The Gospel is declared to be glad tidings of Salvation; and the
principles which have been dwelt upon in our hearing this afternoon by
Brother Naisbitt, are made glad tidings of salvation unto every soul,
especially unto every soul that will receive them and those who have
received them, who have bowed in simplicity before God, calling upon
Him in the name of Jesus Christ, to give unto them a testimony and a
knowledge concerning the truth of these things. The declaration of the
principles as we have heard this afternoon, kindles within their
hearts the old fire and quickens their spirit and causes feelings of
joy and satisfaction to fill their whole being. While listening to
Brother Naisbitt's remarks I thought to myself that no human being
upon the face of the earth who could be assured of the truth of that
which has been stated—that there is indeed a church organized
according to the primitive pattern, that the old Gospel is in truth
restored, that the old ordinances have been once more placed in the
Church accompanied by the old power—if a person could be convinced of
this and know for himself and herself that it is true, is there one
soul that would not be willing to endure all things, to have his name
cast out as evil, to be misrepresented, to be persecuted, yes, and
even slain, if that should be necessary in the providence of God, in
order to attain to all these blessings here and hereafter? I do not
believe that, taking the human family generally, there could be many
found who would hesitate concerning this matter if they could be
convinced of its truth. But the difficulty is to get men and women to
comprehend the truth, to recognize it, to understand it when they hear
it, to be able to separate the truth from error, for the reason that
in the human mind there are certain conceptions of truth. We entertain
certain ideas as to what the truth should be, how it should come to us
and also as to who its teachers should be, the kind of men they should
be. And this is the difficulty that is all the time in the way of
preaching the Gospel. There is an arch enemy of mankind who is
constantly laboring to blind the eyes, to darken the understanding and
to harden the hearts of the children of men, and to prevent them from
receiving the truth when they hear it. There have been comparatively
few who have been able to rise superior to their surroundings, and it
has only been by the aid of the Almighty that they have suc ceeded. But in every age from the beginning there have been those
found who have sought after truth and have been willing to make every
sacrifice for it. It was so with the Apostles. It was so with those
who believed in their doctrine. It was so with the Prophets who
preceded them. It has been so with those who have succeeded the
Apostles; for in every age, and among all people, as we have been
told, there have been those who have sought for the truth in
heathendom, in Christendom, among all people, as they would for a
precious treasure of inestimable worth, and who have endeavored to
comprehend it, to value it, and have been willing to lay down their
lives for it. There have been such persons found in all ages and among
all people, but it has been especially the case with those who have
received the Gospel as we have heard it described in our hearing this
afternoon.
The world generally have the idea that when truth comes from God, it
comes in such overwhelming power, that mankind are compelled to accept
whether they will or no. But this is not the case, it never has been
the case. If it were the case man would be deprived of that great
privilege that he has received from God—that is, his agency, without
which man would cease to be the being that he is, the child of God.
The Almighty has given unto all the inhabitants of the earth their
agency. A man can choose to be a wicked man; he can choose to be a
devil, so to speak, if he wish. Will God interpose? Yes; but not to
take away his agency. He can turn to wickedness, be corrupt, and do
everything that is evil and abominable in the sight of God, so long as
life is given to him, and God permits him to do it. He will not take
away his agency. If He did, we would cease to be independent creatures
with the right to choose. On the other hand, a man can turn to that
which is good and holy and pure. He can cherish it, he can seek for
it, he can love it. He has that right, he can choose between those two
principles. They have been placed before us so that we might choose
the good and reject the evil, or choose the evil and reject the good.
That is the privilege that is given to us.
It is not always—neither has it been the case with the majority of
mankind who have comprehended the truth—the popular voice that is
expressive of the truth. On the contrary, from the very beginning down
through all the generations, even to our own day, it has been the case
that truth has been unpopular. Hence the saying of the Apostle Paul:
"All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."
He did not say that they might suffer, or that they perhaps might
suffer, but that they shall suffer. It should be one of the
consequences of living godly in Christ Jesus. The Savior told His
disciples the same thing. He led them to expect that they would be
persecuted, that they would be hated of all men for His name's sake.
He cited the attention of His disciples to the Prophets who had
preceded them; they had been persecuted, they had been slain, and in
like manner they might expect a similar fate, and we know full well
that this was all fulfilled, that they did meet this fate; as He
himself died a martyr to the truth, so His Apostles died in like
manner, and the great body of his followers suffered persecution unto
death, but were sustained by the knowledge they had received from
God, not looking at the world and the perishable things of the
earth, knowing that there was a life beyond. They were willing to
endure all things; to have their names cast out as evil; to be
persecuted; to be stripped of everything that they had. Paul says:
"They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain
with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, etc."
They suffered all manner of afflictions because of their love for the
Gospel. But they lived in peace with themselves and with their God.
