Substance of a Discourse by Elder Orson Hyde, delivered at Mount Pleasant, Sanpete County, Utah, on Sunday Morning, November 3, 1878, Said to Have Been the Last Delivered By Him While Living in the Flesh.

I am much gratified this morning, my brethren, sisters and friends, to meet with you in this Tabernacle in Mount Pleasant, in the capacity of a two day’s meeting. From the numbers present before me, I am led to conclude that a deep and abiding interest dwells in your hearts; and you have come here to increase your zeal, and add intelligence to your present stock of knowledge pertaining to the kingdom of God.

I hope and trust that you may not be disappointed; for it is, bona fide, my intention to lay open to your view, in plain, simple, and unmistakable language, the facts that are presented to my mind, for I desire all to hear and to understand, especially those who may not be fully conversant with the English language.

The government of the United States, on paper, is an institution approaching as near perfection as any government ever ordained by man; but when its administration drifts into the hands of unscrupulous and dishonest politicians, it becomes an engine of oppression and very unequal in its bearings. Any crack or deformity of the elegant mirror becomes the more conspicuous by contrast—so the cracks, splits, and crookedness in our general government become the more glaring and unwelcome in the eyes of the governed.

Great effort has been made to ferret out the guilty parties and bring them to punishment who were engaged in the horrid Mountain Meadow massacre. Had this been done in the spirit of justice and truth, free from that animus and extreme desire to criminate the whole Mormon Church, that effort would have been praiseworthy and highly commendable; but conducted as it has been thus far, it will go down to the shades, covering with odium the conductors of that campaign.

In contrast with the foregoing, I will now refer to the horrid massacre at Hawn’s Mill, in Missouri, wherein seventeen peaceable, quiet, and unoffending citizens, were shot down, in cold blood, and their bodies thrown into an old well; and for what? I am at the defiance of the whole world to show that it was for anything, except for the crime of being “Mormons.” I would here ask this government, how much military and judicial investigation was had to ferret out and bring to punishment the perpetrators of that bloody deed, to say nothing of the wholesale banishment of an entire community by force of arms, and the sequestration of their property and inheritances? How does this compare with the claims of the government to justice and equal rights?

Again, my hearers, I will refer you to the murderous assault made on Joseph and Hyrum Smith, John Taylor and Willard Richards, in Carthage jail. These men were untried and uncondemned, incarcerated within the walls of a strong prison, and no danger of escape; yet a band of disguised men, about one hundred and fifty in number, assaulted the prison and slew Joseph and Hyrum Smith, and seriously wounded John Taylor with musket rifle balls; and as every man is to be held innocent until proven guilty, they remain innocent, because never proven guilty, nor could they be proven guilty, by any truthful evidence.

It was said that some kind of legal proceedings were instituted in this tragic affair, yet not with a view to convict and punish, but with the intention to place a bar against all future proceedings that might be undertaken and prosecuted in good faith. Thus the Prophet of God and Patriarch of the Church were cruelly murdered, to the great grief of their numerous friends, and to the joy of a Christian nation.

Popular clamor crucified the Savior, and a popular outburst of indignation murdered the Prophet of God and his brother, and amid fire and storm, cannon balls, swords and bayonets, were the “Mormon” people compelled to flee into the wilderness. To the shame, dishonor and disgrace of the nation be it spoken; and when they ask the cause of the whirlwinds, tornadoes and cyclones, that sweep through the land, they are respectfully referred to Haun’s Mill, Carthage Jail and to the treatment generally of the “Mormons” in Missouri and Illinois for the true and faithful answer.

The Prophet Isaiah, 60th chapter, 12th verse, utters this strong sentiment: “For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.” They may ask, Are we to be so humiliated as to serve the “Mormons” whom we have despised, persecuted and rejected? They can take the other horn of the dilemma if they choose, and be utterly wasted. Wisdom however would suggest that our enemies move slowly and cautiously.

For one, I have no objection to any and all federal officers coming here to execute the laws, impartially in the spirit of justice and truth. I say, they have my cordial good will to do so. But when they come full of wrath, with a determination to immortalize their names by squelching out “Mormonism,” pandering to the prejudices of an ungodly age, I cannot find language sufficiently strong to express my disapproval and contempt for their administration—wresting laws from the known intention of the Legislature, and applying them by certain technical twists, to take the advantage of a people who labor day and night to conform to the revelations of God.

Polygamy is a subject that greatly agitates the public mind at the present day. Some men in their depraved zeal to pry into every secret of polygamy with a view to expose it, know no limit to their efforts to accomplish their hellish purpose. The Supreme Ruler above has not yet relinquished all his rights, nor indeed any of them, on our little planet to the sons of earth, though they hold a very precarious dominion by sufferance, “only he who letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.” Pestilence and famine, earthquake and wars, whirlwinds and cyclones, fires and floods, besides accidents innumerable are being called into requisition to remove all obstacles; “for the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.” The day of spiritualizing and daubing with untempered mortar has gone by. It is stubborn, self-evident facts that we have to grapple with, and should be set forth in a light that all may understand. Polygamy is a principle revealed from heaven with a commandment to enter into it practically. The principle is abundantly corroborated in the ancient scriptures, approved of God and sanctioned by all righteous men; and he who labors to overthrow this principle, fights against Jehovah and makes himself a shining target, courting the arrows of the Almighty upon his head, heart and country. Would to God, that I could, conscientiously, make an exception here of our wise and learned judges, attorneys, juries and marshals; but conscience forbids it. The same consequences will follow against the fighting against any commandment that God has given, or that he may give. The consequences of the judicial war waged against the late Brigham Young are not yet canceled; but the hand of the destroyer has already begun his work, though in a comparatively mild and gentle form. Churches of various denominations, that have always been barred against our preachers, are being opened by the hand of Providence as the cyclone that recently passed through Pennsylvania may be considered as a slight reminder; nor has Missouri altogether escaped. We are now living in the days of a “marvelous work and a wonder.” Our enemies are about to be checked up in their career of burning strange fire upon the altar of God.

The Elders of this Church, my brethren and sisters, have faithfully labored during the last half century in almost every nation on the globe, to warn the inhabitants of their duty and to tell them the consequences of their not complying with it. It is true, that by the help of the Lord, we made many converts, yet few in comparison to the numbers who rejected our message. We can, therefore, with propriety say, we are unprofitable servants; yet the Lord wishes to test our fidelity, our fortitude and our patience, knowing that the world would not be converted by the preaching of the Gospel, hence his design was to “send forth judgment unto victory;” and when the judgments of God wax hot in the land, many people will say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob,” and so they will “come like clouds and like doves to their windows,” and Zion’s gates be ever open, and Zion will not always be oppressed for their kings will yet “become our nursing fathers and their queens our nursing mothers.”

We shall not always, my hearers, be under the necessity of reasoning with the skeptical and technical unbeliever, to persuade him to be saved; for a power will be manifested in the land more potent than man’s reasoning.

I wish to ask you, my brethren and sisters, two important questions:

1st.—Why our unprecedently liberal harvest of grain this year? 2nd.—Why does the spirit of the Lord rest down upon our Elders, directing them to explore the eastern, southeastern and southern countries with the view of finding suitable places for new locations and settlements?

Ans. to first question—That we may be prepared to lay up a surplus against coming troubles.

Ans. to second—To open the way to receive the multitudes flocking to Zion, having heard that God is with us, and desiring to escape the scourges by enlisting under the aegis of “Mormon” protection; and shall we escape the scourges of the Almighty if we foolishly part with the surplus gifts that heaven has granted us in trust for other purposes, and that too, before the time? If the people of Utah will listen to wise counsels, there will be no famine here arising from the refusal of the soil to yield her fruits; but there may be danger of famine by the rapid increase of population from abroad, especially if the stores provided by the hand of Providence be foolishly parted with before they may be needed to meet this exigency. A word of caution to the wise virgins is sufficient; but bray a fool in a mortar, and he is a fool still. Under the profession of great piety and deep solicitude for the redemption of our children from the influence of “Mormonism,” many alleged charitable enterprises have been put on foot in the shape of opposition schools, to decoy them into their traps. They ensnare some of the children of our apostates, and some apostates who claim that they find better schools, and better teachers under the supervision of sectarian priests, than they do amongst the “Mormons.” This claim is made through a disposition to depreciate “Mormon” institutions and to elevate sectarianism. We have just as good institutions of learning and as competent teachers as any of our neighbors; but even allowing the children of this world to be wiser in their generation than the children of light, it is no reason that I should adopt them as my instructors. I now write a clumsy, illegible hand. Many men can write my name with much more style and elegance than I possibly can do; yet, if they should attach my name to a bond or promissory note for any amount, it would not be my signature and could create no binding obligation upon me; but the learned and accomplished gentleman who attached my name to the instrument might be proven guilty of forgery and subject himself to punishment. Jesus says: “Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.”

There is another important feature, my friends, connected with this subject that I cannot allow myself to omit. In the great rush of people to the Saints in the last days, all sorts, sizes, and of both sexes, will rush in upon us to escape the wrath of the elements, which will render a time of purification and cleansing, actually necessary. The chaff must be blown away, and they who laid us waste must go forth from us. The wicked and the ungodly must be far away. Now, what agencies must be employed to accomplish this important part of the program. It is out of my power to inform you as to what means may be called into requisition to effect this object. We know, however, that wind has something to do with the scattering of chaff. The departure of the ungodly from amongst the Saints may be voluntary in many cases. I have been informed by those who claim to know, that a certain lady in this Territory built up a large fire in the room where she lived, fancied that that fire was the most desirable and lovely place in all the world, and plastered herself with tar from head to foot, laid herself down on the fire, and literally roasted herself to a chip.

She was said to be an aged lady, and I presume that God can make even hell itself or any intermediate bad place look as inviting to a wicked person as a bit of cheese in a trap to a hungry mouse outside, but the majority of the departures will be involuntary. But suffice it to say that something will occur, in a providential way, that will cause sinners in Zion to tremble, and fearfulness to surprise the hypocrite. It will, probably, be something that will appear terrible to the unrighteous, and will be all the nerves of the righteous can endure.

In conclusion, I will here say to you my brethren and sisters and to the Saints generally: Set your houses in order and know that a right spirit has dominion over you and things and dwellings and over all things under your jurisdiction. Let the blood of the covenant be freely sprinkled on your door posts and lintels—a deep rooted union exist in your hearts and practiced in your lives—devote yourselves to earnest prayer in secret and in your families and allow not the cries of the poor to reach the ears of Jehovah against you. Omit not the duty of patronizing every institution or learning among the Saints, whether day or evening schools, or Sunday schools. Defeat not the designs of the Almighty by fooling away the fruits of the earth, knowing that we are placed here, not to do our own will, but the will of him by whose goodness we live; and we should be willing to be used in doing good, building temples, places of education and in learning to manufacture what we need.

Notwithstanding all the alleged improprieties of the Saints, and charges brought against us—the errors and wrongdoings of any of its members—the entire Church is a revelation from the eternal God to the world at large, and is their standard reared in the mountains and he who fights against it or against any of its acknowledged members, fights against his Maker and toucheth the apple of his own eye. Now, my brethren and sisters I bless you, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Discourse by Elder Orson Hyde, delivered in the Temple, St. George, April 5, 1877.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Remarks by Elder Orson Hyde, delivered at the Forty-Fifth Annual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, in the New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Tuesday Afternoon, April 6, 1875.

I do not know that I ever beheld a more pleasing sight than that which I behold here today. So many children, of both sexes, most of them born in this Territory, assembled here to offer up a song of praise to God our heavenly Father. To hear their childish voices chime in with the voices of those who are older and more experienced, is really something that I admire, and intelligence cannot refrain from doing so.

I am pleased at the opportunity that is offered me on this occasion. I do not expect to detain you any length of time. Be this, however, as the Spirit of the Lord may direct. I listened to some very excellent remarks in the former part of the day, and I will say that if the loaf has been broken by more able and competent hands than mine, it will not be unbecoming in me to try and gather up some of the fragments, that we may enjoy the whole.

Here, perhaps, are some five thousand of the rising generation before me who, in future time, will become actors upon the stage of life. How important it is that their characters be formed so as not only to reflect honor upon their parents, but also upon the cause of Zion in which we are engaged. How beautiful it is to see the rising generation growing up in intelligence, and in good will and kindness one toward another. As our settlements spread to the east, west, north and south, a certain element appears therein which some of you may understand and recognize by the name of modern civilization. This element, which seems to be uncongenial with the spirit of purity, righteousness and integrity, has reached down as far as our place, and it seems that nothing will satisfy it short of saloons, grog shops, whiskey holes, and other concomitants of modern civilization. I want to say to our young friends—avoid these dens as you would avoid the source of pestilence, keep far away from them, and betake yourselves to learning. No doubt you do, but there are some, perhaps, who do not to the extent that they might. Instead of being in the streets of a night, making unearthly noises, as some do, seemingly under the influence of modern civilization, keep at your homes, study your books, and spend your time in improving your minds. Sometimes, when preaching in different parts of the Territory, while the congregation were listening to the words that were being spoken, I have seen our little boys in the streets playing at ball, or engaging in other recreations, and while such a course has been innocent on their part, it has been an evidence to me that they have not received that attention and instruction from their parents which I consider parents owe to their children; and while the parents would seek to enjoy the words of life themselves, they have seemed to be thoughtless with regard to the whereabouts of their children. This being the case, it is necessary that we pay more particular attention to our children, and to know that they are at the house of God. To be sure, children cannot profit by every word that is spoken, their minds are not capacious enough to comprehend every idea that may be advanced; but every once in a while, a word will take root in their hearts, and grow, and this will enable them the more readily to appreciate and understand that which they may hear in the future.

I realize that, as a parent, I have not been so faithful and diligent in this respect as I should have been, and I feel that I am far from being a proper example to my brethren and sisters; but sometimes when I have been about to open the meetings and have seen that all my children were not there, what have I done? I have left the stand, gone into the streets and found my boys, and brought them in and seated them in the congregation, that they might not set an unworthy example before others. Not only so, but sometimes when I have gone to bed at an early hour mad, after having had a nap, I have waked up about the usual bed time and found my boys not at home, I have got up and gone into the streets in search of them, and have searched until I have found them and brought them home.

I feel that, as parents, we cannot bestow too much attention upon those who are rising up to inherit our responsibilities and to bear off the kingdom in the eyes of all the nations of the earth. I know that I come short of my duty in this respect, but I am trying to fulfill it in this as well as in many other directions, and I cannot rest, either day or night unless I know where my children are, and what they are doing. By following the dictates of this feeling I have been able, under the blessing of God, to rejoice in the society of my children, both morning and evening, and to know where they are; and I have proved that they will learn to respect the wishes of their parents, and now I have the pleasure to hear them say—“Father, may I go out to such a place tonight?” and they will set one hour or two hours. I reply, “Yes, if you will go nowhere else, and behave yourselves and make no disturbance in the streets, go, and God bless you, but return at the time you say. I will sit up until you come home, then we will have prayers together before we go to bed.” It is very pleasing to me to call my wives and children together in the morning and to spend a few minutes in giving them a few words of kindly instruction. I have practiced it until it is as much of a pleasure to me as it is to eat my breakfast when I have a good one, and I feel lost without it. I say to this requirement and to that requirement—Stand aside until I discharge this duty. I do not make these remarks because I wish to show myself any better than anybody else; but if there is any blessing or benefit, brethren and sisters, to be derived from what I have said you are abundantly welcome to it, and to act upon it, or something similar to it that your own better wisdom may devise, but do not neglect to cultivate the tender minds of your children.

It is good to have Sabbath schools; they are a source of amusement and recreation as well as of mental and intellectual improvement and development. But is this all that is necessary and needful? Our day schools should not be neglected. What are we here for but to raise up children and endow and qualify them for future usefulness? Says one—“It costs so much to keep up schools.” It costs some persons something to do it, then there are others who let a school bill be about the last one they pay, and after having availed themselves of the labors of a teacher for the benefit of their children they allow him to go unrewarded until his ambition sinks within him, and he concludes to go to some other business, and thus we deprive ourselves of the best class of school teachers, and we have to put up with persons of second- or third-rate ability. We ought to employ the best talent that can be procured as school teachers. I have been through the world considerably, one time and another, but I have never yet seen a city in which a good educational system was maintained in which the people suffered in character or prestige, or where poverty was increased in consequence thereof; but it has added to their influence and prestige and improved their morals, and surely if heaven will thus prosper the efforts of parents to educate their children there is no reason why we should not go into it a little stronger than we do.

Perhaps you who dwell in this city are far in advance of those who dwell in other parts of the Territory—my remarks are more particularly intended for us country people, who do not live in the full blaze and refulgence of intelligence, but away yonder in the corners, on the outskirts and in the by-places, for I know that many among us do not pay that attention to education that we should do. Suppose that in a coming day we come up before our heavenly Father and say—“Father, thy pound hath gained ten pounds, or five pounds,” as the case may be. “I have acquired so much and have laid it up in store.” Another one says—“Father, I have here those whom thou gavest me, and have lost none of them; they are all here. I have no gold or silver, but I have gems, in the persons of these children; they are bright and intelligent, and are calculated to radiate society wherever they are. I have bestowed everything upon them which I could command to improve and elevate them, and I have withheld no opportunity from them.” I am inclined to the opinion that the latter would receive much more commendation than the former, though he heaped together millions, especially if his children were not educated.

