October 1852
MINUTES OF THE General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, held in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, Commencing October 6th, 1852, 10 a. m., Prest. Brigham Young, Presiding.
Present, Presidents; Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Willard Richards.
Patriarchs; John Smith, Isaac Morley.
Twelve Apostles; Orson Hyde, Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor, George A. Smith, Ezra T. Benson, Lorenzo Snow, Erastus Snow, Franklin D. Richards.
Seventies; Joseph Young, Levi W. Hancock, Henry Herriman, Zera Pulsipher, Albert P. Rockwood, Jedediah M. Grant, Benjamin L. Clapp.
Presidency of the Stake; David Fulmer.
High Priest’s Quorum; John Young, Reynolds Cahoon, George B. Wallace.
Presiding Bishop; Edward Hunter,
Clerk of Conference, Thomas Bullock.
Reporter George D. Watt.
Choir sung “The Prodigal Son,” when the Conference was called to order by Prest. Young.
Choir sung “Lord in the morning thou shalt hear.”
Prayer by Elder Hyde;
Choir sung “Come let us join our cheerful songs.”
Present, Presidents; Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Willard Richards.
Patriarchs; John Smith, Isaac Morley.
Twelve Apostles; Orson Hyde, Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor, George A. Smith, Ezra T. Benson, Lorenzo Snow, Erastus Snow, Franklin D. Richards.
Seventies; Joseph Young, Levi W. Hancock, Henry Herriman, Zera Pulsipher, Albert P. Rockwood, Jedediah M. Grant, Benjamin L. Clapp.
Presidency of the Stake; David Fulmer.
High Priest’s Quorum; John Young, Reynolds Cahoon, George B. Wallace.
Presiding Bishop; Edward Hunter,
Clerk of Conference, Thomas Bullock.
Reporter George D. Watt.
Choir sung “The Prodigal Son,” when the Conference was called to order by Prest. Young.
Choir sung “Lord in the morning thou shalt hear.”
Prayer by Elder Hyde;
Choir sung “Come let us join our cheerful songs.”
Elder J. D. Ross,
was called to the stand, who remarked, that we live in an age of the world when some great and marvelous work is being performed on the earth, and which causes the learned to be astonished; and that is the gathering together the honest in heart to one place. He then alluded to the sayings of Jesus “other sheep I have, that are not of this fold, them also I must gather together;" when there will be one Shepherd and one fold, who will be instructed by the Savior himself. When the Savior came in the flesh, it was to the lost sheep of the House of Israel, and he remained with the Jews alone—he reviewed the dispersion of the ten tribes; and the multitude of nations described in the Book of Mormon, and the promise of the Savior to visit the ten tribes: he also spoke of the prophecy of Jacob, on his death bed, that in the last days a feeder should be born, who should feed the sheep of Israel, in the gathering place—and reviewed the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of L. D. S.
was called to the stand, who remarked, that we live in an age of the world when some great and marvelous work is being performed on the earth, and which causes the learned to be astonished; and that is the gathering together the honest in heart to one place. He then alluded to the sayings of Jesus “other sheep I have, that are not of this fold, them also I must gather together;" when there will be one Shepherd and one fold, who will be instructed by the Savior himself. When the Savior came in the flesh, it was to the lost sheep of the House of Israel, and he remained with the Jews alone—he reviewed the dispersion of the ten tribes; and the multitude of nations described in the Book of Mormon, and the promise of the Savior to visit the ten tribes: he also spoke of the prophecy of Jacob, on his death bed, that in the last days a feeder should be born, who should feed the sheep of Israel, in the gathering place—and reviewed the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of L. D. S.
Elder Orson Hyde
remarked, the peculiarity of Elder Ross’ discourse, is to make it interesting; and when one truth is demonstrated, the further our vision extends, our desires for truth increase. The nations who profess Christianity pray continually that the day may speedily come, when the Savior will come to reign as King of nations; and the time is fast approaching, when the Savior will reign King of nations, and he now does King of Saints: and will take possession of that, for which he shed his blood; and those nations who want to keep the power from him, will burn their hands.
remarked, the peculiarity of Elder Ross’ discourse, is to make it interesting; and when one truth is demonstrated, the further our vision extends, our desires for truth increase. The nations who profess Christianity pray continually that the day may speedily come, when the Savior will come to reign as King of nations; and the time is fast approaching, when the Savior will reign King of nations, and he now does King of Saints: and will take possession of that, for which he shed his blood; and those nations who want to keep the power from him, will burn their hands.
Elder Jedediah M. Grant,
said initial through the revelations of God to Br. Joseph, his mind became competent to organize the Church, with a First Presidency, a Quorum of Twelve Apostles, a High Council; and when we got one Quorum of the Seventies, we thought we had a host of Elders, when the Church spread with a brilliancy and a beauty, previously unknown. He then spoke on the subject of miracles, said he, it is a miracle to every ignorant man, how this house is supported without a pillar; or how intelligence can be transmitted from Maine to New Orleans in about a minute, as much as when the Savior fed the multitude with two small loaves of bread; as He was at the Creation of this earth, he knew how to bring the component parts together; for his own convenience, so as to feed the hungry. There is no miracle, only to the ignorant; it is also miraculous to the Kings and Potentates of the earth, that the Latter-day Saints, are a unit; but it is not miraculous to us; we understand the principle by which he rules, although it is the greatest miracle among the nations, to see the Church move on in grandeur and union.
Choir sung a hymn.
said initial through the revelations of God to Br. Joseph, his mind became competent to organize the Church, with a First Presidency, a Quorum of Twelve Apostles, a High Council; and when we got one Quorum of the Seventies, we thought we had a host of Elders, when the Church spread with a brilliancy and a beauty, previously unknown. He then spoke on the subject of miracles, said he, it is a miracle to every ignorant man, how this house is supported without a pillar; or how intelligence can be transmitted from Maine to New Orleans in about a minute, as much as when the Savior fed the multitude with two small loaves of bread; as He was at the Creation of this earth, he knew how to bring the component parts together; for his own convenience, so as to feed the hungry. There is no miracle, only to the ignorant; it is also miraculous to the Kings and Potentates of the earth, that the Latter-day Saints, are a unit; but it is not miraculous to us; we understand the principle by which he rules, although it is the greatest miracle among the nations, to see the Church move on in grandeur and union.
Choir sung a hymn.
The President
invited the Saints to come up here daily and worship the Lord, for we have a hall now, which answers a good purpose; and I now invite you to come here, with clean hands and pure hearts; and as to-morrow is our “Fast Day,” if there are any poor, I say to the Bishops, hunt them up, and feed them; and if there are not any, then reserve the food for another day.
We want you to tarry in Conference, until your hearts are prepared for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, that you may know for yourselves, the truth of the Gospel: and then dismissed the people with benediction.
invited the Saints to come up here daily and worship the Lord, for we have a hall now, which answers a good purpose; and I now invite you to come here, with clean hands and pure hearts; and as to-morrow is our “Fast Day,” if there are any poor, I say to the Bishops, hunt them up, and feed them; and if there are not any, then reserve the food for another day.
We want you to tarry in Conference, until your hearts are prepared for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, that you may know for yourselves, the truth of the Gospel: and then dismissed the people with benediction.
2 P. M.
Conference called to order by Prest. Young.
Choir sung a hymn; prayer by Elder Zera Pulispher; singing.
Conference called to order by Prest. Young.
Choir sung a hymn; prayer by Elder Zera Pulispher; singing.
Elder Ezra T. Benson
remarked that the reason the devil is mad about the Latter Day Saints is because they will enjoy themselves, and they are led by revelation; then spoke of settling the different valleys, in order that the saints may all have an inheritance to dwell upon, and prepare places for other saints to gather to, from every nation, kindred, tongue and clime, upon the earth. The priests in Christendom, warn their flocks not to believe in Mormonism, and yet you, sisters, have power to heal the sick, by the laying on of hands; which they cannot do. The doctrine we heard preached this morning, was good and true; and if we will come up before the Lord as requested, we shall have a good time during this conference, and shall have a witness of the truth of Mormonism.
He asked the question, what in the name of common sense do any of the people let their cattle and pigs run loose for?—and answered, he is not a righteous man, or a Latter Day Saint, who will do so! for those persons who turn their cattle or pigs loose do so, that they may be fed on their neighbors’ squash and gardens, in a dishonest manner, while there are 10,000 saints come in this fall, who have to be fed, if we suffer all our garden sauce and grain to be destroyed?
Sacred music upon the Melodeon, by Elder Grimshaw.
remarked that the reason the devil is mad about the Latter Day Saints is because they will enjoy themselves, and they are led by revelation; then spoke of settling the different valleys, in order that the saints may all have an inheritance to dwell upon, and prepare places for other saints to gather to, from every nation, kindred, tongue and clime, upon the earth. The priests in Christendom, warn their flocks not to believe in Mormonism, and yet you, sisters, have power to heal the sick, by the laying on of hands; which they cannot do. The doctrine we heard preached this morning, was good and true; and if we will come up before the Lord as requested, we shall have a good time during this conference, and shall have a witness of the truth of Mormonism.
He asked the question, what in the name of common sense do any of the people let their cattle and pigs run loose for?—and answered, he is not a righteous man, or a Latter Day Saint, who will do so! for those persons who turn their cattle or pigs loose do so, that they may be fed on their neighbors’ squash and gardens, in a dishonest manner, while there are 10,000 saints come in this fall, who have to be fed, if we suffer all our garden sauce and grain to be destroyed?
Sacred music upon the Melodeon, by Elder Grimshaw.
Prest. Young remarked:--
I expect, in all probability, I shall be able to say very little during this conference. My lungs are in such a state, that as soon as I talk long enough to entertain a congregation, they severely afflict me.
I have a few texts to give to the brethren, who may speak upon some of the items, I wish to be laid before this conference for your contemplation.
The first I have noted is a question: Shall we commence to build a Temple next spring, in order that we may receive our endowments more fully…are aware, that we do not give all the endowments, neither can we, legally, until we build a Temple. Again; those parts that are already given, and will be given, in the place that we at present use, will be given over again in the Temple, when it is finished. The endowments we now give, are given merely by permission; as we have not a house in which to officiate in these ordinances of salvation, that is legal; though we have got a comfortable place, in which we have dedicated to the Lord, and the brethren who go therein, know, and can bear testimony whether the Spirit of the Lord is there, or not.
The next thing I present is: We want workmen; masons, to erect a wall around the Temple Block. We wish to have a wall to secure the block, that when we commence the Temple, we shall not be under the necessity of being thronged and overrun by spectators. A portion of the wall on the north side is already built of stone, and rises about four feet above the surface of the earth; and we anticipate placing about 10 feet of adobie work upon that—the whole to be crowned with a picket fence of 6 feet, making the entire wall about 20 feet high, above the ground.
The next item or text is: We want 100 families to go to Iron county; where we expect to manufacture iron. I will say, for the consolation of those who love money, and feel as though they cannot do without it, as soon as these iron works are in successful operation, that will be a monied place.
We also want 100 families to go to Millard county; that is the intended seat of government for this Territory; it is a beautiful valley, and one of the best we have yet settled.
The next that I will notice, is, we want some 20 missionaries, to travel through these settlements. One hundred have already been appointed to go into all the world, and the number may be swelled a little more, previous to the departure of that part of the mission that is to proceed south. We think those brethren whom we shall appoint to travel at home, can be as useful here, as in any part of the world, to instruct, comfort, and build up the saints in the most holy faith.
The next thing I have noted, may perhaps be to some, a novelty. What was said here last Sabbath by Br. Call, and others, gives rise to this text, which I put forth for the brethren to preach upon. It is for the idlers and loafers to build me a good house. These men complain about me living on the tithing, but the truth is, I have never asked for one bushel of wheat, a single load of wood, or for the Church to build me a house. If any complain about the first Presidency living on tithing, I want these men to build me a fine, commodious house, worth about $25,000.
My next text is, for this people not to pordle away their wheat, as they do at present, and as they did last year: not to sell your wheat for fifty cents per bushel, for in all probability, you will have to buy it back again from the same men at four or five dollars per bushel. I will say still further upon this subject; if this community do not appreciate the blessings of the Lord, given to us from our Mother earth; for our heavenly Father causes it to bring forth in her strength, for the brethren and sisters who come here from far off countries. I tell you in the name of the Lord God, I know the gate of plenty will be shut down, and your wheat and corn will be blasted: the earth will cease to yield in her strength; if this people do not appreciate their blessings, and improve upon them. Further, if this people appreciate these blessings, we will see the time yet, in these mountains, when the people will come from our native countries for bread. If we are faithful, if we are true, if we are humble, and appreciate the blessings of heaven that are poured upon us, and improve upon them, strangers will seek bread at our hands; but, if we neglect our duty; if we become proud, idle, selfish, or covetous, and forget our God, the earth will cease to yield her fruits, they will be blasted, and we will be in poverty; that, you may be assured of, brethren and sisters.
These texts I have given to the brethren, and I will say to the congregation; if there is any man who feels that he wants to pour out his soul, here, before the people, come into this pulpit, we are your brethren. If your heart fails you, if you have not confidence to come to the stand, you have the privilege of rising upon your feet in the congregation. We have come together to worship the Lord, to build up his kingdom. This Conference is for the purpose of contemplating, not directly upon that which concerns us in the present tense, but to lay plans for future life; we are endeavoring to lay the foundation for future exaltation and happiness. This is the place to contemplate those things that our physical energies can act upon, for our future course, administration, labors, &c. We are gathered together, in this Conference to talk over the things of God, and what will be for the best interest of his kingdom on earth; to thank and praise him for what he has done, and is doing, and will do for us, if we are faithful; God bless you, Amen.
I expect, in all probability, I shall be able to say very little during this conference. My lungs are in such a state, that as soon as I talk long enough to entertain a congregation, they severely afflict me.
I have a few texts to give to the brethren, who may speak upon some of the items, I wish to be laid before this conference for your contemplation.
The first I have noted is a question: Shall we commence to build a Temple next spring, in order that we may receive our endowments more fully…are aware, that we do not give all the endowments, neither can we, legally, until we build a Temple. Again; those parts that are already given, and will be given, in the place that we at present use, will be given over again in the Temple, when it is finished. The endowments we now give, are given merely by permission; as we have not a house in which to officiate in these ordinances of salvation, that is legal; though we have got a comfortable place, in which we have dedicated to the Lord, and the brethren who go therein, know, and can bear testimony whether the Spirit of the Lord is there, or not.
The next thing I present is: We want workmen; masons, to erect a wall around the Temple Block. We wish to have a wall to secure the block, that when we commence the Temple, we shall not be under the necessity of being thronged and overrun by spectators. A portion of the wall on the north side is already built of stone, and rises about four feet above the surface of the earth; and we anticipate placing about 10 feet of adobie work upon that—the whole to be crowned with a picket fence of 6 feet, making the entire wall about 20 feet high, above the ground.
The next item or text is: We want 100 families to go to Iron county; where we expect to manufacture iron. I will say, for the consolation of those who love money, and feel as though they cannot do without it, as soon as these iron works are in successful operation, that will be a monied place.
We also want 100 families to go to Millard county; that is the intended seat of government for this Territory; it is a beautiful valley, and one of the best we have yet settled.
The next that I will notice, is, we want some 20 missionaries, to travel through these settlements. One hundred have already been appointed to go into all the world, and the number may be swelled a little more, previous to the departure of that part of the mission that is to proceed south. We think those brethren whom we shall appoint to travel at home, can be as useful here, as in any part of the world, to instruct, comfort, and build up the saints in the most holy faith.
The next thing I have noted, may perhaps be to some, a novelty. What was said here last Sabbath by Br. Call, and others, gives rise to this text, which I put forth for the brethren to preach upon. It is for the idlers and loafers to build me a good house. These men complain about me living on the tithing, but the truth is, I have never asked for one bushel of wheat, a single load of wood, or for the Church to build me a house. If any complain about the first Presidency living on tithing, I want these men to build me a fine, commodious house, worth about $25,000.
My next text is, for this people not to pordle away their wheat, as they do at present, and as they did last year: not to sell your wheat for fifty cents per bushel, for in all probability, you will have to buy it back again from the same men at four or five dollars per bushel. I will say still further upon this subject; if this community do not appreciate the blessings of the Lord, given to us from our Mother earth; for our heavenly Father causes it to bring forth in her strength, for the brethren and sisters who come here from far off countries. I tell you in the name of the Lord God, I know the gate of plenty will be shut down, and your wheat and corn will be blasted: the earth will cease to yield in her strength; if this people do not appreciate their blessings, and improve upon them. Further, if this people appreciate these blessings, we will see the time yet, in these mountains, when the people will come from our native countries for bread. If we are faithful, if we are true, if we are humble, and appreciate the blessings of heaven that are poured upon us, and improve upon them, strangers will seek bread at our hands; but, if we neglect our duty; if we become proud, idle, selfish, or covetous, and forget our God, the earth will cease to yield her fruits, they will be blasted, and we will be in poverty; that, you may be assured of, brethren and sisters.
These texts I have given to the brethren, and I will say to the congregation; if there is any man who feels that he wants to pour out his soul, here, before the people, come into this pulpit, we are your brethren. If your heart fails you, if you have not confidence to come to the stand, you have the privilege of rising upon your feet in the congregation. We have come together to worship the Lord, to build up his kingdom. This Conference is for the purpose of contemplating, not directly upon that which concerns us in the present tense, but to lay plans for future life; we are endeavoring to lay the foundation for future exaltation and happiness. This is the place to contemplate those things that our physical energies can act upon, for our future course, administration, labors, &c. We are gathered together, in this Conference to talk over the things of God, and what will be for the best interest of his kingdom on earth; to thank and praise him for what he has done, and is doing, and will do for us, if we are faithful; God bless you, Amen.
Elder Levi W. Hancock
said, his heart felt to rejoice, that he was out of the clutches of those men, who had robbed, and driven him from his home; and is glad to be in the valley of peace, where the hearts of the children are turned to their fathers, and we can glory in the cause of our God, &c.
said, his heart felt to rejoice, that he was out of the clutches of those men, who had robbed, and driven him from his home; and is glad to be in the valley of peace, where the hearts of the children are turned to their fathers, and we can glory in the cause of our God, &c.
Elder Zera Pulsipher
remembered the time when he had to travel 325 miles to get a council of elders; comparing the rise of the church, with the present day; and bore a testimony of having seen a vision, when an angel appeared to him, having a Book of Mormon in his hand—and exhorted the newcomers to the valley, to keep the commandments of God; to be humble and prayerful, and respect and obey the counsel of the authorities; and shewed, that those who neglect their prayers, and their duty, generally fall away from the church, and are damned.
remembered the time when he had to travel 325 miles to get a council of elders; comparing the rise of the church, with the present day; and bore a testimony of having seen a vision, when an angel appeared to him, having a Book of Mormon in his hand—and exhorted the newcomers to the valley, to keep the commandments of God; to be humble and prayerful, and respect and obey the counsel of the authorities; and shewed, that those who neglect their prayers, and their duty, generally fall away from the church, and are damned.
Prest. Kimball
You have heard the several texts which have been presented before you, by Prest. Young, it matters not which we take up first. There are many schemes laid to get your wheat, for 75 or 80 cents a bushel:--many will come here, who feel in their hearts to complain of President Young, and others:--the present emigration coming in will require near 100,000 bushels of grain to feed them and their stock; and so many persons are without even their own bread, who will require nearly as much more: and I am satisfied there never has been so much grain destroyed in the valley any year, previous to this; and bro. Brigham says, “take up your cattle, to-night, and herd them.” Will you do it? (The saints answered, “yes;”) and he exhorted the saints to sell their clothing to the farmers, for wheat, so as to keep away from the merchants; and decorate your palaces with home manufactures; and if you cannot get cotton yarn to weave carpets, braid the rags, and adorn your palaces with rag carpets.
I say unto you all, practice virtue, prudence, economy; be saving, and be industrious, and you will be blessed. May the Lord bless you; amen.
You have heard the several texts which have been presented before you, by Prest. Young, it matters not which we take up first. There are many schemes laid to get your wheat, for 75 or 80 cents a bushel:--many will come here, who feel in their hearts to complain of President Young, and others:--the present emigration coming in will require near 100,000 bushels of grain to feed them and their stock; and so many persons are without even their own bread, who will require nearly as much more: and I am satisfied there never has been so much grain destroyed in the valley any year, previous to this; and bro. Brigham says, “take up your cattle, to-night, and herd them.” Will you do it? (The saints answered, “yes;”) and he exhorted the saints to sell their clothing to the farmers, for wheat, so as to keep away from the merchants; and decorate your palaces with home manufactures; and if you cannot get cotton yarn to weave carpets, braid the rags, and adorn your palaces with rag carpets.
I say unto you all, practice virtue, prudence, economy; be saving, and be industrious, and you will be blessed. May the Lord bless you; amen.
A young brother, just arrived, whose name we did not learn, occupied the stand, a few moments, who rejoiced to see so many willing to obey the counsels of the Lord, and stated his reasons for coming to the valley, were, that he might be instructed by the Prophet of the Lord.
Choir sung a hymn, when the double bass viol was brought into use for the first time in this place.
Benediction by Elder Lorenzo Snow.
Adjourned to 10 a.m., tomorrow.
Choir sung a hymn, when the double bass viol was brought into use for the first time in this place.
Benediction by Elder Lorenzo Snow.
Adjourned to 10 a.m., tomorrow.
6. P. M.
The elders of Israel met in the Tabernacle; called to order by Elder Lorenzo Snow.
Congregation sung, “Come all ye sons of Zion.”
Prayer by Elder Snow.
Congregation sung, “Glory to thee my God this night”.
The elders of Israel met in the Tabernacle; called to order by Elder Lorenzo Snow.
Congregation sung, “Come all ye sons of Zion.”
Prayer by Elder Snow.
Congregation sung, “Glory to thee my God this night”.
Elder F. D. Richards
attended to the call made on him, to preach this evening; and as the word “can’t,” never was in his vocabulary, he is not under any trouble to expunge it. The responsibility he is under, to preach to the people, enables him to expect the assistance of the Holy Spirit always.
The saints are the only persons on earth, who can really rejoice, and know that the Lord is with us; but the world knowing nothing of the power of God, attribute our prosperity to our leaders being some of the master spirits of the age; seeing us build cities, and in a few years driven from them, and behold in a short time we are richer than we were before, makes them give us credit for having great and mighty power. We have found one spot on the earth, which was not desirable for any man to settle, and praise the Lord, the Latter Day Saints have taken possession of a refuse portion of the earth; and now we can cause the desert to blossom as the rose, and the barren wastes to be made glad.
He advocated the cause of home manufactures, and then, said he, we should have not only a gathering of people, but also a gathering of substance. If the money that has been paid out for the single article of sugar, was not in the valley, there would be a comfortable circulating medium for the whole Territory.
Again, if we can get the iron works started in our midst, it would be a most profitable source of investment, and also prove of great benefit to the Territory. Bro. Erastus Snow and I are going down to Iron county, with a train of goods, to unite with our brethren there, and see if we can make it a blessing to the community, and so save the funds in the Territory; this will give stability to the mounted interest. I look forward to a few years, when I can see the wool taken from the sheep, and made into beautiful clothing, by our own hands; and then you will dam up the avenue to the export of money for that article, also.
Here in these valleys, we can see face to face, and feel the heart of man beating in response to our own; but if you go abroad in the world, you find it truly, and every man is for himself, and the devil for them all. I look forward to the time when men will want to come to gain a settlement and a name, in our midst, for worldly gain; yes, brethren, the time will come, when the Presidency will have to use their utmost power and anxiety to prevent the influx of devils in our midst, as much as we are anxious to baptize an individual for the remission of his sins.
Brethren, we have either got to live the gospel, or else our faith is vain. The Lord magnifies us in the eyes of the world, as he often did when we were in Nauvoo; persons would come from Boston, to a conference; their eyes would be so great, that they would go back and report present, about twice the amount of the inhabitants there were in the whole city, &c.
attended to the call made on him, to preach this evening; and as the word “can’t,” never was in his vocabulary, he is not under any trouble to expunge it. The responsibility he is under, to preach to the people, enables him to expect the assistance of the Holy Spirit always.
The saints are the only persons on earth, who can really rejoice, and know that the Lord is with us; but the world knowing nothing of the power of God, attribute our prosperity to our leaders being some of the master spirits of the age; seeing us build cities, and in a few years driven from them, and behold in a short time we are richer than we were before, makes them give us credit for having great and mighty power. We have found one spot on the earth, which was not desirable for any man to settle, and praise the Lord, the Latter Day Saints have taken possession of a refuse portion of the earth; and now we can cause the desert to blossom as the rose, and the barren wastes to be made glad.
He advocated the cause of home manufactures, and then, said he, we should have not only a gathering of people, but also a gathering of substance. If the money that has been paid out for the single article of sugar, was not in the valley, there would be a comfortable circulating medium for the whole Territory.
Again, if we can get the iron works started in our midst, it would be a most profitable source of investment, and also prove of great benefit to the Territory. Bro. Erastus Snow and I are going down to Iron county, with a train of goods, to unite with our brethren there, and see if we can make it a blessing to the community, and so save the funds in the Territory; this will give stability to the mounted interest. I look forward to a few years, when I can see the wool taken from the sheep, and made into beautiful clothing, by our own hands; and then you will dam up the avenue to the export of money for that article, also.
