It certainly is enough to try the nerves of the strongest man and the
lungs of a giant, to rise and address such an immense assemblage as is
here this morning, especially with the reflection that they are
expecting to listen to and be edified with what I may be able to say.
When I reflect that yesterday I saw the Saints coming in from the
south, and some of them on foot, both men and women, bringing their
children some fifty miles in their arms, as many did, to get here and
attend this Conference, and consider that such labor is to be requited
by the instruction and intelligence which they will receive, and then
undertake to address an assembly under these circumstances, I feel the
necessity for the faith of the Saints to be exercised in my behalf, to
enable me to speak for the instruction and edification of so vast an
assemblage.
When I was about twenty-one years old I went on a mission, in company
with Elder Don C. Smith, the youngest brother of the Prophet Joseph,
through the States of Kentucky and Tennessee. When he rose to preach
he wished to see a pretty good sized assembly, and to talk at least a
couple of hours; when it was my turn to speak, some thirty minutes,
perhaps, was as much time as I would wish to occupy. We occasionally
had a small assembly, then Don would say, "Come, George A., you are
good at preaching a picayune sermon; suppose you try this time."
It would seem today as though a picayune sermon would not answer the
purpose, if the size of the congregation is the scale in which the
discourse should be weighed.
It is said, in one of the parables, that "The kingdom of heaven is
like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of
meal, until the whole was leavened."
In 1830, on the 6th day of April, the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints was organized with only six members. Joseph, in one
of his letters in relation to Alexander Campbell, in December 1835,
said that "the three measures of meal might be compared to the three
witnesses who were called upon to testify of the Book of Mormon, and
who selected and ordained twelve Apostles to go forth and be special
witnesses to all the world."
Whether the application was really intended to be laid down as a rule
I will not say, but it is very evident that when Joseph Smith laid the
foundation of this kingdom he commenced depositing the leaven of
truth, and that that leaven has continued to increase up to 1856, when
an assemblage of the Saints, who are here as representatives of this
people, is crowded out of such a spacious building as the Tabernacle,
and obliged to assemble in this large Bowery, also densely
filled.
It shows that the leaven is operating, and I may say gives fair and
conclusive ground upon which to expect that the whole lump will
eventually be leavened.
The condition of our Territory, the nature of our soil, the
peculiarities of our climate, appear as if designed expressly by the
Almighty for the fulfillment of this prophesy, and the upbuilding of
the kingdom of heaven in the last days.
It matters not what corner of the earth men come from, unless they
possess the spirit of the leaven of truth they will remain but a short
time in these mountains before they begin to consider it the wrong
place, for the leaven is working, they cannot quite endure the climate
and the peculiarities of the country, or something of the kind, and
off they go.
On account of our altitude we are most advantageously situated for the
drainage of the filth, scum, and corruption, when it accumulates to a
certain extent, for it flows off in different directions, thus leaving
the people of the kingdom remaining as it were alone.
Could anyone have supposed that, when the proclamation of the Gospel
was commenced twenty-six years ago, the people who would receive that
testimony would be knocking for admittance into the national
confederacy as an independent State?
Had it then been predicted, prophesied, or proclaimed to the world,
that such would be the case, the very strangeness of the matter, the
difficulty of the task, the unheard of idea, would have been so great
an apparent absurdity that men, who would have believed it, would have
been considered greater fools than those were deemed who received the
testimony of the Prophet concerning the ministry of angels.
We stand here today a great and mighty people, the servants of the
Most High God, and almost every single circumstance, which has
occurred from that time to this, has had a tendency to condense us
together, to unite us more and more, and to place us in circumstances
and situations to spread forth the curtains of Zion, to enlarge her
habitations, to lengthen her cords and strengthen her Stakes, and to
make the place of the feet of the Saints glorious.
Such, then, is the present aspect of affairs. Much has been done, and
much now remains for us to do. The great work has only just commenced.
