Remarks by Elder Charles C. Rich, made in the Bowery, Great Salt Lake City, April 7, 1863.

I can say truly that I have been very much interested in the remarks made by the brethren who have addressed us during this Conference, thus far, for the speakers have all treated upon subjects that are calculated to interest us as a people. All people that I have been acquainted with interest themselves in something, and so it is with us, we interest ourselves in such subjects as are most congenial to our feelings and dispositions, and the subjects that have been brought up before us for our consideration are subjects that we cannot pass by with indifference and do ourselves justice. If we look at these improvements that are before us in a point of light that would be selfish, as the world generally do, and think that we will benefit others more than we do ourselves, and that we must have an eye single to the almighty dollar and work for own glory, we shall make ourselves the most miserable beings upon this earth, and we shall have nobody to blame but our own dear selves. But if we do that which is pointed out for us to do, having an eye single to the welfare and advancement of the kingdom of God upon the earth, we shall all the time be doing that which is and will hereafter be for our best good in this life and in that which is to come.

If we desire to obtain the bless– ings of the Almighty in a Temple prepared for that purpose; if we esteem these blessings to be of any importance, and if we do not feel to do without them, what should be our policy and course in such a matter? Why, I should say, let us build the Temple, in which we may receive our blessings from the Almighty. We have no interest with other people; we have a separate community, and our interests are our own; then let us build the Temple.

What shall I say in regard to the Tabernacle? We can see at once that we can enjoy the comforts of a new Tabernacle; we need the blessings of such a house at the present time. If we put it off, when will it be built? When that house is built we can then enjoy the benefits and blessings which it will afford. The same principle may be applied to everything we take in hand and with which we have to do, whether it be to build a Temple, a Tabernacle, to send teams to the frontiers to gather the poor, or to do any other work that is required of us. Nothing that is required will be performed until we go to work and do something ourselves. We have no other people to lean upon, and, therefore, it remains for us to go to work and perform well our part.

In one respect we are highly favored; that is, we can have pointed out to us the work that should be performed and that will be acceptable in the sight of our heavenly Father. All the works that he requires us to perform are for our benefit and salvation. Then, seeing that this is the case, cannot we perform cheerfully that which is laid upon us? I think we should take courage and do all we do with a cheerful heart. The Work in which we are engaged is to prepare us and to exalt us to enjoy the blessings that are promised to the righteous in this world and in that which is to come.

This is the view that I take of these matters, and I believe that it is the view generally entertained by all good brethren and sisters. Then let us go on cheerfully and harmoniously, remembering that we are free to do good, but that when one party moves in one way and another in a different one, that produces division.

We are a people that profess to be the people of God; and, if we are, we cannot be divided, for his people are always one, and if we are one, of course we will act upon the principle of oneness, and in all things do as we are directed, working for that which will be for our best good both for the present time and for the future. I know very well that there are a great many people who speculate in regard to the future and calculate what is to take place; but, so far as we are concerned, it should satisfy us to understand the duties of the present. We cannot reasonably, without assuming new responsibilities, know the truth any faster than we are ready to believe and willing to perform it. If we knew and understood the labors required of us today, that is sufficient for us to know; then, if we are ready and willing on our part to perform, that is all that is requisite and all that will be required. Then, I will say to one and all, let us be awake to our own interests and welfare, and ever be ready to perform the work that is necessary to be done for the building up of the kingdom of God, and we shall never be sorry for having taken the industrious part, but if we have any fault to find, it will be for not having done more in the work of righteousness. In order that we may have no regret of this kind, let us be awake to the labors and duties of today. I know very well that there are some people that never get it into their minds, they do not seem to comprehend that they can perform as much as they really can. When we look at the history of men in ages that are past and gone, we can see that there were men called at many times to perform important works that had but little ability; but we also see that if they put that little ability into exercise and labored as faithfully as they could, they were enabled to bring about much righteousness. We want the same feeling and influence with us, then we can perform the works that are required of us, and do what we do cheerfully and with a good heart and in that manner which will be acceptable in the sight of High Heaven, and in this way we shall prosper in all our laudable undertakings, and we shall receive the blessing of our heavenly Father and the approbation of all good men.

From the time this Church and kingdom was established upon the earth to the present day, we have never been at a loss to know what to do; but we have, at all times and under all circumstances, had the path of duty made plain unto us and our individual line of duty marked out unto us; and whenever we have taken the counsel given, we have been prospered and made happy, while those that have taken a contrary course have met with disappointment and been thereby rendered very unhappy. We are all probationers, passing through a state of trial; but still there is a labor that we can perform in this probationary existence that will aid in the rolling forth and building up of the kingdom of God, and we can thereby obtain the blessings that pertain to that kingdom.

We are all looking forward to a time when we shall receive in that Temple that is to be built, but which we do not expect to see finished for a short time to come, all the blessings of endowments and Priesthood that have been promised unto the faithful. We are called upon to engage in this all-important work; and while we are laboring at this, let us consider well the endowments that we have so much need of between this and the time the Temple of our God is finished and made ready for the additional outpouring of the Spirit of the Most High. If we do not gain experience and obtain the necessary endowments as we pass along, we shall find ourselves very poorly prepared for the great and glorious endowments that are to be received in that Temple. If we do not prepare ourselves, those endowments, if we are permitted to receive them at all, will be no better for us than the endowments given to some men in Nauvoo—that is, they will prove a curse instead of a blessing.

For one, I feel to rejoice in the blessings of peace that we enjoy and in the union and fellowship of the Holy Spirit which prevails in the midst of this people, and I know that these good fruits which are amongst us grow out of those glorious principles we have embraced. We are united in the truth, and it is by the truth that we are kept together and that this oneness is made to abide with us continually; and it is this truth and the Spirit thereof that leads us in the right direction. By this Spirit we are led in the way of peace, of salvation and of happiness, while principles that are adopted by the world do not bring with them salvation.

I have noticed in my experience with this people that the principles of our faith, revealed through the Prophet Joseph, produce joy and peace such as the world cannot give, for our principles bring with them present salvation, and all the principles of the Gospel that have been and that are to be revealed do and will continue to bring a present salvation.

This is the way to be saved, and if we continue to act upon this principle all the time we shall obtain salvation in this world and in that which is to come. It makes very little difference to the faithful Saint whether he be called to labor in this world or in the world of spirits, so that he embrace and live by those principles that will bring a present deliverance from bondage and sin and produce within our own bosoms peace and happiness.

We are blessed with the power to know the right way, for we have around us and in our midst those men that can point out to us the course to be pursued in order to secure life and light, and to obtain the blessings promised by the practice of the truth. We wish to be freed from the error and from the evils of the world, in order that we may be happy in this life and prepare ourselves for glory and exaltation in the life which is to come.

There is one thing that is positive and certain, and that is, that it will require some labor and exertion on our part in order to secure the great blessings that pertain to the kingdom of our God. We must, therefore, reflect and apply our minds and our energies to the acquirement of knowledge, or we shall not receive the promised treasures. I repeat, we must apply our minds to the principles of life if we ever expect to obtain their benefits and blessings.

I have often thought that there were a great many people who thought too much of other matters; their minds seem to be upon gold and silver and worldly riches, instead of devoting their time to the obtaining of that eternal store of knowledge which is necessary for every man and woman to enjoy who are preparing for the society of the sanctified. The principles of life that we are being taught are better than the gold that can be found in the mines, for they will teach us the way of salvation, and by observing them we shall be made to partake of the benefits and blessings that flow from them.

If our minds are led to look at matters in this light, our thoughts and feelings will be to obtain the richest treasure there is within our reach, and when we obtain that treasure it will be the means of doing away with the evil that is in the world. If there was no evil amongst mankind there would be no corruption to encounter; therefore, let us practice the principles of truth and thereby do away with the influence and power of evil. Let us learn and thoroughly digest the principles of truth, and then we shall be blessed with all those choice and desirable blessings which flow from obedience to the pure and holy principles we practice.

Now, that each one of us who profess to be Saints may be ready to do these things in faith and full assurance of having a part in the first resurrection, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus: Amen.

Discourse by Elder Amasa M. Lyman, delivered in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, April 7, 1863.

I am glad to have the opportunity of making some remarks in relation to some matters that interest us as Saints. I do not feel disposed at the present time to seek either to please myself or you by undertaking to discourse in a very methodical manner, but I wish simply to talk of such things as may be suggested to my mind and of such matters as will interest us and as affect our interests as a community. The character of our meetings are such as seem to render short sermons the order of the day; they are texts from which the people may preach their own sermons, and this will, doubtless, be most appropriate.

I have been much interested in the instruction that has been addressed to the Conference since its commencement; and the topics that have been talked upon are of all-importance to us who are engaged in the building up of the kingdom of God. I have listened with pleasure to them myself, and my thoughts and reflections have been pleasing, especially so because of the belief which I entertained that those instructions were directly connected with the working out of that salvation that we are seeking for.

I was much pleased and gratified with the allusions that were made and the instructions imparted this morning to that portion of our community who are called to preach the Gospel and minister for the salvation of mankind, by acting in the capacity of teamsters to drive teams from various parts of Utah to Florence and then back again to this point with their freight of Saints.

I have been led, from what I have observed, to entertain some serious reflections with regard to these our brethren, believing in my own mind that they are too apt, as a general thing, to dismiss from their feelings, if the sentiment was ever entertained by them—they are too apt, I say, to forget that they are actually preachers of the Gospel and ministers of salvation to the people, in their capacity as teamsters. I fear that they have thought themselves less honorable than others, because they had not to go abroad and simply tell the people of principles by which they might be benefited and saved; and because of their entertaining this feeling a small degree of recklessness and carelessness in relation to their conduct have been allowed to gain the mastery over them. While we are acting as a lot of teamsters we do not arrogate to ourselves the dignity of being missionaries; we are apt to think that there is nothing in that kind of business that is calculated to ennoble and enlighten mankind. In the most honorable acceptation of the term, we are only going to drive a team to the States and back again, and, consequently, there is little or no responsibility resting upon us, beyond that which may be placed upon those who are appointed to regulate our actions, to take care of the teams and to act in the capacity of Captains. If we do this duty, as we consider it to be one, in that way that will be considered well done, and so that it will be accepted by our brethren, then all is done that was embraced in the nature and character of our calling. I want to say to our brethren who are called to act in this capacity, that they are in every sense of the word ministers of salvation, and as such they should be men of pure feeling, they should be men honest in bearing forth pure and holy principles and men that should honor God in every feeling of the heart, with every thought and every action, men who should be mindful of God and of their relationship to him.

If this feeling could be cherished within those men, it would save them continually from recklessness; it would save them from the commission of many wrongs, from many evils that are done by those who are so unfortunate as to be destitute of the knowledge of the truth which has been daily imparted to our brethren. By this means we cannot only be delivered from sin, but we shall never suffer the evil consequences, and we shall know better than to say or do anything that will cast a darkening shadow over the otherwise bright fame of other individuals. I would really love to see men that would go to drive teams act as though, to a certain extent, the responsibility of God’s Church and kingdom devolved upon them; I would like to see them act as men, as Saints and servants of God, and I would like to see them make themselves men of purity, the examples of the rectitude and propriety of their own conduct, so that their actions would be altogether commendable to God and such examples as would be acceptable to all good men. The man who simply goes to preach the Gospel is no more doing the will of Heaven than the man who drives an ox team for the salvation of his poor brethren. The man who has horses to drive and carry him along over the country to aid him in forwarding the purposes of Heaven, should feel that the position is an honorable and responsible one. No matter what a man’s sphere of action be, if he be devoted to his calling, his labor will be acceptable. The man who has no oxen or horses to drive, but who has to pass over the country preaching the Gospel, is very fortunate if he can get horses to draw him along through the district of country in which he is called to travel. Amidst all the difficulties which he may encounter he should feel that his position is both an honorable and responsible one. If men have this feeling what will they do? Why, they will pursue about the same course that those brethren will who have been called by this Conference to go on a foreign mission. These young men are going out into the vineyard to become praying and preaching men, to become examples of propriety and to let their actions evince that decorum and rectitude of feeling that will prove them to be all they profess—Saints and servants of the living God. This is a just and a proper feeling for them to entertain and their conduct should be in strict accordance with their high and holy profession.

What are these brethren expected to do while upon this mission? What would naturally be expected of men called to act in this capacity? We would expect that they would remember God; but how should they remember him? They should not merely remember him at stated times, when they might, by specific regulations instituted, be bound to offer their supplications to him in prayer, but they should attend to this in its time and season, they should remember him in secret that he might not forget them in public, and in this way they will not only remember God but they will have reason to think of his goodness and they will always have him in their thoughts. Let them adopt this plan, and then when you meet them on their journey or see them collected around their camp fire, their time will not be wasted in useless and foolish conversation, but their time will be occupied in the adjudication of such questions as will lead their minds to the understanding of the truth and to the comprehension of the character of that God whose representatives they are called to be.

This is what we would expect of missionaries; we would naturally expect they should be praying men, that they should be Godfearing and God-loving men continually. And what we should expect from that class of missionaries we should expect and we ought to see with and among every other class of missionaries, the teamster as well as the preacher. The teamster labors to build up the same kingdom that the preacher does, depending for its development upon the influence and power that the truth gains among the children of men. How is this to be accomplished? By laboring and gradually gaining strength and by obtaining a still stronger hold in the affections of the people.

Then I hope that the teamsters, and I suppose they are all present at Conference—but if there should be some of them at home they will doubtless find the instruction good for them before they start upon their journey, and even when they are performing their return journey they can do much by favoring the improvement which there ought to be in this class of the ministry—I hope that they will study to be sober, both spiritually and morally, and when they get to Florence I do not want them to harrow up the good, kind feelings of their brethren the returning missionaries, by becoming slightly inebriated, and accept of my assurance that you can be credited with performing the whole journey if you never get drunk once. It seemed to me when I was there last season that there was a portion of that same reckless spirit among our brethren that was manifested by the Gentile emigration that I saw passing over the road. They seemed to feel that they had never performed the journey before, and they appeared to feel and act as though they thought that although they might never have been drunk all their lives, still they must celebrate such an important event as the performance of a journey from here to Florence by getting drunk! I was sick when I was there, but the nights were made hideous and horrid by that mistaken class of missionaries who were sent out with wagons and teams to bring in the poor. There were some of them who did not see the nature of their business, the purity of its character and its holiness, but they would give way to recklessness and to acts of immorality. I allude to it here because I saw it then as a thing to be corrected, and it is one that I have no doubt will be corrected.

There are a great many things connected with the accomplishment and performance of the duties of this class of missionaries to which is attached by some a great degree of importance, while by others perhaps these things will be regarded with indifference. Now, I have long entertained this feeling of attaching importance to this kind of missionary labor: perhaps I am wrong; but it does not change the fact that I have entertained and cherished it as a correct and true principle, and as such I have taught it before the Saints, which shows that I feel interested in the proper management of our emigration and solicitous that a good example should be set before the ingathering Saints.

In our going abroad to proclaim the Gospel, we go to preach its principles to the people, and there is nothing else that I know of laid upon us to perform but to preach the Gospel and proclaim that righteousness to the people that has been made known in these last days, that those who believe may continue from their introduction into the Church and kingdom of God to travel onward and upward in the principles of salvation. Well, then, if this is all that devolves upon us as missionaries abroad, then we have nothing else to preach or practice, or in which to engage ourselves, but the performance of that duty. And permit me here to remark, that I am exceedingly glad to see the change that has been and is transpiring in regard to the manner in which our brethren go abroad, and the kind of treatment extended to those who are dependent upon them while they are absent. I believe I can appreciate these blessings. The appointed missionary has no excuse, there is now no reason why his affections should not be entirely devoted to the ministry; but there is no reason why his energies should be wasted in a useless anxiety about things which are entirely beyond his reach. We might as well try to change the condition of the dead as to think of turning all men in favor of our Gospel, this will never be, but we expect to make many converts. In going forth to do our duty in warning mankind we should not have our minds troubled and perplexed on account of our families being destitute of johnny cake at home, and when we have the assurance that our families are provided for, then there is but one labor, but one branch of business in which may be enlisted every feeling of the soul. But if a man has no cause of trouble, he can engage heart and soul in the work of the ministry and think of nothing else but the Work in which he is engaged. “But,” says one, “I cannot forget my wife and child that are at home.” You are not required to forget them. I could always remember my wife and my child, but did I sorrow over them and fear that they were starving to death? No; I did not. Why? One reason was that they had never starved to death before when I left them; and I knew that we had traveled together and appeared to walk hand in hand with the meager hag, and that she had met us at every corner of life’s path, but I also knew that our poverty had never produced starvation. Under these circumstances then, when absent on missions, we kneel down and pray, “God bless the distant ones at home,” and then go on about our business.

