I do not know that I ever beheld a more pleasing sight than that which
I behold here today. So many children, of both sexes, most of them
born in this Territory, assembled here to offer up a song of praise to
God our heavenly Father. To hear their childish voices chime in with
the voices of those who are older and more experienced, is really
something that I admire, and intelligence cannot refrain from doing
so.
I am pleased at the opportunity that is offered me on this occasion. I
do not expect to detain you any length of time. Be this, however, as
the Spirit of the Lord may direct. I listened to some very excellent
remarks in the former part of the day, and I will say that if the loaf
has been broken by more able and competent hands than mine, it will
not be unbecoming in me to try and gather up some of the fragments,
that we may enjoy the whole.
Here, perhaps, are some five thousand of the rising generation before
me who, in future time, will become actors upon the stage of life. How
important it is that their characters be formed so as not only to
reflect honor upon their parents, but also upon the cause of Zion in
which we are engaged. How beautiful it is to see the rising generation
growing up in intelligence, and in good will and kindness one toward
another. As our settlements spread to the east, west, north and south,
a certain element appears therein which some of you may understand and
recognize by the name of modern civilization. This element, which
seems to be uncongenial with the spirit of purity, righteousness and
integrity, has reached down as far as our place, and it seems that
nothing will satisfy it short of saloons, grog shops, whiskey holes,
and other concomitants of modern civilization. I want to say to our
young friends—avoid these dens as you would avoid the source of
pestilence, keep far away from them, and betake yourselves to
learning. No doubt you do, but there are some, perhaps, who do not to
the extent that they might. Instead of being in the streets of a
night, making unearthly noises, as some do, seemingly under the
influence of modern civilization, keep at your homes, study your
books, and spend your time in improving your minds. Sometimes, when
preaching in different parts of the Territory, while the congregation were listening to the words that were being spoken, I
have seen our little boys in the streets playing at ball, or engaging
in other recreations, and while such a course has been innocent on
their part, it has been an evidence to me that they have not received
that attention and instruction from their parents which I consider
parents owe to their children; and while the parents would seek to
enjoy the words of life themselves, they have seemed to be thoughtless
with regard to the whereabouts of their children. This being the case,
it is necessary that we pay more particular attention to our children,
and to know that they are at the house of God. To be sure, children
cannot profit by every word that is spoken, their minds are not
capacious enough to comprehend every idea that may be advanced; but
every once in a while, a word will take root in their hearts, and
grow, and this will enable them the more readily to appreciate and
understand that which they may hear in the future.
I realize that, as a parent, I have not been so faithful and diligent
in this respect as I should have been, and I feel that I am far from
being a proper example to my brethren and sisters; but sometimes when
I have been about to open the meetings and have seen that all my
children were not there, what have I done? I have left the stand, gone
into the streets and found my boys, and brought them in and seated
them in the congregation, that they might not set an unworthy example
before others. Not only so, but sometimes when I have gone to bed at
an early hour mad, after having had a nap, I have waked up about the
usual bed time and found my boys not at home, I have got up and gone
into the streets in search of them, and have searched until I have
found them and brought them home.
I feel that, as parents, we cannot bestow too much attention upon
those who are rising up to inherit our responsibilities and to bear
off the kingdom in the eyes of all the nations of the earth. I know
that I come short of my duty in this respect, but I am trying to
fulfill it in this as well as in many other directions, and I cannot
rest, either day or night unless I know where my children are, and
what they are doing. By following the dictates of this feeling I have
been able, under the blessing of God, to rejoice in the society of my
children, both morning and evening, and to know where they are; and I
have proved that they will learn to respect the wishes of their
parents, and now I have the pleasure to hear them say—"Father, may I
go out to such a place tonight?" and they will set one hour or two
hours. I reply, "Yes, if you will go nowhere else, and behave
yourselves and make no disturbance in the streets, go, and God bless
you, but return at the time you say. I will sit up until you come
home, then we will have prayers together before we go to bed." It is
very pleasing to me to call my wives and children together in the
morning and to spend a few minutes in giving them a few words of
kindly instruction. I have practiced it until it is as much of a
pleasure to me as it is to eat my breakfast when I have a good one,
and I feel lost without it. I say to this requirement and to that
requirement—Stand aside until I discharge this duty. I do not make
these remarks because I wish to show myself any better than anybody
else; but if there is any blessing or benefit, brethren and sisters,
to be derived from what I have said you are abundantly welcome
to it, and to act upon it, or something similar to it that your own
better wisdom may devise, but do not neglect to cultivate the tender
minds of your children.
