I am happy to have the privilege of meeting with and speaking to the
Saints on the present occasion. If I were inclined to take a text I
would repeat a passage made use of by Jesus, which is something like
this—"Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly
of heart and you shall find rest to your souls." Perhaps I may not
have got it verbatim, however the principle is there, and you can
correct it from the written word. The ideas contained in the saying of
the Redeemer are rather peculiar. The yoke that is there referred to
would seem to imply a degree of servitude of some kind or other, and
men generally look upon such expressions in that point of view. The
nations of the earth, generally, are under some kind of rule and
government. The religious portion of mankind are also under a species
of government and rule, and no matter where you go, you find an
influence of this kind more or less prevailing among men. We stand
here in rather an anomalous position. We have a church with its
government or laws, and we have also a government and laws according
to the organization of the United States. Hence our obligations are
twofold, one as subjects of the United States, the other as subjects
of the Church of God. And then, were we to go a little further, we
might also add, of the kingdom of God. Now, in every government of men
that exists anywhere on the face of the earth, there is a species of
rule associated with and founded on authority voluntarily given by the
people or usurped by the rulers, according to circumstances; but all
mankind, everywhere, are under some form of dominion, government or
rule. The same thing applies also to churches and the worship of God.
There are various systems in existence on the earth, including
Judaism, Mahomedanism, Pantheism, and heathenism of many kinds, as it
has existed for generations in many parts of the earth; and there is
Christianity with the multifarious ideas, rule, and authority of the
Christian churches as they exist, scattered abroad in the earth,
principally in Europe and America as well as in some parts of Africa
and Asia. But whether we refer to the Pagan, Jewish, Christian, or any
other form of religion, its followers are expected to submit to some
kind of authority; to subscribe to certain articles of faith, and to
submit to certain forms, laws and ordinances, according to their several theories.
The same thing precisely, exists among the nations; they have their
various forms of rule, government and dominion, and they exact certain
conditions from their subjects. No matter what kind of government, it
requires a species of obedience from all persons living under it; for
government, of course, necessarily implies rule, authority, dominion,
governors and governed, or law and the execution of that law. All
these principles exist in one form or another over all the face of the
wide earth whereon we live. We cannot separate ourselves from that,
go where we will. In a despotic government the power to dictate and
control all its affairs is vested in the emperor, according to his own
will and pleasure, sometimes, perhaps, modified by counsel, which he
can receive or reject at pleasure. In other kinds of government, such
as are called limited monarchies, the people hold a certain part of
the power or authority in their own hands, and give a certain part to
the government. The government of England belongs to this class. There
they have a king or queen, as the case may be, at the head of the
government, and two houses called the Lords and Commons, the latter
are elected by and represent the people. It is what is called a
popular government, the people having a voice, but at the same time
they concede a certain amount of their power to their legislators, who
manage their affairs according to their ideas of what would be most
beneficial for the nation.
The government of the United States is what is called a republic. In a
form of government of this kind the foundation of all law, power and
authority is the voice or will of the people; that is the genius of
the government. It is based upon a written constitution granting unto
the legislature power to do thus and so, and to go no further; and
while they who make and administer the laws confine themselves within
the limits of that constitution, their acts are what is called
constitutional. When they go beyond that, their acts are called
unconstitutional, that is, they deprive the people of certain rights
guaranteed to them by the written compact that they have entered into.
I speak of these things simply to elucidate certain ideas that I wish
to communicate.
But to proceed further. If we—the people in this Territory, or in
other Territories or in the States, confer certain powers on the
General Government, we no longer retain them, they are ceded away by
us to others. If we give to our legislators certain authority, they
hold that authority, and it is for us to submit to the laws which may
be enacted by them. This is what is called republicanism, and it is
also in agreement with the theory of a limited monarchy. Whenever a
people give up certain rights they ought to honor the parties into
whose hands they place them. The President of the United States ought
to be sustained; so ought the ministers of the government of England,
by the people over whom they preside, because they are acting for and
on their behalf and according to their dictates. If you go to some
other governments they ask no odds of the people. Say they, "We will
be sustained, if we have to sustain ourselves by the sword."
We come now to religious matters, and here in our own country are
Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists, and a host of others. I need not
go to foreign countries and examine their religions. I wish to arrive
at certain conclusions, and to do so I have no need to go
beyond the confines of the United States. Here we have the Methodists,
Presbyterians, Baptists, Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, Quakers,
Shakers and so forth. Very well, all these sects have their own
peculiar ideas of church government. The Methodist has his
Discipline—a system got up by the ministers of that church that all
its members have to be governed by. They must come within the purview
and be under the influence thereof. If you ask a Methodist to become a
Latter-day Saint, he might say, and truly, "I have not the privilege
of being Methodist and Latter-day Saint at the same time." A man
cannot be a Baptist and a Methodist at the same time, neither can he be a
Methodist and a shaking Quaker. Why? Because he is bound by the
articles of the Discipline of his church, and he must submit to that.
