I appear before you to bear my testimony to the truth of "Mormonism,"
that Joseph Smith, Jun., was a Prophet called of God, and that he did
translate the Book of Mormon by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost.
This same testimony all can bear, who have received and continue to
retain the Spirit of the Gospel.
We are happy to hear from our brethren who have returned from the
fields of their labor, it rejoices our hearts, and we like to see
their faces. I know how they feel when they return home, for I have
felt many times, in returning to the Saints, as though the privilege
of beholding their faces was a feast to overflowing, my soul has been
full. I rejoice all the time, and I can understand why brother Clinton
has rejoiced so exceedingly; it is because the lightning and thunder
are in him, and because he gave vent to his feelings. Brother Robins'
calling has been different, of such a nature that the lightning and
thunder in him have lain dormant, to a certain degree, and he has not
enjoyed himself so well as he would, had he been sent solely to preach
and build up churches.
Let me reduce this to your understandings. Right here, in our midst,
many who gather from foreign lands, who have undergone all the toil,
labor, and hardship that it is possible for their nature to sustain on
their jour ney, after they arrive in these valleys begin to sink in
their spirits, neglect their duties, and in a little time do not know
whether "Mormonism" is true or not. Take the same persons and keep
them among the wicked, and they will preserve their armor bright, but
it has become dull and rusty here; this is the cause of so many
leaving these valleys. The seas are so calm and the vessel is wafted
over them so smoothly, and in a manner so congenial to the feelings of
the people, that they forget that they are in Zion's ship. This is the
main reason of so many leaving for the States, California, and other
places. Send those persons among their enemies, among those who will
oppose "Mormonism," among those who will oppose the truth, and let
them be continually persecuted, and they will know very quickly
whether they are "Mormons" or not, for they must go to the one side or
the other. But the condition of society here, and the feelings of the
people, are so different from those of the wicked, that many glide
smoothly along, forget their religion and their God, and finally think
that this is not the place for them and go away.
I will now state that I am thus far perfectly satisfied with the
labors of the brethren who have returned from their missions this
season, and have come on the stand today, and at other times; I am
highly gratified with the doings and labors of those Elders.
With regard to brother John Taylor, I will say that he has one of the
strongest intellects of any man that can be found; he is a powerful
man, he is a mighty man, and we may say that he is a powerful editor,
but I will use a term to suit myself, and say that he is one of the
strongest editors that ever wrote. Concerning his financial abilities,
I have nothing to say; those who are acquainted with the matter, know
how "The Mormon" has been sustained. We sent brother Taylor, and other
brethren with him, to start that paper without purse or scrip, and if
they had not accomplished that object, we should have known that they
did not trust in their God, and did not do their duty.
Let me call your reflections to the days of Joseph; here are some of
the Twelve, here are the Seventies and High Priests, and members of
the High Council, and several who have been long in the Church, did
any of you ever receive any support from the Church, while on your
missions in the days of Joseph? Were you all to answer, you would say
that you do not know the time.
I came into this Church in the spring of 1832. Previous to my being
baptized, I took a mission to Canada at my own expense; and from the
time that I was baptized until the day of our sorrow and affliction,
at the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum, no summer passed over my head
but what I was traveling and preaching, and the only thing I ever
received from the Church, during over twelve years, and the only means
that were ever given me by the Prophet, that I now recollect, was in
1842, when brother Joseph sent me the half of a small pig that the
brethren had brought to him, I did not ask him for it; it weighed 93
pounds. And that fall, previous to my receiving that half of a pig,
brother H. C. Kimball and myself were engaged all the time in pricing
property that came in on tithing, and we were also engaged in
gathering tithing, and I had an old saddle valued at two dollars
presented to me, and brother Heber was credited two dollars in the
Church books for one day's services, by brother Willard Richards who
was then keeping those books. Brother Heber said, "Blot that out, for
I don't want it." I think it was crossed out, and so was the saddle,
for I did not want it, even had it been given to me. These were the
only articles I ever received in the days of Joseph, so far as I
recollect.
I have traveled and preached, and at the same time sustained my family
by my labor and economy. If I borrowed one hundred dollars, or fifty,
or if I had five dollars, it almost universally went into the hands of
brother Joseph, to pay lawyers' fees and to liberate him from the
power of his enemies, so far as it would go. Hundreds and hundreds of
dollars that I have managed to get, to borrow and trade for, I have
handed over to Joseph when I came home. That is the way I got help,
and it was good for me; it learned me a great deal, though I had
learned, before I heard of "Mormonism," to take care of number one.