When we entered into this Church we began our education, and it
frequently happens that two or three years, and perhaps more, have to
be spent in unlearning what we had learned amiss.
The human mind is wonderfully susceptible and tenacious of traditions,
and whatever may have been our traditions, it is an extremely
difficult task for us, as human beings, to dispense with our
traditions at once. They will hang about us, we will retain them, more
or less, hence it often happens that, when you baptize a sectarian
preacher into this Church, and a great many of them have been so
baptized, in a little time his foolish traditions will become so
apparent as to make him despise himself.
For this cause scores of them have turned away and joined the mob to
destroy the Saints, rather than be stripped of their traditions, which
they had so long hugged to their bosoms, and considered of so much
value.
A portion of the persecutions which followed this people in their
early history have been influenced, to a considerable extent, by the
corruptions of those who professed to be in the midst of the Saints,
who had been baptized and lived with the Saints, but finally, when
their corrupt practices and traditions were about to be exposed, would
turn away and join the enemies of this people, and seek their
destruction with greater malice, seemingly, than those who had never
joined us.
We ought to make profitable lessons for ourselves from observations of
the past. I know, brethren, that we have our traditions on a great
many subjects. Take a man, for instance, who has been a lawyer, or a
magistrate, in the States, or in England, one who has read Blackstone,
Kent, and a few other law books, and undertake to explain to him a
simple mode of administering justice, one that can be plainly
understood by all the people, and I do not care how much education or
"Mormonism" he has, the very moment the simplicity of administering
justice is laid before him it comes in contact with his traditions,
and he will quibble about the meaning and placing of words, the mode
of spelling, or the tail of a comma, and continue so to do, perhaps,
during his whole life, without ever learning that matters brought
before us ought to be dealt with according to the nature of the case
and the circumstances, without going back a thousand years for
precedents to govern us.
Take a man who has been educated a sectarian minister, he has certain
grave ideas imprinted on his mind, he must pray in a certain form, and
perhaps use a certain tone of voice when he offers up his prayer, and
however much he may believe the Gospel of the last days, he will
constantly be at a loss to know whether he is governed in some things
by the principles of truth, or whether in reality he is not following
some of the whims or traditions of his early education.
You may apply the same rule in farming. Take a man from the Western
States, place him on some of our farming lands and tell him, "Here are
twenty acres of land, and it is all you can properly farm, unless you
have more help than yourself. Now fence and cultivate it, and you can
make an abundant living." He would be apt to say, "You must be mad;
bless you, I need 160 acres, I can cultivate that much at least. I
have always done so, and I will not have anything to do with such a
little patch."
I have seen many engage in farming here, and have known them to work
four or five years without having the first acre secured by a good
fence, and without cultivating the ground in a manner suited to the
soil and climate. Why? Traditions interfere, they have been
traditionated to run over a great quantity of ground, and to not half
cultivate it, until farms are almost entirely exhausted.
Incorrect traditions, though long followed, have to be surrendered,
and we have to build up Zion. The plan of Zion contemplates that the
earth, the gardens, and fields of Zion, be beautiful and cultivated in
the best possible manner. Our traditions have got to yield to that
plan, circumstances will bring us to that point, and eventually we
shall be under the necessity of learning and adopting the plan of
beautifying and cultivating every foot of the soil of Zion in the best
possible manner.
When the Saints become instructed, when this people become united as
they should be, when they learn things as they should learn them, they
will not be subject to the constant and unpleasant annoyances to which
they have been subject.
Many think there is no necessity of doing anything more than to throw
a little seed in the ground and plough it under, that then they are
sure of a crop. They often farm without fences, sow their seed without
properly preparing the land and attending to it, and then trust in God
for the balance.
Others think it irreligious to speak upon temporal subjects on the
Sabbath day, that it is a violation of the day to talk
concerning our business transactions on the Sabbath.
If I understand the order of building up the kingdom, it is a
spiritual work, on every occasion, to give proper instructions
necessary for the good of the kingdom. Very small matters lead
sometimes to great results.
