In arising to address you this morning, my brethren and sisters, I
trust we shall have the presence and assistance of the Spirit of God,
to lead our minds to those subjects that may be most appropriate to
you and to your circumstances. It is very desirable that we should
have that Spirit to be with us, desirable both for the speaker and for
the hearers, that our meeting may be mutually profitable. Our
condition as a people is such that we cannot make the progress that is
designed by God for us, unless we have His Spirit given unto us. We
are assailed from many quarters. We have so much to contend with, that
it requires the wisdom of God to direct us, and it requires His Holy
Spirit constantly to be with us to enable us to perform our part in
this great work. Others may get along after their fashion without
direct revelation from God, but we cannot do so. It would be
impossible to build up this work, and to guard ourselves against the
attacks of our enemies and perform the labors that devolve upon us,
unless God should be with us and manifest His power and make known His
mind and His will unto us. This far we have been thus guided through
all the difficulties that have arisen. Through the aid which God has
rendered we have been prepared for them, and we have been extricated
from them, and so it will be from this time forth, if we live as we
should do and avail ourselves of the promises which He has made. I am
always filled with amazement when I contemplate the wonderful
deliverances which God has wrought out for us. To see us as we are
today, dwelling in peace, and free from molestation, enjoying
liberty, notwithstanding all that has been done against us with a
design to disturb and break us up, is to me marvelous. I think that
our whole career, in fact, is marvelous; but if there be
anything connected with our present position that calls forth more
wonder than any other, it is the fact that we are today surrounded by
such peaceful circumstances.
Our enemies have felt serenely confident that the measures they had
adopted against us would result in the overthrow of this system called
"Mormonism." In a conversation which I had with Senator Edmunds, of
about two hours duration, we went over this whole subject—I arguing
from my standpoint and he from his—and he seemed to be very confident
that the bill which he had introduced, which afterwards became law,
would be effective in accomplishing the desired end. It was, as he
told me, to be one of a series of measures looking to the final
overthrow of our system. It was supposed by him and by others that if
they could succeed in having a law enacted which would disfranchise
men who were living in plural marriage, and exclude them from office,
the effect would be such as to make them so unpopular that they would
lose their influence and be degraded in the eyes of the most of the
"Mormon" people. It was anticipated that there were a great many
"Mormons" who were secretly opposed to the domination of the
polygamists, as they were called, and who would breathe more freely if
their power should be taken away from them, and who would vote, as
they would say, more independently, and probably unite with the
apostates and the Gentiles, and by that means overthrow the existing
rule in the Territory. Now, I am satisfied beyond any doubt that it
was anticipated that by the combination of these elements—the
disaffected "Mormons," the apostates and the gen tiles—the supremacy of
this country—that is, of Utah particularly, and of course the
influence would extend into your Territory—that by the combination of
these elements the supremacy of the Territory would be wrested from
the control of those who had had it in their hands, and that
"Mormonism" would be dealt a deadly blow, and the beginning of the
great work of destroying this organization would be effected. Now, you
can imagine how great the disappointment has been at the results. It
was plain to me—and I guess it was to most of our brethren who
reflected upon this subject—that the measure would be ineffectual. I
took the liberty of telling the advocates of the Edmunds Bill so, but
they did not believe what I said. They felt that they understood it
better than I did, and today, the men who were the most in favor—that
is, in Salt Lake City—of the enactment of the Edmunds law, are the men
who are the most dissatisfied with the results which have been
achieved by its passage; illustrating most perfectly the oft-repeated
statement on our part, that our enemies can do nothing against the
work of God, but that everything they do will contribute to its
advancement and success. We have said this repeatedly. The experience
of 53 years has proved to us that this is the universal result of
measures concocted for the destruction or overthrow of this work. God
has stated it, and has made promises concerning it, and this incident
is but another illustration of the perfect truth of the promises of
God concerning His work. Instead of being today in bondage, we are as
free as we ever have been. Instead of our enemies having control of
our country, we still retain control of it. Now, what new measures
will be adopted remains to be seen. Our enemies are tireless
in their efforts. They will not give up this contest, they will not
vacate the field, they will not consent to our living in peace, but
they will continue their efforts, they will continue their attacks
upon us. There is this advantage, however, that we always have—we have
always had it in the past, we shall have it doubtless in the
future—that the lies that are told concerning us are believed by our
enemies, and accepting these as true, they frame their measures
against us upon that basis; and that being the fact they always fail,
because they do not have a true conception of the actual condition of
affairs. Hence, if there were no other cause, that of itself is
sufficient to foil them in their expectations. They are deceived
concerning us by the many falsehoods that are told; but, as I say,
they accept these as true and frame their measures upon these
misconceptions and the result is always disappointment, and it always
will be.