For me to travel and preach without purse or scrip, was never hard; I
never saw the day, I never was in the place, nor went into a house,
when I was alone, or when I would take the lead and do the talking,
but what I could get all I wanted. Though I have been with those who
would take the lead and be mouth, and been turned out of doors a great
many times, and could not get a night's lodging. But when I was mouth
I never was turned out of doors; I could make the acquaintance of the
family, and sit and sing to them and chat with them, and they
would feel friendly towards me; and when they learned that I was a
"Mormon" Elder, it was after I had gained their good feelings.
When the brethren were talking about starting a press in New York, and
how it has been upheld, I did wish to relate an incident in my
experience. In company with several of the Twelve I was sent to
England in 1839. We started from home without purse or scrip, and most
of the Twelve were sick; and those who were not sick when they started
were sick on the way to Ohio; brother Taylor was left to die by the
road-side, by old father Coltrin, though he did not die. I was not
able to walk to the river, not so far as across this block, no, not
more than half as far; I had to be helped to the river, in order to
get into a boat to cross it. This was about our situation. I had not
even an overcoat; I took a small quilt from the trundle bed, and that
served for my overcoat, while I was traveling to the State of New
York, when I had a coarse sattinet overcoat given to me. Thus we went
to England, to a strange land to sojourn among strangers.
When we reached England we designed to start a paper, but we had not
the first penny to do it with. I had enough to buy a hat and pay my
passage to Preston, for from the time I left home, I had worn an old
cap which my wife made out of a pair of old pantaloons; but the most
of us were entirely destitute of means to buy even any necessary
article.
We went to Preston and held our Conference, and decided that we would
publish a paper; brother Parley P. Pratt craved the privilege of
editing it, and we granted him the privilege. We also decided to print
three thousand hymn books, though we had not the first cent to begin
with, and were strangers in a strange land. We appointed brother
Woodruff to Herefordshire, and I accompanied him on his journey to
that place. I wrote to brother Pratt for information about his plans,
and he sent me his prospectus, which stated that when he had a
sufficient number of subscribers and money enough in hand to justify
his publishing the paper, he would proceed with it. How long we might
have waited for that I know not, but I wrote to him to publish two
thousand papers, and I would foot the bill. I borrowed two hundred and
fifty pounds of sister Jane Benbow, one hundred of brother Thomas
Kington, and returned to Manchester, where we printed three thousand
Hymn Books, and five thousand Books of Mormon, and issued two thousand
Millennial Stars monthly, and in the course of the summer printed and
gave away rising of sixty thousand tracts. I also paid from five to
ten dollars per week for my board, and hired a house for brother
Willard Richards and his wife who came to Manchester, and sustained
them; and gave sixty pounds to brother P. P. Pratt to bring his wife
from New York. I also commenced the emigration in that year.
I was there one year and sixteen days, with my brethren the Twelve and
during that time I bought all my clothing, except one pair of
pantaloons, which the sisters gave me in Liverpool soon after I
arrived there, and which I really needed: I told the brethren, in one
of my discourses, that there was no need of their begging, for if they
needed anything the sisters could understand that. The sisters took
the hint, and the pantaloons were forthcoming.
I paid three hundred and eighty dollars to get the work started in
London, and when I arrived home, in Nauvoo, I owed no person one
farthing. Brother Kington received his pay from the books that were
printed, and sister Benbow, who started to America the same
year, left names enough of her friends to receive the two hundred and
fifty pounds, which amount was paid them, notwithstanding I held her
agreement that she had given it to the Church.
We left two thousand five hundred dollars worth of books in the
Office, paid our passages home, and paid about six hundred dollars to
emigrate the poor who were starving to death, besides giving away the
sixty thousand tracts; and that too though I had not a sixpence when
we first landed in Preston, and I do not know that one of the Twelve
had.
I could not help thinking that if I could accomplish that much in
England, in that poor, hard country, it could not be much of a job for
a man to establish a paper in New York. I thought that to be one of the
smallest things that could be; I could make money at it. We sent
brother George Q. Cannon, one of brother Taylor's nephews, to
California, over a year ago last spring, to print the Book of Mormon
in the Hawaiian language. He has printed a large and handsome edition
of that book; has published a weekly paper and paid for it; has paid
for the press and the type, and paid his board and clothing bills,
though he had not a farthing to start with, that is, he went without
purse and scrip, so far as I know, as did also brothers Bull and
Wilkie who went with him.