There are many here, as religious as this congregation looks, who have
not got a good fence around their farms, yet they will kneel down in
the morning, perhaps, to offer a prayer. By the time they have got one
knee fairly to the floor, peradventure somebody thunders away at the
door and cries out, "Neighbor, there are twenty head of cattle in your
wheat; they have been there all night, and are there now."
The man of no fence is roused up, and instead of praying he is apt to
think, "Damn it," and to start off to get the cattle out and put them
into the stray pen.
Perhaps another neighbor has not been quite as wide awake in the
morning, and had prepared no place in which to secure his cattle: he
is about ready to say his prayers when his ears are saluted with,
"Neighbor, all your cattle are in the stray pen, and $100 damage is to
pay."
Thus you must see that some temporal arrangements are necessary, to
enable men to enjoy that quiet which would be desirable in attempting
to worship our Heavenly Father.
You may think that these small matters amount to but little, but
sometimes it happens that out of a small matter grows something
exceedingly great. For instance, while the Saints were living in Far
West, there were two sisters wishing to make cheese and, neither of
them possessing the requisite number of cows, they agreed to exchange
milk.
The wife of Thomas B. Marsh, who was then President of the Twelve
Apostles, and sister Harris concluded they would exchange milk, in
order to make a little larger cheese than they otherwise could. To be
sure to have justice done, it was agreed that they should not save the
strippings, but that the milk and strippings should all go together.
Small matters to talk about here, to be sure, two women's exchanging
milk to make cheese.
Mrs. Harris, it appeared, was faithful to the agreement and carried to
Mrs. Marsh the milk and strippings, but Mrs. Marsh, wishing to make
some extra good cheese, saved a pint of strippings from each cow and
sent Mrs. Harris the milk without the strippings.
Finally it leaked out that Mrs. Marsh had saved strippings, and it
became a matter to be settled by the Teachers. They began to examine
the matter, and it was proved that Mrs. Marsh had saved the
strippings, and consequently had wronged Mrs. Harris out of that
amount.
An appeal was taken from the Teacher to the Bishop, and a regular
Church trial was had. President Marsh did not consider that the Bishop
had done him and his lady justice, for they decided that the
strippings were wrongfully saved, and that the woman had violated her
covenant.
Marsh immediately took an appeal to the High Council, who investigated
the question with much patience, and I assure you they were a grave
body. Marsh being extremely anxious to maintain the character of his
wife, as he was the President of the Twelve Apostles, and a great man
in Israel, made a desperate defense, but the High Council finally
confirmed the Bishop's decision.
Marsh, not being satisfied, took an appeal to the First Presidency of
the Church, and Joseph and his Counselors had to sit upon the case,
and they approved the decision of the High Council.
This little affair, you will observe, kicked up a considerable
breeze, and Thomas B. Marsh then declared that he would sustain the
character of his wife, even if he had to go to hell for it.
The then President of the Twelve Apostles, the man who should have
been the first to do justice and cause reparation to be made for
wrong, committed by any member of his family, took that position, and
what next? He went before a magistrate and swore that the "Mormons"
were hostile towards the State of Missouri.
That affidavit brought from the government of Missouri an
exterminating order, which drove some 15,000 Saints from their homes
and habitations, and some thousands perished through suffering the
exposure consequent on this state of affairs.
Do you understand what trouble was consequent to the dispute about a
pint of strippings? Do you understand that the want of fences around
gardens, fields, and yards, in town and country, allowing cattle to
get into mischief and into the stray pen, may end in some serious
result? That the corroding influence of such circumstances may be
brought to bear upon us, in such a way that we may lose the Spirit of
the Almighty and become hostile to the people? And if we should not
bring about as mighty results as the pint of strippings, yet we might
bring entire destruction to ourselves. If you wish to enjoy your
religion and the Spirit of the Almighty, you must make your
calculations to avoid annoyances, as much as possible. When brother
Brigham was anxious to have men take ten acres of land each and fence
it, many thought that he was behind the times. The result is, from the
time I came into the Valleys, in 1849, to the present, I never have
been to the big field south of this City, or around or through it when
it was fenced, and if any other man has seen it fenced, he has seen it
at some time when I did not. The reason of this is, and has been,
either we undertake to accomplish more than we can do, or neglect to
do our duty in many respects.
