Having been called on this morning to address you for a short time, I
arise with very great pleasure to do so; for I always love to meet
with the Saints, to gaze upon them, and to contribute my mite in
offering instructions to them, so far as the Spirit of the Lord shall
give me utterance. I conceive that, without the aid of his Holy
Spirit, we as Saints can do very poorly either as speakers or as
hearers. For, unless the Spirit of the Lord directs and guides us, we
are all of us in a very poor position indeed. In fact, it is very
difficult for any of us to understand really and positively what would
be for our best good without its aid. In the world they know
comparatively nothing about this. They call evil good, and good evil.
They call darkness light, and light they call darkness.
Mixed up as we have been with the Gentile world, and having formed our
habits and customs among them—having been accustomed to feel as they
feel, to reason as they reason, and to associate with them, it is
sometimes very difficult for us to understand what would really be for
our benefit and advantage, whether pertaining to this world or to the
world which is to come.
I presume as we obtain more of the Spirit of God—as we receive faith
and intelligence that flow from him and the revelations that he
imparts and will continue to impart to those who are faithful,
we shall begin to understand things in a very different light from
what many of us at the present time understand them. Even in temporal
things there is a great difference among men in regard to their
judgment, capacities, reasoning powers, and their comprehension of
justice, equity, the rights of man, the duties that we owe to each
other, and the various responsibilities that devolve upon us. But when
we come to contemplate the things of God, the end of our existence,
our origin, the position that we occupy in relation to our families,
to each other, and to the Church and kingdom of God, it is very
difficult sometimes for us to understand things correctly in relation
to the position of the world, to the things that have been, to the
things that are, and to the things that are to come—to the purposes
of God in relation to the human family, and how these purposes will be
best advanced. We shall find, in reflecting upon all these matters,
that there is a very great difference between the reasoning of the
human family upon these matters and the plan that God would adopt for
the accomplishment of his purposes and for the bringing to pass the
things that have been spoken of by the holy Prophets since the world
began.
There is not a position that we can occupy in life, either as fathers,
mothers, children, masters, servants, or as Elders of Israel holding
the holy Priesthood in all its ramifications, but what we need
continually is wisdom flowing from the Lord and intelligence communicated
by him, that we may know how to perform correctly the various duties
and avocations of life, and to fulfil the various responsibilities
that rest upon us. And hence the necessity all the day long, and every
day and every week, month, and year, and under all circumstances, of
men leaning upon the Lord and being guided by that Spirit that flows
from him, that we may not fall into error—that we may neither do
anything wrong, say anything wrong, nor think anything wrong, and all
the time retain that Spirit, which can only be kept by observing
purity, holiness, and virtue, and living continually in obedience to
the laws and commandments of God.
There was a people to whom one of the ancient Apostles said, "But ye
have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things and need not
that any man should teach you: because of the anointing that dwelleth
in you, which is truth, and no lie."
When men obey the Gospel with pure hearts—when they are baptized in
the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and have hands
laid upon them for the gift of the Holy Ghost, and they receive that
Spirit and live in obedience to the dictates of that Spirit, it will
bring things past and present to their remembrance, lead them into all
truth, and show them things to come. This is part and parcel of our
belief.
What is the reason we do not always comprehend things right? Because,
in many instances, we give way to temptation. We let our old
prepossessions, feelings, and influences, by which we have been
governed heretofore, predominate over the Spirit of God, and we fall
into error and darkness; and "If the light that is within us becomes
darkness, how great is that darkness!" It is not enough, then, that we
are baptized and have hands laid upon us for the gift of the Holy
Ghost. It is not enough even that we go further than this, and receive
our washing and our anointings, but that we daily and hourly and all
the time live up to our religion, cultivate the Spirit of God, and
have it continually within us "as a well of water springing up unto everlasting life," unfolding, developing, making manifest
the purposes and designs of God unto us, that we may be enabled to
walk worthy of the high avocation whereunto we are called, as sons and
daughters of God to whom he has committed the principles of eternal
truth and the oracles of God in these last days. It would be found
very difficult for any individual left to himself to do right, to
think right, to speak right, and to fulfil the will and law of God
upon the earth; and hence the necessity of the organization of the
Church and kingdom of God upon the earth, of the properly organized
Priesthood, of the legitimate channel, check, bounds, laws, and
governments that the Almighty has introduced into his Church and
kingdom for the guidance, instruction, protection, welfare, upbuilding,
and further progress of his Church and kingdom upon the earth. As in a
school it requires a man more competent to be a teacher than those who
are taught, so in the Church of God; and hence the various grades and
positions of the Priesthood. When a President, Bishop, or those having
authority live up to their religion and cleave unto God, it is
expected by us at all times that they will comprehend things under
their immediate jurisdiction—things that they control, know the wants
of the people and the best course for them to pursue, better than the
individuals they teach; and this extends throughout all the various
ramifications of the Church of God, from the First Presidency down.