Here in these valleys, we can see face to face, and feel the heart of man beating in response to our own; but if you go abroad in the world, you find it truly, and every man is for himself, and the devil for them all. I look forward to the time when men will want to come to gain a settlement and a name, in our midst, for worldly gain; yes, brethren, the time will come, when the Presidency will have to use their utmost power and anxiety to prevent the influx of devils in our midst, as much as we are anxious to baptize an individual for the remission of his sins.
Brethren, we have either got to live the gospel, or else our faith is vain. The Lord magnifies us in the eyes of the world, as he often did when we were in Nauvoo; persons would come from Boston, to a conference; their eyes would be so great, that they would go back and report present, about twice the amount of the inhabitants there were in the whole city, &c.
Elder W. Woodruff.
Truly has it been said, that we are growing in knowledge and wisdom, and feel the hand of God guiding us; yet this people have one fault, and this is, to run to a Gentile store and spend the last dollar they’ve got, in preference to going to a brother in the church; it is an error in Israel, and should be stopped. How long will you sustain men, who do not support this kingdom, in preference to supporting yourselves? The men who drew the very life’s blood of the community in Nauvoo, were the first to draw the steel upon us and drive us from our homes and I fear not to say, that if the saints were to leave these valleys, and the Gentiles were to take possession of our houses, and our farms, they could not live here, and a famine would be in these valleys, in their midst.
Truly has it been said, that we are growing in knowledge and wisdom, and feel the hand of God guiding us; yet this people have one fault, and this is, to run to a Gentile store and spend the last dollar they’ve got, in preference to going to a brother in the church; it is an error in Israel, and should be stopped. How long will you sustain men, who do not support this kingdom, in preference to supporting yourselves? The men who drew the very life’s blood of the community in Nauvoo, were the first to draw the steel upon us and drive us from our homes and I fear not to say, that if the saints were to leave these valleys, and the Gentiles were to take possession of our houses, and our farms, they could not live here, and a famine would be in these valleys, in their midst.
Elder O. Hyde
then rose to speak; but the Clerk was under the necessity of leaving, on account of sickness.
then rose to speak; but the Clerk was under the necessity of leaving, on account of sickness.
October 7
Conference called to order by Prest. Kimball, 20 minutes to 10.
Choir sung a hymn.
Prayer by Elder Phinehas H. Young.
Singing.
Conference called to order by Prest. Kimball, 20 minutes to 10.
Choir sung a hymn.
Prayer by Elder Phinehas H. Young.
Singing.
Elder Hyde
remarked that it is necessary that the saints should use their best exertions to preserve the perpetuity of both body and spirit, that they may perpetuate the works of the Father, for God works with the instruments which he has prepared for that purpose; and man has to perfect himself even as God himself is perfect. Man is the author of his own happiness or misery, and should therefore create circumstances to make him happy. Without the comforts of life, the tender woman herself can turn love into hate, as was witnessed at the siege of Jerusalem, when the woman ate the fruit of her own loins. Man must consult nature, and then all things glide smoothly along, when he can bless himself and others; but if he is pinched by want, he feels miserable.
This valley is pretty much all taken up in arms, and the wood all used up, which requires men to be two days in getting a load of wood; and during that time a man often looses his cattle, which may destroy his neighbor’s garden, and incur damages. Therefore it is best to go where neighbors are fewer, and get the best places for farms; you can there get a load of wood any morning, have your cattle on good range, and then you get the gifts of God by your own industry. In the country south is plenty of room for the exercise of your energies. In Iron county they are beginning to make iron, and those who live there on the manufacture of the first stove or porridge pot their names will be had in remembrance. And further, they have a whole mountain of brimstone, and all I have to say is, don’t set it on fire yet, but let it remain till the Lord puts the match to it himself when he burns up the earth with fire. There is also plenty of wood, water and grass, and the word is, go south, and fill up the vallies, for if you don’t, the persons now living in this valley will sell out, and go and take up those very choice lands. Who won’t go South, where you can raise oranges and grapes. A man cannot starve to death on grapes alone; I have tried it myself, and want to have the privilege of trying it again. Then don’t stay here, but go to the land of clover and grapes, and where you can get coal for the digging of it.
“Southward,” then is the word; for if you don’t find a mountain of sugar there, Brother Taylor is going South with his sugar manufactory, and where the sweet is, those who love sweet will go. “Southward the tide of empire flows.”
Never stay here, where your cattle pick up a spear of grass on one acre, and then go to another acre for another spear; but go South, where the grass is luxuriant.
Brethren and sisters, consult nature, get a good location; this is the counsel of the brethren, that you may be satisfied; and praise the Lord our God, and God shall reward you. Amen.
remarked that it is necessary that the saints should use their best exertions to preserve the perpetuity of both body and spirit, that they may perpetuate the works of the Father, for God works with the instruments which he has prepared for that purpose; and man has to perfect himself even as God himself is perfect. Man is the author of his own happiness or misery, and should therefore create circumstances to make him happy. Without the comforts of life, the tender woman herself can turn love into hate, as was witnessed at the siege of Jerusalem, when the woman ate the fruit of her own loins. Man must consult nature, and then all things glide smoothly along, when he can bless himself and others; but if he is pinched by want, he feels miserable.
This valley is pretty much all taken up in arms, and the wood all used up, which requires men to be two days in getting a load of wood; and during that time a man often looses his cattle, which may destroy his neighbor’s garden, and incur damages. Therefore it is best to go where neighbors are fewer, and get the best places for farms; you can there get a load of wood any morning, have your cattle on good range, and then you get the gifts of God by your own industry. In the country south is plenty of room for the exercise of your energies. In Iron county they are beginning to make iron, and those who live there on the manufacture of the first stove or porridge pot their names will be had in remembrance. And further, they have a whole mountain of brimstone, and all I have to say is, don’t set it on fire yet, but let it remain till the Lord puts the match to it himself when he burns up the earth with fire. There is also plenty of wood, water and grass, and the word is, go south, and fill up the vallies, for if you don’t, the persons now living in this valley will sell out, and go and take up those very choice lands. Who won’t go South, where you can raise oranges and grapes. A man cannot starve to death on grapes alone; I have tried it myself, and want to have the privilege of trying it again. Then don’t stay here, but go to the land of clover and grapes, and where you can get coal for the digging of it.
“Southward,” then is the word; for if you don’t find a mountain of sugar there, Brother Taylor is going South with his sugar manufactory, and where the sweet is, those who love sweet will go. “Southward the tide of empire flows.”
Never stay here, where your cattle pick up a spear of grass on one acre, and then go to another acre for another spear; but go South, where the grass is luxuriant.
Brethren and sisters, consult nature, get a good location; this is the counsel of the brethren, that you may be satisfied; and praise the Lord our God, and God shall reward you. Amen.
President Kimball
said, many persons here try to keep their relatives here, but if they go to Iron county or Millard county, they fear they shall miss their sealings and endowments; I tell you no one will go then, until they have proved themselves.
At Coal creek the people are mostly iron manufacturers, who are recommended to leave their families and go to their trade. In Millard county we … 50 or 60 miles, from north to south, with scarcely an end to it on the west, and that is the seat of government, where the Governor and his associates go and dwell, at least part of the year. If you let the spirit of revelation control you a moment, you will see the necessity of what we say. It is only about 60 miles from Iron county where it is one continued summer.
It is the intention of building the wall round Temple block, and then commence the fonts, &c. Do you want to see a Temple built? What do you say? if you want it, raise your right hands. [all hands up.]
We shall move to and fro in these vallies, and not live long in one place at a time, therefore go South.
Going South—Building the Temple—Murmurers
The brethren have heard considerable about going south; and I know there is considerable feeling manifested upon this matter. There are a great many persons in this valley, who are working against this operation; I mean fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, and other relations. Nearly all of these persons have city lots, and they propose to divide them with the emigrants, rather than that they should leave the city; and at the same time take one hundred and fifty or two hundred dollars out of their brethren's pockets for that which cost them little or nothing; so they have a certain object in view in persuading people to stay in the city. These things have a strong tendency to bind the brethren here. There are also many other things that have the same tendency. They reason among themselves, saying, "If we go to Iron County, or to Millard County, we shall perhaps lose our blessings, our sealings, and our endowments, and many other privileges;" and conclude to stay here for the purpose of obtaining these things. I will tell you that stay here for this purpose, you will not get your blessings as soon as those will who go and settle where they are counseled. For none of you can have these blessings until you prove yourselves worthy, by cultivating the earth, and then rendering to the Lord the firstfruits thereof, the firstfruits of your cattle, of your sheep, and of all your increase. This is how I understand it. Now go and get farms for yourselves while you can.
Those brethren in Iron County, and those that are still at Coal Creek, pretty much all of them, are ironmongers; they were the first to go into the iron and coal business and leave their farms. There are somewhere in the neighborhood of two hundred acres of land under cultivation in those valleys, that you can have the privilege of purchasing, or of cultivating for the time being, until you can make farms for yourselves. In the city of Manti, half of the houses are vacant; there are houses enough empty there to accommodate fifty or a hundred families. In Iron County also there are similar advantages.
Fillmore City, in Millard County, is situated in a very extensive valley. I think we travel, as we are going to Iron County, somewhere in the neighborhood of fifty or sixty miles, and then it extends west far beyond the power of the eyes to see; the fact is, we can see no distant mountains at all in some directions; and there are numerous rich valleys that are connected or which communicate with this, on to Iron County. Millard County we wish to make strong and powerful, for there is the center of the government of the State of Deseret, and where the governor and his associates, some time in the future, will dwell part of the year. There will be a building erected there for the use of the general government of this State and for the general government of the Church and kingdom of God. Then why need you be afraid of the result of anything that is best for you to do? Let grandfather, grandmother, brother or sister, have no influence over you to turn you aside from your duty.
If brother Brigham is not of more consequence to you than your brother or sister, or father or mother, or anything else that pertains to this life, I would not give much for your religion. If you will reflect for a moment, and let the Spirit of the Lord—the spirit of revelation, have place in your bosoms, so that you can foresee the future events which we are approaching, and let your minds expand by the power of the Holy Ghost, you will not hesitate one moment to go to these valleys.
We have no wish to get rid of the Saints, but the counsel that is given them to go and settle those places, is for their best interest, and for the upbuilding of the kingdom of God.
You have arrived safely in this valley, by the providence of God, from Old England, where it rains almost every day, and where they have to keep the lamps lit, sometimes, in order to pass through the streets safely in the day time. Often, when I was there, I had to sit and read in the day time by candle light; and we very seldom durst go out without an umbrella, for if we did, we were sure to get soaked to the skin before we returned. It is not so in this country; and the further you go south, the higher the valleys are, until you go over the rim of the Great Basin, about sixty miles, down to the Rio Virgin. As soon as you get there, you are where it is summer all the year round; but we do not wish you to go there until you are appointed to go. We want you to go where you are sent, for you cannot get your endowments until you have proved yourselves—that is what we intend; it is the mind of brother Brigham, the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the Prophet of God, who holds the keys of life and salvation pertaining to you, and me, and all the world—not a soul is excepted, neither man, woman, nor child; they all belong to him; for he is the Prophet, he is our Priest, our Governor, even the Governor of the State of Deseret.
I think more of the things that pertain to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or the kingdom of God, than I do of these little petty territorial matters. I presume if the brethren in this Conference will go into these valleys, and grow wheat, raise cattle, and other products of the earth, and then give one-tenth of all their increase into the Lord's storehouse; and one-tenth of all they have got now, we shall be able to set to immediately, and build a temple, and finish it forthwith, and abandon the idea of the Church building houses for individuals, to get a few dollars here and there to carry on the public works. Let us attend to the Church matters, and rear that wall round the Temple block as soon as possible, and apply the Church funds to this purpose, instead of putting them into the hands of a few individuals, that would perhaps pay one hundred dollars, or turn in a yoke of cattle, and say, "Build me a house, and then let the Church pay the difference." They will pay so much, and perhaps the rest of it is sucked out of the vitals of the Church. This is afflicting the Church; it cannot carry this burden, but must and will throw it off, and use the tithing in building a temple, a baptismal font, storehouses, and such things the Church has need of. I do not know whether you have any desire to have a temple built or not. Have you reflected upon it, that we may go to with our might, our means, our substance, and with all we have to build a house to the Lord, to build fonts, that we can attend to the ordinances of salvation for ourselves, our children, our fathers, and mothers, both living and dead? What do you say? If you say we shall do so, raise your right hands. (All hands were up.) It is clear that they will have a temple, brother Brigham.
Now if you will take hold together, and do as you have been told, and go and people those rich valleys, except those who have been counseled to stay here, for if they are wanted here, it is necessary they should stay here; you shall be blessed. Gather up your substance, and go and make farms for yourselves, that you can raise from two hundred to three thousand bushels of wheat next summer. We have been in those valleys two or three times on exploring expeditions, and we are going again next fall, over the mountains, down into the lower world, if the Lord will. We shall thus travel back and forth, and live about as much in one place as in another; for the future we shall keep on the move, going to and fro, and shall never be easy; we never want to be, nor that you should, until the kingdom of God prevails over this earth. We will fill up these mountains, take up the land, and, as they used to say in the States, "become squatters," and we will become thicker on the mountains than the crickets ever were.
If you can once break up the ranks of the crickets, it breaks up their calculations, and under such circumstances they never will undertake a war upon your crops. In like manner we have to become one, and build a Temple, that we may learn the principles of oneness more fully, to prepare for all things to come, that when we become fixed for war, we may whip out all the enemies of truth, and never yield the point, neither man, woman, nor child that is in Israel.
As for murmurers and complainers and faultfinders, we want to give them some employment, and we shall attend to that part of the business before long. After meeting we will lay the thing before them, and all the murmurers, and complainers, and faultfinders, &c., we want they should raise their right hand to do some good. If they want to vote, we will appoint a meeting at the Council House directly after Conference, and organize them into companies, and appoint a building committee to build brother Brigham a house, and the person who murmurs the worst shall be the President. We will give him the same right which we gave to Father Sherwood; but it was a tie between him and Zebedee Coltrin which should preside; but Father Sherwood's tongue being more limber, he whipped out Coltrin, and got the Presidency. We will organize a company of males and females, for we calculate to give females an office in that company, and they shall be upon an equal footing with the men. Now there's a chance for you women who seek to be equal with your husbands. This is sticking to the text brother Brigham gave yesterday. But I believe I will stop speaking for the present.
said, many persons here try to keep their relatives here, but if they go to Iron county or Millard county, they fear they shall miss their sealings and endowments; I tell you no one will go then, until they have proved themselves.
At Coal creek the people are mostly iron manufacturers, who are recommended to leave their families and go to their trade. In Millard county we … 50 or 60 miles, from north to south, with scarcely an end to it on the west, and that is the seat of government, where the Governor and his associates go and dwell, at least part of the year. If you let the spirit of revelation control you a moment, you will see the necessity of what we say. It is only about 60 miles from Iron county where it is one continued summer.
It is the intention of building the wall round Temple block, and then commence the fonts, &c. Do you want to see a Temple built? What do you say? if you want it, raise your right hands. [all hands up.]
We shall move to and fro in these vallies, and not live long in one place at a time, therefore go South.
Going South—Building the Temple—Murmurers
The brethren have heard considerable about going south; and I know there is considerable feeling manifested upon this matter. There are a great many persons in this valley, who are working against this operation; I mean fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, and other relations. Nearly all of these persons have city lots, and they propose to divide them with the emigrants, rather than that they should leave the city; and at the same time take one hundred and fifty or two hundred dollars out of their brethren's pockets for that which cost them little or nothing; so they have a certain object in view in persuading people to stay in the city. These things have a strong tendency to bind the brethren here. There are also many other things that have the same tendency. They reason among themselves, saying, "If we go to Iron County, or to Millard County, we shall perhaps lose our blessings, our sealings, and our endowments, and many other privileges;" and conclude to stay here for the purpose of obtaining these things. I will tell you that stay here for this purpose, you will not get your blessings as soon as those will who go and settle where they are counseled. For none of you can have these blessings until you prove yourselves worthy, by cultivating the earth, and then rendering to the Lord the firstfruits thereof, the firstfruits of your cattle, of your sheep, and of all your increase. This is how I understand it. Now go and get farms for yourselves while you can.
Those brethren in Iron County, and those that are still at Coal Creek, pretty much all of them, are ironmongers; they were the first to go into the iron and coal business and leave their farms. There are somewhere in the neighborhood of two hundred acres of land under cultivation in those valleys, that you can have the privilege of purchasing, or of cultivating for the time being, until you can make farms for yourselves. In the city of Manti, half of the houses are vacant; there are houses enough empty there to accommodate fifty or a hundred families. In Iron County also there are similar advantages.
Fillmore City, in Millard County, is situated in a very extensive valley. I think we travel, as we are going to Iron County, somewhere in the neighborhood of fifty or sixty miles, and then it extends west far beyond the power of the eyes to see; the fact is, we can see no distant mountains at all in some directions; and there are numerous rich valleys that are connected or which communicate with this, on to Iron County. Millard County we wish to make strong and powerful, for there is the center of the government of the State of Deseret, and where the governor and his associates, some time in the future, will dwell part of the year. There will be a building erected there for the use of the general government of this State and for the general government of the Church and kingdom of God. Then why need you be afraid of the result of anything that is best for you to do? Let grandfather, grandmother, brother or sister, have no influence over you to turn you aside from your duty.
If brother Brigham is not of more consequence to you than your brother or sister, or father or mother, or anything else that pertains to this life, I would not give much for your religion. If you will reflect for a moment, and let the Spirit of the Lord—the spirit of revelation, have place in your bosoms, so that you can foresee the future events which we are approaching, and let your minds expand by the power of the Holy Ghost, you will not hesitate one moment to go to these valleys.
We have no wish to get rid of the Saints, but the counsel that is given them to go and settle those places, is for their best interest, and for the upbuilding of the kingdom of God.
You have arrived safely in this valley, by the providence of God, from Old England, where it rains almost every day, and where they have to keep the lamps lit, sometimes, in order to pass through the streets safely in the day time. Often, when I was there, I had to sit and read in the day time by candle light; and we very seldom durst go out without an umbrella, for if we did, we were sure to get soaked to the skin before we returned. It is not so in this country; and the further you go south, the higher the valleys are, until you go over the rim of the Great Basin, about sixty miles, down to the Rio Virgin. As soon as you get there, you are where it is summer all the year round; but we do not wish you to go there until you are appointed to go. We want you to go where you are sent, for you cannot get your endowments until you have proved yourselves—that is what we intend; it is the mind of brother Brigham, the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the Prophet of God, who holds the keys of life and salvation pertaining to you, and me, and all the world—not a soul is excepted, neither man, woman, nor child; they all belong to him; for he is the Prophet, he is our Priest, our Governor, even the Governor of the State of Deseret.
I think more of the things that pertain to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or the kingdom of God, than I do of these little petty territorial matters. I presume if the brethren in this Conference will go into these valleys, and grow wheat, raise cattle, and other products of the earth, and then give one-tenth of all their increase into the Lord's storehouse; and one-tenth of all they have got now, we shall be able to set to immediately, and build a temple, and finish it forthwith, and abandon the idea of the Church building houses for individuals, to get a few dollars here and there to carry on the public works. Let us attend to the Church matters, and rear that wall round the Temple block as soon as possible, and apply the Church funds to this purpose, instead of putting them into the hands of a few individuals, that would perhaps pay one hundred dollars, or turn in a yoke of cattle, and say, "Build me a house, and then let the Church pay the difference." They will pay so much, and perhaps the rest of it is sucked out of the vitals of the Church. This is afflicting the Church; it cannot carry this burden, but must and will throw it off, and use the tithing in building a temple, a baptismal font, storehouses, and such things the Church has need of. I do not know whether you have any desire to have a temple built or not. Have you reflected upon it, that we may go to with our might, our means, our substance, and with all we have to build a house to the Lord, to build fonts, that we can attend to the ordinances of salvation for ourselves, our children, our fathers, and mothers, both living and dead? What do you say? If you say we shall do so, raise your right hands. (All hands were up.) It is clear that they will have a temple, brother Brigham.
Now if you will take hold together, and do as you have been told, and go and people those rich valleys, except those who have been counseled to stay here, for if they are wanted here, it is necessary they should stay here; you shall be blessed. Gather up your substance, and go and make farms for yourselves, that you can raise from two hundred to three thousand bushels of wheat next summer. We have been in those valleys two or three times on exploring expeditions, and we are going again next fall, over the mountains, down into the lower world, if the Lord will. We shall thus travel back and forth, and live about as much in one place as in another; for the future we shall keep on the move, going to and fro, and shall never be easy; we never want to be, nor that you should, until the kingdom of God prevails over this earth. We will fill up these mountains, take up the land, and, as they used to say in the States, "become squatters," and we will become thicker on the mountains than the crickets ever were.
If you can once break up the ranks of the crickets, it breaks up their calculations, and under such circumstances they never will undertake a war upon your crops. In like manner we have to become one, and build a Temple, that we may learn the principles of oneness more fully, to prepare for all things to come, that when we become fixed for war, we may whip out all the enemies of truth, and never yield the point, neither man, woman, nor child that is in Israel.
As for murmurers and complainers and faultfinders, we want to give them some employment, and we shall attend to that part of the business before long. After meeting we will lay the thing before them, and all the murmurers, and complainers, and faultfinders, &c., we want they should raise their right hand to do some good. If they want to vote, we will appoint a meeting at the Council House directly after Conference, and organize them into companies, and appoint a building committee to build brother Brigham a house, and the person who murmurs the worst shall be the President. We will give him the same right which we gave to Father Sherwood; but it was a tie between him and Zebedee Coltrin which should preside; but Father Sherwood's tongue being more limber, he whipped out Coltrin, and got the Presidency. We will organize a company of males and females, for we calculate to give females an office in that company, and they shall be upon an equal footing with the men. Now there's a chance for you women who seek to be equal with your husbands. This is sticking to the text brother Brigham gave yesterday. But I believe I will stop speaking for the present.
Elder O. Hyde
then rose and presented the authorities for approval or disapproval as follows:
President Brigham Young was presented as President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also as our Prophet, Seer, and Revelator and our leader in Israel, who was unanimously sustained, as also Heber C. Kimball and Willard Richards his Councilors; and also Bro. Richards, Historian, and General Church Recorder.
Bro. John Smith was sustained as Patriarch to the whole church.
Orson Hyde was sustained as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor, George A. Smith, Amasa Lyman, Ezra T. Benson, Charles C. Rich, Lorenzo Snow, Erastus Snow, and Franklin D. Richards, were severally sustained as members of said Quorum.
John Young was sustained as president of the High Priests’ Quorum; also Reynolds Cahoon and George B. Wallace his councilors.
Joseph Young was sustained as President of the Presidency of Seventies, and Levi W. Hancock, Henry Herriman, Zera Pulsipher, Albert P. Rockwood, Jedediah M. Grant, and Benjamin L. Clapp as his associates.
then rose and presented the authorities for approval or disapproval as follows:
President Brigham Young was presented as President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also as our Prophet, Seer, and Revelator and our leader in Israel, who was unanimously sustained, as also Heber C. Kimball and Willard Richards his Councilors; and also Bro. Richards, Historian, and General Church Recorder.
Bro. John Smith was sustained as Patriarch to the whole church.
Orson Hyde was sustained as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor, George A. Smith, Amasa Lyman, Ezra T. Benson, Charles C. Rich, Lorenzo Snow, Erastus Snow, and Franklin D. Richards, were severally sustained as members of said Quorum.
John Young was sustained as president of the High Priests’ Quorum; also Reynolds Cahoon and George B. Wallace his councilors.
Joseph Young was sustained as President of the Presidency of Seventies, and Levi W. Hancock, Henry Herriman, Zera Pulsipher, Albert P. Rockwood, Jedediah M. Grant, and Benjamin L. Clapp as his associates.
Elder Clapp
requested the privilege to speak to the saints; he requested the saints not throw him away in their prayers to the Lord; and testified that God was in this work; he is living for God, and for an eternal exaltation; he has had dark clouds, and his spirits have been sunken; but he has never had a feeling of hardness to the Presidency or any of the authorities, and is determined to cleave to his brethren; yet he expects to have greater trials than this, for he has seen them in vision, and has faith in God to help him out; said he, I want to live with this people and die with them and if I cannot have a place with this people, I wish to sink into nonentity; and then asked the forgiveness of his brethren. I am satisfied with the authorities of the Church as they have been voted; I have voted for them myself.
Choir sung a hymn.
Benediction by Elder Joseph Young.
requested the privilege to speak to the saints; he requested the saints not throw him away in their prayers to the Lord; and testified that God was in this work; he is living for God, and for an eternal exaltation; he has had dark clouds, and his spirits have been sunken; but he has never had a feeling of hardness to the Presidency or any of the authorities, and is determined to cleave to his brethren; yet he expects to have greater trials than this, for he has seen them in vision, and has faith in God to help him out; said he, I want to live with this people and die with them and if I cannot have a place with this people, I wish to sink into nonentity; and then asked the forgiveness of his brethren. I am satisfied with the authorities of the Church as they have been voted; I have voted for them myself.
