I will read a portion of the 23rd chapter of St. Matthew, commencing
at the 34th verse:
"Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and
scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them
shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to
city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the
earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son
of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar."
There is another portion of Scripture which I will read. It will be
found in the 6th chapter of the Revelation of St. John:
"And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the
souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the
testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying,
How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our
blood on them that dwell on the earth?"
Very unexpectedly I have been called upon to make a few remarks to you
this morning. Naturally I would prefer to sit still and to reflect
upon the sad event that has called us together. It is plain from the reading of these passages of Scripture that you have
heard, that innocent blood—the blood of the servants of God, of the
prophets, of the wise men, of the scribes, all those who have the
testimony of Jesus, who are the bearers of the word of God—when shed
wickedly, remains as a heavy debt to be atoned for at some period by
the inhabitants of the earth. Also that in the days of John the
Revelator, one of the apostles of the Lord, in the visions which he
saw it was made manifest that there were yet more lives to be offered
up for the cause of truth before the blood that had been shed could be
avenged upon those that dwelt upon earth. It doubtless seemed strange
to the inhabitants of Jerusalem when Jesus said unto them that all
the righteous blood that had been shed in past generations from the
blood of righteous Abel to Zacharias, son of Barachias, should be
required of that generation. There were reasons for this which he well
understood. There are reasons existing now and that will continue to
exist and operate, why the blood of those who have been slain for the
word of God and the testimony of Jesus in ancient days, should be
avenged upon some generation in the future, from the time that John
spake and wrote the revelation he had received. Jesus said when he was
upon the earth: "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into
the world, and men love darkness rather than light." They were held to
a strict accountability after light was revealed. The generation in
which he lived were held to a stricter accountability than any
preceding generation, because he himself, the Son of God, was in their
midst, performing mighty works, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom in
its purity and in its power, and communicating unto them the mind and
will of heaven. Every generation who have the privilege of hearing the
pure Gospel of Jesus preached in its fulness are held to a similar
accountability. Their position is different to that of the generations
who do not have that privilege. The generations that intervened
between the time that Zacharias lived and the coming of the Son of Man
in the flesh, were not held to the same strict accountability as the
cotemporaries of the Savior. Why was this? Because they did not have
the truth in its fulness revealed unto them; they did not have the
prophets and apostles and righteous men in their midst to communicate
unto them the will of heaven, as the generations in which the Savior
lived had; and for the same reason the generations that have lived
since the death of the Savior, and since the visions that John the
Revelator had, are not held to the same accountability as this
generation, unto whom the fulness of the everlasting Gospel has been
revealed. When God communicates his mind and will unto his children by
the medium of angels, by the medium of prophets, by the medium of holy
men whom he has raised up, those who hear that testimony, those unto
whom that message is communicated, are held to a strict accountability
to obey the same or be held in great condemnation for their rejection
of it. If you will read the history of God's ways of dealing with the
children of men throughout all ages, you will find that it is
invariably the case that judgments and calamities, the fiery
indignation of the Almighty, always follow the rejection of his truth,
when that truth is proclaimed by his authorized servants, such as are
apostles and prophets. If Nineveh had not heard the voice of
Jonah, the Ninevites could not have been held to the same
accountability as those to whom the word of the Lord had been
proclaimed; and when prophets arose in the midst of Israel, prophets
whom God raised up to declare his word, when the children of Israel
repented of their sins and obeyed the warning voice of the servants of
God, then the blessings of God always followed their obedience. But on
the other hand, when the children of Israel rejected the testimony of
the servants of God, when the prophets preached in vain, when they
testified and warned the people without the people obeying their
testimonies or their warnings, then invariably the judgments of God
followed, his anger and indignation were kindled against that people
or generation, it rested down upon them and in many instances to their
destruction.
This is our position today. In this respect the Latter-day Saints
occupy a unique position in the midst of the inhabitants of the earth.
