I love to hear my brethren speak. Their testimony yields joy and
consolation to my heart. But notwithstanding the pleasure it would
give me to sit and hear them continually, it is obligatory upon me to
occupy the position I do, and let my voice be heard in connection with
theirs.
We all occupy diversified stations in the world, and in the kingdom of
God. Those who do right, and seek the glory of the Father in heaven,
whether their knowledge be little or much, or whether they can do
little or much, if they do the very best they know how, they are
perfect.
It may appear strange to some of you, and it certainly does to the
world, to say it is possible for a man or woman to become perfect on
this earth. It is written "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your
Father which is in heaven is perfect." Again, "If any man offend not
in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole
body." This is perfectly consistent to the person who understands what
perfection really is.
If the first passage I have quoted is not worded to our understanding,
we can alter the phraseology of the sentence, and say, "Be ye as
perfect as ye can," for that is all we can do, though it is written,
be ye perfect as your Father who is in heaven is perfect. To be as
perfect as we possibly can, according to our knowledge, is to be just
as perfect as our Father in heaven is. He cannot be any more
perfect than He knows how, any more than we. When we are doing as well
as we know how in the sphere and station which we occupy here, we are
justified in the justice, righteousness, mercy, and judgment that go
before the Lord of heaven and earth. We are as justified as the angels
who are before the throne of God. The sin that will cleave to all the
posterity of Adam and Eve is, that they have not done as well as they
knew how.
I will apply this to myself, and it will apply to you, and to every
man and woman upon the earth; of course including brother Morley, who
spoke to you this morning. If he has done the best he could in the
late Indian difficulties in the district where he lives, and acted
according to the judgment and light of the spirit of revelation in
him, he is as justified as an angel of God.
Though we may do the best we know how at this time, can there be no
improvement made in our lives? There can. If we do wrong ignorantly,
when we learn it is wrong, then it is our duty to refrain from that
wrong immediately and forever, and the sin of ignorance is winked at,
and passes into oblivion.
An inquiry was made this morning, if we know who we are, what our
situation is, and the relationship we sustain to each other, to our
God, and the position we occupy to the human family. I can answer the
question. No, we do not. Do the people understand all the obligations
they are under to each other and to their God? They do not. Again, do
they try to know, as far as it is in their power? They do not. Are
there individuals among us who seek with all their hearts to know and
understand the will of God? Yes, many. But as a people, do they, with
an undivided heart, endeavor to know the will of God in preference to
every thing else upon earth? They do not.
There is a reason for this. Brother Morley wanted to know if we had
learned ourselves. We have not. When he referred to the spirits in the
world, and what we could witness in the infant child in its mother's
lap, at this moment like a little seraph, and in the next, more like a
demon with passion and rage, I thought we need not confine ourselves
to the child for example, for this picture of good and evil is
exhibited as frequently in the parent, and even in the greyheaded
sire, as in the child. If men and women understood perfectly their
position before God, angels, and men, the place they occupy, and the
sphere they act in, they would know they are as independent in their
organization as the angels, or as the Gods. Yet, in consequence of sin
entering into the world, darkness, wretchedness, folly, weakness of
every kind, and the power of temptation surround the children of men,
as well as the power of God. I say the greyheaded father, and the
aged matron will give way to the power of evil, when it comes upon
them, as readily, in many instances, as the infant child upon its
mother's lap.
I speak what I know, and say, shame on those who are subject to such
weakness, when they have had time and opportunity to learn better.
Brother Morley says, "Such spirits will be damned." Bless your souls,
they are damned already. The reason they act as they do, in a manner
so diametrically opposed to the angels and Gods in the eternities that
are, is because they have been in a miserable condition since they
have been upon the earth.
When men and women give way to these wicked spirits, it is a proof
they have not learned their organization, and what they were made for.
As for this people knowing their true position before God, in the
midst of the nations of the earth, it is certain they have not
yet learned it. Shall we ever learn it? We shall. And further, we
shall be obliged to learn it; and further still, we shall be COMPELLED
to learn it. How? By flattery? By blessings? By the kind smiles of
Providence? By the bountiful fulness of the invisible hand of our
heavenly Father bestowing every blessing upon us? Now some of us are
ready to say, this will not bring us to an understanding of our true
position, and prepare us for what is before us. If the mercies and
blessings of our kind and indulgent heavenly Parent will not produce
the desired effects upon His people, He will certainly chasten them,
and make them know, by what they suffer, how to govern and sanctify
themselves before Him.
We ought to pursue the same course with our children when we wish them
to obey our commands. It is reasonable and right, after you have held
out every kind of inducement possible, to bring them to their senses,
and to obedience, if they still continue refractory, to try the rod,
and chasten them until they become obedient. That is what our Father
in heaven will do for this people, if they will not learn by His
blessings and loving kindness.
Do you inquire if I think we are about to be afflicted? If we are not
good children, we shall be. We must learn to love righteousness, and
hate iniquity, and then we can chasten ourselves, and bring ourselves
to the sphere we were designed to fill in our existence, and govern
and control ourselves in it, preparatory to power being put into our
hands. We should never have but one desire, but one determination; our
will should be perfectly centered upon the one object, viz., to find
out the will of God, and do it. Let every individual thus school,
chasten, prove, view, and re view himself, taking himself into custody
as a prisoner to be subjected to a severe examination, until his will
is perfectly subservient to the will of God in every instance, and you
can say, "No matter what it is, let us know the will of the Father in
heaven, and that is our will." Then we shall be able to train, school,
and practice upon ourselves, until we can control, and bring under
subjection, the wicked influences that surround us; we can then begin
to pave the way, or throw up an highway of holiness to the rising
generation.
This we have to do. It is our business. It is the labor of the
Latter-day Saints, which, if carried out, will run through all the
various changing scenes of mortal life. It is in every act and
dealing, both with ourselves, our families, and strangers. It fills
every avenue of human life, from beginning to end. To gain the
spiritual ascendancy over ourselves, and the influences with which we
are surrounded, through a rigid course of self-discipline, is our
first consideration, it is our first labor, before we can pave the way
for our children to grow up without sin unto salvation.
No man, in a short hour or two, can tell everything that is in his
heart, when it is filled by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. But I
will continue my remarks, and give you a little more.
All persons are surrounded with circumstances peculiar to their
location, station, and situation in life. A portion of our old
associates believe we are controlled entirely by circumstances; but
this people have learned enough to know they have the ability and
power to control circumstances, to a certain extent; they will control
us more or less, but not entirely. We can lay the foundation in the
midst of this people for a train of circumstances to surround the
rising generation with a divine influence. We can also produce
a train of circumstances that will work their certain destruction.
This is in our power, and the first is the labor of the Latter-day
Saints.
Some, when their minds are opened to behold the purity of a God of
eternity—the purity of heaven, and understand that no impure thing can
enter there; when they can realize the perfection of the redeemed and
glorified Zion, and then look at the people now, and their actions,
and how they are overcome with their weaknesses, how they cannot go
out and come in without coming in contact, in some way, with their
neighbors; when they look at the universal sinfulness of mortal man;
are ready to exclaim, "We shall all go to destruction, salvation is
impossible." I do not believe a word of it. If we do the best we know
how, and yet commit many acts that are wrong, and contrary to the
counsel given to us, there is hope in our case.
The Savior has warned us to be careful how we judge, forgiving each
other seven times seventy in a day, if we repent, and confess our sins
one to another. Can we be more merciful and forgiving than our Father
in heaven? We cannot. Therefore let people do the best they can, and
they will pave the way for the rising generation to walk up into the
light, wisdom, and knowledge of the angels, and of the redeemed from
this earth, to say nothing of other earths, and they will be prepared
to enjoy in the resurrection all the blessings which are for the
faithful, and enjoy them in the flesh.
It is our duty, and to this we are called so to frame and control
circumstances in our lifetime, as to bring blessings upon the rising
generation, which we can never attain to while we are in the flesh.
But when the vision of our minds is opened to behold the immaculate
purity, perfection, light, beauty, and glory of Zion, the heaven of
eternity, the place where Saints and angels dwell in the eternal
worlds, then salvation for us poor erring mortals seems almost
impossible; it seems that we shall hardly be saved. This, however, is
verily true, we shall hardly be saved. There never was any person over
saved; all who have been saved, and that ever will be in the future,
are only just saved, and then it is not without a struggle to
overcome, that calls into exercise every energy of the soul.
It is good for us to follow the example of those who have attained
unto salvation; consequently if I wish to be saved, and be an
instrument of pointing out the way to others, let me not only preach
the doctrine of salvation, but set the example in my conduct, and
plead with them to follow it. If our faith is one, and we are united
to gain one grand object, and I, as an individual, can possibly get
into the celestial kingdom, you and every other person, by the same
rule, can also enter there.
Though our interest is one as a people, yet remember, salvation is an
individual work; it is every person for themselves. I mean more by
this than I have time to tell you in full, but I will give you a hint.
There are those in this Church who calculate to be saved by the
righteousness of others. They will miss their mark. They are those who
will arrive just as the gate is shut, so in that case you may be shut
out; then you will call upon someone, who, by their own faithfulness,
through the mercy of Jesus Christ, have entered in through the
celestial gate, to come and open it for you; but to do this is not
their province. Such will be the fate of those persons who vainly hope
to be saved upon the righteousness and through the influence of
brother Somebody. I forewarn you therefore to cultivate righteousness
and faithfulness in yourselves, which is the only passport into
celestial happiness.
There is another thing I wish to notice, viz., touching the man
brother Morley spoke of this morning, who put away his wife which he
had lately taken. He began to tell you how mean it looks to him to
trifle in this manner with the greatest blessings of heaven to man. To
men who will ask for blessings, and jewels of great price, and seek to
cast them away tomorrow, it will be said by and by, "Take that and
give it to the man who is more worthy." And what shall be done with
the other? Let him scrub the floor, clean shoes, and make soap. I mean
this to be understood spiritually. Of course we shall be so clean in
the heavenly Zion, we shall not need anybody to wash for us. When I
say we will set such characters to work in the garden, to clean our
stables, to curry our horses, or work in the cellar kitchen, it is to
be understood spiritually.
You may get jewels of great price, and trifle with them, and think
them nothing, but by and by they will so far outshine you, that you
cannot look upon the blaze of their glory without being struck with
blindness. The words of the Savior will be fulfilled on such persons,
"Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be
given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which
he seemeth to have."
That which they think they possess, they only seem to have. It is put
in their hands for a few days, to see if they have wisdom sufficient
to use it to the glory and honor of God, that they may have more
blessings added to them. When they have proved themselves unworthy,
that which they seemed to have will be taken away, and given to
another who is more worthy, that he may have more abundantly.
As it respects the wicked actions of the people, while brother Morley
was speaking, I thought I could tell you things about some men, that
you would not want to hear. To satisfy my own feelings by way of
comparison, I will give you a faint idea of how they look to me.
Imagine all the carcasses of the people who have died of the cholera,
and of other loathsome diseases, heaped up to rot in one general mass,
under the rays of a southern sun, and the stench of such a mass of
corruption would not begin to offend my nostrils, and the nostrils of
every righteous man, so much as those men do. On the other hand, if
every man will do the best he can, and as far as he knows how, it will
be well with him, and he will be blessed until there is not room to
contain the blessings which will be poured upon him. Sin consists in
doing wrong when we know and can do better, and it will be punished
with a just retribution, in the due time of the Lord.
Have this people been blessed? They have. Why can they not understand,
that they are organized and formed for the express purpose of becoming
independent in and of themselves, that they may begin to guard against
any evil principle, or the suggestions of evil? But you will readily
say, "That is in all men, it is natural to them." So Paul thought. He
was surrounded with spirits of evil, and was wonderfully troubled with
them, so much so, that when he would do good, evil was present with
him. I would have kicked them out of doors. He was a righteous man,
and died for the Gospel's sake, and it was right for him to die, if it
were for nothing but taking care of the clothes of those who stoned
Stephen to death. "Now," says Paul, "I would do good to that man, but
evil is present with me." Why did he not kick that evil out of the way
of his doing good? Was he bound to be troubled with it? No, no more
than you and I are.
Are those who are drinking and carousing today (and there may
be some doing so who profess to be brethren) obliged to break the
Sabbath, and make themselves drunkards and gluttons? No. If the
brethren who profess to be Saints, and do wrong, would reveal the root
of the matter, and tell the whole truth, it would be, "I have a desire
to do a great deal of good, but the devil is always at my elbow, and I
always like to keep the old gentleman so that I can put my hand upon
him, for I want to use him sometimes." That is the reason why men and
women are overcome with evil.
Again, I can charge you with what you will all plead guilty of, if you
would confess the truth, viz., you dare not quite give up all your
hearts to God, and become sanctified throughout, and be led by the
Holy Ghost from morning until evening, and from one year's end to
another. I know this is so, and yet few will acknowledge it. I know
this feeling is in your hearts, as well as I know the sun shines.
We will examine it a little closer. Many of you have fearful
forebodings that all is not right in the organization of this kingdom.
You shiver and shake in your feelings, and tremble in your spirit; you
cannot put your trust in God, in men, nor in yourself. This arises
from the power of evil that is so prevalent upon the face of the whole
earth. It was given to you by your father and mother; it was mingled
with your conception in the womb, and it has ripened in your flesh, in
your blood, and in your bones, so that it has become riveted in your
very nature. If I were to ask you individually, if you wished to be
sanctified throughout, and become as pure and holy as you possibly
could live, every person would say yes; yet if the Lord Almighty
should give a revelation instructing you to be given wholly up to Him,
and to His cause, you would shrink, saying, "I am afraid he will take
away some of my darlings." That is the difficulty with the majority of
this people.
It is for you and I to wage war with that principle until it is
overcome in us, then we shall not entail it upon our children. It is
for us to lay a foundation so that everything our children have to do
with, will bring them to Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living
God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
to the general assembly and Church of the Firstborn, which are
written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of
just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant,
and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than the
blood of Abel. If we lay such a foundation with all good conscience,
and labor as faithfully as we can, it will be well with us and our
children in time and in eternity.
What kind of a sensation would it produce in my heart, should I hear
at the close of this meeting that the Lord had suffered the devil to
destroy my houses, my wives, and my children, and committed every
particle of my property to the devouring flames—that I am left
destitute, and alone in the world? I wish you all to apply this
interrogation to yourselves. What would such a circumstance produce
upon this people, provided they did not know the Lord was going to
send a judgment upon them, as He has done in former times (though you
need not be afraid of it)? How would you feel? Would there not be
murmuring, and fault finding, and writing and plotting with apostates,
and some fleeing to California, and some running back to the States?
Or suppose, when you arrive at home from this meeting, you find your
neighbors have killed your horses and destroyed your property, how
would you feel? You would feel like taking instant vengeance
on the perpetrator of the deed. But it would be wrong for you to
encourage the least particle of feeling to arise in your bosom like
anger, or revenge, or like taking judgment into your own hands, until
the Lord Almighty shall say, "Judgment is yours, and for you to
execute."
Brother Morley wished to know if anyone could tell the origin of
thought. The origin of thought was planted in our organization at the
beginning of our being. This is not telling you how it came there, or
who put it there. Thought originated with our individual being, which
is organized to be as independent as any being in eternity. When you
go home, and learn that your neighbors have committed some depredation
on your property, or in your family, and anger arises in your bosom,
then consider, and know that it arises in yourselves.
On the other hand, suppose some person has blessed you when you return
home, brought you a bag of flour, for instance, in a time of great
scarcity, and some butter, milk, and vegetables, thoughts would at
once spring up to bless the giver. The origin of thought and
reflection is in ourselves. We think, because we are, and are made
susceptible of external influences, and to feel our relationship to
external objects. Thus thoughts of revenge, and thoughts of blessing
will arise in the same mind, as it is influenced by external
circumstances.
If you are injured by a neighbor, the first thought of the
unregenerate heart is for God to damn the person who has hurt you. But
if a person blesses you, the first thought that arises in you is, God
bless that man; and this is the disposition to which we ought to
cleave. But dismiss any spirit that would prompt you to injure any
creature that the Lord has made, give it no place, encourage it not,
and it will not stay where you are. You can let the black man, or the
white man into your house, as you please; you can say, "Walk in," to
both of them.
This is a figure. When the white man presents himself, you know him at
once by his complexion; the same when you see darkness and blackness
advancing, you know it is from beneath, and you can command it to
leave your house. When the good man comes, he brings with him a halo
of kindness which fills you with peace and heavenly comfort; invite
him into your house, and make him your constant guest.
I have often told you from this stand, if you cleave to holy, godlike
principles, you add more good to your organization, which is made
independent in the first place, and the good spirit and influence
which come from the Father of lights, and from Jesus Christ, and from
the holy angels add good to it. And when you have been proved, and
when you have labored and occupied sufficiently upon that, it will
become, in you, what brother Joseph Smith told Elder Taylor, if he
would adhere to the Spirit of the Lord strictly, it should become in
him, viz., a fountain of revelation. That is true. After awhile the
Lord will say to such, "My son, you have been faithful, you have clung
to good, and you love righteousness, and hate iniquity, from which you
have turned away, now you shall have the blessing of the Holy Spirit
to lead you, and be your constant companion, from this time henceforth
and forever." Then the Holy Spirit becomes your property, it is given
to you for a profit, and an eternal blessing. It tends to addition,
extension, and increase, to immortality and eternal lives.
If you suffer the opposite of this to take possession of your
tabernacles, it will hurt you, and all that is asso ciated with you, and blast, and strike with mildew, until your tabernacle,
which was created to continue throughout an endless duration, will be
decomposed, and go back to its native elements, to be ground over
again like the refractory clay that has spoiled in the hand of the
potter, it must be worked over again until it shall become passive,
and yield to the potter's wish.
One power is to add, to build up, and increase; the other to destroy
and diminish; one is life, the other is death. Let us, then, lay a
foundation for the rising generation to grow up without being
trammeled and hindered in their onward course to glory and happiness
by the superstitions, tradition, and ignorance that have blinded and
hurt us. Let us do the best we can, and if we make a mistake once,
seven times, or seventy times seven in a day, and are honest in our
confessions, we shall be forgiven freely. As we expect to obtain
mercy, so let us have mercy upon each other. And when the evil spirit
comes let him find no place in you.
I recollect telling the Latter-day Saints that no man could judge the
nature of a spirit without first testing it; until then, he is not
capable to judge of it. Brethren, love righteousness, and hate
iniquity.
May God bless you forever. Amen.