So it is in regard to the Catholics. Many of you have no doubt read
recently of Pere Hyacinthe, who, a short time ago, was very popular
among the Roman Catholics. But he dissented from their views; and
among other things he took to himself a wife, which was contrary to
their ideas and creed, and probably his own views. The result was that
they excommunicated him and they treated him as if he had been dead,
and had a funeral, following him to his grave while he was yet living.
This is according to their ideas, and he, being a Catholic, had no
right to expect anything else. A Catholic priest must submit to the
laws of the priesthood, and they have excommunicated him for departing
therefrom, and he had no cause to complain. We may have our own
peculiar ideas about the propriety of this, that and the other
religious faith, ceremonies and forms of worship, but I am now
speaking of law, and of governments, and of the arrangements that
peoples, nations, churches, and the members of churches bind
themselves to be governed by.
The same thing applies to any of the various sects that exist in
Christendom. The Baptist commences a church, and he believes in
baptism by immersion, but he could not be a Latter-day Saint. Why?
Because he can be baptized by anybody not having authority from God,
and he does not believe that baptism is for the remission of sins.
According to his ideas he must have his sins forgiven first, and then
be baptized after a while. He could not be a Latter-day Saint, because
his ideas and ours are at variance. If a man is a Baptist, as long as
he remains so, he must submit to their law. If he is a Methodist, and
remains so, he must submit to their discipline, be it right or wrong,
the question of their laws being Scriptural or not has to be decided
in and of itself. It is the same way with a nation. If I were in
Russia, and did not like the government, I might, if they would allow
me, go to England, come to the United States, or go to one of the
Southern republics, and become a citizen thereof, but I could not be a
republican in Russia. If I went to England, I should have to be
subject to the laws of England, and the same if I came to the United
States, hence the principle that I mentioned before is applicable all
the way through, no matter which way you look at it. I am not saying
at present which of these governments, whether religious or political,
is right, I am merely trying to elucidate a principle that exists
among and is acknowledged by men. If I go to live in any country on
the face of the earth, I have to be subject to its laws, and if I am a
reasonable, intelligent man, I acknowledge the propriety of my
being so. If I join the Methodist church, I have a right to be a good
Methodist, and to submit to their discipline. If I join the Baptist
church I have a right to be a good Baptist, and to submit to their
discipline, creed, laws and so on, for I join them knowing that I
ought to submit to them, and as an honorable man I do so or leave it.
Well, we stand here in a peculiar position, as before stated. We are
here in a religious capacity, and we are here in a political capacity.
As religionists our faith is that God has spoken, and that angels have
ministered to men; that the everlasting Gospel has been restored in
its fullness, simplicity and purity, as it existed in Jesus's day. We
believe in Apostles and Prophets, and in the principle of
revelation—in God communicating with the human family. These things
were taught to us before we became members of this Church, and we
received them as part and parcel of our faith, and having faith in
this system we obeyed it. We believed in being baptized for the
remission of sins, and having hands laid upon us for the reception of
the Holy Ghost. That is our faith, it has been communicated to us by
revelation, by the opening heavens, by the voice of God, by the
ministering of holy angels, and by the testimony of God's servants, as
they have gone forth through the world.
We also believe in having a Priesthood—a ruling power to regulate and
dictate, under the guidance of the Almighty, the affairs of his Church
and kingdom upon the earth. That is our faith, and it was taught to us
when we first listened to "Mormonism." Before we were baptized into
this Church we believed the men whom we heard proclaim its principles
were inspired by the Almighty, and we pray to God for them daily now,
that the revelations of Heaven may be unfolded to their view, and that
the purposes of God may be made plain to their understanding, that
they may be able to instruct the people and lead them in the way of
life. This is our faith, and when we talk about these things we do so
understandingly, there is no halfway business about it.
We meet here today in Conference, believing in these principles. When
we talk about paying our tithing, we believe that it is the duty of
all who ever obeyed the Gospel of Jesus Christ to contribute one-tenth
of their increase to the Lord. As Latter-day Saints we subscribe to
this, and we believe it is right to be honest, and to show integrity
in this as in everything else. We believe in being truthful, virtuous,
pure and holy, and we believe in keeping the commandments of God in
all things. This is part and parcel of our religious faith and
belief, and we have, from time to time, of our own free will,
subscribed to these very principles of which I have spoken; and we
have held up our hands time and time again to sustain the authorities
of the Church and kingdom of God upon the earth. Having said so much
in regard to these things, I desire, very briefly, to compare the
position that we occupy with that which others occupy.