There was a joy and happiness that came from God, that sustained them
in the midst of their sufferings, trials and difficulties. They knew
that if they continued faithful they would receive a reward at the
right hand of God, and the very thought of that eternity to which they
were hastening was sufficient to stimulate them to look beyond the
trials and persecutions of this life, and they walked to the stake
joyfully having that knowledge.
Now the very fact that truth has not been popular, shows very plainly
that mankind do not expect to receive it from the source through which
it comes, or through the mediums that presented themselves to them.
They looked for it in some other form. But God chooses his own
methods, he selects his own instruments, he disseminates his truth in
his own way; he has always done so and he will do so until the end.
There is scarcely a day, I may say scarcely an hour, that I do not
reflect upon our condition as Latter-day Saints in contrast with the
circumstances which have surrounded our predecessors. When I think of
the persecution they endured; when I think that God revealed unto his
Apostles that there would be a fall ing away, that the Church would be
overcome and the truth destroyed—that is, in its original purity—I
cannot help contrasting our position today as compared with the
position of the early Christians. Of course a great deal of truth has
been saved. Some believe in one part of the Gospel and some in
another. Every church possesses some fragment of the Gospel; but the
truth in its entirety, the authority to administer in the ordinances,
had been taken away. Of course this being the case there could be no
organized church upon the earth. But in the early days of the Church,
as I have quoted to you, they suffered all manner of affliction. We,
in our day, have different circumstances surrounding us. God in his
mercy has made certain promises. He promised unto Paul, he promised
through the Savior himself that this Gospel of the kingdom should be
preached unto all nations before the end should come. Daniel spoke of
the kingdom that should be set up in the last days and should not be
given into the hands of another people, but it should stand forever.
This is different from other dispensations which have preceded it. The
Apostles foresaw that there would be a falling away; they saw that
persecution would destroy the Church. But they looked beyond this,
and, as has been quoted in our hearing, John the Revelator foretold
the time when the everlasting gospel would be restored again to the
earth never to be taken away again. It might be persecuted, its
followers might be hated, they might be driven, as they have been.
Indeed there is no persecution the early Christians received; there is
no trial or affliction that they had to pass through considering the
time the Church had been organized that the Church of the
Savior which he has caused to be organized in our day, has not
endured. Were the ancient Saints driven? So have the modern. Were the
former-day Saints persecuted? So have the Latter-day Saints. Were they
slain in former days? So they have been in the latter days. Were their
names cast out as evil? So their names have been cast out at the
present time. Were they accused of abominable crimes in ancient days
as a justification to kill them? So they have been in these days. It
is true that such wholesale persecution as attended the preaching of
Christianity in the primitive days has not followed its preaching in
our day, for the dispensations are different. The Church was driven
from the earth then, but as I have said, God has made a promise in
these days that it shall not be destroyed again, and this ought to
sustain you. This has, I know, sustained and comforted you in days
that are past. I have often wondered in looking back to the days of
persecution how the Saints were cheered and sustained under such
circumstances. When I reflect upon our journey from Illinois, through
the wilderness, destitute of everything, women carrying infants with
scarcely food enough to keep soul and body together—when I think of
these things now, when years have brought responsibility and care, it
is a matter of constant wonder to me how the Latter-day Saints in
those days sustained themselves, how they could be so cheerful and
show such forbearance and fortitude under such circumstances, meeting
together round their camp fires singing and rejoicing together as
though they were in happy circumstances and, even after they reached
this valley, when starvation stared them in the face, their hope and
courage were none the less. What was the cause of this? It was the
consolation which God had given them that this work should triumph,
that it should spread and increase, and that it should gather within
its fold every honest soul sooner or later. It was this consolation
that never deserted the people.
Now, does it follow, my brethren and sisters, that because this Gospel
will not be given to another people, that we will remain in connection
with this Church regardless of our actions? Certainly not. The
religion which we profess ought not only to be a Sunday religion, but
a religion we should carry with us in our daily lives, in our
intercourse with one another, in everything in fact that pertains to
us, and not like a Sunday garment put on today and laid aside
tomorrow. In all; our dealings, in all our conversation, in all our
associations, we should endeavor to carry out the principles of our
religion.
And there is one thing above everything, I think, we should observe,
and that is to be careful about; each others' feelings and reputation.
It is bad enough to be persecuted by outsiders; it is bad enough to
have hard things said by those who do not know us; but it is a cruel
thing for men and women who profess to be brethren and sisters in the
Lord to speak evil of each other. I can endure anything and
everything, it seems to me, from the outside so long as it is not
true. I am so organized that I do not care anything about these
things, they do not affect me, and I rejoice when I think I am trying
to do the best I can; but if I should know my brethren and sisters
spoke evil of me, that I think would hurt me, and I am sure it hurts
others. We should be espe cially careful how we talk about each
other. If we cannot say anything good let us hold our tongues. If we
know of a brother or a sister's weakness go to him or to her if you
speak of this weakness. If anyone has done you wrong go to him alone
or her alone and tell him or her your grievance, instead of going to
your neighbor to talk about the person whom you imagine has wronged
you. Above all things we as a people should dwell together in love.