In traveling through the other settlements you find similar
difficulties. I do know that there has been more quarrelling,
faultfinding, and complaining, throughout the settlements south of this
County, in consequence of bad fences, in consequence of men neglecting
to fence their fields and secure their crops, than from almost any
other source of annoyance.
People have undertaken to fence far more land than they have ever
tried to cultivate as it should be.
Brother Kimball requested me to preach on matters of policy, and I
have come to the conclusion that the best policy is to undertake to
cultivate a little land, and to fence and cultivate it as it should
be, and to only keep as many cattle as we can take care of, and keep
from destroying our neighbors crops. In that way I believe we will be
able to avoid a good many annoyances, and to adopt a great deal better
policy than we now have in those respects. In the City of Provo, there
has been more grain destroyed, every year since I first went there,
than has been saved, and the main cause has been the want of proper
fences.
In the commencement of new settlements, we have generally committed an
error in undertaking to fence too large a field. When we first
established the settlement of Parowan, in Iron County, the brethren
got together in a general council, and took into consideration the
propriety of fencing a field. I recommended that they should fence 640
acres with a heavy, substantial fence, and cultivate it like a garden;
and when that was done, then they might increase their possessions.
There was not half a dozen men, out of the hundreds who were
there, who came with me, who agreed with me. I was told that I was no
farmer, though they would admit that I had a little experience in
preaching.
It was urged that my advice, if adopted, would be equivalent to
ruining the settlement, consequently, to avoid a general murmuring
throughout the camp, it was concluded to fence in 6,000 acres.
We have worked at that job from that day to this, and have not yet had
an acre of land securely fenced. They have now come to the conclusion
to adopt the identical plan suggested at first, and to fence in a
section of land to begin with.
There has been a constant complaint about selling the land for
fencing, quarrelling here and there about cattle doing mischief, and
they have become thoroughly converted to the doctrine I recommended.
Experience had to teach them the lesson, though it was not so much
experience with me, for my father taught me that a man could not raise
a crop with any certainty unless he first fenced his land, and it was
considered one of the most ridiculous things a man could be guilty of,
in a new country, to plant a crop and let the cattle destroy it for
want of a fence. Some settlements have made tolerably good fences, but
as a general thing the poles are stretched too long for their size,
the points sag down, and should a cow or an ox happen to pass by such
an apology for a fence, and understand that it was designed to keep
out animals, they would be insulted, and, were it not against the law
to fight a duel, you might expect such cow or ox to give you a
challenge for such gross insult. The inhabitants of this County,
perhaps, know better how their fences look than I do. I am going to
advise my brethren, the farmers, if they have more land than they can
fence, to sell, rent, or throw it out to the commons, and secure one
acre at least, and from that to ten, or as much as they can actually
enclose as it should be, and then cultivate it in good style. Do not
haul off the straw to burn, but save it all, and all the manure you
can produce. In this way Zion can be made to blossom as a rose, and
the beauty of Zion will begin to shine forth like the morning, and if
the brethren have not learned by experience that this is the course to
pursue, by that time they will learn it. I presume a great many have
become satisfied that it would be better to avoid many of these
annoyances.
There has been some grumbling, in many of the settlements, that the
Indians destroy the crops, that they go through the fences and let
their horses into the fields. It has been in my way, frequently, to
look at these fields, and, as a general thing, there was no fence
there, or, if a fence at all, not such an one as would induce any
person to go round it. The leaving of bars, the throwing down of
fences have been as often through the carelessness and neglect of
white men as of Indians.
