Having been called upon by President Grant to address you this
morning, I do so with pleasure. How long I shall speak, I do not know,
for I have been quite unwell for some time past, and whether my
strength will hold out or not, I am unprepared to say; I can tell you
better when I have tried.
I have been much interested during the Conference that is past; and
although I was not able to take an active part in the business that
was going on, yet my spirit rejoiced to hear the principles of
truth that were advanced, and in the things that were developed and
fully made manifest by the Spirit of the Most High God.
Associated as we are with the kingdom of God, we may reasonably
expect, so long as we do our duty before the Lord, to have continual
developments of light, truth, and intelligence, that emanate from the
great God, for the guidance, direction, salvation, and exaltation of
this people, whether it relates to time, or to eternity; for
everything we have to do with is eternal; and when we speak of time
and eternity, they are only relative terms which we attach to things
that are present; and things that are to come, and things that are
past. But in relation to ourselves as individuals, we are eternal
beings, although we occupy a certain space of eternity called time; in
relation to the Gospel we preach, it is eternal; in relation to the
Priesthood, it is eternal; in relation to our covenants and
obligations, they are eternal; in relation to our promises, prospects,
and hopes, they are eternal. And while we are acting upon this stage
of being, we are merely commencing a state of things that will exist
while countless ages shall roll along; and if we have right views and
right feelings, and entertain correct principles as eternal beings,
all our thoughts, our actions, our prospects—all our energies and our
lives, will be engaged in laying a foundation upon which to build a
superstructure that will be permanent, lasting, and enduring as the
throne of the great Jehovah; and if anything is short of this, it is
short of the mark of the high calling whereunto we may or ought to
arrive; and many of the little incidents and occurrence of life that
we have to pass through, are transient in comparison to the things
that are to come; and yet all these little things are so many links in
the great chain of our existence, of our hopes and prospects.
There are many things that seem to us trials and difficulties, that
perplex, annoy, and harass our spirits; yet these very things, as one
justly observed, are blessings in disguise, so many helps to us to
develop our weaknesses and infirmities, and lead us to put our trust
in God, and rely upon Him to give us a knowledge of ourselves, of our
neighbors, and of the work of God; they have a tendency to develop
principles of worth to our minds, and thus they serve as
schoolmasters, helps, and instructors, and are to us as many blessings
in disguise. In fact all things that we have to do with in the world,
whether they are adversity or prosperity, whether they relate to
ourselves or to others, if rightly appreciated and understood, may
teach us a lesson that will be to our joy, probably not only in time,
but in all eternity. We must know ourselves, learn what is in our
nature—our weakness, our strength, our wisdom, our folly; and the like
things that dwell in others, that we may learn to appreciate true and
correct principles, and be governed by them whenever they are
developed; that we may learn to set a just value upon all sublunary
things, that we may not value them above their real value, and that we
may neither value ourselves nor others above our or their worth; that
we may learn to look upon ourselves as eternal beings, acting in
everything with a reference to eternity; that we may by and by secure
to ourselves
eternal exaltations, thrones, principalities, and powers
in the eternal worlds.
These are some of my feelings in relation to everyday affairs and
occurrences in life, and the things with which I am surrounded, and I
feel anxious every day, when I feel right, to make an improvement
today, in something that will benefit me or others in relation to
eternity, as well as to time; for while we are eternal beings
we are also temporal beings, and have to do with temporal things, as
well as with spiritual or eternal things. Taking this view of the
subject, it is of very little importance whether we are rich or
whether we are poor, whether we are placed in adverse or in prosperous
circumstances. It may, however, be of more importance than we think
of. I think adversity is a blessing in many instances; and in some,
prosperity; but nothing is a blessing to us that is not calculated to
enlighten our minds, and lead us to God, and put us in possession of
true principles, and prepare us for an exaltation in the eternal
world.
