the earth, but here we have organized a State Government ; the child is born and we have given it a name, and it is one of our own choosing. We are a blessed people. How are wo blessed this morning ? We are blessed by being taught of the Lord ; we are instructed in those things that per- tain to our peace ; we are in posses- sion of those heavenly principles that have been so plainly laid before us ; they are things that immediately No. 5> concensus as Saints of the Most High. If we have been gathered here to these valleys of the mountains to be taught of the Lord, if we do not have the spirit of humility, how can we be taught ? And if we are taugl 1 t , what good will it do us ? We require to be in that state of mind that will render us susceptible of instruction ; then t at the close of this'Conference we shall all have it to say that we have been well paid for coming together to worship the Lord, and we shall also feel that the teachings and instructions have been applicable to our organizations and circumstances in the diilerent departments of the Holy Priesthood, which the Almighty has conferred upon his servants in these last days. I feel that it is indeed good to be here ; it is good to listen — to dwell and rejoice in the midat of this people, for this is the work of the Lord ; and we are the only people upon the face of the earth that are so highly favored at the present time. We can meet together in peace, as we are doing to-day, and worship God accord- ing to the dictates of our own con- sciences ; yes, here we can do this, where the true liberty guaranteed in the Constitution of the United States is fully carried out, and extended to all people who wish to reside in our community. * " I feel to take up the admonitions and treasure them up in my mind, and carry them home in my bosom. Every time that I come to a Con- Vol. X, # 05 JOURNAL OF DI5COUB3J.S, ference, I can see where I can do a little better, and discover where I have been a little sloth fill in regard to the duties of my calling. Yon are aware that I hail from the northern part of our flourish ing Ter- ritory, (Cache Valley,) and I am really proud of the county and of the people who live there, and of the desire they have to aid and assist in building up this kingdom* With reference to the Quorums of High Priests and Seventies, I hove to say that we have them with us, and we try to make them a blessing to the people. We have the piety, the principles and order of the Gospel amongus, and I feel that such doctrine as was taught yesterday is a blessing to the people who hear, and I know it. But where people are trying to get all the honor, influence and power to themselves it is then a detriment instead of a blessing. Well, then, it behove th us as Elders, Presidents and Bishops to lay these principles to heart and have them riveted to our minds ; to lie down and sleep and wake up again with them fresh in our minds in the morning, and go forth attending to the duties required of us by our callings in the Priesthood ; and then we will profit by these instructions* Do not let us allow th ese wholesome teachings to go in at one ear and out of the other. I do not wish to make many remarks this morning, but I feel truly thankful to God and my brethren that I hold a standing in this king- dom, and 1 intend to labor and do all I can for the spread of truth, and strive to the best of my ability to endure unto the end. And may this be our happy position and desire is the sincere prayer of your brother in the New Covenant, in the name of Jesus* Amen. * THE PRIVILEGE OF THE SAINTS TO ENJOY THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. A Discours$ delivered hy Elder Geobge A. Smith, September 4, 1859. BEPOBTED BY G, D. WATT, At the request of my brethren, I •arise to ofier a few remarks. And in order to give them to some extent the character of a sermon, I will read the seventh verse of the third chapter of the Prophet Amos : — 11 Surely the Lord will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.'* It is my design merely to draw the Mention of our friends to the subject presented in this text. When God has a people upon the face of the earth he can own and bless as his, he always has Prophets among them. " Surely," says the Prophet Amos, " the Lord will do nothing, but he reveals his secret unto his servants the prophets/' Now, it is not certain that the Prophet always reveals those secrets unto the people. It may happen m Tire PBITTLEOE 07 many instances, that the Lord mil reveal unto his servants the Prophets many things that are to come, and ^yefc leave those who are not en- lightened by the Spirit of Prophecy to ait until those things transpire before they are apprised of them. There appears to be in the midst of the Saints a very great stress laid upon the word " prophet," and the words of Amos seem to be definitely pointed at in the minds of a great many individuals, to show, as it were, there was but one. But when the Spirit of the Lord was poured out in the camp of Israel, and Eldad and lledad began to prophesy, persons whose minds were contracted went to Moses and complained that Eldad and Medad were prophesying. "Wonld to God," said Moses " that all the Lord's people wqre Prophets !" There are in the Church a variety of gifts, and these gifts are all combined together, and are necessary for the development of the principles we understand, the diffusion of know- ledge, and the complete organization of the whole body. There are Apostles, Prophets and Teachers, and all these officers bring about the great and com- plete organization of the whole. In tracing through the history of the sacred writings, we find that the Lord in some instances chose men that were ignorant, I presume he did this in many instances from necessity, for those who had been learned in the world were seldom found to possess humility enough to humble them- selves before the Lord to get the Spirit of Prophecy, and to be a; Prophet is to have the Spirit of Pro- phecy, and to have the testimony of Jesus, " for the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy," nothing more nor nothing less. The man who can testify that Jesus is the I Christ has this testimony, and as he improves upon his gift he becomes a Prophet* It is not one individual, THE SAINTS, ETC. 67 it is not three, it is not twelve indi- viduals, but it is for all the Saints who have the testimony of Jesus and live in the exercise of that testimony* A man that does not foresee by the Spirit of God, who does not learn things to come by it, is not living up to his privilege and profession, is not living in the enjoyment of that testimony which he has received ; he is blinded by the mists of darkness and is liable to fall into a snare. The Apostle Peter in exhorting his brethren tells them tli at it was necessary they should add to their faith, virtue ; and to virtue knowledge; and to know- ledge temperance ; and to temperance patience j and to patience godliness ; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, aid abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. That is, that you will be made partakers of the Divine mind, the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, you will know for yourselves of the prin- ciples and the doctrines which you have received. The storms of ad- versity which smrronnd us amount to nothing with the man who has this knowledge planted in his breast, he cares not for slanders, for abuse, for sacrifices or losses of earthly goods- He who does not possess this testi- mony, and is not made a partaker of the Divine nature, and does not struggle to attain to exaltation, is turning away and falling into darkness. It is strange to me that persons who have been many years in this Chnrch, who have borne their testimony of the truth of the work of God in the last days many times, should finally come to the conclusion that they have gone astray, and must go in some other direction, Why is this? It is simply because they have suffered the mists of darkness to overcome them ; they have not lived up to the OS JOURNAL OF DISCO UfiSES, principles they Lave professed, and instead of advancing to be made par- takers of the divin* nature and over- come the wiles that are in the world through lust, they sufler them to have dominion over them, and they fail hack into darkness. When the storm of persecution surrounds us, then, of course, we are apt to be zealous, but when we are as it were left to ourselves we are tried in another way; and when the Lord commenced giving revelations to this people he said to them, through his servant Joseph, that they should be tried in all things. If there is any one thing that is calculated to try us more than another, that thing we may expect to encounter. I know this people will bear poverty and affliction, they will bear persecution, they will sutler their houses to be burned, their property to be destroyed, and sacrifice what the Lord has given them of earthly goods, expose them- selves to suffering and hardship for the sake of the principles they have received, joyfully ; but how many of these, when the smiles of Providence have beamed upon them, when pros- perity has surrounded them, and they have been blessed and are in afflu- ent circumstances, have forgotten the Lord, like the Prophet said of Jeshurun, " They waaed fat and kicked, aud forgot the Lord." Such is the fact with hundreds of Latter- day Saints- Now a man that expects to be exalted to thrones and dominions must be just as good a Saint when he is surrounded with wealth, with the comforts and blessings of life in abundance, as he is, when he is in poverty-^when being robbed of his possessions, and deprived of the means of subsistence; and the one condition is just as necessary to try some indi- viduals as the other condition is to try any other* From the time tha*; I first became acquainted with the principles of this Church, I have watched the progress of the development of the Spirit of Prophecy among the Saints. I have never made pretensions to prophecy, though many things have been made manifest to me before they were ful- filled. I have foreseen many results which have been astonishing, in many instances, to others. The man that wishes to know the future let him study well the present, let him be careful that the present is all right ; that the principles which he professes are not abused ; that he lives up to the doctrines which he has received, and that he maintains his integrity towards his fellow-beings as God requires at his hands ; let him do this, and the future will be unfolded to him, and he will be prepared for it just as fast as necessary* As Elder Middleinas said, he knew some things that were manifested to him, and knew how it would be before- hand. There are hundreds that can foresee by the Spirit of the Almighty, the Spirit of Prophecy, things that are to come to pass, without being able to know the precise manner how it will be effected. But I can tell you from the day of Joseph Smith's first commencement to testify of the things of God unto the present, that the very results that have been pre- dicted have come to pass, but the manner has seldom been understood until it came. When the Saints were in Jackson County, surrounded by our enemies who were determined to destroy us, and had no other idea but what the steps that were being taken would put an utter end to our organi- sation as a religious society, the future was as plainly laid open to thousands, and the present time was as plainly understood by hundreds of the Saints as it is now. The future is before us and many can look into it and know its results. , This is the work of the Almighty. God has set his hand in the last days to esta* - THE PRIVILEGE OF THE SAINTS, ETC. GO blish a people on the earth, he has not only commenced to do it, but is now accomplishing it, — all the efforts of our enemies to hinder it to the con- trary ; and all efforts to stay its pro- gress will be futile- They may cast men into prison, cause men to make great sacrifices, cause them to be brought into trying circumstances and endure much suffering, but the result is a fixed fact, no man can help it, no power can interfere with it, even the folly and corruptions of men that profess to be associated with the Saints canuot stay its progress. The work has commenced and onward it will roll, and no power can stay it. I know it is so. They may destroy my life, they may destroy yonrs, they may cause us to see much sorrow and trouble, place us in a hundred un- pleasant positions ; the corruptions of our own brethren may cause our hearts to bleed; our blood may be spilled, our enemies may beset ns on every side, but we are engaged in the work of the Almighty God who says in the Doctrine and Covenants, " I will save those who fall in the defence of Zion," Brethren, let us then be faithful, and diligently observe and do all things that are required at our hands by our heavenly Father, that the light of his countenance may con- stantly shine upon us, for we are engaged in the great and glorious work he has commenced in the last days. His band steadies the ark, his arm guides and sustains it, his Divine mind, will and power control it, and all that has been done by those who have interfered with it, simply shows the weakness and vanity of men that think to stay the hand of the Almighty. And this testimony I bear continually. It is a day for ns to act, to act upon principle, to conquer ourselves by doing right, and while wc conquer ourselves by doing right we are enabled to control others. What we do, we should do because it is right, and refuse to do wrong. And the great questions that should reign in our breast are What is right ? What is wrong ? And when we are not certain, wait until we understand, until we know we are right, and then go ahead. May the blessing of Israel's (Jod rest upon us, is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 70 JOUBNAL OF DISCOURSES. HOW TO OBTAIN A PART IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD.— ASSISTING THE POOR TO EMIGRATE. — CLASSIFYING LABOR, — THE TIMES WE LIVE IN. Discourse hj Eld-er Orson Hyde, delivered in ike Bowery , Great Salt Lake Citif) October 7, 1862* REPORTED BY J. V. LONG, Brethren and sisters, being invited to address you, I cheerfully arise to make a few remarks, for I truly feel thankful for the privilege I enjoy of speaking to you this morning. Be patient, my friends, I will start on as high a key as I can so as not to break down. I feel thankful for the oppor- tunity of meeting with the Saints in General Conference, and of mingling my testimony with this vast number of Saints in endeavoring to advance the interests of the kingdom of God, according to the intelligence I pos- sess ; and I feel truly thankful to the Lord for the experience I have had, I do not know that I can feel thankful for all the experience I have had, but suffice it to say that I am spared by our heavenly Father. I do not at present know what I shall select for the foundation of my remarks- Sometimes I take my text from the spelling book, sometimes from the Bible, also from the Book of Mormon and from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, besides another Book which seems to be above all other books — the Book of Nature ; one page above and the other beneath. There we behold the finger of God; it is plain and legible to every heart that is inspired of the Almighty, that is filled with the love of God, and burning with the light of truth. On this occasion there is a scrip, ture that occurs to my mind, where our Savior in his parables puts forth a sentiment like this, " Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto trea- sure hid in a field ; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field." — Matt, xiii,, 44. The Savior taught a great deal in parables, and the servants of God in these days teach by para- bles and comparisons in order that we may understand the more clearly,, and that we may take a larger view of things than we should or could from the plain, simple statement of facts in common language. Now, brethren and sisters, we are- all seeking the kingdom of our God, we are seeking to become heirs of that kingdom, to be lawful and loyal subjects of the same. With this a question arises, whether we shall attain to a place in that kingdom at any- less cost than did those I have quoted the Scripture about in your hearing. The man purchased the field and hid his treasure there. He went silently^ lest, if he made a great bluster, some other individual might go and steal the march upon him and purchase the field of treasure, then the bargain would have been complete; but no, he was wide awake, and sold all that he had and purchased that field, for he was determined to have that trea- sure. It took all that he had to purchase it, but the treasure concealed there was far beyond the cost of pur- chase in value, and in purchasing it he knew that it would increase in time and throughout all eternity, for that treasure was the kingdom of God, and salvation to that man's soul. A question comes up in the minds of some ; I have frequently heard persons say, " What becomes of our Tithing ? And what is the propriety of paying so much ? The calls come from this quarter and calls from that ; and what are we doing when we are buying that field in which the trea- sure lies concealed ?'* Did we ever think, when responding to the calls on the right and on the left, that we were purchasing that field, and that having gone to the extent of our power and ability in that transaction, that there is our deed and title to the kingdom of God, signed, sealed and delivered ? Look back upon our privations that we have undergone, and there is joy and gladness, there is hope which is full of immortality- The kingdom is ours. We have purchased it, and by it our salvation is secured, by faithfulness in the kingdom. Now do we expect to get something for nothing ? If we do, the transaction is not suspended upon an even balance. To expect something for nothing is just what many in our community want to do in their trading and trafficking, and potting on prices that are far above the standard. You naturally call such persons dishonest, and such they truly are- If you expect to gain the kingdom of our God without purchasing it by your labors, with me the question is, Will you not be mistaken in your calculation ? This parable to which I have in- vited your attention is a good lesson for all of us, and we should endeavor to so conduct ourselves as to show that with us the kingdom of God is all in all. This parable is an en- sample for us to copy and adopt. A word to the wise is sufficient on this subject. You have considered this matter having read about it, and by reciting it over it may be of service to you. It is no matter what that man did, or what the other said, so far as the field spoken of is con- cerned, for I do not suppose the pur- chaser gave him any trouble whether he paid out his money for this, that or the other. It was the field that he paid it for ; he wished to have the field containing the treasure. It is not the price we pay for the king- dom, it is the kingdom of God we are bound to purchase at any price* Enough upon that subject. As short sermons seem to be the order of the day, I may be allowed to touch upon that which will benefit myself, that which will increase our faith and tend to our education and good, that we may go to our homes rejoicing in the truth and in the privileges of the new and everlasting covenant. Now with regard to the poor, I have a few words to say. I have a text about sending to the Missouri river to bring home the poor. The Lord says, " Blessed is he that considereth the poor : the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will pre- serve him and keep him alive ; and he shall be blessed upon the earth : and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies " — Psalm xli., 1, 2. Such an one will be blessed of the Lord for sending out his beasts, and for taking the poor, even the stranger to his house ; his light shall shine in darkness, and shall appear as at the noon-day. Now then we have considered the poor, we have sent our teams, our oxen and all that was necessary to bring them to our houses. And I will here observe that I wish, that inasmuch as they have come to our mountain home, to the th resh - hold of Zion, that every man would so conduct himself as to meet with the approving smile of Heaven, then their light would break forth and shine in the darkness as resplendently as the noon-day sun, We all want JOURNAL OP DISCOURSES our brethren and sisters at home ; then let us lend a helping hand. Now just go down there to the public square and see what you can do. Take the poor home to your houses, and God Almighty bles.s you from this time henceforth and for ever* It is our imperative duty to walk in the light, to see that our pathway is clear and plain before us, and let us so live that it may be clear. Bishops, allow me to say a word to you. In the vicinity where 1 have been laboring for the last two years and-a-half, I have seen the evil of spreading out so far. We are and have seemed to be anxious to take tip all the land that we could find, and then keep putting in seed until the first we put in is ripe and ready for harvesting. This has been the case with all of us, more or less, in fact it has been so much so that neither man nor woman has had time to clean out the filth and bedbugs, so much so that they have got the upper hand of us. We talk of subduing nations, of becoming kings and priests unto Cod, but amidst all our great talk we have not subdued the vermin with which we are pestered in our newly created homes. We sometimes talk about messengers coming from heaven to visit us, but I doubt whether the angels will come to commune with us until we are in a different situation. I will now go back to the wheat field, and speak a little of that. The brethren in our section thought thej would not plant so much grain but let the ground rest. In process of time the wheat came up in large quantities j we had water plenty, and we had such immense crops that we had not men enough to reap the gi ain that was raised, and hence we had all the work to do ourselves. We did all we could, but much of the grain has gone back into the earth because we had not help enough to gather it* Our wives and sisters volunteered to assist their husbands and fathers, and they did all they could. We hear a great deal of talk about women's rights at times, but if you will come down to Sanpete you will see women's rights conventions, and they take especial pleasure in doing as they like. To return to the subject of grain, I can truly say that we can sustain our present population and all the emigration that is coming this year. We have this to say of our blessings in return for sendirg all our teams to gather the poor; no we did not send them quite all, there was one yoke of oxen left to five farms, after filling up the bill for the Missouri river. In addition to these we had a few first-class horse teams, and thus we managed to put in a little grain, but a great deal of it grew without our doing anything to it ourselves, and thus the Lord blessed us with the dcsiies of our hearts, and with a rich reward for what we had done towards the gathering of his people. We are now showing that we can raise fruit down there, and by-and-bye I may have tbe satisfaction of eating the fruit of my own raising in Sanpete, for I have no doubt but our apple t rees will produce good fruit in due time. Our teams are now returning; I met some of them as I was coming to Conference, and I felt to say the Lord be praised, you have performed a good mission, and the Lord has blessed our labors and also the labors of those who have been out on the plains. I feel that the crops that have been raised in such great abundance with so little labor have been by the good- ness of the Almighty, and I feel that we have worked ourselves almost into life everlasting. You may think that I am going into a great many things, but I do not expect to hit them all, but I shall touch a few of them as they come up before me. I want to say to the Bishops, that it is their business to B0W TO OBTAIN, ETC* 73 direct the energies of the Saints, and where they see a man who is inclined to spread out and sow some forty or fifty acres of wheat, I want them to tell such men to go to work and build good houses. Tell the blacksmiths to go to blacksmithing, the carpenter to his trade, and every other mechanic to his business, and do not let us be as we have been heretofore. When a man has wanted anything doing by a mechanic it has been almost iropos- si ble to get it done. For instance, I would go to a blacksmith's shop and say I want a horse shod, u Oh, ? * says the smith, " I can't, I must go and cut my grain, or I must go and irrigate it ; 9 and there aie perhaps half-a-dozen men that are in this manner cut short of their labor, by one man refusing to work at his trade, and all men being determined to be farmers. Then I gay let the blacksmith attend to his blacksmithing and let him charge a reasonable price for his labor, and not, as has been the custom, charge three or four prices. Let the joiner do likewise, working constantly at that which will most conduce to the build- ing up of Zion, and let the farmer raise the grain. Where you find a man who has plenty of grain to serve him from three to five years, and plenty of teams and wagons too, tell him to go to work and build for his family a comfortable dwelling house, and point out to him that he is in this vvay finding employment for the mechanics, making his family com- fortable and building up Ziom Teach each man to work at his trade and calling, and let the