I hope for the blessing and prosperity of the Work of God, for its continued increase, and that the Elders who go abroad may feel to the extent they should the importance of the position they occupy and the true nature of the Work of God. Brethren, do not think of anything but to increase the Work in which we are engaged, for if it succeeds we should be sustained. There is always an increase of our individual work in the increase of the aggregate of God’s kingdom upon the earth. “But,” says one, “I do not know when I shall get that other wife or those dollars I am after.” Now wait a little; never mind those things at present, but attend to your duties in the Church and kingdom of God. “Why,” says one, “have you got rich?” No, I have not in one way, but in another I have. Some would imagine that I had according to the Mountain Boys’ manner of speech, but I have not got rich in this way; I have got rich in learning to wait my time for everything, and to be patient until the proper time comes. I do not say that I have got rich, but I have gained. I won’t say that I have gained as much as I might have done, but I am going to keep on gaining and adding more and more to my already acquired stock of patience, and I want to see all the brethren going on in this way. “But,” says the young brother that has no wife, “would there be any harm in me taking a wife?” I presume that under certain circumstances there would not, and I presume equally that under other circumstances it would be wrong. Then, when you are sent abroad to preach the Gospel, do not take a wife, but attend to your duties in that calling. I have been abroad for almost thirty years, performed numerous missions, and I have never been commanded to go abroad to take a wife. I want to see the brethren who go on missions give their minds and talents to the preaching of the Gospel, that by their honest treatment of the people the Saints may be honestly gathered, be taught and led onward and upward in the pathway of exaltation and happiness.

When men labor in this way, the prayers of the just will bless them; they will become rich—in what? In the faith and confidence of the souls that have become enlisted in the truth through their philanthropy. This will make a store for holy reflection that will last perpetually and eternally. But if we would secure this in its fullest extent while here, remembering others as we think of ourselves, we must extend and manifest to them the same honest, truthful and proper conduct that we wish to have extended to us. There is none of us who would desire any wrong to be extended to us; we would not crave it; we would not ask for it unless we asked it in ignorance, but never while in the exercise of good judgment. If you would never have evil at your door, never carry evil and lay it at the door of your brother or sister, but be honest, pure and just. You can do this, if you cannot do everything; and Elders in Israel who act in this way are always blessed. You never saw such men engaged in any labor but what they were blessed. You never see them go abroad but what they are blessed; and when the fruits of their labors flow in the homeward tide to Zion, that blesses them; it tells of their integrity, of the truth of their teachings, of their conduct, of their example and of their actions, as well when abroad as at home. Those persons who were thus gathered tell of their teachings, of their counsels, and of the advice which was given to them by those Elders, which was productive of salvation under all circumstances, at all times and in all places. This is the time when we might afford to weep, as the President said in reference to the young brethren that are going abroad; when they come back, having magnified their calling before God and the Saints, then he said he could weep, and who could not? It would be no tears of grief, no effusion of sorrow, but it would be simply the overflowing of the feelings of joy and gratitude. This is worth all that has to be endured while absent from our friends. Does this privilege and blessing of holding the priesthood belong to these young missionaries alone? No, there are hosts of them. Why, the whole land is filled with Elders holding the Priesthood of God; they are to be found numbered with the Elders’ Quorum, with the High Priests and with the Seventies, and, in fact, all through the land you can hardly see a man who does not hold the Priesthood of the living God. And the purity of life that should characterize the man who is a minister of Jesus Christ should be above the mediocrity of ordinary men. The man who administers the words of life and salvation continually to the people, should set forth that which he seeks to develop in himself and he should seek to put away that careless indifference of character which characterizes many others; he should have a sacred and holy regard for the truth; he should make life subservient to the truth always, and should never do violence to the principles of purity for any reason that could be urged nor for any cause that could be plead, but he should be among the people an example of righteousness in whatever capacity he might be called to act as a revelator and a minister of God. By doing this, do you not think there would be a reformation? Yes, there would be a reformation and an increase of intelligence and of purity of life. “Well,” says one, “do you not think there is an increase already?” Yes, I do; but who does not know what has been the claim and character of some men in times past; for instance, a man that has done one thing great and good has satisfied himself with that, hence he has made no further exertions to do anything in any of those quorums by which to raise and gather around him the ornaments of society.

Now, let us not be satisfied with these good feelings and influences of the heart; but let us be faithful and stand for God, let us say we have received much that has been good and precious, but still, good Lord, we want more. For that let us pray on, let us preach on and practice purity of life, and still seek to be the ministers of righteousness that we may gain that which we have not yet acquired, and get that which we do not yet possess.

Now, this Conference should be the means of carrying to the people suggestions and instructions of this kind by means of the Bishops and their Counselors. Supposing that these men holding the Priesthood, instead of holding it as ministers of God and of the truth, should waste their time in idleness, and should make their office the means of their own aggrandizement, and, instead of improving the opportunities afforded them to facilitate the advancement and improvement of the people, should neglect that which is really necessary to be done and turn the labor upon work that would be unprofitable and that would involve the people in debt and difficulty, of what benefit is such a minister? The result would be that the people would feel burdened throughout the land and there would be discontent among the citizens. But supposing the presiding officer should take the lead and say, Here is a new interest, let us be awakened, and let us one and all unite to benefit the community—Would not this produce a good feeling? Then let the Bishop, the Priest, and the preacher, instead of introducing follies and nonsense among the people, spread out before them the principles of equity, and create within them a lively interest in the Work of God. Let the subjects of their thought and the topics of their conversation be such as will lead them to the acquirement of that intelligence that comes from God. But if the head gets sick and dull through age and the absence of the spirit of life, the heart becomes sick also. “What do you mean?” says one. I mean that the Elders can, by their faith, their energy and their life, instil into the minds of the people a perseverance and a determination to press forward such as is not likely to be, unless an influence is used for that purpose. By taking this course, they will secure the fellowship of the Holy Spirit and the confidence of their brethren.

Let me advise all men to be wise, and especially those who are not any older than I am; and if I am not considered to be old, I would say that I mean all men who are of my age, and also those who are younger as well as those who are older; I would advise all such to be sober, to be sociable and to do as much good as they possibly can, by setting a good example before their children, by being an example of propriety of action and by striving to keep far from them faults of an evil character. Now, it does seem to me that my ex– ample will have its effect among my friends. For instance, if a man indulges in drunkenness, and if I refrain from this habit, when I meet that man he will endeavor to be completely guarded and not be cursed by the evil consequences of his slavish habit. We want to be perfect in everything we do and in all life’s vicissitudes to realize that we do speak the truth, and let us be sure to remember one thing, that the intimacy of our relationship with celestial beings is such that we should be strict examples to others in the keeping of our word. We should never lie; if we tell a falsehood to a brother, however friendly and kind he may be, he could not change that lie into a truth; therefore cease from lying. We are all guilty, more or less, in this respect; when I go and make a promise to a brother, or if a brother make a promise to me, I hold that promise to be sacred, although the man was under the necessity of promising something because his business required him to do so, hence it is important that we be careful about making promises. Oh do not consider that we honor God or worship him any more by making so many promises. Let us especially be careful to abstain from all that is impure, unjust, and unholy; for if we are going to be like God our justice must be just, and it must have its exercise in the narrowest and smallest as well as in the broadest avenues that are in life’s relations, and we must be scrupulously honest in its administration.

Remember, my brethren, that honesty is the safeguard to our actions, and remember that every good gift comes from our Father and God. It is our duty to honor our Maker and God in all our ways; and I can tell you this one truth, that until we can love each other and regard each other’s interests, we shall fail to enjoy the blessings of celestial glory; and if you think of enjoying celestial glory without this element as well as the many others that are required of us, let me request you to stop and pause, for you cannot do it; you cannot enjoy this at my house when I and mine are glorified; but we do not want anything that is dishonest about us. Let us be faithful and just in our dealings and try to elevate ourselves in the scale of intelligence, and prepare ourselves for the benefits and blessings of Heaven’s common education. This is the point that we have been striving, studying and struggling to attain. We want to be educated in God’s way, that we may submit ourselves to God and be willing to be governed by his laws in all things.

We have got a little of the Lord’s property in our possession, and we call it ours. Now, if you undertake to persuade some persons to go with you, the question immediately arises, What are you going to give us to pay us for going with you to Zion? This is about the feeling, but the property which we own and are stewards over is just what the Lord has placed in our hands. He has stored away property for the benefit of his penniless children, and he will bestow it upon them in due time. It is hard to tell what the anticipations of the people are; but if they will acknowledge the hand of God in all things and live by the truth as it is revealed unto them, they will increase in influence and power with God and all good men. When they have enjoyed all that they can enjoy of life and life’s blessings, as they are gratuitously bestowed by God their Father, who do you suppose will be the most accommodated with the Temple that is to be built? If the Lord comes down to visit that Temple, he will come down to bless his people and not to benefit himself. Suppose he should come now, who are prepared to receive him? And who would share the greatest good and be the most accommodated by the building of this Temple? Why the blessings would be the people’s; the happiness and the benefits thereof would be for the people, and the glory that it would afford to the Almighty would only be that which the blessing would afford him of seeing his children happy in the enjoyment of the benefits of his mercy. This would be his blessing, and he would also enjoy the shelter that was made for him in the Temple of our God. Now, let us go to work with this feeling, remembering that we have a great deal of responsibility and care upon us; let us not cease to be active, for we have always plenty to do; we have always enough responsibility to keep us busy and to keep the great stone of the kingdom of God rolling onward. It is a common saying that a rolling stone gathers no moss, but I do not care for this saying, for I know to the soul that lives in the Gospel and enjoys its life-imparting influences, there is a stream of imperishable wealth flowing unto such a soul. A man cannot perform a good action without its bringing its corresponding reward, neither can he perform an evil one without its corresponding effects upon his life and character.

My invitation is, especially to the Elders, let us go abroad as men of God to build up the kingdom of our Lord and Master. Let us know nothing while upon our missions but that which tends to the interests of that kingdom to which we belong, and let all we do be done for the interest and upbuilding of the kingdom of God. Let us carry its interests with us in our hearts; let us speak of it in the private circle; do not let it be spoken of in the pulpit alone, but let it be spoken of between man and man, husband and wife, father and son, parents and their children, and in all life’s associations; yes, let the light of eternal truth be kindled in every heart, let the fire that will consume the dross of our errors be lighted up in every soul, in every household, until every household becomes a sanctuary of the Most High, and until every family becomes a worshiping assembly such as will be acceptable to God—a people whom he will delight to own, to honor and to bless, and then, whether a man have one wife or two, or a dozen, his home will be a happy one, it will be a little heaven below. It will be a happy one, because it will be a peaceful one and because that home will simply be one sacrifice upon the altar devoted to God, to truth, to principles of purity and to heaven. “But,” says one man, “can a brother obtain celestial glory if he has only one wife?” Yes, he can have great glory with one wife. “And,” says this brother, “would you not advise some men not to have but one wife?” Yes, I certainly would. “And who would you advise?” I would give this advice, because I know that there are a great many more men getting more than one wife than are capable of treating them decently; I am sensible of this. But then I have no advice to give about getting wives at all, but I have some advice that I always have to give to those that have wives, and that is to treat them kindly. “Well, but,” says one, “I would like to have my wives obey me.” Well, then, I will tell you how you should act. You be obedient to those who are placed to counsel and guide you in the principles of life; and if you follow their counsel, your wives will not be likely to rebel against you. This is what I have to say upon this subject, and the reason I say it is because I want to have that portion of intellectual humanity that is subservient to me understand their posi– tion and relationship to each other and to God. If I make myself before them a continual, perpetual and unceasing example of obedience, and then ask them to obey me, I shall have no fear about their compliance. I seldom, if ever, ask them to obey me. If they do not know that and do not feel that I have honored them, they have not as much sense as I have given them credit for.

I would like my family to love God and keep his commandments, to abide by the principles of purity, to love to impart them to their children by practice, by teaching and by example and by every means by which children can be influenced by their parents. Then, if this were carried out in every family, there would be something in the tendency of our lives that would have a regenerating influence upon the rising generation, physically and mentally. Then let us try to be Saints as husbands and fathers, Saints as children and friends, and in all life’s relationships let us act truthfully and consistently. And if we who minister in the ordinances of the house of God were to do this, and were all to open our mouths in favor of the truth, where the truth is dropping and distilling upon the people like the dews of heaven, this would make everything green, fresh and lively throughout the land of Zion, and then Zion will increase and grow and its never-ceasing embellishments will be seen in the conduct of the people, for Zion will be sanctified by the conduct of the Saints.

Now, my brethren and sisters, in conclusion, let me say, may God bless you and me in doing all the good we can, in practicing righteousness, in doing that which we know to be right and in living that which we do not know but are taught by faith to observe, and thus fill up our lives in usefulness, then when we get to know the truth more perfectly we shall re– joice therein. If we only do this, we will bring our application of the truth home and there allow it to do its work, for the fruits of the truth are here and we shall realize the bless– ings of them forever. And that this may be your happy condition and mine is my prayer, in the name of Jesus: Amen.

Remarks by President Heber C. Kimball, made in the Bowery, Great Salt Lake City, April 6, 1863.

Brethren and sisters, I perceive that the wind is blowing so very strong that it will be very difficult for the loudest speakers to make you all hear, and, therefore, I shall have to depend upon the stillness of the congregation. Then, again, I must have faith and we must all have faith together, and, therefore, let that faith come up before the Lord our God as the faith of one man, and if that faith is concentrated we shall obtain what we desire. Jesus says, “Ask what ye will and it shall be given unto you.” My prayer is that the winds may cease for a little while that I may be able to speak so that you can all hear.

I remember, when I was crossing the ocean in company with President Young, it seemed as if all creation had combined to bring together the most boisterous elements, for the wind blew most furiously and brother Parley actually thought the ship was going down before we got out of the Irish Channel. The wind drove us away from our proper course towards the north of Ireland, and we were really afraid that the bulwarks would be blown and beaten off.

Brother Wells has been laying before you, in much plainness (and you know I delight in plainness), the practical items of business which are necessary to be attended to. When a man speaks plainly of his views and sentiments and the items of business that he has to lay before this people, it pleases me. Brother Wells is the Superintendent of Public Works, and I can truly say that what he has laid before the congregation is true. I see these things of which he has been speaking; I understand them, and am sorry a great many times because of the things I see and hear. I am aware that a great many of this people do not realize their responsibilities; many of them do not seem to know that they have anything to do, any further than to take care of themselves, and in many instances that is done very poorly. The people are too careless, and, consequently, never think that there is anything for them to do; but it is just as much the duty of each one of you, whether Elders or members, to put forth your hands, to use your means and your influence for the building up of the kingdom of God, as it is mine or President Young’s, or any other member there is in the Church.

In your prayers, you say, “O God the Eternal Father, bless President Young, bless his Counselors and the Twelve Apostles; give them power to bear off this kingdom in triumph over all its enemies.” This is the nature, if not the precise form of the prayers that most of you offer up to our Heavenly Father. But, notwithstanding this, there are those who act as if they thought the First Presidency could do all the work and bear all the responsibility; but this is not the fact, for we can all do something towards the accomplishment of so great a work. How far can the Presidency of this Church bear off this kingdom? Why, they can only do that which devolves upon them; they can only do their share the same as any other persons.

If you will reflect for a moment, brethren and sisters, you will see it is one of the easiest things in the world for us to build that Temple. Here are the men who understand quarrying and cutting the rock, and laying them up; then, what do we want else? Why, says one, we want the means; what will the Temple cost? Never mind what the entire cost will be; what is required of us now, is to lay up the walls, and we can do this by our own labor. Men are wanted to go and quarry the rock; others to haul it to the Temple block; then others to cut the stone according to order; then it is the duty of others to raise the grain, the beef, the pork, to make the clothing, and, in fact, supply everything that is necessary to sustain those men that are called to work upon the Temple.

I have sometimes taken the liberty of speaking about men that work on the Public Works, and I have said that they did not earn more than about one-half of what was paid to them. They say, in reply, if we do not do right, why not call us up before the Bishops of our Wards? We have known and now know men that have been grumbling ever since they were upon the Public Works, and with them there never is anything right, and it would be but little use to bring such men before their Bishops. We have a Presiding Bishop, and President Young and myself are his Counselors, and in due time he will deal with such men as I am speaking of. It is not right for a man to neglect his duty, whether that duty consists in mechanical work or common labor, for it is the business of every man and woman to do all they can to advance this great Work. It is for the advantage of the people individually as well as collectively. Then let us go to work and build up this kingdom to the utmost of our ability; let us build a Temple wherein to receive our further blessings.

