October 1872
Cannon, George Q. "Gathering—Its Spirit—Its Object—Duties of the Gathered Saints." Journal of Discourses. Volume 15. October 8, 1872: pg. 202-210.
Snow, Erastus. "Zion—The Duty of Its Citizens—Testimony." Journal of Discourses. Volume 15. October 7, 1872: pg. 197-201. Taylor, John. "Choice of Rulers—Headship—One Man Power—The Yoke of Jesus." Journal of Discourses. Volume 15. October 7, 1872: pg. 211-219. The Deseret News. "General Conference." October 9, 1872: pg. 540-541. The Deseret News. "General Conference." October 16, 1872: pg. 554-556. The Latter-day Saints Millennial Star. "General Conference." November 5, 1872: pg. 705-709. Young, Brigham. "Saints Should Sustain Themselves—Keep the Commandments—Abuses—Power of Righteous Combination of Labor." Journal of Discourses. Volume 15. October 9, 1872: pg. 158-167. Young, Brigham. "The Order of Enoch." Journal of Discourses. Volume 15. October 9, 1872: pg. 220-229. Young, Brigham, Jr. "Testimony—Search the Scriptures—Word of Wisdom." Journal of Discourses. Volume 15. October 8, 1872: pg. 191-197. General Conference President Brigham Young President George A. Smith President Daniel H. Wells Sunday Afternoon, 2 p.m. Elder Orson Hyde Elder Orson Pratt Report on the Conference Music Monday, 7th, 10 a. m. Elder John Taylor Choice of Rulers Elder Wilford Woodruff Monday, 7th, 2 p.m. Elder Charles C. Rich Elder Lorenzo Snow Elder Erastus Snow Zion—The Duty of Its Citizens Tuesday, 8th, 10 a.m. President Brigham Young Elder Franklin D. Richards President Brigham Young Elder George Q. Cannon Gathering—Its Spirit Tuesday, 8th, 2 p.m. Elder Brigham Young, Jun. Testimony—Search the Scriptures—Word of Wisdom Elder Joseph F. Smith Wednesday, 9th, 10 a. m. Sustaining of the General Authorities Mission Calls President George A. Smith President Brigham Young Saints Should Sustain Themselves Wednesday, 10th, 2 p.m. Elder Joseph Young President George A. Smith President Brigham Young The Order of Enoch President George A. Smith Mission Calls |
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General Conference
The Forty-Second Semi-Annual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter-day Saints, met in the New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday October 6th, 1872, at 10 a.m.
Conference opening on Sunday, the weather being fine and the people in the settlements having mostly gathered their crops, the attendance was unusually large for a first meeting, there being probably in the vicinity of ten thousand people assembled.
There were present on the stand:
Of the First Presidency.
Brigham Young, Sr., Geo. A. Smith, and Daniel H. Wells.
Of the Twelve Apostles.
Orson Hyde, Orson Pratt, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, Charles C. Rich, Lorenzo Snow, Erastus Snow, Franklin D. Richards, George Q. Cannon, Brigham Young, Jr., Joseph F. Smith.
Patriarch—John Smith.
Of the First Seven Presidents of Seventies.
Joseph Young, Albert P. Rockwood and Horace S. Eldridge.
Of the Presidency of the High Priests’ Quorum.
Elias Smith, Edward Snelgrove and Elias Morris.
Of the Presidency of this Stake of Zion.
George B. Wallace and John T. Caine.
Of the Presidency of the Bishopric.
Edward Hunter, Leonard W. Hardy and Jesse C. Little.
There were also Bishops, Elders and leading men from every settlement in the Territory.
Conference was called to order by President Brigham Young.
The grand choir sang: “Praise ye the Lord! my heart shall join, In work so pleasant, so divine.”
Opening prayer by Elder Orson Hyde.
“Earth, with her ten thousand flowers, Air with all its beams and showers;” was sung by the choir.
The Forty-Second Semi-Annual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter-day Saints, met in the New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday October 6th, 1872, at 10 a.m.
Conference opening on Sunday, the weather being fine and the people in the settlements having mostly gathered their crops, the attendance was unusually large for a first meeting, there being probably in the vicinity of ten thousand people assembled.
There were present on the stand:
Of the First Presidency.
Brigham Young, Sr., Geo. A. Smith, and Daniel H. Wells.
Of the Twelve Apostles.
Orson Hyde, Orson Pratt, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, Charles C. Rich, Lorenzo Snow, Erastus Snow, Franklin D. Richards, George Q. Cannon, Brigham Young, Jr., Joseph F. Smith.
Patriarch—John Smith.
Of the First Seven Presidents of Seventies.
Joseph Young, Albert P. Rockwood and Horace S. Eldridge.
Of the Presidency of the High Priests’ Quorum.
Elias Smith, Edward Snelgrove and Elias Morris.
Of the Presidency of this Stake of Zion.
George B. Wallace and John T. Caine.
Of the Presidency of the Bishopric.
Edward Hunter, Leonard W. Hardy and Jesse C. Little.
There were also Bishops, Elders and leading men from every settlement in the Territory.
Conference was called to order by President Brigham Young.
The grand choir sang: “Praise ye the Lord! my heart shall join, In work so pleasant, so divine.”
Opening prayer by Elder Orson Hyde.
“Earth, with her ten thousand flowers, Air with all its beams and showers;” was sung by the choir.
President Brigham Young
addressed the Conference. He requested the people assembled to be as still as possible, as the building was large, and it was consequently difficult to make all hear. He also requested that those who might speak should direct their discourse in a direct line from the stand, without turning to the right or left. It was not necessary to speak excessively loud in order to be heard throughout the building, but each word should be distinctly enunciated, before commencing to articulate others.
President Young then spoke of the objects for which the people met together in Conference. The various influences calculated to lead away the Saints from the spirit and genius of the gospel of Christ were alluded to in a clear and pointed manner. It was shown, in the discourse, that but a few of the people were able to bear prosperity. In prosperity, many were liable to forget God, when they had most reason to be true to his cause, and show to him the devotion and gratitude of their hearts. There were some, however, who could be prospered materially and thank God for his blessings, and who were willing to sacrifice all, if necessary, for the cause of righteousness.
The speaker next drew a vivid picture of the present condition of the Saints. He spoke of the causes of their gathering from the various nations, as well as the objects of their coming to this land, and pointed out the way in which the people could promote the cause of God and prepare for the coming of Christ.
addressed the Conference. He requested the people assembled to be as still as possible, as the building was large, and it was consequently difficult to make all hear. He also requested that those who might speak should direct their discourse in a direct line from the stand, without turning to the right or left. It was not necessary to speak excessively loud in order to be heard throughout the building, but each word should be distinctly enunciated, before commencing to articulate others.
President Young then spoke of the objects for which the people met together in Conference. The various influences calculated to lead away the Saints from the spirit and genius of the gospel of Christ were alluded to in a clear and pointed manner. It was shown, in the discourse, that but a few of the people were able to bear prosperity. In prosperity, many were liable to forget God, when they had most reason to be true to his cause, and show to him the devotion and gratitude of their hearts. There were some, however, who could be prospered materially and thank God for his blessings, and who were willing to sacrifice all, if necessary, for the cause of righteousness.
The speaker next drew a vivid picture of the present condition of the Saints. He spoke of the causes of their gathering from the various nations, as well as the objects of their coming to this land, and pointed out the way in which the people could promote the cause of God and prepare for the coming of Christ.
President George A. Smith
addressed the assemblage. He said if Latter-day Saints wished to be edified, they would be so according to their faith. If faith was exercised in God for our speakers to be inspired to deliver to us the revelations of the Almighty, our desires would be gratified.
The speaker described the inevitable results of apostasy from the truth—infidelity and its concomitant evils. He contrasted the present with the past temporal condition of the Saints, showing how greatly the Lord had blessed them. He was sorry that, in many instances, an increase of wealth had not produced a corresponding increase of faithfulness, but rather the contrary. Many who, when poor, faithfully and punctually paid their tithing, now neglected that important duty. He explained the nature of the law of tithing, and showed that compliance therewith was required of all the people of God in every age. He alluded to the bountiful harvest of the present season, and exhorted the Saints not to place themselves in the position of the people of Israel who lived in the days of Malachi, who were charged with robbing the Lord. This charge was preferred because of their neglecting to pay their tithes and offerings.
President Smith next alluded to the recent visit of himself and other brethren to California, and to their visits to various sectarian churches in that State. It had been between thirty and forty years since he had visited such religious institution previously, and it was his opinion that they had made no visible progress during that period. He alluded with satisfaction to the condition of the Sunday school system of Utah. The speaker then bore testimony to the fact that God had raised up Joseph Smith to introduce a progressive system of religion in which were the principles of eternal life.
addressed the assemblage. He said if Latter-day Saints wished to be edified, they would be so according to their faith. If faith was exercised in God for our speakers to be inspired to deliver to us the revelations of the Almighty, our desires would be gratified.
The speaker described the inevitable results of apostasy from the truth—infidelity and its concomitant evils. He contrasted the present with the past temporal condition of the Saints, showing how greatly the Lord had blessed them. He was sorry that, in many instances, an increase of wealth had not produced a corresponding increase of faithfulness, but rather the contrary. Many who, when poor, faithfully and punctually paid their tithing, now neglected that important duty. He explained the nature of the law of tithing, and showed that compliance therewith was required of all the people of God in every age. He alluded to the bountiful harvest of the present season, and exhorted the Saints not to place themselves in the position of the people of Israel who lived in the days of Malachi, who were charged with robbing the Lord. This charge was preferred because of their neglecting to pay their tithes and offerings.
President Smith next alluded to the recent visit of himself and other brethren to California, and to their visits to various sectarian churches in that State. It had been between thirty and forty years since he had visited such religious institution previously, and it was his opinion that they had made no visible progress during that period. He alluded with satisfaction to the condition of the Sunday school system of Utah. The speaker then bore testimony to the fact that God had raised up Joseph Smith to introduce a progressive system of religion in which were the principles of eternal life.
President D. H. Wells
was the next speaker. He commenced by bearing testimony that the Almighty had restored, in this age, the power and authority of the Holy Priesthood. It was true that the Scriptures existed previously to this restoration, but there were none having authority to administer the ordinances taught in holy writ as being connected with the plan of salvation. Blessings were the results of obedience only, and could be obtained upon no other principle. The gospel of Christ was one of promise. The Elders of the Church went forth proclaiming that those who would receive the gospel would obtain a knowledge, be individual revelation, of the heaven-born nature of its principles.
The speaker continued for some time, showing, in his remarks, that all who would ever attain to an exaltation in the celestial kingdom would arrive at that position by complying with the plan of redemption devised by God, and by laying aside their own ideas of religion wherever they were not in unison with the system adopted by the Almighty. The building up of the Kingdom of God on the earth was a co-operative work, and we were engaged in it only so far as we co-operated with and were obedient to the Lord.
The choir sang the anthem “Praise God, in his holiness.”
Conference adjourned till 2 p.m.
Prayer by Elder Orson Pratt.
was the next speaker. He commenced by bearing testimony that the Almighty had restored, in this age, the power and authority of the Holy Priesthood. It was true that the Scriptures existed previously to this restoration, but there were none having authority to administer the ordinances taught in holy writ as being connected with the plan of salvation. Blessings were the results of obedience only, and could be obtained upon no other principle. The gospel of Christ was one of promise. The Elders of the Church went forth proclaiming that those who would receive the gospel would obtain a knowledge, be individual revelation, of the heaven-born nature of its principles.
The speaker continued for some time, showing, in his remarks, that all who would ever attain to an exaltation in the celestial kingdom would arrive at that position by complying with the plan of redemption devised by God, and by laying aside their own ideas of religion wherever they were not in unison with the system adopted by the Almighty. The building up of the Kingdom of God on the earth was a co-operative work, and we were engaged in it only so far as we co-operated with and were obedient to the Lord.
The choir sang the anthem “Praise God, in his holiness.”
Conference adjourned till 2 p.m.
Prayer by Elder Orson Pratt.
Sunday Afternoon, 2 p.m.
The Choir sang: “Hark! the song of jubilee, Loud as mighty thunders roar.”
Opening prayer by Elder John Taylor.
“T’was on that dark, that solemn night, When powers of earth and hell arose,” was sung by the choir.
While the Sacrament of the Lord’s supper was being administered,
The Choir sang: “Hark! the song of jubilee, Loud as mighty thunders roar.”
Opening prayer by Elder John Taylor.
“T’was on that dark, that solemn night, When powers of earth and hell arose,” was sung by the choir.
While the Sacrament of the Lord’s supper was being administered,
Elder Orson Hyde
addressed the Conference. He read a portion of the 18th chapter of Isaiah, commencing at the 3rd verse, which relates to the gathering together of the people of God in the latter days. After expressing thankfulness for himself and brethren being spared to mingle together, and to unite their testimonies regarding the goodness and work of God, he delivered a discourse on the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah, as well as other predictions, relating to the same subject, by other servants of the Almighty, delivered in modern as well as ancient times. He introduced, as a branch of his subject, and commented upon, the nature of the Holy Priesthood, showing that without it no administrative act purporting to be connected with the gospel, performed by man, would be endorsed or considered as legal by the Almighty. The speaker also reviewed the causes of the antipathy which existed among the world towards the Saints. His discourse was elaborate, and was illustrated and embellished with appropriate and happy comparisons, and, before concluding, he alluded to the folly of parties in this Territory who were seeking and striving for the overthrow of the Latter-day Saints.
addressed the Conference. He read a portion of the 18th chapter of Isaiah, commencing at the 3rd verse, which relates to the gathering together of the people of God in the latter days. After expressing thankfulness for himself and brethren being spared to mingle together, and to unite their testimonies regarding the goodness and work of God, he delivered a discourse on the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah, as well as other predictions, relating to the same subject, by other servants of the Almighty, delivered in modern as well as ancient times. He introduced, as a branch of his subject, and commented upon, the nature of the Holy Priesthood, showing that without it no administrative act purporting to be connected with the gospel, performed by man, would be endorsed or considered as legal by the Almighty. The speaker also reviewed the causes of the antipathy which existed among the world towards the Saints. His discourse was elaborate, and was illustrated and embellished with appropriate and happy comparisons, and, before concluding, he alluded to the folly of parties in this Territory who were seeking and striving for the overthrow of the Latter-day Saints.
Elder Orson Pratt
was the next speaker. He said he would endeavor to impress on the minds of the Saints an important revelation, given through the Prophet Joseph forty years ago, and which was contained in a letter written by the Prophet, at Kirtland, Geauga county, Ohio, and addressed to W. W. Phelps. Elder Pratt then read several extracts from the letter alluded to, which treated upon the laws of tithing and consecration, and also upon the fate of those who apostatized from the Church of Christ. The speaker then treated upon the importance of obedience to the law of tithing, which had been given by revelation from the Almighty. The revelation of the letter just read showed clearly that those who refused to comply with this law would, by this course, cause their own and their fathers’ and children’s names to be blotted out from the records of the Church. His discourse was short, but powerful, clear and impressive.
Conference adjourned till Monday, the 7th, at 10 a.m.
The choir sang the anthem, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”
Conference was dismissed by prayer by Elder Wilford Woodruff.
was the next speaker. He said he would endeavor to impress on the minds of the Saints an important revelation, given through the Prophet Joseph forty years ago, and which was contained in a letter written by the Prophet, at Kirtland, Geauga county, Ohio, and addressed to W. W. Phelps. Elder Pratt then read several extracts from the letter alluded to, which treated upon the laws of tithing and consecration, and also upon the fate of those who apostatized from the Church of Christ. The speaker then treated upon the importance of obedience to the law of tithing, which had been given by revelation from the Almighty. The revelation of the letter just read showed clearly that those who refused to comply with this law would, by this course, cause their own and their fathers’ and children’s names to be blotted out from the records of the Church. His discourse was short, but powerful, clear and impressive.
Conference adjourned till Monday, the 7th, at 10 a.m.
The choir sang the anthem, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”
Conference was dismissed by prayer by Elder Wilford Woodruff.
A noticeable feature of this Conference is the large number of singers in attendance for the purpose of participating in the musical exercises, there being a grand choir composed of an amalgamation of the Tabernacle choir and many members from the choirs of the various settlements of the Territory, the whole numbering about three hundred persons. The gathering and utilization of this large body of singers was in response to an invitation issued some time ago by Brother George Careless to the leaders of the different choirs, and to secure harmonious rendition of the various pieces to be sung at Conference he sent the copies of music that was to be used on the occasion, he also had this grand choir practice in the New Tabernacle the evening before the commencement of Conference, continuing each evening subsequent. By this means a degree of proficiency, as evidenced by the beautiful singing, was arrived at, which surprised and charmed all having a taste for music who have attended the Conference.
The following are the names of the leaders whose choirs have contributed members to participate, with the Tabernacle choir, in the musical exercises of the Conference, and the names of the settlements to which they belong:
A. Lewis, Logan.
R. L. Fishburn, Brigham City.
Brother Carter, Lehi City.
J. E. Daniels, Provo.
Wm. Robinson, Beaver.
D. P. Jones, Willard.
W. Frampton, Pleasant Grove.
W. Clayson, Payson.
F. W. Ellis, North Ogden.
F. Weight, Springville.
W. B. Smith, American Fork.
W. J. Pugh, Ogden.
W. R. Jones, Spanish Fork.
Brother Oliver, West Jordan.
Wm. Cottrell, Farmington.
It was estimated that not less than twelve thousand people were in attendance in the afternoon, the huge building being so densely filled that not only were all the seats occupied, but there was, little, if any, standing room left.
The following are the names of the leaders whose choirs have contributed members to participate, with the Tabernacle choir, in the musical exercises of the Conference, and the names of the settlements to which they belong:
A. Lewis, Logan.
R. L. Fishburn, Brigham City.
Brother Carter, Lehi City.
J. E. Daniels, Provo.
Wm. Robinson, Beaver.
D. P. Jones, Willard.
W. Frampton, Pleasant Grove.
W. Clayson, Payson.
F. W. Ellis, North Ogden.
F. Weight, Springville.
W. B. Smith, American Fork.
W. J. Pugh, Ogden.
W. R. Jones, Spanish Fork.
Brother Oliver, West Jordan.
Wm. Cottrell, Farmington.
It was estimated that not less than twelve thousand people were in attendance in the afternoon, the huge building being so densely filled that not only were all the seats occupied, but there was, little, if any, standing room left.
SECOND DAY.
Monday, 7th, 10 a. m.
Conference was called to order by President B. Young.
The grand choir sang—“O God! our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come.”
Opening prayer by Elder Erastus Snow.
“Come, all ye Saints who dwell on earth, Your cheerful voices raise;” was sung by the choir.
Monday, 7th, 10 a. m.
Conference was called to order by President B. Young.
The grand choir sang—“O God! our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come.”
Opening prayer by Elder Erastus Snow.
“Come, all ye Saints who dwell on earth, Your cheerful voices raise;” was sung by the choir.
Elder John Taylor
addressed the Conference. He delivered an elaborate and lengthy discourse on the various political and religious systems existing in the world and defined the only true order of government, as exemplified in the organized church and kingdom of God. He commented upon the liberty enjoyed by the Latter-day Saints in contradistinction to the lack of freedom among other people who looked upon the Saints as living under a species of bondage.
addressed the Conference. He delivered an elaborate and lengthy discourse on the various political and religious systems existing in the world and defined the only true order of government, as exemplified in the organized church and kingdom of God. He commented upon the liberty enjoyed by the Latter-day Saints in contradistinction to the lack of freedom among other people who looked upon the Saints as living under a species of bondage.
Choice of Rulers—Headship—One Man Power—The Yoke of Jesus
Discourse by Elder John Taylor, delivered at the 42nd Semi-Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, October 7, 1872.
Reported by David W. Evans.
I am happy to have the privilege of meeting with and speaking to the Saints on the present occasion. If I were inclined to take a text I would repeat a passage made use of by Jesus, which is something like this—“Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart and you shall find rest to your souls.” Perhaps I may not have got it verbatim, however the principle is there, and you can correct it from the written word. The ideas contained in the saying of the Redeemer are rather peculiar. The yoke that is there referred to would seem to imply a degree of servitude of some kind or other, and men generally look upon such expressions in that point of view. The nations of the earth, generally, are under some kind of rule and government. The religious portion of mankind are also under a species of government and rule, and no matter where you go, you find an influence of this kind more or less prevailing among men. We stand here in rather an anomalous position. We have a church with its government or laws, and we have also a government and laws according to the organization of the United States. Hence our obligations are twofold, one as subjects of the United States, the other as subjects of the Church of God. And then, were we to go a little further, we might also add, of the kingdom of God. Now, in every government of men that exists anywhere on the face of the earth, there is a species of rule associated with and founded on authority voluntarily given by the people or usurped by the rulers, according to circumstances; but all mankind, everywhere, are under some form of dominion, government or rule. The same thing applies also to churches and the worship of God. There are various systems in existence on the earth, including Judaism, Mahomedanism, Pantheism, and heathenism of many kinds, as it has existed for generations in many parts of the earth; and there is Christianity with the multifarious ideas, rule, and authority of the Christian churches as they exist, scattered abroad in the earth, principally in Europe and America as well as in some parts of Africa and Asia. But whether we refer to the Pagan, Jewish, Christian, or any other form of religion, its followers are expected to submit to some kind of authority; to subscribe to certain articles of faith, and to submit to certain forms, laws and ordinances, according to their several theories.
The same thing precisely, exists among the nations; they have their various forms of rule, government and dominion, and they exact certain conditions from their subjects. No matter what kind of government, it requires a species of obedience from all persons living under it; for government, of course, necessarily implies rule, authority, dominion, governors and governed, or law and the execution of that law. All these principles exist in one form or another over all the face of the wide earth whereon we live. We cannot separate ourselves from that, go where we will. In a despotic government the power to dictate and control all its affairs is vested in the emperor, according to his own will and pleasure, sometimes, perhaps, modified by counsel, which he can receive or reject at pleasure. In other kinds of government, such as are called limited monarchies, the people hold a certain part of the power or authority in their own hands, and give a certain part to the government. The government of England belongs to this class. There they have a king or queen, as the case may be, at the head of the government, and two houses called the Lords and Commons, the latter are elected by and represent the people. It is what is called a popular government, the people having a voice, but at the same time they concede a certain amount of their power to their legislators, who manage their affairs according to their ideas of what would be most beneficial for the nation.
The government of the United States is what is called a republic. In a form of government of this kind the foundation of all law, power and authority is the voice or will of the people; that is the genius of the government. It is based upon a written constitution granting unto the legislature power to do thus and so, and to go no further; and while they who make and administer the laws confine themselves within the limits of that constitution, their acts are what is called constitutional. When they go beyond that, their acts are called unconstitutional, that is, they deprive the people of certain rights guaranteed to them by the written compact that they have entered into. I speak of these things simply to elucidate certain ideas that I wish to communicate.
But to proceed further. If we—the people in this Territory, or in other Territories or in the States, confer certain powers on the General Government, we no longer retain them, they are ceded away by us to others. If we give to our legislators certain authority, they hold that authority, and it is for us to submit to the laws which may be enacted by them. This is what is called republicanism, and it is also in agreement with the theory of a limited monarchy. Whenever a people give up certain rights they ought to honor the parties into whose hands they place them. The President of the United States ought to be sustained; so ought the ministers of the government of England, by the people over whom they preside, because they are acting for and on their behalf and according to their dictates. If you go to some other governments they ask no odds of the people. Say they, “We will be sustained, if we have to sustain ourselves by the sword.”
We come now to religious matters, and here in our own country are Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists, and a host of others. I need not go to foreign countries and examine their religions. I wish to arrive at certain conclusions, and to do so I have no need to go beyond the confines of the United States. Here we have the Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists, Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, Quakers, Shakers and so forth. Very well, all these sects have their own peculiar ideas of church government. The Methodist has his Discipline—a system got up by the ministers of that church that all its members have to be governed by. They must come within the purview and be under the influence thereof. If you ask a Methodist to become a Latter-day Saint, he might say, and truly, “I have not the privilege of being Methodist and Latter-day Saint at the same time.” A man cannot be a Baptist and a Methodist at the same time, neither can he be a Methodist and a shaking Quaker. Why? Because he is bound by the articles of the Discipline of his church, and he must submit to that. So it is in regard to the Catholics. Many of you have no doubt read recently of Pere Hyacinthe, who, a short time ago, was very popular among the Roman Catholics. But he dissented from their views; and among other things he took to himself a wife, which was contrary to their ideas and creed, and probably his own views. The result was that they excommunicated him and they treated him as if he had been dead, and had a funeral, following him to his grave while he was yet living. This is according to their ideas, and he, being a Catholic, had no right to expect anything else. A Catholic priest must submit to the laws of the priesthood, and they have excommunicated him for departing therefrom, and he had no cause to complain. We may have our own peculiar ideas about the propriety of this, that and the other religious faith, ceremonies and forms of worship, but I am now speaking of law, and of governments, and of the arrangements that peoples, nations, churches, and the members of churches bind themselves to be governed by.
The same thing applies to any of the various sects that exist in Christendom. The Baptist commences a church, and he believes in baptism by immersion, but he could not be a Latter-day Saint. Why? Because he can be baptized by anybody not having authority from God, and he does not believe that baptism is for the remission of sins. According to his ideas he must have his sins forgiven first, and then be baptized after a while. He could not be a Latter-day Saint, because his ideas and ours are at variance. If a man is a Baptist, as long as he remains so, he must submit to their law. If he is a Methodist, and remains so, he must submit to their discipline, be it right or wrong, the question of their laws being Scriptural or not has to be decided in and of itself. It is the same way with a nation. If I were in Russia, and did not like the government, I might, if they would allow me, go to England, come to the United States, or go to one of the Southern republics, and become a citizen thereof, but I could not be a republican in Russia. If I went to England, I should have to be subject to the laws of England, and the same if I came to the United States, hence the principle that I mentioned before is applicable all the way through, no matter which way you look at it. I am not saying at present which of these governments, whether religious or political, is right, I am merely trying to elucidate a principle that exists among and is acknowledged by men. If I go to live in any country on the face of the earth, I have to be subject to its laws, and if I am a reasonable, intelligent man, I acknowledge the propriety of my being so. If I join the Methodist church, I have a right to be a good Methodist, and to submit to their discipline. If I join the Baptist church I have a right to be a good Baptist, and to submit to their discipline, creed, laws and so on, for I join them knowing that I ought to submit to them, and as an honorable man I do so or leave it.
Well, we stand here in a peculiar position, as before stated. We are here in a religious capacity, and we are here in a political capacity. As religionists our faith is that God has spoken, and that angels have ministered to men; that the everlasting Gospel has been restored in its fullness, simplicity and purity, as it existed in Jesus's day. We believe in Apostles and Prophets, and in the principle of revelation—in God communicating with the human family. These things were taught to us before we became members of this Church, and we received them as part and parcel of our faith, and having faith in this system we obeyed it. We believed in being baptized for the remission of sins, and having hands laid upon us for the reception of the Holy Ghost. That is our faith, it has been communicated to us by revelation, by the opening heavens, by the voice of God, by the ministering of holy angels, and by the testimony of God's servants, as they have gone forth through the world.
We also believe in having a Priesthood—a ruling power to regulate and dictate, under the guidance of the Almighty, the affairs of his Church and kingdom upon the earth. That is our faith, and it was taught to us when we first listened to “Mormonism.” Before we were baptized into this Church we believed the men whom we heard proclaim its principles were inspired by the Almighty, and we pray to God for them daily now, that the revelations of Heaven may be unfolded to their view, and that the purposes of God may be made plain to their understanding, that they may be able to instruct the people and lead them in the way of life. This is our faith, and when we talk about these things we do so understandingly, there is no halfway business about it.
We meet here today in Conference, believing in these principles. When we talk about paying our tithing, we believe that it is the duty of all who ever obeyed the Gospel of Jesus Christ to contribute one-tenth of their increase to the Lord. As Latter-day Saints we subscribe to this, and we believe it is right to be honest, and to show integrity in this as in everything else. We believe in being truthful, virtuous, pure and holy, and we believe in keeping the commandments of God in all things. This is part and parcel of our religious faith and belief, and we have, from time to time, of our own free will, subscribed to these very principles of which I have spoken; and we have held up our hands time and time again to sustain the authorities of the Church and kingdom of God upon the earth. Having said so much in regard to these things, I desire, very briefly, to compare the position that we occupy with that which others occupy.
I have already told you that there exists a variety of governments on the earth, and that all men are expected to be in subjection to the laws and usages of the governments under which they live. I have told you that in England they have a limited monarchy. At the present time a queen presides over their destinies. How did she come to that office? She was born of royalty, and inherited it by lineal descent. The people had no choice in the matter. She has been, I believe, a very good, virtuous, exemplary woman, and has ruled with mildness, generosity and kindness among her people; but if she had done otherwise, she was still their queen. Now I want to talk about what people call equal rights, and to examine a certain principle in relation to these things. What say had the people of England in regard to their queen? None at all. The President of the United States is elected by the people, therefore he is what may be termed the people's candidate. How often do they elect a President of the United States? Once every four years, and consequently there is great excitement now on account of the coming Presidential election. The people are ranging themselves into parties, and each party using all the influence they possess to elect their own special and peculiar favorites. Besides the President, there are Legislators and Governors. Governors generally hold their office for four years; Senators of the United States from four to six years, according to circumstances; members of the House of Representatives for two years. In many of the States and Territories the Legislators are elected for two years, and hence, during the time for which they are elected, they have a perfect right to use their own judgment in enacting laws for the benefit of the people, being sworn not to transcend certain bounds laid down as their guide. If they should be ever so bad during their term of office, and should enact oppressive laws, the people have no right to change them until their time expires, unless, from some flagrant violation of their trust, they should be impeached.
How is it in the churches? With the Catholics it is once a priest always a priest, except in such cases as that of Pere Hyacinthe, and then they bury them. In some churches the bishops and other authorities hold office during good behavior, or for lifetime; in some churches they are voted for by a certain conclave according to circumstances and their own peculiar notions and dogmas, and in very many instances these officers hold their offices for life without any counteraction whatever, unless they violate their own constitutions, laws or discipline, when they are liable to be dealt with according to the laws and regulations of their several churches. Now nobody thinks they are very badly oppressed in all this. They enter these churches voluntarily, they are not bound to stay in them, and they leave them when they like.
Now let us contrast our position with that of other people in these respects. We hear a good deal about one man power. I want to examine that power a little, and see how it exists, and how far it extends. We believe in two principles—one is the voice of God, the other is the voice of the people. For instance, we believe that nobody but God could set the religious world right, we believe that none but God could have given any man correct information in regard to doctrine and ordinances. We believe that God did instruct Joseph Smith in relation to both, and also pertaining to the government of his people here on the earth. How are this people selected and set apart? Joseph Smith was selected by the Lord, and set apart, and ordained by holy angels. How with the others? By the authority which God conferred on Joseph he selected, set apart, and ordained others to the various orders and organizations of the Priesthood. We know that the Lord, in former times, called some men who did not magnify their calling, and who were set aside as unfit for the Master's use. Jesus, for instance, called Judas to be one of the Twelve, and Judas betrayed him, and he was cut off from the Twelve. We have had many instances in our Church of a similar nature, men have been found unfaithful, and they have been cut off. By whom? By the authority of that Priesthood of which they formed a part. That Priesthood has the same power now that it had formerly—to bind on earth and it is bound in heaven, to loose on earth and it is loosed in heaven. How does this Priesthood stand in relation to the people? It is not thrust upon them as the queens of England, the kings of France, the emperor of Austria, or as the former king, but now emperor of Prussia, are; no, it is not thrust upon the people in any such way. It is precisely in the same way that the Israelites were organized in former times—God gave them certain laws, and all the people said “Amen,” then the laws became binding upon Israel. The position we occupy is this: the Holy Ghost, which has been given to all who have obeyed the Gospel, and have lived faithful to its precepts, takes of the things of God, and shows them forth through a living Priesthood to a people enlightened and instructed by the Spirit of revelation from God, and the people thus enlightened, instructed and blessed by the spirit of light, voluntarily and gladly sustain the Priesthood who minister unto them. When Joseph Smith was upon the earth, he did not force himself upon the people as these kings and emperors do, but he presented himself before them every six months, at the Annual or Semi-Annual Conference, and the people had a chance to lift up their hands to receive or reject him. That was the position occupied by Joseph Smith, and those associated with him, in guiding the affairs of the Church and kingdom of God upon the earth, and it is precisely so with President Young. He stands here as the representative of God to the people, as the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is, or ought to be, full of light, life, revelation and the power of God, and he is, and bears testimony to it. He ought to be able to lead the people in the paths of life, and he is. He is the choice of God, and what more? He is the choice of the people of God. Has he a right to say, “I am chosen, I am elected, I am President, and I will do as I darned please, and help yourselves?” No, he presents himself before you, and if there is any man who has aught against him, he has the privilege of holding up his hand to signify the same. That is the position of our President—he is brought to a test every six months, as it rolls around, before the assembled Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the same with the Twelve, the President of the Stake, the High Council, the Presidents of Seventies, and with all the leading officers of the Church—they are all put to this test twice a year, and the people have the privilege of voting for or against them, just as they please.
Here then, on the one hand, there is the voice of God. Shall we object to it? Who made us? Who organized us, and the elements with which we are surrounded and that we inhale? Who organized the planetary system that we see around us? Who provides breakfast, dinner and supper for the millions that dwell on the face of the earth? Who clothes them, as he does the lilies of the field? Who imparts unto man his breath, life, health, his powers of locomotion, thought, and all the godlike attributes with which he is endowed? Where did they come from? Who has controlled and managed the affairs of the world from its creation until the present time? The Great I Am, the Great Eloheim, the Great God who is our Father. We bow before him. Is it a hardship to reverence the Lord our God? Is it a hardship to have him for our instructor? And shall we follow the notions, theories, ideas and folly of men, who seek to supersede the wisdom, light and paternal care of God our heavenly Father? No, we will not. God is our God, “the Lord is our God, the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our King, and he shall rule over us.” We do not object to bow the knee to God and say, “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven:” and we pray that it may be hastened. We acknowledge, we bow before, we reverence the name of our heavenly Father. That is one thing that we do for God, who causes seedtime and harvest, summer and winter, day and night, the God who has watched over us and all the myriads of the inhabitants of the earth from the time of creation until the present time; the God in whose hands are the destinies of the human family pertaining to this world and the worlds to come. If God will deign to teach, lead and dictate us, we bow with reverence before him, and say, “It is the Lord, let him do as seems him good.” We ask the guidance of the Almighty, we reverentially present ourselves before him and we submit to his authority; for his yoke is easy and his burden is light.
What next? Then comes the freedom of man. On the one hand the guidance of God, on the other the freedom of man. We ask God to dictate us and he does. He has given us a President, Apostles, Prophets, Bishops; he has organized his Church in the most perfect and harmonious manner. We see these things before us. I need not talk about the country that we inhabit, nor about the blessings that have been shed abroad among us, rich in comparison with those enjoyed by others by whom we are surrounded. These things are patent to all intelligent men, and surprise is frequently expressed at our improvements and at the wisdom and intelligence that have governed, managed and controlled our affairs; they do not know where they came from. We do—they come from God through the medium of his servants.
