It has been said, that words fitly spoken are like apples of gold in
pictures of silver. This is especially true when they are accompanied
by the Spirit of the Lord, carrying with them life and salvation to
the people. There are many subjects that might be dwelt upon which are
familiar to the Latter-day Saints, and which would doubtless yet be
appropriate to speak upon in our general assemblies. I look back upon
the past few years and recall principles that have been taught to the
people, but which the Spirit no longer seems to inspire the Elders to
dwell upon. And the question arises in the mind: Have such principles
become obsolete? Are they done away? I look forward to the time when
we shall be able to speak upon the principles of uniting this people
together in their temporal as well as their spiritual interests far
more effectually than we have ever done heretofore. United we stand;
our interests are identified; the welfare of the one affects the
other; and our influence socially, financially and politically is
powerful for good, and is a lever for our own prosperity as well as
our own protection. Disunited we acknowledge our own weakness;
infirmity is stamped in our every act, and in time we pass away like
the dream of the night vision. I do not desire at this time to treat
upon the subject of the United Order, but I would like to ask if the
Latter-day Saints think for a moment that that principle is done away,
or that it may be considered a failure never again to be brought to
our notice? If such has been the conclusion of any part of this
assembly, I have no hesitancy in stating for their information that
such is not the case; it cannot be so if we are ever to answer the
design of the Almighty respecting the future of His Kingdom upon the
earth. I would say further, the time is approaching, if I am a judge
of the Spirit as witnessed among the people throughout our settlements
from the extreme north to the extreme south, when the principle will
again be sounded in our ears; and the Spirit of God as I read it in
its workings among the people, and as I feel its operations in my own
breast, testifies to me that when it comes again the people will be
prepared to receive it, and act upon it, as they have never done
before. It is, perhaps, necessary, in our present state, that we
should have a certain amount of experience; the experience we
have had will doubtless be of value to us, in the future, when the
people will again be called upon to practice this principle; and when
this time comes, in my opinion, we will commence at the root of the
matter, accepting in the spirit and meaning thereof, that principle
which has been disregarded and shunned by us for many years, the
principle that lies at the foundation of the greatness and power to
which we are destined to attain. I am happy to say that the people are
being led to examine their own hearts, and to ask themselves what they
are doing individually towards building up the Zion of God, and
towards influencing others to do likewise. The spirit that is working
among the people is having the effect of reform, as I have never
before witnessed it. The reformation of 1856 ran through the people
like wild fire; they received it under the impulse of the moment when
the spirit of enthusiasm ran high; but now there appears to be but
little effort to move the people in this direction, at the same time a
determined feeling exists among the Saints to right themselves, and
that too by commencing at the bottom round of the ladder, and then
gradually ascending. The hearts of the people are being turned to the
Lord. The men who have of late been addicted to drinking, using
tobacco, swearing, and other loose habits, are, of their own free
will, discarding their bad habits, and thus righting themselves, and
setting a better example to their children and associates. This silent
but potent influence that is fruitful of such good results is
significant to the man or woman that is alive in this work, and that
is watching with interest its onward progress; and it comes home to
our hearts with con vincing proof that the Lord is working among the
people by His Spirit, and it bids us all in its silent and suggestive
way, to prepare ourselves for events that must come, and that are even
nigh at our doors.
In witnessing the operations of the Spirit in the midst of the people
in such a remarkable manner I was strongly impressed with the idea
that we, as a people, ought to be turning our attention in directions
looking to our becoming self-sustaining. We are paying out very much more
than we produce. Where does the money come from? How is it that the
families of our working men are able to purchase for their use
imported articles? How long can this people prosper by pursuing such a
course? The danger of this course has long been pointed out by our
leading men; and sooner or later, unless all turn a short corner, the
condition that we shall place ourselves in, will be of such a
convincing character, that all will readily concede the correctness of
the position taken by our leaders in urging the people to become
producers and patrons of home productions. This doctrine was taught by
President Young, during much of his lifetime, but especially during
his later years; and it does appear to me that we are hastening on to
the point that President Young said we should reach, unless we became
self-sustaining, namely, financial embarrassment. In fact his doctrine
on this subject was, that we could not stand financially, unless we
became self-sustaining. It is doctrine that comes home to the heart of
every Latter-day Saint; it is doctrine that all must accept and reduce
to practice, if we would attain to power and influence in the land. We
must become financially strong. Wealth in and of itself, is a lever of
power; and wealth in the hands of a righteous people must
necessarily command an influence for good. We must first learn to make
a wise use of the means that we possess, however little that may be;
and by continuing to do this, we prepare ourselves to make a right and
proper use of the power that wealth brings. But in order to attain the
position that we are bound to occupy in the land, we must learn to
combine our interests in such a manner that it will be to the
advantage of the whole community to consume and wear that which is
produced and manufactured at home. It will be by cooperative action
that we shall be tied together in temporal matters as we are now bound
together in spiritual things. As a thoroughly united people we can the
better hasten the work of God in the earth; such as building temples,
establishing settlements, civilizing the Lamanites, carrying the
Gospel to the Jews, and building up the Zion of God in these
mountains. We shall be the better able to extend a helping hand to the
needy poor, to the oppressed and downtrodden among the nations, as
well as to protect ourselves from the inroads of wicked and designing
men. The few minutes allotted to me have expired.
That God may inspire our hearts to do His will, and that all may be
willing in the day of His power, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus.
Amen.