Choir sung a hymn.
Benediction by Elder Joseph Young.
Oct 7, p. m.
Prest. Kimball called the congregation to order, .. minutes to 2.
Choir sung a hymn.
Prayer by Elder G. A. Smith and singing.
Prest. Kimball called the congregation to order, .. minutes to 2.
Choir sung a hymn.
Prayer by Elder G. A. Smith and singing.
Elder Ezra T. Benson
then presented the remainder of the officers in the church, for approval or disapproval as follows:
John Nebeker as President of the Elders quorum, also James H. Smith and Aaron Sceva his councilors who were severally sustained.
Edward Hunter was sustained as Presiding Bishop to the church; also Nathaniel H. Felt, John Banks, Alfred Cordon as Assistant presiding, and traveling bishops among the people.
Lewis Wight was sustained as President of the Priest’s quorum; also John Groves and George D. ..stander, his councilors.
McGee Harris was sustained as President of the Teacher’s quorum; also Thomas B. Foy, and Reuben Perkins his councilors.
Return R. Hill was sustained as President of the Deacon’s quorum; also Andrew Burth, and O… Barlow, his councilors.
Brigham Young was sustained as the Trustee in Trust for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Edward Hunter his Assistant Trustee.
Daniel H. Wells was sustained as the Superintendent of the Public Works, and Truman O. Angell Architect for the church.
Brigham Young was sustained as the President of the Perpetual Emigrating Company, to gather the poor; also H. C. Kimball, W. Richards, W. Woodruff, O. Hyde, G. A. Smith, E. T. Benson, J. M. Grant, D. H. Wells, Willard Snow, Edward Hunter, Daniel Spencer, Thos. Bullock, John Young, W. Crosby, Amasa Lyman, Charles C. Rich, Lorenzo D. Young, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt and Franklin D. Richards were severally sustained his assistants.
Daniel Spencer was sustained as President of the stake of Zion; also David Fullmer and Willard Snow, his councilors.
Eleazer Miller, John Kempton, Heman H…, Wm. W. Major, Levi Jackman, Ira Eldredge, … Vance, Edwin D. Woolley, John Perry, Wi…w Farr, William Snow, and Nathaniel H. Felt, were severally sustained as members of the High Council of this stake of Zion.
then presented the remainder of the officers in the church, for approval or disapproval as follows:
John Nebeker as President of the Elders quorum, also James H. Smith and Aaron Sceva his councilors who were severally sustained.
Edward Hunter was sustained as Presiding Bishop to the church; also Nathaniel H. Felt, John Banks, Alfred Cordon as Assistant presiding, and traveling bishops among the people.
Lewis Wight was sustained as President of the Priest’s quorum; also John Groves and George D. ..stander, his councilors.
McGee Harris was sustained as President of the Teacher’s quorum; also Thomas B. Foy, and Reuben Perkins his councilors.
Return R. Hill was sustained as President of the Deacon’s quorum; also Andrew Burth, and O… Barlow, his councilors.
Brigham Young was sustained as the Trustee in Trust for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Edward Hunter his Assistant Trustee.
Daniel H. Wells was sustained as the Superintendent of the Public Works, and Truman O. Angell Architect for the church.
Brigham Young was sustained as the President of the Perpetual Emigrating Company, to gather the poor; also H. C. Kimball, W. Richards, W. Woodruff, O. Hyde, G. A. Smith, E. T. Benson, J. M. Grant, D. H. Wells, Willard Snow, Edward Hunter, Daniel Spencer, Thos. Bullock, John Young, W. Crosby, Amasa Lyman, Charles C. Rich, Lorenzo D. Young, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt and Franklin D. Richards were severally sustained his assistants.
Daniel Spencer was sustained as President of the stake of Zion; also David Fullmer and Willard Snow, his councilors.
Eleazer Miller, John Kempton, Heman H…, Wm. W. Major, Levi Jackman, Ira Eldredge, … Vance, Edwin D. Woolley, John Perry, Wi…w Farr, William Snow, and Nathaniel H. Felt, were severally sustained as members of the High Council of this stake of Zion.
Prest. Kimball
then presented the names of Orson Hyde, Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor, Ezra T. Benson, George A. Smith, Lorenzo Snow, Erastus Snow, Franklin D. Richards, Joseph Young, Levi W. Hancock, Henry Herriman, Zera Pulsipher, Albert P. Rockwood, Jedediah M. Grant, and Benjamin L. Clapp, as missionaries to preach the gospel in the different valley.
Also, David Fullmer, James W. Cummings, David Pettigrew, William Snow, Winslow Farr, Martin H. Peck, Lorenzo D. Young, Charles Dolten, and Levi Gifford were voted to have missions to preach the gospel to Israel in the valleys of the mountains.
then presented the names of Orson Hyde, Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor, Ezra T. Benson, George A. Smith, Lorenzo Snow, Erastus Snow, Franklin D. Richards, Joseph Young, Levi W. Hancock, Henry Herriman, Zera Pulsipher, Albert P. Rockwood, Jedediah M. Grant, and Benjamin L. Clapp, as missionaries to preach the gospel in the different valley.
Also, David Fullmer, James W. Cummings, David Pettigrew, William Snow, Winslow Farr, Martin H. Peck, Lorenzo D. Young, Charles Dolten, and Levi Gifford were voted to have missions to preach the gospel to Israel in the valleys of the mountains.
Elder G. A. Smith
testified that this work, is the work of God and Joseph Smith was inspired of God to organize the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; for truth is mighty, and will conquer. We are almost a world by ourselves; we are a thousand miles from any other place, living amid snow-capped mountains, and surrounded by vast deserts, and whatever is brought here, is imported at a vast expense.
There exists in the mountains round iron county, a sufficiency of iron, to supply this mountain world, with articles of iron; it is the most valuable metal, and with it, power can be carried to an unlimited extent. Parowan is a very pleasant settlement, and has rather got the preference of any other settlement; the Indians there are generally inclined to be industrious, and the brethren there, are first rate men. At Coal creek they have raised the best of crops they cannot be beat for quantity, or extent; the best iron mechanics are now engaged in farming &c., which ought to be done by others, and they suffered to go to work at their own trade. The plows wanting at this present moment, if brought from the States, would cost us 90,000$, yet, the iron, the coal, the timber, the fire clay, are there, and you can do it if you have a mind to. You have to buy your soap, because you have not kettles to make soap in, and I fear not to say, that 3,000 kettles are wanted this day; then go to work, patronize the iron company, and make your own soap; and at least 3,000 sets of cooking utensils are wanted by this community.
Iron is the sinew of power; of it, your guns, and your wagons are made; all the utensils in husbandry are made of iron; every saw-mill crank that has been made, has cost from 1 to 5$ per pound. Elder Benson paid some 500$ to make his crank; and the one at Iron county cost 1$ a pound for manufacturing it. I invite all to go to Iron county, to increase the number, and strengthen the settlements there. I do know that the fences can be made cheaper of iron, than they are now made of poles. Again, look at the tons of nails, the door trimmings, &c, that are annually brought here, at an immense expense.—Now if we will lay hold of this branch of industry, we lay the foundation for our independence, and wealth; and in five years we shall be richer than we ever were. Now brethren, pass on to Iron county, and the blessings of God will go with you.
testified that this work, is the work of God and Joseph Smith was inspired of God to organize the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; for truth is mighty, and will conquer. We are almost a world by ourselves; we are a thousand miles from any other place, living amid snow-capped mountains, and surrounded by vast deserts, and whatever is brought here, is imported at a vast expense.
There exists in the mountains round iron county, a sufficiency of iron, to supply this mountain world, with articles of iron; it is the most valuable metal, and with it, power can be carried to an unlimited extent. Parowan is a very pleasant settlement, and has rather got the preference of any other settlement; the Indians there are generally inclined to be industrious, and the brethren there, are first rate men. At Coal creek they have raised the best of crops they cannot be beat for quantity, or extent; the best iron mechanics are now engaged in farming &c., which ought to be done by others, and they suffered to go to work at their own trade. The plows wanting at this present moment, if brought from the States, would cost us 90,000$, yet, the iron, the coal, the timber, the fire clay, are there, and you can do it if you have a mind to. You have to buy your soap, because you have not kettles to make soap in, and I fear not to say, that 3,000 kettles are wanted this day; then go to work, patronize the iron company, and make your own soap; and at least 3,000 sets of cooking utensils are wanted by this community.
Iron is the sinew of power; of it, your guns, and your wagons are made; all the utensils in husbandry are made of iron; every saw-mill crank that has been made, has cost from 1 to 5$ per pound. Elder Benson paid some 500$ to make his crank; and the one at Iron county cost 1$ a pound for manufacturing it. I invite all to go to Iron county, to increase the number, and strengthen the settlements there. I do know that the fences can be made cheaper of iron, than they are now made of poles. Again, look at the tons of nails, the door trimmings, &c, that are annually brought here, at an immense expense.—Now if we will lay hold of this branch of industry, we lay the foundation for our independence, and wealth; and in five years we shall be richer than we ever were. Now brethren, pass on to Iron county, and the blessings of God will go with you.
L. Snow
Bro. George has rightly named his discourse; a gospel sermon for the salvation of this people. I challenge you to find a nation that can be called civilized, without those people manufacturing iron, in some form or other; and we cannot sustain ourselves without manufacturing it. I pledge myself to pay 50$ a pair, for the first 50 pair of stockings, that can be made without iron being used in their manufacture, in some manner.
I say, you have two choices, either to manufacture for yourselves, and be independent, or otherwise be dependent upon other countries, and never be able to rise in the scale of nations.
Choir sung, “the prodigal son.”
Benediction by Elder W. W. Phelps.
Bro. George has rightly named his discourse; a gospel sermon for the salvation of this people. I challenge you to find a nation that can be called civilized, without those people manufacturing iron, in some form or other; and we cannot sustain ourselves without manufacturing it. I pledge myself to pay 50$ a pair, for the first 50 pair of stockings, that can be made without iron being used in their manufacture, in some manner.
I say, you have two choices, either to manufacture for yourselves, and be independent, or otherwise be dependent upon other countries, and never be able to rise in the scale of nations.
Choir sung, “the prodigal son.”
Benediction by Elder W. W. Phelps.
October 7, 6 p. m.
The quorums of Seventies met in the Tabernacle, and were called to order by Prest. Joseph Young.
When a hymn was sung.
Prayer by Elder Levi Hancock; a hymn “Sweet is the work my God, my King,” was sung.
The quorums of Seventies met in the Tabernacle, and were called to order by Prest. Joseph Young.
When a hymn was sung.
Prayer by Elder Levi Hancock; a hymn “Sweet is the work my God, my King,” was sung.
Prest. Joseph Young
inquired if there was any person present, who could report the situation of the brethren, who are not yet arrived from the States? The brethren reported, the Sugar Company had lost 80 head of cattle by a storm in one night; many have not any flour, and great sufferings prevail, and the Sugar Company were living on their frozen oxen.
Elder Young remarked, many persons who have been ordained into the Seventies, are anxious to know when they can be organized. I now say, let them apply to the Senior President of any quorum, and if there are vacancies, to step in and fill them. He then brought forth the subject of the Seventies Hall of Science, on which, nothing has been done for the last 12 months, although he has now got in his possession a saw mill, which is ready to run, which will supply lumber for the hall. There is a load now on my shoulders and I shall want to know if that load is to be taken off me. Though the mill that we have, has an excellent natural dam, which was proved by the freshet of last Spring—and the saw being circular, will run with great rapidity, for we can turn the whole of the Cottonwood Creek upon the wheel if we wish. If you have a mind, the rotunda can be built, and the roof can be put on next fall.
inquired if there was any person present, who could report the situation of the brethren, who are not yet arrived from the States? The brethren reported, the Sugar Company had lost 80 head of cattle by a storm in one night; many have not any flour, and great sufferings prevail, and the Sugar Company were living on their frozen oxen.
Elder Young remarked, many persons who have been ordained into the Seventies, are anxious to know when they can be organized. I now say, let them apply to the Senior President of any quorum, and if there are vacancies, to step in and fill them. He then brought forth the subject of the Seventies Hall of Science, on which, nothing has been done for the last 12 months, although he has now got in his possession a saw mill, which is ready to run, which will supply lumber for the hall. There is a load now on my shoulders and I shall want to know if that load is to be taken off me. Though the mill that we have, has an excellent natural dam, which was proved by the freshet of last Spring—and the saw being circular, will run with great rapidity, for we can turn the whole of the Cottonwood Creek upon the wheel if we wish. If you have a mind, the rotunda can be built, and the roof can be put on next fall.
Zera Pulsipher
inquired, how much we sacrificed when we were driven from Kirtland, or from Missouri, or from Nauvoo? And answered, every time, an immense deal more than would build the Hall of Science.
inquired, how much we sacrificed when we were driven from Kirtland, or from Missouri, or from Nauvoo? And answered, every time, an immense deal more than would build the Hall of Science.
Levi W. Hancock
reviewed the rise of the Church; when there were but 32 members they were ordered to build a Temple 68 feet by 93 feet, 2 stories high; and if we will all work together we can build that Hall of Science.
reviewed the rise of the Church; when there were but 32 members they were ordered to build a Temple 68 feet by 93 feet, 2 stories high; and if we will all work together we can build that Hall of Science.
J. M. Grant
I once voted, that no man should be allowed to come to meeting unless he would behave himself; and have not yet rescinded it. The Seventies voted to build a Hall, and it remains with them to fulfil that covenant.
The Tithing Office knows no Presidency, no Twelve, no Seventies, no Elders, Priests, Teachers, or Deacons, but they have to do with individuals; and we see the result: it rears up Tabernacles, Council Houses, and other buildings when wanted. There has been, and is a disposition among the Seventies, to have a Seventies Hall; and you can build it; but it will require both dollars and hard knocks, and a pile is wanted to carry it on, and I pray the Lord to help you to do your duty.
I once voted, that no man should be allowed to come to meeting unless he would behave himself; and have not yet rescinded it. The Seventies voted to build a Hall, and it remains with them to fulfil that covenant.
The Tithing Office knows no Presidency, no Twelve, no Seventies, no Elders, Priests, Teachers, or Deacons, but they have to do with individuals; and we see the result: it rears up Tabernacles, Council Houses, and other buildings when wanted. There has been, and is a disposition among the Seventies, to have a Seventies Hall; and you can build it; but it will require both dollars and hard knocks, and a pile is wanted to carry it on, and I pray the Lord to help you to do your duty.
B. L. Clapp
I have been whipped for not living in this City, and my only excuse is, I am not smart enough to live in Salt Lake City.
I have been whipped for not living in this City, and my only excuse is, I am not smart enough to live in Salt Lake City.
Joseph Young
I was perfectly satisfied two years ago, If I and my Counsel, and the Seventies had been alone, we should have built a good old fashioned meeting house, have had it dedicated, and been in it by this time, over 6,000$ has already been expended on it and the basement is not up by four feet.
I was perfectly satisfied two years ago, If I and my Counsel, and the Seventies had been alone, we should have built a good old fashioned meeting house, have had it dedicated, and been in it by this time, over 6,000$ has already been expended on it and the basement is not up by four feet.
Nathan Tanner
moved that the Mill be sold, and the Hall thrown up, seconded but not carried.
moved that the Mill be sold, and the Hall thrown up, seconded but not carried.
John Pack
has been absent three years, has returned and found his family in debt, but willing to do all he can; then let us build up the Hall and receive instruction therein.
has been absent three years, has returned and found his family in debt, but willing to do all he can; then let us build up the Hall and receive instruction therein.
Prest. B. Young
I requested Bro. Tanner to make that motion. A man that is not smart enough to live in this City, is not fit to preside over this body of men. When God calls a man to preside, he gives him wisdom to preside, so heap the blame on to me. I want to let you know I have heard all that has been said this evening. I will appeal to every Seventy who was in Nauvoo, whether that Hall was not a credit to the Seventies, and it was so admitted in New York and in England. I am the designer of that Hall, and I am ashamed of it, it is too small; to do credit to this body of men, let them build a Hall that will contain 15,000 persons; the Seventies were laying plans in Winter Quarters, to get Nails and Glass for a hall in the mountains.
This body of men have the privilege of building a hall, and it will belong to the Church. I have not the least fear of any division in this Church, for I can turn them whithersoever I will. (Amen.)
There is a foundation laid to build upon; (and then spoke in praise of John D. Lee building the hall in Nauvoo.)
We will build our temples, and our halls of science ourselves; for the Lord has suffered us to be driven 1000 miles from any place, and we have got to build for ourselves; my good sense taught me the Seventies would want a hall, and I say stretch forth on the right and on the left, in the front and in the rear, and shew what you can do.
I wish to ask this people, if you know the doctrine you have been teaching? What is to be done to prepare this Earth for a Millennium; these Latter Day Saints have got to do it, or else they will be removed and others will be placed in their stead: can you and I do anything, but what God requires at our hands, or what he approbates in the Heavens.
Joseph received the Pattern of the Temple in Kirtland, and said he to me, if this people would do as they were told, it would be superfluous to have a revelation; and if you are covetous and indolent, you may get a revelation in regard to this hall. The nerve, bone, and sinews, are the only capital to build with, and no other capital exists in reality, one 3rd of the capital of the Saints, should go to enhance the beauty of the City; but let them hoard it up, and they are a poor, poverty-stricken people.
If this plain, simple building, (the Tabernacle) were now laying in its native state, you would not be as rich as you are today. Can you build that hall? Yes, I can build it myself.
Gentlemen, your hall is commenced, and if there is anything to regret, on my part, it is too insignificant and yet it can’t be beat in America, it would be an ornament to any street in London.
I can go and pick up the very property now, that will be lost, in one year to come, of horses, oxen, &c., and that very property will be sufficient to build it. Now make yourselves poor, and then shew, you know how to make yourselves rich again; that is on rational principles; if you want a hall, go and build it. You can’t find a man who has been here two years, but can get his bread and garden sauce. Mormonism has done all for me, and I always thank God, that he sent Joseph the Prophet to reveal his will.
Now turn out your teams and send men to work on it, until it is built. May the Lord bless you, brethren. Amen.
Dismissed with benediction by A. P. Rockwood.
I requested Bro. Tanner to make that motion. A man that is not smart enough to live in this City, is not fit to preside over this body of men. When God calls a man to preside, he gives him wisdom to preside, so heap the blame on to me. I want to let you know I have heard all that has been said this evening. I will appeal to every Seventy who was in Nauvoo, whether that Hall was not a credit to the Seventies, and it was so admitted in New York and in England. I am the designer of that Hall, and I am ashamed of it, it is too small; to do credit to this body of men, let them build a Hall that will contain 15,000 persons; the Seventies were laying plans in Winter Quarters, to get Nails and Glass for a hall in the mountains.
This body of men have the privilege of building a hall, and it will belong to the Church. I have not the least fear of any division in this Church, for I can turn them whithersoever I will. (Amen.)
There is a foundation laid to build upon; (and then spoke in praise of John D. Lee building the hall in Nauvoo.)
We will build our temples, and our halls of science ourselves; for the Lord has suffered us to be driven 1000 miles from any place, and we have got to build for ourselves; my good sense taught me the Seventies would want a hall, and I say stretch forth on the right and on the left, in the front and in the rear, and shew what you can do.
I wish to ask this people, if you know the doctrine you have been teaching? What is to be done to prepare this Earth for a Millennium; these Latter Day Saints have got to do it, or else they will be removed and others will be placed in their stead: can you and I do anything, but what God requires at our hands, or what he approbates in the Heavens.
Joseph received the Pattern of the Temple in Kirtland, and said he to me, if this people would do as they were told, it would be superfluous to have a revelation; and if you are covetous and indolent, you may get a revelation in regard to this hall. The nerve, bone, and sinews, are the only capital to build with, and no other capital exists in reality, one 3rd of the capital of the Saints, should go to enhance the beauty of the City; but let them hoard it up, and they are a poor, poverty-stricken people.
If this plain, simple building, (the Tabernacle) were now laying in its native state, you would not be as rich as you are today. Can you build that hall? Yes, I can build it myself.
Gentlemen, your hall is commenced, and if there is anything to regret, on my part, it is too insignificant and yet it can’t be beat in America, it would be an ornament to any street in London.
I can go and pick up the very property now, that will be lost, in one year to come, of horses, oxen, &c., and that very property will be sufficient to build it. Now make yourselves poor, and then shew, you know how to make yourselves rich again; that is on rational principles; if you want a hall, go and build it. You can’t find a man who has been here two years, but can get his bread and garden sauce. Mormonism has done all for me, and I always thank God, that he sent Joseph the Prophet to reveal his will.
Now turn out your teams and send men to work on it, until it is built. May the Lord bless you, brethren. Amen.
Dismissed with benediction by A. P. Rockwood.
October 8, 10 a. m.
Conference called to order by Prest. Kimball, singing; prayer by J. M. Grant; singing.
Conference called to order by Prest. Kimball, singing; prayer by J. M. Grant; singing.
President Young
presented his views concerning the Kingdom of God on earth; which we have not space to report, in this paper, but present one extract for the benefit of the public hands—to wit:
A few words to the workmen on the Public Works. Brethren you that wish to go to work, and that are already working on the Public Works, to you I will make a broad declaration; and I want it written down and published in the News. From this time, you that are not willing to labor on the Public Works, for the pay we get as Tithing, are at liberty to leave when you please, and never strike another blow. We want 200 workmen, who will work there, for such pay as we get, and who will not push my soul out of me for Money, Money, Money, MONEY!!!!!
Choir sung a hymn.
Benediction by Elder Thomas Bullock.
presented his views concerning the Kingdom of God on earth; which we have not space to report, in this paper, but present one extract for the benefit of the public hands—to wit:
A few words to the workmen on the Public Works. Brethren you that wish to go to work, and that are already working on the Public Works, to you I will make a broad declaration; and I want it written down and published in the News. From this time, you that are not willing to labor on the Public Works, for the pay we get as Tithing, are at liberty to leave when you please, and never strike another blow. We want 200 workmen, who will work there, for such pay as we get, and who will not push my soul out of me for Money, Money, Money, MONEY!!!!!
Choir sung a hymn.
Benediction by Elder Thomas Bullock.
October 8, 2 p. m.
Opened in the usual manner, by singing, prayer, and singing.
Opened in the usual manner, by singing, prayer, and singing.
Elder John Young
remarked, while the Prest. was preaching this forenoon, I meditated and inquired, if we appreciated the blessings conferred upon us? No people under the whole heavens are blessed as we are, for we have Apostles, Prophets, and all the gifts of the holy Priesthood, and are taught the way of Eternal Life and we are just as sure of salvation, as though we were saved already, if we continue in well doing.
The whole world are lulled asleep in wickedness and sin, and we are the happiest people on the Earth and approximating more in the knowledge of the truth daily.
He alluded to those murmuring spirits, who came in; said he, they know nothing of suffering, in comparison with the first settlers, of this Valley, many of whom lived on Ox hides and hoofs, and the bodies of Wolves, and felt glad to get them, and when they clambered the mountains to get Leeks with the Indians, they were too feeble to pull them out of the ground—you, who murmur and complain, you know nothing; then cease your murmurings, for you need never go hungry one day, but can live on the best of flour &c.
remarked, while the Prest. was preaching this forenoon, I meditated and inquired, if we appreciated the blessings conferred upon us? No people under the whole heavens are blessed as we are, for we have Apostles, Prophets, and all the gifts of the holy Priesthood, and are taught the way of Eternal Life and we are just as sure of salvation, as though we were saved already, if we continue in well doing.
The whole world are lulled asleep in wickedness and sin, and we are the happiest people on the Earth and approximating more in the knowledge of the truth daily.
He alluded to those murmuring spirits, who came in; said he, they know nothing of suffering, in comparison with the first settlers, of this Valley, many of whom lived on Ox hides and hoofs, and the bodies of Wolves, and felt glad to get them, and when they clambered the mountains to get Leeks with the Indians, they were too feeble to pull them out of the ground—you, who murmur and complain, you know nothing; then cease your murmurings, for you need never go hungry one day, but can live on the best of flour &c.
Prest. Kimball
the truths advanced, seem so plain and simple, that I feel assured the people will do right, when you go home from this place, cherish what you hear, and you will not be left in darkness. He instructed mothers in their duty of training up their children, the same as recorded in the Book of Mormon, and testified of Joseph Smith having placed all the keys and powers of the Apostleship upon the Apostles: and every man and woman who fight against it, will be damned and every nation who oppose it, will wither as a branch severed from a tree.
A few years ago the world would not believe in revelation, and Joseph was called “old Joe Smith the money digger,” but now all the world either believe in revelations, through the Spiritual Rappings, or else are going a gold digging.