Men wonder very frequently at the testimonies that we bear. They
express surprise that a people so few in number as we are, should
imagine that there is so much importance attending the testimonies
that we bear, or the Gospel that we preach. But it is a remarkable
fact, abundantly sustained in the history of God's dealings with the
children of men, that he does not hold mankind guiltless because there
are only a few who are the oracles of truth in their midst and who
have the authority to proclaim that truth. If there was but one
prophet on the face of the earth, and he had no followers, but stood
alone in the midst of the nations of the earth, his warnings would be
followed by terrible results if they were disregarded by those who
heard them. The Lord does not look upon men according to their numbers;
the importance of his work and his dealings with the children of men
is not to be measured by the number of those who adhere to the
principles that he proclaims. When Joseph Smith stood alone, when he
had only two or three followers, and he declared unto those by whom he
was surrounded that God had spoken to him from the heavens, that God
had revealed the everlasting gospel in its ancient purity and power,
that God had sent his holy angels to him, and that those angels had
laid their hands upon his head, and upon the head of Oliver Cowdery,
and ordained them to the everlasting Priesthood, his testimony was as
binding upon those who heard it as if millions of men had testified to
the same truths. His testimony was binding from the moment that he
commenced to bear it to those by whom he was surrounded, and the
accountability of the people who listened to him and heard his voice,
and heard his testimony, began from the moment that he opened his
mouth and bore testimony of these things. And so it has been from that
day unto this, wherever the Elders of this Church have gone and have
borne testimony to the inhabitants of the earth respecting the work
that God has commenced—from that very moment the condemnation of the
generation commenced if they did not obey these testimonies and
warnings. This seems to some minds scarcely what it ought to be, that
is, it seems to many that we attach too much importance to what one or
two men might say, when we assert that condemnation follows their
testimony; but there is this to be considered connected with the testi mony of God's servants in ancient days, as in the days in
which we live: God has not left the inhabitants of the earth without a
witness, God has not left them without some testimony which they can
obtain to assure them that the words of God's servants—that is the
true servants of God—which they hear are from him. When he called
Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, and when he sent his angels to lay
their hands upon their heads to ordain them to that priesthood which
had been withdrawn from the earth, he also sent his Holy Spirit to
accompany their words and to seal the testimony with power upon the
hearts of all that were honest, and who prayerfully sought for a
knowledge from God concerning the truth of their words. When Joseph
Smith and Oliver Cowdery laid their hands upon other men's heads and
ordained them to the same priesthood which they had received from
heaven, God confirmed the ordination by bestowing the Holy Ghost upon
them, and when they went forth and proclaimed the truth, the Holy
Ghost accompanied their words, and those who were desirous of knowing
from God respecting the truth of their testimony had the opportunity
of receiving a knowledge direct from heaven that it was of God, and on
this very account condemnation commences because light hath come into
the world, and when men reject it they reject it because they love
darkness rather than light. God does not hold people accountable for
that which they do not know, or that which they have not had an
opportunity of knowing. Where there is no law, there is no
transgression. Transgression commences when the law is received and
men reject it. What is the duty of the inhabitants of the earth when
they hear a man stand up and proclaim in the power and authority of
the priesthood, and in all solemnity, that God has spoken from the
heavens, that God has revealed the everlasting gospel, that God has
established his church in its ancient power and in its ancient purity,
that God has endowed man to go forth and administer in the ordinances
of life and salvation as in ancient days. What is the duty of the
inhabitants of the earth under such circumstances?
Situated as the world is today, there is no voice from God. You
travel throughout the whole of Christendom and there is an unbroken
silence reigning between heaven and earth; no voice to disturb the
solemnity of eternity. Go visit all the different churches, and all
the ministers of the various denominations, and talk to them who
profess to be the followers of Jesus Christ; ask them, "Do you know
anything about God? Has God communicated his mind and will to you?"
And the universal answer from all sects is "No, revelation has ceased,
God no longer speaks to man; we depend upon his written word in the
Bible for our knowledge of God. We are divided into sects, we are
split up into parties, we have all our own way of worshipping God, but
there is no voice from God, there has been no revelation from God to
disturb the silence of ages, since the death of the Apostles, and our
knowledge concerning the plans and purposes of God is derived from the
Bible." This being the case, then, what is the duty of the inhabitants
of the earth when a man comes as Joseph Smith did, and as the Elders
of this Church are doing, proclaiming the truths which I have alluded
to? Why, they being in ignorance of God, they having no revelation
from God, they not having heard the voice of angels, they
being split up into parties and sects, and divided and quarreling
respecting the points of doctrine which Christ revealed—they being in
this position should humble themselves and ask God, in the name of
Jesus, and in mighty prayer to reveal unto them whether the testimony
of those men who come with this new revelation be true or false. That
is the duty of every living soul upon the face of the earth who hears
the testimony of God's servants concerning this truth, and there never
has been, from the time that Joseph Smith made his first proclamation
until this day, the 3rd of August, 1879, a time when a man who took
this course did not receive a witness from on high, the testimony of
Jesus Christ, that these truths, proclaimed by the servants of God are
divine and from heaven. Wherever the Elders of this Church have gone
and lifted up their voices in humility, in meekness, calling upon the
inhabitants of the earth to repent—and they have gone to many lands
and spoken in many languages—and the people have repented and sought
unto God in the name of Jesus Christ for a testimony of the truth,
there has never been a single instance where they have failed to
receive that testimony; not one. Who have rejected this gospel? The
indifferent, those who would not take the trouble to investigate it,
those who would not take the trouble to bow in submission before the
Lord and ask his testimony concerning it, those who thought it beneath
them, those who have been too proud, or too rich or too well situated
or who, for some other reason, have failed to take any interest in
this work; these are they who are not members of this Church
and who have failed to obey this gospel when
they heard it preached in its simplicity and its purity amongst the
nations of the earth. Well, now, will this generation escape
condemnation? I say unto you, nay. There will be a heavy condemnation
fall upon this generation because of their inattention to these
things. Judgments and calamities will be visited upon the inhabitants
of the earth in consequence of neglecting the word of God written in
the Scriptures, and also the word of God to his servants in these
days. The Prophet Joseph Smith, his brother Hyrum, and numbers of
others have been slain. What for? Why, said the mob who killed him,
because they could not reach them by law. They were brought before
courts, Joseph Smith particularly, as you all know, from time to time,
but they failed to find any cause of condemnation against him, and at
last his blood was shed. He sealed his testimony with his blood. Like
other apostles and prophets, he laid down his life as a witness
before God and before all men of the truth of the testimony that he
bore. Others have done likewise.
