I wish to present some counsel unto to the people on the subject of
their temporal life and point out to them what is their true interest
in regard to merchandising. I would propose to the brethren that they
keep their grain until they can get money for it, then put that money
into the hands of business men, and let them purchase goods with it,
which the people can freight themselves, and thus let every ward in
the Territory supply themselves from abroad with what they really
require; by so doing, the people will have the handling of the means
which the Lord has given them, and the greater portion of it will not
go into the pockets of speculators to enrich and fatten strangers, but
the large profits, which they have made and carried out of the
country, will remain here to improve the country, and to improve our
condition as a people. We sell our grain to the merchant, and receive
our pay in goods. The grain he has bought of us, he sells to the army,
or to mail contractors for a greatly increased price, which affords a
large profit upon his goods, and upon the wheat which his goods have
bought, and all this he gets in money.
Let the past ignorance and folly suffice us, and instead of giving
away our strength for naught, let us enjoy the full benefit of our
labors ourselves. Why not appoint in every ward of the Territory a
good business man, who is filled with integrity and truth, to make
contracts for the people of the ward, and let the convention prices be
the rule or not sell? Why not draw money for our grain and spend it
ourselves, instead of allowing those who have no interest with us to
handle it for us and pocket fortunes which we should enjoy and lay out
in redeeming the earth and in building up the kingdom of God in all
the world? We can do this if we will.
We have yet much to learn, and we are learning little by little, and I
do think that we shall yet come to understanding in sustaining
ourselves, building up the kingdom of God, renovating the earth,
keeping our enemies from our midst, sanctifying ourselves and the
earth, that the latter may be finally celestialized to dwell in the
presence of our Father and God. If we could all see and understand
things as they are, we would heap up the riches of this world. What
for? To gather the poor from among all nations, and buy out every foot
of land that is for sale upon the continent of America. We should be
the most industrious and the most economical of any people upon the
face of the whole earth. We should waste nothing, but make everything
in some way or other minister to our wants and independ ence. Everything which we use to feed the life of man or beast, not a grain
of it should be permitted to go to waste, but should be made to pass
through the stomach of some animal; everything, also, which will
fertilize our gardens and our fields should be sedulously saved and
wisely husbanded, that nothing may be lost which contains the elements
of food and raiment for man and sustenance for beast.
Time is allotted unto man wherein to labor and perform his work under
the sun; if our time is properly employed and judiciously divided to
our varied duties and labors, each man and woman performing his or her
part faithfully, the land would be filled with real wealth, and there
would be an abundance of means to prosecute every labor and every
private and public improvement which we desire to make for our own
comfort and convenience and that of our friends and neighbors and the
community at large. Were we to pursue this course faithfully, and
continue so to do, eternal permanency would be added to the general
peace and freedom which we now enjoy, and we never would be brought
into bondage again in any respect by the power of the enemy, but we
would continue to live and serve the Lord until the earth would be
sanctified and the saints inherit it forever and ever.
A few words upon the subject of example; and these I speak
particularly to my brethren, the Elders of Israel, yet they will apply
to all classes of mankind. It is a rule with me, and always has been,
to request nothing of the people that I am not willing to do myself,
to require no obedience of them that I am unwilling to yield.
Experience has taught me, that example is the best method of preaching
to any people. It is written—"Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and
to his disciples, Saying, the scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses'
seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe
and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not." If
we teach righteousness, let us also practice righteousness in every
sense of the word; if we teach morality let us be moral; let us see to
it that we preserve ourselves within the bounds of all the good which
we teach to others. I am sure this course will be good to live by and
good to die by, and when we get through the journey of life here, what
a consolation it will be to us to know that we have done as we have
wished others to do by us in all respects. This is my doctrine.
Let us, as teachers of righteousness, not only teach the whole law of
God, but do it ourselves. And when we pray, let us not ask our
Heavenly Father to do that for us which we would not help Him to do
were it in our power. When our brethren, who have the cause of God at
heart pray, we invariably hear them ask Him to cleanse the earth from
sin, and sanctify it and prepare it for the Lord to dwell upon. While
we thus pray, we should be employed in sanctifying ourselves first,
and then in redeeming and sanctifying the earth, for this the work we
are called to perform, aided by the Almighty. We pray the Lord to
preserve the righteous and to let the wickedness of the wicked come to
an end, and "O Lord defend thy people and fight their battles." We
should be prepared and be as ready and willing to defend ourselves as
we are that the Lord should be ready and willing to defend us. We
should be as ready and willing to fight our own battles as to have the
Lord fight them for us. We should be just as willing to exercise the
ability God has given to us to clothe ourselves, to build
comfortable habitations for ourselves and our families, as He has been
willing to bestow that ability upon us. We should be just as willing
to learn to govern and control ourselves, and to abide in the truth,
as we are to have the Lord assist us in doing so. When we fully
perform our part, the Lord will not be backward in performing all that
He has promised, if He should have to waste away and utterly destroy
nations and kingdoms to do it.