In regard to God and the things of God, could the world of mankind see
aright, and understand aright; could they know what was for their true
interests; or could they have known it for generations, there are none
of them but what would have feared God with all their hearts, minds,
soul, and strength, that is, if they had had power to do so; that
would have been their feeling, and more especially so among the
Saints. If the Saints could understand things correctly; if they could
see themselves as God sees them; if they could know and understand and
appreciate the principles of eternal truth as they emanate from God,
and as they dwell in His bosom; if they could know their high
calling's glorious hope, and the future destiny that awaits them,
inasmuch as they are faithful; there is not a Saint of God, there is
not one in these valleys of the mountains, but would prostrate himself
before Him; he would dedicate his heart, and his mind, and his soul,
and his strength to God, and his body, and spirit, and property, and
everything he possesses of earth, and esteem it one of the greatest
privileges that could be conferred upon mortal man. If there are those
who do not see these things aright, it is because they see in part,
and know in part; it is because their hearts are not devoted to God,
as they ought to be; it is because their spirits are not entirely
under the influence of the Spirit of the Most High; it is because they
have not so lived up to their privileges, as to put themselves in
possession of that light and truth that emanate from God to His
people; it is because the god of this world has blinded their minds
that they cannot fully understand, that they cannot be made fully
acquainted with the great and glorious principles of eternal truth.
When we look at ourselves aright, when we understand the principles of
truth aright, what is there we would not give for salvation? When the
Spirit has beamed forth powerfully upon the hearts of the Saints, when
the light and intelligence of heaven have manifested themselves, when
the Lord has shone upon the souls of the Saints when assembled
together, what have they felt like? That they are the blessed of the
Lord. How oft, when they have met together on special occasions to
receive certain blessings from the hands of God, has the spirit of
revelation rested upon them, and the future been opened to their view
in all its beauty, glory, richness, and excellency; and when their
hearts have been warmed up by that spirit, how have they felt to
rejoice? How have they looked upon the things of this world, and the
prospect that awaited them—upon their privileges as Saints of the Most
High God, and upon the glory they will inherit if they are faithful to
the end! You may have experienced the feeling that such thoughts and
prospects would naturally create in the human heart. Why is it we feel
otherwise at any time? It is because we forget to pray, and call upon
God, and dedicate ourselves to Him, or because we fall into
transgression, commit iniquity, and lose the Spirit of God; and forget
our calling's glorious hope. But if we could all the time see,
and realize, and understand our true position before God, our minds
would be continually on the stretch after the things of God, and we
should be seeking to know all the day long what we could do to promote
the happiness and salvation of the world; what we could do to honor
our calling—to honor the Priesthood of the Son of God, and what to do
to honor our God, and to improve the remaining time we have upon the
earth, and the energies of our bodies, for the accomplishment of His
purposes, for the rolling forth of His kingdom, for the advancement of
His designs, that when we stand before Him He may say to us—"Well
done, thou good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy Lord;
thou has been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over
many things."
These would be our feelings, and no doubt this is what we came into
the world for. I know of no other object, no other design, that God
had in view in sending us here. We came forth from our Father in
heaven, having the privilege of taking bodies in this world. What for?
That our bodies and spirits together might accomplish the will of our
heavenly Father, and find their way back again into His presence; that
while we are upon the earth, we might be governed by His wisdom, by
the intelligence and revelations that flow from Him; that He might be
a guide and dictator of our steps while we sojourn here; and that we
might fill up the measure of our creation in honor to ourselves, in
honor to our progenitors, and in honor to our posterity; and finally,
find our way back into the presence of God, having accomplished the
object for which we came into the world, having filled up the measure
of our creation, having obtained honor to ourselves, honor for our
posterity and for our progenitors, and become an honor to God our
heavenly Father, by walking humbly before Him, fulfilling His laws, and
accomplishing this the object of our creation.