There are but few here who received the endowment that was given in the Temple at Kirtland; many of those who did receive it are dead, quite a number are turned away, for the apostasy was very great in those days considering the number of the people, hence there are but few now with us who partook of that endowment. There are still other endowments that were given to a very few in Nauvoo, and which we do not give here at present, but which will be given to the faithful when that Temple is finished, if not before.

How do you think we went to work when we were building the Temple in Kirtland? I could enter into the particulars, but let it suffice for me to say that the Lord gave a revelation, calling upon all the strength of his house to go up to Missouri to redeem Zion and reinstate our brethren upon their own lands. To use a plain expression, we raked the United States from one end to the other wherever there was a man that belonged to the Church, and we gathered up all the strength of the Lord’s house, and every one of us went, except perhaps a dozen old gentlemen who were not able to travel, and there were a few went up that were over sixty, and I do not know but a few that were over seventy. [President B. Young: I think there was one or two of the brethren seventy years of age.] While we were absent on that Mission, the sisters went to work and made stock– ings, pantaloons, and jackets, and when we came back they put in those various articles of clothing for the benefit of the men that went to work on the Temple, and this was a universal thing with the sisters. Now, what have you done that you should be released from care and from putting forth your dollars, your pairs of socks, your shirts, or any other kinds of wearing apparel or bedding that are required for those men who are called to work upon the Temple? Are you excused from these things, ladies and gentlemen? No, you are not; we went forth and did our duty, both male and female, and the same is required of you.

We went and performed that journey, traveled two thousand miles in a little over three months. We walked forty miles per day when we were not hindered, we walked the entire journey there and back. Such as were designated by the Lord were permitted to return home to their families, but the single men were told by the Prophet to go and preach the Gospel in the country round about. When we arrived in Kirtland, Joseph said, “Come, brethren, let us go into the stone quarry and work for the Lord.” And the Prophet went himself, in his tow frock and tow breeches, and worked at quarrying stone like the rest of us. Then, every Saturday we brought out every team to draw stone to the Temple, and so we continued until that house was finished; and our wives were all the time knitting, spinning, and sewing, and, in fact, I may say doing all kinds of work; they were just as busy as any of us, and I say that those women have borne the heat and burden of those early and trying days and God will bless them for evermore. And besides all this, they have stepped forward and done the works of Sarah, and the first men of this Church have done the works of Abraham, and they will inherit the earth with them when it is redeemed and cleansed from sin. I feel to bless all such men and women, and pray my Heavenly Father to bless them in all things that will be for their good and for the honor and glory of his holy name.

I feel that the Spirit of the Lord is here and that we shall have a good Conference and a happy and joyous time together.

Brethren, do not forget to come on with your teams to haul the rock for the Temple as well as your teams to gather the poor.

Then, in regard to this new Tabernacle that we contemplate building, if you will take hold with us we design that you shall have the privilege of meeting in it next winter. According to the plan which is already designed, it will be larger than this concern which is polled over our heads here, and when completed it will have the advantage of both comfort and convenience for a large congregation, neither of which are afforded by this Bowery in stormy weather. Then let us step forward and do our duty as men of God. And if a sister says, “Can I do anything to help to roll on the Work of God,” I say, yes you can assist if you choose; you can pull off your jewels, take your ornaments out of your hair, your earrings; you can knit some stockings and get some cotton and make some shirts or anything of the kind. Will such works as these advance the kingdom? Yes, they will help considerably. To another sister who asks if she can assist in the good work, I will say, yes, take some of the children of those that labor on the Temple and teach them how to read and write and how to sew. Then let another sister say, “I will wash for the men on the Temple.”

I make these remarks to rouse up your minds in relation to the Temple. Have you not had your endowments, sisters, and been sealed to your husbands? Yes, many of you have, and now let me ask if there is anything more than what you have received, any further ordinances to be received? Yes, lots of them. There were but a hundred and thirty who received a part in advance of the ordinances of endowment that were revealed by the Prophet Joseph. Bless you, it will be one endowment after another till we pass through the veil into the other world, and until we have passed all the ordeals requisite to prepare us to enter into celestial glory and exaltation.

If the Lord should come to visit his people, where has he got a place to stay and rest himself while he communicates his will to his sons and daughters? That man that has engaged and is working for the accomplishment of such a great design as this is, to prepare a place that will be fit and suitable for the Almighty to dwell in for a short time when he comes to visit his servants, ought to feel highly honored and favored of the Almighty.

When remarking upon the building of the Temple, brother Wells said they who had worked upon the Temple had received their pay, and I can say more than this, I know of quite a number that are in debt and they are the ones, generally, that find so much fault. The brethren should think of these things, and for the future strive to be Saints in very deed. Let us all honor our calling, keep sacred and holy our covenants before the Lord.

To refer again to what I know, what I have seen and experienced in my travels and my associations with the Prophet of the living God, I will remark that you have here with you a few of us that have traveled with him from the beginning, and we know his trials and sufferings, and we know that the greatest torment he had and the greatest mental suffering was because this people would not live up to their privileges. There were many things he desired to reveal that we have not learned yet, but he could not do it. He said sometimes that he felt pressed upon and as though he were pent up in an acorn shell, and all because the people did not and would not prepare themselves to receive the rich treasures of wisdom and knowledge that he had to impart. He could have revealed a great many things to us if we had been ready; but he said there were many things that we could not receive because we lacked that diligence and faithfulness that were necessary to entitle us to those choice things of the kingdom. He revealed the doctrine of celestial marriage, and the abuse of this holy principle caused many to stumble and fall away from the Church of the living God, but that was their own fault and they have nobody else to blame.

Now, I will turn my remarks to the brethren whose names will be called to go on missions. We want them to get ready as quick as possible, and to go direct to their missions as fast as the teams, railroad cars and steamships will take them, so that they can do some good. And we want brethren who remain here to hand over your “greenbacks” to help the Missionary Fund, and we have no objection to taking those merchants’ “shinplasters,” I suppose they are worth fifty cents on the dollar, and we will also take your gold and silver if we can get any. I do not want of your money, but the Missionaries do and the families of those that are already on missions need help from that fund, and we want to clothe them decently and make them feel happy during the absence of their husbands and fathers. We are going to call upon young men that have no families this time, and we want them to go and preach by the power of God. We want them to learn to be men, to put away their boyish actions and trust in the living God whom we serve. They will not do this while they stay here to that extent that they will if we send them abroad. We want to send them out into the world among strangers—to place them, as it were, in the midst of a strange ocean where there is no bottom, and you all know there is little danger of a ship that is out at sea when it gets beyond the rocks, but when in the channels and near to the shore there is great danger, and so it is with our sons; and, therefore, in order to depend upon the Lord and upon the guidance of his Spirit, we send them into the world to preach the Gospel. Is it not better for your sons to be placed in circumstances where they will have to call upon the Almighty, than it is to allow them to remain here where they are under the droppings of the sanctuary and are continually receiving the counsel of their earthly fathers? You could not confer a greater blessing upon them than to send them into the vineyard of the Lord. It would delight my soul to see my sons and the sons of my brethren following in the footsteps of their fathers. I will also say that it is the greatest blessing that can be conferred upon the mothers in Israel to have their daughters connected to men of this kind. Such mothers will bring forth sons and daughters that will be a crown of glory to their parents forever. Some of you would ask, “Would you go, brother Heber?” Just try it. Remember I have been there twenty-six years ago, and then I went again a second time, and I can truly say that those were the happiest days of my life. Here are hundreds in this Territory who have seen me in England as happy as an angel, preaching and baptizing for the remission of sins all those who believed and repented before God, and they saw me laying hands on the people for the reception of the Holy Ghost, and every good man will bear me witness that the Spirit of the Lord was with me. Let me say to those young men and to all Israel, live so as to respect yourselves just as your leaders have done, and then you are just as sure of salvation as we are that we are here today.

My remarks upon this subject are intended for the Elders. Brethren, do not yield to temptation, but live pure and holy before the Lord. Now, all the Elders who are in favor of carrying out the counsel that is given, let them say yes. (Loud response of “Yes.“)

We want to feed the wives and children of those that are gone on missions, as well as to assist those that are now going. We want pork, beef, eggs, and butter and all kinds of clothing, and do not forget to bring on your wood and everything that is necessary to make families comfortable. Now, do you not see, by complying with this instruction, you are helping to preach the Gospel as well as those that go abroad for that express purpose? And how blessed are the women that step forth to help to build the Temple of our God! I can see women in this congregation today that would have sold all they had to help to build the Temple in Kirtland, and for this they are and will be blest, for the Lord loves a willing heart and an obedient spirit.

Brethren and sisters, do you know this to be the Church of Jesus Christ? Do you know this positively for yourselves? If you do, remember your duties, be faithful before God and your brethren, and prosperity and peace will attend you.

We want the families of those who are on missions to be supplied with the necessaries and comforts of life, and we do not want the Elders to beg from the poor that are scattered among the nations. We who first went did not have this done for us, but the circumstances are different now. We went to preach without purse or scrip, and there were men around who were ever ready to strip our families of what little they did possess; some of them are now dead. We went forth almost sick unto death to preach the Gospel, and when we called on the brethren in Kirtland they would not give us a cent, because we were sick and looked pale and they said it was because the curse of God was upon us. They will have to reap the reward of that some day, while those who were kind to us will be rewarded of the Lord and be blessed with an exaltation in the kingdom of our God if they continue faithful. It was designed once in Nauvoo to raise a subscription for us, but Joseph said, “You shall not have a cent of it; you must go and make your own way;” but now the time is come when the Gospel is to be preached to all nations, and that, too, more quickly than it has ever been before, and it is the word of the Lord that we shall sustain the ministry at home.

We went and preached the Gospel in London—that is, President Young and myself; we established the Work there, and we never asked the people for a penny. We paid off debts amounting to some two hundred pounds and we emigrated hundreds of people out of our own funds, circulating the Book of Mormon among the people and did many other things that were necessary for the advancement of the kingdom of God.

We traveled with the Prophet Joseph when we were poor and penniless many times, and when we were sick, and we wept like children; but we called upon our Father and our God to strengthen us, and he did so by the power of his Spirit. Some men laid down and died on the way, and brother Taylor almost died once or twice in the ordeals through which he had to pass. I might also refer to the trials consequent upon the introduction of the doctrine of plurality of wives, but the time is about expired, and, therefore, I will defer it till some other time. When we have passed through trials and privations of this life, we shall be exalted to enjoy that happiness which is promised to the people of God; and when that time comes many of you that have had such easy times will be sorry that you have not passed through more.

Brethren, I want to tell you that my blessing and the blessing of the God of Israel are upon this land, and these blessings shall continue unto this people forever. This land shall prove a blessing unto them but a curse unto the wicked, and the evildoers shall not have pleasure here at all but the curse of God shall be upon them. And I will further say, in regard to the man that was sent here to rule over us, let the curse of God be upon him from this day forth and forever, unless he repents.

Now, brethren, be prepared when the call is made to hand over your money, your shoes and whatever is called for that will be useful to put into the hands of those women and children whose husbands and fathers are preaching the Gospel to a dark and benighted world. Let us subscribe and put into this fund all that is necessary and we shall all be blessed together.

I feel to bless all Israel, wherever they may be in the remotest parts of the earth, and I say, let us continue to increase in everything that is good and heavenly from this time henceforth and forever. This is my prayer, in the name of Jesus: Amen.

Remarks by Elder Ezra T. Benson, made in the Bowery, Great Salt Lake City, April 6, 1863.

I feel thankful for the opportunity of meeting in Conference, for I feel that thereby I may be posted and instructed in those principles that are necessary to qualify us in the building up of the kingdom. I need not say that we are a blessed people, for we all know it, and to some extent we realize it. At least I can say for one, or, in other words, I can speak for myself. So far as I am concerned, I can realize, and I fully believe more than ever since I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that God our Heavenly Father is with this people, and that his hand is over us to preserve us all the day long, and as Saints of the Most High we ought to be grateful to the Giver of all good for the many tokens of his beneficent care.

If we inquire after the welfare of the Latter-day Saints, we are told that all is peace and quietness. How did we come by these glorious principles of life and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost? Where did they emanate from? They came from God our Heavenly Father, by embracing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in faith and in sincerity. And our testimony to this effect has been felt from the rivers to the ends of the earth. And by carrying out these principles the Gospel has brought thousands into these valleys.

There is no necessity for the Work of the Lord to stop in its present condition and circumstances. Why so? Simply because the kingdom of God, as an organized body, is just like the introduction of the doctrine of plu– rality of wives, it has got a first-rate good start, and I know that the Devil and all the emissaries from the infernal regions cannot stop it. The Devil don’t like it, but he cannot help himself, for the Work of God will roll on as long as there is an opposing power upon the earth, and then it will continue to spread after every species of opposition is banished from the earth.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been organized thirty-three years today, and according to the success and spread of the Gospel of the Son of God at the time when it was first presented to the human family, if we may judge comparatively, it will not take thirty-three years more to redeem Zion and to usher in that reign of righteousness and peace which we all anticipate and for which we all pray most devoutly.

In the days of Jesus there was just as much opposition as there is today; then the Work had but just commenced—it was in its infancy, and did not God our Heavenly Father bear off his kingdom then? He certainly maintained it till he saw that the Priesthood could no longer remain upon the earth. He did then and he bears it off today and will so continue until his kingdom triumphs and those who get under the wheel will be crushed to powder.

My testimony is, that this is the Work of God, that it emanated from the Father of light, and I know that it will roll forth and prosper until the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our God and of his Christ. I know that God is able to make the wrath of man praise him just the same now as he was in the days of the Prophets of old. Who can frustrate the Work of God? It is written, “The wisdom of the wise shall perish, and the under– standing of the prudent shall be hid.” It is verily so in this age and generation, for we see the Elders of Israel going forth without purse and without scrip, preaching by the power of God the peaceable things of the kingdom to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and they confound the gainsayer and put to silence the faultfinder. Then, when I see the wisdom that is displayed through the ministers of this Church, I ask myself the question, Are we doing our duty as Saints? Because if we are not, it is time we were waking up to a sense of our obligations to the Almighty and to his cause.

I am fully satisfied that we are the happiest people upon the face of the earth, and it has been brought about by our union and by our faith in God; but have we been doing the best we could to live our religion according to the best light and knowledge we have possessed? If we have, we have within us the satisfaction of having done our duty.

Now, the order is to call a number of Missionaries to go to the European nations, and we are selecting our young men, the sons of the Apostles and Elders of Israel, so as to give them an experience in preaching the words of life, and that they may feel their dependence upon God our Heavenly Father. These young men going to gather the people home to Zion that they may enjoy the society of their brethren and friends here in the valleys of Ephraim, and participate in the blessings of that counsel that is so liberally imparted unto us by our leaders.

We have come here to build temples and tabernacles for the purpose of worshiping our God therein, and if we do not do these things we shall fall short of accomplishing that great Work that is laid upon us to perform. Then, I say, let us build temples, let us gather up our teams and send for the poor and thereby accomplish the Work that God has set on foot in this our day. Notwithstanding we are weak creatures, yet we can do something in the rolling forth of the kingdom of God. I wish a great many times that I could do a great deal better than I do, but, at any rate, I can say that I am trying with all my soul to combat the powers of darkness, and I intend to outgeneral the common adversary of our souls. Supposing we are united as the heart of one man, then what have we to do with the world? A great many think that we want to fight the world, but I tell you it is all nonsense, excepting so far as that spiritual warfare is concerned, in which we are all engaged more or less. Our enemies imagine that we want to wage war with them, but they are greatly mistaken, for we are only at war with their corruption, meanness, and degraded conduct. We are upward, and we have taken steps forward in the kingdom of God, advancing from one degree of light to another, and the world are mad about it, but we cannot help that, our business is to serve God and keep his commandments, and therefore we should endeavor to walk uprightly, remembering that the promise is, “I will not withhold any good thing from them that walk uprightly.”

Do we expect to realize a fulness of these blessings today. No, but we expect to realize some of them—a little today and a little more tomorrow, and thus go on from step to step and from grace to grace until we find ourselves safely landed back in the presence of our Father in heaven. As regards preaching to this people and gathering up the poor from other lands, I can truly say that I have never seen a time in my experience when there was such a willing spirit in Israel as there is at the present time. I can truly say that we have raised the fifty-three teams this year just as easy as we did the thirty last year, and there is quite a difference between thirty and fifty-three. And I feel that this people will be more blessed in their fields, in their teams, in all their stock and in their labor of every kind than they were last year. Did we miss our teams last year? We might miss them from our sight, but the Lord so abundantly blessed us that we scarcely ever heard them mentioned: everything moved on harmoniously during the entire season. The Lord blessed the seed that we put into the ground; he watered the earth from the heavens, and the Saints of God felt amply rewarded for their labors to help to build up the kingdom of God.