I have already told you that there exists a variety of governments on
the earth, and that all men are expected to be in subjection to the
laws and usages of the governments under which they live. I have told
you that in England they have a limited monarchy. At the present time
a queen presides over their destinies. How did she come to that
office? She was born of royalty, and inherited it by lineal descent.
The people had no choice in the matter. She has been, I
believe, a very good, virtuous, exemplary woman, and has ruled with
mildness, generosity and kindness among her people; but if she had
done otherwise, she was still their queen. Now I want to talk about
what people call equal rights, and to examine a certain principle in
relation to these things. What say had the people of England in regard
to their queen? None at all. The President of the United States is
elected by the people, therefore he is what may be termed the people's
candidate. How often do they elect a President of the United States?
Once every four years, and consequently there is great excitement now
on account of the coming Presidential election. The people are ranging
themselves into parties, and each party using all the influence they
possess to elect their own special and peculiar favorites. Besides the
President, there are Legislators and Governors. Governors generally
hold their office for four years; Senators of the United States from
four to six years, according to circumstances; members of the House of
Representatives for two years. In many of the States and Territories
the Legislators are elected for two years, and hence, during the time
for which they are elected, they have a perfect right to use their own
judgment in enacting laws for the benefit of the people, being sworn
not to transcend certain bounds laid down as their guide. If they
should be ever so bad during their term of office, and should enact
oppressive laws, the people have no right to change them until their
time expires, unless, from some flagrant violation of their trust,
they should be impeached.
How is it in the churches? With the Catholics it is once a priest
always a priest, except in such cases as that of Pere Hyacinthe, and
then they bury them. In some churches the bishops and other
authorities hold office during good behavior, or for lifetime; in some
churches they are voted for by a certain conclave according to
circumstances and their own peculiar notions and dogmas, and in very
many instances these officers hold their offices for life without any
counteraction whatever, unless they violate their own constitutions,
laws or discipline, when they are liable to be dealt with according to
the laws and regulations of their several churches. Now nobody thinks
they are very badly oppressed in all this. They enter these churches
voluntarily, they are not bound to stay in them, and they leave them
when they like.
Now let us contrast our position with that of other people in these
respects. We hear a good deal about one man power. I want to examine
that power a little, and see how it exists, and how far it extends. We
believe in two principles—one is the voice of God, the other is the
voice of the people. For instance, we believe that nobody but God
could set the religious world right, we believe that none but God
could have given any man correct information in regard to doctrine and
ordinances. We believe that God did instruct Joseph Smith in relation
to both, and also pertaining to the government of his people here on
the earth. How are this people selected and set apart? Joseph Smith
was selected by the Lord, and set apart, and ordained by holy angels.
How with the others? By the authority which God conferred on Joseph he
selected, set apart, and ordained others to the various orders and
organizations of the Priesthood. We know that the Lord, in former
times, called some men who did not magnify their call ing, and
who were set aside as unfit for the Master's use. Jesus, for instance,
called Judas to be one of the Twelve, and Judas betrayed him, and he
was cut off from the Twelve. We have had many instances in our Church
of a similar nature, men have been found unfaithful, and they have
been cut off. By whom? By the authority of that Priesthood of which
they formed a part. That Priesthood has the same power now that it had
formerly—to bind on earth and it is bound in heaven, to loose on earth
and it is loosed in heaven. How does this Priesthood stand in relation
to the people? It is not thrust upon them as the queens of England,
the kings of France, the emperor of Austria, or as the former king,
but now emperor of Prussia, are; no, it is not thrust upon the people
in any such way. It is precisely in the same way that the Israelites
were organized in former times—God gave them certain laws, and all the
people said "Amen," then the laws became binding upon Israel. The
position we occupy is this: the Holy Ghost, which has been given to
all who have obeyed the Gospel, and have lived faithful to its
precepts, takes of the things of God, and shows them forth through a
living Priesthood to a people enlightened and instructed by the Spirit
of revelation from God, and the people thus enlightened, instructed
and blessed by the spirit of light, voluntarily and gladly sustain the
Priesthood who minister unto them. When Joseph Smith was upon the
earth, he did not force himself upon the people as these kings and
emperors do, but he presented himself before them every six months, at
the Annual or Semi-Annual Conference, and the people had a chance to
lift up their hands to receive or reject him. That was the position
occupied by Joseph Smith, and those associated with him, in guiding
the affairs of the Church and kingdom of God upon the earth, and it is
precisely so with President Young. He stands here as the
representative of God to the people, as the President of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is, or ought to be, full of
light, life, revelation and the power of God, and he is, and bears
testimony to it. He ought to be able to lead the people in the paths
of life, and he is. He is the choice of God, and what more? He is the
choice of the people of God. Has he a right to say, "I am chosen, I am
elected, I am President, and I will do as I darned please, and help
yourselves?" No, he presents himself before you, and if there is any
man who has aught against him, he has the privilege of holding up his
hand to signify the same. That is the position of our President—he is
brought to a test every six months, as it rolls around, before the
assembled Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints. It is the same with the Twelve, the President of the Stake,
the High Council, the Presidents of Seventies, and with all the
leading officers of the Church—they are all put to this test twice a
year, and the people have the privilege of voting for or against them,
just as they please.