I say, as I said before, if we understood
ourselves aright, this would be our main
object; but we know in part, and see in part, and
comprehend in part; and
many of the things of God are hid from our
view, both things that are past, things that are present, and things
that are to come. Hence the world in general sit in judgment upon the
actions of God that are passing among them, they make use of the weak
judgment that God has given them to scan the designs of God, to
unravel the mysteries that are past, and things that are still hid,
forgetting that no man knows the things of God but by the Spirit of
God; forgetting that the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God;
forgetting that no man in and of himself is competent to unravel the
designs and know the purposes of Jehovah, whether in relation to the
past, present, or future; and hence, forgetting this, they fall into
all kinds of blunders; they blunder over things that are contained in
the Scriptures, some of which are a representation of the follies and
weaknesses of men, and some of them perhaps may be the wisdom and
intelligence of God, that are as far above their wisdom and
intelligence as the heavens are above the earth. How often have I
heard individuals, for instance, exclaiming against the harshness, the
cruelty, and tyranny of God in destroying the antediluvians, the
people of Sodom and Gomorrah, and other cities and places, and against
other judgments and cruelties that befell the people. How little do
such persons understand about it. According to their own systems of
philosophy, they would act precisely upon the same principles if they
only understood the principles He acted upon; whereas in ignorance of
them they think it cruel indeed for God to de stroy the
inhabitants of the old world, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, or
other places. Why? Because it was the destruction of so much human
life. But do they know the whys and the wherefores of that? No. In the
same way they look upon Moses, Joshua, and some other eminent men of
God, who were called forth to execute His judgments, and accomplish
His designs—root out the wicked, destroy the ungodly, and establish
the principles of righteousness. They would look upon their acts as
acts of cruelty, tyranny and oppression. Why so? Because they can
conceive of no other idea than that which dwells in their own bosoms;
there dwells the principle of revenge, or ambition, and they know of
no other motive that could prompt God to do as He has in the
destruction of the wicked at sundry times. In the same way men judge
us in relation to our matrimonial relations; if a man is associated
with more females than one in the world, they cannot look upon it in
any other way than lasciviousness and adultery, the very principles
that predominate in themselves; they have no other idea. Our
situation, our conduct, and our proceedings, to their feelings and
views, are outrageous and abominable and this they believe in all
sincerity. Why? Because they know of no other principle than that,
they have not been enlightened, they do not understand the end from
the beginning, the whys and the wherefores; if they did, they would
know that virtue, purity, and strict integrity dwell in the bosoms of
the Saints, and that they are governed by correct, virtuous, and holy
principles, and a thousand times more so than ever they dreamed of in
their lives. This is so with regard to their views of the transactions
of God with the wicked in former ages.
The whole antediluvian world was enveloped in corruption; they had
forsaken God, the Father and fountain of their existence, and the
giver of every good and perfect gift, yielding submission to the
powers of the adversary in a state of darkness and ignorance, living
and propagating their species innumerable in that state of corruption,
depraving themselves morally and intellectually, forsaking God, and
teaching nothing but principles that were corrupt and abominable. Look
at the world in that state, and consider God as their Father, and
themselves as eternal beings, and propagating eternal beings in a
state of the deepest depravity; look at things that awaited them in
the future, the position they stood in, the misery they must endure in
the future after they had lived here, the trouble and position they
had got to be placed in before ever they could get back to the
presence of their Father; think of millions and millions of people
living and dying in this, and bringing millions of individuals into
the world, that had got to bear their fathers' sins, cursed with their
curse, and living and dying in their corruption still more increased,
to be damned and go to hell, to be redeemed before they could be
brought back again into the presence of their Creator—taking this view
of the matter, can you say that God was unjust, cruel, and tyrannical
for destroying such a people as that? No; for there were millions of
unborn spirits to come into this world and inhabit these depraved
bodies, and become subject to the corruptions of a depraved parentage;
for there was not a righteous generation, for the whole earth had
corrupted themselves. He had power to put a stop to the propagation of
such corruption, but, had He not done it, would He have acted
righteously to those yet unborn? Would He be doing justice to His
creation upon the earth to let the devil bear rule and universal sway,
and never put forth His hand to stop mankind in their mad career? Every man of reflection would look upon the destruction of
such depraved beings as an act of mercy, thus stopping those growing
evils by cutting off the life of man from the earth, and stopping the
onward course of that vile seed.
What is the reason men form wrong judgments about such things? It is
because they do not understand and comprehend correct principles,
because they do not possess the visions of the Almighty; they
understand not the end from the beginning, neither do they comprehend
the designs of the Great Jehovah; if they did, they would have very
different feelings and ideas in relation to the destruction of Sodom
and Gomorrah and the old world, with all their abominations and
corruptions, and in relation to the doings of Moses and Joshua, and
other men of God, who were set apart to keep in order affairs
pertaining to the kingdom of God, and establish righteousness, and do
the will of heaven. If they had not done these things, they themselves
would have been corrupted, and their children after them, they would
have suffered the evil to overcome the good, and suffered Satan to
triumph over God, and to bear rule, and have dominion, and corrupt the
whole of the human family. There are thousands of such things as these
that men form wrong ideas about, and wrong judgments; whereas, if they
only understood the mind of God, and correct principles, they would
come to other conclusions, and say—"God acts with wisdom and prudence,
and righteously, in all His dealings with the human family."