Though many may have felt a little fainthearted because of the war-cloud that has hung over us, but which has now burst without doing anybody any harm, yet I feel to say that if we go to war it will be in self-defense, but at present there is no danger of any serious trouble. We delight not in the shedding of blood, and my testimony before High Heaven, before this people and before the nations of the earth is, that we are for peace, and we intend to have it, if we have to fight for it. You know it may be possible that a man may have to fight for his religion. This may seem strange, but if a man has got wives, children, flocks, herds, and Priesthood and gifts from God, and would not fight for them, I would not give much for him. I say we will fight like the angels of heaven, and we will call upon our Father in the heavens, upon Jesus Christ, upon the Prophets and upon the Spirits of just men that have perfected themselves in the Gospel of the Son of God, and then by their help we will win every time, and the Devil knows it. Is this boasting? No, not one particle; but if we do boast we boast in our God, and in those liberal principles which our Father has revealed unto us.

Brethren, let us attend to our duties, and let it ever be uppermost in our hearts to build up the kingdom of God. The promises have and are still being fulfilled. I have seen the wonder-working hand of the Almighty ever since I have been in this Church, and I have realized, to some extent, when preaching the Gospel, that the power of God has accompanied my words. The Lord has sustained his Work wherever the Elders have gone forth preaching the Gospel, and he will continue to do so; he will feed them and clothe them, and his Work will roll forth under the administration of these young men; the blessings of God will go with them. This is my testimony to you young men who are called upon to go on missions.

Jesus said to his disciples, “If I go away I will send you another Comforter, and when he is come he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” This Spirit will go with these, our young brethren, and it will back up their words when they stand up and bear testimony to the truth. Then let us all try to keep this Spirit within us; let us also labor to build temples, tabernacles, and all necessary public buildings; let us labor to gather the poor and then the Lord will bless us in all things; prosperity and peace will attend our every effort to build up God’s kingdom on the earth.

May God bless you, brethren and sisters, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ: Amen.

Remarks by Elder John Taylor, made in the Bowery, Great Salt Lake City, April 6, 1863.

This morning we have heard a number of things, in which we are individually and collectively interested as a people. It is difficult, however, for us to comprehend our true interests and the things that that would be for our best good; this arises frequently from want of a correct understanding of matters that are laid before us, from which cause we arrive at wrong conclusions. I do not know of any way whereby we can be taught, instructed and be made to comprehend our true position, only by being under the influence of the Spirit of the living God. A man may speak by the Spirit of God, but it requires a portion of that Spirit also in those who hear, to enable them to comprehend correctly the importance of the things that are delivered to them and hence the difficulty the Lord and his Saints have always had in making the people comprehend the things that are especially for their interests. We all consider that if we could be taught of God it would be very well; I suppose the world generally would consider it to be a great blessing. Then the question arises in their minds, whether the teachings they receive come from God or not. How are they to know that? I know of no other way than that which is spoken in the Scriptures, “There is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth it understanding.” And, again, we are told in the New Testament, that, “No man knoweth the things of God, but by the Spirit of God.” Hence all the wisdom, all the intelligence, all the reasoning, all the philosophy and all the arguments that could be brought to bear on the human mind would be of no avail unless the mind of man is prepared to receive this teaching—prepared by the Spirit of the Lord, the same Spirit which conveys the intelligence. Hence we frequently make a very great mistake in relation to our duties, in relation to our responsibilities, in relation to the obligations that rest upon us, in relation to the Church and kingdom of God upon the earth and its government, its laws, its influence and the bearing of those laws and their influence upon us, and what part we have to act in relation to these matters. But if we had the Spirit of God, and walked in the light of revelation, and were guided by the principles of truth, and were in possession ourselves of the same Spirit by which the truths of God are communicated, then it would be plain and comprehensive to our understanding, and everything we try to accomplish would be easy, pleasant, comfortable, and joyous, and we should all of us feel that; we are the children of the living God, that we are basking, as it were, in the sunbeams of heaven, that God is our friend, that we are his friends and are ready to unite with him in the accomplishment of his Work under any and all circumstances whatever; and I frequently consider that it is in consequence of the ignorance and darkness and shortsightedness of the Saints of God, that we do not walk up more readily to enjoy our privileges and fulfil the various obligations that devolve on us to attain to.

Now, ask yourselves, when you have been living up to your privileges, and the Spirit of God has beamed upon your minds, and your souls have been enlightened with the candle of the Lord, with the intelligence of heaven, and you have walked according to the light of eternal truth, if in these moments you have not always felt ready to fulfil any obligations that were required of you, and whether you have not always performed your duties with pleasantness and satisfaction to yourselves. But when our minds are car– ried away with the things of this world, when we lose sight of the kingdom of God and its interests, its glory, the happiness and well-being of the human family, and the events that we are expecting to transpire on the earth, and the part that we are to take in them; when we lose sight of our various duties as fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, and children, and get carried away with our own notions, ideas, and selfishness, and we become involved in evil, it is then that it is difficult for us to comprehend the things of God. We say that we are the Saints of God, so we are. We have repented of our sins, we have been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, we have received the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost: we have become a part and parcel of the Church and kingdom of God upon the earth. We have believed that we were forsaking the world and its devices, evils, corruptions, frauds, and vanity; and we have possessed and do possess the principles of eternal life. We have believed and do believe that God has spoken, that angels have appeared and that God has opened a communication between the heavens and the earth. This is a part of our faith and creed. We believe that God is going to revolutionize the earth, to purge it from iniquity of every kind, and to introduce righteousness of every kind, until the great Millennium is fully introduced. We believe, moreover, that God, having commenced his Work, will continue to reveal and make manifest his will to his Priesthood, to his Church and kingdom on the earth, and that among this people there will be an embodiment of virtue, of truth, of holiness, of integrity, of fidelity, of wisdom, and of the knowledge of God. We believe that there will be a temporal kingdom of God organized that will be under the direction and auspices of the Lord of Hosts, and that in all our affairs, whether they relate to things temporal or things spiritual, as we have been in the habit of calling them, we shall be under the direction of the Lord, as the Scriptures say, “It shall come to pass that all the people shall be taught of the Lord.” This is part and parcel of our creed. We believe that we shall rear splendid edifices, magnificent temples and beautiful cities that shall become the pride, praise and glory of the whole earth. We believe that this people will excel in literature, in science and the arts and in manufactures. In fact, there will be a concentration of wisdom, not only of the combined wisdom of the world as it now exists, but men will be inspired in regard to all these matters in a manner and to an extent that they never have been before, and we shall have eventually, when the Lord’s purposes are carried out, the most magnificent buildings, the most pleasant and beautiful gardens, the richest and most costly clothing, and be the most healthy and the most intellectual people that will reside upon the earth. This is part and parcel of our faith; in fact, Zion will become the praise of the whole earth; and as the Queen of Sheba said anciently, touching the glory of Solomon, the half of it had not been told her, so it will be in regard to Israel in their dwelling places. In fact, if there is anything great, noble, dignified, exalted, anything pure, or holy, or virtuous, or lovely, anything that is calculated to exalt or ennoble the human mind, to dignify and elevate the people, it will be found among the people of the Saints of the Most High God. This is only a faint outline of some of our views in relation to these things, and hence we talk of returning to Jackson County to build the most magnificent temple that ever was formed on the earth and the most splendid city that was ever erected; yea, cities, if you please. The architectural designs of those splendid edifices, cities, walls, gardens, bowers, streets, &c., will be under the direction of the Lord, who will control and manage all these matters; and the people, from the President down, will all be under the guidance and direction of the Lord in all the pursuits of human life, until eventually they will be enabled to erect cities that will be fit to be caught up—that when Zion descends from above, Zion will also ascend from beneath, and be prepared to associate with those from above. The people will be so perfected and purified, ennobled, exalted, and dignified in their feelings and so truly humble and most worthy, virtuous and intelligent that they will be fit, when caught up, to associate with that Zion that shall come down from God out of heaven. This is the idea, in brief, that we have entertained in relation to many of these things. If we could keep our eyes upon this a little while, and then look back to where we came from, examine our present position and see the depravity, ignorance and corruption that exists where we have come from and that yet exists among us, it is evident that some great revolution, some mighty change has got to transpire to revolutionize our minds, our feelings and judgment, our pursuits and action, and, in fact, to control and influence us throughout, before anything of this kind can take place, and hence it is when the light of heaven comes to reflect upon the human mind, when we can see ourselves as God sees us and comprehend ourselves as he comprehends us, and understand our position as he understands it, we should have different views of ourselves than we have when unenlightened by the Spirit. No wonder that Joseph Smith should say that he felt himself shut up in a nutshell, there was no power of expansion, it was difficult for him to reveal and communicate the things of God, because there was no place to receive them. What he had to communicate was so much more comprehensive, enlightened and dignified than that which the people generally knew and comprehended, it was difficult for him to speak; he felt fettered and bound, so to speak, in every move he made, and so it is to the present time. Yet this being a fact and these being part of the things we expect to accomplish, there must be a beginning somewhere; and if the chips do fly once in a while when the hewer begins to hew, and if we do squirm once in a while it is not strange, because it is so difficult for the people to comprehend the things which are for their benefit. We have been brought up so ignorantly and our ideas and views are so contracted it is scarcely possible to receive the things of God as they exist in his bosom.

It is easy for us to talk about heaven, and about going to Jackson County, and about building up the kingdom of God, &c.; it is easy to sing about it and pray about it, but it is another thing to do it; and hence the difficulty the servants of God labor under all the day long is in consequence of the ignorance, weakness, and infirmities of those they have to do with, and yet we are more enlightened in regard to these things than any other people and have made more progress; yet how far we come short. What does it necessarily resolve itself into? We are Saints of the Most High, and we actually, all of us, believe in those doctrines embraced in our creed. I question whether I could find a dozen here but what believe in those things I have spoken of. Who does it affect? The kingdom of God has to be built up, and a revolution must necessarily take place, not only here but throughout the world. We expect we are going to accomplish the things of which I have spoken, for they are a part and parcel of our religious faith. How shall we do it? Who will do it? Do we expect the folks in the States will do it, or do we expect the Government of England to establish the kingdom of God, or the people and nations of any other part of the world? I could not get five men in this congregation that would believe this. We suppose that the honest-in-heart from different nations will be gathered together for the accomplishment of these purposes, but we do not believe the other nations will do it. In fact, it is as much as a bargain to get them to believe some of the first principles of the doctrines of Christ; then, when they have made out to do that and have arrived here, it is a little more than a bargain to get them to believe other things as they are revealed, notwithstanding we all believe somebody has got to do this Work, that it has to be done somehow and somewhere. Then, if they won’t do it in any other nation, who has to do it? We are the only people under the heavens that are making an attempt at it, and a blundering one it is, no doubt. The majority of this people really do feel in their hearts a strong desire to keep the commandment of God and help to establish his kingdom when they can comprehend correctly. How shall these things be accomplished? The nations of the world will not do it, for they are opposed to God and his kingdom. If ever the latter-day glory, which we have so often spoken of, sang of, prayed about, and about which the ancient Prophets have prophesied, is brought about, it will be done by this people, for there is not another people under the heavens that will listen to it. Then it is a matter that attaches itself to every one of us, from the President down. We are bound to the Lord by a covenant to help to build up his kingdom upon the earth. How shall we do it? Shall we do it by every one of us having our own way? No; we had that where we came from as much as they would let us. We hear people say sometimes that things are not done here exactly as they are done in England and in the United States; of course they are not; we do not expect it—we do not look for it.

We are associated with the Church and kingdom of God, we are individual members of that Church and kingdom, and individually we are under responsibilities in that kingdom. Taking this view of the matter, have we joined this great interest and come to this country to build up ourselves, to seek our own will and pursue our own plans, and let our children grow up in the same way we have grown up, in the same ignorance and darkness, folly, weakness and imbecility, or shall we try to lead out in another path, seek the guidance and direction of the Most High God, lead out in the paths of righteousness ourselves, and let our wives and children follow our example and learn to be better and more intelligent and wise than we are. If it is only to live that we have embraced this Gospel, we could have lived somewhere else—if it is barely to exist, that we could have done in another place; but if it is to build up the kingdom of God upon the earth, then there is a great work devolving upon us to attend to individually and collectively, and that is whatever the Lord reveals to us. For instance, there are ordinances to attend to of what has been termed of a spiritual nature; we are required to build a Temple, this labor we have got to perform. It has always been a maxim with the Lord that “To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”

Here, then, is a Temple to be built, the foundation of which is laid, and considerable rock has been hauled for the walls, and large amounts of hewing done. This work must be consummated, and in doing that, we are learning to listen to the word of the Lord to us and becoming used to the harness. It is a nice thing to get our endowments, and there is something yet to be got which we have not yet received. The Scripture says, “First temporal and then spiritual,” and the temporal things are mixed up with spiritual tidings; but before we are worthy of the one we must take hold of the other.

One plain matter of fact connected with that Temple is, somebody will have to go to quarrying rock, to breaking up rock, others have got to take Buck and Bright and hitch them on to a wagon, and feed and take care of the cattle, and drive them, and bring the rock safely, without breaking things, where it can be prepared for the wall. It does not show a man smart because he can break a wagon, for any fool can do that. It is generally fools that break wagons. And suppose you do not get everything you want while you are building this Temple. You would like to have better clothing and better food; do the best you can and let everybody do the same, and when you have done that thank God for it, and thank God that you have the privilege to help to build up a Temple unto the Most High. By and by you will go into that Temple, and when you have received your endowments in it and the spiritual blessings that you can get, you will learn more about building another Temple, and then will come temporal things again. The Temple we are now building, in com– parison, is no more than a little plaything, but in doing it we shall learn better how to perform temporal things and spiritual things.

Then the Saints have to be gathered; it is the Lord’s work and it is our work. The Lord will influence his people to help him to gather his poor from the four quarters of the globe, and the Lord puts it into the hearts of his servants to call for five hundred teams to help in this work. This is the greatest honor that could be conferred on us—to build a Temple to the name of the Most High God, and your children after you will be proud that their fathers were engaged in such a work, in building a Temple wherein thousands can receive their endowments. The adverse circumstances in which this work was done will not be thought of. The young man takes his ox goad in his hand, and becomes a Missionary to redeem the poor from bondage and bring them here to participate with us in the blessings of Zion; he goes with his heart vibrating with the love of God, and he brings the poor Saints over the Plains, who look upon their temporal deliverers as saviors; in after time, when the kingdom of God has become powerful and mighty on the earth, as it will be, these young men will say with pride, “I participated in the labor of laying the foundation of this great Work, and my fathers and brothers all helped.” I do not say that this people are not forward in doing these things; from what I have heard I believe they are. There is a general desire to turn out teams, and they are not backward in going themselves or in sending. I think this is much to the praise of the Saints of God in the mountains. There may be a few who will not aid in this Work; those who do will receive the blessing, and there are plenty who have the means and the disposition.

Then, here is a Tabernacle to be built; we want a building of this kind to convene the people, to protect the people from the wind, sun, and rain while they are worshiping God. Then, the President is continually preaching to us to make good improvements, good buildings, good gardens, and make ourselves more comfortable, to elevate ourselves in the scale of existence, that our children after us may become more elevated also in their sentiments and ideas, and learn to comprehend their position in the land of Zion and magnify it. If we understand ourselves and our position, it ought to be with us, The kingdom of God first and ourselves afterwards. If we can learn to accomplish a little thing the Lord will probably tell us to do a greater, because we are prepared to do it. If we were to build a very nice house nobody would be troubled about it, or if we were to make a pretty garden and cultivate good taste; or if we could educate ourselves and our children in the arts and sciences and in everything that is calculated to extend our search after intelligence. In this manner we can do ourselves and children great good, and aid much in building up the Church and kingdom of God upon the earth. If we are the people of God, and he is trusting to us to accomplish these great purposes, we have got to do a little more than we have done, and we have got to be willing and obedient to the dictation of the Spirit of the Lord and his servants whom he has placed over us. If we do this, every labor we engage in will be joyous and pleasant to us, peace will reign in our bosoms and the peace of God will abide in our habitations, the Spirit of the Lord will brood over us, and we shall be full of joy and rejoicing all the day long, and so it will be to the end of the chapter. I know of no other way to accomplish all this Work only to be taught of the Lord, and for that purpose he has organized his holy Priesthood. We all pray for President Young continually, that God would inspire his heart and the hearts of his counsel, that he may be able to lead Israel in the path they should go. Let us add another prayer to that, that the Lord our God would inspire our hearts to receive their teachings when they come through them from the Lord of Hosts; then all things will move on well and no power under the heavens will be enabled to injure the Saints, but they will go on increasing from strength to strength, until the kingdom of God shall be established and all nations bow to its scepter.

God bless you, in the name of Jesus: Amen.

Remarks by Elder George A. Smith, made in the Bowery, Great Salt Lake City, April 6, 1863.