We have met here today on this mournful occasion to pay the last
rites, to offer the last testimony of respect to the remains of one
who has in like manner laid down his life for the truth, one of the
many who have been slain for the testimony of Jesus and for the word
of God which he bore. Was there anything wrong in the testimony that
he declared when he lived? Was it wrong to call upon men to repent of
their sins, to be baptized for a remission of them, to have hands laid
upon them for the reception of the Holy Ghost? Was it wrong to entreat
men to forsake sin and to lead better lives, to be more pure, more
holy, to live near unto the Lord, to seek knowledge from God,
to contend for the faith that was once delivered to the Saints? If
these things were wrong, then our brother, whose remains are before
us, was guilty of wrong. This was the extent of his offense and no
more. He endeavored to persuade men to lead purer, holier lives, and
proclaimed that the days of God's judgment was near at hand. He went
forth to declare these principles, filled with zeal, filled with good
desires, exemplary in his life, pure in his conversation, the
admiration of all who knew him, the joy of his father's household, an
example to all his associates of the same years, and even to those
older than himself, a young man of whom we all had great hopes, whose
future we thought was bright. In reading his letters, in listening to
the accounts of his labors, in hearing from his co-laborers, we could
not help feeling gratified. We indulged in bright anticipations for
his future, not because of his birth, not because his parents were
rich, not because of any extraordinary talent which he possessed, not
because of any earthly advantages, but because in his youth he humbled
himself before God and attained a knowledge concerning the Gospel of
Jesus Christ, and burning with zeal, he had a heartfelt desire to
proclaim the great truths which God had revealed to him, to a fallen
world and tried to save the children of men from the pit into which
they were likely to be engulfed. The same spirit that animated the
breast of the Savior, animated the breast of Joseph Standing, that is,
he had a portion of that same spirit. He did not count bodily fatigue
anything, he did not count toil anything, he did not take into
consideration his health, the feebleness of his frame; none of these
things had weight with him. He did not think how, by staying at home
and attending to his business, he could benefit himself and receive
worldly advantages; none of these things were thought of, but the very
moment he was called to go from home he dropped everything, although
in somewhat feeble health and although he had already filled an
honorable mission, he felt it his duty to go when he was called, to go
without purse and without scrip, without hope of earthly reward,
putting his trust in God, laboring with unselfish zeal for the
salvation of his fellow men, and thus he labored until he fell a victim
to the ungodly hate of those who knew him not, who understood not the
objects for which he labored, and the purpose which animated his noble heart.
Who shall mourn today? The Latter-day Saints? No. Who shall mourn
today? The family and friends of Elder Joseph Standing? No. It would
be difficult and it would not be right that we should repress the
natural emotions of our hearts, that we should stifle those natural
affections; it is right and proper that we should shed sympathetic
tears, allow the heart's affection to flow out in this manner and
receive relief by the tears that are shed. But there is no cause for
grief today in this Tabernacle. A servant of God who has occupied a
faithful position, who has been true, who has been upright, who has
been blameless, has fallen a victim—a victim to that hate that the
adversary of souls seeks to instill into the hearts of all the
children of men who will be led and guided by him, and the men who
have to mourn today are those who have been guilty of this foul deed.
The land that ought to mourn is the land that has been drenched with
his blood. If the Governor, the Judges, the Legis lature, and
the other officials of the State of Georgia feel as they should they
will not rest satisfied until there shall be atonement made, and the
guilty wretches who took part in this great crime shall have been
brought to justice. But it will be a most extraordinary thing if such
shall be the result. Not but what I believe the Governor is an upright
man, and, so far as I am acquainted with him, would do everything in
his power to punish these murderers; but there are other influences at
work that are stronger than the influence of the Governor, there are
prejudices harder to conquer than anything else that can be met with
and there are hundreds, and probably thousands of people who think
that in killing the "Mormons" they are doing God's service. Shall we
hate them for this? No; they are to be pitied. Men who indulge in such
feelings carry with them in their own breasts their punishment, and
they will experience a still more severe punishment before they get
through.
