Discourse by Elder Wilford Woodruff, delivered in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday, June 30, 1878.

There is a principle that I feel disposed to say a few words on, in connection with what brother Rich has been saying, and that is the principle of faith.

[The speaker then read the 11th chapter of Hebrews.]

I have taken the liberty of reading this catalogue of blessings which ancient men of God obtained through the principle of faith; which principle is as much needed today by the people of this generation, as by any people at any age of the world. We might continue the chapter of results and operations of the prin– ciple of faith to the present day. For by faith Joseph Smith received the ministration of God out of heaven. By faith he received the records of Nephi, and translated them through the Urim and Thummim into our own language, and which have since been translated into many different languages. By faith he made the foundation of this Church and kingdom, just as much as Noah, by faith, built the ark, and received the fulness thereof. By faith he prophesied, leaving a record, a testament which has been given through his mouth to the inhabitants of the earth, and which contains the revelations of God yet to be fulfilled. The testator is dead, but his testament is in force to all the world. By faith the Elders of this Church left their homes and families, and went, when called upon, to foreign nations without money and without learning or experience, to preach the Gospel of the kingdom without price to this generation, and warning the inhabitants of the earth of the judgments of God which await the world, and which must overtake the wicked. Faith is necessary on the part of the Latter-day Saints, say nothing about the outside world, in order to read and believe the records of divine truth which have come unto us; and it requires faith on the part of the Christian world to really believe this record, the Bible—to believe that the Lord, through his servants, really means what he says, and says what he means. It requires faith on the part of the Latter-day Saints to perform their duties acceptably before God, for we, in this dispensation, must walk by faith and not by sight, just as much as the people of God in any previous dispensation. And this principle we should exercise and live by. Some of the revelations which God has given unto us point to the future condition of the world, and foretell what must shortly befall the world of mankind. These predictions were uttered by holy men as they were moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and although the men themselves have passed away, not one jot or tittle of their words will fail in their fulfillment. Notwithstanding all the unbelief and infidelity of the modern world, there is not a man living that can place his finger upon the first revelation of God to man, from the days of father Adam to the present time, but what has had or is having its fulfillment as fast as time and opportunity admit of. God lives. These revelations which have been given through men who were inspired of the Holy Ghost, will have their fulfillment, even if the results should effect the destruction of the generation now living. When Jesus brought the Gospel to his father’s house—the Jews, they rejected him and the words of life he taught them. He found them intently looking forward to the coming of their Shiloh in the person of a king, a ruler who should possess great power, even power sufficient to deliver them from the Romish yoke. They never once dreamed that he would appear in their midst as the babe of Bethlehem, who should be born in a stable, and cradled in a manger, a man who should know sorrow, and who should be acquainted with grief, and who should choose as his disciples illiterate fishermen of low degree. And although he was their Savior King who would have redeemed them, and delivered them, and given unto them the Gospel of peace and of liberty, yet they in their vanity and pride despised him, and persecuted him, and at last shed his blood. But was there a word ever uttered by him concerning their Temple or nation but what met with its fulfillment to the very letter? The history of the Jews, which chronicles the days of their glory and power, when they held the Urim and Thummim, the ephod, the Priesthood, and when they offered sacrifice, taken in connection with the prediction of Jesus foretelling their downfall and dispersion, is of itself sufficient to teach every infidel mind that there is truth in the revelations of God to man. The Jews have been trampled under the feet of the Gentiles for the last 1,800 years, fulfilling, too, what Moses said of them; and they have been overthrown as a nation, and led captive unto other nations, and are held in scorn by the Gentiles even to the present hour. And you may begin at the beginning, taking, for instance, those great cities that figured anciently in their splendor and magnificence, and which were built to defy all time, such as Nineveh, Thebes, Tyre and Sidon, Memphis and Babylon. Where are they, and what became of them? They are gone, their history buried as if it were, in oblivion, and that too in fulfillment of prophesy. Yes, the words of some poor honest prophet or apostle raised up to declare the Gospel to the inhabitants thereof, but whom they despised and rejected, have met with their fulfillment, and the disobedient and wicked have passed away to be judged according to the deeds done in the body. And you may trace the history of the world from father Adam to the present time, and I can defy any man to point to a single prediction, uttered by inspired men raised up of God, but what has or will come to pass in its time and season. And if the Gentiles today would read these revelations of God, and exercise faith in them, they would no longer wonder when they come among us, to see these valleys, for 600 miles, filled with cities and towns, gardens and orchards, temples and tabernacles, and with comfortable dwellings. But the fact is, unbelief has overwhelmed the Christian world, and man has spiritualized the Scriptures until there is no faith in him, and he has no faith in God, nor in the literal fulfillment of his revelations to man. That is what ails the world today. The predictions of the Bible never would have been fulfilled, had not the Lord, in these last days raised up a prophet as an instrument in his hands to again establish his Gospel on the earth, and gather together the house of Israel to the valleys of these everlasting hills, according to his decree to old father Jacob; and his seed have yet to make this western desert to blossom as the rose, bringing forth “the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary.” The whole history of this people has been foretold by the prophet Isaiah, thousands of years ago; and it has been a steady growth from the commencement to the present. And will the Lord stop here? No; whether men believe or not, this Zion so often spoken of in holy writ, has got to arise and put on her beautiful garments; these mountain vales have got to be filled with the saints of God and temples reared to his holy name, preparatory to the time when “the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” And this time will come when the nations are fully warned by the preaching of the servant of God, and his judgments commence to be poured out upon the world, in fulfillment of the revelations of St. John. Faith then is what the unbelieving world needs to exercise in God and in his revelations to man; but as I have said, whether we do it or not, our unbelief will never turn the hand of God to the right or the left.

God has restored again his Gospel. He has raised up men and commanded them to go forth and preach it to the world, and they have been engaged doing so now for nearly half a century, ever since the organization of this Church. It was organized by revelation, with prophets, apostles, pastors, teachers, helps and government, and the principles of it were taught by revelation, the same as Jesus and the Apostles taught them, there is no change whatever. The Lord never revealed but one Gospel to the inhabitants of the earth, in any age of the worlds, nor never will; the Gospel is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and the principles thereof are faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, believing that he is, and that he lived and died as a ransom for the sins of the world; and baptism for the remission of sins, being immersed and buried in water, by one having authority of God, that you may rise in newness of life, in fulfillment of the testimony of Jesus, and then receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands confirming the believers members of his Church. And when you are born of the water and the Spirit, you can enter into the Kingdom of God, and being born of the Spirit, you can see the Kingdom of God. And such believers, when they receive the Holy Ghost receive the inspiration and revelation and light of it. Our eyes and ears may be deceived by the cunning and machinations of man; but the Holy Ghost never deceives anybody. It bears record of the Father and the Son, and it bears record in the Gospel to those who possess it. The Lord never had a church on the face of the earth, from its first organization until today, unless that church was organized by revelation, with prophets and apostles, pastors, teachers, helps and governments endowed with the Holy Priesthood—that power delegated from God to man, which authorized him to act for God; and without this Priesthood no man, from the day the world rolled into existence, has any right to administer in any of the ordinances of his holy house, neither has any man a right to that Priesthood save he be called of God as was Aaron who, we are informed was called by revelation. What is the priesthood for? It is to administer the ordinances of the Gospel, even the Gospel of our Father in heaven, the eternal God, the Eloheim of the Jews and the God of the Gentiles, and all he has ever done from the beginning has been performed by and through the power of that Priesthood, which is “Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life,” and the administration of his servants holding this priesthood is binding, being the savor of life unto life or death unto death. It was by virtue of this priesthood the twelve apostles anciently went into the world to preach the Gospel, and it was because of this priesthood which they held that men, in rejecting them, rejected Him who sent them and consequently brought upon themselves condemnation. Light has again come into the world; but men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. Hence condemnation rests down upon the world, for the consequences of rejecting the Gospel must overtake the world in this the last dispensation, just as much as they did in former ones, in the days of Noah and Lot and those of the Savior.

As I before stated, so say I again, the Gospel of Christ requires faith all the day long, for no man can continue faithful to the end without it. God has set his hand a second time to build up that kingdom which Daniel was permitted to see in vision, and to establish that Zion in the mountains which Isaiah saw. He has set his hand, for the last time, to gather together all things which are in heaven and on earth which are in Christ, unto himself. The day has come when the Lord has sent forth a proclamation to warn the nations to prepare for his second coming; and the signs of both heaven and earth all indicate the coming of the Son of Man, which is near at the door. No man knows the day or the hour when Christ will come, but the generation is clearly pointed out, the fig tree is leaving, and great changes are near at hand. Great Babylon is coming in remembrance before God, and the Lord has called upon the inhabitants of the earth who are very wicked, to repent of their sins and turn unto him. The generation in which we live is a wicked and an adulterous generation, and wickedness and abomination of every kind are increasing, and the earth has commenced to groan under the evil practices of man. The heavens are in pain over the disobedience and unrighteousness of the children of men, and the angels, we are told, are waiting in their places in the Temple for the time to come when they will be called upon to go forth and reap down the earth. Judgments await the world, but they heed not, and apparently do not care. With fire and sword the Lord will plead with all flesh, and as the prophet has said respecting this event, “the slain of the Lord will be many;” and these things will overtake the world in an hour when they expect them not, when they will be crying peace, but alas, peace will have departed from them, and they left to devour and destroy each other. All these things are foretold and many of them are written in these revelations given in our day, and they are already being fulfilled before our eyes; and they will continue to be fulfilled, until all that is spoken of shall have come to pass. Therefore, I want to say to the Latter-day Saints: exercise faith in God, and exercise faith in his revelations, and read them and ponder over them, and pray earnestly that you may have a correct understanding of all that God has revealed, that you may grow in the light and knowledge of God, and see the importance of living your religion and of living uprightly before him; for all men, both Jew and Gentile, Saint and sinner, will be judged according to the deeds done in the body, and for the opportunities which we have of informing ourselves of the will of God concerning us, which if we allow to go unimproved, we cannot be held guiltless. It certainly becomes us, who have named the name of Christ, to walk uprightly before God, for we cannot escape his chastening hand if we reject the light we have received. Our condemnation will be far greater than those who never embraced the principles of the Gospel, if we apostatize, or through indifferent carelessness we allow the cares and things of this world to choke down the good seed planted, we have “tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come;” we “know the Master’s will,” and if we do it not we will be “beaten with many stripes.” The religious world talk about nonessentials, there are no such things existing in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus. He requires us to obey the same laws that he himself obeyed, and which he taught in his day. Why did he go into Jordan to be baptized of John? To fulfil all righteousness. It was a righteous law, it belonged to him, and his example is in force to all the world. No man can enter into the kingdom of God except he is born of the water and of the Spirit. Men may be judged and their bodies lie in the grave until the last resurrection, to come forth and receive of a telestial glory, but no man will receive of the celestial glory except it be through the ordinances of the House of God. Jesus performed that act that he might set the example; he was the way for others to follow. The Jews, as I have said, rejected him and the Gospel he brought to them, and they shed his blood. They have been paying the penalty of their misdeeds for the last 1,800 years. It costs something to shed innocent blood, it costs something to shed the blood of prophets and apostles. And I have sometimes taken the liberty, before strangers as well as Latter-day Saints, to express my views in regard to shedding the blood of Joseph Smith and other prophets. It has cost this nation four years’ war, laying in the dust nearly a million and a half of men, and it has also cost millions upon millions of dollars, creating a debt which it will never live to pay. This is the faith of Wilford Woodruff, and I think I have a right to exercise my faith in this matter. I say then, it costs something to shed the blood of righteous men in this as well as in previous generations.

My testimony is that judgments await Babylon, judgments await the Christian world, and if people will read their Bible, they will see these declarations written down, and these judgments will increase until the world is cleansed from wickedness. And I say to all the world, Repent of your sins, and be baptized for the remission of them, that you may receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, and be saved in the kingdom of God. Without complying with these requirements, you nor I can never go where God and Christ dwell, worlds without end, for these things have been made known to us by ancient and modern prophets.

Therefore, yours, as well as my eternal destiny, our future position throughout the ages of eternity, depend upon the few hours, the few days, the few weeks we spend in the flesh. If I ever obtain a full salvation it will be by my keeping the laws of God. If I sin against God and man, I shall have to foot the bill; it will be so with you and with the whole world. This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ; this is the Zion of God, and what you see already accomplished in this desert land is really in fulfillment of the revelations of God. The hand of God has guided this Church from its incipiency to the present time. God will continue to direct its affairs, and there is no power on the earth or under the earth that can ever stop its progress, for he himself, has decreed that the Zion of the latter days shall never be overthrown; but on the contrary, as he has said through the mouth of the Prophet Isaiah, “For the nation and the kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.” Pretty strong doctrine to be taught by a humble man of God. Nevertheless, time will bring it about and it is not in the power of man to prevent it. I am a believer in revelation. I am a believer, from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet, with every particle of spirit in me, that God will bring about, literally and to the very letter, all that he has spoken through his servants, ancient and modern.

By way of concluding my remarks I wish to bear testimony to this congregation and to the strangers present, that Joseph Smith was a prophet of the living God; he was raised up by the Lord, and laid the foundation of this Church. He lived to accomplish the work he was raised up to do. He received the keys of the Priesthood from under the hands of Peter, James and John, and those pertaining to the gathering of scattered Israel, from under the hands of Moses, the leader of ancient Israel. Elijah, or Elias, also visited him and bestowed upon him the keys to “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to the fathers,” which was in fulfillment of a prediction by the Prophet Malachi. He also received the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood under the hands of John the Baptist, which Priesthood pertains to the temporal government of the Church. After performing his work he sealed his testimony with his blood, passed behind the veil, and he with his brethren who have also gone, is still engaged in carrying on the same great work. He still labors by virtue of this Priesthood which he received on earth, and which he will continue to hold, worlds without end. And this will be the case with every faithful man of God who magnifies his calling and Priesthood here below.

May God bless you, my brethren and sisters and friends, with his Holy Spirit, and give you faith in him, and in his revelations, that you may be led to do his will while you live upon the earth. But whether you live to be thus favored or not, my testimony is that they will have their fulfillment. Even so, amen.

Discourse by Elder Charles C. Rich, delivered in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday, June 30, 1878.

I am thankful to have the opportunity of meeting with the Latter-day Saints, this afternoon in this Taber– nacle. I trust that I may be able to impart a few words of instruction to you, inasmuch as I shall be assisted so to do by the Holy Spirit; without this aid, I am aware that I would not be qualified to speak to your edification.

We have met this Sabbath day for the purpose of offering up our Sacrament to the Most High God, to worship him; and while we are thus engaged, let me request you, my brethren and sisters, to call in the wanderings of your minds, and implore His Holy Spirit to rest upon us, that our worship may be acceptable unto the Lord, and truly beneficial unto ourselves; for, as we have learned, all blessings flow from Him, and that we are dependent upon him for every good thing that we receive.

We are a blessed people in having received a knowledge of the plan of salvation; for we are in a position to improve our condition, day by day, by the instruction we receive, inasmuch as we are desirous to be found obedient to all the requirements of God concerning us. We have commenced to walk the strait and narrow way which, we are told, leads to the exaltation and continuation of the lives, and few there be that find it. The fact of our having found the way of life, ought to inspire in our hearts a desire to learn all that is necessary for us to know in order to enable us to continue in the way, serving our God with all our hearts. I presume these are the feelings of my brethren and sisters present today. You, doubtless, want to know what the Lord requires of us, in the hope of overcoming every imperfection and folly, and every evil that we are subject to while in the flesh.

The Lord has told us in our day, through the mouth of his servant Joseph, that a man cannot be saved in ignorance. This one item itself is very important for us to continually bear in mind, for it is calculated to stimulate us to seek after that knowledge and wisdom that come from God, which will enable us, under all circumstances, to decide between right and wrong, and eventually lead us back to His presence. And, having attained to a portion of that knowledge that we are seeking after, we are doubtless willing to live according to and practice it in our lives. For everything that is right and pleasing in the sight of God, is not likely to produce an evil; on the contrary, its natural fruit is good. By doing right, by carrying out the will of God, we injure nobody; but on the other hand, we are then in a condition to bless and benefit others. We have already demonstrated this fact. We all know that the more nearly we live to the Lord, the better we feel, and the greater the degree of happiness that exists in our midst, and we exert an influence for good wherever we go. I have known people whose religious belief has led them to imagine that salvation was not to be obtained short of what we term the spirit world. But we have learned that the principles of righteousness produce happiness in this world as well as in the world to come.

So far as the religious world is concerned it seems to be perfectly understood by all classes and all denominations, that it makes but little difference what mode of worship is chosen or adopted, so that the individuals themselves are suited; the idea as to whether the service they aim to render Him be acceptable and approved of him or not, does not seem to be worthy of their consideration, in fact it is never questioned.

There were many creeds existing when the Savior was upon the earth, having for the foundation of their faith the Old Testament. Since his day many have had, and do have an existence, and the saying of the Savior is just as applicable today as when he spoke it. “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Jesus told it precisely as it is, and he knew whereof he spoke. The Christian world, as a whole, will find when they get through with this life, that this, as well as many other sayings and teachings of the Savior, is full of significance, and they will find out, too, that it is true, a truth that cannot be changed or done away. It is not everybody that will find the gate, neither will the creeds of men nor the notions of men enable them to find it. God himself has a voice in the matter; he has provided the way, it is according to his appointment, which is no more or less than the plan devised and foreordained in the heavens and before the foundations of the earth. This Gospel plan cannot be changed or altered; it is the “narrow way” and the only way by which man can serve God acceptably. If, therefore, it be according to the plan that men, in order to become bearers of his message, should first themselves obey certain unchangeable requirements, and then be commissioned of him, before they could be authorized to preach his word and will to their fellow men, and thereby become virtually his servants, such requirements must be complied with, it will never do for individuals who disregard these requirements and who are wholly unauthorized of him, to go forth and act as ministers sent of God to declare the way of life to the children of men. Neither would it answer for persons to accept the doctrines of these men, however popular and acceptable to man they may be, for God, with whom all of us have to do, will not countenance them. The service we render him must be done according to his will, if done in some other way, he will not approve of it. The ordinances pertaining to his holy Temples must be performed only as he has directed, and in the place that he has commanded, unless the Lord reveals otherwise. This is consistent with reason. If we, for instance, employ people to serve us, we want to dictate their labors, and we want them to do just as we wish them, and not as they may desire to do. And how much more so with our heavenly Father. If our services be not acceptable to God, we are not serving him; then whose servants are we? Says the Savior, “he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.” And again, “he that is not for me, is against me.” And the Apostle Paul says, “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness.” Therefore, my brethren, let us duly consider the importance of this, fearing the services we do may not be of “obedience unto righteousness,” and consequently lost unto us, and prove to be in opposition to the will of our heavenly Father. We must conform our will unto his will; the Savior himself did this, and he sought to do no more, nor no less. And if we serve him acceptably it must be as he is pleased to direct, not as we might please unless we please to do as he wishes us to do.

When we understand the true position we occupy as the children of God, and not of this world, we shall find that we occupy a peculiar position.