On one occasion last season, I heard a tremendous complaint brought up
in meeting, that the Indians had done great damage by throwing their
fences down and turning their horses into the fields, but before the
meeting was dismissed it was made apparent that the Indians only
traveled the path made by the white man, and were actually more
careful than many white men, for they had been seen to take down the
fence and put it up again, when white men would take it down and leave
it so, or break it by driving over. I recommend, as a system of
economy, that we commence from the year 1856 to avoid these errors,
these blunders, that we may escape the results flowing from them.
There is another thing that I think by this time has become understood throughout the Territory, and that is, that we live in a cold
northern latitude, at a high altitude, and that we are liable to have
very cold winters. There have been several severe winters already. In
the winter of 1849-50, many of the animals belonging to the United
States' troops perished in Cache Valley. Many have supposed that our
cattle were going to live without being fed; that they would run on
the range and fat all the winter, as in Central America; this
supposition must have been this winter pretty fully exploded. A system
of true policy and domestic economy would indicate, then, that we must
collect and preserve feed for our animals, and prepare barns and
stables to shelter those necessary to be kept for immediate use.
At last Spring's Conference, the brethren came in their carriages by
hundreds and thousands; I now see numbers of the same persons footing
it to this Conference with sore feet, walking 50 or 100 miles. What
has become of their horses? They are so poor they cannot get up alone,
or are out on the range, as there was nothing to feed them with. Let
us take a valuable lesson from this circumstance, and make suitable
provision for our stock.
So many coming to this Conference on foot, called to mind some of the
history of my early days. I have traveled some thirty thousand miles
on foot, and a great portion of that distance with a valise on my
back, without purse or scrip, to preach the Gospel, and I understand
something about sore feet. But I must say, when I saw brother Graves
and his wife walking fifty miles to attend Conference, and carrying a
child, that I thought they were indeed anxious to hear instructions.
Says sister Graves, "I came all the way here from England to hear
brother Brigham, I have not yet had a chance, and I am now determined
to hear him." I will prophesy that the time will come when they,
through faith and perseverance, will come to Conference in their
carriage.
Good domestic policy requires us to be careful in providing such
comforts and necessaries as we can produce within ourselves. If we let
our sheep perish our clothing will be scanty, or we shall be forced
into the stores to support distant producers. If we let our cattle die
we shall not only lack beef, but our homemade leather will be
missing. In short, the difficulties and wrongs which may grow out of
such carelessness are numerous. It should by all means be our policy
to produce every article, which we can, within ourselves.
These sentiments are strictly within the scope of my religion, and
those comforts and conveniences, which we are constantly in need from
day to day, are necessary to enable us to perform the duties God
requires at our hands. One of those duties is, to take a course that
will enable us to enjoy the blessings and comforts of life, that we
may preserve our health and strength to labor for the upbuilding and
spread of the kingdom of God.
Much is said in the world, and considerable excitement raised on the
subject of "women's rights." Complaint is made that the rights of
women are taken away, that they have not the privilege of working
outdoors like men, have not a chance of voting at elections, of holding
commissions in the army and navy, or of being elected to honorable
offices in government. Whether "women's rights conventions" will
terminate as did the lady's rebellion in Hungary, in almost universal
war, is not now for me to say. But I will say to our "Mormon" sisters
that they have the best prospect of having their rights, of enjoying
the privilege of a healthful share of our outdoor labor, of
cultivating the gardens and of aiding in the management of business,
of any women at present on the earth, for every Conference calls for a
considerable number of missionaries, who are sent forth to preach the
Gospel, and to perform other duties in relation to the upbuilding of
the kingdom in the last days. This operation leaves many wives and
daughters at home, frequently not under the most favorable pecuniary
circumstances, and the result is that it calls into requisition their
economy, brings out their energies, educates them in matters of
business, and, I think, enables them to exercise, as long as they
probably may wish to, those avocations and duties which custom has
assigned to men, but which are so earnestly sought for by the "women's
rights conventions."
