We have not come my brethren and sisters to preach great discourses,
but to talk to you in a friendly way about some of the things in which
we are all interested. When I am instructing others I feel instructed
myself, and the advice I give others, in a general way, fits me also.
The best of us are not too good; we all of us might be better, and do
better and enjoy life better, having more of the Spirit of the Lord in
our own homes and in our own hearts, and do more to promote the
welfare of all who come within our reach and influence. To serve the
Lord, is one of the great objects of our existence; and I appreciate
as a great privilege the opportunity we enjoy of worshipping God on the
Sabbath day. And when we do meet to worship God, I like to see us
worship him with all our hearts. I think it altogether out of place on
such occasions to hear people talk about secular things; these are
times, above all others perhaps, when our feelings and affections
should be drawn out towards God. If we sing praises to God, let us do
it in the proper spirit; if we pray, let every soul be engaged in
prayer, doing it with all our hearts, that through our union our
spirits may be blended in one, that our prayers and our worship may be
available with God, whose Spirit permeates all things, and is always
present in the assemblies of good and faithful Saints.
I will tell you how I feel on a Sab bath morning. I realize
this is a day set apart to worship Almighty God: now I ought to
worship God myself, and I ought to look after my family and discover
whether they are engaged in the same thing or not. For we are
commanded to keep holy the Sabbath day and to rest from all our
labors, as God did when he created the earth upon which we dwell. He
has given us six days to attend to the various labors and duties of
life, and if we pretend to keep the Sabbath, let us do it acceptably
to God our Father, dedicating ourselves to him at least, for that day,
and placing our feelings and affections upon him. And then, the Elders
of Israel, throughout the broad earth are engaged this day in trying
to teach the principles of salvation, and I feel like praying for
them, and also for our missionaries who are going abroad among the
Saints in this land, as well those who speak, as those who dictate in
the assemblies of the Saints in this land and in all other lands, that
as this is a day set apart for the worship of God, all Israel
everywhere may be under the influence and guidance of the Spirit of
the living God, and that those especially who speak may be under the
divine influence of the Holy Ghost, and present to the various
congregations the words of eternal life. God has conferred upon us
very many great and precious blessings, and I sometimes think it is
difficult for us to appreciate them as we should.
We are here in the land that is emphatically called, the land of Zion.
I think when I hear these words, that they have some significance.
What is meant by Zion, or the people of Zion? As I understand it, in
fact, as the Lord has told us, it means, the pure in heart. That would
hardly apply to all of us, but it would in part. We would like to be
pure in heart, but we can hardly reach it yet. There are a great many
things which we admire in others, and there are a great many
principles which we admire in the abstract, and there are a great many
things which we wish we could do, but which we do not do. Still we are
aiming in a great measure to do what is right; and if there are any
people upon the earth that are doing this, I believe the Latter-day
Saints are that people. And, yet, we do not do it, do we? If I were to
ask you individually, the answer would generally be, "No, I do not
perform my duties as I should, but I would like to do so, but
sometimes I yield to improper influences, and while I know that in
doing this, I am not performing my duty, yet I realize in some
instances that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." But I
think we are improving, and that is encouraging. We are the professed
people of God, and being so, we ought, at least, to observe all of the
leading principles of the Gospel, not to hear them only but to do
them. We profess to be under the government of the United States, and
being citizens we want to be good citizens, better than any other
citizens, and I believe we are. I firmly believe that we are more
loyal and more patriotic to our national government than any other
citizens belonging to it. That is my opinion. And I think that we can
well afford to observe all of the principles instituted among men by
any proper government, we can well afford to observe all the prominent
principles thereof, and I do not know of any law that as a people, we
violate, excepting one, and that has been made on purpose to make us
either break the command of God, or violate the law of the land. I wish that our legislators would not make such laws; I wish
they would adhere strictly to the Constitution, and to the spirit and
genius of our institutions, and not depart from them. For while we are
desirous of obeying all of the laws of our country, we cannot violate
the law of God. We say, O Lord, teach me thy will and help me to do
it. The law expects that one man shall not infringe on the rights of
another. That is right; all would agree to that. It expects us to
contribute our proper proportion to maintain the existence and
responsibilities of the government, both in times of internal trouble
and outward aggression. That is proper and we do not wish to have any
other feelings than that. They make laws that men should be honest;
that is all right. If a man steal, he should be delivered over to the
laws of the land. That is part of our religion as well as part of our
politics. Our governors sometimes act foolishly, but we cannot help
that. The office they hold is a part of our institutions, and because
they act illiberally and dishonestly toward us, shall we condescend to
berate them? No; it would be bad enough to tell the truth about some
of them without resorting to falsehood. We will respect every man in
his position, whether he respects himself or not, and respect all laws
and all proper authority everywhere. What, would you pray for the
Government of the United States? Yes, certainly; and when it shall
depart from correct principles and violate the laws of God, and incur
his displeasure, I shall feel very sorry for it. Before our late war
broke out I knew it, for God had revealed it to me; and when it did
come, the trouble and distress that would overtake the people I knew
of, and my heart wept over them be cause of it. But it had to come, and
no man could prevent it. When wrong is committed, or an unwise course
is taken, it bears with it its own punishment. And as far as we are
concerned, so long as we keep the commandments and are true to the
trust that God has reposed in us, we need not fear the consequences,
for he has said, it is his business to take care of his Saints. It is
our duty to cultivate and cherish the spirit of the Lord. And what
is the fruit of that Spirit? In former days it was—"love, joy, peace,
long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance."