And indeed, between the First Presidency and the Lord of Hosts there
is a regularly organized channel through which the blessings of his
kingdom flow unto his Saints, when they are found in obedience to his
laws.
It is something like the streams that water our city. At first they
come out in large streams from the mountains; then they are divided
off into sections, which spread and diminish into smaller sections:
but they all flow through the legitimate channel.
How could any of you water your gardens, if the City Creek should be
stopped? It would not only stop the leading channel, but all the
little channels. We are made thus to depend upon one another in the
order and kingdom of God. Where is the necessity of all this? Because
of the things I first mentioned. But have not we all the Spirit of
God? We ought to have. Well, then, can we not all understand? Yes, if
we live our religion, we can understand the various duties that
devolve upon us as individuals—as fathers, mothers, and children, or
as Elders of Israel. We can understand those several and distinct
duties to a certain extent; but we cannot lead the Church and kingdom
of God—we cannot point out the path for it to walk in. Why? Because
that does not belong to us. It belongs to the head. One of those
little streams that you get to water your garden cannot supply all
this city. No: but it can supply your garden, if it flows through the
proper channel.
Suppose that little stream should say, "I am independent of the
fountain," would it be so? You know it would not. It is like the
branches of a tree and the root and stock of a tree. The branches
flourish on a healthy stock, and one little twig on the outside, with
a few green leaves upon it and a little fruit, is very productive,
beautiful, and pleasant to look upon; but it is no more than a
portion of the tree. It is not the tree. Where does it get its
nourishment from? From the root and the stock or stem, and through the
various branches that exist on the tree. It is only a small portion of
the tree. It is all the leaves, twigs, branches, stem, and
roots that comprise the tree. The branches do not support the tree,
the root, or the stem; but the stem supports the branches, and the
roots the stem; and it is through that that life and vivacity flow to
the branches.
As a Saint you say, "I think I understand my duty, and I am doing very
well." That may be so. You see the little twig: it is green; it
flourishes and is the very picture of life. It bears its part and
proportion in the tree, and is connected with the stem, branches, and
root. But could the tree live without it? Yes, it could. It need not
boast itself and get uplifted and say, "How green I am! And how I
flourish! And what a healthy position I am in! How well I am doing!
And I am in my proper place and am doing right." But could you do
without the root? No: you bear your proper part and position in the
tree. Just so with this people. When they are doing their part—when
they are magnifying their calling, living their religion, and walking
in obedience to the Spirit of the Lord, they have a portion of his
Spirit given to them to profit withal. And while they are humble,
faithful, diligent, and observe the laws and commandments of God, they
stand in their proper position on the tree: they are flourishing; the
buds, blossoms, leaves, and everything about them are all right, and
they form a part and parcel of the tree and conduce to its life,
health, symmetry, beauty, and general appearance.
But if we do not magnify our calling, what then? We become like
withered branches. And what is done with them? A good gardener will
cut them off, because they disfigure the tree: they are not pleasant,
lovely, and beautiful to look upon. But does the most flourishing
branch in the tree sustain the tree? It helps to do it; but it is not
the tree: it is dependent on the larger branches, through which the sap
or nourishment flows until it comes to the little twig and fruit on
the outside of the tree.
This is a fit similitude of the Church and kingdom of God. We are
cemented together—united in the bonds of one common covenant. We are
part and parcel of the Church and kingdom of God which the Lord has
planted on the earth in the last days for the accomplishment of his
purposes and the establishment of his kingdom, and the bringing to
pass all those things which have been spoken of by all the holy
Prophets since the world began. We all stand in our proper places.
While we magnify our callings, we honor our God; while we magnify our
calling, we possess a portion of the Spirit of God; while we magnify
our calling, we altogether comprise the tree; while we magnify our
calling, the Spirit of God flows through the proper channels by which
and through which we receive our proper nourishment and are instructed
in things pertaining to our welfare, happiness, and interest
pertaining to this world and the world to come.
