I can truly say that I am happy for the privilege of meeting with the
Saints.
When I am alone, and look by the vision of the Spirit upon this
people, my heart says within me, God bless the people, God bless the
people; and I bless you in the name of the Lord Jesus. I feel to bless
the people continually, from day to day. Their interest is my
interest; their welfare is my welfare; their hope is mine. We are of
one faith; and to see the people drawing near unto the Lord and
becoming more of one heart and of one mind is the most cheering
thought and reflection that can pass upon my mind: there is nothing
else that compares with it. As for the riches of the world or the
good things of the world—as for gold or silver, houses and lands, they
are nothing in comparison to the purity of the faith of the people.
This people are increasing in their faith, they are increasing in
their good works, and they are really becoming the Saints of the Most
High. Any person possessing the Spirit of the holy Gospel, and who has
been acquainted with this people during years that are past, can
readily discover that they are merging to the period when they will
become the disciples of the Lord Jesus. Perhaps we think that we are
perfectly so now; but it is not the case—we are engaged in a
preparatory work.
When the Gospel came to us, it found us in the depths of ignorance; it
found us in darkness; it found us possessed of all the prejudices,
feelings, and views that now exist in the world. There is no man—there
is no woman, but what was more or less clothed upon with the
traditions of their fathers. There cannot a person be found at the
present day—one who has arrived at the years to think, to act, and to
judge for himself, but what is more or less clothed and enveloped in
the traditions of their fathers.
On the other hand, there is no person possessing the Spirit of
revelation but what can very readily discern that the ways of the Lord
are not like the ways of man, and that the children of men have gone
out of the way. Take all nations—all people—by communities, by
societies, by families, and by individuals—take the whole mass of the
inhabitants of the earth, and they have each taken to their own way,
as any person possessing the Spirit of revelation can discern to be
the case in the whole world. At the same time, they imagine that they
are right—that they have light—that they have intelligence—that they
are possessed of true knowledge pertaining to God and the things of
eternity.
Take the inhabitants of Japan—islands situated between here and
China—and if you are acquainted with the people, with their feelings
and true sentiments, you know that they actually believe that they are
the only people that are enlightened, and that all the rest
of mankind are heathen. Go to China, which is called by its
inhabitants the celestial empire because of their supposed purity, and
they actually believe that they are the only nation under heaven that
has the true knowledge of eternity.
Turn to the Christian nations on the eastern and western
continents—take enlightened Christendom as the whole—and they believe
that they are the only people who have the knowledge of God. It is
true that they far exceed all other nations in many of the arts and
sciences, and they also believe that they are the only people who
understand the true religion of heaven.
They are sending their missionaries to the east and to the west, to
the north and to the south, and they are penetrating every nook and
corner, to enlighten what they call the heathen nations. Is not that
the case? That arises from the traditions of their fathers which are
handed down to the children, and they are enveloped in them.
When we look at this people, could we expect them to become prepared
to be the disciples of the Lord Jesus in one, in five, in ten, in
twenty, or in thirty years? No. And it will be just as much as we can
do to be worthy to be the brothers and sisters of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ when he makes his appearance. Let us strive with all our
might, be as watchful as it is possible for us to be, apply ourselves
by faith and diligence to the keeping of his commandments, and
continue so doing until Jesus sets his feet upon this continent, and
we will then find that we are only just prepared to receive him. This
is the preparatory work, and it will prepare the people, if they will
live for it.
How can we live our religion, except we do as we are told? I will
reverse the question and enquire, How can this people do as they are
told, except they live their religion? They cannot. Every family—every
neighborhood is taught to glorify God. They are instructed from day
to day, they are taught the way of life and salvation, they are
counseled continually to seek unto the Lord their God, to obtain the
faith of the ancients, to obtain the light of the heavens, to walk in
the light of His countenance day by day; but how can you do these
things, except you do as you are told? You cannot. Neither can you
live your religion, except you do as you are told; for the people are
taught to live their religion—they are taught to cease from every
evil thought and every evil action, to cease having a murmuring
spirit, to cease having a doubtful feeling; and they are taught to
cease being neglectful in regard to any known duty. We are taught to
double our diligence where we have been slack, to seek unto the Lord
day by day, that we may have the light of his countenance upon us.
Brother Heber has been prophesying. You know that I call him my
Prophet, and he prophesies for me. And now I prophesy that, if this
people will live their religion, the God of heaven will fight their
battles, bring them off victorious over all their enemies, and give to
them the kingdom. That is my prophecy. I said amen to all that brother
Heber prophesied, for it is true; and he may say amen to all that I
prophesy, for it is also true.
I have no fears in regard to the kingdom of God upon the earth; but I
have fears lest this people be not prepared to receive glory,
immortality, and eternal lives, when those principles are presented to
them. This is all the fear that I have—that we will not walk up to our
privileges and be prepared for them.
