I have been much interested during our meetings in this Conference,
and, with you, I measurably realize the benefits to be derived in thus
assembling together. In my reflections in reference to some remarks
that have been made I have been led to ask myself—What is crime?
Simply a transgression of the law, human or divine. What is law? It
is, or should be, a rule of order founded in justice, for the benefit
of those to whom it may apply. Now, so far as we are concerned in
regard to law, we are under divine law, the Gospel, the grand plan of
salvation—a law that is perfect, plain and simple as well as just, and
applicable to the whole human family at all times, and in this we
should rejoice. But we are also under human laws as well, we pertain
to a number of what are termed human governments, subject, in a
greater or less degree, to man-made institutions, and are they
perfect? No, each and every one of them, notwithstanding the
intelligence possessed by mankind, and their centuries of experience,
contain the seeds of their own dissolution, and, in the providence of
God, they are all destined, in their times and in their seasons, to be
superseded by the government and kingdom of God upon the earth—a fact
at which every human being should rejoice. But do they? Does even that
portion of the world termed Christian rejoice in the ushering in of
the kingdom of God upon the earth? I am sorry to say, and chagrined
for humanity at being compelled to say, that all Christendom, almost
to a unit, perhaps as much a unit on that subject as upon any one
thing, although they have the Bible in their hands, are opposed to the
establishment of the government of God upon the earth. What folly,
absurdity and inconsistency on the part of so-called Christendom to
oppose that which was devised in the wisdom of the Gods in the eternal
worlds and which, in its very nature and constitution, is calculated
to benefit and to promote, to the utmost possible degree, the welfare
of mankind in all their relations!
What about the government under which we live? Why, it is one of the
very best, as to its form, that the human family have ever devised. It
was founded by excellent, honorable, upright, liberal and high-minded
men who, in framing the constitution, were measurably inspired by that
Holy Spirit which our Father in the heavens bestows upon whom he will.
That is the view that we, as Latter-day Saints, have in regard to the
fundamental or basic instrument of the government of the United States
termed the Constitution; and however much we may be misrepresented,
maligned or lied about in regard to that matter, as a people we are
loyal to that constitution to the minutest principle therein
contained. We understand that constitution—its spirit as well as its
letter—and, so far as it is observed, it is a very excellent
instrument for the conducting of human affairs. We are a people that
uphold that constitution, and we ever have done so, and take great
pleasure in doing so, and so also with every constitutional law; and I
am at the defiance of the wide world to truthfully controvert the
statement that we, as Latter-day Saints, have ever transgressed one
single particle of constitutional law, or have ever had any occasion
to do so, or ever will have in obeying the principles of the Gospel
and laboring to build up and establish the kingdom of God on the
earth. What do you think of that? The world will tell you that we are
a terrible set, that we are disloyal, ignorant, stupid, fanatical,
bigoted, deceivers and deceived, and in all these statements and as
many more about the Latter-day Saints, the world will lie like the
devil.
Now, you heard me say constitutional law. Mark it well. I understand,
as a general thing, somewhat of what I am saying when I speak, and I
made use of the expression understandingly. The constitutional laws of
this government, what are they? They are laws enacted in pursuance of
the principles couched in that constitution under the authority given
the Congress of our nation to enact laws for the whole United States,
and to make treaties for our government. All that is beyond that one
hair's breadth is just that far usurpation, tyranny and wrong. Have we
obeyed that, more or less? Oh, no doubt; we have had to do so now
these many years. In the days of the stripling Joseph, when he was
first called of God to bring forth this great latter-day work
that the Lord our God has set his hand to accomplish, he was assailed
unconstitutionally, so far as the constitution of the State of New
York was concerned, by the citizens of that State; and again, the same
thing occurred in Ohio, in Missouri, and, finally, in Illinois, where,
contrary to the plighted faith of the governor of the State, he was
slain by a mob, because, according to their own testimony, the law
could not reach him, for he had lived above it. What right, then, had
they to assail or interrupt him? No right whatever.