What next? God having given us a President inspired by his Holy Spirit, we are required to vote for him—will we have him or will we reject him? We lift up our hands and say, “Yes, we will receive him.” The world say this is despotism, being governed by one man. Is it despotism for every man and every woman to have a voice in the selection of those who rule over them? Is that despotism, tyranny or oppression? If it is I do not know what the terms mean. There are no people on the face of the earth today who have to undergo so severe a criticism as the President and Priesthood of this Church before the people, and why is it that the people vote unanimously for them? “Well,” say the world, “there is a kind of influence, we hardly know what, we wish it did not exist, for we do not like this one man power.” I know you do not, for it is one thousand men, ten thousand men power, it is the power of the kingdom of God on the earth, and the power of God united with it, that is what it is. As I have already said, it is not only the President of the Church who has to undergo this test, but the Twelve, the Seventies, and all the presiding officers of the Church have to go through the same ordeal.
I will now go back to my text. I have been a long way from it, but you know it is usual to preach from the text. I have been from mine awhile, now I am coming back to it. Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart, and you shall find rest to your souls.” What was the yoke placed upon the followers of Jesus? Precisely the same as that placed upon you. What did he tell his disciples to do? To go forth and baptize the people in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and it was promised that certain signs should follow them that believed. In his name they should cast out devils, speak with new tongues, if they drank any deadly thing it should not hurt them, and if they laid hands on the sick they should recover. The word was—“Go forth in my name and with my authority, and my Spirit shall accompany you.” And it did, and the people became one in faith, doctrine and principle, just as the Scriptures say. “Take my yoke upon you.” What was it? Said he, “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth; blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God; blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” This was the kind of yoke Jesus put upon them, and this is the kind that is put upon you—to love righteousness, keep the commands of God, live your religion and obey the principles of truth, is this a hard yoke? This is what is required of Latter-day Saints. “Take my yoke upon you and learn of me!” And how did he do it? He obeyed the will of his Father, and then he expected his disciples to obey his will. Said he, “Father, I pray for them, that they may be one”—a good deal of this one-man power there, was there not? “I pray for them, that they may be one, even as the Father and I are one, that they may be one in us;” and in his mind, looking to the universal expansion of this heavenly principle, said he, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for all them that shall believe on me through their word, that they all may be one, even as I and the Father are one, that the world may know that thou hast sent me.” This was the kind of principle the Savior taught to his followers, and this is the kind that is taught to us.
Now let me ask is it right for a Methodist to obey the Methodist discipline? Yes, or else leave them, he has the privilege to do which he pleases. Is it right for a Presbyterian to obey the Presbyterian doctrine and principles? Yes, or leave them. Is it right for a Roman Catholic to obey their principles? Yes, or leave them. Is it right for a Latter-day Saint to obey their principles? Yes, or leave them, one of the two. Do not try to drag in something else, do not make Methodists of us for instance, nor Presbyterians. Do not try to make Catholics of us, if you do not like “Mormonism” leave it. That is honest, straightforward and upright, and good doctrine, and according to the principles which are acknowledged to be correct everywhere. “Well,” says one, “I think that things could be improved a little.” Well then, go out somewhere and make your improvements, here is a big continent, go north or south, or where you please. Get as many to follow you as you can, and teach them what principles you please, and if you can build up a better system than ours all right, but do not start it here. This is the kind of faith that Paul spoke of when he said, “If thou hast faith have it to thyself.” If you do not have it to yourselves take as many with you as you can get. That is right, the world is open, plenty of room in every direction, go and try your hand and see how you will succeed.
The same principle is true in relation to other things as well as to religion. I might apply it to things political. Some people say, “You folks always vote together,” we would be poor coots if we did not, and just as bad as the rest of you. Some folks here, a short time ago, got up a little political operation, and tried how it would answer to run one against another; but it did not work well and they had to quit. We believe in oneness, and our outside friends say, “We do not.” Yes you do, y-e-s y-o-u d-o. Now all you gentlemen who go in for General Grant would you not like to elect him? Yes you would, and you will use all the influence that you have to do so, and if he is not elected it will be because you cannot do it, because you have not influence enough to elect him. On the other hand, you who are in favor of Horace Greeley, how you would like to have him elected, would you not? Yes, you would. And will you not get all to vote for him that you possibly can? Yes, and if all do not vote for him it will not be your fault. Well, if the people do not vote as we want them it will not be our fault, and the only difference, in this respect, between you and President Young is, that he has a little more influence than you, therefore do not grunt about it, these things are fair and straightforward. When men talk about oppression they talk about what they do not understand, and the same when they talk about the one-man power and the bondage of the people. Is it not horrible bondage for the whole people to have the privilege of voting for whom they please? Terrible, let us get out of it, shall we not, and go somewhere where they will not let us do as we please, and have some of that liberty that would put shackles upon us, and bind us down? But we Latter-day Saints do not want that, we want to be delivered from that, and to walk according to the light of truth. Well, let us take the yoke of Christ upon us, and learn of him, and keep the commandments of God. And if we vote for a Bishop somewhere over yonder, let us sustain him as long as he is in office, and if he does not do what is right we will vote him out. And if we have Presidents or Apostles or anybody that we do not like, let us vote them out, and be free men, and cultivate and cherish in our bosoms the principles of liberty. But let us be careful that we do not grieve the Spirit of the Lord, and while we are looking at these things let us look at our own eternal interests, and lean upon God for wisdom and instruction, that his Spirit may lead us in the paths of life, that we may comprehend true principles, and be one as Jesus was and is one with the Father.
May God help us to be faithful, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
The choir sang: “An angel from on high The long, long silence broke.”
Discourse by Elder John Taylor, delivered at the 42nd Semi-Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, October 7, 1872.
Reported by David W. Evans.
I am happy to have the privilege of meeting with and speaking to the Saints on the present occasion. If I were inclined to take a text I would repeat a passage made use of by Jesus, which is something like this—“Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart and you shall find rest to your souls.” Perhaps I may not have got it verbatim, however the principle is there, and you can correct it from the written word. The ideas contained in the saying of the Redeemer are rather peculiar. The yoke that is there referred to would seem to imply a degree of servitude of some kind or other, and men generally look upon such expressions in that point of view. The nations of the earth, generally, are under some kind of rule and government. The religious portion of mankind are also under a species of government and rule, and no matter where you go, you find an influence of this kind more or less prevailing among men. We stand here in rather an anomalous position. We have a church with its government or laws, and we have also a government and laws according to the organization of the United States. Hence our obligations are twofold, one as subjects of the United States, the other as subjects of the Church of God. And then, were we to go a little further, we might also add, of the kingdom of God. Now, in every government of men that exists anywhere on the face of the earth, there is a species of rule associated with and founded on authority voluntarily given by the people or usurped by the rulers, according to circumstances; but all mankind, everywhere, are under some form of dominion, government or rule. The same thing applies also to churches and the worship of God. There are various systems in existence on the earth, including Judaism, Mahomedanism, Pantheism, and heathenism of many kinds, as it has existed for generations in many parts of the earth; and there is Christianity with the multifarious ideas, rule, and authority of the Christian churches as they exist, scattered abroad in the earth, principally in Europe and America as well as in some parts of Africa and Asia. But whether we refer to the Pagan, Jewish, Christian, or any other form of religion, its followers are expected to submit to some kind of authority; to subscribe to certain articles of faith, and to submit to certain forms, laws and ordinances, according to their several theories.
The same thing precisely, exists among the nations; they have their various forms of rule, government and dominion, and they exact certain conditions from their subjects. No matter what kind of government, it requires a species of obedience from all persons living under it; for government, of course, necessarily implies rule, authority, dominion, governors and governed, or law and the execution of that law. All these principles exist in one form or another over all the face of the wide earth whereon we live. We cannot separate ourselves from that, go where we will. In a despotic government the power to dictate and control all its affairs is vested in the emperor, according to his own will and pleasure, sometimes, perhaps, modified by counsel, which he can receive or reject at pleasure. In other kinds of government, such as are called limited monarchies, the people hold a certain part of the power or authority in their own hands, and give a certain part to the government. The government of England belongs to this class. There they have a king or queen, as the case may be, at the head of the government, and two houses called the Lords and Commons, the latter are elected by and represent the people. It is what is called a popular government, the people having a voice, but at the same time they concede a certain amount of their power to their legislators, who manage their affairs according to their ideas of what would be most beneficial for the nation.
The government of the United States is what is called a republic. In a form of government of this kind the foundation of all law, power and authority is the voice or will of the people; that is the genius of the government. It is based upon a written constitution granting unto the legislature power to do thus and so, and to go no further; and while they who make and administer the laws confine themselves within the limits of that constitution, their acts are what is called constitutional. When they go beyond that, their acts are called unconstitutional, that is, they deprive the people of certain rights guaranteed to them by the written compact that they have entered into. I speak of these things simply to elucidate certain ideas that I wish to communicate.
But to proceed further. If we—the people in this Territory, or in other Territories or in the States, confer certain powers on the General Government, we no longer retain them, they are ceded away by us to others. If we give to our legislators certain authority, they hold that authority, and it is for us to submit to the laws which may be enacted by them. This is what is called republicanism, and it is also in agreement with the theory of a limited monarchy. Whenever a people give up certain rights they ought to honor the parties into whose hands they place them. The President of the United States ought to be sustained; so ought the ministers of the government of England, by the people over whom they preside, because they are acting for and on their behalf and according to their dictates. If you go to some other governments they ask no odds of the people. Say they, “We will be sustained, if we have to sustain ourselves by the sword.”
We come now to religious matters, and here in our own country are Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists, and a host of others. I need not go to foreign countries and examine their religions. I wish to arrive at certain conclusions, and to do so I have no need to go beyond the confines of the United States. Here we have the Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists, Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, Quakers, Shakers and so forth. Very well, all these sects have their own peculiar ideas of church government. The Methodist has his Discipline—a system got up by the ministers of that church that all its members have to be governed by. They must come within the purview and be under the influence thereof. If you ask a Methodist to become a Latter-day Saint, he might say, and truly, “I have not the privilege of being Methodist and Latter-day Saint at the same time.” A man cannot be a Baptist and a Methodist at the same time, neither can he be a Methodist and a shaking Quaker. Why? Because he is bound by the articles of the Discipline of his church, and he must submit to that. So it is in regard to the Catholics. Many of you have no doubt read recently of Pere Hyacinthe, who, a short time ago, was very popular among the Roman Catholics. But he dissented from their views; and among other things he took to himself a wife, which was contrary to their ideas and creed, and probably his own views. The result was that they excommunicated him and they treated him as if he had been dead, and had a funeral, following him to his grave while he was yet living. This is according to their ideas, and he, being a Catholic, had no right to expect anything else. A Catholic priest must submit to the laws of the priesthood, and they have excommunicated him for departing therefrom, and he had no cause to complain. We may have our own peculiar ideas about the propriety of this, that and the other religious faith, ceremonies and forms of worship, but I am now speaking of law, and of governments, and of the arrangements that peoples, nations, churches, and the members of churches bind themselves to be governed by.
The same thing applies to any of the various sects that exist in Christendom. The Baptist commences a church, and he believes in baptism by immersion, but he could not be a Latter-day Saint. Why? Because he can be baptized by anybody not having authority from God, and he does not believe that baptism is for the remission of sins. According to his ideas he must have his sins forgiven first, and then be baptized after a while. He could not be a Latter-day Saint, because his ideas and ours are at variance. If a man is a Baptist, as long as he remains so, he must submit to their law. If he is a Methodist, and remains so, he must submit to their discipline, be it right or wrong, the question of their laws being Scriptural or not has to be decided in and of itself. It is the same way with a nation. If I were in Russia, and did not like the government, I might, if they would allow me, go to England, come to the United States, or go to one of the Southern republics, and become a citizen thereof, but I could not be a republican in Russia. If I went to England, I should have to be subject to the laws of England, and the same if I came to the United States, hence the principle that I mentioned before is applicable all the way through, no matter which way you look at it. I am not saying at present which of these governments, whether religious or political, is right, I am merely trying to elucidate a principle that exists among and is acknowledged by men. If I go to live in any country on the face of the earth, I have to be subject to its laws, and if I am a reasonable, intelligent man, I acknowledge the propriety of my being so. If I join the Methodist church, I have a right to be a good Methodist, and to submit to their discipline. If I join the Baptist church I have a right to be a good Baptist, and to submit to their discipline, creed, laws and so on, for I join them knowing that I ought to submit to them, and as an honorable man I do so or leave it.
Well, we stand here in a peculiar position, as before stated. We are here in a religious capacity, and we are here in a political capacity. As religionists our faith is that God has spoken, and that angels have ministered to men; that the everlasting Gospel has been restored in its fullness, simplicity and purity, as it existed in Jesus's day. We believe in Apostles and Prophets, and in the principle of revelation—in God communicating with the human family. These things were taught to us before we became members of this Church, and we received them as part and parcel of our faith, and having faith in this system we obeyed it. We believed in being baptized for the remission of sins, and having hands laid upon us for the reception of the Holy Ghost. That is our faith, it has been communicated to us by revelation, by the opening heavens, by the voice of God, by the ministering of holy angels, and by the testimony of God's servants, as they have gone forth through the world.
We also believe in having a Priesthood—a ruling power to regulate and dictate, under the guidance of the Almighty, the affairs of his Church and kingdom upon the earth. That is our faith, and it was taught to us when we first listened to “Mormonism.” Before we were baptized into this Church we believed the men whom we heard proclaim its principles were inspired by the Almighty, and we pray to God for them daily now, that the revelations of Heaven may be unfolded to their view, and that the purposes of God may be made plain to their understanding, that they may be able to instruct the people and lead them in the way of life. This is our faith, and when we talk about these things we do so understandingly, there is no halfway business about it.
We meet here today in Conference, believing in these principles. When we talk about paying our tithing, we believe that it is the duty of all who ever obeyed the Gospel of Jesus Christ to contribute one-tenth of their increase to the Lord. As Latter-day Saints we subscribe to this, and we believe it is right to be honest, and to show integrity in this as in everything else. We believe in being truthful, virtuous, pure and holy, and we believe in keeping the commandments of God in all things. This is part and parcel of our religious faith and belief, and we have, from time to time, of our own free will, subscribed to these very principles of which I have spoken; and we have held up our hands time and time again to sustain the authorities of the Church and kingdom of God upon the earth. Having said so much in regard to these things, I desire, very briefly, to compare the position that we occupy with that which others occupy.
I have already told you that there exists a variety of governments on the earth, and that all men are expected to be in subjection to the laws and usages of the governments under which they live. I have told you that in England they have a limited monarchy. At the present time a queen presides over their destinies. How did she come to that office? She was born of royalty, and inherited it by lineal descent. The people had no choice in the matter. She has been, I believe, a very good, virtuous, exemplary woman, and has ruled with mildness, generosity and kindness among her people; but if she had done otherwise, she was still their queen. Now I want to talk about what people call equal rights, and to examine a certain principle in relation to these things. What say had the people of England in regard to their queen? None at all. The President of the United States is elected by the people, therefore he is what may be termed the people's candidate. How often do they elect a President of the United States? Once every four years, and consequently there is great excitement now on account of the coming Presidential election. The people are ranging themselves into parties, and each party using all the influence they possess to elect their own special and peculiar favorites. Besides the President, there are Legislators and Governors. Governors generally hold their office for four years; Senators of the United States from four to six years, according to circumstances; members of the House of Representatives for two years. In many of the States and Territories the Legislators are elected for two years, and hence, during the time for which they are elected, they have a perfect right to use their own judgment in enacting laws for the benefit of the people, being sworn not to transcend certain bounds laid down as their guide. If they should be ever so bad during their term of office, and should enact oppressive laws, the people have no right to change them until their time expires, unless, from some flagrant violation of their trust, they should be impeached.
How is it in the churches? With the Catholics it is once a priest always a priest, except in such cases as that of Pere Hyacinthe, and then they bury them. In some churches the bishops and other authorities hold office during good behavior, or for lifetime; in some churches they are voted for by a certain conclave according to circumstances and their own peculiar notions and dogmas, and in very many instances these officers hold their offices for life without any counteraction whatever, unless they violate their own constitutions, laws or discipline, when they are liable to be dealt with according to the laws and regulations of their several churches. Now nobody thinks they are very badly oppressed in all this. They enter these churches voluntarily, they are not bound to stay in them, and they leave them when they like.
Now let us contrast our position with that of other people in these respects. We hear a good deal about one man power. I want to examine that power a little, and see how it exists, and how far it extends. We believe in two principles—one is the voice of God, the other is the voice of the people. For instance, we believe that nobody but God could set the religious world right, we believe that none but God could have given any man correct information in regard to doctrine and ordinances. We believe that God did instruct Joseph Smith in relation to both, and also pertaining to the government of his people here on the earth. How are this people selected and set apart? Joseph Smith was selected by the Lord, and set apart, and ordained by holy angels. How with the others? By the authority which God conferred on Joseph he selected, set apart, and ordained others to the various orders and organizations of the Priesthood. We know that the Lord, in former times, called some men who did not magnify their calling, and who were set aside as unfit for the Master's use. Jesus, for instance, called Judas to be one of the Twelve, and Judas betrayed him, and he was cut off from the Twelve. We have had many instances in our Church of a similar nature, men have been found unfaithful, and they have been cut off. By whom? By the authority of that Priesthood of which they formed a part. That Priesthood has the same power now that it had formerly—to bind on earth and it is bound in heaven, to loose on earth and it is loosed in heaven. How does this Priesthood stand in relation to the people? It is not thrust upon them as the queens of England, the kings of France, the emperor of Austria, or as the former king, but now emperor of Prussia, are; no, it is not thrust upon the people in any such way. It is precisely in the same way that the Israelites were organized in former times—God gave them certain laws, and all the people said “Amen,” then the laws became binding upon Israel. The position we occupy is this: the Holy Ghost, which has been given to all who have obeyed the Gospel, and have lived faithful to its precepts, takes of the things of God, and shows them forth through a living Priesthood to a people enlightened and instructed by the Spirit of revelation from God, and the people thus enlightened, instructed and blessed by the spirit of light, voluntarily and gladly sustain the Priesthood who minister unto them. When Joseph Smith was upon the earth, he did not force himself upon the people as these kings and emperors do, but he presented himself before them every six months, at the Annual or Semi-Annual Conference, and the people had a chance to lift up their hands to receive or reject him. That was the position occupied by Joseph Smith, and those associated with him, in guiding the affairs of the Church and kingdom of God upon the earth, and it is precisely so with President Young. He stands here as the representative of God to the people, as the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is, or ought to be, full of light, life, revelation and the power of God, and he is, and bears testimony to it. He ought to be able to lead the people in the paths of life, and he is. He is the choice of God, and what more? He is the choice of the people of God. Has he a right to say, “I am chosen, I am elected, I am President, and I will do as I darned please, and help yourselves?” No, he presents himself before you, and if there is any man who has aught against him, he has the privilege of holding up his hand to signify the same. That is the position of our President—he is brought to a test every six months, as it rolls around, before the assembled Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the same with the Twelve, the President of the Stake, the High Council, the Presidents of Seventies, and with all the leading officers of the Church—they are all put to this test twice a year, and the people have the privilege of voting for or against them, just as they please.
Here then, on the one hand, there is the voice of God. Shall we object to it? Who made us? Who organized us, and the elements with which we are surrounded and that we inhale? Who organized the planetary system that we see around us? Who provides breakfast, dinner and supper for the millions that dwell on the face of the earth? Who clothes them, as he does the lilies of the field? Who imparts unto man his breath, life, health, his powers of locomotion, thought, and all the godlike attributes with which he is endowed? Where did they come from? Who has controlled and managed the affairs of the world from its creation until the present time? The Great I Am, the Great Eloheim, the Great God who is our Father. We bow before him. Is it a hardship to reverence the Lord our God? Is it a hardship to have him for our instructor? And shall we follow the notions, theories, ideas and folly of men, who seek to supersede the wisdom, light and paternal care of God our heavenly Father? No, we will not. God is our God, “the Lord is our God, the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our King, and he shall rule over us.” We do not object to bow the knee to God and say, “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven:” and we pray that it may be hastened. We acknowledge, we bow before, we reverence the name of our heavenly Father. That is one thing that we do for God, who causes seedtime and harvest, summer and winter, day and night, the God who has watched over us and all the myriads of the inhabitants of the earth from the time of creation until the present time; the God in whose hands are the destinies of the human family pertaining to this world and the worlds to come. If God will deign to teach, lead and dictate us, we bow with reverence before him, and say, “It is the Lord, let him do as seems him good.” We ask the guidance of the Almighty, we reverentially present ourselves before him and we submit to his authority; for his yoke is easy and his burden is light.
What next? Then comes the freedom of man. On the one hand the guidance of God, on the other the freedom of man. We ask God to dictate us and he does. He has given us a President, Apostles, Prophets, Bishops; he has organized his Church in the most perfect and harmonious manner. We see these things before us. I need not talk about the country that we inhabit, nor about the blessings that have been shed abroad among us, rich in comparison with those enjoyed by others by whom we are surrounded. These things are patent to all intelligent men, and surprise is frequently expressed at our improvements and at the wisdom and intelligence that have governed, managed and controlled our affairs; they do not know where they came from. We do—they come from God through the medium of his servants.
What next? God having given us a President inspired by his Holy Spirit, we are required to vote for him—will we have him or will we reject him? We lift up our hands and say, “Yes, we will receive him.” The world say this is despotism, being governed by one man. Is it despotism for every man and every woman to have a voice in the selection of those who rule over them? Is that despotism, tyranny or oppression? If it is I do not know what the terms mean. There are no people on the face of the earth today who have to undergo so severe a criticism as the President and Priesthood of this Church before the people, and why is it that the people vote unanimously for them? “Well,” say the world, “there is a kind of influence, we hardly know what, we wish it did not exist, for we do not like this one man power.” I know you do not, for it is one thousand men, ten thousand men power, it is the power of the kingdom of God on the earth, and the power of God united with it, that is what it is. As I have already said, it is not only the President of the Church who has to undergo this test, but the Twelve, the Seventies, and all the presiding officers of the Church have to go through the same ordeal.
I will now go back to my text. I have been a long way from it, but you know it is usual to preach from the text. I have been from mine awhile, now I am coming back to it. Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart, and you shall find rest to your souls.” What was the yoke placed upon the followers of Jesus? Precisely the same as that placed upon you. What did he tell his disciples to do? To go forth and baptize the people in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and it was promised that certain signs should follow them that believed. In his name they should cast out devils, speak with new tongues, if they drank any deadly thing it should not hurt them, and if they laid hands on the sick they should recover. The word was—“Go forth in my name and with my authority, and my Spirit shall accompany you.” And it did, and the people became one in faith, doctrine and principle, just as the Scriptures say. “Take my yoke upon you.” What was it? Said he, “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth; blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God; blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” This was the kind of yoke Jesus put upon them, and this is the kind that is put upon you—to love righteousness, keep the commands of God, live your religion and obey the principles of truth, is this a hard yoke? This is what is required of Latter-day Saints. “Take my yoke upon you and learn of me!” And how did he do it? He obeyed the will of his Father, and then he expected his disciples to obey his will. Said he, “Father, I pray for them, that they may be one”—a good deal of this one-man power there, was there not? “I pray for them, that they may be one, even as the Father and I are one, that they may be one in us;” and in his mind, looking to the universal expansion of this heavenly principle, said he, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for all them that shall believe on me through their word, that they all may be one, even as I and the Father are one, that the world may know that thou hast sent me.” This was the kind of principle the Savior taught to his followers, and this is the kind that is taught to us.
Now let me ask is it right for a Methodist to obey the Methodist discipline? Yes, or else leave them, he has the privilege to do which he pleases. Is it right for a Presbyterian to obey the Presbyterian doctrine and principles? Yes, or leave them. Is it right for a Roman Catholic to obey their principles? Yes, or leave them. Is it right for a Latter-day Saint to obey their principles? Yes, or leave them, one of the two. Do not try to drag in something else, do not make Methodists of us for instance, nor Presbyterians. Do not try to make Catholics of us, if you do not like “Mormonism” leave it. That is honest, straightforward and upright, and good doctrine, and according to the principles which are acknowledged to be correct everywhere. “Well,” says one, “I think that things could be improved a little.” Well then, go out somewhere and make your improvements, here is a big continent, go north or south, or where you please. Get as many to follow you as you can, and teach them what principles you please, and if you can build up a better system than ours all right, but do not start it here. This is the kind of faith that Paul spoke of when he said, “If thou hast faith have it to thyself.” If you do not have it to yourselves take as many with you as you can get. That is right, the world is open, plenty of room in every direction, go and try your hand and see how you will succeed.
The same principle is true in relation to other things as well as to religion. I might apply it to things political. Some people say, “You folks always vote together,” we would be poor coots if we did not, and just as bad as the rest of you. Some folks here, a short time ago, got up a little political operation, and tried how it would answer to run one against another; but it did not work well and they had to quit. We believe in oneness, and our outside friends say, “We do not.” Yes you do, y-e-s y-o-u d-o. Now all you gentlemen who go in for General Grant would you not like to elect him? Yes you would, and you will use all the influence that you have to do so, and if he is not elected it will be because you cannot do it, because you have not influence enough to elect him. On the other hand, you who are in favor of Horace Greeley, how you would like to have him elected, would you not? Yes, you would. And will you not get all to vote for him that you possibly can? Yes, and if all do not vote for him it will not be your fault. Well, if the people do not vote as we want them it will not be our fault, and the only difference, in this respect, between you and President Young is, that he has a little more influence than you, therefore do not grunt about it, these things are fair and straightforward. When men talk about oppression they talk about what they do not understand, and the same when they talk about the one-man power and the bondage of the people. Is it not horrible bondage for the whole people to have the privilege of voting for whom they please? Terrible, let us get out of it, shall we not, and go somewhere where they will not let us do as we please, and have some of that liberty that would put shackles upon us, and bind us down? But we Latter-day Saints do not want that, we want to be delivered from that, and to walk according to the light of truth. Well, let us take the yoke of Christ upon us, and learn of him, and keep the commandments of God. And if we vote for a Bishop somewhere over yonder, let us sustain him as long as he is in office, and if he does not do what is right we will vote him out. And if we have Presidents or Apostles or anybody that we do not like, let us vote them out, and be free men, and cultivate and cherish in our bosoms the principles of liberty. But let us be careful that we do not grieve the Spirit of the Lord, and while we are looking at these things let us look at our own eternal interests, and lean upon God for wisdom and instruction, that his Spirit may lead us in the paths of life, that we may comprehend true principles, and be one as Jesus was and is one with the Father.
May God help us to be faithful, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
The choir sang: “An angel from on high The long, long silence broke.”
Elder Wilford Woodruff
was the next speaker. He alluded to the departure from the true order of the gospel by professing Christians. It was almost impossible for them to believe that continued revelation from the Almighty was necessary. The faith of the Latter-day Saints, however, was that it is God’s right to rule and dictate by revelation. The law of tithing was given by revelation, and no Saint could neglect to comply with it and retain the spirit of the gospel. It was the duty of all to assist in building temples in which to attend to ordinances pertaining to the living and the dead. None of the requirements of the gospel would fall to the ground, for all must be fulfilled. The speaker exhorted the people to draw near to the Lord, that he might draw near to them, and that they might be filled with the light of truth. He also bore testimony to the greatness and the divine nature of the latter-day work.
The choir sang the anthem, “I will sing praises.”
Adjourned till 2 p.m.
Prayer by Elder Charles C. Rich.
was the next speaker. He alluded to the departure from the true order of the gospel by professing Christians. It was almost impossible for them to believe that continued revelation from the Almighty was necessary. The faith of the Latter-day Saints, however, was that it is God’s right to rule and dictate by revelation. The law of tithing was given by revelation, and no Saint could neglect to comply with it and retain the spirit of the gospel. It was the duty of all to assist in building temples in which to attend to ordinances pertaining to the living and the dead. None of the requirements of the gospel would fall to the ground, for all must be fulfilled. The speaker exhorted the people to draw near to the Lord, that he might draw near to them, and that they might be filled with the light of truth. He also bore testimony to the greatness and the divine nature of the latter-day work.
The choir sang the anthem, “I will sing praises.”
Adjourned till 2 p.m.
Prayer by Elder Charles C. Rich.
SECOND DAY.
Monday, 7th, 2 p.m.
The choir sang: “All you that love Immanuel’s name, Whose spirits burn with ardent flame.”
Prayer by Elder Joseph F. Smith.
“Awake, ye Saints of God, awake! Call on the Lord in mighty prayer;” was sung by the choir.
Monday, 7th, 2 p.m.
The choir sang: “All you that love Immanuel’s name, Whose spirits burn with ardent flame.”
Prayer by Elder Joseph F. Smith.
“Awake, ye Saints of God, awake! Call on the Lord in mighty prayer;” was sung by the choir.
Elder Charles C. Rich
was the first speaker this afternoon. He spoke of the beneficial results of obedience to the will of God, as manifested by the way in which the Almighty had blessed the Latter-day Saints, temporally as well as spiritually. He also alluded to the harmonizing tendencies of the principles and spirit of the gospel, as seen in the gathering together and united in the strongest bonds of brotherhood so many people from various nations as were represented among the Saints in the valleys of Utah. The speaker continued for some time, dwelling particularly upon the necessity of the people performing duties pertaining to the present in order to lay an immovable foundation for future happiness and glory. He also bore testimony that Joseph Smith and Brigham Young were prophets of the living God.
Brother and Sister R. L. Fishburn and Brother George Gilbert sang “The Mountain brave,” the grand choir joining in the chorus.
was the first speaker this afternoon. He spoke of the beneficial results of obedience to the will of God, as manifested by the way in which the Almighty had blessed the Latter-day Saints, temporally as well as spiritually. He also alluded to the harmonizing tendencies of the principles and spirit of the gospel, as seen in the gathering together and united in the strongest bonds of brotherhood so many people from various nations as were represented among the Saints in the valleys of Utah. The speaker continued for some time, dwelling particularly upon the necessity of the people performing duties pertaining to the present in order to lay an immovable foundation for future happiness and glory. He also bore testimony that Joseph Smith and Brigham Young were prophets of the living God.
Brother and Sister R. L. Fishburn and Brother George Gilbert sang “The Mountain brave,” the grand choir joining in the chorus.
Elder Lorenzo Snow
was the next speaker. The main portion of his discourse was devoted to explaining the peaceful nature of the mission of the Savior, and in showing that the mission of the servants of God in this age was of a similar character. He also spoke of the saving and happifying agencies of the gospel of Christ, as made manifest in the satisfactory condition of the Latter-day Saints. The fears of those who entertained the opinion that the Saints were evil disposed and inclined to wrong their fellows were entirely groundless. Their mission, like the Savior’s, was one of the peace and good will to mankind. They were desirous of saving all people from the tide of corruption with which the world was flooded, as well as from poverty and distress. President Young, under the blessing of God, had done more in this direction than any other man living. Numbers of people had been brought from the midst of poverty in the countries of Europe and were now enjoying a competency of the comforts of life in these valleys.
was the next speaker. The main portion of his discourse was devoted to explaining the peaceful nature of the mission of the Savior, and in showing that the mission of the servants of God in this age was of a similar character. He also spoke of the saving and happifying agencies of the gospel of Christ, as made manifest in the satisfactory condition of the Latter-day Saints. The fears of those who entertained the opinion that the Saints were evil disposed and inclined to wrong their fellows were entirely groundless. Their mission, like the Savior’s, was one of the peace and good will to mankind. They were desirous of saving all people from the tide of corruption with which the world was flooded, as well as from poverty and distress. President Young, under the blessing of God, had done more in this direction than any other man living. Numbers of people had been brought from the midst of poverty in the countries of Europe and were now enjoying a competency of the comforts of life in these valleys.
Elder Erastus Snow
addressed the assemblage. He stated that the Lord had said that Zion consisted of the pure in heart. The natures had corrupted their ways and the Saints had therefore been commanded to come out of the various nations of the world, and they had been called Zion. The Saints had been separated from the world by the preaching of the gospel. They should also separate themselves from the corruptions and errors of the wicked, that they might carry forward the work of regenerating the human race. The gospel was sent for the salvation of all who would be obedient to it, for Christ died for all. There was nothing in the constitution or principles of the gospel calculated to inflict injury on anybody, but they were designed for the peace and happiness of mankind.
In the course of his remarks, Elder Snow treated upon the necessity of compliance with the law of tithing, the word of wisdom, attending to secret and family prayer and other practical duties. If the Latter-day Saints would thus live in purity and holiness, reproving wickedness of every kind, they would soon become a terror to evil doers, for the arm of flesh was powerless when raised against a people who were pleasing in the sight of God. The Saints opposed not their enemies with carnal weapons, but by faith. He concluded by bearing testimony to the truth of the gospel.
addressed the assemblage. He stated that the Lord had said that Zion consisted of the pure in heart. The natures had corrupted their ways and the Saints had therefore been commanded to come out of the various nations of the world, and they had been called Zion. The Saints had been separated from the world by the preaching of the gospel. They should also separate themselves from the corruptions and errors of the wicked, that they might carry forward the work of regenerating the human race. The gospel was sent for the salvation of all who would be obedient to it, for Christ died for all. There was nothing in the constitution or principles of the gospel calculated to inflict injury on anybody, but they were designed for the peace and happiness of mankind.
In the course of his remarks, Elder Snow treated upon the necessity of compliance with the law of tithing, the word of wisdom, attending to secret and family prayer and other practical duties. If the Latter-day Saints would thus live in purity and holiness, reproving wickedness of every kind, they would soon become a terror to evil doers, for the arm of flesh was powerless when raised against a people who were pleasing in the sight of God. The Saints opposed not their enemies with carnal weapons, but by faith. He concluded by bearing testimony to the truth of the gospel.
Zion—The Duty of Its Citizens—Testimony
Discourse by Elder Erastus Snow, delivered in the New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, October 7, 1872.
Reported by David W. Evans.
God has said that Zion shall be as a city set upon a hill, whose light cannot be hid. We are called to be the children of Zion. The Lord has declared that Zion consists of the pure in heart. He has said, further, that the nations of the earth have corrupted their way before him, and, referring to Babylon, his command to his Saints is—“Come out of her, O my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, that ye receive not of her plagues.” The Bible is full of prophecies delivered by the Prophets and Patriarchs, and by the Savior and his Apostles, concerning the day and age in which we live. The end draweth nigh and the time approacheth speedily when the Lord will make a full end of all nations who fight against Zion, who reject his law and harden their hearts against him, his precepts and his government. It is our high privilege to bear this testimony, and the testimony we have to bear unto the people of the 19th century is but a renewal of that which was borne by Prophets and Saints in days past and gone. They spoke of the time in which we live by the spirit of prophecy and revelation, which was like one looking through a glass darkly, yet it is our privilege to behold with our eyes and to hear with our ears those things which Prophets and Patriarchs long desired to see, but died without the sight. The duty especially enjoined upon us today is to awake to righteousness, and consider the calling wherewith God has called us. We should consider that God has separated us by the preaching of his word and by the testimony of Jesus; and has called us to be a distinct people, distinct in this particular, that we separate ourselves from sin and wickedness, and, as far as possible, from the company of sinners and from all those customs and habits that tend to darken, degrade and abase the human mind, and cultivate those which will sanctify the affections, purify the heart and ennoble the whole being of man, and fit us, as far as in us lies, to regenerate ourselves and our race. In short, God desires, and has put forth his hand, to exalt his people from their low degree, and to lift them up and make of them a peculiar people, a holy nation, a kingdom of Priests unto the Most High God and the Lamb.
