It is quite a privilege for us to meet together in such assemblies as
this—to associate with the Priesthood of the Son of God, which
Priesthood is also after the order of Melchizedek, and after the power
of an endless life. It is a great privilege for us to meet together,
to talk over the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God, and to
reason and reflect upon those things that God has revealed for our
salvation in time and throughout the eternities that are to come. It
is proper that we should comprehend the various positions of men in
relation to this Holy Priesthood, and further that we should
understand the various orders, callings, ordinances and organizations
associated with the Church and Kingdom of God upon the earth; that we
each of us may be prepared to magnify our calling, to honor our God,
and to pursue that course always which shall be acceptable in the
sight of our Heavenly Father.
We are here as Jesus was here, not to do our own will, but the will of
our Father who sent us. He has placed us here; we have a work to do in
our day and generation; and there is nothing of importance connected
with any of us only as we are associated with God and His work,
whether it be the President of the Church, the Twelve Apostles, the
Presidents of Stakes, the Bishops, or anybody else, and we can only
thus be of any service by placing ourselves in a position to act as
God dictates us; as He regulates and manipulates the affairs of His
Church in the interests of humanity, in behalf of the living and of
the dead, in behalf of the world in which we live, and in behalf of
those who have lived before us, and who will live after us. We can
none of us do anything only as we are assisted, guided and directed by
the Lord. No man ever lived that could. Adam could not. Noah could
not. Even Jesus could not. Nor could the Apostles. They were
all of them dependent upon the God of Israel to sustain them in all of
their acts. And in regard to Adam himself, as we are, so was he very
ignorant of many principles until they were revealed to him. And if
they were revealed to him they did not originate with him; and so it
was with others. We find that Adam was directed of the Lord to do a
certain thing—that is, to offer up sacrifices—and when the angel of
the Lord came to him and said: "Adam why do you offer up sacrifices?"
Adam replied, "I do not know; but the Lord commanded me to do it, and
therefore I do it." He did not know what those sacrifices were for
until the Lord revealed unto him the doctrine of the atonement and the
necessity of the fall of man, and pointed out to him the way and
manner to obtain an exaltation. Then he and Eve his wife rejoiced
exceedingly at the mercy and kindness of the Almighty, and realized
that even in their fall they were placed in a position to obtain a
higher glory, and a greater exaltation than they could have done
without it. Now, who revealed this to them? The Lord, through the
ministering of an holy angel; and in relation to the dealings of God
with all of the human family it has been precisely the same. We are
told, for instance, that when Adam had lived to a great age—that three
years before his death he called together his family—that is, some of
the leading branches thereof who held the Holy Priesthood, mentioning
the names of many of the more prominent that had received certain
peculiar blessings from the hand of God—and there was manifested to
him all things that should transpire to his posterity throughout all
the future generations of time, and he prophesied of these things; and
also upon those who were with him, rested the spirit of prophecy, and
he blessed them, and they turned around and blessed him and called him
Michael the Archangel, the Prince of Peace, etc. By what spirit then
did Adam prophesy, and under what influence was he operating at that
time? We are told in Scripture that the testimony of Jesus is the
spirit of prophecy, and he in common with his sons who were then
associated with him were in possession of that spirit which
enlightened their minds, unfolded unto them the principles of truth,
and revealed unto them the things that would transpire throughout
every subsequent period of time. Who manifested these things? The
Lord. Who organized the world? The Lord. Who made man upon it? The
Lord. Who placed upon it the fowls of the air, the beasts of the
field, and the fish of the sea? The Lord. Who sustains all things by
his power? The Lord. Who controls the affairs of the world? The Lord.
To whom are we indebted for life, for health, and for every blessing
that we enjoy? To the Lord. He is the God of the earth, and the giver
of every good and perfect gift which we enjoy, and He desires to
gather together a people that will observe His laws, that will keep
His commandments, that will render obedience to His will, that will
submit to His authority, and for this purpose, in different ages of
the world, He has introduced the Gospel and has placed man in
possession thereof.
Now, what about the positions of men? Why, it is a good deal as spoken
of in the Scriptures and in the revelations which have been given to
us pertaining to these mat ters—that many have been called and
chosen, and that many were elected and selected to fulfill certain
offices. It was so revealed to Abraham. He was told that there were a
great many spirits, many of whom were noble, who were destined to hold
particular positions among the children of men, and it was said to
him, "And thou Abraham wast one of these."