farmer take hold with his might of that which is his profession, but have a little time to breathe and rest. As it is now, we go into the garden and we work like Sam Hill, leaving no time for rest. *' By-the-bye that means me " but I must hew to the line, no matter who is hit. (A voice : Never mind your- self, just go ahead.) Now then for the flax. Have we got it on hand that we can make onr own ropes ? No, only a very little in comparison to the demand. We have a rope factory, and we have hemp growing in our county, and we have made many attempts to raise flax, and we do raise a little but we never use it. It is either left in the sun till the coat is burnt off, or we allow it to be trampled down in the yard by the cattle* In this country we cannot rot the flax in the dews, we must put it into water, a shallow pond is the most suitable, so far as I understand the matter. New, it is better for each of us to raise about ten acres of wheat, and then devote the rest of our time to the flax and hemp. I was raised to wear a tow frock, but the tow would wear off in a short time. If we would raise some and devote a little time to the proper culture of it, attend to each depart- ment in its season, the rotting, the hetcheling and the spinning and weaving we should be much better off than we now are* But no, it takes us the whole time, and it seems that we must devote the entire season to raise and take care of our grain, and especially the wheat. The time has now come for us to classify our labor and change our policy. I believe I have said as much as is necessary on these subjects, as I wish to say a few things concerning the times and seasons. Now concerning the times and seasons in which we live. The Lord says by the mouth of Isaiah " Thus saith thy Lord the Lord, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury ; thou shalt no more drink it again : but I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee ; vhich have said to thy soul, bow down, that we may go over : and thou hast laid thy body as the 74 JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES. ground, and as the street, to them that went over," — Isaiah li. 22 and 23. What are you going to do with this text, my friends ? I will put it into the hands of them that have afflicted thee. What was that army up here for ? They were sent as agents of the Almighty to take away this cup of trembling, which had afflicted us for so many years, and they carried it away with them down yonder, and they then began to drink of it arid have been drinking of it ever since. Do you know that there was a kind of tremor with some of us at that time ? But I tell you what it is, the nerves have become settled, and those who sought to make us drink the dregs are drinking them now, and they will continue to do so until the dregs i are all drunk out* I have no feeling against any one, and I regret exceed- ingly that those of whom I speak 1 should have brought upon themselves these terrible calamities which now afflict our once happy country. If I understand the spirit that I am of, those that do the will of God will not hereafter feel that pitta-pat of trembling which they have been accustomed to feel, for the Lord says, M I will take it away from them," and 1 he has done it, and we feel it If they have not got the cup full yet, and do not get it in 1863, all I can say is I will wait till they do, for the Almighty will make them that have afflicted his people drink the drags of that bitter cup of trembling. And this is not all, I can look very far into the future, but as far as I can see it is a dark and gloomy picture. I could not but be forcibly struck with the remarks of brother Young in relation to the nation growing more guilty and more corrupt, therefore are they being scourged so severely. The Prophet and Revelator John says, " And I heard a great voice out of the temple, say to the seven angels, go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which wor- shipped his image. And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man ; and every living soul died in the sea. And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters : and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judge I thus. For they have shed the blood of Saints and Prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink : for they are worthy* And I heard another out of the altar say, even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments." — Rev. xvi. 1 — 7, Bid not the enemies of the Lord attempt to feed the martyrs Joseph and Hyrum Smith with the flesh of their brethren ? Look at the testi- mony of Hyrum Smith, Now they have set the example of war, of cruelty, and it will come double upon their own heads; but, says the Lord, upon my house shall it begin. And now these afflictions have been rolled oft from our shoulders on to them, and they will be sorely punished for their iniquity. These things will come to pass* I need not predict anything about these calamities^ greater men than I am have predicted in reference to these things, therefore I only need to bear my testimony to the truth of that which has been pre- dicted. In the fierceness of the battle the fainting soldier will bow down to slake his parched thirst with the blood of his fellow. If this has not transpired it may in the future, for the horrors of war will be terrible to contemplate. | Many curious things lie hid in the [ future which will astonish the world. OUR DUTIES TO GOD, ETC 75 It is bow a great time for digging gold ; and this reminds me that I had a dream, in which I learned how to dig gold. I saw the gold where- ever I went, lying about on the ground; I could pick it up in the night, but in the day time it could not be seen by anybody. While con- templating this, the Spirit said unto me, "Don't you know that light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not ?" 2fow here it is, in the form or shape of a reward that cometh to the faithful, and with our purified gold we are called upon to buy that field, even the kingdom of God. Never ask yourselves what the seller of that field does with the price of it \ this is nothing to you or me. And if there are liabilities upon the President of this Church let us raise them from his shoulder, and let the servants of God go as fre* as the lark of the morning. Brethren and sisters, I do not wish to occupy more than my share of the time, therefore my remarks I bequeath to you with the best feelings of my soul, and I feel that if the services of such an hunil >le individual as myself can be of use, I shall feel ever ready to render this service. God bless you for ever. Amen. OUR DUTIES TO GOD PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHER OBLIGA- TIONS. — DANGER OF SPECULATION. IieinarJcs hy President Hebe it C. Kimball, made in the Bowery, Great Salt LaJce City, Oct. 6, 1862. REPORTED BY J. V, LONG. I wonder if there is a person in this vast congregation to-day but what feels that all those instructions given apply to himself. I feel disposed for one to take what has been said to myself, and I do not think there is a man here who is so righteous that he cannot apply the greater portion of what brother Brigham has said to himself, I know it is very common for ns to make observations like this when any of the brethren have been chastised : Well, I gness some of the brethren have received a pretty good chastisement to-dav, but it don't touch me. Don't you know thut this is very common ? That jacket does not suit me, says one. Why did it not suit you ? Because you did not put it on. If you had put it on, it would have been like a piece of raw hide or a piece of India-rubber, then it would have pinched when it became dry, Now I do not believe that there is a person here who might not be bene- fited by these lessons of correction and instructions, for we can all make im- provement in ourselves, in our daily walk and conversation. I know that I can cultivate myself and improve in JOUKXAJ, of discourses. 70 many ways, and I feel that I am im- proving arid advancing in the things of God- Some will say, are you not too old to learn ? I say no, for I consider if I am too old to improve, I am too old to live. When a man has done learning, he had better leave and go hence. I think I understand correctly what President Young has been talking about, and lie wishes every one of us to accept of it and put it in practice. In regard to those independent companies alluded to, I really do not know whether I would lead them or not. I know that the first com- pany that I was gathered with, of which President Young has spoken to-day, and which embraced nearly all the male members there were in the Church, brother Joseph said, come brethren, bring your money with you and bring 1 all you h ave. We gathered brethren from Nova Scotia and from all the States where we had any, and then we travelled forty miles in an independent condition, that is, every man had his money in his pocket and was calculating to have, but when we got to Portage, Joseph called upon that independent com- pany and organized it with captains of hundreds, of fifties and tens, with officers to lead and control them. Then he nominated and we accepted a pay-master and treasurer, and every officer necessary to a permanent orga- nization. Then he said, Brethren, I want you to come together, and bring your money with you, I do not want any donations, but I want every one to bring every cent he has got, Some had not any, some had a hundred dollars ; some had a shilling, and the brethren handed over what they had to the pay-master. We were then taught that we should be subject to the law and government of God. It is an important thing for a man -to lead the people of God, and unless they will subject themselves to him and to the officers of the Church a Prophet cannot lead them ; it is an impossibility. This course of obedi- ence is the one we have to take. Talk aI>out building up the kingdom of God on the earth, how can you do it except you go to work with your might to practice as well as preach, and labor and toil with all your might by day and by night, and by this means every man in the Church « ' Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints w i ; ! become independent. I was reflect ing upon these things when brother Joseph brought tilings to terms. Then if we are ready to do as we are told, to follow the counsel of the servants of God, won't our offering* be accepted ? I say they will. When we went on that journey, Joseph told us there was an endow- ment laid up for us ; for what ? Be- cause we had done just as we were told ; and I can bear testimony that we received that endowment. Have we got through with our endow- ments? No, we have not; we haw? only jnst commenced, merely received the initiative ordinances, and we are only children in these things yet, but if we are faithful, we shall receive all that our hearts can desire, for the Almighty will withhold no good thing from them that love him and keep his commandments. " You will doubtless recollect reading of a certain woman in the Scriptures who was rather ambitious, and there- fore wished to have her sons cccupy a conspicuous place about the Savior's person. The account of the circum- stance is related by St. Matthew in the following language : — " Then came to him the mother of Zebedee\s children, with her sons worshiping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. And he said unto her, what wilt thou ? She saith unto him, grant these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on * fhy left, in thy kingdom . Bat Jesus answered and said, ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with : but, to sit on my right hand, and on my left is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father,"— Mat. xx 20—23. Here we find set forth by the Savior the doctrine that it belongs to the Father to give each oge his place in that kingdom, hereafter to be in- herited by the faithful Saints. Now let me ask, can we walk with Jesus in the regeneration that is spoken of? But before I proceed further, let me ask, what is the regeneration? I should call it an improvement, or an advancement in the things of God. By some it is said to be the change and renovation of the soul by the Spirit and grace of God. Then, again, it is called the new birth, Titus is somewhat more explicit upon the subject Ho savs, " But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior -toward man appeared , not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regenera- tion, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost j which he shed on us abun- dantly, ♦ through Jesus Christ our Savior; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life/* And our Savior speaking to Nico- demus, s?ys, " Verily I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Tn another place Jesus says : — " Verily I say unto you, that ye