I have a few words to say to the Latter-day Saints with regard to
borrowing money and not repaying it. The individual referred to by
Brother Carrington is not the only one who has done this. If we were
to do justice by them I think we should deprive them of the fellowship
of the Saints until they learned to keep their word and to deal
honorably with their brethren. It is bad enough, quite bad enough, to
borrow from an enemy and not to repay him; to do this is beneath the
character of any human being; but all who will borrow from a friend,
and especially from the poor, are undeserving the fellowship of the
Saints if they do not repay. If anybody in the congregation is
disposed to make a motion to that effect I certainly should put it to
the vote. Then again, I will pause. There are circumstances that are
discouraging, and which naturally weaken the faith and confidence of
the Saints, and few things more so than to send money to bring the
poor home to Zion, and, after teaching them how to take care of
themselves, to accumulate the necessaries of life around them, and
when they become comfortable and have a little to spare, for them to
lift their heels against God and his Anointed. And this is not
infrequently done.
I look over the congregations of the Saints as I travel
through the Territory and I see quite a large percentage of people
who, I know, never in their lives owned a house, a foot of land, a
horse, a wagon, a carriage, an ox, a cow, a sheep, or even a fowl. But
gather them here, make them comfortable and put them in happy
circumstances and they often forget their God, their covenants and
their benefactors. I do not know of anyone, excepting the unpardonable
sin, that is greater than the sin of ingratitude; and I do think that
many of this people are guilty of it. I will say, however, that if
there be those in this congregation who have held out to the poor
Saints any prospects of helping them to gather, keep your word with
them.
A very serious question frequently arises in my mind with regard to
the character of men and women. It is this; "Are our characters our
own?" We may say "yes, we form these characters." Suppose that we are
fortunate enough to form a good, honest character in the minds and in
the faith of those who are acquainted with us, do not those characters
belong to our neighbors, although we may be the framers of them? And I
would like to ask: Have we the right to destroy them? It is a serious
question with me. If we have confidence in each other, and our conduct
has been such that we have created confidence in the feelings of our
neighbors towards us, have we a right to destroy that confidence? Is
it not sacrilege? I will simply reply by giving my views with regard
to myself. According to the knowledge which I possess it is a great
deal easier for an individual to preserve a good character than to
frame and make one if it is lost. It is much easier to keep a fort
when it is well armed and defended than to give it into the hands of
the enemy and then regain it. Consequently we had better keep our
characters, if they are good, than to suffer the enemy to rob us of
them.
Now, to the Latter-day Saints, I will say that when you received the
Gospel in foreign lands you received no more, in comparison, than a
child receives at school when he learns his first lesson. If he
masters the alphabet he thinks he is progressing finely. If the Saints
receive the alphabet abroad they are doing well. When they come here
they have more to learn. The school we are in will never cease; the
lessons we have to learn will never be less than those which we have
received: they will never end; consequently it is important that we
school and train ourselves until we are in subjection to the mind and
will of heaven.
In passing through the world I see that the most of parents are very
anxious to govern and control their children. As far as my
observations have gone I have seen more parents who were unable to
control themselves than I ever saw who were unable to control their
children. If a mother wishes to control her child, in the first place
let her learn to control herself, then she may be successful in
bringing the child into perfect subjection to her will. But if she
does not control herself how can she expect a child—an infant in
understanding—to be more wise, prudent and better than one of grown
age and matured? I think it would be asking too much. If we will
school ourselves and bring our own tempers and dispositions into
subjection we shall then have influence to do good, over the minds of
our acquaintances; but if we do not control ourselves how can we have
influence over others? You let two men meet, for instance, say two
neighbors, between whom there is a difficulty, and one is full of
anger and wrath and he is ready to settle the matter on the
spot; but the other one, calm and quiet in feeling, says: "Neighbor,
stop a moment, let us look at and reason on this subject; I perceive
that you are angry this morning, you are not in a good temper, and are
not in a situation now to consider this matter justly. Wait a few
moments and see if this evil influence will depart from you. We will
then endeavor to revise this matter thoroughly and learn who is to
blame." Now the one who is calm and full of judgment, discretion and
patience pretty soon overcomes the opposite influence. Which of the
two has the mastery? The one who is angry or the one who is full of
patience? Why, the one who is angry at once submits in his own
feelings to his superior. Who is the superior? The one who has
possessed his soul. If we take this course we will gain influence.
