Are our minds framed to receive and profit by those communications
which the Lord would give through his servants? We are so constituted
that we can receive but little at a time, though there is quite a
diversity in men as to their capacity for learning, and also in regard
to retaining what they learn. Some comprehend their lessons quickly,
while others are not so gifted. I have also noticed that some children
commit their lessons quickly and well; but ask them the meaning and
intent of what they have committed, and they cannot answer you; while
others pay more attention to the intent and meaning of what they
learn. Such is the case with all persons, no matter what their age;
and some are capacitated to receive more and faster than others.
When the Latter-day Saints and those who believed in the coming of the
Messiah, and those who believed in him when he came, and those who
have believed in him since he came, see eternal things by the vision
of their minds being opened. They will consider it a great mystery why
all people did not understand the things of God. They are so easy to
be understood and so congenial to our capacities and situation on the
earth—so admirably adapted to our nature. That mankind do not
understand the things of God is marvelous to an enlightened person,
and that what truth they do learn they wish to have it understood that
it is by their own wisdom: the wisdom that comes from God they do not
desire.
We observe in some of the Latter-day Saints a dull stupidity in regard
to learning the things that pertain to life. For persons to understand
themselves, their own organization, they must understand the character
of that Being who has organized them, or they never can understand
their own organization. This mankind are unwilling to admit. No person
can follow the thread of his own existence, without inseparably
connecting it with the Father—the Supreme Being who dwells in
eternity. We are inseparably connected, and must be, to that eternal
Being who produced us. You will therefore readily understand
that without the principle and Spirit of revelation, it will be
impossible to communicate these principles to the people.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the opening avenue—the open gate in the
road or way from earth to heaven, through which direct revelation
comes to the children of men in their various capacities, according to
their callings and standing in the society in which they live. The
Gospel of salvation is a portion of the law that pertains to the
kingdom where God resides; and the ordinances pertaining to the holy
Priesthood are the means by which the children of men find access to
the way of life, wherein they can extend their travels until they
return to the presence of their Father and God. This no person will
dispute, who has faith in the character of the Deity. They will
acknowledge that God is true, that his system of salvation is correct,
that his law is just, that he is equal in all his ways, and that the
ordinances of his house are true and faithful; but when you speak of
the Gospel as preached by the Elders of this Church, the query arises
in a moment, "Is this true?" Yes, as you have often heard stated, it
is a fact that earth and hell cannot deny. The sound of this Gospel
carries conviction to every heart that has heard it; it carries an
influence and power that no other sound has. But, though they are thus
convicted, yet they will query, "Is it true?" If it were not that the
conviction of the Almighty pervades even the sound of "Mormonism," you
would not see armies arrayed against this people.
This is the most moral people upon the face of all the earth, with all
the rascality there is in a few. The Gospel net gathers both good and
bad. We have both here. But this people, as a people, are the most
circumspect and moral people that now live. It has been said that we
are a low, groveling, lawless people. There is not a man in our
Government, who has a good sound heart and brain, but what will say
that we are the most law-abiding people in the United States.
All, so far as they have heard, are convinced that the work in which
we are engaged is true—that it is the Gospel of salvation—the voice of
God from the heavens to all people. Hear it, O ye inhabitants of the
earth! The Lord has again spoken from the heavens, and revealed
the holy Priesthood, to save the children of men from impending ruin.
Though this is true, they fancy that they can devise systems by which
they can save themselves, enter into the gate of rest, and secure to
themselves that eternal repose the heart aches for all through life.