which fol- lowed me in the regeneration, when the Son of Man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." — Matt. xix. 98, Many other passages might be quoted to show how the doctrine of regeneration was taught by Christ and his Apostles, but these will be sufficient for my purpose at the pre- sent I know that we, the Elders of Israel, are walking with Jesus in the regeneration, and we are becoming regenerated in Christ Jesus, and the blessings of the kingdom are being multiplied unto us day by day, and we shall continue to be enriched for ever and for ever* What ! in pro- perty ? Yes, and in every thing that is good. If it were not so, how could you possess all things, which aro certainly promised through progres- sion and faithfulness, I suppose I felt as the Apostles did anciently, when I went with the Elders into the State of Ohio, and through the New England States to the State of Maine. We called the people together and organized them into Conferences, and we went to work and selected wise men to receive and take the fnoneys of the brethren and purchase lands in Mis- souri, We performed our duties and were faithful unto the Lord, arid if all the people had been as faithful as we were we should have gained an advantage ; but as it is, I know that the day will come when we shall possess that land, and I can tell you that I expect to have and possess nil that I merit, in the own due time of the Lord, When the kingdom triumphs, every man will be rewarded according to his works, and will receive that which is designed for him, and in all things be blessed according to his merits* By merit I mean that which a man earns, and you will see the day when you will get nothing bat what you earn by your works and your integrity to God and your brethren, I recollect when we returned from our mission to Missouri, Joseph said, " Now, brethren, it is a good time to get property; now is the time for you to get rich." Well, it was one of JoraNAL of nifirrvrnsTis. 78 the most trying times the Church ever saw* Most of the Twelve went into speculation, and half of them turned away. I went to Joseph and asked what I had best do, and he replied that it wag a good time to get an education, or, said he, you may go a preaching, just as you please, and God will bless you in either. I went out preaching, and also some others, and some went to speculating, and we have never seen them since, excepting one or two of them. It was so with the ancient Apostles, When Jesus was crucified his disciples said, '* Come, brethren, let us go a fishing," and off they went fishing* But they did not make much till Jesus came along by the sea side, made a fire and broiled some fish, and when he asked them if they had any meat, they answered him, No. Then he said unto tliem, cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find* In regard to this work, I know that it will roll on, and the kingdom will be built up, the elect gathered, and the chosen ones go back to the centre stake of'Zion. There are a great many that are remaining in the States till we go back, bat I can tell them they will have to come here, for this is the only way there is for the true Saints to get to Jackson County, and they will find it out to be so in due time. Let us serve God, brethren and sisters, with all our hearts, minds, might, souls and strength, and all will go well and we shall triumph. As it was anciently, so it is in this age, the Saints must come to the mountains, the depot of the kingdom of God to get their blessings and prepare them for the future glory of Zion. Let us take that course which will make us independent of all other people upon the earth ; I know that this is the course for us to take all the time. Then we should put our minds together, and our mites also, to build up the kingdom of God ; and if we will do this, being of one spirit, we shall prosper in all things, I know of no other way for us to become of one heart and one mind in regard to the things of the kingdom of God, By pursuing this course we shall increase in the knowledge of the truth, and ere long the angels will come to visit us, and Father will talk to us in relation to his purposes and the introduction of his govern- ment Let us endeavor to attain these blessings, for they are ours through faithfulness and diligence in well-doing. No good man wishes to force any- body into heaven, but it is for every one of us to strive and labor in righte- ousness to secure an interest there for ourselves. The righteous have no reason to fear, though all the com- bined powers of the wicked, visible and invisible, be arrayed against them ; faithfulness will preserve them. Brethren and sisters, we should all be like clay in the hands of the potter, and I want the people to learn that we shall all be rewarded according to the amount of our works, just as the potter is paid for his labors, in pro- portion to what he does. God bless this people for ever. Amen. (iOD AXOXE BESTOWS, ETC, 79 <50D ALONE BESTOWS THE EVIDENCES OF HIS DIVINE INTERPOSITIONS. — OPPOSITION TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. COMING EVENTS. Bemarks by Elder Obson Hyde, made in Hie Tabernacle^ Great Salt Lake CU\j t January 25, 1S63. REPORTED BY J, V. LONG* Notwithstanding the inclement and uncomfortable state of the weather, the wheels of time do not cease to Toll and bring a few of us together on the morning of the first day of the iveek, to worship the King and Lord of Hosts. I am grateful for this opportunity of addressing you f my brethren and sisters, for a short time. It is not the weather, it is not the might and power of nations that can stay the progress of Jehovah's designs. We are living, as you all know, I trust, in a momentous period of the world. I will here remark that in the course of some conversations I have recently had with certain individuals, we have had occasion to enquire somewhat into the purposes and designs of the great Creator in these days in which we live. It would be impossible to point out all his purposes and designs ; suffice it to say that it is highly satis- factory to the just and to the upright that we can know somewhat concern- ing them ; and the fact of our being called as co-workers with him to labor in the carrying out of his pur- poses and designs is an honor to us that few can appreciate. We are permitted to assemble here and in other places also from time to time to be instructed in the ways of the Lord, for the express purpose of making us acquainted with his purposes designed in thf boaora of eternity, to be brought about and accomplished in this dispensation, called the Fulness of Times; and this, that we may be the better prepared to co-operate with our Lord and Master in the bringing of them about, and also be better pre- pared to meet those events when they shall transpire. A short time ago a gentleman asked me if I really knew this to be the work of God, for, said he, " If I did, most cordially would I embrace the doctrines which are taught by your people as emanating from the Most High ; yes, I would willingly resign all worldly honor and my position in life also, and bow with humble sub- mission to the requirements of your faith." I observed something like this, We are not to be the judges of the amount of evidence required to bring mankind under condemnation before God for rejecting the truth. We may fancy to ourselves that we would like to see the dead raised from their sleeping tombs ; we may fancy that we would like to see the moun- tains broken down, the valleys exalted or the floods in their course stayed at the behest of the servants of God ; we may indulge in ideas and desires similar to these, yet said I, if there be an amount of evidence addressed to your understanding, which seals con- viction upon your heart with regard to the truth, how will you meet that conviction in a coming day, when we come to stand before God and the spirits of just men made perfect? Do you think you can then open your mouth and say, " I knew thee that SO JOUBXAL 01 thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strewed : and I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth : lo, there thou hast that is thine. His Lord answered and said unto him, " Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I had not strewed ? thou oaghtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take there- fore the talent from him and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance : but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And east ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: thei^e shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth/ 7 — Matthew xxv. 24 — 30, Or will you be like the man who was found in the assembly without the wedding garments, and unto whom it was said " Friend how earnest thou here ?" What argument did he make, and what had he to say for himself? He was dumb. Remem- ber then, I say, that it is the Judge of all the earth that parcels out the evidences of his divine interposition unto man, not according to man's tra- ditions but according to that wisdom which is in the bosom of the Eternal, knowing just the calibre of men and what it will require to turn the scale of reason and to penetrate the soul of every individual. It is for High Heaven to do this, and the Lord Almighty will not judge according to our desires, but he will judge accord- ing to the amount of evidence that he himself is pleased to give to each person. A few remarks upon this subject, brethren and sisters, may not be amiss at the present time, I have noticed the providences that have attended this people fjom their origin DISCOURSES. in the year 1830, and I have noticed this, that a prejudice has been in- dulged in, by those who did not choose to embrace the Gospel, against the people of the Saints. There has ever been a kind of feeling indulged in by the world that the Saints were going to do something very bad, something dreadful ; but what have they done up to the present time? The reply is, Why really nothing that we can establish against them. This is. the view that has been taken 06 the Saints by those who knew us not, but the very course that we are now taking has been the course that has thwarted the wicked in their every design. The way their sails are now set indicates that they design some * evil, some mischief, and they have said within themselves, Let us fore- stall the pending difficulty and remove the danger before we encounter it. This has been the feeling of the world, so far as my acquaintance extends in connection with the pro- gress of events * and advancement of this people. Storms have been drawn around us, repeatedly, and caused us to be broken up and expelled from the land where we had made our homes; not that we had done am~- thing, but because the wicked foolishly believed that we were going to do something that was dangerous and desperate. Now all the world is against us, and the learning of this world lias ever been opposed to the righteous- ness of God. In the beginning of this work those that were sent to advocate the Gospel were unlearned ; as a general thing they were unskilled in the ways of the world. Unculti- vated and untutored boys were sent forth to proclaim the words of life, and what was the simple message they were sent to bear ? Repent, for the hour of the visitation of Jehovah is at hand, repent and embrace the Gospehl I* did not require much learning to make this announcement ; it was a plain simple message. If, for instance, your house was on fire, and the news went to the sources of help, the most illiterate could declare the fact as well as the most learned man in the world. He would simply have to say, such a man's house is on fire, and every one could understand that The simple proclamation of the Gospel was just as easy to be understood. Now, if it were some difficult dinlomatic negotiation which required to be entered into, it would require all the em hellish men ts of art to secure it a passage through, but the simple message of the Gospel required no such learning, it was simply to cm II upon the people to repent and to inform them that the chastising arm of Jehovah was about to fall upon the nations. We went forth, we made this announcement throughout the length and breadth of the United Statej, not only once but twine? and thrice, and in fact all the day long until we created such a storm around us as to drive us beyond the confines of civilized man, and how cruel was the ordeal ! It was no less crut'l on the part of those that inflicted the wrong, although on the part of Jehovah it was an act of mercy to allow the wicked to drive us, or to cause us to be placed in these valleys off lie mountains. The Heavens fore- saw the danger, but we knew it not ; but our Father knew it and that was enough. Was there not a Providence over us ? Did he not deal kindly with his people ? And has he not done