I thank my Father in heaven—yes, my soul says, Glory, hallelujah,
praise the name of Israel's God, for the blessings I enjoy at the
present time! One year ago this very day, and previous to that
time, my soul was pained within me. No tongue could tell—it could not
be portrayed before the people, the feelings that I had: I could not
tell them; and I did not know but that, if I should come out in the
presence of the people and try to speak my feelings, they would call
me crazy. However, I tried to make the people understand my feelings,
but no tongue could tell them; and I actually believe that I would
have lived but a little time in this existence, had not God waked up
the people. I wanted to take up my valise and go throughout the
Territory crying, Is there a man in this Territory for God?
If you want to know how I felt, I cannot tell you better than by
describing my feelings in the way that I am now doing. One day, I told
a number of the brethren how I felt, as well as I could; and brother
Jedediah M. Grant partook of the Spirit that was in me and walked out
like a man, like a giant, and like an angel, and he scattered the fire
of the Almighty among the people. But what was the result so far as he
was concerned? He went beyond his strength, and it cost him his life.
There is now scarcely a man but wants to do as God would have him do
among those who claim to be Latter-day Saints, except those four or
five that brother Heber speaks of; hence we hold a very large majority
of that class of men and women who desire to do precisely as God would
have them, and my heart says, God bless the people. God bless you,
brethren and sisters. I bless you all the time. You are near my heart,
and it is all my business to look after the welfare of the Saints.
Remember that it will be just as much as you and I can do to prepare
to meet the Savior when he comes, no matter whether we previously go
into the grave or not.
There has been a great deal said in the lower world about this little
handful of people; for you terrify the whole world! Not alone in the
United States, but in England, in France, in Italy, in Germany, and in
every State upon the eastern continent, the people are looking to see
the result of the present movements of our Government towards this
people. They are looking at the Gospel we preach, the course that we
take, the influence we are gaining, and the numbers we are gathering
to us; and they look at the subject not only in a religious point of
view, but also in a national capacity.
Brother Heber said to you, if the time has come, designed by the Lord
Almighty, for the thread to be cut between this people and the residue
of the world, then the Lord will suffer our enemies to clip the
thread; and I am with him in that sentiment. But if the time is not
come, the Lord will not suffer them to come. If He designs that
traffic should continue between us and them, that we shall have the
privilege of bringing our immigration, of preaching the Gospel and
saving the people, let me tell you that they will not come; God will
stop them.
As for myself, I would just as soon this was the time as any other. If
it is the time for the thread, in a national capacity, to be severed,
let it be severed. Amen to it. But I will tell you what I have
concluded: when we talk of gold, of silver, of riches, of the comforts
of this world, with me it is the kingdom of God, or nothing; with us
it must be the kingdom of God, or nothing. I shall not go in for
anything half-way. We must have the kingdom of God, or nothing. We are
not to be overthrown.
Cannot this kingdom be overthrown? No. They might as well try to
obliterate the sun. And I should suppose that an experience of
twenty-six years would have proven to the wicked that it could
not be overthrown; but it only wakes them up to anger and stirs them
up to be more diligent in their opposition to the righteous. They have
been trying to break up this people and destroy their organization,
ever since we became a church; and every time they try, their
oppression forces us into greater note; they increase our numbers and
strengthen us in faith and in the knowledge and power of God. And how
long must they live before they can learn that such has been and
invariably will be the result? They will learn it when they get into
hell, and never before—never till they get into the spirit world; and
then they will see that they have all the time been fighting against
God; and never till then will they learn it. You cannot teach them
anything.
Here are men who have been with us for six or seven years, and if they
had any good, common philosophical power, they would know that ours is
something different from any other authority and organization in the
world. The union and peace that are here are in no other place on the
face of the earth. Here are power and influence that are nowhere else
on earth. Among this people there is an intelligence that is nowhere
else to be found. Can darkness discover light? No; and even when it
reflects itself, they turn it away as a trifling affair, and that
light which was in them becomes darkness; and then greater is their
darkness in the second instance than in the first.
Some of this people apostatize. But do you think that any would
apostatize from the kingdom of God, if they knew that it was the
kingdom of God? No. Why do they apostatize? Because, through
disobedience, that little light they were in possession of is taken
away, and they are left to believe a lie that they may be damned. That
is the reason why they go away.
I say to this people, Do as you are told; and if you live by every
righteous principle that you can learn and forsake every evil
principle and act through your whole lives as becometh Saints of the
Most High, all will be well. Can men live so that they can have the
serene, blessed, calm, soft, soothing Spirit of the Lord always to
abide with them? Yes, they can. And if they are tempted, they can
resist temptation. Can women? They can. If they have temptation, they
can resist it, and it will flee from them, and they will gain a
victory.
So live, day by day, that your lives will be like an even spun thread.
Let there be no lying, no backbiting, no evil; but let the whole life
of every man and woman tend to good. Then, when they have their
failings, they will forgive each other, and will find the words of the
Savior to be true, that his Spirit will be in them as a well of
living water springing up into everlasting life. Will they become
prophets? Yes, and prophetesses. Let them honor their religion until
they pass the ordeal, and they will reach the time when the Lord will
never suffer them to fall. There will be a time when the fountain of
life is within them; then they are prophets and prophetesses, and tell
the truth all the time. They walk no more in darkness, but in the
light; and that is the privilege of every man and woman.