Here then, on the one hand, there is the voice of God. Shall we object
to it? Who made us? Who organized us, and the elements with which we
are surrounded and that we inhale? Who organized the planetary system
that we see around us? Who provides breakfast, dinner and supper for
the millions that dwell on the face of the earth? Who clothes them, as
he does the lilies of the field? Who imparts unto man his breath,
life, health, his powers of locomotion, thought, and all the
godlike attributes with which he is endowed? Where did they come from?
Who has controlled and managed the affairs of the world from its
creation until the present time? The Great I Am, the Great Eloheim,
the Great God who is our Father. We bow before him. Is it a hardship
to reverence the Lord our God? Is it a hardship to have him for our
instructor? And shall we follow the notions, theories, ideas and folly
of men, who seek to supersede the wisdom, light and paternal care of
God our heavenly Father? No, we will not. God is our God, "the Lord is
our God, the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our King, and he shall
rule over us." We do not object to bow the knee to God and say, "Our
Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy
will be done on earth as it is done in heaven:" and we pray that it
may be hastened. We acknowledge, we bow before, we reverence the name
of our heavenly Father. That is one thing that we do for God, who
causes seedtime and harvest, summer and winter, day and night, the
God who has watched over us and all the myriads of the inhabitants of
the earth from the time of creation until the present time; the God in
whose hands are the destinies of the human family pertaining to this
world and the worlds to come. If God will deign to teach, lead and
dictate us, we bow with reverence before him, and say, "It is the
Lord, let him do as seems him good." We ask the guidance of the
Almighty, we reverentially present ourselves before him and we submit
to his authority; for his yoke is easy and his burden is light.
What next? Then comes the freedom of man. On the one hand the guidance
of God, on the other the freedom of man. We ask God to dictate us and
he does. He has given us a President, Apostles, Prophets, Bishops; he
has organized his Church in the most perfect and harmonious manner. We
see these things before us. I need not talk about the country that we
inhabit, nor about the blessings that have been shed abroad among us,
rich in comparison with those enjoyed by others by whom we are
surrounded. These things are patent to all intelligent men, and
surprise is frequently expressed at our improvements and at the wisdom
and intelligence that have governed, managed and controlled our
affairs; they do not know where they came from. We do—they come from
God through the medium of his servants.
What next? God having given us a President inspired by his Holy
Spirit, we are required to vote for him—will we have him or will we
reject him? We lift up our hands and say, "Yes, we will receive him."
The world say this is despotism, being governed by one man. Is it
despotism for every man and every woman to have a voice in the
selection of those who rule over them? Is that despotism, tyranny or
oppression? If it is I do not know what the terms mean. There are no
people on the face of the earth today who have to undergo so severe a
criticism as the President and Priesthood of this Church before the
people, and why is it that the people vote unanimously for them?
"Well," say the world, "there is a kind of influence, we hardly know
what, we wish it did not exist, for we do not like this one man
power." I know you do not, for it is one thousand men, ten thousand
men power, it is the power of the kingdom of God on the earth, and the
power of God united with it, that is what it is. As I have already said, it is not only the President of the Church who has to
undergo this test, but the Twelve, the Seventies, and all the
presiding officers of the Church have to go through the same ordeal.