so from the beginning ? When the Saints escaped from Missouri and subsequently from Illi- nois ; when we wandered over the prairies and found a resting place for a season in an Indian country, and when we furnished five hundred of our best men, leaving our women and children unprotected in an Indian country, while they went to fight their No. 6. country's battles, and to secure to the country that had permitted us to be driven from our homes the very land upon which we now dwell was there not, I ask, a kindly Providence over them that went and also over them that remained ? Yes, there was. We came into these valleys under the protecting care of our heavenly Father. We came with a few old crazy wagons, and many of us but very poor teams, for be it known unto you that the people who took our homes put them at their own prices, and paid out their own commodities ; and if they had an old wagon which they thought would bear up till wo got beyond the con- fines of civilization they would turn it out, considering that would be long enough for it to last us* In this way we came to these valleys, and had to so live till we got something from an untried soil, not knowing whether a peck of wheat, corn or potatoes could be raised from it, but Heaven blest our labors, Pro- vidence smiled upon our exertions and we made out to continue alonsr until the land became abundantly blessed, and now our granaries are filled with plenty If the wrath of God had been against this people to the same extent that the wrath of man was against us, where would we have been to-day ? Annihilated ! Nothing would have been left of us, and our career would have been highly colored on the pages of history, and sent down to posterity with the sting of the An at he mist upon it. But the wrath of Heaven was not upon us ; it was only the wrath of man. Do you not see the difference between the wrath of Heaven and the wrath of man ? If our enemies had been one with the Almighty, or if he had been one with them, we should have been obliterated long before this* But here, in us, is the evidence that the world and the Almighty do not Vol X. 82 JOUBNAL OF exactly agree* They never did, and they never will agree, and hence I say the Saints will live when the ungodly shall wither and die; when the wicked are in ruin and disgrace, this people will flourish under the blessing of our Father and God. These things, although silent, are upon the pages of history, they are still in the memories of men, but though silent they speak in language too powerful for the world to conceive their strength and weight in the balances which shall determine their future destiny. Like the other por- tions of Jehovah's creation, the great family of planets i evolve around their centre, they move in their majesty, although in silence ; you can see them but not hear them : thev cease not to move ; the course of their speed and their velocity is the same continual ly , and yet, though they move in silence, they speak in language too powerf ul to be misunderstood, and in thunder tones declare the voice of the Almighty, Well might an individual say, who does not consider these shining works of the Creator, 0, that I had some evidence that these are the works of the Almighty, I would adore him for ever ! Bless you, these are better evidences that the Almighty exists and rules in the heavens above than any that mortal can adduce, showing hourly, daily and nightly, that they are governed by law, and proclaiming to all nations that the Lord is God, that by him they are made, by him they are con- trol !ed, and that he views all the works of his hands with an impartial eye. Whoever will look upon the history of the Saints and see the providences of the Almighty that have attended them, must see that these Divine j interpositions speak in evidence too powerful to be resisted, I confess that these are arguments more potent than I am capable of adducing at the DISCOURSES, present time. Now he that will look at these things and ran them over in his mind, will readily see that these - are evidences of divinity in our religion. Where is there another people over whom Heaven has exer- cised these peculiar providences ? Why is the world at war with us ? It is because we are not like them. If we would go to work and establish about forty tipling shops, as many gambling houses, and as many houses of ill-tame, bless you we could get- into the Union without any trouble ; the track would be clear, the wheels greased, and we would go right in ; but, because we are not so inclined there is a good deal of friction about it, they fear that we are going to do something dreadful. Now, I can tell you that we are not going to do any- thing very wonderful nor very shock- ing, but if we are faithful and keep ourselves unspotted from the wi rid, our God is going to astonish the nations ; he is going to do something both wonderful and mighty, and it will be dreadful to the wicked ; he will show this and every other nation that lift their hands against his anointed that they will henceforth cease to be a nation* He has com- menced his work already, but he is only giving the alphabet now, we sha^l be getting into the pictures by-and- faffift When I was a boy and went to school we studied Webster's spelling book, and when we goialong a piece with our lessons, we used io say I have got over to the pictures now, and the time is near at hand when we shall see such pictures exhi- bited by the hand of the Almighty as were never before witnessed by mortal eye; that will be a trying time. The field of learning is boundless, and I venture to say that the most learned man in the world is far more studious when he gets into higher branches than when he first com- THE OBJECT OF GATHERING, ETC, 83 menced his studies, for he can discover fields of learning which before he could not conceive of, and so it is with the works of Jehovah ; there is always a field in which the Almighty can display his power and his goodness, and it is enlarging all the time. Brethren and sisters, I do not feel disposed on this cold morning to detain you any great length of time, but suffice it to say that I am glad of the opportunity of meeting with you, and I feel in my heart to say God bless the Saints — Heaven's blessing be with them. This is my desire, it is my earnest prayer, and if we can lb live as to be without spot, and blameless in the day of the coming of the Lord Jesus it will amply compen- sate for all our toils, all our priva- tions, and for all onr labors of love in the kingdom of God. That this may be the ease with us, is my earnest and sincere prayer, in the name of Jesus* Amen. THE OBJECT OF G AT II ERTINTG. — THE HAPPY EFFECTS OP OBELtfENCE TO THE GOSPEL.— THE MEANS BIT WHICH THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS TO BE ESTABLISHED ON THE EARTH, Discourse by Elclr A mas a M. Lyman, ildicered in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Labi City, October 7, 1862. REPORTED BY G. D. WATT, I do not know that it is necessary for me to tell you that I am glad to be here. If you have but a little of the feeling that influences me, you know very well that 1 am glad to be here. I am not glad to be here because my mission is ended, for such I do not consider to be the case at all We often say we have been on a mission, and have fulfilled a mission, and have returned as though that something had been completed and accomplished. I have been on a mission, but I have not come from a mission, or from that mission. I have been on a mis- sion ; I have come home on a mis- sion ; I am still on a mission. The obligations of JJiat mission, I feel, are not ceasing, not becoming less, but they increase from day to day and from year to year with the increase of knowledge and understanding and the apprehension of the principles nf truth, I am here to-day for the same purpose, fur the prosecution of the same labor that I have been in, in every place that I have occupied as a minister of the truth since I first became ac- quainted with its principles, and by such acquaintance I became connected with the Work of God. My text m furnished me in the people that are before me to-day. Who could look upon this assembly and be so dull, so stupid that the in- quiry would not arise in his mind, What are we here for?_ Why all this gathering together of this mixed 8i JOURNAL 0* multitude of people; people from so many nations; people of different tongues, of different customs, different traditions and notions, yet having one and tbe same feeling in reference to a few of tbe details that make up the great aggregate of life's actions ? For what purpose have we been gathered together from distant nations? Some may have thought that our gathering here was only for the sake of being together, for the sake of creating a multitudinous community. The mul- titude we see assembled here to-day are here because the kingdom of God is to be built up ; for if the kingdom of God is to be built up, there must be people lo constitute it; there must be a people to be ruled, or the rulers would have nothing over which to rule. If the mere assembling of the people together constitutes the king- dom of God now, why has it not con- 1 tit u ted the kingdom of God at other times ? People have assembled together be fui e ; com m u n ities h a ve existed before, yet the existence of such communities lias not and Hoes not now constitute them the kingdom of God, One reason why the gather- ing together of the people does wot constitu;e the kingdom of God is, tli r t the mere gathering of the people is not particularly an intellectual operation, it does not of itself par* ticularly inform the j udgment or en- lighten the mind in reference to God, | and man's relationship to God and his purposes. We commenced our labors with you in lands far distant from this we preaehed the Gospel to you ; listening to that, and receiving the testimony of the servants of God and following the course that was indicated by them, you have become changed in your circumstances and locality. You were located in other parts of tho globe and were citizens of other nations, but now you are here located in the peaceful vales of Discotrnsrcs. Utah. It is now time for the gathered Saints to begin to learn still mure, if i they have not already l>egun 10 do so; and if they have begun to learn, to con- tinue to lean* something of the reason why they are gathered together, that they may be able to discover the true relationship between the actions they perform, the labors, duties and ser- vices that are required of them, and the development, increase and growth into strength and power of the king- dom of God on the earth. When ^ve talk about the kingdom of God our thoughts are apt to travel away from scenes; of earth, as though it were a matter ot the ideas ah ne and no' con- nected with our earthly operations, labors, duties z:ud services. There is no action ui life, no labor that we perfurm, no relationship that we sustain to God and one another, but what should be connected directly with the development of tbe kingdom of God. Says one, — 41 We must be- come perfect and holy ; we must become God-like; we must become like the an gel is or like the spirits of the just who dwell with God " This is true; hut where is that trans- formation, that change in our condi- tion, feelings and circumstances to be wrought out — in heaven or on earth, at home or abroad? Where is* the school in which we are to he taught the plain, si n pie, unvarnished admi- nistrations of truth in a way to bring it within th± range of our feeble con. prehension of truth that we may understand it ? Are we to learn it in any one place to the exclusion of all others ? No. Are we to learn God and truth where we live? Yes, If not, where in Heaven *s name do you expect to learn of him ? Do you li e in heaven with God ar»d his angels ? No ; you live here on the earth, here in Utah among the rug- ged mountains that are around us. All you know you know here, and all you can learn you must learn here THE OBJECT OF i while you are here. To acquire a knowledge of God is eternal life, That appears to many to be a great something. I say something, because people know nothing of God, Where are yoa going to obtain a knowledge of God. People talk about going to heaven, but when we find ourselves in heaven we shall find that we have reached it without going to it. Heaven is a development of internal powers and external changes. We learn to know God now as human beings, influenced by the e Sects of sin and folly, de- graded and surrounded with darkness, misery and wretchedness. Shall we wait until these are put oil before we can learn of God and get to know that which will constitute in us that, knowledge which is eternal life? No, We came here to the valleys of Utah in obedience to the requirements of the Gospel, simply that we might here continue to be taught. We