There is this that I am thankful for, connected with this whole
affair. There was a time when the efforts of those who were arrayed
against the work of God, were confined to a limited circle or sphere.
In the beginning it was a neighborhood, and gradually extended until
townships took the matter in hand, and from townships it extended to
counties, and from counties to States, and we were told as long ago as
I can recollect, and it has been declared from the beginning that it
would be the case, that as this work grew, so opposition should grow
against it, enlarging its circle, extending its influence in
proportion to the work of God, until, we were told, States would array
themselves against this work. We have seen that fulfilled. We came
here, not because the United States had taken steps against us, but
because Illinois and Missouri had expelled us from their borders, and
we could secure no redress for the wrongs that had been inflicted upon
us. But we were told that after a while the United States itself
should oppose the work of God, and in a national capacity enact
measures against it, and that then it would not be confined to that
alone, but that all the nations of the earth, sooner or later, would
array themselves against the work of God. I am thankful that there is
this testimony given unto us concerning the growth of this work. It is
no longer a county, it is no longer a State, but it assumes now
national proportions. The nation itself, under the influence of bad
men, of unwise legislators, under the pressure of priestcraft which is
brought to bear from all quarters of the land upon the Congress of the
United States—in consequence of this influence we have now the Edmunds
law following the Poland law, and it following the law of 1862, and
probably to be followed by other measures of an equally proscriptive
character, if the majority in Congress can be secured to pass such
laws. God, however, will hold our enemies in check, and will restrain
them, and will not suffer them to go beyond certain limits; so that we
shall not be overwhelmed, but that we shall have the strength
necessary to withstand the assaults that are made upon us or shall be
made upon us. It is a wise dispensation of His providence that this
should be the case, because if it were not so, with the power that is
arrayed against us, we should be overwhelmed. God, however, tempers
these matters according to our strength and ability to bear them or to
withstand them, and as we grow, so grows the opposition; as we
gain strength, so the opposition to us gains strength; as we gain
experience and knowledge, we become more capable and achieve a higher
position, and we will continue to do so until Zion will be the head,
just as the prophets have predicted. But it is necessary that we
should pass through this school of experience to test us, to try us,
to give unto us the necessary confidence in ourselves as well as in
our God and in His unfailing promises. Had we been called in the
beginning to pass through such ordeals as we have had of late, it is
doubtful if we could have endured them, unless God had endowed us with
an extraordinary amount of His power. But they have come upon us
gradually. We have met one difficulty after another, one assault after
another, until we have gradually acquired confidence in our ability to
withstand these assaults and to meet them, as well as confidence in
our God. Our faith has been increased, and through the increase of
faith we have been enabled to overcome, and thus it will be unto the
end. There will be times, as there have been, when it will seem as
though there is no possible way of escape, when it will seem as though
everything is blocked up before us, and as though we are about to be
swallowed up or destroyed; and the faith of the people will be tested
in this manner, doubtless, many times in the future, as it has been
many times in the past; but when it will seem the darkest, when the
clouds will seem the most impenetrable, when there will be not a ray
to illumine the pathway of the Saints of God, then God will be near to
us to deliver us, and at the very darkest hour He will dispel the
clouds and provide a way of escape that will excite our wonder, our
admiration and our praise. It was so last year—I mean 1882, before the
passage of the Edmunds law and afterwards. It seemed as though the
spirits of evil had poured out of hell and they had come upon the
earth and were operating against the work of God. In all my experience
I had never met a stronger feeling than prevailed. It seemed as though
the whole nation was aroused from the center to the extremities.
Almost every church in the land, every priest and every religious
organization, was stirred up, banded together and their influence
combined against the work of God to destroy it. Congress was being
pushed forward by a power which the Members could not resist, and it
seemed as though there would be no stopping place short of our
destruction. I expect you felt it here as the Saints felt it in Utah,
and as I felt it in Washington. The papers, as you will remember,
were full of threats against us. It seemed as though a crisis had
arrived in our affairs. It seemed as though there was no way of
escape. But God still reigned. He comforted the hearts of His
servants, and I was filled with thanksgiving to see the spirit which
rested upon President Taylor and the brethren at home. When I received
their letters I saw that, notwithstanding the darkness of the hour and
the threats of our enemies, their hearts were undismayed, and their
confidence in God as unfaltering as ever. God was with His people. He
had not forgotten His promises. And it seemed as though by one blow or
one move, the whole of this opposition was dissipated. It fell to the
ground, the whole fabric of it, and, like a baseless vision of the
night, it melted away and the sunshine came out; the sun, as glorious
as ever, shone down upon us, and every cloud was removed,
apparently, from the heavens above, and our pathway was bright and
clear without obstruction, and it has been so until the present time.