Blessings of Faithfulness—Education of Children—President Brigham Young—The Clay and the Potter
Brother John Young said he felt as though he wanted to talk; I told him to open his mouth wide, and he would be very apt to pour out something. What he has said, and what President Young has said before him, today, is verily true. I felt a flow of good feelings while he was speaking, and this I feel all the time while sitting under such teachings. The ideas advanced are so plain and simple, it seems to me as though every person possessing a sane mind, when they leave this house, or when they go home from this Conference, will do right, will determine in their hearts to do as they are instructed. If they will do this, it is well with them.
There are a great many who have the idea, that the time will come when we shall be broken up as a people. Do I fear any such thing? No, I do not fear anything. I fear nothing that is in heaven, or that is upon the earth. I do not fear hell nor its combinations; neither hell, nor the devil, nor any of his angels, has power ever me, or over you, only as we permit them to have. If we permit the devil to have power over us, and we are seduced by him, and we crouch down under his power, then he will have dominion over us. Upon the same principle, we let sin have power over us, but it has no power over us unless we subject ourselves to it.
I think and reflect much upon these principles, and I wish to God, that you, my brethren, the Elders of Israel, when you go home from this place, would treasure up the counsel that you have received, that you would nourish and cherish it in your hearts, then you never would be unfruitful nor walk in darkness, nor be left to murmur, complain, and find fault.
When I proposed to the brethren of the complaining class, that they be organized into a building committee, I wish you to understand, that I had not heard anyone murmur, but I heard there were some. I was rather inclined, however, to believe that those who told it were the ones that murmured, but they wanted to throw it off from their own shoulders, and make it out that somebody else was complaining. I do not believe you were, brethren. I do not believe we can raise material enough to organize a company of such characters. I do not believe you are going to murmur, but I believe you will go to and do as you have been told. I want you to do so, I know the blessings you will obtain in so doing.
Go and take up some good farms, but do not take up too much, as a great many in this place have done, they have taken up from one hundred to one hundred and fifty acres, and have then undertaken to put in 50 acres of wheat, when they could not attend to the half of it. Be cautious in this matter, put in no more seed than you can manage, and improve all the land you do take in, and be faithful to God, and I know that He will bless the land for your sakes, and He will bless you abundantly, and He will bless your increase, and He will bless your wheat, and your corn, and everything that pertains to you.
I have spoken about these things many times. There is nothing impossible with God, but He will not do anything that is contrary to His law, and that is not according to his designs. I have said, many times, if you only have faith, and listen, and put works with your faith, doing as you are told, it is not impossible for a hen to lay two eggs per day. To prove this, I have sheep in this valley, and so have other people, that have had four lambs this year, and we have over thirty lambs now of the second crop. I have seldom heard of such a thing in my life. This is quite a testimony to bear, but I can prove it to be true, now, on the spot, if it is necessary. The sheep have brought forth the second crop of lambs. That is a great curiosity, but it is true, and has taken place here under our immediate notice, and some of the sheep that have been so prolific belong to me.
This is not contrary to my faith; we are the children of Israel, and it is for us to be faithful, and listen to the will of heaven, and to the man that presides over us, and to his associates, for they will not teach you anything only what he sanctions; you need not be afraid, for if I should teach wrong doctrine or principle, here is the authority to correct me, that this people may have correct views. Well, inasmuch as we are the children of Israel, we are bound to prosper, if we continue in the goodness of God, and walk in His precepts; if we do not, it will be with us as it was with the children of Israel of old, our burdens will become hard to bear; but I believe ourselves, our flocks, our herds, our crops, and everything that pertains to the earth which we inhabit, will greatly multiply and increase. These are my feelings, and this is my faith all the time—I have no other.
We should teach our children righteousness, if we would raise them up in the way of the Lord, as it is spoken in the Book of Mormon. Let mothers teach their children as they were taught then. Three thousand of those men are worth more than one hundred thousand not raised as they were. They had faith that they should never fall in battle, because their mothers taught them so. Although there was much of their blood shed, yet not one of them fell. That was the result of proper instructions being given them by their mothers. Mothers, I wish you would wake up and act in your office and calling, as well as the brethren. It is their calling to go and preach the Gospel, build up the kingdom of God, and establish righteousness, and it is for you to be stewards at home, and attend to the things that they leave behind, and to get wisdom and knowledge in all these things pertaining to your duty.
When I heard brother Brigham preaching here today, and laying things of worth before us, I felt greatly to rejoice, and I believe you felt as I did, and as though they never would be eradicated from your minds, but that you would treasure them up in your hearts. We have not a great while to stay on the earth, if we live to the full age of man. We must all die, sooner or later, as it regards our earthly tabernacles, but our spirits will continue to live forever. If they go to a state of happiness, they will be happy; and if they go to a state of misery, they will be miserable. You all know this as well as I do, then why do you not live accordingly? I presume you will.
A great many things of this kind have been laid before the brethren who have come from England, and from the States, and from different nations of the earth. They will hear many more things taught here in addition to what they have heard in Old England. They could hear nothing there, except the first principles of the doctrine of Christ; but since they have come here it is all let out, that is, a great many things; the bird is let out of the cage, and they have it before them to read and reflect upon; it is the truth, it is the word of God, and the revelations of Jesus Christ, which were revealed to brother Joseph and others.
As to the power and authority invested in brother Brigham, do I doubt it? Have I the least hesitation as to his calling as the President of this Church? No, no more than I have that God sits upon His throne. He has the same authority that brother Joseph had. That authority was in the Twelve, and since brother Joseph stepped behind the veil, brother Brigham is his lawful successor. I bear testimony of what brother Joseph said on the stand at Nauvoo, and I presume hundreds here can bear witness of the same. Said he, "These men that are set here behind me on this stand, I have conferred upon them all the power, Priesthood, and authority that God ever conferred upon me." There are hundreds present this day who heard him utter words to that effect, more than once.
The Twelve had then received their endowments. Brother Joseph gave them the endowments, and keys and power were placed upon them by him, even as they were placed upon him by Peter, James, and John, who ordained him. That is true, gentlemen, because they held the Apostleship last, and had authority to confer it upon him, or any whom the Father had chosen. Brother Joseph called and ordained the Twelve Apostles of the last days, and placed that power upon them. Five of those men who received that authority from under his hands are now living. Have I any doubt? Why, no. I know all about it, I am a witness of this Gospel, of the order and power of the Priesthood, and of the organization of this Church from the beginning. I glory in it, I glory in this Gospel, I know it is like a root out of the dry ground, it neither has form nor comeliness to this world, it is against them every way, and they will run against it and snag themselves. You know a root out of dry ground has many snags or sharp points to it, and they stick out many ways; so the people run against a snag when they run against this work, or against the servants of the Most High. I know, as well as I know that I live, that every man that fights against it will be damned. I know it, and am bearing testimony to what I know, gentlemen, and you may know it just as well as I do. This Gospel, this kingdom, this Church, and this people, are the pride of my heart, I have no pride in anything else. I have pride to see this work roll forth, and turn over the kingdoms, and break in pieces the nations of the earth. I know that every man and woman, every nation and king that oppose it, will wither like a limb that is severed from a tree.
Now there are a great many people that have broken off from this Church, we will not mention names, but have they not withered? Yes, and so will you if you turn away from it, and if you refuse to obey the counsel that is given to you, you will wither away like a limb that is cut off from an apple tree, or the grass that is mown down when the sun strikes it. We are the people of God, and we cannot prosper upon any other principle than to cleave together, to cleave to His work, to amalgamate our feelings in one, and nourish the all-powerful principle of union, all feeling a general interest for the public welfare.
As President Young has said, this is the household of faith, this is his house, and this is his people, and he is our leader, our Governor, he is our Prophet, and he is our Priest. As I have said in other places and in other meetings, when speaking to the Elders, when they are sent from this place, they are sent forth by the shepherd that God has stationed here; he is the head shepherd that is visible on earth, under the direction of Joseph, and he sends forth the Elders as shepherds to gather up the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and bring them home to put them into the fold. I have said that you have no business to make a selection of any of these sheep, or to make a choice of them, or make any covenant with them, until they are brought home and placed in the fold, and then if you want a sheep or two, ask the shepherd for them, and if you choose a sheep without taking this course you will get your fingers burnt. Why? Because they are his sheep—mark it. How would you like it, were I to go and take one of your sheep without permission, would you ever think of such a thing? One is just as right as the other. You will learn these things by and by. I would rather have my head laid upon a block, and severed from my shoulders, than ever make a proposal to any woman living upon the earth and marry her, unless I had permission from the chief shepherd. That tells it. I do not know that you can all understand me, but those who have their eyes open understand it. I only hint at these things, that you may be careful of the course you take.
Well, then, he that will not provide for his own household is worse than an infidel, and hath denied the faith. If this is brother Brigham's household, I belong to him, and it is my household. Well, then, provide for it, provide for Israel first, and when they have got enough, then let others have it. Do not let others have the bread until Israel, the household of faith, are provided for. Do you understand it, brethren? If you do, say aye. [Aye.] All say aye for Israel.
Now we are going to stick together. Those that have come in here are like clay brought from different parts of the earth—it is taken out of the bank and thrown into the mill, and the mill has been grinding it until it has become pliable and passive; then we send out the Elders to bring in a fresh supply of new clay, and it is thrown into the mill, where it has to become passive, and thus the mill keeps grinding and grinding, and mixing that which is thrown into it. As soon as you are passive others come in.
It keeps us thrashing all the time. The reapers go forth, and bind up the wheat and draw it in, and thus we keep throwing in new wheat all the time, and we shall never get the floor empty, but we must thrash and thrash until we are worn out, and others will come up and continue it. Did you ever see them thrash in country towns in England? It is something like that. We are passing through the mill, and we have got to be thrashed and cleaned up, and the chaff has to be separated from the wheat in passing it through the fanners. There are three ends to this mill in the mountains, where the chaff goes out. Brother Brigham does not grind any in his mill, without first passing it through the smut machine; so we have got to pass through the smut mill, before we are fit to be thrown into the hopper to be ground.
We must be passive as clay in the hands of the potter. The potter takes the passive clay, and molds it into numerous shapes; he can make it into a milk pan, or into a crock, or into a cup, or a jug, and from that into ten thousand shapes; he does everything according to his own pleasure, and as the Master Potter has told him to shape it. If the Master gives him a pattern, he must mold according to that pattern; it would make him busy indeed if he were to work according to every pattern. We must work according to the Master's pattern. If we take this course there will be no trouble. Go forth, then, upon your farms, sow your grain, and when you get your sheep, they will have two litters a year, but if you do not do right you shall have none. Does not God love to bless those who appreciate His blessings? Yes, just as much as a kind father loves to bless his son. Our Father in heaven is much more willing to bless us than we are to bless each other.
Let us remember these things in which we have been instructed. And let us take hold of that wall when the Conference is over, and put it round this block this winter, so that next spring we may fill it up with shrubbery of all kinds, and decorate it, and prepare it for future purposes. And let us build up a temple with diligent hands. I have helped to build up two temples, and have had my endowments in them, and in other places; but to have an endowment that is proper and consistent, is to have it in a temple that has been built and consecrated to that purpose. Now go to, and get your farms, and bring in the firstfruits of the earth, the first things you raise; bring them in here and commit them into the hands of the Bishops. Remember that, and you shall have an endowment, and shall be greatly blessed with that blessing you have not room to contain, if you only appreciate it We want these things to roll on, God's work to prosper, and His kingdom to be built up, and the work of God to spread to all the nations of the earth.
Do I fear the world? I do not fear them, I never did fear them, and I have seen enough of their stuff. I have been driven with the rest of my brethren from the United States and from my native home, but what do I care for it? My kindred are there, but they do not believe the Gospel, nor the revelations of Jesus Christ; they believe in the spiritual knocking, and nearly all the world are going into it, and receiving revelations for themselves from the regions of despair. It used to be with them, "Old Joe Smith, an old gold digger," but all are digging gold now, and all are getting revelations, but they did not believe a word from him. He was a Prophet of God, and they cannot help themselves. They slew him, and that nation has got too smart for it, and it will be as much as the Saints can do to gather out of it. If they stay there, they will not gather from there; it is necessary to gather the wheat, and put it into the barn; if it is left out, the storms will come and actually waste or destroy it.
Let us be stirring and moving the principles of life and salvation forward in every rightful and possible way. I do not care what I am told to do, if it were to take an adobie and turn it over 500 times a day; if I am doing the will of God, if I am doing the will of him who sent me to do it, it is none of my business nor yours. It is for us to do that which we are told to do. You need not trouble yourselves about brother Brigham, nor about brother Heber, nor about the Twelve; brother Brigham will attend to them, and then, if they live faithful, will judge you and your children, and the nations of the earth, and those that are dead. Don't you judge those men—that is for brother Brigham to do; if we need thrashing, he is capable of thrashing us, it is none of your business; and we will sit down and bear it like good fellows, and not move our tongue; if it should move, we will take it between our teeth, and give it a nip, and say, "Stay there, you little fellow." As for the Twelve, and brother Brigham, and brother Willard, they are all men of God; and there never were better men than the Twelve that live in these last days—better men never lived. [A voice in the stand, "True."] It is true, and I know it. Every soul of them can be prepared in two days to go to the nations of the earth, if we say so. You have got to be so too, brethren and sisters; you have got to learn to be subject to the Priesthood, as well as these brethren, and your children must learn the same lesson, and then you will be molded into vessels of honor, but you cannot be molded into vessels of honor except you be subject. You potters know it, if you have worked at the potter's business as I have.
I love to talk about these things. I love the Saints, they are the pride of my heart. As for the world; its gold or silver, or anything that pertains to it, my heart is not upon it, but upon this Church and kingdom, and it never will be overcome, worlds without end. [A voice in the stand, "Amen."] Although we may be scattered to the four quarters of the earth, we will gather again, never to be removed any more, henceforth and forever. Amen.
the truths advanced, seem so plain and simple, that I feel assured the people will do right, when you go home from this place, cherish what you hear, and you will not be left in darkness. He instructed mothers in their duty of training up their children, the same as recorded in the Book of Mormon, and testified of Joseph Smith having placed all the keys and powers of the Apostleship upon the Apostles: and every man and woman who fight against it, will be damned and every nation who oppose it, will wither as a branch severed from a tree.
A few years ago the world would not believe in revelation, and Joseph was called “old Joe Smith the money digger,” but now all the world either believe in revelations, through the Spiritual Rappings, or else are going a gold digging.
Blessings of Faithfulness—Education of Children—President Brigham Young—The Clay and the Potter
Brother John Young said he felt as though he wanted to talk; I told him to open his mouth wide, and he would be very apt to pour out something. What he has said, and what President Young has said before him, today, is verily true. I felt a flow of good feelings while he was speaking, and this I feel all the time while sitting under such teachings. The ideas advanced are so plain and simple, it seems to me as though every person possessing a sane mind, when they leave this house, or when they go home from this Conference, will do right, will determine in their hearts to do as they are instructed. If they will do this, it is well with them.
There are a great many who have the idea, that the time will come when we shall be broken up as a people. Do I fear any such thing? No, I do not fear anything. I fear nothing that is in heaven, or that is upon the earth. I do not fear hell nor its combinations; neither hell, nor the devil, nor any of his angels, has power ever me, or over you, only as we permit them to have. If we permit the devil to have power over us, and we are seduced by him, and we crouch down under his power, then he will have dominion over us. Upon the same principle, we let sin have power over us, but it has no power over us unless we subject ourselves to it.
I think and reflect much upon these principles, and I wish to God, that you, my brethren, the Elders of Israel, when you go home from this place, would treasure up the counsel that you have received, that you would nourish and cherish it in your hearts, then you never would be unfruitful nor walk in darkness, nor be left to murmur, complain, and find fault.
When I proposed to the brethren of the complaining class, that they be organized into a building committee, I wish you to understand, that I had not heard anyone murmur, but I heard there were some. I was rather inclined, however, to believe that those who told it were the ones that murmured, but they wanted to throw it off from their own shoulders, and make it out that somebody else was complaining. I do not believe you were, brethren. I do not believe we can raise material enough to organize a company of such characters. I do not believe you are going to murmur, but I believe you will go to and do as you have been told. I want you to do so, I know the blessings you will obtain in so doing.
Go and take up some good farms, but do not take up too much, as a great many in this place have done, they have taken up from one hundred to one hundred and fifty acres, and have then undertaken to put in 50 acres of wheat, when they could not attend to the half of it. Be cautious in this matter, put in no more seed than you can manage, and improve all the land you do take in, and be faithful to God, and I know that He will bless the land for your sakes, and He will bless you abundantly, and He will bless your increase, and He will bless your wheat, and your corn, and everything that pertains to you.
I have spoken about these things many times. There is nothing impossible with God, but He will not do anything that is contrary to His law, and that is not according to his designs. I have said, many times, if you only have faith, and listen, and put works with your faith, doing as you are told, it is not impossible for a hen to lay two eggs per day. To prove this, I have sheep in this valley, and so have other people, that have had four lambs this year, and we have over thirty lambs now of the second crop. I have seldom heard of such a thing in my life. This is quite a testimony to bear, but I can prove it to be true, now, on the spot, if it is necessary. The sheep have brought forth the second crop of lambs. That is a great curiosity, but it is true, and has taken place here under our immediate notice, and some of the sheep that have been so prolific belong to me.
This is not contrary to my faith; we are the children of Israel, and it is for us to be faithful, and listen to the will of heaven, and to the man that presides over us, and to his associates, for they will not teach you anything only what he sanctions; you need not be afraid, for if I should teach wrong doctrine or principle, here is the authority to correct me, that this people may have correct views. Well, inasmuch as we are the children of Israel, we are bound to prosper, if we continue in the goodness of God, and walk in His precepts; if we do not, it will be with us as it was with the children of Israel of old, our burdens will become hard to bear; but I believe ourselves, our flocks, our herds, our crops, and everything that pertains to the earth which we inhabit, will greatly multiply and increase. These are my feelings, and this is my faith all the time—I have no other.
We should teach our children righteousness, if we would raise them up in the way of the Lord, as it is spoken in the Book of Mormon. Let mothers teach their children as they were taught then. Three thousand of those men are worth more than one hundred thousand not raised as they were. They had faith that they should never fall in battle, because their mothers taught them so. Although there was much of their blood shed, yet not one of them fell. That was the result of proper instructions being given them by their mothers. Mothers, I wish you would wake up and act in your office and calling, as well as the brethren. It is their calling to go and preach the Gospel, build up the kingdom of God, and establish righteousness, and it is for you to be stewards at home, and attend to the things that they leave behind, and to get wisdom and knowledge in all these things pertaining to your duty.
When I heard brother Brigham preaching here today, and laying things of worth before us, I felt greatly to rejoice, and I believe you felt as I did, and as though they never would be eradicated from your minds, but that you would treasure them up in your hearts. We have not a great while to stay on the earth, if we live to the full age of man. We must all die, sooner or later, as it regards our earthly tabernacles, but our spirits will continue to live forever. If they go to a state of happiness, they will be happy; and if they go to a state of misery, they will be miserable. You all know this as well as I do, then why do you not live accordingly? I presume you will.
A great many things of this kind have been laid before the brethren who have come from England, and from the States, and from different nations of the earth. They will hear many more things taught here in addition to what they have heard in Old England. They could hear nothing there, except the first principles of the doctrine of Christ; but since they have come here it is all let out, that is, a great many things; the bird is let out of the cage, and they have it before them to read and reflect upon; it is the truth, it is the word of God, and the revelations of Jesus Christ, which were revealed to brother Joseph and others.
As to the power and authority invested in brother Brigham, do I doubt it? Have I the least hesitation as to his calling as the President of this Church? No, no more than I have that God sits upon His throne. He has the same authority that brother Joseph had. That authority was in the Twelve, and since brother Joseph stepped behind the veil, brother Brigham is his lawful successor. I bear testimony of what brother Joseph said on the stand at Nauvoo, and I presume hundreds here can bear witness of the same. Said he, "These men that are set here behind me on this stand, I have conferred upon them all the power, Priesthood, and authority that God ever conferred upon me." There are hundreds present this day who heard him utter words to that effect, more than once.
The Twelve had then received their endowments. Brother Joseph gave them the endowments, and keys and power were placed upon them by him, even as they were placed upon him by Peter, James, and John, who ordained him. That is true, gentlemen, because they held the Apostleship last, and had authority to confer it upon him, or any whom the Father had chosen. Brother Joseph called and ordained the Twelve Apostles of the last days, and placed that power upon them. Five of those men who received that authority from under his hands are now living. Have I any doubt? Why, no. I know all about it, I am a witness of this Gospel, of the order and power of the Priesthood, and of the organization of this Church from the beginning. I glory in it, I glory in this Gospel, I know it is like a root out of the dry ground, it neither has form nor comeliness to this world, it is against them every way, and they will run against it and snag themselves. You know a root out of dry ground has many snags or sharp points to it, and they stick out many ways; so the people run against a snag when they run against this work, or against the servants of the Most High. I know, as well as I know that I live, that every man that fights against it will be damned. I know it, and am bearing testimony to what I know, gentlemen, and you may know it just as well as I do. This Gospel, this kingdom, this Church, and this people, are the pride of my heart, I have no pride in anything else. I have pride to see this work roll forth, and turn over the kingdoms, and break in pieces the nations of the earth. I know that every man and woman, every nation and king that oppose it, will wither like a limb that is severed from a tree.
Now there are a great many people that have broken off from this Church, we will not mention names, but have they not withered? Yes, and so will you if you turn away from it, and if you refuse to obey the counsel that is given to you, you will wither away like a limb that is cut off from an apple tree, or the grass that is mown down when the sun strikes it. We are the people of God, and we cannot prosper upon any other principle than to cleave together, to cleave to His work, to amalgamate our feelings in one, and nourish the all-powerful principle of union, all feeling a general interest for the public welfare.
As President Young has said, this is the household of faith, this is his house, and this is his people, and he is our leader, our Governor, he is our Prophet, and he is our Priest. As I have said in other places and in other meetings, when speaking to the Elders, when they are sent from this place, they are sent forth by the shepherd that God has stationed here; he is the head shepherd that is visible on earth, under the direction of Joseph, and he sends forth the Elders as shepherds to gather up the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and bring them home to put them into the fold. I have said that you have no business to make a selection of any of these sheep, or to make a choice of them, or make any covenant with them, until they are brought home and placed in the fold, and then if you want a sheep or two, ask the shepherd for them, and if you choose a sheep without taking this course you will get your fingers burnt. Why? Because they are his sheep—mark it. How would you like it, were I to go and take one of your sheep without permission, would you ever think of such a thing? One is just as right as the other. You will learn these things by and by. I would rather have my head laid upon a block, and severed from my shoulders, than ever make a proposal to any woman living upon the earth and marry her, unless I had permission from the chief shepherd. That tells it. I do not know that you can all understand me, but those who have their eyes open understand it. I only hint at these things, that you may be careful of the course you take.
Well, then, he that will not provide for his own household is worse than an infidel, and hath denied the faith. If this is brother Brigham's household, I belong to him, and it is my household. Well, then, provide for it, provide for Israel first, and when they have got enough, then let others have it. Do not let others have the bread until Israel, the household of faith, are provided for. Do you understand it, brethren? If you do, say aye. [Aye.] All say aye for Israel.
Now we are going to stick together. Those that have come in here are like clay brought from different parts of the earth—it is taken out of the bank and thrown into the mill, and the mill has been grinding it until it has become pliable and passive; then we send out the Elders to bring in a fresh supply of new clay, and it is thrown into the mill, where it has to become passive, and thus the mill keeps grinding and grinding, and mixing that which is thrown into it. As soon as you are passive others come in.
It keeps us thrashing all the time. The reapers go forth, and bind up the wheat and draw it in, and thus we keep throwing in new wheat all the time, and we shall never get the floor empty, but we must thrash and thrash until we are worn out, and others will come up and continue it. Did you ever see them thrash in country towns in England? It is something like that. We are passing through the mill, and we have got to be thrashed and cleaned up, and the chaff has to be separated from the wheat in passing it through the fanners. There are three ends to this mill in the mountains, where the chaff goes out. Brother Brigham does not grind any in his mill, without first passing it through the smut machine; so we have got to pass through the smut mill, before we are fit to be thrown into the hopper to be ground.
We must be passive as clay in the hands of the potter. The potter takes the passive clay, and molds it into numerous shapes; he can make it into a milk pan, or into a crock, or into a cup, or a jug, and from that into ten thousand shapes; he does everything according to his own pleasure, and as the Master Potter has told him to shape it. If the Master gives him a pattern, he must mold according to that pattern; it would make him busy indeed if he were to work according to every pattern. We must work according to the Master's pattern. If we take this course there will be no trouble. Go forth, then, upon your farms, sow your grain, and when you get your sheep, they will have two litters a year, but if you do not do right you shall have none. Does not God love to bless those who appreciate His blessings? Yes, just as much as a kind father loves to bless his son. Our Father in heaven is much more willing to bless us than we are to bless each other.