camo to this distant region to learn of God. How ? By, in the first place, learn- ing ourselves. Can we know* God in this way? Yes; we can know* him in no other way. We cannot go to where he is, to be taught of him per- sonally and to associate with him. What have wo in this world that gives a truthful indication of his character to the mi ad that is open to the light of truth ? We have ourselves been made in the image of God. Then it is essentially necessary that we should learn ourselves as au all-important step to the knowledge of God, We must learn to correct our lives and our actions ; we must learn to govern ourselves and sanctify our aU'ection.s, that we may be prepared to hold com- munion with heavenly intelligences. The kingdom of God is established ' now for the development and increase of its principles within us, to reflect light on the darkness that surrounds us and reveal to our understanding the true relationship we sustain to GATHERING, ETC, 85 God, and the reason why the requiie- ments of the Gospel are laid upon us and why we can be saved by listen- ing to them, and why \vft are not saved if we refuse to listen to them. When the sound of the Gospel first reached me, I used to have this childish idea, that if I ever knew the truth it must be because the heavens would be opened for me to gaze upon the glory that is within the vail, and this would be the only assurance I could receive that the Gospel is true. I lived under the influence of this idea until I passed measurably from the condition of childhood, of hearing as a child and understanding as a child. When X began to approximate towards a riper condition of mind, I became satisfied that it was not by merely looking at something that the mind became enlightened ; that it was not by merely guessing at something that is incomprehensible that knowledge is developed in the soul. I learned that the Gospel was . true in a very simple way. The Gospel required me to pursue an upright, just, virtu- ! ous, honest course of life with alt the world around me and to live at peace ' with all men. I commenced living iu the world without quarreling with anybody ; I followed the dictation of i he Gospel and its requirements, and it has saved me from war, contention and strife with my fellowman, from quarreling with my family, with my brethren, with my friends and with my neighbors. In this way I found ; or.t that so much of the Gospel was tine, and I did not have to go to heaven to find this out neither, This is the way I want yota to begin to learn God, and the consequences will be peace and the joy that springs from peace. Then heaven will be in the home where you dwell, in tholand and country where you live, in your associations with your friends and neighbors and kindred in 'ill life's ! varied relations. Ano* conse- 86 JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES. qnence will ue a constant in-d welling of the Spirit of God ; that Spirit that brings life and light, and knowledge and understanding to the soul of man, that quickens the intellect of man and sanctifies every power to hold communion with still higher and holier principles. We say we want the Holy Spirit; then let us so live our religion that we may have the Holy Spirit, which will improve our condition continually, making us better and better citizens of the kingdom of God with every degree of gain over ourselves. In this way we may cultivate and deve* lop in us individually the principle of immortality that will constitute, when applied to the great body of the people of God, the immortality of his kingdom, the basis of its eternal and deathless perpetuity. Then the de- velopment, of the kingdom of God in power on earth, temporally, depends upon the self-culture of its members, upon the culture of the feelings that rule the soul and that give character to the action of the eieaiure. When we consider that purity of life is necessary and requisite to qualify a man to be a citizen of the kingdom of God, w r e shall cultivate that quality and labor for its development and increase. To how many of the infinitesimal details of lilVs actions does this principle extend ? It should extend to them all. We cannot do any wrong that will render us ac- ceptable to God and make us Letter. That is righ t which improves and gi ves life. There is a right way and a wrong one to all we do. If we cultiVate the ground there is a way which, if pursued, will be fruit- ful of consequences, the most dis- astrous, while an opposite way will produce profit and reward us for our labors. There is a way that is fruit- ful uf noxious weeds where something better should grow, and this is as truthfully the result of the conduct of the farmer as is the rich harvest of healthy grain that affords him bread and sustenance. Some people think they can pray the weeds out of their fields and gardens, but their prayers can only be etTect.ua! when accom- panied with a reasonable amount of honest labor rightly and wisely ap- plied. I am in favor of praying. I love to pray myself, and I love to have the Saints pray. But when you have a great many weeds growing on your laud, pray for your land, and do not forget to go out on to that land and pull up. remove and destroy by your diligent labor the weed-plants that so much annoy you. We have been told that the Lord will not plant our grain for ns and cultivate our fields. We are here to learn how to do that for ourselves, if we do not kn3w. This part of our education we hare to gain, if we have not already gained it ; and this will enable us to aid in the building up and development in its greatness and power of the kingdom of God, Let uur labor be so applied, that when we bow down before our heavenly Father to ask him t-- bless anything we have or do, that we can do so consistently. Let ns hoe up the weeds and enrich our fields, and ask God to give us a bountiful crop to reward our toils. We will do all we can do, and then ask God to bless that labor and leave the result with him. If your wa^on has been fixed in the mud get hold of the wheel yourself and lift all you can, and then ask somebody else to help you if you need help. There is another field that is equally taxed with the support of a noxious growth : I refer to ourselves at home. We cam* about with us our notions, our habits of thought; and our habits of thought give cha- racter to our actions. When, for in- stance, the storm of passion is aroused in our bosom, we yield ourselves up to it without an efibrt and uniesist- THE OBJECT OF ingly allow ourselves to be carried away by its influence from a course of propriety and right, and we do wrong and say wrong things. Let rising anger be suppressed ; let the place where it had its incipient being be- come its grave. Never let the mouth utter the word that should not be spoken. This counsel is just as ap- plicable to myself as it is to you, I have learned long since that I was not called to preach the Gospel be- cause I had no improvement to make on myselF, or because I could not be- come any better. I have come to the conclusion thut the more I talk about the ri<*ht and the less I talk about the wrong, and the more I become occu- pied with the right the less danger I shall be in of becoming occupied by the wrong. This is good for me, and, being good forme, I recommend it to the Saints. I want them to live peaceably and quietly with one an- other and learn to do the little things in life's duty right. That we may learn to do this, it is necessary that we should control our passions, for if we do not control them they will control us, and under such control we do wrong. When we control our- selves, the result is equanimity of feeling such as is necessary to the exercise of an enlightened judgment, if such judgment exists within us. Cannot God help us? It altogether depends upon whether we are dis- posed to help ourselves or not. God will help and bless us when we pursue the course that is acceptable to him. If we strive to subdue stormy pas- sions within us, he will assist us in the good work until the Spirit of God is not merely a casual visitor, but a con- stant dweller within us to increase our store of knowledge, extend our views aril make our conceptions of God and truth more as they should be. Let us live in this way and we shall speak kindly of one another and be more charitable to all men. GATHKHING, ETC. Oi The result of our education is dif- ferences of feeling and diflerences in our way of life; we have brought these differences with us from our dis- tant homes. We hare brought with us to Utah more or less of the old notions that have grown with our 1 growth and strengthened with our strength; throughout our lives their influence has been upon us. So far as these are in opposition to the truth and the right, they must be overcome, for as we learn the truth we must exchange our incorrect notions for notions that are correct in reference to living with one another and in reference to our general conduct in life. It is not some service we have to perform at some remote place from where we are now living that will benetit us, but it is how we deport our- selves here towards one another and towards God; how we shall make our farms, cultivate our grounds, and how to use that which we have been blessed with as faithful stewards of the manifold mercies of God. We have much yet to learn; the improve- ments we have not yet made are all to be made, whether they relate to the cultivation of our fields and gardens or to the cultivation of our minds; it is our duty to garnish and embellish them and make them beautiful and lovely as the residence and heritage nf intellectual men and women. This will bring into existence God\s tem- poral kingdom on the earth; then the sanctified and holy and acceptable of his children will dwell in palaces, will be surrounded with wealth, and there will be no desire of their hearts but what may be satisfied. There I will be a fountain opened to them where they may satisfy their thirst, however intense it may be for ought that is good, great and ennobling. Learn, sisters, when you teach the truth to your children who prattle around your knee, and are trying to cultivate a love of it in them, that S8 JOURNAL OF DISCOUHSKS* yon are determining their destiny and your own, and their relationship un- changeably with the increase, per- petual and eternal growth of God's kingdom. Think of this, and do not for a moment pass by those labors of love to your chi.dren as matters of comparatively little value, for in thetn are your hopes of glory, heaven, hap- piness, bliss and joy in that great future of plory we are looking for. He >\v can a mother teach her children the light if she is reckless of it her- self ? How can a father do that if he neglects to set before his household the example of propriety that should constitute the constant and ceaseless labor of a father ? Then, let us re- member that all this work is upon us ; it is to redeem the earth, to be learning how to cultivate and improve its condition; it is to bring into exist- ence a holy nation of men and women before God. Who are they which constitute the bright bos s that worship around the throne of God ? They are men and women and children, such as we see here to-day; intellectual beings like ourselves, who have been educated, taught, trained, led onward ai:d up- ward from a condition of ignorance to the possession of that infinitude of knowledge that makes so incompre- hensible a difference between us. As we are, so were they; and as they are in all their brightness and glory around the throne of God, so may we be with our wives and children, friends and associates in the kingdom of God on earth, when we have travelled along to that state of exaltation to which i they have attained, when we have learned to vanquish the monster of sin and death, rising above him to live in the elements of truth and holiness in a state free from cor- j rapt ion and sin. This has had its beginning here in all our life's labor, care and relationship to one another; the existence beyond this is only the finished constellation of the glory which is commenced here, an ad- vanced stage of its development. We are not so blind and dumb that we cannot comprehend the difference be- tween the household where the words of righteousness are uttered, where examples of purity are set, and that household where such noble examples are not seen. Would you see your children aiound the throne of God? Would you see them clad in glory and crowned with immortality and eternal lives ? Then teach them truth while they prattle around your knee ; learn them to lisp the truth, teach them to love it ere they can fully know ita worth, and as they grow in capacity to reason and understand they will then bless the father and mother that taught them truth and purity, and to hate and despise the wrong and choose the good. Truth will regulate all life's