If any of our ladies are really anxious for the privilege of
cultivating the earth and producing the necessaries of life, they most
certainly have a fair field to labor in; and if any lack this
privilege, and will let that fact be known, their husbands can be
advantageously sent forth to preach the Gospel.
The various policies now agitating the world, indicate the crazy state
of its society, all split up into parties; and law, and agitation
appear to be the general order of the day. Our women, who feel proud
to exert their talent in sustaining and administering to the wants of
those around them, while their husbands are abroad gathering the
Saints or preaching the fullness of the Gospel, merit a constant
prayer that the Lord will guide, direct and counsel them, and enable
them to fulfil the duties of their several callings, to the end that
their husbands may feel at ease while abroad fulfilling their duties,
that the anxiety which would naturally rest upon their minds, in
relation to affairs at home, may be entirely removed, that they may
devote their whole faith and energy in the spread of the Gospel among
the different nations whither they may be called to travel.
Many of us have, formerly, been very anxious to be made partakers of
the privilege of civilizing the Indians, but now we have become
exceedingly annoyed with the loose conduct of some few of them, and
may have felt a bloodthirsty disposition towards them. The Lord has
placed us in a position through which we are brought in contact with
them, and requires us to use all reasonable exertion to reclaim the
fallen remnants of Israel. We are not to be discouraged if we have to
labor much to reclaim them, and should not thirst for their blood, nor
suffer ourselves to be led into a feeling to shed their blood, but
should cultivate a strong desire to ameliorate their condition, in
every instance where it is possible so to do. Reflect how long the
Lord has borne with us and our many follies, and learn to labor long
and patiently with the children of the forests, that we may,
peradventure bring them, or their children, to the knowledge of their
fathers, for it is written that the remnants of them shall be saved.
After the remnants of Israel shall be gathered in, not many
generations shall pass away before they shall become a white and
delightsome people. Then we may, perhaps, look back with regret at our
present impatience, and at the disposition of some to destroy that
race. God created them, and wickedness and corruption have degraded
them to their present condition, but according to the education they
have had, the code of morals they have learned, they are more moral
and virtuous than many of the white men in the world.
It is said that men will be judged according to their works, based
upon the knowledge they have been privileged to possess. Now, I
believe that many of the Indians residing in these mountains
have done better, according to their opportunities and knowledge, than
have some of us. We have had far superior advantages, and of course
better conduct and a more perfect walk ought to be expected from us. I
have frequently observed the feelings of our brethren towards the
Indians, and it takes but very little to rouse in some a disposition
to kill and destroy them. Of all the policies that is the worst, for
it is much easier, cheaper, and in every way better to feed than to
fight them. Aside from that view, in one case you are not guilty of
shedding blood, but in the other you bring their blood upon your
heads, provided it is not shed justifiably. Occasions may occur,
perhaps, when it is necessary to fight them, but they might be far
more rare if the brethren would always strictly fulfil their duties.
The history of the settlement of most if not all new States has been
fraught, checkered, blooded, with the perpetration of cruelties to the
Indians. These should learn us a profitable and valuable lesson, and
all the brethren should cultivate a disposition to conciliate under
all circumstances, and to avoid, so far as possible, every cause of
offense between us and these scattered remnants of Jacob. I have
always endeavored to exercise a pacific policy, and still believe it
to be the best. The past has proven that a few Indians can conceal
themselves in the mountains, and keep a settlement in a state of
constant alarm for years. And how has it been even in a level country?
The Florida war cost the government of the United States thousands of
lives, some twenty millions of dollars, and lasted many years, and
after all they purchased a peace, when they could not otherwise reach
Sam Jones and his party. Billy Bowlegs, when passing through the
gallery of portraits in New York City, recogni zed the likenesses of
Generals Scott and Taylor, and said, "I licked both those generals in
the Florida war."