What is the fruit of the spirit of evil? Envy, malice, hatred,
evil-speaking, lying and slandering one another and towards other
people. This was the fruit of evil anciently; it is so today.
Principles that were good eighteen hundred years ago are good today.
And if men, by taking a wrong course, act imprudently and seek to
injure us, shall we seek to injure them? No, we will try to do them
all the good we can. "But that is not natural." But then we ought to
be changed from nature to grace. Jesus stated, "Ye have heard that it
hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But
I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good
to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you,
and persecute you," etc. When you have done all that and met all the
requirements of the law, what more can be asked of you? Nothing. Some
say we violate their laws. What law? The law that was introduced to
make us violate the revelations of heaven; but though men seek to
trammel us, yet in the name of God we will perform all our religious
duties and responsibilities, and let all Israel say amen.
[Amen from the congregation]. And yet, will we be subject to law? Yes.
Here is Brother George Reynolds, who is present, he was subject to the
law. Did he fulfil the law? Yes, he did. Did he meet all its demands?
Yes. And having met them, what more remains? If a law is made, and
because we are conscientious before God, seeking to fulfil his law
unto us, we violate such a law, and we are deprived of our liberty, by
the help of God, his power and grace being with us to sustain us, we
will bear the consequence. What can be asked then? We think we can
fulfil the law of God and the law of man as near as they will let us;
and if they wish to punish us for keeping the commandments of God, let
them do it, and let them abide the consequence. And when we get
through we will say, you Judge and Jury, who passed upon certain men,
we have met your requirements, we now go to the Lord and say, Father,
we have also met thy requirements; we could not barter away thy laws;
we could not violate thy commandments, but, O God, we have been true
to thee, and we have been true to our national obligations. And having
done our best to promote peace, and having fulfilled the law of both
God and man, we feel that we shall be justified by the Lord, and by
all honorable, highminded, just and patriotic men. We are not the
first who have been put to the test—Daniel and the three Hebrew
children had to pass through this ordeal, they met the consequences,
as we propose doing. This was under a despotic government, but under
our republican form of government, and with our free institutions,
with a Constitution guaranteeing human liberty and the free exercise
of religious faith, we have a right to ex pect a different action. But
should this nation persist in violating their Constitutional
guarantees, tear away the bulwarks of liberty, and trample upon the
principles of freedom and human rights, that are sacred to all men,
and by which all men should be governed, by and by the whole fabric
will fall, and who will sustain it? We will, in the name of Israel's
God. Of this the Prophet Joseph Smith prophesied long, long ago. This
is the position we stand in. And if the Government of the United
States can afford to oppress us, we can afford to suffer and grow
strong.
Let us go to the law of God. We are here to build up Zion; and how
ought we to feel? We want to make as good houses as we can. That is
all right provided we come by them honestly. We want to lay a
foundation for our children if we can. That's all right. But do not
let our hearts and affections be placed upon these things, for there
are other things we have to do. We have to pay our tithes and
offerings, as we have been commanded. We have to build Temples. And
that is all right. I was going to say, if we do that; I need not put
the if in, for we are doing it, we are building three Temples today,
and I feel to give credit to the Saints for their liberality and zeal
in the work. So far that is all right.
But do we want to speculate out of our brethren and get something from
them to build us up? That is not right. We want to build one another
up as well as ourselves. Do we object to a man making money and means?