details; I care not how numer- ous they may he, all will yield to the saving, sanctifying, hallowed influence and supreme love of truth. When we teach the truth to our children, it is one of the best proofs that we love the truth ourselves with all our minds, might and strength* If we take this course we shall see the kingdom of God growing ; its outward embellish- ments will appear, its wealth will in- crease and its power will spread abroad on the right hand and on the left until untold millions of earth's children will repose in security, safety and happiness, and be blessed beneath its banner. Then, its temples will rise in beauty, grandeur and glory^ and the home of every Saint will be- come a temple where God will delight to reveal the richness of his blessings to his faithful children. If our God shines as the perfection of beauty out of Zion, Zion must reflect that beauty; it must have an existence in Zion re- flecting its beauty outwardly upon the world around. The glory of Zion must be created by the children of THE OBJECT OP Zion. We cannot attain to this all in a moment We first beer in to make our homes tidy and to subdue every enemy to oar peace, that we may have more comfort* If we wish our chil- dren to have an exulted taste for the lovely and beautiful, create something lovely for them to look upon, let them behold a practical example and ex- hibition of the beautiful and lovely when they are at home; when they go into the garden let them see the development of beauty, and when they come to maturity and remove far away they will think of the paternal home with delight and pleasure as the place where peace reigns, where joy is developed, where the odor of sweet flowers are inhaled by the visitors, greeting our early rising or cheering us when we retire to our rest. This is the picture of the home of a Saint, of him who loves to beautify Zion and exalt the children of Zion above all other people on the earth. It does not follow of necessity that the poor man must possess broad acres* If your garden is no larger than this stand, culti vate it properly, plant fruit trees and other useful plants, and rivet the attention of your growing family to the contemplation of their duty; let them see an example in you from day to day and from year to year which will exercise a salutary influence upon the minds of your children throughout their future lives. If I have not myself been able hitherto to make such a home, it is the home that lives in my mind. I show you the ladder over which you may travel from any condition cf degradation and ignorance to all that is noble, exalted and Godlike. We must start from where we are, and we shall soon see better houses, more fruitful and lovely gardens ; the residences of the Saints will grow into beauty and the cities of the Saints into magnificence. The Prophet Joseph once took me by the arm in the street, and said, GATHERING, ETC, 89 1 " I have so many blessings, and there . is nothing but what you can enjoy in your time and place the same as I do, and so can every man/' But I have prayed this prayer, u If the bestowal of wealth upon thy sen ant, Lord, will muke him a fool and cause him to forsake the truth, may I remain poor until I can bear it" We might as well complain that we were not all born at the same time as to complain ! of any disparity that may exist be- tween us in pecuniary matters. Let the Saints who have just come to these valleys from their fatherland learn to be contented in what soever position they are placed in, that is, when yon are in circumstances that neither you nor your friends can change fur the Letter. To complain of circumstances that cannot at the present be improved would simply be a waste of your time, and your time is precious, for we are not going to , live many years according to the ( common course of things to improve ourselves here. It will be to our ad- vantage to live in this world as long as we ran improve, and the longer we live here nnd improve, the stronger grow the tics that bind us to this existence, I want to see the king- dom of God grow from this small beginning that is right around us, until the whole earth is filled and blessed with its glory as it now blesses and fills the vallej'S of Deseret in a degree. We ate con- nected with an enterprise that is great, noble and honorable, with an enterprise that is not satisfied with a limited acquisition, with a small victory over sin, but it is an enter* prise that grasps the worlds emanci- pation from sin, darkness and death ; it looks at no smaller object than the world's freedom from sin and its con- sequences. Being connected with so great an enterprise, I do not feel any more that I am a worm of the earth, but that 90 JOURNAL OP I am associated with the Gods of eternity, and that angels are my kindred and of my family. This is the way I want the Saints to feel If they feel this way they will shun all wickedness, and seek fur right and try to do it all the time, I for one am engaged in the great work of building up the kingdom of God upon DISCOURSES. the earth, and I want to get the Saints to see the value of that practical purity of life that will utterly destroy the power of sin, purge out the trans- gressor from our assemblies and render us more and more acceptable to (iod all the time, because better calculated to bless the world. God bless you : Amen. PRESENT OPPORTUNITIES OP OBTAINING A KNOWLEDGE OF THK PRINCIPLES OF TRUTH— IMPORTANCE OP IMPROVING THEM. Hematics by Elder Charles C. Rich, wade in ike Boiverij 7 Great Salt Lake City, October 6, 18G2. RK PORTED BY J. V, LONG. I feel great pleasure in meeting ! with thv brethren and sisters, having just returned from a mission. I do not speak of this because of a feeling that I am now relieved from a mis- sion, for I feel that I have been on a mission all the time, and I expect to remain a Missionary from this time henceforth and for ever. This is the height of my ambition, that I may have the pleasure of laboring to build up the kingdom of God on the earth. The instructions we have had to- day have been joyful to my heart, for they are those principles that are cal- culated to save, to exalt and to pre- pare us t) dwell with the Gads in the eternal worlds, I have often said that of nil the people upon the face of the earth the £amts of the Must Hiirh God have the greatest reason to be thankful. This is my feeling and has been ever since I embraced the Gospel; [ and the longer I live, the more I see and experience, the more 1 feel and know that we are the favored people of the Lord, If we can appreciate this as it is, it will lead us continually to take that course that will be right and proper in the sight of Heaven. While I have been absent from this Territory I \va\e been laboring wher- ever my lot has been cast to convince the inhabitants of the earth of the truth of the principles of our holy religion, and to point out to them the path of life, and how far I have been successful I shall leave for a higher power to judge. I find that we are all like children, so far as knowledge is concerned : that is, we know nothing, excepting what we have learned from others or by observation, and iuasmuch as we do not now know anything but that which we have learned, the prospect PRESENT OPPORTUNITIES, ETC. 91 is t Ij git what we may know in the future we shall have to learn. We are in a school, one which oar father has prepared for ns, and in which he designs to instruct us, to give us counsel and point out the course that we should take day by day, in order that we may be saved. If we adopt the pi inciples that have been revealed they will bring to us happiness and an abiding joy, and that, too, at the time and in the place where we are in need. One reason why I consider that we are so much more highly favored than other people is simply this, that in generations that are past and gone there was no man capable of rising up and pointing out the way of life and salvation — there was no man to dispense the blessings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them that were willing to embrace the truth. But it is not so now, for the kingdom of God lias been established upon the earth, a knowledge of the ordinances of the kingdom has also been com- m it ted to man upon the earth, and the keys of that kinglom have been given, and the principles which per- tain to that kingdom can now be taught to us. We have now the power to embrace the principles of life, because they are presented to us by those having the authority to teach. The principles of our religion have emanated from our Father and God, with whom there is no variable- ness, nor the least shadow of turning; and these principles have been re* vealed fur the express purpose that we might embrace and practice them and thereby bring about our own salvation and secure that happiness which is promised to the faithful sons and daughters of God. When we are in the world and hear the sectarians teaching their peculiar dogmas about heaven, hell and many other topics, their discourses sound empty, foolish and incomprehensible. Their subjects are generally very dis- tant; in fact altogether beyond this world. When we hear individuals talking about having a father and a mother we do not then understand them to be talking about anything that is very remote, but it is some- thing that is right here with us, and so it is with the kingdom of God. When the servants of the Lord commence to teach the human family principles pertaining to that kingdom, it is brought right home to us, so that we can understand it in this present life. This is the way the Gospel came to us when it was first sounded in our ears; it was brought home to us, no matter what kind of place we were in, and it set before us salvation, not after this life particularly, but it offered salvation to us at the time we heard it. The kingdom of God being established on the earth, the salvation of that kingdom was an- nounced in our ears, and we had the ofier of its benefits. If we saw proper to embrace the doctrines presented, we had the privilege of doing so ; and inasmuch as we adopted and do now adopt the principles of that kingdom it brings to us a present salvation ; and if wc do not- have a present sal- vation it is for want of adopting the principles that have been revealed. This is a matter that we should in- qnire about, and see and know for our. selves whether we have adopted those principles which the Almighty has made known for our salvation. If we have adopted them in our lives, then we are in the path of life and truth, which gives us salvation all the time; but if we have not, then we do not partake of that present salvation which is offered When the Savior was upon the earth he told his disciples to pray that his kingdom might come and that his will might be done upon the earth as it is done in the heavens. We might with the same propriety ask in our 92 JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES. prayers, that the will of Go J might be done upon the earth in onr day as angels do it in heaven. Is there any- thing upon this earth that will pre- vent the establishment of the same principles and the imparting of the same blessings that are enjoyed in the eternal worlds? If there is, the pi ayer of the Savior which he taught bid disciples could not be fulfilled, and we know that our Father in heaven would not set us to do that which could not be accomplished, We can adopt the principles of that kingdom and practice them in our lives, and this will make us precisely what wc are praying for* Happiness is what we are striving for in this life, and this is what we want in the life which is to come* That li appiness is obtainable upon the principles of truth and right that have been and that will be revealed from heaven. As I before remarked, we are in a school, and it is our busi- ness to be industrious in that school. It is onr business to work diligently to learn that which is taught in the school of Christ, to make ourselves acquainted with the principles of sal- vation as far as revealed unto us. I can say truly and bear testimony that the people have never had to wait for the knowledge of God; the time never has been when it has not been poured out faster than the people were ready to receive. Principles of light and truth have all the time been ta nght faster than the people were ready to adopt and practice them. It has always been the good pleasure of the Lord, and it is still his wish to enlighten our minds and enlarge our understandings in reference to the things of his kingdom, that wc may have just conceptions of his ways, and understand correctly the principles that pertain to the development of all that wisdom and knowledge necessary for our present and future advance- ment in the principles of eternal life. We should endeavor to appreciate and continually feel thankful for the blessings