The spirit of love should illumine our faces and gladden our hearts,
for God delights in a glad heart. We should therefore carry peace and
gladness into our habitations. Instead of going in cross, displeased,
angry, we should dismiss all such feelings at the threshold and go
into our homes carrying with us the spirit of peace. And when there
are hard feelings existing, a feeling that some one has injured us,
there should be a course taken to remove the same. We should not come
together, as we have done this afternoon, and partake of the bread and
water in remembrance of the broken body and spilt blood of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ, bearing hard feelings towards one another. If
I know or feel that a man has wronged me, should I come here and
partake of the sacrament without going to him and endeavoring to make
the matter right? No, I should not. I should go to that man and tell
him my feelings. If he has wronged me, I should say to him, "Let us
make this right;" if I have wronged anyone else, that person should
come to me in like manner. All such feelings should be removed from
the midst of the Latter-day Saints. We should dwell in love, in union
and in peace, and if we cannot make our differences right between
ourselves, then we should call in the aid of some of our brethren to
assist us, and by their aid, perhaps, the wrong, if any exists, may be
rooted out and the evil put away from our midst. This is the religion
that we should have. We may hear the Elders talking about the
principles of the Gospel, as we have done this afternoon, and our
hearts be gladdened by the recital thereof—we may listen to these
things: but if we do not carry out the principles that are thus
taught, our religion is of no avail, it amounts to nothing, it is like
a sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal, it is not a practical and true
religion; but if we carry out these principles, then blessed are we,
and just as sure as we carry them out it will be the case with us, as
long as Satan has power, that we will be persecuted. I would have none
of you imagine that there will be a cessation of this persecution. I
have heard some say that the time will soon come when there will be a
cessation of this hatred against the Latter-day Saints. Do not deceive
yourselves with any such idea. Thousands of times people have said to
me, "Oh, I wish you Latter-day Saints would abolish that hateful
institution. That is the only thing that makes you objectionable."
This is a great mistake. If we could do such a thing, it would not
bring the result that the world imagine. If this is the Church of
Christ—as we declare it to be—just as true as it is we will be
persecuted. We cannot escape it, it is an inevitable result of the
Gospel. We might seclude ourselves in the deserts of Sahara, as we
secluded ourselves in these mountains some thirty-three years ago, and
persecution would reach us. The adversary will not let us alone. The
direst persecutions we ever had to suffer, occurred before the
doctrine of polygamy was taught or believed in. There is nothing short
of complete apostasy, a complete denial of every principle we have
received, a throwing away of the Holy Priesthood, that can save us
from persecution. When this takes place, when all the chief features
of the Gospel are obliterated, when we can float along the stream and
do as the world does, then and not till then will persecution cease,
or until the adversary is bound, for the day will come when Satan will
be bound and then persecution will cease, but until then there will be
no cessation; until then persecution will always exist in some form or
other, and we shall have to meet it, so that we may as well make up
our minds on the subject. In my childhood I made my calculations that
the Gospel might cost me my life. I felt as Brother Naisbitt has
described. In my childhood I had a yearning to know the truth and to
know the Church of God. I would have gone round the world if I had
been strong enough to have found a servant of God who had the ancient
power. I thought I would be willing to do everything that anybody else
ever did, God being my helper, even if it cost me my good name. It
might cost me my life; but what is that compared with eternal life in
the presence of God. What are houses, what are lands, what is property
of any kind compared with eternal life in the presence of God, to
dwell there eternally in the society of Jesus, and of the Apostles and
Prophets of old? This life is but a span. A few short years and we
will pass away. Even if our enemies should suffer us to live, it is
inevitable that we shall die. That fiat has gone forth. Death is in
the world. But we have received a knowledge of the truth, and we can
seal our testimony with our blood regarding it; but I do not think
this will be necessary in this age further than what has taken place.
I trust it will not be. No man need court any such thing. If it should
come while we are in the path of duty, having espoused the truth, we
should be willing to endure all the consequences involved in its
espousal and should follow the path that God has pointed out, leaving
Him to overrule and control all things. But it is important, my
brethren and sisters, that we should know it is the truth. That is the
important point, that we should know for ourselves—not because I say
so, not because someone else says so, but because we know it for
ourselves, God having revealed it to us. And that is the privilege of
every human being whom God has created, that each should know for
himself and herself concerning the truth. It is my privilege and your
privilege to ask God and find out the truth for ourselves, and then
when we have found it we can endure persecution. This is what the
world calls fanaticism, but it is a fanaticism that the Saints of God
always had. It is different from any other fanaticism; it is based on
the truth, and it is this that should gather us together; it is this
that should gather us together and make us one people.
That God may grant us a continuation of these blessings and an
increase of them and of His power and preserving care, is my prayer,
in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
- George Q. Cannon