It is one of the smallest labors that I could think of to establish a
paper and sustain it in St. Louis, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, or
any of the eastern cities. I wish to say this much, for the
information of those who think it a great task to establish and
sustain a paper; though I am not aware that any of the brethren think
so.
I will relate another incident, which occurred during our journey to
Eng land. Brother George A. Smith accompanied me to New York City, and
we had not money enough to pay the last five miles' fare.
We started from New Haven in a steamboat, and when we left the boat,
I hired passage in the stage to New York; the captain of the
steamboat happened to be in the same stage.
When we left the coach, I said to the captain, will you have the
kindness to pay this gentleman's passage and mine. I had had no
conversation with him during the day, only in interchanging the common
and usual compliments, but when we left him he greeted us cordially,
and said that he had paid our stage-fare with the greatest pleasure,
and shook our hands as heartily as a brother, saying, "May God bless
and prosper you in your labors."
In five minutes we were in the house with Parley P. Pratt, who had
moved to that city the fall before. As soon as those of the Twelve who
were appointed on that mission to England came in, we concluded that
we would not go among the Branches, but seek out and preach to those
who had not had an opportunity of hearing the Gospel.
Accordingly we separated and went into many parts of the State of New
York, Long Island and New Jersey, and some went into the city of
Philadelphia.
After we had got through with the regular meetings, we proposed to the
brethren, if any of them wished to have meetings in their private
houses and would tell us when and where, that we would meet with them.
It was not more than a week or ten days before we had been in fifty
different places in New York City and the surrounding country, and
those who came to hear us invited their neighbors, and thus we
preached and baptized, and soon gathered means enough to defray
the expenses of our passage to England, principally from those who
were the fruits of our own labors.
Though the people in the States are daily becoming more hardened
against the truth, yet if I was in New York this day, and it was my
business to be there, I would not be there long before I would have
many Elders preaching through different parts of that city; I would
have them preaching in the English, Danish, French, German, and other
languages. And soon would have Elders dispersed all over the State,
and would raise up new friends enough to sustain me, that is if the
Lord would help me, and if He did not I would leave.
That is the way we have traveled and preached, but now we do a great
deal for our missionaries, for they gather money on tithing, and ask
me to credit such and such a man so much on tithing; this course tends
to shut up every avenue for business here.
We do not receive cash on tithing from abroad, because our
missionaries are so liberal, and feel so rich, that they gather every
dollar that can be scraped up, and then come here and have it credited
to such and such individuals on tithing, without handing over the
money.
This course hedges up the work at headquarters. Did I have that
privilege? No, never; and men should not have it now. If a paper
should be published, brethren ought to have wisdom enough to sustain
themselves and the paper, and they can do it.
I do not wish to find fault with our missionaries, but many of them
now live on cream and shortcake, butter, honey, light biscuit, and
sweetmeats, while we had to take the buttermilk and potatoes. That
kind of fare was good enough for us, but now it is shortcake and
cream, light biscuit, with butter and honey, and sweetmeats of every
kind, and even then some of them think that they are abused.
I see some here who did not have as good fare as buttermilk and
potatoes; I see some of the brethren who have been to Australia, the
East Indies, &c. When I returned from England, I said it is the last
time I will travel as I have done, unless the Lord specially requires
me to do so; for if we could ride even as comfortably as brother
Woodruff once rode on one of the Mississippi steamboats we considered
ourselves well off. All the bed he had was the chines of barrels, with
his feet hanging on a brace, and he thought himself well off to get
the privilege of riding in any shape, to escape constant walking.
How do they go now? They take the first cabins, cars, and carriages. I
wish to see them cross the Plains on foot, and then have wisdom enough
to preach their way to the city of New York, and there, in the same
manner, to get money enough to cross the ocean. But no, they must
start from here with a full purse, and take broadcloth from here, or
money to buy it in the States, and hire first cabin passages in the
best ocean steamers; and after all this many think it is hard times.
I want to see the Elders live on buttermilk and potatoes, and when
they return be more faithful. But they go as missionaries of the
kingdom of God, and when they have been gone a year or two, many of
them come back merchants, and how they swell, "how popular
'Mormonism'
is, we can get trusted in St. Louis for ten thousand dollars as well
as not, and in New York brother Brigham's word is so good that we can
get all the goods we want; 'Mormonism' is becoming quite popular."