bestowed upon us, and strive to impruve upon all the gifts of God that are bestowed. There are a great many people, and I have met with some of them, who are very anxious to know all about heaven, the other worlds, and all about the people that dwell in eternity ; but I will tell vou how I feel, it is that I want to discharge the duties that devolve upon me, and strive to comprehend the object and design of everything that is required of me. We should all seek ft ;r a knowlrlc/e of those duties that pertain to us at the present time, and we should prac- tice principles that will bring present salvation, and we should labor to learn that which will be both for our pro- sent nnd future good. What we have been told to-day is good and strictly true, and we ought to understand that we are as much in the midst of eternity as we ever shall be, and our chances and opportunities for gaining knowledge and salvation here are as good as they will ever be, We have all the opportunities of learn- ing the principles of heaven just as good as we shah ever have. Then if we do not improve upon these oppor- tunities we are certainly to blame, and we are injuring ourselves more than anybody else, and the time will come when, if we are deprived of any bless- ing, we shall blame ourselves only* We will have it to say that the bless- ings and salvation pertaining to the kingdom of God were presented and we despised them. Then we will lii id that the scripture is true which savs, 44 Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thuu wicked servant/* In view of this, then, it is for us to be awake to that which we have pre- sented to us, to those principles which God has revealed from the heavens, for he has revealed them for the ex- press purpose of having us practice MlESENT OPPORTUNITIES, ETC, 93 thera upon this earth. Those prin- ciples were not revealed with the intention that we should wait till we got to heaven, but everything is for us to practice in this life- Now, if we do not adopt the truth in this life, what is there to make us believe that we will adopt it in the life to come ? I look upon our oppor- tunities as being as good to Know things in this life as they will be to know them in the life to come, for light and truth are before us, and they will only be before us there. We have no time to spare; all our opportunities should be laid hold of. If we have not adopted the prin- ciples of salvation in this life, there is no assurance that we shall adopt them in the life to come. What is there to make you and I think that we shall have power to apply them to ourselves hereafter ? We ought to think of this, in order that we may be ready day by day for the performance of any duty required of us ; we ought to know the principles so perfectly that we can apply them to the performance of every duty and feel and know that we are right — understand them for ourselves that we may be capable of applying them both in this life and in that which is to come. If we could do this, it would be a very good sign that we could apply these doctrines in the future life ; but if we are to be told every day what we have to do, the probability is that we should be in the same situation in eternity. We have the privilege of working out our salvation before God, and we have the opportunity of testing the practical workings of these principles, and in doing this our minds would expand to see the necessity of our words and our actions being right. Supposing the actions of every man and woman were right and in strict accordance with the doctrines of our religion, where would be the evil? If everybody always said and did right, the evils that we now find in the world would no more afflict the human family* T ie evils that we do find grow out of two causes, and mostly out of one, and that one is ignorance. But there are some who are fast to do wrong : others do it ignorant !y There must be means adopted for teaching such persons the way of life, that where they do not know how to do ri^ht they may be taught; and then, when they are taught the right and embrace it with full purpose of heart, they caa act upon the principles that are right and proper for them in this great school, in which we are beii*£ taught by the servants of God those duties that are required of us day by day, even those principles that will produce happiness, contentment and salvation. These things are being pointed out to us from week to week and from time to time, just as they have been this forenoon. How rich these in- structions ! They will be worth nothing unless we practice them in our lives. We read of a time when the knowledge of God shall cover the earth as the waters cover the great deep; and we live in a time when that knowledge is being taught by the Prophets of God, and when it is the privilege of all mankind to be exalted upon principles of obedience to *hhap,for, properly speak- ing, he is set apart to act in that office. When we ordain a man to officiate in a branch of the Church as & Bishop, he does so according to the best of his knowledge; and now and then one believes that he has a right, when ordained as a Bishop, to officiate and preside over every temporal and spiritual interest in his district by > virtue of his Bishopric; he believes that lie ought to go into a Seventies* Council in his Ward and preside be- cause he is a Bishop : and under this impression he dictates, guides and directs all things in his district j he baptizes, confirms and administers the sacrament as a Bishop, performing, under this impression, every spiritual and temporal duty. Were we to inquire of the Bishops of this Church what duties are assigned to the Aaron ic Priesthood they hold, and what are assigned to the Melcbisedek, those who could answer correctly are in the minority, I am satisfied of this, for I have been placed in posi- tions that made it necessary to pro- pound questions to some of our most intelligent, Bishops relating to mis- understandings and difficulties that have occutred in their distnets touch- ing their aut h urity, when their answers convinced me that they knew little about it; perhaps from not having an opportunity of finding out, or, in a woid, they have not so lived that the heavens have been opened to them to teach thera so fully and effectually their duties that they need no man to teach them. The duties and powers of a Bi*hop cease the very moment he steps over the Aaronic Priesthood, which is to officiate in temporal things; when lie passes this lie immediately begins to officiate by the authority and power of the Mel- ATTTHOBITY OF chisedek Priesthood, though he may not know it. We have scores of branches of this Church in different parts of this country, and had we better now place officers, helps and governments in these branches, or wait till the people come to understanding, and learn to appreciate and honor such appoint- ments ? It is chiefly because of the ignorance of the people that we often concentrate in one man these diffe- rent offices and callings, hut when the people are sufficiently informed and have advanced further in the know- ledge of the truth, it will not be so, but every branch will have its full quota of officers — a Patriarch, Presi- dent, Bishop, High Council, and all officers that are necessary for the work of the Ministry, and the edify- ing of the body of Christ, Until thtf people can receive and honor these helps and governments, and be bene^ fited by them, the different offices will be concentrated in as few men as possible, for men will contend for power, and as to which shall be the greatest^ until they are better in- formed. ! If the people fully understood and would observe the relationship these offices have to each other, there would never be a word of altercation. In this city we have no altercation about authorities. We but seldom get up a trouble for a High Council case. When the people come to sufficient understanding, we shall not put the onerous task upon one man to act both as President and Bishop, but we will give you a full organization of helps, governments, &c, j but at present we shall take a course to con- fine the offices of the Cburqh in such a manner as to give the least cause for contention and trouble. There are men who have a contentious dis- position ; they will contend against a Bishop, a Magistrate, a Judge, or any man holding an office ; in short, they Na 7 t BISHOPS, ETC* 9/ wish to destroy every power in Heaven and on earth that they do not hold themselves. This is the spirit of Satan that was made so visibly manifest in Heaven and which proved his overthrow, and he now afflicts this people with it ; he wants to dictate and rule every principle and power that leads to exaltation and eternal life, and those whom he influences wish to walk underfoot every person who stands in authority over them. I now wish to say a few words about assisting the mail and telegraph companies. It has been asked, " Shall we assist these companies? Shall they be supplied with grain and that help which is necessary to facilitate the expeditious and safe carrying of the mail ?" I say, yes. Shall the telegraph company receive favors at our hands ? Yes, I do not know of two greater temporal bessings of the kind that can be bestowed upon this people* If we happen to lay in bed a little later than usual, by the aid of the telegraph wires we can read the news of the morning from Washing- ton and New York; and by-and-by we may be favored with the news of yesterday from London, Paris, and St Petersburg, and all the principal cities in the old world. We are among the people of this world j our bodies are of the earth, and our spirits are like the spirits of other people and from the same source, only we are trying to establish the kingdom of God on earth, to intro- duce righteousness, and prepare the people for the reign of Jesus Christ on the earth, One man says, "I have agreed to do thus and so." Then go and do it. Fulfill your contracts and sacredly keep your word. What Bhould be the course of this people in these matters ? Let them act by the counsel of the men who understand such things better than they do. When I say supply so much Vol. X, 98^ JOUBXAL OF labor, or so much grain, or do so much nauling, you will be justified, otherwise you will not* If I might dictate thia matter and get my pay ficjr it, I would fill this whole mail roirfo with " Mormon 1 ' boys who would labor faithfully, conduct honorably , arid see that the mails were carried isafely and promptly. If it were left to me, I would fill this whole route, as we would have done a few years ago if the contract had not been unjustly taken from us, with a line of conveyances, wherein men might sleep by day or by night in perfect safety as to their persons and property ; and if a pocket book dropped out of a pocket it would be as safe as though it were under lock and key, so f ir as its being stolen is concerned* How is it now ? If A, B and C say they will begin to sell whisky, then if it is right for them to sell whisky in the streets of this city, it is right for me. Whisky is useful in making vinegar, and we need it for cutting camphor gum, for medicine, washings, &c. 5 but is it necessary to keep a whisky shop? No. And if it is right for one man to keep a whisky shop, it is right for another, until all become whisky peddlers and whisky drinkers, and all go to the devil together. It does not require much illumination of mind to comprehend that unless the selling of spirituous liqours is managed by proper persons, it will result in the ruination of many of the community. So with the selling and disposing of our produce to outside interests; for those who expend their means and labor in a way that does not enrich and build up Zion will apostatize and go out of this kingdom, sooner or later. When you are appointed to haul grain here or there, you will lUSCGU&bEg. feel justified. Or, if you wish to drive a train, or to go as a guard on the mail route, or to attend to this or that, and the counsel is yes, go, and be honest and upright before God and man and deal justly with everybody, and if you do not so con- duct, you will be brought borne and dealt with, then, if you go in this way, you will be justified. What- ever is done let it be done by counsel and common consent; then we can be paid for our labor and our pio- duce; wealth will increase around us, which we can put to use in gathering home the poor Saints from all nations by hundreds and by thousands. In the course the people have taken they will make themselves poor, while we might be rich. I feel very friendly towards Mr, Street and many others connected with the telegraph line. They have treated this community as gentlemen will. I have rendered them some assistance, ^and am ready to render them more ; and they have been very accommodating to us. The Overland Mail company brings our letters, books, magazines,