It is necessary that men should possess the Spirit of God before they
can know the things of God: hence the great difficulty that the
servants of God have had to labor under, in different ages of the
world, in the propagation of the truth, is, what would be right in the
eyes of God would seem wrong to the understanding of mankind; hence
His servants have been persecuted, afflicted, tried, driven, hunted,
put to death, and endured every kind of torment and affliction that
the ingenuity of wicked men, and the hellish malice of demons could
contrive, and all this for the lack of understanding and of love for
the principles of truth. It has been difficult in every age of the
world for the servants of God to accomplish His purposes upon the
earth. It has been difficult for those who have professed to be Saints
of God, in every age, to do His will faithfully without being
molested, such has been the influence of the powers of darkness, the
weakness of man's intellect, and the lack of knowledge in the things
of God. Because of this, it has been a difficult matter for those who
have professed godliness, to discriminate between right and wrong;
they would feel inclined to do right, but as it was with Paul on
certain occasions, when he would do good, evil was present with him. I
expect he ought to have overcome it, and I expect we ought likewise;
but such is the case, we cannot look anywhere but we can see the
weakness and infirmity of human nature.
We can sit down and reason calmly and dispassionately upon this
matter, guided by the Spirit of God, and reflect back to the time of
Enoch, and read some of the revelations given to that people, and look
at the struggles and trials they had to pass through; then look also
at the length of time that elapsed, after he had gathered His people
from the corrupt world, before they were prepared to be caught up into
the heavens; for Enoch was
translated, and the city with him, and
the Saints, its inhabitants, those who
believed in him as a Prophet of
God, and worked righteousness.
Look again at the time that Noah came from the ark, after he and his
household were saved from the flood that drowned the world; they were the only ones that were righteous. When Noah and his family
had seen the dreadful wreck, the awful calamity, the heartrending
scenes of distress and anguish, trouble and death, that overwhelmed
the world—with all this staring them in the face, how soon his
posterity departed from correct principles, and bowed their necks to
the power of the adversary; how soon was the weakness of human nature
made manifest! Consider the trouble, afflictions, war, and bloodshed
that have come in consequence of all this, the fostering of evil
passions in the human heart, and giving way to every kind of iniquity,
being led captive by the devil at his will, until nation has been
arrayed against nation, kingdom against kingdom, power against power,
and authority against authority. Witness the human beings that have
been slain, and the human carcasses that have been left to rot upon the
battlefields; all this has been in consequence of not adhering to what
is righteous, true, and holy.
Again, see the old Israelites. Abraham had been set apart, and
selected by the Almighty, as a man who had proved faithful in all
things, after being tried to the uttermost extremity. God positively
said, "I know Abraham will fear me and command his children after
him." Yet look at his children, and look at their seed in the
wilderness, and when the arm of God had been stretched out in their
behalf, see their rebellion, idolatry, and lasciviousness, and you
will see fair specimens of poor, fallen, depraved human nature. Such
was the case with them, and such has been the case in every age of the
world. We cannot account for it upon any other principle, than that
the God of this world has blinded, and does continue to blind, the
hearts of the children of men, lest the light of the glorious Gospel
of peace should shine in upon them, and they should be saved.
Wherein are we better than many of those of which we have spoken? God
has revealed His truth to us; He has opened the heavens and sent forth
His holy angels, has restored the holy Priesthood in as great power as
ever it was in any age, and in fact greater; for we are now living in
the dispensation of the fulness of times, when God has determined to
gather all things in one, whether they be things in heaven or things
in the earth; notwithstanding all this, are we much better than the
ancient people we have just noticed? We can read the history of the
people of this continent, in the Book of Mormon, of their faithfulness
to God, and the principles of truth and righteousness, and the hand of
God was stretched out in mighty power to save them from their enemies;
and we read again of their destruction and overthrow in consequence of
their departure from God. And among this people, who have been blessed
with the light and revelations of God, who have been gathered from
different nations, who have traveled thousands of miles for the
privilege of listening to the oracles of eternal truth, of securing to
themselves salvation, who have hailed with joy the message of mercy
that has been extended to them, whose hearts in former times beat high
with prospects of mingling with the Saints of God in Zion, and
listening to the words of eternal life, what do we see even among
them? The same specimen of fallen human nature; the same weakness,
infirmities, and follies that have characterized men who have lived in
former ages.
