Remarks by President Brigham Young, made in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, April 6, 1861.

We have always had larger congregations on such occasions as this than we have had buildings to accommodate; and had it not been that I requested the brethren of the city to tarry at home, so as to give room to these who should come from a distance, the house would have been crowded to overflowing, and there would have been a large congregation outside. I do not know that, this side of the day of rest that we are looking for, we shall ever have a building large enough to accommodate our congregations. When we have overcome the enemy to righteousness and have a thousand years to work unmolested, I think that we then can build a room that will contain as many people as can hear the speaker’s voice. We have the privilege, it is true, of assembling in the open air, where most of our Conferences have been held.

We now enjoy the anniversary of our General Conference. The Church is thirty-one years old today. It seems but a short time—but a few days, since there were only six mem– bers in this Church. It seems but a short time since I desired most fervently to see someone who was a foreigner baptized into this Church. I well remember how anxious I was that an English preacher belonging to the Independents, and with whom I was acquainted, should come into the Church, that he could go to his native land and preach the Gospel there. What were the feelings of the few, thirty-one years ago today?

Brother Kimball observed in his remarks, that he could recollect the history of this Church from its beginning, and understood the persecutions against this people. The Book of Mormon was translated near where we then resided, as we might say, in our own neighborhood. It was translated about as far from where brother Kimball then lived as it is from here to Little Cottonwood; and where Joseph first discovered the plates was about as far from where I then lived as it is from here to Provo. Here we would have considered the discoverer of those plates and the translator of the Book of Mormon as one of our neighbors. We are in the habit here of traveling more frequently and further than we were there. From the time that Joseph had his first revelation, in the neighborhood where brother Kimball and I then lived, appears but a few days. Since then this people have passed through, experienced, and learned a great deal.

If there is a person in the midst of the Latter-day Saints—one who has named the name of Christ as a Latter-day Saint, that can ask for any more literal testimony than we have, I do not know what he would ask. He might wish to see some person that had power to bring fire down from heaven. Should such a person appear, the exercise of that power would by no means prove that he was a messenger of salvation. Or suppose that I should see a man capable of raising the dead every hour in a day, could I merely for that believe he was sent of God? No. Some may think it strange, but should I see a man come along here and cast his cane on the floor, and it became a serpent and ran out of the door, would I anymore believe that man to be sent of God? No, I would not. Were I to see a person fill the air with living creatures, turn the dust into life, or the river Jordan into blood, do you suppose I would any more for that consider that man sent of God? Not in the least. There is but one witness—one testimony, pertaining to the evidence of the Gospel of the Son of God, and that is the Spirit that he diffused among his disciples. Do his will, and we shall know whether he speaks by the authority of the Father or of himself. Do as he commands us to do, and we shall know of the doctrine, whether it is of God or not. It is only by the revelations of the Spirit that we can know the things of God.

Suppose that we should see a man capable of raising the dead and he should say, “Consequently, I ought to be the leader of the Church—the legitimate heir that God has appointed to perform his work in the last days,” would I for that believe him? No. I have never seen the day, since I arrived at the years of discretion, when it would have made any difference in my feelings. Almost one of the first things I read in the Bible was that Saul, in his darkness and unbelief, called on the Witch of Endor for a revelation, and she had power to raise Samuel from the dead. What proof was that that she was a Saint of God? If the people want anymore witness than they have, I do not know what they would call for. Seek for the Spirit of Truth, and that will bring all things to your remembrance that Jesus spake and performed—all that has been, is, and that which is to come, so far as may be necessary. That is the Spirit by which Joseph spoke.

I am thankful that we live to see this day, and have the privilege of assembling ourselves in these valleys. We are not now mingling in the turmoils of strife, warring, and contention, that we would have been obliged to have mingled in, had not the Lord suffered us to have been driven to these mountains—one of the greatest blessings that could have been visited upon us. It has been designed for many generations to hide up the Saints in the last days until the indignation of the Almighty be over. His wrath will be poured out upon the nations of the earth. We see the nations steadily driving along to the precipice. The Lord has spoken from the heavens, and he is about to fulfil the prophecies of his ancient and modern Prophets. He will bring the nations into judgment, and deal with them and make a full end of them. Do you wish to see it done today? Are you prepared for the crisis that will eventually come? No.

I have frequently thought upon the preparation that is necessary. Suppose the word should come, “Return and build up the Center Stake of Zion,” are we ready for it? No. I have often alluded to our mechanics. We have not a mechanic that would know how to lay the first stone for the foundation of the wall around the New Jerusalem, to say nothing about the temples of our God. Are you prepared for the day of vengeance to come, when the Lord will consume the wicked by the brightness of his coming? No. Then do not be too anxious for the Lord to hasten his work. Let our anxiety be centered upon this one thing, the sanctification of our own hearts, the purifying of our own affections, the preparing of ourselves for the approach of the events that are hastening upon us. This should be our concern, this should be our study, this should be our daily prayer, and not to be in a hurry to see the overthrow of the wicked. Be careful; for if they were all to be overthrown at once, how many would there be left that are called Saints? Not as many as I would have remain. We are prepared for the day that is approaching: let us then prepare ourselves for the presence of our Master—for the coming of the Son of Man. The wicked and the ungodly are preparing for their own utter overthrow, and the nation in which we live is doing so as fast as the wheels of time can roll, and ere long sudden destruction will come upon them. Seek not to hasten it, but be satisfied to let the Lord have his own time and way, and be patient. Seek to have the Spirit of Christ, that we may wait patiently the time of the Lord, and prepare ourselves for the times that are coming. This is our duty.

We are blessed in these mountains. This is the best place on the earth for the Latter-day Saints. Search the history of all the nations, and every geographical position on the face of the earth, and you cannot find another situation so well adapted for the Saints as are these mountains. Here is the place in which the Lord designed to hide his people. Be thankful for it; be true to your covenants; be faithful, each and every one. How frequently we hear from each other, “Be ready to receive the truth. If it is contrary to our feelings—let it be ever so opposite to our own feelings or affections—receive the words of counsel from those who are appointed to lead us.” How my heart longs to see the brethren and sisters in a condition that when the words of truth and virtue—righteous words of counsel—are poured upon them, they will meet like drops of water meeting each other. How I long to see the brethren, when they hear the words of truth poured upon them, ready to receive those words because they are perfectly congenial to their feelings, and every soul exclaim, “Those words savor of the Spirit that is in me; they are my delight, my meat, and my drink; they are the streams of eternal life. How congenial they are, instead of their being contrary to my feelings.”

If I or any other man give counsel that meets with opposition, that intrudes upon the affections, meditations, and feelings of the people, and is harsh to their ears, bitter to their souls, it is either not the words of truth, or they have not the fountain of life within them, one of the two. If the Lord speaks from the heavens, reveals his will, and it comes in contact with our feelings and notions of things, or with our judgments, we are destitute of that fountain of truth which we should possess. If our hearts are filled with the Spirit of truth, with the Spirit of the Lord, no matter what the true words from heaven are, when God speaks, all his subjects shout “Hallelujah! Praise God! We are ready to receive those words, for they are true.”

Much has been said in regard to the Government in which we live. We say that it is the best form of human government upon the earth. The laws and institutions are good, but how can a republican government stand? Did you ever ask yourselves this question? I wonder whether our great men of the nation have ever asked themselves this question. The heads of different departments—governors, judges, cabinet officers, senators, representatives, presidents—I wonder whether they ever ask themselves the question, “How can a republican government stand?” There is only one way for it to stand. It can endure; but how? It can endure, as the government of heaven endures, upon the eternal rock of truth and virtue; and that is the only basis upon which any government can endure. Let the people become corrupt, let them begin to deceive each other, and they will all deceive themselves, as our Government has. When we made application to the General Government for a restoration of our property and rights in Missouri, if Martin Van Buren had said, “Yes, I will restore your lands to you, and will defend you in the possession of your rights, if I have power; and if I have not, my name shall not remain as President of the United States,” he could have reinstated us in our rights. A few words from the General Government to the Government of Missouri would have restored to us our lands and stayed the operations of the mob. If Van Buren had said, “Be still, or I will chasten you and keep sacred the oath of my office,” we should not have been mobbed, and the nation would not have been as it is today.

Our present President, what is his strength? It is like a rope of sand, or like a rope made of water. He is as weak as water. What can he do? Very little. Has he power to execute the laws? No. I am an American-born citizen—born under the Green Mountains in Vermont, from whose summits you can look down upon the Atlantic States; and I feel chagrined and mortified when I reflect upon the condition of my nation. Of late, at times, I have almost wished that I had been born in a foreign nation. I feel disgraced in having been born under a government that has so little power, disposition, and influence for truth and right; but I cannot help it. What is the cause of their weakness and imbecility? They have left the paths of truth and virtue, they have joined themselves to falsehood, they have made lies their refuge, they have turned aside the innocent from their rights, and justified the iniquitous doers. They have justified thieving and lying and every species of debauchery; they have fostered those who have purloined money out of the public treasury—those who have plundered the coffers of the people, and have said, “Let it be so; you secrete my faults, you assist me to plunder and deceive, and I am with you to cover up your iniquity.” Shame, shame on the rulers of the nation! I feel myself disgraced to hail such men as my countrymen, though I think I shall live through it. I will endure it as well as I can; but the corruption, the iniquity, and the deception of men in high places no man can tell.

I have previously related one little circumstance, which occurred not long ago, illustrative of the mode in which payment of claims against the Government is sometimes secured. A certain gentleman had attended many sessions of Congress, trying to get payment of a claim due to widows and orphans; but could not. In a short time, the claim was adjusted. Brother George A. Smith, when in Washington, saw a gentleman who had been years in endeavoring to get a claim allowed and paid; one thousand dollars more to grease the wheels, and through it went—the claim was paid. We have long been trying to get our claims paid for expenditures in quelling Indian disturbances in 1853. When the appropriation had reached the last move to be made, it could not go. “What is the matter?” “Somebody is throwing sand on the axletree, and the wheel is stuck.” “What must be done?” “Thirteen hundred dollars must grease it.” It then moved through—the appropriation was made. It is so all the time—every day. These instances are comparatively of little moment, and I merely allude to them to show how minutely corruption prevails where justice should exist.

These corruptions flow very naturally from the indebtedness contracted to attain power. In elections, the successful become indebted to their friends; and they promise them the patronage of the President, that they shall be sent as a minister to such or such a country, or be appointed a judge here or there, or a governor yonder. They cannot obtain their election without paying largely for it, both in promises and money; and to recover the means, they must either become thieves or repudiate their debts. “Such a one owes me so much for contributing to his election, and he will not pay me.” It often happens that he cannot, unless he steals it.

The whole Government is gone; it is as weak as water. I heard Joseph Smith say, nearly thirty years ago, “They shall have mobbing to their heart’s content, if they do not redress the wrongs of the Latter-day Saints.” Mobs will not decrease, but will increase until the whole Government becomes a mob, and eventually it will be State against State, city against city, neighborhood against neighborhood, Methodists against Methodists, and so on. Probably you remember reading, not a week ago, an account of a Conference being held in Baltimore, in the course of which they seceded from their fellow churches in the free States. It will be the same with other denominations of professing Christians, and it will be Christian against Christian, and man against man; and those who will not take up the sword against their neighbors must flee to Zion.

Where is Zion? Let us be prepared to receive the honorable men of the earth—those who are good. Are there any good people among them? Yes, hundreds and thousands and thousands right in our Government, rotten as it is; but they are so priest-ridden that they have no mind of their own—they have not strength and fortitude. And I ask you, and I can appeal to your own experience, place any of us back in the midst of our old neighbors, would it not be hard to break out and say, “We are Latter-day Saints and followers of Joseph Smith; we believe ‘Mormonism:’ good bye?” There are hundreds and thousands in this situation in the States, who desire to see truth, righteousness, and right prevail; but they have not strength and power of mind to break loose and say, “We will be for God and none else.” They follow the customs of their fathers, and more or less cling to the faith and religion of their fathers. They are bound down with priestcraft. I look forward to the days when their bands will be broken. I pray this people to do right. Purify yourselves, sanctify yourselves, and prepare to receive those persons into everlasting habitations. It is time to close our forenoon meeting. This afternoon, probably, we will take up the business of the Conference, and continue our meeting; and when we are through and wish to adjourn, we will do so. We all feel like praying for the prosperity of the kingdom. The whole body is continually seeking the welfare of each individual part. The eye wishes the foot well, the foot wishes the head well, and will walk to get food for the head and stomach, and they are united, and we shall become more and more united. And I pray that the Lord will pour out his grace on his sons and daughters, and I pray the Saints to improve upon it until we are sanctified. God bless you! Amen.

Remarks by President Heber C. Kimball, made in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, April 6, 1861.

I am glad to see you, and the feelings within me are God bless you, peace be multiplied upon the Saints; and those that are not Saints, may they be blessed with that which they love to that degree that they cannot stay in this land. (A voice in the stand—“And I say amen.”)

I do respect and love good men and women. It has been natural to me all the days of my life to do this; and the more of the Good Spirit that dwells in a man, the more that love of those that are good accumulates in him. I often speak by figures, and so did Jesus in his day. He said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” Again, he says, “If a man abideth not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and they are cast into the fire, and they are burned.” When a branch withers and dies, the avenues of the sap and nourishment from the root is cut off, and the branch is cut off after it ceases to live and draw nourishment from the roots.

No branch is cut off from the tree while it is bearing fruit and cleaves to the tree. We cleave to the vine by our works of righteousness, and by our works of unrighteousness we become dead and unfruitful; then it is necessary that the unfruitful branch should be taken away, and another branch that is more fruitful should be grafted in. We should all be one, like unto a tree, and receive intelligence from heaven as the tree receives its nourishment from the roots.

My prayer is from time to time, Father, baptize the Presidency into one spirit, and let them partake of the same element; and then, Father, baptize the Twelve, and the Seventies, and every officer in the Church and kingdom of God, and also every Branch connected to them, that we may all be baptized into one spirit; then we need not fear earth or hell.

Brother Wells was speaking of the extension of our settlements, that every inch of ground that is consecrated to God and the use of his Saints is redeemed from the power of Satan. That is verily true; and when the people of our settlements act like one man in all things that are revealed unto them, it will truly be so. But I presume, brethren, you will find many devils in all these places; and they will be there until they are cast into hell with all those that forget God and turn away from him. It is for us to keep them out of our own bodies. If we do that, they will not trouble us much. Resist the Devil, and the Scripture says he will flee from you; that is, he will stand back a little until he can get a better chance at some future time to make an attack upon you. That it is his business, and it is ours to avoid him and keep him far from us. Our calling is to do right, and to teach righteousness and virtue, industry and economy, that we may gain power over the world, over the flesh, and over the Devil, and over all that is combined to overthrow this work. Do you think they will overthrow it? They may overthrow many of you, but they will never overthrow this Church while the world stands. But when a man loses that Good Spirit, he looks upon this work as the world look upon it. He sees no beauty in it; he is opposed to it in his heart.

As for the condition of the nations that brother Wells has been speaking of, we shall never secede from the Constitution of the United States. We shall not stop on the way of progress, but we shall make preparations for future events. The South will secede from the North, and the North will secede from us, and God will make this people free as fast as we are able to bear it. They send their poor miserable creatures here to rule us. Why, it would be upon the same principle that this Church and authority should send some poor curse to rule me and my family in my own house. We need good men that are capable of ruling us, and we have them in our midst. Take any man there is here, and I would rather have him come and rule me and this people than have any of those poor creatures that come here. What do they know? Nothing, only to come here and undertake to lead this people astray and pollute them. They would pollute everyone, if they had the power, or everyone that would yield to them. We have to submit to this, and to bear it with patience. But let me tell you, the yoke is now off our neck, and it is on theirs, and the bow key is in.

