We have assembled together this afternoon to continue the business of
the Conference, a portion of which I feel should be devoted to
instruction, teachings, traversing the experience of the Church, or in
any way the Spirit of the Lord shall manifest.
The special business that has to be transacted in a Conference like
this, can be done very quickly—perhaps we might do all that is
necessary in half a day, or in a day at the furthest.
We came together for the purpose of worshipping the Lord, and many
have come from a distance, who wished to come up here and join with
their brethren in contemplating the work of the last days, and in
speaking to each other comforting words, for it is a very agreeable
exercise, on occasions like this, as well as in other meetings, to
rehearse over to each other the scenes of life, the feelings of the
heart, the tragedies that have passed among us, the difficulties we
have surmounted, and the days, months, and years we have been brought
through.
I will say, for one, so far as it concerns my own feelings, my
brethren are at liberty to talk about that that is in their hearts.
This is my privilege, and I wish it to be understood that it is the
privilege of those who shall address this Conference. If they want to
preach us a discourse on doctrine—on the gathering of Israel, for
instance, they are at liberty so to do. If anyone wishes to preach
the first principles of the Gospel—repentance and baptism, with the
gifts, he is at liberty.
Were it not that our bodies have to be fed and clothed, I would
propose that we tarry here a few months, to give all a chance to
speak, to exhort, to pray, to prophesy, to sing, to speak in tongues,
or to do whatsoever the Spirit should manifest unto them. But our work
is a work of the present. The salvation we are seeking is for the
present, and, sought correctly, it can be obtained, and be continually
enjoyed. If it continues today, it is upon the same principle that it
will continue tomorrow, the next day, the next week, or the next
year, and, we might say, the next eternity.
If we are saved, we are happy, we are filled with light, glory,
intelligence, and we pursue a course to enjoy the blessings that the
Lord has in store for us. If we continue to pursue that course, it
produces just the thing we want, that is, to be saved at this present
moment. And this will lay the foundation to be saved forever and
forever, which will amount to an eternal salvation.
Brethren, we have accomplished the design of our hearts, that we
listed to accomplish. And really, this thought inadvertently rushes
upon my mind—Wherein have we not accomplished all we have listed to
do? Not only in excavating the earth, and laying down the
Cornerstones in the center of the main body of the building we shall rear
for the Temple, but wherein have we contemplated doing one
thing we have not done, to build up the Kingdom of God? If there has
been a failure, it does not occur to my mind at present. I cannot now
recall to my mind one circumstance of that kind, with all the mobbing,
driving, and afflictions that this people have passed through.
Though the enemy had power to kill our Prophet, that is, kill his
body, did he not accomplish all that was in his heart to accomplish in
his day? He did, to my certain knowledge, and I have many witnesses
here that heard him declare that he had done everything he could do—he
had revealed everything that could be revealed at present, he had
prepared the way for the people to walk in, and no man or woman should
be deprived of going into the presence of the Father and the Son, and
enjoying an eternal exaltation, if they would walk in the path he had
pointed out.
From the day that he fell, until this day, if there is one item of
business, if there is one thing that should have been done by this
people, that has not been done, I cannot call it to mind, though it
looked gloomy for a month or six weeks past, the weather being so
unfavorable with regard to being ready to lay those Cornerstones,
today.
I am happy to say that there has been a great deal of faith manifested
by the Saints, and, through that faith the Lord has granted unto us
the desire of our hearts, or else the devil has been sent on an errand
another way, and has forgotten himself. I do not think, however, he
need trouble himself much about the world, for he has them secure
enough. Perhaps he may have slept a little too long, as he has not
been here on this notable day. I attribute it to our Father in heaven,
for giving us this beautiful weather today.
The congregation was not accom modated as we desired. We should have
been pleased if they could have been so situated that all could have
heard the orations, and prayers that were made upon those four stones;
but they will be in print, so you can read them at your leisure.
I do not like to prophesy much, I never do, but I will venture to
guess, that this day, and the work we have performed on it, will long
be remembered by this people, and be sounded as with a trumpet's voice
throughout the world, as far, as loud, and as long as steam, wind, and
the electric current can carry it. It is a day in which all the
faithful will rejoice in all time to come.
Some will inquire, "Do you suppose we shall finish this Temple,
brother Brigham?" I have had such questions put to me already. My
answer is, I do not know, and I do not care anymore about it than I
should if my body was dead and in the grave, and my spirit in
Paradise. I never have cared but for one thing, and that is, simply to
know that I am now right before my Father in Heaven. If I am this
moment, this day, doing the things God requires of my hands, and
precisely where my Father in Heaven wants me to be, I care no more
about tomorrow than though it never would come. I do not know where I
shall be tomorrow, nor when this Temple will be done—I know no more
about it than you do. If God reveals anything for you, I will tell you
of it as freely as to say, go to City Creek, and drink until you are
satisfied.
