It might not be improper for us as Latter-day Saints in assembling
together on occasions of this kind to remind ourselves that the
information and intelligence that it is our privilege to receive,
depend very much upon the assistance we get from the Holy Spirit—that
Spirit which the Savior told us would bring all things to our
remembrance, and open up unto our understanding all things that might
be profitable. Of course we learn a great many things through
reflection and by the exercise of the intelligence which we have
acquired through the cultivation of the principles of truth; but those
things which are of the greatest importance to the Latter-day Saints
are derived through the revelations of the Holy Spirit. Many
principles of vast importance, principles that will assist greatly
through all the scenes of life, may be developed through the
revelations of the Holy Spirit on occasions of this kind when we come
together to hear the word of the Lord through His servants.
I will read a portion of Scripture—not that I intend to confine
myself particularly to any text; but there are some things contained
in a short history that will be found in the Book of Esther, from
which I think we may derive much profit and consolation under the
circumstances that surround us at the present time as well as the
circumstances that may surround us in the future. In the 4th chapter
of the Book of Esther, beginning at the 15th verse, we read:
"Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,
"Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and
fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I
also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go unto the
king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
"So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had
commanded him."
Now we find in tracing the history of the Lord's dealings from the beginning to the present time—we find it in our own history,
we find it in the histories contained in the Bible, the New Testament,
and the Book of Mormon, that where circumstances arose or events
transpired of a peculiar nature, it required the action of men and
women to accomplish certain duties that were devolving upon them in
the interest and the salvation of the people, or for a class of
people, or perhaps for certain individuals, we find this in tracing
the history of God's dealings with the human family. Now to my mind
there is something very singular in the history of a certain people
connected with the events related in the Book of Esther. There was a
people at this time scattered throughout the provinces of the Medes
and Persians, Ahasuerus being then king of Persia and Media. This
people were the people of God, they had been acknowledged of God as
his people for several centuries, commencing with Abraham; but in
consequence of their dissipation and transgression, and because they
sought to worship other Gods, he scattered them throughout those 127
provinces, and they were in captivity. But in consequence of a certain
feeling that was gotten up, a feeling of hatred and a determination to
destroy this people, they were placed in very imminent jeopardy. A
decree had been passed by the king that on a certain day they should
all be destroyed, and there was weeping and wailing from one end of
the kingdom to the other. But it appears—as it will, and has appeared
in our history in the past—that the Lord had concealed his plan for
the deliverance of his people. It was for the purpose of destroying
Mordecai that the decree was established. Haman, who was the author of
the difficul ties, had determined in his mind that he would destroy
Mordecai, but disdained to execute his vengeance on Mordecai alone,
therefore desired to make a sweeping arrangement which would include
the destruction of all his people scattered throughout the provinces,
and Haman succeeded in influencing the king to accomplish this
business. He had informed the king that this was a people who had laws
that were different from the laws of any other people, and that they
were actually in some instances living in disobedience to his laws,
that disobedience consisting in not worshipping the false gods that
were worshipped in those days. He succeeded in blinding the mind of
the king to that extent that he was given the privilege of
accomplishing the destruction of thousands and tens of thousands of
this people, the people of God. On account of this, Mordecai, we are
told, rent his clothes and put on sackcloth and sat in ashes; and
finally he conceived the idea that the salvation of this people was in
Queen Esther, his niece. So he sent her word to the effect that it was
her business to take a course to accomplish this object. But she sent
back word when she received this communication that it was a very
difficult matter for her to get an audience with the king, because
according to the law it was death for any person to go into the inner
court and ask anything of the king uncalled, and if she went in it
would be at the risk of her life. The answer to this was that if she
felt that under the circumstances she could not risk all she
possessed, then should their deliverance arise from another source,
but she and her father's house should be destroyed. Esther took all
these things into consideration, and finally sent word to
Mordecai in the language I have read in those verses. Accordingly
after this fasting she went into the king, the desire of her heart was
granted and the people were saved.
In many instances of a similar nature where the destruction of the
people of God seemed imminent, and there appeared no way of escape,
suddenly there arose something or another that had been prepared for
their salvation to avert the impending destruction. We find this in
the case of the Israelites when led by Moses. When they came to the
Red Sea and the Egyptian army in their rear threatened their
destruction, there seemed no way of escape, but at the very moment
when deliverance was required, behold, it appeared and they were
delivered. So it has been and so it ever will be with us.