I have been a witness for many years, to a considerable extent, of the labors, toils, and exertions of the Elders of this Church. I have rejoiced in the result of their labors and the blessings which God hath bestowed upon them. Though many, as has been observed, have fallen out by the way, yet a large majority of the Elders of Israel who went in early days to proclaim the Gospel are still in our midst, or have died in the honorable discharge of their duty, with promises of salvation and eternal life upon their heads.

Circumstances have changed. When Presidents Young, Kimball, and others left Nauvoo to go to England without purse or scrip, they left a few houseless, homeless people, a great proportion of them sick, lying out of doors, with no covering only the broad canopy of heaven, on the banks of the Mississippi, robbed of everything they possessed by the benevolent Christians of the State of Missouri, and driven away into Illinois, and from exposure and overexertion and suffering reduced by disease and sickness to the last extremity of human endurance. It was under such circumstances as these that the brethren started forth on their mission to England. When they had gone a few miles they were met by an old friend, who, on seeing their sick and wan condition, inquired who had been robbing the burying-ground. These are circumstances which have passed into history.

What is our condition now? We can hear occasionally from our brethren in England; many of them who have been long years in the Church, saying to their children, “I will give you a little bit to eat, but when you get to Zion you can have as much as you want, but now you must make this little do.” In the cotton-spinning districts of Great Britain there are thousands of such cases among persons belonging to this Church; they are reduced to the last extremity of want in consequence of the great revolution in America.

We should not send Elders there to beg of them a division of their scanty pittance, or to solicit aid in paying their passage back again to America, or to give them something to carry home to their families; not at all. God has given us possession of this goodly land; the labors of the brethren and the blessings of God have caused it to bud and blossom as the rose. Where desolation dwelt, now is the abode of plenty. We are under no necessity of sending forth the Elders of Israel in the condition that we have hitherto had to do; in fact, it would not be safe for a man to shoulder his valise and tramp through the States as the Elders used to do. Bloodshed, robbery, murder, jay-hawking (a polite name for robbery), stalks abroad throughout the land, and the only chance for safety is for every man to pass along about his business and be silent; this is the case in many parts of the country.

The fact that Joseph Smith predicted the present trouble and state of affairs—prophesied the result of mobbing the Saints in Missouri and elsewhere, enrages them; instead of the fulfilment of that prophecy making the people of the country friendly to us, it makes them bloodthirsty, more filled with hell, more eager to waste and destroy and crush out the last remaining particle of truth that may exist on the face of the land.

Again, the places of our missionary labor are a long distance away, and it is important, when an Elder leaves here, that he should commence the exercise of his calling at the place he is destined to labor at the earliest practical moment. A few dollars contributed to this purpose will pass the Elders directly to the fields of labor to which they are appointed. Perhaps when a missionary gets to Italy, as my brother tells me, he would be cordially received and treated to a few honeysuckle leaves put into some water, boiled, seasoned with salt, and dished up for a meal. A man could make a meal of this with a loaf of bread by the side of it and a shank of good Tithing Office beef to season it. Some of the Elders have had cause to rejoice at receiving from the hands of the poor and needy a small pittance of this kind; and, perhaps, when the cold weather comes, these poor persons may be found crawling among the sheep to keep from freezing. We do not want to take any donations at the hands of such people, and where men are working for ten cents per day and paying eight dollars per cord for wood, we do not expect them to contribute much to the Elders. Such is the condition of a great number of Saints in Switzerland.

In relation to the families of the Elders at home, there is plenty in the land. If we have listened readily to the call made upon us today to donate to the support of the missionary interest, there will be no difficulty whatever. The suggestion of placing in the hands of the families of our missionaries cotton, flax and wool, and the means for them to work it up, is very important; I recommend it especially to our wool and flax growers in this country. Remember this in your donations: let the wives and daughters of our Elders, some of whom have been absent six out of eight years in foreign lands, have an opportunity of making some homespun clothing and of fixing up something that is comfortable to wear.

Let us be diligent in these matters and thoughtful, and remember that when we do these things we participate in the blessings of sustaining the Elders who are preaching the Gospel to the nations of the earth—a great duty which Joseph, the Prophet of God, has laid upon this people.

May God bless us to accomplish this work is my prayer: Amen.

Remarks by President Daniel H. Wells, made in the Bowery, Great Salt Lake City, April 6, 1863.

Right here we want to build a Tabernacle, to accommodate the Saints at our General Conferences and religious worship, that will comfortably seat some ten thousand people; and over there we want to build a Temple. These two items I wish to call your attention to today.

We have organized the different districts throughout the Territory so that fifty teams can be at work for the Temple, hauling granite rock from Big and Little Cottonwoods. There has been some hauling done, but I wish to suggest a little amendment on our present operations and plans touching this part of the work. We shall want the same number of teams this season. We have never had as many as was designed in the first place, which was fifty, at any one time. If we could have even twenty-five or thirty teams constantly at work, they would keep the stonecutters employed. There was a difficulty last season about feed for the animals engaged on this work, but we are prepared to feed hay this year, but grain must be furnished by the Wards.

I wish to say a word in regard to the teamsters. Send men to drive the teams and not boys; men who will have some interest in the work they are sent to do; men who will not sell the grain sent to feed the teams to buy whiskey with; men who will not take their teams to haul wood with instead of rock for the Temple. Let the teamsters be fitted out with at least one spare shirt, that they may not be placed under the necessity of wearing one shirt five or six weeks, and then leave the work to go home if they are not supplied with more; this same remark will apply to shoes also. Either send men that do not use tobacco, or send them with a supply, that they may not come to me and tell me they will have to leave the work if they are not supplied with tobacco. Some of the Bishops sent word if I would find the men from the Wards tobacco they would pay for it, which they have not done, and you may expect that in the future we shall not find them in this article. We expect these things to be found them and men sent who will take care of their teams and wagons. It is a heavy tax upon us to repair unavoidable breakages; this we expect to do. We have a pretty good road to the rock, and if men will be careful in the management of their teams they need not break wagons as much as they have.

On the heel of the teams going down to the States for the poor, we want the teams ready for the hauling of rock. I will make a suggestion here, that the city be divided into ten working Wards, each Ward to pay its tithing labor punctually every tenth day, that we may have all the common labor we need on labor tithing and not be placed under the necessity of hiring labor with available means. This tithing labor can be done by the people in this city; but, you say, the hauling of rock and sending teams to the States takes up all the tithing labor we owe. If this be so, you may call the hauling of the rock and teams going to the States a freewill offering if you please. I care not how you fix it. I know there is a great portion of the community who care not much which way it applies. Those who have teams are the ones who supply both the hauling of rock for the Temple and going to the States. A great mass of the people do not do any labor of this kind. Let the Bishops in each Ward look to it and find out who in their Wards do not pay labor tithing in sending teams to the States. We want the common labor on the block, this season, to excavate, to attend masons and do a variety of work that is necessary to be accomplished for the building of our contemplated Tabernacle. Let there be an organization of the people in order to bring a portion of that labor on this block.

The labor tithing of mechanics cannot be settled by sending a person to work at a dollar-and-a-half a day if the Bishop understands his business. All our tradesmen make more than a dollar-and-a-half a day; they should pay what their tenth day’s labor is worth. The shoemakers can furnish boots and shoes, which can be used to a good advantage. If there is an objection raised to paying the material on labor tithing, it can be credited on their property tithing. We would not wish our tradesmen to leave their shops to work out their labor tithing in common labor with the shovel, the pick, &c., for they would not earn as much as a common laborer would who daily follows this kind of labor. We want them to pay their tithing in the kind of labor they are constantly employed at, and the products of this we can place to an excellent use. Common labor is more plentiful than mechanical labor.

I have been particular in noticing this matter. Great abuses are springing up among us for want of proper attention to the business of tithing labor upon the public works.

Sometimes men are found fault with because they spoil the work; they do not, for instance, cut the stone to line and do not improve in their work as much as they should. If anything is said to those persons they feel gouty and as though they did not care whether they continued to work or not on the public works; “For,” say they, “my work is as good as the pay.” Perhaps you do not know what kind of pay you get. What does the Tithing Office pay to the hands on the public works? It pays money, it pays clothing, it pays good flour and plenty of it, all that the hands need; it pays vegetables of every kind that is raised in these mountains, it pays molasses, chickens, eggs, butter, beef and pork, some hay and wood. I wish to ask if this is not good pay, and especially when you consider that the public hands get all their wages and more too; for in many instances they are behind on the books. They get all they earn and more, unless they are more diligent than some generally are, because we pay high wages. These are facts that cannot be truthfully denied. Men who work on the public works should be satisfied and contented, and give their best services, and try to improve and do the best they can; a good many do this. There is no place in the Territory that pays better pay and better wages than is paid to the hands that work on the public works, upon an average. If they can better themselves, why do they not do it? Some would quickly leave the public works in the best season of the year for a few dollars in money, and in the winter, when employment is scarce elsewhere, return to the public works; this is not righteous before God; men who do this do not do their duty as Saints. If any person can do better than to be a Latter-day Saint and abide the counsels given to them, why do they not do it? If there is more peace and comfort and salvation in the world than among the Saints, why did they not stay in the world? And if, after they come here, they think they can enjoy themselves better somewhere else, why do they not go there instead of staying here as grumblers in the kingdom of God? The kingdom of God is as independent of all such men as the Lord himself and it will be built up whether they assist in the Work or not.

I speak thus plainly that you may know how we feel about such things, and that you may realize that you are equally interested in the building up of the kingdom of God as I am or as anybody else is. It is as much your duty to come here and spend your time as it is mine, whether you get anything for it or not. I am no more interested in building up the Temple than any other Latter-day Saint is. I am no more interested in building a new tabernacle than you are; it is no more the business of the First Presidency or Twelve Apostles than it is yours. This, however, may need qualification; some feel a slothful interest in it that we do not have. It is as much your duty as ours, and I expect we can do as well without it as you can. We, however, expect to accomplish this work whether you aid us or not; but we call upon the people in this sense, it is your privilege to aid us if you feel willing to do so. We expect you to do as you shall be directed and abide the law you have enlisted to obey; this is your privilege. We expect you will guide your labors according to the rule laid down for you to follow. We wish to proceed with this labor immediately upon the close of this Conference. Let the men who seek labor, seek it not so particularly for individual aggrandizement as for the interest of the kingdom of God. This work will be an equal benefit to all, if we will be diligent and contented. There is no job men can be engaged in that will pay half as well. Those who will cling to the faith and work on faithfully, diligently, and humbly, will be the best off in the end. I do not care what inducement is offered to them, there is no enterprise so remunerative as the great enterprise in which we are engaged, or half so profitable, though we may not realize all things we desire or need at the present moment as fully as we would like. Look at the faithful laborer who is putting forth his hand in building up the kingdom of God, even if it is connected with the bringing of rocks from the quarry, lumber and timber from the mountains, &c.; that soul has peace and quiet within, though in temporal matters comparatively destitute. But in this country no person need suffer for the common necessaries of life. It is not so in distant nations where many of us came from. Remember the appeals that are made to us for assistance, for starvation has entered their dwellings; it is not, so here. Do we realize the blessings we enjoy in contrast with those of our brethren in distant countries? While we are doing all we can to aid them, let us remember not to slacken our hands in endeavoring to build up the kingdom of God, in answering to the calls made upon us here.

No person can release us from the duties that devolve upon us as individuals. We each of us should shoulder our responsibilities and rejoice to embrace the privilege of performing the duties devolving upon us to do good in the Church and kingdom of God in the last days. This is an inestimable privilege which, once neglected, may never again return. No person should lose the opportunity of doing good, if they do they will be sorry afterwards. Look back upon your own history and experience in the Church and kingdom of God, and point out a single duty that has been manfully and righteously performed that does not to this day bring to you a feeling of great satisfaction and gratitude to the Almighty that you were called upon to perform that duty, and you are glad that you did perform it faithfully before your God and your brethren. I do not believe there is a single individual who has ever performed a single duty in the Church and kingdom of God, but what is grateful to the Almighty that they had strength and power and ability to perform that duty. Then so let it be in the future; whenever we are called upon to perform a duty let us hasten to perform it with a free and glad heart and with a ready hand, doing it as it should be done with all the wisdom, ability and power that we can bring to bear on it, feeling grateful to the Almighty for the privilege, and we shall have joy and rejoicing before the heavens. This is the true light in which we ought to look at this matter. There is a great labor before this people, it is a lifetime work, and then it will be taken up by those who will follow after us, who will continue to develop the things which the Almighty is trying to establish upon the earth—the work of the salvation of our dead and the great millennium. The work we are now doing is preparatory to that work, and that work is preparatory to another that shall follow after.

We will build a new Tabernacle of sufficient dimensions to accommodate the people much better than they can be at present, and the time probably is not far distant when we may commence to administer for our dead. But the duties of today and all the work and labor we are called upon to perform is preparatory to something else; if we perform this work faithfully it will tell in its place in the due season and time of the Lord. Then let us be faithful and never neglect the opportunity of doing good when presented to us, be it ever so small in our estimation. There is nothing so small but what is necessary, when we are told to do it by those who preside over us. Small things reach to great things. We cannot baptize for the dead without a font, and we cannot get a stone to build it of without going to the stone quarries to get it. It looks a small thing to quarry rock and to pick up the pebbles and cobble rock or to take the spade and go and labor a single day’s work, but those small matters form together a grand whole in bringing to pass the great purposes we are anticipating will come to pass in the Lord’s due time. Then let us listen to and respond to the calls made upon us by our Bishops, by our Presidents, by those who are appointed to direct and govern and control and shape our labor. It is the business of this people to build up this kingdom in any channel and direction in which they are called to labor. Let us abide these teachings and calls, for in this we can attain an exaltation in the presence of our Father in heaven. Let us seek to be exalted therein and enjoy eternal lives in the mansions of the blessed. This is my sermon for today.

May God help us to do these things is my prayer in the name of Jesus: Amen.

Remarks by President Brigham Young, made in the Settlements South of Great Salt Lake City, in April and May, 1863.

On the 20th of April, 1863, the President and company left Great Salt Lake City and arrived at American Fork, when the following instructions commenced—

We shall never see the time when we shall not need to be taught, nor when there will not be an object to be gained. I never expect to see the time that there will not be a superior power and a superior knowledge, and, consequently, incitements to further progress and further improvement.

To look for salvation fifty years hence and do nothing for salvation at the present time is preposterous. God has placed the means of salvation within our reach, and the volition of the creature is at his own disposal. When his sons and daughters avail themselves of the means he has supplied for their salvation, doing good for themselves, it is gratifying to him.

We may rejoice greatly in the possession of the spirit of truth and in the power of God, which elevates the soul to the contemplation of heavenly things, but it does not teach men how to raise corn. The Lord could impart this information in a special revelation, the same as he instructed Adam and Eve how to cover their nakedness. He showed them how to make aprons of leaves and then coats of skins, and instructed Adam in extracting the metals from their ores, the same as one man instructs another. People often wish they had the power of God upon them. This is a good wish, and the power of God is a power that would aid men to accomplish much more than they now do, if they possessed along with it a liberal supply of sound information and good sense. The power of God and true knowledge are component parts of godliness, and all the providences of God dealt out to us are for the furtherance of his kingdom upon the earth. We should be willing to acknowledge his hand in all things and be his faithful sons and daughters, always ready and willing to do what he bids us.

“Mormonism” is as dear as ever to me. In all the prophecies delivered by Joseph Smith, I do not think there has been one failure; and all that has been foretold by ancient Prophets concerning the last days has been fulfilled so far; not one jot or tittle has failed or will fail. The Lord is kind to this people, and if we could understand things as they really are and be as willing to help ourselves as the Lord is to help us, we should advance much more rapidly in the knowledge of God than we do. Every providence and dispensation of God to his earthly children tends directly to life and salvation, while the influences and powers exerted by the enemy upon mankind and every suggestion of our corrupt natures tends to death. If there exists within us one feeling, one desire that is not devoted to the Gospel of the Son of God and to the building up of his kingdom on the earth, that feeling or desire so far tends to death.

Knowledge increases among this people; they know more of the things of the kingdom of God today than they did in the days of Joseph Smith. There was confidence due from his brethren to Joseph which he did not receive. In his death they learned a profitable lesson, and afterwards felt that if he could only be restored to them how obedient they would be to his counsels. The influence and confidence that were denied to him have since, to a great degree, been centered where they see it belongs. Still the old leaven more or less reigns within us; our traditions lead us to reflect upon death as we formerly did, and to suppose that this life is only designed to prepare us to meet the last moments of the dissolution of the body. This life is now the only life to us; and if we do not appreciate it properly it is impossible to prepare for a higher and more exalted life. We live today to prepare for life tomorrow; and if we are prepared to live, death is divested of its terrors, for we die only to live in another condition. In fact, if we only appreciate this life, we will never die. Our bodies may sleep in the grave for a short time—the earthly particles of this tabernacle will return to their mother earth—but that ever-living power within us will never sleep, and we shall receive our bodies again.