Peace had to be bought and presents made, which could have been much
easier done at the beginning, and thus have avoided the difficulties
and consequent expense and loss of life. I hope our brethren will
always be courteous, and take a course to avoid the occurrence of any
difficulty in this Territory.
I will return to the subjects of home products. We are so situated
that we cannot profitably transport our grain to a market outside our
borders, nor in case of scarcity easily bring grain here; for these
reasons prudence would dictate us to make timely and suitable
provisions for storing all surplus, that in case of famine, or great
scarcity, we might have a supply of bread.
The Emperor of China has a policy for the preservation of the people
of his empire, something like this: he receives one-fifth of all the
grain produced, and stores it up against a day of scarcity. That
country is so well provided with canals, that in case grain is cut off
in any portion of the empire, breadstuff can be easily furnished to
the people. And even in case of a general famine, the immense
population could be sustained, for some years, from the Imperial
stores which have accumulated.
We as well as others, should learn to store our provisions when there
is plenty, that we may be prepared against a time of need. The First
Presidency, from time to time, since we came here, have taught that it
was necessary for us to provide against the day of famine and great
trouble, and that it was not only necessary for us to provide for
ourselves, but also for the thousands and millions who are flocking to
these mountains, for shelter from the calamities that are fast falling
upon the world. A goodly share of the human race are now in
extreme destitution, and those who are not in very straightened
circumstances manifest great wrath towards each other, and war and
cruelty are the consequent results. Millions and millions of funds
are diverted from the industrial channels and invested in the
operations of war, leaving multitudes of people in a state of utmost
destitution.
The grain ports of Russia have been closed for a long time, the war
question continues to grow still more complete, and as the perplexity
increases, multitudes more are deprived of necessary food. These
derangements are constantly increasing, and will increase; and the
time is not far distant when millions of people will fly to these
Valleys as the only peaceful, plentiful place of refuge. Then it
becomes the Saints to store up food for themselves, and for the hosts
who will come here for sustenance and protection, for as the Lord
lives they will flow here by thousands and millions, and seek bread
and protection at the hands of this people.
I lately asked one of the brethren why he had not built a house; said
he, "I thought we might be driven away from here, and I should lose my
labor." You can understand what I think about being driven, for I
calculate that the Lord has got His children into the mountains where
He can handle them at His pleasure, and He is perfectly willing that
we should stay here and will not suffer our enemies to drive us,
unless we rebel against Him, and I do not presume that we shall do
that. We are so nicely situated that when a man gets uneasy, or feels
like leaving, he can travel over the rim of the Basin and disappear in
the far-off regions of gold and plenty, where the comforts of life
abound, and that is all he cares about.
When a man apostatizes from this Church, rejects the authorities of
the Priesthood and rebels against the principles of the Gospel, he
cares no more for anything spiritual, or what pertains to pure
religion, than the wild bull of the plains. All he cares about is to
satisfy his appetites, gratify his lusts and be filled with the good
things of the earth. I have heard numbers of such persons say, "From
this day on I care nothing about religion: it is only for myself, my
family, and the things we can get, that I care about." When a man
begins to think that brother Brigham is stringent in his measures, and
to feel that there is not room enough, that he cannot get enough land,
the next thing is he will be seen drunk in San Bernardino, or
somewhere else, although he did not go there with the intent to get
drunk, but that is the natural result of losing the spirit of the
Almighty. It actually does seem that the Lord has placed us in the
most complete position for getting rid of all such characters, and
occasional seasons of scarcity, occasional dry years, occasional
visits of grasshoppers, and an occasional severe winter, produce
constant annoyance in the minds of those who wish to get into a
paradise in a hurry. If those who are disposed to complain will but
reflect a little, they will understand that we are actually situated
in the best country in the world.