I will now go back to my text. I have been a long way from it, but you
know it is usual to preach from the text. I have been from mine
awhile, now I am coming back to it. Jesus says, "Take my yoke upon you
and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart, and you shall find
rest to your souls." What was the yoke placed upon the followers of
Jesus? Precisely the same as that placed upon you. What did he tell
his disciples to do? To go forth and baptize the people in the name of
the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and it was promised that certain signs
should follow them that believed. In his name they should cast out
devils, speak with new tongues, if they drank any deadly thing it
should not hurt them, and if they laid hands on the sick they should
recover. The word was—"Go forth in my name and with my authority, and
my Spirit shall accompany you." And it did, and the people became one
in faith, doctrine and principle, just as the Scriptures say. "Take my
yoke upon you." What was it? Said he, "Blessed are the meek: for they
shall inherit the earth; blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall
see God; blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness:
for they shall be filled." This was the kind of yoke Jesus put upon
them, and this is the kind that is put upon you—to love righteousness,
keep the commands of God, live your religion and obey the principles
of truth, is this a hard yoke? This is what is required of Latter-day
Saints. "Take my yoke upon you and learn of me!" And how did he do it?
He obeyed the will of his Father, and then he expected his disciples
to obey his will. Said he, "Father, I pray for them, that they may be
one" —a good deal of this one-man power there, was there not? "I pray
for them, that they may be one, even as the Father and I are one, that
they may be one in us;" and in his mind, looking to the universal
expansion of this heavenly principle, said he, "Neither pray I for
these alone, but for all them that shall believe on me through their
word, that they all may be one, even as I and the Father are one, that
the world may know that thou hast sent me." This was the kind of
principle the Savior taught to his followers, and this is the kind
that is taught to us.
Now let me ask is it right for a Methodist to obey the Methodist
discipline? Yes, or else leave them, he has the privilege to do which
he pleases. Is it right for a Presbyterian to obey the Presbyterian
doctrine and principles? Yes, or leave them. Is it right for a Roman
Catholic to obey their principles? Yes, or leave them. Is it right for
a Latter-day Saint to obey their principles? Yes, or leave them, one
of the two. Do not try to drag in something else, do not make
Methodists of us for instance, nor Presbyterians. Do not try to make
Catholics of us, if you do not like "Mormonism" leave it. That is
honest, straightforward and upright, and good doctrine, and according
to the principles which are acknowledged to be correct everywhere.
"Well," says one, "I think that things could be improved a little."
Well then, go out somewhere and make your improvements, here is a big
continent, go north or south, or where you please. Get as many to
follow you as you can, and teach them what principles you please, and
if you can build up a better system than ours all right, but
do not start it here. This is the kind of faith that Paul spoke of
when he said, "If thou hast faith have it to thyself." If you do not
have it to yourselves take as many with you as you can get. That is
right, the world is open, plenty of room in every direction, go and
try your hand and see how you will succeed.
The same principle is true in relation to other things as well as to
religion. I might apply it to things political. Some people say, "You
folks always vote together," we would be poor coots if we did not, and
just as bad as the rest of you. Some folks here, a short time ago, got
up a little political operation, and tried how it would answer to run
one against another; but it did not work well and they had to quit. We
believe in oneness, and our outside friends say, "We do not." Yes you
do, y-e-s y-o-u d-o. Now all you gentlemen who go in for General Grant
would you not like to elect him? Yes you would, and you will use all
the influence that you have to do so, and if he is not elected it will
be because you cannot do it, because you have not influence enough to
elect him. On the other hand, you who are in favor of Horace Greeley,
how you would like to have him elected, would you not? Yes, you would.
And will you not get all to vote for him that you possibly can? Yes,
and if all do not vote for him it will not be your fault. Well, if the
people do not vote as we want them it will not be our fault, and the
only difference, in this respect, between you and President Young is,
that he has a little more influence than you, therefore do not grunt
about it, these things are fair and straightforward. When men talk
about oppression they talk about what they do not understand, and the
same when they talk about the one-man power and the bondage of the
people. Is it not horrible bondage for the whole people to have the
privilege of voting for whom they please? Terrible, let us get out of
it, shall we not, and go somewhere where they will not let us do as we
please, and have some of that liberty that would put shackles upon us,
and bind us down? But we Latter-day Saints do not want that, we want
to be delivered from that, and to walk according to the light of
truth. Well, let us take the yoke of Christ upon us, and learn of him,
and keep the commandments of God. And if we vote for a Bishop
somewhere over yonder, let us sustain him as long as he is in office,
and if he does not do what is right we will vote him out. And if we
have Presidents or Apostles or anybody that we do not like, let us
vote them out, and be free men, and cultivate and cherish in our
bosoms the principles of liberty. But let us be careful that we do not
grieve the Spirit of the Lord, and while we are looking at these
things let us look at our own eternal interests, and lean upon God for
wisdom and instruction, that his Spirit may lead us in the paths of
life, that we may comprehend true principles, and be one as Jesus was
and is one with the Father.
May God help us to be faithful, in the name of Jesus. Amen.