Let us remember these things in which we have been instructed. And let us take hold of that wall when the Conference is over, and put it round this block this winter, so that next spring we may fill it up with shrubbery of all kinds, and decorate it, and prepare it for future purposes. And let us build up a temple with diligent hands. I have helped to build up two temples, and have had my endowments in them, and in other places; but to have an endowment that is proper and consistent, is to have it in a temple that has been built and consecrated to that purpose. Now go to, and get your farms, and bring in the firstfruits of the earth, the first things you raise; bring them in here and commit them into the hands of the Bishops. Remember that, and you shall have an endowment, and shall be greatly blessed with that blessing you have not room to contain, if you only appreciate it We want these things to roll on, God's work to prosper, and His kingdom to be built up, and the work of God to spread to all the nations of the earth.
Do I fear the world? I do not fear them, I never did fear them, and I have seen enough of their stuff. I have been driven with the rest of my brethren from the United States and from my native home, but what do I care for it? My kindred are there, but they do not believe the Gospel, nor the revelations of Jesus Christ; they believe in the spiritual knocking, and nearly all the world are going into it, and receiving revelations for themselves from the regions of despair. It used to be with them, "Old Joe Smith, an old gold digger," but all are digging gold now, and all are getting revelations, but they did not believe a word from him. He was a Prophet of God, and they cannot help themselves. They slew him, and that nation has got too smart for it, and it will be as much as the Saints can do to gather out of it. If they stay there, they will not gather from there; it is necessary to gather the wheat, and put it into the barn; if it is left out, the storms will come and actually waste or destroy it.
Let us be stirring and moving the principles of life and salvation forward in every rightful and possible way. I do not care what I am told to do, if it were to take an adobie and turn it over 500 times a day; if I am doing the will of God, if I am doing the will of him who sent me to do it, it is none of my business nor yours. It is for us to do that which we are told to do. You need not trouble yourselves about brother Brigham, nor about brother Heber, nor about the Twelve; brother Brigham will attend to them, and then, if they live faithful, will judge you and your children, and the nations of the earth, and those that are dead. Don't you judge those men—that is for brother Brigham to do; if we need thrashing, he is capable of thrashing us, it is none of your business; and we will sit down and bear it like good fellows, and not move our tongue; if it should move, we will take it between our teeth, and give it a nip, and say, "Stay there, you little fellow." As for the Twelve, and brother Brigham, and brother Willard, they are all men of God; and there never were better men than the Twelve that live in these last days—better men never lived. [A voice in the stand, "True."] It is true, and I know it. Every soul of them can be prepared in two days to go to the nations of the earth, if we say so. You have got to be so too, brethren and sisters; you have got to learn to be subject to the Priesthood, as well as these brethren, and your children must learn the same lesson, and then you will be molded into vessels of honor, but you cannot be molded into vessels of honor except you be subject. You potters know it, if you have worked at the potter's business as I have.
I love to talk about these things. I love the Saints, they are the pride of my heart. As for the world; its gold or silver, or anything that pertains to it, my heart is not upon it, but upon this Church and kingdom, and it never will be overcome, worlds without end. [A voice in the stand, "Amen."] Although we may be scattered to the four quarters of the earth, we will gather again, never to be removed any more, henceforth and forever. Amen.
Prest. Young
spoke on the sin of shedding the blood of Joseph the Prophet.
Singing.
Benediction by Elder Hyde.
spoke on the sin of shedding the blood of Joseph the Prophet.
Singing.
Benediction by Elder Hyde.
October 8, 6 p. m.
Quorum of High Priests met, President John Young, Presiding, R. Cahoon and G. B. Wallace, Councilors, S. M. Blair, Clerk.
Meeting opened by Singing.
Prayer by Councilor Wallace.
Quorum of High Priests met, President John Young, Presiding, R. Cahoon and G. B. Wallace, Councilors, S. M. Blair, Clerk.
Meeting opened by Singing.
Prayer by Councilor Wallace.
President John Young
observed the quorum of High Priests had met to transact business and not to have sermons.
observed the quorum of High Priests had met to transact business and not to have sermons.
President B. Young
moved that all who had been ordained High Priests and came to the Valley, and was rebaptized, should be received as member of the quorum, by their giving in their names to the Clerk.
moved that all who had been ordained High Priests and came to the Valley, and was rebaptized, should be received as member of the quorum, by their giving in their names to the Clerk.
Bishop E. Hunter, Felt and Heywood made some remarks followed by
President B. Young
on Tithing, and the future plan of the Bishops keeping their books, and requiring the members of the wards to settle with their respective Bishops &c.
Meeting closed, benediction by Elder Erastus Snow.
President B. Young
on Tithing, and the future plan of the Bishops keeping their books, and requiring the members of the wards to settle with their respective Bishops &c.
Meeting closed, benediction by Elder Erastus Snow.
October 9, 10 a. m.
Conference called to order by Prest. Kimball.
Choir sung a hymn.
Prayer by Patriarch Morley, and singing.
Conference called to order by Prest. Kimball.
Choir sung a hymn.
Prayer by Patriarch Morley, and singing.
Elder Lorenzo D. Young
remarked, I have thought, while sitting in this Conference, that I had attained to happiness and heaven; when I see thousands of intelligent beings gathered from the four quarters of the Earth, in this spacious hall, it speaks louder than thunder, that this is the Kingdom of God. I feel as though I was in Zion this morning, and sitting in heavenly places and hear instruction: it breathes forth a spirit of peace, union, and power, and it makes every person happy.
It required a man of strong mind, power, and energy, to testify that God had spoken unto him, by an Angel; unto a generation of men who were sunk in wickedness and sin; yet such a man was Joseph, the Prophet; and I testify before you, that he brought forth the work of the Latter days, and we are the fruit of his labors.
I ask you, who were brother Methodists and Baptists? Why did you not continue with them? Simply because you saw that you were standing on a slippery foundation, and beheld greater light, when this work was presented unto you. If I am not in the Kingdom of God now, I say farewell to all happiness, and future hope of glory, but I am in it, and experience the blessings thereof.
The Lord has brought us by his power and guidance from a land of oppression, sickness, disease and death, to a healthy land and a valley of peace and liberty.
I say to you, heads of families, if you are not now laying a foundation for happiness, and rest, where do you expect to do it? I shall be rewarded according to my works; but those who expect ease in Zion, when they wake up in the resurrection, will find they have no inheritance therein.
If you can shew me a man who is not selfish, you shew me no man at all: if you shew me a woman who is not selfish, you shew me an idiot, and one who knows not the way to happiness—or a crown of glory.
When you see an opportunity of doing good, and neglect that opportunity, you will find that you have been led by the adversary, on to the wrong path and are traveling the wrong way.
Know ye, that the Kingdom of God is set up on the Earth, and you are living in the days of Prophets and Apostles; and the Kingdom will continue to roll until it fills the whole world; then let us do everything willingly that is required of us.
remarked, I have thought, while sitting in this Conference, that I had attained to happiness and heaven; when I see thousands of intelligent beings gathered from the four quarters of the Earth, in this spacious hall, it speaks louder than thunder, that this is the Kingdom of God. I feel as though I was in Zion this morning, and sitting in heavenly places and hear instruction: it breathes forth a spirit of peace, union, and power, and it makes every person happy.
It required a man of strong mind, power, and energy, to testify that God had spoken unto him, by an Angel; unto a generation of men who were sunk in wickedness and sin; yet such a man was Joseph, the Prophet; and I testify before you, that he brought forth the work of the Latter days, and we are the fruit of his labors.
I ask you, who were brother Methodists and Baptists? Why did you not continue with them? Simply because you saw that you were standing on a slippery foundation, and beheld greater light, when this work was presented unto you. If I am not in the Kingdom of God now, I say farewell to all happiness, and future hope of glory, but I am in it, and experience the blessings thereof.
The Lord has brought us by his power and guidance from a land of oppression, sickness, disease and death, to a healthy land and a valley of peace and liberty.
I say to you, heads of families, if you are not now laying a foundation for happiness, and rest, where do you expect to do it? I shall be rewarded according to my works; but those who expect ease in Zion, when they wake up in the resurrection, will find they have no inheritance therein.
If you can shew me a man who is not selfish, you shew me no man at all: if you shew me a woman who is not selfish, you shew me an idiot, and one who knows not the way to happiness—or a crown of glory.
When you see an opportunity of doing good, and neglect that opportunity, you will find that you have been led by the adversary, on to the wrong path and are traveling the wrong way.
Know ye, that the Kingdom of God is set up on the Earth, and you are living in the days of Prophets and Apostles; and the Kingdom will continue to roll until it fills the whole world; then let us do everything willingly that is required of us.
Prest. Kimball
presented the names of Elam Luddington and Levi Savage, Jr., to go on missions to Siam with Chauncey West, they were present, rose and said they were ready to start, (although thus notified for the first time,) voted unanimously that they should go.
He then asked if we should build the Temple, of Stone from Red Butte, Adobies, or Rock from San Pete; we can build it of the very best material; for we have union, bone, marrow, and muscle. I would like to see something nice, and our President is perfectly able to give us a design of what we want, for the Saints to get all their blessings in.
He then related the visit of the Ancient Prophet, to the Potter in his factory, with the parable thereon, applied to the Saints. He said he was proud, and had occasion to be proud of his religion, and the Elders, the brethren and Saints, and especially when they do well.
Brethren shall we have the Temple built of Stone from Red Butte, Adobies, Rock, or the best stone the mountains afford?
Motioned that we build it, of the best materials that can be got in the mountains.
Materials for the Temple—The Clay and the Potter
The subject President Young wished me to speak of is in regard to our temple, which we shall soon commence to build—what course we shall take, and what kind of materials it shall be built of; whether we shall build it of the stone that is got in the Red Butte Canyon, or of adobies, or of the best stone we can find in these mountains. For instance—at Sanpete there is some splendid stone; and inasmuch as we intend to build a house unto the Lord for Him to accept, for His angels to come to as ministers to give instructions, I can feel, myself, as though we are perfectly able to build one, of the best kind of materials, from the foundation to the tip top. We are able, and we have strength and union, and we have bone, and marrow, and muscle, and we are able to commence it next year.
I merely present these things for the brethren to consider and reflect upon. We can go to work and make an adobie house, and lay the foundation of stone from Red Butte, and then we can plaster it outside, and make it like the Tithing office. I would like to see something pretty nice, something noble, and some of the most splendid fonts that were ever erected. I know for a certainty that our President is perfectly able to give us the design of this contemplated house, and all other necessary instructions. What we need is to receive those blessings that we all want, and this must be felt more, especially by those who have come in this present season. These blessings are just as necessary for those who go South, as for those who go North, it makes no difference. They will all, however, get their blessings, and enjoy their privileges in obtaining those things. We have plenty of time, and there is no particular hurry, but it is for every man to walk up to his duty in the time being, and then when tomorrow comes, walk up to it tomorrow, and so let us do all we can, for we have got considerable over one thousand years to work, and when we have worked one thousand years, there will be another, and another, and we shall be at work to all eternity. There is no end to our work for the living and for the dead. Let us try and be active to do whatever we find to do today.
Let the brethren go and get farms, and locate themselves, and raise good fields of grain, that they can bring in the firstfruits of the earth. This is what is required to be done at the present time. Take this course, brethren, and then everything you possess will prosper, and you will be abundantly blessed. It is just as necessary to be engaged in one thing, as it is in another. It takes many kinds of materials to build a house, so it requires all kinds of materials to build another earth like this, it requires the same kinds of materials to make one man as it takes to make another. But let us try to temper ourselves according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the plan of salvation.
We will bring up a few comparisons. Now supposing brother Tanner goes into the shop, to make a scythe, and he takes the materials necessary for the formation of that scythe, is he dictated to by it, as to how he shall mold it and fashion it? Would you have the scythe rise up and say—Brother Tanner, what do you do so for? Why do you strike me on the back? Well, it is just as ridiculous for you to undertake to dictate to President Young, or those whom he sets to work. It is not for you to dictate to them. Upon the same principle, supposing I have a lump of clay which I put upon my wheel, out of which clay I want to make a jug; I have to turn it into as many as 50 or 100 shapes before I get it into a jug. How many shapes do you suppose you are put into before you became Saints, or before you become perfect and sanctified to enter into the celestial glory of God? You have got to be like that clay in the hands of the potter. Do you not know that the Lord directed the Prophet anciently, to go down to the potter's house to see a miracle on the wheel? Suppose the potter takes a lump of clay, and putting it on the wheel, goes to work to form it into a vessel, and works it out this way, and that way, and the other way, but the clay is refractory and snappish; he still tries it, but it will break, and snap, and snarl, and thus the potter will work it and work it until he is satisfied he cannot bring it into the shape he wants, and it mars upon the wheel; he takes his tool, then, and cuts it off the wheel, and throws it into the mill to be ground over again, until it becomes passive (don't you think you will go to hell if you are not passive?), and after it is ground there so many days, and it becomes passive, he takes the same lump, and makes of it a vessel unto honor. Now do you see into that, brethren? I know the potters can. I tell you, brethren, if you are not passive you will have to go into that mill, and perhaps have to grind there one thousand years, and then the Gospel will be offered to you again, and then if you will not accept of it, and become passive, you will have to go into the mill again, and thus you will have offers of salvation from time to time, until all the human family, except the sons of perdition, are redeemed. The spirits of men will have the Gospel as we do, and they are to be judged according to men in the flesh. Let us be passive, and take a course that will be perfectly submissive.
What need you care where you go if you go according to direction, and when you get to Coal Creek, or Iron County, be subject to that man who is placed there to rule you, just the same as you would be subject to President Young, if you were here, because that man is delegated by this Conference, and sanctioned by this people, and that man's word is law. And so it is with the Bishops; they are our fathers, our governors, and we are their household. It is for them to provide for their household, and watch over them, and govern and control them; they are potters to mold you, and when you are sent forth to the nations of the earth, you go to gather the clay, and bring it here to the great potter, to be ground and molded until it becomes passive, and then be taken and formed into vessels, according to the dictation of the presiding potter. I have to do the work he tells me to do, and you have to do the same, and he has to do the work told him by the great master potter in heaven and on earth. If brother Brigham tells me to do a thing, it is the same as though the Lord told me to do it. This is the course for you and every other Saint to take, and by your taking this course, I will tell you, brethren, you are on the top of the heap. We are in the tops of the mountains; and when the stone shall roll down from the mountains, it will smash the earth, and break in pieces everything that opposes its course; but the stone has to get up there before it can roll down.
We are here in a happy place, in a goodly land, and among as good a people as ever the Lord suffered to dwell upon the face of the earth. Have I not a reason to be proud? Yes, I am proud of the religion of Christ, I am proud of his Elders, his servants, and of his handmaids, and when they do well I am prouder still. I do not know but I shall get so proud, that I shall be four or five times prouder than I am now.
I want a vote from the congregation concerning the temple, whether we shall have it built of the stone from Red Butte, or of adobies, or timber, or of the best quality of stone that can be found in the mountains. It is now open for discussion.
Our temple block is 600 feet square, and according to the number of people that compose the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are able to build a temple that size, and do it easier than we built a temple at Kirtland. I put the motion which is before you, that we build a temple of the best materials that can be furnished in the mountains of North America, and that the Presidency dictate where the stone and other materials shall be obtained; and that the Presidency shall be untrammeled from this time henceforth and forever. I want every brother, sister, and child to vote one way or the other. All in favor of this motion raise your right hand. [It was unanimous.]
presented the names of Elam Luddington and Levi Savage, Jr., to go on missions to Siam with Chauncey West, they were present, rose and said they were ready to start, (although thus notified for the first time,) voted unanimously that they should go.
He then asked if we should build the Temple, of Stone from Red Butte, Adobies, or Rock from San Pete; we can build it of the very best material; for we have union, bone, marrow, and muscle. I would like to see something nice, and our President is perfectly able to give us a design of what we want, for the Saints to get all their blessings in.
He then related the visit of the Ancient Prophet, to the Potter in his factory, with the parable thereon, applied to the Saints. He said he was proud, and had occasion to be proud of his religion, and the Elders, the brethren and Saints, and especially when they do well.
Brethren shall we have the Temple built of Stone from Red Butte, Adobies, Rock, or the best stone the mountains afford?
Motioned that we build it, of the best materials that can be got in the mountains.
Materials for the Temple—The Clay and the Potter
The subject President Young wished me to speak of is in regard to our temple, which we shall soon commence to build—what course we shall take, and what kind of materials it shall be built of; whether we shall build it of the stone that is got in the Red Butte Canyon, or of adobies, or of the best stone we can find in these mountains. For instance—at Sanpete there is some splendid stone; and inasmuch as we intend to build a house unto the Lord for Him to accept, for His angels to come to as ministers to give instructions, I can feel, myself, as though we are perfectly able to build one, of the best kind of materials, from the foundation to the tip top. We are able, and we have strength and union, and we have bone, and marrow, and muscle, and we are able to commence it next year.
I merely present these things for the brethren to consider and reflect upon. We can go to work and make an adobie house, and lay the foundation of stone from Red Butte, and then we can plaster it outside, and make it like the Tithing office. I would like to see something pretty nice, something noble, and some of the most splendid fonts that were ever erected. I know for a certainty that our President is perfectly able to give us the design of this contemplated house, and all other necessary instructions. What we need is to receive those blessings that we all want, and this must be felt more, especially by those who have come in this present season. These blessings are just as necessary for those who go South, as for those who go North, it makes no difference. They will all, however, get their blessings, and enjoy their privileges in obtaining those things. We have plenty of time, and there is no particular hurry, but it is for every man to walk up to his duty in the time being, and then when tomorrow comes, walk up to it tomorrow, and so let us do all we can, for we have got considerable over one thousand years to work, and when we have worked one thousand years, there will be another, and another, and we shall be at work to all eternity. There is no end to our work for the living and for the dead. Let us try and be active to do whatever we find to do today.
Let the brethren go and get farms, and locate themselves, and raise good fields of grain, that they can bring in the firstfruits of the earth. This is what is required to be done at the present time. Take this course, brethren, and then everything you possess will prosper, and you will be abundantly blessed. It is just as necessary to be engaged in one thing, as it is in another. It takes many kinds of materials to build a house, so it requires all kinds of materials to build another earth like this, it requires the same kinds of materials to make one man as it takes to make another. But let us try to temper ourselves according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the plan of salvation.
We will bring up a few comparisons. Now supposing brother Tanner goes into the shop, to make a scythe, and he takes the materials necessary for the formation of that scythe, is he dictated to by it, as to how he shall mold it and fashion it? Would you have the scythe rise up and say—Brother Tanner, what do you do so for? Why do you strike me on the back? Well, it is just as ridiculous for you to undertake to dictate to President Young, or those whom he sets to work. It is not for you to dictate to them. Upon the same principle, supposing I have a lump of clay which I put upon my wheel, out of which clay I want to make a jug; I have to turn it into as many as 50 or 100 shapes before I get it into a jug. How many shapes do you suppose you are put into before you became Saints, or before you become perfect and sanctified to enter into the celestial glory of God? You have got to be like that clay in the hands of the potter. Do you not know that the Lord directed the Prophet anciently, to go down to the potter's house to see a miracle on the wheel? Suppose the potter takes a lump of clay, and putting it on the wheel, goes to work to form it into a vessel, and works it out this way, and that way, and the other way, but the clay is refractory and snappish; he still tries it, but it will break, and snap, and snarl, and thus the potter will work it and work it until he is satisfied he cannot bring it into the shape he wants, and it mars upon the wheel; he takes his tool, then, and cuts it off the wheel, and throws it into the mill to be ground over again, until it becomes passive (don't you think you will go to hell if you are not passive?), and after it is ground there so many days, and it becomes passive, he takes the same lump, and makes of it a vessel unto honor. Now do you see into that, brethren? I know the potters can. I tell you, brethren, if you are not passive you will have to go into that mill, and perhaps have to grind there one thousand years, and then the Gospel will be offered to you again, and then if you will not accept of it, and become passive, you will have to go into the mill again, and thus you will have offers of salvation from time to time, until all the human family, except the sons of perdition, are redeemed. The spirits of men will have the Gospel as we do, and they are to be judged according to men in the flesh. Let us be passive, and take a course that will be perfectly submissive.
What need you care where you go if you go according to direction, and when you get to Coal Creek, or Iron County, be subject to that man who is placed there to rule you, just the same as you would be subject to President Young, if you were here, because that man is delegated by this Conference, and sanctioned by this people, and that man's word is law. And so it is with the Bishops; they are our fathers, our governors, and we are their household. It is for them to provide for their household, and watch over them, and govern and control them; they are potters to mold you, and when you are sent forth to the nations of the earth, you go to gather the clay, and bring it here to the great potter, to be ground and molded until it becomes passive, and then be taken and formed into vessels, according to the dictation of the presiding potter. I have to do the work he tells me to do, and you have to do the same, and he has to do the work told him by the great master potter in heaven and on earth. If brother Brigham tells me to do a thing, it is the same as though the Lord told me to do it. This is the course for you and every other Saint to take, and by your taking this course, I will tell you, brethren, you are on the top of the heap. We are in the tops of the mountains; and when the stone shall roll down from the mountains, it will smash the earth, and break in pieces everything that opposes its course; but the stone has to get up there before it can roll down.
We are here in a happy place, in a goodly land, and among as good a people as ever the Lord suffered to dwell upon the face of the earth. Have I not a reason to be proud? Yes, I am proud of the religion of Christ, I am proud of his Elders, his servants, and of his handmaids, and when they do well I am prouder still. I do not know but I shall get so proud, that I shall be four or five times prouder than I am now.
I want a vote from the congregation concerning the temple, whether we shall have it built of the stone from Red Butte, or of adobies, or timber, or of the best quality of stone that can be found in the mountains. It is now open for discussion.
Our temple block is 600 feet square, and according to the number of people that compose the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are able to build a temple that size, and do it easier than we built a temple at Kirtland. I put the motion which is before you, that we build a temple of the best materials that can be furnished in the mountains of North America, and that the Presidency dictate where the stone and other materials shall be obtained; and that the Presidency shall be untrammeled from this time henceforth and forever. I want every brother, sister, and child to vote one way or the other. All in favor of this motion raise your right hand. [It was unanimous.]
G. A. Smith
if there is the best stone or the best stick of timber in the mountains, it should be offered to the Lord: if we build of the best, the Lord will open the way for it to be got; but if we build, for the sake of the ordinances, it will be a drag; and if we build a splendid Temple, property and everything else will increase in proportion; the Lord will accept it: Nations will revere it; and the people from the four quarters of the Earth, will come to receive their endowments. And motioned that we lay the foundation of the best stone, and build upon it of the best materials, that Deseret will afford.
if there is the best stone or the best stick of timber in the mountains, it should be offered to the Lord: if we build of the best, the Lord will open the way for it to be got; but if we build, for the sake of the ordinances, it will be a drag; and if we build a splendid Temple, property and everything else will increase in proportion; the Lord will accept it: Nations will revere it; and the people from the four quarters of the Earth, will come to receive their endowments. And motioned that we lay the foundation of the best stone, and build upon it of the best materials, that Deseret will afford.
John Taylor
it would cost more money to build a house of Stone, than Adobies. And shewed that in England and France they fetch their Stone for public buildings from a great distance, and at an immense expense, and if the Gentiles do it, in the name of God and common sense I say, we must be a poor miserable set of beings, if we cannot do the same. We are going to receive our washings, anointings and endowments therein, if we are cramped in our feelings in building a Temple, we should feel afraid of having cramped blessings. And seconded the last motion.
it would cost more money to build a house of Stone, than Adobies. And shewed that in England and France they fetch their Stone for public buildings from a great distance, and at an immense expense, and if the Gentiles do it, in the name of God and common sense I say, we must be a poor miserable set of beings, if we cannot do the same. We are going to receive our washings, anointings and endowments therein, if we are cramped in our feelings in building a Temple, we should feel afraid of having cramped blessings. And seconded the last motion.
E. T. Benson
added and the Presidency do as they please and proved to its completion.
added and the Presidency do as they please and proved to its completion.
Prest. H. C. Kimball
“it is motioned and seconded that we build a Temple of the best materials that can be obtained in the mountains of North America, and that the Presidency dictate where the Stone and other materials shall be obtained and be untrammeled from this time henceforth and forever.”
Carried unanimously. Choir sung a hymn. Benediction by J. Taylor.
“it is motioned and seconded that we build a Temple of the best materials that can be obtained in the mountains of North America, and that the Presidency dictate where the Stone and other materials shall be obtained and be untrammeled from this time henceforth and forever.”
Carried unanimously. Choir sung a hymn. Benediction by J. Taylor.
October 9 1852, 2 p. m.
Opened by singing.
Prayer by Lorenzo Snow, and singing.
Opened by singing.
Prayer by Lorenzo Snow, and singing.
Prest. Young
when cases of difficulty come before me I feel very acute at times, but at the present I feel very careless, if we could get the male members to hear, it would be sufficient. It is concerning the Kanyon. Wood is the prominent product looked after the men who get it, have an experience; there is no excuse for men to curse and swear and fight, and I think an expression by this Conference will have a salutary result. A few years ago the Legislative Assembly disposed of several Kanyons to certain individuals; and related the actions of different individuals swearing and quarrelling, and “leaving their religion at the mouth of the Kanyon” and exhibited to the community, though disgraceful language and conduct of some men; and called on the community to frown down on such conduct. It must be a might good flock of 8, 10, 20, or 30,000 sheep, without having some bad ones among them, having the itch, &c. I don’t want to destroy the sheep but to wash them and get them clean.