The day is not far distant when you will see us as free as the air we breathe, and we will be ruled by those men whom God Almighty appoints. I live above the law, and I am above them, and mean to keep so by doing right, as the Lord requires us through those who dictate and lead us.

President Young is our leader, and has been all the time since the death of Joseph Smith the Prophet. He can govern this people with his hands in his pockets, and they are not governed one whit by the men that are sent here. I want to tell it, and I want they should know I tell it. We are going to be ruled by our Father in heaven, and the agents he sends and appoints for us, from this day henceforth and forever.

Let us all go to work and culti– vate the earth, beautify and adorn it with trees and shrubs and plants that never die. Let us preserve and sustain, and make ourselves independent both for clothing and for food, and also for herds and flocks; and we will be free, and our enemies will not trouble us much more. I am a witness to what the nation has done to the people of the Saints for thirty years past. They have killed some of the best men that ever lived, and the whole nation sanctioned it, thinking they had got rid of the worst men that ever were upon the earth. I know this to be true. They now look upon President Young as they looked upon Joseph Smith as one of the greatest curses that could come upon the earth. They have driven us, robbed and plundered us; and when we sought for redress, they said our cause was just, but they could do nothing for us. Let a man come into my house or into yours, and serve us as the United States have served this people, and would there not be a scrambling? We would soon decide whether the cause was just or not. I can do it in a family capacity; but Territories and States have not got as much governing power as a man ought to have in his family. I do not wish to say any more at this time. Amen.

Remarks by Elder George A. Smith, made in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, April 6, 1861.

I arise before you to offer a few remarks, and to preach from a text. I do not know that you will find it recorded in any particular volume, and it is not exactly possible for me to tell the chapter and verse, but it will be found in the Gospel according to Saint Brigham—Sectarian religion, sectarian God, and the democracy of our country compared together.

We find in the Methodist discipline that the God worshipped by John Wesley’s followers was a very singular being, without body or parts. In the platforms of the Presbyterians, Baptists, and other denominations, it is declared that he has neither body, parts, nor passions. This is John Knox’s old platform. I never was very much posted in these systems of piety, but I remember, when quite young, looking at the book containing the articles of their faith, and wondering what sort of a being it was that had neither body, parts, nor passions, and I might perhaps, with propriety, add principles or power.

Lindley Murray says a substantive is the name of anything that exists; but if a being had no body, parts, or passions, its existence could only be imaginary. I suppose it would be a noun, but not really a substantive. I understand a substantive, according to Kirkham, to be the name of a substance.

The God that Moses saw wrote with his finger upon the tables of stone. (See Ex., ch. 31, v. 18.) The God that Jacob saw walked with him. Jacob was, no doubt, an expert wrestler, and in the habit of throwing anybody that came along (See Genesis, chap. 32). He was wandering about one night, and met a stranger, with whom he wrestled all night; and when he found he could not throw him, he said, You are something more than a man, or I could throw you. But I will not let thee go, except thou bless me; for thou art more than mortal, or I could throw thee. And Jacob said, I will call the name of the place Peniel, for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. The God with whom Jacob wrestled had some body and some parts. I need not go to investigate this subject, only to say that the God worshipped by the sectarian world is not the being that wrestled with Jacob.

We also learn from the old book that the Lord created man in his own image and in his express likeness. Man possesses body and parts: the result is, he is a being in the express image of the Father. The Father of the God that the sectarians worship is not the being who created man. But this imaginary deity, or myth of nothing at all, whose center is said to be everywhere, and whose circumference is nowhere (I have heard it described in that language), which is worshipped by the sectarian world, can simply be expressed by using the words of the Methodist discipline and the creeds generally, and with the addition of two or three other words, without body, parts, or passions; then add principles or power. What is the result of worshipping such a being? It is a most indescribable religious confusion—a confusion that our language is inadequate to express. One of the old Prophets says—“Woe to the multitude of many people, that make a noise.”

I once went to a Methodist camp meeting, and heard some thousands of men and women praying, shouting, screeching all at once. At that time I looked round, and thought of the words of the Prophet—“Woe to the multitude of many people, that make a noise like the noise of a sea.” It was like a perfect bedlam of confusion. About midnight I got tired of the noise, and thought I would go away. I had tied my horse about a quarter of a mile from the camp. When I went to get him, he had broke the girth of the saddle, drawn the halter so tightly that I had to cut it and to lead him some distance before I could quiet him so as to ride him.

This will give you an idea of the confusion that can be created by a thousand voices in the extreme of enthusiasm and confusion of a Methodist camp meeting. The different sects differ about almost everything that pertains to their religion.

Harper’s Magazine tells the following story—

“A Mormon Elder from Salt Lake, by the name of Randall, not many years ago, while on a visit to his friends in the State of Ohio, was requested to attend a Campbellite meeting—a society to which his relatives belonged. He went, and listened to an eloquent discourse. The preacher was more charitable than many of the clergy of other denominations; and, in the course of his remarks, said that each denomination or branch of the church formed a link in the chain with which Satan will be bound, and thus usher in the reign of peace. After the sermon was ended, many of the brethren expressed their approbation of the discourse, and bore testimony to the truth of what the preacher had said. Finally, the friends of the Mormon Elder requested him to speak. He hesitated. But, after much solicitation, he arose and said—“I believe what your preacher has said in regard to the different denominations—that they each form a link in the chain with which Satan will be bound; and when bound, both Satan and chain will be cast into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, according to the testimony of John the Revelator;” and sat down. He was not called on again.

But now for the second part of my text—the Democracy of our country. I was reading the remarks of a gentleman, who was insisting that the young men of our country should learn to spout—that is, to make a speech on politics, and be prepared to take the stump. A gentleman commenting on it says gold will ruin the country and destroy the Union. The people being the government, having no recognized head, and having to express itself through the belly, if you please, it takes a long time; and by the time the sentiment comes to the head, it is so confused and divided that the fact is, it would have you to suppose that the greater portion of the brains were in the boots! Read the proceedings of Congress for the last year, and you will see one constant stew. Every man that could get the opportunity would get up and pronounce a solemn speech, or have it printed at the public expense—at any rate, to send home to his constituents, to let them know that he did or must say something to prevent the dissolution of the Union, without ever reflecting upon or seeing the real cause of the difficulty. It is a species of maddening fury that rolls along like the waves of the sea—a kind of universal confusion. Take, for instance, those who have been the most devoted to the Constitution of the United States, and they, like the ancients who shouted “Great is the goddess Diana of the Ephesians!” would shout “Great is the Constitution!” “A great and glorious thing is the Union!” And every step they would take, every single effort they would make, would be to tread on the rights of others. What is the matter? What causes all this confusion? Why, those men who are placed in authority, from the President down, looked silently on, and saw the laws trampled underfoot, the Constitution violated, the rights of the innocent trifled with, the blood of innocence poured upon the ground like water, and the little insignificant body of people, the “damned Mormons,” as they pleased to call them, driven from their homes into the wilderness, and so peace was taken from their midst. Suppose you get the Christians now together and fetch them up here, and ask them to tell us which is the pure religion. Take, say a dozen of the leading sects, and let each one tell us which is the pure religion of Jesus Christ, and they would get up such a quarrel, such a confusion, such a hubbub, that it would be impossible to tell anything about it. Go to work and gather up the different factions of our country, politically, and let them undertake to tell what the matter is, and it would only have a tendency to show a specimen of that ignorance, stupidity, weakness, and universal confusion which reigns throughout the land. When the Latter-day Saints were driven from Jackson County, in 1833, Joseph Smith prophesied that if the people of the United States would not bring to justice that mob and protect the Saints, they should have mob upon mob, mob upon mob, until mob and power and mob rule should be all over the whole land, until no man’s life or property should be safe. This prophecy is being literally fulfilled.

The laws of the country are trampled upon with impunity, and there is nothing but a general and universal mob rule. There is really a combination of corruption which exceeds anything which the world has witnessed for generations.

Take, for instance, the officers of the army; go into any little detachment of the army, and they get together in solemn conclave, and condemn a whole lot of provisions—sell them for a mere trifle. Some of them will buy them in again, and pay twenty times as much as they sold for, and thus bleed Uncle Sam. Such men are in office every year. Men in office think it a fine thing to swindle the Government, which is only a miserable goose for them to pluck.

Now I will put the text together. The religious and political organizations of the country. Abe Lincoln, the present President of the United States, that was—at any rate he occupies the seat and claims the title, and presides over a portion of the Union at Washington in name—this man is the representative of the religious enthusiasm of the country. For the last thirty years there has been a constant stirring up and firm exertion on the part of the North to get up a crusade against slavery—to make the men who live in the Southern States turn over their slaves.

I was raised in the State of New York, and recollect the early movements in this matter. At that time a great many men held slaves. We drove our slaves to Virginia and sold them for the money, and got full pay. We immediately began to feel sorry for them, and began to feel that it was very wicked to keep negroes, seeing we had got the money for ours. Our State was free from slavery, and we desired all the Virginians to turn their negroes loose. We grew more and more conscientious about it. The pulpit took the lead—the Sunday schools and every other religious influence that could be brought to bear. Mr. Lincoln now is put into power by that priestly influence; and the presumption is, should he not find his hands full by the secession of the Southern States, the spirit of priestcraft would force him, in spite of his good wishes and intentions, to put to death, if it was in his power, every man that believes in the divine mission of Joseph Smith, or that bears testimony of the doctrines he preached.

There is no spirit more intolerant, cruel, and devilish than a spirit of religious persecution. It carries its cruelties to a greater extent; and when the civil authority becomes mingled with the religious, and that power is united, and the sword is placed in their hands, it is the most bloody weapon that was ever wielded. Infidelity is almost harmless, compared with it. The bloodthirsty power that has been exercised under such influence exceeds anything that history records. It is a union—a combination of civil and religious power in the hands of corrupt men, and that brought to bear, and turned loose upon us, with a determination to annihilate every Latter-day Saint. But God is our shield and our protector.

It was this influence that brought us trouble during the administration of Mr. Buchanan.

The Republican organs whipped Mr. Buchanan into the Utah war, and they then whipped him for getting into it; and they whipped him until he got out of it the best way he could, and then they whipped him awfully for getting out. They meant to keep him there until the work of destruction was done. But, thank the Lord, the Latter-day Saints yet live, and yet have an influence, and they are yet felt.

Now, brethren, this is the word of the Lord. And that contention which exists throughout the country, and which by its actual division is rendered powerless to injure us, is really our protection; God uses it to protect us. He has said, “The wicked shall slay the wicked.” The time shall come when the vengeance of the Almighty will fall upon the heads of those that have persecuted, slain, driven, and rejoiced over the destruction and affliction of the Saints. I know that this is the work of the Lord Almighty. I bear my testimony to it. And I say that if we were as we ought to be, if we would listen to the counsel of President Young as we ought to do, if we would obey his instructions as we ought to obey them, we should be the wealthiest people upon the face of the earth. I suppose, however, so far as the necessaries of life are concerned, we are so now. I presume you cannot find a community throughout the United States as large as ours but what the present distress, growing out of the present financial panic, from political disorganization, the failure of men to pay their debts, the refusal of the South to continue in the Union—among these influences you cannot find a community so large as this but what would be more or less actually in a state of suffering for want of bread. There is no Latter-day Saint in these mountains but what can get good bread, and eat that which is good and wholesome. Hence, I may say, we are the richest people; and if we had listened as we ought to have done for the last four years to the counsel of the Presidency, we should have possessed millions of property which we do not now. The fear there is in the breasts of many that the Presidency will exercise an influence over their business affairs, that would not give them as good a chance as they ought to have, has been all the while a plan to entangle our own feet, and has caused us to grope like blind men in the dark, and scramble for the picayunes when we might as well have picked up the eagles. I have been sorry for this. I know that a wise head to guide us in our movements in our different settlements—to tell us what we should cultivate, what kind of things we should improve in, and the advantages to be taken of the climate and productions of our several localities, and the way we should exercise our labor to produce the necessaries of life, is of vast importance to us. We have our brethren scattered all over the world, far and near, and many of them have been struggling for years to come to Zion. We should be awake while we are here, and try to release them from their bondage, for ere long the terrible storm will break loose; every man’s hand will be let loose upon his neighbor, and blood and distress, turmoil, sorrow, misery, war, and destruction will sweep the whole face of the earth as with the besom of destruction.

Let us, then, exert ourselves to deliver our brethren, that they may flee from the old barn like rats from a building on fire, and escape in time, and escape unhurt. Be wide awake and diligent in these things; and, when we are called upon to go after the poor, regard it as a most important mission. I do not want to bread. There is no Latter-day Saint go as teamsters, select some that are of no account. If you send out a team round which you expect to have gathered fifteen or twenty Saints to cross the Plains, send a man that will be a father to them, and teach them righteousness, and inspire them with good sentiments and exalted feelings. And you that go on such missions, remember you are sent to bring home the sheaves: therefore take care of them; strengthen and encourage them in regard to the things they should do and understand; stir up in their hearts a spirit of obedience, and they will come in here with the light of the Spirit of the Lord burning brightly within them, that their passage over the Plains may be a school to them of principle and doctrine and truth, that they may inherit all the blessings that are in store for them—blessings that will endure forever.

I believe I have got entirely from my text. Excuse me, and may the Lord bless you. Amen.

Remarks by Elder John Taylor, made in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, April 6, 1861.

We have got through presenting the various Quorums comprising the authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It has seemed to be a little difficult to get some of the names right, and also to get them in their proper places; but we have now got them straight, and I believe there has been a unanimous feeling to sustain all those officers presented in their respective positions.

The question very naturally occurs to me, Would there be the same unanimity of feeling in sustaining the same number of officers anywhere else in the world? I do not think there would. In fact, I know there would not. There is a principle of union with us: at least, in outside show we are united; and in our actions, to a certain extent, far more so than any other people; for other communities cannot even be persuaded to vote alike. If there are those among us that feel a little crossways, thinking that some other way might be better; yet there is so much of the feeling to the contrary that the opposition is readily brought to acquiesce in the popular vote, whether they really feel so or not; but they generally feel like it. But still there is a lesson that we have been learning that none of us are perfect in. Our judgment is not perfect; and as we are not perfect in our sphere, we need not expect to find others perfect in theirs; and as we are not perfect ourselves, we may have need to come to the throne of mercy and ask for wisdom and support, and we can come to the Lord with faith and full assurance. If we have need to come to the Lord, so have you. Be careful, then, how you judge. We can say to all, With what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure, ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

In regard to our criticism on the acts of public men, whatever we may feel in regard to their acts, it is best to let it be laid aside for the general good of all; or, in other words, we do not think, or should not think, we are the smartest men in the world. It appears natural to us to think that we are as competent to judge as anybody else, and yet we think that those who dictate matters ought to have the Spirit of the Lord to guide them, and consequently yield our judgment to theirs, and we strive to carry out the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our actions. We do it to a great extent, but not so fully as we might do. It is all voluntary on the part of the people; but generally, out of respect to the superior intelligence of those that are associated with the dictation of affairs, we act with them. Although we may feel an uncertainty in regard to the views of some, yet with those feelings we act in unison to a certain extent, and we yield to the judgment of the majority, and to that of those whose right it is to nominate and dictate in the kingdom of God.