Will there be times again of this character? Yes, undoubtedly. It is
necessary in the providences of our God, concerning this work, that
this should be the case, in order that the faith of the Latter-day
Saints may be tested, and that they may be led to put their trust in
God, who alone can save us in such hours of extremity and trial. We need
not expect that it will always be sunshine; we need not expect that
the heavens will always be free from clouds, or that our pathway will
never be obstructed or darkened. On the contrary, we shall have these
things to contend with, in order that we may, by contending with them
in the faith and power of God, obtain knowledge concerning His work
and His providences.
In the meantime the knowledge of this work is being disseminated. With
it, however, there goes forth a spirit of falsehood. It would seem as
though, with the means of advertising we now have, and with the
opportunities that are presented to men to visit us, a better
understanding concerning us would be reached by thinking men. Undoubtedly
this is the case to a certain extent. But my observation tells me that
with the increase of information there is also a proportionate
increase of misrepresentation and falsehood. The adversary is more
industrious, if possible, in beclouding the minds of the children of
men concerning us and concerning this work and the objects we have in
view than he ever was. We become more advertised, it is true; but
while we are advertised it is not always in the direction of removing
error and giving correct ideas concerning us. It is a strange fact
that many people who visit Salt Lake City, and visit our Territory,
notwithstanding that which they see, notwithstanding all that is
before them, are deceived respecting us; they do not get a correct
idea concerning our motives nor the objects we have in view, nor the
character of our organization. They look at us through spectacles that
distort us. You have seen, probably, glasses that change the
appearance of things. It is so with their views. They cannot look at
these things as we look at them. From such individuals the power of
correct observation seems to be taken away by the power of darkness
and the effect of falsehood upon their minds. This is a remarkable
fact. I have been struck with it very much of late. Many intelligent
men and women visit us, and they mingle among us; but at the same time
they have ideas in their minds concerning us which seem to deprive
them of the power of judging of us correctly, and they go away
convinced on some points, but still retain many of the old ideas that
have been implanted in their minds by falsehood concerning us. Of
course, there are many from whose minds prejudice is removed and whose
feelings become friendly.
We need not expect, however, that we can escape the power of
prejudice; for the reason that there are two influences at work—the
power of God and the power of Satan. Satan is as busy darkening the
minds and beclouding the understandings of the children of men as he
ever was, and the inhabitants of the earth having rejected the truth,
being unwilling to receive the Gospel of the Son of God when it is presented to them, are left a prey to other influences and to
the spirit of darkness; therefore, they are incapable of judging
concerning the work of God. Will this continue to be the case?
Undoubtedly it will. There will be no change in this respect. The work
of God will be accomplished on the earth, it will roll forth, the
predictions of the prophets will be fulfilled, and men will see their
fulfillment. Yet, notwithstanding this, they will reject the testimony
of the servants of God. It is very remarkable that this should be the
case with the evidences there are, which are so plain and palpable and
indisputable to us.
It was only a few days before I left home that some Members of
Congress, with whom I was acquainted, came to the city. One very
intelligent man and his wife were among them. I took them around,
showed them our public buildings and other places of interest, and in
conversation concerning the Temple, when I was showing them that
structure, I explained to them to some extent its character and the
objects for which it was being erected. I called their attention to
the fact that while we had believed for forty years and upwards that
there was a space between death and the resurrection, and that in that
space there were opportunities for men and women to hear the Gospel of
the Son of God, and to accept it, not, however, the purgatory of the
Catholics—that while we had believed that for forty years and upwards,
God having revealed it unto His servant Joseph Smith, the world was
just beginning to entertain the same belief, and popular preachers
were beginning to advocate the correctness of the idea or of the
doctrine that there was a chance for repent ance beyond the grave.
These people with whom I conversed were intelligent, and they were of
a religious turn of mind and familiar with religious affairs. They
stated that they had heard such doctrines lately advocated. I then
explained to them about the millions of the dead, of the pagans and
others who had died in ignorance of the Gospel. "Now," said I, "how
can you understand, upon any other principle than this, the justice
of our God towards them? They have been dead for hundreds of years in
entire ignorance of the name of Jesus, the only name given under
heaven whereby man can be saved. Shall they be consigned to endless
torment, because of their lack of opportunity? Would that," I asked,
"be consistent with our ideas of justice?"
They admitted that it would not.