“But,” says one, “I am poor and cannot do it.” Well, so far as my experience has gone, those who are willing and determined to educate their children generally find the means to do it, while those who complain of poverty, as a general thing, make poverty the scapegoat to bear of their unwillingness to teach and instruct their children, or to put them in the way of instruction. Now brethren, what shall we do? I would suggest to all parents—I do not mean those in this city particularly, for I am not called to instruct with regard to these things here, yet if any are disposed to be benefited by my remarks, even in this city, I have not the least objection; but I would suggest to all parents that it is our duty, when we employ a good teacher to keep his heart whole, and his spirit up by paying him what we agree to pay him, and pay it before he starves to death or is forced to go away and engage in some other occupation. If you have got a good teacher, keep him, at almost any price, to educate your children. Suppose a man had forty children—some have as many as that—and they were all well trained and educated, how much honor would that reflect upon the father, upon the mother, and upon the community in which they dwell? Would it not be a cause of pleasing remark to the intelligent so far as they were known? Most assuredly. Well, now then, brethren and sisters, pay the teacher. We think a good deal of a horse or a span of horses, and they are animals given to us by Providence for our comfort and convenience; but to turn them out, after working, without food or care would certainly be cruel on our part. And to employ teachers and then not reward them so that they can feed and clothe themselves certainly reflects no honor upon any community; and I say that if we care for our teams, we certainly ought to care for our teachers, and pay them according to agreement; then their ambition is kept up to the highest pitch and they feel inspired; but if we subject them to the inconvenience of earning their wages three or four times by collecting small sums from one and another, they become discouraged and are finally compelled to turn their attention to some other vocation.

Brethren and sisters, these are important matters. Our children are entrusted to our care and management, and unless we do our best to cultivate and improve them, have we any right to be the agents in bringing their spirits from the realms of day to earth and then neglect them? Are we justified in doing this? It seems to me not, it seems to me that we are not doing our duty towards them.

Our enemies reproach us and our children on account of our alleged ignorance and general inferiority. Be this as it may, there was not intelligence enough in the “big tent” nor in the Rev. Dr. Newman to make headway against the small amount of knowledge that exists here in the Mormon community. Act as we may and do what we will, we cannot satisfy the accusers of our brethren. The name of their accusations is Legion; and we are not disposed to make any great effort to satisfy them. It is ourselves and our God that we labor to satisfy—by no means ignoring the friendly hints of all honorable men.

I feel thankful for this opportunity of bearing my testimony, and I bear my testimony that what is called “Mormonism” is the truth of God, and that the Lord is fulfilling his word in the last days. There are some very curious sayings in the Bible respecting John the Revelator, one, of which is—“If I will that he tarry until I come, what, is that to thee?” which led to the saying that that disciple was not going to die. But Jesus did not say that. Certain Nephites on this continent wanted to live to bring souls to Christ until he came. Their desires were granted to them, and they were permitted to live, or they had the promise that they should not pass behind the veil until the second coming of the Savior. Whether the saying of the old Prophet had anything to do with this matter I cannot tell, but he said—“Lord, they have digged down thine altars, killed thy Prophets, and I am left here alone, and they seek my life.” The answer of the Lord was—“I have reserved to myself seven thousand men who have never bowed the knee to the image of Baal.” Whether that has reference to any characters that were not to pass away, but that were to live and be witnesses in the earth and bring their testimony to a focus in the last days—the days in which we live—to make the truth of God blaze like the light of heaven upon all the world I cannot say, I do not know; but the Lord has not left himself without a witness, and some of you will no doubt recollect that, three or four years ago, I told the Saints in this Tabernacle that the testimony in favor of the truth of “Mormonism” would increase and that the source of evidence in its favor would multiply and grow stronger. Now we hear of a remarkable movement that has recently commenced among the Indians. Before proceeding further on this subject I will say that we have labored in our weakness among the Indians, trying to convert them from the error of their ways, and to persuade them to cease shedding blood, committing depredations on the white people, and to turn their attention to agriculture. I recollect going away up here to Snake River to visit a settlement that had been made there for the purpose of instructing the Indians in agriculture, and, if possible, to reclaim them from their disposition to steal and shed blood. I have also been to other places where similar efforts have been made; but we have not been able to accomplish much. I do not say that no good was done—perhaps some little good was done. But it seems that the time had not come for the means to be brought into requisition which Heaven had ordained to be used in the reformation of the Lamanites. For some time past, the Indians have been telling us very strange stories. They say that certain strange men have visited them and spoken to them, and have taught them what to do in order to be saved in the kingdom of God. Strange men have come to and talked with them perhaps an hour at a time, and while the Indians are looking at them they vanish out of sight, and they know not where they go. I do not know that it is so, but this is what the Indians declare and testify to, and I am a little inclined to believe that there is something in it, for you know the Apostle Paul, in speaking to his brethren, said—“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Perhaps one of these old men might come along in disguise, incognito, not in his real character, and appear like any other man, clad as any other man, and stay overnight with some of the brethren.

Some say that the “Mormons” have no Priesthood, power or authority from God; but if this be so why do these good old men who go to the Indians send them to the “Mormons” to be baptized? Why do they not send them to the Methodists? You have Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians and Catholics right here in town, why do not these men who come to instruct the Indians tell them to go to some of these bodies to get baptized? It is singular that they should tell them to go to the Latter-day Saints. It is a good deal like the angel who told Cornelius to send to the house of one Simon a tanner, and call for Simon surnamed Peter, and he would tell him words whereby he and his house might be saved. Why send to Peter when Cornelius and his house lived among the Pharisees and Sadducees? Peter had the keys of the kingdom; the angel knew that, and said he—“Go to Peter and he will tell you words whereby you and your house can be saved.” These men say to the Indians—“Go to the “Mormons” and they will tell you words whereby you can be saved;” but if we had no Priesthood, no keys of the kingdom, no power to administer the ordinances of the Gospel, why should these old men, who declare that they are more than a thousand years old, and tell the Indians that their fathers were white and that they shall be if they only do as they are commanded, I say, why should these men tell the Indians to come to the Latter-day Saints? There is something singular about it. What can the world of mankind say to it? How can they meet it? I will tell you. It is a wave of evidence which, like a wave of the sea completely submerges everything on which it flows, it overturns every objection that the world can offer. God Almighty will vindicate his own cause—he has got the means prepared for that.

Now let me say to you, brethren and sisters, look well to these little children. Teach them good morals, teach them, when you go to meeting, to go with you, and be sure that you do not stay behind just because you do not feel exactly the spirit of it. If you do not feel the spirit of it yourselves, feel it for the sake of your children, and bring them to the house of God that they may be taught and instructed. I recollect very well in early days, sometimes I heard a good and kindly word from a sectarian minister, there were no other ministers when I was a boy; but they sometimes spoke words in my hearing that I have not yet forgotten, they took root in my heart, and I still bear them in mind. I exhort you, bre– thren and sisters, to cultivate the morals of your children, for we are not going to stay here always; we shall be gathered with our fathers by and by, and these little ones will have to assume the responsibilities which we now bear. Hence I say qualify them for the positions which they will be called to fill in future. Teach them that which is good and right, and may the blessing of the Father rest upon you and upon all Israel, and may we live to see the truth of God triumph!

I feel thankful that God has heard our prayers. Says the Lord—“By this you may know whether God hears you, if you receive the things which you ask for.” If you receive the things you ask for, know ye that God has heard your prayers. Who is there among the Latter-day Saints who has not prayed for the removal of an unjust judge? If there are any who have not done it they ought to be turned out of the citadel. I believe you all have. Well, the Lord has heard our prayers in that respect, and not only so, but I will say, that if we were to pray against every official who is a bigot, a fool and an ass, the Lord would hear our prayers and turn him out no matter by what agency it is done. Let us try it. Never pray against a liberal, good man, whether “Mormon” or Gentile; if he is a fair and honest man, and is willing to live and let live, let him live just as long as God is willing to let him, and do not pray against him. But if he tries to overthrow and destroy us, or to withhold from us our rights, let the volume of our prayers ascend up to God for him, and if he does not hear from it some time I shall wonder. But he will hear from it, you may be assured of this. Why should we despair when the means of self-defense and self-protection are embedded in our own spirits, when we have the weapons right here? Not carnal weapons, not the sword, not the deadly rifle, but we have something more potent—the sword of the Spirit. This is our means of self-defense and self-protection, and let us use it. I have tried it. Not that I have any reason to boast, but I have great reason to be thankful to God my heavenly Father. I do know that when we want anything special, if we will make that a subject of continual pleading; if we will go into our closets and shut the door, and lay the matter before the God that made us, lay our hearts, as it were upon the altar and importune at his feet, in process of time he will hear us and avenge our wrongs, no matter what the wicked do or how much they may rage; and there is no subject on the face of the earth that is exempt from the influence of our prayers, high or low, rich or poor, noble or ignoble.

Let us exercise ourselves in this direction and teach our children to do the same. You know it is said that the religious world despair of converting us old Mormons, us old heads who are dyed in the wool; but they hope to convert our children by insidiously sending their missionaries to establish schools in our midst, by which they hope to entice and win their tender minds over to their side. That is the tack they are taking. Well, brethren and sisters, you do your duty toward your children; pray for them morning and evening; instruct them by means of little short sermons every day, then you may turn them out to go to school if you like, as far as I am concerned, even to our friends of the sectarian world, and if they can exert a stronger influence than you with your prayers and instruction, and the parental tie that binds them to you, it will be something very singular, and I do not believe they can do it.

One young minister, a very kind, gentlemanly man, has appeared among us down in Sanpete. I have not a word to say against his morality or behavior, it is all very nice, and to all appearance he is a polished gentleman. He has spoken in several of our settlements, and, in his way, has endeavored to teach the people. Said I, on one occasion, to Bishop Peterson, “What did you think of that man’s sermon last night?” I did not happen to be there. Brother Peterson’s reply was—“So far as morality was concerned it could not be beat; but when you come to doctrine and principle he was entirely ignorant. Our little children know better.” In order that this minister might be properly posted with regard to some of our doctrines, I took the liberty of sending him the Deseret News, containing an excellent argumentative discourse by brother Orson Pratt. I did that for the purpose of informing his mind in reference to the arguments he would have to meet and controvert if he successfully prosecuted his labors in this country. I hope and I expect that he read it, for it certainly would not do anybody any harm to read it.

Brethren and sisters, I will not detain you longer. My remarks have perhaps been a little scattering, but scattering shot sometimes hit more birds than a rifle shot. Suffice it to say, you have my best wishes for your success and prosperity. May peace be with you, and God bless you and me, and the Twelve, and the servants of God with whom we have labored from the beginning; and may our lives be spun out as long as they tend to the honor and glory of God. And that we may obtain a mansion and crown in the realms of bliss, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Discourse by Elder Orson Hyde, delivered in the Fourteenth Ward Assembly Rooms, Salt Lake City, Sunday Evening, Feb. 8, 1874.

I rejoice very much, brethren and sisters, at the opportunity we enjoy tonight of meeting together to worship the Lord our God, and to wait upon him, that we may renew our strength. It is the desire of my heart to do all I can to inspire in you a living faith in God, and I am sorry to say that there are those in our midst, against whom I have no particular charge to make, but who, by reason of the favors which fortune or this world has bestowed upon them, have become weak and sick in the faith, and who, I may say, have almost no faith at all. I feel on this occasion that if wealth would destroy what little faith I have I would rather that it would take to itself wings and fly beyond my reach. I have no faith to boast of, but what little faith I may possess I think more of than I do of the wealth of this world, for the wealth of this world will not carry me successfully through the dark valley of the shadow of death; it will not open to me the portals of bliss, but real and genuine faith in God will accomplish this. I remember once, in Nauvoo, when we felt ourselves happy and fortunate if we could get half a bushel of meal to make mush of, the Prophet Joseph Smith, talking to some of us at the house of brother John Taylor, said—“Brethren, we are pretty tight run now, but the time will come when you will have so much money that you will be weary with counting it, and you will be tried with riches;” and I sometimes think that perhaps the preface to that time has now arrived, and that the Saints will soon be tried with riches; but if riches would kill our prospects of eternal life by alienating us from the Priesthood and kingdom of God, I say it would be far better for us to remain like Lazarus, and that all our fine things should perish like the dew, and we come down to the bedrock of faith, and trust in the true and living God. The question is whether we have to come there in order to inherit eternal life. I will read a little of the words of our Savior, as recorded in the 6th chapter of Matthew. Said he—“Take no thought, saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink, or wherewithal shall we be clothed, for after all these things do the Gentiles seek, for your heavenly Father knoweth ye have need of these things, but seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”

There are many Saints at this time who are laboring to acquire wealth; and the kingdom, in the hearts of a good many, has become a secondary consideration; if we were to reverse this order of proceeding and seek the kingdom of God first, we could then put our heavenly Father to the proof whether all these things shall be added to us, and thus also test the truth of our religion, and I believe that this would be a legitimate way to test it to our satisfaction.

I have heard several very able discourses, by good men, showing that unless our exports equal our imports, we are not making headway financially. This is all very good so far as it goes, but reasoning of that kind is not our Savior’s, it is the reasoning of this world, and so far as this world is concerned, their reasoning, if correct is just as good as any other reasoning; but if it is not correct, and we are swerved by its force and power from the line marked out for us to walk by, we shall become the losers. I wish now to refer you to certain events that have transpired in days gone by, and then any of you may tell me by what financial calculations these things happened, and whether they were brought down to the very nicety of worldly reasoning, or whether they were left open to the providences of our God.

Once on a time there was a great famine in Samaria, and so sore was that famine that a mule’s head sold for four score pieces of silver in the market, and a cab of dove’s dung sold for food in the market, I cannot recollect for how much. We should consider it pretty much of a task or penalty to be compelled to use an article like that for food; but the people of Samaria were sorely distressed with famine, and which way to turn to save themselves they knew not. About this time, the King of Syria, with a large army, came to besiege the city, and there was a mighty host of them, and they brought everything in the shape of food that was necessary for the comfort and happiness of man; and although the famine was so sore among the Samaritans, the old Prophet, Elisha I think it was, told them that on the next day meal should be sold in the gate of their city at very low figures, lower than it had ever been known to be sold before. A certain nobleman, who heard the prophecy of Elisha expressed his doubt of its truth, and he said that if the windows of heaven were opened and meal poured down from above it could not fall to such low figures. Now see what he got by doubting the words of the Prophet—said Elisha to him—“Your eyes shall see it, but you shall not taste it.” That night the Lord sent forth the angels of his presence and they made a rustling in the trees, and sounds like horses’ hoofs and chariots, as if the whole country had combined to go out to battle against the Syrians, and they did not know what to make of it, and they were frightened, and fled, leaving almost everything they had brought with them in the borders of the town; and as they went, the rustling of the trees and the noise of the horses and chariots seemed to pursue them, and in order to make their burdens as light as possible, they threw away everything they had with them, and their track was strewed with everything good and desirable. The next morning the people of Samaria went out and brought the spoils into the market, and it was overstocked with provisions, and the word of the Lord through the Prophet was fulfilled.

Now, you see, the Lord knew they had eaten mules’ heads long enough, and that they had need of something more palatable; he had had the matter under advisement, no doubt, when the crusade was inaugurated against the people of Samaria, and he, in all probability, inspired them to take abundant supplies, that they might feel all the more confident on account of their great numbers being so well provided for. They no doubt calculated that they had the sure thing, little thinking that God was making them pack animals to take to his people what they needed. Their Father in heaven knew that they had need of them, and he sent them, and the people of Samaria brought them into market, and behold and lo the multitude rushed together just as hungry people will, and this nobleman came out also, and he was trodden down under foot and stamped to death—he saw it but he never tasted it. That is the reward of those who disbelieve the Prophets of God; it was so then, and if the same thing does not occur in every instance something of a similar character is sure to take place. There was no living faith in that man, he could not believe the testimony of the Prophets, and in this he was like some of our—what shall I say, great men, whose faith is weak and sickly, and they think they know it all, and can chalk out right and left that which would be best for building up the kingdom of God.

Well, after the flight of Sennacherib and his hosts, the starving multitudes of Samaria had an abundant supply of food. By what financial calculation was this brought about? Was it by worldly financiering, or was it by the bounteous dispensation of kind Heaven, who, disregarding worldly technicalities, sent a full supply to administer to and supply the wants of those who put their trust in Him, for at that time the people of Samaria stood fairly before him, and he plead their cause.

Said the Savior—“Take no thought what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink, or wherewithal ye shall be clothed, for after all these things do the Gentiles seek.” Have the Gentiles come here to make money and to become wealthy? They say they have; I am told that that is their sole errand. I have not the least objection to it, but I have an objection to my brethren and sisters adopting their spirit by which their faith withers and becomes like a dried reed. The Lord said to Joseph Smith once—“As I live, saith the Lord, I give not unto you that ye shall live after the manner of the world.” Are we seeking to live after the manner of the world by our trading and trafficking? I do not know, however, that there is anything objectionable about legitimate, honorable trading, and I am not going to speak against it; but in these days it is a pretty rare thing to find an honorable dealer. There may be, and undoubtedly there are, men who do nothing but honorable business transactions, but most business men are eager to lay up a fortune, and to get rich in a short time. Some of our merchants think they ought to get rich in from five to ten years, and then retire; but in honorable business transactions it takes almost a lifetime to amass a fortune. I will not, however, speak of things that occurred in old times, but will come down to our own experience.