We have to learn something, and we have to learn through the proper channel what the Lord requires of us; and when we have learned this, we must be ready and willing to comply with it, whatever it may be. And if the world did but know it, this is the mission given unto us to this earth, that we might learn, in this earthly School, things we could not learn elsewhere. And in order that we may learn correctly we must be willing to be taught by those who are competent to teach, and we must accept and study the lessons provided for us.

Nearly half a century ago, when the Lord first commenced to reveal the principles of salvation to us his children, he began to tell us what was coming upon the earth; he predicted the overthrow of the kingdoms of this world, and he commissioned and sent forth his servants to bear testimony of his second coming and reign on the earth. He told us of earthquakes, of famine and pestilence, and of other judgments that must eventually overtake the wicked in their unrighteousness, and that was said at a time when the world was crying peace. But people are as blind concerning the fulfillment of prophecy in these days as they were anciently, when the Savior said of them, “they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.” Such has been the condition of all generations, notwithstanding the revelations, given to them have been plain and positive, and many have been fulfilled and many are being fulfilled. As it was with the overthrow of the Jews, so will it be in these last days. The Lord will fulfil his word, and he will fulfil all that he has said concerning his coming, whether we are prepared or not. He will overturn the kingdoms of this world, and will establish his kingdom, and the world of mankind cannot prevent it. It is for us to prepare ourselves for the dispensation of his providences by doing right, not by thinking so, or guessing so, or may be so, but by knowing what is right. We have the opportunity to learn what right is, and what is required of us, and we have the power to do it; and if we do not do it, surely we shall be found wanting. In comparison, we will be like unto the foolish virgins whose lamps had gone out, and who, when the time came for them to appear ready to go forth to meet the Bridegroom, whom they were waiting for, found they had no oil in their lamps; and while they were seeking to renew their stock, the bridegroom came and they were too late to meet him. There are a great many things pertaining to us, Latter-day Saints, that should occupy our serious attention. It is an easy matter to make mistakes unless we are very careful; and if we do make mistakes we will find ourselves more or less injured, and astray from the right path, and devoid of that portion of the Holy Spirit that we otherwise might enjoy.

So far as this world is concerned, some people look upon it as a horrid world, a world full of pain, sorrow and suffering. I do not regard it as such. I consider it a blessed world, a glorious world, which affords us very many privileges. What other place is there besides this world where we can obtain remission of sins? That ordinance belongs to this life and this world and to no other. And a great many things pertaining to this world we can do here, but which we cannot do after we pass behind the veil. If we attend to the duties of this life in the time and season thereof, not leaving undone anything which we are able to do, all will be well with us hereafter; but if we fail in the performance of our duties here, we certainly shall regret and perhaps mourn our negligence when we shall have passed away; and besides we shall then have to depend upon others to do things in our behalf, which we might have done ourselves. Let us improve our opportunities here, and appreciate them as fully we ought to. They are great and glorious, and if we not make a good use of them, we will certainly be sorry when we pass away, and what makes it more serious is that we do not know when, if ever, we shall cease to be sorry. This probation is short, and when we shall have done everything in our power to do, using our very best exertions to fulfil every obligation and duty, we shall then no more than be prepared. The more we learn and understand pertaining to the things of God, the more sensible we will become of the importance of being careful and determined, on our part, never to yield to the spirit of indifference or be guilty of committing an act that is wrong. We should be astonished if a messenger from the eternal world could be influenced to commit an act of folly or wrong. As saints of God we ought to be so firm, and have that determination in connection with our knowledge, that we could not be moved by any influence or power to do a wrong, however trivial. What is at stake in regard to this matter? Everything so far as our exaltation is concerned. This is something that we should think of and bear in mind in all our associations and situations in life, being careful and cautious that we do not produce an evil that will live longer than we do. Seeing that we are all the time subject to temptation, and consequently to do wrong, we ought to be determined in our own hearts, never to allow any wrong that we may do to live longer than we do; let us see that no evil, however small, finds place in our hearts; but rather cultivate the good fruit in all of our associations in this life, feeling thankful that we have the privilege of laboring for the cause of right and truth, and of developing these principles within us.

We are called upon now to build Temples. I can say with great pleasure that, so far as my knowledge extends among the Latter-day Saints, that they, as a whole, are willing to perform this labor. We have, through the goodness and mercy of God, learned that Temples are for an important use, and that without them we cannot, in our present condition, receive certain blessings necessary to our salvation and exaltation in the Kingdom of God. Why so? Because the Lord has ordained that those blessings shall be administered in such places, and which, if not performed as he has directed, are without effect. These are things that we understand, because the Lord has enlightened us through his Holy Spirit. It has been a common saying in the world that the Latter-day Saints were led blindly of the Prophet Joseph; after his death it was said they were the dupes of the Prophet Brigham; and now it may be said that we yield blind obedience to President Taylor. But, as Latter-day Saints, we understand it is every man’s privilege and every woman’s privilege to know for themselves that these men were and still are servants of the living God, and that it is, therefore, God who leads and directs them. And if any belonging to this church are not satisfied on this point, it is because they are not living up to their privileges; and to all such, if there be any, I would say it is time you were obtaining this knowledge; it is time that every man and woman, claiming membership in the church and kingdom of God, were enabled to rise up and bear testimony to the world, if necessary, that they do know that God has set his hand to build up his kingdom, and that it has been established in the earth in our day, and that we have been permitted to receive it. When we can bear this testimony, it will not be, “I guess so,” or “may be so;” but it will be “Verily, thus saith the Lord.”

I can say now, as I have often said before you and before the world, that I know for myself that God has established his kingdom on the earth in these days, and that he requires obedience to the laws of his kingdom and that he not only requires it, but that it is our duty to willingly and gladly submit to his will whatever it may be, for he can require nothing of us only that which will be for our good, and that, too, which we must perform in order to purify ourselves to enter into the Celestial kingdom. “Well,” one may say, “But the world do not believe it.” I know the world did not believe Noah, when he preached unto them for the space of 120 years that if they did not receive his testimony, the Lord would send a flood of water upon them. The world did not believe Jesus the Son of God, when he told them the future of Jerusalem. I know, too, that, so far as history informs us, the world never has received the testimonies of the servants of God, neither do they believe now what is being preached to them by his servants. But for all that the Lord has always fulfilled his word, and by it the righteous have been saved, and the disobedient destroyed. And we know that he will bring to pass all that has been spoken by the mouth of his servants, whether the world believe or not. And, as the people of God, who have been simple-minded enough to receive the message he has sent unto us, we have the consolation of knowing that while wickedness and abomination and all who delight therein, will be swept away from the earth, according to the decree of the Almighty, his saints, with their children, will live to increase and spread abroad and ultimately fill the whole earth. Let us cultivate within us the knowledge of God, by living according to the light we have received; and let us ever appreciate the privileges that this world affords us of learning good and evil, and of being able to distinguish between that which is right and that which is wrong. We have the power, if faithful, to overcome evil and opposition and all the powers of darkness, and of sanctifying ourselves before the Lord through his truth, and of preparing ourselves while on this earth to inherit his glorious presence in the world to come.

That this may be our happy lot, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Discourse by Elder Orson Pratt, delivered in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday Afternoon, June 16, 1878.

A very strange thing has happened in our day—a work that is considered by the Latter-day Saints, and by all people, to be a marvelous work and a wonder; something almost entirely unexpected by the great mass of the human family, something which our fathers were not looking for has happened in the land. What is it? God has sent an angel from heaven. What, an angel in the latter days come from heaven! Yes. What a strange thing! How different from the traditions of our fathers, for seventeen centuries past! Tell people of this generation that God has sent a holy angel communicating his will to man, and they will be ready to laugh you to scorn. They have formed an idea in their own hearts that angels were no more to minister to the human family. No messages from heaven to be sent by them; no voice of the Lord to be heard again speaking to man on the earth; no more revelations to be given; no more Prophets to be raised up, and no more Seers and Revelators to make known and proclaim the will of heaven to the people. Such were the traditions of our fathers; such were the traditions of some two or three hundred millions of people, calling themselves Christians. Speak to them about more of the word of God to be given to the human family, the universal idea and exclamation of the nations of Christendom would be, “the canon of Scrip– ture is full.” Who told them this? From what source did they get their information. Did the Lord ever reveal this to them, or is it a creation of their own imagination? Did you ever hear a single individual, even the most learned and wisest of them, prove this assertion by the divine writings? Did you ever hear of any lay member, minister or priest, having substantiated these ideas and traditions in accordance with Scripture and reason? Never, never. And the simple reason why is, because they have no proof or evidence to sustain their position. There is not a man living, however learned he may be, however familiar with the Scriptures of divine truth he may be, that can bring one idea, by way of proof, to support these traditions. And yet, how general and universal these things have been circulated among the nations, and imbibed by the human family as though they were real truths!

When the Latter-day Saints came forth forty-eight years ago, testifying that God had sent an angel from heaven, how unexpected, how strange to this generation! Say they, “The Lord once had a religion on the earth, and angels were included as part and portion of the blessings connected with it; but now we do not need them.” Why? “Because we are so enlightened. We have studied the Scriptures and become so effectually acquainted with them, and also with science and everything else, that we do not need further instruction from the Almighty; we do not need Prophets in our day to foretell the future; we do not need Revelators to come forth and manifest to us the word of God. Why, we are so enlightened! The blaze of Gospel light is shining forth so brilliantly, we can get along with human learning without any revela– tion from the heavens.” Have I not expressed before this congregation, the real ideas of the two or three hundred millions of Christendom, so called, that live in the various civilized nations?

Now let us go back to the real principles of the Gospel, to find out whether they countenance and embrace the visitation of angels. History informs us, that before the flood angels conversed with men, as one man would with another. And we find that Abraham and Enoch conversed with God; and through faith Enoch was translated from mortality to immortality. At the time of the deluge, we learn there was one man upon the earth that received new revelation from heaven, and that he and seven others who believed on his word, were the only ones worthy to be spared from the terrible judgment which, for the time being, put an end to wickedness upon the earth. A Revelator was spared—the only man among them who could commune with the heavens, and receive information from on high.

After the days of the flood, we learn that the Lord made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, great and most precious promises—promises concerning things of eternity and things of the earth. These men were called and esteemed the “friends of God;” they were perfect in their day, and they were Revelators, to whom angels came and ministered the words of eternal life. They were the only ones who received instruction from heaven by new revelation, and who were counted worthy in that day to enjoy the divine approbation, and to be called his friends.

So likewise we may come down to the days of Moses, and the children of Israel who were in Egypt. Did the Lord bless them? He did. In what way? By speaking himself, and also by sending angels to administer in their midst; by communicating revelation by day and by night while the children of Israel sojourned in the wilderness; by revelation they were taught in all the ordinances, and by revelation they journeyed; and when the Lord commanded them to pitch their tents, they remained in such a place until another revelation was given. Angels communicated the things of God to that people, after they were brought to the Promised Land, and from generation to generation the Lord sent forth his angels to minister among his people. Prophet after Prophet was raised up in their respective generations to declare the word of the Lord in the midst of all Israel; and such men were regarded as the mouthpieces of God. And so it was continued until a few centuries before Christ. Then came a day of darkness; then came a time when, because of the wickedness of the people, no angels were sent, no Revelators or Prophets were raised up in the midst of the people. The consequences were, the people were left to themselves without the guidance of new revelation, and instead of building up and establishing the kingdom of God, they created man-made systems, dividing off into sects and parties, such as Pharisees, Sadducees, Essences, etc., numbering a great many different denominations. And they estranged themselves so far from the ways of God, and became so wicked, and Satan had so much control over them, that when Christ came preaching to them the everlasting Gospel in all its simplicity and plainness, he found them in such a condition as to love darkness rather than light, and they were fully prepared to imbrue their hands in the blood of the Savior of the world.

We find that after Christ had established his Church, that angels continued to minister; and one of the Apostles, on a certain occasion exhorted the former-day Saints to be careful to entertain strangers; for in so doing some had entertained angels unawares. And we find that, during the first century of the Christian era, angels frequently appeared; and revelations were also given by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost which rested upon the Apostles, for the guidance of the Church. Paul also testifies of angels in this wise: “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” Showing to us clearly and plainly that these celestial inhabitants of heaven—these pure sanctified beings that dwell in the presence of God were sent forth as authorized ministers of God to those who should be heirs of salvation here upon the earth. But by and by, after the first century of the Christian era, the heavens became as brass over their heads again. The voice of inspiration was heard no more, neither did the voice of angels salute the ears of mortals. No visions among the people, the veil of darkness that hung over them, in consequence of the Lord’s withdrawing his ministering agency from the earth, so befogged their minds, that they could no longer gaze upon the glorious future.

This state of apostasy continued, until about the last half century of the Christian era, and it prevailed more or less among all people. And the priests, to whom the people looked for spiritual light and instruction, have persisted one and all in teaching the people, from generation to generation, that the Bible was full, that the canon of scripture was closed, and that it was no more necessary for angels to communicate with man, nor that the miraculous gifts and graces, that once adorned the Church, should be continued. The people settled down to this belief without any evidence or testimony of its truthfulness and it became a widespread and popular tradition: and the children even down to our day, have inherited these notions and traditions of their fathers without once questioning them; they are born in the children, as it were, and they are educated and trained in this belief, and hence it has become deeply rooted, and most difficult for them to rid themselves of.

But again the long, long silence has been broken, again the voice of angels has saluted the ears of mortal man, and that too in fulfillment of a prophecy uttered by John the Revelator, while under banishment upon the Isle of Patmos. While there suffering for the gospel’s sake, the Lord showed unto him by vision, things that should take place upon the earth. And among other things that passed before him, he saw that, after a length of time the darkness that would necessarily follow the rejection of the Gospel by both Jew and Gentile, and that must come upon the face of the whole earth, would be gradually dispelled by a heavenly communication from God to man. And from the 14th chapter of Revelation we learn the manner in which this message should come from the courts of heaven. John speaks of the event in this wise, “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come,” etc. Strange as it may seem, this angel spoken of, has flown from heaven to earth, parting asunder the veil of superstition, ignorance and doubt, and bringing with him from his celestial abode, glad tidings of great joy, duly authorizing man on the earth to preach the same to all peoples of every nation. This Gospel committed by the angel has been preached among many nations wherever they would receive the bearers of this heavenly message, there the voice of inspired men has been heard; and this missionary labor has been faithfully prosecuted during almost one half of a century. And the Gospel will be preached until every nation and tongue and people upon the face of our globe shall have the privilege of hearing this glorious angelic message.

“But,” says one, “this is your testimony; you say that an angel has come, but we do not know it; you say that he has brought the everlasting Gospel, but we do not know it. What evidence have you to give us, that we may know for ourselves that an angel has really come bearing this message?” I will tell you how you may prove it, how every son and daughter of Adam now living may know whether there has been a divine message, called the everlasting Gospel, sent from heaven to the inhabitants of the earth by a holy angel. Do the will of your Father in heaven; call upon his name, and inquire of him, saying in your hearts: O Lord, hast thou indeed sent forth from the heavens thine angel, according to the prediction by thy servant John, bringing to man on the earth the everlasting Gospel? And hast thou commanded it to be preached to every people, nation and tongue under the whole heavens? If you do this in all honesty of heart and purpose, you may all know for yourselves. “What! does the Lord give us knowledge in our day by seeking unto him in prayer?” Why not? Did he not anciently, in every dispensation from the beginning down to the closing up of the first century of the Christian era, impart a knowledge concerning the truth? He did; and that same God that gave a knowledge to his people anciently, will give a knowledge to you, provided you will comply with his will. “But,” you may say, “in order that we may put such a question to the Lord, we would like to have some testimony, sufficient at least to encourage us in making this inquiry.” I do not know how much you want. So far as external evidence is concerned, he gave abundance of it before this Church arose. The Lord did not suffer the Book of Mormon to be sent forth to the nations to be published to all people, until he gave a testimony to certain individual witnesses. How many? Four persons at least—the translator of the book, Joseph Smith, and three other persons, Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer. They knew of a surety, and have given their testimony in the beginning of this record. Here, then, are four witnesses. What does Jesus say? “That in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.” He saw proper, however, to give four. “But,” inquires one, “may not these four witnesses have been mistaken?” Let us examine into the nature of their testimony, to see if there is any possibility of their being mistaken. Joseph Smith, one of these witnesses, testifies that the angel came down from heaven, and that his countenance was like lightning, and the glory of God shone round about him. And the angel told him to go to a certain hill, not far from his father’s house, in the town of Manchester, Ontario County, in the State of New York, where he should find these ancient records—plates of gold, containing the everlasting Gospel, which was anciently preached among the inhabitants of this continent. He obeyed; he went and found the records in the very place which had been shown him in vision by the angel. Was there any possibility of Joseph’s having been deceived? We say, No; the circumstances were such as to preclude the possibility of any such deception. The angel also told him that with these plates there was an instrument called the Urim and Thummim, which would enable him to translate the records into our language. Joseph accomplished the work of translation between the years 1827 and 1830, through the use of this instrument, which had been hidden up with the plates. Could he be deceived, when he got the plates before him, intently looking upon the peculiar characters engraved upon them, and also upon that most singular instrument, the Urim and Thummim? Every man of common sense, possessing the least degree of judgment, will at once say that it was not possible, under these circumstances, for him to be deceived; that the testimony given is true, and the message divine, or else he was a bold impostor, a man that came forth purposely to deceive the people.

Now in regard to the other three witnesses. They testify that in the year 1829, after the plates had been translated, that an angel of God appeared unto them, clothed in light and glory, and holding these plates in his hands, turned them over leaf after leaf, showing them the characters engraved thereon. And they also say that while they stood gazing upon this heavenly being, clothed in his glory, in the act of showing them these gold plates, they heard a voice out of the heavens proclaiming to them that the plates had been translated correctly, by the gift and power of God. And what they saw and heard they bear testimony to, which is addressed to all peoples of every nation to whom this record—the Book of Mormon—should go. Let me ask, Was there any possibility of their being deceived? If there was, then we might say all men of ancient times who professed to have seen angels were deceived themselves. But I do not see that anything could be more positive. The promise had been given that there should be three witnesses raised up to bear testimony of the truth of these records, which purport to be a history of the aborigines, or the ancient Israelites, that inhabited this country. The Lord did send the angel; they saw him come down from heaven; they saw the light and glory that radiated from his countenance; they heard the words of his mouth; they saw the plates in the hands of this heavenly personage, and they could distinguish the characters engraven thereon; and they also heard the voice of the Lord commanding them to bear testimony to all peoples of what they had seen and heard. They could not have been deceived, it was utterly impossible.

Then here are four witnesses, all bearing testimony to the divinity of this work. And, as I have already quoted to you, the Savior has said, that every word shall be established by the mouth of two or three witnesses. The Lord, therefore, did not raise up this Church, he did not commence the organization thereof until he had given sufficient evidence to a sufficient number of witnesses to commence the establishment of this work.

