I hope to be able to make myself heard by this large congregation.
This moving of feet, whispering to each other, the crying of children
and the noise made by those who are walking, are like the murmuring of
many waters. When there is perfect quietness, I am satisfied that my
voice can be heard all over this house, and no one who is blessed with
good ears for hearing need miss a word. I should feel more satisfied
if I could prevail on our brethren, when speaking from this stand, to
speak directly in front, so that they could be heard as far as
possible. Many of our experienced Elders, in their conversation to the
people, turn first to the right and then to the left, and every time
they turn either way, a portion of the congregation is unable to
distinctly understand that which is spoken; whereas, if they were to
speak directly to the front, the voice would divide and go equally to
each part of the house, and all would hear. Whether I shall be able to
continue my remarks to any length I do not know; I shall try, however,
to use judgment in speaking, so as not to injure myself.
I will give a short text, to both Saint and sinner, and I think if we
were to include ourselves among the latter and say we are all sinners,
we would come nearer the fact than to class ourselves among the
former, although we hope to be Saints, are trying to be Saints, and
probably a great many of those who are called Latter-day Saints will
yet become Saints indeed.
First, the philosophy of man upon this earth. This cannot be learned
by studying the sciences of mankind, it is only understood by the
revelations of God to ourselves. I will give you a part of my own
visions upon this matter. Mankind is composed of two distinct
elements; the first is a spiritual organization in eternity, the
second is a natural organization on this earth, formed out of the
material of which this earth is composed. Man is first spiritual, then
temporal. As it is written in the revelations of God to man, all
things were first created spiritual, and secondly temporal. That is, spirits were begotten, born and educated in the celestial
world, and were brought forth by celestial bodies. By tracing this
subject a little we might understand how this is brought about. The
spirits before inhabiting bodies are as pure and holy as the angels or
as the gods, they know no evil. This, their first estate, is the
commencement of their experience.
These spirits I shall leave for the present, and refer to our first
parents, Adam and Eve, who were found in the Garden of Eden,
tempted and overcome by the power of evil, and consequently subject to
evil and sin, which was the penalty of their transgression. They were
now prepared, as we are, to form bodies or tabernacles for the
reception of pure and holy spirits. When the body is prepared, at the
proper time, the spirit enters the tabernacle, and all the world of
mankind in their reflections and researches must come to this
conclusion, for the fact is they can come to no other—that when the
mother feels life there is an evidence that the spirit from heaven has
entered the tabernacle. So far, this is the philosophy of our being.
As has been said, in consequence of sin, the body is subject to sin,
and it requires all the efforts and power that man can exert in order
to resist temptation that this pure and holy spirit may bring into
subjection the body, so that it may be sanctified by the Gospel or the
law of Christ. The inquiring mind will ask, Why is this so? Simply
that we may know good from evil; all the facts which you and I
understand are by contrast, and all glory, all enjoyment, every
happiness and every bliss are known by its opposite. This is the
decree, this is the way the heavens are, the way they were, and the
way they will continue to be, forever, and for ever. Never was there a
time when evil was not in existence, but the time will come when this
evil will pass away and be no more, so far as this world is concerned,
and nothing will be able to endure, only that which is pure and holy,
and Christ will destroy death and him that hath the power of death.
This applies to this earth, and the ordeals which it passes through
with those that are upon it until the winding-up scene.
But to return to this organization. We find a pure spirit inhabiting
the tabernacle of the creature which is always prompting the
individual to good, to virtue, to truth and holiness; all of which
emanate from that source of purity from which this spirit came. And
here the evil that came through transgression that is in this
tabernacle, is warring with this pure spirit, it seeks to overcome it,
and is striving with all its power to bring this spirit into
subjection, into bondage to the law of sin. This is the warfare which
Paul refers to when speaking of the "thorn in the flesh," which is no
more or less than the spirit contending against the flesh, and the
flesh against the spirit. This pure spirit will remain in a condition
to receive the operations of the spirit of God, which has gone forth
into the world, and which lightens every man that comes into the
world, regardless of his condition, birth or education; the spirit of
Christ lightens them all, and instructs their pure spirits, which are
organizations in the germ and in their growth, to become independent
beings, even sons and daughters of the Almighty; and it will continue
to thus operate until this body, this sinful tabernacle, has warred
against the spirit and overcome it to such a degree as to entirely
subject it to the man of sin. And when the flesh attains this
victory over the spirit, then is the time spoken of when man has
sinned to that degree that, says the Apostle, "ye shall not pray for
them, for they have sinned a sin unto death." Then the spirit of the
Lord ceases to strive with them, they no longer receive light, having
passed the day of grace. Until then every man and every woman is on
saving ground, and they can be redeemed from sin.