"Well," said I, "upwards of forty years ago, the Prophet Joseph Smith
had revealed to him from God, this principle, that there were
opportunities beyond the grave for men and women to learn the plan of
salvation, and we are building temples for the benefit of these dead,
as well as the living." I then explained to them the doctrine of the
baptism for the dead—what Paul had said concerning it. To them it
opened a new field of thought and reflection; and it is a remarkable
fact that at the present time the religious world, the orthodox
religious world, are beginning to entertain, some of the views that
Joseph Smith preached and advocated upwards of forty years ago,
concerning these matters. There are popular ministers who do advocate
the idea contained in the epistle of Peter, where he speaks about
Jesus going and preaching to the spirits in prison, and they see
nothing unreasonable in this doctrine; on the contrary, it
comports with their ideas, and with the justice and mercy of our God.
The world are gradually adopting many of the views that the Latter-day
Saints have entertained. There are many doctrines that we have taught
that were very unpopular in the beginning that they now receive. Why,
there are Elders in this congregation who can well remember that it
was a common belief, when they preached the Gospel to religious
people, that the world was created out of nothing. That was a commonly
received idea. Joseph Smith taught the eternal duration of matter. He
taught the doctrine that matter was indestructible; that it never had
a beginning; that it never could have an end; that it might undergo
chemical changes, but that it was indestructible, and that the
elements of which the earth is composed were eternal—never had a
beginning and never would have an end. The whole religious world were
shocked at such an idea, and so in regard to the time occupied in the
creation of the earth. But Joseph taught the true principle connected
with this. He said the days mentioned as occupied in the creation were
not our days of twenty-four hours' length, but were periods of time.
Now, that is a commonly received doctrine, although it was sneered at
and rejected by religious men at the time it was taught by the Elders
of this Church. And so it has gone on. I might enumerate a great many
doctrines that God revealed, that the world has gradually adopted,
which at sometime they rejected, rejecting entirely the source whence
they came, rejecting God as the author, and rejecting His Prophet as
the medium through which these doctrines have been received and
taught. It is only a day or two ago that I saw a book published by
Josiah Quincy, a relative of John Quincy Adams, in which he relates an
interview he had with the Prophet Joseph, at Nauvoo. He relates in
that interview, that the Prophet Joseph stated to him his proposition
for the emancipation of the slaves, and he (Quincy) declares that it
was worthy the consideration of all Christian statesmen. Ralph Waldo
Emerson—the philosopher of Concord—eleven years after this, not
acknowledging that Joseph had made a similar proposition, threw out
the same idea, but that was at a time, as Quincy says, when men's
minds were stirred up on this question of slavery. "But," says he,
"what shall be thought of the man who, eleven years previous, when no
one was disturbed about the question, made such a proposition; and
which he made not only to me verbally, but which he published and
advocated?"
To my mind this is strong testimony concerning the wisdom that God had
given to the Prophet Joseph, which was so far ahead of that generation
that they could not comprehend nor receive it.
Thus the world are gradually acknowledging the wisdom that God has
given to His servants. Thus they are adopting the truths that are
revealed. Thus the influence of this work is being felt throughout
Christendom, and its effect is more marked than many of us imagine.
We cannot comprehend to the full extent the effect that the work is
having upon the world, and what God is doing through us, although we
are but a feeble people. The influence of this work is spreading. Why,
it is now a very common thing for people to believe in the sick being healed by the prayer of faith. You see allusions to it in the
public newspapers of the day, and there are other evidences which go
to show the influence that this work and the teachings of the Elders
of this Church is having upon the nations of the earth. And so it will
be in all matters pertaining to government. Every day we are growing
in strength, every day we are growing in influence, every day our
influence is becoming more potent and wide reaching in its effects,
and the people of the nation of which we form a part are becoming
cognizant of it. Leading men admit it. They are conscious of it. They
will not admit it in words to the fullest extent. But their movements
against this work bear testimony that they, in their secret souls,
feel that there is a power, an influence, and a might connected with
this work that are sooner or later to make themselves felt. A people
such as we are, men can readily see, must have a great influence in
the affairs of the nation. We are possessed of every qualification
that makes a people great. We are destitute of no single qualification
that contributes to true greatness in an individual or in a nation;
and a people possessing these qualifications will make themselves felt
in the struggle for existence with other powers.
Another thing. While there are people belonging to our nation and to
other nations who are fading away because they destroy the fecundity
of their females and take no delight in posterity, in the midst of
these mountains every married woman deems it an honor to be a mother,
and feels it to be a deprivation not to bear the souls of the children
of men.
I pray God to fill you with His Holy Spirit, and fill those who speak
unto you with His power, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
- George Q. Cannon