The purpose of our life should be to build up the Zion of our God, to gather the house of Israel, bring in the fulness of the Gentiles, restore and bless the earth with our ability and make it as the Garden of Eden, store up treasures of knowledge and wisdom in our own understandings, purify our own hearts and prepare a people to meet the Lord when he comes.

The world is wrong and we have to right it under the direction of Heaven. For this purpose are we located upon the land of Zion, and the land of Zion is North and South America—the land where our heavenly Father made his appearance and planted the Garden of Eden. This land is choice above all other lands upon the face of the earth. We occupy these mountains as a safe retreat from the power of our enemies. When we first came here we did not know that we could raise grain of any kind. Probably some parts of South America are as good for raising wheat as this is; and in no part of North America can they raise better wheat than is raised here. God has blessed the soil for our sakes, and we live and prosper contrary to the expectations of our persecutors. Those who are aliens from the commonwealth of Israel may try to live here, but without our aid they cannot raise a subsistence.

The country where Joseph Smith, Jun., found the plates was then as good a country for grain and fruit as could be found upon the whole land, but when the Latter-day Saints were obliged to leave that region the ground began to cease yielding the accustomed amount, and the yield of wheat decreased probably one half. The Lord blesses the land, the air, and the water where the Saints are permitted to live.

The blessings of the Lord are great upon this people. They are increasing in flocks and herds and are gathering around them property in abundance on the right hand and on the left; let them be careful that they do not place their affections upon the things of this world and forget the Lord their God. The earthly means which we have been enabled to gather around us is not ours, it is the Lord’s, and he has placed it in our hands for the building up of his kingdom and to extend our ability and resources for reaching after the poor in other lands.

We are here personages of tabernacle, designed to be prepared to dwell with the Gods; but we are far from that knowledge we might have possessed had our forefathers enjoyed the Priesthood we have and had we been brought up in it from our youth. Seeing that we possess the holy Priesthood, we should introduce a code of traditions among our children which they will not need to unlearn, as we have had to do. We have received the spirit of life, light and intelligence that comes from God out of heaven, and thus we have become his Saints; and we have gathered to these mountains to learn how to live and what the Lord designs to do with us. We came to these mountains because we had no other place to go to. We had to leave our homes and possessions on the fertile lands of Illinois to make our dwelling places in these desert wilds, on barren, sterile plains, amid lofty, rugged mountains. None dare come here to live until we came here, and we now find it to be one of the best countries in the world for us.

The world of mankind have taken a course to alienate the feelings of each other; they have destroyed the little fellowship and confidence that were formerly placed in man towards his fellow man. I now allude, in particular, to the Christian world. They have taken a course to break up and rend to pieces every trait of friendship. With few exceptions, none dare trust his neighbor, and we have to restore that confidence which has been lost; we have to restore wholesome government and administer wholesome laws to bind the feelings of the people together. The Lord has instituted laws sufficient for the government of his people and has given us rulers and judges that are of our– selves, and it is our business to accomplish this work of reformation, beginning with ourselves.

I try to better my life, and I believe that my brethren do. I can see a visible improvement in those with whom I am most intimately acquainted. Though we are in the world, yet we should be as perfect as mortals are required to be. We are not required in our sphere to be as perfect as Gods and angels are in their spheres, yet man is the king of kings and lord of lords in embryo. Could I in the flesh become as perfect as God in the spirit, I could not stay on the earth with my friends to hold close communion with them and speak with them face to face as men speak to each other. Earth, home, family, and friends have endearments which tie us here until we have accomplished our work in this probation and become ripe for that great change which awaits us all. I would like to stay on this earth in the flesh and fight the Devils until the last one is subdued; and when the earth and its fulness are wholly devoted to the Savior of mankind I will be perfectly satisfied and willing to go into my grave or be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, as the Lord will.

As weak and frail as we are, the Latter-day Saints are my delight; their society is sweet to me; I crave no other; they are the only people I wish to see and associate with. Unless in the line of my duty, I do not wish ever to associate with any people who do not believe in the Gospel of the Son of God. I have no desire to again behold the face of an unbeliever; especially of those who have had the privilege of receiving the Gospel and have rejected it. I hope I shall live to see this people serve the Lord with an undivided heart and affection all their days, devoting every day to God and his Work. They have assembled from different parts of the earth to these valleys expressly to serve God and live their religion. The nations of the earth, without exception, have wandered far from the fountain of knowledge and the intelligence the Lord gives to his covenant people. It seems as though it might take the age of an earth like this to bring back the children of God to where they may know their Father and understand that they are his offspring.

In consideration of these things, is it not strange that we should lust after the gay, foolish, vain things of this world? That we should be proud, haughty, arrogant, selfish, covetous and contentious? Should not every person professing to be a Saint so live that the Spirit of God will dwell within them like a burning fire? And when chastisement is necessary, let it always be administered in the spirit of meekness, whether to a wife, a child, a brother, or a sister, &c. God wishes every one of his sons and daughters to purify their hearts to be prepared to dwell with him. We should never permit ourselves, in the beginning of a new day, to converse with a wife, a child, or a neighbor, unless the Spirit of God is with us, retaining it for our companion through the labors and business of the day until we retire to rest at night. Jesus says, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you,” &c. Because we are commanded to love our enemies, shall we forsake the society of the Saints and leave for California and other places to mingle with them, and swear, curse, gamble and do all manner of iniquity with them? No; this is not the way to love your enemies. I would not exhort you to hate your enemies, but I do wish that you would let them alone severely. If we do anything we will pray for them, instead of giving them for naught our time, our energies, our gold and silver, our grain and the good things the Lord has given us for our individual and mutual benefit. Pray for them; but let them alone, unless they are willing to hear the truth.

I wish this people to pay particular attention to the education of their children. If we can do no more, we should give them the facilities of a common education, that when our sons are sent into the world as ministers of salvation and as representatives of the kingdom of God in the mountains, they can mingle with the best society and intelligibly and sensibly present the principles of truth to mankind, for all truth is the offspring of heaven and is incorporated in the religion which we have embraced. We are progressing in this branch of mental improvement. Some of our brethren have been indomitable in their perseverance to divert the minds of our youth from an excess of frivolous and light amusements to the more useful and profitable habits of study and learning. I might here mention Elder David O. Calder, who has successfully been teaching, in Great Salt Lake City, the “Tonic Sol Fa” method of singing. He teaches three distinct classes, altogether numbering five hundred scholars, twice a week. Every accomplishment, every polished grace, every useful attainment in mathematics, music, and in all science and art belong to the Saints, and they should avail themselves as expeditiously as possible of the wealth of knowledge the sciences offer to every diligent and persevering scholar.

I am very much opposed to the practice of sending our boys out on the range to herd stock. In doing this they pass the greater portion of their time from under the influence of their parents and teachers, and are kept in ignorance of the rudiments of learning and of the principles of moral rectitude, and are exposed to the pestilential influences of evil, and to the temptations of those who are older and more experienced in the nefarious practice of stealing and running off horses and cattle. They learn to gamble, to steal, to blaspheme the name of God, to lie, to chew and smoke tobacco, and drink whiskey, while they are in the bush herding our stock. Some of the sons of our citizens have come to a premature grave because they would steal, and, if the truth were known, this fatal practice can, in almost every case, be traced to have found its origin in them when they were herd boys. They then learned to skillfully throw the lasso, they became helps to older thieves for a trifling bribe, until finally they by degrees became lost to all self-respect, refused to labor for an honest livelihood, having imbibed the idea that they could live easier by stealing, became a pest to society, and prematurely met a felon’s fate. We are the guardians of our children; their training and education are committed to our care, and if we do not ourselves pursue a course which will save them from the influence of evil, when we are weighed in the balance we shall be found wanting, and the sin will be laid at our doors.

Let good schools be established throughout all the settlements of the Saints in Utah. Let good teachers, who are Latter-day Saints in principle and at heart, be employed to educate our children. A good school teacher is one of the most essential members in society; he relieves parents, in part, of a great responsibility and labor; we should, therefore, make the business of school teaching a permanent institution, and the remuneration should be in amount and in kind equal to the receipts of our best mechanics; it should also be promptly and willingly paid, and school commissioners and trustees should see to it that teachers are properly qualified and do earn their pay. Could I have my wish, I would introduce into our system of education every real improvement, for all the great discoveries and appliances in the arts and sciences are expressly designed by the Lord for the benefit of Zion in the last days, and would be for the benefit of all mankind it they would cease to be wicked, and learn to acknowledge the hand of God in all things.

The Saints of God should be self-sustaining. While they are laboring to gain the mastery over themselves, to subdue every passion and feeling of their nature to the law of Christ; while they are striving to possess the Holy Ghost to guide them every moment of their lives, they should not lose sight of their temporal deliverance from the thralldom which has been thrown around them by the traditions of their fathers and the false education they have received in the nations where they were born and reared. In Utah territory they are well located for variety of climate suitable to the production of materials necessary to gratify every reasonable want. So far as we have learned the resources of the country, we are satisfied that we need not depend upon our neighbors abroad for any single necessity of life, for in the elements around us exists every ingredient of food and raiment; we can be fed with the daintiest luxuries, and can be clothed almost equal to the lilies of the field. Cotton and fruits of tropical climes can be grown to perfection and in abundance in the southern portions of Utah, while cereal crops, flax, wool, silk, and a great variety of fruit can be produced in perfection in the northern. Our object is not to find and possess great stores of the precious metals. Iron and coal would be far more valuable to us than mines of silver and gold.

To increase clothing in the ratio of the growth of our community and its wants makes it very necessary that we import and make machinery to work up the raw material in great quantities. In the meantime let our wives and daughters employ themselves industriously at their wheels at home, that our wants may be partially supplied until more machinery shall be made and set up in different districts of our territory. Anciently garments were made of linen and of wool, and the Israelites were forbidden to mix wool and linen together; and we read in the book of Genesis that Pharaoh arrayed Joseph in “vestures of silk.” It is of more modern date that cotton has become so extensively used throughout the world as an article of clothing and adorning the body. This southern country is well adapted to the production of cotton; we should raise it and manufacture it in sufficient quantities to meet the wants of our increasing population.

This community has not yet concluded to entirely dispense with the use of tobacco, and great quantities have been imported into our territory. The silver and gold which we have paid out for this article alone, since we first came into Utah, would have built several extensive cotton and woolen factories, and filled them with machinery. I know of no better climate and soil than are here for the successful culture of tobacco. Instead of buying it in a foreign market and importing it over a thousand miles, why not raise it in our own country or do without it? True principles of domestic and political economy would suggest the production at home of every article of home consumption, for herein lies the basis of wealth and independence for any people.

Importing sugar has been a great drain upon our floating currency. I am satisfied that it is altogether unnecessary to purchase sugar in a foreign market. The sorghum is a profitable crop, in Great Salt Lake and the adjoining counties, for the manufacture of molasses; in this section it can be profitably raised for the manufacture of sugar. I have tasted samples of sugar produced from the sorghum raised in the south of Utah, and a better quality of raw sugar I never saw. Let some enterprising persons prosecute this branch of home production, and thus effectually stop another outlet for our money. Sugar ranks high among the staples of life, and should be produced in great abundance.

Tea is in great demand in Utah, and anything under that name sells readily at an extravagant price. This article opens a wide drain for the escape of much of our circulating medium. The tea of commerce is extensively adulterated, not only by the Chinese, but also by numerous others through whose hands it passes before it reaches the consumer. Tea can be produced in this territory in sufficient quantities for home consumption, and if we raise it ourselves we know that we have the pure article. If we do not raise it, I would suggest that we do without it.

Dyestuffs have opened another drain through which considerable of our money has passed off. Wherever Indian corn will flourish madder can be produced in great quantities, yet we have been paying out our money to strangers for this article. Indigo can be successfully and profitably raised in this region. An article in the Deseret News on the culture of indigo, and manufacturing it for coloring, would be interesting, espe– cially to the people of our southern settlements.

Whatsoever administers to the sustenance, comfort and health of mankind forms the basis of the commerce of the world. Gold and silver in coin are only valuable as mediums in trade to facilitate exchange. They can be made useful to us and add to our comfort when made into cups, plates, &c., in our household economy.

Let groves of olive trees be planted, and vineyards of the most approved varieties of grapes, that there may be wine and oil in the land; and let sweet potatoes be raised in abundance, and all trees and roots that bear fruit in the ground and above the ground that can be used as food for man and beast, that plenty may flow in the land like a river, and contentment be enthroned in every household, while industry, frugality, and peace prevail everywhere.

I will offer a few more reflections upon cotton. The first cotton that was raised in this country cost the company that made the experiment $3.65 a pound. The year following it cost them $1.82 a pound. We became satisfied that cotton could be raised here in sufficient quantities to supply our wants and to pay the cultivator. Thousands of the Saints have since then settled in this region, and are engaged in developing its resources. Much has been said with regard to raising and saving cotton. There is no use in raising wheat to let it be destroyed, nor in raising cotton to let it be wasted. When we visited the southern settlements last year the question was asked, “What can we do with our cotton when we have raised it? We have no cards to card it, no machinery to spin and weave it into cloth,” and the belief seemed to be gaining ground that there was no use or profit in raising it. We told the brethren that if they would save their cotton it would in a short time become useful to them. How much they saved or how much they permitted to be wasted I know not. I supposed, by the appearance of the cotton crop in the different settlements, that a great many tons would be ready for market this spring, and be transported to our northern settlements. While conversing upon the subject with a few of the brethren in Great Salt Lake City, brother Wm. S. Godbe said he would buy cotton of the brethren in the south if they would sell. He had some goods passing through this section en route for Great Salt Lake City, and he exchanged a portion of them for cotton. You remember that last summer and fall there was no want of cotton in the eastern country. In the month of January or February according to our dispatches, raw cotton was sold in New York as high as $1.05 a pound. We thought that was a high price for cotton. On the first of March raw cotton was sold in the same city for $0.93 a pound. At this price we thought it would be a safe investment to buy your cotton and send it to the States, and expected you would have some fifty or a hundred tons to throw into the market. Brother Godbe could only get some fifteen thousand pounds. Since that time the price of cotton in the east is reduced to $0.45 a pound, and that is a pretty good price.

Can we make anything by raising cotton and transporting it to the States to be sold at forty-five cents a pound? I think we can. Let some of the brethren try the experiment by raising thirty-five hundred pounds of cotton this season, putting it into a light wagon, hitching on three yoke of cattle, and hauling it to the States, and having it there worked up on shares. If they would manufacture it on halves that would give—making a rough estimate—seventeen hundred and fifty pounds of yarn, which is worth a dollar and twenty-five cents a pound in St. Louis: this would give a handsome profit to the producer. I should think the factories in the east would willingly work up cotton from Utah in this way, as cotton is scarce with them: and they might find it to their advantage to work it up for a less share than one-half. If you have it made into cloth, I would not be surprised if the manufacturer should give you three and take one; but suppose we say that you get one-half in cloth, that would give you some fifty-one hundred yards, which, as it is now selling in Great Salt Lake City, would be equal to about the same number of bushels of oats. By importing one load of cotton to the east a man can make cloth enough to clothe his family many years.

This system of exporting cotton may do very well, until we have multiplied machinery sufficient to work up our cotton at home. The little machinery we have working at Parowan is now making an improved quality of yarn; and they are improving the machinery so fast that I am encouraged, and I believe that we shall be successful in making good cloth. Brother Hanks, who is now superintending that little factory, left some yarn with me, and my family have begun to color and weave it. The yarn is better than we can get from the east, taking one bunch with another.

Brother Horace S. Eldredge expects this season to import machinery for a small cotton factory, and to bring with him a man of experience to set it up. This will create a market in this territory for our cotton.

I wish the brethren of the cotton country to import machinery and make their cotton into cloth, and we will put up machinery in Great Salt Lake City, buy our cotton from you, and haul it to the city. In the meantime, let every appliance for home spinning and weaving be improved upon; let hand cards be used, and spinning-wheels, and let each family make the cloth they wear, for if they do not, they will have to go without it. Is it not apparent to all since the commencement of the war, that we must become self-sustaining? This we have told the people for years.

Let us apply our hearts to our God and our religion, that we may soon be prepared to be more fully organized as the children of God our Father; that we may be qualified to go back to Jackson County, instead of calling for five hundred teams to go to the Missouri River for the poor. Were we to call for teams to go back to Jackson County, five thousand would be on hand. This, however, cannot be until the people are better organized in a temporal point of view, that all their temporal actions may point to the building up of the kingdom of God, when no man will say that ought he possesses is his own, but hold it only for the interest and good of the whole community of the Saints.