This I do know—there should be a Temple built here. I do know it is
the duty of this people to commence to build a Temple. Now, some will
want to know what kind of a building it will be. Wait patiently,
brethren, until it is done, and put forth your hands willingly to
finish it. I know what it will be. I am not a visionary man, neither
am I given much to prophesy ing. When I want any of that done
I call on brother Heber—he is my Prophet, he loves to prophesy, and I
love to hear him. I scarcely ever say much about revelations, or
visions, but suffice it to say, five years ago last July I was here,
and saw in the Spirit the Temple not ten feet from where we have laid
the Chief Cornerstone. I have not inquired what kind of a Temple we
should build. Why? Because it was represented before me. I have never
looked upon that ground, but the vision of it was there. I see it as
plainly as if it was in reality before me. Wait until it is done. I
will say, however, that it will have six towers, to begin with,
instead of one. Now do not any of you apostatize because it will have
six towers, and Joseph only built one. It is easier for us to build
sixteen, than it was for him to build one. The time will come when
there will be one in the center of Temples we shall build, and, on the
top, groves and fish ponds. But we shall not see them here, at
present.
The First Presidency proceeded to the southeast corner, to lay the
first stone, though it is customary to commence at the northeast
corner—that is the beginning point most generally, I believe, in the
world. At this side of the equator we commence at the southeast
corner. We sometimes look for light, you know, brethren. You old men
that have been through the mill pretty well, have been inquiring after
light—which way do you go? You will tell me you go to the east for
light? So we commence by laying the stone on the south-east corner,
because there is the most light.
Just as quick as the minutes of this day's proceedings are out, there
will be Elders, High Priests, and Seventies, inquiring whether the
same order has been carried out today, as was observed in laying the
Cornerstones of the other Temples. I want to give you a little
history of it, that you may know.
When the cornerstones were laid in Kirtland, they had to pick up boys
of fifteen and sixteen years of age, and ordain them Elders, to get
officers enough to lay the Cornerstones. The Quorum of the Twelve,
and the High Council, and many other authorities that now exist, were
not then in existence. Joseph presided over the Church, by the voice
of the Church.
Perhaps it may make some of you stumble, were I to ask you a
question—Does a man's being a Prophet in this Church prove that he
shall be the President of it? I answer, no! A man may be a Prophet,
Seer, and Revelator, and it may have nothing to do with his being the
President of the Church. Suffice it to say, that Joseph was the
President of the Church, as long as he lived: the people chose to have
it so. He always filled that responsible station, by the voice of the
people. Can you find any revelation appointing him the President of
the Church? The keys of the Priesthood were committed to Joseph, to
build up the Kingdom of God on the earth, and were not to be taken
from him in time or in eternity; but when he was called to preside
over the Church, it was by the voice of the people; though he held the
keys of the Priesthood, independent of their voice.
I want the Elders of Israel to reflect upon this subject. I would be
glad to teach you something, that you may not get into such snarls as
heretofore. You make me think of a child that is trying to make rope
of a parcel of old thrums, until he gets the whole into snarls. It is
so with the Elders of Israel as touching their ideas of the
Priesthood.
Now hear me, and I will try to talk so that you can understand. I will
presume to go a little further than I did, with regard to the
President of the Church, and say to this people, a man might have
visions, the angels of God might administer to him, he might have revelations, and see as many visions as you could count; he
might have the heavens opened to him, and see the finger of the Lord,
and all this would not make him the President of the Church, or an
Elder, a High Priest, an Apostle; neither would it prove that he was
even a Saint: something else is wanted to prove it. Why I mention
this, is because of the frailty, weakness, and shortsightedness of
the people. If a man should come and tell you he had had a vision, and
could appear to substantiate his testimony that he had had the heavens
opened to him, you would be ready to bow down and worship him; and he
might be, at the same time, perfectly calculated to destroy the
people—one of the biggest devils on earth. He would appear to be one
of the finest of men, to be honest and unassuming, and come with all
the grace and generalship of the devil, which is so well calculated to
deceive the people. Admit this to be the case.
If you ask me what will prove a man or woman to be a Saint, I will
answer the question. "If you love me," says Jesus, "you will keep my
sayings." That is the touchstone. If you love the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the Father, you will keep the commandments of the Son—you will do
his will. If you neglect to do this, you may have all the visions and
revelations that could be bestowed upon a mortal being, and yet be
nothing but a devil. Why I use this expression is because when a man's
mind is enlightened, and he turns from that light to darkness, it
prepares him to be a devil. A man never knew how to be wicked, until
light and truth were first made manifest to him. Then is the time for
men to make their decision, and if they turn away from the Lord, it
prepares them to become devils.