In all this, is there anything that can hurt, destroy or injure, in any wise, any portion of our fellow men who do not feel disposed to join us in this glorious work, or engage with us in this noble enterprise? Not at all. The salvation of God is revealed for the good of all men who will receive it. The Gospel is offered without money and without price to all flesh, and the testimony that we bear to the world is that Jesus died for all, and that through the shedding of his blood, salvation may come unto all men who will believe and yield obedience unto the requirements of his Gospel. The government which is inaugurated and established among men by the preaching of the Gospel, and the administration of its holy ordinances, is a government of peace, love and goodwill to men, prompting those who receive it to do good unto all, but especially unto the household of faith.
The duties which are enjoined upon us are, first, to our own household—the household of God, those who have been baptized into Christ by being born again of the water and of the Spirit, and become the children of God by adoption. Next, to all men who have not thus been translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son; and that love which is wrought in the Saints of God by the fire of the Holy Ghost through faith in and obedience to the Gospel, prompts all who are brought under its influence to yield obedience to its requirements and to labor for the well-being of every creature that bears the form of God.
There is nothing in the constitution of the Gospel, or the organization of the Church of Christ and the kingdom of God among men, and the precepts that are taught of God and his servants, that would in the least degree inflict injury or withhold blessings from any member of the family of man, inasmuch as they place themselves in a condition to receive them, and are willing to accept them. But God has ordained certain everlasting principles of truth by which his people may be exalted, and without which they cannot be exalted into his presence and to the enjoyment of his glory. All things are governed by law, and all good and wholesome laws, which are ordained and enacted by men, designed for the peace, prosperity and well-being of their fellow creatures, should be respected, maintained and honored by all people, and this is one of the duties enjoined upon all Saints in all the commandments and revelations of God to his people.
It is, further, the duty of all who are entrusted with the administration of law, in any department whatever, to act in good faith, in all purity and integrity, and in good conscience for the well-being and happiness of their fellow creatures in the administration of justice, truth and judgment; and it should be the aim of all lawmakers to consult the best interests of the people from whom they derive authority, or in whose behalf they are called to act. It is the duty of Latter-day Saints, and of all good people to honor all laws and regulations that are ordered for the freedom of all flesh. And if there are people who do not feel disposed to, or who cannot receive the testimony of the Lord Jesus, they are left with as much freedom to enjoy the rights and privileges which are accorded to them, as the children of God on the earth, as though they did believe, taking and suffering the consequences of their own unbelief, which consequence will be a failure to attain to the blessings which are revealed, and which God deigns to bestow upon the obedient and faithful.
The word of the Lord unto all flesh is, “Come unto me, all ye ends of the earth, and be ye saved. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” If any doubt the yoke of Christ being easy and his burden being light, let them try the experiment, and demonstrate for themselves. If there are any either, within or without the Church of Christ, who feel his yoke to be heavy and galling, and his burden not to be easy, I can inform them that they have not taken upon themselves the yoke of Christ, they are not bearing his burden, for they are not meek and lowly of heart, they have not learned their lessons correctly—how to govern and control their own spirits by the principles and spirit of the everlasting Gospel. There is nothing in its nature that is oppressive, galling or hard to bear. In saying this, I give the experience of my life, for it has been devoted from my childhood to the contemplation of these glorious truths, with an earnest endeavor to apply them practically unto myself, and I have demonstrated them, and I speak that which I know and have experienced, and most assuredly believe and testify of them. And many there are who believe this testimony and are able to corroborate it; and those who are not, and have not experienced it in their lives have the privilege of doing so.
It is our duty to sanctify the Lord in this land that he has given us for an inheritance, by observing, not only the law of tithing, which is one means which he has given us for that purpose, but by observing every precept that emanates from him, and living by every word that proceeds from his mouth, not forgetting the words of wisdom, which are designed to improve us in a physical point of view, to add strength to our bodies, lengthen our lives, to increase our powers of endurance, and to increase the strength, efficiency and power of the rising generation. Every institution which God has established in our midst—social, political and religious—is designed for our improvement, individually and collectively, as a people and as families, to prolong our lives and to increase our usefulness and our ability for good in the earth; and if we observe these principles and apply them diligently in our lives, praying earnestly with our families and in secret to the Lord for wisdom in doing so, our light will continue to shine, our strength to increase and our influence both at home and abroad, on the earth and in the heavens, before God, angels and good men, and the strength, union, faith, light and purity of the lives of the Latter-day Saints will be a terror to evildoers.
What can men do against the Lord, and against the people who fear him and are united in good works? What can the arm of flesh accomplish but its own discomfiture. The weapons of the people of God are not carnal, but they are mighty through faith. We war not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness in high places, and against corruption wherever it is found, reproving sin, folly, deception, dishonesty and wickedness of every kind. And if there are those who profess to be Saints, and who do not live the life of Saints, whose light is not shining, whose lamps are not trimmed and burning, whose lives and characters, precepts and examples do not correspond with the principles of the Gospel, this only testifies to the weakness of men and is nothing against the truth, the testimony of Jesus, or against the testimony of those who do live their religion and magnify their calling as Saints, and whose precepts and examples correspond. If some do not believe, will that make the truth of God of none effect or less valuable? And what if some do not make their lives correspond with their doctrines and precepts, it will but show more vividly and clearly the character of those who are clean and pure, and who do love the truth and delight to honor it.
I am a witness of the truth which God has revealed unto man pertaining to the fullness of the Gospel: that Jesus is the Son of God, the Savior of those who will receive him, and that he has laid the foundation for a more glorious and extended salvation than the majority of us are capable of conceiving and properly comprehending; and his work is onward in the earth, and it will continue onward and upward, until the nations of the earth shall be warned, and all people who will hear may hear and receive the Gospel, be numbered with his children, be gathered into his fold, become the children of Zion, and prepared for his coming, for at the appointed time, which he has foretold, and which time is in the bosom of the Father, the Son will surely come in the clouds of heaven and the holy Angels with him, to assume the reins of government on the earth, and to reign King of kings and Lord of lords. Then, all those who will not bow to his scepter, yield obedience to his rule, and accept of his government and of his dominion will be cut off. Then comes the time spoken of when every knee that remains shall bow, and every tongue confess, to the glory of God the Father, that Jesus is the Christ.
It is to lay the foundation of this work, and to prepare a people for this era that the Lord called his servant Joseph Smith, and revealed unto him the fullness of the Gospel in this, the 19th century. Elder Rich testified that he knew, by the revelations of God to himself, that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God. The question will arise in the minds of the unbelieving, How can this be? They marvel, like Nicodemus marveled when Jesus told him he must be born again. He wondered within himself how a man could be born again—how, when he was old, he could enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born. The marvel rises in the minds of many, How can a man know for himself that Joseph Smith was truly called to be a Prophet, seer and revelator to this generation? That God did reveal to him the fullness of the Gospel? That the Book of Mormon contains the fullness of the Gospel—the same that was taught and revealed by the Savior and his disciples, as recorded in the New Testament? How can a man know that Angels administered to him? That God opened the visions of heaven to the Prophet Joseph Smith? I answer, They may know it precisely as the Apostle Peter knew that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God. It is in this manner that Elder Rich knows that Joseph Smith was a Prophet; it is in this manner that I know he was a Prophet and a servant of God raised up to commence this work in the earth, and to lay the foundation of the Church and kingdom of God on the earth. When Jesus asked Peter and the rest of the Apostles, “Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man am?” They answered, “Some think thou art Elias; others that thou art John the Baptist risen from the dead; others that thou art Jeremiah or one of the Prophets.” “But whom say ye that I am?” Peter answered—“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” “Blessed art thou Simon Barjonah, flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven; and verily I say unto thee, upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Not upon Peter, not his person, for he was flesh, and must pass away like the flower of the field. It was not on Peter, or his successors in office, as is taught by the Romish church. Then who and what was this rock Christ referred to? It was the rock of revelation, revelation from the living God. “On this rock,” said the Savior, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” And I repeat that I know the truth of the Gospel, as Peter knew that Jesus was the Christ, by revelation unto me from the Father who is in heaven, and I bear this testimony unto you.
I know that there are many, very many, whose testimony has been proclaimed in the ears of this generation, and is recorded in heaven. Their words are like the precious things that John saw in the vials that were before the throne of God, and their testimony will remain, and blessed are all those who receive it. Blessed be the Lord God who revealed these things unto Peter and unto his servant Joseph, and who has revealed it unto many more who have sought him with an earnest desire to know his ways! Blessed are those who fear him and keep his commandments!
May God help us to live as Saints, and let our light shine! May God seal the testimony of the Twelve upon the hearts of those who desire it, that they may come unto and walk in the light, be saved through the truth, and inherit exaltation with the sanctified, is my prayer, for Christ's sake. Amen.
Conference adjourned till to-morrow, Tuesday, at 10 a.m.
The choir sang the anthem: “O, Father, whose almighty power,” in a most beautiful and effective manner.
Dismissed by prayer by Elder Franklin D. Richards.
Discourse by Elder Erastus Snow, delivered in the New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, October 7, 1872.
Reported by David W. Evans.
God has said that Zion shall be as a city set upon a hill, whose light cannot be hid. We are called to be the children of Zion. The Lord has declared that Zion consists of the pure in heart. He has said, further, that the nations of the earth have corrupted their way before him, and, referring to Babylon, his command to his Saints is—“Come out of her, O my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, that ye receive not of her plagues.” The Bible is full of prophecies delivered by the Prophets and Patriarchs, and by the Savior and his Apostles, concerning the day and age in which we live. The end draweth nigh and the time approacheth speedily when the Lord will make a full end of all nations who fight against Zion, who reject his law and harden their hearts against him, his precepts and his government. It is our high privilege to bear this testimony, and the testimony we have to bear unto the people of the 19th century is but a renewal of that which was borne by Prophets and Saints in days past and gone. They spoke of the time in which we live by the spirit of prophecy and revelation, which was like one looking through a glass darkly, yet it is our privilege to behold with our eyes and to hear with our ears those things which Prophets and Patriarchs long desired to see, but died without the sight. The duty especially enjoined upon us today is to awake to righteousness, and consider the calling wherewith God has called us. We should consider that God has separated us by the preaching of his word and by the testimony of Jesus; and has called us to be a distinct people, distinct in this particular, that we separate ourselves from sin and wickedness, and, as far as possible, from the company of sinners and from all those customs and habits that tend to darken, degrade and abase the human mind, and cultivate those which will sanctify the affections, purify the heart and ennoble the whole being of man, and fit us, as far as in us lies, to regenerate ourselves and our race. In short, God desires, and has put forth his hand, to exalt his people from their low degree, and to lift them up and make of them a peculiar people, a holy nation, a kingdom of Priests unto the Most High God and the Lamb.
In all this, is there anything that can hurt, destroy or injure, in any wise, any portion of our fellow men who do not feel disposed to join us in this glorious work, or engage with us in this noble enterprise? Not at all. The salvation of God is revealed for the good of all men who will receive it. The Gospel is offered without money and without price to all flesh, and the testimony that we bear to the world is that Jesus died for all, and that through the shedding of his blood, salvation may come unto all men who will believe and yield obedience unto the requirements of his Gospel. The government which is inaugurated and established among men by the preaching of the Gospel, and the administration of its holy ordinances, is a government of peace, love and goodwill to men, prompting those who receive it to do good unto all, but especially unto the household of faith.
The duties which are enjoined upon us are, first, to our own household—the household of God, those who have been baptized into Christ by being born again of the water and of the Spirit, and become the children of God by adoption. Next, to all men who have not thus been translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son; and that love which is wrought in the Saints of God by the fire of the Holy Ghost through faith in and obedience to the Gospel, prompts all who are brought under its influence to yield obedience to its requirements and to labor for the well-being of every creature that bears the form of God.
There is nothing in the constitution of the Gospel, or the organization of the Church of Christ and the kingdom of God among men, and the precepts that are taught of God and his servants, that would in the least degree inflict injury or withhold blessings from any member of the family of man, inasmuch as they place themselves in a condition to receive them, and are willing to accept them. But God has ordained certain everlasting principles of truth by which his people may be exalted, and without which they cannot be exalted into his presence and to the enjoyment of his glory. All things are governed by law, and all good and wholesome laws, which are ordained and enacted by men, designed for the peace, prosperity and well-being of their fellow creatures, should be respected, maintained and honored by all people, and this is one of the duties enjoined upon all Saints in all the commandments and revelations of God to his people.
It is, further, the duty of all who are entrusted with the administration of law, in any department whatever, to act in good faith, in all purity and integrity, and in good conscience for the well-being and happiness of their fellow creatures in the administration of justice, truth and judgment; and it should be the aim of all lawmakers to consult the best interests of the people from whom they derive authority, or in whose behalf they are called to act. It is the duty of Latter-day Saints, and of all good people to honor all laws and regulations that are ordered for the freedom of all flesh. And if there are people who do not feel disposed to, or who cannot receive the testimony of the Lord Jesus, they are left with as much freedom to enjoy the rights and privileges which are accorded to them, as the children of God on the earth, as though they did believe, taking and suffering the consequences of their own unbelief, which consequence will be a failure to attain to the blessings which are revealed, and which God deigns to bestow upon the obedient and faithful.
The word of the Lord unto all flesh is, “Come unto me, all ye ends of the earth, and be ye saved. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” If any doubt the yoke of Christ being easy and his burden being light, let them try the experiment, and demonstrate for themselves. If there are any either, within or without the Church of Christ, who feel his yoke to be heavy and galling, and his burden not to be easy, I can inform them that they have not taken upon themselves the yoke of Christ, they are not bearing his burden, for they are not meek and lowly of heart, they have not learned their lessons correctly—how to govern and control their own spirits by the principles and spirit of the everlasting Gospel. There is nothing in its nature that is oppressive, galling or hard to bear. In saying this, I give the experience of my life, for it has been devoted from my childhood to the contemplation of these glorious truths, with an earnest endeavor to apply them practically unto myself, and I have demonstrated them, and I speak that which I know and have experienced, and most assuredly believe and testify of them. And many there are who believe this testimony and are able to corroborate it; and those who are not, and have not experienced it in their lives have the privilege of doing so.
It is our duty to sanctify the Lord in this land that he has given us for an inheritance, by observing, not only the law of tithing, which is one means which he has given us for that purpose, but by observing every precept that emanates from him, and living by every word that proceeds from his mouth, not forgetting the words of wisdom, which are designed to improve us in a physical point of view, to add strength to our bodies, lengthen our lives, to increase our powers of endurance, and to increase the strength, efficiency and power of the rising generation. Every institution which God has established in our midst—social, political and religious—is designed for our improvement, individually and collectively, as a people and as families, to prolong our lives and to increase our usefulness and our ability for good in the earth; and if we observe these principles and apply them diligently in our lives, praying earnestly with our families and in secret to the Lord for wisdom in doing so, our light will continue to shine, our strength to increase and our influence both at home and abroad, on the earth and in the heavens, before God, angels and good men, and the strength, union, faith, light and purity of the lives of the Latter-day Saints will be a terror to evildoers.
What can men do against the Lord, and against the people who fear him and are united in good works? What can the arm of flesh accomplish but its own discomfiture. The weapons of the people of God are not carnal, but they are mighty through faith. We war not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness in high places, and against corruption wherever it is found, reproving sin, folly, deception, dishonesty and wickedness of every kind. And if there are those who profess to be Saints, and who do not live the life of Saints, whose light is not shining, whose lamps are not trimmed and burning, whose lives and characters, precepts and examples do not correspond with the principles of the Gospel, this only testifies to the weakness of men and is nothing against the truth, the testimony of Jesus, or against the testimony of those who do live their religion and magnify their calling as Saints, and whose precepts and examples correspond. If some do not believe, will that make the truth of God of none effect or less valuable? And what if some do not make their lives correspond with their doctrines and precepts, it will but show more vividly and clearly the character of those who are clean and pure, and who do love the truth and delight to honor it.
I am a witness of the truth which God has revealed unto man pertaining to the fullness of the Gospel: that Jesus is the Son of God, the Savior of those who will receive him, and that he has laid the foundation for a more glorious and extended salvation than the majority of us are capable of conceiving and properly comprehending; and his work is onward in the earth, and it will continue onward and upward, until the nations of the earth shall be warned, and all people who will hear may hear and receive the Gospel, be numbered with his children, be gathered into his fold, become the children of Zion, and prepared for his coming, for at the appointed time, which he has foretold, and which time is in the bosom of the Father, the Son will surely come in the clouds of heaven and the holy Angels with him, to assume the reins of government on the earth, and to reign King of kings and Lord of lords. Then, all those who will not bow to his scepter, yield obedience to his rule, and accept of his government and of his dominion will be cut off. Then comes the time spoken of when every knee that remains shall bow, and every tongue confess, to the glory of God the Father, that Jesus is the Christ.
It is to lay the foundation of this work, and to prepare a people for this era that the Lord called his servant Joseph Smith, and revealed unto him the fullness of the Gospel in this, the 19th century. Elder Rich testified that he knew, by the revelations of God to himself, that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God. The question will arise in the minds of the unbelieving, How can this be? They marvel, like Nicodemus marveled when Jesus told him he must be born again. He wondered within himself how a man could be born again—how, when he was old, he could enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born. The marvel rises in the minds of many, How can a man know for himself that Joseph Smith was truly called to be a Prophet, seer and revelator to this generation? That God did reveal to him the fullness of the Gospel? That the Book of Mormon contains the fullness of the Gospel—the same that was taught and revealed by the Savior and his disciples, as recorded in the New Testament? How can a man know that Angels administered to him? That God opened the visions of heaven to the Prophet Joseph Smith? I answer, They may know it precisely as the Apostle Peter knew that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God. It is in this manner that Elder Rich knows that Joseph Smith was a Prophet; it is in this manner that I know he was a Prophet and a servant of God raised up to commence this work in the earth, and to lay the foundation of the Church and kingdom of God on the earth. When Jesus asked Peter and the rest of the Apostles, “Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man am?” They answered, “Some think thou art Elias; others that thou art John the Baptist risen from the dead; others that thou art Jeremiah or one of the Prophets.” “But whom say ye that I am?” Peter answered—“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” “Blessed art thou Simon Barjonah, flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven; and verily I say unto thee, upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Not upon Peter, not his person, for he was flesh, and must pass away like the flower of the field. It was not on Peter, or his successors in office, as is taught by the Romish church. Then who and what was this rock Christ referred to? It was the rock of revelation, revelation from the living God. “On this rock,” said the Savior, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” And I repeat that I know the truth of the Gospel, as Peter knew that Jesus was the Christ, by revelation unto me from the Father who is in heaven, and I bear this testimony unto you.
I know that there are many, very many, whose testimony has been proclaimed in the ears of this generation, and is recorded in heaven. Their words are like the precious things that John saw in the vials that were before the throne of God, and their testimony will remain, and blessed are all those who receive it. Blessed be the Lord God who revealed these things unto Peter and unto his servant Joseph, and who has revealed it unto many more who have sought him with an earnest desire to know his ways! Blessed are those who fear him and keep his commandments!
May God help us to live as Saints, and let our light shine! May God seal the testimony of the Twelve upon the hearts of those who desire it, that they may come unto and walk in the light, be saved through the truth, and inherit exaltation with the sanctified, is my prayer, for Christ's sake. Amen.
Conference adjourned till to-morrow, Tuesday, at 10 a.m.
The choir sang the anthem: “O, Father, whose almighty power,” in a most beautiful and effective manner.
Dismissed by prayer by Elder Franklin D. Richards.
THIRD DAY.
Tuesday, 8th, 10 a.m.
The choir sang: “My God, the spring of all my joys, The life of my delights.”
Opening prayer by Elder George Q. Cannon.
“Come, Holy Ghost, our hearts inspire, Let us thine influence prove,” was sung by the choir.
Tuesday, 8th, 10 a.m.
The choir sang: “My God, the spring of all my joys, The life of my delights.”
Opening prayer by Elder George Q. Cannon.
“Come, Holy Ghost, our hearts inspire, Let us thine influence prove,” was sung by the choir.
President Brigham Young
said that the meetings to-day would be occupied similarly to those of the two days previously, in hearing the Elders bear testimony to the things of God. To-morrow some business matters would be laid before the Conference, and he himself would address the Saints on some points connected with their present and eternal welfare.
said that the meetings to-day would be occupied similarly to those of the two days previously, in hearing the Elders bear testimony to the things of God. To-morrow some business matters would be laid before the Conference, and he himself would address the Saints on some points connected with their present and eternal welfare.
Elder Franklin D. Richards
bore testimony that the work with which he was identified in unison with the Latter-day Saints, was the work of God. He also treated upon the magnitude of that work, showing the objects which, it was destined to accomplish, and in order for people to enjoy the benefits it conferred, they must keep pace with its progress. The promise of Jesus to the meek, that they should inherit the earth, had probably been realized to as great an extent by the Latter-day Saints as by any other people professing to be the followers of Christ. This was the last dispensation, and the fulfilment of many prophecies and the realization of many of God’s promises were reserved for the people of the Lord in this age. The speaker next dwelt upon the gathering of Israel from the nations, the follies and fashions of the world, and the attempts of the wicked to lead astray the youth among the Saints by their allurements, and spoke of the necessity of encouraging and fostering Sunday and other schools.
bore testimony that the work with which he was identified in unison with the Latter-day Saints, was the work of God. He also treated upon the magnitude of that work, showing the objects which, it was destined to accomplish, and in order for people to enjoy the benefits it conferred, they must keep pace with its progress. The promise of Jesus to the meek, that they should inherit the earth, had probably been realized to as great an extent by the Latter-day Saints as by any other people professing to be the followers of Christ. This was the last dispensation, and the fulfilment of many prophecies and the realization of many of God’s promises were reserved for the people of the Lord in this age. The speaker next dwelt upon the gathering of Israel from the nations, the follies and fashions of the world, and the attempts of the wicked to lead astray the youth among the Saints by their allurements, and spoke of the necessity of encouraging and fostering Sunday and other schools.
President B. Young addressed the congregation as follows--
I have a very few words to say to the Latter-day Saints, on the subject spoken upon by Brother Richards, concerning our friends who have such care for us. Brother Franklin says there are a certain few who expect to lead away the children of the Saints, not being able to operate on the spirits and feelings of the older ones, and that they are getting up schools for this purpose. It is a matter I have never spoken upon, for my feelings would perhaps differ from others; but I will tell you my private feelings publicly with regard to those who are starting schools, seminaries, and by-the-by colleges. To all who take an interest in educating the rising generation, whether “Mormons,” Catholics, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Methodists, or any other class of civilized, moral people, I say to you, I do thank you, I thank you sincerely for your kindness, and you shall receive your reward for all the good that you do. And I say to my brethren and sisters who are heads of families, if these schools can receive our children—and they are receiving many—and teach them without money and without price, send your children there, and bless the men who are engaged in this work. Live your religion yourselves, each and every one of you, before your children, teach them the truth just as God has revealed it in the latter days, and when they are old, they will not depart from it, and you need not be concerned a particle. The Christian world, in their exertions to spread the Bible among what they call the heathen nations, will be blessed for all their good acts, and also for their labors in their Sunday schools and in their day schools; and for the morals that they teach; for all the faith that they teach to parents and to children in God the Father, or in Jesus Christ our Savior; for every trait of the character of the Savior which they teach and imitate in their lives. God will bless them, and I bless them. But you need not have any concern with regard to the rising generation. Instead of our children running after the world, the ungodly, Babylon, I hope to see the time when they will live their religion, and when the children of strangers will live the religion of Christ, and when those who now think they will turn away our children from the holy commandments of the Lord will see the error of their ways, return to the Lord, repent of their sins and receive the gospel in its fullness, that they may be saved. Our doctrine is not based upon tradition or the faith and doings of men, but it is a living faith in the living God, and it will bear all the scrutiny men are disposed to bestow upon it. Now it is faith against faith, work against work, and it is the power of God against the power of the enemy; and all good, all truth, and everything pertaining to that which we call truth is of God; and they who labor to promote it, whether in Sunday schools, day schools, in praying, preaching, refraining from evil, ceasing to take the name of the Lord in vain, being honest one with another, bearing no false witness against their neighbor, keeping the commandments delivered to Moses, and the commandments delivered to us, I say that all such individuals or people will be blessed in their deeds.
I have a very few words to say to the Latter-day Saints, on the subject spoken upon by Brother Richards, concerning our friends who have such care for us. Brother Franklin says there are a certain few who expect to lead away the children of the Saints, not being able to operate on the spirits and feelings of the older ones, and that they are getting up schools for this purpose. It is a matter I have never spoken upon, for my feelings would perhaps differ from others; but I will tell you my private feelings publicly with regard to those who are starting schools, seminaries, and by-the-by colleges. To all who take an interest in educating the rising generation, whether “Mormons,” Catholics, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Methodists, or any other class of civilized, moral people, I say to you, I do thank you, I thank you sincerely for your kindness, and you shall receive your reward for all the good that you do. And I say to my brethren and sisters who are heads of families, if these schools can receive our children—and they are receiving many—and teach them without money and without price, send your children there, and bless the men who are engaged in this work. Live your religion yourselves, each and every one of you, before your children, teach them the truth just as God has revealed it in the latter days, and when they are old, they will not depart from it, and you need not be concerned a particle. The Christian world, in their exertions to spread the Bible among what they call the heathen nations, will be blessed for all their good acts, and also for their labors in their Sunday schools and in their day schools; and for the morals that they teach; for all the faith that they teach to parents and to children in God the Father, or in Jesus Christ our Savior; for every trait of the character of the Savior which they teach and imitate in their lives. God will bless them, and I bless them. But you need not have any concern with regard to the rising generation. Instead of our children running after the world, the ungodly, Babylon, I hope to see the time when they will live their religion, and when the children of strangers will live the religion of Christ, and when those who now think they will turn away our children from the holy commandments of the Lord will see the error of their ways, return to the Lord, repent of their sins and receive the gospel in its fullness, that they may be saved. Our doctrine is not based upon tradition or the faith and doings of men, but it is a living faith in the living God, and it will bear all the scrutiny men are disposed to bestow upon it. Now it is faith against faith, work against work, and it is the power of God against the power of the enemy; and all good, all truth, and everything pertaining to that which we call truth is of God; and they who labor to promote it, whether in Sunday schools, day schools, in praying, preaching, refraining from evil, ceasing to take the name of the Lord in vain, being honest one with another, bearing no false witness against their neighbor, keeping the commandments delivered to Moses, and the commandments delivered to us, I say that all such individuals or people will be blessed in their deeds.
Elder George Q. Cannon
addressed the conference. In his opening remarks, he touched principally upon the desire created in all people who embraced the gospel to gather and associate with those who were of the same faith, showing that this was a never-failing effect of obedience to the principles taught by the Elders of Israel. He also spoke of the reasons for this gathering together of the Latter-day Saints, and the excellent effects resulting therefrom, and from the people being in possession of the Spirit of the Lord, which had permeated their hearts, uniting them in bonds that were indissoluble. The speaker next commented upon the encroachments among the Saints of the evil tendencies of the age—fashion, extravagance, &c, and against which all should set their faces like flint that they might rear, in purity and beauty, the glorious superstructure of the kingdom of God, which work had been entrusted to them by the Lord. The Almighty was beginning to pour temporal blessings upon the people, and there was a prospect of this community becoming one of the wealthiest on this continent. It was a most important matter for the consideration of the Saints whether they would use the bounties of the earth with which they were being blessed for the building up of the work of God, or whether they would waste and scatter the blessings of the Lord to the winds. As a whole, the people were not living in this respect as they should do. So far as inaugurating and carrying forward a system, under the direction of the Almighty, calculated to check the tide of corruption and impurity which flooded the world, they had taken a decided stand, fearless of consequences, and now that they were being brought in contact with the blandishments of wealth, would they continue, and manifest the same integrity of purpose when placed under a change of circumstances financially? The people might as well prepare now for the introduction of that order, under which there would be no poor among the people. The establishment of co-operation was a step in that direction, one of the effects of which had been to measurably break down class distinctions. He concluded by exhorting the Saints to sustain their own institutions, by patronizing all kinds of home manufacture.
addressed the conference. In his opening remarks, he touched principally upon the desire created in all people who embraced the gospel to gather and associate with those who were of the same faith, showing that this was a never-failing effect of obedience to the principles taught by the Elders of Israel. He also spoke of the reasons for this gathering together of the Latter-day Saints, and the excellent effects resulting therefrom, and from the people being in possession of the Spirit of the Lord, which had permeated their hearts, uniting them in bonds that were indissoluble. The speaker next commented upon the encroachments among the Saints of the evil tendencies of the age—fashion, extravagance, &c, and against which all should set their faces like flint that they might rear, in purity and beauty, the glorious superstructure of the kingdom of God, which work had been entrusted to them by the Lord. The Almighty was beginning to pour temporal blessings upon the people, and there was a prospect of this community becoming one of the wealthiest on this continent. It was a most important matter for the consideration of the Saints whether they would use the bounties of the earth with which they were being blessed for the building up of the work of God, or whether they would waste and scatter the blessings of the Lord to the winds. As a whole, the people were not living in this respect as they should do. So far as inaugurating and carrying forward a system, under the direction of the Almighty, calculated to check the tide of corruption and impurity which flooded the world, they had taken a decided stand, fearless of consequences, and now that they were being brought in contact with the blandishments of wealth, would they continue, and manifest the same integrity of purpose when placed under a change of circumstances financially? The people might as well prepare now for the introduction of that order, under which there would be no poor among the people. The establishment of co-operation was a step in that direction, one of the effects of which had been to measurably break down class distinctions. He concluded by exhorting the Saints to sustain their own institutions, by patronizing all kinds of home manufacture.
Gathering—Its Spirit—Its Object—Duties of the Gathered Saints
Discourse by Elder George Q. Cannon, delivered at the 42nd Semi-Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, October 8, 1872.
Reported by David W. Evans.
Since the commencement of our Conference we have heard very much valuable instruction, and testimonies which have been very cheering to the hearts of those who have heard them; and no doubt every person who has attended Conference from its commencement until the present time, and who will continue until the Conference shall terminate, will feel amply rewarded for the time spent, and will go away feeling better prepared to perform the duties which may devolve upon him or her.
There is so much to talk about connected with our circumstances and condition, that it requires a portion of the Spirit of the Lord to enable a person, in speaking, to dwell upon those points which are best adapted to our present requirements. We are not situated as any other people, that is, in many respects, and instructions adapted to our circumstances would differ probably from those which would be required by others. We have been, from the commencement, a peculiar people; our religion is in many respects at the present time a peculiar one; yet, if there be any distinctive peculiarity about the religion of the Latter-day Saints, it is that they believe and receive the Scriptures as they are, and do not attempt to put double meanings to their teachings. Our religion being peculiar, the effect of it is somewhat peculiar. The message which the Elders of this Church declare when they go forth to preach the Gospel has a different effect, upon people who listen to it, to that which is declared by any other denomination. Not because faith in Jesus Christ, repentance of sin, baptism for the remission of sins, and laying on of hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost are taught, but because, following these principles, there is declared unto the people the propriety and the necessity of gathering out from the various nations where they dwell, from the midst of their kindred and their former associates, and concentrating at the place which God, as the Elders testify, has selected as the place for his people to reside in. This is a strange doctrine, and one that is peculiar to the Latter-day Saints, and, as I have said, the effects upon the people are peculiar. No sooner do they hear the proclamation of this doctrine, and in some instances before, than there springs up in the hearts of those who have received the testimony of the Elders a desire to gather out, and be associated with the people with whom they have joined, and whose faith they have received. I suppose that among the thousands who live in this Territory, who have been gathered from the various States of this country, and from the various countries of Europe, of Asia and the islands of the sea, there is scarcely one to be found who did not, as soon as he or she embraced the Gospel, have an intense desire to gather with the people of God, and to become closely associated with them, to believe as they believed, to live as they lived, to share their trials, to partake of their prosperity or adversity, as the case might be; to receive instructions from the man whom they believed God had chosen to preside over his Church upon the earth. And the effect upon the Latter-day Saints in every land is the same in this respect. You may travel to the most inhospitable climate—to the bleak regions of the north, or to the sunny climes of the south; to the lands of sterility and barrenness, where hardship seems to be the lot of the people, where privation is one of the incidents of their existence; or to the lands of fertility, where the inhabitants acquire a livelihood with ease; in fact, no matter where you go, nor whatever the circumstances may be which surround the people, when they hear the testimony of the servants of God, and receive and act upon it, the same spirit takes possession of the people, and they gladly forsake the lands of their nativity, and the associations of life—of early life and mature age, the homes of their childhood and the graves of their ancestors, and wend their way with joy and gladness to this strange land, which God, as they verily believe and know, by the testimony of his Holy Spirit, has prepared as a resting place for them. This is the universal effect wherever the Gospel has been preached, and in this respect the Latter-day Saints are a peculiar people.
But though we have gathered together, as we have, in this country, there seems to be in the minds of a great many people a disposition to overlook the reasons which God our heavenly Father has had in view in gathering us out, and collecting us together, and making us one people. The prophecies which were recorded in ancient days, as well as those which have been given us in the day in which we live; all point forward to this great dispensation, as a time when God should do a great and mighty work in the midst of the earth, and when a great revolution should be effected and a great reformation accomplished among the children of men; when he should have a peculiar people—a people who should be gathered out from all nations, a people who should be free from the vices and the evils of all nations, a people upon whom he should place his name, and whom he should recognize as his. We are told by the Revelator John, that a time would come when the people of God should be commanded to come out of Babylon, out of confusion, when they should be gathered out from every nation, from the remotest parts of the earth, and when he should make of them a great and mighty people.
We see a partial fulfillment of this prediction in this Territory—this people are gathered from various lands, and are dwelling together in peace and in union, without litigation, animosity or strife, all harmonizing together—their interests blended in one. To my mind this is one of the most remarkable phenomena to be witnessed on the face of the earth. It strikes me as such, and although familiar with it from my childhood, I look with wonder and astonishment at the great work that has been done in gathering this people together. Visitors come here, and they are full of admiration for the great labors that have been accomplished by the Latter-day Saints in transforming this wilderness land into a fruitful field, in creating these gardens, in erecting these houses, in adorning this land with beautiful habitations and with groves, and making this soil, once so barren and sterile, teem with fertility. They admire the physical works which we have accomplished; but to my mind there is something greater than this to be admired. There are works which far surpass the work accomplished on the face of nature. When I contemplate the work that has been accomplished in gathering the people from the various nations; when I see men of various languages and, originally, of various creeds, born under various forms of government, spread throughout this land, dwelling together in peace, union and love, worshiping together in the one Tabernacle, or in the same places of worship throughout the length and breadth of this Territory, I see something which to my mind is far, far more surprising than anything wrought by our physical labors. I see a power wonderful in its effect—a power which has molded the heart's and blended the feelings of the children of men, and created a oneness in their midst, the effects of which are witnessed all around us. God has done this, and to his name the glory must be ascribed. Man cannot do these things, he cannot thus affect and operate upon the minds of his fellow men. He may produce some effect, may accomplish some results, but that union, love and harmony which we witness among ourselves is beyond the power of man to bring about—it is the power of God which he has manifested; and for wise and great ends has this wonderful God-like power been restored, which binds the hearts of men to their fellow men, and causes them to cooperate, as they have done in this land, in accomplishing the labors which have devolved upon us.
But yet, though I can admire these things, brethren and sisters, there are many things which we have neglected to do, which devolve upon us. God has given unto us a great mission in the earth, and whether we realize it or not it is a fact. He has entrusted to us, as a people, a great and mighty work to perform. We look around us in the various nations as well as in our own nation, and we see a great many evils existing, we see these evils increasing in magnitude, and becoming more formidable and threatening every year that passes over our heads. Probably we who reside in these mountains, and have done so for a quarter of a century, can realize the evidence of these evils better than they who live in the midst of them and witness their gradual growth without noticing the great changes which have been effected. But we see extravagance, corruption, and a lack of virtue and public morality; we see the breaking down of those barriers which formerly existed, and a sapping and demoralization of public sentiment and of private morality throughout the nation of which we form a part, as well as in other nations.