I recollect when we were forced away from Nauvoo, at the point of the bayonet, and when we crossed the river to the Iowa side there were hundreds of our people camped along the shore, and what had they to eat, or to make themselves comfortable with, in the scorching sun and burning with fevers? Nothing. We wanted meat and other comforts, but we had not the means to procure them, and the Lord in mercy sent clouds of quails right into camp. They came into the tents, flew into the wagons, rested on the wagon wheels, ox yokes and wagon tongues, and our little children could catch them, and there was an abundant supply of meat for the time being. Who financiered that, and by what calculation of two and two make four did it happen? It was the mercy and generosity of kind Providence. After the people arrived here in Salt Lake, they had pretty hard times. I was not one of the honored ones first here, but I arrived soon after, and I can recollect very well hearing of the hard times, when the brethren and sisters were forced to dig roots, and boil up thistletops, and anything that could be converted in the seething pot into food for the stomach. In those days the rations of our people were very short indeed. The Lord was aware of the position of the Saints in these times, he knew that they craved and had need of the necessaries and comforts of life, and he provided a way for them to obtain them. He opened the mines of California, and he caused the news to fly eastward, and this inspired the people of the East, almost en masse, to go to the Eldorado of the West to secure the precious metals. I happened to be on the borders at the time the excitement was in progress, and having crossed the Plains once or twice, people came to me to know what they should load with. I told them to take plenty of flour, for that would be good anyhow, and if they took more than they could carry they could trade it with the Indians to good advantage for something that they needed. I also told them to take plenty of bacon, the very best that they could bring; plenty of sugar, and also plenty of coffee and tea, we were not quite so conscientious in those days about using tea and coffee as we profess to be now. I also told them to take plenty of clothing, such as shirts, overcoats, blankets and everything that would keep the body warm; and I told them that tools of every kind would be very convenient and almost indispensable, such as spades, shovels, planes, saws, augurs, chisels, and everything that a carpenter needs, for said I—“When you get to the end of your journey you may not find everything to your hand that you want, and these things will be very convenient for you to build with.” And I gave them this counsel in good faith, for I thought if they did not feel disposed to carry all these things through, they could very readily exchange them in our valley for something that our folks could spare and which the emigrants would find useful.

Well, they fitted up train after train with these staple articles, and to use a steamboat phrase, they loaded to the very guards, and when many of them reached here, having been retarded by their heavy loads, it was so late that they said—“If we attempt to go through to California with this outfit, we shall be swamped in the snows of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and so we must leave it here.” They had brought it just where God wanted it, for said he—“I knew you had need of these things;” and while many of those who brought them along were good, honorable men, it so happened in the providence of God that his people were abundantly supplied.

Did not brother Kimball prophesy here once, in a time of the greatest strait, that goods and merchandise of every kind would be so cheap and plentiful within a certain time, that they would have to be piled up on the wayside? Yes, and his prediction came true, and the merchandise had to be placed by the wayside because there were not houses enough to put it in. Well, when the emigrants got here with their jaded teams, they were glad to trade them off. Said they—“Here gentlemen, are the dry goods, merchandise, tools, and other things we have brought along, they are at your service, give us a pack mule and a pack saddle, a lariat and a pair of spurs that we may go on our way.” This was the way matters were arranged in many instances, and there was no fault to find, we did the best we could under the circumstances, and they did the best they were obliged to for us.

Who financiered that? Was that on the principle of two and two make four? I do not object at all to that principle, but one is the result of human skill and wisdom, the other is based upon unshaken faith in God. That is what I am coming to—unshaken faith in God, which in this case, in our own experience, brought deliverance to the Saints, for they were well supplied with tools, wagons, clothing and all they needed to make them comfortable. Our community was small then, a few trains heavily laden were sufficient to supply it, but now it would take a number of railroad trains. We are growing and increasing, and I fear that we are growing beyond our faith, we are taking thought for tomorrow too much.

To illustrate this matter I will suppose that I say to my sons—“Here, my boys, I want you to go and plough, take care of the stock, or make the garden beautiful;” and they reply—“Father, we want some boots, pants and hats.” “I tell them I know they have need of these things, but I want them to attend to what I require of them without first receiving the boots, pants and hats.” What would you think of these boys if, because father did not give them what they thought they needed just at the time, they should say “we will strike out on our own hook, for we must have, and are determined to have these things?” How many of us are there now who feel as though we could chalk out and financier our own course irrespective of what the Prophet says? Perhaps some would be grieved if their faith in the ordinances of the Gospel and in the servants of God were questioned; but, as I said in the start, to come down to the bedrock, leaving fiction out of the question, how many of us are there who are ready to strike hands with the Prophet of God and to hang on to him blow high, or blow low, come coarse or come fine? There are some men who have acquired fortunes and who are rich, and I have reason to believe, though perhaps good men in every other respect, there will be a divorce between them and their silver and gold, or I fear they may not enter the kingdom of God. The rich man may say—“Divorced! Is it possible that I must be divorced from that to which I am so devotedly attached—my riches—in order that I may obtain life everlasting?”

In further illustration of the subject we have under consideration, I will quote the saying of the Savior, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust can corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust can corrupt, nor thieves break through and steal.” If heaven be beyond the bounds of time and space, as some of our religious friends believe, it would require a long arm to deposit our treasures there; but I apprehend that the heaven here referred to is not so far away. I believe it is near, and that when I yield my treasures to the powers that govern the kingdom of God I lay up treasure in heaven. Whenever I see the hungry and feed him, the naked and clothe him, the sick and distressed and administer to their wants I feel that I am laying up treasure in heaven. When I am educating my children and embellishing their minds and fitting them for usefulness, I am laying up treasures in heaven. I would ask that little boy, who is well educated and well trained, “What thief can enter in and steal the knowledge you have got?” It is beyond the power of the thief to steal, it is out of his reach, that treasure is laid up in heaven, for where is there a place more sacred than the hearts of the rising generation which beat with purity, and with love to their parents, and with love to God and his kingdom? What better place can you find in which to deposit treasures than that? But all our obligations are not pointing to one source or quarter, there are many ways in which we can lay up treasures in heaven by doing good here on the earth.

The Bible says, “Take no thought beforehand, what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink, or wherewithal ye shall be clothed.” Says one—“If we are to take no thought beforehand I would like to know how the farmer will ever contemplate sowing his seed if he does not look with an eye to the harvest, if he does not take some forethought?” I do not see any necessity for this. I know that the times and seasons roll around, and when Spring comes my natural senses tell me then is the time to plough, and I go and plough, because I know it is my duty to plough. I keep on ploughing day after day until I get through, and then I commence sowing seed. It is no use for me to give myself any anxiety about the harvest—I have no control over that, as the Scriptures say—“Paul may plant and Apollos water, but God giveth the increase,” and I, with all my figuring, cannot swell the kernels of wheat and cause them to germinate. I can do my duty in the time and the season thereof, but I must leave the issue with God. When I see that the grain wants watering I can turn on the water, but never mind tomorrow, let that take care of itself. As each day rolls around I can do the duties thereof, but tomorrow is beyond my reach or control. We, however, are looking to great results from our present labors as Latter-day Saints, and perhaps there is no particular harm in this; but it is far safer for us to do the duties of today than to neglect them by dreaming of the glory that is to be revealed in the future. That is in safekeeping. The hands of the Lord are strong and true, they will keep the reward in reserve for the faithful, and none can rob them of it. Let us do the work of today, then, and our heavenly Father knoweth that we have need of all these things.

There is one very peculiar saying of our Savior in the New Testament which I believe I will quote. Said the Savior, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” This is a saying which very few people who live now seem to believe, for, apparently, the main object for which most people labor is to get rich, and hence, according to the saying of Jesus, to keep themselves out of the kingdom of God. I know men in this Church whom I would have gladly seen here tonight, but I do not see them. I suppose they have so much riches they have no time to attend meeting. Maybe they are here, I hope so, my sight is not very keen, and I cannot see all over the room; but I do hope and pray that I shall never get so much wealth that I shall have no time to attend meetings, or so much as to keep me busy taking care of it, so that I shall not have time to enrich my heart with the knowledge of the Lord our God by putting myself in the way to obtain it. “Easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” Said the disciples “Who then can be saved?” The Savior answered, “That which is impossible with man is possible with God.”

Now I want to look a little at the possibilities and impossibilities of the matter, not that I claim to understand everything, but sometimes a train of thought comes through my mind which cheers and does me good. That man who claims to be under the jurisdiction of an authority that he professes to believe is paramount with God, and yet is engaged in this way, that way and the other way, in getting rich so that he has no time to honor it, the question is, Can that man enter into the kingdom of God? I am not going to say, but I will bring up another case that, perhaps, may have a bearing on, and serve to illustrate this subject.

There was a certain rich man who fared sumptuously every day. He had abundance of everything that was good. Then there was a poor man named Lazarus, who lay at his gate, and the dogs came and licked his sores. This poor man would have been glad of the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. By and by poor Lazarus died and was carried by angels into Abraham’s bosom. I was once conversing with a Presbyterian minister on the subject of polygamy. Said I to him—“My dear sir, where do you expect to go when you die?” He said—“To some good place, I hope.” “To heaven, I suppose?” “Yes,” said he, “I hope to go there.” Said I—“Right into Abraham’s bosom.” Well, he said, figuratively, that was correct. Said I, “If you go right into Abraham’s bosom there will be on one side Sarai and on the other Hagar, and if you make a deadshot right into Abraham’s bosom how do you expect to dodge polygamy? If you get into Abraham’s bosom you get into a curious place.” By this time his argument was exhausted and our conversation closed. But Lazarus went to Abraham’s bosom, I suppose he has a pretty large bosom and a large heart, large enough to embrace all the faithful from his day down to the end of time, for in him and his seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

By and by the rich man died, and it is said that he lifted up his eyes in hell, or in torment, and he saw Abraham afar off with Lazarus in his bosom: Said he—“Father Abraham, send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water that he may cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame.” Abraham replied, and he spoke to him very kindly and fatherly, “Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted and thou art tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that they who would pass from hence to you cannot, neither can they pass to us who would come from thence.” Here, then, we see illustrated the fate of the man who obtained wealth independent of the Lord Almighty. He obtained wealth and enjoyed it, and down he went to hell, while that poor man who, in this life, lay at the rich man’s gate and desired to be fed with the crumbs that fell from his table, was carried by angels into Abraham’s bosom. Probably, in life, this rich man had oppressed and dealt wrongfully by that poor man, I cannot tell how that was, but at any rate he went to hell.

Now, let me ask you who the man is who may be rich, and still enter into the kingdom of God. There was father Abraham himself, none of you will dispute that he was a rich man while here, yet there he was, on the other side of the great gulf, prepared to welcome Lazarus to happiness and heaven. But how did Abraham get rich? Was it by cheating and defrauding, by calculating and financiering? Or did he get it by doing his duty and trusting in God to bestow upon him what he saw fit. He trusted in the Lord, and the Lord gave to him all the Land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession and promised him that his seed should be as numerous as the stars in the sky, or the sands on the seashore. The Lord made Abraham rich, Abraham did not do it himself; he did not cheat anybody, but in the providences of God he was elevated and made rich. Why, there are some men who cannot sleep nights for laying plans to get rich, but I would advise them, if they want to get riches that will last forever, just to lay plans to build up the kingdom of God, or in other words take the advice of Jesus—“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all things else shall be added unto you.” I used to think—I cannot get married until I get rich, for I cannot support a wife; and it was not half so hard to support a wife in the days when I married as it is now, because there was not half the pride or fashion to support then that there are now. Then I did not make money very fast, and I thought that if I waited until I got rich before I married I should wait too long, and finally I concluded that I would marry and take hold with my wife and we would work together. It is certainly better to have two oxen than one, for if one is yoked up at one end the other end of the yoke drags, and when one wheel is off and the other is on, the point of one axle drags in the sand, and it is a complete nothing at all, that is just what it is. Well then I would give the same advice to my young brethren and sisters that I acted upon myself, and that is—Get married and get rich afterwards, and dispense with this fashion that so many are anxious to follow. We cannot very well, unless we are born princes, heirs or millionaires, sup– port the fashion of the present day and prosper, and we had better dispense with it. I like to see everybody cleanly and comfortable, but all this display and paraphernalia that fashion demands of its votaries seems to me like clogging the wheels and creating discomfort rather than comfort. When I was in the old country, I recollect hearing a lady say—“Some people wrap themselves up and put on so much that they are completely clogged. If you draw a net over a fish, how can it swim in the water? It is freedom they want, and it is a light covering we want, especially in warm weather.” I like to see persons neat and clean, and would rather see them thus than adorned in fine feathers, dresses, caps and jewelry. I believe God’s people will be so. I have no particular fault to find, I am only telling what I think would be good.

The man that goes along and does his duty, and, without straining a point, picks up honestly and fairly the blessings and means that God strews in his pathway, can appreciate and do good with his means; and as long as he keeps an open heart and is willing to do good, God will continue to put wealth in his way, and wealth obtained in this way, no matter how much, if it swells as large as the mountains on the east here, cannot keep its possessor out of the kingdom, because it is the gift of God, and not the fruits of overreaching dishonesty. God is not going to keep me out of his kingdom because I have wealth, no matter how much, if I obtain it honestly in his sight, and strive continually to do good with it. The reason why men of God were rich in old times was, that they were willing and desirous that God should rule, govern and control them and their means, while the miserable calculators after the fashion of the world shut God out of the question altogether. Such men are a stink in the nostrils of the Almighty, and he will hurl them from his presence, and they will find that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for them to enter into His kingdom. This is my faith, and I hope it will last me all the way through and forever, that if we will keep the commandments of God, build up his kingdom, and lay up treasure in heaven by doing good with whatever means and ability God may entrust us with here, wealth will roll in upon us from quarters we are not aware of, and in a way that eye has not seen nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man to conceive. All the world is for the Saints, and if they only take the right course and do as they are required, wealth will roll in upon them and cannot go anywhere else. The world say the Latter-day Saints are the lowest of all people, and just for argument’s sake we will grant it; but then, if we are so, that fact is only a proof of our excellence, for everything that has weight and worth rolls down and finds the center, the froth only rises to the top. I will venture to say that if you take a dollar and place it on the edge of a nice washbasin, it will roll down to the center, and if we are there, we shall all be in the right place. It is the meek and lowly who are to inherit the earth and the kingdom of God, and enjoy the gifts of heaven.

I have spoken once today before pretty freely, and I begin to feel a little sore about the sides, and I do not think I shall talk to you much longer on this occasion. I was talking this afternoon about the antediluvians. How strong they were in their own estimation! They were able to carve out their own destiny, and to amass and spend their own fortunes; but when the flood came they and their wealth went together. They were not in the ark, they had no interest in it whatever. I suppose they were a good deal as some people are at the present day. I saw a little ticket out here—I did not stop to read it—but in passing I read the words—“Not one cent for Tithing.” I suppose that was the motto of the antediluvians. “Not one cent for Tithing,” not one iota to build up the kingdom of God. Well, they went to destruction.

I wish to say to my brethren I have had considerable experience in the kingdom of God, and I have had some experience that a man never ought to have, and let me here ask my brethren and sisters if everything could be arranged to suit all, where under the heavens would there be any trial of our integrity? There would be no such thing. As the Methodist say—“When I can read my title clear to mansions in the skies,” and neither stumblingblock nor obstacle in the way, I shall begin to think that I am on the wrong road, for I do know that in the way of exaltation and eternal life there are stumblingblocks and difficulties to overcome, and if I keep in that way I shall have some things to swallow that are unpleasant and uncomfortable. But they will appear smaller and less difficult to overcome, if we swallow less whiskey. I would advise all my brethren to avoid it, and to have no connection with it; and if we see those who are feeble in faith, and more inclined to find fault than they are to approve, let us labor with them and do all we can to bring them back to a sense of their obligations.

“Take no thought for the morrow, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, nor wherewithal shall ye be clothed,” but go to, and do just as God, through your brethren, tells you, and never be the means of administering a blow or doing one act that shall cause a division among the Saints of God, for says Jesus—“Except you are one you are not mine,” and how many are there in this city and throughout the country who are kind of half Jew and half Ashdod, and more Ashdod than Jew in many instances? Do not understand me to apply this to the body of the Saints, but to them that are pairing off, the disaffected and dissatisfied, and those who seem as if they had just swallowed a dose of fishhooks, and were choking over it. I would advise such to grease it well, and it will go down. Let the oil of the grace of God be applied, and there is no obstacle that we cannot overcome. I say then, let us never allow ourselves to be the entering wedge to divide the people of God. If we cannot overcome a little difficulty or a little trial, how much faith have we got? Not much. I say to my brethren—God bless you; and to the weak, the Lord, through the Prophet, says, “Be strong.” Be as weak as you have a mind to, but when there is need of strength put it on. If we have the right spirit, the more strength we need the more we shall have, but keep the fire burning, and may the Lord God of heaven bless you.

I could say many more things, but I have said as many as I should say. May the Lord bless you here in the 14th Ward. I used to know all the people who were here, but now I do not know a tithing of them; they have either grown up out of my knowledge, or else there is another set, or else we have lost our faith and our countenances are changed. I do not know which. Well now, let these pipes and tobacco alone, and let whiskey alone; and sisters, let tea and coffee alone. I know I am touching you in a vital place, but will you do it? “Oh dear, I shall die if I cannot have some.” Well, we have got to die once, and it had better be in a good cause than in a bad one. Then let us keep the Word of Wisdom, and keep ourselves unspotted from the world and live to the honor and glory of God, that when we have got through, having really complied with the will of heaven, we may see opening before us fields of everlasting bliss, and crowns and dominions beyond calculation opening in the wide expanse of eternity. Oh, shall we come short, or shall we not?

Brethren and sisters, live to God, and may God bless you. I want to live until the power of God will be felt and acknowledged in this world, and that day is not far remote. May God bless us forever, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Discourse by President Orson Hyde, delivered in the New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday Morning, October 5, 1873.

As this day’s services may be considered introductory to our Conference, which will commence tomorrow, I have been requested to make a few remarks. I cannot say whether they will be few or many, but let this be as the good Spirit of the Lord will. I am very happy to meet with my brethren in Salt Lake City, and from the adjoining settlements, and I presume, ere our Conference shall come to a close, all the Branches of Zion throughout the Territory will be duly represented here.