But we do know, the Christian knows, the heathen knows, and the whole
world of mankind knows, and it is acknowledged by all, that confidence
is lost; the members of the human family have not confidence in each
other, as nations, individuals, kings, potentates, statesmen, or as
officers of governments; and I am sorry to say that people have not
confidence in each other as Christians. Confidence is lost. The work
in which you and I have enlisted is to restore confidence in the minds
of the people; and when I hear of circumstances transpiring in which
brethren forfeit their word I regard it as a blot upon the character
of this people. We should keep our word with each other. And if we
have difficulty of misunderstanding with each other, talk it over,
canvass the subject thoroughly, seriously and discreetly, and we shall
find that all difficulties will be remedied in this way easier than
any other; and we shall also find that nearly every difficulty that
arises in the midst of the inhabitants of the earth, is through
misunderstanding; and if a wrong in intent and design really exists,
if the matter is canvassed over in the manner I have advised, the
wrongdoer is generally willing to come to terms.
This restoration of confidence devolves upon us, then let us do what
we can in our humble sphere to do so among ourselves in the first
place, and by-and-by it will reach to others. I am happy to say that
those who are not of us have a great deal more confidence in us, in
many respects, I mean as businessmen and traders, than in any other
community on this continent; and I do not believe that there is a
community in the whole of Christendom, the members of which pay their
debts as well as the Latter-day Saints. But they are not up to the
mark, and are defaulters in many respects; yet they may not be nearly
so much to blame as outward appearances seem to indicate, for there
are so many men who will deal on prospect, really believing that their
business matters are so propitious and promising that they will be
able to make both ends meet and accomplish all their designs. Such
persons have more confidence in themselves and in future fortune than
they should have; and through this the Latter-day Saints oftentimes
fail in their business transactions and engagements with one another.
How desirable it is that we should be prompt with each other in every
respect! Failure in this is often the source of ill feeling and of a
bad reputation. How often I have heard the saying, from my youth up,
"There is a bad neighbor," or "such a one is a bad neighbor!" But
in
most of such cases which have come under my notice, I have learned
that the "bad neighbor," wants that re turned which others have
borrowed, and at the time they have promised; and if they were not
prompt and true to their word he speaks uncomfortable words and gets
angry. And, as a general thing, I have found that "bad neighbors" in a
country are, in nearly every case, men who are very prompt, and
because others are not so, difficulties arise; for instance, Mr. A.
goes to Mr. B. and says, "Can I borrow your hoe, plow or wagon of you
today?" Says Mr. B., "Yes sir, you can have it, if you will return it
in the evening, for I shall want it early tomorrow morning." But
tomorrow morning comes and the plow is not brought home, and here
stands the team and the hired man and boy waiting for it, and thus
anger is created. These little bars should be put up. It is hard for
us to enjoy that spirit of peace that we should enjoy unless we are
very prompt in our dealings with each other. We sometimes say to the
brethren, "We do not see nor understand how in the world you can enjoy
your religion unless you have a good fence around your garden; you
have a fine garden with good vegetables and fruits growing, but no
fence around it." "Well, it is the law here for people to take care of
their cattle." "Yes, but they don't do it." In this garden there may
be a patch of beans coming on finely, or some young fruit trees
growing thriftily. The owner of the garden gets down on his knees for
morning prayer, and presently he hears a rush round the house. "What
is the matter?" "Why cattle are in the garden." I think he cannot pray
much. It destroys the spirit of prayer and takes peace from him. But
let him put a good fence around his garden, orchard or field and he
can kneel down and pray in peace, and ask his heavenly Father for the
blessings he wants, and not be interrupted, and the devil is fenced
out. Well, in all these things guard against temptation, against this
loose life, and be prompt in everything, and especially to pay your
debts.
The Perpetual Emigrating Fund is not doing anything this season.
But it is painful to hear the cries, wishes, wants and importunities of
the poor Saints. If we will do right we shall have abundance to gather
the poor. They must all have a chance, although many of them forsake
their God, deny their Savior, forsake their brethren and turn away and
become traitors, yet they must have their chance. Gather them, give
them all the chance possible for life and salvation, and if they
receive it right, blessed are they; if they reject it, their blood be
upon their own garments.
I want to say a few words with regard to our religion, our spiritual
faith and belief, to my friends who are here. I am accosted frequently
with the expression, "I think you have done wonders here, but I do not
believe anything of your religion." Now, you certainly do. There is
not an infidel in the world but who believes in our religion more or
less; and the same is true of the heathen and also of professing
Christians and their ministers; but they do not know how to define it.
They believe in a God, but they do not know how to define that God. If
they turn to the Bible and read, it will tell what God is; it will
describe the character and form of the very God that the Christians
serve. He has a body, parts and passions; he has feelings,
sensibility, principle, attributes, and powers and this Bible proves
it definitely to every person who really believes the Bible is true.