Do any of you recollect when you used to have the ague THIRTEEN months
in the year? Do you recollect of ever calling upon an Elder to lay
hands on the sick, and of his beginning to shake while he was
attending to the ordinances? Can you not recollect that at times, in
Nauvoo, there would not be a house without two or three sick persons
in it a great portion of the year? And when a heavy person died there,
do you not remember that it was as much as we could do to get enough
men round the coffin to lift it, because we all were so used up with
the ague, and were so very sickly? Is it so now? Are nine out of ten
of the brethren sick here? Do you go to your houses and find a
couple shaking on one bed, another in a fever, and a child on the
floor unable to get up, and perhaps not one in the family able to get
another a drink of water? You can remember such scenes in our former
locations, but you are now in a country where these things are
comparatively unknown. Do you recollect the time, when in the midst of
agues, that the only nourishment many could give the sick was a coarse
corn dodger? Corn was often not worth more than twelve cents a bushel,
but you could not always get out to carry it to mill; and when you
could, you often found the mill so constructed that it would grind two
kernels into one, and such was the nourishment for the sick.
Every night the sickly season was talked of, and that sickly season
lasted all that part of the year in which we wanted to be at work
raising bread. And when you went to meeting, and looked round upon the
congregation, you saw an assemblage of pale countenances; and often
saw numbers of them starting off before the close of the meeting,
because they were unable to stay any longer, and looking as though
they would fall down and never be able to rise again. But I now
challenge the world to produce a healthier looking congregation than
this.
I have heard some say that they were bothered to get provisions, but
if there is a fatter, heartier looking congregation in the world I do
not know where it is, and challenge the world to produce one. Some
have been asking me what I was going to say, at Washington, about our
present scarcity, and I gave them to understand that I should tell
them that I was about the only person in the Territory but what had
plenty to eat, and that the people had thought best to send me away,
for fear I would get too lean. The health which has been enjoyed by
this people, since they have been in the mountains, exceeds all bounds
of previous belief. Through exposure in crossing the Plains, and
during our persecutions, has resulted a great portion of the small
amount of disease that has appeared among the community.
Notwithstanding all these circumstances—the health and the manifold
blessings conferred upon us—some have been discontented. I have known
men come here so poor that they had to beg the first meal of victuals,
and by working three or four years become independently rich, but
still they alleged that the country was so hard that they could not
live in it, and that they must leave because they had to pay so many
taxes, and because so many difficulties surrounded them. I have seen
those same men laying on the banks of the Mississippi shaking with the
ague, and begging me to administer to their wants, and I suppose they
think they will be pretty happy if they can only get back there again.
These facts display the weakness of human nature, indicate that our
feelings are liable to fluctuate, that our memories are often short
and our dispositions uneasy.
These tabernacles must be dissolved, but it is our duty to exercise
our talents to the best advantage, and to perform the most good in our
power, that we may rightly fulfil the end of our creation, benefit our
fellow men, and be prepared for the next state of existence. Let us
then be careful not to defile ourselves or corrupt our way before the
Lord, not to have our integrity tarnished, but live in humility and in
righteousness all our days.
Of all men upon the face of the earth, we are the most favored; we
have the fulness of the everlasting Gospel, the keys of revelation and
exaltation, the privilege of making our own rules and regulations, and
are not opposed by anybody. No king, prince, potentate, or dominion,
has rightful authority to crush and oppress us. We breathe the
free air, we have the best looking men and handsomest women, and if
they envy us our position, well they may, for they are a poor,
narrow-minded, pinch-backed race of men, who chain themselves down to
the law of monogamy, and live all their days under the dominion of one
wife. They ought to be ashamed of such conduct, and the still fouler
channel which flows from their practices; and it is not to be wondered
at that they should envy those who so much better understand the
social relations.
I have offered these remarks, on the subject of policy, in rather a
rambling manner, something like the parson, who was told that he did
not speak to his text, "Very well," says he, "scattering shots hit the
most birds." May the Lord bless us all, and prepare us to enter His
kingdom. Amen.
- George A. Smith