I have come from a point about one hundred and forty miles southeast of here. The people of my immediate field of labor, I am pleased to say, are generally healthy. There is some little sickness among our children, and some of them have been called away; but as a general thing, among the adult population, there is good health. We have had a peculiar season, yet very passable crops, and a most beautiful time to gather them. This year, so far, we have had peace with the Indians, for the first time for quite a number of years, and I do assure you that it is a relief to us. The Indians had an idea that they could do with us as seemed them good—prey upon our substance and murder our men, women and children whenever they felt like it, and the military of the Government would wink at it, because they thought the Government wanted to get rid of us; anyhow, they seemed to entertain little fear with regard to the consequences of the crimes which they committed amongst us. But last year, when General Morrow and a few companies stationed here at Camp Douglas, came and paid us a visit, it rather led the Indians to think that it was not altogether as they had considered it, and though there was no fighting done, from the fact that the Indians retreated, and hid themselves, yet the presence of the soldiers was a protection to us while we gathered the most abundant harvest that ever crowned the labors of our people in that section, and it was a very good thing, and the Indians begin to think, perhaps, that the soldiers would chastise them if they did not behave well. But from the sudden and unexpected recall of the troops from our county, and the apparent unwillingness of the Government to grant us any com– pensation for years of military service rendered in the defense of our settlements, in which time, nearly one hundred of our men, women and children, were mercilessly slain by the red-skins, besides hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of stock driven off by them—some of our people were foolish enough to think that the Indians were more than half right in their views. Be this as it may, it is all in a lifetime, and will come out right in the end. I feel thankful that we have had peace with the red-men, and that no particular depredations have been committed by them since, with the exception of a dozen or twenty horses which they have stolen.

We are not mining in Sanpete County. I do not know whether there are any mines there or not; we do not trouble ourselves a great deal about that, and consequently we are not afflicted with people who will dabble with mining, some of whom, when disappointed, will resort to stealing and other crimes. We have not that class amongst us, and I am glad of it, yet the more men who come amongst us with good and honest hearts, the better. It matters little whether they are Jews or Gentiles, if they possess honest hearts, we are apt to convert them and bring them into the Church. That has been the case up to the present time, and the consequence is, there are very few outsiders there.

The Cooperative stores established in our various settlements are a great blessing to us. They bring whatever we want, right to our doors, and although the dividends are not very great in favor of the stockholders, the benefits resulting from the establishment of these institutions afford us ample remuneration for the advance of the capi– tal necessary to commence the business. We do not increase rapidly in wealth, but we increase a little all the time, especially when the Indians let our stock alone. Our Cooperative Institutions are doing a very safe and good business. I do not think that any of them in Sanpete County are very much in debt to the parent institution in this city. I have cautioned them against it, and advised them to pay fairly and squarely, and not to trust their goods out, but to do a close, safe and secure business, that every person may be accommodated with what he wants; and if they should not happen to have what we need in every store at the time, they will kindly bring us whatever we sent for, especially when we give them the money to operate with. This is all that we can expect. Our books are open, and have never been closed against the admission of capital. Stock is for sale in every institution in Sanpete County, from twenty-five cents and upwards, and our little boys and girls, taking advantage of the opportunity thus presented, put in two bits once in a while, and by and by it gets up to five, seven, eight or ten dollars; and they can get a share, and there is quite an effectual door open for our youngsters to begin and show their financial accommodation to the people.

Well, brethren and sisters, I will say nothing further about the part of the county from which I came, but I will make a few remarks upon the idea of our being a peculiar people. You know that we are regarded as such, and if we look upon ourselves from a proper point of view, we shall readily admit that in this respect outsiders have given us an appropriate name; for we are a peculiar people whom God has chosen to serve and honor him. But the form of government of this people a great many have taken serious exceptions to: they think that one man is armed with too much power, and sways an influence over so many that it becomes a dangerous power and should be suppressed. I was reading, a few weeks ago, a statement made by a reverend gentleman living in Provo, and the most serious thing he had to complain of—and he complained of a great many things—was the one-man power which exists, and is tolerated and sustained in Utah.

I wish to speak a few words in relation to the one-man power, and in the first place I will say that it is what every aspirant, politician and statesman labors to acquire. I do believe that Mr. Grant, as good a man and as brave a soldier as he is, if he could get the hearts of all the people so that they would rally round his standard and sustain and uphold him, it would be the pride and joy of his heart. But if any man is thwarted in the desires of his heart in this respect, that is no reason why he should oppose others in gaining influence over his fellow men. All men love money, you know, more or less, hence they are digging here in the mines to obtain it. I have no fault to find or censure to bestow upon them for this operation; they are anxious to obtain money. Some only get a little, very little, while others, perhaps, make their millions. Now let me ask, Should the few who are fortunate and gain their millions be cast out and crushed because of their financial power, because they have struck a good lead and have been successful, by the many who have gained only a few dollars, or who, perhaps, have lost instead of gained? If then, this principle is to be tolerated in financial matters, why not when applied to influence and power in general?

I read that, in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. It seemed to be a kind of one-man power that was engaged in the very act of rolling creation into existence. I do not know how much of Democracy or of Republicanism there was in the beginning, I was not there that I know of, or if I was it is so long since that I have forgotten it. Judging by the accounts we have of matters then, the government was a kind of one-man power; and if we look at things as they really are, we shall find that sin entered the world, and death by sin and that was by one man. Oh, that was grievous! That drew a veil of gloom over the face of creation. That was one-man power. By and by we read of another one-man power that came along and counteracted this, and that was the Lord from glory—another kind of one-man power.

Now, while I compare these things with the present order of things which exists throughout our world, I do not wish to be understood as depreciating our own government, for it is the best earthly government in existence upon the face of the earth. It was ordained, organized and suffered for a wise purpose in God our heavenly Father, which, perhaps, I may be able to exhibit to you ere my remarks shall come to a close; but be this as the Lord will, I do not wish to say one word against our government; it is a good government, it answers the times and fills a vacuum that perhaps nothing else could. But I am looking at matters as they were from the beginning.

You know Jesus, when the Jews asked him about divorce and mar– riage, told them that Moses permitted them, for certain causes, to put away their wives; but he also told them that it was because of the hardness of their hearts that Moses permitted this, but that from the beginning it was not so. Now whether it was because of the hardness of men’s hearts, or because of the softness of them, I am not going to say, but I want to show the order of things as they were in the beginning, and as they emanated from the bosom of the Almighty. That which was first must be last, and that which was last must be first—a similar order of things, redeemed, rescued and brought out of chaos, and returned to the Father as they came from him, for he will accept nothing unless it be what he gave; for, said the Savior, “Every plant that my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.” Hence, he will receive nothing only what he gave. He gave us immortal spirits, he sent them down here to be tabernacled in the flesh, and he expects that they will return to him, and they all will in some grade, return to him who gave them.

Well, the Savior of the world came to counteract the acts of the first Adam. And what was the nature of the work he had to do? Why, to bring life and immortality to light, to resurrect the dead, and to implant a hope of eternal life in those who trusted in him; and this, be it known to you, was accomplished by one-man power. Ye Roman soldiers who guard the tomb, ye Jews, who had a temporary triumph by the death of him whom ye crucified, know that the angel of God descends, the stone is rolled away from the door of the sepulcher, the Lord of glory rises, the dark curtain of death is rolled away and gives place to life and immor– tality, which dawn upon the world, in the person of the resurrected Savior. This was produced by one-man power. Said this one man in view of the responsibilities that were upon him, and smarting under the pangs that he endured—“Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done.” Why did not that one-man power resist the mind of his Father and say—“Do you think I am going to lay down my life, to sacrifice my existence to please you? No, I have an independent mind and will and I am resolved to gratify them.” That would have been in accordance with the ideas of our day, but it did not correspond with the program of the Eternal Father, and the object of his only begotten Son in coming to this world was to accomplish and carry out his part of that program, “Not my will, by thine be done.” This should be the feeling of the Latter-day Saints in relation to the requirements of heaven upon them. “Not my will, by thine, Oh God, be done.” If the world reproach you for submission to the will of God, refer them to the Savior, whose motto was, “Not my will, by thine be done.” How much honor and glory does the Savior of the world enjoy at the present time? It is beyond the conception of mortal man. But how much would he have enjoyed, and who among us would have had salvation had he faltered in his hour of trial and said—“I will not submit to this sacrifice?” Despise not this one-man power, for before I come to a close I shall endeavor to show to you that every son and daughter of Adam will be compelled to bow to it, and the more they fight against it, the harder it will be for them to submit to it in the end. Take it kind of moderately, then, and look at it in its true light.

Now my friends and brethren, I want to tell you that our country is a republic, and not a despotism, although some say it is rapidly approaching to that. I cannot tell how that is, I am not much of a politician, and do not give myself a great deal of concern about it. But I comfort myself with the idea that the Lord rules anyhow, and that he will, in time, have all things as he designs to have them, and hence I take little interest in politics. But one thing I will say, that is, that when the Government of the United States, although it is republican, has any very difficult task to perform, in which the interests of the country are largely at stake, it casts off republicanism and adopts despotism. Perhaps you may think that is slander, by I will suppose a case to illustrate the truth of my proposition. For instance, the fate of the nation is suspended upon an important battle about to be fought. Now, what kind of a government prevails in that army? The most vital consequences hang upon the issue of the battle, and that issue depends, to a very great extent, upon the orders of the commanding General being carried out. He issues his orders, and his subalterns are required to carry them out rigidly. The soldiers who constitute the army must submit in every respect, they have not the right, by virtue of their own opinion, to file off and deviate, in the least degree, from the orders of the commander. The same is true of the subaltern officers, and if any of them should adopt such a course they are subject to be tried by court-martial and possibly to be executed. Where is the republicanism or democracy in this? I tell you that when it come to a vital point republicanism has to be laid aside, and the one-man power has to be strictly obeyed.

Go, if you please, on board the ships of war of the United States, and what kind of government will you find there? There again the one-man power is absolute. I recollect reading an anecdote of General Jackson, when defending New Orleans against the British. He put the city under martial law, and in so doing some said he exceeded the bounds of his authority. I cannot say whether he did or not, I do not care whether he did or not; any way he saved the city and obtained a victory. But in preparing for defense he took cotton bales out of the warehouses and made a breastwork of them. A certain planter came to New Orleans at that time, and hearing that his cotton bales had been taken by the General, he made a terrible ado about them, and finally went to the commander-in-chief of the American forces and requested that they be returned. Said General Jackson—“Have you any cotton bales in our breastworks?” “Yes, sir, I have so many, and they have been taken from the place where they were deposited without my permission.” The General turned to an officer standing by, and said he—“Sergeant, furnish this man a musket and an outfit.” The articles were brought. “Now, sir,” said General Jackson, “if you have any cotton bales here, step into the ranks and defend them.” That was one-man power, and it was a noble exercise of it, it showed that the commanding general had the interest of the country at heart. You see, whenever there is a vital question at stake, and matters of life and death are involved, the one-man power has to be introduced in spite of everything, and that is all right.

Well, we expect that the work of God in the last days will be more important and will involve more vital questions than any other that has ever been undertaken or accomplished on the earth, and consequently the one-man power will be most loudly called for in connection with it, and Heaven seeing this has given power and influence to his servants. Have they got it by the sword or by oppression? No, but they secure it just as the sun secures its votaries. In the cool or cold season of the year, the reptiles and many animals seek protection in dens and caves and they are not allured therefrom by the lightning’s flash or the thunders of heaven, but when the rays of the glorious sun again warm and revivify the face of nature, these animals and reptiles again come forth to bask in his enlivening rays. So it is with the servants of the living God. They do not obtain influence over the hearts of the children of men by the sword or musket, but it is the light of truth, distilling like the dews of heaven, and warming the hearts of those who love truth that gives this influence, and you and I like to be under it. When I have been in the cold shade and chilling winds, I like to come out to the friendly sunshine, it is just as natural for me as it is to live, and this is the reason why the Latter-day Saints rally under the influence of the one-man power. There is the light: there are the rays that warm the heart, cheer the affections, open up prospects for the future, and make life agreeable.

Now I want to show you that we have all got to obey it. If you can get rid of death and scale the walls of eternity without passing through the dark valley of the shadow of death, then perhaps you may escape this one-man power; but if you cannot do that, you cannot es– cape it. I will quote you Scripture to show that such is the case. In the last day, the Lord will gather the inhabitants of the earth, just as a shepherd gathers his sheep; and in the process of gathering some will be gathered who may be likened to goats, while those who love to do the Master’s will may be called the sheep. A separation will take place between the sheep and the goats, the sheep will be put on the right hand, and the goats on the left. It may be said that goats are very good, their skins are useful and their flesh is fit for food, but still they are goats, they are not sheep, they do not produce wool, and they are separated from the sheep. So the people of the whole world will be separated, and the righteous, or the sheep, will be placed on the right, and the wicked, or the goats, on the left. When that separation time comes, we will see who will obey and who will not obey the one-man power. Says the Lord, the Righteous Judge, to those on the right hand—“Come ye blessed of my Father, and inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Do you think they will need any urging to obey? I do not think they will. I hope I shall be among them. I shall be happy to see you there too. “Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from before the foundation of the world.” Oh joyful invitation! A heavenly influence rests upon us, and the light of joy beams upon our countenances. He now turns to the goats, and instead of saying to them, “Come, ye blessed of my Father,” they hear the dread sentence, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting punishment, prepared for the devil and his angels.” Do you think they will go? I am inclined to think they will be compelled to go; I think they will have to obey this one-man power.

Now, do not be displeased, jealous, or angry, because God has selected men and placed them in the front rank to plead the cause of Zion. Let God have his own way, and it will be better for you and better for us all. The old Prophets were very singular men, they liked to have things their own way, because they had their commissions from heaven, and they liked to execute them, and God bore them out in it.

The other day I sent a note, a friendly warning to the New York Sun. It was published and, I believe, copied in to some of the papers published in this city, and yesterday I was reading the objections to it in one of them. I will tell you what their reasoning made me think of. When I was between six and seven years old, fatherless and motherless, I was kicked and cuffed about the world, and grew up a good deal like a wild plant, with very small opportunity for cultivation, except that which I have accomplished by my own efforts. When I was a little fellow, I recollect there was a man by the name of Michael Hughes, who professed that, on a certain day, some six weeks from that time, the world would come to an end. It disturbed me, for I was only six years old, and I turned every way to get comfort and consolation; there was quite an excitement among grown people upon the subject. There was a certain lady teaching school in the neighborhood, by the name of Miss Pindison, and I remember I sat down to reckon in my own mind whether her school would be out by the time this man said the world would come to an end, and I came to the conclusion that it would not come to an end because Miss P—’s school would not be out. And when I read the wonderful arguments in this city paper about railroad communication and the interests which the same would call into action, and the influence they would have in overturning “Mormonism,” I could not help thinking about my childish conclusions in regard to the end of the world and the lady’s school. The Lord does not care so much about railroads; I do not think he will delay the accomplishment of his purposes to accommodate any railroad institution, but he will do all he desired regardless of this, that or the other.

Now, my brethren and sisters, in the midst of all the conflicting scenes that transpire around us, the mining operations, speculations and worldly pride and vanity which are multiplying on every hand, remember the words of the Savior—“Except ye are one ye are not mine.” No doubt some of you have had vessels containing a little oil, and you may have dropped in, by accident or design, a few drops of water, and then, in the same vessel, you have had oil and water, but no matter how much you shook them, they would not unite. Why? Are they not both liquids? Yes, but they will not unite, because they are dissimilar in their natures, and there can be no chemical union between them. I have heard men say, and correctly too, no doubt, that they were thankful they had a name and a standing in the Church of the living God. I am thankful for the same today. But is that all? I want to show you that here is a man, for instance, who is required to pay his Tithing, and says he—“I will pay just enough to save my skin, to save my name and character, I will not pay a full Tithing, but just enough to whip the devil round the stump.” Here is another man who comes up and pays a full Tithing of everything that he has. Let those two men sit down and talk Tithing matters over together, and will their spirits run together? Are they not in the same vessel—the same Church? Yes. Well, do their hearts, spirits and interests unite? No, they are like the oil and the water in the same vessel—they are distinct and they will not amalgamate. This will serve to illustrate a great many other things which, for want of time, I am not disposed to follow out. But one thing I will name, and that is in regard to plural marriage. A great many men say—“Oh, well, I can get along, I can live, and I believe I shall only have one wife.” Well, that is your privilege, nobody compels you to take more than one; but with the commandment of the Lord before us like a blaze of light, can we disregard it and serve him acceptably? If we can, then why not retain those laws and commandments in heaven, and not send them down here to earth? These commandments are sent for our good, for our salvation and exaltation. Here is a woman who, in speaking of celestial marriage says, “It will do very well for others, but it will not do in my house;” “it may do very well for somebody else, because her feelings are not quite so fine as mine, she has been differently raised from what I have.” I do not know that the Lord will pay any particular respect as to how we are raised, and how fine and delicate our feelings may be, or how coarse and uncultivated they may be. I believe that if we submit to the law of heaven, that law has power to refine us and to fit us for immortality and eternal life. That is my opinion. Now hear this good sister, she says—“It will not do for me, I am not going to submit to it.” Another sister says—“I am willing to submit to the law of Christ.” Let these two sisters come together and talk over the law of marriage, and see whether their spirits will run together. They will no more run together than water and oil will unite.

Says Jesus, “Except ye are one, ye are not mine.” Here is a black man and a white man, raised in the same house, but is that any argument that they are both white or both black? No, it is no argument whatever. Under the sound of my voice today there may be the best men that ever lived, and there may be, for aught I know, just as bad as ever lived. I hope not. But then, because we are within the walls of this house, does that signify that we are blended together in heart and spirit? No, no more than it proves that oil and water will unite. If I understand it correctly, we have to be blended together, united together completely in heart and spirit. I recollect once a man coming to me with a watermelon in his hand. It looked so green, good and fine, thought I—“We will have a feast on this watermelon.” But as he came near I caught a glimpse of it somehow, and discovered that it had been plugged and the inside taken out, so that instead of a watermelon, he was bringing a mere shell. There was the appearance of a watermelon, but, alas! there was no meat in it, it had all been dug out. Now, it is not the form of the union that the Savior wants among his people; that will not suffice; it is the marrow, the fatness we want, and then we can be melted into one, and this is what the Savior meant when he said, “Except ye are one ye are not mine.” But tares will grow in the same field with the wheat, yet remember that tares are not wheat, neither is water oil. Come what will, life or death, or whatever it may be, never mind, trust in God, and he will bring you out all right.