It is my decision that those Kanyons be put into the hands of good men have gates at the mouth and make good roads, and take toll for pay. He then exhibited the conduct of some persons getting into debt, shewing their hypocritical conduct towards the church and the authorities, and when persons don’t live to the truth, what is the cause? There must be a devil somewhere.
This community has paid the Gentile Merchants in the neighborhood of 300,000 within the last six months, there is not a span of Mules that could drag the silver across the plains, that either of those stores have taken.
If this people had the knowledge that angels have, and do as they do; they would be sent to hell, before the rising of another Sun; but as it is, God winks at our ignorance.
Consider we don’t own the Kanyons, then let them go into the hands of men who will make good roads and pay them for it.
We as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the capacity of a Conference, give it as our opinion, and recommend the officers of State to put the Kanyons into the hands of men, who will make good roads, and accessible to the timber, and the people to have the use of the same by paying toll, if this is your mind, signify it by the uplifted hand (all hands up.)
Now Judges of Great Salt Lake County, Ugh, or other Counties take due notice, and govern yourselves accordingly.
He then spoke of the Temple, and the different stone from San Pete, Red Sandstone, and Bastard Marble, and Adobies mixed with Pebble stones and straw, and said he, the Temple made of Adobies and Pebbles, will be the strongest; I am talking of the durability of the building, the Adobies and Pebbles will petrify in 500 years, and it will do to cut into Mill rocks, when the others are dissolved. Rocks are always composing and increasing in strength, or decomposing and decaying. The Adobe houses will be better in 50 years, than they are the day they are finished. I give it as my opinion that the Adobe wall will be the best building.
Management of the Canyons—Paying Debts—Keeping Stores—Material for the Temple
There is a matter of temporal business that I wish to lay before this Conference, and I embrace the present opportunity to do so. I have not very acute feelings upon the matter, but I have frequently known cases of difficulty and dissatisfaction come before me, which were calculated to annoy my feelings, and the feelings of this people. I feel very acutely, very exquisitely, upon certain subjects pertaining to their history, but on the present occasion I am quite careless and indifferent as to the subject I now propose to lay before the Conference. If we could obtain a hearing of all the male members of this community, or in other words, get all the inhabitants of these valleys together, that portion of them that can hear and understand, it would be better; but seeing that this cannot be done, we shall have to content ourselves by laying before this Conference the matter, pertaining practically to the actions of men, that we now wish to present. It is concerning the canyons, the wood, the timber, or whatever the canyons situated near these valleys produce.
Wood seems to be the first and most prominent product of the canyons. The situation of them is too well known to make it necessary for me to offer a description. I believe that there are some acts performed in these canyons, of which the actors are ashamed, and they would rather I would pass over these points, and the hard words they have made use of; they would much rather have them forgotten by all who have a knowledge of what they have done and said in the canyons.
There are a great many whose experience exceeds the experience of brother Hyde in this matter. His short experience, he says, teaches him, that if he had the power in his hands, he would decree that all men who go into the canyons for wood and timber should be saved. This may be the mind of others, and to them it may serve as an excuse for outraging the principles of righteousness, but to another class of men it would be no excuse at all. I believe it would be just as necessary for the boys, when they have mounted their sleds on the top of the hill, to curse, and swear, and fight, and quarrel, while they are riding down with all ease, and without any trouble, as it would be to curse, swear, and fight while drawing their sleds up the hill to enjoy another ride. You know, boys enjoy themselves very well while their sleds are traveling down the hill at a great speed; it is hurrah with them, and all is right; but in dragging their sleds up the hill, they fall down sometimes, and bump their heads, and bruise their knees against the hard snow, and they have no sooner recovered their foothold than down they go again, and so they get into confusion. Now it appears to me to be just as necessary for them to quarrel in riding down the hill, as it is for them to quarrel in drawing their sleds up the hill, as for any good it accomplishes in either case.
It is an uphill business to go into these canyons and get wood, to say the least of it. If I am able to present what I would like to present, and what I have previously had in my mind, and exhibit it in a few words, and in its true colors, I believe an expression upon it from this Conference will have a salutary influence upon the community; that is my opinion, and the reason why I now present the subject before you. I will call upon my brethren who sit here, to let their past experience answer a question, or perhaps more than one. Are you not dissatisfied, and is there not bitterness in your feelings, the moment you find a canyon put in the possession of an individual, and power given unto him to control the timber, wood, rock, grass, and, in short, all its facilities? Does there not something start up in your breast, that causes you to feel very uncomfortable? You may be ready on the right and on the left to say, "No, I am not aware that it affects me any." This may be the case with a few, but while we find one here and another there of that class, do we not find multitudes of the other class that would be very irritable upon that subject—a facsimile of a roily fountain much disturbed, or like the troubled sea that casts up mire and dirt? Why I judge the matter in this light is because of what I have learned previously to this day, concerning the real feelings of the majority of the people touching this matter. There were a few instances, some two or three years ago, of the legislative council assigning canyons to individuals. Now it is in the hands of county officers to dispose of such matters. Are the people satisfied with these assignments? They are not. Could they be satisfied were they placed under different circumstances in relation to this matter? They could. Have we power as a people to introduce an order of things that will give general satisfaction? I will say, that it depends altogether upon circumstances. It can or it cannot be done, just as the people please.
I will relate a few circumstances or incidents that have taken place here, but I will not name particular places, nor individuals. Mr. B. goes into the canyons, without any leave or license, and without even asking for a grant; he makes his way up a canyon, and finds, on each side of him, both firewood and fence poles. He climbs the mountain, for two or three miles, works a road, and gets to the timber, poles, and wood, at an expense of from one to five hundred dollars. He commences to get out poles, and keeps his men and teams laboring there from day to day. Now how long will he remain there before news will come into the city, that Mr. B. is getting timber and poles at such a point, and that it is a most excellent chance there? Well, some of the citizens will say, "Has brother B. worked a road up there?" "Yes." "Can we get up with a team?" "Yes." "Then let us go and get some wood and poles." How long would it be before the eyes of a portion of the community would be turned directly to that spot? How long would it be before they would go to the very place where brother B.'s road branches off from the main road, and go up the mountain (of course they could see no other track than where Mr. B. was getting out his wood), and get poles, wood, and timber? They would not stop to look on the mountains around them, and make new roads for themselves. No, they can only get wood, poles, and timber where brother B. is getting them, after he has been at the trouble and expense of making a road. When they find brother B. there, he says, "You cannot come into this canyon, for I have worked the road myself, to facilitate the getting of my wood and poles here." Another person comes along with twenty or thirty wagons. Mr. B. says to him, "Look yonder, there is plenty of timber, and as easy to get at as this that I call my own." Friend H. replies, "But I will be damned if I don't get wood where you get it." Mr. B. says, "And I'll be damned if you do go there." This is the language of men who sit here before me today, and so near me that I could put my hand upon them. They go up in the canyon, and there quarrel with each other. Let friend S. once pass by the road that Mr. B. has made, and he may go on up the canyon ten miles, surrounded with wood, and not get a stick of timber, for he and friend H., with his train, and others, never can see and understand how they can get poles in any other place than where friend B. has made a good road leading to where he gets his. Is this so? You Elders of Israel will go into the canyons, and curse and swear—damn, and curse your oxen, and swear by Him who created you! I am telling the truth. Yes, you will rip, and curse, and swear, as bad as any pirates ever did.
Suppose these characters do as the old Quaker did when he whipped the man: he took off his coat, and said, "Religion, do thou lie there, until I whip this man." The boys, or many of them, who go into the canyons with wagons and teams, do the same: they lay down their religion at the mouth of the canyon, saying, "Thou lie there, until I go for my load of wood." I expect, in all probability, it was the case with Elder Hyde, for he never would have thought that he ought to be saved for going into the canyon once, if he had had his religion along with him.
I do not wish to say much upon this subject, I am not spirited in it, nor do I care much about it. I want to show to this community a plan by which these matters of business transactions can be brought to some kind of a system, to the better accommodation of the public. We will suppose, when strangers come to these valleys, that they find land offices, canyon offices, timber offices, &c. They enter, and walk up before the clerk in the office, and inquire what facilities there are to get a living here. Out steps the landlord and says, "This valley and all the canyons belong to old General Harris, and to his heirs after him. That valley over yonder—Utah Valley, belongs to old General Wolf's heirs; and there's another valley, that belongs to another man; and I am here as the guardian of these heirs to all this property, I am here to dispose of it." "We want to settle here," say the people, "can we get any land?" "O yes," the landlord replies, "lift up your eyes to the right, and to the left—do you see the grass?" "Yes." "Do you see the lovely streams that gush from the mountains?" "Yes." "Do you see this vast prairie before you?" "Yes." "Look at the soil, it is rich and productive. We do not have winters here, as you do in the eastern countries, but your cattle can feed in these mountain valleys both winter and summer." The landlord says again, "Lift up your eyes and look: this wood, land, and the grass that you see growing, and all these valleys, with all they contain, you are freely welcome to; go now, lay out your city plots and your farms, dig your ditches, and turn the streams whithersoever you will, for to all this you are welcome." Would they not think he was one of the finest men that ever was? Would they not love such a landlord? The people inquire again, "What chance is there here for getting wood?" "O," says he, "that is another thing, I will talk to you about that." "We wish to know if we can get wood here to burn, to cook our food with, and to keep our houses warm; and upon what terms?" Says the landlord, "My hired servants are up in the Red Butte Canyon, or they may be in Canyon Creek Canyon, or over in the west mountains; I have got servants, and plenty of wood, this you can have on certain conditions." "What are your conditions, good landlord?" "These are my conditions—you must take your teams into Red Butte, where you will find a gate, and a man living there, to him you will have to pay 25 cents for getting a load of wood." "But how is the road after you get through the gate?" "O, it is a good road, and the wood, timber, rock, and everything else are first rate; and now you go and get a cord of good wood for 25 cents. Or you may go to the west mountains, there the canyons are all prepared for you, the roads are made, and I keep men there to see that they are kept in good repair, and all you have got to do is to pay 25 cents for the use of the road." What would be the feelings of this people under such circumstances? Do you suppose they would feel as those do that have kept up a continual quarrelling, murmuring, and bickering, and have given way to wickedness? The canyons are precisely in the position I present them to you in this similitude; and you murmur at the council, at the legislative assembly, at the county court, and at everybody that wants to make these canyons convenient and passable to the community.
Again, I ask the question, what would be the feelings of this people, supposing they had come to these valleys under such circumstances? "The valleys, the grass, the soil, the water, and all the advantages you are welcome to, but I shall charge you 25 cents per load for your wood." If you won't answer the question, I will for you: every time you would meet with that landlord, it would be, "God bless you, you are the best man on earth;" and you would be ready to lick the dust off his feet; you would not say "God damn you, I will get wood where I please." I am ashamed to repeat the language that is too often made use of, but I do it that the community may see how disgraceful it is, and frown upon every man that will allow himself to be degraded by the use of such filthy language; it is a disgrace to the wicked, to say nothing of Saints. Again upon this point, would you not take off your hats, and say, "Thank you," every time you met that landlord? Yes, you would, and I know it. Well, supposing the legislative body in these valleys should say to some man, Take that canyon, and put a gate at the mouth of it, and make a good road to the wood and timber, and to defray the expense of this, lay a tax of 25 cents on every man that passes through with a team to get wood, timber, or anything else the canyon produces—could you bless that legislature, could you greet it with smiles and thanks, for doing that for this people? Or would you curse it?
If I had time to do so, and if it would be wisdom, I could demonstrate, by a mathematical calculation, definitely and truly, and you might take into the calculation Red Butte Canyon, and every other canyon that the people have been into—I could demonstrate that they have destroyed more horses, mules, harness, oxen, wagons, chains, and ox yokes, and other property, in getting out of these canyons what they have got, than what would lay a first rate turnpike road in every direction, as far as they have penetrated these canyons. Suppose we have a canyon here within one mile of us, open to all the people, I ask where is there a man that would work the road to the wood? He is not to be found in this community. If it were open and free to all, I might spend a thousand dollars there, and never get one load of wood. I have done just such things myself. I have gone to work and made roads to get wood, and have not been able to get it. I have cut it down, and piled it up, and still have not got it. I wonder if anybody else can say so. Have any of you piled up your wood, and when you have gone back could not find it? Some stories could be told of this kind, that would make professional thieves ashamed. It is not all of this community that possesses such spirits. A flock of sheep consisting of thousands must be clean indeed if some of them are not smutty. This is a large flock of sheep that have come up to these mountain valleys, and some of them have got taglocks hanging about them, or in other words, there are those that will do what you have heard exhibited to you today.
What shall be done with sheep that stink the flock so? We will take them, I was going to say, and cut off their tails two inches behind their ears; however, I will use a milder term, and say, cut off their ears. But instead of doing this, we will try to cleanse them; we will wash them with soap, that will come well-nigh taking off the skin; we will then apply a little Scotch snuff, and a little tobacco, and wash them again until we make them clean. That is what I am doing now. Peradventure we shall find a few such sheep here in the flock, and a few that have got the itch; these are apt to spread the disease among those that are clean, for they will run along and rub themselves on others, until all are smitten with the disorder, and it would be hard to tell in which it originated.
I do not want to destroy the people, I want to wash them, and, if necessary, apply the Scotch snuff. If this community would let any man of sense, of calculation, of a good mind and judgment, sit down and make his calculations, with regard to their getting wood out of these canyons, they would see the advantage of taking the course the legislature has marked out, so clearly, that this whole people would speak out boldly and say, "You men having authority, look up every canyon in these valleys, and put them in the possession of individuals who will make good roads to the timber, that we may get there without breaking our wagons, or without breaking our limbs, destroying our property, and endangering our lives." I say, every man of good sense would exclaim, "Put these canyons into the hands of individuals, with this proviso—make good roads, and keep them in good repair."
To exhibit it to the people in another point of view. I will suppose a Gentile owns all these canyons, Uncle Sam, for instance. He determines he will work these canyons himself, work the roads, &c., and draw his revenue from them by the people's getting their timber—should we not esteem it a blessing? We should. If it would be a blessing to him, or to any rich company of speculators, then why would it not be a blessing to us, to act upon the same principles ourselves? Could you tell any reason why not?
A great many here do not understand certain things that exist; I can tell you some of them. If any individual will come here and live, and find out how we do business, learn and understand our business transactions, he will see that exhibited that will prove to him a great many things he is not acquainted with. I will take one of the best individuals we have, and put him into the tithing office, put another into the stonecutter's shop, and another in the joiner's shop, and let them work there one or two years, when the books are examined they have taken up every farthing of their wages, and many have contracted considerable debts in that office, some are owing 800, 1,000, and some as high as 1,500 dollars. Now comes the decision. Suppose you owe that store across the road there 1,500 dollars, would you try to pay it? Yes, you would lie awake at nights to think how to pay those merchants that do not belong to the kingdom of God, you would offer them horses, and wagons, and oxen, to liquidate that debt. But that man who owes on the tithing books will say, "Just straighten that up for me, cancel that debt, for I want my name to look as good on the tithing books as the rest." Would he say this to a Gentile? No, he would not. We never see such goodness, such kindness, such benevolence, such philanthropy in the persons who owe the tithing office anything.
Did you ever ask me to liquidate your debts? You may answer the question for yourselves. I shall not name anybody. But let one of these merchants ask for the payment of a debt, saying, "I am going away in September," and you conclude that that debt must be paid—do you pay it? Yes, you will sell everything you have on earth, to pay it. But do you owe the tithing office anything? "O yes, and I am going to work it off; I know I owe about 1,500 dollars. But you know it won't do to owe the Gentiles anything. Brother Brigham, can't you lend me some money to pay a small debt on that store? Can you let me have a yoke of cattle, my family is suffering for want of wood?" You trace those cattle, and where are they gone to? Why, to pay the enemies of this people. You would take out of this Church the last dime of money, and every ox, and cow, and horse, and hand them all over to our enemies, and let the Church sink to the nethermost hell, for aught you care. That is the difficulty that exists here. If I have got your spectacles, or your shoes, or any other thing of yours, the common saying made use of is, "O, never mind, it is all in the family, you are a brother, it is all right." I am telling you as it is in that tithing office. What did you hear read, last April Conference? That there were 48,000 dollars owing to the tithing office; yet do you try to pay that debt? No, but the word is, "Brother Brigham, trust me another thousand;" and you never will pay it on the face of the earth, and you think me rather hard because I scold you. These are the difficulties that are here among us.
There exists a double spirit, there is a false, hypocritical spirit in many of the people; it is bred in the flesh, and in the bones, it is received from their fathers and mothers, a hypocritical pretension to friendship, when the real thing itself does not exist in them, and never did; but they are destitute of the true knowledge of the principles of righteousness. I have frequently thought it was not good for a man to have around him too many friends. I have said to my brethren, heretofore, "Don't love me quite so well as to take away all I have got. I want you to love me pretty well, I have plenty of flour now, and scores and scores of tons I can distribute, but do not take my soul out of me, do not love me quite to death. I am willing to be loved sincerely, but covet not that which I possess, under a false pretension of love to me." There is that spirit among this people, but it is for want of knowledge, and a proper understanding. Did they possess these, there would be no difficulty in the case.
Now, for instance, a great many inquire, saying, "Why does not our Church keep a store here?" Many can answer that question, who have lived here for some years past; and you who make such an inquiry, would have known the reason, had you also lived here. You that have lived in Nauvoo, in Missouri, in Kirtland, Ohio, can you assign a reason why Joseph could not keep a store, and be a merchant? Let me just give you a few reasons, and there are men here who know how matters went in those days. Joseph goes to New York and buys 20,000 dollars' worth of goods, comes into Kirtland and commences to trade. In comes one of the brethren, "Brother Joseph, let me have a frock pattern for my wife." What if Joseph says, "No, I cannot without the money." The consequence would be, "He is no Prophet," says James. Pretty soon Thomas walks in. "Brother Joseph, will you trust me for a pair of boots?" "No, I cannot let them go without the money." "Well," says Thomas, "Brother Joseph is no Prophet; I have found that out, and I am glad of it." After a while, in comes Bill and sister Susan. Says Bill, "Brother Joseph, I want a shawl, I have not got the money, but I wish you to trust me a week or a fortnight." Well, brother Joseph thinks the others have gone and apostatized, and he don't know but these goods will make the whole Church do the same, so he lets Bill have a shawl. Bill walks off with it and meets a brother. "Well," says he, "what do you think of brother Joseph?" "O he is a first-rate man, and I fully believe he is a Prophet. See here, he has trusted me this shawl." Richard says, "I think I will go down and see if he won't trust me some." In walks Richard, "Brother Joseph, I want to trade about 20 dollars." "Well," says Joseph, "these goods will make the people apostatize; so over they go, they are of less value than the people." Richard gets his goods. Another comes in the same way to make a trade of 25 dollars, and so it goes. Joseph was a first-rate fellow with them all the time, provided he never would ask them to pay him. In this way it is easy for us to trade away a first-rate store of goods, and be in debt for them.
And so you may trace it down through the history of this people. If any brethren came into the midst of them as merchants, I never knew one of them go into their stores and go out again satisfied, neither did you. If I had 100,000 dollars worth of goods in that store, owned by myself, or held by a "Mormon" company, in six months the goods would be gone, and we should not have 100 dollars to pay the debt. But let an infernal mobocrat come into our midst, though he brands Joseph Smith with the epithet of "false Prophet," and calls the "Mormons" a damned set of thieves, and would see all Israel scorching in Tophet, you would give him the last picayune you could raise.
There is not a man who has been in this community a few years but knows I am telling the living truth. Do any of you hate me for it? Do any of you love me for it? It is all the same to me. Do you love the cause? "Yes," every heart at once responds, "I love the cause, I love the Lord and my religion." If I would only permit myself to swear, I would say, What the devil is the reason, then, you don't live according to it? What keeps you from that? What is the reason you cannot pay me what you owe me, as well as your enemy. You continue to trade with the Almighty that way, and it will sink this whole people down to hell. You trade with the Almighty worse than you do with the devil. These things exist, and you know it. A man comes into this Church with a little property, and he must suffer them to pick him until he is as blind as brother Leonard is, that sits over there, or else the people will turn round and curse him, and sink him to the nethermost hell if possible. They have treated Edwin D. Woolley so, and others. Can they keep a store among this people? No, they must let them have the goods, and wait until they can pay them, if they ever do it at all.
They got up a quarrel, about a year ago, and every High Priest and Elder were going to cut Thomas Williams off from the Church, because he asked them to pay their just debts. I said to Thomas, "If they do not pay you as they agreed, arraign them before the High Council; I will be your lawyer, and they shall be cut off from the Church." They had got it all cut and dried, that if he asked them to pay him, he should be cut off from the Church, but I told them that if they did not live up to their agreement, they should be cut off from the Church, and then be tried by the law of the land.
How has Thomas Williams behaved here? He has paid his tithing, and done good to this people; he has handed over nails, cotton cloth, and other necessary articles. When he brings in his goods, he pays his tithing on them honorably, yet he can be abused; and it is so with every man who comes into the midst of this people with goods, unless he pays them out at random to Tom, Dick, and the devil. Latter-day Saints cannot keep a store of goods, because they will not act as Latter-day Saints, but they will sustain their enemies. How much do you suppose you have paid into these Gentile stores within four months? Can you give a rough guess? I can tell you, if you do not know, for I know something about it. You have paid to them 300,000 dollars within the last six months. The brethren think that we are very hard with them if we ask for a little tithing. I wonder if we have received 30,000 dollars, which we should certainly have received in silver and gold, if the people had been faithful in paying their tithing on the money they have spent at these stores; the money has gone, from time to time, in gold and silver, by boxfuls, to the east. There is not a span of mules that could be found in this valley, able to draw the money, if it were all in silver, to the States, that this people have spent with these merchants within a few months past; they must therefore do business upon the principle of checks; in any other way it is a burden to them to get it over the plains. These are the difficulties that work against our living and doing as we should do.
I will now go back, and say to all the inhabitants of these valleys, if I had the power, and the people were willing to subscribe to that which would do them good, I would look up all the canyons containing wood and other facilities, put gates at the mouths of them, have good roads worked in them, so as to make the wood and the timber easy of access, and make the people pay for the roads and the keeping of them in good repair. If I was a Gentile, and I owned these canyons, and should make such a proposition, it would be so that I could hardly get down to this meetinghouse without someone crying out, "I move that we give that gentleman a vote of thanks;" another would second it, "For that is certainly a Gentile of the first class." [The speaker made motions, such as bowing and scraping, as the poor serfs of foreign nations do, who subsist on the patrimony of a titled fellow mortal.] I make these motions to show this people how disgraceful it is; it is a disgrace to any community to act as they have done towards the measures of those who wish to do them good all the day long. If a Latter-day Saint wants to do good, why not bless him for it. But no, it is overlooked as a thing of naught. Now, if I do ape out a little of these feelings here, it is to show you how they look inside. I can see them in the people, I know what there is in the midst of them, I know what they have to contend against, and the difficulties and weaknesses they are subject to; it is the want of true knowledge and a sound understanding which causes them to act as they do; if it were not for that, if this people had the knowledge of angels, and then did as they do, they would be sent to hell before the rising of another sun; but as they are ignorant, and inasmuch as they desire to do good, God winks at their foibles, and hopes by it to bless them.
Now, I am going to have an expression from this Conference, with regard to the plan that we, as a community, shall adopt; not as a county, not as the Legislature of Utah, not as civil and military officers, but as officers and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and before I take the expression, if there is one man in this house who feels himself capable of showing a better method, or of producing a better plan to keep the people from running over each other, from breaking each other's necks, and the necks of their horses, I will give him an opportunity of presenting that plan. In the first place, the feelings of individuals are—what advantage can I get by introducing this plan? I wish you to remember that all I can get by it is, to protect you against running over and trying to kill each other. We do not own the canyons, but the plan is—let them go into the hands of individuals who will make them easy of access, by paying them for their labor. Before I take an expression, I want to see if there is a man that can rise up and propose a better plan than I propose, which of course would be to our advantage to adopt in preference to mine. I have talked long enough upon this matter. The motion is, that we, as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in the capacity of a General Conference assembled, and embracing the whole community in the midst of the mountains, recommend, and give it as our opinion, that the best method of disposing of the canyons is to put them in the hands of individuals to make good roads in them, and obtain their pay by taking toll from those who use the roads, at a gate erected for that purpose at the mouth of each canyon. Now, sisters, I want you to vote also, because women are the characters that rule the ballot box. If you are in favor of this motion, as Latter-day Saints, signify it by the uplifted hand. [Unanimous.]
Let the judges in the county of Great Salt Lake take due notice, and govern themselves accordingly. The same thing I say to the judges of any of the other counties of the territory, Take notice, and govern yourselves accordingly. Put these canyons into the hands of individuals who will make good roads into them, and let them take toll from the inhabitants that go there for wood, timber, and poles. Now this is my order for the judges to take due notice of; it does not come from the Governor, but from the President of the Church; you will not see any proclamation in the paper to this effect, but it is a mere declaration of the President of the Conference. Let these things go out to make the people satisfied, and feel contented to have the privilege of getting wood without breaking their necks and destroying their teams.