Notwithstanding our difficulties may appear very great, yet there will
be means provided for our escape if we ourselves perform the duties
incumbent upon us as the children of God. But it may become necessary
in the future—and this is the point I wish to make—for some of the
Saints to act the part of Esther, the queen, and be willing to
sacrifice anything and everything that is required at their hands for
the purpose of working out the deliverance of the Latter-day Saints.
First we should know that we are the people of God. In every
dispensation of importance pertaining to the Lord's people, there is
an opportunity given whereby persons may receive a knowledge of that
which is required of them. Before the destruction of the
Antediluvians, there was a medium through which that people could have
come to a knowledge of those things that Noah declared. Had it not
been so there would have been an apparent inconsistency in the Lord
demanding that the people should pursue a certain course contrary to
their feelings, contrary to their wishes, contrary to their
traditions, and that required a great deal of sacrifice—I say, unless
they could be confident within themselves that the course he wished
them to pursue was the right one, there would be an apparent
inconsistency in demanding it. But when Noah stood up before the
people, he preached to them the everlasting Gospel. He preached the
same Gospel that Adam preached. He preached the same Gospel that the
people of old preached. He preached the same Gospel the Apostles
preached. He preached the same Gospel that we preach, through which a
knowledge from God could be obtained as to its truth. All those who
would repent of their sins, and be baptized for a remission of them,
should have the privilege of receiving the Holy Ghost, which would
give them a knowledge of the things of God, and a knowledge of the
things required at their hands. And so it is in our day. The Gospel is
proclaimed, a channel is opened through which individuals may receive
a knowledge of things pertaining to life and salvation, of those
things that are required at their hands, and of the course they should
pursue as the servants and handmaids of God.
The world thinks that the Latter-day Saints will be destroyed; they
think that the Latter-day Saints will be scattered; they think that
the time will come when the Latter-day Saints will be disunited and
become like the sectarian world, and they have foolishly set to work
to accomplish this purpose. Well, now, as Brother Woodruff has said,
we know better. We understand that this is the kingdom that
was spoken of by Daniel the Prophet, that should be set up in the
last days, that should be no more thrown down nor given to another
people. Now, is this a fact? There are but few people who believe in
these matters; there are but few people who profess to understand
them. But the faithful Latter-day Saints have attained to a knowledge
in these matters that is highly satisfactory: highly comforting; it is
something that is of great consequence in the position we find
ourselves placed from time to time; it is something that is comforting
because of the sacrifices we are required to make, and which we may be
required to make of such a nature that no man could be expected to
make unless he has a perfect knowledge of what he is about. These
principles have been manifested to us, and have established happiness
in our hearts, and given us knowledge in reference to the outcome. We
understand that the days of our probation here are but short, and that
when we leave this stage of action and go into the spirit world, we
have the privilege of dwelling in the presence of holy beings; and we
understand fully, that as Jesus Christ dwelt here in a body, and that
he received that body and now dwells in it glorified, that we are
entitled to the same blessing, the same exaltation, and the same
glory. The Christian world profess to believe that Jesus rose from the
dead, they profess to believe that he lives; but yet the real spirit
of that belief does not amount to a very great deal. They do not
believe that there are any persons living that have seen individuals
that have lived upon the earth and have received their glorified
bodies. John upon the Isle of Patmos, had the privi lege of beholding
and conversing with an individual that had lived upon the earth and
had gone back to the spirit world and received a resurrected body. He
describes the glory with which that person was covered and says, "His
eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if
they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters."
Does anybody really believe this? There were two persons with whom I
was very well acquainted who saw a personage of this description in
the Temple in Kirtland, Ohio. We are told that there appeared,
standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit of that Temple, our Lord
and Savior, the same that the Revelator beheld, and they describe him
in about the same manner. Now, I have been in the Kirtland Temple and
preached from the pulpit therein several times. This person stood upon
the breastwork of that pulpit, and he is described as follows, "His
eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the
pure snow; his countenance shown above the brightness of the sun; and
his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the
voice of Jehovah, saying: I am the first and the last; I am he who
liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father.
Behold, your sins are forgiven you; you are clean before me; therefore,
lift up your heads and rejoice." I have seen Joseph Smith and Oliver
Cowdery; they were the individuals who saw that person and conversed
with him. And they also saw Moses, Elias and Elijah. Now, who believes
this? What testimony has the sectarian world in regard to these
things, or in regard to the Gospel as preached in former days, or in
regard to Jesus Christ? Have they a testimony to declare to
their congregations? If so, what is the nature of their testimony?