Now, I want to go back, for I have wandered on a little with regard to
laying the Cornerstones, and take up the Apostleship, in connection
with this. Let me ask the High Priests' Quorum a question, in order to
bring out the thing I wish to lay before you. I ask the High Priests,
from whence does the Apostleship grow? Does it grow out of the High
Priesthood? I will venture to say, if I was not here today, and this
question was proposed for debate, you would find the Elders in this
congregation, perhaps, nearly equally divided on the point. There
would be as many High Priests to say the Apostleship grows out of the
High Priesthood, as there would to say it does not. Let me answer the
question. Now recollect that the High Priesthood, and the Lesser
Priesthood, and all the Priesthood there is, are combined, centered
in, composed of, and circumscribed by, the Apostleship. Brethren, did
you ever know that before? If you had read that book attentively, it would have told you the story
as I am now telling it to you, yet the High Priests did not know it.
I speak thus to show you the order of the Priesthood. We will now
commence with the Apostleship, where Joseph commenced. Joseph was
ordained an Apostle—that you can read and understand. After he was
ordained to this office, then he had the right to organize and build
up the kingdom of God, for he had committed unto him the keys of the
Priesthood, which is after the order of Melchizedek—the High
Priesthood, which is after the order of the Son of God. And this,
remember, by being ordained an Apostle.
Could he have built up the Kingdom of God, without first being an
Apostle? No, he never could. The keys of the eternal Priesthood, which
is after the order of the Son of God, are comprehended by being an
Apostle. All the Priesthood, all the keys, all the gifts, all
the endowments, and everything preparatory to entering into the
presence of the Father and of the Son, are in, composed of,
circumscribed by, or I might say incorporated within the circumference
of, the Apostleship.
Now who do we set, in the first place, to lay the Chief, the South
East, Cornerstone—the corner from whence light emanates to illuminate
the whole fabric that is to be lighted? We begin with the First
Presidency, with the Apostleship, for Joseph commenced, always, with
the keys of the Apostleship, and he, by the voice of the people,
presiding over the whole community of Latter-day Saints, officiated in
the Apostleship, as the first President.
What comes next in the Church? I will now refer you directly to the
building up of the Kingdom of God in the last days. What do we see
next? Joseph as an Apostle of the Lamb, with the keys of the eternal
Priesthood committed unto him by Peter, James, and John. What for? To
build up the Kingdom of God on the earth. Next grows out an office
pertaining to the temporal affairs of this Kingdom, the keys of which
are committed to man on the earth, preparatory to its establishment,
preparatory to its spreading, growing, increasing, and prospering
among the nations. The next step we see taken by the Lord, is to
provide for the body, therefore some person must be appointed to fill
this office, to stand side by side with this Apostle, this first
President. Who was it? It was not brother Hunter. Who was it? It was
brother Partridge. We see brother Partridge was called to fill that
place before there was an Elders' Quorum, or a High Priests' Quorum,
in existence, yea, before the thing was talked of, and also before the
Twelve Apostles were chosen, not, however, before the revelation was
given to signify there would be such a Quorum.
We see this Apostle with the keys of the Priesthood to build up the
Kingdom, to give light to those who were in darkness, to succor those
who were feeble, to sustain the trembling, to administer salvation to
the penitent, and to be a stay and a staff to those who were ready to
fall. We see this gigantic Apostle thus standing forth, clothed with
the authority of heaven, to build up His cause on the earth. Him the
Lord told to call a Bishop. So the Bishop was the next standing
authority in the Kingdom of God; therefore we set the Bishop at the
second corner of the building. The Melchizedek Priesthood, with the
altar, fixtures, and furniture belonging thereunto, is situated on the
East, and the Aaronic Priesthood belongs in the West; consequently the
Presiding Bishop laid the second stone.
Do you ask, was it so in the other buildings? I do not know, neither
do I care.
The High Priests' Quorum—do they come next in order, do they next step
into the field? No, not particularly, anymore than the Elders, nor
the Elders anymore than the High Council, nor the High Council
anymore than the Teachers, Deacons, or Priests. The High Priests' Quorum
is a standing Quorum, abiding at home. So is the Elders' Quorum; but
the place of the Bishop is in the temporal affairs in the Church; so
then what shall we say? Why, out of due respect to the High
Priesthood, which is nothing more than what is right and reasonable,
that we should honor the Priesthood that God has bequeathed to us, we
say to the High Priests; lay the third cornerstone.