We all believe that the Lord will fight our battles; but how? Will He
do it while we are unconcerned and make no effort whatever for our own
safety when an enemy is upon us? If we make no efforts to guard our
towns, our houses, our cities, our wives and children, will the Lord
guard them for us? He will not; but if we pursue the opposite course
and arrive to help Him to accomplish His designs, then will He fight
our battles. We are baptized for the remission of sins; but it would
be quite as reasonable to expect remission of sins without baptism, as
to expect the Lord to fight our battles without our taking every
precaution to be prepared to defend ourselves. The Lord requires us to
be quite as willing to fight our own battles as to have Him fight them
for us. If we are not ready for an enemy when he comes upon us, we
have not lived up to the requirements of Him who guides the ship of
Zion, or who dictates the affairs of his kingdom.
The Lord has promised to provide for His Saints, to feed them and
clothe them; but He expects them to plough and plant, sow and reap,
and prepare their bread from the increase of the soil. It is just as
reasonable to suppose that He will raise our grain and fruit for us
while we are sunning ourselves, or lying in a state of inactivity in
the shade—that He will grind our wheat and make it into cakes for
us—as to expect that He will fight our battles when we will not make a
motion towards preparing for self-defense against any enemy that may
approach us. We cannot expect that the Lord will fight our battles if
we sell our powder and lead and arms to the Indians, and leave
ourselves unarmed and defenseless. If we do this, He will leave us to
ourselves to suffer for this great neglect, as we should have to
suffer for want of bread, if we did not take the proper precautions to
raise it from the ground when it would be in our power to do so. If we
wish to preserve ourselves from suffering cold in the winter, it is
expected that we build houses and provide fuel. Now, the Lord will not
do this for us, when we have the material all around us and the
strength to perform the labor required. If we wish to keep our cattle
from perishing, it is necessary to lay up fodder; the winter may be
severe or it may be mild; but in taking the precaution of laying up
fodder, we are prepared for either a mild or a severe winter. The Lord
has endowed us with ability to gather from the elements around us
every material which is necessary for food, raiment, and shelter. We
know how to raise sheep, and how to manufacture their wool into cloth.
We know how to raise flax, and cotton, and hemp, and silk, and how to
make them contribute to our comfort. We know how to raise grain and
fruit in abundance, and what to do with them when we have raised them;
and we hope to know how to use weapons of defense as well as any other
people or nation, if ever necessary, which I hope and pray will never
be necessary. We should always be willing and ready to obey every good
and wholesome law, whether it be to arm ourselves as the law directs,
to train in the ranks, to labor with our hands, to preach the Gospel,
to pray or to pay tithing; for those who obey in all things
will enjoy the spirit and blessings of the kingdom of God in time and
in eternity. Those who refuse to do their part for the maintenance of
the public peace and the public security are not worthy of the
fellowship of the Saints, and should be severed from the church.
It is required by the laws of the Territory of Utah of every male
citizen from eighteen to forty-five to be armed and equipped and ready
for any duty he may be called upon to perform as one of the militia of
the county; and if any refuse to obey the laws of the land, I would
try them before their bishops for that as readily as I would if they
were to refuse to pay a just debt; and if they would not repent, I
would sever them from the church, and give them over to the laws of
the land. I do not know that there is one person in the Territory who
would refuse to perform military duty; there are strangers in our
midst; but I very much doubt if one could be found who would refuse to
do military duty.
I look upon the Saints with delight; they are my pride; they are my
glory; in fact, this is the family that our heavenly Father has
selected as His chosen children, although many may yet leave it and go
away; but here are my fathers, my mothers, my sisters, my brothers,
here are my friends and associates, and here is my joy. I have never
desired to be in any place only where the Saints live; I have never
desired to associate with any other people. I know that we must become
of one heart and one mind in all things, to fulfil the requirements of
heaven in the building up of the kingdom of God upon the earth. We
enjoy ourselves in our public amusements, but our greatest joy is to
meet, as we have now met, to instruct each other in the principles and
faith of the holy Gospel, that we may increase in faith, in knowledge,
in understanding, and in the power of God to obtain all that is for
us, and to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth as Jesus
Christ did when He was upon the earth.