It is good to have Sabbath schools; they are a source of amusement and
recreation as well as of mental and intellectual improvement and
development. But is this all that is necessary and needful? Our day
schools should not be neglected. What are we here for but to raise up
children and endow and qualify them for future usefulness? Says
one—"It costs so much to keep up schools." It costs some persons
something to do it, then there are others who let a school bill be
about the last one they pay, and after having availed themselves of
the labors of a teacher for the benefit of their children they allow
him to go unrewarded until his ambition sinks within him, and he
concludes to go to some other business, and thus we deprive ourselves
of the best class of school teachers, and we have to put up with
persons of second- or third-rate ability. We ought to employ the best
talent that can be procured as school teachers. I have been through
the world considerably, one time and another, but I have never yet
seen a city in which a good educational system was maintained in which
the people suffered in character or prestige, or where poverty was
increased in consequence thereof; but it has added to their influence
and prestige and improved their morals, and surely if heaven will thus
prosper the efforts of parents to educate their children there is no
reason why we should not go into it a little stronger than we do.
Perhaps you who dwell in this city are far in advance of those who
dwell in other parts of the Territory—my remarks are more
particularly intended for us country people, who do not live in the
full blaze and refulgence of intelligence, but away yonder in the
corners, on the outskirts and in the by-places, for I know that many
among us do not pay that attention to education that we should do.
Suppose that in a coming day we come up before our heavenly Father and
say—"Father, thy pound hath gained ten pounds, or five pounds," as the
case may be. "I have acquired so much and have laid it up in store."
Another one says—"Father, I have here those whom thou gavest me, and
have lost none of them; they are all here. I have no gold or silver,
but I have gems, in the persons of these children; they are bright and
intelligent, and are calculated to radiate society wherever they are.
I have bestowed everything upon them which I could command to improve
and elevate them, and I have withheld no opportunity from them." I am
inclined to the opinion that the latter would receive much more
commendation than the former, though he heaped together millions,
especially if his children were not educated.
"But," says one, "I am poor and cannot do it." Well, so far as
my
experience has gone, those who are willing and determined to educate
their children generally find the means to do it, while those who
complain of poverty, as a general thing, make poverty the scapegoat to
bear of their unwillingness to teach and instruct their children, or
to put them in the way of instruction. Now brethren, what shall we do?
I would suggest to all parents—I do not mean those in this city
particularly, for I am not called to instruct with regard to these
things here, yet if any are disposed to be benefited by my remarks, even in this city, I have not the least objection; but I
would suggest to all parents that it is our duty, when we employ a
good teacher to keep his heart whole, and his spirit up by paying him
what we agree to pay him, and pay it before he starves to death or is
forced to go away and engage in some other occupation. If you have got
a good teacher, keep him, at almost any price, to educate your
children. Suppose a man had forty children—some have as many as
that—and they were all well trained and educated, how much honor would
that reflect upon the father, upon the mother, and upon the community
in which they dwell? Would it not be a cause of pleasing remark to the
intelligent so far as they were known? Most assuredly. Well, now then,
brethren and sisters, pay the teacher. We think a good deal of a horse
or a span of horses, and they are animals given to us by Providence
for our comfort and convenience; but to turn them out, after working,
without food or care would certainly be cruel on our part. And to
employ teachers and then not reward them so that they can feed and
clothe themselves certainly reflects no honor upon any community; and
I say that if we care for our teams, we certainly ought to care for
our teachers, and pay them according to agreement; then their ambition
is kept up to the highest pitch and they feel inspired; but if we
subject them to the inconvenience of earning their wages three or four
times by collecting small sums from one and another, they become
discouraged and are finally compelled to turn their attention to some
other vocation.
Brethren and sisters, these are important matters. Our children are
entrusted to our care and management, and unless we do our best to
cultivate and improve them, have we any right to be the agents in
bringing their spirits from the realms of day to earth and then
neglect them? Are we justified in doing this? It seems to me not, it
seems to me that we are not doing our duty towards them.
Our enemies reproach us and our children on account of our alleged
ignorance and general inferiority. Be this as it may, there was not
intelligence enough in the "big tent" nor in the Rev. Dr. Newman to
make headway against the small amount of knowledge that exists here in
the Mormon community. Act as we may and do what we will, we cannot
satisfy the accusers of our brethren. The name of their accusations is
Legion; and we are not disposed to make any great effort to satisfy
them. It is ourselves and our God that we labor to satisfy—by no
means ignoring the friendly hints of all honorable men.
