A great many duties devolve upon us, of which we have to be
constantly reminded. There are no people within the range of my
acquaintance, to whom so much instruction has been imparted concerning
the various duties devolving upon them, as to the Latter-day Saints.
The best talent of the community is at their service. All the wisdom
which God has given has been freely bestowed upon the people
without money and without price; and, as has been remarked upon this
Stand repeatedly, there is an independence about the Elders of this
Church in preaching the Gospel unto the Saints and unto the world,
that is not to be witnessed among the ministers of any other
denomination. The reason of this is, that the ministers of the
Latter-day Saints do not live upon the people, and are not dependent
upon their favor for salaries to sustain them, and there is a
consequent freedom in discussing measures of a monetary character, for
the general good, when, under other circumstances, a delicacy might be
felt.
We read in the Scriptures that Jesus Christ, in speaking with his
disciples, asked them whom he, the Son of Man, was. Peter answered him
that he was the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus then said to
Peter, "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona; flesh and blood hath not
revealed this unto thee, but my Father, who is in heaven. And I say
also unto thee that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my
church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, and I will
give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou
shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou
shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Here was great power
and authority given unto a man. It might be said that this was one-man
power, Peter having the authority to bind on earth and it should be
bound in heaven, to loose on earth and it should be loosed in heaven;
but yet, these are the words of the Son of God unto one of his
Apostles.
Now, what did this authority consist of? Can anybody tell outside the
Church of Jesus Christ? Can anybody outside the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints understand the saying of Malachi, where he
predicts that, "The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his
temple?" Do they understand why Temples are built now, or for what
purpose they were built in ancient days? Can they tell how the
authority, which was conferred upon Peter, was exercised by him, or in
what way it could be exercised by any man who might possess it? All
these things are mysteries to the so-called Christian world, but God,
in his mercy and condescension, has revealed them again, and as we
frequently say to the Latter-day Saints, and not to them alone, for
this is no monopoly of knowledge, God has not created a monopoly in
organizing this Church, he is willing to extend this knowledge unto
all the inhabitants of the earth, without money and without price. It
is this which causes the Latter-day Saints to be so firmly united, and
which makes them willing, if necessary, to suffer persecution when it
overtakes them. It was this knowledge which bound the ancient Saints
together, and which caused them to endure martyrdom gladly and
joyfully in view of the blessings which they knew were in store for
the faithful.
While brother George A. Smith was speaking, I could not help but think
of the wonderful work that is being wrought in this generation among
the children of men, in consequence of the power that has been wielded
through the erection and completion of Temples and the administration
of ordinances therein. Men wonder how it is that the Latter-day Saints
are so united. They say this is a most wonderful phenomenon. They
attribute it all to President Young. They say that he has a wonderful
intellect, that he is a good organizer, that he possesses
great executive ability and administrative power, and that through the
gifts and endowments which he possesses, the works which we see and
the union that is everywhere manifest among the Latter-day Saints are
produced. But we who are connected with the Church, while we do not
wish to detract in the least from the merit which is due to him as a
servant of God and a faithful laborer in his cause through all the
years of his life since he first became acquainted with the truth;
while we do not wish to lessen the merit of these labors, or to
detract in the least degree from them, we understand principle better
than to give the glory to man. It is God who originated and who has
preserved this work, and who has built it up, and developed in the
hearts of the children of men this long dormant and long lost
principle which binds them one to another as we are bound together;
and there is no people on the face of the earth before whom there is
so bright and glorious a prospect for this life and also for the life
which is to come, as the Latter-day Saints, through the blessings of
the Gospel which God has revealed.
We live in a different day to the ancients. They had before them the
prospect of martyrdom and the overthrow of the work with which they
were connected. But in these days God has given unto us different
promises. These are the last days, and he has said that his kingdom
shall triumph in the last days; it shall not be overthrown or go into
the hands of another people. Our Prophets have been slain, the blood
of Saints has been shed, but these scenes shall not long continue.
There may be other blood shed; there may be other sacrifices offered,
and other requirements of this kind made, or rather the Ad versary may
have power to effect bloody results of this character, but they will
be short-lived. The days of the triumph of the wicked are numbered.
They cannot prevail over this work for any length of time. It will
grow and increase and spread abroad until it fills the whole earth,
and we and our children after us will enjoy the earth and all the
blessings thereof, according to the predictions of the holy Prophets.
The prospect, then, before us, concerning this life is a different one
from that which presented itself before others who have preceded us.