So far, then, as we have made progress in those things, so far have we advanced in the knowledge of the Gospel of Christ, and so far have we become strong and powerful as a people upon the earth.

There is a little difference between our principles, or, I should say, the principles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and what are called democratic principles. Democracy governs by the people alone; and, as was stated this morning, where the people are pure and living under the influence of correct principles, and are seeking to do right, it is one of the best governments on the earth. But where the people are wicked and corrupt, that alters the case very materially. It is not with us as it is with democracy. We do not believe that any people are capable of governing themselves. There is no need of entering into an argument upon the matter before this congregation; but it is my opinion that there are no people under the heavens that now exist, nor are there any that ever did exist, that are capable of governing themselves.

There have been a variety of governments on the earth, and very powerful ones too have existed in different ages of the world. Those governments have generally been established and maintained by force of arms—by power. Thus many submit to the few, and the majority have had very little to say in the matter. We have generally been in the habit of supposing that our republican institutions are the most perfect of anything that can exist among men—the ne plus ultra of human government; and hence we have had a very favorite motto ready always upon our tongue’s end—Vox populi, vox Dei. I do not believe that the voice of the people is the voice of God, but would ask, Is it the Northern or Southern States that are governed by the Almighty? We have one of the best human Governments upon the earth governed by the voice of the people, and yet we are divided, torn asunder, and confused, and appear to be on the eve of having two governments, and both republican in their form; but which of them is governed by God? Neither of them have anything to do with the Lord. They are not under his guidance or direction, and without his dictation it is impossible to govern correctly. The principles of human government, as now practiced, are wrong; for what man knows the things of God? What human wisdom can dictate to the inhabitants of a world? Human governments have always been fluctuating and changeable. They have their rise, their progress, and fall, and have always contained within themselves the elements of their own destruction. The proper mode of government is this—God first speaks, and then the people have their action. It is for them to say whether they will have his dictation or not. They are free: they are independent under God. The government of God is not a species of priestcraft, after the order of the Church of Rome, where one man dictates and everybody obeys without having a voice in it. We have our voice and agency, and act with the most perfect freedom; still we believe there is a correct order—some wisdom and knowledge somewhere that is superior to ours: that wisdom and knowledge proceeds from God through the medium of the holy Priesthood. We believe that no man or set of men, of their own wisdom and by their own talents, are capable of governing the human family aright.

These are our opinions. We believe that it requires the same wisdom that governs the planetary system, that produces seed time and harvest, day and night, that organized our system, and that implanted intelligence in finite man—that it needs the same intelligence to govern men and promote their happiness upon the earth that it does to control and keep in order the heavenly bodies; and we believe that that cannot be found with man independently. It is a principle that exists with God, and he will not confer it upon the wicked and ungodly, neither will he sustain those that trample under foot his authority and his laws. Hence he has organized his kingdom with the express intention of governing his children himself according to the wisdom that dwells with him, through the medium that he has appointed; and hence, having appointed a medium, he brings it before the people, that they may have an opportunity of expressing their sentiments. Then, if they do not like the method which he has adopted, or any plans that he may introduce—if they do not like his officers, they have a voice in it, and can say so. There is no man or government under the heavens that has so strict a scrutiny as we have in the Church of Jesus Christ. All the authorities of this Church have to be acted for twice a year by all the Saints throughout all the world. This is very rigid sentry, more searching than that of our democratic rulers; but these men with whom we associate in the kingdom of God do not take it upon themselves alone to dictate and regulate these important matters pertaining to the kingdom of God and the salvation of man, because they do not consider they have got the intelligence. Hence my remarks so far, and hence the course of procedure pursued today in the presentation of the authorities of the Church in bringing all leading matters before the people.

We can acquiesce generally in the guidance of the Lord, and with pleasure obey the dictation of his servants. Have we by doing this progressed in a knowledge of the law of God, and the rule and government of his kingdom upon the earth? If we have any intelligence, we shall show that we have learned a great and important lesson—one that we might have learned some time ago. But I will tell you what it is: When God dictates through the channel that he has placed upon the earth, he directs through the gift and power of the Holy Ghost, and this way manifests his will to those whose right it is to know it. In this way he makes known the things of his kingdom and the principles that are necessary to the salvation of the people. Then all the congregation lift up their hands as a token before God that they sanction what is presented, and then the voice of the people is the voice of God. He first dictates, and then we sustain his nomination. Thus we have the wisdom of God associated with the concurrence of man; and God being governed by the Spirit of truth, and the Saints possessing and being guided by the gift of the Holy Ghost, it is the voice of God and the voice of his people under his direction, and God and his people are one, as Jesus said—“I in them, and thou in me, that we all may be one.” This is the way we look at things, and by pursuing this course we have made great progress in the principles of eternal life, and all those things that devolve upon us to attend to.

What is it that we are after? Is it to revolutionize these States of America by force, by physical power, by the sword, and by treading underfoot their rights? No. Are we striving to overthrow the nations, and to put our feet upon the necks of men? No: we care but very little about them or their concerns. But is there not a kingdom that God should set up? Yes. Is not this the stone hewn out of the mountain without hands, that is to grow into a great kingdom and fill the whole earth? It is. Then how are you going to accomplish this great work? We answer, precisely as the Lord tells us. We have existed for thirty years, and we have used a great deal of our time and labor for the promotion of this kingdom. But have we at any time interfered with the rights of others? We have been outraged and abused in Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois; but whom have we interfered with? We are at the defiance of the world to point out a single instance. Have we attempted to overrun Texas or New Mexico—to trample underfoot the people of Nebraska and Kansas, and make everybody tremble and succumb by the power of the sword? Have we interfered with California, Oregon, or Washington Territory? No, we have not.

Then what have we done to cause people to be so jealous of us? Why, we have just let everybody else alone; we have preached peace and salvation, built up Zion, and proclaimed the kingdom of God. They would not, however, let us alone; but we could not help that. The very move that they have made and all the steps that we have taken have brought us before the nations, and manifested the power of God in a way that never could have been done otherwise. They may say what they will, but this is the result of it. We did not kill them when we had a chance. They came upon us and sought to destroy us, and why did they do this? It was because the Lord was with us. We could not help them doing as they did, and I suppose they could not resist the power that prompted them to do as they have done. However, it is all right; the hand of God is in it and has been from the beginning. Do we rejoice at the present time over the difficulties of our enemies in the States? No, we would be glad to do them good, if they would only let us; but they are unwilling to receive the truth.

Have we forsaken our covenants? Or have they violated the law in their treatment to us? It was shown very clearly this morning, by President Wells, that they hunted us like the wolves in the desert. They came with their armies fully bent on our destruction, but a barrier stood in the way. The Lord said; “Thus far shall you go, and no farther. You can now stop. You can shiver and shake out there in the mountains, during the cold, chilling blasts of a dreary winter; but touch not my anointed, and do my prophets no harm.”

They have now got the difficulties at home which they intended to create among us. We have not injured them—we have not hurt a hair of their heads, and we still feel willing to assist them. We feel willing to help to preserve the nation; and our Elders have traveled thousands of miles to bless the people. Yes, we feel to bless everybody; and what will we not do to benefit our fellow beings? Brethren, let us try to conquer ourselves. Let us try to understand our own position, to magnify our calling, that we may be prepared to act in that sphere in which God may call us to operate. The Lord has chosen his servants, he has lifted up his standard in Zion, he has proclaimed peace and happiness on earth, he has taught us how to live and how to die; the way is pointed out whereby we can obtain salvation in his kingdom. He has made manifest unto us his will, and we feel glad. We rejoice and sing Hallelujah! The Lord God omnipotent reigneth!

Brethren and sisters, we have a great mission to perform—we have to try to govern ourselves according to the laws of the kingdom of God, and we find it one of the most difficult tasks we ever undertook, to learn to govern ourselves, our appetites, our dispositions, our habits, our feelings, our lives, our spirits, our judgment, and to bring all our desires into subjection to the law of the kingdom of God and to the Spirit of truth. It is a very critical thing to be engaged in the upbuilding of the kingdom of God—a nucleus of which we have here.

Whatever good feelings we have originate from the Spirit of the Lord, and from the light and intelligence that come from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For all we owe our oblation of thanksgiving to the great Giver of all good.

We are assembled here from different nations, having a variety of prejudices, different kinds of education, having imbibed different feelings, notions, and ideas; and we have now come together to learn to bend our minds, to yield our opinions, and not to follow our own notions, not to cling to our peculiar whims and caprices, but to bow to the holy Priesthood, which is the rule of God upon the earth. You should understand that when you have been voting here to sustain the Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Twelve Apostles, the High Council, the Bishops, and other Quorums, you have been voting to sustain the legitimate and authorized officers of the Church and kingdom of God, whose right it is to rule and govern whenever and wherever the Almighty has a people upon the earth.

Now, then, brethren and sisters, do not go away from here, and run against those very parties whom you have covenanted to sustain; because, the very moment you do, every sensible man will set you down as hypocrites. You have a free opportunity here of manifesting your choice, and I will here say that so far you have manifested good sense in being united in regard to those principles we have to carry out. Let the principles of union and faith be observed at your homes; and if you are men having families, let there be a daily incense arise from your family altar, and let your constant and daily prayer be, “God bless the Presidency of the Church, God bless the Twelve, the Bishops, and all the constituted authorities of the Church, and the Lord give me wisdom to act according to their dictation, and the Lord bless all those that believe on their words.” Then there will be a feeling of union in all our small districts; and instead of its being, “Tom wants to do this, and Jim wants to do the other,” it will be, “I don’t want my way, but I want the mind and will of God. I want to know what my duty is, and then I will pray God to give me grace and power to do it.” This is the feeling of every good, intelligent, Latter-day Saint at the present time, who is seeking to do the will of God upon the earth. Never mind if somebody is trying to encroach; never mind about your independence and your rights.

I was talking to a man, the other day, who said—“I must have my rights.” I replied to him, “I have no rights only those that God gives me.” “But I have been imposed upon,” said the man. Well, what if you have? It is a great deal better than if you had imposed upon somebody else. Just say, “Why, that man don’t know any better; and if he can stand it, I can.”

These are our feelings in regard to rights. There was a time when I thought I had a great many rights of my own, but now I have got to understand that I have all the rights that God will give me, and I don’t want to have any more. I want to live in the light of his countenance, to ask him to give me his Spirit, and then I know I shall prosper. When you feel like talking about your rights, let me advise you to go into your closet, forget your imaginary rights, and ask the Lord to give you wisdom to guide you aright, that you may act before him as children of the light, and not be the means of throw– ing a stumbling block in the way of others. By pursuing this course, you will get along much easier, and there will not be near so much of that spirit of grumbling and complaining.

It would be first rate for many Latter-day Saints to consider the following sentiment of the poet—

Were half our time in reasoning spent, To heaven in supplication sent, Our cheerful songs would oftener be, Hear what the Lord has done for me.

I believe what he has done for me and for this people to be saving in its nature, and to be the best that could have been done for us. Let us all seek to do right, get the Spirit of the Lord, and allow that to govern and dictate us.

Suppose there are some who do not do exactly right in some places, what of that? There are many things that are not right. Never mind; everything that is wrong will in due time be righted. Permit me to bring a figure before you. A year ago last winter there was a very severe frost, and it injured the fruit trees. Some who professed to be judges thought it best to cut down the peach trees; some thought that if left alone they would still grow, and therefore they left them alone to see how many would live. There was quite a difference of opinion upon the subject, and some adopted one plan, and some another. The general impression was, I believe, that it would be best to cut off those limbs that were frostbitten and that did not appear to have much sap in them.

Now, my doctrine is, Prune the trees, or, in other words, the branches of the great tree to which we are connected, just at the time when it will do the least injury. It requires great wisdom, however, to prune and regulate the Church of Christ. There were a great many of our people got frostbitten—a kind of dead in their spirits, and some were for going right to work and pruning; but hold on. Said Jesus, “The wheat and tares must grow together until harvest.” Perhaps you would pull up the wheat with the tares, if you were to do it when you think best. If there is nothing good in a man, he will by-and-by develop the evil that is in him, and then everybody will agree that the pruning ought to be done, and the branch ought to be cut off; but if the good preponderates, it would be wrong because of prejudice or ignorance, to destroy the good. It is best to leave it to the husbandman, and then all the congregation will say Amen.

There are a great many things that might be spoken about to further illustrate this subject, but the same principle applies everywhere. For instance, there were two or three of us went up to Salt Creek a few days ago to attend to some business; and by the accounts given and the reports circulated, a stranger would have thought that we had got one of the most mean and contemptible of men for a Bishop: but when the matter came up for investigation, there was not one solitary charge that could be sustained; the man was innocent. Now, I would rather be found at some other business than to be finding fault with and accusing my brethren. If people would leave such things alone a little more than they do, and leave the management of them to the proper authorities, it would be better. Suppose a corrupt man is presiding in a certain place, his corruptions are soon known. People need not strive to turn good into evil because they think that some man does wrong. They need not turn calumniators and defamers, for all will come right in its turn. Then attend to your own business, work the works of righteousness, sustain the constituted authorities of the Church until God removes them, and he will do it in his own time. Bishops, be after such men as speak against the Lord’s anointed. The Priesthood is placed in the Church for this purpose, to dig, to plant, to nourish, to teach correct principles, and to develop the order of the kingdom of God, to fight the devils, and maintain and support the authorities of the Church of Christ upon the earth. It is our duty all to act together to form one great unit—one great united phalanx, having sworn allegiance to the kingdom of God; then everything will move on quietly, peaceably, and easily, and then there will be very little trouble. I never want to interfere with anybody else’s business: I always find enough to attend to of my own.

There was a man came to me, a short time ago, and wanted me to do something about a decision of a High Council. I told him I would have nothing to do with it. It was presumable to me that they had done right—that twelve disinterested men were more likely to judge correctly than one man who was evidently interested. I did not want to be entangled in affairs that did not belong to me. I like people to attend to their own affairs.

Am I an Apostle? I would like to magnify my calling. Am I an Elder, a Bishop, a Priest, a Teacher? If I am, I would like to magnify my calling, that I might secure the honor and glory of God, and promote the welfare of his kingdom, and be a coworker in the establishment of the principles of righteousness, and become a blessing to my neighborhood. What do we see our President at? Is he sitting down at ease, allowing the time to pass unimproved? No: he is stimulating us to good works. He is saying to the Elders, Go forth and preach the Gospel, gather the poor, send out your teams and your young men, and thus show that you can do something for the gathering of scattered Israel. Get the Spirit of life, power, and energy within you, that you may be able to do something to make you feel fit to hold the Priesthood of the Most High God. The poor Saints are watching you, the First Presidency and other authorities are watching you, and they are watching with Argus’ eyes over the interests of the Church and kingdom of God.

Where does this spirit come from? It comes from the Lord. Where does it flow to? It finds access to every man that has the spirit of honesty within him; and hence when the teachings come, “Send your wagons, go here, go there,” the reply is, “Yes,” we are all one in the Church of Christ; we have dedicated ourselves, spirit and body, to the Church and kingdom of God; we are on hand to furnish anything for its advancement. This is the feeling that governs the Latter-day Saints. They all feel to say—“Do you want teams? Do you want wagons? Do you want men, wheat, or corn?” The response is, “Yes, we are all on hand.” Brethren, this is the way to make ourselves rich and strong, and secure the favor of God and of the holy angels. This is the way to have peace in our own bosoms, to preserve peace and happiness in our own families, by engaging in doing the work of the Lord, by striving to accomplish his purposes upon the earth, and by preparing, as President Young said, for the events that are approaching.

