The gospel which we preach is the gospel of life and salvation. The
Church which we represent is the Church and Kingdom of God, and
possesses the only faith by which the children of men can be brought
back into the presence of our Father and God. The Lord has set his
hands to restore all things as in the beginning, and by the
administration of His Holy Priesthood, save all who can be saved,
cleanse from the world the consequences of the fall and give it to the
hands of His Saints. I am a witness of these things. How far short we
may come of being what we should be, or of improving as fast as we
should, matters not; this is the Kingdom of God, this is the way of
life and salvation, and all who hearken to and receive it in their
faith, and live it in their lives, will have the privilege of
returning to their Father and their God; and none else will come into
His presence. It is true that the spirits of all people will return to
God who gave them, both Saint and sinner, but as to their staying
there and becoming permanent settlers in His immediate presence is
another question.
The practical part of the lives of the Saints in our day, and in
former days on this earth or on other earths, is another part of the
great subject of salvation. The faith of the people as a general thing
is correct; but the lives of many of the Latter-day Saints are far
from being what they should be. To be Latter-day Saints men and women
must be strictly honest; they must observe that code of moral religion
which is taught in the world and which is as good as can be taught.
There are numbers of the human family who profess the religions of men
who live the moral code acknowledged among them as strictly as men and
women can do.
When we talk of the true Church of Christ we speak of a system of
theology, the principles of which will bear upon every motive and act
of mankind. If there is a fault in the people, it will make it
manifest; if there is a weakness, it will be made apparent, for the
Lord takes this course that His children may exhibit what is in them.
In the latter days He will reveal the secrets of the hearts of the
children of men. He is now doing this by breaking up the people here
and there. He is leading them through circumstances to try them to the
uttermost. If we are not tried in all things already, there is plenty
of time yet for us to be so tried, even as Abraham was. Be patient, my
brethren and sisters, for we shall all have the privilege of being
tried to the uttermost if we are worthy. How many trials Abra ham had,
and how severe they were we have not been fully informed. A portion of
his life has been committed to paper, and handed down to us, which we
can read at our leisure. Whether he was tried as we are tried, and in
as many ways as the Latter-day Saints are tried, I do no know. There
is no question but that he was tried sufficiently to prove before his
Father and God that he was worthy of the blessings he obtained—that he
was worthy of the priesthood and the keys thereof—that he was worthy
to receive the articles of truth, to dispense salvation to his
father's house and to his friends and neighbors, and to all who would
hearken to his counsels.
The Latter-day Saints are a very peculiar people, and they are led in
a peculiar way. We are brought into circumstances so as to be a
stumbling block to the nations, through the failings and weaknesses of
the Latter-day Saints. Jesus was a stumbling block to the nation of
the Jews, and to the generation in which he lived, and, to all that
knew him, and how singular it is that Jesus Christ, at this late day,
and at such a distance from the theater of his operations, should have
attained such celebrity and fame; even his disciples are not only
canonized, but almost deified, and looked upon as though they were
gods come down to dwell with men. Every circumstance connected with
the Savior's life is looked upon as being divine. Christendom now
acknowledge that Jesus was the Son of God; they look upon him as God
manifested in the flesh according to the New Testament; yet the
generation in which He lived did not see these tokens of divinity
which this generation recognize. To them he was "a root out of dry
ground" —"a stumbling block," "a rock of offense."
So with the Latter-day Saints. They are a stumbling block to this generation. The
world see all their weaknesses and faults, and see no divinity in the
work in which they are engaged. Yet this is not to be wondered at,
inasmuch as the world could not see it in Jesus when he dwelt in
mortality. We are looked upon as a low, degraded, ignorant set of
fanatics. This is the opinion of the great majority of the learned and
refined world. Others say that our people are the dupes of a few. We
do not claim to be very wise, but we do know that that portion of
mankind called Christians in our day, who profess to be followers of
the meek and lowly Jesus, are grossly ignorant of His character, and
of the means and way of Salvation which He offers to the world. The
Latter-day Saints, as a people, may not be so far advanced in the
knowledge of many of the sciences, as their neighbors; but they are
learning how to take care of themselves, which is one of the greatest
arts known to man. When the most learned and scientific among men
scrutinize their own lives and experience, they are under the
necessity of acknowledging that they are faulty, weak, ignorant; they
are "strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and
without God in the world."