And the prospects for eternity are as bright and glorious as any that
were ever presented to any of the children of men. We are sent here,
for what purpose? To eat and drink, to clothe ourselves and to build
houses, and to live and die like the beasts? Is that the object for
which God has sent us here? By no means. This is a low view to take of
existence. God has revealed to us, to a certain extent, the object of
our existence. We are his children—the children of Deity, with deity
and godlike aspirations within us. We have these aspirations in common
with all his children, and it is right and proper that we should have
them. Every man has a desire to rule, govern and control; some men, to
gratify their ambition in this respect, have trod bloody paths and
have trampled down their fellow men in their march to power, and when
attained it has been of short continuance. But God has revealed to us
a principle by which we can attain to dominion and power without
having to do as they have done. He has revealed to us the Gospel,
which tells us that if we are faithful here over a few things he will
make us ruler over many.
Many men wonder how it is that we can believe in celestial marriage.
We believe in it because it lies at the foundation of all future
greatness. If a man rule in heaven he will rule over his own
posterity. The Apostle John, said that they sang a new song in
heaven—"And hast made us unto our God kings and Priests: and we shall
reign on the earth." Reign on the earth! This was the song. Over whom
were they to reign? Over whom more properly than their families? The
authority to seal wives to husbands for time and all eternity is the
authority that is restored by the everlasting Priesthood, and this is
the authority that was given to Peter, by which children can be sealed
and joined to their parents for time and for all eternity until they
realize the blessing that was pronounced upon Abraham, when the Lord
said unto him that, as the stars of heaven were countless for
multitude, or the sands on the seashore could not be numbered, so his
seed should be and he should rule over them. This was the blessing
which was pronounced upon him, and it is the blessing that has been
pronounced upon every faithful man who has lived in a day when the
Priesthood was upon the earth. Why wonder, then, at Latter-day Saints
having this view, this anticipation? Why should they hesitate one
moment to contribute all their means to build Temples, and to
accomplish the work of God? We should be thankful all the day long for
the blessings which God has bestowed upon us, and should be willing to
use all our means for the accomplishment of his work upon the earth,
no matter what enterprises we may be called upon to support, whether
it be to build Temples, send for the poor, or any thing else.
Arizona has been mentioned. The President, in his remarks this
morning, alluded to Arizona, and to the labors of our pioneering
brethren in that Territory. I was very much pleased to hear what he
said in relation to that. I am thankful to see that, in his remarks,
there was no disposition to let up, or to say, "I am in years now, and
I will lay back and take my ease and leave the burden of this work to
younger men, who ought to step forward and shoulder it." He has the
spirit of the pioneer in him as much today, probably, as he ever had.
I am thankful that God fills him with this zeal and strength. I
believe it was a true remark, that if he had been in Arizona, there
would have been good places found for settlement. I have no doubt
there will be yet. But there is one thing that we must understand,
that with our present surroundings, and at least while in the
circumstances in which we are at present placed, good countries are
not for us. The worst places in the land we can probably get, and we
must develop them. If we were to find a good country, how long would
it be before the wicked would want it, and seek to strip us of our
possessions? If there be deserts in Arizona, thank God for the
deserts. If there be a wilderness, there, thank God for the
wilderness, as we thanked him for these mighty ramparts and those
extensive plains which we had to cross when we came here. We thanked
him for them, because a mob could not come, as they did from Carthage,
and take away our Prophet and the Saints and hail them to prison and
destroy them as they did then. When we came here I thanked God for the
isolation of these mountains; I thanked him for the grandeur of the
hills and bulwarks which he had reared around us. I thanked
him for the deserts and waste places of this land: and we have all,
doubtless, thanked Him many times therefore, and when we go hence to
extend our borders, we must not expect to find a land of orange or
lemon groves, a land where walnut trees and hard timber abound; where
bees are wild and turkeys can be had for the shooting. It is vain for
us to expect to settle in such a land at the present time. But if we
find a little oasis in the desert where a few can settle, thank God
for the oasis, and thank him for the almost interminable road that
lies between that oasis and so-called civilization.
We expect there will be settlements made through all that country. The
time must come when the Latter-day Saints, and when I say Latter-day
Saints, I include all the honest who will yet embrace the Gospel, when
the Latter-day Saints will extend throughout all North and South
America, and we shall establish the rule of righteousness and good
order throughout all these new countries.