I want to occupy a few moments more, and talk about our contemplated temple. It has been moved, seconded, and carried by this Conference, that we build a temple here of the best material that America affords. If this is done, it will have to be built of platina; and I do not know that there is any of it to be got in this territory. It is purer, stronger, and is every way a better metal than pure gold. If we cannot get the platina, we must build a temple of pure gold; that is here, I know. But if the Conference want us to build a temple of pure gold, they will have to put into the tithing stores something besides old half-dead stinking cows, and old broken-kneed horses; or if they even put in all the good cattle they possess, will it build a temple of gold, of silver, or of brass? No, it will not.
I am inclined to offer a chemical argument with regard to the material for building a temple in our present circumstances. The best materials, I have mentioned, probably. Iron might be better than stone; the time will come when the Lord will bring for brass gold, for iron silver, and for stones iron, and for wood brass, to beautify His sanctuary, and make the place of His feet glorious. That will be, but it is not now. I thought, when I was at Iron County, and saw the iron mountains, that the iron was actually come instead of stone.
But for the chemical argument touching the material for the building of a temple in this city. It has been proposed, that we send to San Pete to get the rock. Some say it will cost too much, others say we cannot do it, and others say that we can. I, not being a practical chemist, but only a chemist in theory, shall have to use my own language, to express my ideas. You may bring the stone from San Pete, which is a beautiful specimen of rock, and erect a temple here with it; then you may take this sandstone that is found in abundance in the Red Butte Canyon, and build a temple of that; then you step over to the Emigration Canyon, and get this bastard marble, and build another of the same dimensions as that you have built of the red sandstone. Now you have got the San Pete rock temple, the red sandstone temple, and another built of limestone, or bastard marble I call it; then, right beside of that, another one of adobies, mixed with pebbles—take that clay, and these pebble stones that are so abundant here, and mix in with them straw, and build another temple of that composition, besides the three which are built of different kinds of rock, and let them stand together—which do you think will stand the longest? Being a chemist in theory, I should say, according to my mind, when the San Pete rock is washed into the Jordan, the other buildings will still be standing, and be in moderate condition. The red sandstone will go the next, and the other two still remain, the bastard marble or limestone will be in pretty good preservation; and when that is all decomposed and washed away into the Jordan, you will find that temple which is built of mud or adobies, as some call them, still remains, and in better condition than at the first day it was built.
You may ask any practical chemist, any man who knows, understands, and studies the elements, and he will corroborate these statements. This is a matter I want you to look at, to think and meditate upon. I do not talk about the expense of the building, and the time it would take to erect it, but its durability, and which is the best material within our reach to build it with. If you take this clay, which is to be found in abundance on these bottom lands, and mix with it these pebble rocks, and make adobies of the compound, it will petrify in the wall and become a solid rock in five hundred years, so as to be fit to cut into millstones to grind flour, while the other materials I have mentioned will have decomposed, and gone back to their native elements. I am chemist enough to know that much. My simple philosophy is this. The elements of which this terra firma is composed, are every moment either composing or decomposing. They commence to organize or to compose, and continue to grow until they arrive at their zenith of perfection, and then they begin to decompose. When you find a rock that has arrived at its greatest perfection, you may know that the work of decaying has begun. Let the practical chemist make his observations upon a portion of the matter of which this earth is com posed; and he will find, that just as quick as it is at its perfection, that very instant it begins to decompose. We have proof of this. Go into Egypt, for instance, and you will find the monuments, towers, and pyramids, that were erected in the days of Joseph, and before he was sold into Egypt; they were built of what we call adobies, clay mixed up with straw; these fabrics, which have excited interest for so many ages, and are the wonder of modern nations, were built of this raw material. They have bid defiance to the wear of ages, and they still remain. But you cannot find a stone column that was reared in those times, for they are all decayed. Here we have actual proof that the matter which is the furthest advanced to a state of perfection, is the first to decompose, and go back into its native element, at which point it begins to be organized again, it begins to congeal, petrify, and harden into rock, which grows like a tree, but not so perceptibly.
Gold and silver grow, and so does every other kind of metal, the same as the hair upon my head, or the wheat in the field; they do not grow as fast, but they are all the time composing or decomposing. So much, then, for my views touching the material to be used in building a Temple upon this block. You may go to San Pete and get stone for it, and when five hundred years have elapsed you will not find a building. You may build of that red sandstone, and it will live out the San Pete rock, and the limestone will outlive that. But when you come to the adobies, they will outlive either of them, and be five hundred years better than the day they were first laid. This is a pretty strong argument in favor of a mud building.
How long has the city of Washington been built? What was there before my father entered into the revolutionary war? Where was the Capitol then? It was in Philadelphia sixty years ago, there was no such thing as a Capitol in Washington. Let me ask a question—is it built of rock? I never was there. [Voice, "Yes." ] It is built of rock. The House of Representatives was rebuilt in 1812, not more than forty years ago. Would any of you that have not been there, suppose that it would need patching up already to make it comfortable for the representatives of the nation? This, however, is the case, for within ten years past eighty thousand tons of putty have been used to putty up the places where the stone has decayed by the operation of the elements, and it has not yet been built forty years. I mention this, because I wish the Conference to know what they are doing when they commence to build a temple of stone. As for myself, I know enough about rock. If a man should undertake to put me up a stone house, I should wish him to build it of adobies instead, and then I should have a good house. We are talking about building one for the community, and I mention this about the Capitol to show you that the rock does not endure; the moment it becomes as hard as it is ever going to be, that moment it begins to decay. It may be a slow process in growing, or decomposing, yet it is doing the one or the other continually.
I have my own individual thoughts, of course, and these I express with regard to the temple. According to my present views, there is not marble in these mountains, or stone of any kind or quality, that I would rather have a building made of than adobies. As for the durability of such a building, the longer it stands the better it becomes; if it stands five thousand years, it increases in its strength until it comes to its highest perfection, before it begins to decay. What do our "Mormon" boys say about trying to dig into one of those old Catholic cathedrals that are now standing in California? They say they might as well have undertaken to dig through the most solid rock you ever saw, as to dig through those adobie walls. Do you think they are decaying and falling down? No, they are growing better all the time, and so it is with the houses we live in. If they have good foundations, these houses that we live in will be better when they have stood fifty years than they are at this day. I will not say that it is so with a stone house, or with a brick house; for when you burn the clay to make brick, you destroy the life of it, it may last many years, but if the life is permitted to remain in it, it will last until it has become rock, and then begin to decay.
As for the temple, I will give you the nature of your vote with regard to it—the sum of it was, that those that dictate the building of it be left to do with it as they please. They will, anyhow. But I give it as my opinion that adobies are the best article to build it of. I do not fear the expense, neither do I care what you build it of; only when it is built, I want it to stand, and not fall down and decay in twenty or thirty years, like brother Taylor's one would, that he was giving an exposition of; "that when we go within the veil into the heavenly world, we need not be ashamed of it, but when we look down upon it, it will be of solid rock:" but if it is built of San Pete rock, when he looks down to see it he will find it ain’t there, but it is gone, washed into the Jordan. It cannot remain, it must decay.
May the Lord bless you. Amen.
Choir sung a hymn. Benediction by J. M. Grant.
when cases of difficulty come before me I feel very acute at times, but at the present I feel very careless, if we could get the male members to hear, it would be sufficient. It is concerning the Kanyon. Wood is the prominent product looked after the men who get it, have an experience; there is no excuse for men to curse and swear and fight, and I think an expression by this Conference will have a salutary result. A few years ago the Legislative Assembly disposed of several Kanyons to certain individuals; and related the actions of different individuals swearing and quarrelling, and “leaving their religion at the mouth of the Kanyon” and exhibited to the community, though disgraceful language and conduct of some men; and called on the community to frown down on such conduct. It must be a might good flock of 8, 10, 20, or 30,000 sheep, without having some bad ones among them, having the itch, &c. I don’t want to destroy the sheep but to wash them and get them clean.
It is my decision that those Kanyons be put into the hands of good men have gates at the mouth and make good roads, and take toll for pay. He then exhibited the conduct of some persons getting into debt, shewing their hypocritical conduct towards the church and the authorities, and when persons don’t live to the truth, what is the cause? There must be a devil somewhere.
This community has paid the Gentile Merchants in the neighborhood of 300,000 within the last six months, there is not a span of Mules that could drag the silver across the plains, that either of those stores have taken.
If this people had the knowledge that angels have, and do as they do; they would be sent to hell, before the rising of another Sun; but as it is, God winks at our ignorance.
Consider we don’t own the Kanyons, then let them go into the hands of men who will make good roads and pay them for it.
We as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the capacity of a Conference, give it as our opinion, and recommend the officers of State to put the Kanyons into the hands of men, who will make good roads, and accessible to the timber, and the people to have the use of the same by paying toll, if this is your mind, signify it by the uplifted hand (all hands up.)
Now Judges of Great Salt Lake County, Ugh, or other Counties take due notice, and govern yourselves accordingly.
He then spoke of the Temple, and the different stone from San Pete, Red Sandstone, and Bastard Marble, and Adobies mixed with Pebble stones and straw, and said he, the Temple made of Adobies and Pebbles, will be the strongest; I am talking of the durability of the building, the Adobies and Pebbles will petrify in 500 years, and it will do to cut into Mill rocks, when the others are dissolved. Rocks are always composing and increasing in strength, or decomposing and decaying. The Adobe houses will be better in 50 years, than they are the day they are finished. I give it as my opinion that the Adobe wall will be the best building.
Management of the Canyons—Paying Debts—Keeping Stores—Material for the Temple
There is a matter of temporal business that I wish to lay before this Conference, and I embrace the present opportunity to do so. I have not very acute feelings upon the matter, but I have frequently known cases of difficulty and dissatisfaction come before me, which were calculated to annoy my feelings, and the feelings of this people. I feel very acutely, very exquisitely, upon certain subjects pertaining to their history, but on the present occasion I am quite careless and indifferent as to the subject I now propose to lay before the Conference. If we could obtain a hearing of all the male members of this community, or in other words, get all the inhabitants of these valleys together, that portion of them that can hear and understand, it would be better; but seeing that this cannot be done, we shall have to content ourselves by laying before this Conference the matter, pertaining practically to the actions of men, that we now wish to present. It is concerning the canyons, the wood, the timber, or whatever the canyons situated near these valleys produce.
Wood seems to be the first and most prominent product of the canyons. The situation of them is too well known to make it necessary for me to offer a description. I believe that there are some acts performed in these canyons, of which the actors are ashamed, and they would rather I would pass over these points, and the hard words they have made use of; they would much rather have them forgotten by all who have a knowledge of what they have done and said in the canyons.
There are a great many whose experience exceeds the experience of brother Hyde in this matter. His short experience, he says, teaches him, that if he had the power in his hands, he would decree that all men who go into the canyons for wood and timber should be saved. This may be the mind of others, and to them it may serve as an excuse for outraging the principles of righteousness, but to another class of men it would be no excuse at all. I believe it would be just as necessary for the boys, when they have mounted their sleds on the top of the hill, to curse, and swear, and fight, and quarrel, while they are riding down with all ease, and without any trouble, as it would be to curse, swear, and fight while drawing their sleds up the hill to enjoy another ride. You know, boys enjoy themselves very well while their sleds are traveling down the hill at a great speed; it is hurrah with them, and all is right; but in dragging their sleds up the hill, they fall down sometimes, and bump their heads, and bruise their knees against the hard snow, and they have no sooner recovered their foothold than down they go again, and so they get into confusion. Now it appears to me to be just as necessary for them to quarrel in riding down the hill, as it is for them to quarrel in drawing their sleds up the hill, as for any good it accomplishes in either case.
It is an uphill business to go into these canyons and get wood, to say the least of it. If I am able to present what I would like to present, and what I have previously had in my mind, and exhibit it in a few words, and in its true colors, I believe an expression upon it from this Conference will have a salutary influence upon the community; that is my opinion, and the reason why I now present the subject before you. I will call upon my brethren who sit here, to let their past experience answer a question, or perhaps more than one. Are you not dissatisfied, and is there not bitterness in your feelings, the moment you find a canyon put in the possession of an individual, and power given unto him to control the timber, wood, rock, grass, and, in short, all its facilities? Does there not something start up in your breast, that causes you to feel very uncomfortable? You may be ready on the right and on the left to say, "No, I am not aware that it affects me any." This may be the case with a few, but while we find one here and another there of that class, do we not find multitudes of the other class that would be very irritable upon that subject—a facsimile of a roily fountain much disturbed, or like the troubled sea that casts up mire and dirt? Why I judge the matter in this light is because of what I have learned previously to this day, concerning the real feelings of the majority of the people touching this matter. There were a few instances, some two or three years ago, of the legislative council assigning canyons to individuals. Now it is in the hands of county officers to dispose of such matters. Are the people satisfied with these assignments? They are not. Could they be satisfied were they placed under different circumstances in relation to this matter? They could. Have we power as a people to introduce an order of things that will give general satisfaction? I will say, that it depends altogether upon circumstances. It can or it cannot be done, just as the people please.
I will relate a few circumstances or incidents that have taken place here, but I will not name particular places, nor individuals. Mr. B. goes into the canyons, without any leave or license, and without even asking for a grant; he makes his way up a canyon, and finds, on each side of him, both firewood and fence poles. He climbs the mountain, for two or three miles, works a road, and gets to the timber, poles, and wood, at an expense of from one to five hundred dollars. He commences to get out poles, and keeps his men and teams laboring there from day to day. Now how long will he remain there before news will come into the city, that Mr. B. is getting timber and poles at such a point, and that it is a most excellent chance there? Well, some of the citizens will say, "Has brother B. worked a road up there?" "Yes." "Can we get up with a team?" "Yes." "Then let us go and get some wood and poles." How long would it be before the eyes of a portion of the community would be turned directly to that spot? How long would it be before they would go to the very place where brother B.'s road branches off from the main road, and go up the mountain (of course they could see no other track than where Mr. B. was getting out his wood), and get poles, wood, and timber? They would not stop to look on the mountains around them, and make new roads for themselves. No, they can only get wood, poles, and timber where brother B. is getting them, after he has been at the trouble and expense of making a road. When they find brother B. there, he says, "You cannot come into this canyon, for I have worked the road myself, to facilitate the getting of my wood and poles here." Another person comes along with twenty or thirty wagons. Mr. B. says to him, "Look yonder, there is plenty of timber, and as easy to get at as this that I call my own." Friend H. replies, "But I will be damned if I don't get wood where you get it." Mr. B. says, "And I'll be damned if you do go there." This is the language of men who sit here before me today, and so near me that I could put my hand upon them. They go up in the canyon, and there quarrel with each other. Let friend S. once pass by the road that Mr. B. has made, and he may go on up the canyon ten miles, surrounded with wood, and not get a stick of timber, for he and friend H., with his train, and others, never can see and understand how they can get poles in any other place than where friend B. has made a good road leading to where he gets his. Is this so? You Elders of Israel will go into the canyons, and curse and swear—damn, and curse your oxen, and swear by Him who created you! I am telling the truth. Yes, you will rip, and curse, and swear, as bad as any pirates ever did.
Suppose these characters do as the old Quaker did when he whipped the man: he took off his coat, and said, "Religion, do thou lie there, until I whip this man." The boys, or many of them, who go into the canyons with wagons and teams, do the same: they lay down their religion at the mouth of the canyon, saying, "Thou lie there, until I go for my load of wood." I expect, in all probability, it was the case with Elder Hyde, for he never would have thought that he ought to be saved for going into the canyon once, if he had had his religion along with him.
I do not wish to say much upon this subject, I am not spirited in it, nor do I care much about it. I want to show to this community a plan by which these matters of business transactions can be brought to some kind of a system, to the better accommodation of the public. We will suppose, when strangers come to these valleys, that they find land offices, canyon offices, timber offices, &c. They enter, and walk up before the clerk in the office, and inquire what facilities there are to get a living here. Out steps the landlord and says, "This valley and all the canyons belong to old General Harris, and to his heirs after him. That valley over yonder—Utah Valley, belongs to old General Wolf's heirs; and there's another valley, that belongs to another man; and I am here as the guardian of these heirs to all this property, I am here to dispose of it." "We want to settle here," say the people, "can we get any land?" "O yes," the landlord replies, "lift up your eyes to the right, and to the left—do you see the grass?" "Yes." "Do you see the lovely streams that gush from the mountains?" "Yes." "Do you see this vast prairie before you?" "Yes." "Look at the soil, it is rich and productive. We do not have winters here, as you do in the eastern countries, but your cattle can feed in these mountain valleys both winter and summer." The landlord says again, "Lift up your eyes and look: this wood, land, and the grass that you see growing, and all these valleys, with all they contain, you are freely welcome to; go now, lay out your city plots and your farms, dig your ditches, and turn the streams whithersoever you will, for to all this you are welcome." Would they not think he was one of the finest men that ever was? Would they not love such a landlord? The people inquire again, "What chance is there here for getting wood?" "O," says he, "that is another thing, I will talk to you about that." "We wish to know if we can get wood here to burn, to cook our food with, and to keep our houses warm; and upon what terms?" Says the landlord, "My hired servants are up in the Red Butte Canyon, or they may be in Canyon Creek Canyon, or over in the west mountains; I have got servants, and plenty of wood, this you can have on certain conditions." "What are your conditions, good landlord?" "These are my conditions—you must take your teams into Red Butte, where you will find a gate, and a man living there, to him you will have to pay 25 cents for getting a load of wood." "But how is the road after you get through the gate?" "O, it is a good road, and the wood, timber, rock, and everything else are first rate; and now you go and get a cord of good wood for 25 cents. Or you may go to the west mountains, there the canyons are all prepared for you, the roads are made, and I keep men there to see that they are kept in good repair, and all you have got to do is to pay 25 cents for the use of the road." What would be the feelings of this people under such circumstances? Do you suppose they would feel as those do that have kept up a continual quarrelling, murmuring, and bickering, and have given way to wickedness? The canyons are precisely in the position I present them to you in this similitude; and you murmur at the council, at the legislative assembly, at the county court, and at everybody that wants to make these canyons convenient and passable to the community.
Again, I ask the question, what would be the feelings of this people, supposing they had come to these valleys under such circumstances? "The valleys, the grass, the soil, the water, and all the advantages you are welcome to, but I shall charge you 25 cents per load for your wood." If you won't answer the question, I will for you: every time you would meet with that landlord, it would be, "God bless you, you are the best man on earth;" and you would be ready to lick the dust off his feet; you would not say "God damn you, I will get wood where I please." I am ashamed to repeat the language that is too often made use of, but I do it that the community may see how disgraceful it is, and frown upon every man that will allow himself to be degraded by the use of such filthy language; it is a disgrace to the wicked, to say nothing of Saints. Again upon this point, would you not take off your hats, and say, "Thank you," every time you met that landlord? Yes, you would, and I know it. Well, supposing the legislative body in these valleys should say to some man, Take that canyon, and put a gate at the mouth of it, and make a good road to the wood and timber, and to defray the expense of this, lay a tax of 25 cents on every man that passes through with a team to get wood, timber, or anything else the canyon produces—could you bless that legislature, could you greet it with smiles and thanks, for doing that for this people? Or would you curse it?
If I had time to do so, and if it would be wisdom, I could demonstrate, by a mathematical calculation, definitely and truly, and you might take into the calculation Red Butte Canyon, and every other canyon that the people have been into—I could demonstrate that they have destroyed more horses, mules, harness, oxen, wagons, chains, and ox yokes, and other property, in getting out of these canyons what they have got, than what would lay a first rate turnpike road in every direction, as far as they have penetrated these canyons. Suppose we have a canyon here within one mile of us, open to all the people, I ask where is there a man that would work the road to the wood? He is not to be found in this community. If it were open and free to all, I might spend a thousand dollars there, and never get one load of wood. I have done just such things myself. I have gone to work and made roads to get wood, and have not been able to get it. I have cut it down, and piled it up, and still have not got it. I wonder if anybody else can say so. Have any of you piled up your wood, and when you have gone back could not find it? Some stories could be told of this kind, that would make professional thieves ashamed. It is not all of this community that possesses such spirits. A flock of sheep consisting of thousands must be clean indeed if some of them are not smutty. This is a large flock of sheep that have come up to these mountain valleys, and some of them have got taglocks hanging about them, or in other words, there are those that will do what you have heard exhibited to you today.
What shall be done with sheep that stink the flock so? We will take them, I was going to say, and cut off their tails two inches behind their ears; however, I will use a milder term, and say, cut off their ears. But instead of doing this, we will try to cleanse them; we will wash them with soap, that will come well-nigh taking off the skin; we will then apply a little Scotch snuff, and a little tobacco, and wash them again until we make them clean. That is what I am doing now. Peradventure we shall find a few such sheep here in the flock, and a few that have got the itch; these are apt to spread the disease among those that are clean, for they will run along and rub themselves on others, until all are smitten with the disorder, and it would be hard to tell in which it originated.
I do not want to destroy the people, I want to wash them, and, if necessary, apply the Scotch snuff. If this community would let any man of sense, of calculation, of a good mind and judgment, sit down and make his calculations, with regard to their getting wood out of these canyons, they would see the advantage of taking the course the legislature has marked out, so clearly, that this whole people would speak out boldly and say, "You men having authority, look up every canyon in these valleys, and put them in the possession of individuals who will make good roads to the timber, that we may get there without breaking our wagons, or without breaking our limbs, destroying our property, and endangering our lives." I say, every man of good sense would exclaim, "Put these canyons into the hands of individuals, with this proviso—make good roads, and keep them in good repair."
To exhibit it to the people in another point of view. I will suppose a Gentile owns all these canyons, Uncle Sam, for instance. He determines he will work these canyons himself, work the roads, &c., and draw his revenue from them by the people's getting their timber—should we not esteem it a blessing? We should. If it would be a blessing to him, or to any rich company of speculators, then why would it not be a blessing to us, to act upon the same principles ourselves? Could you tell any reason why not?
A great many here do not understand certain things that exist; I can tell you some of them. If any individual will come here and live, and find out how we do business, learn and understand our business transactions, he will see that exhibited that will prove to him a great many things he is not acquainted with. I will take one of the best individuals we have, and put him into the tithing office, put another into the stonecutter's shop, and another in the joiner's shop, and let them work there one or two years, when the books are examined they have taken up every farthing of their wages, and many have contracted considerable debts in that office, some are owing 800, 1,000, and some as high as 1,500 dollars. Now comes the decision. Suppose you owe that store across the road there 1,500 dollars, would you try to pay it? Yes, you would lie awake at nights to think how to pay those merchants that do not belong to the kingdom of God, you would offer them horses, and wagons, and oxen, to liquidate that debt. But that man who owes on the tithing books will say, "Just straighten that up for me, cancel that debt, for I want my name to look as good on the tithing books as the rest." Would he say this to a Gentile? No, he would not. We never see such goodness, such kindness, such benevolence, such philanthropy in the persons who owe the tithing office anything.
Did you ever ask me to liquidate your debts? You may answer the question for yourselves. I shall not name anybody. But let one of these merchants ask for the payment of a debt, saying, "I am going away in September," and you conclude that that debt must be paid—do you pay it? Yes, you will sell everything you have on earth, to pay it. But do you owe the tithing office anything? "O yes, and I am going to work it off; I know I owe about 1,500 dollars. But you know it won't do to owe the Gentiles anything. Brother Brigham, can't you lend me some money to pay a small debt on that store? Can you let me have a yoke of cattle, my family is suffering for want of wood?" You trace those cattle, and where are they gone to? Why, to pay the enemies of this people. You would take out of this Church the last dime of money, and every ox, and cow, and horse, and hand them all over to our enemies, and let the Church sink to the nethermost hell, for aught you care. That is the difficulty that exists here. If I have got your spectacles, or your shoes, or any other thing of yours, the common saying made use of is, "O, never mind, it is all in the family, you are a brother, it is all right." I am telling you as it is in that tithing office. What did you hear read, last April Conference? That there were 48,000 dollars owing to the tithing office; yet do you try to pay that debt? No, but the word is, "Brother Brigham, trust me another thousand;" and you never will pay it on the face of the earth, and you think me rather hard because I scold you. These are the difficulties that are here among us.
There exists a double spirit, there is a false, hypocritical spirit in many of the people; it is bred in the flesh, and in the bones, it is received from their fathers and mothers, a hypocritical pretension to friendship, when the real thing itself does not exist in them, and never did; but they are destitute of the true knowledge of the principles of righteousness. I have frequently thought it was not good for a man to have around him too many friends. I have said to my brethren, heretofore, "Don't love me quite so well as to take away all I have got. I want you to love me pretty well, I have plenty of flour now, and scores and scores of tons I can distribute, but do not take my soul out of me, do not love me quite to death. I am willing to be loved sincerely, but covet not that which I possess, under a false pretension of love to me." There is that spirit among this people, but it is for want of knowledge, and a proper understanding. Did they possess these, there would be no difficulty in the case.