Let us be prepared to become coworkers with our file leaders, and then all will be well. Brethren, God bless you! Amen.

Remarks by President Heber C. Kimball, made in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, March 17, 1861.

The brethren and sisters may think that it is no trouble for me to speak. It is not any trouble for me to speak the truth, but I feel quite feeble in body, and hence not much like speaking.

We are all very apt to speak of what we have heard, and I am happy to say this morning that what has been said to us is strictly true, so far as I have understanding. Now, supposing that one man has light and knowledge that will circumscribe certain arts and sciences, and another only possessing one-third the information that he does, can this other one be of the same service to the people as he can who has more understanding? The Elders that will undertake to judge President Young and his Counselors, the Twelve Apostles, and all those men that the Lord our God has given to guide his people, they will stumble. You may go and read the revelation, for you cannot know the importance of this except you have the spirit of revelation within you.

I can tell you, my brethren and sisters, that it is the little things that lead to great ones in the kingdom of God. You know the old proverb says that it is the little foxes that spoil the vines. It takes but very little to injure the fibers and the small roots of a tree, and you all know by your own experience that small branches are necessary to the perfection of a tree; so also are small members necessary for the complete organization of the kingdom of God.

If a Saint will corrupt himself with the wickedness of the world, it is very rare that correction and chastisement will do such an one any good. We do not call upon such persons to be watchmen on the towers of Zion, but we call upon those that are endowed with power, filled with light and knowledge: upon such we can depend. The spirit that is in the Church and kingdom of God will reprove and correct those that are out of the way. There are a great many men who profess to understand the things of the kingdom of God. They are like George W. Harris—he professed to understand clocks and watches, but he did not understand anything about them; and if a man took a watch to him to be corrected, he would cut off about one-third of the chain, and thus render the watch comparatively useless. It is just so with many of the Elders in this Church; they profess to understand the order and government of God, when in reality they have great need to be taught the first principles of the doctrine of Christ.

What we have heard this morning is true, and I am now striving to sustain those very ideas. When I see the course that things are taking in certain places, I feel surprised. I can see men around me that have co– operated together to carry out their own wishes; and in order to do this, they will both write and speak against the authorities of this Church; then by-and-by, when they disagree, the shrewdest one will expose the others. This is the situation of the world: with them there is no integrity; but this will not do among the Latter-day Saints. We must become like the limbs of one tree, filled with the fragrance and nourishment that arise from the roots; then we shall be clothed with power and authority—then we shall have care one for the other. If we do not unite our efforts in this direction, we shall never pass through the strait gate that is spoken of in the Scriptures, or what I will call the narrow gate. It is the gate that will only admit one man at a time. We are not going in all in confusion, as the sectarians suppose.

This brings to my mind the vision that Joseph Smith had, when he saw Adam open the gate of the Celestial City and admit the people one by one. He then saw Father Adam conduct them to the throne one by one, when they were crowned Kings and Priests of God. I merely bring this up to impress upon your mind the principles of order, but it will nevertheless apply to every member of the Church.

When any of you receive a rebuke or a correction, acknowledge it at once, and say to the one who administers it, Thank you, brother; God bless you! And may the Almighty give me power to do good! I have heard men say that it was one of the greatest things in a man’s favor, when the truth was told to him, to acknowledge it; and I consider it to be a strong proof of a man’s honesty and of his desire to do right. I have heard men say a great many times that it was the hardest thing they ever experienced, to have to acknow– ledge the truth of a correction that was given to them by a servant of God. In regard to that, I will say that those who will not do it will have that light taken away from them that was previously given. The Lord will take from him that hath not that which he seemeth to have, and he will give it to him that is more worthy and more desirous to improve upon it. Let me advise you to be like the honey bee which gathers honey from every opening flower, but does not destroy the flower itself. I have heard of men who are guilty of making the most extravagant assertions, and then boasting that they never recant or take anything back. All I have to say of such men is, that, as the Lord God lives, he will make them take back everything that is not right to remain. I advise you to take reproof and correction in the spirit of meekness and humility.

If we had died when we were babes, we should have been heirs to the kingdom of heaven; but since we have attained maturity, we are subject to the law, liable to reproof and correction in the kingdom of God. I am striving to touch upon the same principles that brother Brigham was speaking of. The standard that you and I have come to in this Church is one that will try us, that will sift us, and penetrate the inmost recesses of our hearts.

There is much said by the brethren about authority. Now, I do not consider the Seventies any better than the High Priests or the Elders; and I can tell you that, when anyone of these gets out of his place, he is not as good as the other that is magnifying his calling. If a man makes a breach, he must repair it again, just the same as a smith does a chain when one of the links is broken.

If you do not listen to the counsel that is given, and get within you the good word of God, drawing wine from the pure fountain, you will soon be in the dark. Then, when a man undertakes to disseminate the truth, you will shut up your ears, and refuse to drink of the waters of life. I can tell you that such a person will not advance in the knowledge of God any more than the limb of a tree will grow after it is severed from the main trunk.

Now, then, I have a few words to say to you, gentlemen—those of you who call yourselves gentlemen, and who drink whiskey, when it is heavily charged with arsenic and other deadly poisons, and never find any fault with it; but you are very ready to find fault with things that don’t suit you in this kingdom. If you will observe the laws of the kingdom of God, you will become new in your minds, fresh in your imaginations, and powerful to do good; then God will bless you and prosper you in all your undertakings. He will guide you by his wisdom, that you may perform your duties acceptably.

I know that God will reward me according to my works; for the Scriptures say each one shall have his penny. You must understand, however, that that is only bounty money, and the wages will be according to a man’s works. It is the man who sticks to the army—who fights the good fight of faith, that will get the reward. We have all enlisted under the banner of King Emanuel, and we invite all the world to join it. Some people have got an idea that the man who receives the Gospel at the eleventh hour is going to be put on an equal footing with the man that engaged in the work in the first hour of the day; but I can tell you that we shall only be rewarded for the labor we perform.

God bless this people, and give them strength according to their day, that they may be led off victoriously over all their enemies. Joseph Smith could tell the plans that were laid for his destruction, many times when he could not prove it by any natural means. There have been a great many trying to injure me, but I stand better today than ever before, and I shall continue to increase in the favor of God, if I keep on the racecourse. That man who lives his religion will, despite his enemies, receive nourishment from God, and eventually triumph over every foe.

Those who defile themselves will not prosper; they have injured themselves by their own conduct. They are like Samson when he was shorn of his locks by Delilah. With that measure that ye mete, it shall be measured back to you again, in all circumstances of life.

Now, look at the United States’ Government. Did they not send an army here to kill and waste away this people? Yes. Almost every priest in the pulpit and every politician in the land had fanned the flame of persecution against us; but the Lord caused them to stay out in the mountains till they got the chills instead of the fever, and then he led them as a man leadeth a horse with a bridle. Now, what will be next? Why, you will find the judgment of God coming upon those who blasphemed his name, and the United States will suffer, for they will be afflicted with wars and with trouble at home. While this is going on, the man who lives his religion and honors his calling will be prospered and go back to Jackson County, Missouri, with the faithful Elders, where they will receive their inheritances. They will then have to fulfil their covenants which they have made with the Lord their God, for these things will be required at our hands. None will be permitted to dwell there who will not observe the laws of the kingdom of God. And re– member, there is no other way to go to Jackson County but through Great Salt Lake City.

It is very gratifying to me to speak to the Saints, especially when I can speak to their understanding. I feel that I have spoken long enough at this time; and may God bless you, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Remarks by President Brigham Young, made in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, February 17, 1861.

I wish to address myself particularly to the Elders of Israel, for their instruction, edification, and learning, that they may be profitable to themselves and others. I will appeal to the experience of every individual, when we do as well as we know how, honor our God, honor our calling, honor our Priesthood, honor our tabernacles, our being upon the earth, whether it is not the feeling of every heart to wish all persons to be just like ourselves—to wish the ideas and acts of our brethren to be precisely like ours; and yet we should not look upon ourselves as an infallible standard for others. It is no more natural for your lungs to expand and contract in breathing than it is for you to wish others to be like yourselves.

I wish the Elders of Israel to understand mankind as they are—to go to the people and take them as they are. Let an Elder go into the world to preach the Gospel of salvation, and he will find some individuals possessed of a great deal more ability than others. Stop with a family, when you are invited to tarry overnight, and you find them in great ignorance; their minds are low and groveling, as were the minds of their fathers before them; they have not been taught to cultivate the mental faculty that is within them, and they are dull and stupid. Step into another house, and you will discern that the minds of every member of that family are cultivated to the best of their ability and circumstances. You will find some portions of a community diligently studying the sciences of the day, others cultivating the arts, &c., each according to their tastes, means, or circumstances, while others seem to be under no cultivation of the mind: yet in all the various classes each wants his neighbor to be precisely like himself.

You see some persons who appear at meetings on the Sabbath and on other public occasions with their hair uncombed and their faces, hands, and clothing uncleanly. Have they no combs nor soap? They have, or can get them. How happens it that we behold such conduct? Probably the parents of those persons taught them that it was pride that prompted people to appear clean and decent. Perhaps their mothers taught them in their infancy that if they washed their faces, and combed and anointed their hair, and dressed themselves in comely apparel to appear before their fellow men, “Oh, you are full of pride!” Sisters, were not some of you taught in your youth that if you wore a silk dress, you did so purely through pride? Many of you were. I knew one sister in this Church who burned up several dresses when she became a Methodist, because she thought it not right for her to wear rich and costly clothing; that pride prompted costly dress, and in it she could not come before the Lord in humility. She also thought that if she gave her rich dresses away, others would commit the same sin that she would commit in wearing them; so she destroyed them.

To return to the Elders of Israel. An Elder visits a Branch, and, unless he is on his guard, he will begin to complain that the Presiding Elder of the Branch is not as he is, does not understand as he does, and does not conceive of the Gospel as he does. He will find himself saying to the members of the Branch—“You are in the dark; you need teaching; you ought to have a smart Elder here—a man of understanding—to teach you.” “Well, brother, will you stay and teach us?” Perhaps, through persuasion, he will stop, and what will he do? Break that Branch to pieces, and destroy their faith, if possible. Why? “You are not as I am!” Elders, look to this, and think of it. We wish you to reap some benefit from your experience.

When I rise here and tell you things that pertain to other nations and generations, and when others teach you things that pertain to other people, it does not profit you as much as it does for us to understand ourselves. Wherever we go, wherever our lot is cast, whoever we associate with, let the Elders have the principles of truth within them to prompt heavenly and holy desires to do good. Is it wisdom for each Elder to strive to mold and fashion all others precisely according to himself in all the views and notions he possesses? Is this the way? No, it is not. It is wisdom for the Elders of Israel to know how to treat others according to the ability they possess, and to treat their families according to the ability they possess. In visiting neighborhoods, you will find persons intelligent upon some points, and upon other points they may be ignorant. They may be very well informed upon certain principles per– taining to divinity, and upon others be ignorant. Their dispositions are also different from yours and others you associate with. What will you make of them? Good people—Saints, so far as in your power.

We are very apt, through our traditions, former associations, and notion of things and ideas, to attribute every act of man and every manifestation of mankind to an invisible source—the good or the evil. God is the author of all good; and yet, if you rightly understood yourselves, you would not directly attribute every good act you perform to our Father in heaven, nor to his Son Jesus Christ, nor to the Holy Ghost; neither would you attribute every evil act of a man or woman to the Devil or his spirits or influences; for man is organized by his Creator to act perfectly independently of all influences there are above or beneath. Those influences are always attending him, and are ready to dictate and direct—to lead him into truth or to lead him to destruction. But is he always guided by those influences in every act? He is not. It is ordained of God that we should act independently in and of ourselves, and the good is present when we need it. If we will ask for it, it is with us. If we yield to temptation, the evil is present, and nigh enough to lead every son and daughter of Adam to destruction, if they give way to it. But it is the design of the Almighty that we should act independently. Then, when you see a person endowed by the Holy Ghost, you need not expect him to look and act precisely as you do. Their religious sentiments will be alike, for the Holy Ghost does not introduce foolish traditions and the varied unwise notions that the inhabitants of the earth have.

A man will say, “If I believed that such a man or woman was a Saint, I should despair of all good.” Why? “Because their acts and lives are so different from mine.” Now, if you will reflect upon the traditions of the world, with which we are more or less encumbered, you will see manifest the trait I have referred to. If I am washed and made clean, if I am attired in comely garments, or there is anything extra upon me to beautify, it is considered by some as the height of folly and pride; it is looked upon as a sin of the deepest dye; and the feeling arises, “If I could believe such a gentleman or lady to be a Christian, I should despair of the good that is with me.” Why? “Because I have been taught that all this is pride.” I have known people who have lived in this Church, whom I should suppose had concluded it to be an unpardonable sin for them to go to meeting with clean faces and hands. What are the notions of most of the Christian world in regard to a Prophet? They would wish to see a man with his hair to his waist. Combed? No. He must never appear to use that frivolous, sinful article, a comb. That would be folly in the extreme. It would be sin, therefore, if he appears with his hair long, bushy, snarled, dirty, and hanging carelessly about his shoulders. Are his hands washed? No. His finger nails trimmed and clean? No; they are like dirty bird’s claws. Is he cheerful? No; for he must wear a long face, never suffer a smile to pass over his countenance, but go mourning all the day long; and it is, “O Lord, have mercy upon the people.” Present a Prophet to suit the notions of many of the sectarian world, and you have such a man as this. Will he have on a decent suit of clothes? No; he must have a sheepskin about his loins, and must wear a girdle as dirty and filthy as the rags upon our natives.

Others are trained and traditionated to appear with clean faces and dressed in decent attire—are taught to appear comely and beautiful. All of these classes act according to their faith and traditions, and each one of them says, “If you are not as I am, you are not right.” This is just as natural as it is to breathe vital air. I wish this trait in the Saints to be done away. I want the Elders of Israel to learn to take people as they are. How many do you see who have no influence over certain spirits in this Church? Do you know how to approach a man that is full of subtlety and self-will—with an idea that every man on earth is wrong but himself? Do you know how to operate to gain his affections and good will? Do you know how to attract that spirit and make it follow you? If you do not, you do not fully understand your duty, calling, and Priesthood. I wish the people to learn to have influence over themselves, and then learn to have influence with your fellow beings, that you may be able to attract the spirits in the intelligent beings around you, so that these spirits will follow you to be taught of you, and learn of you doctrine to lead them to life everlasting.

There is a certain trait in the Elders of Israel that I really want them to get rid of, for they are better off without than with it. Not that they are so very much to blame, or that I would condemn them; but, according to their traditions and nature, they think everybody ought to be like themselves. And when they chasten faulty brethren, they often chasten them, perhaps, beyond bounds. With some spirits a certain amount of chastisement is sufficient; and if you go beyond that, you may drive them to destruction—you may destroys them. You must learn to know when you have chastised enough.

Do you know how to chastise your children? When they do wrong, catch them in the act of doing wrong, if possible, and then switch them nicely, and tell them you have a good mind to whip them; tell them you will chasten them, if they do not stop such conduct. Do not let them know that they were whipped; but when you correct them, do it so that they will remember it more than twenty-four hours; and tell them that if they do not mind you, you will have to chasten them and whip them. Tell the brethren and sisters, “If you do not behave yourselves, I will chasten you by-and-by.” Never try to destroy a man. It is our mission to save the people, not to destroy them. The least, the most inferior spirit now upon the earth, in our capacity, is worth worlds.