There may be some exceptions to this general truth, but the existence
of a Supreme Being is universally acknowledged by man. This is to be
found in the lowest of the heathen nations, and they worship according
to the best knowledge they have. The inhabitants of Hindostan, Japan,
&c., are devotional people, though they worship before images, not
knowing better. The aborigines of this country also worship according
to their traditions, as do all the heathen nations. They make their
graven images of brass, wood, silver, and gold to represent the Deity
they seek to please. The Roman Catholic Church uses paintings and
images of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary; but ask them if they
worship these pictures and images, and they will tell you, "No: the
picture or image only represents to the eye the Being we worship." So
it is with the worship of the heathen nations: they will tell you they
"do not worship the inanimate image, but that the God they worship is
in eternity. We do not see him, but our fathers have taught us many
things which we wish to retain in memory." You present to your
children the image or picture of the Savior, or any good being, and
teach them to imitate his example, and by this means strive to create
the best possible impression upon their young minds. And which is
best—to do this, or to present them a pack of cards and teach them the
use of them? Then do not depreciate the heathen worship, nor the
brethren of our former Christian faith; for the majority of them
worship according to the best knowledge they have. Intelligent beings
are organized to become Gods, even the sons of God, to dwell in the
presence of the Gods, and become associated with the highest
intelligences that dwell in eternity. We are now in the school, and
must practice upon what we receive. Wickedness now dwells upon the
earth; but as we are exhorted from time to time by words, deeds, and
examples, and by the faith of the good, let us continue in this labor
of love until we overcome the evil that is within ourselves. With all
the rest of the good that you can commit to memory, be sure to
recollect that the Gospel of salvation is expressly designed to make
Saints of sinners, to overcome evil with good, to make holy, good men
of wicked, bad men, and to make better men of good. Wherein we are
wicked, wherein we have evil passions, the Gospel will aid us in
overcoming evil. It gives us the influence, the power, the knowledge,
the wisdom, and the understanding to overcome our weaknesses and to
purify ourselves before the Lord our God. How often we have heard it
said that "a Saint will be a Saint, a devil will be a devil, and the
wicked will be wicked!" People should understand that there is no man
born upon the face of the earth but what can be saved in the kingdom
of God, if he is disposed to be. There is not a word to contradict
this in all the sacred writings. When the wicked man forsakes his
wickedness, though he has rolled it under his tongue as a sweet
morsel, he can be saved. If God has foreordained certain men to
certain ends, it is because he knew all things from eternity, as in
the case of Pharaoh, who he knew would do wickedly; consequently,
selected him to be put upon the throne. "You are determined to be
wicked and to carry out the schemes of the Devil; therefore I will use
you to promote my kingdom on the earth and to exalt me among men, for
I know that you will do all you can against my children, against my
work, and against my grace to save the children of men." God raised
him to the throne of Egypt because he foresaw that in this position he
could use him to the greatest advantage to His cause—not because he
was foreordained to that position.
There are no persons without evil passions to embitter their lives.
Mankind are revengeful, passionate, hateful, and devilish in their
dispositions. This we inherit through the fall, and the grace of God
is designed to enable us to overcome it. The grace of God is bestowed
upon all, and the kingdom of God is planted on the earth expressly to
enable mankind to overcome the evil that is in them, and to save all.
If the Latter-day Saints live their religion, they will forsake
iniquity and overcome the evil that the enemy of all righteousness
causes to rise within them, until every passion and appetite is as
perfectly under their own control as a patient animal they hold by the
bit.
Ye wise men, ye great philosophers, do you comprehend and know what is
the origin of the intelligence we behold? Where did it spring from?
Who is the author of our existence? Who has brought us forth upon the
earth and given us this intelligence, creating us erect, given us ability to learn and to continue to learn to all eternity, and to
reach forth for the hidden things that are in the future? Can the wise
men of the day define this intelligence? Can the chemist analyze it?
No; it cannot be searched out by human wisdom. We must admit that God
is true, that his law is just, that his kingdom is just and pure, and
that it is now set up upon the earth, or there can be no being saved
in his presence. We are his children. This is obvious, and is easy to
be understood by those who can only understand simple facts. We are
his offspring, and to him we shall return. This being so, we should so
live as to be counted worthy to be again received into the family of
heaven, to be participants of all the glory, excellency, and power
that pertain to the family of God in eternity, and to be joined with
those who sing hallelujah to his name in mansions of bliss. Let the
wicked world pass on and the inhabitants of the earth rail, and let
the wicked imagine a vain thing and the heathen rage and run
to and fro; yet knowledge will increase, and they cannot prevent it.