Now, there are events to transpire in this day as there have been in
other days; and we, the Elders of Israel of the Church of the living
God, have to build up the Church of God, the Zion of God, and the
Kingdom of God, and the Church has to be purified according to the
law, order, rule and dominion which God has appointed. It is not for
us—as the brethren have expressed it—to receive certain portions of
light and intelligence, and with regard to other portions follow the
desires of our own hearts, thus laying aside God, His rule, His
dominion and His authority. "Having begun in the spirit," as Paul
said, "are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" No, that is the wrong
way about; but on the contrary we ought to add to our faith virtue, to
virtue brotherly kindness, to brotherly kindness charity, to charity
godliness, that we may be full of the light and life, and of the
spirit and power of God, and approach more closely to the law of God,
and be governed thereby.
Why are we gathered here to the land of Zion? This is called the land
of Zion. We are called the people of Zion. What does Zion mean? The
pure in heart. Why are we gathered here? One of the Prophets in
talking about it, says: "I will take you one of a city, and two of a
family, and I will bring you to Zion." What then? "I will give them
Pastors according to mine own heart, which shall feed you with
knowledge and understanding." That is what we are here for. That we
may be fed with knowledge and understanding, that we may learn the law
of the Gospel, the law of the Zion of God, the laws of the Kingdom of
God, and that we may be instructed in all things tending to promote
the welfare, exaltation and happiness of ourselves, our wives, our
children, the people with whom we are associated, and the world in
which we live and act; and that we may operate for the benefit of
those who have lived, and stand as "saviors upon Mount Zion."
In all this, as has been said, there is an order. We are all dependent
the one upon the other. The head cannot say to the foot I have no
need of thee, nor the foot to the head I have no need of thee, nor the
hand, the arm, the leg to the body, I have no need of thee. We are
formed into a compact body according to the law of God in the
organization of His Church, and it is for us to magnify the callings
unto which we are called, and unless we all of us are placed under the
guidance and direction of the Almighty, we cannot do so—that is, those
who do not yield themselves subject to the law of God, cannot do that
thing. But those who yield themselves subject to the law of God, can
do it and do it quite easily, for Jesus says: "Take my yoke upon you,
and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find
rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Now, if we yield obedience to God and to the spirits that dwell within
us, then will our light become like that of the just that shineth
brighter and brighter unto the perfect day; but if we do not yield an
obedience to the law and word and order of the Church and
Kingdom of God upon the earth, the light that is within us will become
darkness, and then, as it is said, how great is that darkness! We see
sometimes men of that character. They are occasionally referred to as
cranks, or, as the Germans use that term, sick. They lose the light,
spirit and power of God, and they do not comprehend the order of the
Church and Kingdom of God, nor do they place themselves in the way to
obtain knowledge of these things. The first thing they begin to do is
to try to pervert the order of God, and to find fault with their
brethren in the Holy Priesthood—with their Bishops, with their
Bishop's Counselors, with the High Council, perhaps with the
Presidents of Stakes, as the case may be, or with the Apostles, or
with the First Presidency; no matter which, or how, or when, or where.
Now, if these men were walking in the light as God is in the light
they would have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Christ
would cleanse them from all sin; but when they begin to murmur and
complain, to find fault and to give way to improper influences, they
give place to the devil, and he takes possession just as fast and as
far as he can, and forces upon them feelings, ideas and principles
that are at variance with the law and order, and word and will of God.
What, then, are we here for? What did Jesus come to do? He tells us
that He "came not to do His own will, but the will of His Father who
sent Him." How are we to obtain a knowledge of that will? I will tell
you what Joseph Smith told me. I have frequently mentioned it. Between
forty and fifty years ago he said to me this: "Elder Taylor, you have
received the Holy Ghost. Follow its teach ings. Sometimes it will seem
to you as though it was hardly the right way. No matter, follow its
teachings, and it will always lead you right, and if you do so it
will, by and by, become to you a principle of revelation, so that you
will know all things that are necessary for you to become acquainted
with." Now, I know that is true. I know that he spoke the truth. And I
would say that it is the privilege of every Elder in Israel who has
received the gift of the Holy Ghost, to follow its teachings. What was
said by one of the old Apostles? "As many as are led by the Spirit of
God are the sons of God." Follow its teachings, therefore, and do not
give way to your own feelings, nor to covetousness, to pride, nor to
vain glory; for we none of us have anything to boast of. We have none
of us received anything but what God has given us. If we possess
light, or intelligence, or a knowledge of the things of God—which we
do—from whence did it emanate? From God our Heavenly Father, through
the medium that He has appointed. I do not wish to dictate to Him the
way these things shall be done. I never did. While Joseph Smith was on
the earth I looked to him as a Prophet of God, and I do not believe I
ever disobeyed Him in one solitary thing that he ever required at my
hands, and I have been put in some pretty tight places. But that was
my feeling, that was the idea I entertained towards the Priesthood of
the Son of God.