How many of us have fallen on the right hand and on the left; those we
have judged to be men of intelligence, some of them have stepped aside
in one shape and some in another. Some have given way to their corrupt
appetites and passions, and have fallen in an evil hour, have lost the
Spirit of God, have destroyed themselves, and have destroyed
others; corrupted, weak, fallen, degenerate, and abominable, they have
sunk to their own place. How much of this has there been both among
men and women, to the violation of the most sacred covenants they have
made before God, angels, and men. They have broken their covenants,
corrupted themselves, departed from the right way, lost the Spirit of
God, and they are anxious to go here and there, and everything is
wrong with them, and every place fails to yield them comfort, because
a consciousness of their guilt is continually with them; everything is
out of place to them, and their understandings are darkened. At one
time they were quick to comprehend truth by the light of the Spirit,
but now they walk in darkness.
This reminds me of a remark made once in Far West by a man; says he,
"I know Joseph Smith is a false Prophet, and that the Book of Mormon
and Covenants are false." How do you know it? "Why, says he, if a man
commit adultery, he shall apostatize; and I have done it, and have not
apostatized." That is a good sample of the intelligence that is
manifested by many. Do people think they can commit acts of iniquity,
transgress the laws of God, and break their covenants, after being
admitted to great privileges in the kingdom of God, and retain His
Spirit, and a knowledge of His purposes? I tell you, no; but their
very conduct and spirit give the lie to their profession all the day
long, just as much as this Missouri man's did which I have mentioned.
Well, what is it we are engaged in? Is the object of our being, in
this life, attained by thinking of nothing else but horses, to look to
nothing else but our little interests, our little farm or house, a few
cattle, and the like? Is this all we are concerned in, ye Latter-day
Saints? And if some of these things do not come smooth and square
according to your notions; and if you have made your golden or some
other darling idol, and a Moses should come along and break it to
pieces and stamp it under his feet, and scatter it abroad, and say,
"Arise, Israel, and wake from your slumbers;" do you feel very much
grieved? Do you feel as though some dreadful calamity had happened to
you? Have you forgot who you are, and what your object is? Have you
forgot that you profess to be Saints of the Most High God, clothed
upon with the Holy Priesthood? Have you forgot that you are aiming to
become Kings and Priests to the Lord, and Queens and Priestesses to
Him? Have you forgot that you are associated with the Saints of God in
Zion, where the oracles of truth are revealed, and the truths of God
are made manifest, and clearly developed; where you and your posterity
after you can learn the ways of life and salvation; where you are
placed in a position that you can obtain blessings from the great
Eloheim, that will rest upon you and your posterity worlds without
end? Have you forgot these things, and begun to turn again to the
beggarly elements of the world, and become blind, like others we have
spoken of, turning like the sow that was washed to her wallowing in
the mire? We ought to reflect sometimes upon these things, and
understand our true position. Have you forgot that you came from God,
that He is your Father? Have you forgot that you are aiming to get
back to His presence? If you have forgot all this, your conduct and
actions now are fraught with eternal consequences to yourselves, to
your progenitors, and to your posterity after you. Have you forgot
that thousands who have possessed the Holy Priesthood here, still
exist in the eternal world, and look with interest upon your conduct
and proceedings? Have you forgot that God has set His hand
again the second time to gather the remnants of His people? Have you
forgot that He is preparing a people that shall be pure in heart; be
blessed with light, life, and intelligence; with knowledge of things
past, present, and to come? Have you forgot that you are standing in
the midst of brethren who have gone behind the veil, who are watching
your actions, and are anxious for your welfare, prosperity, and
exaltation? Have you forgot that we are living in the last time,
wherein a mighty struggle will have to take place between the powers
of darkness that are in the world, and the children of light; that it
is necessary for us as individuals to gird ourselves with the
principles of truth, and be girt about with righteousness on the right
hand and on the left, to enable us to stand in the midst of
desolation, ruin, and misery, that are overhanging a devoted earth;
and that as eternal beings we ought to have our eyes open to eternal
things, and not be dreaming away our existence, forgetful of what we
came into the world to accomplish?