Thank heaven that bickerings and contentions are lessening every year
among this people. Suppose that we all most strictly lived our
religion, would there be a hard word in this community? There would
not. Do you understand that? Never accuse a man or a woman of evil,
until you find out the cause. Never judge by the outward appearance,
but judge righteous judgment. And if persons who are striving to do
good should happen to commit an overt act, and are ready to
restore to the uttermost, then that would be the occasion of a feeling
of kindness and affection towards them. There is no reason for the
people to do wrong, but there is everything to encourage them to do
right.
The brethren have had a good deal said to them this morning, but I
feel to bless the people; and I wish you to live nearer and nearer to
the Lord. Seek unto the Lord our God continually; seek to possess more
of his Spirit; throw off the power of erroneous traditions and of the
evil influences that were around us in our youthful days and before we
came to a knowledge of the truth. Learn the things of God, and you
will find that they are very different from the things of the world;
you will find all the plans and schemes of the world to be so
different that you would hardly suppose that they ever knew anything
about the plan of salvation.
Also remember to lay up your grain. Brother Heber has been preaching
to you about that; therefore remember to lay up sufficient for your
families. Sow your grain early this fall. Many wish to know whether I
think we shall reap. I do not care whether we do or not. I intend to
sow early this fall, so that it will ripen next season. How bad we
should feel, if we did not sow, and all should be peace and safety
next season, to know that we could have harvested if we had sown. I
reckon that I should feel bad, if I were placed in such a condition;
but I will prepare for the people to live so long as they dwell upon
the earth.
What more will I prepare for? I will prepare for a fight, I will
prepare for peace, and I will also prepare for everything that comes
along; then I am ready for anything. Build? Yes, build, and make your
homes as comfortable as you can.
If I knew that I was going to burn all my buildings next season, it
would not hinder me for one hour from making improvements. The more I
do, the more I shall be prepared to do. And I am determined to prepare
to lay up the walls of Zion and to learn all I can, so that, if I
should happen to be one of the men to engage in that work, I shall
know how to commence and dictate the foundation of the walls of Zion
and those of the Temple.
A great many think that we have been extravagant in laying so broad
and deep a foundation for this Temple; but I would rather have that
foundation, though it should lay as it is till the Millennium, than to
have the most splendid superstructure built upon a sandy foundation.
What do you say, you men and women of judgment? [Voices, "You are
correct." ] Is there not more honor in that foundation, though it lay
there till we go back to Jackson County, than there would be in such a
building as I have named?
About two weeks ago, Elder Hyde began to say, "There is no knowing
where;" and I took the words from his mouth and continued, "The
Latter-day Saints will land in Jackson County, Missouri."
The Lord has suffered the wicked to drive us about, that we might
accomplish his designs the sooner. Some of you sisters are afraid of
cousin Lemuel; and some say that our enemies are bringing presents to
bribe cousin Lemuel. Let them bring and let them bribe, and then, if
the time has come, when they have got through bribing, cousin Lemuel
will turn round and take the rest.
God is at the helm. This is the mighty ship Zion. You stick to the
ship, and honor it, and see that you are in favor with the ship
Zion, and you need not worry about anything else. God has the hearts
of the children of men in his hands; he puts hooks in their
jaws and turns them about at His pleasure. God is here; the Holy Ghost
is here and rests upon this people, and I am a witness to it. I know
that the Holy Ghost dwells in the hearts of this people; and the world
are afraid of the union that exists upon this people. They were afraid
of that in the days of Joseph, and it has been their fear all the
time. You might take a Democrat, a Republican, a ranting Methodist,
and old, stiffnecked, ranting Presbyterian; and when they came to
consider Joseph Smith and the Saints, they saw that they were one in
faith, and it scared them all. They would say, "We are Methodists,
Baptists, and Presbyterians, but we are of different politics; in our
churches may be found all kinds of politics, but you, Joseph Smith,
alter men's politics; you change them and make them all one."
Brethren and sisters, do not be angry with them, for they are in the
hands of God. Instead of feeling a spirit to punish them, or anything
like wrath, you live your religion; and you will see the day when you
will pray God to turn away from your eyes the sight of their
afflictions.
There are thousands and millions in the United States, and in the
world, whose hearts are like an aspen leaf because of this little
handful of people in Utah. Pity them; for they know not whom they are
fighting against; they know not their destiny.
This army that is reported to be coming to this place know no more
about you and me than you know about the interior of China: they go
because they are sent. If they knew our real character, the soldiers
themselves would turn round and tell their officers to go to hell;
they would take a stampede, and if their officers urged them to come
and fight this people, they would turn round upon them or tell them to
do it themselves.
Now, do not feel angry. Are not they to be pitied? Yes. Are you to be
pitied? Yes, if you forsake God, or your religion. The Saints need to
be pitied for nothing but for forsaking their religion. Be careful
that you do not get darkness into your minds.
May God bless you. Amen.