Instead of considering that there is nothing known and understood,
only as we know and understand things naturally, I take the other
side of the question, and believe positively that there is nothing
known except by the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ, whether in
theology, science, or art. The world receive information and light on
great principles of science and knowledge in the arts, to subserve the
hidden purposes of the Almighty, but they are ignorant of the source
from whence it comes to them. They seek not to know God, whom to know
is life everlasting. They seek not to know the source of their own
existence, and of all light and truth. They are not willing to
acknowledge His hand in anything; and for this the God of Heaven is
displeased with them, and His anger is kindled against them. They have
every evidence that can be asked that Joseph Smith was a prophet sent
from God, yet they cannot acknowledge it; while at the same time, with
the scriptures in their hands, they can but acknowledge the supremacy
of the doctrine we preach over the dogmas of the age, and in the
growth of this community in the time of a constant stream of abuse and
persecution, gathering the poor from all nations, they must
acknowledge the superior wisdom and power displayed, that cannot be
attributed to man. The wisdom which God has given them teaches them
better. It teaches them that a secret something, an invisible agency
is evidently at work behind the curtain. What mortal has the power to
call people from the ends of the earth? While Jesus Christ was in the
flesh He did not manifest his power. How much power did He manifest
over the people of the world in His day? Did He send His disciples to
the nations and call His followers together from the ends of the earth
by thousands? He did not. There is no doubt but that He had the power
to call the people together; but he did not manifest it. The people
saw no exhibition of this power when he was among them. But He is
doing it now, and if it had been the time to do it in His day it could
have been done by the power of the heavens through Him, as it is now
done by the same power through Joseph Smith and his brethren. God is
now displaying His power in a marvelous degree, whispering to
the inmost souls of the children of men in foreign lands with a still,
small voice, "flee to the mountains, for the day of the Lord is upon
the wicked nations of Babylon;" and the cry: "come out other, my
people" has gone throughout the world. Do we improve as fast as we
should? We do not improve as fast as we might; but I am happy to know
that we improve, and we can improve more if we please. Compare the
progress of the Saints in the days of the Savior and His disciples,
with the progress of the Saints in these days.
When a "Mormon" Elder offers evidence of this great work to
unbelievers, they tell him that he is a party concerned, and his
evidence cannot be taken with regard to Joseph Smith's mission. I ask
the Christian world where are your witnesses that Jesus is the Christ?
Who are those who testified of His mission, and how many are there?
Eight persons testified of Him, and their testimony is recorded, and
they were his disciples and parties concerned; yet at this day all the
Christian world is ready to receive their testimony. I testify that
this work of God in which we are engaged has been commenced to gather
the house of Israel and establish Zion in the last days, and has more
outward and weighty evidence to prove that it is of God than there was
in the days of Jesus to prove that he was the Christ. When the Book of
Mormon came forth it was testified to by twelve witnesses, and who can
dispute their testimony? No living person on the earth can do it; and
besides the testimony of these twelve witnesses, hundreds and
thousands have received a witness to themselves from the Heavens, and
who can dispute their testimony? No living person on the earth can do
it. This infidel world inquires, "where do you get your testimony?" We
answer, we get it from the Heavens. Were we to ask them where they get
the knowledge they possess, they reply, "We do not know; it came to
us; we know not its source." We have testimony that the Bible is true,
that the prophecies contained in it are true, that Jesus is the son of
God, and came to redeem the world. Have the so-called Christian world
this kind of testimony? They have not. All the testimony they can
boast of is the testimony of eight men who lived nearly two thousand
years ago. The infidel world cannot receive their testimony, because
they were parties concerned.
We are asked if signs follow the believer in our day as in days of
old. We answer, they do. The blind see, the lame leap, the deaf hear,
the gift of prophecy is manifest, also the gift of healing, the gift
of revelation, the gift of tongues and the interpretation of tongues.
Jesus said that these signs should follow them that believe. His
Church and Kingdom always have these signs which follow the believer
in all ages when the true Church is in existence. Do they follow any
but believers? They do not. The gift and power of the Holy Ghost, as
enjoyed by the ancient saints, and its various manifestations, are not
received in the faith of modern Christian sects. They say that the
gift and power of the Holy Ghost have ceased; that the canon of
Scripture is full; that there is no more new revelation, no more
prophecy, no more inspired visions, no more administrations of angels
as in days of old, no more voice of God from the heavens, no more
inspired prophets and apostles, who seal on earth and it is sealed in
heaven; from whence then have they testimony that Jesus is the Christ,
and that God lives? The very book which they believe to be
inspired, and which they offer to the heathen and the infidel as the
strongest evidence they possess for the divinity of their religion
declares positively that signs shall follow the believer, and this
very important declaration and promise they discard altogether. We say
that signs do in our day follow the believer, and here is the witness
and testimony that Jesus is the Christ.