With regard to the country southeast of us, let no man move there until he gets word from me. The First Presidency will give you the word to move when it is time. We want the brethren to enlarge their borders here, and extend their settlements up the rivers Rio Virgin and Santa Clara; and by-and-by they will reach the Severe, from which point we have a good route through Sanpete to Great Salt Lake City.

Let me now say to my brethren, the Elders of Israel, it is always proper to kindly and affectionately ask the people to perform what you wish performed, instead of ordering them to do it. This principle is always good for parents and teachers to observe.

Build good commodious dwelling houses, plant good gardens, and surround yourselves with every comfort, and learn to beautify the earth, and prepare it for the coming of the Son of Man. May God bless you: Amen.

Remarks by President Daniel H. Wells, made in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, March 29, 1863.

I feel thankful for a part and lot in the great Work of the last days. It is a calling that ought to engage all our interests and welfare, being inculcated in the maintenance of those principles which alone can bring salvation to the human family. My soul delights in them. They must be sustained, though all the world should rise in opposition.

We live in that age of the world which the ancient Prophets have foreseen, when the wicked would “make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.” I have often thought that the world does not know what righteousness towards God con– sists in; they place great stress upon this, that and the other doctrine or principle as being necessary to salvation, which has not been thought of by any person who has been sent of God to lay before the children of men the true way. They have made laws and rules of faith, and set up church governments that cannot be drawn from anything to be found in the holy Scriptures or in any revelation I know anything about.

Obedience towards God is righteousness towards God. “Jesus answered and said unto them, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him,” &c. In order to become a holy and righteous people, it is necessary to listen to and obey every word that proceeds from the mouth of God through his servants whom he has placed to guide his kingdom, on the earth. This is righteousness towards God. It is said we can do nothing for the Lord, that if he was an hungered, he would not ask us for bread, &c.; but we can perform the duties we owe to him by the performance of the duties we owe to each other; in this way we can show ourselves approved before our Father who is in heaven. “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Who has a greater opportunity of doing good to the brethren than the Latter-day Saints? Who has a finer chance of showing their faith by their works?

The gathering of Israel I will mention as one of the many opportunities that this people have of showing their good works to their brethren in distant nations, who are now suffering for want of the common necessaries of life; who are pleading day by day with their brethren and with the Lord continually for temporal deliverance. In these Valleys the people are well provided for, are wealthy and exceedingly prosperous, and can well afford to prove their loyalty to the heavens in expending a portion of their means to gather Israel. A great many are doing what they think they can do, but I think we might do more, as a people, in aiding to gather Israel, which is one portion of the great Work of the last days. This is a part of our religion, to do all the good we can in aiding and assisting our brethren in distress who are of the household of faith, and in placing them in a condition like unto ourselves in these quiet vales of the mountains, where they can be freed from the thralldom of sin and oppression in which they have lived to the present time. We have so far effected our deliverance, and in this the Lord has been extremely kind to us, in planting our feet in these goodly valleys where we have been blessed and prospered. No person here need go without the common necessaries of life. How much will we devote to the deliverance of our brethren, who are as anxious as we are to identify their interests with the kingdom of God at headquarters, where they, like us, can be benefited in the instructions we receive here from time to time? I have often thought that we do not fairly comprehend the great mercies and blessings the Almighty has conferred upon us; if we did, we should show our appreciation of them by our actions in aiding those who are so anxious to be delivered from Babylon to be planted in these valleys and participate in the blessings we enjoy.

As I said in the beginning, the world is opposed to us, but we have nothing to do with them in one sense, but to do our duty and sustain righteous principles with an eye single to the glory of God; in this he will sustain us and bring us off victorious at last. We have great reason to be thankful this morning for the great peace and prosperity which attends us as a people; we have great cause to rejoice before the Lord of Hosts, who has been a kind Father unto us from our early infancy to this time. What has he not done for us? Do we not live in an age of the world in which he has revealed his holy Gospel and sent his messengers with the light of the Gospel, and have we not become the happy participants of this knowledge? Are not our feet planted upon the rock of salvation? Has he not delivered us from the power of wicked, ungodly and designing men, and given us an inheritance far from their power, where we can worship him, none daring to make us afraid? Has he not blessed this land in a miraculous manner to bring forth for the sustenance of his people? He has shielded us from the savage foe, and given us influence over them, whereby we can travel to and fro among them and from place to place in comparative safety. How can we render unto him sufficient homage, thanksgiving and praise to prove unto him that we do appreciate his great and manifold mercies? I know of no better way than to be obedient to the calls made upon us from time to time, to respond to them in that free way that shall prove to God that all we have and all we can do is held and devoted to the promotion of the cause we have espoused, regardless of the consequences.

We should not hesitate when anything is proposed to be done for the promotion of the cause of God on the earth, but should say, Make way, prejudices; go by the board, whatever traditions would rise up. When the Lord speaks, let everything else give way; as the masses of the people would fall back on the approach of the king, so let our own ideas and prepossessed notions give place to the word of the Lord and to the wisdom that emanates from him; let everything else become subservient to those principles, doctrines and truths. This is the way I have always felt since I became acquainted with this Gospel and with this people.

This Work is not done in a corner, but it has been sent to the whole world, and all men have the privilege of adopting the same principles of truth which we have embraced, if they shall choose to do so; but because they do not choose to do so, it should not become a rock of offense and a stumbling block to them nor to us. We have undertaken to sustain these holy principles which have been revealed in the last days. Shall we now falter? Or shall we, because others point the finger of scorn at us, be ashamed of this holy cause and back out from it? Does it make any difference as to what other people think of it? No. It is for us to cling together and go onward continually in the path we have chosen to walk in.

There are few, probably, in this Church and kingdom but what have in their possession some kind of a testimony which proves to their satisfaction that this is the Work of Heaven; it has touched their hearts. Thousands who do not belong to the Church have evidence of its truth, but will not admit it. The mind is bound to receive and to believe the truth according to the amount of testimony given and the evidence produced, but through pride the majority of the human family will not admit the truth openly, although they may do so secretly and believe in the same doctrines we do. Let them do as they please, that is no reason why we should falter, change our course in the least, or alter our views; but let us press onward continually and prove to the Lord that we are true and faithful to him.

We live in a land of liberty, where the power and the control rests with the people, or should do so; to a great extent it does so. We have great liberty, we have great freedom, notwithstanding the efforts of some to abridge our liberties and our freedom; still the Lord is not unmindful of us, for he directs and governs the affairs of the children of men, more especially now since he has commenced his Work in the last days: I think I might qualify this a little, by saying more especially to our understanding. I have no doubt but what he has always done so; but the heavens, in a manner, have been shut up to the vision and view of mankind for a long time, but now his dealings with them have become more manifest than in ages gone by; we can now see his footprints more clearly and can realize more sensibly the Work in which he is moving, bringing to pass his purposes for the redemption of the world, for the overthrow of sin and iniquity and for the establishment of his kingdom, which Prophets, long ages past and gone, have seen would be set up in the last days. We have undertaken to do our part towards establishing his kingdom, which will eventually reign over the whole earth, where all nations, kingdoms, tongues, and people will acknowledge Emanuel’s sway and the earth be lit up with the glory of God and be prepared for his kingdom and coming.

In these valleys of the mountains a nucleus is finally formed of a people who have been gathered out from all the nations of the earth, for the express purpose of sustaining holy and righteous principles which the Almighty has revealed from the heavens and to form a community that shall be self-sustaining. Latter-day Saints associate together in a community to prove to the Lord and to the world that they can sustain themselves; that the doctrines and principles God has revealed to them are self-sustaining in their nature—so much so, that a whole community may be sustained by practicing and living faithfully up to them. Hence it is that the shafts of the enemy are directed against us for the overthrow and destruction of those holy principles.

We know of a verity that the Work in which we are engaged is of God; we know we have the knowledge of God our Father and of his Son Jesus Christ, whom to know is life everlasting; we know in whom we have put our trust; we know the principles which we have espoused are based upon a solid and sure foundation; we know they are true, and truth is eternal and will lead to ex– altation in the kingdom of God if we are true to each other and to the principles which have been revealed. We are not guessing at these things, nor groping our way in the dark in relation to them. Should not our course be to turn aside every shaft of the enemy aimed at our brother as well as at ourselves? When we see danger, should we not warn our brother against it and use every exertion to assist each other to walk faithfully in the right way, shielding each other from the power of the enemy and endeavoring to pick up those who are wandering into bye and forbidden paths, pointing out to them the right way and exhorting them to walk in it? We should guide the footsteps of the young and ignorant, and teach them the principles which have a tendency to bring them into the path of life and glory. We should try to overcome all weaknesses and eradicate from our bosoms every unholy desire and remove from our footsteps every evil way. We too often see carelessness and indifference in the midst of this people with regard to these small matters; I call them small, because they are so often passed by and neglected.

We ought to instil into our children a nice sense of honor and truthfulness in their words, that when they come to act in real life they may receive and reverence principles of holiness that will lead them ultimately to the possession of eternal life and salvation. People often speak jestingly of the holy things which we hold, or should hold sacred. I have heard people do it, and always tell them they would satisfy my feelings much better if they would not make a jest of things I hold sacred. I remember a man in Nauvoo, who was conspicuous in this Church, once at a party saying to the fiddler, “Let me lay hands on that old fiddle, and then perhaps you will not have so much trouble with the strings.” I was then a Gentile, as they called them, and he, no doubt, thought that such jesting with holy things would please me, but I always despised him afterwards for making use of such an expression and making light of one of the holy ordinances of God which he professed to believe in. Jesting on sacred matters grates on my ears. I do not suppose people mean any harm when they do it, but it has a deleterious influence upon our children, whom we ought to teach to reverence sacred things. I would like their sense of honor to be such that they will do right because they love to do right, and not refrain from doing wrong merely because they are afraid somebody will see them do wrong. Let the love of right be bred in them, that feeling of honest consciousness of doing right, and not evil, that shall preserve them in the hour of temptation. Let the love of right be instilled in their young and tender minds, that it may grow with their growth and strengthen with their strength, learning to love the truth for its beauty and the things of God because they are worthy of being loved. Often people are deterred from doing right because of what the world will say and for fear of the pointing of the finger of scorn. That is not what we should care about; we should care to please God and do the things that are right before him, and then let the world wag as it will. This ought to be our motto, and we ought constantly to seek to instil this feeling into the bosoms of our children, that they may act upon the principles of right because they love them and prefer them because they are good before the Lord, and eschewing evil because it is hateful to them. The child is naturally inclined to this way. It is their associations with the wickedness that is in the world that teaches them hypocrisy and evil of every descrip– tion, and the fear of the world’s scorn, their laugh and ribald jest have their influence upon the mind of the child. Hence it becomes necessary that more pains should be taken in instructing them and showing them the propriety of truthfulness and honest uprightness of conduct to strengthen and protect them in the hour of temptation.

This great work in regard to training our children should not be neglected, because it is while they are young that we can have the greatest and most lasting influence over them. It is the privilege of the Latter-day Saints in these valleys of the mountains more especially to attend to this sacred duty, because when we mingled with the outside world we could not there enjoy the rights, the liberty and the freedom we enjoy in these mountains. No child is laughed and scoffed at here because his father and mother are Mormons. Then let us attend to these matters and govern ourselves by the holy principles that have been revealed to our understandings, live our holy religion faithfully and bring forth the blessings of peace, the blessings of the Almighty which are ready to drop from the heavens upon us as fast as we are able to receive and use them profitably to ourselves and to the Work in which we are engaged. The child needs first to ripen in judgment and good understanding before the father can commit any great trust to his charge. So it is in the dealings of our Heavenly Father with his people; he knows better than we do when to bestow great blessings upon us and what is for our best good. We should improve upon the blessings he has already given us to the fullest extent of the light and information we can get, and not trouble ourselves as to what is in the future, because that is just beyond our reach. If we travel in the path I have been trying to mark out, we shall attain everything we can ask for in due time. By improving upon what we have, by keeping ourselves unspotted from this untoward generation, by walking in faith and obedience before our God, we can attain to more than we have now any knowledge of. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man, to conceive the things that are in store for the faithful,” when they shall attain to that stature in Christ that will entitle them to receive them.

I do not, however, wish to throw the mind of the community upon something great in the future to the neglect of present blessings and present duties. Let us count over the blessings we this day enjoy; let us look into the past and mark the constant flow of blessings with which the history of this people has been attended from the beginning. Neither do I wish us to stop here and say that we have all we need; but while we are desiring blessings that are still future to us, let us not neglect the things which are now within our reach day by day, but live constantly our holy religion, being faithful and diligent in all things that are for us today, cleaving closely to the Lord, knowing that we are in his hands and that we are his children, having all confidence in him and in his constituted authorities on the earth, then will our knowledge and intelligence increase and our blessings will continue in a steady flow. This is all the business we have on hand to attend to, to serve our God and make ourselves comfortable and happy, securing from the elements everything we need for our sustenance and support, building houses, making roads, opening farms, planting orchards and vineyards, bringing from the mountains timber and lumber and all things else we need. All this labor is necessary to sustain us, and that the Lord may have a people who are zealous of good works and who will do his bidding, and through whom his kingdom may be established upon the earth and become a self-sustaining community, being governed and controlled in every particular by the revelations of the Most High, and by the principles which he has revealed. We are now the best governed people in the world, and for the best of all reasons—we have the best Government and the best Governor; our Heavenly Father is at the helm, from whom emanates all wisdom, truth and righteousness. No matter what the difficulties are which we are called upon to overcome, still we have everything to encourage us; we can go to the great fountain of all good; nothing can compare with this. Should we not feel encouraged and rejoice, and give praise and thanksgiving to God, who is so good a Father to us, who has watched over us to this day, to say nothing of the glorious future which is opening up before us continually.

This people have a future which the world little dreams of. They will see the time when those who seek to destroy them from under heaven will come bowing and scraping to them obsequiously and sycophantic enough, no doubt. That, however, does not affect us one way or the other; it is for us to do right and please our God with full purpose of heart, that his will may be done on the earth as it is done in heaven. The Lord will not slacken his hand nor look backward, but will progress onward with his people who will abide faithful and true to him. Righteousness must predominate in the midst of this people, and iniquity will have no part or lot with them, but if any among them wish to work iniquity and do not delight in holy principles, this is not the place for them; they had better go where there are influences more congenial, where they will not be abridged of their desires to do evil. No man has liberty to do evil, though he may have the power, nor has he any right to do evil. There is no law against doing right, but the law is against doing wrong. Man has power to do right or wrong as he pleases, but he is held responsible for that power and the exercise of it.

May God bless us and help us to do right, to keep his laws and commandments and statutes holy, and be obedient to him in all things, is my prayer in the name of Jesus: Amen.

Remarks by President Brigham Young, made in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, March 8, 1863.

I do not wish to confine myself to any particular subject this afternoon.

The rise of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its history up to this day are vividly portrayed in my memory. I referred to that subject this morning, and to the persecution we, as a people, have received, and the persecuting the Prophet Joseph Smith unto death. I have also in my mind the condition of the Christian world, as well as the revealed religion of the Savior; also the Jewish as the forerunner of the Christian religion.

This morning I referred to the intelligence we have, and the position of the world. The people want to know a great deal—they want to know all, but it cannot all be learned in one day nor in a short period of time. We expect to learn to all eternity.

This people are an object of derision and astonishment to our Christian neighbors, and to the whole world an object of reflection and serious thought. Almost every man occupying a public position in the political, religious, or heathen world wishes to possess great influence and to extend his power. There is only one way to obtain power and influence in the kingdom of God, and only one way to obtain foreknowledge, and that is to so live that that influence will come from our Creator, enlightening the mind and revealing things that are past, present and future pertaining to the earth and its inhabitants, and to the dealings of God with the children of men; in short, there is no source of true information outside of the Spirit of revelation; it maketh manifest all things, and revealeth the dispositions of communities and of individuals. By possessing this Spirit, mankind can obtain power that is durable, beneficial, and that will result in a higher state of knowledge, of honor and of glory. This can be obtained only by strictly marking the path of truth, and walking faithfully therein.

We are objectionable to our neighbors. We have a warfare. As the Apostle says, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, and against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” This warfare commences within us.