Now there is laid upon us, as a people, the labor of establishing righteousness in the earth. There is laid upon us the duty of building up in purity and power a system which God has revealed unto us. Not a system of theocracy to be exclusive in its effects, not to build up a class, a priesthood that should domineer and wield unjust and oppressive power over the hearts and minds of the children of men. Our mission is to lay the foundation and to build up a system under which all the inhabitants of the land can dwell in peace and safety. But I notice a difficulty in our own midst, and that is that we yield, to a great extent, to the tendencies of the age, to the influences which surround us on every hand. We must refrain from this, we must set our faces like flint against every species of corruption, against every kind of wrong, in whatever form it may approach us. We must seek with all the energy that we have, to build up in truth and righteousness that which God has committed unto us, and establish impregnably the system of reformation with which we are entrusted. There can be no better way for us to commence than by listening to the counsels that have been given unto us in the past, and which have been the means of producing the peace, happiness and prosperity which we witness among us.
There are tendencies to be witnessed in this city, and among our own people here, that we have to guard against. We well know that, of late, there has been an increase of wealth, and of the means of acquiring luxuries and comforts. God has bestowed these upon us, and the question now is with us, Will we use these, means aright, with an eye single to his glory? Will we, with our increased prosperity, devote ourselves in the future, as we have in the past, to the building up of the kingdom of God, as our paramount duty? Not for our own aggrandizement, but for the benefit of our fellow men in every land, as well as for the benefit of those who reside in this Territory. If we do this, God will bless us. But you know what the fate of all people has been who have been similarly situated to us in the beginning. In their early days they were pure, they were not extravagant, they were simple in their tastes, habits and dress. They did not allow their minds to go out after earthly things, or to be placed upon them. But means and wealth will always increase among frugal, economical, virtuous and industrious people, for it is one of the natural consequences which follow industry and well-directed labor, and we are no exceptions to this rule. We live in a land that has been barren and sterile above all lands on this continent, and by well-directed energy and industry, by perseverance, temperance and frugality, we have been blessed, and now the fruits of our long-continued abstemiousness and industry are beginning to flow in upon us, and we are becoming wealthy. Our lands are becoming valuable, our surroundings are becoming, if not luxurious, at least comfortable, wealth is pouring into our laps, and the prospect is that ere long we will be as wealthy a community, probably, as can be found between the two oceans. This seems to be the natural tendency of events at the present time.
Now the question arises—and I deem it an important one for this Conference—it has rested on my mind, as I doubt not it has on the minds of the brethren—will we as a people devote the means that God is giving unto us, for the preservation and continuation of that system that he has revealed unto us? Or will we scatter it abroad, destroy ourselves, and spoil the future which God has in store for us? We must be a different people from every other that has preceded us, if we fulfill the predictions of the holy Priesthood, for God has said, through the mouth of his prophet Daniel, thousands of years ago, that this kingdom should not be given into the hands of another people, but it should stand forever. It should not share the fate of previous attempts of the same character, and be overthrown in consequence of the weakness of the people, and the abandonment by them of the principles of truth and righteousness. There is nothing plainer to my mind than this, that if the Latter-day Saints become luxurious and extravagant; if they love the world and forsake their former purity; if they forsake their frugality and temperance, and the principles which God has revealed unto them, and by the practice of which they are today the people that they are; we shall be overthrown as others have been overthrown. But I do not look for any such result, for I believe firmly in the prediction of Daniel, that this work, when established, shall not be given into the hands of another people, but it shall stand forever, and there will be means and agencies used and brought to bear on the minds of the people, to prevent such a catastrophe as that to which I have alluded—to prevent the downfall of the system and the overthrow of those connected with it, and to prevent the victory of that which is evil over that which is good, holy and pure.
These means have been indicated in revelations which have been given unto us. We are not living as we should live. As a people we follow the systems of our fathers in regard to the management of wealth. We follow in the footsteps of those who have preceded us. We are innovators so far as religious thought and doctrines are concerned, and we have been bold innovators. We have not hesitated to adopt great reforms, and to proclaim them, and we have sought, with all the energies God has bestowed upon us, to make them facts in the earth. We have proclaimed this doctrine of gathering, and the people have been gathered together. This is a great innovation, it is a bold step, and it has resulted in success thus far. It is not now a novelty, or a new and untried experiment, for the gathering of the people together has been going on for forty years and upwards. But it was a great innovation when introduced. It is so with other doctrines which the Elders of this Church have taught. God inspired their hearts, and they, regardless of all consequences, fearlessly proclaimed the truth which he imparted unto them. We have made a great revolution in our domestic relations, and in our social system. We have taken a bold stand, and have been fearless of the consequences, because God, as we testify, has revealed unto us a principle that should be practiced, and which we should carry out, and be the pioneers in inaugurating for the redemption of men and women, and that should check, and, in fact, effectually cure, the evils under which Christendom has groaned for centuries. The Elders of this Church did this, and have risked all the consequences, from the time the system was inaugurated until the present time. The results of this we can all see, in the purity and chastity of our community; for strange as it may seem, in no other land are the chastity and virtue of women so highly respected as in Utah. Throughout the length and breadth of this Territory public sentiment is utterly opposed to anything that would violate that chastity and virtue.
In these directions, then, we have been bold and fearless innovators. But so far as financial matters are concerned, so far as the accumulation and management of wealth are concerned, we have not followed in the path which God has marked out. Yet the time must come, and we may as well prepare our minds for it, when we shall have to take a great step in this direction, and when we shall have to follow the path indicated by God in order to escape the evils that are inevitable, and that will otherwise most assuredly come upon, and overwhelm us.
I have told you that others who have preceded us have fallen a prey to evils. The increase of wealth in every nation has been attended with fatal consequences. We have but to read the history of our race from the beginning until the present time to rest assured of that. Men have said, probably, to all of you who have been out and mingled with the world, “It is very well for you Latter-day Saints to talk about your condition now, because you are a primitive people, you are a young community, you have not been tempted and tried. Wait till you increase in wealth, and until you become familiar with the sins which surround the wealthy. Wait until you are brought in contact with luxury; wait until the spirit of reform which animated your pioneers dies out, and a generation rises up who will think more of the world, then there will be a different feeling and spirit, and you will not be persecuted, hated or despised. You will become more popular, because the world will become familiarized with your ideas. Then 'Mormonism' and the Latter-day Saints will become like every other people that have preceded them—overcome by the luxuries of the world, and by the love of riches.” Have you not heard remarks of this kind time and time again? Doubtless they have been made to you or in your hearing.
Now, how shall we avert these evils? It is very well to say that God has established this kingdom; it is very well to say that this is his Church. Did he never have a Church or kingdom on the earth before?
Did he never have a people on the earth before? Why, most certainly he did. He had churches before this; he had people before he chose the Latter-day Saints. He had communities that he owned and recognized before we were organized. Yet they went the way of all the earth, and the Church of God disappeared from the midst of the inhabitants of the earth. Luxury, corruption, vice, extravagance, the love of wealth and the allurements of sin prevailed in all the earth, and the devil—his satanic majesty—held high carnival throughout the earth because of the influence and power of these things over the hearts of the children of men. It is true that God established his work before; we know it to be true; and because he has established it in our day, we need not think that he is going to preserve it without using means to do so. He has revealed, and will continue to reveal, law, and that law must be obeyed by us, or we cannot be preserved. The time must come when we must obey that which has been revealed to us as the Order of Enoch, when there shall be no rich and no poor among the Latter-day Saints; when wealth will not be a temptation; when every man will love his neighbor as he does himself; when every man and woman will labor for the good of all as much as for self. That day must come, and we may as well prepare our hearts for it, brethren, for as wealth increases I see more and more a necessity for the institution of such an order. As wealth increases, luxury and extravagance have more power over us. The necessity for such an order is very great, and God, undoubtedly, in his own time and way, will inspire his servant to introduce it among the people. I do not wish to foreshadow when it will be done, or what the circumstances will be that will call it forth, for this is not my province; but I feel led to talk upon it, and to prepare my own heart, and to seek, with all the faith and influence I have, to prepare the hearts of my brethren and sisters for the introduction of this order. It will doubtless be a time of trial, and will be attended with many things that will test our feelings; but when we view the great results that will follow its introduction and its perfect establishment upon the earth, we should be filled with thanksgiving and praise that God has devised a scheme of this kind. You can see already the effects of the partial introduction of something akin to it in cooperation. We have had that established in our midst, and what are its effects? We witness a gradual diffusion of means throughout the community, greatly benefiting all its members. One of the effects of this which we witness is that wealth does not increase so rapidly in the hands of the few, and that the poor are not kept in poverty so much.
Before cooperation started, you doubtless saw and deplored the increase of wealth in some few hands. There was rapidly growing in our midst a class of monetary men composing an aristocracy of wealth. Our community was menaced by serious dangers through this, because if a community is separated into two classes, one poor and the other rich, their interests are diverse. Poverty and wealth do not work together well—one lords it over the other; one becomes the prey of the other. This is apt to be the case in all societies, in ours as well as others; probably not to so great an extent, but still it was sufficiently serious to menace us as a people with danger. God inspired his servant to counsel the people to enter into cooperation, and it has now been practiced for some years in our midst with the best results. Those who have put in a little means have had that more than doubled since Z. C. M. I. started—three years last March. And so it is with cooperative herds, cooperative factories, and cooperative institutions of all kinds which have been established in our midst, and all the people can partake of the benefits of this system. You can see the effect of cooperation on the people. But this is only a limited system, it does not extend as far as needed, although it required faith to enter into this; yet it will require more to enter upon the other of which I have spoken.
While upon cooperation, let me here say that we can witness the good effects of this to the Church, and we shall feel them in days to come. President Young, the other day, paid into the cooperative establishment—Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution—a hundred thousand dollars tithing—the tithing of his own personal means—and it is now where it will yield profits for the benefit of the whole Church. Now, if this amount had been used to pay the hands on the public works and those laboring for the Church, how long do you think it would have lasted? It would very soon have been used up. But I have admired the wisdom, and have felt thankful that there was a sum placed where it could be used for the benefit of the work, and at the same time yield a handsome return for the investment. I do not think it will take more than three years, if the Cooperative Institution prospers as well in the future as in the past, for this sum to double itself in the shape of dividends. I refer to this in passing, because it is a testimony today, after three and a half years have elapsed, to the wisdom that prompted the establishment of this institution; but notwithstanding this you are aware that many cried out against it, and denounced it as very unwise, and likely to end disastrously, and several apostatized through its inauguration because they wanted all the profits themselves, and were unwilling the people should have any. But we have the facts before us. The people who entered into it have been blessed exceedingly, and they will continue to be so if they persevere.
But I have said that this is only a stepping stone to something beyond that is more perfect, and that will result in the diffusion of the blessings of God to a greater extent among us. In other lands you see the people divided into classes. You see beggars in the street, and men and women who are short of food, dwelling in hovels and in the poorest of tenements. At the same time, others revel in luxury, they have everything they need, and more than they need to satisfy all their wants. Every philanthropist who contemplates this, does so with sadness, and measure after measure has been devised to remedy this state of things. Our community is not a prey to these evils. Beggary and want are unknown in this Territory; at the same time we have no very rich men among us. Like other new communities we are more on an equality than we would be if we were older, and if we were to become an old community under the system which prevailed before cooperation was established, then it is very probable that some of the class distinctions to be seen in other communities would be seen in ours. It is to avoid this that God has revealed that which I have alluded to, and his design is to bring to pass a better condition of affairs, by making men equal in earthly things. He has given this earth to all his children; and he has given to us air, light, water and soil; he has given to us the animals that are upon the earth, and all the elements by which it is surrounded. They are not given to one or to some, to the exclusion of others; not to one class, or to one nation to the exclusion of other classes or other nations. But he has given them to his children in all nations alike. Man, however, abuses the agency that God has given him, and he transgresses his laws by oppressing his fellow men. There is selfishness in the rich, and there is covetousness in the poor. There is a clashing of interests, and there is not that feeling among men which we are told the Gospel should bring—a feeling to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. This does not exist on the earth now, it is reserved for God to restore it. We pray that God's will may be done on earth as it is in heaven, and when it shall, then the order which exists in heaven will be practiced and enjoyed by men on the earth. I do not expect when we get to heaven, that we shall see some riding in their chariots, enjoying every luxury, and crowned with crowns of glory, while the rest are in poverty.
I have spoken longer than I intended, but there are some few thoughts on my mind to which I will allude in this connection before I sit down, and that is, brethren and sisters, that we should, to the extent of our ability, foster these institutions that have been established among us. We should do all that we can to sustain ourselves—sustain our own factories, do all in our power to maintain these things that we have established, and seek with all our energy to foster them. We have factories here that can make as good cloth as any of their size, probably, in the nation. They ought to be sustained by us. Brother Erastus Snow related an incident a day or two ago in relation to their operations at St. George. They received quite a quantity of cloth from the factory of President Young. He told the storekeeper at St. George not to say anything about where it was manufactured. At the same time they received a consignment of eastern manufactured goods. They were put side by side on the shelves of the store and sold to the people. There were very few—some two or three persons—who knew that any of these goods were manufactured in the Territory. They sold very readily to the people, who said they were the best goods they had bought. They wore them, and they wore well. Several lots were received from the President's factory, and sold in the same way, the people remaining in ignorance a good while as to the place of their manufacture, and imagining that they were brought from the east. There is an idea prevailing among many of us that something manufactured abroad is better than that manufactured at home. President George A. Smith, Elder Woodruff and myself, on our recent visit to California, examined the Oregon and California goods. We went through a woollen factory there, where very excellent goods were made. We saw some blankets and some other things which were manufactured there, which cannot be surpassed. I recollected that I had heard parties here, who had purchased Oregon cloth, praise it very highly; but in examining that class of goods in California, I found that the cloth manufactured in this Territory compared very favorably with it, and had they been put side by side, bolt by bolt, it would have been very difficult to tell which was Utah and which was Oregon manufacture. Indeed if there was any preference I was inclined to give it to our own cloth.
We have factories that can make straw hats, straw bonnets and every thing of this kind. We have good tanners' and shoe shops, and harness shops. We have a great many manufactories in our Territory that should be fostered by us as a people. We should guard against luxury and extravagance, and use that which is manufactured at home.
That God may bless us, that he may pour out his Holy Spirit upon this Conference; upon those who speak and those who hear, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.
The choir sang the anthem, “Open thou mine eyes.”
Adjourned till 2 p.m.
Prayer by Elder Brigham Young, Junr.
Discourse by Elder George Q. Cannon, delivered at the 42nd Semi-Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, October 8, 1872.
Reported by David W. Evans.
Since the commencement of our Conference we have heard very much valuable instruction, and testimonies which have been very cheering to the hearts of those who have heard them; and no doubt every person who has attended Conference from its commencement until the present time, and who will continue until the Conference shall terminate, will feel amply rewarded for the time spent, and will go away feeling better prepared to perform the duties which may devolve upon him or her.
There is so much to talk about connected with our circumstances and condition, that it requires a portion of the Spirit of the Lord to enable a person, in speaking, to dwell upon those points which are best adapted to our present requirements. We are not situated as any other people, that is, in many respects, and instructions adapted to our circumstances would differ probably from those which would be required by others. We have been, from the commencement, a peculiar people; our religion is in many respects at the present time a peculiar one; yet, if there be any distinctive peculiarity about the religion of the Latter-day Saints, it is that they believe and receive the Scriptures as they are, and do not attempt to put double meanings to their teachings. Our religion being peculiar, the effect of it is somewhat peculiar. The message which the Elders of this Church declare when they go forth to preach the Gospel has a different effect, upon people who listen to it, to that which is declared by any other denomination. Not because faith in Jesus Christ, repentance of sin, baptism for the remission of sins, and laying on of hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost are taught, but because, following these principles, there is declared unto the people the propriety and the necessity of gathering out from the various nations where they dwell, from the midst of their kindred and their former associates, and concentrating at the place which God, as the Elders testify, has selected as the place for his people to reside in. This is a strange doctrine, and one that is peculiar to the Latter-day Saints, and, as I have said, the effects upon the people are peculiar. No sooner do they hear the proclamation of this doctrine, and in some instances before, than there springs up in the hearts of those who have received the testimony of the Elders a desire to gather out, and be associated with the people with whom they have joined, and whose faith they have received. I suppose that among the thousands who live in this Territory, who have been gathered from the various States of this country, and from the various countries of Europe, of Asia and the islands of the sea, there is scarcely one to be found who did not, as soon as he or she embraced the Gospel, have an intense desire to gather with the people of God, and to become closely associated with them, to believe as they believed, to live as they lived, to share their trials, to partake of their prosperity or adversity, as the case might be; to receive instructions from the man whom they believed God had chosen to preside over his Church upon the earth. And the effect upon the Latter-day Saints in every land is the same in this respect. You may travel to the most inhospitable climate—to the bleak regions of the north, or to the sunny climes of the south; to the lands of sterility and barrenness, where hardship seems to be the lot of the people, where privation is one of the incidents of their existence; or to the lands of fertility, where the inhabitants acquire a livelihood with ease; in fact, no matter where you go, nor whatever the circumstances may be which surround the people, when they hear the testimony of the servants of God, and receive and act upon it, the same spirit takes possession of the people, and they gladly forsake the lands of their nativity, and the associations of life—of early life and mature age, the homes of their childhood and the graves of their ancestors, and wend their way with joy and gladness to this strange land, which God, as they verily believe and know, by the testimony of his Holy Spirit, has prepared as a resting place for them. This is the universal effect wherever the Gospel has been preached, and in this respect the Latter-day Saints are a peculiar people.
But though we have gathered together, as we have, in this country, there seems to be in the minds of a great many people a disposition to overlook the reasons which God our heavenly Father has had in view in gathering us out, and collecting us together, and making us one people. The prophecies which were recorded in ancient days, as well as those which have been given us in the day in which we live; all point forward to this great dispensation, as a time when God should do a great and mighty work in the midst of the earth, and when a great revolution should be effected and a great reformation accomplished among the children of men; when he should have a peculiar people—a people who should be gathered out from all nations, a people who should be free from the vices and the evils of all nations, a people upon whom he should place his name, and whom he should recognize as his. We are told by the Revelator John, that a time would come when the people of God should be commanded to come out of Babylon, out of confusion, when they should be gathered out from every nation, from the remotest parts of the earth, and when he should make of them a great and mighty people.
We see a partial fulfillment of this prediction in this Territory—this people are gathered from various lands, and are dwelling together in peace and in union, without litigation, animosity or strife, all harmonizing together—their interests blended in one. To my mind this is one of the most remarkable phenomena to be witnessed on the face of the earth. It strikes me as such, and although familiar with it from my childhood, I look with wonder and astonishment at the great work that has been done in gathering this people together. Visitors come here, and they are full of admiration for the great labors that have been accomplished by the Latter-day Saints in transforming this wilderness land into a fruitful field, in creating these gardens, in erecting these houses, in adorning this land with beautiful habitations and with groves, and making this soil, once so barren and sterile, teem with fertility. They admire the physical works which we have accomplished; but to my mind there is something greater than this to be admired. There are works which far surpass the work accomplished on the face of nature. When I contemplate the work that has been accomplished in gathering the people from the various nations; when I see men of various languages and, originally, of various creeds, born under various forms of government, spread throughout this land, dwelling together in peace, union and love, worshiping together in the one Tabernacle, or in the same places of worship throughout the length and breadth of this Territory, I see something which to my mind is far, far more surprising than anything wrought by our physical labors. I see a power wonderful in its effect—a power which has molded the heart's and blended the feelings of the children of men, and created a oneness in their midst, the effects of which are witnessed all around us. God has done this, and to his name the glory must be ascribed. Man cannot do these things, he cannot thus affect and operate upon the minds of his fellow men. He may produce some effect, may accomplish some results, but that union, love and harmony which we witness among ourselves is beyond the power of man to bring about—it is the power of God which he has manifested; and for wise and great ends has this wonderful God-like power been restored, which binds the hearts of men to their fellow men, and causes them to cooperate, as they have done in this land, in accomplishing the labors which have devolved upon us.
But yet, though I can admire these things, brethren and sisters, there are many things which we have neglected to do, which devolve upon us. God has given unto us a great mission in the earth, and whether we realize it or not it is a fact. He has entrusted to us, as a people, a great and mighty work to perform. We look around us in the various nations as well as in our own nation, and we see a great many evils existing, we see these evils increasing in magnitude, and becoming more formidable and threatening every year that passes over our heads. Probably we who reside in these mountains, and have done so for a quarter of a century, can realize the evidence of these evils better than they who live in the midst of them and witness their gradual growth without noticing the great changes which have been effected. But we see extravagance, corruption, and a lack of virtue and public morality; we see the breaking down of those barriers which formerly existed, and a sapping and demoralization of public sentiment and of private morality throughout the nation of which we form a part, as well as in other nations.
Now there is laid upon us, as a people, the labor of establishing righteousness in the earth. There is laid upon us the duty of building up in purity and power a system which God has revealed unto us. Not a system of theocracy to be exclusive in its effects, not to build up a class, a priesthood that should domineer and wield unjust and oppressive power over the hearts and minds of the children of men. Our mission is to lay the foundation and to build up a system under which all the inhabitants of the land can dwell in peace and safety. But I notice a difficulty in our own midst, and that is that we yield, to a great extent, to the tendencies of the age, to the influences which surround us on every hand. We must refrain from this, we must set our faces like flint against every species of corruption, against every kind of wrong, in whatever form it may approach us. We must seek with all the energy that we have, to build up in truth and righteousness that which God has committed unto us, and establish impregnably the system of reformation with which we are entrusted. There can be no better way for us to commence than by listening to the counsels that have been given unto us in the past, and which have been the means of producing the peace, happiness and prosperity which we witness among us.
There are tendencies to be witnessed in this city, and among our own people here, that we have to guard against. We well know that, of late, there has been an increase of wealth, and of the means of acquiring luxuries and comforts. God has bestowed these upon us, and the question now is with us, Will we use these, means aright, with an eye single to his glory? Will we, with our increased prosperity, devote ourselves in the future, as we have in the past, to the building up of the kingdom of God, as our paramount duty? Not for our own aggrandizement, but for the benefit of our fellow men in every land, as well as for the benefit of those who reside in this Territory. If we do this, God will bless us. But you know what the fate of all people has been who have been similarly situated to us in the beginning. In their early days they were pure, they were not extravagant, they were simple in their tastes, habits and dress. They did not allow their minds to go out after earthly things, or to be placed upon them. But means and wealth will always increase among frugal, economical, virtuous and industrious people, for it is one of the natural consequences which follow industry and well-directed labor, and we are no exceptions to this rule. We live in a land that has been barren and sterile above all lands on this continent, and by well-directed energy and industry, by perseverance, temperance and frugality, we have been blessed, and now the fruits of our long-continued abstemiousness and industry are beginning to flow in upon us, and we are becoming wealthy. Our lands are becoming valuable, our surroundings are becoming, if not luxurious, at least comfortable, wealth is pouring into our laps, and the prospect is that ere long we will be as wealthy a community, probably, as can be found between the two oceans. This seems to be the natural tendency of events at the present time.
Now the question arises—and I deem it an important one for this Conference—it has rested on my mind, as I doubt not it has on the minds of the brethren—will we as a people devote the means that God is giving unto us, for the preservation and continuation of that system that he has revealed unto us? Or will we scatter it abroad, destroy ourselves, and spoil the future which God has in store for us? We must be a different people from every other that has preceded us, if we fulfill the predictions of the holy Priesthood, for God has said, through the mouth of his prophet Daniel, thousands of years ago, that this kingdom should not be given into the hands of another people, but it should stand forever. It should not share the fate of previous attempts of the same character, and be overthrown in consequence of the weakness of the people, and the abandonment by them of the principles of truth and righteousness. There is nothing plainer to my mind than this, that if the Latter-day Saints become luxurious and extravagant; if they love the world and forsake their former purity; if they forsake their frugality and temperance, and the principles which God has revealed unto them, and by the practice of which they are today the people that they are; we shall be overthrown as others have been overthrown. But I do not look for any such result, for I believe firmly in the prediction of Daniel, that this work, when established, shall not be given into the hands of another people, but it shall stand forever, and there will be means and agencies used and brought to bear on the minds of the people, to prevent such a catastrophe as that to which I have alluded—to prevent the downfall of the system and the overthrow of those connected with it, and to prevent the victory of that which is evil over that which is good, holy and pure.
These means have been indicated in revelations which have been given unto us. We are not living as we should live. As a people we follow the systems of our fathers in regard to the management of wealth. We follow in the footsteps of those who have preceded us. We are innovators so far as religious thought and doctrines are concerned, and we have been bold innovators. We have not hesitated to adopt great reforms, and to proclaim them, and we have sought, with all the energies God has bestowed upon us, to make them facts in the earth. We have proclaimed this doctrine of gathering, and the people have been gathered together. This is a great innovation, it is a bold step, and it has resulted in success thus far. It is not now a novelty, or a new and untried experiment, for the gathering of the people together has been going on for forty years and upwards. But it was a great innovation when introduced. It is so with other doctrines which the Elders of this Church have taught. God inspired their hearts, and they, regardless of all consequences, fearlessly proclaimed the truth which he imparted unto them. We have made a great revolution in our domestic relations, and in our social system. We have taken a bold stand, and have been fearless of the consequences, because God, as we testify, has revealed unto us a principle that should be practiced, and which we should carry out, and be the pioneers in inaugurating for the redemption of men and women, and that should check, and, in fact, effectually cure, the evils under which Christendom has groaned for centuries. The Elders of this Church did this, and have risked all the consequences, from the time the system was inaugurated until the present time. The results of this we can all see, in the purity and chastity of our community; for strange as it may seem, in no other land are the chastity and virtue of women so highly respected as in Utah. Throughout the length and breadth of this Territory public sentiment is utterly opposed to anything that would violate that chastity and virtue.
In these directions, then, we have been bold and fearless innovators. But so far as financial matters are concerned, so far as the accumulation and management of wealth are concerned, we have not followed in the path which God has marked out. Yet the time must come, and we may as well prepare our minds for it, when we shall have to take a great step in this direction, and when we shall have to follow the path indicated by God in order to escape the evils that are inevitable, and that will otherwise most assuredly come upon, and overwhelm us.
I have told you that others who have preceded us have fallen a prey to evils. The increase of wealth in every nation has been attended with fatal consequences. We have but to read the history of our race from the beginning until the present time to rest assured of that. Men have said, probably, to all of you who have been out and mingled with the world, “It is very well for you Latter-day Saints to talk about your condition now, because you are a primitive people, you are a young community, you have not been tempted and tried. Wait till you increase in wealth, and until you become familiar with the sins which surround the wealthy. Wait until you are brought in contact with luxury; wait until the spirit of reform which animated your pioneers dies out, and a generation rises up who will think more of the world, then there will be a different feeling and spirit, and you will not be persecuted, hated or despised. You will become more popular, because the world will become familiarized with your ideas. Then 'Mormonism' and the Latter-day Saints will become like every other people that have preceded them—overcome by the luxuries of the world, and by the love of riches.” Have you not heard remarks of this kind time and time again? Doubtless they have been made to you or in your hearing.
Now, how shall we avert these evils? It is very well to say that God has established this kingdom; it is very well to say that this is his Church. Did he never have a Church or kingdom on the earth before?
Did he never have a people on the earth before? Why, most certainly he did. He had churches before this; he had people before he chose the Latter-day Saints. He had communities that he owned and recognized before we were organized. Yet they went the way of all the earth, and the Church of God disappeared from the midst of the inhabitants of the earth. Luxury, corruption, vice, extravagance, the love of wealth and the allurements of sin prevailed in all the earth, and the devil—his satanic majesty—held high carnival throughout the earth because of the influence and power of these things over the hearts of the children of men. It is true that God established his work before; we know it to be true; and because he has established it in our day, we need not think that he is going to preserve it without using means to do so. He has revealed, and will continue to reveal, law, and that law must be obeyed by us, or we cannot be preserved. The time must come when we must obey that which has been revealed to us as the Order of Enoch, when there shall be no rich and no poor among the Latter-day Saints; when wealth will not be a temptation; when every man will love his neighbor as he does himself; when every man and woman will labor for the good of all as much as for self. That day must come, and we may as well prepare our hearts for it, brethren, for as wealth increases I see more and more a necessity for the institution of such an order. As wealth increases, luxury and extravagance have more power over us. The necessity for such an order is very great, and God, undoubtedly, in his own time and way, will inspire his servant to introduce it among the people. I do not wish to foreshadow when it will be done, or what the circumstances will be that will call it forth, for this is not my province; but I feel led to talk upon it, and to prepare my own heart, and to seek, with all the faith and influence I have, to prepare the hearts of my brethren and sisters for the introduction of this order. It will doubtless be a time of trial, and will be attended with many things that will test our feelings; but when we view the great results that will follow its introduction and its perfect establishment upon the earth, we should be filled with thanksgiving and praise that God has devised a scheme of this kind. You can see already the effects of the partial introduction of something akin to it in cooperation. We have had that established in our midst, and what are its effects? We witness a gradual diffusion of means throughout the community, greatly benefiting all its members. One of the effects of this which we witness is that wealth does not increase so rapidly in the hands of the few, and that the poor are not kept in poverty so much.
Before cooperation started, you doubtless saw and deplored the increase of wealth in some few hands. There was rapidly growing in our midst a class of monetary men composing an aristocracy of wealth. Our community was menaced by serious dangers through this, because if a community is separated into two classes, one poor and the other rich, their interests are diverse. Poverty and wealth do not work together well—one lords it over the other; one becomes the prey of the other. This is apt to be the case in all societies, in ours as well as others; probably not to so great an extent, but still it was sufficiently serious to menace us as a people with danger. God inspired his servant to counsel the people to enter into cooperation, and it has now been practiced for some years in our midst with the best results. Those who have put in a little means have had that more than doubled since Z. C. M. I. started—three years last March. And so it is with cooperative herds, cooperative factories, and cooperative institutions of all kinds which have been established in our midst, and all the people can partake of the benefits of this system. You can see the effect of cooperation on the people. But this is only a limited system, it does not extend as far as needed, although it required faith to enter into this; yet it will require more to enter upon the other of which I have spoken.
While upon cooperation, let me here say that we can witness the good effects of this to the Church, and we shall feel them in days to come. President Young, the other day, paid into the cooperative establishment—Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution—a hundred thousand dollars tithing—the tithing of his own personal means—and it is now where it will yield profits for the benefit of the whole Church. Now, if this amount had been used to pay the hands on the public works and those laboring for the Church, how long do you think it would have lasted? It would very soon have been used up. But I have admired the wisdom, and have felt thankful that there was a sum placed where it could be used for the benefit of the work, and at the same time yield a handsome return for the investment. I do not think it will take more than three years, if the Cooperative Institution prospers as well in the future as in the past, for this sum to double itself in the shape of dividends. I refer to this in passing, because it is a testimony today, after three and a half years have elapsed, to the wisdom that prompted the establishment of this institution; but notwithstanding this you are aware that many cried out against it, and denounced it as very unwise, and likely to end disastrously, and several apostatized through its inauguration because they wanted all the profits themselves, and were unwilling the people should have any. But we have the facts before us. The people who entered into it have been blessed exceedingly, and they will continue to be so if they persevere.
But I have said that this is only a stepping stone to something beyond that is more perfect, and that will result in the diffusion of the blessings of God to a greater extent among us. In other lands you see the people divided into classes. You see beggars in the street, and men and women who are short of food, dwelling in hovels and in the poorest of tenements. At the same time, others revel in luxury, they have everything they need, and more than they need to satisfy all their wants. Every philanthropist who contemplates this, does so with sadness, and measure after measure has been devised to remedy this state of things. Our community is not a prey to these evils. Beggary and want are unknown in this Territory; at the same time we have no very rich men among us. Like other new communities we are more on an equality than we would be if we were older, and if we were to become an old community under the system which prevailed before cooperation was established, then it is very probable that some of the class distinctions to be seen in other communities would be seen in ours. It is to avoid this that God has revealed that which I have alluded to, and his design is to bring to pass a better condition of affairs, by making men equal in earthly things. He has given this earth to all his children; and he has given to us air, light, water and soil; he has given to us the animals that are upon the earth, and all the elements by which it is surrounded. They are not given to one or to some, to the exclusion of others; not to one class, or to one nation to the exclusion of other classes or other nations. But he has given them to his children in all nations alike. Man, however, abuses the agency that God has given him, and he transgresses his laws by oppressing his fellow men. There is selfishness in the rich, and there is covetousness in the poor. There is a clashing of interests, and there is not that feeling among men which we are told the Gospel should bring—a feeling to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. This does not exist on the earth now, it is reserved for God to restore it. We pray that God's will may be done on earth as it is in heaven, and when it shall, then the order which exists in heaven will be practiced and enjoyed by men on the earth. I do not expect when we get to heaven, that we shall see some riding in their chariots, enjoying every luxury, and crowned with crowns of glory, while the rest are in poverty.
I have spoken longer than I intended, but there are some few thoughts on my mind to which I will allude in this connection before I sit down, and that is, brethren and sisters, that we should, to the extent of our ability, foster these institutions that have been established among us. We should do all that we can to sustain ourselves—sustain our own factories, do all in our power to maintain these things that we have established, and seek with all our energy to foster them. We have factories here that can make as good cloth as any of their size, probably, in the nation. They ought to be sustained by us. Brother Erastus Snow related an incident a day or two ago in relation to their operations at St. George. They received quite a quantity of cloth from the factory of President Young. He told the storekeeper at St. George not to say anything about where it was manufactured. At the same time they received a consignment of eastern manufactured goods. They were put side by side on the shelves of the store and sold to the people. There were very few—some two or three persons—who knew that any of these goods were manufactured in the Territory. They sold very readily to the people, who said they were the best goods they had bought. They wore them, and they wore well. Several lots were received from the President's factory, and sold in the same way, the people remaining in ignorance a good while as to the place of their manufacture, and imagining that they were brought from the east. There is an idea prevailing among many of us that something manufactured abroad is better than that manufactured at home. President George A. Smith, Elder Woodruff and myself, on our recent visit to California, examined the Oregon and California goods. We went through a woollen factory there, where very excellent goods were made. We saw some blankets and some other things which were manufactured there, which cannot be surpassed. I recollected that I had heard parties here, who had purchased Oregon cloth, praise it very highly; but in examining that class of goods in California, I found that the cloth manufactured in this Territory compared very favorably with it, and had they been put side by side, bolt by bolt, it would have been very difficult to tell which was Utah and which was Oregon manufacture. Indeed if there was any preference I was inclined to give it to our own cloth.
We have factories that can make straw hats, straw bonnets and every thing of this kind. We have good tanners' and shoe shops, and harness shops. We have a great many manufactories in our Territory that should be fostered by us as a people. We should guard against luxury and extravagance, and use that which is manufactured at home.
That God may bless us, that he may pour out his Holy Spirit upon this Conference; upon those who speak and those who hear, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.
The choir sang the anthem, “Open thou mine eyes.”
Adjourned till 2 p.m.
Prayer by Elder Brigham Young, Junr.
Tuesday, 8th, 2 p.m.
The Choir sang: “How beauteous are their feet Who stand on Zion’s hill.”
Prayer by Elder Albert P. Rockwood.