What is the nature of our testimony? It is this: That this is the
dispensation of the fullness of times; that the angel that John the
Revelator saw flying through the midst of heaven having the
everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to
every nation, and kindred and tongue and people—that that angel has
made his appearance and restored the Gospel to the earth, Joseph Smith
being the instrument through which the restoration was effected.
Joseph Smith was authorized to open up a channel and lay down a plan
through which man could receive a knowledge of these things, so that
we might not be left to depend upon the testimony of the Prophets, or
the testimony of the ancient Apostles, or to the testimony of the
Apostles of the present day, or to the Book of Mormon, or to anything
that was done or said in the past, but that we might know for
ourselves. It is an individual knowledge. And if people in ancient
times had faith, they had grounds upon which to found their faith, and
so have we.
Well, what have we to fear with regard to persecution and with regard
to attempts that are made to destroy the principles of "Mormonism?" We
know they cannot be destroyed. Our enemies, if permitted, may kill
the President of our Church, they may kill his Counselors and the
Twelve Apostles, they may destroy the Seventies, and even the whole of
the Priesthood, but the principles of "Mormonism" they cannot destroy.
The principles of "Mormonism" are eternal; they emanate from the God
of heaven, and never can be destroyed. When men have received a
knowledge of the truth, they will bear testimony of that truth so long
as they are able. Any number of decrees proscribing their actions and
belief will not avail. We have an instance of this in the case of
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. These men had received knowledge from
the eternal world, and they chose to worship the true and the living
God, they objected to worshipping the golden image set up by King
Nebuchadnezzar. For this act of disloyalty they were brought before
the king and were ordered to be cast into the fiery furnace. Even at
this they were not dismayed, for said they, "If it be so, our God whom
we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will
deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto
thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden
image which thou hast set up." They were accordingly thrown into the
fiery furnace, and all the people, as it were, said, Amen, let them be
destroyed. But there was deliverance the moment deliverance was
needed. When Nebuchadnezzar saw four men loose, walking in the midst
of the fire, unhurt; and the fourth like unto the Son of God—how
changed was the scene! Nebuchadnezzar was converted by the power that
he saw manifested, and he issued a decree saying, "That every people,
nation, and language, which speak anything amiss against the God of
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their
houses shall be made a dunghill." In this way was the Lord able to
touch the heart of a heathen king, and to turn the heart of a nation.
And I will say to the Latter-day Saints—you may call it prophecy if
you choose—that if this people will be united and will keep
the commandments of God, God will turn the popular sentiment of this
nation in our favor; the nation will feel disposed to bestow upon us
favor instead of persecution and destruction. But it is our business
to step forward as did Esther, and be willing to risk all for the
salvation of the people. In undertaking her task, Esther said, "If I
perish, I perish." Here is a lesson for our sisters. But the people of
God will not perish. There will always be a ram caught in the thicket
for their deliverance.
Now, I know of the things of which I speak. A little spiritual
knowledge is a great deal better than mere opinions and notions and
ideas, or even very elaborate arguments; a little spiritual knowledge
is very important and of the highest consideration. We have received
that knowledge, and we will stand by it, the Lord being our helper. It
is now time for the Latter-day Saints to humble themselves before the
Almighty, as did the people that were at the point of destruction by
the decree of Ahasuerus. It is time now for the Latter-day Saints to
find out wherein they have committed themselves; it is time for the
Latter-day Saints to repent of their sins and follies and call upon
the Almighty, that his aid may be given; that those fetters and chains
that are being forged for us may fall to the ground, and that we may
have the deliverance that is necessary; that we may go forward and
accomplish the great work entrusted to our care.
Well, I ask God to bless the Latter-day Saints, to bless His Holy
Priesthood; to bless President Taylor, his Counselors, and the
Apostles; that we may do that which is right and acceptable before the
Lord, and humble ourselves before him, and call upon him in mighty
power; that we may do those things required at our hands no matter at
what sacrifice. The Lord has said, "I have decreed in my heart, that I
will prove you in all things, whether you will abide in my covenant,
even unto death, that you may be found worthy. For if ye will not
abide in my covenant ye are not worthy of me." We have something to
live for; we have everything to die for. But there is no death in
these matters. There is salvation and there is life if the people of
God—those that call themselves after the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ—will keep his commandments and do that which is acceptable in
his sight. It is not in the economy of the Almighty to permit his
people to be destroyed. If we will do right and keep his commandments
he will surely deliver us from every difficulty.
May God bless and pour out His Holy Spirit upon us, is my prayer, in
the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.