I am thankful for this privilege of saying a few words. I hope I have done no harm, and that I have not said anything that is contrary to the will of God, or to the feelings of the pure in heart, for they are just as sacred to me as the law of God, and I do not want to unnecessarily offend the ungodly; but I am not so particular to spare or shield them. I want to tell the truth, and bear a faithful testimony. I have been in this Church about forty-three years—almost from the beginning, for I was baptized the 31st of October, 1831, and ordained the same day and sent to preach the Gospel, and more or less, most of the time since, I have been engaged in that work. I used to be very active and spry, but now I have got to be old and clumsy, and I cannot travel about much. I have to be very careful of myself and keep rather moderate and still. I yet enjoy life, and have very good health, but an inclination of blood to the head causes a flush on my countenance, which some may regard as an indication of better health than I enjoy. But you know all men try to put the best side out, and the women too; and if nature, in her operations, has caused a flush of health to bloom on my countenance, it is only following the fashions of the day—putting the best side out. God be thanked that it is as well as it is.

Heaven bless you, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Discourse by President Orson Hyde, delivered at the General Conference, in the New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Monday Morning, April 7, 1873.

It is very gratifying to my feelings this morning, my brethren and sisters, to have the privilege of meeting with you in the capacity of a General Conference. I have not spoken much in public of late, in consequence of being, for the last six weeks, considerably afflicted, and confined to my room, and a good portion of the time to my bed. I do not feel like entering into any special or particular subject; but I rejoice in the opportunity of mingling and associating with my friends. We are separated for some six months in the year, and when we come toge– ther and meet with our co-laborers, it is joyful to look upon their countenances. I rejoice in this opportunity of meeting with my brethren of the Twelve and the First Presidency, and beholding them mostly in the enjoyment of good health.

We have been endeavoring now, for more than forty years, to establish the kingdom of God and bearing our testimony to the nations of the earth. I, for one, do not know how much longer my voice may be heard among the living, but I rejoice in the opportunity of bearing testimony to the truth whenever strength will permit and opportunity offer. I take occasion to say to my brethren and sisters, this morning, that as the time is drawing near the cause seems more and more precious to me. It is part of myself, and myself, I trust, a part of it. I rejoice in saying that I know this is the everlasting Gospel, the truth of Heaven. Having experienced it for more than forty years, I know it is true and faithful, and no man can impeach my testimony. Not because there is so much sterling worth in me, as there is in the cause that I feebly advocate. It is true I lived in the days of the martyred Prophet. I was associated with him, and bore my testimony with him, and I feel no less like bearing my testimony this morning.

I want to say a few words in relation to the place whence I came, and where I mostly labor. We have had some affliction there, in the shape of small pox. There have been many cases of that disease, but it was of a mild type, and I am happy to say that it has nearly left us, and we are again comparatively free. But we have been afflicted with a disease that is much more to be dreaded than the small pox, and which we have generally called “spotted fever.” The small pox is no more to be compared to that disease than the bite of a flea or mosquito is to the bite of a rattlesnake. There have been about sixteen deaths, mostly children, from spotted fever, and there are some half dozen cases yet remaining, but no new ones. They have lingered for ten or twelve weeks, and they, apparently, can neither live nor die, and are mere skeletons. I feel sorry to see children, who should grow up and develop an intellect and a power equal if not superior to any that now live, thus afflicted; and to see them cut down in the morning of their ex– istence grieves me very much. But the word of the Lord unto us has declared that scourges in the shape of sickness shall be sent forth, beginning first at his house, and from thence they shall spread and make the nations quake.

We are living, my brethren and sisters, in an important period of time, and when I read over the testimony of the martyred Prophet, and the word of the Lord through him, it seems that in comparing the signs of the times at present with his testimony, there would be ample evidence to convince any rational being that God, our heavenly Father, sent him. I read of disasters by sea and by land. I read of a receding from the principles of honesty, and that great men go into wild speculations and dishonesty, and involve the country in ruin unless there be a speedy arresting of their course. The murders that are committed at the present time, show to me that the word of the Lord is true where he declares through the Prophet, “My Spirit shall not always strive with man.” As the Spirit of the Lord forsakes the people, bloodshed, corruption, confusion and anarchy must follow, and all these are increasing in our country. I cannot take up a paper without seeing the fulfillment of some of the sayings of our martyred Prophet, and of our brethren who are sitting behind me, on this stand. And what power is there that can arrest the course of evil? There is nothing but genuine repentance and obeying the everlasting Gospel. That is the only remedy that Heaven has provided; the only fountain of life and salvation for the nations exists among these poor, despised Mormons, and I know it. Brethren and sisters, I rejoice in the Lord our God, that he has moved graciously in favor of the Latter-day Saints; and inasmuch as we will forsake all evil and cleave unto him we shall find that his words unto us will be fulfilled, where he declares, “I will fight your battles.” I would rather live near to God and serve him with all my heart and soul, might, mind and strength, than fight my own battles. If the Lord will fight our battles there can be no treason in that, he is too high for treason to attach to him. He is beyond the reach of the power of this world and he can hurl his storms and blast the prospects of the most sanguine, and accomplish wonders, and none can stay his hand or say—“What doest thou?” The increase, in a thousand forms, of evils, accidents, and calamities through our land and the nations of the earth should admonish us to live near to the Lord our God, to remember our prayers, and the obligations we are under to the Most High, and to seek with all our hearts to discharge them with fidelity. Those who have held fast to the iron rod, and have remembered their God, Savior and prayers, feel to thank God, and to praise his holy name that they have endured. Let that feeling ever fill your hearts, and may the peace of God rest upon Israel, and confusion come upon them that seek to destroy the best and choicest principles that heaven ever revealed to man.

I was thankful to hear the definition and distinction, given yesterday by the President, of the words “enemies” and “friends” of mankind. It was true and faithful. He is my friend who is the friend of truth and humanity; he is my enemy who seeks to trample under foot the truth of heaven and those who are striving earnestly to serve the Lord. Brethren and sisters, be faith– ful to him who has called you and from whom you have derived every blessing you possess today. Remember our brethren and sisters who are scattered and are anxious for deliverance. Strikes have been inaugurated in various portions of the old world, and thousands of people are out of employment in consequence thereof. Similar operations are threatened in our own country, and they are likely to seriously affect the welfare and interest of the nation. In what shape troubles may come I do not know, but it will be a wonder to me if bloodshed does not result. Well did the angel say, forty-five years ago, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” This is the reason why the Saints are gathering from the countries of their nativity. Yet when the people see the Saints gathering they frequently say, “What folly, what folly!” Go to the fowls of heaven and learn a lesson. When you see the fowls, in the fall of the year, going to the south, creeping as they go, you say that winter is nigh; so when you see the Saints gathering together, remember that disaster awaits the countries they are leaving. God has declared it, and his arm is sufficiently potent to fulfill his words.

I rejoice in the truth, and I bear my testimony, today, before you, that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of the true and living God. I bear my testimony that brother Brigham Young, the President of the Church here in Zion, is a man of God, and that he is carrying on the work that Joseph Smith began. When we came here how was it with us? We had nothing but a few worn-down teams and a few old wagons, very much demoralized. They were so in the start, because we could not get any other kind. But when we got through here, having brought seed, provisions, and implements such as we could command, our case was a pitiful one. But the Lord has had mercy on us and he has blessed us, and now we are beyond the reach of present want. I am thankful that all this has been brought about under the administration of our present honored President, and the world is trying to kill him and those who sustain and uphold him. It is a great warfare, it is a great wrestling; but I am aware how it will come out. It will be with the enemies and opposers of God and truth as it was with the Irishman who, as he was crossing over a bridge, saw the moon in the stream, and believing it to be a cheese, he said to his companion—“Let us go down and get that cheese.” Well, one held on to the railing of the bridge and the other slipped down and hung to his heels, thinking that he would reach down and obtain the cheese. By and by, says the one that was holding to the bridge to his friend below—“Pat, hold fast below till I spit in my hands above,” and down they went. That is the way the contest between the world and “Mormonism” will terminate—while they are saying, “Hold fast below till I spit in my hands above,” crash goes the whole concern.

Brethren and sisters, God bless you, Amen.

Discourse by President Orson Hyde, delivered in the 14th Ward Assembly Rooms, Salt Lake City, Sunday Afternoon, January 19, 1873.

It is some time since I had the pleasure of meeting with the Saints in the Fourteenth Ward of Salt Lake City. I only regret, this afternoon, a severe cold that I have taken since I arrived in the city, which, I fear may disqualify me, at least in part, from doing justice to any subject that may engage my attention.

I discern but a small portion of the people of this ward collected together on the present occasion. I do not express myself thus with the idea of finding fault with them for their nonattendance at meeting. I only wonder how so many of you were enabled to come together at this time and I almost wonder how I got here myself without being stuck in the mud. However, we are here to wait upon the Lord, that we may renew our strength, and certainly in these times of wonders we have as much occasion for food adapted to our immortal spirits, to strengthen and invigorate them, as we have for food to nourish and strengthen the body. We may be more sensible of the want of food for the body than we are of the want of food for the mind, but still a lack of the latter preys upon the interior man as much as a lack of the former disqualifies us for the discharge of those arduous duties which pertain to our mortal organization.

I hardly know, my brethren and sisters what to speak to you about this afternoon. I have no sermon prepared, and I do not know that I should have prepared one if I had had time, for a discourse delivered by any individual that is not the outburst of inspiration by a higher power cannot be productive of any lasting good, though good moral principles may be set forth, and that too in an engaging and interesting point of light.

In the course of my life I have traveled over a considerable portion of the world, and have had opportunities to mark the different customs, fashions and styles of people, and not only people, but the different styles of architecture which prevail among them—every variety which the mind is capable of imagining, from the princely mansion down to the meanest hovel. I have found that all classes have some kind of shelter or home. It is rarely that I have met with one who has said to me, “I have no home, no shelter, nowhere to go.” Even the insects and most of the wild animals have some kind of refuge, some place to flee to in the time of storm. Our Utes who roam over the mountains here have their wickiups, not very desirable to us, but they serve them a purpose—they shield, or at least partially shield, them from the inclemency of the storm. All classes of people then, we say, have some place of resort or refuge, and the presumption is that all have built according to their taste, coupled with their ability. This is about the idea that I have formed.

Whence came the idea of these forms and structures? Where did they originate? I believe that everything that is of service to and that is designed for a blessing to man, came in some way by the revelations of God. I do not say that they have all been revealed through a Prophet or through an Apostle. God has organized every human being on the earth, and has given to him a temperament and a disposition susceptible of impressions; and though he may not know their origin, still they play upon his imagination, and disclose to him many important matters connected with his earthly existence. A carpenter has many tools in his box. They are not all the same kind, yet in the execution of the several branches of his art he finds a use for them, they are not to be thrown away; and so it seems to me that in the great family of man there is not one to be thrown away, but all may be used by him who created them.

The art of printing was no doubt revealed from on high, the matter or facsimile being imparted to some instrument—some vessel chosen for that peculiar purpose, not necessarily an Apostle or Prophet—by which to open a door to flood the world with intelligence, to organize and establish the kingdom of God. But whoever it may be through whom such revelations are made, his own individual organization is played upon by the light of revelation, though he may not understand it and give God the glory, to whom, in reality, it belongs. It was not necessary that the power of steam to facilitate business and journeys by land and sea throughout the world, should be revealed to Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Isaiah or Jeremiah; but there was an organization prepared to receive that communication; and so I might say in relation to all the arts and sciences that exist on the earth. If I might be allowed the expression, I would say that the celestial kingdom is a central college where all true sciences exist. We have them here, not in their pure and refined state, but merely the coarse and shadowy outlines. No doubt many of you have had your portraits penciled upon the canvas by the artist, and after he had drawn the outlines, without filling up or embellishing at all, you looked at it and said, “That is not myself, it does not look like me, it belongs to someone else.” But when it came to be filled up and embellished, perhaps you were ready to own it. We have the shadows of things that are, and not the real things themselves, in many respects. The question arises in my mind, whether or not there are mansions prepared, the other side the veil, adapted to every human being who ever did or ever will live upon the earth. Jesus said to his disciples on a certain occasion, “I am going to leave you. 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.” It seems that, at this time, there was no place prepared for them; that those that were already constructed were designed for others, and not for them, hence said he, “I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am there ye may be also.” It is very natural for every person who dwells on earth, when weary, or when his task is done or his journey ended to seek his home. I will venture to say that when you go from this assembly you will naturally seek your own abiding places. You may perhaps call in at a sick neighbor’s; but your ultimate purpose is to retire to your own homes, and you are not content until you arrive there. The question with me is whether all people will not naturally seek the place designed and prepared for them on the other side of the veil—whether there does not exist a sympathy between the moral qualifications of the human heart and the character of that mansion which its owner is destined to occupy—a kind of attractive power that will lead each one to his respective abode. Brethren and sisters, we are all forming characters which will entitle us to the different styles of mansions in our Father’s house. If I seek and do obtain a superior degree of intelligence—if I do labor to acquire purity of heart and uprightness of conduct in all things, no matter how high my standard, is there not a mansion, corresponding with the exertions which I make, that I am heir to and destined to inherit? I am inclined to the idea that this is so.

I have heard some say, “I would like to know what my condition and situation will be the other side of the grave.” We are solving that problem in our present state of existence, we are determining the matter by our actions in everyday life. I recollect once, in my travels, standing on the deserts of Sahara, where I could view the wide expanse and motion of sand, filling the air as the drifting snows do the atmosphere here many times. I saw the sirocco fill the air with sand so that it was with difficulty we could open our eyes, without endangering our sight. I saw neither plant nor flower of any kind there, nor even a shrub on which a camel could browse. There are places, I suppose, in the desert, where springs of water burst forth, that are green, breaking the monotony that reigns over that wide expanse, but I did not see them. And yet I considered, “You will drink every drop of moisture and every drop of dew that distils from heaven, and in return you send forth no plant or flower, ungrateful soil!” Come northward a little, or northwest, and land on the southern borders of Europe, say Italy, and there is a beautiful country, delightful fruits of a very fine grade grow there almost spontaneously; the weather or climate is adapted to almost everyone, but particularly to those who are natives of the country. Come further north, into Germany, for instance, or to England. There it is much colder; more hardy fruits grow there. Well, continue on northward to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Lapland and indeed into the Arctic regions. What do we find there? Hardy races of men, adapted to the climate, and they seemingly prefer that as a resilience to any other portion of the earth. There is the Esquimaux dwelling in his habitation of ice—ice forming the walls of his dwelling. He is wrapped in the skins of animals, and he lives to a great extent on the blubber of whales. Would he like to exchange situations with the inhabitants of warmer countries? He has no disposition to emigrate, that seems to be the place he is attached to. All this, for aught I know, may reflect something of the climate of those regions that we may hereafter inhabit. I do not know but the very heavens reflect their existence upon earth. I do not know but that, in a shadowy form, the earth itself is a facsimile of the heavens.

Now, on another subject, what would you think, brethren and sisters, of that man who would refuse to pay his taxes to the government under which he lives. There are some who decline to pay their taxes in this country as if the original inhabitants were exercising a jurisdiction which the dignity of modern civilization affects to despise and repel! What do we think of any man who declines to pay his taxes? We think him not entitled to the protection of the laws. I believe there is one statute in Utah which says that every man shall have the privilege of voting at the polls after a residence of six months, provided he be a taxpayer within its boundaries. This is an important clause. I do not speak of this because I want to urge the collection of taxes, I care nothing about that in comparison, I use this as an illustration, in reference to some other matters which I wish to urge upon your attention. Go where we will, we find we have to pay our taxes to political organizations and governments. The Savior of the world, poor as he was, was not exempt from this obligation or liability, hence he said to Peter, “Pay taxes.” “Oh, we have no money.” “Well, go and cast your hook into the sea, and you will take a fish, and in that fish you will find money, take that and pay the taxes for thee and me.” Thus we see that he who made all things discharged this liability. We also should pay our taxes to the governments and powers of this world. If we never should pay our taxes with what kind of a grace could we appeal to the County Court for aid to construct a road here, a bridge there, or an improvement yonder? “You have not paid your taxes, how can you expect anything to revert to you when you have not aided to replenish the treasury or to keep the fountain full? You have no right to expect to share in the advantages enjoyed by loyal citizens.” Again, if I refuse to pay my taxes to the government is it not pretty conclusive evidence that I am an enemy to that government and its friends? It seems to me that the tide beats in that direction, and shows that I am disloyal. If I pay all my taxes and discharge all my obligations to the government under which I live, I should be called a loyal citizen.

Says one, “I do not know what is done with the taxes. I would like to know how they are applied, and what use is made of the money, and before I pay I think I will ascertain.” If you undertake this I think you will have a heavy and difficult job on your hands. I would not like to ferret it out. When I get my receipt for taxes paid I put it in my pocket, and say, “Good bye, sir,” till he calls again. That is all the care I have. If the collector makes a bad use of the money he collects, or appropriates it for other than legitimate purposes, somebody else will see to him, not I. I have got his receipt, I have done my duty, I have discharged the obligation devolving upon me.

We all look, brethren and sisters, for the kingdom of God to be established at some time, if it is not already done, and yet some of us complain very much about paying our tithing. The very word grates on the ears of some! Well, as taxes are to the governments of the political world, so is tithing to the kingdom of God. That is my understanding, and if I pay my tithing I come within the promises and protection of Heaven’s laws, and I am considered a loyal subject of and a friend to that government. I will notice here a little peculiarity with regard to tithing. There is not much said about it in the New Testament Scriptures; except mere allusions; it is the same with regard to polygamy; but you turn to the Old Testament and you will find that these two subjects run parallel one with the other, and where one exists the other follows as a matter of course. I might ask a question here as to what our Savior meant when he said, “The first shall be last, and the last shall be first.” If the first order of things is to lap over on to us who are engaged in forming the last and closing scenes of God’s work on earth pertaining to this dispensation, the last may turn back; and if the former dispensation forms the field of our last labors or under its shadows we bring things to a close, by and by the reality, the substance may come. I do not know that we can charge the Savior with folly when be said, “The first shall be last and the last shall be first.”