“Come, dearest Lord, descend and dwell, By faith and love, in every breast,” was sung by the Choir.
The Choir sang: “How beauteous are their feet Who stand on Zion’s hill.”
Prayer by Elder Albert P. Rockwood.
“Come, dearest Lord, descend and dwell, By faith and love, in every breast,” was sung by the Choir.
Elder Brigham Young, Jun.,
bore testimony to the divine authenticity of the work with which he was identified. He spoke of the great privileges extended, through the restoration of the gospel, to all who would accept of its heaven-born principles. The Saints had something reliable and permanent to guide them, and were not liable to be blown about by every wind of the doctrine. They not only had the written word, but were blessed with the teachings of the Comforter and of the living oracles. He deprecated the following after the fashions and follies of the world by many of the Saints, especially those living in Salt Lake City. Temptations not existing here hitherto were being introduced, and if they were resisted, they would tend to exalt instead of debase them. The speaker also commented upon the importance of the people observing the Word of Wisdom and upon the promises attached to obedience thereunto. It had been given to the Latter-day Saints as a commandment from God. The speaker adverted, in a pointed manner, to the conduct of many of the young men in the community who were indulging in pernicious practices, which were in direct infringement of the precepts of the gospel. It was the duty of all to discourage such habits. The speaker expressed the opinion that those who would continue to utterly disregard the Word of Wisdom would lack the Spirit, and eventually leave the Church. He exhorted the people earnestly to devote themselves, with singleness of heart, to carrying out the aim they had in gathering from the nations.
bore testimony to the divine authenticity of the work with which he was identified. He spoke of the great privileges extended, through the restoration of the gospel, to all who would accept of its heaven-born principles. The Saints had something reliable and permanent to guide them, and were not liable to be blown about by every wind of the doctrine. They not only had the written word, but were blessed with the teachings of the Comforter and of the living oracles. He deprecated the following after the fashions and follies of the world by many of the Saints, especially those living in Salt Lake City. Temptations not existing here hitherto were being introduced, and if they were resisted, they would tend to exalt instead of debase them. The speaker also commented upon the importance of the people observing the Word of Wisdom and upon the promises attached to obedience thereunto. It had been given to the Latter-day Saints as a commandment from God. The speaker adverted, in a pointed manner, to the conduct of many of the young men in the community who were indulging in pernicious practices, which were in direct infringement of the precepts of the gospel. It was the duty of all to discourage such habits. The speaker expressed the opinion that those who would continue to utterly disregard the Word of Wisdom would lack the Spirit, and eventually leave the Church. He exhorted the people earnestly to devote themselves, with singleness of heart, to carrying out the aim they had in gathering from the nations.
Testimony—Search the Scriptures—Word of Wisdom
Discourse by Elder Brigham Young, Jun., delivered at the 42nd Semi-Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, October 8, 1872.
Reported by David W. Evans.
I believe it is pleasing, generally, for an Elder in this Church to have the privilege of bearing his testimony, though it may be done with fear and trembling, before the people; yet the knowledge which God has given to the Elders of Israel inspires them to declare it unto the world. Although I am considerably afflicted, as well as my brethren, with this manfearing spirit, yet it is a pleasure to me, and I hope it ever will be, to stand before the congregations, and tell them that I know, by the revelations of Jesus Christ, that this is the people of God. I may not be able to instruct the people to that extent which others might, but with the help of the Spirit of the Lord I can testify to that which I do know, which I have experienced in my life, and which has been brought home to my understanding. I think that it strengthens me in the principles of the everlasting Gospel every time I have the privilege of testifying to their truth.
It is almost impossible for this people to realize that they are called by the power and authority of the Almighty, and that they are the Saints of God, nevertheless it is true if we are living that religion which we profess to believe in. Let those who have not received a testimony to that effect go before their Maker, seek him in all diligence, be faithful to that which they know, and he will reveal it unto their minds. We have not come to this earth to idle away our time, or to throw away that precious gift which is within the reach of all whom God has created. Eternal life is extended unto us by a merciful Creator, and we have the opportunity of gaining an exaltation in the kingdom of God if we have a mind to improve it. We have come here without a knowledge of a former existence, we are like strangers in a strange land. The knowledge that we have acquired guides us to some extent, enables us to gain a living, and in part to understand the things of the kingdom of God. Brethren and sisters, we are here as strangers in a strange land, and a guide is what we want—a guide for our actions on the earth. God has given us one—he revealed a guide through Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and others who have lived in modern times, and they have revealed the will of the Almighty unto the people. We are not left destitute, so that we can be led away by every manner of doctrine; when we hear people say, “Lo! here is Christ, lo! there is Christ,” we are not left to ourselves, neither have we to seek the advice of men to know whether these expressions are true or not, because the Spirit of the Almighty has testified unto us that the revelations contained in those books—the Book of Doctrine and Covenants and the Book of Mormon, which we received through Joseph Smith, are true, and they are given unto us for our guidance.
Is it necessary to ask this people if they are acquainted with the revelations contained in these books, which have been given unto us as a guide to eternal life in the presence of God? Do we understand the revelations contained within the lids of these books? They contain blessings and truths inestimable, for they point the way back into the presence of our God. Do we study and understand them, or are our minds taken up with such light reading as naturally tends to distract the attention from the principles of the Gospel? There is too much fault-finding and confusion, and too much of the world in the midst of this people, and especially in the midst of the Latter-day Saints who dwell in Salt Lake City. It is true that temptations are broadcast in our midst, and we meet them on every hand. But is that any reason that we should give way to them? Is it any reason that we should adopt the follies and fashions of the world because they have been introduced into our midst? Well do I remember the time when, in this city, it was customary for the Saints to retire to rest without locking their doors. There was no necessity to lock granaries, or stables, or to guard property as we are compelled to do now. But times have changed, the temptations which the Lord said should overtake his people have come, and they have come for our salvation, for without them it would be impossible for us to show to God that we are for him and his kingdom and that, under any and all circumstances, we are determined to work righteousness upon the earth. I do not complain because these temptations have been introduced into our midst, for they are necessary. If the Lord sees fit to permit them, I have nothing to say only by way of counsel, and to exhort the Saints not to indulge in those things which would have a tendency to grieve the Spirit of the Lord. I am aware that these evils are not pleasant, and probably if we could understand and comprehend evil without coming in contact with it, God would never have placed us on this earth, so far from our home, so far from those with whom we dwelt in the eternal worlds. He never would have placed us here but for our own good.
Here are the books—the Bible, Book of Mormon, and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants—which are given for a guide to the people of all the earth, if they will but listen to them; but they will not listen to the Book of Mormon and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and yet I have failed to discover a learned man who could take those books and tell where they differed in doctrine in the least. They cannot do this, because the doctrines of all are the same, for they all proceed from God, and they contain his plan for the salvation of his children upon the earth. Shall we obey the revelations which have been given? If I could have an answer from each individual here today, professing to be a Saint, I have no doubt it would be “Yes.” And if strangers, and the nations of the earth knew that we believe in them as firmly as we believe in anything on the earth, they would say, “If you believe in them, practice and obey them in every particular, and live according to your conscience and the law which God has given you.” I, by the revelations of the Almighty, understand these books to be true. I know that Jesus is the Christ. Not because I have read it in the books which I have named, or because I have heard Joseph Smith or others testify to it, but I know it by the revelations of God, just as others have known it in former dispensations of the Gospel, and just as others know it in this dispensation. Saints should live their religion; they should obey the principles which have been revealed and which are contained in these books. But there is too much ignorance concerning these revelations; they are not sufficiently studied; or if studied they are not remembered, if I am to judge from what I see around me. In traveling and preaching among the people, there is one revelation which presses itself particularly on my mind, and which I think the people would obey if they considered that it came from the Almighty. But as they do not obey it, I suppose they do not consider that it came from God. I refer to a revelation given in the year 1833, called the Word of Wisdom. We fail to obey it today, and we shall fail tomorrow unless we make a short turn and determine in our own minds that we will obey it. How many of us have disregarded that revelation, in every particular? It is to be found on page 240 of the Doctrine and Covenants, and it shadows to me that a time will come in the midst of this people when a desolating scourge will pass through our ranks, and the destroying angel will be in our midst as he was in Egypt when he slew all the firstborn of the Egyptians. God says “the destroying angel shall pass by” and shall not harm you if you will observe to do these things. Now if we believe this revelation, and I take it for granted that we do, though I may choose to doubt in my own case and some others, yet I assume that as a people we believe it; but what assurance have we that that angel will pass us by unless we do observe it? No more than the children of Israel would have had if they had failed to mark their doors and lintels with the blood of a lamb, as Moses had commanded them. What effect would a failure to comply with this commandment have had on them? Would the Destroyer have passed by the firstborn of Israel? I trow not; I think the firstborn of Israel would have been slain as well as the firstborn of Egypt. That was a revelation given by the Lord to Moses for the salvation of Israel; the Word of Wisdom is a revelation given by the Lord to Joseph Smith for the salvation of this people, and if we disobey, we have no more assurance than Israel had that the destroying angel will pass through our ranks and leave us unscathed. There is not a father or mother before me today who would like to see a child borne away to the graveyard because of their disobedience. Well, light is given, it has come to us, and it is for us to obey it, and to put into practice the commandments which God has given us. It is true that the Word of Wisdom does not say anything about drinking tea and coffee, but our leaders—men inspired of the Almighty, in whom we have full confidence, have told us that it includes these things, and that should be sufficient for us. The Word of Wisdom says that in those times, through the wickedness which is in the hearts of men, they would seek to destroy this people, by introducing into their midst something deleterious to health. If these are not the exact words, they are tantamount. Now is it necessary for us to observe the Word of Wisdom with regard to tea and coffee? Just as much as with regard to tobacco and liquor, because it has been so defined to us, and I so understand it.
When I think of these things, I think of what I have seen among the men who have been called particularly to labor on our railroads and in our cooperative institutions. What is the situation of some of the young men who labor in these institutions and upon our railroads? If they do not follow the examples set by those who travel and labor on other roads, then I do not understand it. I find that our young men are copying after the young men who travel on other roads—they smoke and they drink, with as much assurance as though they had followed it all their lives; and I doubt not, if they continue in the pursuit of such practices, they will become as proficient in other sins as some I have seen elsewhere. If young men wish to continue habits of this kind I have no objections, so far as I am concerned, but I do not wish them to invade my household. I do not wish my children to keep the company of men of this class. I do not wish my daughters to go into the society of men, even though they profess to belong to this Church, who will smoke, drink and swear, and who are ready to commit all the other sins contained in the catalogue if they had the opportunity, and were from under the eye of those who would condemn them. I know these things exist upon our railroads, and also in our cooperative institutions more or less, throughout this country. Now what course shall we pursue with regard to these things? Shall we foster them? If you see a young man in a cooperative store he dresses better and has a little more means and influence than other young men of his own age in the community. He exercises that influence for good or for evil over the minds of younger members of the community. My sons see such young men smoking and drinking, and they say “Why should not we?” And they will be likely to, until they arrive at years of discretion, and get sense to know better. Some may say, “Oh, they will turn round by and by, and do better.” We have no business to hope that, when once these evil habits are acquired by our children, they will turn round and do better when they arrive at years of maturity; at least I have no right to hope it on behalf of my own children. I hope to prevent it in their youth; I could not hope to stop it after they had commenced and become confirmed in it, although in some cases I might succeed. But I wish to prevent it, for I believe that prevention is better than cure.
It is our business, brethren and sisters, to put our foot upon these practices, and to discountenance and condemn them whenever we see our youth practicing them. This people are not gathered here to practice the sins which are prevalent in Babylon, at least I do not so understand it. The Scriptures teach me, and the Spirit of the Lord bears testimony, to cry unto the people to come out of Babylon, and not to drag Babylon or its sins into our midst. They are not necessary for our happiness. It is astonishing to me when I look over the people in this and other countries, to see the immense number who use tobacco and liquor. I sometimes wonder how the world lived so long without tobacco before the discovery of America! Now nearly everybody smokes or chews. They did without it before America was discovered, and they could now if they were so disposed. This people could if they would, and yet they are importing perhaps more tobacco, tea, coffee and liquor than ever before during their existence as a Church. I believe this is the case, from all I can hear and learn on the subject. This is wrong. We can go into our settlements in the north, south, east and west, and it is just as necessary to have tea, coffee and tobacco now, as ever. I can also find that where there is an almost boundless range, and the people can have an unlimited number of stock, all their cheese is imported—they eat States cheese there as they do in the city. Home manufacture is neglected, and our cows are left to die on the range, and we are expending the very bone and sinew of this community to get means to import articles which we can raise in abundance here. This will ruin us as a community if it is practiced long enough. These things may not be quite so prevalent as my words may imply. I do not mean to say that all the people disregard the Word of Wisdom; but I fear that the great majority do. If the brethren who have been called to occupy responsible positions in the midst of the people fail to observe the Word of Wisdom, it will grieve the Spirit of the Lord, and if they do not turn and repent they will leave this Church. That is my faith—if they continue to use these things, and to impress the minds of the people with the idea that it is utterly unnecessary to observe the Word of Wisdom, they will lose the spirit of this work and will eventually turn from it. The presiding Elders of this Church are called to observe the Word of Wisdom, and in all things to set a good example before the people. That is their business, and that is their mission, and as long as they live they will never have a greater.
Brethren, let us seek to understand and practice these things, and also endeavor to instruct the minds of our wives and children with regard to the principles contained in these books. Endeavor, brethren, to build up Zion, and not Babylon. I think very often, when I am speaking to the people, of a remark to President Young. He has been in the Church a great many years. On one occasion, only a very few years after the Church was organized, the Prophet Joseph counseled him and others never to do another day's work to build up Babylon, and he has obeyed that counsel. I know he has for twenty-five years past, and I am satisfied he has from the time the counsel was given.
Do we need to go away from home to build up Babylon? Do we need to leave this city to build up Babylon? No, continue to indulge our fancies for fashion and for the practice of those habits and customs which a corrupt civilization has introduced into our midst, and we are building up Babylon in the most approved style. That is my belief. Our outside friends have brought a great many good things here; they have improved our city, they are building fine buildings, and are expending their capital liberally. I do not object to this, but I do not want it to lead us from the path of truth and to bring us into bondage, to sin and iniquity. There is no necessity for this if we wisely use that which God has given us. You remember the time, brethren, after we had been in this valley a year or so, we were, in a manner, naked and barefooted, and were a thousand miles from any supply of clothing, and it was impossible for us to manufacture it, for there were no sheep in the country, nothing to manufacture cloth with, and no means to obtain it. You remember the prophecy delivered here upon this block by the late Heber C. Kimball, that within a certain time—a very brief period—clothing would be as cheap in Salt Lake City as in New York. What prospect had we at that time that his prophecy would be fulfilled, for a journey to the States and back again then required months to perform, and there was seemingly no chance of a supply of clothing from outside importation? Yet within the time specified, the prophecy was literally fulfilled, and clothing was far cheaper in the streets of this city than in the streets of New York. This is only one among the many prophecies which have been delivered and fulfilled. Some of you remember, and others of you have heard it spoken of, when President Young, in July 1847, while walking on this block, about where the Temple now stands, said to the brethren who were around him, “if our enemies will let us alone for ten years we will ask no odds of them.” Ten years that day, brethren, we got news that an army had left the confines of the States at that time, for Utah. What for? Their boast was, to destroy the “Mormons.” Did we ask any odds of them? No. Did we ask anything of them? No. We attempted to give them supplies, but they would not receive them. Brethren, this is the Church and kingdom of God, and we are led by holy men, men inspired by the Almighty. They give us a little now and a little then; we receive line upon line and precept upon precept, and if we give heed thereto, God will strengthen us, and the kingdom will grow and increase beneath our watchcare.
Is it necessary for us to remember the prophecies and the revelations which have been given for our salvation? If we have the truth—the Gospel of the Son of God—and we testify that we have, it is just as necessary for us to remember these things as it is for us to be saved in the kingdom of God. That is our position today; and it is impossible for any human being who has made covenant with the Almighty to be saved in his kingdom if he disregards the revelations and counsels that are given by the servants of God. I do not expect strangers to understand and believe this as we do. Strangers have not come here for the purpose of identifying themselves with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but the people to whom I am talking came here for that express purpose. They came here for their souls' salvation, they want to be saved in the kingdom of God. They had the testimony in the old countries, in the States, or wherever they received the Gospel, that God had re vealed himself to the children of men and that his kingdom was established on the earth, and they received light and intelligence which they never before possessed. They came here to build up the kingdom of God, and that kingdom is rolling forth and increasing and will continue to do. But are we giving way to folly and fashion to such an extent as to blind our minds to the great purpose we had in coming here? I hope not. I hope that we are living our religion.
Brethren, I testify to you that this is the kingdom of God, and that you are in a faith that will lead you back into the presence of your Father and God. I also testify that if the people of the nations of the earth will obey the Gospel they will receive salvation at the hands of the Almighty, and if they reject it they will receive condemnation at his hands at the last day.
May God bless you, Amen.
The Choir sang: “Jerusalem, my glorious home.”
Discourse by Elder Brigham Young, Jun., delivered at the 42nd Semi-Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, October 8, 1872.
Reported by David W. Evans.
I believe it is pleasing, generally, for an Elder in this Church to have the privilege of bearing his testimony, though it may be done with fear and trembling, before the people; yet the knowledge which God has given to the Elders of Israel inspires them to declare it unto the world. Although I am considerably afflicted, as well as my brethren, with this manfearing spirit, yet it is a pleasure to me, and I hope it ever will be, to stand before the congregations, and tell them that I know, by the revelations of Jesus Christ, that this is the people of God. I may not be able to instruct the people to that extent which others might, but with the help of the Spirit of the Lord I can testify to that which I do know, which I have experienced in my life, and which has been brought home to my understanding. I think that it strengthens me in the principles of the everlasting Gospel every time I have the privilege of testifying to their truth.
It is almost impossible for this people to realize that they are called by the power and authority of the Almighty, and that they are the Saints of God, nevertheless it is true if we are living that religion which we profess to believe in. Let those who have not received a testimony to that effect go before their Maker, seek him in all diligence, be faithful to that which they know, and he will reveal it unto their minds. We have not come to this earth to idle away our time, or to throw away that precious gift which is within the reach of all whom God has created. Eternal life is extended unto us by a merciful Creator, and we have the opportunity of gaining an exaltation in the kingdom of God if we have a mind to improve it. We have come here without a knowledge of a former existence, we are like strangers in a strange land. The knowledge that we have acquired guides us to some extent, enables us to gain a living, and in part to understand the things of the kingdom of God. Brethren and sisters, we are here as strangers in a strange land, and a guide is what we want—a guide for our actions on the earth. God has given us one—he revealed a guide through Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and others who have lived in modern times, and they have revealed the will of the Almighty unto the people. We are not left destitute, so that we can be led away by every manner of doctrine; when we hear people say, “Lo! here is Christ, lo! there is Christ,” we are not left to ourselves, neither have we to seek the advice of men to know whether these expressions are true or not, because the Spirit of the Almighty has testified unto us that the revelations contained in those books—the Book of Doctrine and Covenants and the Book of Mormon, which we received through Joseph Smith, are true, and they are given unto us for our guidance.
Is it necessary to ask this people if they are acquainted with the revelations contained in these books, which have been given unto us as a guide to eternal life in the presence of God? Do we understand the revelations contained within the lids of these books? They contain blessings and truths inestimable, for they point the way back into the presence of our God. Do we study and understand them, or are our minds taken up with such light reading as naturally tends to distract the attention from the principles of the Gospel? There is too much fault-finding and confusion, and too much of the world in the midst of this people, and especially in the midst of the Latter-day Saints who dwell in Salt Lake City. It is true that temptations are broadcast in our midst, and we meet them on every hand. But is that any reason that we should give way to them? Is it any reason that we should adopt the follies and fashions of the world because they have been introduced into our midst? Well do I remember the time when, in this city, it was customary for the Saints to retire to rest without locking their doors. There was no necessity to lock granaries, or stables, or to guard property as we are compelled to do now. But times have changed, the temptations which the Lord said should overtake his people have come, and they have come for our salvation, for without them it would be impossible for us to show to God that we are for him and his kingdom and that, under any and all circumstances, we are determined to work righteousness upon the earth. I do not complain because these temptations have been introduced into our midst, for they are necessary. If the Lord sees fit to permit them, I have nothing to say only by way of counsel, and to exhort the Saints not to indulge in those things which would have a tendency to grieve the Spirit of the Lord. I am aware that these evils are not pleasant, and probably if we could understand and comprehend evil without coming in contact with it, God would never have placed us on this earth, so far from our home, so far from those with whom we dwelt in the eternal worlds. He never would have placed us here but for our own good.
Here are the books—the Bible, Book of Mormon, and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants—which are given for a guide to the people of all the earth, if they will but listen to them; but they will not listen to the Book of Mormon and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and yet I have failed to discover a learned man who could take those books and tell where they differed in doctrine in the least. They cannot do this, because the doctrines of all are the same, for they all proceed from God, and they contain his plan for the salvation of his children upon the earth. Shall we obey the revelations which have been given? If I could have an answer from each individual here today, professing to be a Saint, I have no doubt it would be “Yes.” And if strangers, and the nations of the earth knew that we believe in them as firmly as we believe in anything on the earth, they would say, “If you believe in them, practice and obey them in every particular, and live according to your conscience and the law which God has given you.” I, by the revelations of the Almighty, understand these books to be true. I know that Jesus is the Christ. Not because I have read it in the books which I have named, or because I have heard Joseph Smith or others testify to it, but I know it by the revelations of God, just as others have known it in former dispensations of the Gospel, and just as others know it in this dispensation. Saints should live their religion; they should obey the principles which have been revealed and which are contained in these books. But there is too much ignorance concerning these revelations; they are not sufficiently studied; or if studied they are not remembered, if I am to judge from what I see around me. In traveling and preaching among the people, there is one revelation which presses itself particularly on my mind, and which I think the people would obey if they considered that it came from the Almighty. But as they do not obey it, I suppose they do not consider that it came from God. I refer to a revelation given in the year 1833, called the Word of Wisdom. We fail to obey it today, and we shall fail tomorrow unless we make a short turn and determine in our own minds that we will obey it. How many of us have disregarded that revelation, in every particular? It is to be found on page 240 of the Doctrine and Covenants, and it shadows to me that a time will come in the midst of this people when a desolating scourge will pass through our ranks, and the destroying angel will be in our midst as he was in Egypt when he slew all the firstborn of the Egyptians. God says “the destroying angel shall pass by” and shall not harm you if you will observe to do these things. Now if we believe this revelation, and I take it for granted that we do, though I may choose to doubt in my own case and some others, yet I assume that as a people we believe it; but what assurance have we that that angel will pass us by unless we do observe it? No more than the children of Israel would have had if they had failed to mark their doors and lintels with the blood of a lamb, as Moses had commanded them. What effect would a failure to comply with this commandment have had on them? Would the Destroyer have passed by the firstborn of Israel? I trow not; I think the firstborn of Israel would have been slain as well as the firstborn of Egypt. That was a revelation given by the Lord to Moses for the salvation of Israel; the Word of Wisdom is a revelation given by the Lord to Joseph Smith for the salvation of this people, and if we disobey, we have no more assurance than Israel had that the destroying angel will pass through our ranks and leave us unscathed. There is not a father or mother before me today who would like to see a child borne away to the graveyard because of their disobedience. Well, light is given, it has come to us, and it is for us to obey it, and to put into practice the commandments which God has given us. It is true that the Word of Wisdom does not say anything about drinking tea and coffee, but our leaders—men inspired of the Almighty, in whom we have full confidence, have told us that it includes these things, and that should be sufficient for us. The Word of Wisdom says that in those times, through the wickedness which is in the hearts of men, they would seek to destroy this people, by introducing into their midst something deleterious to health. If these are not the exact words, they are tantamount. Now is it necessary for us to observe the Word of Wisdom with regard to tea and coffee? Just as much as with regard to tobacco and liquor, because it has been so defined to us, and I so understand it.
When I think of these things, I think of what I have seen among the men who have been called particularly to labor on our railroads and in our cooperative institutions. What is the situation of some of the young men who labor in these institutions and upon our railroads? If they do not follow the examples set by those who travel and labor on other roads, then I do not understand it. I find that our young men are copying after the young men who travel on other roads—they smoke and they drink, with as much assurance as though they had followed it all their lives; and I doubt not, if they continue in the pursuit of such practices, they will become as proficient in other sins as some I have seen elsewhere. If young men wish to continue habits of this kind I have no objections, so far as I am concerned, but I do not wish them to invade my household. I do not wish my children to keep the company of men of this class. I do not wish my daughters to go into the society of men, even though they profess to belong to this Church, who will smoke, drink and swear, and who are ready to commit all the other sins contained in the catalogue if they had the opportunity, and were from under the eye of those who would condemn them. I know these things exist upon our railroads, and also in our cooperative institutions more or less, throughout this country. Now what course shall we pursue with regard to these things? Shall we foster them? If you see a young man in a cooperative store he dresses better and has a little more means and influence than other young men of his own age in the community. He exercises that influence for good or for evil over the minds of younger members of the community. My sons see such young men smoking and drinking, and they say “Why should not we?” And they will be likely to, until they arrive at years of discretion, and get sense to know better. Some may say, “Oh, they will turn round by and by, and do better.” We have no business to hope that, when once these evil habits are acquired by our children, they will turn round and do better when they arrive at years of maturity; at least I have no right to hope it on behalf of my own children. I hope to prevent it in their youth; I could not hope to stop it after they had commenced and become confirmed in it, although in some cases I might succeed. But I wish to prevent it, for I believe that prevention is better than cure.
It is our business, brethren and sisters, to put our foot upon these practices, and to discountenance and condemn them whenever we see our youth practicing them. This people are not gathered here to practice the sins which are prevalent in Babylon, at least I do not so understand it. The Scriptures teach me, and the Spirit of the Lord bears testimony, to cry unto the people to come out of Babylon, and not to drag Babylon or its sins into our midst. They are not necessary for our happiness. It is astonishing to me when I look over the people in this and other countries, to see the immense number who use tobacco and liquor. I sometimes wonder how the world lived so long without tobacco before the discovery of America! Now nearly everybody smokes or chews. They did without it before America was discovered, and they could now if they were so disposed. This people could if they would, and yet they are importing perhaps more tobacco, tea, coffee and liquor than ever before during their existence as a Church. I believe this is the case, from all I can hear and learn on the subject. This is wrong. We can go into our settlements in the north, south, east and west, and it is just as necessary to have tea, coffee and tobacco now, as ever. I can also find that where there is an almost boundless range, and the people can have an unlimited number of stock, all their cheese is imported—they eat States cheese there as they do in the city. Home manufacture is neglected, and our cows are left to die on the range, and we are expending the very bone and sinew of this community to get means to import articles which we can raise in abundance here. This will ruin us as a community if it is practiced long enough. These things may not be quite so prevalent as my words may imply. I do not mean to say that all the people disregard the Word of Wisdom; but I fear that the great majority do. If the brethren who have been called to occupy responsible positions in the midst of the people fail to observe the Word of Wisdom, it will grieve the Spirit of the Lord, and if they do not turn and repent they will leave this Church. That is my faith—if they continue to use these things, and to impress the minds of the people with the idea that it is utterly unnecessary to observe the Word of Wisdom, they will lose the spirit of this work and will eventually turn from it. The presiding Elders of this Church are called to observe the Word of Wisdom, and in all things to set a good example before the people. That is their business, and that is their mission, and as long as they live they will never have a greater.
Brethren, let us seek to understand and practice these things, and also endeavor to instruct the minds of our wives and children with regard to the principles contained in these books. Endeavor, brethren, to build up Zion, and not Babylon. I think very often, when I am speaking to the people, of a remark to President Young. He has been in the Church a great many years. On one occasion, only a very few years after the Church was organized, the Prophet Joseph counseled him and others never to do another day's work to build up Babylon, and he has obeyed that counsel. I know he has for twenty-five years past, and I am satisfied he has from the time the counsel was given.
Do we need to go away from home to build up Babylon? Do we need to leave this city to build up Babylon? No, continue to indulge our fancies for fashion and for the practice of those habits and customs which a corrupt civilization has introduced into our midst, and we are building up Babylon in the most approved style. That is my belief. Our outside friends have brought a great many good things here; they have improved our city, they are building fine buildings, and are expending their capital liberally. I do not object to this, but I do not want it to lead us from the path of truth and to bring us into bondage, to sin and iniquity. There is no necessity for this if we wisely use that which God has given us. You remember the time, brethren, after we had been in this valley a year or so, we were, in a manner, naked and barefooted, and were a thousand miles from any supply of clothing, and it was impossible for us to manufacture it, for there were no sheep in the country, nothing to manufacture cloth with, and no means to obtain it. You remember the prophecy delivered here upon this block by the late Heber C. Kimball, that within a certain time—a very brief period—clothing would be as cheap in Salt Lake City as in New York. What prospect had we at that time that his prophecy would be fulfilled, for a journey to the States and back again then required months to perform, and there was seemingly no chance of a supply of clothing from outside importation? Yet within the time specified, the prophecy was literally fulfilled, and clothing was far cheaper in the streets of this city than in the streets of New York. This is only one among the many prophecies which have been delivered and fulfilled. Some of you remember, and others of you have heard it spoken of, when President Young, in July 1847, while walking on this block, about where the Temple now stands, said to the brethren who were around him, “if our enemies will let us alone for ten years we will ask no odds of them.” Ten years that day, brethren, we got news that an army had left the confines of the States at that time, for Utah. What for? Their boast was, to destroy the “Mormons.” Did we ask any odds of them? No. Did we ask anything of them? No. We attempted to give them supplies, but they would not receive them. Brethren, this is the Church and kingdom of God, and we are led by holy men, men inspired by the Almighty. They give us a little now and a little then; we receive line upon line and precept upon precept, and if we give heed thereto, God will strengthen us, and the kingdom will grow and increase beneath our watchcare.
Is it necessary for us to remember the prophecies and the revelations which have been given for our salvation? If we have the truth—the Gospel of the Son of God—and we testify that we have, it is just as necessary for us to remember these things as it is for us to be saved in the kingdom of God. That is our position today; and it is impossible for any human being who has made covenant with the Almighty to be saved in his kingdom if he disregards the revelations and counsels that are given by the servants of God. I do not expect strangers to understand and believe this as we do. Strangers have not come here for the purpose of identifying themselves with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but the people to whom I am talking came here for that express purpose. They came here for their souls' salvation, they want to be saved in the kingdom of God. They had the testimony in the old countries, in the States, or wherever they received the Gospel, that God had re vealed himself to the children of men and that his kingdom was established on the earth, and they received light and intelligence which they never before possessed. They came here to build up the kingdom of God, and that kingdom is rolling forth and increasing and will continue to do. But are we giving way to folly and fashion to such an extent as to blind our minds to the great purpose we had in coming here? I hope not. I hope that we are living our religion.
Brethren, I testify to you that this is the kingdom of God, and that you are in a faith that will lead you back into the presence of your Father and God. I also testify that if the people of the nations of the earth will obey the Gospel they will receive salvation at the hands of the Almighty, and if they reject it they will receive condemnation at his hands at the last day.
May God bless you, Amen.
The Choir sang: “Jerusalem, my glorious home.”
Elder Joseph F. Smith
addressed the assemblage. He spoke of the opposition manifested by the people of the world against the principle of direct revelation from God ever since the church was organized in this age, and also reviewed the causes for such opposition, taking the ground that revelation from the Almighty would eventually sap the foundations of all the man-made systems existing. He also spoke on the gathering and alluded to the opposition which had been brought to bear against it in the past. The principle of celestial marriage was now the main mark against which the shafts of the opponents of the truth were directed. It had been proved that those who showed the greatest vindictiveness towards it were generally the corrupt and impure. He continued to speak for some time on the subject and then directed his remarks to the Word of Wisdom, making plain that a man’s greatest enemy was in himself, in the form of his appetites, when they were allowed to govern him, and that this enemy was all the more dangerous because of its silence and subtlety. The speaker then dwelt upon the principle of co-operation, explaining that its applicability extended not only to mercantile and a few other matters, but to every department of life. He directed attention to the appearance among the children of this city of swearing and other obnoxious habits. He thought the Saints should have sufficient interest in their neighbors to reprove and teach their children better things, when they heard or saw them doing anything wrong. The next theme touched upon by the speaker was the principle of tithing, clearly indicating that to obey it was not only a duty, but a great privilege.
The Choir sang the anthem—“Comfort ye my people.”
Adjourned till to-morrow at 10 a. m.
Prayer by Elder Lorenzo Snow.
addressed the assemblage. He spoke of the opposition manifested by the people of the world against the principle of direct revelation from God ever since the church was organized in this age, and also reviewed the causes for such opposition, taking the ground that revelation from the Almighty would eventually sap the foundations of all the man-made systems existing. He also spoke on the gathering and alluded to the opposition which had been brought to bear against it in the past. The principle of celestial marriage was now the main mark against which the shafts of the opponents of the truth were directed. It had been proved that those who showed the greatest vindictiveness towards it were generally the corrupt and impure. He continued to speak for some time on the subject and then directed his remarks to the Word of Wisdom, making plain that a man’s greatest enemy was in himself, in the form of his appetites, when they were allowed to govern him, and that this enemy was all the more dangerous because of its silence and subtlety. The speaker then dwelt upon the principle of co-operation, explaining that its applicability extended not only to mercantile and a few other matters, but to every department of life. He directed attention to the appearance among the children of this city of swearing and other obnoxious habits. He thought the Saints should have sufficient interest in their neighbors to reprove and teach their children better things, when they heard or saw them doing anything wrong. The next theme touched upon by the speaker was the principle of tithing, clearly indicating that to obey it was not only a duty, but a great privilege.
The Choir sang the anthem—“Comfort ye my people.”
Adjourned till to-morrow at 10 a. m.
Prayer by Elder Lorenzo Snow.
FOURTH DAY.
Wednesday, 9th, 10 a. m.
The choir sang: “God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform.”
Opening prayer by Elder Joseph Young.
“School thy feelings, Oh my brother, Train thy warm, impulsive soul,” was sung by the choir.
Wednesday, 9th, 10 a. m.
The choir sang: “God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform.”
Opening prayer by Elder Joseph Young.
“School thy feelings, Oh my brother, Train thy warm, impulsive soul,” was sung by the choir.
Elder George Q. Cannon presented the authorities of the Church to the Conference, in the following order, the vote to sustain them being unanimous:
Brigham Young, Prophet, Seer and Revelator, and President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in all the world.
George A. Smith, Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, and first Counsellor to President Young.
Daniel H. Wells, Prophet, Seer and Revelator, and second Counsellor to President Young.
Orson Hyde, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and Orson Pratt, Sen., John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, Charles C. Rich, Lorenzo Snow, Erastus Snow, Franklin D. Richards, George Q. Cannon, Brigham Young, Jun., Joseph F. Smith, and Albert Carrington, members of said Quorum.
John Smith, Patriarch of the Church.
John W. Young, President of this Stake of Zion, and George B. Wallace and John T. Caine his counselors.
William Eddington, John L. Blythe, Howard O. Spencer, John Squires, Wm. H. Folsom, Thomas E. Jeremy, Joseph L. Barfoot, John H. Rumell, Miner G. Attwood, Wm. Thorn, Dimick B. Huntington, Theodore McKean and Hosea Stout, members of the High Council.
Elias Smith, President of the High Priests’ Quorum, and Edward Snelgrove and Elias Morris, his counselors.