Yes, and so are hell and the works of the devil.
When "Mormonism" finds favor with the wicked in this land, it
will have gone into the shade; but until the power of the Priesthood
is gone, "Mormonism" will never become popular with the wicked.
"Mormonism" is not one farthing better than it was in the days of
Joseph.
The hand of the Almighty is over mankind, and "Mormonism" is hid from
them; they do not know anything about it. The Lord deals with this
people, and draws them into close quarters, and makes them run the
gauntlet, and tries their faith and feelings. He draws them into
diverse circumstances to prove whether they believe in Jesus Christ,
or not; and if need be He will let the enemy persecute us and destroy
many of us; He will let them take our substance and drive us from our
homes. Was "Mormonism" popular with those who have formerly
persecuted, killed and driven us? Yes, as much so as it is at this
day.
The hand of the Almighty is over the wicked, and He handles them
according to His good pleasure, as He does the Saints. His hand is
over us, and His hand is over them. But there is a thick mist cast
before their eyes, so they do not discern the truth of "Mormonism." Do
you wonder that they are mad, when they see the progress of truth? I
do not.
The different political parties are in opposition. One party says, "We
are republicans, and we are opposed in principle to all who are not of
our party." Can the various parties be reconciled? No. Each party
wishes to elect a President of the United States. We design to elect
Jesus Christ for our President, and the wicked wish to elect Lucifer,
the Son of the Morning, and swear that they will have him; and we
declare that we will serve Jesus Christ, and he shall be our
President.
Do you think that the democrats and republicans have made friends? No,
they are just as much opposed to each other now as ever they were, and
the devil is just as much opposed to Jesus now as he was when the
revolt took place in heaven. And as the devil increases his numbers by
getting the people to be wicked, so Jesus Christ increases his numbers
and strength by getting the people to be humble and righteous. The
human family are going to the polls by and by, and they wish to know
which party is going to carry the day.
When you see mild weather, when all is smooth and our religion is
becoming popular, the Lord is casting mist before the eyes of the
wicked, and they do not see nor understand what will take place at the
polls when the day of voting comes. Those who vote for Jesus will be
on the right hand, and those who vote for Lucifer on the left; one
part will be right and the other wrong. We calculate that we are
right, and we are going to vote for the sovereign we believe in; and
when he comes behold he will go into the chair of state and take the
reins of government. Do you suppose the wicked will feel bad about it?
That is what they are afraid of all the time.
They may kill the bodies we have, they may strive to injure us, but
when the day of the great election comes, as the Lord Almighty lives,
we shall gain our President, and we anticipate holding office under
him. Do you blame the wicked for being mad? No. They desire to rule,
to hold the reins of government on this earth; they have held them a
great while. I do not blame them for being suspicious of us; men in
high standing are suspicious of us, hence the frequent cry, "Treason,
treason, we are going to have trouble with the people in Utah." What
is the matter? Wherein can they point out one particle of injury that
we have done to them?
True we have more wives than one, and what of that? They have
their scores of thousands of prostitutes, we have none. But polygamy
they are unconstitutionally striving to prevent: when they will
accomplish their object is not for me to say. They have already
presented a resolution in Congress that no man, in any of the
Territories of the United States, shall be allowed to have more than
one wife, under a penalty not exceeding five years imprisonment, and
five hundred dollars fine. How will they get rid of this awful evil in
Utah? They will have to expend about three hundred millions of dollars
for building a prison, for we must all go into prison. And after they
have expended that amount for a prison, and roofed it over from the
summit of the Rocky Mountains to the summit of the Sierra Nevada, we
will dig out and go preaching through the world. (Voice on the stand:
what will become of the women, will they go to prison with us?)
Brother Heber seems concerned about the women's going with us; they
will be with us, for we shall be here together. This is a little
amusing.
Brother Robbins, in his remarks, said that the Constitution of the
United States forbids making an ex post facto law. The presenting of
the resolution alluded to shows their feelings, they wish the
Constitution out of existence, and there is no question but that they
will get rid of it as quickly as they can, and that would be by ex
post facto law, which the Constitution of the United States strictly
forbids.
Brother Robbins also spoke of what they term the "nigger drivers and
nigger worshippers," and observed how keen their feelings are upon
their favorite topic slavery. The State of New York used to be a
slave State, but there slavery has for some time been abolished. Under
their law for abolishing slavery the then male slaves had to serve
until they were 28 years old, and if my memory serves me correctly,
the females until they were 25, before they could be free. This was to
avoid the loss of, what they called, property in the hands of
individuals. After that law was passed the people began to dispose of
their blacks, and to let them buy themselves off. They then passed a
law that black children should be free, the same as white children,
and so it remains to this day.