The kingdom of God and the ordinances of his house are again restored,
and we are made happy participants thereof. Praise his holy name,
then, brethren and sisters, and acknowledge his hand in all things,
improving your talents, and making yourselves worthy to receive more.
The kings, queens, nobles, and great men of the earth will yet bow to
the Gospel, though not until they are obliged to.
We have not much history of the wise men of the east after they saw
the star and found the child Jesus. He had not lived two years before
an edict was sent forth to slay all the children in certain regions,
under such an age, thinking that the child Jesus would be caught among
them and slain. But Joseph was warned in a dream to escape with the
young child. Where then were the wise men who came to worship him?
They had gone their way, and were still. There are many wise men of
this day who feel so influenced; they would worship with the Saints,
but will not endure the opposition they must receive, if they should
do so. Never was the kingdom of God so privileged as it is now. The
children of Israel had the Gospel and the kingdom in their possession,
but they were so wicked and ungodly that only Joshua and Caleb, of all
the adult males who went out of Egypt, were left to go over and
possess the promised land. They were prospered and slew their enemies;
but after a while they went into bondage, were again made free, and
again went into bondage. Did they enjoy the privileges that we do? No.
We can travel and preach from island to island, and from nation to
nation, and can travel and preach in our own nation, for God has
prepared the way. We are blessed more than all the people on the face
of the earth, and are therefore under the deepest obligations to
praise and serve God. It matters little, though we have many times
left our houses and other possessions, having been driven from them by
our enemies; for the earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof; the
gold and the silver they are taking from the earth are all in his
hands to dispose of at his pleasure. He sets up kingdoms and casts
them down at his pleasure. The fulness of the earth is in his hands,
but it cannot be enjoyed, in the full sense of the term, without
enjoying it in connection with his kingdom. When put to its proper
use, gold, instead of being made a god of, will be made into dishes,
and all things will be prepared for Jesus to reign and rule and live
here, for he is the heir of this earth. The gold will also be used for
paving streets for us to walk upon: all the faithful will have
the privilege of walking the golden streets of the New Jerusalem.
I feel that this is the best day I ever saw; and were I to give vent
to my feelings, I should jump and shout, like a Methodist, Hallelujah!
God reigns; his kingdom is upon the earth, and he will save the
remnant in the latter days. I feel happy. "Mormonism" has made me all
I am, and the grace, the power, and the wisdom of God will make me all
that I ever will be, either in time or in eternity. Do you think that
I suffer affliction? No; for I am happy when in a house, or in the
mountains, or wherever I chance to be. Our religion measures, weighs,
and circumscribes all the wisdom in the world—all that God has ever
revealed to man. God has revealed all the truth that is now in the
possession of the world, whether it be scientific or religious. The
whole world are under obligation to him for what they know and enjoy;
they are indebted to him for it all, and I acknowledge him in all
things. Is it not reasonable and highly commendable to worship Him,
unto whom every knee shall bow, with a pure heart and conscience
uncontaminated by the sins of the world?
The greatest weakness, ignorance, and foolishness of the human family
are exhibited in their denying the Savior, denying the hand of God,
and not submitting to his supremacy on the earth. O fools, and slow of
heart to believe. Let the few who have received the truth live to it
strictly, daily, hourly, and momentarily, so that they can receive
more and more, and grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth.
That is my prayer for you constantly to my Father and God, in the name
of Jesus.
That we may be blessed, let us do our duty, gather the house of
Israel, redeem and build up Zion, see Jerusalem established, and Jesus
reign triumphantly upon the earth; which is my desire, in the name of
Jesus Christ. Amen.