The spirits that live in these tabernacles were as pure as the heavens, when they entered them. They came to tabernacles that are contaminated, pertaining to the flesh, by the fall of man. The Psalmist says, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” This Scripture has established in the minds of some the doctrine of total depravity—that it is impossible for them to have one good thought, that they are altogether sinful, that there is no good, no soundness, and no spiritual health in them. This is not correct, yet we have a warfare within us. We have to contend against evil passions, or the seeds of iniquity that are sown in the flesh through the fall. The pure spirits that occupy these tabernacles are operated upon, and it is the right of Him that sent them into these tabernacles to hold the preeminence, and to always give the Spirit of truth to influence the spirits of men, that it may triumph and reign predominently in our tabernacles the God and Lord of every motion. We not only have this warfare continually, day by day, within ourselves, but we also have an outside influence or pressure to resist. Both the religious and the political world have influences to contend against that very much resemble each other; they are more or less exercised, governed and controlled by surrounding influences. We Latter-day Saints have an influence of this kind to contend against.

The inquiry has often been made of us in the course of our history, why we do not contradict such and such statements, “Why do you not confute this or that?” “Why do you not enlighten the people in regard to certain statements which are urged against you, and disabuse the public mind?” Our position at the present day is far superior to what it was sixteen, twenty and thirty years ago. Sixteen years ago we were on the inhospitable prairies, and in an Indian country. Five hundred of our able-bodied men had been taken from us by the call of the Government, and went to fight the battles of their country. There are women and children sitting here today, whose husbands, sons and fathers went on that campaign to prove to our Government that we were loyal, who became widows and orphans in consequence of that requisition. Those noble men left their wives and children and their aged fathers and mothers houseless and without protection upon the wild prairies and surrounded by savages, exposed to all the rigors and changes of the weather, to heat and cold, to rains and storms without protectors, until many sank under it and left their lifeless remains to be laid be– neath the prairie sod. When this call was made upon us, to put to the test our loyalty, we had traveled from Nauvoo and were resting in the western part of Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Had we boots and shoes to our feet? No. A few had, but the majority of the people had not. Had our wives clothing to last them five years? No. Had our children clothing to last them that length of time? No. The great majority of the people had not clothing nor shoes to make them comfortable a single day. We were obliged to leave our property behind us, with the lame and blind and feeble who were pounced upon while we were absent to find them a safe abiding place.

This is the outside pressure. It forced us from Ohio to Missouri, from Missouri to Illinois, and from Illinois into the wilderness. We were accused of disloyalty, alienation, and apostasy from the Constitution of our country. We were accused of being secessionists. I am, so help me God, and ever expect to be a secessionist from their wickedness, unrighteousness, dishonesty, and unhallowed principles in a religious point of view; but am I or this people secessionists with regard to the glorious Constitution of our country? No. Were we secessionists when we so promptly responded to the call of the General Government, when we were houseless and friendless on the wild prairies of Pottawattamie? I think not. We there told the brethren to enlist, and they obeyed without a murmur.

With regard to our going into the wilderness, and our there being called upon to turn out five hundred able-bodied men to go to Mexico, we had then seen every religious and political right trampled under foot by mobocrats; there were none left to defend our rights; we were driven from every right which freemen ought to possess. In forming that battalion of five hundred men, brother Kimball and myself rode day and night, until we had raised the full number of men the Government called for. Captain Allen said to me, using his own words, “I have fallen in love with your people. I love them as I never loved a people before.” He was a friend to the uttermost. When he had marched that Mormon battalion as far as Fort Leavenworth, he was thrown upon a sick bed where I then believed, and do now, he was nursed, taken care of, and doctored to the silent tomb, and the battalion went on with God for their Friend.

That battalion took up their line of march from Fort Leavenworth by way of Santa Fe, and over a desert and dreary route, and planted themselves in the lower part of California, to the joy of all the officers and men that were loyal. At the time of their arrival, General Kearney was in a straitened position, and Colonel P. St. George Cooke promptly marched the battalion to his relief, and said to him, “We have the boys here now that can put all things right.” The boys in that battalion performed their duty faithfully. I never think of that little company of men without the next thoughts being, “God bless them forever and forever.” All this we did to prove to the Government that we were loyal. Previous to this, when we left Nauvoo, we knew that they were going to call upon us, and we were prepared for it in our faith and in our feelings. I knew then as well as I do now that the Government would call for a battalion of men out of that part of Israel, to test our loyalty to the Government. Thomas H. Benton, if I have been rightly informed, obtained the requisition to call for that battalion, and, in case of noncompliance with that requisition, to call on the militia of Missouri and Iowa, and other States, if necessary, and to call volunteers from Illinois, from which State we had been driven, to destroy the camp of Israel. This same Mr. Benton said to the President of the United States, in the presence of some other persons, “Sir, they are a pestilential race, and ought to become extinct.”

I will again urge upon this people to so live that they will have the knowledge they desire, as we have knowledge not of all, but only of that which is necessary. Have we not shown to the world that we love the Constitution of our country and its institutions better than do those who have been and are now distracting the nation? You cannot find a community, placed under the circumstances that we were, that would have done as we did on the occasion of furnishing the Mormon Battalion, after our leading men had been slain and we had been compelled to leave our farms, gardens, homes and firesides, while, at the same time, the general Government was called upon in vain to put a stop to such a series of abuses against an innocent people.

The people said, “Give us redress for our wrongs!”

Government: “Did you say anything? Hard of hearing; can’t hear a single word you say.”

“Mr. President, Mr. Senator, Messrs. everybody else, can you hear the cries of the widow and fatherless?”

Government: “Did you speak? Can’t hear you gentlemen; mark what I say, I can’t hear you.”

After all this, to prove our loyalty to the Constitution and not to their infernal meanness, we went to fight the battles of a free country to give it power and influence, and to extend our happy institutions in other parts of this widely extended republic. In this way we have proved our loyalty. We have done everything that has been required of us. Can there anything reasonable and constitutional be asked that we would not perform? No. But if the Government of the United States should now ask for a battalion of men to fight in the present battlefields of the nation, while there is a camp of soldiers from abroad located within the corporate limits of this city, I would not ask one man to go; I would see them in hell first. What was the result a year ago, when our then Governor, and I thank God for such a Governor as we had a year ago, called for men to go and guard the mail route? Were they promptly on hand? Yes, and when President Lincoln wrote to me requesting me to fit out one hundred men to guard the mail route, we at once enlisted the one hundred men for ninety days. On Monday evening I received the instruction, and on Wednesday afternoon that hundred men were mustered into service and encamped ready for moving. But all this does not prove any loyalty to political tyrants.

We guarded the mail route; but they do not know what we know with regard to guarding this route, and they will find that out by and by. We do not need any soldiers here from any other States or Territories to perform that service, neither does the Government, as they would know if they were wise. I will, comparatively speaking, take one plug of tobacco, a shirt and three cents’ worth of paint, and save more life and hinder more Indian depredations than they can by expending millions of dollars vested in an army to fight and kill the Indians. Feed and clothe them a little and you will save life; fight them, and you pave the way for the destruction of the innocent. This will be found out after a while, but now it is not known except by comparatively a few.

We complain of the barbarity of the red men for killing innocent men, women, and children, especially for killing women and children. They are to blame for this. But remember that they are savages, and that it is an usage among them to kill the innocent for acts of the guilty.

I will ask every person who is acquainted with the history of the colonization of the Continent of North and South America, if they ever knew any colony of whites to get along any better with their savage neighbors than the inhabitants of Utah have done. Talk about making treaties with the Indians! Has there been any one treaty with the Indians fulfilled in good faith by the Government? If there is one, I wish you would let me know. But we call them savages, while at the same time the whites too often do as badly as they have done, and worse, when difference of intelligence and training are taken into account. This has been so in almost every case of difficulty with the red skins. When soldiers have pounced upon these poor, ignorant, low, degraded, miserable creatures, mention a time, if you can, when they have spared their women and children. They have indiscriminately massacred the helpless, the blind, the old, the infant, and the mother.

I am a human being, and I have the care of human beings. I wish to save life, and have no desire to destroy life. If I had my wish, I should entirely stop the shedding of human blood. The people abroad do not generally understand this, but they will. Like Paul, they do that they would not do, and leave undone that they would do because of the sin that reigns in their members. The nations of the world may apply this same text to their own case. They want to do something, but what to do rightly they do not find.

We have not only the man of sin to contend with, but also the outside pressure. Now then, what should we say concerning this people? I will answer. There has never been a time or circumstance since this Territory was organized, but what the civil law has reigned triumphantly in the hearts and acts of this people. The outside pressure now is that this people, called the Latter-day Saints, are secessionists in their feelings, and alien to the Constitution and institutions of our country. This is entirely false. There is not another people upon the face of the earth that could have borne what we have, and still remain as loyal to our brethren as we have been and are. They might be displeased with some of the acts of the administrators of the law, but not with the Constitutional laws and institutions of the Government.

This people are filled with patience and long-suffering, clinging to the institutions bequeathed to us by our fathers as closely and as tenaciously as ever babe clung to the Maternal breast, and we would that the Government had always been so wisely administered as to bind the best feelings of the people together, and to create and still continue to create a union instead of alienation. The affections of the masses of American citizens—both of the people in the North and in the South, are alienated from each other, and they are divided. We would it could be otherwise, but this is the result of the acts of leading politicians of our nation. When the people’s affections are interwoven with a Republican government administered in all its purity, if the administrators act not in virtue and truth it is but natural that the people become disaffected with maladministration, and divide and subdivide into parties, until the body politic is shivered to pieces. There is no other platform that any government can stand upon and endure, but the platform of truth and virtue.

What can we do? We can serve God, and mind our own business; keep our power dry, and be prepared for every emergency to which we may be exposed, and sustain the civil law to which we are subject. We have an adjudicator of the law in this Judicial District who has been here some eight or ten years. Has he found any difficulty or trouble in the performance of his official acts in this district, which we may say is the brain, the lungs, the vitals of the whole Territory? Has he met with any difficulty in administering the civil law here? He has not, except in the case where tyrants have sought to interrupt the even course and administration of it. Those who aim to soar to power and fame by taking such a course, pluck out the pinions of their own wings, and rob themselves of the glory and power which they so earnestly seek.

We have our own difficulties to encounter as a people, arising from influences that cannot be fully comprehended by those who are not of us and are not living with us. As for offering refutations to charges made against us, it would be impossible to keep pace with the thousands of freshly invented falsehoods that the powers spiritual and the powers temporal would produce to feed the credulity of the ignorant masses. Bunyan says that it requires a legion of devils to watch one Christian; it would require a legion of refutations to keep pace with one infernal liar, therefore we say, “lie on, falsify everything you want to falsify, and say what you please; there is a God in Israel, and if you have not yet learned it, you will learn it.”

Some of my friends and brethren have lately thought that there is an influence being got up against us. I would not give the ashes of a rye straw for any influence that our officials here, who are operating against this people, have in Washington. If their true characters were only known there, their influence would be devoid of weight in the mind of any right thinking man. I am in no way concerned about what they can do against us. I wish one course to be pursued by this people, and all the rest will be right. If they will walk faithfully in the path of their duty, in uprightness before God, clinging to right, and so conducting themselves that no being in the Heavens, on the earth, under the earth, or in hell, can say in truth that they are guilty of any unjust or wicked action committed knowingly, all will be right. God rules in the Heavens, and he does his pleasure among the inhabitants of the earth, he causes victory to perch here, and defeat and disgrace there, as he will, and contending armies know not the cause of their victory or their defeat. It is God who rules.

We are in the midst of these mountains, and we have good and salutary laws to govern us. We have our Constitutional laws and our Territorial laws; we are subject to these laws, and always expect to be, for we love to be. If there is any man among us who has violated any constitutional law, try the law upon him, and let us see whether there is any virtue in it, before we try the strong arm of despotism and tyranny. I stand for Constitutional law, and if any transgress, let them be tried by it, and, if guilty, suffer its penalty.

In 1857, it is estimated that eleven thousand troops were ordered here; some seven thousand started for this place, with several thousand hangers on. They came into this Territory when a company of emigrants were traveling on the south route to California. Nearly all of that company were destroyed by the Indians. That unfortunate affair has been laid to the charge of the whites. A certain judge that was then in this Territory wanted the whole army to accompany him to Iron County to try the whites for the murder of that company of emigrants. I told Governor Cumming that if he would take an unprejudiced judge into the district where that horrid affair occurred, I would pledge myself that every man in the regions round about should be forthcoming when called for, to be condemned or acquitted as an impartial, unprejudiced judge and jury should decide; and I pledged him that the court should be protected from any violence or hindrance in the prosecution of the laws; and if any were guilty of the blood of those who suffered in the Mountain Meadow massacre, let them suffer the penalty of the law; but to this day they have not touched the matter, for fear the Mormons would be acquitted from the charge of having any hand in it, and our enemies would thus be deprived of a favorite topic to talk about, when urging hostility against us. “The Mountain Meadow massacre! Only think of the Mountain Meadow massacre!!” is their cry from one end of the land to the other.

“Come, let us make war on the Mormons, for they burnt government property.” And what was the government doing there with their property? They were coming to destroy the Mormons, in violation of every right principle of law and justice. A little of their property was destroyed, and they were left to gnaw, not a file, but dead cattle’s bones. I was informed that one man brought five bloodhounds to hunt the Mormons in the mountains, and that the poor devil had to kill them and eat them before spring to save himself from starving to death, and that he was fool enough to acknowledge it afterwards in this city. This is the kind of outside pressure we have to meet with. Who wanted the army of 1857 here? Who sent for them? Liars, thieves, murderers, gamblers, whoremasters, and speculators in the rights and blood of the Mormon people cried to government, and government opened its ears, long and broad, saying, “I hear you, my children, lie on, my faithful sons Brocchus, Drummond, and Co.,” and so they did lie on until the parent sent an army to use up the Mormons. Now I say, for the consolation of all my brethren and sisters, they cannot do it; and that is worse to them than all the rest; they cannot do it.

The rank, rabid abolitionists, whom I call black-hearted Republicans, have set the whole national fabric on fire. Do you know this, Democrats? They have kindled the fire that is raging now from the north to the south, and from the south to the north. I am no abolitionist, neither am I a proslavery man; I hate some of their principles and especially some of their conduct, as I do the gates of hell. The Southerners make the negroes, and the Northerners worship them; this is all the difference between slaveholders and abolitionists. I would like the President of the United States and all the world to hear this.

Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God, is death on the spot. This will always be so. The nations of the earth have transgressed every law that God has given, they have changed the ordinances and broken every covenant made with the fathers, and they are like a hungry man that dreameth that he eateth, and he awaketh and behold he is empty.

The following saying of the prophet is fulfilled: “Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion. But they know not the thoughts of the Lord, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor. Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion, &c.” God rules in the armies of Heaven and does his pleasure upon the earth, and no man can help it. Who can stay the hand of Jehovah, or turn aside the providences of the Almighty? I say to all men and all women, submit to God, to his ordinances and to His rule; serve Him, and cease your quarrelling, and stay the shedding of each other’s blood.

If the Government of the United States, in Congress assembled, had the right to pass an anti-polygamy bill, they had also the right to pass a law that slaves should not be abused as they have been; they had also a right to make a law that negroes should be used like human beings, and not worse than dumb brutes. For their abuse of that race, the whites will be cursed, unless they repent.

I am neither an abolitionist nor a pro-slavery man. If I could have been influenced by private injury to choose one side in preference to the other, I should certainly be against the pro-slavery side of the question, for it was pro-slavery men that pointed the bayonet at me and my brethren in Missouri, and said, “Damn you we will kill you.” I have not much love for them, only in the Gospel. I would cause them to repent, if I could, and make them good men and a good community. I have no fellowship for their avarice, blindness, and ungodly actions. To be great, is to be good before the Heavens and before all good men. I will not fellowship the wicked in their sins, so help me God.

Joseph Smith, in forty-seven prosecutions was never proven guilty of one violation of the laws of his country. They accused him of treason, because he would not fellowship their wickedness. Suppose the land should be cleansed from its filthiness and the law of God should predominate, if a man or woman should be found who had corrupted themselves and thereby become diseased, that man or woman would be placed by themselves, as the lepers were anciently, never more to commune with the human family. Purify your flesh and blood, your spirits, your habitations, and your country, and then you will be pure before God. This change has got to be before this earth will be taken back into a celestial atmosphere.

Find fault with me because I have wives! They would corrupt every wife I have, if they had the power; and then they cry to the government, “You had better do something with the Mormons; they are deceitful and disloyal!!” I am disloyal to their sins and filthiness. Cleanse your hearts and the whole person, and make yourselves as pure as the angels, and then I will fellowship you.

I say to every man and woman in this community, suffer not your affections to wander after that which is unholy; do not lust after gold, nor the things of this world. Sanctify yourselves before your God and before one another, until you are pure outside and in and all around you, and see that you faithfully perform every duty.

Now, as we are accused of secession, my counsel to this congregation is to secede, what from? From the Constitution of the United States? No. From the institutions of our country? No. Well then, what from? From sin and the practice thereof. That is my counsel to this congregation and to the whole world.

May God bless everybody that wishes well to his kingdom on the earth. Amen.