How is it that the Latter-day Saints feel and understand alike, are
of one heart and one mind, no matter where they may be when they
receive the Gospel, whether in the north or the south, the east or the
west, even to the uttermost parts of the earth? They receive that
which was promised by the Savior when he was about to leave the earth,
namely, the Comforter, that holy unction from on high which recognizes
one God, one faith and one baptism, whose mind is the will of God the
Father, in whom there dwelleth unity of faith and action, and in whom
there cannot be division or confusion; when they received thus further
light, it matters not whether they have seen each other or not, they
at once become brothers and sisters, having been adopted into the
family of Christ through the bonds of the everlasting covenant, and
all can then exclaim, in the beautiful language of Ruth, "Thy people
shall be my people, and thy God my God!" And the fact that we receive
this Comforter, the Holy Ghost, is proof that the spirit in warring
with the flesh has overcome, and by continuing in this state of
victory over our sinful bodies we become the sons and daughters of
God, Christ having made us free, and whoever the Son makes free is
free indeed. Having fought the good fight we then shall be prepared to
lay our bodies down to rest to await the morning of the resurrection
when they will come forth and be reunited with the spirits, the
faithful, as it is said, receiving crowns, glory, immortality and
eternal lives, even a fullness with the Father, when Jesus shall
present his work to the Father, saying, "Father, here is the work thou
gavest me to do." Then will they become gods, even the sons of God;
then will they become eternal fathers, eternal mothers, eternal sons
and eternal daughters; being eternal in their organization, they go
from glory to glory, from power to power; they will never cease to
increase and to multiply worlds without end. When they receive their
crowns, their dominions, they then will be prepared to frame earth's
like unto ours and to people them in the same manner as we have been
brought forth by our parents, by our Father and God.
I have often remarked that if the Latter-day Saints, and all the world
understood the philosophy of their own being, they would bow in humble
reverence to him who is the Author of our being and the author of all
wisdom and all knowledge known among the children of men. It is very
little comparatively that we do know, and but very little we can
really comprehend. It is believed that our scientists and philosophers
are very far advanced, and that wonderful progress has been made in
the nineteenth century; but notwithstanding all the knowledge and
power of philosophy which so distinguishes our age, who among our most
learned can create as simple a thing as a spear of grass or the leaf
of a tree? No one; this can only be done through the natural
process; no one can organize the simplest particle of element
independent of the laws of nature. When the philosopher of the age
reaches that perfection that one can waft himself to the moon or to
the north star, or to any other of the fixed planets, and be there in
an instant, in the same manner that Jesus did when he ascended to the
Father in heaven and returned to the earth again, then we may begin to
think we know a little. When we shall possess the power and knowledge
to cause heavenly planets to take their position, giving them their
laws and boundaries which they must obey, and which they cannot pass,
then we may begin to feel that we possess a little wisdom and power.
The great and grand secret of salvation, which we should continually
seek to understand through our faithfulness, is the continuation of
the lives. Those of the Latter-day Saints who will continue to follow
after the revelations and commandments of God to do them, who are found
to be obedient in all things, continually advancing little by little
towards perfection and the knowledge of God, they, when they enter the
spirit world and receive their bodies, will be able to advance faster
in the things pertaining to the knowledge of the Gods, and will
continue onward and upward until they become Gods, even the sons of
God. This I say is the great secret of the hereafter, to continue in
the lives forever and forever, which is the greatest of all gifts God
has ever bestowed upon his children. We all have it within our reach,
we can all attain to this perfected and exalted state if we will
embrace its principles and practice them in our everyday life. How
accommodating, how glorious and divine are the dealings of God with
his fallen children! We have been called from darkness to light, from
the power of Satan to the living God. By obeying the whispering of
this Holy Spirit, which we have received by virtue of obedience to the
Gospel, which prompts us to purge from within us all sinful desires,
we can say we are no more in the world, but we are in Christ, our
living head. The philosophy of our coming out from the world is the
putting off the old man sin, and the putting on of the new man Jesus
Christ. How is this to be done? After we believed the Gospel we were
baptized for the remission of our sins—and by the laying on of hands
we received the Holy Spirit of Promise and felt that "we shall be
one." I felt that I should no longer have need to keep a daybook and
ledger in which to keep my accounts, for we were about to consolidate
and become one; that every man and every woman would assist by
actually laboring with their hands in planting, building up and
beautifying this earth to make it like the Garden of Eden. I should
therefore have no further occasion to keep accounts, I should
certainly accumulate and earn more than I needed, and had not a single
doubt but what my wants would be supplied. This was my experience, and
this is the feeling of everyone who receives the Gospel in an honest
heart and contrite spirit.