If we speak of ourselves our testimony is nothing, but if we speak by
the power of God that is within us, the same Spirit bears witness that
we are the true followers of the Lord Jesus, and convinceth the world
of sin and of a judgment to come. The Spirit of the Almighty is abroad
among the people, and all who will listen to the truth will be
convinced by the spirit of truth, and they will flow together from
distant lands, and as the salt of the earth is gathered out the
nations will break to pieces; and are they not at this time breaking
to pieces? The honest in heart are gathering out by thousands and
tens of thousands from the nations of Babylon. They are leaving their
fathers, and mothers, and husbands, and wives, and children, and
friends, and associations, at the call of the gospel preached by the
Elders of this Church. What power, but the power of God, could stir up
the world and enlighten the soul and better the condition of
multitudes, teaching them to make the wilderness blossom as the rose
and the desert places to be inhabited?
After the Latter-day Saints are gathered together, I repeat, that we
do not improve as fast as we should. This Word of Wisdom which has
been supposed to have become stale, and not in force, is like all the
counsels of God, in force as much today as it ever was. There is
life, everlasting life in it—the life which now is and the life which
is to come. We have had this Word of Wisdom thirty-five years last
February, and the whole people have not yet learned to observe it
after the true spirit and meaning of it. There is within a few years
past a great improvement in this, so much so that I very much doubt
whether a tobacco spittle could be found upon the floor of this
tabernacle after this congregation is dismissed. Tobacco is not good
to receive into the human system; hot drinks are not good. We will use
cold drinks to allay thirst and warm drinks for medicine. Flesh should
be used sparingly, in famine and in cold. The people are beginning to
listen to these things. The Spirit of the Lord is urging the people to
cease from everything that is evil, and to reform in their lives; for
unless the spirit urged the people to do right, we might as well talk
to the sides of this house. We are urged by the spirit to refrain from
articles which tend to death, to preserve this life, which is the most
precious life given to mortal beings preparatory to an immortal life.
It is our business to prepare to live here to do good. Instead of
crying to the people prepare to die, our cry is prepare to live
forevermore. These mortal houses will drop off sometime, and when they
are cleansed and purified, sanctified and glorified, we shall inherit
them again forever and ever. Let all the Saints pursue a course to
live. Let those who fight against God's Kingdom fall asleep; and let
those who build it up live and prosper until their work in the flesh
is done. We say to worldly-wise men, acknowledge the hand of God in
your greatness and wisdom and in all the blessings which you receive,
for you receive them all from him.
Are we improving as a people? We are. I have said, and say
today, that according to the age of the people we have improved as
fast as the church of Enoch. I trust we improve faster, for we have
not as much time as they had. In some of the first revelations which
were given to this Church the order of Enoch was given for a pattern
to this people; and Enoch patterned after the heavens. The object of
the School of the Prophets is to train ourselves until we can receive
the order of Enoch in all its fullness. In the commencement of this
Church the Latter-day Saints could not receive it, and they were
driven from city to city, as the Lord said they should be through the
mouth of His servant Joseph, until they should be willing to receive
this order.
There is no evil in doing good, no wrong in doing right. It is the
evil that people do which renders them obnoxious to the heavens,
hateful to each other, and unworthy of their being upon the earth. Let
the people be righteous, full of love, faith and good works, loving
and serving God with all their hearts, and they are happy, and they
strive to make everybody around them happy. From henceforth the wicked
will become more wicked, and their wickedness will be made more
manifest, and the corruptions which now lurk in darkness will stalk
abroad, and confidence and safety will vanish from among men, until
the good-meaning people among all nations will be willing to flee to
any place to find peace and safety. Let us be obedient to the Man we
serve. We believe in a one Man power, and that Man is God our Father,
who lives in the Heavens. In being united with Him we can see the
beauty of the order of heaven.
The written word which we have, namely, the Old and New Testament, the
Book of Mormon and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants all agree in
testifying that Jesus is the Christ, but no man can know this without
the testimony of Jesus, which is the spirit of prophecy. Flesh and
blood did not reveal that fact to Peter, but the Father who is in
heaven. By this power do we known that Christ lives and is the Savior
of the world, and has commenced His work in the last days, to gather
His people, redeem and build up Zion, gather the remnants of Israel,
bring the Gentiles into His covenant who will receive the gospel,
restore the Jews to their land, and establish the New and Everlasting
covenant, which He established with the fathers and ratified to the
children. We are in this work; and we are called to be faithful and to
sanctify ourselves as a people and prepare for the coming of the Son
of Man. May God help us to do so. Amen.