When Oliver Cowdery felt to complain, and wanted a little more influence in the Church than Joseph, the Lord spoke to him through Joseph, and said to his servant Oliver, Suppose you should labor all your lifetime faithfully, and be the means of saving one soul, how great would be your joy in heaven over that soul that you were the means of saving! If to all eternity you could praise God, through being the means of saving one soul—I may say the least or most inferior intelligence upon the earth, pertaining to the human family—if you could be the means of saving one such person, how great would be your joy in the heavens! Then let us save many, and our joy will be great in proportion to the number of souls we save. Let us destroy none.

I asked some brethren, a few evenings ago while in council, if they would not do themselves the kindness from that time forth to live such lives that, when the books are opened, there is one source of gratitude to them to know that their debits do not overbalance their credits. I then asked them why not live so that when the books are opened there are no debits against them. It will be a pleasure to know that we have saved all the Father gave into our power. Jesus said that he lost none except the sons of perdition. He will lose none of his brethren, except sons of perdition. Let us save all the Father puts in our power. And when you are called to preside as Bishop, or to preach the Gospel on foreign missions, are called to travel through our settlements to regulate the affairs of the Saints, take a course to save every person. There is no man or woman within the pale of saving grace but that is worth saving. There is no intelligent being, except those who have sinned against the Holy Ghost, but that is worth, I may say, all the life of an Elder to save in the kingdom of God. Then let us take a course to understand men as they are, and not endeavor to make them precisely as we are, for this you cannot do. I am myself; you are yourselves. Let us learn how to approach each other, and how to get an influence over that intelligent portion that is within.

I am not going to drive a man or a woman to heaven. A great many think that they will be able to flog people into heaven, but this can never be done, for the intelligence in us is as independent as the Gods. People are not to be driven, and you can put into a gnat’s eye all the souls of the children of men that are driven into heaven by preaching hellfire. So learn wisdom, that when you behold your brethren in the depths of poverty, but striving to do right, they are as beloved as they would be if they were dressed in purple and fine linen. Take that intelligent course, and learn to instruct people until they increase in knowledge and understanding, until their traditions pass away, and they will become of one heart and mind in the principles of godliness.

If you are ever called upon to chasten a person, never chasten beyond the balm you have within you to bind up. I might call some of you to witness that I chasten you, but there is not a soul that I chasten but what I feel as though I could take them and put them in my bosom and carry them with me day by day. They deserve chastisement, but God forbid that I should chasten beyond the healing balm I have to save them and make better men of them. It is not my daily study to know what a Prophet meant in relation to things that occurred before the flood, or will occur after the millennium, how Adam set out his currant bushes, and in what part of the garden Eve was when she partook of the forbidden fruit; but I want to know how to lead you with that intelligence to enable you to live to an everlasting life, that you may be saved in the kingdom of God. I say again, Do not chasten beyond the balm you have within you. If you have the saving influence within you, it is well. When you have the chastening rod in your hands, ask God to give you wisdom to use it, that you may not use it to the destruction of an individual, but to his salvation. Can you save all? Yes, you can save all that will be saved. If people are not saved, it is because they are not disposed to be saved. They act for themselves, and act from choice.

Would I compel a person to be saved in the kingdom of God that chose to go to hell? No. If I had all the power of the Gods in the eternities, I would not save one soul in the kingdom of God that chose to stay out, neither will the Gods. All who wish to be saved and desire good I wish to be saved, and Jesus will lose none except the sons of perdition. I may be instrumental, in the providences of our God, of saving thousands and millions in the celestial kingdom that otherwise perhaps would not get there. We are to be like the good physician; and if we see the sick—those afflicted with pain and distress in the head, eyes, teeth, or in any of the limbs or other portion of the body, it is our duty to have the medicine—the remedy to administer to that pain, to heal, to cure, to rebuke the disease and save the sick like a good physician, and not kill them by dosing down the medicine as do some of our doctors. Administer the medicine in all mildness, and with good judgment and discretion. Seek until you learn the medicine to administer to each patient, and how much to give to each. There is just as much difference in the spiritual organization as you see in the temporal organization. You can see that eternal variety in both. You may go to a man taken with a fever, and if you treat him as you did a similar case last week, you may consign him to the grave. You ought to know better.

I could preach a sermon on doctoring the body, we have so many that do not understand it among those who profess to; but it is of no use. I would rather have the sisters wait upon me in sickness than many of those who profess to be physicians.

Elders of Israel, learn to be spiritual physicians. Carry the medicine with you to deal out to every patient as he needs it. If a patient has chills and fever in his spirit, you must carry the medicine to cure it; also for the erysipelas, or the dumb ague, or the rheumatism in the spirit, you must carry the medicine to heal. Thus learn, when you have chastened enough, to cease; and be sure you never chasten beyond the balm you carry in your portmanteau.

I will bring our forenoon meeting to a close. May God bless you! Amen.

Discourse by President Heber C. Kimball, made in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, January 6, 1861.

It would be very gratifying to me, this afternoon, if I could speak freely of those things that I have been meditating upon for the last few days. It would be a great satisfaction to me, and doubtless instructive to this congregation, if I could lay before them those things that are revolving in my mind; but instructions to the Saints only appear to be given a word or two at a time, here a little and there a little, and I do not understand that the Lord will ever manifest his will in any other way. This is because of the weakness of humanity and the great variety in the minds of the Saints.

I can say, as I have said for years, the religion of Jesus Christ professed by the Church of Latter-day Saints, which Church I have entered into, and of which I have been a member twenty-nine years—I can truly say that it is a hundredfold more precious to me than it was when I first embraced it. My mind was contracted at that time, and I knew but little of the things of God. I will here remark that I do not profess to know much now; still I understand them more perfectly, and I take a more comprehensive view of God and godliness than I did, or was capable of doing, when I first received the light of truth. Instead of becoming dark in my mind and growing stereotyped in my ways, I have expanded with the increase of my experience; I feel more acutely, I see more clearly, and I comprehend more perfectly the principles that pertain to life. The older I grow in the Church, the riper I become in my mind, and the more I discover of the beauty and excellency of the plan of salvation.

In regard to treating upon the mysteries of the kingdom and what are commonly called the great things, or, in other words, going into the top of the tree, or doing as some do who take the tree and cram it down the people’s throats top foremost, I do not believe in anything of the kind, neither have I been taught so to treat the people. I consider that the Elders of Israel should understand well and thoroughly digest the first principles of the doctrine of Christ, for obedience to them will prove the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes and practices them. You know it is written that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. I can tell you something in connection with this: You may believe what you please; it will do you no good, unless you practice it. We are required to manifest our faith by our works, and to work out our salvation with fear and trembling; for it is the Lord that worketh in us to will and to do his good pleasure. If we seek him with all our hearts, and observe those things that pertain to righteousness, working diligently in his kingdom, he will feel after us and inspire our hearts with his Holy Spirit, and the influence thereof will rest upon us continually; it will enter into every muscle, sinew, and fiber of the body, in proportion to our fitness to receive it. If we render ourselves susceptible of the nourishment that is imparted by the Spirit of God to the spirits that dwell within these mortal bodies, we shall have sufficient light and power to enable our spirits to dictate our bodies and lead them unto eternal life.

“And behold, he that is faithful shall be made ruler over many things. And again, I will give unto you a pattern in all things, that ye may not be deceived; for Satan is abroad in the land, and he goeth forth deceiving the nations—Wherefore he that prayeth, whose spirit is contrite, the same is accepted of me if he obey mine ordinances. He that speaketh, whose spirit is contrite, whose language is meek and edifieth, the same is of God if he obey mine ordinances. And again, he that trembleth under my power shall be made strong, and shall bring forth fruits of praise and wisdom, according to the revelations and truths which I have given you.” (Doctrine and Covenants, sec. 66, par. 4.)

In the great day of accounts all men will be judged according to the works that are wrought in their natural bodies, and it is of the highest importance that we should consider the final result of our acts.

I am always for the consideration of these little minute things that concern us today. We should always be engaged in doing the things that belong to today. There is but one course that you and I can pursue and be right, and that is, be sufficiently humble to look at the most minute fibers. The large roots of a tree receive their nourishment through the little fibers, and they receive it from the fountain, and then that nourishment is sent through the main trunk of the tree into the limbs, branches, and twigs. It is just so with the Church of Christ. A similar figure might be made use of in regard to people studying languages. There is no man who has got a good education in the English, French, or German languages, but who has got that knowledge by going into the roots, or what they choose to term the etymology of language.

It is just so with the man who becomes educated in the science of the Gospel of Christ: he begins at first principles, he learns them thoroughly and practically, and, by carrying them out in his daily walk and conversation, he becomes educated in the religion of Jesus Christ, which is the only perfect science revealed to man.

When Jesus Christ was upon the earth, he taught the people, saying—“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” (John, chapter 15, verses 1-7.)

This is precisely the position we occupy in the Church of Christ. If we do not abide in the vine, we shall be cast out; and all the inhabitants of the earth that do not connect themselves to the true vine, Jesus Christ, will become as stubble, and they will be burnt up, and become ashes under the soles of the feet of the Saints that will come upon the earth to trim it, adorn it, and make it like the garden of Eden, that they may dwell upon it forever.

If we are in the vine of Christ, we shall bring forth the fruits of righteousness, and our works will be performed daily according to the requirements of the law of God. Except we live daily in the line of our duty, and keep the platter clean inside as well as out, we cannot obtain the blessings promised. If we take this course, we shall live and prosper, and bear off the kingdom, independent of those that do evil; for God will nourish and cherish those who do right.

Supposing we compare this Church to a tree, and suppose that one-fourth of the limbs are dead, what use are they to the tree? They are lifeless, and consequently the sooner they are taken away the better for the health of the tree. Is there anything lost by lopping off those lifeless limbs? No; for the power and strength that was formerly in the whole tree will enter into that part which is left. Do you not go and clip off the small sprouts, and sometimes some of the bunches of grapes from your vines, in order to make the rest of the vine and the fruit grow larger and stronger? Upon the same principle, this Church has to be proven, for the work of God must and will roll on, and all the opposition in the world cannot stop it. It is a kingdom that is established to remain upon the earth until it subdues all other kingdoms, and brings them into subjection to the law of God. I know this just as well as I know that I stand here today, and my desire is that you may know it also, and that you may become as the heart of one man. Jesus says, “If you are not one you are not mine.” For instance, suppose I come into this stand and offer up a prayer, it is the duty of all present to join with me, not only in the sentiments, but to actually allow the very words to pass silently through their minds. In this way we become one, our faith is united, and we answer the requirement of the law of God.

I have frequently said in your hearing that I would give a good deal if I could unfold to you the secret feelings of my heart. I do not know of any better way to get at this than by comparison. I have not language to soar above and spread myself like an eagle, but I desire to present my sentiments in such a way that all will understand. There are none of you but what know right and wrong just as well as I do; and you are obliged to carry out the principles of right.

Has there been any change in the first principles of the doctrine of Christ as revealed by Jesus himself? No: that doctrine stands good, and will forever remain so. Some suppose that the Ten Commandments given through Moses have been done away; but I can inform you that they are still in force. It will do no harm for me to read those commandments, as contained in the 20th chapter of Exodus. They are as follows—

“And God spake all those words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor’s.

And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.

And the Lord said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.

An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shall not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.”

You will find in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants that these commandments have been renewed unto us. The Lord says in one place, All old covenants have I caused to be done away, and this is a new and an everlasting covenant: it is even that which was in the beginning; it is that covenant which was made in the days of Jesus. It is that same covenant which the Almighty revealed to Father Adam in the Garden of Eden; but it has been renewed in these last days, and hence it is a new and an everlasting covenant. If you would only think of it for a little while, you would remember that we imitate many of those things that were done in former dispensations.

Jesus told the people in his day to seek to enter in at the narrow gate, or, as the New Testament calls it, the strait gate. He also told them to seek not to counsel God, but to walk in that path which leads to life; for narrow is the gate that leads to life, and few there be that enter in thereat. And he further says that the wicked will come and say, We have prophesied in thy name, and in thy name done many mighty works. And I will add to this that many of them will have to say, We have stolen hundreds of cattle from the Mormons, and driven them from their homes, because they preached a new religion. Still the Lord will say, I know you not.

Those covenants that we have made with God were also made in the beginning of the creation. They are now renewed to us, and revelations of this kind are just as binding upon you and me as the words and counsels that come from President Young and others. We are acting in the same capacity that the Apostles and Prophets of former dispensations have acted, and our word will have the same effect upon this generation that theirs had upon the generations in which they lived. We have the same God to worship; the same Jesus lives to save, and he has spoken and renewed this covenant to us and for us, and to remain with us forever and forever.

Brethren, reflect, look at yourselves and see what you are about. Consider the positions you occupy, and ascertain if you are acting well your part—if you are speaking the truth and guarding against all manner of evil.

The Book of Mormon informs us that the Devil will come along with all manner of deceitfulness, and persuade the people to lie a little, to steal a little, and to rob your neighbor of anything that lies within your reach. Such a course leads to death and dissolution, and will cause those to mourn hereafter who follow it.

These are mysteries that are worth finding out; and although you may have read them from your childhood, and your mother may have taught them to you from your infancy, yet still they apply to you, and it is very important that you should not forget these small things. Some people come to this country who have been taught these things and many other good lessons, and when they get into these mountains they forget all their claim to the blessings that flow through obedience to the requirements of Heaven and the requirements of their parents. Men who hold the Priesthood and dishonor their fathers and mothers and the servants of God will see sorrow. But some do this and still consider themselves good men, and they claim that they honor their calling and Priesthood. I will tell you how I feel. When my son turns away from the truth and disregards my counsel, he turns away from God. Why is this so? It is because I am a branch of the vine. I am a limb that is attached to the great tree; and when my son disengages himself from the tree, he dishonors me; and by dishonoring me he dishonors the God whom I serve. It is a most excellent thing to find children listening to the admonitions of their parents, and especially if they are blest with good ones. Those whose parents are not in the Church should strive to get within them the righteousness of Christ.

When the Adversary begins to tempt a person, he persuades him to do a little thing here and a little wrong yonder, and persuades him to walk in that course that will cause the disposition to do wrong to increase upon him. The best way to do is to let alone that which is wrong.

These are some of the small things. I am down among the little roots and little vines, entering minutely into the subject of keeping them clean. I wish all to understand, who believe on Jesus Christ, that they should repent of all their evil deeds; and the only way that a man can prove his penitence is by forsaking his evil practices and being baptized for the remission of his sins. But what good does it do for a man to come and be baptized—to be overwhelmed in water in the likeness of the death of Jesus Christ, and then go and partake of those cursed old sins that he had just been washed clean from? I tell you that baptism, in such cases, brings greater condemnation. When people are baptized, they should then receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. He will show them things to come; he will dwell with them, and comfort their hearts, and cheer up their spirits.

There never should be a limb upon a fruit tree that is not bearing fruit. But you will see a great many members in this Church who are not bearing much fruit. Where is there an Elder, High Priest, Seventy, Apostle, or Prophet that is not required to bring forth the fruits of Christ, and those that will redound to his glory? Let us pursue that course of life that will make us the friends of our father and God, friends of his servants Joseph, Hyrum, Peter, Paul, Jesus, and all the Apostles of Christ, and let our friendship extend back to those who are in the spirit world.