Again, Joseph Smith was commanded of the Lord to show these plates to eight other persons who, besides the three referred to, also became witnesses to this work. And their published testimony is, that they saw the plates and handled them, and they saw the peculiar writing thereon, which they say had the appearance of curious and ancient workmanship. And notwithstanding some of these witnesses have fallen by the wayside, having been overcome by the power of the Adversary, rendering themselves unworthy of the fellowship of the Latter-day Saints, not a single one of them has ever been known to deny the testimony which they have borne concerning this marvelous occurrence. Here, then, are twelve witnesses. Is not this external evidence sufficient to satisfy every inquiring soul whose heart is honest before the Lord? But, I will refer you to still more. When this work was first published, the Lord called upon these men to go forth among the people, proclaiming the Gospel which they themselves had received, promising that all who would yield obedience thereto should receive the Holy Ghost, which should confirm, to the entire satisfaction of the believer, the testimony of these Elders. And when this Holy Spirit descended upon such people, they knew for themselves that these men were servants of the living God, and that the power that rested upon them was indeed the Holy Ghost, of which they had read in the Scriptures. How did they know this? Because it manifested divers gifts. It enabled them to lay their hands upon the sick, rebuking in the name of Jesus the disease, and the sick were restored to health. You may say imagination had something to do with this; the sick imagined themselves better, and consequently they got better. But let me testify that little infant children, not capable of exercising the powers of ima– gination, have been healed in the same manner, and by the same power, which was the power of Almighty God manifested through his servants. And these first Elders of the Church were thus enabled to convert to a knowledge of our faith, multitudes of people who, like themselves, could bear testimony to the divinity and truthfulness of this latter-day work, having received the convincing assurances of this Comforter, which bears record of the things of the Father. And in this manner this whole community have received the knowledge they testify of, and hence we become, to use a Biblical term, a great cloud of witnesses, whose testimony is in force to the whole world, whether they receive it or reject it.

I have now laid before you evidence sufficient to excite the principle of faith in your hearts, provided you have a genuine desire to know of the doctrine we teach, as to whether it be of God or man. You have the testimony of twelve men to begin with, besides the testimony of scores of thousands of men and women that have received the Holy Ghost through obedience to the requirements of the Gospel, whose knowledge of this latter-day work enables them also to testify to the truth of it. And the testimony of this people speaks as with the voice of thunder to all nations and tongues, to the effect that God has spoken from the eternal worlds, and that he has sent his angels again to earth to commit to man the everlasting Gospel. If so remarkable a testimony of twelve men, together with the united testimony of a community so large as we are, is not sufficient to create faith in your hearts that God has indeed commenced his great and marvelous and strange work and a wonder in our day, then what would awaken up the people to a sense of the fact? There can be no excuse for those who hear and reject the testimony and teaching of the Elders of this Church, for the cry has been raised these many years, and it cannot but have a striking effect upon all honest-hearted people, because of its singularity and fairness, for the promise is, if you have sufficient faith to call upon God and ask him, you yourselves may obtain a testimony, and you can receive that which supersedes faith or belief—you can know of a surety that he has indeed visited the earth again in these the last days by his angels, and that Joseph Smith was and is a Prophet of the living God, and that the doctrines we teach are not of man but of God; and they will prove the savor of life to those who obey, and of death to those who reject them.

Therefore as I said in the commencement of my remarks, a marvelous thing has occurred in the land! A wonderful work has made its appearance! The heavens no longer keep silent! Prophets again are heard among the people! The inspiration and power of the Holy Ghost rests upon the servants of God, and his power is made manifest among the various nations again, as in olden time, in healing the sick, causing the lame to walk, the blind to see, and the deaf to hear, and in pouring out his Spirit upon the children of men, as he did in former dispensations of the world!

Is not this, then, sufficient to wake up the honest-in-heart among the people? If it is not, then I know of nothing that is likely to do it. Will it be by the fulfillment of the Prophets, that have been spoken of by the former speakers? When the hand of judgment shall be laid upon the nations, and the fierceness of his wrath be made manifest, wasting away the disobedient and the wicked, and the earth becomes depopulated of all excepting the righteous? This will be a testimony they cannot resist. But such testimony will not always be unto salvation. It will be the testimony of judgment that will overwhelm them, in a time, too, they think not of; a time when they will be crying all is peace and safety—lo! sudden destruction is at their doors; and thus the Scriptural saying will be literally fulfilled, “As the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be,” etc. When that unfortunate, but disobedient and wicked people, the Antediluvians, were sinking in the waters, they could then say, “I know that Noah is a Prophet, and that the message he has declared in our ears for these many years is divine.” But alas! it was too late; they rejected the message, paying heedless regard to it as well as to him who preached the Gospel to them; they would not call upon God in all honesty of heart, but they considered Noah deceived; they obeyed not, and were destroyed by the mighty flood. Amen.

Discourse by Elder John Taylor, delivered in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday Afternoon, June 16, 1878.

As has been remarked by one of the speakers, a great deal might be said upon the principles of the gospel of the Son of God. The heavens and the earth are full of intelligence, and God rules over and directs the affairs of nations as well as those of individuals and people; and whatever may be our peculiar notions or ideas of other men and their profession, the time will come, and is not far distant when the secrets of all hearts will be revealed, and when all of us, Latter-day Saints and others, Jews and Gentiles, peoples who now live, those that shall live and those who have lived, will be judged, not according to their peculiar theories, ideas, or notions, but according to the principles of eternal truth as it exists in the bosom of God, or is manifested by his eternal laws.

He has from time to time revealed his will to mankind, and he has in these last days revealed himself to the human family and the men to whom he has revealed himself in the different ages, comprehend all the principle of truth and the laws of God alike, so far as they were understood by them, having been taught by the same Lord and instructed from the same source, and had intelligence from the same fountain, they have comprehended, according to the positions which they have occupied, and so far as revealed unto them, alike, whether they were things pertaining to the living, or the dead, or to the various kingdoms that exist in the eternal worlds, telestial, terrestrial or celestial as the case might be, and as it may have been revealed unto them; but no man in any age of the world has understood anything pertaining to God and godliness only as it has been revealed unto him by the Lord. “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save by the spirit of a man which is in him: Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but by the Spirit of God.” And hence it is impossible under certain circumstances, for mankind to judge correctly of these principles. For although the Lord has given unto every man a portion of his Spirit to profit withal, no matter who he may be, or what clime he may live in, yet at the same time, if he does not improve upon this manifestation of the Spirit of God, and cultivate correct principles, it would be impossible for him to comprehend the things of God.

Jesus, when upon the earth, said, “My sheep hear my voice and know me and follow me; but a stranger will they not follow, for they know not the voice of a stranger.” It may appear singular, and it does to the minds of many when they reflect upon the various dispensations of God to man, and the position that the various nations of the earth have occupied in the different ages of time. All men have knowledge, more or less, and feel a reverence for the Divine Being, which is manifested in various terms of worship. But there are few men, comparatively, who have understood correctly the relationship, that exists between God and man. Such has been the power of the adversary, and so profound has been the darkness of the human mind, and so great the disparity between God and his crea– tures here upon the earth, that the light, effulgence, glory and intelligence that exists with him and with those by whom he is surrounded, has been little understood by man upon the earth, groveling in the midst of darkness, weakness and imperfections. Combating continually with evil and with the powers of the adversary it seems almost impossible for man to foster and maintain these high aspirations and feelings which the gospel alone can inspire, placing man in his true position before God, and causing his anticipations and hopes to ascend to those high, magnificent and glorious principles that exist in the bosom of God, and in the bosom of those intelligences with whom he is surrounded. Nothing but light and revelation, nothing save the manifestations of the Spirit of God, nothing but communication from him can bring man into relationship with him. It is impossible. And hence the theories, wild notions, erratic views and peculiar feelings that prevail among men, yes, among the wisest of men—among statesmen, and kings, and emperors, and potentates, and governors, and rulers, as well as among divines, priests and people; and how different the sentiment! How widely apart are the religious beliefs, forms of worship and ordinances of all of them! What peculiar darkness is manifested in relation to these things, in comparison to many other things with which we are acquainted!

When we talk about practical matters of fact, the laws of nature and of matter, the motions of this and other planets; or when we reflect upon the various organizations of matter, and of man, and of the brute creation, we see and comprehend in part concerning the laws by which they are governed. And although we may speak in different languages, yet at the same time we arrive, in a great measure, at the same conclusions in regard to most of these prominent facts; we agree in regard to these matters. But when we come to Jesus and God, we are altogether dissimilar. What is the matter? We do not comprehend the law, we have not been taught by the same rules, the principles of instruction are not within our reach, we wander in the dark and act foolishly and ignorantly in relation to these matters. But if we were taught in these schools as we are taught in the schools of science, and art, and literature, we could comprehend things alike; and not until we have a teacher, not until we have those who are competent to teach, who understand the laws of life and the principles of salvation, can we, no matter what our intelligence otherwise may be. Until then we shall have to grope in the dark, live in the dark, and when we leave this world we must, according to the saying of an eminent philosopher, “take a leap in the dark.” We comprehend nothing of our origin, of the object of our existence, or of our destiny; neither can we comprehend it unless God reveals it.

He has, as before stated, in different ages of time manifested his will to certain individuals, and he has sent them forth to make known his will to the human family. And they declare certain principles, simple in themselves, yet emanating from God, which are calculated to enlighten, to impart intelligence; to bring him into relationship with the Almighty, to give him a knowledge of God, of the Savior, of his own being and the object of God in creating the earth and man upon it, and also of the destiny of the earth, the world in which we live, and all its inhabitants.

These things, however, are almost too simple for the human mind, mystified and befogged by false theo– ries and notions; they are almost too simple for them to bow unto. What is it? Jesus said to his disciples in former times, “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” He gave unto them power to lay their hands upon believers and impart to them the Holy Ghost, which placed them in communion with God, and whose faith, as we are told, “entered within the veil, whither Christ their forerunner had gone.” And still the words that these men preached, as Jesus himself expresses it in referring to the same thing, were not his own, but the Father that dwelt in him; he did the works. And we are told that when those ancient men of God preached, their words went with power and with much assurance, and the Spirit of God and with the Holy Ghost, to the convincing of those who desired to know the truth and be governed thereby. What was the result? This confusion heretofore existing among them departed; they were no longer split up into sects and parties, but, they had “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God, the Father; of whom are all things;” precisely the same as we have in all the works of nature, in all organized matter. There are certain eternal, unalterable, unchangeable laws by which it is governed; and no chemist or philosopher can change these laws; they are eternal, inexorable, and always produce the same results.

We think these things correct upon natural principles; why not in regard to these higher principles which God has revealed to the human family? We read of men in former times who said they gazed upon the Lord; they saw him, and his train filled the Temple. But says one, “I do not believe it.” Who cares whether you do or not? That does not invalidate the fact. Your ignorance in regard to these matters does not affect in the least, the great truths of God. And unless you yourselves have had some revelation to show you that this statement is incorrect, it is foolishness in any man to dispute these principles thus communicated. We understand these things, having obeyed the law. What do you understand? What does man know? Nothing, only some few principles pertaining to the laws of nature. Who organized these laws? That very being whom we affect to despise. Who organized the universe? Who makes this planet and other planets revolve in their several orbits, and by what influence and power are they governed? By a power far greater than we know anything about. What can we do? Where is there a philosopher that can organize a blade of grass, or a grain of sand producing the material to make it from? You cannot find them. The great Creator, who governs and regulates these and other systems, has given a law to man telling him how to approach him, and showing him the means whereby he can obtain intelligence from him; and he is able to carry out that law, for he comprehends it. And what is it? Why, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost.” And what shall that do for you? It shall take of the things of God and show them unto you. But you would learn it in some other way, would you? You cannot do it. That is the way God has appointed, and man may exert all his influences and bring into requisition all his talents and powers, but he never can obtain it only in the way which God has appointed. I have a watch. The man who made it tells me if I would keep it going, I must wind it up every day. But suppose I should want it to go in some other way, would it go? No. Should I blame the maker then? Certainly not; in fact, you might consider me a fool for not carrying out the maker’s instructions. And when God points out a path whereby we can obtain a knowledge of him and of his laws, that is the way to receive it, if we receive it at all.

The laws of matter and of mechanism are unchangeable, and so are the laws pertaining to life, and also the medium of communication between God and man. And hence Paul, after speaking some time to a congregation that he was addressing, said the words that we speak unto you, we speak by the power of God and by the Holy Ghost, and with much assurance. And then in speaking of these things, he says, Ye are my witnesses. Who? Those who received his word and obeyed it. You are my witnesses, as also is the Holy Ghost that bears witness of us. He had the living witness within him; and they among themselves had this evidence. And John, in speaking to some of his disciples said, “But ye have an unction from the holy one, and ye know all things.” “Ye need not that any man teach you; but the same anointing teacheth you all things, and is truth, and is no lie.” And in speaking to the people, Paul said, “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered.”

This, Latter-day Saints, is your privilege. You have embraced the same Gospel; you have been baptized into the same baptism, have partaken of the same hope, and are in possession of the same spirit. Do not allow your feelings to be overturned; do not give way to the follies and delusions of men, nor to the powers of darkness, but maintain your integrity before God in all fidelity; and live your religion, keeping the commandments of God, and your faith will be as the faith of the just, that shines brighter and brighter until the perfect day.

God bless you and lead you in the path of life, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Discourse by Counselor Daniel H. Wells, delivered in the Provo Meetinghouse, Saturday Morning, June 1, 1878.

There is an opposition to the Lord having on the earth a people, called by his name and doing his will. It has been so from the beginning. The Lord never had a people who were received with open arms by the world, admired, cherished and respected; on the contrary they have been persecuted or totally destroyed from off the earth. The wicked have invariably prevailed over the good; it might almost be said that the first bad man killed the first good man. The Latter-day Saints have had the same experience to pass through, and when a time of comparative peace has come around, as it has sometimes, they are apt to ask, “What is the matter? Have we lost our faith, that the Adversary should thus let us alone?“ There will come a time, however, in the history of the Saints, when they will be tried with peace, prosperity, popularity and riches.

The world look with terror toward that period when the Lord’s purposes in regard to building Temples predominates, when universal peace is established, and the scepter of righteousness is wielded. The world would not like any religious power to predominate on the earth, and rightly, too, considering the tyranny and despotism that have marked the history of religious rule. We find, in days past, that various religious influences have swayed the scepter in a most unrighteous manner, made captive the human will, and men have been forced to yield submission to the most oppressive measures. The religious wars have been more terrible in their effects, caused more bloodshed and sorrow, than all the others put together. A gradual but sure relief from religious rule and dictation has been brought about, until the nations of the earth are made free. No wonder, then, that the people look with ill favor upon any one religious element gaining ascendancy over the other. As the old staying goes, “A burnt child dreads the fire.”

In this country there is no religious power predominating, but now that the kingdom of God is established this opposition is brought about and is felt even to a greater extent than before. The world is jealous of its growing power and, hence, its bitter and unrelenting opposition. So opposed have men been to the increase and spread of religion as a political power that in many places no person holding a religious office has been permitted to hold a position of trust or profit under the government. It was for this same reason that the name of God is not mentioned in the Constitution of the United States. The Puritan Fathers suffered from religious oppression, and rather than be made to bow the head or the knee when mentioning the name of Jesus Christ, or being compelled to place the cross on their churches, as was and is still customary with the Roman Catholic church, they sought elsewhere that toleration they could not obtain in their native land; but singular to say, after the lapse of time, when the colonies were founded, they were unwilling to accord unto others of different faiths to their own, that religious freedom for which they themselves had forsaken fatherland, and expelled from the colonies all who differed with them in a religious point of view.

Besides this intolerance there is another reason why religion has become so distasteful to many people, and why the nations have eschewed religion from their councils. Because these teachers and professors of religion are without the knowledge of God, and their ideas and doctrines have been so far different to the written word, that reasonable people say, “Humbug!” and fly to the other extreme and become infidels. After witnessing the strife and variety of forms, and being unable to gain assurance from such sources respecting the realities of the future, they say, “We don’t know anything about it; we’ll live good moral lives and all will be well.”

The greatest difficulty the elders have to contend with in the world is this wide-spreading infidelity, brought about by the assumptions of so called religious teachers. Now, the Lord has restored his Holy Priesthood, his mind and will—the glorious Gospel which is “the power of God unto salvation,” and fearful of losing what power they hold over the minds of men, these self-elected teachers and priests have combined to oppose it. Now, in order to understand the principles of the true and everlasting Gospel, we must look at them by the spirit of God, for “the things of God knoweth no man except by the spirit of God.” A man cannot understand the things of man with the spirit of a horse or an ox; then how can a man understand the things of God except by the spirit of God—a higher grade of intelligence. By that Spirit, the Bible, with all its apparent inconsistencies, is made plain to the human mind. People have misconstrued, have turned the truth into lies and perverted the Gospel of Christ. When a Latter-day Saint has conformed to the ordinances of the Gospel and received the Holy Ghost, the Bible has seemed a new book to him, although, in his childhood he may have perused its pages over and over again. The light and intelligence of the Spirit has beamed upon his understanding, so as to enable him to form a just and correct conception of its sacred truths.

Through the great variety of forms, systems and creeds, infidelity has been brought about. The true plan, as revealed to the Latter-day Saints, is sufficiently ample to save all men, but the plans and creeds of men are not ample to any great extent, even if they were true. Take the Catholics, for instance; they consign to perdition all but themselves, contrary to the meaning of the term Catholic, which is universal; but they have become sectarian. The plan designed in our pre-existent state has been ignored, but in this dispensation it has been restored and we can see wherein it is ample to provide for the salvation of the children of men. It is to be preached to all nations, and those who will accept it may be redeemed and exalted. Then why should people be afraid of the government of God? It is bound to come and rule. When it is established in its greatness, glory and power it will be the most efficient and complete government on the face of the earth. People are afraid of the government of God, even some Mormons (I will not say Latter-day Saints), lest some man or men get undue authority. Some persons in the Church think that an Apostle or a Bishop has no right to interfere in temporal things; that their business alone is to look after the spiritual affairs, and their temporal affairs they can attend to themselves. It is very possible some of these men understand financial matters better than the servants of the Lord; but it should not be forgotten that the spirit of God and the Holy Priesthood will qualify men for all positions of life. People can, through these agencies, acquire superior intelligence to administer in the things of this world, and it must be done before the eternal riches are conferred upon this people, because the light of heaven is superior to that of the world. The kingdoms of this earth are to become the kingdoms of our God and his Christ. I look for this government to come through the Holy Priesthood, and to exercise power in temporal, political and all other things—a government that will extend to all men their rights and privileges.

Confusion reigns over the face of the whole earth. Look at the combinations and warfare being waged one against another; capital against labor, and labor against capital, there are thousands of broad acres lying uncultivated, and yet men are going without bread to eat. We hear of organizations parading the streets, with banners on which are inscribed the words, “Give us Bread, Labor or Blood!” There should be no strikes for higher wages—no strife between capital and labor. The labor of men should command a subsistence, and if everything is regulated, as it would be under the government of God, there would be no hard times, no complaints, no strikes, no warfare.