Joseph Young, President of the first seven Presidents of the Seventies, and Levi W. Hancock, Henry Herriman, Albert P. Rockwood, Horace S. Eldredge, Jacob Gates and John Van Cott, members of the first seven Presidents of the Seventies.
Benjamin L. Peart, President of the Elders’ Quorum; Edward Davis and Abinadi Pratt, his counselors.
Edward Hunter, Presiding Bishop; Leonard W. Hardy and Jesse C. Little, his counselors.
Samuel G. Ladd, President of the Priests’ Quorum; Wm. McLachlan and James Latham his councilors.
Adam Spears, President of the Teachers’ Quorum; Martin Lenzi and Henry I. Doremus, his counselors.
James Leach, President of the Deacon’s Quorum; Peter Johnson and Chas. S. Cram his counselors.
Brigham Young, Trustee-in-Trust for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Truman O. Angel, Architect for the Church.
Albert Carrington, Historian and General Church Recorder, and Wilford Woodruff his assistant.
Brigham Young, Prophet, Seer and Revelator, and President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in all the world.
George A. Smith, Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, and first Counsellor to President Young.
Daniel H. Wells, Prophet, Seer and Revelator, and second Counsellor to President Young.
Orson Hyde, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and Orson Pratt, Sen., John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, Charles C. Rich, Lorenzo Snow, Erastus Snow, Franklin D. Richards, George Q. Cannon, Brigham Young, Jun., Joseph F. Smith, and Albert Carrington, members of said Quorum.
John Smith, Patriarch of the Church.
John W. Young, President of this Stake of Zion, and George B. Wallace and John T. Caine his counselors.
William Eddington, John L. Blythe, Howard O. Spencer, John Squires, Wm. H. Folsom, Thomas E. Jeremy, Joseph L. Barfoot, John H. Rumell, Miner G. Attwood, Wm. Thorn, Dimick B. Huntington, Theodore McKean and Hosea Stout, members of the High Council.
Elias Smith, President of the High Priests’ Quorum, and Edward Snelgrove and Elias Morris, his counselors.
Joseph Young, President of the first seven Presidents of the Seventies, and Levi W. Hancock, Henry Herriman, Albert P. Rockwood, Horace S. Eldredge, Jacob Gates and John Van Cott, members of the first seven Presidents of the Seventies.
Benjamin L. Peart, President of the Elders’ Quorum; Edward Davis and Abinadi Pratt, his counselors.
Edward Hunter, Presiding Bishop; Leonard W. Hardy and Jesse C. Little, his counselors.
Samuel G. Ladd, President of the Priests’ Quorum; Wm. McLachlan and James Latham his councilors.
Adam Spears, President of the Teachers’ Quorum; Martin Lenzi and Henry I. Doremus, his counselors.
James Leach, President of the Deacon’s Quorum; Peter Johnson and Chas. S. Cram his counselors.
Brigham Young, Trustee-in-Trust for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Truman O. Angel, Architect for the Church.
Albert Carrington, Historian and General Church Recorder, and Wilford Woodruff his assistant.
The following Elders were then presented to the Conference as having been appointed on missions:
TO THE UNITED STATES.
David Nelson, of Ogden.
James H. Nelson, of Ogden.
Hon. Z. Snow, Salt Lake City.
TO EUROPE.
John C. Naile, of Tokerville.
H. B. Wilde, Coalville.
Wm. Parker, American Fork.
Joseph Alvord, North Ogden
John I. Hart, Ogden.
Thomas Snarr, Salt Lake City.
M. H. Hardy, of Salt Lake City.
George Crismon, of Salt Lake City.
Wm. K. Barton, Manti.
Luke Syphus, Panacca.
Mark Burgess, Panacca.
TO ICELAND.
Lofta Johnson, Spanish Fork.
Magnus Bjearnson, Spanish Fork.
The vote to sustain those brethren was unanimous.
TO THE UNITED STATES.
David Nelson, of Ogden.
James H. Nelson, of Ogden.
Hon. Z. Snow, Salt Lake City.
TO EUROPE.
John C. Naile, of Tokerville.
H. B. Wilde, Coalville.
Wm. Parker, American Fork.
Joseph Alvord, North Ogden
John I. Hart, Ogden.
Thomas Snarr, Salt Lake City.
M. H. Hardy, of Salt Lake City.
George Crismon, of Salt Lake City.
Wm. K. Barton, Manti.
Luke Syphus, Panacca.
Mark Burgess, Panacca.
TO ICELAND.
Lofta Johnson, Spanish Fork.
Magnus Bjearnson, Spanish Fork.
The vote to sustain those brethren was unanimous.
President George A. Smith
addressed the Conference. His opening remarks were upon the labors promised by the home missionaries. Those who had been called to that work had generally been diligent and their efforts had resulted beneficially, and their labors should not cease.
President Smith then alluded to the course of some parties, professing to be members of the Church, who, under cover of some legal technicality or quibble, were attempting to rob others of their land and other hard-earned property. He had no more fellowship for such characters than for any other kind of dishonest individuals. He thought the Bishops and others whose right it was to see after the welfare of the people, should give special attention to all cases of land piracy.
addressed the Conference. His opening remarks were upon the labors promised by the home missionaries. Those who had been called to that work had generally been diligent and their efforts had resulted beneficially, and their labors should not cease.
President Smith then alluded to the course of some parties, professing to be members of the Church, who, under cover of some legal technicality or quibble, were attempting to rob others of their land and other hard-earned property. He had no more fellowship for such characters than for any other kind of dishonest individuals. He thought the Bishops and others whose right it was to see after the welfare of the people, should give special attention to all cases of land piracy.
President Brigham Young
delivered a discourse on the necessity of the Latter-day Saints being self-sustaining, showing the inseparableness of spiritual and temporal things and of faith and works. His remarks indicated in a lucid manner, how the people could build up the kingdom of God, and included many valuable instructions of a very practical character, and calculated to benefit all who would give them a practical application in their lives. He alluded, in a pointed manner, to the foolish customs and habits of the world, and advised the Saints to avoid them, as being displeasing to the Spirit of the Lord. The speaker next dwelt on the importance to the people of obeying the Word of Wisdom, observing the Sabbath day and complying with the law of tithing. If the payment of tithing was neglected by the people, the Lord would chasten them. As a general rule the poor were more faithful in this matter than the rich.
President Young then spoke of the excellent results which would flow from a society of families determined to serve the Almighty amalgamating and settling down in some place on one side and carrying out the order of Enoch. Ten years, he said, of such a course would present a picture of happiness and prosperity to the Latter-day Saints that would astonish them. An adequate idea of the discourse cannot be given in a brief synopsis, and it will shortly be published in full.
delivered a discourse on the necessity of the Latter-day Saints being self-sustaining, showing the inseparableness of spiritual and temporal things and of faith and works. His remarks indicated in a lucid manner, how the people could build up the kingdom of God, and included many valuable instructions of a very practical character, and calculated to benefit all who would give them a practical application in their lives. He alluded, in a pointed manner, to the foolish customs and habits of the world, and advised the Saints to avoid them, as being displeasing to the Spirit of the Lord. The speaker next dwelt on the importance to the people of obeying the Word of Wisdom, observing the Sabbath day and complying with the law of tithing. If the payment of tithing was neglected by the people, the Lord would chasten them. As a general rule the poor were more faithful in this matter than the rich.
President Young then spoke of the excellent results which would flow from a society of families determined to serve the Almighty amalgamating and settling down in some place on one side and carrying out the order of Enoch. Ten years, he said, of such a course would present a picture of happiness and prosperity to the Latter-day Saints that would astonish them. An adequate idea of the discourse cannot be given in a brief synopsis, and it will shortly be published in full.
Saints Should Sustain Themselves—Keep the Commandments—Abuses—Power of Righteous Combination of Labor
Discourse by President Brigham Young, delivered at the 42nd Semi-Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, October 9, 1872.
Reported by David W. Evans.
I want to express my feelings to the Latter-day Saints upon certain points of business which pertain to our welfare, and I wish to do it without being obliged to raise my voice so high and so loud as to infringe upon the organs of speech to that degree that I shall have to stop. If the people will be still, they can hear me in my common voice perfectly easy. I will not go into all the details with regard to the duties of the Latter-day Saints, and their desires, as they have manifested them by gathering out from the world, and assembling themselves together. They generally understand them, and they can read for themselves the doctrines of the Church, and the reasons why we are gathered together. But I wish now to impress on the minds of the people the necessity of our taking a course to be able to exist and to sustain ourselves—to have something to eat and wear—hats to put on our heads, and coats, mantles, blankets, vests, shirts, garments and other things suitable to wear and to make our bodies comfortable, provided that the Lord should knock the underpinning from under Babylon. The time will come when Babylon will fall. If it should fall now, it would leave us pretty destitute. We would soon wear out our head dresses and fine clothing, and what should we do? Why, we should be as badly off as the Saints were when they came into this valley, twenty-five years ago. They picked up a few buckskins, antelope skins, sheepskins, buffalo skins, and made leggings and moccasins of them, and wrapped the buffalo robes around them. Some had blankets and some had not; some had shirts, and I guess some had not. One man told me that he had not a shirt for himself or family. If Babylon should happen to tip over, so that we could not reach out and gather the necessaries of life, we should be in a bad condition. I want to put you in mind of these things, and it is my duty to say to the Latter-day Saints that they should take measures to sustain themselves—they should lay a foundation for feeding and clothing themselves.
You are well aware that there has been a great deal of money spent in this Territory to get machinery for the purpose of working up the wool and cotton, and I think you are pretty well aware that there have been a great many thousand words spoken to the Latter-day Saints in these valleys, upon the necessity of raising sheep, though we have had a tide of opposition against this. Still, wool raising is now proven to be a success in these mountains, any and all of the Bishops to the contrary notwithstanding. This is a fine wool growing country, no better in the world. We have proved this; and we have got a great deal of machinery here to work up the wool, most of which is now standing still for the want of wool. Many of those who have been prevailed upon to raise sheep, have got so covetous and love money so well that they must sell their wool for money, and send it out of the country, in consequence of which the factories are now standing still. I think there are a few who will recollect that, in the excitement of purchasing wool here last May, June and July, in many instances I refused to buy their wool. If I would have paid a little more than agents from the east, I could have got it; in some instances I got it for a little less. I bought some and let a good deal go, and told the people with whom I conversed upon the subject, that I would let the buying of wool alone until Fall, then I thought I could send east, buy my wool and ship it back here, and I believe I could get it cheaper than I could get it then. And it is now verily so, for I can send to Philadelphia, New York, Boston, or anywhere in the eastern country, and buy wool and ship it back here from 10 to 30 percent cheaper than I could buy it here last spring. I can send west and buy wool and ship it here and save a still higher percentage. This is the difference in the price of wool last spring and the fore part of the summer, and now what our friends and brethren who own factories will do with regard to purchasing wool, I am not able to say. Some of them, probably, are able to buy wool, and quite a number are not, and they who are not will, in all probability, let their factories stand still.
I want the brethren and sisters to take an interest in sustaining ourselves here in these mountains. It is the duty of the Bishops to see that the members of their Wards take a course that will build up the kingdom of God, not only in providing food and raiment, but see that the people do their duty with regard to the law of God in preserving themselves in purity. My mind is now upon those things which some people call temporal, and I wish to urge them upon the Latter-day Saints. I want them to save their wool and to keep it in this Territory. If we have not factories sufficient to work up all the wool that grows in this Territory, and in these mountains, we will send and get more machinery, and build more factories, and work up the wool for the people. It is the duty of those who grow wool to keep it here. It is the duty of the wife of the man who owns sheep to look to it, and see that that wool is not sold and carried out of the country. It is the duty of the Bishops to see these men, and urge upon them the necessity of keeping the wool in the mountains where it can be worked up; and the Bishops should set the example themselves. We expect they do; if they do not, they are not fit for Bishops. It is the duty of the Bishops to see the wives of these men and their children, that they may prevail on their greedy, covetous fathers or husbands, who would sacrifice the prosperity of the kingdom of God for a little worldly wealth, and see that they do not run distracted or go crazy over a little money. I say the Bishops should see to it, that these men who have sheep act like rational, reasonable men. What are you here for? What did you come for? Virtually you all say you left Babylon and came here to build up the kingdom of God; but our acts speak as loud, and a little louder than our words can. We witness to one another and to the Heavens, and to all people, that we believe in building up the kingdom of God on the earth. There is an item that ought to be before the Latter-day Saints with regard to the kingdom as it will be built up. They ought to teach themselves—read the Scriptures, the Old and New Testament, the prophecies, what the Savior and his Apostles have said, and what has been delivered to us in the latter days, and compare them, and then draw their own conclusions, and see if they are under the necessity of working temporally, literally, manually, physically for the building up of the kingdom of heaven. I say that we are or it never will be built up. With regard to the fundamental facts of our doctrines, we cannot show to any person that we have faith therein, except by our works. If I were now in the world, and an Elder was to come along and preach, and I were to go and hear him, the act of walking to the meetinghouse or to the private dwelling house, would be manual labor. I might believe every word such an Elder said in preaching the Gospel, but if I never took any steps towards fulfilling his requirements who would know anything about it? Nobody on the face of the earth. Would there be any manifestation that I had faith? Not the least in the world, and if it started to grow in my heart while listening to the Elder, without works on my part it would soon die out and cease to exist. If I do believe, it is a manual labor to get up and say to the people, “I believe that what this man has said is true.” That is an exercise of the body, and a temporal labor. Well, this Elder says, we should repent of our sins. I do repent. He says we should obey the Gospel, and the first thing after having faith or believing it, is to go down into the waters of baptism, and to do that is a temporal act, physical labor; and the act of baptism by him is also a temporal act or labor. And so in everything else with regard to the Gospel and the building up of the kingdom of God on the earth—we must have works or we cannot have faith. I cannot divide between the two. The Elder is preaching, I believe, I confess and obey, and I cannot, for my soul, divide the temporal, the manual, the physical labor from the internal faith and hope and joy which the spirit gives, and which cause obedience in my acts.
I wish to make this application right here to the Latter-day Saints. If we believe that God is about to establish his kingdom upon the earth, we believe firmly that we have got to perform a manual, temporal labor to bring this about. If the kingdoms of this world ever become the kingdoms of our God and his Christ, it will be by his people conforming to the plans instituted for the establishment of a kingdom here on the earth. You may call it temporal, no matter what it is called, it is territory, it is dominion. In the first place we must have territory, then we must have people; and in order to organize this kingdom, we must have officers and laws to govern or control the subjects. To make the organization of a kingdom perfect, we must have every appendage necessary and proper, so that the Savior can come and reign king of nations as he does king of Saints. We shall be under the necessity of raising breadstuff, and then we shall want to eat it. We shall have to raise our fruit as well as eat it; we shall have to raise our vegetables as well as eat them. We shall be under the necessity then of making hats, or of going without them; we shall be under the necessity of making clothing—coats, vests, pants, shirts and so on, or else go without them. We shall be under the necessity of having courts organized, unless all are in the Lord and all walk in his way; if that were the case, I do not know that we should want any sheriff, marshals, constables, magistrates, jurors, judges or governors, because the word of the Lord would govern and control every person; but until that time arrives we shall want officers, so that we will be prepared to reckon with the transgressor, and we shall have transgressors in building this kingdom, for it will be some time yet before all are in the Lord. The law is for the transgressor, consequently we must have officers, and we already have in this kingdom as now organized all the officers necessary, every quorum, every organization, every court and authority necessary to rule all the nations that ever were or ever will be upon the earth, if they serve God, or try to do so. But if we must have an organization after the order and wishes of those who are ignorant of the things of God, we must have political and municipal organizations. Kingdoms are organized to suit the conditions of the people, whether the government is that of the people, in the hands of a few individuals, or centered in one. But the kingdom of heaven, when organized upon the earth, will have every officer, law and ordinance necessary for the managing of those who are unruly, or who transgress its laws, and to govern those who desire to do right, but cannot quite walk to the line; and all these powers and authorities are in existence in the midst of this people.
Now, we have this kingdom organized here upon the earth, and we shall be under the necessity, by and by, of understanding this, or we will be left in a very destitute condition. It is my duty to say to the people that it is their duty to make their clothing; and permit me to say, still further, upon the subject of the fashion of cutting cloth and putting it together again, that it is most useless, unbecoming and ridiculous. The present custom of many is such that I would as soon see a squaw go through the streets with a very little on, as to see clothing piled up until it reaches, perhaps, the top of the hedge or fence its wearer is passing. If I do not say much about such customs and fashions, I shall probably skip over some naughty words. In my feelings they are positively ridiculous, they are so useless and unbecoming. Do you recollect a fashion there was a few years ago, that has now nearly ceased, when a woman could not walk through the streets without holding her clothes two feet in front of her if her arm was long enough? I shall not say what I thought of those who followed this fashion. Now it is on the other side, and I do not know but they will get two humps on their backs, they have one now, and if they get to be dromedaries it will be no wonder, not the least in the world. I recollect a fashion of cutting up cloth some forty years ago, that was very peculiar. A lady would go into a store and say to a merchant, “I would like to get a dress pattern this morning.” “Very well, what will you have?” “Oh, bring down your goods and show them. This suits pretty well! I think I will take this.” “Madame,” says the merchant, “If you will buy the sleeves, I will give you the dress.” This, of course, is jocosely said. I refer now to what was called the “mutton-legged” sleeve—by comparison it took seven yards for the sleeves, and three for the dress. That was the way they dressed then. How unbecoming! How unbecoming it is to see ladies dress as they do in some places at the present day. Then another fashion is to wear their dresses short in front, walking through the streets, and a long train dragging in the dirt behind. How unbecoming! This is not modesty, gentility, or good taste; it does not belong to a lady at all, but to an ignorant, extravagant, or vain-minded person, who knows not true principle. I take the liberty of saying that these fashions are displeasing in the sight of truth, mercy and justice. It is displeasing to the Spirit of the Lord for persons to array themselves in any way whatever that is disgusting to the eye of the pure and the prudent. There is not a Latter-day Saint nor a Former-day Saint that ever did, or ever will expect to see any such customs or fashions when they get into heaven. If they were to see an angel, they would see a being beautifully but modestly dressed, white, comely and nice to look upon.
I would like to advise the Latter-day Saints to avoid these foolish customs and habits. Let them pass by and not follow them; they do not belong to us. I would like to repeat to the ladies what we have said hundreds and thousands of times—they should make their own headdresses and fashions, independent of all the rest of the inhabitants of the earth. Pay no attention to what others do, it is no matter what they do, or how they dress. Latter-day Saints should dress in that plain, neat, comely manner that will be pleasing and prudent, in every sense of the word, before the Lord, and try and please him that we serve, the Being that we acknowledge as our God. Not flaunting, flirting and gossiping, as a great many are, and thinking continually of their dresses, and of this, that and the other that will minister to and gratify their vanity. Such women seldom think of their prayers.
I am extending my remarks much longer than I intended. But how is it about the Word of Wisdom? Do we observe it? We should do, and preserve ourselves in all things holy before the Lord. How is it about keeping the Sabbath day? We have some articles that we would like to read here, but the people have them to read at their leisure. We should observe the Ten Commandments, for instance, that were given to Moses. If we do that, we shall be a pretty good people. But there is nothing in those commandments about building factories and raising wool, for the children of Israel, at the time they were given, were in a condition that they did not need factories, they did not need to raise wool. If they had goats and sheep with them, they made mutton, and tanned the skins probably, but I do not know what they did with them. It appears that their clothing did not wax old, and they probably had no need to spin or weave. But we have need to, we have got to make our own clothing, or to get it some other way—buy it or else go without it; and we ought to keep the Word of Wisdom, and keep the Sabbath day holy, and preserve ourselves in the integrity of our hearts before God.
I want to ask if the people pay their tithing? Bishops, do the people of your wards pay their tithing? I will answer the question for you and say, No, they do not. Some people in modern times shudder at the word tithing—it is a term they are not used to. They are used to sustaining Priests, to donating for building meetinghouses, and administering to those who wait at the table of the Lord, or that do their preaching and praying for them. And this is done by subscription, donation, and passing the plate, hat or basket, but the word “tithing” is frightful to them. I like the term, because it is scriptural, and I would rather use it than any other. The Lord instituted tithing, it was practiced in the days of Abraham, and Enoch and Adam and his children did not forget their tithes and offerings. You can read for yourselves with regard to what the Lord requires. Now do the Latter-day Saints pay their tithing? They do not. I want to say this much to those who profess to be Latter-day Saints—If we neglect our tithes and offerings we will receive the chastening hand of the Lord. We may just as well count on this first as last. If we neglect to pay our tithes and offerings we will neglect other things, and this will grow upon us until the Spirit of the Gospel is entirely gone from us, and we are in the dark, and know not whither we are going.
It is the duty of the Bishops to see that their wards pay tithing. But we have Bishops who are not reliable—men, for instance, who will take tithing grain when it brings a good price in cash, and when good beef is bringing cash they are so kind to their wards, and especially to their sons, that if a son has got a parcel of wild horses on the prairies that are not worth a yearling calf a head, they will say to him, “Drive up your wild horses, my boy, I will trade with you, and let you have neat stock, yearlings, or two years or three years old, or wheat that is in the tithing bin, I will take your horses. I will send down word to the General Tithing office, that there are so many horses here belonging to the tithing office.” Such horses are a curse to us, or I can say they have been to me as an individual. I have raised stock
enough to supply this whole Territory, if they had been taken care of. But they were like the Indian's boy. The missionary had been telling him that if he brought up a child in the way he should go, when he was old he would not depart from it. But the old chief has got it, just about as it is, and said he, “Yes, bring up a child, and away he goes;” and this is the way the horses go. And as for the neat stock, if any of it ever gets out of my sight that I do not know where it is, and cannot send and get it, I always calculate that a thief will have it. I never trouble myself to look after it, there are too many men riding on the prairies with their blankets behind them, and their dinner in their blanket, and their lassoes with them to hunt up all the stock there is. This wild stock that is turned in on tithing is a curse to us. And where does the wheat go to? I am not disposed to, but I could tell names of Bishops who have taken our tithing wheat out of the bins and it has been sold by them or their families. And they have taken our stock that we wanted here for beef to feed the public lands, and traded it off for wild horses. This is a pretty hard saying, but it is true, and I could tell their names if I were obliged to.
If the people will pay their tithing, we will go and do the work that is required of us. It is very true that the poor pay their tithing better than the rich do. If the rich would pay their tithing we should have plenty. The poor are faithful and prompt in paying their tithing, but the rich can hardly afford to pay theirs—they have too much. If a man is worth enough that he would have a thousand dollars to pay, it pinches him. If he has only ten dollars he can pay one; if he has only one dollar he can pay ten cents; it does not hurt him at all. If he has a hundred dollars he can possibly pay ten. If he has a thousand dollars he looks over it a little and says, “I guess I will pay it; it ought to be paid anyhow;” and he manages to pay his ten dollars or his hundred dollars. But suppose a man is wealthy enough to pay ten thousand, he looks that over a good many times, and says, “I guess I will wait until I get a little more, and then I will pay a good deal.” And they wait and wait, like an old gentleman in the east; he waited and waited and waited to pay his tithing until he went down, I guess, to hell, I do not know exactly; but he went to Hades, which we call hell. He went out of the world, and this is the way with a great many. They wait and continue waiting, until, finally, the character comes along who is called Death, and he slips up to them and takes away their breath, then they are gone and cannot pay their tithing, they are too late, and so it goes.
Now this is finding fault with the rich, and I am going to find fault with the poor by and by. But if we will pay our tithing we will be blessed; if we refuse to do so the chastening hand of the Lord will be upon this people, just as sure as we are here. You may say I am threatening you. Take it just as you please. I do not care. You may grease it and swallow it, or swallow it without greasing, just as you have a mind to. It is true, and we will find it so.
Will the Latter-day Saints pay their tithing? Will they keep the Sabbath day holy? Will they deal justly with their neighbors? In my own feelings I excuse a great many naughty things that are done in our midst. I know that men and women brought up in different countries come here with their prejudices, and with the instincts which they have had bred in and born with them, and which have grown up with them; and many of these traits of character are obnoxious to others brought up under other circumstances. These traditions cling to the people, and cause them to do many things which they would not do if they had been differently taught. Their morals have not been looked after in their youth and as prudently preserved as they should have been. Children should be taught honesty, and they should grow up with the feeling within them that they should never take a pin that is not their own; never displace anything, but always put everything in its place. If they find anything seek for the owner. If there is anything of their neighbor's going to waste, put it where it will not waste, and be perfectly honest one with another. Take the world of mankind and they are not overstocked with honesty. I have proved that. In my youth I have seen men, who were considered good, clever, honest men, who would take the advantage of their neighbors or workmen if they could. I have seen deacons, Baptists, Presbyterians, members of the Methodist church, with long, solid, sturdy faces and a poor brother would come along and say to one of them, “Brother, such-a-one, I have come to see if I could get a bushel of wheat, rye or corn of you. I have no money, but I will come and work for you in harvest,” and their faces would be drawn down so mournful, and they would say, “I have none to spare.” “Well, deacon, if you can let me have one bushel, I understand you have considerable, I will come and work for you just as long as you say, until you are satisfied, in your harvest field, or haying or anything you want done.” After much talk this longfaced character would get it out, “If you will come and work for me two days in harvest, I do not know but I will spare you a bushel of rye.”
When the harvest time comes the man could have got two bushels of rye for one day's work; but the deacon sticks him to his bargain, and makes him work two days for a bushel of wheat or rye. I used to think a good deal, but seldom spoke about any such thing, for I was brought up to treat everybody with that respect and courtesy that I could hardly allow myself to think aloud, and consequently very seldom did so. I thought enough of such religion, at any rate, that such Christians called me an infidel, because I could not swallow such things, but I could not if they had been greased over with fresh butter. I did not read the Bible as they read it; and as for there being Bible Christians, I knew there were none; and if their religion was the religion they liked, said I, “Just go your own way, I want none of it.” I wanted no religion that produced such morals.
If we pay our tithing, and begin to live a little stricter than we have heretofore, in our faith, cease to break the Sabbath, cease to spend our time in idleness, cease to be dishonest and to meddle with that which is not our own, cease to deceive and to speak evil of one another, and learn the commandments of the Lord, and do them, we shall be blessed.
Suppose we should say to a few of the Latter-day Saints, if we could find those who would answer the purpose, “How would you like to build up a stake of Zion, a little city of Enoch? How would you like this? Would you like to enter into a covenant, and into bonds, according to the law of our land, and let us bind ourselves together to go into a systematic cooperative system, not only in merchandising, but in farming and in all mechanical work, and in every trade and business there is; and we will classify the business throughout, and we will gather together a few hundred families, and commence and keep the law of God, and preserve ourselves in purity. How would the Latter-day Saints like it? Do you think there could any be found who would be willing to do this?” Let me say to you, my brethren, I have a very fine place to start such a society as this that would probably sustain from five to ten thousand persons. I would like to make a deed of this property to such a society, and enter into a covenant with men of God and women of God that we would go to and show the world and show the Latter-day Saints how to build up a city of Zion, and how to increase intelligence among the people, how to walk circumspectly before our God and before one another, and classify every branch of labor, taking advantage of every improvement, and of all the learning in the world, and direct the labor of men and women, and see what it would produce; follow it out for ten years, and then look at the result. Our friends who visit us here say that we have done a good work, and we bear testimony that we have been greatly prospered. It is true that most of the people in this house came here like myself comparatively naked and barefoot. I left all I had in the States. I say all—no. I had some wives and children whom I brought along with me. Some of them had shoes to their feet, some had not; some had bonnets, some had none. Some of my children had clothing, and some had very little; and we took up our line of march and left all. I believe for some four pretty nice brick houses, and a nice large farm, timber land and so on, I got one span of little horses and a carriage worth about a hundred dollars, the horses were worth about sixty dollars apiece, the harness about twenty. I think that was everything I got for my property. We came here and we have been prospered and blessed. If I had the privilege of living with a community that would do as I say for ten years, I would show them that our blessings now, in a temporal point of view, have been but as a drop to the bucketful. But would we bear this? Would our feelings submit to this? Would we not want to go and serve the devil if the Lord were to heap riches upon us? We see that what he does now makes men covetous, they cannot even pay their tithing. Well, do we get all that we want? No, each man wants it all, and as long as this is the case with us, I think the saying common among the boys in my youth will be good—“Every man for himself, the devil for us all.” Just as long as every man works for himself we are not the Lord's; we are not Christ's, we are not his disciples in this point of view, at any rate. If we had faith to be baptized, we do not carry out the principles of the salvation that he has wrought out for us. He is going to set up his kingdom—a literal, temporal kingdom. It will be a kingdom of priests by and by. If we had been willing to fully carry out the rules of the kingdom, followed counsel, and worked together for twenty-five years past, the blessings we have received are not a drop in the bucket to what we would have received.
Some twelve or fifteen years I labored faithfully with our merchants here, before I could get them to break through that everlasting covetous crust that was over them, and consent to operate together in merchandising so as to give the people a chance with us. And it was the design and the feeling of men here, belonging to the Church, to aggrandize themselves and to monopolize to themselves the wealth of the community. And if another one sprang up and had good luck they would take him into the corps, into their fellowship, and he would belong to the order, and that was to make a few rich, and grind down and make every other man poor. That was the design, no question of it. But I determined with God and the good to help me that I would break that everlasting covetous crust and I succeeded at last. Are we making enough in our mercantile business here now? Yes, we are making all we should make. I suppose a great many would like to know how we are doing. It would be no harm for me to tell you perhaps that, the last six months, the Board of Directors of Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution are able to declare a dividend of ten percent, with five percent in reserve, which is added to the capital stock, and is as good as money. That is good enough for me, it yields some thirty per cent per annum.
If we would work together in our farming, in our mechanism, be obedient and work as a family for the good of all, it would be almost impossible for anybody to guess the success we would have. But we have got to do it in the Lord. We must not do it with a covetous heart. Always be ready and willing that the Lord should have it all, and do what he pleases with it. I have asked a favor of the Lord in this thing, and that is not to place me in such circumstances that what he has given me shall go into the hands of our enemies. God forbid that! But let it go for the preaching of the Gospel, to sustain and to gather the poor, to build factories, make farms, and set the poor to work, as I have hundreds and thousands that had not anything to do. I have fed and clothed them and taken care of them until they have become comparatively independent. I have made no man poor, but thousands and thousands rich, that is, the Lord has, through your humble servant.
The choir sang: “Hark! the song of jubilee.”
Adjourned till 2 p. m.
Prayer by Elder Brigham Young, Junr.
Discourse by President Brigham Young, delivered at the 42nd Semi-Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, October 9, 1872.
Reported by David W. Evans.
I want to express my feelings to the Latter-day Saints upon certain points of business which pertain to our welfare, and I wish to do it without being obliged to raise my voice so high and so loud as to infringe upon the organs of speech to that degree that I shall have to stop. If the people will be still, they can hear me in my common voice perfectly easy. I will not go into all the details with regard to the duties of the Latter-day Saints, and their desires, as they have manifested them by gathering out from the world, and assembling themselves together. They generally understand them, and they can read for themselves the doctrines of the Church, and the reasons why we are gathered together. But I wish now to impress on the minds of the people the necessity of our taking a course to be able to exist and to sustain ourselves—to have something to eat and wear—hats to put on our heads, and coats, mantles, blankets, vests, shirts, garments and other things suitable to wear and to make our bodies comfortable, provided that the Lord should knock the underpinning from under Babylon. The time will come when Babylon will fall. If it should fall now, it would leave us pretty destitute. We would soon wear out our head dresses and fine clothing, and what should we do? Why, we should be as badly off as the Saints were when they came into this valley, twenty-five years ago. They picked up a few buckskins, antelope skins, sheepskins, buffalo skins, and made leggings and moccasins of them, and wrapped the buffalo robes around them. Some had blankets and some had not; some had shirts, and I guess some had not. One man told me that he had not a shirt for himself or family. If Babylon should happen to tip over, so that we could not reach out and gather the necessaries of life, we should be in a bad condition. I want to put you in mind of these things, and it is my duty to say to the Latter-day Saints that they should take measures to sustain themselves—they should lay a foundation for feeding and clothing themselves.
You are well aware that there has been a great deal of money spent in this Territory to get machinery for the purpose of working up the wool and cotton, and I think you are pretty well aware that there have been a great many thousand words spoken to the Latter-day Saints in these valleys, upon the necessity of raising sheep, though we have had a tide of opposition against this. Still, wool raising is now proven to be a success in these mountains, any and all of the Bishops to the contrary notwithstanding. This is a fine wool growing country, no better in the world. We have proved this; and we have got a great deal of machinery here to work up the wool, most of which is now standing still for the want of wool. Many of those who have been prevailed upon to raise sheep, have got so covetous and love money so well that they must sell their wool for money, and send it out of the country, in consequence of which the factories are now standing still. I think there are a few who will recollect that, in the excitement of purchasing wool here last May, June and July, in many instances I refused to buy their wool. If I would have paid a little more than agents from the east, I could have got it; in some instances I got it for a little less. I bought some and let a good deal go, and told the people with whom I conversed upon the subject, that I would let the buying of wool alone until Fall, then I thought I could send east, buy my wool and ship it back here, and I believe I could get it cheaper than I could get it then. And it is now verily so, for I can send to Philadelphia, New York, Boston, or anywhere in the eastern country, and buy wool and ship it back here from 10 to 30 percent cheaper than I could buy it here last spring. I can send west and buy wool and ship it here and save a still higher percentage. This is the difference in the price of wool last spring and the fore part of the summer, and now what our friends and brethren who own factories will do with regard to purchasing wool, I am not able to say. Some of them, probably, are able to buy wool, and quite a number are not, and they who are not will, in all probability, let their factories stand still.
I want the brethren and sisters to take an interest in sustaining ourselves here in these mountains. It is the duty of the Bishops to see that the members of their Wards take a course that will build up the kingdom of God, not only in providing food and raiment, but see that the people do their duty with regard to the law of God in preserving themselves in purity. My mind is now upon those things which some people call temporal, and I wish to urge them upon the Latter-day Saints. I want them to save their wool and to keep it in this Territory. If we have not factories sufficient to work up all the wool that grows in this Territory, and in these mountains, we will send and get more machinery, and build more factories, and work up the wool for the people. It is the duty of those who grow wool to keep it here. It is the duty of the wife of the man who owns sheep to look to it, and see that that wool is not sold and carried out of the country. It is the duty of the Bishops to see these men, and urge upon them the necessity of keeping the wool in the mountains where it can be worked up; and the Bishops should set the example themselves. We expect they do; if they do not, they are not fit for Bishops. It is the duty of the Bishops to see the wives of these men and their children, that they may prevail on their greedy, covetous fathers or husbands, who would sacrifice the prosperity of the kingdom of God for a little worldly wealth, and see that they do not run distracted or go crazy over a little money. I say the Bishops should see to it, that these men who have sheep act like rational, reasonable men. What are you here for? What did you come for? Virtually you all say you left Babylon and came here to build up the kingdom of God; but our acts speak as loud, and a little louder than our words can. We witness to one another and to the Heavens, and to all people, that we believe in building up the kingdom of God on the earth. There is an item that ought to be before the Latter-day Saints with regard to the kingdom as it will be built up. They ought to teach themselves—read the Scriptures, the Old and New Testament, the prophecies, what the Savior and his Apostles have said, and what has been delivered to us in the latter days, and compare them, and then draw their own conclusions, and see if they are under the necessity of working temporally, literally, manually, physically for the building up of the kingdom of heaven. I say that we are or it never will be built up. With regard to the fundamental facts of our doctrines, we cannot show to any person that we have faith therein, except by our works. If I were now in the world, and an Elder was to come along and preach, and I were to go and hear him, the act of walking to the meetinghouse or to the private dwelling house, would be manual labor. I might believe every word such an Elder said in preaching the Gospel, but if I never took any steps towards fulfilling his requirements who would know anything about it? Nobody on the face of the earth. Would there be any manifestation that I had faith? Not the least in the world, and if it started to grow in my heart while listening to the Elder, without works on my part it would soon die out and cease to exist. If I do believe, it is a manual labor to get up and say to the people, “I believe that what this man has said is true.” That is an exercise of the body, and a temporal labor. Well, this Elder says, we should repent of our sins. I do repent. He says we should obey the Gospel, and the first thing after having faith or believing it, is to go down into the waters of baptism, and to do that is a temporal act, physical labor; and the act of baptism by him is also a temporal act or labor. And so in everything else with regard to the Gospel and the building up of the kingdom of God on the earth—we must have works or we cannot have faith. I cannot divide between the two. The Elder is preaching, I believe, I confess and obey, and I cannot, for my soul, divide the temporal, the manual, the physical labor from the internal faith and hope and joy which the spirit gives, and which cause obedience in my acts.