My brethren and sisters, when we embraced this Gospel, those of you
who were old enough to comprehend it, doubtless took into
consideration all the consequences that might follow; those who were
not old enough, or who have been born in the Church have had
experience enough upon these points to see and understand what the
results of the espousal of the truth are likely to be. It cost the
Savior his life. It cost the greater portion of his apostles their
lives. It cost every prophet almost that has lived his life for
proclaiming the truth. It has cost the best blood of this Church and
this generation to lay the foundation of this Church. We have been
mobbed, we have been driven, we have been persecuted, we have been
hated, our names have been cast out as evil, there is no crime, there
is no evil of which men could be guilty that we have not been accused
of, and we all know how falsely and with how little foundation we have
been charged with these things. This is part of the results that we
have to meet in espousing the truth. The man that holds his life dear,
that values it more than the truth is unworthy of the truth. If we
value house, if we value lands, if we value good name, if we value
property, if we value self, if we value even life itself more than we
do the truth we are unworthy of the truth. But God has given unto us
the truth; it is worth more than all else beside. He has revealed
himself to us. When we pray to him we know that he hears us. When we
ask him for a blessing that we need we have the testimony from on high
that he hears our prayers, that he is willing to answer and grant unto
us the righteous desires of our hearts. These things compensate for
the loss of all other advantages; we have this consolation which our
persecutors do not have.
The Prophets who have preceded us have been slain generation after
generation; they have passed away. The Savior and his apostles
likewise passed away, the work, the foundation of which they laid,
having been overcome and destroyed by the adversary from the face of
the earth. They foresaw that for a long time ahead, apostasy would
follow their labors and administrations, and a sorrowful thing it was
for them to contemplate: but in our case it is different. We live on
the threshold of a new era; the work that God has established in our
day shall never be given to another people. The priesthood which God
has restored, the authority by which men can ad minister in the
ordinances of God—that priesthood shall never be taken from the earth.
Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, David Patten and other martyrs may fall,
Brother Joseph Standing among the rest, their blood may be shed, and
the blood of others yet living may yet be shed to confirm the
testimony that has been borne, but though this is the case, there is
this to console us who live, to console us in contemplating the future
for ourselves and our posterity after us, and it is that there is no
power on earth, nor in hell that can destroy the church that God has
established, nor obliterate the priesthood from the earth again as it
was obliterated in ancient days. It was necessary when this Church was
started that angels should come to restore that which was taken away,
the everlasting priesthood, but there will be no future necessity for
this. We are at the threshold of a thousand years of peace, we are
engaged in laying the foundation of that work which shall stand
forever, not only the thousand years but as long as time shall
last and as long as the earth itself shall endure. This is the
consolation we have that our predecessors did not have, and we can
rejoice in the contemplation of the glorious future of this work. As
for Brother Standing, no hero could wish to die a more glorious death
than his. He will be crowned among the glorious army of martyrs, as
one who was willing to lay down his life for the truth without
shrinking, without fear, without faltering when the time came. He has
borne a noble and untiring testimony all the time to the truth of God,
and there is in store for him a glorious crown along with those who
have been alike faithful in this work.
That his companion, Elder Rudger Clawson is alive and in our midst
today, is due to the wonderful providence of God. My belief has been
that had the mob commenced their whipping they would both have been
killed. The death of Brother Standing doubtless saved Brother
Clawson's life.
I pray God the Father to comfort your hearts, to pour out the spirit
of consolation and peace upon the family and upon all the friends of
the deceased. I pray for his enemies and for those who have shed his
blood. I would not do them any harm if I could. There is not in my
bosom, nor should there be in the bosoms of the Latter-day Saints who
have the true spirit of the Gospel resting upon them, a feeling to
revenge. We ought to be and I think we are, far uplifted above such
feelings, and if we do not have we should have the feeling which Jesus
had when he was upon the cross and led him to say, "Father, forgive
them, they know not what they do." They had treated him with the
greatest ignominy, treated him as if he had committed the greatest
crime, but in his dying hour he could implore the blessing of his
Father upon them. And so we may upon those who seek to destroy this
work. They think they are doing God service; they are actuated by a
spirit of which they know nothing. They are to be pitied, they are to
be mourned over, and the day will come when, as we comprehend the
sufferings of those who did these deeds, our souls will swell with
pity and compassion and sorrow for their wretched condition. I pray
that the Spirit of the Gospel may rest down upon all of us, and that the peace of heaven may be and abide in all our hearts, which
I ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.
- George Q. Cannon