Do not you suppose that the Lord will send his angels to sustain this people? Yes, he will; and if he has to knock these mountains by which we are surrounded into ten thousand pieces, in order to accomplish his purposes, he will do it.

It is very easy to be seen that the nation that has oppressed us is going down. The Lord revealed to Joseph Smith something about the judgments that await the inhabitants of the earth, and he said in the revelations that the judgments should commence at the house of God. I will read to you parts of the revelations which speak of these things—

“But, behold, I say unto you that before this great day shall come the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall be turned into blood, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and there shall be great signs in heaven above and in the earth beneath; And there shall be weeping and wailing among the hosts of men; And there shall be a great hailstorm sent forth to destroy the crops of the earth. And it shall come to pass, because of the wickedness of the world, that I will take vengeance upon the wicked, for they will not repent; for the cup of mine indignation is full; for behold, my blood shall not cleanse them if they hear me not.

“Wherefore, I the Lord God will send forth flies upon the face of the earth, which shall take hold of the inhabitants thereof, and shall eat their flesh, and shall cause maggots to come in upon them; And their tongues shall be stayed that they shall not utter against me; and their flesh shall fall from off their bones, and their eyes from their sockets; And it shall come to pass that the beasts of the forest and the fowls of the air shall devour them up. And the great and abominable church, which is the whore of all the earth, shall be cast down by devouring fire, according as it is spoken by the mouth of Ezekiel the prophet, who spoke of these things, which have not come to pass but surely must, as I live, for abominations shall not reign.” (Doctrine and Covenants, see. 10, par. 4-5.)

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, that when I give a commandment to any of the sons of men to do a work unto my name, and those sons of men go with all their might and with all they have to perform that work, and cease not their diligence, and their enemies come upon them and hinder them from performing that work, behold, it behooveth me to require that work no more at the hands of those sons of men, but to accept of their offerings. And the iniquity and transgression of my holy laws and commandments I will visit upon the heads of those who hindered my work, unto the third and fourth generation, so long as they repent not, and hate me, saith the Lord God. Therefore, for this cause have I accepted the offering of those whom I commanded to build up a city and a house unto my name, in Jackson County, Missouri, and were hindered by their enemies, saith the Lord your God. And I will answer judgment, wrath, and indignation, wailing, and anguish, and gnashing of teeth upon their heads, unto the third and fourth generation, so long as they repent not, and hate me, saith the Lord your God.” (Doctrine and Covenants, see. 103, par. 15.)

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, darkness covereth the earth, and gross darkness the minds of the people, and all flesh has become corrupt before my face. Behold, vengeance cometh speedily upon the inhabitants of the earth, a day of wrath, a day of burning, a day of desolation, of weeping, of mourning, and of lamentation; and as a whirlwind it shall come upon all the face of the earth, saith the Lord.

And upon my house shall it begin, and from my house shall it go forth, saith the Lord; First among those among you, saith the Lord, who have professed to know my name and have not known me, and have blasphemed against me in the midst of my house, saith the Lord.” (Doctrine and Covenants, sec. 104, pars. 9-10.)

“Let them importune at the feet of the judge; And if he heed them not, let them importune at the feet of the governor; And if the governor heed them not, let them importune at the feet of the president; And if the president heed them not, then will the Lord arise and come forth out of his hiding place, and in his fury vex the nation; And in his hot displeasure, and in his fierce anger, in his time, will cut off those wicked, unfaithful, and unjust stewards, and appoint them their portion among hypocrites, and unbelievers; Even in outer darkness, where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. Pray ye, therefore, that their ears may be opened unto your cries, that I may be merciful unto them, that these things may not come upon them. What I have said unto you must needs be, that all men may be left without excuse; That wise men and rulers may hear and know that which they have never considered; That I may proceed to bring to pass my act, my strange act, and perform my work, my strange work, that men may discern between the righteous and the wicked, saith your God.” (Doctrine and Covenant, sec. 98, par. 12.)

And do you hear it, O Israel? And have you seen it, and felt the pangs of war, when they have sent their army to this Territory, intending to drive us from our homes? As they commenced it upon the House of God, it must go forth upon themselves; for as they measured out to us, it must be measured unto them fourfold.

The nations are already convulsed. Not only the United States, but many of the European nations are feeling the effect of the judgments of the Almighty; and they will continue to be afflicted more and more, until the above revelations are fulfilled. There is no evading the judgments of the Almighty; their only escape is in obedience to the Gospel we have to preach. But do they believe what we have said? No; they do not believe a word of it, and therefore there is but little hope in their case.

Brethren and sisters, let your hearts be open to receive the word of truth, that the Spirit of the Most High may be in you as a well of water, springing up into everlasting life. God bless you forever, and all those that hear these sayings and will render obedience unto the law of God. Peace be upon the righteous, that they may multiply and increase in wisdom and knowledge. I know, as well as I know that I am here, that the Priesthood will be taken from those who dishonor it, for they have no power to hold the oracles of God who do wickedly. They may not all be cut off from the tree, but they are dead, and the Spirit of God does not dwell with them, and therefore there is no life in them.

May the blessings of the Lord our God attend you all, is my prayer. Amen.

Remarks by President Daniel H. Wells, made in the Bowery, Great Salt Lake City, October 7, 1860.

I have been highly gratified during this Conference in hearing the teachings which we have heard. I felt (as I always do when hearing of the greatness and goodness of God, and the great work in which we are engaged), to rejoice in the blessings of the Almighty. This Gospel is meat to my soul; it affords me continual pleasure; I contemplate it with delight. If I had the tongue of an angel, or of the most eloquent upon the earth it would be my delight to speak of the goodness of God and of the work he is performing; for it appears very glorious to me. The building up of Zion and the establishment of the kingdom of God are to me interesting in the highest degree: the work in which we are all engaged is a constant solace to my soul.

I was well pleased with what I heard yesterday afternoon in regard to the ox-train telegraph, or whatever you may choose to call it. Is this the Gospel of Jesus Christ that I am alluding to? It is because it is in relation to the gathering of Israel, and that which will accomplish the gathering of Israel is the salvation of the people; and for this reason I was pleased with what I heard from the President, and also from Bishop Woolley and Elder J. W. Young. The President observed that he did not often make a requirement of the people without giving a reason for it. I thought yesterday that the reasons were very good, great, and numerous, why he should require the Saints to furnish two hundred wagons and teams to go to the States and bring home the poor and meek of the earth.

We hear of the great and glorious things of the kingdom; but when we go home, do we look about ourselves and look after the interests of the cause of our Redeemer? Will we receive the teachings which we hear from this stand? Will we put forth our hands to enable the President to roll forth this great work? This is for us all to answer and act upon. Will the Bishops bring forth those wagons and teams, three or four yoke of oxen to each wagon? If they will, we can then accomplish much towards bringing the poor to these valleys next year. Will the Bishops answer this call from Bishop Hunter, and he from the President? The President is the Lord’s mouthpiece, and it seems to me that he should only have to say to Bishop Hunter, We want two hundred wagons and teams to go to the Missouri River, and it should be done. I feel in my heart that this will be done. I believe the brethren will take an interest in the matter. I feel satisfied that there is cattle enough in the country, and we can easily do this. We only need to be united, and the work will be accomplished.

There is another matter of vital importance for us to consider. The Lord’s storehouse is almost empty, and we should see to this, for the President says he wishes to begin to fill up that house, that in the spring he may begin to build up the walls of the Temple. To carry on this work, much means will be needed, and we shall expect that the Lord’s storehouse will be filled up with grain and provisions for the sustenance of the hands that will be called to work upon the Temple. We shall expect this to be in the hearts of the people, and that they will furnish the means to buy cloth, or the clothing ready made; also the butter, eggs, cheese, beef, and all things necessary for the brethren that will labor upon the Temple. Let us be gathering things together this fall and winter, for these are things that are necessary to help in sustaining this kingdom, and accomplishing and bringing about the purposes of the Lord.

It is meat and drink to me to see the work of the Lord roll forth and prosper. I have no doubtful feelings in regard to the glorious future of the kingdom to which we belong, but I feel assured that all things that have been spoken concerning it will come to pass. I have no fears in regard to the blessings promised to the Saints, nor anything that pertains to the welfare of the kingdom of our God. I shall get all the blessings I deserve, and in all probability a great many more, for I have some confidence in the goodness of God, and I think that he will not only give me all that I deserve, but a great deal more.

I feel to be active and energetic in the discharge of the duties I have to perform, and not let the time and opportunity pass without accomplishing those things that are required of me. If we omit anything that we can do, it is an opportunity let slip that will not return. In order to get a reward, we should labor to accomplish a great deal of good, try to do more, and to increase the knowledge of God; we should strive to increase continually and to be faithful in all things. We are connected and bound together by a single motive—by the principles of salvation which we have received; and why not manifest this in the building up of the kingdom of God, and thus have an interest in all that pertains to the faithful in Christ, till we can wield an influence in all things that will promote the prosperity of Zion? By doing this, the nations will feel the distant tread of Israel; the nations will know it and feel it. Israel is on the increase, while the nations are crumbling. We can see it and feel it.

Then let the people take warning and make friends with their God and with the people of God. It is for their interest to do so. We should have no fears as to the final result. It is as the President said this morning, Zion will be built up, and the laws thereof go forth to all people; and if we were disposed, we could not hinder it. This is a cause of offense to many. They are angry because we rejoice in the things which the Lord reveals unto us. It is for this cause that they seek to destroy us from the earth, because the Lord through us forewarns them that he will send his destroying angels to speak to them in a way that they cannot misunderstand.

We know that if the people had the influence and power, they would dethrone the Almighty and crucify Jesus again, and that without a cause; but what do we cry to them about it? We command them to repent of their sins, and turn unto God with all their hearts, might, mind, and strength; but they will not hearken.

Brethren, let us be faithful and energetic in the performance of our duties; let us go forth, conquering and to conquer. Let us draw from the elements those things that are necessary for our support, to aid in building up the kingdom of God, doing all things necessary temporally as well as spiritually, work righteousness, and reject evil from our midst. If we pursue this course, those that seek to destroy the people of our God, who seek to tread upon the wine and the oil, will have no influence nor power; but we shall be enabled to establish the true principles of righteousness upon the earth.

It is our mission and duty as Saints to do all that lies in our power to build up the kingdom of our God upon the earth, to overthrow error, destroy wickedness and iniquity. These are the purposes for which we are gathered together, and let us be diligent therein. In our own sphere, let us act well our part as Saints of the Most High God.

This is my exhortation, brethren and sisters, and these are my feelings upon the subject. While we rejoice in the great and glorious work of our Heavenly Father, let us be active in the performance of the duties required of us.

I pray the Almighty to give us health and strength to enable us to accomplish the work we have before us as fast as it shalt be wisdom for us to do so, which I ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Discourse by President Daniel H. Wells, made in the Bowery, Great Salt Lake City, September 30, 1860.

I arise, my brethren and sisters, being ever willing to give my testimony in behalf of the goodness of God and the work in which we are engaged, even the Latter-day Work, the building up of the kingdom of God upon the earth. I know it is the desire of my heart to meet every engagement, appointment, and duty incumbent upon me by reason of my calling, and in undertaking to become a Latter-day Saint.

When I made my covenant by baptism, I did it with an understanding, and with a desire to do the will of our Heavenly Father in this generation. I did it with a determination that I would from that time forth do the will of Him whom I then covenanted to serve, and that I would do all those things that should be required at my hands—that I would perform every duty according to the best understanding I had, constantly looking to the Lord to give me better understanding, greater light, and more extended knowledge of the things of his kingdom. These were my feelings then; they have been my feelings ever since, and I hope and trust that I shall ever be guided by the same Spirit. I have ever felt that it was good to have the testimony of Jesus in my soul. It is for me, and I consider it is for all of us, to respond to every call that shall be made, whether temporal or spiritual; and I desire that we may feel to respond to and do whatever we shall be dictated to do with glad hearts, be thankful for the opportunity, and esteem it a high privilege to have a part in this work.

We should strive to get faith in everything that pertains to this work, and feel that it rests upon our shoulders to perform, and that it behooves each one of us to live in that way that will promote our own interests therein, and give us light and knowledge, which will enable us to cultivate that Spirit in our bosoms which has been promised, as a well of water springing up into everlasting life, to all the faithful Saints.

There is a consolation in our religion which goes to every heart, and by it every man, woman, and child may receive joy and satisfaction, while acting under the sweet influences of the Holy Spirit, having it within us to dictate and guide us in the path of virtue and truth. When the Spirit of the Lord influences any man, especially the true and faithful Saint, it fills him with joy and peace, and makes him humble in the performance of duties. The Spirit of the Lord carries with it its own reward. A person deprived of this influence meets with difficulties upon every hand. It is only by being obedient and submitting to the counsel of God in all things, that we can fully enjoy that good Spirit. By acting upon this principle in a family capacity and in managing our individual concerns (for it is in thus acting upon the principles of obedience that families are united), that Spirit will unite, connect, and cause the Elders to see eye to eye, and thus promote the advancement and prosperity of the cause we have all espoused. We cannot fulfil our engagements with the Almighty without we have that Spirit with us. We should so live as to acknowledge the Good Spirit continually. We cannot do this unless we let the Spirit of God rule in temporalities as well as in spiritual matters.

When he whom the Lord has called to stand at the head of his Church as the mouthpiece of the Almighty speaks to us, let us find out the spirit that leads him and follow its dictation, and then we shall be well off and do well. How often, instead of cherishing the head and letting that dictate the whole body—how often, I say, do we seek to avoid it, perhaps for the purpose of having it some other way, or passing off in some other direction. This is not right. We should let the Spirit of the Lord rule, and the law of God abide in our hearts. If we have the law of God dwelling in us, and if we practice righteousness and live by correct principles, we may have it, and will increase in light and in power with the heavens and with all good men. We should cherish that law, let it abide in us, govern and control us in all we do and say. Let us square our ideas, feelings, and spirits to it, and bear in mind that this is what preserves us and connects us together in the strait and narrow way that leads unto life eternal. Let us nourish that kind Spirit in our bosoms, get light from the pure fountain, and not grieve it away by our unwise and sinful conduct. We frequently do things according to our feelings and opinions, until we in a great degree lose the light of the Spirit which should control, and which would, if we would let it, be a guide to our path and lead us in all that we do and say; and certainly we need it constantly to guide us and to enable us to render ourselves useful, and be the means of doing great good in the kingdom of God. Offer a kind word to them that are cast down, buoy up the drooping spirits, and do all we can to sustain each other in the trials and difficulties through which we have to pass in this state of existence.

It is a consolation and a great assistance to a man who tries to be a Saint to receive a word of encouragement from a friend. It prepares the heart for the warfare of life; it makes a man feel stronger in the Lord. He is thereby prepared to perform his duties as a member of the kingdom of God upon the earth. We all have a great variety of duties to perform; some are required to act in one way, and some in another. None can say that they have no part or lot in the matters in this kingdom.

The Gospel embraces every branch of business that is useful—every department of literature, whether science or classics—everything that is useful in the world. All is necessary to its accomplishment and the bringing about of the purposes of God in the last days. All that is good and true is necessary to the completion of this mighty work. In this kingdom there is scope for the mind; there is room for the exercise of all the physical powers of mankind. There is some labor for each and every one to perform. The people may have to change from their old customs; they may have to go from one kind of labor to another, by reason of their being put in different circumstances and coming from one country to another. This with the faithful Saint makes but little difference. Let us all do the things that are before us with an eye single to the glory of God and the building up of his kingdom. By pursuing this course we shall be able to accomplish whatever shall be appointed unto us that will tend to the gathering of Israel and the bringing about of the great Latter-day Work.