O, no; but I should very much dislike to see him accumulate it from
his brethren by taking advantage of their circumstances. That is not
right. We should be governed by the principles of law and equity. The
Scriptures say, speaking of the Lord, "judgment and justice
are the habitation of thy throne." But "who shall dwell in thy holy
hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and
speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his
tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach
against his neighbor. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he
honoreth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt,
and changeth not. He that putteth not out his money at usury, nor
taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall
never be moved." Let us seek to promote one another's welfare, and
feel that we are brethren, that we are the representatives of God upon
the earth. Our Heavenly Father is desirous to promote the happiness
and welfare of the whole of the human family; and if we, any of us,
hold any Priesthood, it is simply for that same purpose, and not for
our personal aggrandizement, or for our own honor, or pomp, or
position; but we hold it in the interest of God and for the salvation
of the people, that through it we may promote their happiness,
blessing and prosperity, temporal and spiritual, both here and in the
world to come. That is why the Priesthood is conferred upon us, and if
we do not use it in this way, then there is a malfeasance in office;
then we violate our obligations before God, and render ourselves
unworthy of the high calling that the Lord has conferred upon us. The
Priesthood always was given for the blessing of the human family.
People talk about it as though it was for the special benefit of
individuals. What was said of Abraham? "In thee and in thy seed" —what?
I will confer blessings upon thee. O, that is all right so far as it
goes. But "in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth
be blessed." Let us act in the capacity of benefactors, and if we are
descended of Abraham, let us walk in his footsteps and make ourselves
worthy of the promises, let us extend our feelings wide as eternity,
and seek to bless and benefit, lift up and ennoble all around us; that
we may all rejoice together and be exalted by the same principles
which have been revealed for the benefit of all men. That is the way
I look at these important matters, and such is the position we all
should occupy.
People talk sometimes—they have a particular case to be adjudicated,
and they would like to get hold of a High Councilor and warp his
judgment, and make him dishonor himself and his calling. Tell such men
when they approach you, to desist; that you are after justice, equity
and mercy among men; and then let everything else go, yielding
individual feeling, relations and all else to justice and equity, and
God will sustain you. While speaking of justice, I do not believe in
seizing a man by the throat and crowding him down; but do justice
between man and man when placed in that position. We do not wish to
destroy men, nor to use any vindictive or oppressive measures. It is
said of the Savior: "The Son of man is not come to destroy men's
lives, but to save them." That is the way I read these things. And
while we deal justly, let us deal mercifully. While we act in
righteousness, let us do it with judgment. We all need the Spirit of
the Lord; and we all need to humble ourselves before him and seek for
his guidance. Were I a President of a Stake, I would feel like
saying, O God, help me to control and manage things according
to thy will, for I do not want my way or to carry out my own feelings;
I want to do thy will; show it to me, O Lord, and help me to do it. If
I were a Bishop—I do not know what I would do, but I know what I
should do. I should feel like saying, Father, thou hast committed a
number of souls to my care; help me to look after their temporal
interests and also to promote their spiritual welfare, and see that
they are properly instructed in the laws of life; help me also to
teach the teachers that go among the people, that they may go full of
the Holy Spirit to bless and benefit the people, that with the aid of
my brethren I may be a Savior among them. That is the way I ought to
feel and to do if I were a Bishop; and that is the way you Bishops
ought to feel and to act, and do it humbly with a desire to do good.
And then, if I were a Priest, Teacher or Deacon, and was going around
as an instructor among the people, I would want to watch over their
welfare. And if I knew of difficulty between two neighbors, I should
try to hunt it out, and seek after the Spirit of God to guide me, that
I might do everything that is right and be under its influence. And if
I was not a Teacher, but was the head of a family, I would want to
teach my family right and teach them the principles of virtue,
holiness, purity, honor and integrity, that they might be worthy
citizens, and that they might be able to stand before God, that when
they and I get through this world, we might be worthy to meet the
elect of God (those whom he has selected from the nations of the
earth), and the Gods in the eternal world. Therefore, every morning,
as head of my family, I should dedicate myself and my family to God;
and if there be trouble existing between me and anybody else, I would
meet them half-way, yes, I would meet them three-quarters or even all
of the way. I would feel like yielding; I would say, I do not want to
quarrel, I want to be a Saint. I have set out for purity, virtue,
brotherhood, and for obedience to the laws of God on earth, and for
thrones and principalities and dominions in the eternal worlds, and I
will not allow such paltry affairs to interfere with my prospects. I
am for life, eternal lives and eternal exaltations in the kingdom of
God. If we obey the law of God, and then obey the holy Priesthood over
us and respect them, and, instead of falling out with them, pray for
them, it would not hurt us, would it? We must learn to do good for
evil. It is a most delightful principle. David prayed that his enemies
might go to hell quickly; but Jesus prayed, saying, Father forgive
them, for they know not what they do. I like the sentiment and feeling
of the latter better than that of the former, because it is calculated
to cement people together in their interests and feelings, in their
desires and sympathies. Let us try to make a heaven on earth. God
bless you, and lead you in the paths of life, in the name of Jesus.
Amen.