I have also lived in wards. I do not know that I have ever disobeyed
the requests of a Bishop. Why? Because he presided over me in a ward
capacity, and if he had a right to respect me as an Apostle, I had a
right to respect him as a Bishop, and I always felt a desire to
comply with all the requirements that were made of me by any of the
proper authorities. I feel and always have felt the same towards
Teachers. If a Teacher came to my house—or Teachers, they generally
come two at a time—if I happened to be there I have told them that I
felt happy to meet with them, and I called together the members of my
family that were within my reach, and told them that the Teachers had
come to instruct us. Permit me here to ask, have not I a right—say as
the President of the Church, or as an Apostle, which I was for many
years—have not I a right, or my family a right to possess the same
privileges that others possess, and to have the Teachers come to
inquire after my welfare and that of my family, and to see that there
is no wrong existing—have not I that right? I think I have. If they
are the servants of God, have not I a right to listen to them? Yes, I
have, and I feel it my duty to receive them kindly, treat them
properly and listen to their teaching.
On the other hand, when the Teachers got through, I might give them a
little instruction, say as an Apostle, or as a brother—put it any way
you like; that while I and my family were receiving benefits from
them, it was my duty, on the other hand, to teach and instruct them in
some things that I thought might benefit them.
Now, these are correct principles in the Church and Kingdom of God.
The Teacher occupies his place; the Priest and Deacon occupy their
places; the Elder occupies his place; the Bishop his place; the High
Councils their places; the Presidents of Stakes their places, and
every one in his position ought to be honored—the Twelve in their
place, the First Presidency in their place—each one yielding proper
respect and courtesy and kindness to the other. And when we talk about
great big personages, there is no such thing. We are none of us
anything only as God confers blessings upon us, and if He has
conferred anything upon us, we will give Him the glory.
Having been called to these positions, God expects that we will honor
them; that we will esteem it an honor to be the messengers of
salvation, the legates of the skies, to the nations of the earth. We
have a great work to perform both at home and abroad. We are preaching
the Gospel to the inhabitants of the earth. Israel is being gathered
home to Zion. And in Zion we are rearing temples to the name of the
Most High God. And I will tell you how I feel—that as these temples
are advancing, while we are preparing holy places in which to
administer the ordinances of God pertaining to the living and the
dead—I feel that we ought to begin to prepare ourselves to enter into
these holy places, and to feel that we are the sons of God without
rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. We ought to
wake up and put our houses in order, and our hearts in order; we ought
to conform to the word, the will, and the law of God; we ought to let
God rule in Zion, to let His law be written upon our hearts, and to
feel the responsibility of the great work we are called upon to
perform. We should see that our bodies and our spirits are pure, and
that they are free from contamination of every kind. We are here to
build up the Zion of God, and to this end we must subject our bodies
and our spirits to the law, to the word, and to the will of
God. Being here in Zion we want to see that thing that Jesus told His
disciples to pray for take place. "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven." How was it done in heaven? God spake and
the worlds were formed according to His word. God said let us do this,
and that and the other, and it was so. Was there anybody in heaven to
object and say, "Don't you think you had better put it off a little.
Would not this be a better way?" Yes, the devil said so, and he says so
yet, and he is listened to sometimes by sinners and sometimes by
Saints; for we become the servants of those whom we list to obey.
There are besides these other considerations in connection with these
matters.
The brethren who have preceded me this evening have referred to the
celestial, terrestrial and telestial kingdoms, and the laws pertaining
thereunto. We are told that if we cannot abide the law of the
celestial kingdom we cannot inherit a celestial glory. Is not that
doctrine? Yes. "But," says one, "Are not we all going into the
celestial kingdom?" I think not, unless we turn round and mend our
ways very materially. It is only those who can abide a celestial glory
and obey a celestial law that will be prepared to enter a celestial
kingdom. "Well," says another, "are the others going to be burned up,
etc.?" No. Do you expect everybody to walk according to this higher
law? No, I do not. And do I expect those that do not, are going into
the celestial kingdom? No, I do not. Well, where will they go? If they
are tolerably good men and do not do anything very bad, they will get
into a terrestrial kingdom, and if there are some that cannot abide a
terrestrial law, they may get into a telestial kingdom, or otherwise,
as the case may be, etc., etc. Did you ever read in your Bibles that
"Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life,
and few there be that find it." Did you ever read of the parable of
Jesus, where He speaks of the sower going forth to sow, and some seed
fell by the wayside, some among thorns, and some on stoney ground,
etc.? "But," says one, "we thought we had got it all." Yes: but the
thorns have grown up in many places and choked the good seed.