Do I want a mansion in yonder world that is glorious? Then I must comply with the law of Heaven and pay my tithes and bring my offerings and prove to the Heavens that I am a friend of his government; and that I am willing to sacrifice anything to please him and to secure the desired treasure. You no doubt recollect reading in the New Testament of a certain man who found a treasure which was hid in a field, and he went and sold all he had to purchase the entire field. It was but a little portion of ground that contained the treasure, but he was so bent on securing it that he purchased the entire field. What was that treasure? It was the kingdom of God. Some say the gifts of God are not purchased with money, and again some will contend that they are. I will speak a word or two upon this subject, by way of illustration. I suppose that in former days they had speculators among them, somewhat similar to those we have in these days. Once on a time the inspired Apostle laid his hands upon some who had been baptized for the remission of their sins, and they received the Holy Ghost. One Simon Magus saw the operation and he asked the Apostle to give him that gift, saying to him, “I will give you money for it.” Probably Simon said to himself, “I see money in it,” as much as some of you do in that mine; “just give me that gift, that upon whomsoever I lay my hands they may receive the Holy Ghost, and thus I will accumulate a fortune.” Said Peter, “Be it known unto you that the gifts of God are not purchased with money, thy money perish with thee,” &c. But then again, read in another part of the Scriptures about a certain steward who had charge of his master’s goods. He was accused unto his lord of wasting these goods, or of making an improper use of them, and he was called to an account, and informed by his master that he could no longer be steward. Said the steward, “What shall I do? I am bound to lose my place, and to dig I cannot, I am not used to it, and to beg I am ashamed; what shall I do to sustain myself?” This happy thought occurred to his mind—I will go round now to all my lord’s debtors, and I will say to this one, “How much owest thou to my lord?” “One hundred measures of wheat.” Said the steward, “I will forgive you fifty. I am yet in power, I am not yet displaced, take thy bill and sit down quickly and write fifty.” So he went and did to all his lord’s debtors. His lord saw what he was doing and called him to account, and he commended the unjust steward for his wisdom and shrewdness—he had acted wisely for himself. And now says the Savior, as if predicating a principle upon this transaction, “I say unto you, make unto yourself friends with the mammon of unrighteousness, that when you fail you may be received into everlasting habitations.” While it is the suggestion of one spirit, which is the spirit of falsehood, although the truth may be spoken by that spirit, yet God will not own it, and yet the same principle spoken of by another spirit, which is of God, Heaven will own. What are all the riches of this world given unto us for, but to secure some mansion in yonder world that will be glorious, and grand and worthy the noble and sacrificing spirit that sought it?

Well, we pay our tithing. What does it consist of? One-tenth of all we possess at the start, and then ever after one-tenth of our annual income. If that be one thousand dollars per annum you pay one hundred of that in taxes to the kingdom of God. Say some, “If it be God’s kingdom we should think it could stand and roll on without this kind of backing or aid.” I will tell you that the Lord Almighty wishes to prove our fidelity to him. It is not for his sake that we pay tithing, it is for ours. Hence he says, “If I were hungry or thirsty, I would not call upon them for meat or drink, but I want to prove you and see whether you are loyal to me or whether you are rebellious. Hence bring your tithes and your offerings into my storehouse and prove me now, herewith, and see if I will not open to you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room to receive.” We are told by some of the unbelievers that we pay tithing and we are dupes to fanaticism, that we are priest-ridden, and bound down with galling chains of oppression. That same class of persons will boast that they pay no tithing. They are not priest-ridden, they are freeborn American citizens and are not subject to this priestly rule. Ahem! By and by perhaps these individuals go hence to the other side of the veil, and they inquire the way to their home or mansion, and yonder, perhaps, one represented by the deserts of Sahara is pointed out to them, and they are told—“There is your home. You have been eager to grasp every blessing that flowed from the beneficent hand of the Creator, but what have you given in return? No more than that sandy desert has given, and there is the place of your home. An American citizen, eh! Not priest-ridden, not oppressed so that you have to pay tithes or taxes to the kingdom of God?” “No, we do not know any such kingdom.” Well, brethren and sisters, I almost shrink at the task of following this subject up. It is a little sensational, but perhaps it might as well be told, if not in whole, at least in part.

We find that there are many worlds surrounding us, revolving in their sphere and orbit. Some learned men have pretended to say that some of the planets in our own solar system are nothing but a mass of liquid fire. I do not know how true this is, I cannot vouch for it. It is a long time since I was there, and I have forgotten much that may, at some future day, be brought to my recollection, when the veil shall be parted from all eyes, and we see as we are seen and know as we are known. Here is my friend and brother Pratt, he is more skilled in astronomy than I am, and if I am guilty of an error, he can correct me if he sees fit. But some learned men say that there are worlds which roll in eternal night, not one ray of light from the grand central luminary penetrating or dawning upon their orbit, but they move in an eternal eclipse—always dark. I do not know how this is, but I know that some will come up and want an inheritance, and it will be said to them, “Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” There are some now who love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. I will venture to say that if some of the zealous opposers of what is sometimes called “Mormonism,” who were once united with us, could see an improper step made by your humble servants, they would seize upon it with the greatest avidity. If there was a dark spot in my moral character, that would be food for them. I, or my friend brother Pratt, or President Young, may have achieved worthy exploits and done great good, but they pass by this, they have no relish or appetite for it; but the moment there is a dark spot, either real or imaginary, they are ready to seize upon it with the greatest avidity, and roll it as a sweet morsel under their tongue, because they are children of darkness and love darkness rather than light. Now the sun, the great fountain of light of our system, is said to have dark spots on his disc. I believe it is so, but there is much light there, and he throws his rays to an immense distance. Now, because he has some dark spots on him, shall we dispense with and refuse to receive his light? No, with all the darkness he has we love the sun, and whether on sea or on land his rays are cheering and welcome, notwithstanding the dark spots that may exist on his face. So in relation to the servants of God. We may be men of like passions with others, but if an additional halo of light and glory burst upon us, and we as reflectors send that abroad for the benefit of others, the dark spots, real or imaginary, in our characters, should be overlooked, as those of the sun are overlooked.

Well, others besides those I have referred to, come up and want a mansion. They are asked—“Have you showed yourselves friends to the kingdom of God?” “No, we have sought to hedge up its progress in every way we could. We have told all the lies we could manufacture, and sent them abroad on the wires to create a storm of indignation against it—anything was justifiable to suppress ‘Mormonism.’ We have even twisted plain, straightforward common sense law into a ram’s horn, and made it so complex that neither we nor anyone else could understand it, for the sole purpose of ensnaring the feet of the defenders of this latter-day kingdom.” “Well, you want a mansion, and you love darkness rather than light because your deeds are evil?” “Yes.” “Well, yonder is your home, in that world that rolls in eternal eclipse.” “And these shall go away,” says the Bible,” into outer darkness, where there shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Dwell in eternal night! Oh, ye sons of rebellion, ye daughters of departure, contemplate the character of your future home! Turn from your ways, seek unto the Lord God of Israel, and know ye that mortal man here on earth is not perfect. I do not know that the angels of God are perfect, I rather question it. You question the perfection of the angels of God? A little, for the Bible says that God charges his angels with folly. If the angels are charged with folly by him who sits on the throne, with much more propriety may mortals who are at a greater distance from the central government be charged with the same. I will tell you that this is a singular kind of a world, and the machinery of man is very singular and complex, and it requires the wisdom of God to know and understand everything in relation to it, or even a small portion of it.

I might go on and point out the different characters, but having given you two or three examples, you must draw your own inference in relation to the condition hereafter of every living being. “Why,” says one, “I expect to go into the celestial kingdom.” You do? That is the highest grade of glory that we have any knowledge of. Put you or me into a place that we are not qualified to fill, and is it a heaven or a hell to us? For instance, there are many heavy mercantile firms in this city. An upright man, full of charity and good works, applies at the counting house of one of these large establishments for a berth as chief clerk, to keep their financial affairs properly posted up. He knows nothing about figures or about wielding the pen, but he is a good man. Let the weight of responsibility gradually descend and fall upon him, and he says, “I am crushed, I cannot do anything with this position, Oh deliver me from this place!” How often do we hear men say, “I am going to be a ruler in the kingdom of God.” The presumption is that such men possess certain necessary qualifications. To be a ruler without the qualifications for one, is to receive an exalted position to become a mark of ridicule for all beholders. I will tell you that to put you or me in a place that we are not qualified to fill, it is a hell for us, instead of a place of honor and exaltation, and I feel that I have no time to lose in preparing and qualifying myself to learn first to be a subject. If I cannot submit to be a subject, how can I ever expect to be a ruler? If I have not regard enough for the kingdom of God to comply with its requirements and laws and to pay my tithing, but show myself disloyal all my life, how can I expect to be elevated as a ruler in that kingdom that has no end? I cannot expect it.

I will now repeat what I said before—the celestial kingdom is the seat of all science, and like a great tree whose shadow reaches our earth, true science emanates thence, where it exists in its most refined and pure state, down here to our earth. Now, unless we go to and establish schools to educate ourselves and our children in all the shadows that are reflected upon our earth, how can we manage the substance? As it is said, “He that is unfaithful in the unrighteous mammon, who shall commit to his trust the true riches?” And if we are unfaithful to the shadows, who will commit to us the golden beams of purity, intelligence and love, even the sciences as they exist in the celestial kingdom? It is for us to look at and reflect upon these things, and to devote ourselves to the acquisition of knowledge.

This city is becoming a fashionable city. I see that the Latter-day Saints are copying the fashions of the outside world. I love to see innocence, purity, cleanliness and all this, and I would rather have disclosed to me, in the visions of one night’s sleep, the true principles of godliness as they exist on the other side of the veil, than to have all the pride and fashion that decorate these poor mortal bodies, for one view of eternal things throws into the shade all earthly grandeur and glory. This is what I delight in. Brethren and sisters, let us pay our tithing, that we may earn an inheritance in the kingdom of God, and we shall find that our loyalty in this shape will actually purchase us an everlasting inheritance.

Says one, “What becomes of tithing? I would like to know whether these Priests, Apostles, Bishops and Presidents use it all up in extravagance?” I will tell you where it goes, though I am under no obligation to do so, any more than I am to tell what is done with the money I pay to the tax collector, or the internal revenue man. When you go to the marriage altar, or to be baptized for yourselves or for your dead relatives, or to get your sealings and anointings, or anything of this kind, do you have to pay five shillings or five dollars for officiating for your father or mother who is dead and gone, that they may share the benefits of the everlasting Gospel with you, or are those ordinances free to you? You do not have to pay for them, do you? Do you find beggars in the streets of Zion? I have traveled through many countries in the old world, and I could hardly pass a corner, without hearing the petition—“A penny if you please, a penny, a penny. My mother is at home sick, got a little baby and cannot get out, and they are afflicted. Oh, please sir, a penny, a sixpence to help them!” No such scenes in this country. I have seen nothing of the kind, and I question very much whether you have. In those old countries beggary is going on in five hundred different ways, but you do not see any of it here. What stops up all these channels of distress? Tithing—the taxes you pay to the kingdom of God. The little child’s mother is provided for, if her Bishop looks after her, and the presumption is that he does. These little children are cared for. Is there any real poverty in our land? There may be, but really the cases are few and far between. All are well fed, all comfortably clad, and wherein they are unable to do it themselves, the tithing department pays.

We may think that we are going to get all our sealings, anointings, our marriages and everything of that kind free, but we are mistaken about that; we have got to pay for them all. How do you pay? Tithing and offerings to the kingdom of God pay for it all. Then when you come up to have accounts adjusted, and the books are opened, and another book is opened and the dead are judged out of those things written in the books according to their works, they have paid the charges, and that which they claim is their own, it is given to them of God. Not so with the world, they only marry for time. I have married a great many couples in the ways of the world, but I never married any of them for time and for all eternity, my mind did not stretch so far then—I married them until death should separate them. Those who have paid no tithing and have not enlisted under the law and commandments of God, those who have had no faith in Jehovah and in the resurrection, are parted when they go down to the grave. Farewell to all alliance then! They have raised families of lovely children, they have passed through sorrow, tribulation and joy, tasted the sweet and the bitter together, but when they reach the grave farewell forever, an eternal separation takes place. Not so with the Latter-day Saints. We are administered to by the authority of that priesthood that is without beginning of days or end of life, whose ministration is just as efficient the other side of the veil as this side, for what it binds on earth is bound in heaven, and what it looses on earth is loosed in heaven. If we have not a priesthood possessing this power and authority we have none at all. We claim that we have, and it cannot be found anywhere else. If we go to the Presbyterian church, with all respect to its ministers and people, and ask, “Do your ministrations reach beyond the veil? Can you marry for time and for all eternity?” We are told, “No.” And every other sect in Christendom will say the same. They could just as easily argue me out of my existence as to convince me that the ministrations of my priesthood do not reach within the veil of eternity, and run parallel with the great God himself, because that priesthood comes from God, and Heaven cannot destroy his own power, unless he destroy himself, and that he will not do, he will not be guilty of suicide. This is the superiority of the Priesthood that is conferred upon the Latter-day Saints; and although we have this treasure in earthen vessels, and are despised and rejected, there is a purity and an eternal principle embraced therein which will last until the heavens are no more.

God bless you, Amen.

Discourse by President Orson Hyde, delivered in the New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, May 5, 1870.

Brethren and sisters, my heart almost falters at the idea of attempting to make you all distinctly hear me, but by the aid of the Spirit of the Lord, in answer to your good wishes and prayers, I will do my best to make you hear such things as it may suggest to me. I am thankful for this opportunity of meeting the Saints from different parts of the Territory, of beholding their friendly faces, and of greeting them with a cordial “How do you do?” and “God bless you.” It really fills me with joy and gladness, and I am thankful that I have the privilege of meeting with my brethren who bear the Priesthood, and of mingling my testimony with theirs, to establish the truths of heaven long since revealed by the Lord to His people—the Latter-day Saints. Brethren and sisters, I know that the cause in which we are engaged is the cause of God. I know that Joseph Smith was a true and faithful Prophet of the Most High God. I know that he sealed his testimony with his blood, and though he is invisible to our natural eyes at the present time, he is moving the cause of Zion by an influence which we can better feel than see. I feel thankful that I have the privilege of bearing this testimony; and not only do I bear it in behalf of the martyred Prophet, but I bear the same testimony in behalf of him whom God has placed to lead, guide and govern the affairs of His kingdom on the earth—namely, President Brigham Young.

You can all behold the “Twin Peaks” down here, when you are out in the open air, towering aloft towards heaven. You have seen the clouds gather around their brow, you have heard the thunders roll and seen the lightnings flash as if they would demolish those proud monuments of nature, and the elements have expended upon them their fury, yet after all, the clouds retired, the thunders ceased to roll, the lightnings to flash, and the sky became clearer; and there stand today those proud monuments, unscathed and unmoved. Why? Because God Almighty’s hand reared them and placed them there. And the elements by which we are more or less surrounded may gather around our President, Brigham Young, until his name is almost obscured for the time being; the thunders may roll over his head, the lightnings may flash or the clouds gather; is he affected? Is he not the same identical pillar, leading, guiding and sustaining the cause of God? Most assuredly he is. And remember that, although the elements are lively and they play around the “Twin Peaks” with a great deal of force and fury, they can have but very little effect upon them; and so it is with the man whom God has ordained and placed to guide His Saints. Apostates may cause the clouds to gather, and they may thunder and they may lighten, and they may do this, that and the other, but at last they must yield and give place to the monument that God has erected; and he will stand forth in bold relief, towering to heaven and pointing the way to eternal life.

This is my testimony. This is the way my heart feels today; and it is the way it has ever felt towards that individual; it is the way that I am inclined to think that it ever will feel. It is my determination. Why? Because I have had evidence that is unmistakable that I am occupying grounds that are correct, that are true and faithful, and I cannot forget it. I pray the Lord that He may always lead me to keep the truth in mind, vivid and clear as the sun at noonday.

Brethren and sisters, if we will be united in keeping the commandments of God, in observing and cleaving to the Word of Wisdom, not for the time being only, but always while life shall last; if we will remember our prayers and be faithful in the discharge of our duties, I will tell you that any measure, inimical to our welfare and interests it may seem, that may be sought to be carried against us, will utterly fail. We have the means within ourselves to defeat almost anything that is intended for our destruction and overthrow. However I want to talk but little about this. I have endeavored to instruct the brethren and sisters where I have labored in relation to this matter, and if I shall repeat here today some things that I have said heretofore, do not think that it is because Brother Hyde lacks a subject; but he is happy to have the opportunity of declaring the truth; and truth never becomes stale because of being often repeated.