Now, for instance, a great many inquire, saying, "Why does not our Church keep a store here?" Many can answer that question, who have lived here for some years past; and you who make such an inquiry, would have known the reason, had you also lived here. You that have lived in Nauvoo, in Missouri, in Kirtland, Ohio, can you assign a reason why Joseph could not keep a store, and be a merchant? Let me just give you a few reasons, and there are men here who know how matters went in those days. Joseph goes to New York and buys 20,000 dollars' worth of goods, comes into Kirtland and commences to trade. In comes one of the brethren, "Brother Joseph, let me have a frock pattern for my wife." What if Joseph says, "No, I cannot without the money." The consequence would be, "He is no Prophet," says James. Pretty soon Thomas walks in. "Brother Joseph, will you trust me for a pair of boots?" "No, I cannot let them go without the money." "Well," says Thomas, "Brother Joseph is no Prophet; I have found that out, and I am glad of it." After a while, in comes Bill and sister Susan. Says Bill, "Brother Joseph, I want a shawl, I have not got the money, but I wish you to trust me a week or a fortnight." Well, brother Joseph thinks the others have gone and apostatized, and he don't know but these goods will make the whole Church do the same, so he lets Bill have a shawl. Bill walks off with it and meets a brother. "Well," says he, "what do you think of brother Joseph?" "O he is a first-rate man, and I fully believe he is a Prophet. See here, he has trusted me this shawl." Richard says, "I think I will go down and see if he won't trust me some." In walks Richard, "Brother Joseph, I want to trade about 20 dollars." "Well," says Joseph, "these goods will make the people apostatize; so over they go, they are of less value than the people." Richard gets his goods. Another comes in the same way to make a trade of 25 dollars, and so it goes. Joseph was a first-rate fellow with them all the time, provided he never would ask them to pay him. In this way it is easy for us to trade away a first-rate store of goods, and be in debt for them.
And so you may trace it down through the history of this people. If any brethren came into the midst of them as merchants, I never knew one of them go into their stores and go out again satisfied, neither did you. If I had 100,000 dollars worth of goods in that store, owned by myself, or held by a "Mormon" company, in six months the goods would be gone, and we should not have 100 dollars to pay the debt. But let an infernal mobocrat come into our midst, though he brands Joseph Smith with the epithet of "false Prophet," and calls the "Mormons" a damned set of thieves, and would see all Israel scorching in Tophet, you would give him the last picayune you could raise.
There is not a man who has been in this community a few years but knows I am telling the living truth. Do any of you hate me for it? Do any of you love me for it? It is all the same to me. Do you love the cause? "Yes," every heart at once responds, "I love the cause, I love the Lord and my religion." If I would only permit myself to swear, I would say, What the devil is the reason, then, you don't live according to it? What keeps you from that? What is the reason you cannot pay me what you owe me, as well as your enemy. You continue to trade with the Almighty that way, and it will sink this whole people down to hell. You trade with the Almighty worse than you do with the devil. These things exist, and you know it. A man comes into this Church with a little property, and he must suffer them to pick him until he is as blind as brother Leonard is, that sits over there, or else the people will turn round and curse him, and sink him to the nethermost hell if possible. They have treated Edwin D. Woolley so, and others. Can they keep a store among this people? No, they must let them have the goods, and wait until they can pay them, if they ever do it at all.
They got up a quarrel, about a year ago, and every High Priest and Elder were going to cut Thomas Williams off from the Church, because he asked them to pay their just debts. I said to Thomas, "If they do not pay you as they agreed, arraign them before the High Council; I will be your lawyer, and they shall be cut off from the Church." They had got it all cut and dried, that if he asked them to pay him, he should be cut off from the Church, but I told them that if they did not live up to their agreement, they should be cut off from the Church, and then be tried by the law of the land.
How has Thomas Williams behaved here? He has paid his tithing, and done good to this people; he has handed over nails, cotton cloth, and other necessary articles. When he brings in his goods, he pays his tithing on them honorably, yet he can be abused; and it is so with every man who comes into the midst of this people with goods, unless he pays them out at random to Tom, Dick, and the devil. Latter-day Saints cannot keep a store of goods, because they will not act as Latter-day Saints, but they will sustain their enemies. How much do you suppose you have paid into these Gentile stores within four months? Can you give a rough guess? I can tell you, if you do not know, for I know something about it. You have paid to them 300,000 dollars within the last six months. The brethren think that we are very hard with them if we ask for a little tithing. I wonder if we have received 30,000 dollars, which we should certainly have received in silver and gold, if the people had been faithful in paying their tithing on the money they have spent at these stores; the money has gone, from time to time, in gold and silver, by boxfuls, to the east. There is not a span of mules that could be found in this valley, able to draw the money, if it were all in silver, to the States, that this people have spent with these merchants within a few months past; they must therefore do business upon the principle of checks; in any other way it is a burden to them to get it over the plains. These are the difficulties that work against our living and doing as we should do.
I will now go back, and say to all the inhabitants of these valleys, if I had the power, and the people were willing to subscribe to that which would do them good, I would look up all the canyons containing wood and other facilities, put gates at the mouths of them, have good roads worked in them, so as to make the wood and the timber easy of access, and make the people pay for the roads and the keeping of them in good repair. If I was a Gentile, and I owned these canyons, and should make such a proposition, it would be so that I could hardly get down to this meetinghouse without someone crying out, "I move that we give that gentleman a vote of thanks;" another would second it, "For that is certainly a Gentile of the first class." [The speaker made motions, such as bowing and scraping, as the poor serfs of foreign nations do, who subsist on the patrimony of a titled fellow mortal.] I make these motions to show this people how disgraceful it is; it is a disgrace to any community to act as they have done towards the measures of those who wish to do them good all the day long. If a Latter-day Saint wants to do good, why not bless him for it. But no, it is overlooked as a thing of naught. Now, if I do ape out a little of these feelings here, it is to show you how they look inside. I can see them in the people, I know what there is in the midst of them, I know what they have to contend against, and the difficulties and weaknesses they are subject to; it is the want of true knowledge and a sound understanding which causes them to act as they do; if it were not for that, if this people had the knowledge of angels, and then did as they do, they would be sent to hell before the rising of another sun; but as they are ignorant, and inasmuch as they desire to do good, God winks at their foibles, and hopes by it to bless them.
Now, I am going to have an expression from this Conference, with regard to the plan that we, as a community, shall adopt; not as a county, not as the Legislature of Utah, not as civil and military officers, but as officers and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and before I take the expression, if there is one man in this house who feels himself capable of showing a better method, or of producing a better plan to keep the people from running over each other, from breaking each other's necks, and the necks of their horses, I will give him an opportunity of presenting that plan. In the first place, the feelings of individuals are—what advantage can I get by introducing this plan? I wish you to remember that all I can get by it is, to protect you against running over and trying to kill each other. We do not own the canyons, but the plan is—let them go into the hands of individuals who will make them easy of access, by paying them for their labor. Before I take an expression, I want to see if there is a man that can rise up and propose a better plan than I propose, which of course would be to our advantage to adopt in preference to mine. I have talked long enough upon this matter. The motion is, that we, as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in the capacity of a General Conference assembled, and embracing the whole community in the midst of the mountains, recommend, and give it as our opinion, that the best method of disposing of the canyons is to put them in the hands of individuals to make good roads in them, and obtain their pay by taking toll from those who use the roads, at a gate erected for that purpose at the mouth of each canyon. Now, sisters, I want you to vote also, because women are the characters that rule the ballot box. If you are in favor of this motion, as Latter-day Saints, signify it by the uplifted hand. [Unanimous.]
Let the judges in the county of Great Salt Lake take due notice, and govern themselves accordingly. The same thing I say to the judges of any of the other counties of the territory, Take notice, and govern yourselves accordingly. Put these canyons into the hands of individuals who will make good roads into them, and let them take toll from the inhabitants that go there for wood, timber, and poles. Now this is my order for the judges to take due notice of; it does not come from the Governor, but from the President of the Church; you will not see any proclamation in the paper to this effect, but it is a mere declaration of the President of the Conference. Let these things go out to make the people satisfied, and feel contented to have the privilege of getting wood without breaking their necks and destroying their teams.
I want to occupy a few moments more, and talk about our contemplated temple. It has been moved, seconded, and carried by this Conference, that we build a temple here of the best material that America affords. If this is done, it will have to be built of platina; and I do not know that there is any of it to be got in this territory. It is purer, stronger, and is every way a better metal than pure gold. If we cannot get the platina, we must build a temple of pure gold; that is here, I know. But if the Conference want us to build a temple of pure gold, they will have to put into the tithing stores something besides old half-dead stinking cows, and old broken-kneed horses; or if they even put in all the good cattle they possess, will it build a temple of gold, of silver, or of brass? No, it will not.
I am inclined to offer a chemical argument with regard to the material for building a temple in our present circumstances. The best materials, I have mentioned, probably. Iron might be better than stone; the time will come when the Lord will bring for brass gold, for iron silver, and for stones iron, and for wood brass, to beautify His sanctuary, and make the place of His feet glorious. That will be, but it is not now. I thought, when I was at Iron County, and saw the iron mountains, that the iron was actually come instead of stone.
But for the chemical argument touching the material for the building of a temple in this city. It has been proposed, that we send to San Pete to get the rock. Some say it will cost too much, others say we cannot do it, and others say that we can. I, not being a practical chemist, but only a chemist in theory, shall have to use my own language, to express my ideas. You may bring the stone from San Pete, which is a beautiful specimen of rock, and erect a temple here with it; then you may take this sandstone that is found in abundance in the Red Butte Canyon, and build a temple of that; then you step over to the Emigration Canyon, and get this bastard marble, and build another of the same dimensions as that you have built of the red sandstone. Now you have got the San Pete rock temple, the red sandstone temple, and another built of limestone, or bastard marble I call it; then, right beside of that, another one of adobies, mixed with pebbles—take that clay, and these pebble stones that are so abundant here, and mix in with them straw, and build another temple of that composition, besides the three which are built of different kinds of rock, and let them stand together—which do you think will stand the longest? Being a chemist in theory, I should say, according to my mind, when the San Pete rock is washed into the Jordan, the other buildings will still be standing, and be in moderate condition. The red sandstone will go the next, and the other two still remain, the bastard marble or limestone will be in pretty good preservation; and when that is all decomposed and washed away into the Jordan, you will find that temple which is built of mud or adobies, as some call them, still remains, and in better condition than at the first day it was built.
You may ask any practical chemist, any man who knows, understands, and studies the elements, and he will corroborate these statements. This is a matter I want you to look at, to think and meditate upon. I do not talk about the expense of the building, and the time it would take to erect it, but its durability, and which is the best material within our reach to build it with. If you take this clay, which is to be found in abundance on these bottom lands, and mix with it these pebble rocks, and make adobies of the compound, it will petrify in the wall and become a solid rock in five hundred years, so as to be fit to cut into millstones to grind flour, while the other materials I have mentioned will have decomposed, and gone back to their native elements. I am chemist enough to know that much. My simple philosophy is this. The elements of which this terra firma is composed, are every moment either composing or decomposing. They commence to organize or to compose, and continue to grow until they arrive at their zenith of perfection, and then they begin to decompose. When you find a rock that has arrived at its greatest perfection, you may know that the work of decaying has begun. Let the practical chemist make his observations upon a portion of the matter of which this earth is com posed; and he will find, that just as quick as it is at its perfection, that very instant it begins to decompose. We have proof of this. Go into Egypt, for instance, and you will find the monuments, towers, and pyramids, that were erected in the days of Joseph, and before he was sold into Egypt; they were built of what we call adobies, clay mixed up with straw; these fabrics, which have excited interest for so many ages, and are the wonder of modern nations, were built of this raw material. They have bid defiance to the wear of ages, and they still remain. But you cannot find a stone column that was reared in those times, for they are all decayed. Here we have actual proof that the matter which is the furthest advanced to a state of perfection, is the first to decompose, and go back into its native element, at which point it begins to be organized again, it begins to congeal, petrify, and harden into rock, which grows like a tree, but not so perceptibly.
Gold and silver grow, and so does every other kind of metal, the same as the hair upon my head, or the wheat in the field; they do not grow as fast, but they are all the time composing or decomposing. So much, then, for my views touching the material to be used in building a Temple upon this block. You may go to San Pete and get stone for it, and when five hundred years have elapsed you will not find a building. You may build of that red sandstone, and it will live out the San Pete rock, and the limestone will outlive that. But when you come to the adobies, they will outlive either of them, and be five hundred years better than the day they were first laid. This is a pretty strong argument in favor of a mud building.
How long has the city of Washington been built? What was there before my father entered into the revolutionary war? Where was the Capitol then? It was in Philadelphia sixty years ago, there was no such thing as a Capitol in Washington. Let me ask a question—is it built of rock? I never was there. [Voice, "Yes." ] It is built of rock. The House of Representatives was rebuilt in 1812, not more than forty years ago. Would any of you that have not been there, suppose that it would need patching up already to make it comfortable for the representatives of the nation? This, however, is the case, for within ten years past eighty thousand tons of putty have been used to putty up the places where the stone has decayed by the operation of the elements, and it has not yet been built forty years. I mention this, because I wish the Conference to know what they are doing when they commence to build a temple of stone. As for myself, I know enough about rock. If a man should undertake to put me up a stone house, I should wish him to build it of adobies instead, and then I should have a good house. We are talking about building one for the community, and I mention this about the Capitol to show you that the rock does not endure; the moment it becomes as hard as it is ever going to be, that moment it begins to decay. It may be a slow process in growing, or decomposing, yet it is doing the one or the other continually.
I have my own individual thoughts, of course, and these I express with regard to the temple. According to my present views, there is not marble in these mountains, or stone of any kind or quality, that I would rather have a building made of than adobies. As for the durability of such a building, the longer it stands the better it becomes; if it stands five thousand years, it increases in its strength until it comes to its highest perfection, before it begins to decay. What do our "Mormon" boys say about trying to dig into one of those old Catholic cathedrals that are now standing in California? They say they might as well have undertaken to dig through the most solid rock you ever saw, as to dig through those adobie walls. Do you think they are decaying and falling down? No, they are growing better all the time, and so it is with the houses we live in. If they have good foundations, these houses that we live in will be better when they have stood fifty years than they are at this day. I will not say that it is so with a stone house, or with a brick house; for when you burn the clay to make brick, you destroy the life of it, it may last many years, but if the life is permitted to remain in it, it will last until it has become rock, and then begin to decay.
As for the temple, I will give you the nature of your vote with regard to it—the sum of it was, that those that dictate the building of it be left to do with it as they please. They will, anyhow. But I give it as my opinion that adobies are the best article to build it of. I do not fear the expense, neither do I care what you build it of; only when it is built, I want it to stand, and not fall down and decay in twenty or thirty years, like brother Taylor's one would, that he was giving an exposition of; "that when we go within the veil into the heavenly world, we need not be ashamed of it, but when we look down upon it, it will be of solid rock:" but if it is built of San Pete rock, when he looks down to see it he will find it ain’t there, but it is gone, washed into the Jordan. It cannot remain, it must decay.
May the Lord bless you. Amen.
Choir sung a hymn. Benediction by J. M. Grant.
Sunday, Oct. 10, 1852, 10 a. m.
Conference called to order by Elder O. Hyde.
Singing.
Prayer by Elder Hyde, and singing.
Conference called to order by Elder O. Hyde.
Singing.
Prayer by Elder Hyde, and singing.
Elder John Taylor
rejoiced to be in the midst of a people where the greatest amount of wisdom and happiness is gathered together on the face of the Earth. In no other place, have I found the people protected in their rights; and this places us above the rest of the human family, and that is positive proof that God is with us.
He related a conversation with a French communist Editor, proving that the Saints have done ALL, which the French have failed to establish. You may trace Catholicism and Protestantism, and let them do their very best, for mankind, and you behold the world in its present wicked condition. There is not one man that DARE say that the Heavens had been opened to him and an angel had been sent unto him: there is not one DARE testify that he knows, there is a God, or that he has spoken to the people from the Heavens.
Then presented many ideas that naturally come to a reflecting mind, shewing a superior intelligence, to man; and who it is, that imparts the intelligence to man; comparing the superior intelligence, that regulates the planetary system, so nice; that the philosopher himself, imperfect as he is, can compute the exact time of the reappearance of a planet, though it may be a 100 years hence, showing life, vitality symmetry, and beauty, that cannot be improved upon: everything is perfect, beautiful, and harmonious, that man has had nothing to do with; even animal life, birds, fishes, &c., they are admirably adapted to move in their respective sphere; and if man had stood in his place, there would have been the same beauty in the government of man as there is in the government of God. Why the wars, commotions, misery, and ruin? It is because man has forgotten God, and everything proves that he is incompetent to rule, or make himself happy. It is the departure from God, that is the cause of all the ruin, distress, and misery, there is in the world, and nothing less than a return to God, can reinstate man, and the world, to its pristine beauty.
Spoke of the English conquering a portion of Asiatic country, growing Opium, sending it to China, who destroyed it, according to the law of nations; same as the people in Boston destroyed a cargo of Tea; this brought on a war, and an immense deal of blood was shed.
Again the Americans sent Gen. Taylor to some disputed Territory in Texas, which caused a war with Mexico; and so the annexation of the Californias.
Also the Danes and Swedes went to war; and Austria sent a large army (for whom they had no employment,) to take a portion of the Territory, like the monkey sitting as umpire between the two cats, and eating a slice of cheese on each side, until he got it all.
Here is a spirit of union, peace, order, and intelligence, which is communicated to us by the Great Eloheim; then let us be careful, how we use our blessings for we have a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, who stands between us and God; and the time will come, that “thy will may be done on Earth, as in Heaven.” Amen.
rejoiced to be in the midst of a people where the greatest amount of wisdom and happiness is gathered together on the face of the Earth. In no other place, have I found the people protected in their rights; and this places us above the rest of the human family, and that is positive proof that God is with us.
He related a conversation with a French communist Editor, proving that the Saints have done ALL, which the French have failed to establish. You may trace Catholicism and Protestantism, and let them do their very best, for mankind, and you behold the world in its present wicked condition. There is not one man that DARE say that the Heavens had been opened to him and an angel had been sent unto him: there is not one DARE testify that he knows, there is a God, or that he has spoken to the people from the Heavens.
Then presented many ideas that naturally come to a reflecting mind, shewing a superior intelligence, to man; and who it is, that imparts the intelligence to man; comparing the superior intelligence, that regulates the planetary system, so nice; that the philosopher himself, imperfect as he is, can compute the exact time of the reappearance of a planet, though it may be a 100 years hence, showing life, vitality symmetry, and beauty, that cannot be improved upon: everything is perfect, beautiful, and harmonious, that man has had nothing to do with; even animal life, birds, fishes, &c., they are admirably adapted to move in their respective sphere; and if man had stood in his place, there would have been the same beauty in the government of man as there is in the government of God. Why the wars, commotions, misery, and ruin? It is because man has forgotten God, and everything proves that he is incompetent to rule, or make himself happy. It is the departure from God, that is the cause of all the ruin, distress, and misery, there is in the world, and nothing less than a return to God, can reinstate man, and the world, to its pristine beauty.
Spoke of the English conquering a portion of Asiatic country, growing Opium, sending it to China, who destroyed it, according to the law of nations; same as the people in Boston destroyed a cargo of Tea; this brought on a war, and an immense deal of blood was shed.
Again the Americans sent Gen. Taylor to some disputed Territory in Texas, which caused a war with Mexico; and so the annexation of the Californias.
Also the Danes and Swedes went to war; and Austria sent a large army (for whom they had no employment,) to take a portion of the Territory, like the monkey sitting as umpire between the two cats, and eating a slice of cheese on each side, until he got it all.
Here is a spirit of union, peace, order, and intelligence, which is communicated to us by the Great Eloheim; then let us be careful, how we use our blessings for we have a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, who stands between us and God; and the time will come, that “thy will may be done on Earth, as in Heaven.” Amen.
Elder O. Hyde
when we talk of things of which you have heard, read, or understood, they touch every sensitive feeling; and explained the cause and nature of quarreling, whether in a domestic, or national capacity. And when the Creator of the Universe sends forth his messenger to bring peace to the Earth, the inhabitants would not receive him, and commenced to slay all the male children, peradventure they might slay the messenger, and so continue their mastery.
It is lust and misguided appetite, that lead men astray; and those nations, who have been contending with each other, must become the kingdoms of our God, &c.
The reports of the several Bishops, were then read by the Clerk of the Conference.
Choir chanted a piece of sacred music.
Benediction by John Taylor.
when we talk of things of which you have heard, read, or understood, they touch every sensitive feeling; and explained the cause and nature of quarreling, whether in a domestic, or national capacity. And when the Creator of the Universe sends forth his messenger to bring peace to the Earth, the inhabitants would not receive him, and commenced to slay all the male children, peradventure they might slay the messenger, and so continue their mastery.
It is lust and misguided appetite, that lead men astray; and those nations, who have been contending with each other, must become the kingdoms of our God, &c.
The reports of the several Bishops, were then read by the Clerk of the Conference.
Choir chanted a piece of sacred music.
Benediction by John Taylor.
October 10, 2 p. m.
Conference called to order, by Elder O. Hyde.
Choir sung “Guide us O thou great Jehovah.”
Prayer by J. L. Heywood and singing, “Behold the great Redeemer comes.”
A blessing was asked on the bread by Bishop Roundy.
Conference called to order, by Elder O. Hyde.
Choir sung “Guide us O thou great Jehovah.”
Prayer by J. L. Heywood and singing, “Behold the great Redeemer comes.”
A blessing was asked on the bread by Bishop Roundy.
Prest. Young
said “it is moved and seconded that Franklin Dewey go on a mission to Siam,” and unanimously carried; and then gave notice that he expected Conference to close this afternoon, and requested business to be brought forward. To satisfy my feelings, I should like Conference to continue another week, but it may not be necessary.
I want to answer Father Draper’s inquiry, inasmuch as the people have entered into covenant to do as I tell them. I say to Father Draper and the rest of the people, who are present, and I want you to tell your neighbors, and teach it to your children, let all the people know what I say. Do good from this time, henceforth, and forever; and never commit any more sins, while you live; and love the Lord with all your heart, do good to your neighbor, and let that extend to all the human family. I say to Father Draper in particular, make yourself happy and live with your children, get what you want to eat and drink, and wear and bless the people.
said “it is moved and seconded that Franklin Dewey go on a mission to Siam,” and unanimously carried; and then gave notice that he expected Conference to close this afternoon, and requested business to be brought forward. To satisfy my feelings, I should like Conference to continue another week, but it may not be necessary.
I want to answer Father Draper’s inquiry, inasmuch as the people have entered into covenant to do as I tell them. I say to Father Draper and the rest of the people, who are present, and I want you to tell your neighbors, and teach it to your children, let all the people know what I say. Do good from this time, henceforth, and forever; and never commit any more sins, while you live; and love the Lord with all your heart, do good to your neighbor, and let that extend to all the human family. I say to Father Draper in particular, make yourself happy and live with your children, get what you want to eat and drink, and wear and bless the people.
Elijah Newman
said, one day when I had been standing guard in the snow all night, Bro. Joseph Smith called me in to warm me, I asked him, “Bro. Joseph haven’t you got to be killed like another man?” “I have” said he. “Then who will take your place when you are killed”? said he “I will answer it in this way, who succeeded the Savior when he was crucified”? It was manifested to me, that Brigham Young would be the leader, and it is so now.
A blessing was asked on the water.
said, one day when I had been standing guard in the snow all night, Bro. Joseph Smith called me in to warm me, I asked him, “Bro. Joseph haven’t you got to be killed like another man?” “I have” said he. “Then who will take your place when you are killed”? said he “I will answer it in this way, who succeeded the Savior when he was crucified”? It was manifested to me, that Brigham Young would be the leader, and it is so now.
A blessing was asked on the water.
Alexander Badlam, Levi Gifford, George D. Watt and Noah Packard expressed their feelings.
Erastus Snow
requested those brethren and sisters who are lately come in, and want to know when we are going to Iron County, I answer it will be, either the last of this week, or the beginning of next week. Those mechanics, who understand any branch of the Iron trade, are particularly requested to go with us to Iron County.
requested those brethren and sisters who are lately come in, and want to know when we are going to Iron County, I answer it will be, either the last of this week, or the beginning of next week. Those mechanics, who understand any branch of the Iron trade, are particularly requested to go with us to Iron County.
Joseph Young
spoke on Erysipelas, a disease brought from the Mississippi and Missouri bottoms, and recommended the brethren to steep the Quaking Asp bark, make tea and drink it: and said men may prolong their lives if they have a mind to take care of themselves.
spoke on Erysipelas, a disease brought from the Mississippi and Missouri bottoms, and recommended the brethren to steep the Quaking Asp bark, make tea and drink it: and said men may prolong their lives if they have a mind to take care of themselves.
H. C. Kimball
I move that this Conference, adjourn to the 6th day of next April, at 10 o’clock a. m. at this place, seconded, carried.
Choir sung a hymn.
Benediction by Elder O. Hyde.
T. B.
I move that this Conference, adjourn to the 6th day of next April, at 10 o’clock a. m. at this place, seconded, carried.
Choir sung a hymn.
Benediction by Elder O. Hyde.
T. B.