There is plenty of unoccupied land in this country and any man can get a piece of it. “But,” says one, “I have no team, nor seed to plant, and no money with which to buy either. What can I do?” You can take up a piece of land, get your citizenship papers; and the moment you do so, you have the right to file upon it, and have two or three years in which to pay for the land. No other person can go to the Land Office and take that land away from you. In order to get a start, you can work for your neighbor and for your labor get the privilege of using his team, plough and seed, and afterwards attend to it yourself. You have then bread enough for yourself and family for one year. A man, by this course, forms the nucleus of his prosperity, wealth and comparative independence. Subsequently he gathers around him the comforts of life; he gets a cow, a pig or two, and a few chickens. This position in life is much more self-reliant and independent than employment by the day, week or the month in cities or overcrowded business centers. There, when a day’s labor stops, the supply stops: but when you have your own source of supply, and your labor temporarily fails, you still have plenty of grain, and other produce of the farm by which you can get along.

President Young gave more houses to the poor than all the societies in the world, and laid the foundation of a great nation—a kingdom—even the kingdom of God. All these stakes of Zion are strengthening with the saints of God. Is it the outsiders who come here to Utah that build up the country? No; the material prosperity of Zion is alone attributable to the labors of the Saints, guided and directed by the Almighty. It is they who are to be found in the nooks and corners—in all directions—wherever there is a spring or a bit of land—building up, making the earth bring forth its products, and strengthening and enlarging the borders of Zion. It does my heart good to see the settlements extending, even to the remote corners of the Territory. Besides, this class of the Latter-day Saints, who are branching out and developing remote sections of the country, are generally the most faithful, hardworking and industrious of the community. Some of the people think that the Lord is not showing the signs of his coming; they get disheartened; they expect to see some great apostle come from heaven with the mysteries of the Kingdom. Now the church and kingdom of God is to be built up by our practical efforts. Industry should be employed in Zion, and the labor of the people ought to be put to the best possible practical use. This has everything to do with the kingdom of God, and this is where we require revelations of God—to teach us how to build up his temporal work. We do not raise feed enough for our teams; we do not cultivate as much as we ought, and do not know how to cultivate that that we have. All these things should be known, as they tend to the building up of the kingdom of God. We require intelligence to guide the cultivating hand. I contend it is building up God’s kingdom to make a yard of cloth, to build schoolhouses, to cultivate the earth, and to practically apply every conceivable plan of life necessary for our common subsistence; and in order to accomplish these things we must have intelligence that comes from heaven—that is, if we desire to exceed our fellows. Until we know how to properly accomplish and apply all these things, the Lord will never hand over to us the riches of the earth. As it is we have not sufficient of the Spirit of the Lord to entitle us to this great blessing. As soon as he finds out he has got a people who will hold what he gives, he will bestow it, and when he knows that they will apply it to his glory. Why could not we establish the United Order among the people? Because we did not know how to do so, and I have not seen a man who knew how, and for the reason that we were not prepared to receive it. When the Lord finds he has a people who will not give them over to the devil and waste them, then he will bestow the eternal riches, but this will not be done, and cannot be done consistently, until he has a people who will use them for the glory of his kingdom.

I think the Saints are on the road of improvement. Their labors are being directed to the welfare of Zion; but there is yet a great deal of unemployed labor that can be made available to that end. We should open up new industries, when others fail to employ all the material at command. When one branch is overdone, open up another and thereby find the means of employment for those in need of it. It has been thought that labor-saving machinery and railroads have injured us. It is not so; men should go at something else, and so keep on, constantly turning our attention to something that will pay better and accomplish more.

The time will come when the thread will be cut, but I think we could live if the thread were cut tomorrow. We can produce everything, except perhaps what are called the luxuries; still we would suffer much inconvenience. There are a great many things we would have to do without, and if the thread were cut we would have to do a great many things that we now neglect to do. We should not be forever dependent on Babylon. Call them little things if you please, but they are as essential to the building up of the kingdom as they are to any other kingdom on the earth. Wickedness is permitted only to try men and women—to prove their integrity. If we could have learned and accomplished all things just as well in the spirit world as here on the earth, do you think the Lord would have sent us to this world of sorrow and wickedness? Jesus had to pass through these ordeals, in order to get an exaltation. Then let us apply our labors to the circumstances and requirements which surround us, and serve God—if we believe there is a God—and use all our abilities for the accomplishment of his purposes, that we may pass on to glory, and exaltation in his kingdom, which may God grant. Amen.

Discourses by Bishop L. W. Hardy, Elder Erastus Snow, President John Taylor, delivered at a Meeting Held in Nephi, on Wednesday Evening, May 15, 1878.

BISHOP L. W. HARDY

Brethren and sisters, I am pleased to meet with you, and to see so many present. I am requested to occupy ten minutes time, which I propose to devote to the subject of Tithing.

Tithing is a law of God which we are required to obey, and it is bind– ing upon all the Latter-day Saints, the poor as well as the rich. In some places the widow, who depends upon the Church for support, pays one-tenth of her income as Tithing. And this course I would recommend to all in similar circumstances, for it is only in compliance with the law that we can expect to obtain the blessings promised. And the poor woman herself is not the only one that is blessed by taking this course, but her children, if she has any, are taught a lesson that will not be forgotten, and they will always have pleasure in its contemplation, as long, at least, as they are worthy the name of Latter-day Saint, say nothing of the influence for good which she wields among those of more favorable circumstances. It is not the amount that we pay, but it is the honest Tithing, paid willingly and in the faith and spirit of the Gospel, that the Lord requires, no matter how small it may be; and then, on the other hand, it matters not how large. The Savior, when on a certain occasion he sat near the treasury, looking at the people how they cast in money—and we are told that many that were rich cast in much, but, notwithstanding, the poor widow who came along and threw in her two mites, which only make a farthing, contributed, he said, more than they all. “For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all she had, even all her living.” The Lord acknowledges the honesty of the heart by providing for and blessing us with the necessaries and comforts of life; and he will continue to do so, as long as we fear and obey him with all our might, mind and strength. He will not fail in the fulfillment of his promises, inasmuch as we are found worthy before him. It is not only our duty to pay our Tithing, but our offerings too, that our poor may be fed and clothed, and their hearts made glad. It is just as binding upon us to look after our poor, as it is to be baptized for the remission of sins. How do you think, brethren, the Lord would regard us if the cries of the widow and the orphan, the aged, and the halt and the blind, were to ascend into his ears, while we heed them not? I tell you he would not own us as his people, neither could he pour out his blessings upon us. Then pay your Tithes and your offerings, and be blessed. Attend your fast meetings, and bring in your offerings in the time thereof, that the poor may rejoice and feel that they are not neglected. Why, if every man and woman fulfilled his and her duty in this respect, your offerings would be piled up so high that there would not be poor enough to eat them, and you would be sending up to Bishop Hunter asking him to send you some poor people to eat them up. We are a blessed people, we enjoy peace and plenty, while millions of our fellow beings today know not what it is to enjoy either. But supposing we all were prompt and faithful in paying our Tithes and offerings, how do you think it would be with us? Why, He would be mindful of his promise to fulfil it; He would “open to you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there would not be room enough to receive it.” And further, he says to those who comply with this law, “I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground,” etc. Then pay your Tithes and your offerings, that the blessings of God may be upon us and our land, and upon our orchards, and that the hearts of the poor may be made to rejoice, and that Temples may be reared to his holy name, and the work of the Father may go on to its consummation. I doubt, my brethren, whether a man can save himself, much less prove a savior to his dead, who neglects to Tithe himself. Well, I see that my time has expired. God bless you. Amen.

ELDER ERASTUS SNOW

I propose to continue the subject that has been alluded to.

In a very early period of the history of this Church, when in its infancy, the Lord said unto us, in a revelation which is contained in the Doctrine and Covenants, “He that is Tithed shall not be burned.” In several of the revelations the subject of Tithing is referred to in a general way; but the special revelation on that subject was given at Far West, Missouri, in July, 1838, in answer to the question, “O Lord, shew unto thy servants how much thou requirest of the properties of thy people for Tithing.” And by this revelation we learned that we were required to consecrate all of our surplus property for the purposes mentioned therein, and after doing that, to pay annually one-tenth of our increase. This means increase from every source. For instance, if a man depend only upon the labor of his own hands, then one-tenth of his earnings would be his lawful Tithing. But if in addition to this he possess teams or employ other labor, then the increase of such labor should also be Tithed. Again, if he should be engaged opening up farms, building or making other improvements, thus accumulating a surplus around him, one-tenth of the increase of such property would be due, as Tithing, as well as a tenth of his labor combined. Then again, should part of his surplus property be in such a condition as to enable him to invest it in any branch of business, one-tenth of the profits arising therefrom is due as Tithing; or should he have money loaned out on interest, on every dollar so accumulated the sum of ten cents belongs to the Lord, in accordance to his law regulating the Tithing of his people; and so on, this law strictly applying to our income derived from every source.

It is not, as some verily suppose, the Tithing of what you may have left after deducting all of your expenses; or in other words, after spending all you can. There are some calling themselves Latter-day Saints who try to appease their conscience in the belief that Tithing means the tenth of what may be left after deducting all expenses, which would amount to this: “What we cannot spend we will give a tenth of that as our Tithing.” How much, my brethren and sisters, do you think the Lord would get if all of us felt and acted so? This is not the law of Tithing; all who aim to comply with it after this manner deviate from its true reading. We are required to pay the tenth of our increase, or interest, or income, which is our Tithing, and which is necessary for the general welfare in building Temples, sustaining the Priesthood, administering to the poor, etc., while we retain the nine-tenths for the sustenance of ourselves and families, etc.

Brother Hardy expressed himself doubtful whether men who ignored this law of Tithing could save themselves, much less save their dead. I will here say, that when this law of Tithing was revealed, in 1838, the Lord said, “This shall be a standing law unto them forever,” and “shall be an ensample unto all the Stakes of Zion.” And we are also told that all who observe not this law should not be found worthy to abide among the people of God. And the Lord further says, “If my people observe not this law, to keep it holy, and by this law sanctify the land of Zion of unto me, that my statutes and my judgments might be kept therein, that it may be most holy, behold, verily, I say unto you, it shall not be a land of Zion unto you.” This was the word of the Lord to his people at that early day, and it has never changed, but is in force to this day and will remain so forever. Unless certain conditions are complied with, this chosen land cannot be a land of Zion unto us.

After this law was given unto us we were driven from Missouri, and we built a Temple at Nauvoo. And when that Temple was so far completed that a baptismal font could be established in the basement, and the Latter-day Saints began to have access to the same, the Prophet Joseph instructed the brethren in charge, to the effect that none should be allowed to participate in the privileges of the House of God excepting those who shall produce a certificate from the General Church Recorder, certifying to the fact that they had paid up their tithing. How many of these old Saints have yet preserved among their old papers certificates of this character, issued by Brother Wm. Clayton. And should any have had access to the privileges of the House of the Lord either on behalf of themselves or their dead, without having complied with this law, thus securing unto themselves, in a legal and proper way, the right of the Temple, they would be like thieves and robbers that enter not into the sheepfold by the door, but climb up some other way. And the time will come when such persons will be treated as thieves and robbers—bound hand and foot and cast out again. This is the testimony I wish to add to the remarks of Brother Hardy.

That we may be more diligent and faithful in the observance of the laws of God than in the past; and that through faith and good works we may be able to see as God sees us, and be Latter-day Saints indeed and of a truth, is my prayer. And by thus placing ourselves in a condition to receive, we will see if he does not fulfil his promise, by opening the windows of heaven and pouring out a blessing such as we can hardly contain. Amen.

PRESIDENT JOHN TAYLOR

I am pleased to have the opportunity of meeting with the brethren in this place. As we are only making a passing visit, being on our way to Sanpete, we have not time to make very long speeches. I have been interested in the remarks which have been made, and I presume you have been also.

In regard to our religion and our feelings about tithing, and in fact everything else, we need to act conscientiously before God, and as honest men, without any equivocation of any kind. In regard to our doctrine and the principles we believe in; in regard to our deal and intercourse with all men everywhere; in regard to our associations with our families and with one another, we ought to really be what we profess to be—Latter-day Saints. And not only have the profession, but seek to posses the principles that all good Latter-day Saints ought to be in possession of, and which are our privilege to possess. It is quite possible that we may deceive one another; but it is not always that we succeed in doing that. We often try, but we make a poor out at it, for people generally are not so much deceived as we may think. It is true they may not say anything, but at the same time they keep up a loud thinking about it. But if we do manage to deceive each other we cannot deceive God. And what is the use of making a profession of anything unless we carry it out. Why are we here? Because we embraced the Gospel, and because we believed this was the land of Zion. Why do we attend to Temple ordinances? Because we believe they are ordained of God, and are necessary for our welfare and the welfare of our progenitors. Why do we build temples? Is it to appear liberal towards these institutions, in the eyes of our brethren? It should not be. But it should be because we believe it to be a duty devolving upon us, and because, as Elders in Israel, the Lord expects us to do it, because it is a part of the plan of salvation ordained of God for the living and the dead; and because it is expected to carry out his purposes in regard to the world in which we live, and that we should operate and cooperate with the Priesthood behind the veil, in all sincerity and honesty before God in all that we do to this end, for as one of old said, in contemplating these things, “Hell and destruction is without a covering before thee,” and how much more so are the hearts of the children of men. And how pleasing it is to operate with our Heavenly Father in all sincerity; how pleasing it is to feel that God is our Father, and that we are his children, that we are his covenant people, and that we are engaged doing his work. We should be honest with ourselves, honest with our families, honest with each other and honest with our God, and in all the various relations of life.

The subject of tithing has been referred to. We profess to believe in it, and therefore we should carry it out. If we do not believe in it, let us be frank enough to say so, and quit. We profess to have faith in God, and that it is our duty to call upon him morning and evening. If I did not believe that the Lord would hear me, I would not trouble myself about calling upon him. But I do believe that the Lord says: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, who if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? etc.” Jesus tried to impress this principle upon the people in his day; but it is difficult for us at times to realize it. And again he instances the widow and the unjust judge, showing that by continual prayer, importuning the Father, in the name of Jesus, in faith that he will hear us, our prayers will not be in vain. We should feel that God is our Father and that we are his children, and that he has promised to listen to our prayer, and that we are called upon to be obedient to his will and to carry out his designs. And then we ought, in order that our prayers may be effectual, perform the various duties devolving upon us, such as have been referred to, and we should be honest and honorable in our dealing one with another. If we try to defraud our brother, how can we expect God to bless us in that, for he is a child of our Heavenly Father just as much as we are. And being his child he feels interested in his welfare, and if we try to take advantage to the injury of the Lord’s child, do you think he would be pleased with us? Formerly, according to the Mosaic law, if a man stole anything he would make him restore it four fold. That was a law of carnal commandments and ordinances. And we are living under a more ele– vated law, and occupying a higher position than the Children of Israel did. We want to be just and generous to each other, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.” This we are told is the first commandment. And the second is like unto it, namely, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” Do we do this? If we did, then how pleasantly we could come before the Lord. Yet, if we were living our religion, possessing the light and intelligence of God, we would do so. But, to go a little further, quoting from the injunction of Paul: “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another.” Could you go that, do you think? There would first have to be a little change among some of us. Yet those were the principles taught by some of the former-day Apostles, and it is just as true today as it was then. There is something very pleasing in these things; and if we could only carry them out how pleasant it would be; we would have confidence in every man. We sing sometimes something like this—and we sing it quite glibly too: “When every man, in every place shall meet a brother and a friend.” Do you ever remember hearing folks sing that? If we were one and all, so united as to inspire that confidence in all our acts and doings, so far as we were concerned in our immediate vicinity, every man would meet a brother and a friend; and the same would also be said of our sisters. These are the kind of feelings the Gospel ought to inspire in our hearts: love for one another, a feeling of interest in one another’s welfare and so fulfil the law of Christ—the law of the Gospel.

And then men should feel right towards their wives and treat them in kindness and with regard, not allowing our love to wear out. We might have been a little foolish in our younger days, when doing our courting, paying to much attention to the object of our affection, whereas, by and by, we pay too little attention. We should so live that our love for each other can increase all the time and not diminish, and have charity in our bosoms so that we may bear with one another’s infirmities, feeling that we are the children of God, seeking to carry out his word and will and law. And then treat everybody right. What, the Gentiles? Yes, certainly; it would be a pity if we could not afford to treat everybody honorably and right. These “damned Gentiles,” as you are sometimes pleased to call them, are the children of our Heavenly Father. What was the Gospel introduced into the world for? What was the promise made to Abraham? “In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed,” not cursed. What was the mission that Jesus gave to his disciples? “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” What, to the Gentiles? Yes; were not you among that class when the Gospel reached you? Yes, you were, and if the elders had not gone out to preach the Gospel you would not have been here. Well, shall we treat men aright here. Certainly; but that is not to say you shall be governed by any of their meanness or corruption. God sends us to teach, not to be taught or to be influenced by anything improper or impure; he sends us to elevate the standard of truth and to act the part of a friend to all men, but not to be partakers of their sins, or mix up with them in their vice and contentions; but preserve our bodies and spirits pure together, that we may be the children of God without rebuke in the midst of a corrupt and perverse gene– ration. What would I do with the hungry? I would feed them. What, if they were not good people? Yes, you and I can well afford to treat everybody right. God makes his sun to shine on the evil as well as the good, and he sends his rain on the just and the unjust. But do not descend to their evils and wickedness and corruptions, nor to the evils and wickedness of those who call themselves Latter-day Saints, who are not, who do not keep the commandments of God.

I am a believer in the things the brethren have been speaking about, they are matter of fact principles. There are some Christian people in this world who, if a man were poor or hungry, would say, let us pray for him. I would suggest a little different regimen for a person in this condition: rather take him a bag of flour and a little beef or pork, and a little sugar and butter. A few such comforts will do him more good than your prayers. And I would be ashamed to ask the Lord to do something that I would not do myself. Then go to work and help the poor yourselves first, and do all you can for them, and then call upon God to do the balance. So with the building of our Temples and everything else. Never mind so much about the prayers; prayers are all very well in their place. There is an old saying which is not without meaning; it is “Yankee doodle, do it.” Let us do something and feel that we are men among men, and that we are prepared to fill the various responsibilities devolving upon us, and then things will move along right enough. We get excited sometimes and want to do everything in a rush. Why the world was not built in a day, neither does winter change into summer in a day, it takes time. When it begins to get a little warm in the spring you begin to plow, and when you cast in the seed you do not expect to reap on tomorrow; but you wait, and by and by the grain begins to shoot, and everything looks beautiful and green, and when it commences to head out, you begin to talk about the harvest. There is, however, an overwhelming power, which is the power of God, at the back of it, which gives life and vitality to all nature; and it moves gradually and slowly, but surely. We want to grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of God in the same way.

We have commenced to build up the Kingdom of God, and like the grain of mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds, it will grow and extend until the whole earth shall be full of the knowledge of God, and the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our God and his Christ and he will reign forever.