We are a commercial and trading people, although far inland, and hence we buy and sell. Now the question is, are we always punctual to pay according to promise and agreement? I am sorry to say that in too many instances we are careless and indifferent with regard to fulfilling our word and agreement. We are told in the good Book that we should owe no man anything but love and good will; and if every man that hears the sound of my voice today could stand out like an angel of God and say, “I owe no man anything but love and good will,” what missile from the enemies’ ranks could be successfully hurled against us? I say not one. We have paid that which we owe, and no man can say aught in complaint against us because we are delinquents; and every one that knows us will be ready to say, “God bless you, you are punctual and faithful.” Do we all desire, brethren and sisters, to maintain this character and stand upon this ground? I know that cases will arise, and almost unavoidably, in which we may be indebted to our brethren; but how is it with some of us when those to whom we are indebted apply for payment? I am afraid that such creditors, instead of receiving that which is their due, are sometimes turned away with an excuse; when, if the debtor would exert himself, he might pay about as well then as at any other time. But though we may turn away a brother with an excuse, does that turn away the demands of justice and right? I tell you no. I have seen individuals who would contract a debt, apparently regardless whether they paid or not. I do not know that there are any here, but if there are I hope they will heed the words which I speak. Let me say that I very much question whether, if we have contracted debts and do not pay them, nor manifest any desire to do so, we shall go into the celestial kingdom. I cannot tell how this will be, but I should rather fear that, instead of going into the celestial kingdom, we should go down to that prison that is spoken of in the Scriptures. Hence we are exhorted to “agree with thine adversary quickly whilst thou art in the way with him, lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison: verily, verily, I say unto thee that thou shalt not come out thence until thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.” Whether this Scripture legitimately applies in this case, I will not say; but to my mind it has a strong beginning in that direction. Well, if I have to go to prison and there work to pay the uttermost farthing, heaven nerve my arm so that I may meet and pay my obligations while I am in the flesh. I know that in relation to these matters some of us have been in the habit of considering, “Well, it is a brother to whom I owe this debt, and I can put him off, he will bear with me, and if he begins to make any particular demonstration towards collecting it, I will twine around him, and say, ‘Bear with me a little, and I will pay you,’” when perhaps we have no real, firm and fixed determination to pay that debt at all.

Will the Lord hear and answer our prayers if this be our condition? I cannot say, but I will tell you I would rather be clear of any obligation except those of love and good will. I would rather risk prayer offered under these circumstances than when offered while the suppliant is involved in debts and obligations he has failed to discharge.

Now, brethren and sisters, if we will train ourselves never to contract a debt, unless we feel sure, and not only feel sure, but determined, to pay according to promise, we shall not have the burdens on our shoulders that we otherwise shall have. Times are changing. Sometimes we are tempted by the allurements of the world, by the flow of money and by the abundance of everything, to go beyond the mark, and we contract debts; then perhaps there is a shutdown on the sources of prosperity, and a dark, dull time, financially, may set in, and everything we have got is at stake. Which, then, is the better way? The better way, in my opinion, is to keep clear of debt; whether times are prosperous or tight, keep clear of debt if possible.

Some will run into debt to gratify pride, and they will really rob themselves and their creditors just to keep up with this fanciful thing called fashion. Brother or sister So and So says, “I must have this or that, because somebody else has it;” or somebody has got such a thing, and I feel that I am as much entitled to it as he or she. I say let somebody else have as many fashions as they like, but let us abide by what God has given us and be content therewith; and if we really want more, let us make a little extra exertion, and before we spend money let us earn it. I know men who will actually go to work and sell the crop, that they are perhaps planting now, to merchants; and when they irrigate those crops it is not for themselves, but for them to whom they have sold it. The same is true when the grain is harvested and when it is threshed. There is no liberty, independence or nobility in this; but they who take this course are bound down and are slaves to somebody else. I feel that a little economy and self-denial would relieve us very much from this embarrassment and encumbrance. I believe the good Book says, “Except a man deny himself, take up his cross and follow me, he cannot be my disciple.” Do we seek to deny ourselves or to gratify ourselves? Which is the greater labor, to gratify or to deny ourselves? I will tell you that if we would bestow as much labor in denying ourselves as we do in gratifying ourselves, we should feel better and should be happier, and the heavens would plead our cause more effectually. How comfortable a man feels when he can say to himself, “Though I have but little, thank God I do not owe anybody anything.” I have paid up my tithing, my emigration indebtedness, I have paid for my newspaper, and done the best I could to keep the hearts of my brethren whole by paying promptly, according to promise, so that the great machine of progress may move without obstruction and hindrance? I believe that if we will all turn in from this time and be honest, and really pay our debts and obligations, we have no great reason to fear anything injurious proceeding from any quarter.

Suppose now, brethren and sisters, that we should be united in this one thing, and should actually go to and pay our debts and obligations. Let me suggest to you one thing. Says one, “Really, I would very much like if I had the assurance that God heard my prayers.” Now, when you go home, just think of them to whom you are indebted and who is in most need among your creditors, and then go right to that individual and bless him with an installment of what you owe him, and I tell you that will aid very much the acceptance of your offering unto God; it will induce Him to hear your prayer and to answer it. If you don’t believe it, try it, and instead of putting off your brother, to whom you are indebted, and making a thousand excuses and apologies, and trying to get out of his road, go right to him, be honest, lay your heart open to him, and say, “My brother, I will do all I can for you. I will bless you by paying you what I owe, or a portion of it, and I will pay you the remainder as fast as I possibly can.” Let this course be taken throughout Israel, and see if the tables will not turn in favor of Zion. I feel that they will; let us all take this course and see.

I intend, if the Lord will let me live, and I believe He will, to work just as hard as I can to pay every just obligation that I owe, and I believe I shall accomplish it. I pray the Lord to let me live until I can say, boldly and honestly and truly, that I owe no man anything but love and goodwill; and then as much longer as He pleases. That is what I desire and intend. And I believe that if we, as a people, do this, remember our prayers, and keep the words of wisdom, the Lord will not suffer the enemy to prevail against us.

Now I look around this congregation, and contemplate that there are, perhaps, some ten or twelve thousand persons, and it may be more, I do not know, there is a very large number; then when I think that numerous as we are here we are but the representatives—not more than a tithing of those left behind, of the same stripe, iy reminds me of the words of Joseph the Prophet, when he said, “Brethren, remember that the majority of this people will never go astray; and as long as you keep with the majority you are sure to enter the celestial kingdom.” I am satisfied, brethren, that if we will go to with our might and strength and pay our debts and liabilities the blessing of God will attend us, and that too in the eyes of all the world.

I will tell you what I expect. I expect to live to see the day when those in our midst, who have sought our injury and ruin, will stand the same as men do, when discovered, that I read of in the papers, who rob henroosts or steal sheep. You know how they feel—they feel “cheap,” they would feel very mean in the presence of honorable men. I expect to live to see the day, brethren, when those who have sought our injury will quail in our presence.

Well, this is no time for long sermons. There are my brethren of the Twelve here, besides many others, who want to speak; and I presume to say that I have occupied my share of the time. One thing more, however, I will say. You who have money owing to you, do not, from my remarks, go to him who owes you and take him by the throat and say, “Pay me that which thou owest.” Do not do that. No, let your debtor remain undisturbed by you; you be silent, and see whether that man’s conscience will operate upon him so as to induce him to come and make reasonable and proper satisfaction to you; and if he will not when this subject is fully laid before him you may begin to think that he is not as honest as he should be, and by and by he will work himself out of the kingdom.

I feel, brethren and sisters, that I am in the right company. If I can only manage to keep right myself, if I can only manage to be true and faithful to my God and myself, while I am in the midst of this assembly—the representatives of a host of Latter-day Saints—their hearts beating in unison with my words, and my words with their hearts, I feel that I am not following the few who break off, but that I am with the majority, and we are bound for the celestial kingdom.

God defend His people and their rights, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Remarks by Elder Orson Hyde, delivered in the New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, October 6, 1869.

Being requested to make a few remarks to the Saints at the present time, I have risen with cheerfulness to add my testimony to what has been said, and to speak a few words more in relation to the Church and kingdom of God, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ His Son. I rejoice in the opportunity of meeting with the Saints and seeing their friendly faces, which beam as though their hearts felt glad to associate together—to commune one with another, and to hear what the Lord may say through His servants who may be called upon to address you. Brethren and sisters, the feelings of my heart are—The Lord bless you, and pour His Spirit upon you and upon all His Saints everywhere.

I have listened with interest to the remarks that have been made. I rejoice in anything that goes to advance the cause of Zion; and I know of no one thing more potent to that effect than our living by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. And I apprehend that, if the Saints will listen to the words of counsel and unto the commandments of God, no very serious inroads will ever be made upon us, either by contestants for the supremacy in this kingdom, or by Congress itself. These are my feelings.

I became connected with the Church of God on the 31st day of October 1831. I do not know how many there are now living that can date their connection with the Church to an earlier period than this. There is one, and perhaps there are two, that I know of, I know of no more; still, I cannot say in relation to this. Now, if I had only improved upon the time that has been allotted to me, and gained the experience I might have gained, perhaps I would have been further in advance than I am at the present time. But I am not discouraged; I have no feelings to linger or flag, but feel to persevere and to do all I can for the building up of the Zion of our God.

I apprehend, brethren and sisters, that there are faithful witnesses in this Church who have lived with the Prophet—who have traveled with him, who have eaten with him, who have slept with him, who have preached and prayed with him, and have been as familiar with him as a child ever was with his father. There are, I say, witnesses that lived co-temporary with him, who will continue to live and be able to bear a faithful testimony to the truth, until the kingdom can take care of itself, or God will take care of it. I tell you that light will come upon you pretty soon—the glorious light of heaven. Be patient, enduring—the sun will rise and darkness will flee away. By and by, true to the word of promise, the sun does rise, and darkness flees away; and the sun ascends to the meridian, and his rays illuminate the whole face of nature. You can then see, you can then appreciate the word of promise. Would it be any satisfaction to you if I were to continue and tell you that the sun does shine? It shines in the face of you all. You have no need of my testimony, you have no need of my assurance. It displays its light to all the world, and you behold it, and no one could convince you that the sun does not shine.

So let me say here, that there are faithful witnesses, who will testify to the truth, that lived contemporary with Joseph, the martyred prophet; and they will continue to live and testify till this kingdom can take care of itself. What do you mean by the kingdom taking care of itself? I mean that the veil which is now cast over the world will be rent asunder, and every eye will see and every heart feel. Then the kingdom can take care of itself, and have no need of witnesses to prove that the sun shines. Well, then, if the veil of the covering which has caused so great darkness is rent in twain, and the whole people, as it were, see as they are seen and know as they are known, have they any particular use for the testimony of a feeble mortal, that the power of God, in streams of light from on high, is being poured down upon the children of God on earth? Why it is a character of evidence beyond the feeble voice of mortals.

I apprehend that, so long as these witnesses remain, it will be a pretty hard matter for Congress or for apostates to make many inroads upon the truth, while the servants of the Most High, inspired by the Spirit of God, stand like a flaming sword to guard the way of the Tree of Life.

I will tell you, brethren and sisters, the Apostleship is of some importance to the Saints of God; but I will say, furthermore, that it is very satisfactory to me when I call to mind the remarks of the Prophet Joseph Smith. I will give you my testimony. In one particular place, in the presence of about sixty men, he said, “My work is about done; I am going to step aside awhile. I am going to rest from my labors; for I have borne the burden and heat of the day, and now I am going to step aside and rest a little. And I roll the burden off my shoulders on the shoulders of the Twelve Apostles. Now,” said he, “round up your shoulders and bear off this kingdom.” Has he ever said this to anyone else? I do not know; I do not care. It is enough for me to know that he said it to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. And since that time we have endeavored to do our duty and perform the work that was given us to do.

We did not consider, at the time he bore this testimony, that he was going to die or be taken from us; but we considered that as he had been borne down with excessive labors, by day and night, he was going to retire to rest and regain his health, and we should act under his direction and bear the responsibility of the work. But when the fatal news came to us, in the Eastern States, that he, with his brother Hyrum, had been massacred in Carthage jail, I will tell you it brought his words home to our minds, and we could then realize that he had spoken in sober earnest; and the twelve men upon whom he had conferred this power, then stepped forth and took their position. When the Twelve, united heart and soul, stepped forth, everything yielded before them.

Well, now, I will give it as the feelings of my heart—and if I am wrong, I can be corrected right here—that no one need be curious or anxious as to who is going to lead and guide this people. I will tell you that as long as God has a Church on the earth, He will govern it. Now I will tell you a little of my feelings in relation to it. I know that when President Young returned with the Twelve to Nauvoo, he gathered them around him, and said he, “I want you to disperse among the congregation and feel the pulse of the people, while I go upon the stand and speak.”

We went among the congregation and President Young went on the stand. Well, he spoke, and his words went through me like electricity. “Am I mistaken?” said I, “or is it really the voice of Joseph Smith?” This is my testimony; it was not only the voice of Joseph, but there were the features, the gestures and even the stature of Joseph before us in the person of Brigham. And though it may be said that President Young is a complete mimic, and can mimic anybody, I would like to see the man who can mimic another in stature who was about four or five inches higher than himself. Everyone in the congregation—everyone who was inspired by the Spirit of the Lord—felt it. They knew it. They realized it.

I sat myself down in the midst of the congregation, with my two wives, whom Joseph had given and sealed to me. When President Young began to speak, one of them said, “It is the voice of Joseph! It is Joseph Smith!” The exclamation of the other was, “I do not see him, where is he?” Well, the thought occurred to my mind respecting the Scripture which President Young has just quoted—“My sheep know my voice and follow me.” Where is the one that recognized the voice of Joseph in President Young? Where is she? She is in the line of her duty. But where is the other? Gone where I wish she were not. The sheep of the good shepherd will follow the voice they know, but they will not follow the voice of a stranger.

Now this was a manifestation of the power of the Almighty—it was the power of God resting on an individual in the eyes of all the people, not only in feature and voice, but actually in stature. This is my testimony. I might go on and add many more testimonies. I recollect reading that when our Savior was baptized by John in the Jordan, the Spirit of the Lord descended and rested upon him in the form of a dove, and a voice from heaven was heard, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye him.”

Well, now, it did not depend upon argument, it did not depend upon reason. The voice of the Almighty—the form of a dove descending and resting upon him, were sufficient evidence to prove he was the Son of God. Argument was out of the question. Did it require argument to prove that brother Brigham Young held the position of Joseph, the martyred Prophet? Did it require proof that Joseph was there in the person of Brigham, speaking with an angel’s voice? It required no argument; with those who feared God and loved truth, it required none.

Well, now, we have the consolation to know that, whatever changes may take place in the government of the Church and kingdom of God, we shall not be left in the dark nor will our destiny be suspended on the frailty of argument; but I believe that whatever changes take place will be brought about by a power that every child of God will recognize.

These are the feelings of my heart; and consequently I dismiss every anxiety in relation to it. It is for me to live my religion and honor my God, and to let Him steady His own ark. Let me do my duty and all will work for the best. This is how I feel, brethren. When I began to speak, I had quite an argument fixed up in my mind, but I cannot touch it now, and it is useless to try. I will say, however, that it is all summed up in the excellent quotation made by our President—“My sheep know my voice and will follow me; but a stranger they will not follow, for they know not the voice of strangers.”

We must learn, brethren and sisters, to be wise. We must learn to let the world alone. The Lord has brought us out from the nations. Said He, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins and receive not of her plagues.” Now, why should we ever have any lingering desire for any connection with the world again? Will we invite them here and scatter our means among them, and put a weapon in their hands to destroy us?

An illustrious visitor, the one only second in office in the United States, expressed a desire that we should see the necessity of inviting men of capital to our midst, to aid in developing the resources of the country, thereby making our Territory a great commercial center. The Lord knows His own business best, and He will conduct it in a manner and way that will please Him. I apprehend He will take care of His people. And if we will do His will and keep His commandments, He will provide for us; and we may yet learn, in the midst of all our reasoning and argument, that God has never yet desired us to live after the manner of the world. It is for us to keep His commandments and He will provide for His children. He will provide for His servants. Brethren and sisters, you will see the servants of God will have joy at heart; but the enemies of righteousness will have sorrow.

It is well for us to adhere to the principle of cooperation and everything else that is calculated to advance our interests as a people. It is well for us to adhere to the teachings that we receive, and let our enemies and outsiders alone. Is there anything wrong in our concentrating our time and means in a certain channel? Can we not trade where and with whom we will? Are we doing anyone any injustice in this? No. Have we the Constitutional right to invest our capital wherever we like? Yes, we have the Constitutional right. Is it my Constitutional right to get all the power and influence that I can? Yes, it is. Is there anything unlawful in it? Nothing at all. I will venture to say that the Hon. Vice President would not object, today, to have influence over all the citizens of the United States. He would not object to it at all; neither would any other politician.

We say there is nothing unlawful in Brigham Young getting all the influence that he can; but they want him out of the way. They are not willing—they cannot be willing, to see a man who has earned the position he occupies, use his influence for the welfare, elevation and advancement of the people. They want to occupy it themselves, and they are jealous.

I do not feel to detain you a great while, brethren and sisters, but there are two or three things in my mind that I wish to make known. Congress, it is said, is going to give the people “their rights!” I wonder why they never thought of giving us our rights? That is another thing; it is a horse of another color. But our rights are safe. Our rights are in the hands of God; and we will trust in Him for them; and when He does give them to us, He will give them on a large scale.

Brother George A. Smith was computing the interest and indebtedness of Missouri to us; but I tell you when the Lord pays us up, it will be a “big” reward. Be patient, live your religion, and when the Almighty does reward, it will be on a large scale.

And now let me give you my feelings in relation to the interference of the Government of the United States. What do they want to interfere with us for? Whom have we injured? Have we injured anyone? Have we done wrong to anyone, Jew or Gentile? Have we done wrong to the Indians? Have we done wrong in cultivating the soil, and in making this barren and waste desert fertile? What wrong have we done, that it is necessary for Congress to interfere? They say, “We are afraid you intend to do wrong.” Well, then you punish us in advance for the wrong we have not done. They say, “You are guilty of practicing polygamy.” Well, now, this is only one feather in the bird; only one single feather. I will tell you, everything is wrong about us in their estimation. It is wrong of us to get such an influence on the earth, both at home and abroad. And the reason why so much is said about polygamy, is because it is the only handle that they think they can get hold of; but they will discover that even this is so doubtful, in the eye of Constitutional law, that it can give them no assurance of success against us; and they will find it the very principle that will break in pieces the power that would set it aside.

I would not say that I am speaking now as a representative of the minds of the Latter-day Saints as a body; I wish merely to express my own sentiments and feelings, and if I say anything that is wrong, let me be corrected for it right here. I will tell you that, just in proportion as any power, whether the United States or any other nation, seeks to hinder or oppose the progress of the Latter-day Saints, or lay any stumbling block in their way, the Lord will lay two stumbling blocks in their way, to their laying one in ours.