Do the Christian world believe in the Son of God—the Savior of the
world? They say they do, and we certainly do; and we also believe that he came and died for sinners—died to save the world. Do the
Christian world believe it? Yes, they say they do. Do not we believe
alike? Yes. They do not know how to define it, but we do. Do they
believe in the gifts and graces of God? They certainly do. I have
heard ministers begin to preach and read from the scriptures and give
their interpretations of what the Lord meant. I have said to them
"there must be more revelation in the world than ever before, for
how can you tell what the Lord means, if you do not read it, unless he
tells you?" Here is the word of inspired men, but you say it does not
mean what it says. I believe it means what it says, where it is
translated correctly. I believe that inspired men said what they
meant, and meant what they said. I believe that Jesus said precisely
what he meant, and meant precisely what he said. Do Christians believe
this? They say they do, and I have heard ministers of the gospel
declare that they believed every word in the Bible was the word of
God. I have said to them "you believe more than I do." I believe the
words of God are there; I believe the words of the devil are there; I
believe that the words of men and the words of angels are there; and
that is not all—I believe that the words of a dumb brute are there. I
recollect one of the prophets riding, and prophesying against Israel,
and the animal he rode rebuked his madness.
Do you believe all this is the word of God? If you do you certainly
believe more than I do. The words of the Lord are the words of the
Lord, and the revelations God has given concerning himself are true.
When Moses wrote and said that man was formed precisely in the image
of God he wrote the truth. We are the children of our father—his
offspring, of the same family; we belong to him by birthright, and we
are his children and Jesus is our brother. Does the Bible tell all
this? Just as plain as words can tell anything. The Christian world do
believe "Mormonism," and "Mormonism" is the truth.
"Where is your code, your particular creed," says one. It fills
eternity; it is all truth in heaven, on earth or in hell. This is
"Mormonism." It embraces every true science and all true philosophy.
Is this so? Certainly it is; but, vain philosophy is the result of
vain conjurations of the brains of men. How often we hear men
philosophize about what would have been suppose we had not been here,
and suppose the earth had not been made, and suppose Adam had not come
into the garden of Eden, and suppose he had not sinned, what would
have been the condition of the world! Always arguing from false
premises, and on a false foundation. Facts are facts, and we might as
well argue that there is not a railway across this continent to carry
the people and goods as to argue that Adam was not in the garden of
Eden, that he did not fall, that sin is not in the world or that Jesus
is not the Christ. The negative of these propositions is hard to
prove, but the affirmative is easy to prove and comprehend, and easy
to understand and live by.
Well, I will say that our religion is nothing more nor less than the
true order of heaven—the system of laws by which the Gods and the
angels are governed. Are they governed by law? Certainly. There is no
being in all the eternities but what is governed by law. Who is it who
desires to have liberty and no law? They who are from beneath. This is
what Lucifer, the Son of the Morning, wanted. He wanted to save the
world without law, to redeem the world without order. There
must be law, order, rules and regulations; there must be a system of
government; and, to have a kingdom of God on the earth, there must be
a king, and subjects to rule, and territory for those subjects to
dwell upon. These things comprise the kingdom of God, the embryo of
which is now being formed by the Latter-day Saints, by the will of the
Father, by the power of God; and they will endure and truth will
prevail, and we need not be afraid as to the result.
True science, true art and true knowledge comprehend all that are in
heaven or on the earth, or in all the eternities. By these all beings
exist, whether they be celestial, terrestrial or telestial; or whether
they are from beneath and dwell with the devils among the damned. All
truth is ours. Now, if anybody wants to make a trade, come on! If you
have truths, and I have errors, I will give ten errors for one truth.
I have said a great many times to my friends, "if I have errors bring
on your truth." I have embraced the Gospel of the Son of God, by the
world termed "Mormonism," simply because it is true; and there is no
power, no argument, no true philosophy, no principle of science, there
is no truth from heaven, no word of God or of angels that says to the
contrary; but all agree that this is the word of God, this is the
power of God, this is life everlasting; and we can say, as it was said
in old times, "This is eternal life to know the only wise and true God
and Jesus Christ whom he has sent," and thanks be to God we are
tolerably well acquainted with him, and with the principles which he
has revealed for the guidance and salvation of the children of men. He
extends life and salvation to all, and says, "Come to me all ye ends
of the earth and be ye saved." Is there any person excused, any left
out of doors, to whom no invitation is sent? Not one. It was a marvel
to me, when I first believed, how it was that professing Christians in
the world need to repent. But I took this ground in my own mind, and I
carried it out. Said I, "If I have no sins to repent of let me repent
of that religion that I have embraced that is not true." So we say to
all others. If you have been righteous from your birth up, and have
never committed known sins and transgressions, be baptized to fulfil
all righteousness, as Jesus was. If you can say you have no sins to
repent of, forsake your false theories, and love and serve God with an
undivided heart.
God bless you. Amen.