Sometimes you keep down your weeds in the field, but do they come up
again? Yes; fresh crops keep coming all the time; and I think, too,
that the wheat and the tares were to grow together for a certain
length of time.
Well, what shall we do? Shall we go to work and get angry against
people that do not do exactly right? No. They can only do right as God
helps them to do it. They can only do right as they seek to God for
His help to enable them to do so; they can only do right as they are
sustained by the power of God; and if we allow covetousness, pride,
envy, jealousy, hatred, malice, lasciviousness, drunkenness,
Sabbath breaking, or any other influence to corrupt and lead us astray
from the light of truth and the sweet consoling influences of the
Spirit of God, we shall get into darkness, and then, as I said before,
if the light that is within us becomes darkness, how great is that
darkness! It is for us to do right—to observe the law and to keep the
commandments of God. It is right also for the Presidents of Stakes and
for the Bishops to see that none of these things that I have referred
to be permitted among the people over whom they preside. What! Shall
we not let the drunk ard wallow in his drunkenness? No; deal
with him according to the law of God. Shall we not let the lascivious
man wallow in his corruption? No. According to certain principles that
are laid down in the book of Doctrine and Covenants in regard to those
things, those who have entered into the new and everlasting covenant,
and have taken upon themselves certain obligations, if they commit
adultery it is positively said they shall be destroyed. Now, can you
change that, or can I change it? No, I cannot, and you cannot; and you
have no right to permit men to break the Sabbath, nor to do many of
those acts that many of the Saints are doing. What are Apostles,
Prophets, Pastors, Teachers, Evangelists, etc., placed in the Church
for? What were they for in former days? For the perfecting of the
Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of
Jesus Christ. What are the High Councils and Bishops' Councils for but
to adjudge all these things? What are the Teachers and the Priests
for? To assist the Bishops in their endeavors to promote purity and
virtue, holiness and righteousness among the people. That is their
office, and if they do not fulfill that office they are not magnifying
their calling. They have no right to condone the sins of men. The law
of God is perfect converting the soul, and we must be governed by that
law and carry it out, or be made amenable unto the Lord our God for
the course we pursue, or for neglecting to perform our duties. That is
the way I look at these things, and if that is not the case, why are
these laws given to us. Are they the laws of God? We so understand
them. Then let us perform our duties and seek to magnify our callings
that we may stand approved and acknowledged of the Lord.
When I speak of these things, I do not believe in any kind of tyranny.
I believe in long-suffering, in mercy, in kindness, in gentleness, and
in the love and fear of God. I do not believe that the Priesthood was
given to man to exercise dominion and authority over the souls of
other men. Everything ought to be done with kindness and
long-suffering, yet with fidelity to God. The Church must be purified
from iniquity of every kind, that we may stand before God "a glorious
Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing;" that when we
get our temples finished we may enter therein, approach the living
God, and call upon Him for blessings, for life and salvation for
ourselves and others, for deliverance from our enemies, and God will
hear our prayers if we will only be obedient and observe His law. God
is on our side. All heaven is on our side. The ancient Prophets and
Patriarchs, and the Son of God and God the Father, are enlisted in the
cause of Zion. It is for us to be true to ourselves, and I ask no odds
of this world or of its powers. ("Amen" ) God will take care of His
Saints, but we must be careful to be Saints.
Arise! therefore, ye Elders of Israel—ye Priests, Teachers and
Deacons, ye Presidents of Stakes, Bishops and High Councilors, ye
Apostles and First Presidency, and all of us—Arise! and let us go to
work with a will to do the will of God on earth as it is done in
heaven: for if ever that is done, where is it to start, do you think,
if it does not begin here among us? God expects it at our hands. We
are full of weaknesses and imperfections, every one of us; but we want
to learn the word, the will, and the law of God, and to conform to
that word and will and law. Let that law be written upon our
hearts. Let us seek to magnify our callings and honor our God, and the
Lord will take care of the balance. We need not trouble ourselves much
about our enemies. They have their ideas, we have ours. We will do as
we have done. We will do the best we can with them, put our trust in
the living God, and pursue a course that is wise, prudent and
intelligent. We will glory not in ourselves, but in the Lord of Hosts.
We will dedicate ourselves, our wives, our families, our houses and
our lands, and all that we possess to the Lord, and feel that we are
His children. If we do this, He will bless us with life, health and
prosperity. He will control the efforts of our enemies in the future
as He has done in the past. And here I feel to call upon every soul to
bless and magnify the God of Israel for His mercies extended to us in
the past; for putting a hook into the jaws of our enemies that they
have not had power to harm us, and He will continue to do it, if we
will continue to be faithful, only much more so; and woe unto them
that fight against Zion, for the Lord God of Hosts will fight against
them. Amen.