Prepare to die, is not the exhortation in this church and kingdom; but
prepare to live is the word with us, and improve all we can in this
life that we may be the better prepared to enjoy a better life
hereafter, wherein we may enjoy a more exalted condition of
intelligence, wisdom, light, knowledge, power, glory, and exaltation.
Then let us seek to extend the present life to the uttermost, by
observing every law of health, and by properly balancing labor, study,
rest, and recreation, and thus prepare for a better life. Let us teach
these principles to our children, that, in the morning of their days,
they may be taught to lay the foundation of health and strength and
constitution and power of life in their bodies. Let us teach them good
manners, orderly conduct and good behavior in every respect; and as
soon as they can understand what you mean, teach them to be strictly
honest, truthful and virtuous, that they may grow up in Christ, their
living head. Some of the brightest spirits who dwell in the bosom of
the Father are making their appearance among this people, of whom the
Lord will make a Royal Priesthood, a peculiar nation that He can own
and bless, talk with, and associate with.
I wish to present before the people the subject of a telegraph wire
through our settlements. It is a subject which is worthy of our
attention, and an enterprise which, when completed, will be of immense
benefit in many ways to our country. This work we can do almost
entirely within ourselves. We can get the poles from the mountains,
and plant them; the wires and insulators we shall be under the
necessity of importing from abroad, and for which we must pay money.
We can sell our grain and get the money. The freighting we can do
ourselves.
Cache Valley should be strong enough to poll three thousand votes, and
the people are well able to sustain a printing press. I think that
sufficient news could be collected in Cache Valley to make a small
sheet interesting, and I have no doubt talent sufficient to produce
communications both instructive and amusing. I would also recommend
the establishment in Logan of a machine shop for the general good of
the people in this and the neighboring valleys.
We know the Gospel to be true by the spirit of revelation, "For what
man knoweth the things of a man, save by the spirit of man which is in
him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but by the Spirit of
God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit
which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given
to us of God." It is our privilege to live so as to know the voice of
the good shepherd for ourselves, and to understand the will of God
concerning us as individuals. When we live so as to enjoy the glory of
our religion, then is our life a happy one, and our hope is bright
that we shall secure to ourselves life everlasting in the presence of
our Father and God.
The religion of Jesus Christ is a matter-of-fact religion, and taketh
hold of the everyday duties and realities of this life. When people
go to meeting in the so-called Christian world, they expect to hear
the sayings of Jesus Christ explained and enlarged upon and dressed up
and polished by the learning of men to make them fit for the ears of
the professors of the 19th century; or, they expect to hear some of
the dark sayings of the ancient prophets expounded, and how the Lord
used to manifest himself to the people in the days of old, and how He
spoke to them, and gave them dreams and visions and wonderful
manifestations, and what a delightful thing it was for them to gather
out from the wicked world and be organized by Him, and how they
enjoyed themselves in their social capacity, and what good times they
all had in ancient days; and thus they extol the ancients to the
heavens, tell of the doings of Adam, of Enoch, of Noah, of Abraham, of
the patriarchs, of the prophets, of Jesus and His Apostles; and go on
to tell about the resurrection, and describe the mysteries and joys
thereof on the one hand and the torments of the damned in that lake of
fire and brimstone and bottomless pit to which they are to be
consigned on the other, and who are going to have their hair sheared
off, who are going to have their fingernails taken out, who are going
to have their eyes dug out, and who are going to have their blood
spilled, and their spirits spilled, etc. At the close of such a
meeting the exclamation heard on all sides is, what a glorious meeting
we have had, what a glorious sermon we have listened to; when I would
not give the ashes of a rye straw for the whole of it as to the amount
of real practical good it does the people, more than in a moral point
of view.
When people are hungry they need substantial food; when they are
thirsty they need substantial drink. Moses' smiting the rock would not
have benefited the people in the least, if water had not gushed out.
It is the duty of the true minister of Christ to instruct the people
of God how to get their food today, and to teach them by precept and
example how to become an independent nation. How long shall we
have the privilege of sending to New York, St. Louis, or other places
to buy our goods? Babylon will surely fall. It may be said that we
shall always be poor without commerce, we shall always be poor with
it, unless we command it; and unless we can do this, we are better
without it. Instead of sending our wealth abroad to purchase
artificials, why not try to make them ourselves; or do without them?