I wish to make this application right here to the Latter-day Saints. If we believe that God is about to establish his kingdom upon the earth, we believe firmly that we have got to perform a manual, temporal labor to bring this about. If the kingdoms of this world ever become the kingdoms of our God and his Christ, it will be by his people conforming to the plans instituted for the establishment of a kingdom here on the earth. You may call it temporal, no matter what it is called, it is territory, it is dominion. In the first place we must have territory, then we must have people; and in order to organize this kingdom, we must have officers and laws to govern or control the subjects. To make the organization of a kingdom perfect, we must have every appendage necessary and proper, so that the Savior can come and reign king of nations as he does king of Saints. We shall be under the necessity of raising breadstuff, and then we shall want to eat it. We shall have to raise our fruit as well as eat it; we shall have to raise our vegetables as well as eat them. We shall be under the necessity then of making hats, or of going without them; we shall be under the necessity of making clothing—coats, vests, pants, shirts and so on, or else go without them. We shall be under the necessity of having courts organized, unless all are in the Lord and all walk in his way; if that were the case, I do not know that we should want any sheriff, marshals, constables, magistrates, jurors, judges or governors, because the word of the Lord would govern and control every person; but until that time arrives we shall want officers, so that we will be prepared to reckon with the transgressor, and we shall have transgressors in building this kingdom, for it will be some time yet before all are in the Lord. The law is for the transgressor, consequently we must have officers, and we already have in this kingdom as now organized all the officers necessary, every quorum, every organization, every court and authority necessary to rule all the nations that ever were or ever will be upon the earth, if they serve God, or try to do so. But if we must have an organization after the order and wishes of those who are ignorant of the things of God, we must have political and municipal organizations. Kingdoms are organized to suit the conditions of the people, whether the government is that of the people, in the hands of a few individuals, or centered in one. But the kingdom of heaven, when organized upon the earth, will have every officer, law and ordinance necessary for the managing of those who are unruly, or who transgress its laws, and to govern those who desire to do right, but cannot quite walk to the line; and all these powers and authorities are in existence in the midst of this people.
Now, we have this kingdom organized here upon the earth, and we shall be under the necessity, by and by, of understanding this, or we will be left in a very destitute condition. It is my duty to say to the people that it is their duty to make their clothing; and permit me to say, still further, upon the subject of the fashion of cutting cloth and putting it together again, that it is most useless, unbecoming and ridiculous. The present custom of many is such that I would as soon see a squaw go through the streets with a very little on, as to see clothing piled up until it reaches, perhaps, the top of the hedge or fence its wearer is passing. If I do not say much about such customs and fashions, I shall probably skip over some naughty words. In my feelings they are positively ridiculous, they are so useless and unbecoming. Do you recollect a fashion there was a few years ago, that has now nearly ceased, when a woman could not walk through the streets without holding her clothes two feet in front of her if her arm was long enough? I shall not say what I thought of those who followed this fashion. Now it is on the other side, and I do not know but they will get two humps on their backs, they have one now, and if they get to be dromedaries it will be no wonder, not the least in the world. I recollect a fashion of cutting up cloth some forty years ago, that was very peculiar. A lady would go into a store and say to a merchant, “I would like to get a dress pattern this morning.” “Very well, what will you have?” “Oh, bring down your goods and show them. This suits pretty well! I think I will take this.” “Madame,” says the merchant, “If you will buy the sleeves, I will give you the dress.” This, of course, is jocosely said. I refer now to what was called the “mutton-legged” sleeve—by comparison it took seven yards for the sleeves, and three for the dress. That was the way they dressed then. How unbecoming! How unbecoming it is to see ladies dress as they do in some places at the present day. Then another fashion is to wear their dresses short in front, walking through the streets, and a long train dragging in the dirt behind. How unbecoming! This is not modesty, gentility, or good taste; it does not belong to a lady at all, but to an ignorant, extravagant, or vain-minded person, who knows not true principle. I take the liberty of saying that these fashions are displeasing in the sight of truth, mercy and justice. It is displeasing to the Spirit of the Lord for persons to array themselves in any way whatever that is disgusting to the eye of the pure and the prudent. There is not a Latter-day Saint nor a Former-day Saint that ever did, or ever will expect to see any such customs or fashions when they get into heaven. If they were to see an angel, they would see a being beautifully but modestly dressed, white, comely and nice to look upon.
I would like to advise the Latter-day Saints to avoid these foolish customs and habits. Let them pass by and not follow them; they do not belong to us. I would like to repeat to the ladies what we have said hundreds and thousands of times—they should make their own headdresses and fashions, independent of all the rest of the inhabitants of the earth. Pay no attention to what others do, it is no matter what they do, or how they dress. Latter-day Saints should dress in that plain, neat, comely manner that will be pleasing and prudent, in every sense of the word, before the Lord, and try and please him that we serve, the Being that we acknowledge as our God. Not flaunting, flirting and gossiping, as a great many are, and thinking continually of their dresses, and of this, that and the other that will minister to and gratify their vanity. Such women seldom think of their prayers.
I am extending my remarks much longer than I intended. But how is it about the Word of Wisdom? Do we observe it? We should do, and preserve ourselves in all things holy before the Lord. How is it about keeping the Sabbath day? We have some articles that we would like to read here, but the people have them to read at their leisure. We should observe the Ten Commandments, for instance, that were given to Moses. If we do that, we shall be a pretty good people. But there is nothing in those commandments about building factories and raising wool, for the children of Israel, at the time they were given, were in a condition that they did not need factories, they did not need to raise wool. If they had goats and sheep with them, they made mutton, and tanned the skins probably, but I do not know what they did with them. It appears that their clothing did not wax old, and they probably had no need to spin or weave. But we have need to, we have got to make our own clothing, or to get it some other way—buy it or else go without it; and we ought to keep the Word of Wisdom, and keep the Sabbath day holy, and preserve ourselves in the integrity of our hearts before God.
I want to ask if the people pay their tithing? Bishops, do the people of your wards pay their tithing? I will answer the question for you and say, No, they do not. Some people in modern times shudder at the word tithing—it is a term they are not used to. They are used to sustaining Priests, to donating for building meetinghouses, and administering to those who wait at the table of the Lord, or that do their preaching and praying for them. And this is done by subscription, donation, and passing the plate, hat or basket, but the word “tithing” is frightful to them. I like the term, because it is scriptural, and I would rather use it than any other. The Lord instituted tithing, it was practiced in the days of Abraham, and Enoch and Adam and his children did not forget their tithes and offerings. You can read for yourselves with regard to what the Lord requires. Now do the Latter-day Saints pay their tithing? They do not. I want to say this much to those who profess to be Latter-day Saints—If we neglect our tithes and offerings we will receive the chastening hand of the Lord. We may just as well count on this first as last. If we neglect to pay our tithes and offerings we will neglect other things, and this will grow upon us until the Spirit of the Gospel is entirely gone from us, and we are in the dark, and know not whither we are going.
It is the duty of the Bishops to see that their wards pay tithing. But we have Bishops who are not reliable—men, for instance, who will take tithing grain when it brings a good price in cash, and when good beef is bringing cash they are so kind to their wards, and especially to their sons, that if a son has got a parcel of wild horses on the prairies that are not worth a yearling calf a head, they will say to him, “Drive up your wild horses, my boy, I will trade with you, and let you have neat stock, yearlings, or two years or three years old, or wheat that is in the tithing bin, I will take your horses. I will send down word to the General Tithing office, that there are so many horses here belonging to the tithing office.” Such horses are a curse to us, or I can say they have been to me as an individual. I have raised stock
enough to supply this whole Territory, if they had been taken care of. But they were like the Indian's boy. The missionary had been telling him that if he brought up a child in the way he should go, when he was old he would not depart from it. But the old chief has got it, just about as it is, and said he, “Yes, bring up a child, and away he goes;” and this is the way the horses go. And as for the neat stock, if any of it ever gets out of my sight that I do not know where it is, and cannot send and get it, I always calculate that a thief will have it. I never trouble myself to look after it, there are too many men riding on the prairies with their blankets behind them, and their dinner in their blanket, and their lassoes with them to hunt up all the stock there is. This wild stock that is turned in on tithing is a curse to us. And where does the wheat go to? I am not disposed to, but I could tell names of Bishops who have taken our tithing wheat out of the bins and it has been sold by them or their families. And they have taken our stock that we wanted here for beef to feed the public lands, and traded it off for wild horses. This is a pretty hard saying, but it is true, and I could tell their names if I were obliged to.
If the people will pay their tithing, we will go and do the work that is required of us. It is very true that the poor pay their tithing better than the rich do. If the rich would pay their tithing we should have plenty. The poor are faithful and prompt in paying their tithing, but the rich can hardly afford to pay theirs—they have too much. If a man is worth enough that he would have a thousand dollars to pay, it pinches him. If he has only ten dollars he can pay one; if he has only one dollar he can pay ten cents; it does not hurt him at all. If he has a hundred dollars he can possibly pay ten. If he has a thousand dollars he looks over it a little and says, “I guess I will pay it; it ought to be paid anyhow;” and he manages to pay his ten dollars or his hundred dollars. But suppose a man is wealthy enough to pay ten thousand, he looks that over a good many times, and says, “I guess I will wait until I get a little more, and then I will pay a good deal.” And they wait and wait, like an old gentleman in the east; he waited and waited and waited to pay his tithing until he went down, I guess, to hell, I do not know exactly; but he went to Hades, which we call hell. He went out of the world, and this is the way with a great many. They wait and continue waiting, until, finally, the character comes along who is called Death, and he slips up to them and takes away their breath, then they are gone and cannot pay their tithing, they are too late, and so it goes.
Now this is finding fault with the rich, and I am going to find fault with the poor by and by. But if we will pay our tithing we will be blessed; if we refuse to do so the chastening hand of the Lord will be upon this people, just as sure as we are here. You may say I am threatening you. Take it just as you please. I do not care. You may grease it and swallow it, or swallow it without greasing, just as you have a mind to. It is true, and we will find it so.
Will the Latter-day Saints pay their tithing? Will they keep the Sabbath day holy? Will they deal justly with their neighbors? In my own feelings I excuse a great many naughty things that are done in our midst. I know that men and women brought up in different countries come here with their prejudices, and with the instincts which they have had bred in and born with them, and which have grown up with them; and many of these traits of character are obnoxious to others brought up under other circumstances. These traditions cling to the people, and cause them to do many things which they would not do if they had been differently taught. Their morals have not been looked after in their youth and as prudently preserved as they should have been. Children should be taught honesty, and they should grow up with the feeling within them that they should never take a pin that is not their own; never displace anything, but always put everything in its place. If they find anything seek for the owner. If there is anything of their neighbor's going to waste, put it where it will not waste, and be perfectly honest one with another. Take the world of mankind and they are not overstocked with honesty. I have proved that. In my youth I have seen men, who were considered good, clever, honest men, who would take the advantage of their neighbors or workmen if they could. I have seen deacons, Baptists, Presbyterians, members of the Methodist church, with long, solid, sturdy faces and a poor brother would come along and say to one of them, “Brother, such-a-one, I have come to see if I could get a bushel of wheat, rye or corn of you. I have no money, but I will come and work for you in harvest,” and their faces would be drawn down so mournful, and they would say, “I have none to spare.” “Well, deacon, if you can let me have one bushel, I understand you have considerable, I will come and work for you just as long as you say, until you are satisfied, in your harvest field, or haying or anything you want done.” After much talk this longfaced character would get it out, “If you will come and work for me two days in harvest, I do not know but I will spare you a bushel of rye.”
When the harvest time comes the man could have got two bushels of rye for one day's work; but the deacon sticks him to his bargain, and makes him work two days for a bushel of wheat or rye. I used to think a good deal, but seldom spoke about any such thing, for I was brought up to treat everybody with that respect and courtesy that I could hardly allow myself to think aloud, and consequently very seldom did so. I thought enough of such religion, at any rate, that such Christians called me an infidel, because I could not swallow such things, but I could not if they had been greased over with fresh butter. I did not read the Bible as they read it; and as for there being Bible Christians, I knew there were none; and if their religion was the religion they liked, said I, “Just go your own way, I want none of it.” I wanted no religion that produced such morals.
If we pay our tithing, and begin to live a little stricter than we have heretofore, in our faith, cease to break the Sabbath, cease to spend our time in idleness, cease to be dishonest and to meddle with that which is not our own, cease to deceive and to speak evil of one another, and learn the commandments of the Lord, and do them, we shall be blessed.
Suppose we should say to a few of the Latter-day Saints, if we could find those who would answer the purpose, “How would you like to build up a stake of Zion, a little city of Enoch? How would you like this? Would you like to enter into a covenant, and into bonds, according to the law of our land, and let us bind ourselves together to go into a systematic cooperative system, not only in merchandising, but in farming and in all mechanical work, and in every trade and business there is; and we will classify the business throughout, and we will gather together a few hundred families, and commence and keep the law of God, and preserve ourselves in purity. How would the Latter-day Saints like it? Do you think there could any be found who would be willing to do this?” Let me say to you, my brethren, I have a very fine place to start such a society as this that would probably sustain from five to ten thousand persons. I would like to make a deed of this property to such a society, and enter into a covenant with men of God and women of God that we would go to and show the world and show the Latter-day Saints how to build up a city of Zion, and how to increase intelligence among the people, how to walk circumspectly before our God and before one another, and classify every branch of labor, taking advantage of every improvement, and of all the learning in the world, and direct the labor of men and women, and see what it would produce; follow it out for ten years, and then look at the result. Our friends who visit us here say that we have done a good work, and we bear testimony that we have been greatly prospered. It is true that most of the people in this house came here like myself comparatively naked and barefoot. I left all I had in the States. I say all—no. I had some wives and children whom I brought along with me. Some of them had shoes to their feet, some had not; some had bonnets, some had none. Some of my children had clothing, and some had very little; and we took up our line of march and left all. I believe for some four pretty nice brick houses, and a nice large farm, timber land and so on, I got one span of little horses and a carriage worth about a hundred dollars, the horses were worth about sixty dollars apiece, the harness about twenty. I think that was everything I got for my property. We came here and we have been prospered and blessed. If I had the privilege of living with a community that would do as I say for ten years, I would show them that our blessings now, in a temporal point of view, have been but as a drop to the bucketful. But would we bear this? Would our feelings submit to this? Would we not want to go and serve the devil if the Lord were to heap riches upon us? We see that what he does now makes men covetous, they cannot even pay their tithing. Well, do we get all that we want? No, each man wants it all, and as long as this is the case with us, I think the saying common among the boys in my youth will be good—“Every man for himself, the devil for us all.” Just as long as every man works for himself we are not the Lord's; we are not Christ's, we are not his disciples in this point of view, at any rate. If we had faith to be baptized, we do not carry out the principles of the salvation that he has wrought out for us. He is going to set up his kingdom—a literal, temporal kingdom. It will be a kingdom of priests by and by. If we had been willing to fully carry out the rules of the kingdom, followed counsel, and worked together for twenty-five years past, the blessings we have received are not a drop in the bucket to what we would have received.
Some twelve or fifteen years I labored faithfully with our merchants here, before I could get them to break through that everlasting covetous crust that was over them, and consent to operate together in merchandising so as to give the people a chance with us. And it was the design and the feeling of men here, belonging to the Church, to aggrandize themselves and to monopolize to themselves the wealth of the community. And if another one sprang up and had good luck they would take him into the corps, into their fellowship, and he would belong to the order, and that was to make a few rich, and grind down and make every other man poor. That was the design, no question of it. But I determined with God and the good to help me that I would break that everlasting covetous crust and I succeeded at last. Are we making enough in our mercantile business here now? Yes, we are making all we should make. I suppose a great many would like to know how we are doing. It would be no harm for me to tell you perhaps that, the last six months, the Board of Directors of Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution are able to declare a dividend of ten percent, with five percent in reserve, which is added to the capital stock, and is as good as money. That is good enough for me, it yields some thirty per cent per annum.
If we would work together in our farming, in our mechanism, be obedient and work as a family for the good of all, it would be almost impossible for anybody to guess the success we would have. But we have got to do it in the Lord. We must not do it with a covetous heart. Always be ready and willing that the Lord should have it all, and do what he pleases with it. I have asked a favor of the Lord in this thing, and that is not to place me in such circumstances that what he has given me shall go into the hands of our enemies. God forbid that! But let it go for the preaching of the Gospel, to sustain and to gather the poor, to build factories, make farms, and set the poor to work, as I have hundreds and thousands that had not anything to do. I have fed and clothed them and taken care of them until they have become comparatively independent. I have made no man poor, but thousands and thousands rich, that is, the Lord has, through your humble servant.
The choir sang: “Hark! the song of jubilee.”
Adjourned till 2 p. m.
Prayer by Elder Brigham Young, Junr.
FOURTH DAY.
Wednesday, 10th, 2 p.m.
The choir sang: “Praise ye the Lord! ‘tis good to raise Your hearts and voices in his praise.”
Prayer by Elder John Van Cott.
“Lord, we come before thee now, At thy feet we humbly bow,” was sung by the choir.
Wednesday, 10th, 2 p.m.
The choir sang: “Praise ye the Lord! ‘tis good to raise Your hearts and voices in his praise.”
Prayer by Elder John Van Cott.
“Lord, we come before thee now, At thy feet we humbly bow,” was sung by the choir.
Elder Joseph Young
bore testimony to the truth of the gospel, and expressed great joy and satisfaction that man could receive revelation from God in this as well as in any former age. He earnestly exhorted the Saints to faithfulness and predicted that the day was at hand when those who would not serve God would be thrust aside from the church of Christ.
bore testimony to the truth of the gospel, and expressed great joy and satisfaction that man could receive revelation from God in this as well as in any former age. He earnestly exhorted the Saints to faithfulness and predicted that the day was at hand when those who would not serve God would be thrust aside from the church of Christ.
President George A. Smith
spoke of the appeals that had been made to the people on behalf of the Perpetual Emigrating Fund. The donations this season had been light, President Young and a few others had contributed liberally to it. He advised the Bishops and others to see that those who were owing the fund paid up their indebtedness. He next commented upon the importance of people being interested enough in the young to become teachers in Sunday schools. All should take an interest in those useful institutions. The Catechism was out of print, but another edition would at once be issued. Those acquainted with the contents of this book were in a position to defend the doctrines of the Church. The speaker also recommended the Saints to patronize the Juvenile Instructor, as an excellent means of informing the minds of the young; spoke of the Deseret News as a journal not only valuable to the Saints as a Church paper, but as containing besides a great amount of general information.
The speaker next treated upon the importance of family and secret prayer, and the cultivation of faith in God for the healing of the sick. He also commented upon the Order of Enoch, showing the great amount of good that could be accomplished by a concentration of effort and a co-operation of labor under that organization. The great impediment to the progress of such an important society would be the innate selfishness of those who might engage in it. He expected to see the time when Latter-day Saints would be so thoroughly trained in the principles of righteousness that they would be able and willing to conform to the regulations and laws of such an association. He continued at some length to show the great benefits that would arise from a proper application of the principle of co-operation, explaining how the people could, by this means, become rich. An effort would be made to organize a city, the affairs of which would be conducted on a more detailed and extended principle of co-operation than had yet been inaugurated. He concluded by exhorting the Saints to pay their tithes and offerings.
“Let those who would be Saints in deed, Heed not what others do,” was sung, the solo by Sister Careless and the chorus by the choir.
spoke of the appeals that had been made to the people on behalf of the Perpetual Emigrating Fund. The donations this season had been light, President Young and a few others had contributed liberally to it. He advised the Bishops and others to see that those who were owing the fund paid up their indebtedness. He next commented upon the importance of people being interested enough in the young to become teachers in Sunday schools. All should take an interest in those useful institutions. The Catechism was out of print, but another edition would at once be issued. Those acquainted with the contents of this book were in a position to defend the doctrines of the Church. The speaker also recommended the Saints to patronize the Juvenile Instructor, as an excellent means of informing the minds of the young; spoke of the Deseret News as a journal not only valuable to the Saints as a Church paper, but as containing besides a great amount of general information.
The speaker next treated upon the importance of family and secret prayer, and the cultivation of faith in God for the healing of the sick. He also commented upon the Order of Enoch, showing the great amount of good that could be accomplished by a concentration of effort and a co-operation of labor under that organization. The great impediment to the progress of such an important society would be the innate selfishness of those who might engage in it. He expected to see the time when Latter-day Saints would be so thoroughly trained in the principles of righteousness that they would be able and willing to conform to the regulations and laws of such an association. He continued at some length to show the great benefits that would arise from a proper application of the principle of co-operation, explaining how the people could, by this means, become rich. An effort would be made to organize a city, the affairs of which would be conducted on a more detailed and extended principle of co-operation than had yet been inaugurated. He concluded by exhorting the Saints to pay their tithes and offerings.
“Let those who would be Saints in deed, Heed not what others do,” was sung, the solo by Sister Careless and the chorus by the choir.
President Brigham Young
delivered a most interesting and instructive discourse, of which a full report will be published. He depicted the nature of true freedom, and also described the course that should be taken by the Latter-day Saints, and which would enable them to successfully build up the kingdom of God. A synopsis would not convey a correct idea of the discourse.
delivered a most interesting and instructive discourse, of which a full report will be published. He depicted the nature of true freedom, and also described the course that should be taken by the Latter-day Saints, and which would enable them to successfully build up the kingdom of God. A synopsis would not convey a correct idea of the discourse.
The Order of Enoch
Discourse by President Brigham Young, delivered at the 42nd Semi-Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, October 9, 1872.
Reported by David W. Evans.
Suppose we should examine a city in a stake of Zion conducted after the order of Enoch! We would like to look, for a few moments, upon the facts as they would exist. If a people were gathered together, were they many or few, who would follow out the instructions given them in the Bible and in the other revelations that we have, they would have to be very obedient, and probably many would feel to say, “I wish to manage my own affairs, I wish to dictate myself, I wish to govern and control my labor, I cannot submit to have anybody else dictate me. This is servitude, and is nothing more nor less than slavery!” I suppose there are some who would feel thus. When I look at the Latter-day Saints I think how independent they are. They have been very independent, there is no question of it. When they have heard the Gospel, though, perhaps, in the flood of persecution, and the finger of scorn pointed towards them, they have said, “The Gospel is true, and if my friends will not believe it, it makes no difference to me, I am independent enough to embrace the truth, and to gather out from the midst of Babylon and to make my home with the Saints.” There are plenty of such people here in this house—men and women, old and young. There are young people here who have left their parents and everything they had on the face of the earth for the sake of the Gospel. Middle-aged men have left their wives and their children, saying, “I am going to live according to the plan that has been laid down in the Scriptures for the salvation of the human family.” This certainly exhibits as much independence as mortal beings can manifest, and yet we have said we will yield strict obedience to these requirements, preparatory to enjoying the glory that the Lord has for the Saints. I will ask, Is there liberty in this obedience? Yes, and the only plan on the face of the earth for the people to gain real liberty is to yield obedience to these simple principles. Not but that we should find a great many who do not exactly understand how to yield obedience, strictly, to the requirements of heaven for their own salvation and exaltation; but no person can be exalted in the kingdom of heaven without first submitting himself to the rules, regulations, laws and ordinances of that kingdom, and being perfectly subject to them in every respect. Is this the fact? It is even so. Consequently, no person is fit to be a ruler until he can be ruled; no one is fit to be the Lord of all until he has submitted himself to be servant of all. Does this give the people liberty? It is the only thing in the heavens or on the earth that can do so. Where is the liberty in subjecting ourselves strictly to the requirements of heaven and becoming one in all our operations to build up the kingdom of God upon the earth? By strict obedience to these requirements, we prove ourselves faithful to our God; and when we have passed through all the ordeals necessary, and have proved perfectly submissive to all the rules and regulations which give life eternal, he then sets us free and crowns us with glory, immortality and eternal lives; and there is no other path that we can walk in, no other system, no other laws or ordinances by which we can gain exaltation, only by submitting ourselves perfectly to the requirements of heaven.
Now suppose we had a little society organized on the plan I mentioned at the commencement of my remarks—after the Order of Enoch—would we build our houses all alike? No. How should we live? I will tell you how I would arrange for a little family, say about a thousand persons. I would build houses expressly for their convenience in cooking, washing and every department of their domestic arrangements. Instead of having every woman getting up in the morning and fussing around a cookstove or over the fire, cooking a little food for two or three or half a dozen persons, or a dozen, as the case may be, she would have nothing to do but to go to her work. Let me have my arrangement here, a hall in which I can seat five hundred persons to eat; and I have my cooking apparatus—ranges and ovens—all prepared. And suppose we had a hall a hundred feet long with our cooking room attached to this hall; and there is a person at the farther end of the table and he should telegraph that he wanted a warm beefsteak; and this is conveyed to him by a little railway, perhaps under the table, and he or she may take her beefsteak. “What do you want to take with it?” “A cup of tea, a cup of coffee, a cup of milk, piece of toast,” or something or other, no matter what they call for, it is conveyed to them and they take it, and we can seat five hundred at once, and serve them all in a very few minutes. And when they have all eaten, the dishes are piled together, slipped under the table, and run back to the ones who wash them. We could have a few Chinamen to do that if we did not want to do it ourselves. Under such a system the women could go to work making their bonnets, hats, and clothing, or in the factories. I have not time to map it out before you as I wish to. But here is our dining room, and adjoining this is our prayer room, where we would assemble perhaps five hundred persons at one time, and have our prayers in the evening and in the morning. When we had our prayers and our breakfast, then each and every one to his business. But the inquiry is, in a moment, How are you going to get them together? Build your houses just the size you want them, whether a hundred feet, fifty feet or five, and have them so arranged that you can walk directly from work to dinner. “Would you build the houses all alike?” Oh no, if there is any one person who has better taste in building than others, and can get up more tasteful houses, make your plans and we will put them up, and have the greatest variety we can imagine.
What will we do through the day? Each one go to his work. Here are the herdsmen—here are those who look after the sheep—here are those who make the butter and the cheese, all at their work by themselves. Some for the canyon, perhaps, or for the plow or harvest, no difference what, each and every class is organized, and all labor and perform their part.
Will we have the cows in the city? No. Will we have the pig pens in the city? No. Will we have any of our outhouses in the city? No. We will have our railways to convey the food to the pig pens, and somebody to take care of them. Somebody to gather up the scraps at the table, and take them away. Somebody to take the feed and feed the cows, and take care of them out of the city. Allow any nuisance in the city? No, not any, but everything kept as clean and as nice as it is in this tabernacle. Gravel our streets, pave our walks, water them, keep them clean and nicely swept, and everything neat, nice and sweet. Our houses built high, sleep upstairs, have large lodging rooms, keep everybody in fresh air, pure and healthy. Work through the day, and when it comes evening, instead of going to a theater, walking the streets, riding, or reading novels—these falsehoods got up expressly to excite the minds of youth, repair to our room, and have our historians, and our different teachers to teach classes of old and young, to read the Scriptures to them; to teach them history, arithmetic, reading, writing and painting; and have the best teachers that can be got to teach our day schools. Half the labor necessary to make a people moderately comfortable now, would make them independently rich under such a system. Now we toil and work and labor, and some of us are so anxious that we are sure to start after a load of wood on Saturday so as to occupy Sunday in getting home. This would be stopped in our community, and when Sunday morning came every child would be required to go to the school room, and parents to go to meeting or Sunday school; and not get into their wagons or carriages, or on the railroads, or lounge around reading novels; they would be required to go to meeting, to read the Scriptures, to pray and cultivate their minds. The youth would have a good education, they would receive all the learning that could be given to mortal beings; and after they had studied the best books that could be got hold of, they would still have the advantage of the rest of the world, for they would be taught in and have a knowledge of the things of God.
Bring up our children in this way and they would be trained to love the truth. Teach them honesty, virtue and prudence, and we should not see the waste around that now is witnessed. The Latter-day Saints waste enough to make a poor people comfortable. Shall I mention one or two instances? I will mention this one thing anyway, with regard to our paper mill. Can you get the Latter-day Saints to save their rags? No, they will make them and throw them out of doors. Is there a family in this community but what are too well off in their own estimation to take care of paper rags? I think a good many of them would rather steal their beef and what they want than stoop to pick up paper rags to make paper to print our paper on. Not all would do this, but a few; and the majority are so well off that they have not that prudence which belongs to Saints; and I feel sometimes a little irritated, and inclined to scold about it, when I see women who were brought up without a shoe to their foot, or a second frock to their back perhaps, and who lived until they were young women in this style, without ever stepping on to an inch of carpet in their lives, and they know no more how to treat a carpet than pigs do. Do they know how to treat fine furniture? No, they do not; but they will waste, waste—their clothing, their carpets and their furniture. I hear them say sometimes, “Why, I have had this three years, or five years.” If my grandmother could have got an article such as you wear, she would have kept it for her daughters from generation to generation, and it would have been good. But now, our young women waste, waste.
This is finding fault, and I wish I could hurt your feelings enough to make you think of it when you get home. If I could make you a little mad, when you get home if you see a pretty good piece of carpet, thrown out of doors you will go, perhaps, and shake it and lay it up, thinking that it may be serviceable to somebody or other; and if you cannot do anything else with it, give it to somebody who has not a bed to lie upon, to put under them to help to make a bed.
If we could see such a society organized as I have mentioned, you would see none of this waste. You would see a people all attending to their business, having the most improved machinery for making cloth, and doing every kind of housework, farming, all mechanical operations, in our factories, dairies, orchards and vineyards; and possessing every comfort and convenience of life. A society like this would never have to buy anything; they would make and raise all they would eat, drink and wear, and always have something to sell and bring money, to help to increase their comfort and independence.
“Well, but,” one would say, “I shall never have the privilege of riding again in a carriage in my life.” Oh what a pity! Did you ever ride in one when you had your own way? No, you never thought of such a thing. Thousands and thousands of Latter-day Saints never expect to own a carriage or to ride in one. Would we ride in carriages? Yes, we would; we would have them suitable for the community, and give them their proper exercise; and if I were with you, I would be willing to give others just as much as I have myself. And if we have sick, would they want a carriage to ride in? Yes, and they would have it too, we would have nice ones to carry out the sick, aged and infirm, and give them exercise, and give them a good place to sleep in, good food to eat, good company to be with them and take care of them.
Would not this be hard? Yes, I should hope so. If I had the privilege and the power, I would not introduce a system for my brethren and myself to live under unless it would try our faith. I do not want to live without having my faith and patience tried. They are pretty well tried. I do not know how many there are who would endure what I endure with regard to faith and patience, and then be persevering in the midst of it all. But I would not form a society, nor ask an individual to go to heaven by breaking all the bones in his body, and putting him in a silver basket, and then, hitching him to a kite, send him up there. I would not do it if I had the power, for if his bones were not broken he would jump out of the basket, that is the idea. I see a great many who profess to be Latter-day Saints, who would not be contented in heaven unless their feelings undergo a great change, and if they were there and you wanted to keep them there, you would have to break their backs, or they would get out. But we want to see nothing of this in this little society.
If I had charge of such a society as this to which I refer, I would not allow novel reading; yet it is in my house, in the houses of my counselors, in the houses of these Apostles, these Seventies and High Priests, in the houses of the High Council in this city, and in other cities, and in the houses of the Bishops, and we permit it; yet it is ten thousand times worse than it is for men to come here and teach our children the a b c's, good morals, and how to behave themselves, ten thousand times worse! You let your children read novels until they run away, until they get so that they do not care—they are reckless, and their mothers are reckless, and some of their fathers are reckless, and if you do not break their backs and tie them up they will go to hell. That is rough, is it not? Well, it is a comparison. You have got to check them some way or other, or they will go to destruction. They are perfectly crazy. Their actions say, “I want Babylon stuck on to me; I want to revel in Babylon; I want everything I can think of or desire.” If I had the power to do so, I would not take such people to heaven. God will not take them there, that I am sure of. He will try the faith and patience of this people. I would not like to get into a society where there were no trials; but I would like to see a society organized to show the Latter-day Saints how to build up the kingdom of God.
Do you think we shall want any lawyers in our society? No, I think not. Do you not think they will howl around? Yes, you will hear their howls going up morning and evening, bewailing one another. They will howl, “We can get no lawsuits here; we cannot find anybody that will quarrel with his neighbor. What shall we do?” I feel about them as Peter of Russia is said to have felt when he was in England. He saw and heard the lawyers pleading at a great trial there, and he was asked his opinion concerning them. He replied that he had two lawyers in his empire, and when he got home he intended to hang one of them. That is about the love I have for some lawyers who are always stirring up strife. Not but that lawyers are good in their place; but where is their place? I cannot find it. It makes me think of what Bissell said to Paine in Kirtland. In a lawsuit that had been got up, Bissell was pleading for Joseph, and Paine was pleading for an apostate. Paine had blackguarded Bissell a good deal. In his plea Bissell stopped all at once, and, turning to Mr. Paine, said he: “Mr. Paine, do you believe in a devil?” “Yes,” said Mr. Paine, who was a keen, smart lawyer. Said Bissell, “Where do you think he is?” “I do not know.” “Do you not think he is in hell?” said Bissell. “I suppose he is.” “Well,” said Bissell, “do you not think he is in pain [Paine]?” They almost act to me as if they were in pain. They must excuse me if there are any of them here today. I cannot see the least use on the face of the earth for these wicked lawyers who stir up strife. If they would turn merchants, cattle breeders, farmers or mechanics, or would build factories, they would be useful; but to stir up strife and quarrels, to alienate the feelings of neighbors, and to destroy the peace of communities, seems to be their only business. For a man to understand the law is very excellent, but who is there that understands it? They that do and are peacemakers, they are legitimate lawyers. There are many lawyers who are very excellent men. What is the advice of an honorable gentlemen in the profession of the law? “Do not go to law with your neighbor; do not be coaxed into a lawsuit, for you will not be benefited by it. If you do go to law, you will hate your neighbor, and you will finally have to pick some of your neighbors who hoe potatoes and corn, who work in the cabinet shop, at the carpenter's bench, or at the blacksmith's forge, to settle it for you. You will have to pick ten, twelve, eighteen or twenty-four of them, as the case may be, to act as a jury, and your case goes before them to decide. They are not lawyers, but they understand truth and justice, and they have got to judge the case at last.” Why not do this at first, and say we will arbitrate this case, and we will have no lawsuit, and no difficulty with our neighbor, to alienate our feelings one from another? This is the way we should do as a community.