We started at the South East Corner, with the Apostleship; then the
Lesser Priesthood laid the second stone; we bring them in our ranks to the third stone, which the High Priests and Elders laid; we
take them under our wing to the North East Cornerstone, which the
Twelve and Seventies laid, and there again join the Apostleship. It
circumscribes every other Priesthood, for it is the Priesthood of
Melchizedek, which is after the order of the Son of God.
To say a man is an Apostle, is equal to saying that a man is ordained
to build up the Kingdom of God from first to last; but it is not so by
saying he is ordained a High Priest. The Bishopric by right belongs
to the literal descendants of Aaron, but we shall have to ordain from
the other tribes, men who hold the High Priesthood, to act in the
Lesser, until we can find a literal descendant of Aaron, who is
prepared to receive it.
The Lesser Priesthood then, you perceive, comes within the purview of
the Apostleship, because a man that holds it has a right to act or
officiate as a High Priest, as one of the High Council, as a
Patriarch, as a Bishop, Elder, Priest, Teacher, and Deacon, and in
every other office and calling that is in the Church, from first to
last, when duty demands it.
This is the order of the Priesthood, brethren. I felt as though I
wished to make some remarks upon this subject on the Temple ground;
but dismissing the congregation hurt me much. I wanted to make some
remarks at the same time, but I despaired of making you hear, so I
thought I would omit speaking in the open air, and say what I had to
say in the Tabernacle.
I know what was done at Nauvoo; it was all right. Everything is right
with me. There the Twelve were called to lay the North West
Cornerstone, if I mistake not. However, it is no matter, they were just as
well there, as anywhere else. But to take up the Priesthood in its
perfect order and form, you perceive that the Apos tleship
circumscribes everything in the Church of God on earth. This is the
order, and I have endeavored to carry it out before you, that you all
might know hereafter, what is the true order, as far as it can be
exhibited in the laying of Cornerstones. So far as simply laying a
cornerstone is concerned, one corner is just as good to me as
another.
I will give you the explanation why we proceeded as we have. It was
suggested to me, that perhaps the Twelve would feel better to lay the
second stone. When I told them the fourth stone was the stone they
should lay, it struck my mind that I was ordained an Apostle; and I
still belong to the Apostleship; did you ever cut me off, brethren?
[Voices in the stand, No.] It struck my mind if you wanted to lay the
second stone, you did not feel that you had the Apostleship in you, or
you did not feel like as I did; for it is the beginning and the end,
the height, depth, length, and breadth of all that is, that was, and
ever can be to all eternity. I have not heard that there were any
feelings about the matter, only somebody suggested the thing. It was
three of the Twelve, then, that laid the first stone, and then the
Quorum of the Twelve laid the fourth.
Now will it cause some of you to marvel that I was not ordained a High
Priest before I was ordained an Apostle? Brother Kimball and myself
were never ordained High Priests. How wonderful! I was going to say
how little some of the brethren understood the Priesthood, after the
Twelve were called. In our early career in this Church, on one
occasion, in one of our Councils, we were telling about some of the
Twelve wanting to ordain us High Priests, and what I said to brother
Patten when he wanted to ordain me in York State: said I, brother
Patten, wait until I can lift my hand to heaven and say, I
have magnified the office of an Elder. After our conversation was over
in the Council, some of the brethren began to query, and said we ought
to be ordained High Priests; at the same time I did not consider that
an Apostle needed to be ordained a High Priest, an Elder, or a
Teacher. I did not express my views on the subject, at that time, but
thought I would hear what brother Joseph would say about it. It was
William E. McLellin who told Joseph, that I and Heber were not
ordained High Priests, and wanted to know if it should not be done.
Said Joseph, "Will you insult the Priesthood? Is that all the
knowledge you have of the office of an Apostle? Do you not know that
the man who receives the Apostleship, receives all the keys that ever
were, or that can be, conferred upon mortal man? What are you talking
about? I am astonished!" Nothing more was said about it.
I know that Joseph received his Apostleship from Peter, James, and
John, before a revelation on the subject was printed, and he never had
a right to organize a Church before he was an Apostle.
I have tried to shew you, brethren, as briefly as possible, the order
of the Priesthood. When a man is ordained to be an Apostle, his
Priesthood is without beginning of days, or end of life, like the
Priesthood of Melchizedek; for it was his Priesthood that was spoken
of in this language, and not the man.
When I arose to address you, I wanted to talk to you a little of my
experience in practical "Mormonism," but I have not had time, and have
talked long enough already. I have been round about it, you know, for
it is all inside of what I have been telling you.
May the Lord bless you forever, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.