But how are we now? What is our present condition?
Are we one temporally? Just about as much as Babylon is. One says, "I
am for the mines, I am engaged on my farm or my factory, I am so
engaged in my mercantile business that it absorbs all my time,
therefore do not trouble me, do not infringe on me." And who are they?
Generally they are men who, like myself, came here not only poor, but
in debt. I was driven from my homes and possessions, five times
stripped of my earthly possessions. When we arrived in this valley, we
were in a destitute condition. Others came here as destitute as we
were, but are now comparatively wealthy—how do they feel? They wish to
do just as they please. Ask them if they believe that the law of God
requires us to enter into a general copartnership in all our business
relations, living and working together as one family? They will tell
you, "No, I don't believe any such thing." Those of this class who are
merchants will say, "I want to get rich, I will buy where I please,
and will sell at a hundred percent, five hundred percent, or a
thousand percent, if I can." You may do so if you will, but your end
will be lamentable. You count the men who have broken up their homes
and gone in search of gold, and then count those who have carried out
my advice, and you will readily acknowledge that the latter class is
by far the better off, not only financially, but morally and
spiritually. You, my brethren and sisters, who were poor when you came
here, but who now, through the blessing of God, ride in your carriages
and live in fine houses, enjoying all the comforts of life, as well as
good health, and the society of friends, how do you feel? As for
myself, I have not the slightest feeling in my heart that I own a
single thing. What I am in possession of, the Lord has merely made me
a steward over, to see what I will do with it. Now, my brethren and
sisters, do you feel the same? If you do you will each enquire what is
my duty? One duty is to go to work and build this and other Temples,
and the other ones can be built long before we can finish this one.
Shall we do so? I say we will. If we had reached that perfect state of
unity which we should have long before this, and still hope that we
yet shall, do you suppose we would ask a man to pay Tithing on ten
bushels of wheat, or a hundred or a thousand? No, all that would be
necessary under such circumstances would be to say, brother so-and-so,
from you we want so much, and from another so much. "Yes," they would
say, "Take it. I have nothing. It is all the Lord's, let it be used to
do him service in the building up of his kingdom." "What would you do,
brother Brigham, if you were required to give up all your substance?"
Just what I have always been willing to do. I would continue to do my
duty and trust in God for the results; that is what I have done all my
life. This, doubtless, seems foolishness in the eyes of the world,
they cannot understand it, neither have they any means of
understanding it, for "the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit
of God." Before I embraced this Gospel I had studied the creeds of the
Christian world. When I inquired of them with regard to heavenly
things, why we came here, and the nature of the relationship we
sustained to God and to heavenly beings, could I get any information?
No, not the least idea. I once heard one of the leading Elders in the
Episcopal Methodist Church undertake to explain to his congregation
one of the simplest of things, namely, "What is the soul of man?"
After he had labored for two long hours, having exhausted his
language, for know ledge he had none, he straightened back in
the pulpit and said, "My brethren and sisters, I must come to the
conclusion that the soul of man is an immaterial substance." What a
pretty thing to look at! Excuse me. As far as the spirit and feeling
of many of these people are concerned with regard to morality, and
their endeavors to send the Gospel to the heathen nations, it is
excellent. And there are, doubtless, millions of just as honest people
among the several religious denominations as are amongst the
professedly Latter-day Saints. But they have not the Gospel, they are
in darkness with regard to the plan of salvation, and their teachers
are blind guides, totally unable to give the people the living word,
the way of life. If they live up to the best light and knowledge they
have and can get, they are safe, and in a saved condition. What is the
sin of the ministry and people of the present Christian denominations?
It is that light has come to them and they reject it. The condemnation
of the Jewish nation was that light had come into the world, but they
chose darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil; so
says the Savior. The same Gospel that Jesus taught to those who
rejected him, is entrusted to us to preach to the whole world with the
same consequences which must reach them at some time, in some
condition.
We have been hunted and driven from place to place, and the wicked
have sought our destruction, simply because we offer to them the
light, the truth, the everlasting Gospel. Although we have been robbed
of our homes and possessions, they have not succeeded in destroying us
yet. Will they succeed? I think not. The Lord has said he would gather
his people for the last time, which he is doing; he will not suffer
that they shall be overcome, and the kingdom wrested from them as
heretofore. Neither will he be mocked and derided when he comes this
time—not because the wicked would not repeat the same treatment if
they were permitted—but because he will come in judgment, taking
vengeance on the wicked and on the ungodly, and with the besom of
destruction the refuge of lies and all those who love and make lies
will be swept from the earth, and few men will be left. If the
Latter-day Saints do not desist from running after the things of this
world, and begin to reform and do the work the Father has given them
to do, they will be found wanting, and they, too, will be swept away
and counted as unprofitable servants.
Latter-day Saints, go and take up a labor with yourselves, urge
yourselves to the belief that the Lord is God, that his eyes are upon
the works of his hands, that even the sparrow does not go unfed, nor a
hair of our heads fall to the ground unnoticed. Labor with yourselves
until you have confidence in God and in his revelations to us; become
one in temporal things as well as spiritual things as fast as you can.
Enter into the compact, the association we call the United Order, that
we may commence to do the work we have undertaken to do.
Now, I will make a proposition, and you may have five years to do the
work I am about to assign you. To the people of the Sevier Valley,
Millard County, Iron County, Piute County, Beaver County, with Juab,
Kane, Washington, and Sanpete Counties, I will say, Go to work and
build a Temple in Sanpete. As soon as you are ready to commence, I
will provide the plan. The ground is already selected. We do
not ask whether you are able to do this; but ask yourselves if you
have faith sufficient to do it, for we know that you are perfectly
able to do it if you are willing, and do it inside of three years from
next April. Then to the people of Box Elder County, the Malad Valley,
Cache Valley, Soda Springs, and Bear Lake Valley, Rich County, and the
people on Bear River, I say, unite your labor and commence as soon as
you can to build a Temple in Cache Valley. Again, to the people of
Weber County, Davis County, Morgan and Summit Counties, Salt Lake
County, Tooele and Utah Counties, with the people east and west, I
will say, Go to work and finish the Temple in this city forthwith. Can
you accomplish the work, you Latter-day Saints of these several
counties? Yes, that is a question I can answer readily, you are
perfectly able to do it, the question is, Have you the necessary
faith? Have you sufficient of the Spirit of God in your hearts to
enable you to say, Yes, by the help of God our Father, we will erect
these buildings to his name. There will be little money comparatively
needed, it is nearly all labor, such as you can perform. If the people
had paid their Tithing, and paid the hands employed on the Temple in
proportion as I have done, that building would have been finished
before now. But I am not obliged to build Temples for the people; this
is our common duty, in order that all may have the privilege to
officiate for themselves and their dead. How long, Latter-day Saints,
before you will believe the Gospel as it is? The Lord has declared it
to be his will that his people enter into covenant, even as Enoch and
his people did, which of necessity must be before we shall have the
privilege of build ing the Center Stake of Zion, for the power and
glory of God will be there, and none but the pure in heart will be
able to live and enjoy it. Go to now, with your might and with your
means, and finish this Temple. Why, for what reason? The reasons are
very obvious, and you understand them.
A few words to the sisters—you mothers who are trifling with the
ordinances of the house of God, and the blessings that are proffered
to you, I will say that the time will come, if you persist in doing
so, when you will mourn, and will be willing to give worlds, if you
possessed them, for the privilege of living your lives over again.
Some of you are treating with contempt the oracles of the kingdom of
God upon the earth, and in the commission of this sin you trifle with
your own salvation, as well as the salvation of your children. Repent,
and turn unto God, and teach your children the importance of doing the
same, and of the sacredness of the ordinances and the laws of God. It
is the mother's influence that is most effective in molding the mind
of the child for good or for evil. If she treat lightly the things of
God, it is more than likely her children will be inclined to do the
same, and the Lord will not hold her guiltless when he comes to make
up his jewels; he will disown all such when he comes to claim his own,
and will say, Go hence, I never knew you.
The question may be asked, Are you going to discontinue to give
endowments here? I think it is very probable that you will have to go
where there is a Temple, or go without. In consequence of our having
been driven from our homes, and because of our destitute
circumstances, the Lord has permitted us to do what we have done,
namely, to use this Endowment House for Temple purposes. But
since, through the mercies and blessings of God, we are able to build
Temples, it is the will and commandment of God that we do so.
I thank you for your attention. We will adjourn this Conference until
the 6th day of April next, to meet at ten o'clock a.m., in the Temple
at St. George. We intend to dedicate it then. We shall dedicate some
parts this fall, and commence to work in it.
I feel to bless the people, and say, May Heaven be kind to you. Amen.