We have something more potent than our own arm to defend us—we have the arm of Jehovah pledged for our protection. He will make bare His arm in the eyes of the nations, and they will feel it. It is getting too late in the day. The battle is too far advanced.

Then let us, as Latter-day Saints, be filled with reverence for the kingdom of God—for His laws and institutions; remembering our prayers, being faithful, doing our duty in all things, and the Lord will bear off His kingdom. God bless you. Amen.

Remarks by Elder Orson Hyde, delivered in the Bowery, Great Salt Lake City, General Conference, Oct. 7, 1865.

By the request and permission of my brethren, I have the pleasure of rising up in the midst of the Saints to say a few words to them this morning. I feel very thankful to the Lord our God that I still have a name and a place among his people, that I am permitted to meet with them in General Conference, to speak of the goodness of our Father in heaven, and to join in worship with the general assembly of the Church of God. We are favored, truly, with fine weather; this is not only a great blessing to us, but it is a great blessing to our friends and brethren who are journeying on the plains to join us in our localities here.

First and foremost, brethren and sisters, I will say that, on Thursday evening I arrived in this city from the south—from my field of labor. As I came near the borders of the city I came in contact with a very disagreeable smell, arising from the decomposition of some animal that had been hauled out on the outside to remove the nuisance from the city. When I passed a certain line I entered the city and beheld shady trees and fruit trees laden with fruit, and experienced with delight the agreeable odor from the ripening fruit. The contrast was as agreeable as it was great. It immediately occurred to my mind that our brethren who are crossing the plains might come in contact with dead bodies that had been removed from among the Saints, I mean dead as to the spiritual life of God in them, for they must of necessity come in contact with these ere they could reach the city of the Saints. I believe that the evil things that could be said of the Saints are said around the borders, and those that are coming here to find a home have these things to encounter, that are quite disagreeable, and it requires not a little perseverance and faith to force their way through and to arrive here untarnished by the evil that meets them on the way. But when they can come with the Spirit of the Lord—with the spirit of the Saints in them—they forget all those disagreeable things on the borders, and their minds are charged with a heavenly influence, when they find themselves among the Saints here in peace and in truth.

Five years ago, the 10th of last June, I left this city to bestow my labors in another part of the heritage of our God, in the county generally known as that of Sanpete. At the time I went there, there were six efficient settlements, the largest of which would not exceed 125 or 130 families. According to the ability which the Lord has given me, in connection with my brethren who have been laboring more or less with me, the industry of the Saints, and the blessings of the Lord, the settlements have now increased to fifteen in number. They advanced southward until it was deemed expedient and necessary in the Legislature of last winter to organize two new counties, namely, the Sevier County and Piute County. The land in these counties that is susceptible of cultivation is mostly occupied with settlements, which, in several places in these new counties, are quite large.

We have had some difficulties to encounter, and all those who are acquainted with the establishment of new settlements in new localities, are not ignorant that there is always more or less difficulty to contend with; especially when they are so remote from what may be termed headquarters, or from the sources of aid and succor. We have enjoyed, generally, very good health; we have had some little sickness among children, and several have died.

There is a good deal of ambition among our people to cultivate a great quantity of ground, the result of which is, that we cultivate our lands poorly in comparison to what we would if we were contented with a smaller area, and would confine our labors to it. We have found some difficulty with regard to water, and complaints have been made about a scarcity of water in many places, when, indeed, I suppose the Lord has apportioned the water to the amount of land he intended should be cultivated. I do not think that these things are passed over unnoticed by Him without some kind of arrangement or calculation. He understands perfectly well what the elements are capable of producing, and how many of His people may be established here or there with profit and with advantage. I have labored most industriously since I have acquired a little experience myself, to induce my brethren to direct their energies upon smaller tracts of land; for I have noticed where men would attempt to raise a crop off forty acres of land, that they could not get their crops in in season, and frequently the frost came early and destroyed a great portion of them. This is bestowing our labor for that which does not profit. Now, would it not be better to confine our energies to a small tract of land, put in our crops in due season, have ample time to do it, do it well, and then it would only require one-half or one-third the amount of water to mature them, and they would mature in advance of the frost?

I do not know how it is in other sections of the country, but I presume it is more or less with them like the circumstances I will relate. I have known men, single handed, attempt to raise twenty-five and thirty acres of grain when it is more than any one man can well do; the result is, they find themselves troubled to get the water; they run from break of day until dark at night, wearing themselves out, and with all they can do they cannot bestow that attention upon their fields which they need, and they only get from eighteen to twenty bushels of wheat to the acre. When men have confined themselves to ten acres of land, having plowed it well the season before, all the foul weeds killed out and the soil left clean, the seed sown at an early day in the Spring, and put in in good order, I have known such fields to produce from forty to sixty bushels of good plump wheat to the acre. Besides, when fields are so cultivated, less water is used; the necessary labor can be performed without being hurried, and a plentiful harvest of golden sheaves reward the toil of the laborer.

This season, in all probability, our crops will fall short of other years some thirty thousand bushels of wheat, by reason of the early frosts. While I regret this loss, I am happy to say that there is plenty of good wheat in the granary, or in the Egypt of Utah; and I think the loss this year, through early frosts, will aid very much in enforcing the principles which I have endeavored to advance, namely, to confine our labors to smaller tracts of land and put in our crops in good time; that while they are growing luxuriantly and yielding bountifully, filling our bins with golden grain we are not worn out with toil before the days allotted to us to live are expired; but we still have our strength, time to build comfortable houses for our families to live in, barns and sheds, and to prepare shelter for our stock.

I find the longer we live in these valleys that the range is becoming more and more destitute of grass; the grass is not only eaten up by the great amount of stock that feed upon it, but they tramp it out by the very roots; and where grass once grew luxuriantly, there is now nothing but the desert weed, and hardly a spear of grass is to be seen.

Between here and the mouth of Emigration Canyon, when our brethren, the Pioneers, first landed here in ’47, there was an abundance of grass over all those benches; they were covered with it like a meadow. There is now nothing but the desert weed, the sage, the rabbit bush, and such like plants, that make very poor feed for stock. Being cut short of our range in the way we have been, and accumulating stock as we are, we have nothing to feed them with in the winter and they perish. There is no profit in this, neither is it pleasing in the sight of God our Heavenly Father that we should continue a course of life like unto this. Hence, in my labors I have exerted an influence, as far as I have been able, to cultivate less land in grain and secure to ourselves meadows that we might have our hay in the time and in the season thereof, shades for our stock, barns, and stables for our horses, and good houses for our families, where they may be made comfortable and happy, and that we may not be everlasting slaves, running, as it were, after an ignus fatuus, or jack in the lantern, following a false light, but that we may confine ourselves to a proper and profitable course of life. I do say, that a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things that he possesses, nor upon the vast amount he extends his jurisdiction over, but it consists in a little well cared for, and everything in order. When we confine ourselves and our labors to small tracts of land, we shall then find time to do everything that is necessary to be done; but if we branch out so largely in plowing, sowing and reaping, we have no time to make necessary improvements around our homes and in our cities; in fact, we have so much to do that we can do nothing at all.

Now I speak of these things, my brethren, not because I think that they are the most edifying to you, but I speak of them because I consider that a temporal salvation is as important as a spiritual one. It is salvation in every respect that we are laboring to obtain, not only to make ourselves comfortable and happy, so far as the physical energies of the body are concerned, but, also, that the mind should not constantly be on the strain day and night. There should be a little time for relaxation and rest to both body and mind, that while our bodies are resting the mind may be fresh to plan and arrange for our personal comfort and how to make everything snug and tidy around us. How much more agreeable is life when everything is in order and good regulation is maintained in and around our homes and cities. This is what I have endeavored, in my weak way, to instil into the minds of the Saints. In some instances I have been successful, and where men have adopted the course I have suggested, they have invariably borne testimony in its favor. I would rather have half a dozen cows in the winter, and have them well taken care of, than to have twenty and have fourteen of them die for want of feed and proper attention, which would leave me only six. I would rather only have the six to begin with, then I would not have the mortification of seeing so many suffer and die. In the present condition of the ranges, we cannot indulge in the hope of raising such large herds of stock as we have done heretofore; but we have got to keep about what will serve us, and take care of them well; then we can enjoy ourselves, and we are not the authors of misery to any part of creation.

We are trying to get into this way; it is a slow operation, and it seems that men’s inordinate desire for wealth and extensive possessions is hard to overcome. They hate to be limited; they think their fields are not large enough for their strength; but it is a good thing to have a little strength on hand all the time, and not let out the very last link, because there might be an emergency that would really require it. If we drive a pair of horses all the time at their utmost speed they are soon worn out; and if you want to make a trip very speedily, you cannot do it, your animals are run down, you have not husbanded their strength, and they are not capable of performing the journey you wish; whereas, if they are properly driven, judiciously fed, and their strength properly husbanded, when you want to make a sudden dash you have the power to do it. We are not unlike, in this respect, to other portions of the animal creation. Perhaps I have said enough upon this subject.

We have had our difficulties to encounter in the south; it has not all sunshine and fair weather with us, but we have got along as well as we could. Perhaps that is saying too much, it is saying a good deal; I do not know that I dare say it. I look back frequently upon my past life and find many places that I think I could have bettered; but were I to live my life over again I do not know that I could do any differently. I will, however, let the past take care of itself, and for the future seek to do the will of God and keep myself in subjection to it.

I have no objections to men obtaining wisdom and learning from books, whether old or new; that is all right and good enough; but I consider it is better to have the Spirit of God in our hearts, that we may know the truth when we hear it; and not only know it when we hear it, but be capable by that Spirit of bringing forth things that we never heard. I feel that it is our privilege, brethren and sisters, to have this principle dwelling within us; and when I see men laboring through books, ancient and modern, to find but little that is good, I am reminded of those who run over forty acres of land in a superficial manner, and only reap a little, when a small quantity of land, well watered and well cultivated, would be sure to yield a rich harvest.

I want to speak a few words now in relation to our position. We look back to the days of Abraham, and we consider him to be a great man. Truly, he was a great man; he was among the first of great men in this world, according to our limited know– ledge. There were great men before his day, but we are not so well acquainted with the revelations given previous to his time, nor with the men that lived before him, as we are with Abraham, and with the revelations given to him and to prophets subsequent to his time. The Lord called him away from the worship of idols, telling him to separate himself and go into a land He would show him. He was guided by that Spirit that always guides aright, so he came into the land of Canaan. The Lord told him to look “northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward; For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.” The Lord promised to make him a great ruler, a prince, and the father of the faithful. I want to ask the Latter-day Saints if the field is not wide enough, and if it is not the good will of our Father in heaven, to make Abrahams of every faithful man of God that lives on the earth at this day? If it is not according to the loving kindness of our Heavenly Father to bless every faithful man of God as he blessed Abraham? It seems so to me. Abraham had several wives, and he had children. Is not the same blessing extended to us? That if Abraham was to be a prince and a ruler, and his posterity become numerous, may we not, if faithful to our God and to our covenants, be as Abraham? Shall there be any end to our posterity? May they not be as numerous as the stars in the firmament, and as the sands upon the seashore? Abraham may be in advance of us; he lived in an earlier period; but we are following up in the same track. Although we may not be called upon to yield up an only son, as Abraham was, yet, may we not enjoy through faithfulness the blessings, and honors, and privileges that he did? I see nothing in the way of it. I believe it is according to the goodness, and generosity, and loving kindness of our Father in heaven. Now, the Jews boasted that they were the literal descendants of Abraham; and, notwithstanding their unrighteousness, stubbornness of heart, blindness of mind, and unbelief, they considered themselves heirs to all the promises made unto Abraham, and a distinguished and honored people. Jesus came to them, and taught and instructed them, and would have saved them, but they would not allow him to be their Savior; hence he said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” The Savior began to reason with them on one occasion; they answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, “If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him,” etc. Now, they are the people to whom the promises were made, of whom it is said they should be remembered forever, and that too with loving kindness and favor. It was understood that they would be chastened if they went astray, but the Lord would always remember them on account of their fathers.

They that are the children of Abraham do the works of Abraham. What did Abraham do? The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and the voice of the Lord was heard by him, and when the Lord commanded him he obeyed; when he was commanded to offer up his only son, his darling Isaac, he prepared to do so. Abraham, no doubt, felt all the sympathies of a kindhearted father, but still the voice of God to him was paramount to all things else, and he laid his son upon the altar and was about to slay him; and while the knife was aimed at the life of the lad, showing that Abraham was fully bent to do the will of God, and follow out the instructions given him, an angel’s voice from on high said, Abraham, spare thy son; I have tried and proved you; now I have the evidence that you will not withhold anything from me; there is a ram in the thicket, take him and offer him up instead; and Isaac was accepted in a figure and was saved. Abraham went on in obedience to the requirements of Heaven and faltered not. Now, then, if we will do the works of Abraham, we are the children of Abraham. The natural seed of Abraham rejected the offers of mercy, and it was said of them, “Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them.” Again, Paul says, “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh.” Their true line of connection with Abraham was broken because of unbelief, and Heaven regarded it no more. But here is a new institution, hence, says Jesus, except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God, and except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. To be born again is necessary to be a child of Abraham—to be a child of God. We are to be born of water and of the Spirit. What will the Spirit do for us if we give place to it and allow it to act according to its office in our own bosoms, and oppose it not, doing nothing to grieve it and to paralyze its force and influence upon our systems? Will it not create us anew in Christ Jesus, making our flesh, blood, and bones anew, creating the whole creature anew, being born from above and sanctified unto God? It seems so to me. It was said to Jesus, “Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.” But he answered and said unto him who told him, “Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.” I do not know that I understand the exact meaning of the word sanctification, it is a very commonly used word; what I understand by it is, that the sanctifying influences of the Spirit of God is that influence which purges us from everything that is worldly, selfish, and contrary to the mind of God: and the creature who is sanctified can say, “Our Father who art in heaven,” because he is born from above. Now, the presumption is, if a child is born to me, that that child inherits my spirit—my nature—by virtue of his birth and “being begotten by me.” If we are, then, begotten of God and born of his Spirit, we inherit the qualities of the Deity himself. Then may we not all become Abrahams? It seems to me that the Almighty can furnish territory enough, room enough: for He is not limited: and this world and all other worlds are subject to him. He controls, governs, and manages them, and they are to provide ample room for the existence and increase of His faithful children.

I do not pretend to understand the secret springs that are subject to the Almighty’s touch, but suffice it to say that I know they exist, and that He can touch them aright; and that if we will serve Him and honor Him and keep His commandments, He will touch them every time in our favor. I do not feel that the kingdom of God is going to be overthrown, that the wicked are going to prevail against it. I would have great mercy upon the wicked, so far as they will repent and obey the Gospel; but if they will not repent and obey the Gospel, if they will love unrighteousness and practice it all the day long, they cannot be acknowledged as the children of God, but will be accounted enemies of the Most High, and will be overthrown.

I wish to put the most charitable construction upon the purposes of all men. When the army was sent up to Utah under Johnston, their design was to overthrow the “Mormons” in these valleys; for they considered our religion a dangerous error, though this was not their manifest and avowed reason. They, however, did us no harm, and that great army, the flower of the United States, was broken to pieces and scattered hither and thither. They exhibited to all men and to the heavens their purpose, but God saved his people. What did they get for their reward? Look at the fields of Virginia and Tennessee. Look on the battlefields in the South that have been drenched with blood; the nation has been clothed with mourning, sorrow, and wretchedness, and this is their reward for seeking to fight against God and to overthrow his kingdom. Do they look at it so? They do not. And they will spurn this testimony as they would the testimony that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, was armed with the Spirit of God, and carried life and death on his tongue. The nation has had a bloody war and a sore time of suffering, and many a heart will ache and be filled with sorrow after this day; it will take a long time to heal up the deadly wound it has inflicted upon the nation, a long time to cure up the sore, and while it is being cured up in one place, I have thought there is danger of it breaking out in another place. The whole organization of the nation has been infected with a disease that seems to be incurable: perhaps it may be cured, but I cannot say how this may be. Is the trouble ended? I do not apprehend that it is; they may cry peace and safety, but I do not think there is a good foundation for it. If they will provoke further calamities, after the severe reproof that has been given, further calamities will come upon them.

It is perfectly right to look at things as they really are. Here is, perhaps, a million of men to be disbanded that have been accustomed to live not by agricultural and mechanical pursuits, but they have been accustomed for the last few years to live by destroying the fruits of the ground and the productions of mechanical labor; by destroying men, women, and children, and laying towns and cities in flames, and they have had joy in the work of their hands. When this multitude of men are turned loose, are they going to adopt their former course of industry? Some may, but I fear the majority of them will not; the great mass of them have learned to do otherwise, and they are like so many firebrands scattered over the land.

When I was young I used to read about a day that should burn as an oven, and all the proud and they that do wickedly shall be as stubble. I then had an idea that a sheet of fire would come down from heaven and burn up the ungodly; that the sun would be darkened and the moon turned to blood and the stars fall from heaven. I look at things in another point of light now; I now consider that the elements, the agents of destruction, are right here to accomplish that work, and the revelations of God will be fulfilled; for God has put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and they shall make the whore of all the earth desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire. That great day of burning is beginning; we have had a few drops before the shower; it will wax worse and worse, and men will continue to deceive and be deceived until the earth shall be burned up. The word of the Lord is, “Come out from her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and receive not of her plagues.”

In conclusion, let me say that I know this is the work of God, I know it to be the truth of heaven, I know that Joseph is a Prophet of the Most High God, and I know that he gave the mind and will of Heaven to the world in the days of his mortal life. I know that President Brigham Young is the man now chosen of God to guide the destinies of this people, and I say, May the Lord bless him, and those that are connected with him, and those that listen to his counsel; and may the blessing of God be upon all Israel, and His wrath and indignation be upon all that hate Him, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.