The world that is now transpiring is in fulfillment of prophecy, and in this we should have joy; and if we need anything to strengthen us in our holy religion and to buoy up our feelings, the things transpiring around us should be sufficient to do this and to stimulate us to further action. People are brought from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, by the instrumentality of this Priesthood and the power that accompanies the testimony of the servants of God. We have as great a testimony as any of the ancients in regard to the work in which we are engaged, and we have increasing testimony day by day that should convince the most skeptical. We see the hand-dealing of the Almighty from time to time, and the Spirit is bearing witness from day to day that this is the truth of heaven, and that we have the oracles of divine truth in our midst. The Lord has not left himself without a witness. If there had been nothing written, there is sufficient manifested to prove that this is the work of God in which we are engaged to induce us to learn our duties and perform them, and to be ready and willing to turn our hands to this, that, and the other purpose as shall be necessary to enable us to obtain our sustenance, to cultivate the soil, beautify the earth, and cause the wilderness to blossom as the rose. If we are actuated by the right spirit, we shall go forth building up the kingdom, having our eye single to the glory of God, instead of gathering together for our own particular benefit and to suit our natural wants.

For my part, when I embraced this Gospel, I felt that I had no affairs of my own for the future. I felt that I could live anywhere and anyhow, if I had the society of the Saints. I then expected to have a rough passage. I had not then seen “Mormonism” as we have since seen it. For a few years previous to that time, I had seen turmoil, trouble, and strife. I had witnessed what has now become the history of the Saints, and I have seen and known it since we have arrived in these valleys of the mountains. Here it has been comparatively peace and prosperity with this people. This came the more acceptably to me because I had looked for something different. I embraced the Gospel with that view, and felt that I was determined to cling to the rope, feeling satisfied that the tighter I clung to it the less it would burn my fingers. Suffice it to say that I have ever felt as I now feel, to hold fast to the ship Zion.

We can generally see other people’s faults much quicker than we can our own. You all remember, no doubt, the account which Patriarch John Young gave of the Devil’s looking-glass. The glass was represented as one in which a man could see his neighbor’s faults instead of his own. Now, who is there among us but can see our neighbor’s failings sooner than our own? I will guarantee that we can all see the follies of others, and at the same time be blind to our own; but we should be a great deal better employed in looking into our own hearts, in governing ourselves, controlling those pernicious feelings and notions that rise in our bosoms, and in eradicating every such influence from our hearts, instead of busying ourselves with looking into the affairs of others. I know from experience that it is a very good lesson for me to look into my bosom. There is the flatterer, and by studying ourselves we can easily perceive how liable we are to neglect ourselves and look into affairs with which we have nothing to do. People do not look into their own hearts rigidly enough, and therefore they do not see what has been the prompting or leading motive that has caused them to judge others instead of themselves. The inward monitor, if we will let him have full play, will teach us many things that are applicable to ourselves. And if we inquire more fully into ourselves, we shall find that we are not always acting, from the best of motives, those things that we do in regard to others, for we often come across their notions.

There are a great many persons who consider their own way the best—yes, much superior to any other person’s. If we will compare that with an unprejudiced mind and liberal soul, we may reject our own bantling, and learn that there are others whose ways are preferable to our own. We will take it for granted that we are actuated by the best of motives. Even then, some would go to work in one way, and some in another, to build up the kingdom of God; but we should all feel interested in taking that course that will promote our interests. If each one is to have his own way and carry out his own notion, then there will be no effort to concentrate; hence no union. Everyone should seek that which is best, and be submissive to the will of God in all things, and not strive to follow his own peculiar notions. We live to learn, and should so conduct ourselves as to make good use of what we experience.

I have had a great many ideas myself upon subjects as they have passed before me; but after they are consummated, I always find that, if I had had my way, it would not have been near so well. Those who have more light, greater comprehension, and who are appointed to do those things which we are required of this people, can do so with better understanding; hence I say we should readily yield to that wisdom and strive to see a propriety in carrying it out. In this way we can soon learn to see what is right and best for this people. We cannot possibly believe that the Almighty will suffer those whom he has appointed to lead his people to go astray. We have all confidence in this, and shall have, if we do our duty. Then let that Spirit, which we so much desire to have in our hearts, control and govern us; permit it to eradicate every vile principle and influence; and do not let our notions and traditions stand in the way of our yielding a ready assent to the rolling forth of God’s kingdom in the last days. The law of God should be our joy. The study and the knowledge of it are blessings that have been vouchsafed unto us in this generation. The Lord has conferred this holy Priesthood upon us; he has opened up a communication between us and his throne, by which we ourselves can open and find out in regard to the principles which have been taught from this stand, as well as those taught by the Prophet Joseph.

This is a great and important era in the world’s history: it is a great privilege given in the experience of the human race. God has shown himself no respecter of persons. The other portions of the human race have or will have this Gospel laid before them. It has already been presented to a great extent, and the people might have embraced it, if they had been disposed to do so. If their minds had been inclined, they could have seen the kingdom of God upon the earth; for it has not been an exclusive matter. The Lord has scattered the seed upon the whole earth. In communities from which we have come, our neighbors and friends, by whom we have been surrounded from our infancy, have had the same opportunity that we have had. The only difference is, we have received it, and they have rejected it; or, in other words, they have not seen proper to receive it, although it was sent as much for their benefit and for their salvation as it was for ours. The Lord, I repeat, has conferred this great blessing upon the human family in these last days, and it is for those whose hearts are touched with the Spirit of the Living God, who can see that this is the kingdom spoken of by the Prophets in olden times, who have gathered together for the purpose of establishing the principles of righteousness permanently upon the earth, and who do not forget those things committed unto them, and who remember, when they come together before the Lord, the world that they have come from. It behooves them not to forget the wickedness by which they were surrounded, nor the motives that brought them together. If you do not bear in mind these things, why did you not stay where you were? If you wish to serve the Devil your own way, why did not you stay in the world where you had that liberty, which, we might say, is the least desirable upon the footstool of God? There are many in the world, who are associated with this Church, who think it would be the greatest privilege they could enjoy to be freed from the wickedness that stalks abroad at noonday; but when such come to Zion, how soon do they forget the condition of others whom it is their duty to remember, because they are in circumstances similar to those which surrounded them before they were enabled to gather home.

We should remember that we have been collected from the nations, through the same motives which now inspire our brethren and sisters in other lands, to establish righteous– ness upon the earth, to put down iniquity, and to hate the report thereof. You will see this manifest in the correspondence of our brethren who are still among the nations. It was formerly manifest in ours, and each of us was accustomed to exclaim, “Oh that I could be delivered from Babylon!” We were finally enabled to come up here, and to get deliverance from that great wickedness which was an eyesore to us every day. Then how do we act? Do we hanker for the wickedness of the world? Our traditions are still thick upon us; and if we do not remember our covenants and strive to see things by the light of the Holy Spirit, we shall soon be led to find fault with things which we see around us.

Perhaps those who thus become disaffected may not say anything about it for a time; but they will say in their hearts and souls that they do not like this, they disapprove of that, and they despise the other. They do not at first speak of these things, but the next thing they do in the path to ruin is to neglect their prayers, to neglect their every duty, and finally they are led captive by the Devil. They ask if that spirit that has actuated them in their early experience, and that has been the motive-spring in times gone by, sanctions what they see around them. Darkness gradually gets into their minds, and the first thing they know they are led back to love the wickedness of the world.

This is because they forget that upon themselves rests the responsibility of making that Zion about which they talked, prayed, and preached. It is because they forget that it is their business to labor for the establishment of righteous principles, and to walk wickedness under their feet.

This is the duty, and this should be the labor of all that come up here. They should let the law of of the Lord be the delight of their souls day by day. They should let the principles of our holy religion absorb every other feeling. If this comes in contact with their previously received opinions, let it be eradicated from their souls by the Spirit of the Living God; and the quicker they can do this the better it will be for them.

The work in which you have thus far been engaged, brethren and sisters, is worth everything you possess; and if actuated by righteous motives, you will seek by industry and economy to establish good principles, to promote righteousness, and to do that for which you have been called into the fold of Christ; you will endeavor to do that which is necessary to amalgamate your sentiments and efforts for your own comfort and the comfort of those around you; you will endeavor to build up; you will work diligently in that sphere in which you are called to labor, and the kingdom of God and its righteousness will be the first thing in your minds. Whatever you may have to mourn about, you will have a joy in laboring for the kingdom of God.

It should be the delight of every man and woman to strive to accomplish the greatest amount of good in whatever sphere they are or may be called to act.

We are exhorted in the Scriptures not to be covetous; therefore, we should not let covetousness get into our hearts, for that will drown the best affections of our nature; it will ruin any man or woman that encourages it. It is idolatry to worship the creature instead of the Creator; hence, covetousness becomes idolatry. I could wish there was not any of it with us.

This, you must remember, is no argument in favor of wastefulness, neither does it authorize us to neglect the cultivation of the ground, or to be careless with the things which the Lord puts into our hands. We should strive to make the soil produce for the benefit of ourselves and the advancement of the interests of the kingdom of God. The mechanic also should be as diligent as he can; and whatever the labor appointed shall be, all should be diligent therein, and not say that because they are not to be covetous, they will therefore go and waste away that which the Lord has given them. [President Brigham Young: They will be cursed if they do it.] It is displeasing in the sight of God, for it is doing a discredit to him who has created these bounties of nature for the use of man and for the benefit of all his creatures.

Let us have no other object in view than the building up of the kingdom of God. I have heard persons say that we should not give our means away, but we should go and do this or that; and in fact I have frequently thought such persons seem to be extravagant and wasteful on purpose to squander their means, and thus prevent those who are appointed to take charge of the kingdom of God on the earth from controlling it. Whoever does this scattering, destroying, and wasting away is actuated by the spirit of the Devil.

The Lord Almighty is willing to bless the Saints, we are informed, if they are willing to take care of and use that which he puts into their hands in that way that will best promote the interests of his kingdom upon the earth. As we were told here this morning, the earth is full of good things, and whom will they belong to? We are here now; but everything we have is borrowed—our lives, the breath that is in our nostrils, and all that we now seem to possess. This is not our abiding place. In this our present capacity we are in a state of probation or mortality, and we have borrowed everything that we possess. Nothing belongs to us that we now enjoy; it is merely loaned to us. If we are faithful to those things given unto us, and make a wise use of them, the promise is that we shall be made rulers over many things. We are nothing here; we are as it were lent to ourselves for a season, and it is expected of us that we will make ourselves worthy to receive everlasting habitations, which have been prepared for us from before the foundation of the world. The Father has many mansions, as Jesus said—“I go to prepare a place for you, that where I am, ye may be also.”

We have a great deal to do to destroy wickedness and establish righteousness upon the earth, and to prepare ourselves for the establishment of Zion, that she may become the head upon the earth.

Will we bear correction and proper tutorage? Will we bear chastisement and throw aside our own faults and frivolous actions? Will we live our religion, or will we give way to every foolish thing that comes in our path, and thus let our minds be drawn from the pure steam into byways, and thus bring about our ruin? Will we seek to hide the light from our brethren and sisters who feel an ardent desire to gather with the Saints, that they may possess the same blessings that we this day enjoy? Do we feel that we will do right and hold ourselves and all that we possess upon the altar of the kingdom of God? Do we feel that we should be diligent and economical, that we should seek unto the elements that we are surrounded with, and take that course that will make us the most independent people upon the earth? If we should bless the earth and ask God to bless it, that it may bring forth for our support and sustenance, and that we may have power to draw forth and combine the ele– ments, and thus make us independent of every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.

It is my faith that this is the ruling kingdom upon the earth. I feel satisfied that it will ere long be so. In it are bound up my hopes of salvation and of success in this world and that which is to come. Besides this, I know that every other nation and kingdom will be broken to pieces, and this will become the head of the nations. If ever righteousness is established, it will be upon this footing; and so far from dreading it, the people should rejoice that it will be so, for their own governments and kingdoms are rotting to pieces and tumbling down. When this kingdom is fully established, there will be no oppression, but people will be put in possession of a full enjoyment of their own principles, and be left to act according to the dictates of their own consciences, and none will be deprived of this privilege. Our Father and God will never force a man’s conscience, but every man will have this power and privilege of receiving or rejecting. But there is one thing they will not be permitted to do, and that is to infringe upon each other’s rights.

Man is an independent being in his agency, to do right or wrong, and has the liberty of doing as he pleases; but I qualify this by saying that he has not the right to do wrong or to infringe upon the rights of another individual. This is the law of society, and it is also the law of heaven. We live together, we have been brought forth upon this earth, and we dwell together in communities. Men must respect the rights of each other, and it will be so in all nations upon the earth under the government of God. I feel as though I want to see this kingdom triumph, and I feel that the whole world will see it. Wickedness and corruption will be controlled, and eventually be eradicated and extinguished from the earth. Many will yet cling to righteousness, and it will finally triumph.

If we have been enabled to form a nucleus here, we ought never to forget the inestimable privilege. We ought to let those little foolish things that have transpired with us pass from our minds, and cling to the principles of salvation.

This is the way I feel, and I pray God to enable us to hold on, to be humble and faithful all the days of our lives—to be faithful in this great work; for it is not only a lifetime for us, but for our children and our chil– dren’s children forever, so far as we can control and instruct them, so that when we are gone down into our graves, they may have a foundation to build upon. I pray God to help us to train up our children that they may command their children after them, that this work may be perpetuated by them. I have no fears with regard to its being accomplished; but I have a desire that we should have a part in it, and our children also, that we may meet again, and, after having been faithful over a few things, that we may be made rulers over many; which I pray the Lord may grant, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Discourse by President Daniel H. Wells, made in the Bowery, Great Salt Lake City, September 16th, 1860.

I feel to rejoice this day in what I have heard. The kingdom of God is independent, and so are the servants of God. They should act so always and not be afraid to tell the truth.

I rejoice particularly in the overturn of affairs suggested by our President this morning in regard to assisting the Elders from this end of the route.

This is a good day for Israel—the very best day they have ever seen. They are prospered; they are becoming wealthy in the good things of life; they are comfortable, and they have peace in all their borders. They go forth upon the right hand and upon the left, and they are building up the kingdom of God. They did more yesterday than the day before, and they are continuing to do so every day, and thus the kingdom is increasing.

How fully we should realize (and perhaps many of us do partially realize) the greatness of the work in which we are engaged—the magnitude of the work of this last dispensation. What else should occupy our attention equal to it? There are scarcely any, be they rich or poor, but what have these feelings, and they have come here in consequence of them, and some few may have come for other motives. But I take it for granted that those who come here do so because their hearts have been touched with the light of truth.