Why not continue our endeavors until we can manufacture cotton cloth
as fine as these children are wearing today? Why not raise
flax and prepare it with care, and continue our efforts until we can
make linens of every description and quality? This home industry
should be persevered in from year to year with the view to our
ultimate independence of a foreign market. This is our duty. It is
true we do not do it. Instead of our young ladies letting the time
hang heavily upon their hands, or instead of being engaged in some
useless and profitless employment, they would enjoy much more real
peace of mind to be engaged in the production of some useful material
of some kind, it may be of silk, of linen, of woollen, of straw, or of
artificials and ornaments manufactured from paper, feathers, or other
material produced at home.
Every effort of this kind made by our sisters has its weight in the
struggle which we should all make to cut ourselves entirely loose from
any dependence upon those who have no other aim in view but our final
dismemberment as a society, and our utter overthrow as a people. The
Lord requires this of us; it comes within the pale of our duty; and in
addition to this, to live—for it is the first and foremost of all He
requires of us—so that we shall know the voice of the good Shepherd
always; to live so that we shall know the truth when we hear it, and
our hearts shall say amen to it. If there are any who have never heard
the Gospel until today, and wish to know how to serve God, begin by
repenting of your sins, and by being baptized for the remission of
them, and receive the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy
Ghost, and ever after live so as to be able to say, "my conscience is
void of offense towards God and man."
The Lord rules in the heavens, and does His pleasure among men. I will
here say, as the Lord lives, if this people will be faithful in the
performance of every duty, they will never come upon a field of battle
to fight their enemies. There is no man among them who trifles with
the counsel given to him to be armed and equipped and ready for any
emergency but what has lost the spirit of God more or less. If the
Saints neglect to pray, and violate the day that is set apart for the
worship of God, they will lose His spirit. If a man shall suffer
himself to be overcome with anger, and curse and swear, taking the
name of the Deity in vain, he cannot retain the Holy Spirit. In short,
if a man shall do anything which he knows to be wrong, and repenteth
not, he cannot enjoy the Holy Spirit, but will walk in darkness and
ultimately deny the faith. Every good and wholesome law we should obey
strictly, and do it with a good and honest heart. If we will pursue
this course, the Lord Almighty will put hooks in the jaws of our
enemies, and lead them whithersoever He will.
It is far better to die in a good cause than to live in a bad one; it
is better to die doing good than to live doing evil. To the Saints of
latter days who do their duty to the best of their knowledge, I
promise peace; but I have no promise of God for those who do not do
their duty. When I speak of our duty it applies to all, male
and female. It is the right of the mother who labors in the kitchen,
with her little prattling children around, to enjoy the Spirit of
Christ, and to know her duty with regard to those children; but it is
not her duty and privilege to dictate to her husband in his duties and
business. If that mother or wife enjoys the gift and power of the Holy
Ghost, she will never intrude upon the rights of her husband. It is
the right and privilege of the husband to know his duty with regard to
his wives and children, his flocks and his herds, his fields and his
possessions; though I have seen women who, I thought, actually knew
more about the business of life than their husbands themselves did,
and were really more capable of directing a farm, the building of a
house, and the management of flocks and herds, etc., than the men
were; but if men were to live up to their privileges this would not be
the case; for it is their right to claim the light of truth and that
intelligence and knowledge necessary to enable them to carry on every
branch of their business successfully.
It is the right and privilege of every Elder in Israel to enjoy the
Holy Ghost, and the light of it, to know everything which concerns
himself and his individual duties, but it is not his right and
privilege to dictate his superior in office, nor to give him counsel,
unless he is called upon to do so, then he may make suggestions; and
if the people of a ward are living in the faithful performance of
their several duties, their faith and their prayers will be
concentrated before the Lord, in the name of Jesus, for and in behalf
of their bishop, that he may know his business and be made fully
capable to fulfil the duties of his calling to the honor of God and
the salvation of the people. Wherever a man is ap pointed to preside,
he should preside in the dignity of his office, and be able to
discriminate between his duties as a presiding officer in a branch, he
being a high priest we will say, and the duties of the bishop. I am
gratified to say that such a thing does exist in the midst of this
people that one man can preside as a president and another as a
bishop, in the same ward, and not quarrel with each other; each one
has the privilege for himself of knowing his duty by the revelations
of the Lord Jesus Christ. And if all presidents and bishops were
inspired by this spirit, they never would have any difficulty, but
they would see eye to eye. It is the duty and privilege of the Twelve
Apostles to have the Holy Ghost for their constant companion, and live
always in the Spirit of Revelation, to know their duty and understand
their calling; this is also the duty and privilege of the First
Presidency of the church.