We will try to be united, and purify ourselves and purify our families, and purge out iniquity from our households. We will try to have a conscience void of offense towards God and man. We will try to magnify that priesthood God has conferred upon us. And we will go on from truth to truth; from intelligence to intelligence, and from wisdom to wisdom until we see as we are seen and know as we are known. We will operate together, and with all Israel and with the gods in the eternal worlds, and with the patriarchs, prophets and apostles, and all the holy men of God who have lived before us, in assisting to bring to pass all the designs of God of which the prophets have spoken, and in building up the Zion of God, in redeeming the earth and establishing the kingdom of God thereon.

May God bless you and lead you in the paths of life, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Discourse by Elder Lorenzo Snow, delivered in the Tabernacle, Ogden City, Sunday Afternoon, April 21, 1878.

I will read, this afternoon, a few verses of the revelation commencing on page 345 of the new edition of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants:

“1. Verily I say unto you who have assembled together that you may learn my will concerning the redemption of mine afflicted people—

“2. Behold, I say unto you, were it not for the transgressions of my people, speaking concerning the church and not individuals, they might have been redeemed even now.

“3. But behold, they have not learned to be obedient to the things which I required at their hands, but are full of all manner of evil, and do not impart of their substance, as becometh saints, to the poor and afflicted among them;

“4. And are not united according to the union required by the law of the celestial kingdom;

“5. And Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom; otherwise I cannot receive her unto myself.

“6. And my people must needs be chastened until they learn obedience, if it must needs be, by the things which they suffer.”

I wish to remind my brethren and sisters, in the first place, that we are dependent for our information and intelligence upon the Spirit of God, which may be in us, if properly cultivated, a spirit of inspiration, of revelation, to make manifest clearly to our understanding the mind and will of God, teaching our duties and obligations, and what is required at our hands. And, on occasions of this kind, when we are assembled together to learn the will of God, it is of importance that we exercise faith, and have the spirit of prayer, that the Lord will cause something to be said that will instruct, and give us such information and knowledge as will be of use and service in our daily walk and under the circumstances that surround us.

We need assistance. We are liable to do that which will lead us into trouble and darkness, and those things which will not tend to our good, but with the assistance of that comforter which the Lord has promised his Saints, if we are careful to listen to its whisperings, and understand the nature of its language, we may avoid much trouble and serious difficulty.

We are told in these verses which I have read, that the Saints in former days were driven from the land of their possessions because they lacked that union which was necessary for their safety and salvation, and to preserve them upon this land which the Lord designed to give them for an inheritance. They were not united according to the union which was required by the celestial law. And we are told here that Zion cannot be built up upon any other principle or foundation. This is the subject that concerns every Latter-day Saint, and is well worthy of deep reflection, and we should seek the spirit of inspiration, that we may understand it properly, and how it may, perhaps, effect us in our present situation.

There are principles which are revealed for the good of the people of God, and clearly manifest in the revelations which have been given; but in consequence of not being more persevering and industrious, we neglect to receive the advantages which they are designed to confer, and we think, perhaps, that it is not necessary to exert ourselves to find out what God requires at our hands, or in other words, to search out the principles which God has revealed, upon which we can receive very important blessings. There are revealed, plainly and clearly, principles which are calculated to exalt the Latter-day Saints, and preserve them from much trouble and vexation, yet, through lack of perseverance on our part to learn and conform to them, we fail to receive the blessings that are connected with obedience to them. These principles of union, which the Latter-day Saints in former times ignored, and in consequence of disobedience to them, were driven from Missouri, are called by different names—United Order, Order of Enoch, the principles of Union of the Celestial Law, etc. When we search the revelations of God in regard to them, we see that wherever the Gospel of the Son of God has been revealed in its fulness, the principles of the United Order were made manifest, and required to be observed. The system of union, or the Order of Enoch, which God has taken so much pains to reveal and make manifest, has been, and is, for the purpose of uniting the Latter-day Saints, the people of God, and preparing them for exaltation in his celestial kingdom, and also for the purpose of preparing them here on this earth to live together as brethren, that they may become one in all matters that pertain to their worldly affairs, as well as their spiritual interests, that they may become one—one in their efforts, one in their interests—so that there shall be no poor found in the midst of the Latter-day Saints, and no moneyed aristocracy in the midst of the people of God, but that there should be a union, an equality. Before this Church was organized, in April, 1830, there were given revelations touching the United Order; and from the day the first revelation was given in regard to these principles, there have been given a great number of revelations making the principle of the United Order very plain to the understanding of those who wish to comprehend them. The principles and system have been pointed out in various revelations very distinctly, so that the Saints might not err. The Lord has shown us that he considered this order no small matter, but a subject of vast importance; so much so, in fact, that he has pronounced severe penalties on those who disobey its principles, and promised most important blessings to those who receive it and conform to its requirements. Doc. and Cov., page 327, 276, 258, 264.

The Latter-day Saints, no doubt, have made very great improvement, and advanced considerably beyond the point the Saints reached when they were in Missouri, and were chastened in consequence of their not having conformed to the principles of union, as required; but when we see these sacred principles disregarded, to a certain extent, so much as they are, we wonder why it is so, and how it is that they are so much neglected, so much ignored—principles of such vast importance to our exaltation and glory, and for our safety, and on account of disobedience to which the Lord could not sustain and defend his people in the State of Missouri, but suffered them to be overcome and expelled by their enemies.

The Lord, when he counseled that Jackson County should be purchased by the Saints, was very strict in regard to the manner in which they should observe the principles of union; and he called one of his servants, and told him that he would make him an example in regard to what would be required of those who should go up to the land of Missouri to receive their inheritance. That was Martin Harris. (Doc. & Cov., sec. 58, page 203, verses 35 and 36.) The Lord said: “It is wisdom in me that my servant Martin Harris should be an example unto the church, in laying his moneys before the Bishop of the church. And also, this is a law unto every man that cometh unto this land to receive an inheritance; and he shall do with his moneys according as the law directs.”

Now, here is one of the first principles of the United Order, and it was made and ordained a law by every person, and everyone was required to observe it, who should be privileged to go to the land of Missouri to receive an inheritance. But this, I think, will apply, not only to those who should go to the land of Missouri, but to the people of God in every land. Wherever there is a people of God, the principles of the United Order are applicable, if they would receive and obey them. Some have thought that the United Order was to be kept only by the people who should go up to the land of Missouri. Now this, I believe, is incorrect. It would seem very singular that the Latter-day Saints, when they receive the Gospel, should not have the privilege of uniting themselves, according to the principles of the celestial law, and that Jackson County should be the only place where this law might be observed. I shall not have time to pursue this subject so particularly as I would wish, I will simply refer to some revelations in regard to the matter.

In Kirtland, Ohio, there was a United Order established under the direct influence and instructions of Joseph Smith. He received revelations from the Lord in regard to this subject. And there was not only a United Order established in Kirtland, but there was also a United command of God to be established in a locality about fifteen or twenty miles from Kirtland, in a town called Thompson. And the Lord gave his servant, Edward Partridge, the first Bishop of this Church, revelations and important instructions in reference to organizing a Branch of the Church into the United Order in that township. And Edward Partridge needed these instructions, because it might well be understood that he, of himself, would not be able to understand the mind and will of God touching what was required according to the principles of the celestial law. Therefore, the Lord told him it was necessary that he should receive instructions in these principles. And he gave him instructions, and told him that it was necessary that the people should be organized there according to his law, otherwise they should be cut off. And he told him, furthermore, that it was their privilege to be organized according to the celestial law, that they might be united upon those principles. And also, in this revelation, he told Edward Partridge that he should have the privilege of organizing, for this was an example unto him, in all other places, in all other churches. So it was not confined to any particular locality, to Kirtland, nor to Thompson, nor to Jackson County; but in that revelation it was told the Bishop that this should be an example unto him in organizing in all Churches. So that wherever Edward Partridge should find a Church, he would have the privilege of organizing them according to the United Order, the Celestial Law, or the Order of Enoch.

Now, we might ask ourselves, would it be supposable that there could be any transgression or that we would offend God in ascertaining what the United Order is, and then conforming ourselves to its requirements, as near as possible?

In the days of the Prophet Ezra, the Jewish nation, for many years, had been in captivity, and in transgression, and been permitted to be destroyed, and driven from their locations by their enemies. Well, Ezra, on a certain occasion, saw proper to bring them together and build Jerusalem that had been thrown down. The Lord aided him in this work; and after they had been successful in building the walls, they commenced reading the laws and revelations of God; and they found that the people were in great transgression, and in disobedience to a very important and sacred law, and that was in regard to their intermarriages with aliens. They discovered that there had been a law given in the days of Moses, that they should not give their daughters to the sons of aliens, neither should they take the daughters of aliens to their sons. Well, when Ezra made this discovery, and found that the people had been intermarrying to quite an extent, he was in consternation. He sat down, plucked the hair from his head, and his beard from his face, and rent his garments; and called upon his God to forgive the people. Well, finally, the prophets, and chief men were called together and had a consultation; and then the people were called together, and they had a very grievous time in making the thing right wherein they had transgressed this holy law; and however unpleasant the requirements were in regard to making this right, it was considered absolutely important to have the blessings of God, and be approved of him. Now, I do not say, when we come back again to our subject, the principles of the United Order, that this might be our position with reference to our obedience to it. But I would say this, however, that if these principles of the United Order were so important in former days, and the Lord by some thirteen revelations or more, has made them manifest to his Saints, and the results of disobedience were such as we see, why should we not consider them of some importance at the present time? And would the Lord find fault with the people, if the Latter-day Saints would strive with all their hearts to conform to them? And would we not feel ourselves better prepared to go back and build up Jackson County, the Center Stake of Zion? Would we expect to go back unless we complied with the law in all things, and in consequence of disobedience to which, the people were expelled from that country?

It is argued by some that when the principle of tithing came in, it superseded the principles of the United Order. The law of Moses was given to be a schoolmaster, to bring the people to a knowledge of the Son of God, and induce them to obey the principles of the fulness of the Gospel. The higher law was given to the children of Israel when they were first delivered from Egyptian bondage, but in consequence of their disobedience, the Gospel in its fulness was withdrawn, and the law of carnal commandments was added. Now, do you imagine that there would have been any wrong if the people wanted to find the principles of the higher law and obey them as near as circumstances would admit? Do you suppose it would have been wrong to search out the fulness of the Gospel, while living under the Mosaic law? But, in the Book of Mormon we find this point more fully illustrated. We find that the inhabitants of this continent had a knowledge of the fulness of the everlasting Gospel and were baptized for the remission of sins, many generations before Jesus came into the world. We find that Alma was baptized in the waters of Mormon, and some four hundred and fifty other individuals. Alma, by his energy and perseverance, had discovered the fulness of the Gospel and obtained revelations from the Lord, and the privilege of observing the Gospel in all its fulness and blessings. Do you think the Lord was angry with them? They were under the Mosaic law, and yet considered it a blessing to observe the higher law.

Now I will say in regard to the matter of tithing, I think that law was given to the Latter-day Saints, one object being to prepare them for, and conduct them to, the United Order, that they might not fall into the same error as the people who were driven from the State of Missouri, but gradually be inducted into these higher principles. There is nothing more elevating to ourselves and pleasing to God than those things that pertain to the accomplishment of a brotherhood. Wise men, for centuries, have sought to bring this about, but without success. They had not the ability, the wisdom, the intelligence, nor the authority, to bring the people up to that standard, that they could become a united brotherhood. All their efforts were ineffectual. But the Lord will be successful; and he will prepare the Latter-day Saints that these principles will be in their hearts when they go back to Jackson County. Remember, while the Gospel in its fulness was observed by Alma and his brethren, and by many thousands in different ages of the world, they lived under the Mosaic Law, and cannot the Latter-day Saints under the law of tithing, observe the fulness of the gospel? If we allow that we are under the principle of the law of tithing, is there any harm in our complying with the principles of the United Order?

I am aware that it is unpleasant in the ears of some individuals, to hear about the principles of the United Order, but take the Latter-day Saints, generally speaking, throughout the various settlements of this Territory, their hearts seem to be drawn out in reference to this principle. When President Young first came into these mountain valleys, he was impressed with the importance of this principle, and he took the first steps for the accomplishment of this union. There are hundreds and thousands of individuals that came into these valleys at that time, who conformed to the first principles of this union. There are many of us that consecrated all that we possessed, and this is the first step in regard to the United Order. It is very possible that there may have been some neglect in carrying forward this principle, as, perhaps, we might have done. This I would not say particularly, but there may have been fault in us, in this matter in not carrying out what we commenced. In things that pertain to celestial glory there can be no forced operations. We must do according as the Spirit of the Lord operates upon our understandings and feelings. We cannot be crowded into matters, however great might be the blessing attending such procedure. We cannot be forced into living a celestial law; we must do this ourselves, of our own free will. And whatever we do in regard to the principles of the United Order, we must do it because we desire to do it. Some of us are practicing in the spirit of the United Order, doing more than the law of tithing requires. We are not confined to the law of tithing. We have advanced to that point that we feel to soar above this law. Now, we have thousands and tens of thousands, and I might say millions of dollars, that have been appropriated by the Latter-day Saints in various directions. We have appropriated tens of thousands of dollars for the gathering of the poor and the building of tabernacles, and for many other things that might be mentioned. When we do this, we act up to one of the principles that pertain to this United Order.

The Lord, in Kirtland, established a United Order. He called certain individuals, and united them by revelation, and told them how to proceed; and every man who would subscribe fully to the United Order will proceed in the same manner. He told those people and the Church afar off, to listen and hearken to what he required of men in this Order, and of every man who belonged to the Church of the living God—that all that they received above what was necessary for the support of their families, was to be put in the Lord’s storehouse, for the benefit of the whole Church. This is what is required of every man in his stewardship. And this is a law that is required to be observed by every man who belongs to the Church of the living God. [Book Doc. and Cov., p. 234.] Now, this is one of the main features of the United Order. We are not going to stop here, in these valleys of the mountains. Many of us expect to go forth and build up the Center Stake of Zion; but before we are called, we must understand these things, and conform to them more practically than many of us do at the present time.

We are told in one of these revelations that it is necessary that we should be equal. If we are not equal in temporal things, we cannot be equal in spiritual things. Men on whom God has bestowed financiering ability are the men that are wanted at this time—that God wants, and whom he would wish to call to step forth in the accomplishment of this great union. Now we call men at our conferences and send them forth to preach the gospel to the nations of the earth. They go forth in the strength and power of God, depending upon the Holy Spirit, to assist in the accomplishment of the work. In regard to the building up the kingdom of God here at home, persons who have the ability are the ones who should step forward in things that would lead the Latter-day Saints to this union. It would be of more value to them than all the things of earth. The blessings of God upon them in time and eternity would well repay them to step forth and labor for the Zion of God. We are told that the priesthood is not called to work for money, but to establish Zion. What a lovely thing it would be if there was a Zion now, as in the days of Enoch! That there would be peace in our midst and no necessity for a man to contend and tread upon the toes of another to attain a better position, and advance himself ahead of his neighbor. And there should be no unjust competition in matters that belong to the Latter-day Saints. That which creates division among us pertaining to our temporal interests should not be. The Lord considered this union a matter of importance, and he uses strong expressions in reference to it. Speaking in regard to those who should disobey the principles of the United Order after receiving it, the Lord says, “I have decreed in my heart that any man among you that shall break the covenant by which you are bound, he shall be trodden down by whomsoever I will.” [p. 337.] And he says, in regard to some parties who turned away from this principle, “I have cursed them with a sore and grievous curse.” He says in another revelation, showing the sacredness of this order, “Therefore a commandment I give unto you, and he who breaketh it shall lose his standing in the church, and be turned over to the buffeting of Satan.” [p. 258.] These are severe penalties, but it is in consequence of his desire to prepare a people for celestial glory. Now, shall we say that these matters do not pertain to us, and that we shall leave them until we go back to Jackson County? I have sometimes thought that if the Latter-day Saints did not open their eyes and attend to these things very strictly, we should hardly escape these afflictions, but be persecuted as were our brethren in Missouri. After the instructions we have received during the last forty years, shall we say that we cannot conform to these principles? Shall we say that we shall ignore these glorious principles that pertain to this exalted brotherhood?

Now, we are trying to do something in Brigham City in the direction to this order; but there seems to be the greatest difficulty with ourselves, when we come to these temporal affairs. Our old ideas of things have a wonderful influence over us, that it seems a difficult matter to break the crust, and conform wholly to the requirements of the United Order. We have arrived at certain points of union in our city; but I do not wish to speak about our affairs there in any spirit of boasting, for when I consider the sacredness of these principles, and the importance of them, I feel my insufficiency and unworthiness. To engage in this labor seems to be a great and sacred undertaking. President Young used to say, “Why, up there in Brigham City Brother Snow has led the people along, and got them into the United Order without their knowing it.” But I can see many things that we are very short of accomplishing. We have not entered into the fulness of the principles of the United Order, but we talk about them, and many of us try to conform to them, and get the spirit of them in our hearts. Now we number about three thousand souls, and we have moved along so far as this—I presume it is a little further than you have in Ogden—there is but one store in our city where imported goods are bought, and this belongs to the people. Now that is considered towards a union in a people of three thousand, to be agreed to do their trading in one place—that there should be one mercantile establishment. Now, you have more than one store in Ogden. Then, we have united a little further; we have but one tannery in our city of a population of three thousand. We have but one shoemakers’ establishment—an association of shoemakers, consisting of about thirty persons. There is no competition in this business. I suppose you have more than one in Ogden; but you are a greater people than we are, several times over. They all purchase their boots and shoes at this industrial department, and thus the men engaged in this business are sustained by the people, according to their covenants; and there are no other shoemakers in that locality. Well, we have united together on another point, that is, in a woolen factory and sheepherd. We met with a loss of some fifty thousand dollars in the burning of our factory, and the destruction of our crops by the grasshoppers. There are no rich people in Brigham City, but the people, through their union, have erected another building, much better than the one destroyed. We expect to have the factory in operation about the first of July. This shows some proof of the advancement of the people. This achievement is not in consequence of the people there having money; but this work—this amazing work, as I consider it—has been accomplished in consequence of the advancement that the people have made in this union. Well we have but one blacksmith shop in that city; some twelve or fifteen work in this establishment, and the people sustain them in their operations. Those engaged in the various branches of labor feel confident that the people will patronize them, and carry out what they have agreed in this particular, and they do not trouble themselves about any other employment, or business. There is but one furniture shop in Brigham City, and the people sustain those engaged in that business. I suppose you have more than one. There is but one tin shop, and it is patronized by all the people of Brigham City. There is but one lumbering department there, and the people sustain the parties who are employed in that business. Some eighty or one hundred persons are engaged during the lumbering season. The mills are owned by the people, and there is no competition. There is but one millinery shop in that city, and it is sustained by the people. You have more than one here; perhaps you ought to have. There is but one tailor’s shop in Brigham City, and the people employed in that business are patronized by the whole people. I might mention a great many other businesses, but will leave that subject now.