Well, here we are, and who are we? We are Saints of the Most High God,
are we not? And after all our weakness and infirmities, we are the
best people there is under the face of the heavens, by a thousand
fold. Poor as we are, weak as we are, changeable, afflicted as we are,
still we are the best people God has upon the earth. If truth is
revealed anywhere, it is here; if God communicates His will to the
human family anywhere, it is here. If anybody can enlighten mankind,
this people can; and if the nations of the earth, with their kings,
potentates, and powers, are ever exalted in the kingdom of God, ever
receive the light, truth, and intelligence of heaven, it will be
through the means of this people. We are His servants; we are enlisted
for life in the kingdom of God, to do His bidding, and to walk in
obedience to His laws, to sustain His kingdom, to roll forth His
purposes, and do whatsoever He shall think fit to require of us.
We have had some things presented to us during the Conference, about
which I am ignorant of the feelings of this people, neither do I care
what are their feelings; it is a matter of no moment to me, neither is
it to my brethren, nor to any who do the will of God. But one thing I
know, and one thing you know, you are not competent, in and of
yourselves, to regulate anything pertaining to your eternal welfare; I
do not care how wise and intelligent you may be, there is not one
among you independent of God, or of the teachings of His servants.
That I know, and that you know.
We have noticed some things this morning, wherein the world are at
fault, because of their lack of experience. Take, for instance, one
half of the world, I mean China, and the great majority in Europe.
Notice their position at the present time, and can any of you point
out a remedy that will restore amity and peace among them? Is there a
master mind, or spirit—a man possessed of sufficient intelligence, to
walk forth among the nations of Europe, and say to the hydra-headed
monster, "War, lie still and be thou quiet?" Is there a man who can go
into China and do the same thing, and straighten out the snarled
condition of the world?
Let us come nearer home; can any of you regulate the affairs of this
nation and put them right? I do not believe you can; and if you cannot
do such small things, that are associated with time, things that we
can see, know, and understand, how are you going to put in order the
things of God? How are you going to order ends that are to come? To
know what will be the best course to pursue, when the nations shall be
convulsed, thrones cast down, and empires destroyed; when
nation shall rush madly upon nation, and human blood shall flow as
rivers of water? What would we do in such circumstances? Some people
have thought we were in a dreadful condition, when the Indian
difficulties were among us in these mountains; and our distant
neighbors have been surprised how we have existed; but what would you
think if you were in some of the European nations at the present time?
Suppose you were one of the kings of those nations, or one of the
counselors, and some of the largest nations should undertake to
command you to supply a number of men to help fight their battles, and
you would say, "We wish to remain neutral;" the reply would be, "But
we will make you fight, and if you do not do it we will exterminate
you, to begin with." Suppose you were in a position like that. I think
we are no worse off in these mountains, than the world are. We may be
in some circumstances, but in many other respects we are much better
off than they. I think our young men, for instance, would think it
very hard if they were obliged to spend from three to five years in
soldiering in times of peace, which they have to do in many of the
nations of Europe, or bring a substitute to go in their place. I think
sometimes we might be a great deal worse off than we are; and I think
it is necessary men should be tried in order that they may be proved,
and that they may know themselves; and that some should be destroyed,
as they have been on this continent, or on the other; it is all in the
wise providence of God; life and death are of little moment to Him. It
is a matter of great importance to know the truth, and obey it, to
have the privilege of learning, at the mouths of the servants of God,
His will, and then to have the privilege of doing it unmolested, no
matter what it is, whether to live or die, or whatever course we may
have to pursue. I think it is a great privilege for us to be
associated with the kingdom of God. I esteem it so myself, and I feel
to bless God my heavenly Father, all the day long, that He has counted
me worthy to obtain the Priesthood, and to be associated with His
servants, who are the most honorable, pure, and philanthropic men upon
the earth; and I feel to bless and praise my heavenly Father all the
day long; my heart is full of praise, and I rejoice exceedingly that I
have been counted worthy to be associated with His people and
kingdom.