In the setting forth of items of doctrine which pertain to the
progress and further building up of the kingdom of God upon the earth,
and the revealing of His mind and will, He has but one mouth through
which to make known His will to His people. When the Lord wishes to
give a revelation to His people, when He wishes to reveal new items of
doctrine to them, or administer chastisement, He will do it through
the man whom He has appointeth to that office and calling. The rest of
the offices and callings of the church are helps and governments for
the edifying of the body of Christ and the perfection of the Saints,
etc., every president, bishop, elder, priest, teacher, deacon and
member standing in his order and officiating in his standing and
degree of priesthood as ministers of the words of life, as shepherds
to watch over departments and sections of the flock of God in all the
world, and as helps to strengthen the hands of the Presidency
of the whole church. A sister who receives the gift of tongues is not
thereby empowered to dictate her president, or the church. All gifts
and endowments given of the Lord to members of His church are not
given to control the church; but they are under the control and
guidance of the priesthood, and are judged of by it. Some have erred
upon this point, and have been led captive by the devil.
Whenever there is a disposition manifested in any of the members of
this church to question the right of the President of the whole church
to direct in all things, you see manifested the evidences of
apostasy—of a spirit which, if encouraged, will lead to separation
from the church and final destruction; wherever there is a disposition
to operate against any legally appointed officer of this kingdom, no
matter in what capacity he is called to act, if persisted in, it will
be followed by the same results; they will "walk after the flesh in
the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are
they, selfwilled; they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not
railing accusation against them before the Lord."
In all our daily pursuits in life, of whatever nature and kind,
Latter-day Saints, and especially those who hold important positions
in the kingdom of God, should maintain a uniform and even temper, both
when at home and when abroad. They should not suffer reverses and
unpleasant circumstances to sour their natures and render them fretful
and unsocial at home, speaking words full of bitterness and biting
acrimony to their wives and children, creating gloom and sorrow in
their habitations, making themselves feared rather than beloved by
their families. Anger should never be permitted to rise in our bosoms,
and words suggested by angry feelings should never be permitted to
pass our lips. "A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words
stir up anger." "Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous;" but "The
discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass
over a transgression."
All that we possess and enjoy are the gifts of God to us, whether they
be in earthly substance, physical constitution, or mental power; we
are accountable to Him for the use we make of these precious gifts,
and it is the imperative duty of all the sons and daughters of Adam
and Eve to pay their tribute to Him who has created all things, and
who is now pouring from the heavens instructions upon the people that
they may know how to live here and return again into His presence. It
is not our privilege to waste the Lord's substance upon the lusts of
the flesh, nor to devote one day of time to vanity and sin, or to any
employment which will tend to death. We are willing to acknowledge
that we receive all our blessings both temporal and spiritual, from
the munificent hand of God; but we are not always willing that He
should advise us how to use His blessings, when they are in our hands,
in the best possible way to build up His kingdom on the earth. O,
consistency, thou art one of the fairest jewels in the life of a
Saint. We ask God to bless us with houses and lands, and possessions,
chariots and horses, etc. When we plough our fields, and sow grain and
plant vegetables, we pray to the Lord for good crops, to give us a
great increase; and when we have gathered in the abundance which He
has sent us until our barns are full and there is no room for more,
then we ask no odds of the Lord, and are impatient and
rebellious in our feelings, when dictated and advised as to how this
fullness of the Lord's blessings should be disposed of for
the individual and general good of the community. This remark will not
apply to all; but when the word of the Lord comes to the people, which
it does all the time, every man and woman professing to be Latter-day
Saints should say amen, and then straightway fulfil it to the letter.
We calculate to continue to visit and preach to the Saints until all
shall see eye to eye upon this matter, and become of one heart and of
one mind in all things, and become perfectly united in building up the
kingdom of God upon the earth, and wipe out wickedness from the world.
I thank God that I now live in a community where I can live from one
year to another and not hear the name of God blasphemed, and all the
butter and eggs and flour that the people take to Bannack and other
places would not hire me to be obliged to listen to it. All may not
feel as tenacious on this point as I do; some care not how much the
names of God and of Jesus Christ are blasphemed in their presence, if
they can only sell their butter and eggs; or, "only give me a dollar
for your breakfast or dinner, and I care not how much you swear and
curse in my house and in the presence of my family." I would not hear
the name of God blasphemed as some who profess to be Latter-day Saints
do for all the gold that has been taken from the mines of California.
May the Lord bless His people. Amen.