Now, for the people in Ogden and the people in other settlements, it would be a good thing to unite together to supply themselves with their clothing, food, furniture, building materials, and with everything that pertains to their comfort and convenience, without being under the necessity of employing, or using, those things that are imported. You have a great many wide-awake, financiering men in Ogden, very intelligent men, who are full of wisdom and stir, and have the principles of the Gospel in them. You are ahead of the people of Brigham City in this respect, but we are ahead of you in some other respects. In proportion as a man possesses a knowledge over his brethren, we should be more anxious to accomplish good for Zion; and he should be the one to set a proper example for the union of the people. I believe if the Latter-day Saints would go forward and establish the United Order in their midst more than they do, the Lord would more abundantly sustain and bless us, and provide remedies against the evils to which we are exposed—persecution and difficulties from outside, that we will not talk about today.

The sisters here in Ogden are accomplishing considerable in regard to the United Order. They are uniting themselves together to do a great work. I do not know but what they, in connection with others, will be, more or less, the salvation of Zion; and it is a good thing for them to persevere, and for some of the brethren to follow their good example in this respect.

A great deal might be said in regard to the principles of the United Order, that I do not feel to talk about this afternoon, but I do feel to urge on those brethren who have the means and are in circumstances, to search out the mind and will of God in regard to these matters, and let us try to build up Zion. Zion is the pure in heart. Zion cannot be built up except on the principles of union required by the celestial law. It is high time for us to enter into these things. It is more pleasant and agreeable for the Latter-day Saints to enter into this work and build up Zion, than to build up ourselves and have this great competition which is destroying us. Now let things go on in our midst in our Gentile fashion, and you would see an aristocracy growing amongst us, whose language to the poor would be, “we do not require your company; we are going to have things very fine; we are quite busy now, please call some other time.” You would have classes established here, some very poor and some very rich. Now, the Lord is not going to have anything of that kind. There has to be an equality; and we have to observe these principles that are designed to give everyone the privilege of gathering around him the comforts and conveniences of life. The Lord, in his economy in spiritual things, has fixed that every man, according to his perseverance and faithfulness, will receive exaltation and glory in the eternal worlds—a fulness of the Priesthood, and a fulness of the glory of God. This is the economy of God’s system by which men and women can be exalted spiritually. The same with regard to temporal affairs. We should establish the principles of the United Order, that give every man a chance to receive these temporal blessings. I do not say that it would be proper to give a man just baptized the fulness of the Priesthood at once. Neither would it be right to give a man who has just come from the old country the home and possessions of him who has been here and labored and toiled for years to accumulate them. It would not be right for the possessor to step out of his house, and let the one who has never labored and toiled go in and take his place; but this man who has got the blessings of God around him, should be willing to sacrifice a portion of his surplus means to establish some industry, that this poor man can work and obtain a good remuneration for his labor, that he can see comfort and convenience before him, by persevering as he has done who has been thus blessed. This is the spirit and aim of the United Order, and that we should endeavor to establish. We should employ our surplus means in a manner that the poor can have employment and see before them a competence and the conveniences of life, so that they may not be dependent upon their neighbors. Where is the man who wants to be dependent upon his neighbors or the Tithing Office? No! He is a man, and is the image of God, and wants to gather the means around him, by his own, individual exertions. Blessed of God, are we, who have surplus means, and we should be willing to employ those means whereby such individuals may have, as before mentioned. The United Order is not French Communism. It is not required of those who possess the means of living to expend those means among those who know nothing about taking care of and preserving them. But let no man be oppressed and placed in circumstances where he cannot reach forth and help himself.

Well, I wanted to say a few things by way of suggestion to the brethren. May God bless his people in Ogden. Take the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, trace the subject of the United Order, and you will find it explained fully. And there need not be any difficulty in regard to what is required at our hands.

May we so live as to be worthy of a standing in the presence of God. Amen.

Funeral Services Preached by Elder Joseph F. Smith, delivered Funeral Services Over the Remains of Emma, Daughter of Elder Daniel H. and Emmeline Wells, on Thursday Morning, April 11, 1878.

While sitting listening to the singing, it occurred to me that, in making a few remarks on this occasion, I would read part of a revelation given to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the 27th of December, 1832, believing that we may derive some comfort and encouragement, as well as enlightenment by doing so.

He then read section lxxxviii, Doctrine and Covenants, new edition, from the 3rd to the 32nd verse inclusive.

These are the words of God unto us, words that were not spoken in some remote period of the world, and handed down to us by the traditions of our fathers, but they are the words of the Almighty spoken directly to our brethren chosen by God to be his mouthpiece and revelators to the people of this time. They are, therefore, words of truth, and of eternal life, words upon which we may rely with the utmost confidence, without doubt or misgiving, or fear of yielding to the caprice of vain philosophy, for they are not the words of man, but of God.

It is well for us to realize, if we possibly can—and we can if we enjoy a sufficient portion of the Spirit of God—that we are living in an age in which the Father in heaven has deigned to visit his children, making himself known by declaring his law and his word, by his own mouth and by his own presence. If we could always realize this, it appears to me that we would place greater reliance upon the words of eternal life which have come unto us; we would thereby be induced to live so near to the Lord, and be so faithful in the discharge of our duties, as the covenant people of God, that our hearts would burn with grateful joy, we would be inclined to that which is pleasing and acceptable unto the Lord, all the day long, and we would eschew even the appearance of evil. In all the varied scenes of life, we would never forget him, disobey his will, nor neglect a duty; but we would abide in the covenant of the Gospel, in the love of God and of our fellow creatures, doing the works of righteousness, not omitting to improve an opportunity to do good. It is necessary for us to understand these things and bear them in mind, in order to abide the law which has been given unto us, a portion of which I have read to you; and which is necessary for us to obey, in order to be found keeping the celestial law, and in order to be quickened by that glory, that our souls, which are our bodies and spirits, may be redeemed and restored to life and immortality, to possess crowns of glory and exaltation, which are to be had only in the celestial kingdom; in other words, that we may be quickened by the celestial glory and receive a fullness thereof, according to this revelation.

God has given laws to govern all his works, and especially has he given laws to govern his people, who are his sons and daughters. We have come to sojourn in the flesh, to obtain tabernacles for our immortal spirits; or in other words, we have come for the purpose of accomplishing a work like that which was accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ. The object of our earthly existence is that we may have a fullness of joy, and that we may become the sons and daughters of God, in the fullest sense of the word, being heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ, to be kings and priests unto God, to inherit glory, dominion, exaltation, thrones, and every power and attribute developed and possessed by our heavenly Father. This is the object of our being on this earth. In order to attain unto this exalted position, it is necessary that we go through this mortal experience, or probation, by which we may prove ourselves worthy, through the aid of our older brother, Jesus. The spirit without the body is not perfect, it is not capacitated, without the body, to possess a fullness of the glory of God, and, therefore, it cannot, without the body, fulfil its destiny. We are foreordained to become conformed to the likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ; and in order that we may become like unto him, we must follow in his footsteps, even until we sanctify ourselves by the law of truth and righteousness. This is the law of the celestial kingdom; and when we die, its power will bring us forth in the morning of the first resurrection, clothed with glory, immortality, and eternal lives. Unless we do keep the law that God has given unto us in the flesh, which we have the privilege of receiving and understanding, we cannot be quickened by its glory, neither can we receive the fullness thereof and the exaltation of the celestial kingdom.

“There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated; and when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.”

We must, therefore, learn the laws of heaven, which are the laws of the Gospel, live and obey them with all our hearts, and in faith abide in them, perfecting ourselves thereby, in order to receive the fulness of the glory of that kingdom.

I make these remarks, not to the departed, but to the living—to you as well as myself, who still tarry in the flesh, to battle with the weaknesses and infirmities of human nature, who have yet to learn by experience, that we may be instructed in the things necessary to know, in order that our course here may secure unto us the greatest reward in the presence of our Father and God.

We have not met here to brood over our sorrows in this our temporary loss—in thus being deprived, perhaps only for a little while, of the society and companionship of a daughter, a sister, a friend; for tears are partially dried and sorrow is greatly ameliorated in the fact that our loss is her gain. She has been released from a world of sorrow, anguish and pain, and rests from her earthly labors. Blessed is her condition, for she has performed her mission to earth, she has made her name honorable amidst the honest and true of God’s people, she has fought the good fight, and has now taken her departure, gone to her old home from whence she came. What has she lost? Simply the society of her earthly friends, but not to the extent that we miss her; for I believe the greater can always comprehend the lesser, but the lesser can only comprehend the greater as it may be revealed by glimpses from time to time by the Holy Spirit. While we are in mortality we are clogged, and we see as through a glass darkly, we see only in part, and it is difficult for us to comprehend the smallest things with which we are associated. But when we put on immortality, our condition will be very different, we ascend into an enlarged sphere; although we shall not become perfect immediately after our departure from the body, for the spirit without the body is not perfect, and the body without the spirit is dead. The disembodied spirit during the interval of the death of the body and its resurrection from the grave is not perfect, hence it is not prepared to enter into the exaltation of the celestial kingdom; but it has the privilege of soaring in the midst of immortal beings, and of enjoying, to a certain extent, the presence of God, not the fulness of His glory, not the fulness of the reward which we are seeking and which we are destined to receive if found faithful to the law of the celestial kingdom, but only in part. The righteous spirit that departs from this earth is assigned its place in the Paradise of God; it has its privileges and honors which are in point of excellency, far above and beyond human comprehension; and in this sphere of action, enjoying this partial reward for its righteous conduct on the earth, it continues its labors, and in this respect is very different from the state of the body from which it is released. For while the body sleeps and decays, the spirit receives a new birth; to it the portals of life are opened; it is born again into the presence of God. The spirit of our beloved sister in taking its departure from this world is born again into the spirit world, returning there from the mission it had been performing in this state of probation, having been absent a few years from Father, Mother, kindred, friends, neighbors, and from all that was dear; it has returned nearer to the home circle, to old associations and scenes, much in the same way as a man who comes home from a foreign mission, to join again his family and friends and enjoy the pleasures and comforts of home. This is the condition of her whose remains now lie before us, or of everyone who has been faithful to virtue and purity, while traveling here below; but more especially of those who while here had the privilege of obeying the Gospel, and who lived true and faithful to its covenants. They instead of continuing here among the things of time, surrounded as we are with the weaknesses of a fallen world, and subject to earthly cares and sorrows, are freed from them to enter a state of joy, glory and exaltation; not a fulness of either, but to await the morning of the resurrection of the just, to come forth from the grave to redeem the body, and be reunited with it, and thus become a living soul, an immortal being never more to die. Having accomplished its work, having gone through its earthly probation, and having fulfilled its mission here below, it is then prepared for the knowledge and glory and exaltation of the celestial kingdom. This Jesus did; and he is our forerunner, he is our exemplar. The path which he marked out we have got to walk in, if we ever expect to dwell, and be crowned with him in his kingdom. We must obey and put our trust in him, knowing that he is the Savior of the world.

It is not a difficult thing for me to believe this; I read the Bible in which I find narrations of many of his doings, sayings, precepts, and examples. And I do not believe that any upright, honest man or woman, possessing common intelligence, can read the Gospels of the New Testament and the testimonies therein given of the Savior, without intuitively feeling that he was what he professed to be. For every upright, honest person is possessed, more or less, of the Holy Spirit, and this holy messenger in the hearts of men bears record of the word of God; and when all such read these inspired writings, with honesty of heart and meekness of spirit, divested of prejudices and the false conceptions arising from traditions and erroneous training, the Spirit of the Lord bears witness in unmistakable language that burns with conviction, therefore, I believe that Jesus was the Christ, the Savior, the only begotten of the Father; and this too through reading the Bible. But do we depend upon the Bible for this conviction and knowledge? No, thank the Lord we do not. What else have we to impart this know– ledge and confirm this testimony? We have the “Book of Mormon,” the “stick of Ephraim,” which has come to us by the gift and power of God, which also testifies of him, and which reveals an account of his mission to and dealings with the inhabitants of this continent, after his resurrection from the dead, when he came to this land to visit his “other sheep,” to unite them in the one fold, that they might also be his sheep and he their great shepherd. Besides the conviction that the Book itself carries with it, we have the collateral testimony of him who translated it, who sealed his testimony with his blood; also that of other witnesses, who testify to the whole world that they saw the plates and the engravings thereon, from which the Book was translated, these plates were shown them by an angel of God, who declared that the Book had been translated correctly by the gift and power of God; and in obedience to divine command these witnesses bear record of what they saw and heard.

Here, then, are two witnesses—the “Bible” and the “Book of Mormon,” both bearing record of the same truth, that Jesus was the Christ, that he died and lives again, having burst the bands of death and triumphed over the grave. This latter additional evidence the Latter-day Saints have of this fact, over and above that possessed by the Christian world who do not believe in the “Book of Mormon.”

But is this all? No. We have here another book, the “Doctrine and Covenants,” which contains revelations from God through the Prophet Joseph Smith, who lived cotemporary with ourselves. They are Christ’s words, declaring that he was the same that came to the Jews, that was lifted up on the cross, was laid in the tomb, burst the bands of death and came forth out of the grave. That he was the same who came to the Nephites upon this continent; who, when about to take his departure from them, declared that he was going to visit the ten tribes whom the Father had led away, having the same purpose in view that he had in visiting the Nephites. Here, then is another testimony of this divine truth; hence we have three witnesses. In the mouth of two or three witnesses, we are told, all things shall be established; and by the testimony of two or three witnesses shall we stand, or be condemned.

But would this satisfy me? It might, if I could obtain no further light or knowledge. But when greater light comes, and I have the privilege to make myself possessor of it, I could not remain satisfied with the lesser. We could never be satisfied nor happy hereafter, unless we receive a fulness of the light and blessings prepared for the righteous. This, in part, will constitute the misery, sorrow and anguish of the condemned—those who reject the truth when it is offered to them, for their eyes will be opened to behold, in part, the greater light, exaltation and joy which they might have attained unto, but which is irretrievably lost to them, because of their disobedience and wrong doings. Then I say we cannot be satisfied with anything short of a complete salvation in the kingdom of God, our joy cannot be full unless we obtain a fullness of knowledge. Hence I am not satisfied with the Bible, the “Book of Mormon,” nor the “Doctrine and Covenants.” All these three are not sufficient for me, for the reason that greater privileges have been revealed to man, and they are within the reach of all that live upon the earth. Therefore, I could not rest satisfied with myself until I had fully availed myself of my privileges.

It is given to us to know these things for ourselves. God has said he will show these things unto us; and for this purpose the Holy Ghost has been imparted to all who are entitled to it through submission, which bears record of the Father and the Son, and also takes of the things of God and shows them unto man. Convictions that we may previously have had respecting the truth the Holy Ghost confirms, giving us a positive assurance of their correctness, and through it we obtain a personal knowledge, not as one that has been told, but as one that has seen, felt, heard, and that knows for himself.

Then, in standing before you, my brethren and sisters, as a humble instrument in the hands of God, I testify, not by virtue of the knowledge I may have derived from books, but by the revelations of God to me, that Jesus is the Christ. I know that my Redeemer lives; I know that although the worms may destroy this body, that I shall in my flesh see God, and I shall behold him for myself and not for another. This light has come to me, and is in my heart and mind, and of it I testify, and through and by it I testify, and I know whereof I speak. God has called me, in connection with my brethren, to this mission, and this is our testimony to the whole world. I therefore say, there is no death here, instead of death it is life to the departed. That which we call death is merely the slumber and rest of this mortal clay, and that only for a little season, while the spirit, the life, has gone to enjoy again the presence and society of those from whence it came, and to whom it is joy again to return. And this will be the condition of the righteous until the morning of the resurrection, when the spirit will have power to call forth the lifeless frame to be united again, and they both become a living soul, an immortal being, filled with the light and power of God. I am a witness of these things. Am I alone? No; there are tens of thousands today that can bear this testimony. They, too, know it for themselves; God has shown it to them, they have received the Holy Ghost, which has born witness of these things in their hearts, and they likewise are not dependent upon books, nor upon the words of another, for they have received a knowledge from God themselves, and know as he knows, and see as he sees in relation to these plain and precious things.

What reason have we to mourn? None, except that we are deprived for a few days of the society of one whom we love. And if we prove faithful while in the flesh we will soon follow, and be glad that we had the privilege of passing through mortality, and that we lived in a day in which the fullness of the Everlasting Gospel was preached, through which we will be exalted, for there is no exaltation but through obedience to law. Every blessing, privilege, glory, or exaltation is obtained only through obedience to the law upon which the same is promised. If we will abide the law, we shall receive the reward; but we can receive it on no other ground. Then let us rejoice in the truth, in the restoration of the Priesthood—that power delegated to man, by virtue of which the Lord sanctions in the heavens what man does upon the earth. The Lord has taught us the ordinances of the Gos– pel by which we may perfect our exaltation in his kingdom. We are not living as the heathen, without law; that which is necessary for our exaltation has been revealed. Our duty, therefore, is to obey the laws, then we shall receive our reward, no matter whether we are cut down in childhood, in manhood or old age; it is all the same, so long as we are living up to the light we possess, we shall not be shorn of any blessing, nor deprived of any privilege; for there is a time after this mortal life, and there is a way provided by which we may fulfil the measure of our creation and destiny, and accomplish the whole great work that we have been sent to do, although it may reach far into the future before we fully accomplish it. Jesus had not finished his work when his body was slain, neither did he finish it after his resurrection from the dead, although he had accomplished the purpose for which he then came to the earth, he had not fulfilled all his work. And when will he? Not until he has redeemed and saved every son and daughter of our father Adam that has or ever will be born upon this earth to the end of time, except the sons of perdition. That is his mission. We will not finish our work until we have saved ourselves, and then not until we shall have saved all depending upon us; for we are to become saviors upon Mount Zion, as well as Christ. We are called to this mission. The dead are not perfect without us, neither are we without them. We have a mission to perform for and in their behalf; we have a certain work to do in order to liberate those who, because of their ignorance and the unfavorable circumstances in which they were placed while here, are unprepared for eternal life; we have to open the door for them, by performing ordinances which they cannot perform for themselves, and which are essential to their release from the “prison house,” to come forth and live according to God in the spirit, and be judged according to man in the flesh.

The Prophet Joseph Smith has said that this is one of the most important duties that devolves upon the Latter-day Saints. And why? Because this is the dispensation of the fullness of times, which will usher in the millennial reign, and in which all things spoken by the mouth of holy Prophets, since the world began, must be fulfilled, and all things united, both which are in heaven and in the earth. We have got that work to do, or at least all we can of it, leaving the balance to our children, in whose hearts we should instil the importance of this work, rearing them in the love of the truth and in the knowledge of these principles, so that when we pass away, having done all we can do, they will then take up the labor and continue it until it is consummated.