I feel thankful for this opportunity of bearing my testimony, and I
bear my testimony that what is called "Mormonism" is the truth of God,
and that the Lord is fulfilling his word in the last days. There are
some very curious sayings in the Bible respecting John the Revelator,
one, of which is—"If I will that he tarry until I come, what, is that
to thee?" which led to the saying that that disciple was not going to
die. But Jesus did not say that. Certain Nephites on this continent
wanted to live to bring souls to Christ until he came. Their desires
were granted to them, and they were permitted to live, or they had the
promise that they should not pass behind the veil until the second
coming of the Savior. Whether the saying of the old Prophet had
anything to do with this matter I cannot tell, but he said—"Lord, they
have digged down thine altars, killed thy Prophets, and I am
left here alone, and they seek my life." The answer of the Lord was—"I
have reserved to myself seven thousand men who have never bowed the
knee to the image of Baal." Whether that has reference to any
characters that were not to pass away, but that were to live and be
witnesses in the earth and bring their testimony to a focus in the
last days—the days in which we live—to make the truth of God blaze
like the light of heaven upon all the world I cannot say, I do not
know; but the Lord has not left himself without a witness, and some of
you will no doubt recollect that, three or four years ago, I told the
Saints in this Tabernacle that the testimony in favor of the truth of
"Mormonism" would increase and that the source of evidence in its
favor would multiply and grow stronger. Now we hear of a remarkable
movement that has recently commenced among the Indians. Before
proceeding further on this subject I will say that we have labored in
our weakness among the Indians, trying to convert them from the error
of their ways, and to persuade them to cease shedding blood,
committing depredations on the white people, and to turn their
attention to agriculture. I recollect going away up here to Snake
River to visit a settlement that had been made there for the purpose
of instructing the Indians in agriculture, and, if possible, to
reclaim them from their disposition to steal and shed blood. I have
also been to other places where similar efforts have been made; but we
have not been able to accomplish much. I do not say that no good was
done—perhaps some little good was done. But it seems that the time had
not come for the means to be brought into requisition which Heaven had
ordained to be used in the reformation of the Lamanites. For some time
past, the Indians have been telling us very strange stories. They say
that certain strange men have visited them and spoken to them, and
have taught them what to do in order to be saved in the kingdom of
God. Strange men have come to and talked with them perhaps an hour at
a time, and while the Indians are looking at them they vanish out of
sight, and they know not where they go. I do not know that it is so,
but this is what the Indians declare and testify to, and I am a little
inclined to believe that there is something in it, for you know the
Apostle Paul, in speaking to his brethren, said—"Be not forgetful to
entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels
unawares." Perhaps one of these old men might come along in disguise,
incognito, not in his real character, and appear like any other man, clad
as any other man, and stay overnight with some of the brethren.
Some say that the "Mormons" have no Priesthood, power or authority
from God; but if this be so why do these good old men who go to the
Indians send them to the "Mormons" to be baptized? Why do they not
send them to the Methodists? You have Methodists, Presbyterians,
Episcopalians and Catholics right here in town, why do not these men
who come to instruct the Indians tell them to go to some of these
bodies to get baptized? It is singular that they should tell them to
go to the Latter-day Saints. It is a good deal like the angel who told
Cornelius to send to the house of one Simon a tanner, and call for
Simon surnamed Peter, and he would tell him words whereby he and his
house might be saved. Why send to Peter when Cornelius and his house
lived among the Pharisees and Sadducees? Peter had the keys of
the kingdom; the angel knew that, and said he—"Go to Peter and he will
tell you words whereby you and your house can be saved." These men say
to the Indians—"Go to the "Mormons" and they will tell you words
whereby you can be saved;" but if we had no Priesthood, no keys of the
kingdom, no power to administer the ordinances of the Gospel, why
should these old men, who declare that they are more than a thousand
years old, and tell the Indians that their fathers were white and that
they shall be if they only do as they are commanded, I say, why should
these men tell the Indians to come to the Latter-day Saints? There is
something singular about it. What can the world of mankind say to it?
How can they meet it? I will tell you. It is a wave of evidence which,
like a wave of the sea completely submerges everything on which it
flows, it overturns every objection that the world can offer. God
Almighty will vindicate his own cause—he has got the means prepared
for that.
Now let me say to you, brethren and sisters, look well to these little
children. Teach them good morals, teach them, when you go to meeting,
to go with you, and be sure that you do not stay behind just because
you do not feel exactly the spirit of it. If you do not feel the
spirit of it yourselves, feel it for the sake of your children, and
bring them to the house of God that they may be taught and instructed.