But at the time that slavery was tolerated in the northern and eastern
States, if you touched that question it would fire a man quicker than
anything else in the world; there was something very peculiar about
it, and it is so now. Go into a slave State and speak to a man on the
subject, even though he never owned a slave, and you fire up his
feelings in defense of that institution; there is no other subject
that will touch him as quickly. They are very tenacious and sensitive
on those points, and the North are becoming as sensitive as the South.
The North are slow and considerate; they have their peculiar customs;
and are influenced by the force of education, climate, &c., in a
manner which causes them to think twice before they act; and often
they will think and speak many times before they act. The spirit of
the South is to think, speak, and act all at the same moment. This is
the difference between the two people.
Matters are coming to such a point, the feelings of both parties are
aroused to that degree, that they would as soon fight as not. But I do
not wish to speak any longer in that strain, though, if you want to
know what I think about the question, I think both parties are
decidedly wrong.
It is not the prerogative of the President of the United States to
meddle with this matter, and Congress is not allowed, according to the Con stitution, to legislate upon it. If Utah was admitted into
the Union as a sovereign State, and we chose to introduce slavery
here, it is not their business to meddle with it; and even if we
treated our slaves in an oppressive manner, it is still none of their
business and they ought not to meddle with it.
If we introduce the practice of polygamy it is not their prerogative
to meddle with it; if we should all turn to be Roman Catholics today,
if we all turned to the old Mother Church, it would not be their
prerogative, it would not be their business, to meddle with us on that
account. If we are Mormons or Methodists, or worship the sun or a
white dog, or if we worship a dumb idol, or all turn Shaking Quakers
and have no wife, it is not their prerogative to meddle with these
affairs, for in so doing they would violate the Constitution.
There is not a Territory in the Union that is looked upon with so
suspicious an eye as is Utah, and yet it is the only part of the
nation that cares anything about the Constitution. What have they done
in the States? Why, in some places they have celebrated the fourth of
July by hoisting the National flag bottom side up, making a burlesque
of the celebration, but "Utah is hell and the devil." This reminds me
of a circumstance that transpired in England. A boy was brushing his
shoes on Sunday morning, and a priest observing him said, "What, do
you brush your shoes on Sunday?" "Yes, sir; do you brush your coat?"
"Yes." "Well I suppose it is life and salvation for you to brush your
coat, but hell and damnation for me to brush my shoes." That is the
difference.
"Mormonism" is true, and all hell cannot overthrow it. All the devil's
servants on the earth may do all they can, and, as brother Clinton has
just said, after twenty-six years faithful operation and exertion by
our enemies, including the times when Joseph had scarcely a man to
stand by him, and when the persecution was as severe on him as it ever
was in the world, what have they accomplished? They have succeeded in
making us an organized Territory, and they are determined to make us
an independent State or Government, and as the Lord lives it will be
so. (The congregation shouted amen.) I say, as the Lord lives, we are
bound to become a sovereign State in the Union, or an independent
nation by ourselves, and let them drive us from this place if they
can; they cannot do it. I do not throw this out as a banter; you
Gentiles, and hickory and basswood "Mormons," can write it down if you
please, but write it as I speak it.
I wish you to understand that God rules and reigns, that he led us to
this land and gave us a Territorial government. Was this the design of
the wicked? No. Their design was to banish us from the earth, but they
have driven us into notoriety and power; we are now raised to a
position where we can converse with kings and emperors.
In the days of Joseph it was considered a great privilege to be
permitted to speak to a member of Congress, but twenty-six years will
not pass away before the Elders of this Church will be as much thought
of as the kings on their thrones. The Lord Almighty will roll on the
wheels of His work, and none can stop them; and they cannot drive us
from these mountains, because the Lord will not suffer them to do so.
I desire them to let us alone; "hands off and money down," we crave no
jobs and make none. Let them attend to their own business, and we will
build up Zion while they go to hell. Jesus Christ will be the
President, and we are his officers, and they will have to leave the
ground: for they will find that Jesus has the right of soil.
This they are afraid of, do you blame them? No, I do not, and you
should not: let them feel bad and worry.