May the Lord bless this bereaved family and comfort them in their deprivation. Those who die in the Lord shall not taste of death. When Adam partook of the forbidden fruit he was cast out from the presence of God into outer darkness; that is, he was shut out from the presence of his glory and the privilege of his society, which was spiritual death. This was the first death; this indeed was death; for he was shut out from the presence of God, and ever since Adam’s posterity have been suffering the penalty of this spiritual death, which is banishment from his presence and the society of holy beings. This first death will also be the second death. Now we look upon the mortal remains of our departed sister; her immortal part has gone. Where? Into outer darkness?—banished from the pre– sence of God? No, but born again into his presence, restored, or born from death to life, to immortality and to joy in his presence. This is not death, then; and this is true in relation to all Saints who die in the Lord and the covenant of the Gospel. They return from the midst of death to life, where death has no power. There is no death except to those who die in sin, without the sure and steadfast hope of the resurrection of the just. There is no death where we continue in the knowledge of the truth and in hope of a glorious resurrection. Life and immortality are brought to light through the Gospel, hence there is no death here; here is peaceful slumber, a quiet rest for a little season, and then she will come forth again to enjoy this tabernacle. If there is anything lacking in regard to ordinances pertaining to the House of the Lord, which may have been omitted or not reached, those requirements can be attended to for her. Here are her father and mother, her brothers and sisters; they know the course to pursue, they know the ordinances necessary to be performed in order to secure every benefit and blessing that it was possible for her to have received in the flesh. These ordinances have been revealed unto us for this very purpose, that we might be born into the light from the midst of this darkness—from death into life.

We live then, we do not die, we do not anticipate death; but we anticipate life, immortality, glory, exaltation, and to be quickened by the glory of the celestial kingdom, and receive of the same, even a fullness. This is our destiny: this is the exalted position to which we may attain, and there is no power that can deprive or rob us of it, if we prove faithful and true to the covenant of the Gospel.

That the Lord may bless, comfort and solace the family of his servant, who are called to lament this momentary loss, that in the midst of their affliction, while their sorrow finds no relief in tears, they may bow obedient to Heaven’s will, and in gratitude and thanksgiving, praise Him “from whom all blessings flow.” And that the Lord may help us to be faithful, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Discourse by President John Taylor, delivered at the Conference, Salt Lake City, Sunday Afternoon, April 8th, 1878.

I shall feel very much obliged, while I attempt to address you; if you will keep as quiet as possible; because it is quite a labor to speak to so large a congregation, and unless quiet and order is preserved, it is impossible for all the people to hear.

I have been very much interested and edified in listening to the remarks made by the brethren since we have assembled together in this Confer– ence. And I have been very much pleased in witnessing the union and general feeling of interest manifested among the people to attend these meetings. It is evidence to me that the people feel interested in these great and eternal principles developed through our holy religion, and that they have a desire to yield obedience to the law of God and to keep his commandments. And in that alone is our safety, our happiness, our posterity, and our exaltation, as a people; for we derive every blessing we enjoy, whether of a temporal or of a spiritual nature from our heavenly Father; and without him we can do or perform no good work, for in him “we live and move and have our being,” and from him, and through him we receive all blessings pertaining to this life, and we shall hereafter, if we possess eternal lives, inherit them and obtain them through the goodness, mercy and long-suffering of God our Eternal Father, through the merits and redemption of Jesus Christ our Savior.

It is not in man to direct, to manage and control affairs of the Kingdom of God. No man ever did possess that power, nor will he, unaided by the power of the Almighty. All nations and all peoples are more or less under his direction and control, although many of them do not know it. He raises up one nation, and puts down another, he debases the proud and exalts the humble at his pleasure, and he pursues that course among all the peoples and nations of the earth, as seemeth best unto him; and all nations and all peoples are his offspring and he is the God and Father of the spirits of all flesh, and feels an interest in the welfare of all the human family. He has been in the ages that are past, and he is in the present age doing all that he can to promote the happiness and well-being of the human family. This does not always appear to men of superficial minds, the dealings of God with man are not always comprehended. But he nevertheless does control the destinies of all peoples; and if in many instances it does not seem for their present benefit, yet as mankind are eternal beings, having to do with eternity as well as time, when the secrets of all hearts shall be developed and the actions of gods shall be made known and fully com– prehended in the future destinies of the races of men, it will be found that the Judge of all the earth has done right.

The Lord has in these last days, for his own special purpose, and also in the interest of humanity, revealed himself from the heavens, made manifest his will to man, sent his holy angels to communicate and reveal unto us his children certain principles as they exist in the bosom of God, and he has pointed out the way whereby we may secure our happiness and an eternal exaltation in the celestial Kingdom of God. He has been pleased to restore again the everlasting Gospel in all its fullness, with all its riches, and blessings, and power, and glory. He has organized his Church and Kingdom upon the earth; he has chosen men as he did in former times to be the bearers of his message of life and salvation to the nations of the earth. He has, through these instruments, instructed us, and gathered us together, as we are found here today, from the different nations where the Gospel reached us. He has brought us here according to certain eternal principles which he had in his mind before the world was, and according to certain councils that existed in the heavens among the gods, who have been operating upon and with the human family from the commencement to the present, and will until the winding up scene.

The work that we are engaged in is not the work of man, it did not originate with man, it was not found out by him. It is the work that has been prophesied of by all the holy prophets that have lived on this continent, on the continent of Asia, and in the various portions of the earth. As the Apostle Paul describes it, it is “the dispensation of the fulness of times spoken of by all the holy prophets since the world was.” And anything that we may have received—any light, any intelligence, any knowledge of the things of God, have emanated and proceeded from him. He saw and comprehended the fitting time for this work to commence; he prepared the way by once more opening the heavens, by revealing himself and his Son Jesus, and by afterwards sending holy angels to communicate his will and his purposes and designs to the human family. It therefore did not originate with us, nor with any sect or party or people, for nobody, not even Joseph Smith, or Brigham Young, or any of the Twelve Apostles knew anything about the great principles that were stored up in the mind of God. It was the mind and will and revelations of God, made known to the human family, in the first place to Joseph Smith, and through him to others. And when the Elders of this Church went forth to the nations of the earth, as bearers of the gospel message, if they had gone upon their own responsibility they could have accomplished nothing. But having been chosen and set apart of the Lord, they went forth as his messengers, without purse or scrip, trusting in Him. And he opened up their way and prepared their path, as he said beforehand that he would. “Behold,” said he, “I send you forth to the nations of the earth, and my Spirit shall go with you, and my angels shall prepare the way for you.” I send you forth not to be taught, but to teach, not to be instructed by the world of mankind or the intelligence of the world, but by the wisdom and intelligence and power and spirit which I shall give you, and it is through and by this influence that we have been gathered together. And why are we gathered? These Elders could not have gathered you unless God had been with them; they could not have influenced you to come here unless the Spirit and power of their mission had been with them. But the Lord said in former years through his prophets, “I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion. And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.” And through the operation and influence of the Spirit of the living God, manifested through the priesthood, God’s ministers on the earth, you have been brought together as you are today. But why should we be thus gathered together? That there may be a body of people found to whom God can communicate his will, that there might be a people who should be prepared to listen to the word and will and voice of God: that there might be a people gathered together from the different nations who, under the influence of that spirit, should become saviors upon Mount Zion; that they might, under the inspiration of the Almighty, and through the power of the Holy Priesthood which they should receive, go forth to those nations and proclaim to the people the principles of life, that they might indeed become the saviors of men. And if we could fully comprehend our position, we should see things very differently from what we now do. If we could comprehend our relationship to God, to each other, to his church upon the earth, and also the greatness and magnitude of the work in which we are engaged, and the responsibilities that devolve upon us as Elders in Israel, as Saints of the Most High God, we should see things in a very different light from what we now do. We are not here, as they say in the Church of England, to “follow the devices and desires of our own hearts;” we are not here to pursue our own individual interests and emoluments, we are not here merely to attend to our own secular affairs, but to learn the laws of life, and then teach the people the way of salvation. There was an old saying among ancient Israel: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord, and thou shalt worship the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy mind, with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and him only shalt thou worship.” And Jesus, in after time, added a little more to this: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” God is one, and they who dwell with him are one. Those who will inherit the celestial kingdom will be one when they get there; and we, as a people, ought to be one—one in faith, one in principle, one in practice, one in our interests, one in our associations, with each other and in our families, one with God, one with the holy angels, one in time, and one in eternity.

To bring about a union of this kind, the principle of baptism has been introduced that we all might be baptized into one baptism, by the laying on of hands, and through the various orders of his Priesthood, we all partake of the same spirit; and being brought into union and communion with God, that we all might feel after God, that the tens of thousands, and hundreds of thousands might be brought into connection with the Almighty, whose prayers could ascend into the ears of the Lord of Sabbaoth. And for the accomplishment of this purpose, he selected Joseph Smith to be the first Apostle in his Church: he was called “not by the will of man,” nor by the power of man, nor by the intelligence of man, but by God who revealed himself unto this young man, as also the Savior, committing unto him a mission to perform to the inhabitants of this earth. He was endowed with power and authority which was given him for that purpose, that he might be the legitimate representative of God upon the earth. He also taught him how to organize his Church, and put him in communication with many of the ancient Prophets who have long since passed away, who also communicated with him, and revealed unto him further the plan and design of the Almighty in relation to this earth, and the salvation of all who would listen to the principles of truth.

The nations of the earth have their representatives, their ministers, their plenipotentiaries, empowered and sent forth by the recognized authority of the several nations. He was the representative of God, his credentials came from God, and his mission extended not to one nation only, but to all nations; and he was authorized to establish and organize what was termed the Church and Kingdom of God upon the earth. And every step that he took, every principle that he inculcated, and every doctrine that he taught, came from God by the revelations of God to him, and through him to the people. He selected others by revelation—Apostles, High Priests, Seventies, Bishops, Elders, Priests, Teachers and Deacons, also High Councils, and Bishops’ Councils, and Patriarchs, and all the various authorities and organizations of this Church. Joseph Smith neither knew how to select men, whom to select, nor what their offices should be until it was communicated by the Lord. And yet we find that these principles revealed to him, agree with those that existed in former ages whenever God had a Church or people on the earth. And hence the ushering in of the Gospel simply means the revelation of the will of God to man; it simply means the placing of mankind in communication with the Lord that he may not be governed by his own follies or notions or theories, but by the will and word of God. And the examples that you heard referred to here, of our Stakes, with their Presidencies, together with the Bishops and their Council, etc., is a part of the system of heaven, as it exists in the eternal worlds; and the Priesthood that we hold is the everlasting Priesthood, and it administers in time, and it will administer in eternity; and a knowledge of the works that we are now engaged in, in regard to the building of Temples and administering therein, all came from God, and are a part of the eternal system. Who knew about them until God revealed it? Nobody. Who knows how to administer acceptably in these Temple without revelation? Nobody but those to whom it has been communicated, it came from God. And our preaching to the living, and our administering for the dead are all of them parts and parcels of the same concern. The fact is, we are in a state of probation; we have enlisted under the banner of the Almighty; we have dedicated ourselves to him for time and for eternity, and he expects it at our hands that we be true to the trust conferred upon us, that we be faithful to our obligations and fulfil them, that we honor our God, that we magnify our callings and Priesthood, and that we stand forth among the people and before the nations, as the representatives of God upon the earth. We have a similar view to that of the Apostle Paul, who said when addressing himself to the Corinthians: “Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” We have enlisted in a work, have engaged in a warfare that will last while time shall be, and if we live our religion, and keep his commandments, the principles that we are in possession of will bear us off triumphant over death, hell and the grave, and land us among the just, among the celestial host that dwell with our Father in heaven. We really have no time to attend to those trivial affairs, that some people seem to think ought to occupy so much of our time. I wish now, while we are together to talk upon some general principles associated with the Priesthood which has been conferred upon us.

It was said of ancient Israel, if they had kept the commandments, that he would have made out of them a kingdom of Priests. We are literally a kingdom of Priests today. Our business is not to follow our own will, our own desires and plans, but to seek to know and to do the will of God, to carry out these principles which he has revealed, and in this is our happiness and exaltation in time, and will be throughout the eternities that are to come.

We ought to be operating with God, and with the holy angels; we ought to be feeling after them, we ought to be operating with the ancient Priesthood that have lived before—the Patriarchs, the Prophets, the Apostles, and all those men of God who have lived and died in the faith who act with God our heavenly Father, and with Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant. We ought to be operating with them in establishing righteousness throughout the earth, not nominally, but really; we ought to be laboring in conjunction with them in saving the living, not to make it a hardship and a trouble and a toil; something that we can hardly endure to go through; but on the contrary, feeling it an honor to be associated with the interests of God and bearers of the message of life and salvation, and also seeking for wisdom, and intelligence, and power, and revelation from God to carry out his will and designs, and to accomplish his purposes upon the earth.

Will his purposes be accomplished? They will. Will the Gospel grow, spread and increase? I tell you, in the name of Israel’s God, it will. Will the time come when every fictitious thing will be removed, when light and truth shall prevail, and when the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our God and his Christ? I tell you it will, and God will hasten it in his time. And this priesthood and this people are to be the instruments, in the hands of God, in connection with the priesthood who have gone before, who are now operating in their sphere, as we are in our’s. The Lord hath so ordained, says the Apostle, “that they (referring to the dead), without us should not be made perfect;” neither can we without them be made perfect. There needs to be a welding and uniting together, that in all of our doings as God’s servants and representatives, we may be influenced and directed from above, being united with the Gods in heaven we may become one in all things upon the earth, and afterwards one in the heavens. And says the Lord, “If ye are not one, ye are not mine.” Everything that tends to divide the people, as you heard this morning, proceeds from beneath, and those that are engaged in it are the emissaries of the devil; for as he is the father of lies, so he is the father of division, strife and discord. But union, peace, love, harmony, fellowship, brotherhood and everything honorable, noble and exalting, proceeds from God; these are the principles that we ought to seek after and to disseminate as far as we can everywhere and among all peoples. And then when we have done that work, turn our attention to the building of temples and minister in them for the dead, that we may operate with the fathers in the interest of their posterity, helping them to perform that for their posterity which they were not able to do.

And in regard to the world, what ought our feelings to be towards them? A feeling of generosity, a feeling of kindness, a feeling of sympathy, with our hearts full of charity, long-suffering and benevolence, as God our Father has, for he makes his sun to rise on the evil as well as the good; he sends his rain on the unjust as well as the just. And while we abjure the evils, the corruptions, the fraud and iniquity, the lasciviousness and the lyings and abominations that exist in the world, whenever we see an honorable principle, a desire to do right, whenever we see an opening to promote the happiness of any of these people, or to reclaim the wanderer, it is our duty to do it, as saviors on Mount Zion.

Will they have trouble? Yes. Will there be tribulation? Yes. Will nation be arrayed against nation? Yes. Will thrones be cast down and empires destroyed? Yes. Will there be war, and carnage, and bloodshed? Yes. But these things are with the people and with God. It is not for us; we have a mission to perform, and that is to preach the Gospel and introduce correct principles, to unfold the laws of God as men are prepared to receive them, to build up his Zion upon the earth, and to prepare a people for the time when the bursting heavens will reveal the Son of God, “and when every creature on the earth and under the earth will be heard to say, blessing and glory, and honor, and power, and might, and majesty, and dominion be ascribed to him that sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever.”

Will this people grow and increase? Yes. And the time will come—it is not now, we are not prepared for it—when calamity and trouble and bloodshed, confusion and strife will spread among all the nations of the earth. The time will come, and is not far distant, when those who will not take up the sword to fight against their neighbors, will have to flee to Zion for safety. That was true some time ago, and it is nearer its fulfillment by a great many years than at the time it was first uttered.

What are we here for? To build up or aggrandize ourselves? No, but to build up the Church and kingdom of God upon the earth, and to spread the light of truth among the nations. That is our duty, and also to pray for the revelations of God, that the Spirit and power of God may rest upon us, that we may comprehend correct principles and understand the laws of life, to guide and guard and protect the ship Zion from among the rocks and shoals and troubles that will sooner or later overcome this nation, and other nations, and prepare ourselves for the events that are to come. We ought to be men of honor, of honesty, of integrity, having our eyes single to the glory of God. That is the duty of these Apostles, and not to act with a view for their own aggrandizement, and for the obtainment of filthy lucre, or anything else pertaining to this world. We brought nothing into this world, we can take nothing out. It is for us to operate for God and in the interests of his Church and kingdom.

And what of these other brethren, the High Priests? They have a mission to perform, and that is to make themselves acquainted with the laws, doctrines, ordinances and gov– ernment of the Church of God upon the earth, that they may be prepared, when called upon, to fulfil the duties and responsibilities devolving upon them. I will here read part of a revelation which indicates the nature of these duties. “And again I give unto you, Don C. Smith, to be a President over a Quorum of High Priests, which ordinance is instituted for the purpose of qualifying those who shall be appointed standing Presidents over the different stakes scattered abroad.” Hear it, O ye High Priests! This is the prominent duty devolving upon you. The position you occupy is a sort of a normal school, if you please, to prepare those who are in it and are taught in it, that when they shall be called to hold official places in the various stakes of Zion, they may be prepared to magnify them. How was it when we were engaged organizing these stakes, were these brethren prepared? No, many of them were not by any means. One was engaged on his farm, another was tied up in his merchandising, another had bought five yoke of oxen and had to prove them, and another had married a wife and he could not come. And we, therefore, had to go outside of the High Priests, whose legitimate business it was to occupy these positions, and call other men and ordain them High Priests, and set them apart to preside in these stakes, as Presidents and Bishops and Councilors, having to take them from among the Seventies’ and Elder’s Quorums, because the High Priests were not prepared to magnify their legitimate calling; whereas, if they had been doing their duty, living their religion, and meeting together in prayer, and examining the doctrine of Christ, instead of being engaged almost exclusively in many of these other matters, they would have been prepared to step forward and magnify their calling. There are many other stakes to be organized. Prepare yourselves, you High Priests, for the duties and responsibilities that may devolve upon you, that the Church of God may be strengthened in all its parts, and every man in his place, all prepared to magnify their calling.

Then, again, there are Seventies; I think there are some seventy-six quorums of seventies. Does their duty consist merely in making their own plans and calculations, such as to go on a farm and live there all their lifetime, attending to their own individual affairs, or pursue any other avocation without considering the obligations they are under by virtue of their Priesthood, and calling? I tell you nay. We have something else to do. I read in the revelation touching this matter, when the seventies were ordained, “they were to ordain more seventies until there should be seven times seventy, if the labor in the vineyard required it.” They were to do this “if the labor in the vineyard required it.” In whose vineyard? Their orchards and farms? I do not read it so. Does this refer to their merchandising? It does not so read. In looking after their own affairs or emoluments? That is not what I read; but for the labor of the vineyard. Whose vineyard, then? The vineyard of the Lord. But it seems that a great many of the Seventies have no more idea of going into the vineyard of the Lord, than if they held no such Priesthood or calling; they do not seem to comprehend their duties, nor their responsibilities. Hear it, O ye Seventies! You are called and set apart by the Priesthood, to act under the direction of the Twelve, to go forth as His messengers to the nations of the earth. Do you believe it? This is your calling. Prepare yourselves for it. I do not want Elders coming to me, as some have been doing, after having been called upon missions saying, I pray thee have me excused. And I call upon the first President of the Seventies to instruct the various Presidents of Seventies, and they in turn the members of their several quorums, in regard to their duties; and to live themselves so that the spirit of the living God may rest down upon them, that they may indeed be qualified to teach their brethren what their duties are, that they may prepare themselves to magnify them. Instead, therefore, of everyone seeking his own individual gain from his own quarter, let every man feel that he is a servant of the living God, a messenger to the nations of the earth, and that when the Lord calls upon him, through the proper authority, to do a certain work, he must obey, and that readily and willingly! These are the duties and responsibilities that devolve upon you, my brethren of the Seventies.