Would you want doctors? Yes, to set bones. We should want a good surgeon for that, or to cut off a limb. But do you want doctors? For not much of anything else, let me tell you, only the traditions of the people lead them to think so; and here is a growing evil in our midst. It will be so in a little time that not a woman in all Israel will dare to have a baby unless she can have a doctor by her. I will tell you what to do, you ladies, when you find you are going to have an increase, go off into some country where you cannot call for a doctor, and see if you can keep it. I guess you will have it, and I guess it will be all right, too. Now the cry is, “Send for a doctor.” If you have a pain in the head, “Send for a doctor;” if your heel aches, “I want a doctor;” “my back aches, and I want a doctor.” The study and practice of anatomy and surgery are very good; they are mechanical, and are frequently needed. Do you not think it is necessary to give medicine sometimes? Yes, but I would rather have a wife of mine that knows what medicine to give me when I am sick, than all the professional doctors in the world. Now let me tell you about doctoring, because I am acquainted with it, and know just exactly what constitutes a good doctor in physic. It is that man or woman who, by revelation, or we may call it intuitive inspiration, is capable of administering medicine to assist the human system when it is besieged by the enemy called Disease; but if they have not that manifestation, they had better let the sick person alone. I will tell you why: I can see the faces of this congregation, but I do not see two alike; and if I could look into your nervous systems and behold the operations of disease, from the crowns of your heads to the soles of your feet, I should behold the same difference that I see in your physiognomy —there would be no two precisely alike. Doctors make experiments, and if they find a medicine that will have the desired effect on one person, they set it down that it is good for everybody, but it is not so, for upon the second person that medicine is administered to, seemingly with the same disease, it might produce death. If you do not know this, you have not had the experience that I have. I say that unless a man or woman who administers medicine to assist the human system to overcome disease, understands, and has that intuitive knowledge, by the Spirit, that such an article is good for that individual at that very time, they had better let him alone. Let the sick do without eating, take a little of something to cleanse the stomach, bowels and blood, and wait patiently, and let Nature have time to gain the advantage over the disease. Suppose, for illustration, we draw a line through this congregation, and place those on this side where they cannot get a doctor, without it is a surgeon, for thirty or fifty years to come; and put the other side in a country full of doctors, and they think they ought to have them, and this side of the house that has no doctor will be able to buy the inheritance of those who have doctors, and overrun them, outreach them, and buy them up, and finally obliterate them, and they will be lost in the masses of those who have no doctors. I know what some say when they look at such things, but that is the fact. Ladies and gentlemen, you may take any country in the world, I do not care where you go, and if they do not employ doctors, you will find they will beat communities that employ them, all the time. Who is the real doctor? That man who knows by the Spirit of revelation what ails an individual, and by the same Spirit knows what medicine to administer. That is the real doctor, the others are quacks.
But to the text. We want to see a community organized in which every person will be industrious, faithful and prudent. What will you do with the children? We will bring them up until they are of legal age, then say, “Go where you please. We have given you a splendid education, the advantage of all the learning of the day, and if you do not wish to stay with the Saints, go where you please.” What will you do with those who apostatize after having entered into covenant and agreement with others that their property shall be one, and be in the hands of trustees, and shall never be taken out? If any of these parties apostatize, and say we wish to withdraw from this community, what will you do with them? We will say to them, “Go, and welcome,” and if we are disposed to give them anything, it is all right.
Where are we going to find the greatest difficulty and obstruction with regard to this organization? In the purse of the rich? No, not by any means. I have got some brethren who are just as close, tight and penurious as I am myself, but I would rather take any moneyed man in this community, and undertake to manage him, than some men who are not worth a dollar in the world. Some of this class are too independent. They would say, “I'll go a fishing,” or “I guess I'll go a riding, where I please.” Well, if I were to give out word, and say to the community, Send in your names, I want to see who are willing to go into an organization of this kind, who do you suppose would write to me first? The biggest thieves in the community. Do not be shocked at that, any of you, whether you are strangers or not, for we have some of the meanest men that ever disgraced God's footstool right in the midst of the Latter-day Saints. Do not be startled at that, because it is true. I have told the people many a time, if they want anything done, no matter how mean, they can find men here who can do it, if they are to be found on the earth. I cannot help this. You recollect that Jesus compared the kingdom of heaven to a net which gathered all kinds. If our net has not gathered all kinds, I wonder where the kinds are that we have not got. I say that some of the worst men in the community would be the first ones to proffer their names to go into such an association. I do not want them there. Is this the fact? Yes it is. I understand it exactly. But if such a community could be organized, to show the Latter-day Saints how to build up the kingdom of heaven on the earth, I would be glad to see it—would not you?
If this could be done I want to say to the Latter-day Saints, that I have a splendid place, large enough for about five hundred or a thousand persons to settle upon, and I would like to be the one to make a donation of it, with a good deal more, to start the business, to see if we can actually accomplish the affair, and show the Latter-day Saints how to build up Zion. Not to make a mock of it. Not go and preach the Gospel without purse and scrip, and gather up the poor and needy, and have them bring Babylon with them. Leave Babylon out of the question. Make our own clothing, but do not put seventeen or twenty-one yards in a single dress, neither be attired so as to look like a camel. It is not comely, it does not belong to sensible people, nor to any people who wish to carry themselves justly and correctly, before the heavens and intelligent men.
If the ladies want silks, we have the mulberry here of all kinds; we have the silkworm eggs here, and we have made the silk. Go to work now and raise worms, and wind the silk, and weave it and make all the satin ribbons you wish for. We have men and women here, who did nothing in their lives before they came here but weave satin ribbons and satin cloth. This is their business, they know how to get it up. If you will raise the silk, dress yourselves just as beautifully as you please.
By and by when this people learn the value of the mulberry and the silkworm, you will see the women with their few trees in their yards and around their lots, and for shade trees in the streets; and the children will be picking the leaves and feeding the worms, and they will get up silk dresses here like those in the East Indies. The silk dresses they make there you can put them on and wear them until you are tired of them, and almost from generation to generation. We can make them here just as good. And we can have coats and vests and pants made of our homegrown material, which a man would wear for his best suit, and hand down to his posterity. When we have learned the worth of silk we will make it and use it instead of linen. We have a splendid country for raising silk, but not a good country to raise flax in; splendid for raising wool, grain, fruit, vegetables, cattle, milk, butter and cheese, and here we are importing our cheese. We ought to be making cheese by the hundreds of tons. We ought to export it in quantities; but instead of that we are sending to the States for it.
Where are your cows? Have you taken care of them? If you see a community organized as they should be, they will take care of their calves; they will have something to feed them on in the winter, and they will take care of their stock and not let it perish. What a sin it is to the Latter-day Saints, if they did but know it, to abuse their stock—their cattle, milk cows and horses! Through the summer they will work and use them, and in the winter turn them out to live or die as they can, taking no care of that which God has given them. Were it not for the ignorance of the people, the Lord would curse them for such things.
We ought to learn some of these facts, and try to shape our lives so as to be useful. Let the men make their lives useful. Let the women make their lives useful. Mothers, teach your daughters how to keep house, and not how to spend everything they can get hold of. I will just say a few words on this subject. We have hundreds of young men here who dare not take girls for wives. Why? Because the very first thing, they want a horse and buggy, and a piano; they want somebody to come every day to give them lessons on the piano; they want two hired girls and a mansion, so that they can entertain company, and the boys are afraid to marry them. Now mothers, teach your girls better things than these. What are the facts in the case? If you had been brought up to know what property—fine furniture, carpets, and so on, was worth, you would take care of it, and be prudent in the use of it, and teach your girls to take care, instead of wasting it. Do you believe it? This does not hit all, but too many. I wish you would hearken to these things.
I am taking up the time, and not giving to others an opportunity to address you. We have not said what we want to say to the Latter-day Saints. We ought to have a house four times as large as this, and we ought to fill it; and we ought to sit together not only four days, but a week and perhaps two weeks, and leave home at home, leave Babylon in Babylon—leave everything and come here to worship the living God, and learn of his ways, that we may walk in his paths. This is our duty, and what we should do. But there are so many who can hardly spend time to go to meeting on the Sabbath day; and they can hardly spend time to go to Conference. They have so much business on hand, so many cattle to take care of; they have money to let out, or money to borrow; they have men to see to, or something or other, and it seems as if the affections of the people are hankering after the things of this world too much, too much! Stop, Latter-day Saints, and reckon with yourselves, and find whether you are actually in the path of obedience to the requirements of heaven or not. Some suppose that they are serving God and are on the road to eternal life, but many will find they are mistaken if they are not careful. We had better reckon with ourselves and look over our accounts, and see how we stand before the Lord. See if we are doing good, if we are bestowing our substance on the poor, that they may have food to eat and habitations to dwell in, and be made comfortable: see if we are sending our means for the poor in foreign lands, and aiding to send the Elders to preach to the nations and gather up the people and make them happy and comfortable. Instead of doing this I fear that many are wandering away from the commandments of the Lord. “O fools, and slow of heart to believe!” We can get rich a great deal quicker by serving God than by serving ourselves, do a great deal better, and do a great deal more good. The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. He is anxious, and is waiting with extended arms and hands, comparatively, to pour the wealth of the world into the laps of the Latter-day Saints, if they will not give it away to their enemies. But now, just as soon as anything is given to the Latter-day Saints they are looking from east to west, and from north to south, to see where they can strew that that God gives them among their enemies—those who spurn the things of God, and would destroy his kingdom from the earth. I say, let the Lord keep us poor rather than forsake our religion and turn away from it! Why cannot a man serve God with his pockets full of greenbacks, and not lust after them one particle? If he cannot do it, he is lacking in wisdom, faith, and knowledge, and does not understand God and his ways. The heavens and the earth are full of blessings for the people. To whom do they belong? To our Father in heaven, and he wishes to bestow them upon his children when they can receive and dispose of them to his name's glory.
We shall have to stop here. We are going to adjourn our Conference, though we have not said half what we wish to say to you and to ourselves, for we want to be co-workers together. Now let me say to the First Presidency, to the Apostles, to all the Bishops in Israel, and to every quorum, and especially to those who are presiding officers, Set that example before your wives and your children, before your neighbors and this people, that you can say: “Follow me, as I follow Christ.” When we do this, all is right, and our consciences are clear.
God bless you.
It was motioned, by President Geo. A. Smith, that the home missionaries be sustained and that they continue their labors.
Discourse by President Brigham Young, delivered at the 42nd Semi-Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, October 9, 1872.
Reported by David W. Evans.
Suppose we should examine a city in a stake of Zion conducted after the order of Enoch! We would like to look, for a few moments, upon the facts as they would exist. If a people were gathered together, were they many or few, who would follow out the instructions given them in the Bible and in the other revelations that we have, they would have to be very obedient, and probably many would feel to say, “I wish to manage my own affairs, I wish to dictate myself, I wish to govern and control my labor, I cannot submit to have anybody else dictate me. This is servitude, and is nothing more nor less than slavery!” I suppose there are some who would feel thus. When I look at the Latter-day Saints I think how independent they are. They have been very independent, there is no question of it. When they have heard the Gospel, though, perhaps, in the flood of persecution, and the finger of scorn pointed towards them, they have said, “The Gospel is true, and if my friends will not believe it, it makes no difference to me, I am independent enough to embrace the truth, and to gather out from the midst of Babylon and to make my home with the Saints.” There are plenty of such people here in this house—men and women, old and young. There are young people here who have left their parents and everything they had on the face of the earth for the sake of the Gospel. Middle-aged men have left their wives and their children, saying, “I am going to live according to the plan that has been laid down in the Scriptures for the salvation of the human family.” This certainly exhibits as much independence as mortal beings can manifest, and yet we have said we will yield strict obedience to these requirements, preparatory to enjoying the glory that the Lord has for the Saints. I will ask, Is there liberty in this obedience? Yes, and the only plan on the face of the earth for the people to gain real liberty is to yield obedience to these simple principles. Not but that we should find a great many who do not exactly understand how to yield obedience, strictly, to the requirements of heaven for their own salvation and exaltation; but no person can be exalted in the kingdom of heaven without first submitting himself to the rules, regulations, laws and ordinances of that kingdom, and being perfectly subject to them in every respect. Is this the fact? It is even so. Consequently, no person is fit to be a ruler until he can be ruled; no one is fit to be the Lord of all until he has submitted himself to be servant of all. Does this give the people liberty? It is the only thing in the heavens or on the earth that can do so. Where is the liberty in subjecting ourselves strictly to the requirements of heaven and becoming one in all our operations to build up the kingdom of God upon the earth? By strict obedience to these requirements, we prove ourselves faithful to our God; and when we have passed through all the ordeals necessary, and have proved perfectly submissive to all the rules and regulations which give life eternal, he then sets us free and crowns us with glory, immortality and eternal lives; and there is no other path that we can walk in, no other system, no other laws or ordinances by which we can gain exaltation, only by submitting ourselves perfectly to the requirements of heaven.
Now suppose we had a little society organized on the plan I mentioned at the commencement of my remarks—after the Order of Enoch—would we build our houses all alike? No. How should we live? I will tell you how I would arrange for a little family, say about a thousand persons. I would build houses expressly for their convenience in cooking, washing and every department of their domestic arrangements. Instead of having every woman getting up in the morning and fussing around a cookstove or over the fire, cooking a little food for two or three or half a dozen persons, or a dozen, as the case may be, she would have nothing to do but to go to her work. Let me have my arrangement here, a hall in which I can seat five hundred persons to eat; and I have my cooking apparatus—ranges and ovens—all prepared. And suppose we had a hall a hundred feet long with our cooking room attached to this hall; and there is a person at the farther end of the table and he should telegraph that he wanted a warm beefsteak; and this is conveyed to him by a little railway, perhaps under the table, and he or she may take her beefsteak. “What do you want to take with it?” “A cup of tea, a cup of coffee, a cup of milk, piece of toast,” or something or other, no matter what they call for, it is conveyed to them and they take it, and we can seat five hundred at once, and serve them all in a very few minutes. And when they have all eaten, the dishes are piled together, slipped under the table, and run back to the ones who wash them. We could have a few Chinamen to do that if we did not want to do it ourselves. Under such a system the women could go to work making their bonnets, hats, and clothing, or in the factories. I have not time to map it out before you as I wish to. But here is our dining room, and adjoining this is our prayer room, where we would assemble perhaps five hundred persons at one time, and have our prayers in the evening and in the morning. When we had our prayers and our breakfast, then each and every one to his business. But the inquiry is, in a moment, How are you going to get them together? Build your houses just the size you want them, whether a hundred feet, fifty feet or five, and have them so arranged that you can walk directly from work to dinner. “Would you build the houses all alike?” Oh no, if there is any one person who has better taste in building than others, and can get up more tasteful houses, make your plans and we will put them up, and have the greatest variety we can imagine.
What will we do through the day? Each one go to his work. Here are the herdsmen—here are those who look after the sheep—here are those who make the butter and the cheese, all at their work by themselves. Some for the canyon, perhaps, or for the plow or harvest, no difference what, each and every class is organized, and all labor and perform their part.
Will we have the cows in the city? No. Will we have the pig pens in the city? No. Will we have any of our outhouses in the city? No. We will have our railways to convey the food to the pig pens, and somebody to take care of them. Somebody to gather up the scraps at the table, and take them away. Somebody to take the feed and feed the cows, and take care of them out of the city. Allow any nuisance in the city? No, not any, but everything kept as clean and as nice as it is in this tabernacle. Gravel our streets, pave our walks, water them, keep them clean and nicely swept, and everything neat, nice and sweet. Our houses built high, sleep upstairs, have large lodging rooms, keep everybody in fresh air, pure and healthy. Work through the day, and when it comes evening, instead of going to a theater, walking the streets, riding, or reading novels—these falsehoods got up expressly to excite the minds of youth, repair to our room, and have our historians, and our different teachers to teach classes of old and young, to read the Scriptures to them; to teach them history, arithmetic, reading, writing and painting; and have the best teachers that can be got to teach our day schools. Half the labor necessary to make a people moderately comfortable now, would make them independently rich under such a system. Now we toil and work and labor, and some of us are so anxious that we are sure to start after a load of wood on Saturday so as to occupy Sunday in getting home. This would be stopped in our community, and when Sunday morning came every child would be required to go to the school room, and parents to go to meeting or Sunday school; and not get into their wagons or carriages, or on the railroads, or lounge around reading novels; they would be required to go to meeting, to read the Scriptures, to pray and cultivate their minds. The youth would have a good education, they would receive all the learning that could be given to mortal beings; and after they had studied the best books that could be got hold of, they would still have the advantage of the rest of the world, for they would be taught in and have a knowledge of the things of God.
Bring up our children in this way and they would be trained to love the truth. Teach them honesty, virtue and prudence, and we should not see the waste around that now is witnessed. The Latter-day Saints waste enough to make a poor people comfortable. Shall I mention one or two instances? I will mention this one thing anyway, with regard to our paper mill. Can you get the Latter-day Saints to save their rags? No, they will make them and throw them out of doors. Is there a family in this community but what are too well off in their own estimation to take care of paper rags? I think a good many of them would rather steal their beef and what they want than stoop to pick up paper rags to make paper to print our paper on. Not all would do this, but a few; and the majority are so well off that they have not that prudence which belongs to Saints; and I feel sometimes a little irritated, and inclined to scold about it, when I see women who were brought up without a shoe to their foot, or a second frock to their back perhaps, and who lived until they were young women in this style, without ever stepping on to an inch of carpet in their lives, and they know no more how to treat a carpet than pigs do. Do they know how to treat fine furniture? No, they do not; but they will waste, waste—their clothing, their carpets and their furniture. I hear them say sometimes, “Why, I have had this three years, or five years.” If my grandmother could have got an article such as you wear, she would have kept it for her daughters from generation to generation, and it would have been good. But now, our young women waste, waste.
This is finding fault, and I wish I could hurt your feelings enough to make you think of it when you get home. If I could make you a little mad, when you get home if you see a pretty good piece of carpet, thrown out of doors you will go, perhaps, and shake it and lay it up, thinking that it may be serviceable to somebody or other; and if you cannot do anything else with it, give it to somebody who has not a bed to lie upon, to put under them to help to make a bed.
If we could see such a society organized as I have mentioned, you would see none of this waste. You would see a people all attending to their business, having the most improved machinery for making cloth, and doing every kind of housework, farming, all mechanical operations, in our factories, dairies, orchards and vineyards; and possessing every comfort and convenience of life. A society like this would never have to buy anything; they would make and raise all they would eat, drink and wear, and always have something to sell and bring money, to help to increase their comfort and independence.
“Well, but,” one would say, “I shall never have the privilege of riding again in a carriage in my life.” Oh what a pity! Did you ever ride in one when you had your own way? No, you never thought of such a thing. Thousands and thousands of Latter-day Saints never expect to own a carriage or to ride in one. Would we ride in carriages? Yes, we would; we would have them suitable for the community, and give them their proper exercise; and if I were with you, I would be willing to give others just as much as I have myself. And if we have sick, would they want a carriage to ride in? Yes, and they would have it too, we would have nice ones to carry out the sick, aged and infirm, and give them exercise, and give them a good place to sleep in, good food to eat, good company to be with them and take care of them.
Would not this be hard? Yes, I should hope so. If I had the privilege and the power, I would not introduce a system for my brethren and myself to live under unless it would try our faith. I do not want to live without having my faith and patience tried. They are pretty well tried. I do not know how many there are who would endure what I endure with regard to faith and patience, and then be persevering in the midst of it all. But I would not form a society, nor ask an individual to go to heaven by breaking all the bones in his body, and putting him in a silver basket, and then, hitching him to a kite, send him up there. I would not do it if I had the power, for if his bones were not broken he would jump out of the basket, that is the idea. I see a great many who profess to be Latter-day Saints, who would not be contented in heaven unless their feelings undergo a great change, and if they were there and you wanted to keep them there, you would have to break their backs, or they would get out. But we want to see nothing of this in this little society.
If I had charge of such a society as this to which I refer, I would not allow novel reading; yet it is in my house, in the houses of my counselors, in the houses of these Apostles, these Seventies and High Priests, in the houses of the High Council in this city, and in other cities, and in the houses of the Bishops, and we permit it; yet it is ten thousand times worse than it is for men to come here and teach our children the a b c's, good morals, and how to behave themselves, ten thousand times worse! You let your children read novels until they run away, until they get so that they do not care—they are reckless, and their mothers are reckless, and some of their fathers are reckless, and if you do not break their backs and tie them up they will go to hell. That is rough, is it not? Well, it is a comparison. You have got to check them some way or other, or they will go to destruction. They are perfectly crazy. Their actions say, “I want Babylon stuck on to me; I want to revel in Babylon; I want everything I can think of or desire.” If I had the power to do so, I would not take such people to heaven. God will not take them there, that I am sure of. He will try the faith and patience of this people. I would not like to get into a society where there were no trials; but I would like to see a society organized to show the Latter-day Saints how to build up the kingdom of God.
Do you think we shall want any lawyers in our society? No, I think not. Do you not think they will howl around? Yes, you will hear their howls going up morning and evening, bewailing one another. They will howl, “We can get no lawsuits here; we cannot find anybody that will quarrel with his neighbor. What shall we do?” I feel about them as Peter of Russia is said to have felt when he was in England. He saw and heard the lawyers pleading at a great trial there, and he was asked his opinion concerning them. He replied that he had two lawyers in his empire, and when he got home he intended to hang one of them. That is about the love I have for some lawyers who are always stirring up strife. Not but that lawyers are good in their place; but where is their place? I cannot find it. It makes me think of what Bissell said to Paine in Kirtland. In a lawsuit that had been got up, Bissell was pleading for Joseph, and Paine was pleading for an apostate. Paine had blackguarded Bissell a good deal. In his plea Bissell stopped all at once, and, turning to Mr. Paine, said he: “Mr. Paine, do you believe in a devil?” “Yes,” said Mr. Paine, who was a keen, smart lawyer. Said Bissell, “Where do you think he is?” “I do not know.” “Do you not think he is in hell?” said Bissell. “I suppose he is.” “Well,” said Bissell, “do you not think he is in pain [Paine]?” They almost act to me as if they were in pain. They must excuse me if there are any of them here today. I cannot see the least use on the face of the earth for these wicked lawyers who stir up strife. If they would turn merchants, cattle breeders, farmers or mechanics, or would build factories, they would be useful; but to stir up strife and quarrels, to alienate the feelings of neighbors, and to destroy the peace of communities, seems to be their only business. For a man to understand the law is very excellent, but who is there that understands it? They that do and are peacemakers, they are legitimate lawyers. There are many lawyers who are very excellent men. What is the advice of an honorable gentlemen in the profession of the law? “Do not go to law with your neighbor; do not be coaxed into a lawsuit, for you will not be benefited by it. If you do go to law, you will hate your neighbor, and you will finally have to pick some of your neighbors who hoe potatoes and corn, who work in the cabinet shop, at the carpenter's bench, or at the blacksmith's forge, to settle it for you. You will have to pick ten, twelve, eighteen or twenty-four of them, as the case may be, to act as a jury, and your case goes before them to decide. They are not lawyers, but they understand truth and justice, and they have got to judge the case at last.” Why not do this at first, and say we will arbitrate this case, and we will have no lawsuit, and no difficulty with our neighbor, to alienate our feelings one from another? This is the way we should do as a community.
Would you want doctors? Yes, to set bones. We should want a good surgeon for that, or to cut off a limb. But do you want doctors? For not much of anything else, let me tell you, only the traditions of the people lead them to think so; and here is a growing evil in our midst. It will be so in a little time that not a woman in all Israel will dare to have a baby unless she can have a doctor by her. I will tell you what to do, you ladies, when you find you are going to have an increase, go off into some country where you cannot call for a doctor, and see if you can keep it. I guess you will have it, and I guess it will be all right, too. Now the cry is, “Send for a doctor.” If you have a pain in the head, “Send for a doctor;” if your heel aches, “I want a doctor;” “my back aches, and I want a doctor.” The study and practice of anatomy and surgery are very good; they are mechanical, and are frequently needed. Do you not think it is necessary to give medicine sometimes? Yes, but I would rather have a wife of mine that knows what medicine to give me when I am sick, than all the professional doctors in the world. Now let me tell you about doctoring, because I am acquainted with it, and know just exactly what constitutes a good doctor in physic. It is that man or woman who, by revelation, or we may call it intuitive inspiration, is capable of administering medicine to assist the human system when it is besieged by the enemy called Disease; but if they have not that manifestation, they had better let the sick person alone. I will tell you why: I can see the faces of this congregation, but I do not see two alike; and if I could look into your nervous systems and behold the operations of disease, from the crowns of your heads to the soles of your feet, I should behold the same difference that I see in your physiognomy —there would be no two precisely alike. Doctors make experiments, and if they find a medicine that will have the desired effect on one person, they set it down that it is good for everybody, but it is not so, for upon the second person that medicine is administered to, seemingly with the same disease, it might produce death. If you do not know this, you have not had the experience that I have. I say that unless a man or woman who administers medicine to assist the human system to overcome disease, understands, and has that intuitive knowledge, by the Spirit, that such an article is good for that individual at that very time, they had better let him alone. Let the sick do without eating, take a little of something to cleanse the stomach, bowels and blood, and wait patiently, and let Nature have time to gain the advantage over the disease. Suppose, for illustration, we draw a line through this congregation, and place those on this side where they cannot get a doctor, without it is a surgeon, for thirty or fifty years to come; and put the other side in a country full of doctors, and they think they ought to have them, and this side of the house that has no doctor will be able to buy the inheritance of those who have doctors, and overrun them, outreach them, and buy them up, and finally obliterate them, and they will be lost in the masses of those who have no doctors. I know what some say when they look at such things, but that is the fact. Ladies and gentlemen, you may take any country in the world, I do not care where you go, and if they do not employ doctors, you will find they will beat communities that employ them, all the time. Who is the real doctor? That man who knows by the Spirit of revelation what ails an individual, and by the same Spirit knows what medicine to administer. That is the real doctor, the others are quacks.
But to the text. We want to see a community organized in which every person will be industrious, faithful and prudent. What will you do with the children? We will bring them up until they are of legal age, then say, “Go where you please. We have given you a splendid education, the advantage of all the learning of the day, and if you do not wish to stay with the Saints, go where you please.” What will you do with those who apostatize after having entered into covenant and agreement with others that their property shall be one, and be in the hands of trustees, and shall never be taken out? If any of these parties apostatize, and say we wish to withdraw from this community, what will you do with them? We will say to them, “Go, and welcome,” and if we are disposed to give them anything, it is all right.
Where are we going to find the greatest difficulty and obstruction with regard to this organization? In the purse of the rich? No, not by any means. I have got some brethren who are just as close, tight and penurious as I am myself, but I would rather take any moneyed man in this community, and undertake to manage him, than some men who are not worth a dollar in the world. Some of this class are too independent. They would say, “I'll go a fishing,” or “I guess I'll go a riding, where I please.” Well, if I were to give out word, and say to the community, Send in your names, I want to see who are willing to go into an organization of this kind, who do you suppose would write to me first? The biggest thieves in the community. Do not be shocked at that, any of you, whether you are strangers or not, for we have some of the meanest men that ever disgraced God's footstool right in the midst of the Latter-day Saints. Do not be startled at that, because it is true. I have told the people many a time, if they want anything done, no matter how mean, they can find men here who can do it, if they are to be found on the earth. I cannot help this. You recollect that Jesus compared the kingdom of heaven to a net which gathered all kinds. If our net has not gathered all kinds, I wonder where the kinds are that we have not got. I say that some of the worst men in the community would be the first ones to proffer their names to go into such an association. I do not want them there. Is this the fact? Yes it is. I understand it exactly. But if such a community could be organized, to show the Latter-day Saints how to build up the kingdom of heaven on the earth, I would be glad to see it—would not you?
If this could be done I want to say to the Latter-day Saints, that I have a splendid place, large enough for about five hundred or a thousand persons to settle upon, and I would like to be the one to make a donation of it, with a good deal more, to start the business, to see if we can actually accomplish the affair, and show the Latter-day Saints how to build up Zion. Not to make a mock of it. Not go and preach the Gospel without purse and scrip, and gather up the poor and needy, and have them bring Babylon with them. Leave Babylon out of the question. Make our own clothing, but do not put seventeen or twenty-one yards in a single dress, neither be attired so as to look like a camel. It is not comely, it does not belong to sensible people, nor to any people who wish to carry themselves justly and correctly, before the heavens and intelligent men.
If the ladies want silks, we have the mulberry here of all kinds; we have the silkworm eggs here, and we have made the silk. Go to work now and raise worms, and wind the silk, and weave it and make all the satin ribbons you wish for. We have men and women here, who did nothing in their lives before they came here but weave satin ribbons and satin cloth. This is their business, they know how to get it up. If you will raise the silk, dress yourselves just as beautifully as you please.
By and by when this people learn the value of the mulberry and the silkworm, you will see the women with their few trees in their yards and around their lots, and for shade trees in the streets; and the children will be picking the leaves and feeding the worms, and they will get up silk dresses here like those in the East Indies. The silk dresses they make there you can put them on and wear them until you are tired of them, and almost from generation to generation. We can make them here just as good. And we can have coats and vests and pants made of our homegrown material, which a man would wear for his best suit, and hand down to his posterity. When we have learned the worth of silk we will make it and use it instead of linen. We have a splendid country for raising silk, but not a good country to raise flax in; splendid for raising wool, grain, fruit, vegetables, cattle, milk, butter and cheese, and here we are importing our cheese. We ought to be making cheese by the hundreds of tons. We ought to export it in quantities; but instead of that we are sending to the States for it.
Where are your cows? Have you taken care of them? If you see a community organized as they should be, they will take care of their calves; they will have something to feed them on in the winter, and they will take care of their stock and not let it perish. What a sin it is to the Latter-day Saints, if they did but know it, to abuse their stock—their cattle, milk cows and horses! Through the summer they will work and use them, and in the winter turn them out to live or die as they can, taking no care of that which God has given them. Were it not for the ignorance of the people, the Lord would curse them for such things.
We ought to learn some of these facts, and try to shape our lives so as to be useful. Let the men make their lives useful. Let the women make their lives useful. Mothers, teach your daughters how to keep house, and not how to spend everything they can get hold of. I will just say a few words on this subject. We have hundreds of young men here who dare not take girls for wives. Why? Because the very first thing, they want a horse and buggy, and a piano; they want somebody to come every day to give them lessons on the piano; they want two hired girls and a mansion, so that they can entertain company, and the boys are afraid to marry them. Now mothers, teach your girls better things than these. What are the facts in the case? If you had been brought up to know what property—fine furniture, carpets, and so on, was worth, you would take care of it, and be prudent in the use of it, and teach your girls to take care, instead of wasting it. Do you believe it? This does not hit all, but too many. I wish you would hearken to these things.
I am taking up the time, and not giving to others an opportunity to address you. We have not said what we want to say to the Latter-day Saints. We ought to have a house four times as large as this, and we ought to fill it; and we ought to sit together not only four days, but a week and perhaps two weeks, and leave home at home, leave Babylon in Babylon—leave everything and come here to worship the living God, and learn of his ways, that we may walk in his paths. This is our duty, and what we should do. But there are so many who can hardly spend time to go to meeting on the Sabbath day; and they can hardly spend time to go to Conference. They have so much business on hand, so many cattle to take care of; they have money to let out, or money to borrow; they have men to see to, or something or other, and it seems as if the affections of the people are hankering after the things of this world too much, too much! Stop, Latter-day Saints, and reckon with yourselves, and find whether you are actually in the path of obedience to the requirements of heaven or not. Some suppose that they are serving God and are on the road to eternal life, but many will find they are mistaken if they are not careful. We had better reckon with ourselves and look over our accounts, and see how we stand before the Lord. See if we are doing good, if we are bestowing our substance on the poor, that they may have food to eat and habitations to dwell in, and be made comfortable: see if we are sending our means for the poor in foreign lands, and aiding to send the Elders to preach to the nations and gather up the people and make them happy and comfortable. Instead of doing this I fear that many are wandering away from the commandments of the Lord. “O fools, and slow of heart to believe!” We can get rich a great deal quicker by serving God than by serving ourselves, do a great deal better, and do a great deal more good. The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. He is anxious, and is waiting with extended arms and hands, comparatively, to pour the wealth of the world into the laps of the Latter-day Saints, if they will not give it away to their enemies. But now, just as soon as anything is given to the Latter-day Saints they are looking from east to west, and from north to south, to see where they can strew that that God gives them among their enemies—those who spurn the things of God, and would destroy his kingdom from the earth. I say, let the Lord keep us poor rather than forsake our religion and turn away from it! Why cannot a man serve God with his pockets full of greenbacks, and not lust after them one particle? If he cannot do it, he is lacking in wisdom, faith, and knowledge, and does not understand God and his ways. The heavens and the earth are full of blessings for the people. To whom do they belong? To our Father in heaven, and he wishes to bestow them upon his children when they can receive and dispose of them to his name's glory.
We shall have to stop here. We are going to adjourn our Conference, though we have not said half what we wish to say to you and to ourselves, for we want to be co-workers together. Now let me say to the First Presidency, to the Apostles, to all the Bishops in Israel, and to every quorum, and especially to those who are presiding officers, Set that example before your wives and your children, before your neighbors and this people, that you can say: “Follow me, as I follow Christ.” When we do this, all is right, and our consciences are clear.
God bless you.
It was motioned, by President Geo. A. Smith, that the home missionaries be sustained and that they continue their labors.
President Smith then said:
I wish to say to my friends that I am about to go abroad, on a visit to the Holy Land. I expect to start in the course of a few days. The contemplated journey will cost three thousand dollars in gold—an amount which I am unable to raise without difficulty, and I thought of inviting the bishops and my friends generally—all who feel disposed to do so, to donate something towards the expenses of this pilgrimage to the Holy Land. I feel as though I would rather not make this call or invitation, but I will say that inasmuch as they will contribute their mite towards defraying the expenses of my visit to the sites which form the foundation of sacred history, I have no doubt a share of the blessings thereof will fall upon their heads in due season, which may God grant in the name of Jesus, Amen.
I wish to say to my friends that I am about to go abroad, on a visit to the Holy Land. I expect to start in the course of a few days. The contemplated journey will cost three thousand dollars in gold—an amount which I am unable to raise without difficulty, and I thought of inviting the bishops and my friends generally—all who feel disposed to do so, to donate something towards the expenses of this pilgrimage to the Holy Land. I feel as though I would rather not make this call or invitation, but I will say that inasmuch as they will contribute their mite towards defraying the expenses of my visit to the sites which form the foundation of sacred history, I have no doubt a share of the blessings thereof will fall upon their heads in due season, which may God grant in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Elder George Q. Cannon presented the names of the following brethren as having been called on missions, the vote to sustain them was unanimous.
TO THE UNITED STATES.
William A. Neimeyer,
Mark Lindsey.
TO ENGLAND.
John Bennion.
The choir sang: “Daughter of Zion.”
The congregation and choir sang, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow.”
Conference adjourned till the 6th day of April, 1873, at 10 a.m.
Benediction by President George A. Smith.
John Nicholson,
Clerk of Conference.
TO THE UNITED STATES.
William A. Neimeyer,
Mark Lindsey.
TO ENGLAND.
John Bennion.
The choir sang: “Daughter of Zion.”
The congregation and choir sang, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow.”
Conference adjourned till the 6th day of April, 1873, at 10 a.m.
Benediction by President George A. Smith.
John Nicholson,
Clerk of Conference.