The President is desirous that a hundred men, supplied with provisions
sufficient to last the winter, should go down to the southern country,
and bestow their labors on building the Temple at St. George. If there
could not be good places found in Arizona for settlements, there was a
good opportunity to stay and help to build that Temple; and it is to
be regretted that the brethren, although so eager to come back, did
not stay until word could have been sent that they might stop and help
the people of the South. If they had done this they might have done a
good work, they would have been on hand for anything further that
might have been required of them. Suppose we all were to allow
ourselves to be deterred from accom plishing missions by apparent
difficulties, how long would it be before the influence and prestige
which ought to attend the efforts of the Elders would be lost? We have
had a reputation, heretofore, of accomplishing everything of this kind
that we undertook. But let us be fainthearted and we lose our
influence and power both with God and man. All our labors have to be
works of faith. When we are told to do a thing, we should go to work
believing, as Nephi says, that God never gives a commandment unto the
children of men save he prepares a way whereby they shall fulfill that
commandment. He never yet sent a man to do a work without giving him
power to accomplish it. We can do these things if we will. We can
build up the kingdom of God on the earth, and we can train our
children in the love of this work, and we can surround them by a wall
that no power can surmount or break down. I am thankful that we are
thus situated, although to some the prospects appear gloomy. Many of
our enemies say that "Mormonism" is in its last ditch, and it will
soon be overthrown. I am willing that every one should have that
opinion who wishes to entertain it. If they wish to delude themselves
with such ideas, all right. But I say to the Latter-day Saints, we
have not yet reached the last ditch; neither shall we if we will do
what we ought to do, and obey the counsel that has been given unto us
during these two day's meetings, and that is given to us every Sunday
and at all our meetings. There is no power on the face of the earth
that can withstand our efforts, or that can prevail against us. We
have truth, unity, temperance and virtue; we have the power of God; we
have the promises of the Almighty in our behalf, and there is
no power that can prevail against a people who will practice the
principles which are taught unto us.
But I will tell you what causes me, as an individual, to fear—when I
see fifty, a hundred or two hundred persons come to meeting; when I
see men who ought to be at meeting attending to their duties, going
off into the country on excursions; when I hear of their doing
something that will detain them from meeting, and see the meetings
neglected, and the idea growing up—"Well, it is a day of rest, I am
tired and weary" —as though they could not obtain rest in coming to the
house of the Lord and serving him on the Lord's day. These acts, this
negligence, causes fear sometimes to come into my heart, and I expect
it has the same effect on our brethren. I deplored, in my feelings,
the suspension of our forenoon meetings. I think it is a bad sign. We
had a School of the Prophets here, to which most of the Elders were
invited, and which they attended. That had to be suspended. These
meetings on the Sunday morning had to be suspended. What more will
have to be suspended or withdrawn? I have thought, unless the people
of this city arouse themselves, change their course and are more
diligent, that it might not be long until the presiding Priesthood
would be prompted to move from this city; not that the authority of
the Priesthood will be withdrawn. These things are painful in the
chief city of Zion, and they are not such indications as I like to
witness. Yesterday there was a meeting appointed; but instead of
attending it, the brethren were engaged in haying and every kind of
labor. They can do this, of course, if they wish; but it does not look
very well when a meeting is appointed, and the Apos tles suspend their
labors and come here to teach you, for you to stay away, thinking your
employments are of such importance that you cannot spend time at
meeting. Men and women who entertain this feeling and take this course
ought to be ashamed of themselves! It is treating the men who preside
over you with disrespect, for which, if you could realize, you would
be ready to apologize.
You cannot be too careful in relation to our duties. This is a day
when every one should be diligent in the performance of duties, and
should attend to them strictly. You should invoke the blessing of God
upon your habitation, and upon your children, that they may grow up in
the fear and admonition of the Lord. Every boy in this community
should feel that he would rather lay down his life than sacrifice his
virtue or indulge in unvirtuous actions. We have to guard against the
bad examples seen around us. Mothers, teach your girls the value of
virtue and chastity. Inquire into their movements, and guard them as
you would the most precious jewels which God could give unto you.
Fathers, talk with your sons, and fortify them against temptation. Let
them flee lust, for I tell you that, as true as we live, the words of
God will be fulfilled, that he that looks upon a woman to lust after
her shall deny the faith unless he repents. We know that this is so. I
know it, by seeing young men grow up from boyhood in this Church until
the present time. I think about numbers I was acquainted with in my
boyhood. Where are they? They have lost the faith. Elders have lost
the faith who have taken a course of this kind. It is a damning sin,
and wherever indulged in it banishes the Spirit of God. No man can
retain the faith without the Holy Ghost, and no man can retain
the Holy Ghost who takes a course of this kind. Be warned of these
things, if you wish to hold on in the faith and to sit down with the
fathers in the kingdom of God.
Then abstain from lust, and everything which would lead thereto. No
matter how wild and rowdy our boys may be, and many of them are so, I
do not care for such rowdiness and wildness, if it is not associated
with unvirtuous actions. A man may be as nice, to all appearance, as a
human being can be, so far as externals are concerned, and yet, if he
lack virtue, he is like a whited sepulchre. God is not with such a
man, and God will damn this generation for the course they take in
relation to women. That is their crying, damning sin.
Let us guard against it. Let us watch our children. Let us prevent the
ingress of crime. Let us guard our own hearts, and endeavor to secure
the portals of the hearts of our children that evil suggestions, from
whatever source, may never take root therein.
That God may bless and preserve us, and deliver Zion from all her
enemies, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.
- George Q. Cannon