And it is the duty of the Elders also to magnify their callings; to feel after God and to seek instruction from Him, and to magnify their calling and Priesthood at home or abroad, being governed by the Holy Priesthood, in regard to their duties, that they may be acceptable to the Lord, and magnify their callings with all diligence and fidelity, and then it is the duty of the Presidents of Stakes to look after the interest and welfare of their own people under their Presidency, not in a formal manner, but as interested in their welfare, having a lively desire to benefit and build them up, both spiritually and temporally, and perfect them in righteousness, purging out when necessary the ungodly, lifting up and exalting the poor, and blessing and benefiting everybody according to the principles of righteousness and truth, guarding their virtue and their honor, and see that men are honorable, that they regard their word of more value than their bond, that all people may rely on them; men who, in the language of the Prophet, will swerve to their own hurt and change not, and who will do that which is right and equitable before God. It is their duty, and the duty of the Bishops and also that of the High Priests and Seventies and Elders operating with them to look after the poor and see that they are provided for. Do not let us have anybody crying for bread, or suffering for the want of employment. Let us furnish employment for all, divide up our farms and plan and devise liberally that all who need work, and want to be employed, may find labor. And I now call upon the Presidents of Stakes throughout Zion to give this matter their serious and earnest attention. We have land in abundance, water in abundance, and means in abundance; let us utilize them for the common weal. Talk about financiering! Financier for the poor, for the working man, who requires labor and is willing to do it, and act in the interest of the community, for the welfare of Zion, and in the building up of the kingdom of God upon the earth. This is your calling; it is not to build up yourselves, but to build up the Church and kingdom of God; and see that there is no cause for complaining in all your villages and cities and neighborhoods. Let us take hold together for the accomplishment of this object, and pray God to give us wisdom to carry it out, and he will pour upon us blessings that there will not be room enough to contain.

Again, we have what is called a Perpetual Emigration Fund. I wish to draw the attention, not only of the Presidents of Stakes but of the Bishops of the various wards, and of the whole people, to the responsibilities that devolve upon us in relation to this matter. We seem to be dwindling down in some of these matters, and I am sorry to say that there is a great lack of that integrity and interest that we would like to see manifested among our brethren. There are those here who have assisted with their means to the amount of upwards of a million dollars, which is unpaid by those who received the benefit of it. It was the calculation that this means should be used to bring those of our brethren to this land, who needed and were worthy of this assistance, and when you who were thus assisted were in distant lands praying and wishing to be gathered to Zion, this help came to you and you were brought here; and instead of paying this your honest debt, you go to work and build up yourselves, without meeting your obligations, what is the result? Those of your brethren who still remain, who are just as worthy as you to be gathered to Zion, are left to cry for assistance. I am daily in receipt of letters from different parts of the earth, asking to be thus assisted pleading: “we want to gather with the Saints, can’t you help us?” Yes, we can if you who owe the Fund will pay your honest debts, we can then meet all these requirements. And I call upon the Presidents of Stakes and upon the Bishops to look after these things, and see that these obligations are met, that the poor from abroad may not cry in vain; but that we may help them, and then they return the amount advanced to them to assist others, and thus keep the work rolling in the same direction. And if this duty is not performed, how can we expect the blessing of God to rest upon us?

We are engaged quite extensively in the erection of Temples. We are building one here, and also one in Cache Valley, and another in Sanpete, and if we had time, and it was considered advisable, we could read the report read setting forth the receipts and disbursements of these places; and I presume we shall, before the Conference adjourns. Suffice it to say, with all our backwardness in some other things, there are a great many of the Latter-day Saints who are doing all they can in every laudable enterprise. I presume at the present time there is not less than 500 men engaged in rearing the walls of these Temples. And men are taking hold of it with energy, doing all they can in many instances, but not in all by a great deal.

Then in regard to our Tithing operations, Bishop Hunter informs me that many of the people are very negligent in regard to this matter. Now, I would say in behalf of the people, that perhaps there may be a partial excuse for some of these things. We have had a very stringent time for a number of years past, a financial crisis has prevailed in the eastern States for some years now, and almost every paper reports the failure of mercantile and business institutions—of the failure of one firm after another; and we have been subject, more or less, to these depressions. The fact also must be considered that great exertions have been made in the building of the St. George Temple, and also the three Temples now under way, which have already exhausted considerable means furnished chiefly by the people residing in those Temple districts. I must give the people credit for their zeal and energy in this direction, which we must all acknowledge is very commendable and praiseworthy. And, perhaps, in the performance of this labor many have done the best they could, and possibly circumstances have so overruled that they find themselves hardly able to meet their Tithing, for as a rule it is those who take delight in observing the law of Tithing that subscribe to these other calls. We do not wish to crowd or press upon the people; but rather let us take things easily and deliberately, seeking always to break off the yoke of him that is bound, letting the oppressor go free. And let our sympathies be extended towards the widow and the orphan; and while we are building Temples, paying our Tithes and offerings, and doing the best we can before God and man, we will let that go for the present, and when we get into more favorable circumstances we will do better. At any rate, we will keep doing with a long pull and a strong pull, and a pull altogether, as one in the interests of all Israel. But we must not forget our duties to the Lord.

I would say in this connection that there are three of the Twelve appointed to superintend the erection of these edifices in these outside districts, and then there are those residing here attending to home affairs. And we are seeking to act in concert and do the very best we can. Some people have an idea that these Temples ought to be built from the proceeds of the Tithing; I do not object to it in the least, providing you will only pay your Tithing. But we cannot build Temples with something that exists only in name. You deal honestly with the Lord, handing over in due season that which belongs to his storehouse, and then we will show you whether we cannot build Temples, as well as do everything else that may be required with it. In the mean time, we have got to do the best we can in these matters; and as we are personally interested in these things, as well as our brethren, the departed deed who have gone before us, and who depend upon this being done, we feel a strong desire to carry out these projects; and this feeling, I am happy to say, exists throughout all Israel.

We want also to be alive in the cause of education. We are commanded of the Lord to obtain knowledge, both by study and by faith, seeking it out of the best books. And it becomes us to teach our children, and afford them instruction in every branch of education calculated to promote their welfare, leaving those false acquirements which tend to infidelity, and to lead away the mind and affection from the things of God. We want to compile the intelligence and literacy of this people in book form, as well as in teaching and preaching; adopting all the good and useful books we can obtain; and what we need and cannot obtain make them. And instead of doing as many of the world do, take the works of God, to try to prove that there in no God; we want to prove by God’s works that he does exist, that he lives and rules and holds us, as it were, in the hollow of his hand. For it is very unfair for man to take the works of God to try to prove that there is no God. But then it is only the fool that has said in his heart, there is no God. I would like to talk upon this subject if time would permit.

I am pleased to see the exertions made by the young men’s and young women’s mutual improvement associations, to benefit and bless the rising generation of our people. And I am also pleased to witness the degree of intelligence and studiousness manifested by our young people; it is creditable and praiseworthy. We want to lead them on and encourage them in the study of correct principles, so that when the responsibility of bearing off the Church and Kingdom of God shall pass from us to them, they may be prepared for it, and carry on the work to a glorious and triumphant consummation. And that we may stand in regard to education and literacy, the sciences, the arts and intelligence of every kind, as high above the nations of the earth, as we do today in regard to religious matters.

And before closing I would refer briefly to the ladies’ relief society. We are told that, “the man is not without the woman, nor the woman without the man in the Lord.” She is spoken of as a helpmeet to her husband. I remember the organization of the first Relief Society in Nauvoo, by the Prophet Joseph Smith; today we find them spreading all over the land, and the benefits of their labors are widely realized. Our sisters are doing a noble and commendable work in writing and publishing, in visiting the sick and needy, and ministering to their wants, and showing kindness and benevolence towards the suffering and distressed, and also advocating principles that are honorable and praiseworthy before God and man, calculated to elevate and bless their sex. And I say to the sisters, God bless you in your labors of love, and in your enterprise, continue to press forward in your good work, and the Lord will bless you and your posterity after you; for you are mothers in Israel who are raising up kings and priests unto the Most High God. See that your children are taught aright, and that they grow up in virtue and purity before the Lord. Teach them good principles, never mind so much about the fashions; but let economy, industry, charity, kindness and virtue be early impressed upon their minds, and try to love your sons and daughters, and to lead them in the paths of life.

I should like to speak of our Sunday Schools and other institutions, but time will not permit. I have talked long enough. God bless you, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Discourse by Elder Orson Pratt, delivered at the Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, Sunday Morning, April 7, 1878.

I will call the attention of this large I assembly to the latter part of a very important and extensive parable, recorded in the Book of Mormon.

The speaker read from the Book of Mormon, commencing at the 128th page.

I have read these words of the ancient prophet, to whom it seemed good unto the Lord to reveal his purposes and designs in regard to the inhabitants of this earth, by means of the trees of the vineyard, calling the house of Israel, the literal descendants of Israel, the natural trees of his vineyard; and the other nations, whom we term Gentiles, as the wild branches of the wild olive tree.

I have read only a small portion of the latter part of this extensive parable, that part which more particularly relates to the great work which we, as Latter-day Saints, are now performing in the earth.

Forty-eight years ago, yesterday, after this Book had been printed making known this great parable to the people, the Church arose, consisting of only six individuals. From that time until the present, as the Church has grown and extended its borders, the Lord through his ser– vants, has been organizing his Priesthood. We speak of the Church being organized on the 6th day of April, 1830, and of it consisting then of only six members. No one could expect that with that very small number there could be a very perfect organization. But so far as there were individuals introduced into the Church, on the day of its organization, the Lord gave a revelation concerning their duty. And after the Church had extended forth its borders, and a few hundred individuals were gathered unto it, in the year that it was organized, a still further organization took place; and it was but a few years until the Church stood forth in a more perfect organization then it had on the day of its foundation. Twelve men were called to be Apostles according to a certain prediction given some ten months before the organization of the Church. About this same period of time the first seventy elders were chosen, which perfected the organization still more. And also in those early days the High Priesthood, after the order of Melchizedek, was made manifest more fully and men were ordained to that order of priesthood. In those early days also the Lesser Priest– hood, or the priesthood after the order of Aaron was made manifest more perfectly in the eyes of the people, bishops were called and their duties defined, requiring them to manage, in conjunction with the higher authorities, the temporal concerns of the Church. This organization continued to increase and grow, and become more and more perfect, until finally, temples were built to the name of the Lord, when the duties of these various councils of priesthood were, in a greater degree, made manifest before the people. The teachings were many that were imparted in those days, and a union began to exist among the Saints of God, such as had not been known among the inhabitants of the earth for many long generations.

After the completion of the Temple at Kirtland, and this more perfect organization had been established, the Saints of God began to increase and multiply to that extent that the Lord saw proper to place them in a country and land by themselves, where they could have a chance to enlarge their borders, to lengthen the cords of their habitation, to break forth on the left and on the right, and where there might be a majority in the land, and where they might have the privilege of serving the Lord their God, according to the dictates of their conscience.

Thus you see our Heavenly Father has been at work among this people, and with this people, for almost one half of a century, bringing together, gathering the branches of the wild olive tree from the distant nations of the earth and grafting them in and making them, as it were, one body, on this great western hemisphere.

You may ask, what great purpose the Lord has in thus organizing his people, year after year. The answer is, to accomplish a very important object, namely to make them like unto one body, that there may be a most perfect union from the highest officer in the Church down to the lowest member; that there may be no disunion, no division of feeling or sentiment in regard to doctrine or ordinances or in any of the principles pertaining to the Gospel of the Son of God; and that there may be no division in our political ideas and sentiments, but that a perfect oneness may exist in the heart of every male and female, from the grayheaded old man down to the little child, that one feeling and one spirit may pervade the whole body, that they may be equal and bring forth the natural fruit again. That is the object; that is the reason why you behold the organization such as now exists throughout all these mountain regions. When has the Church, from its commencement exhibited what we now behold in all parts of our land—stakes of Zion having jurisdiction over every branch in the Church in these mountains, and over every family and every individual. And every one of these stakes has its presiding officer with his two counselors; and is also composed of numbers of wards over which bishops, with their counselors are appointed to preside.

What is the duty of the presiding officers of these stakes? To see that all things under their watchcare are conducted according to the order of God, to look to the spiritual concerns first, that pertain to their stake, and to see that the high priests, the seventies, the elders, the priests, the teachers, and the deacons are all doing their respective duties, according to the requirements of the Most High; and then they act as the presiding authority and power over the bishops that may be in the several wards of their stakes, seeing also that they are in the performance of their duty, in relation to temporal matters. And then all the other authorities under these presiding officers of stakes are to see that those, under their immediate watchcare, are performing their duties, according to the laws of heaven which have been revealed for our guidance.

When all things are in proper working order, and when every bishop is living his religion, and has the spirit of his bishopric resting upon him, and he fully understands the nature of his duties, everything in regard to temporal affairs will move like clockwork, and there will be no running down, as it were, of the clock, no deranging of the machinery, but every part will fulfil that which is required of it in relation to its particular calling, and all these various quorums of priesthood will strive to stir up the people to a oneness in regard to spiritual things; thus we keep spiritual and temporal things running parallel to each other, connected more or less together. So that the whole church becomes like unto one body, they become equal. “And the root, and the top thereof is equal.” Indicating, when these things are carried out strictly, that the branches will not have power to overrun and grow beyond the strength of the root; neither would the roots have power to outgrow the branches. The husbandmen trimmed up the trees of the vineyard, and they pruned them; or in other words, the servants of the Lord teach the people, and instruct them, so that they may become one in all things. What! become one in our views in regard to politics? Why not? One may say, If you undertake to carry out such views of union in regard to political affairs, you will all vote the same ticket; there will be no division nor disunion throughout all the Church organization, and would not such a state of things be antagonistic to the genius of our American government? Wherein, I would ask, would it be contrary? Is there any principle connected with our government that would forbid us, as a people, becoming so united? Does the constitution of our country in any one particular prohibit American citizens from uniting and casting a solid vote in favor of any eligible candidate who may be regularly nominated, say for the position of President of the United States? I know of no such restriction; there is none.

Supposing, then, that all the states of this union at the next general election, should, without one dissenting voice, conclude in their own minds to vote for one and the same individual, making him our president, what part or portion of the Constitution of our country would be violated by such a united effort? None whatever; because it is the privilege of the people to unite or divide as they may choose, there being no compulsion one way or the other.

Which is calculated to produce the greatest good, union throughout all the states, concentrated not only upon the president, but upon the governors, and all of our political officers, or disunion and party strife. Everybody would certainly agree with me in saying that union in such matters would be the best calculated to promote the interest and common good of our government and people; that to be without a single dissenting voice in our election affairs from Maine to Texas, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, all concentrating themselves upon the officers they want, and then vote for them unanimously would be carrying out the form of the American government in its perfection. But our fathers, who framed that Great instrument of nationality—that instrument by which all classes of people are protected in their rights —provided for disunion, if the people should feel disposed to introduce it. Showing that they were permitted to dissent and vote for as many candidates as they may choose to nominate.

But in the Church of the living God, according to the oneness required by the Lord of heaven, we should act unitedly in all things. Some may have an idea that if we are only united about some of the spiritual things of the kingdom that is all the union needed among us. I do not know of any one principle, or subject, connected with the building up and advancement of the kingdom of God upon the earth, upon which we have a right to be disunited. The law of God is of such a nature, when complied with strictly, as to unite us not only in the first principles of the Gospel—faith, repentance and baptism, and confirmation, and upon doctrine and spiritual things generally, but also in regard to the cultivation of the earth, the raising of flocks and herds, manufacturing, and all kinds of mechanical business, and also with regard to our political affairs and everything with which we have to do here in this temporal probation. There are some great political parties very much united, and how diligently they strive to make themselves still more united. The Republican and Democratic parties vie with each other in their efforts to elicit the sympathy of a majority of the people, in order to become the dominant party. Hence the great number of political agents, that go forth throughout the country stump speeching, as well as other means that are resorted to for this purpose. Is there anything in the Constitution of our country prohibiting them from striving to bring about disunion? No, not in the least. Neither is there anything written that would forbid the Methodists, the Baptists, the Presbyterians, or any other religious society throughout the confines of this great republic, from striving with all their might to vote with one heart and one mind, both in regard to their political and their church affairs.

That is what we are striving to do. We are laboring in faith and with much assurance, that the day will dawn upon Israel, when this people will attain to a perfect oneness, so much so that not a dissenting voice will be heard or raised, in regard to things religious or secular, from one end of the Territory to the other.

This union exists in the eternal worlds. If you should dwell there for the period of ten millions of ages, you would see no dissension among those who dwell in yonder celestial worlds. If the affairs of a celestial world were divided into different departments, calling one political and another religious, and so on, you would find the whole body, both religious and political, vote for the same ticket, if I may be allowed the expression; they would be agreed, of one heart and one mind. This oneness among the people of God must be attained in this world, in order that His purposes may be brought about, respecting man and the earth on which he lives.

How much reason have we to rejoice that our fathers, a little over a century ago, began to consider the importance of being free and untrammeled in regard to their religious ideas and opinions; and that by having their feelings so deeply impressed upon their minds, they were enabled to get out that great instrument of liberty which guarantees to this great nation today civil, political and religious rights.

Our enemies would try to frighten us, by representing before the Congress of the United States there is a union among those Latter-day Saints, and that all vote one way. Supposing we admit this to be true, ought not Congress to rejoice exceedingly to think that there is one portion of the people under the flag of this great and glorious republic, that have strength of mind sufficient to be united on politics. I presume the Republican party of our government, that has some hundreds of thousands united with them, rejoice exceedingly to think that they have as much union among them as they have; and it is their constant labor and study to use and devise every means in their power to maintain and, if possible, increase this union. And so we intend to use every lawful (not unlawful) means in our power to keep the people united upon one platform, religiously and politically, and also in every other position in which we may be placed.

Remember the parable I have read in your hearing, which was printed in the Book of Mormon, before we had on existence as a Church. The servants labored in the vineyard with their mights. What for? To prune up the trees, to graft them into their proper place, that they may bring forth that fruit which was most precious to the Lord from the beginning and the fruit become like unto one body. And the roots and the top thereof were equal. And the blessings of the Most High began to be made manifest upon the fruits of the vineyard, and they began to grow and extend themselves, their branches spreading upon the face of the whole earth. What will be the final result of all this? I will answer in the words of Daniel the prophet: “I beheld until the kingdom, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven was given unto the Saints of the Most High.” And what became of the other kingdoms, empires, republics and governments, generally instituted by men? I will again answer you in the words of the same prophet: “They became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors, and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them.” Amen.