I have frequently told you, and I tell you again, that the very report
of the Church and kingdom of God on earth is a terror to all nations,
wheresoever the sound thereof goeth. The sound of "Mormonism" is a
terror to towns, counties, states, the pretended republican
governments, and to all the world. Why? Because, as the Lord Almighty
lives and the Prophets have ever written the truth, this work is
destined to revolutionize the world and bring all under subjection to
the law of God, who is our lawgiver.
I am still governor of this Territory, to the constant chagrin of my
enemies; but I do not in the least neglect the duties of my
Priesthood, nor my office as governor; and while I honor my Priesthood
I will do honor to my office as governor. This is hard to be
understood by the wicked, but it is true. The feelings of many are
much irritated because I am here, and Congress has requested the
President to inquire why I still hold the office of governor in the
Territory of Utah. I can answer that question; I hold the office by
appointment, and am to hold it until my successor is appointed and
qualified, which has not yet been done. I shall bow to Jesus, my
Governor, and under him, to brother Joseph. Though he has gone behind
the veil, and I cannot see him, he is my head, under Jesus Christ and
the ancient Apostles, and I shall go ahead and build up the kingdom.
But if I was now sitting in the chair of state at the White House in
Washington, everything in my office would be subject to my religion.
Why? Because it teaches me to deal justice and mercy to all. I am
satisfied to love righteousness and be full of the Holy Ghost, while
all hell yawns to destroy me, though it cannot do it.
If I were to forsake this kingdom, the car of righteousness would roll
over and crush me into insignificance; and so it will every other man
that gets out of the right path. What then are we going to do? We had
better stick to the ship than jump overboard, because if we stay
aboard we stand a good chance to be saved, but if we jump over we
shall be drowned.
Who can help all these things? I did not devise the great scheme of
the Lord's opening the way to send this people to these mountains.
Joseph contemplated the move for years before it took place, but he
could not get here, for there was a watch placed upon him continually
to see that he had no communication with the Indians. This was in
consequence of that which is written in the Book of Mormon; one of the
first evils alleged against him was that he was going to connive with
the Indians; but did he ever do anything of the kind? No, he always
strove to promote the best interest of all, both red and white. Was it
by any act of ours that this people were driven into their midst? We
are now their neighbors, we are on their land, for it belongs to them
as much as any soil ever belonged to any man on earth; we are drinking
their water, using their fuel and timber, and raising our food from
their ground.
I do not wish men to understand I had anything to do with our being
moved here, that was the providence of the Almighty; it was the power
of God that wrought out salvation for this people, I never could have
devised such a plan. What shall we do? Be still and know that the Lord
is God: and let all people be silent and know that the Lord Almighty
reigns, and does His pleasure on the earth. What had we better do? Be submissive and passive, serve our God and walk humbly before
Him.
The same Spirit pervades the Latter-day Saints in all the world, and
what the Lord designs doing here is made manifest to the brethren in
different parts, and the world feels the power of it and begins to
persecute. When we commence that temple you will hear the devils howl.
We are now doing but little besides taking care of ourselves, but the
kingdom has got to be taken and the Lord Jesus come to reign here.
When you wonder why it is that we are building many large buildings
here and the temple not going on, be silent and patient.
Here let me ask the old Saints a question. Have you ever seen a temple
finished, since this Church commenced? You have not. The Lord says,
"Be patient and gather together the strength of my house;" then do not
fret yourselves, and if you feel a little worried, be sure that you
are right, and do as you are counseled.
Why do we urge this upon the people? They are only counseled to love
God and do His will. You cannot point out where a man has been
counseled one hair's breadth from this course, and in this we have a
right to be urgent, and strenuous, and sharp in our remarks. Serve
your God and love your religion.
I could tell you a great many lessons that I have learned in
"Mormonism," but it is very seldom that I refer to past scenes, they
occupy but a small portion of my time and attention. Do you wish to
know the reason of this? It is because there is an eternity ahead of
me, and my eyes are ever open and gazing upon it, and I have but
little time to reflect upon the many circumstances I have been placed
in thus far during life. They are behind me, and I am thankful that I
have not time to reflect on past transactions, only once in a while,
when it seems almost necessary to refer to them.
May the Lord God of heaven and earth bless you, and may He preserve us
and all good men and women upon the earth, and give us power to blow
the Gospel trump to earth's remotest bounds, and gather up the honest
in heart, build up Zion, redeem Israel, rebuild Jerusalem, and fill
the earth with the glory and knowledge of our God, and we will shout
hallelujah! Amen.