I recollect very well in early days, sometimes I heard a good and
kindly word from a sectarian minister, there were no other ministers
when I was a boy; but they sometimes spoke words in my hearing that I
have not yet forgotten, they took root in my heart, and I still bear
them in mind. I exhort you, bre thren and sisters, to cultivate the
morals of your children, for we are not going to stay here always; we
shall be gathered with our fathers by and by, and these little ones
will have to assume the responsibilities which we now bear. Hence I
say qualify them for the positions which they will be called to fill
in future. Teach them that which is good and right, and may the
blessing of the Father rest upon you and upon all Israel, and may we
live to see the truth of God triumph!
I feel thankful that God has heard our prayers. Says the Lord—"By this
you may know whether God hears you, if you receive the things which
you ask for." If you receive the things you ask for, know ye that God
has heard your prayers. Who is there among the Latter-day Saints who
has not prayed for the removal of an unjust judge? If there are any
who have not done it they ought to be turned out of the citadel. I
believe you all have. Well, the Lord has heard our prayers in that
respect, and not only so, but I will say, that if we were to pray
against every official who is a bigot, a fool and an ass, the Lord
would hear our prayers and turn him out no matter by what agency it is
done. Let us try it. Never pray against a liberal, good man, whether
"Mormon" or Gentile; if he is a fair and honest man, and is willing to
live and let live, let him live just as long as God is willing to let
him, and do not pray against him. But if he tries to overthrow and
destroy us, or to withhold from us our rights, let the volume of our
prayers ascend up to God for him, and if he does not hear from it some
time I shall wonder. But he will hear from it, you may be assured of
this. Why should we despair when the means of self-defense and
self-protection are embedded in our own spirits, when we have
the weapons right here? Not carnal weapons, not the sword, not the
deadly rifle, but we have something more potent—the sword of the
Spirit. This is our means of self-defense and self-protection, and let
us use it. I have tried it. Not that I have any reason to boast, but I
have great reason to be thankful to God my heavenly Father. I do know
that when we want anything special, if we will make that a subject of
continual pleading; if we will go into our closets and shut the door,
and lay the matter before the God that made us, lay our hearts, as it
were upon the altar and importune at his feet, in process of time he
will hear us and avenge our wrongs, no matter what the wicked do or
how much they may rage; and there is no subject on the face of the
earth that is exempt from the influence of our prayers, high or low,
rich or poor, noble or ignoble.
Let us exercise ourselves in this direction and teach our children to
do the same. You know it is said that the religious world despair of
converting us old Mormons, us old heads who are dyed in the wool; but
they hope to convert our children by insidiously sending their
missionaries to establish schools in our midst, by which they hope to
entice and win their tender minds over to their side. That is the tack
they are taking. Well, brethren and sisters, you do your duty toward
your children; pray for them morning and evening; instruct them by
means of little short sermons every day, then you may turn them out to
go to school if you like, as far as I am concerned, even to our
friends of the sectarian world, and if they can exert a stronger
influence than you with your prayers and instruction, and the parental
tie that binds them to you, it will be something very singular, and I
do not believe they can do it.
One young minister, a very kind, gentlemanly man, has appeared among
us down in Sanpete. I have not a word to say against his morality or
behavior, it is all very nice, and to all appearance he is a polished
gentleman. He has spoken in several of our settlements, and, in his
way, has endeavored to teach the people. Said I, on one occasion, to
Bishop Peterson, "What did you think of that man's sermon last night?"
I did not happen to be there. Brother Peterson's reply was—"So far as
morality was concerned it could not be beat; but when you come to
doctrine and principle he was entirely ignorant. Our little children
know better." In order that this minister might be properly posted
with regard to some of our doctrines, I took the liberty of sending
him the Deseret News, containing an excellent argumentative discourse
by brother Orson Pratt. I did that for the purpose of informing his
mind in reference to the arguments he would have to meet and
controvert if he successfully prosecuted his labors in this country. I
hope and I expect that he read it, for it certainly would not do
anybody any harm to read it.
Brethren and sisters, I will not detain you longer. My remarks have
perhaps been a little scattering, but scattering shot sometimes hit
more birds than a rifle shot. Suffice it to say, you have my best
wishes for your success and prosperity. May peace be with you, and God
bless you and me, and the Twelve, and the servants of God with whom we
have labored from the beginning; and may our lives be spun out as long
as they tend to the honor and glory of God. And that we may obtain a
mansion and crown in the realms of bliss, is my prayer in the name of
Jesus. Amen.