Should we not all feel alike in this? We all profess to be full of
love for, and manifest a great amount of confidence in, the Holy
Priesthood. It reminds me of some of the missionaries among the
churches of the day; they always have a great deal of faith about the
spiritual welfare of the people, but they never had faith enough to
trust their time and their friends in the hands of God, while they
were engaged in His work; but there must be missionary boxes to
swallow up the money put into them, and if they go abroad, they must
be well supplied with money, but they call upon the people to trust
them for their spiritual welfare, while they cannot trust God for a
piece of Johnny cake. I think we are very like them sometimes; we have
a good supply of faith, we can speak and sing in tongues, and some of
us have the gift of prophecy, and are full of religion and zeal. We
pray fervently for the President, and for the Twelve, and for the
rolling forth of God's kingdom, and we seem all alive in it in this
way; but what about our temporal interests? "O, I do not know so much
about them, I think we are the best judges in these matters, but in
spiritual matters I do not meddle as a judge, they are in the hands of
the Lord's servants, and I can attend to my temporal affairs
myself."
"Yes, we have a great deal of faith, we can speak in tongues, and cast
out devils in thy name." But take care he does not say at last, "I do
not know you." "Why, Lord? Did we not cast out devils, and were we not
full of thy religion, and did we not pray unto thee often?" Yet He
will say, "I never knew you."
I will tell you how I feel about the principle of consecration, that
has been presented by the President before the Conference; but there
is one thing that will perhaps make a difference with me, I have not
much to consecrate or sacrifice, consequently I cannot boast much in
these matters. No matter about that, let it come; for I feel I am
enlisted for the war, and it is going to last for time, and throughout
all eternity; and if I am a servant of God, I am under the direction
of those servants of God, whom He has appointed to guide and counsel
me by revelation from Him; it is their right to dictate and control me
amid all the affairs of those associated with the kingdom of God; and
I feel moreover that everything, whether spiritual or temporal,
relating to time or to eternity, is associated with the kingdom of
God. Feeling in that way, it makes very little difference to me which
way things go; it is not a matter of great moment whether they take
that side, this side, or the other side; whether the path is rough or
smooth; it will only last a certain time, and I can only last a
certain time; but the chief thing with me is, how to hold on to my
faith, and maintain my integrity, and honor my calling, and see to it
that I am found faithful at the latter end, not only of this life, but
in worlds without end; and continue to grow in all intelligence,
knowledge, faith, perseverance, power, and exaltation; that is a
matter of some importance to me, but the other is scarcely worth a
thought.
The principle that was laid before us has been published years ago in
the revelations of God, and the Saints have anxiously looked forward
to the time when it would be fully entered into by them. But there is
one thing you may set down for a certainty—if a man has not confidence
in one revelation of God, he has not in another; and if a man feels
right in one, he will in all the revelations from that source. I would
hate, after struggling, and trying to master the evil around me, and
to conquer the evil disposition that besets me, to let some little
thing upset me, and root me up, and cause me to lose my high calling's
glorious hope, and make a shipwreck of my faith, and send me down to
perdition; and I know you would hate it also. We have got to follow
the oracles of heaven in all things; there is no other way but to
follow him God has appointed to lead us and guide us into eternal
salvation. He is either delegated from heaven to do this, or he is
not; if he is, we will follow his counsel; if he is not, then we may
kick up our heels, and every man help himself the best way he can. If
I came from my Father in heaven, and am seeking to find my way back to
His presence again, and I do not know the way myself, I feel, for one,
by the grace of God, to yield to the intelligence He gives, and go
forward in the name of the great Eloheim, that I may obtain the object
of my creation, and not make a fool of myself, and destroy myself, but
be a blessing to myself, to my progenitors, and my posterity, and
obtain a seat in the kingdom of God.
These ought to be our feelings. I know the majority of this people
feel right, and I pray God to increase this good feeling in every
bosom, that our hearts may expand, and that the blessings of the great
God may rest upon us, and that we may all ultimately be saved in His
kingdom. Amen.