This is the beauty of the revelations and principles that have been re– vealed in these last days. They that have embraced them desire to build up and exalt righteousness upon the earth, and to walk wickedness and every species of abomination under their feet; and for this cause have they assembled themselves together in these valleys of the mountains. There is less of wickedness and of those who desire unrighteousness and to roll it as a sweet morsel under their tongues: their desire is to exalt the principles of truth with which they have fallen in love. They have crossed the great seas and plains, and many of them have striven for years to come to these mountains to associate with those that have pursued the same course, stimulated by the same influence. We have great reason to rejoice that there is a nucleus formed here that we can gather to. It should be the feeling of every heart, not to build up ourselves, but to build up the kingdom of our God. How is this to be accomplished? We are to be united as the heart of one man. We have difficulties to contend with, as the people of God always had. We need food and clothing, but we do not need the wickedness which other people revel in, or the wastefulness with which others trample under their feet the good things bestowed upon them by our Heavenly Father; but we require that wisdom that will enable us to live and accomplish the most good, in the best way, in the work in which we are engaged. It is our business to provide for ourselves and our households those things that are necessary to make them comfortable. It is our duty to teach them how to pray, and how to practice economy, and do all things for the building up of the kingdom of God. How shall we use the bounties of nature so as to build up this kingdom? We must go to work with spirit and energy to do those things that are necessary for our existence, and to give us greater ability for the rolling forth of the work of the Lord. Let virtue and truth control us in all things. Are we not living in an age of revelation? Do we not have revelation day by day, week by week, and month by month, pertaining to our salvation? Suppose that one of you were living in some dark corner of the earth, and the light of revelation and truth should reach and penetrate your understanding, and leave a testimony in your bosom higher in value and more to be coveted than gold; would it not be more appreciated than it is now?

If we cultivate the Spirit and influence that was spoken of today, and if we notice and observe its operations, it will be like the voice of the true shepherd speaking unto us. If we clothe ourselves with that Spirit, we shall be blest with its guidance and inspirations from time to time; we shall have line upon line and precept upon precept. If this influence and Spirit were to control us continually, we should see, feel, and appreciate it; we should know that it was from heaven—the voice of the Almighty unto us. I have heard many say that they required not “Thus saith the Lord,” because they knew the words of the servants of God to be true, by the Spirit and influence that accompanied them. This satisfies anyone who has the light of truth within him. And this is what we all can have: we can all attain to it, if we have this Spirit. When this is our guide, we know what is the true voice from heaven: we can then tell when anything emanates from the right source, and we can see the beauty there is therein, and the propriety of following out the dictates of wisdom and the instructions which we receive from day to day. We should strive to appreciate and understand the things we hear, and then go and practice upon them. We should love the truth for the truth’s sake, as we were told this morning, and do all that lies in our power for the advancement of the cause of truth. We should labor for the attainment of this object with perseverance and energy, and work humbly and diligently, that hundreds and thousands more may be brought to an understanding of the same glorious principles that we now rejoice in. We should also strive to learn more of everything that is necessary for our benefit, and that we may be useful in the kingdom in which we are engaged; and thereby we shall learn to be diligent in the work of the Lord.

Have we any need to see any idle times in our experience in this Church and kingdom? I have not found any peace in my experience where I could be idle for one moment; and if I have not had my mind and hands employed, I have always felt that I was idle and unprofitable. And I will here remark that I think, if we are willing, we have plenty to do; and I think it would be so with all, if they had the right spirit.

Let us all strive to be in the way of our duty, and ready to jump into any place and work. No matter what is to be accomplished, do it with an eye single to the glory of God and the advancement of his kingdom. My soul delights in seeing any measure adopted, which has a tendency to roll on the great work of the Lord. I rejoice that the means of the Church are now going to be husbanded and kept for the gathering of the Saints, instead of being expended for fine clothing and other unnecessary articles, which is almost equal to squandering the money away. I know the feelings of President Young upon this subject, and have for years. He has been borne down under this for some time, and all Israel ought to rejoice in this movement; for it is lifting a great burden from the people abroad as well as from the Presidency; and I consider that the Saints in these valleys ought to be thankful for the opportunity of doing something for the spread of the Gospel. Have you not seen many precious opportunities for doing good, and neglected them, and afterward regretted that you have let them pass? If you have, remember now, and consider that you will regret more if you let the present redeeming chance pass without doing something to aid in sending forth the Gospel to the nations of the earth. I would likewise advise you to make your deposits towards gathering the poor. Remember that it is one of the chief duties of the Saints to gather Israel, in building up the kingdom of God; and everything we do should conspire to this end.

It is for this purpose that we gather together, and that we may have greater power and put our means together to accomplish it in a greater degree, and that we may see how we can best operate to bring forth more fully the kingdom of God and the gathering of Israel.

I am told that in the old country they have a saving fund, into which they cast their spare pence for the gathering of the poor Saints. They pray and watch; they also fast, believing that their deliverance will come, if they are faithful in putting by a little every week for the purpose of bringing the poor to Zion. You that have been there and passed through the ordeal know about this better than I do. I understand how anxious they feel to gather with the Saints to these mountain fastnesses, and I will ask how you feel, who have left brothers and sisters in those lands. Do you not think that they feel to long for the hour to come when they can have the blessings which you enjoy in these valleys of the mountains? Do they not long to contribute to the building up of the kingdom of God?

It is a duty incumbent upon this generation of the Saints of God to impart freely of their substance for the gathering of scattered Israel, and also to aid in dispensing the words of life to all nations, that those who sit in darkness may have an opportunity of embracing the Gospel of salvation that has been revealed in this dispensation. This Gospel must be proclaimed to every creature, that they may receive it, if they see proper; and if they do not, they will be under condemnation. This is an obligation resting upon the Saints of God. Who are there that would not be glad to gather their friends together and encircle them around them—I mean those whom they know to be as honest as themselves? They would certainly like to have their relatives participate in the same blessings that they themselves enjoy. We all wish our friends to have the privilege of exercising their own agency in regard to the Gospel, as well as in any other matter. I suppose there are none but that have these feelings for their friends and acquaintances.

We are here living in the midst of the Saints, participating in all the blessings of the kingdom of God. And suppose we do not have all the luxuries we desire, what of that? How often do the Saints abroad go without a meal’s victuals for the sake of saving something for the Mission and for the spread of truth? I have heard the Elders say when they were gathering money to assist the brethren to go to India, that many of the poor would go to meeting without anything to eat for the sake of contributing something to help forward the work of the Lord. Who is there here that has done without a meal of victuals for the sake of the Gospel? Let us think of these things, brethren and sisters, and do all we can for this or any other enterprise that may be suggested by our President. Let us see how ready we can be to man the ship Zion, and to push on any enterprise that he has set on foot; and in this way we can test ourselves and see if we are as ready as we were in the first place to assist in the work of the Lord, and to yield of the things of the world and everything else for the cause’s sake.

Economy and prudence in our deal and management is a thing touched upon by brother Kimball this afternoon. Now, you all know that speculation is rife in our midst. What do speculators care about our principles? Nothing whatever. They run here to line their pockets with the golden god in the mountains. Yes, they come one after another to offer their worship at the shrine of the golden god. If this is not idolatry, I would like to see it, and to know where it is. Where does this idolatrous worship prevail so much as it does in the Christian world? Among the nations it seems to be the object of both merchants and ministers to get the people’s money.

When I have heard that some of the Elders of this Church made it their special object to get people’s money, and that their preaching has been MONEY, MONEY, money, every day of their ministry, I have been grieved in my spirit; and then they would come upon this stand, when they returned, and misrepresent their labors. I have been ashamed of their conduct. Then, again, I have heard the Elders tell that they had to gather money for such and such a fund, and that half their preaching was about money. I have felt anxious to see some change. This movement, then, I hail as a great blessing to the British Saints. What a blessing it will be when they are relieved from this great burden! I rejoice in it, and I trust we shall all feel united in responding to the call.

I will also call your attention to something else in addition to the Missionary Fund. Let us do something towards emigrating the poor Saints at this end of the route. I feel interested in it. We have had a great many come to us to know how they could manage to get their friends from the old country. Many of them are out of employment, and they do not know how to get out of bondage. The friends of such persons come to us and want us to help them; but what have we to assist them with? Who of you have paid your Tithing for the last two years? (President Young: “They do not know what it means.“) You have almost forgotten the meaning of the word: this is through carelessness. Let us rub up a little, and see if we cannot learn what tithing means. Will you rob the Lord of tithes and of offerings?

These are not my words, but they are in the Bible. The Prophet said to the Jews—“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.” (Malachi, chap. 3, verses 8 and 12.)

Let us apply these things to ourselves, ponder over them, and seek to do better, and live better every day, and strive to increase in our ability to do good.

I have striven diligently to do what I could for this kingdom, and I find that the more I do, the more ability the Almighty gives me. I hope ever to be free with what means I have, and the Lord knows that I cherish nothing in this world in comparison with the success and prosperity of this kingdom. When I joined the Church, I joined with all I could control, and I rejoice in the continuation of this feeling within me. Let us all live and feel that it is a duty and privilege for every one of us to be upon the altar, and to do all we can to promote the interests of the kingdom of God upon the earth. In that our interests are combined and circumscribed. If we wish to appeal to a selfish motive, we shall find that motive fully satisfied in pursuing that course in which I have endeavored to direct your minds. The best investments and bargains that you can make and the best thing you can do for yourselves here while in time and for eternity is to let the kingdom absorb all your interests and all that pertains to you. It is the best bargain that any son and daughter of Adam can make, to consecrate their time, their talents, and all that they possess to the advancement of the cause of our Redeemer; for by it we shall obtain all that is good for us here and all we desire in the future. Through that channel we shall attain eternal riches, and through that channel we shall preserve our identity before our Father and God, and insure our salvation in his kingdom.

Let us be obedient and humble, and listen to the whisperings of the Spirit of God. There are not many people in the world but who hear the whisperings of the Spirit at times, and you Latter-day Saints have a claim upon it constantly, if faithful. I have remembered the whisperings of the Spirit to me for years after they were given, and they have come to my mind at times and seasons when they have been very acceptable. I know that it came to me by the power of the Spirit with regard to the truth of this work.

I can bear the same kind of testimony as brother Pratt, who addressed you this morning, although he has been an Apostle for many years, and was one before I was baptized. This causes me to rejoice, because we have all the privilege of receiving a testimony for ourselves.

“This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ: go and be baptized for the remission of your sins,” was the whispering of the Spirit to me. I soon went forward and embraced it, and I have been thankful ever since that I followed the dictates of the Holy Spirit. It is true I did not think as much of it at that time as I have done since, but I know it was the whispering of the Spirit of the Lord to me.

Many times when I heard President Joseph Smith teaching the people the principles of the Gospel, I have had this same influence whispering to me that what he said was true, and I often desired in my heart that the time might come when I could go forth and be baptized and dwell with this people; and the Lord has answered my prayer. I feel thankful to him, and I rejoice exceedingly in the work in which I am engaged.

These are good days and glorious times in which we live, and I feel to thank God and give praise to his holy name for the blessings poured out upon me—blessings and honors unexpected and unsought for by me. I can truly say, in this connection, that I feel grateful for the blessings I enjoy and the position I occupy; and I know of no other way to do the will of my Heavenly Father than to do as I am told by my file leaders. I will throw myself before this people as an example. I have been prospered in all things I have undertaken, and the Lord knows that I have never sought these temporal blessings; but I have been prospered, notwithstanding, in all things that I have put my hands to in this kingdom. But I have sought his wisdom that I might be useful, and I have tried to be so. This has been the predominating desire of my heart all the day long, and these blessings have come through having that desire, as a reward from the Almighty.

I rejoice as much as any man can rejoice, with the same degree of knowledge, in the privilege of laying a good foundation for time and for eternity. I know that my brethren have blessed me and prayed for me, and so have the Saints generally, weak and unworthy as I feel. I feel to bow down and weep before the Lord because of my poor ability. I have often felt that I have been required to do things that I thought I had no ability to perform; but my motto has been—“O Lord, assist me to do this.” And my desire has been to see and know and carry out his good will and pleasure. I err a great many times, I doubt not, and wound brother Brigham’s feelings; but my desire is to do whatever he desires me to do.

I do not think of talking upon this subject, but I felt led in this peculiar strain, or I should not have pursued it. While I have been standing before you, I have been led to advance these ideas; and perhaps it is well for me to say a few words more, and express a few sentiments in regard to how I came in possession of these blessings.

I never look for pay for anything I do, and I do not care anything about it; but when I have heard the Elders preach about the future reward and enjoyment, I have said that I did not know, neither did I care anything about it; for I have always believed that the Lord would give me all and more than I could desire or receive. I have no trouble or doubt about the reward. I know that I shall not go short, neither will you or any man who will strive to do the will of his Heavenly Father. It is the duty of all of us to take the right course, to do right in all things. It is the only principle by which any man can stand in this Church. Let the people impugn a man’s motives as much as they please; if he pursues a righteous course, it will bring him out right at last. People may try to injure others as they please, but that son and that daughter that takes the right course, and do not do anything to grieve the Spirit of the Almighty, will come out right in the end, if they will be faithful. Although dark clouds may be louring around at times, let the Saints look up, and let them get a character with their God. Remember that you are citizens in the kingdom of God. Citizenship in the United States is highly prized by some, and rightly too; but what is it to be a citizen born in the world, to that of being born in the kingdom of God?

Let me now call the attention of parents for a few moments; for there are doubtless a great many here, and perhaps there are some who are accountable for having put the intoxicating cup to their neighbor’s lips, and more especially for having put it to the lips of their sons. It seems to me that there should be some restraining influence thrown around the rising generation, as well as on this practice of men introducing liquor to others. I suppose that a man is responsible who takes liquor into his system; but I would rather it be someone else than me who throws the first temptation in the way of any man. It is my desire to throw around my family and friends a good influence—to instill into their minds something better, higher, and nobler. Parents can do this whose minds are steady, and who have the light of truth in them like a well of water springing up unto eternal life. Let us throw around those that have a wild disposition a salutary influence, and endeavor to cause them to forsake the paths of vice—throw something around them that will be calculated to exalt them and bring them into the presence of their Father and God. How joyful that family would be if they could save a soul! How joyful would they be if they could see their sons taking a wise course, being moral and sober—to see them growing up in this kingdom in righteousness, and to have the assurance that they were raising up families imbued with righteous and holy principles! What encouragement it would be to press on in the paths of virtue, and to shun the path of immorality! How pleasing would it be to see our sons and daughters pursuing the path that leads to life, and avoiding the one that leads to degradation and death! I hope that we shall see an improvement in this respect in the future.

I will not occupy your time any longer. I feel well, and I rejoice in the Gospel of salvation, and I feel to bear my testimony that this is the Church and kingdom of God, and that the servants of God have borne a faithful testimony all the day long. You have had so much of their preaching that you do not appreciate it; you have had it like a surfeit; the words seem to bound back; they are like the tinkling cymbals, as the President remarked. And it will be so, unless you have the spirit to appreciate the teachings of the servants of God. A greater blessing could not be poured out upon you, and it comes in such a way that you cannot appreciate it. For instance, it is a common thing for people to say, “Oh, I have heard that before!” and hence the people pay no attention, nor do they give heed to the teachings that are given here. This is because they are blessed with them so frequently. But is that the way to do? It is the way you do. But I look for a reformation in many things. The work is not going to stop; it is going to be propelled with immense force, and there are sufficient people to make it roll with greater rapidity.

This people have been prospered and blessed, and have got the comforts of life; and if they do not keep them in their possession, it is their own fault. It is within the power of everyone to get them: they are offered for labor on every hand. Those who can lay up for their families should do so, and their is no necessity for anyone going short of bread. It is offered in the streets for sale very cheap, and the supposed surplus is going out of the Territory. The people can get it for their labor, and they had better keep it and treasure it up against a time of need.

May the Lord bless us all, and keep us faithful, and enable us to be useful in his kingdom, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.