Now, we as a people, left the States, and I may say we left
Christendom, from the simple fact that we were obliged to do so in
order to live our religion. But would they let us alone after we had
left the States? No. After having aided in the conquest of the very
region to which we fled to avoid persecution and religious tyranny,
they were not satisfied even then to leave us unmolested to worship
the true and living God according to the dictates of our own
consciences; but they have followed us as a nation, and are following
us to this day—a professed Christian nation is trying to force upon us
the tyranny and oppression of unconstitutional law, administered by
officers for whose appointment there is not a scintilla of right under
the constitution. What do you think of that? And we are enduring their
interference with our domestic affairs with as much patience as we
may. We have endured these things with considerable patience for many
long years, and I trust that we shall still be able to do so,
realizing that patience is one of the great requirements of our Father
concerning us as his children. He desires that we should be
long-suffering towards those who seek to afflict and oppress us, as he
is long-suffering towards the human family in their wickedness and
waywardness, and we must become like unto him in these respects if we
are his; and if we expect to become perfect in our sphere as he is in
his, we not only have to be patient and long-suffering, but we shall
have to continue in patience and long-suffering. Will we do so? I trust
so, knowing the blindness, ignorance, bigotry, superstition, and
consequent intolerance of our fellow beings; knowing also that they as
well as we are answerable to the Lord our God, being careful, while
leaving events in the hands of the Supreme Ruler, that our conduct,
day by day, is such that it will bear, not only the strictest
examination and scrutiny of our fellow beings, but also of our Father
and his angels; realizing, also, now as anciently, that whosoever will
live godly in Christ Jesus, must needs suffer persecution. Do not
forget that this is in the very nature of things, from the simple
fact that, in order to constitute this a probation, wickedness has
been permitted upon the earth, and hence good and evil; and wickedness
is and ever has been aggressive, tyrannical, oppressive, cruel and
murderous, and so it will ever continue to be. Do not forget these
plain facts, and when you hear the wicked lie, and see them strive to
oppress you and to deprive you of your rights do not get impatient
about it and fancy that it is anything new, but remember that it has
ever been so since the days of Cain, and that it will continue until
wickedness is swept from this footstool of Jehovah, and not before
that time can we hope to cease to be oppressed and wronged. And this
is necessary to prove whether we will endure all things, as the great
Captain, pattern, and exemplar of our faith and the great High Priest
of our salvation endured, in his time. He was buffeted,
scourged and mobbed and led like a lamb to the slaughter—a being in
whom was no guile, who finally terminated his mortal career by a cruel
death on the cross. He was opposed by his own when he came to call and
gather them as their king and ruler. Who were his own? The tribes of
Israel, and he came more particularly to that most stubborn and
stiffnecked of all the tribes—the tribe of Judah. And did the scribes
and Pharisees, the rabbis and lawyers, the wise, intelligent and
noble hail and welcome him? No, most assuredly not; then how much less
need we expect that they will hail and welcome us, his professed
followers! When, instead of himself, his word, through the Prophet
Joseph Smith, came to Christendom with its almost numberless free
schools and its millions of bibles and legions of priests, did the
people hail that word? No, they spurned it, and in every conceivable
way derided him who brought it; and, as in the days of the Savior, the
Priests, the Pharisees and Sadducees, the lawyers and scribes, the
wise in their own estimation and the wealthy all banded together to
keep from the children of men the word of God, which is truth, and
which is the power of God unto salvation to all who will believe and
obey it. Are not these facts? I know they are, though the whole world
may gainsay I know that I am telling you the truth, as God lives I
know it for myself.
Now, then, with regard to these matters that we are immediately
passing through—the attempted enforcement of laws that are not
constitutional and, through not being constitutional, that are not
valid, and consequently of no force or effect whatever, in justice,
what are we going to do about it? I trust that we will endure, with
all patience, whatever the Lord our God may permit the evil one and
those who, through the exercise of their agency, list to serve him, to
accomplish; and while enduring with all patience, that we seek, in all
faithfulness and uprightness for the guidance of his Holy Spirit to
lead us in the path of truth and to enable us to walk therein, and to
endure meekly and patiently all things that he in his providence may
see fit to place upon us, in order to prove whether we as individuals
and as a people will serve him in evil as well as in good report. Is
there anything bigoted or contrary to the principles of eternal truth
as taught by the Savior and his Apostles in all this? No. Then why not
the world turn to the Lord our God, and live? Why not, Latter-day
Saints, for our own sakes, live faithfully, humbly and uprightly and
in all respects honor the requirements of the Gospel, until we become
powerful through good works and able to meet, with joy, the coming of
the Savior, and prepared to hail with gladness the society and
companionship of just men made perfect, being worthy to associate with
them and to share in their blessings, and finally, be saved in the
celestial kingdom of our Father? That this may be our lot is my
prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen.