The Gospel you have heard this morning from brother Grant, you have
heard over and over again. Everyone who professes to be a Latter-day
Saint, and will acknowledge the truth of this Gospel according to the
historical account in the New Testament, must know that it is true.
Why? Because, as brother Grant has testified, when brother Joseph
Smith proclaimed this Gospel of repentance and baptism for the
remission of sins, his testimony would have been true if there had
been no New Testament.
God sent an angel to him and others, and the angel preached the Gospel
to them, and authorized Joseph Smith to baptize Oliver Cowdery, and
then Joseph received baptism from his hands. When Jesus Christ came he
authorized men to administer the ordinances of the Gospel, and then he
went forward and was baptized himself; he did not excuse himself,
neither did brother Joseph. He went forward and set the example, that
he might fulfil all righteousness, that he might glorify God on earth
and in heaven; and, said he, "That I have seen my Father do, that do
I." Upon the same principle, you pursue the course you see the
Apostles in the last days pursue.
As to the circumstance brother Grant was speaking of in Montrose, I
was with brother Joseph, and so was brother Brigham and many others,
and hundreds were healed, and leaped out of their beds, and followed
us. If you do not believe it, call on many of those that were sick
nigh unto death at that time, and are now living in these valleys,
enjoying good health. How many sick have been healed in Old England? I
have been many a time in houses where people were sick nigh unto
death, with smallpox, and with other complaints, and they were healed
by the power of God; I have taken them to the water, when they have
been on the verge of the grave, and baptized them, and they have been
healed. "What, of the smallpox?" Yes; and there are numbers of people
here that were sick nigh unto death, and brother Orson Hyde is a witness that they were just ready to die, and they are now here in a
robust state of health. [Orson Hyde, "It is true." ] True? Yes, as true
as that God reigns in the heavens; and there are thousands more in the
Church who know it is true. The testimony of brother Grant and other
men is just as true, and will be valid just as much as the testimony
of Peter, James, and John, for they speak the truth as it is in Jesus
Christ.
I rejoice that I live in this day. You have heard me say a great many
times that "Mormonism" and this people are the pride of my heart. I
wish to see the Saints do right, and repent of their sins in such a
manner, that they never need to have any more repentance from this
time, and forsake their sins, and do their first works, and turn unto
the Lord with full purpose of heart while it is their privilege, and
then it will not be required for a man to preach to this people the
first principles of the Gospel of Christ; for there are many who ought
to repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins; but never
go into the water again and be baptized for the remission of your
sins, except you forsake them, and be Saints from that time forth, and
not cultivate the principle of iniquity with yourselves, nor with your
families, nor among this people. Let every man and woman rise up and
purge iniquity from our midst, and if you do not, all I can say is,
you will see sorrow, and you will see sorrow that will cleave to you,
though you repent in tears, and in sackcloth and ashes, and you
cannot get out of it until the Lord has a mind to deliver you.
Brethren and sisters, treasure up the Gospel, read the Scriptures of
the Old and New Testament, and the Book of Mormon. What does the Lord
say? That everyone, who will read the Book of Mormon attentively,
faithfully, and prayerfully, before he gets through, will receive a
testimony of its truth. I know it. If you have lost the Spirit, go and
read the Book of Mormon, and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and
you will get it again, more or less. There are but few who know
anything about these books and what they mean.
I wanted to bear testimony, in connection with brother Grant, of the
truth of his statements with regard to the healing power of God
manifested in Montrose, for I went with the Prophet, and am an
eyewitness. Has not this Gospel the same power it had eighteen
hundred years ago? It has, for God has renewed it unto us, and
conveyed it to us through Joseph Smith, by the ministration of an
angel. We have received the Gospel, and we have received the
Priesthood, and the keys and power pertaining thereto, and the Kingdom
of God is restored, and it will never be overthrown again, but will
overthrow all iniquity or power that undertakes to wrestle with it, I
care not whether it is a nation or a kingdom. Do the world believe
this? Who cares whether they do or not, God knows it will do it, and I
know it, and that is enough. If there was not another man in heaven or
on earth knew it, and I knew it, and was authorized, it would
overthrow all other governments, and they could not help themselves.
You all know this, don't you brethren? [" Yes." ]
Let us be brethren. As I have often said, I want to see this people
acting like brethren; and if any of you have got full lots in the
city, let your mother or your sister have a portion; and if you have
got more land than you can cultivate, do likewise; and if Weber County
has got more than they need, let Davies have a piece, and let us be
one. Let us be brethren, and let us be one, and then what will the
world be to us? I wish you all felt as I do, and then you would know that God will not suffer His righteous servants to be
overthrown; and you must never undertake to overthrow them, if you
calculate to be Priests of our God, and reign forever.
Millions of men will be saved who will never be Gods. They may be the
Saints of God, and be submissive to the sons of God. Listen to the
counsel of the servants of God, and do as our head tells us to do, and
we will prosper from this time henceforth and forever.
I know what will save you, it does not require much knowledge to tell
that, for it consists in keeping the commandments of God, and that
alone will save you. May God bless you, and help you to live
faithfully before Him from this time henceforth and forever. Amen.
- Heber C. Kimball