A few of us have come to talk to the people in this place upon the
things of the kingdom of God, as our calling is to preach the Gospel,
initiate people into, and proceed with, the organization of the
kingdom of God as far as we can, preparatory to the coming of the Son
of Man. We have commenced to organize, I will say partially, in the
Holy Order that God has established for his people in all ages of the
world when he has had a kingdom upon the earth. We may call it the
Order of Enoch, the Order of Joseph, the Order of Peter, or Abraham,
or Moses, and then go back to Noah, and then step to our own position
here, and say that we will organize as far as we have the privilege,
taking into consideration and acting under the laws of the land. Many
branches of industry have been organized here to help to
sustain each other, to labor for the good of all, and to establish
cooperation in the midst of the Church in this place.
In most of the business transactions of this Church and people, as far
as I have directed, I have waited for business to be presented, and
endeavored to so live that the Lord will dictate according to his own
mind and pleasure, and, at the very time it is necessary, have that
knowledge which will enable us to perform every labor acceptably to
God and to the heavens, and to discharge our duties one to another,
and to accomplish in every particular the work which our Father in
heaven has given us to do. I am a minuteman. It is very seldom that I
take thought what I shall say or what I shall do. When we meet in the
capacity of a Conference, the business matters are presented, and I
generally know what to do, and I do not know but what I understand the
workings of the kingdom of God upon the earth, by the manifestations
of the Spirit at the moment, as well as I should if I had studied them
for months; and I can truly say that I have fulfilled one of the
sayings of the Savior tolerably well—to take no thought what ye shall
say, for in the very hour or moment when you need it, it shall be
given to you.
I hope that, during our meetings here, the people will be edified and
comforted, and that the system of laboring together for each other's
good will be wisely and satisfactorily laid before them, and that each
and every one of us, with ready minds and willing hearts, will proceed
to do the things that are required of us by our heavenly Father.
Much can be said upon the doctrine of life and salvation, but I will
say this to the Saints in this place concerning the workings of the
king dom of God upon the earth—all good comes from heaven, all good is
of the Lord; whatever promotes the happiness of mankind and the glory
of God, whatever increases peace and righteousness upon the earth, and
leads the people in the way of godliness, comfort, contentment and
enjoyment, and tends to increase health and wealth, and life here and
hereafter, is of God; and, in laboring for each other's welfare and
happiness, if we cannot do all that we want to do, let us do what we
can, and leave the event with the Lord, and wait for the time when we
can fully enter into the organization of the kingdom of God upon the
earth, and fully upon those initiatory steps which will hasten the
perfection of the Saints, and prepare them to enter into the joy of
their Lord. When we are permitted to do in part, we will step forward
and do in part, go as far as we can, and do as much as we can to
perfect ourselves and prepare for the building up of the Center Stake
of Zion.
We hope and pray that all who may speak during our meetings here will
be filled with the Spirit of the Lord, and that those who pray, sing
and hear may be filled with the same Spirit, that we may increase in
knowledge and wisdom, and grow in the things of God. This is what we
desire and what we pray for, and we hope that our meetings will be
profitable to all.
This is a hard place to speak in, and we request the brethren and
sisters to be as still as they conveniently can, so that they can hear
what is said. Let all be quiet, and every heart be lifted to God, that
we may learn his mind and will concerning us; then ask for power to do
his will, for a disposition to give us victory over every passion and
slothful feeling, that we may be awake to righteousness.
Salvation and life everlasting are before us; it is our business to
secure them in the kingdom of our God, and to prepare for the
restoration of the inhabitants of the earth who have slept without the
Gospel. Let us do what we can to bless ourselves, our posterity and
our progenitors, and to save the human family, and so fulfill the
mission which the Lord has given us.