But as it is very difficult to enter into all the minutia pertaining
to a tree, a shrub, or herb, so it is difficult to enter into all the
duties, responsibilities, and influences brought to bear and weigh
upon the Saints of God and upon his Church and kingdom on the earth.
For instance, the tree requires water and good soil to nourish it; it
requires congenial atmosphere and the hand of the pruner sometimes, in
order to keep it right. So does the Church and kingdom of God. There
are various influences that are brought to bear on it, in order that
it may flourish and grow. How can we grow, as a Church and kingdom,
unless we are taught of the Lord through some medium that he has
appointed.
Who is there that can rise up and tell the destiny
of this Church and kingdom? Who is there, for instance, that can point
out the bearings and the operation of the soldiery that are now on our
borders? Who can tell the Lord's design in relation to these matters,
and why it is that we are thus situated? Why we are called upon to
resist them, few as we now are? Could not the Lord control it
otherwise? He could. Has he not the hearts of all men in his keeping?
Could he not roll them back very quickly? Yes; or he could cause them
to come on here. Why is it that he has allowed them to come to a
certain distance, and kept them there, placing them like some of you
mothers sometimes do, when you hang up a rod, that the children can
see it, and that you can point to when they are naughty?
Why is it that we have been driven and afflicted and persecuted, and
our names cast out as evil, and that we have had to endure so many
privations, sufferings, toils, and hardships for the last twenty
years? Who can solve these questions? Who can enter into the secrets
of the Most High and unravel the mysteries that dwell in mind of
Jehovah?
Who can tell why these things are brought to operate as they do, and
why we are placed in those peculiar circumstances in which we so
frequently find ourselves as we travel through this veil of tears?
Does that belong to the little twigs and branches? No. It may be a
secret in the mind of the great God which is not fully developed unto
us. We may comprehend a part of it, and realize in some degree the
position we occupy and the dealings of God towards us; but who can
tell it in its full bearings? Who can comprehend the end from the
beginning? Who can see what the Lord designs towards us as individuals
and towards us as a people? Or rather and more directly, who can tell
what he has destined concerning his Church and kingdom upon the
earth—when and how and by what means it shall progress, whether by
affliction or prosperity, whether by passing through scenes of trouble
and difficulty, or by elevating us and giving us peace and the
prospect of a great deal of good according to our ideas of things?
Who can tell what means the Lord may make use of to benefit you or me?
Does it remain for the outside twig or the little stream flowing from
the fountain to unravel these matters? No. Who can point out the
position we shall take in a Church capacity, in the capacity of the
Priesthood, in the capacity of heads of families, in a military
capacity, or in any other capacity, in relation to all these matters?
It needs a great controlling, directing influence to sustain, govern,
direct, enlighten, and dictate. It needs that every branch of the tree
and every twig should be in its proper place, and should receive that
nourishment from the proper source, and that spirit, and that
intelligence, and that direction which God has ordained according to
all the laws of nature and that is interwoven in all his transactions
with the human family—that there should be a great directing,
controlling influence to guide and direct his affairs.
Furthermore, why is it that there is so much confusion in the
world—that we have imbibed so many incorrect principles while living
among them, which we find is so difficult to rid ourselves of at this
time? It is because men have not been under that influence and power,
but every man has done that which he has considered to be right,
without any respect to the great fundamental principles of government
and the laws that ought to regulate and control the human family. This
has been one great cause of the calamities that have afflicted
the world in a social, in a family, and in a national capacity; for
nations, like individuals, have all corrupted themselves, have
forsaken God, and have never been under the great governing influence
that ought to regulate and control the affairs of the world.
And why is it that we sometimes feel so much of the spirit of
rebellion in our bosoms and the spirit of independence, falsely so
called, and feel so desirous to pursue our own course, and a latent
principle within us which is so reluctant to render obedience to the
laws of the kingdom of God?
In the first place, it is because of our early associations—of our
former habits of thought and reflection. In the second place, it is
because we do not cultivate sufficiently the Spirit of the Lord,
which, if we did, would show unto us the right way and enable us to
appreciate the privileges we enjoy. It is, perhaps, one of the hardest
things for those associated with the Church and kingdom of God, or for
the human family, to render obedience to the laws that regulate that
kingdom and to the Priesthood which God has placed in his Church to
govern it. Why? Because of our former associations and habits, and
because of the power of the prince and power of the air who rules in
the hearts of the children of disobedience, and goes about as a
roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
We are apt to look at things in too narrow a compass, like a little
twig on the end or furthest branch of a tree. It is very flourishing;
its buds and blossoms are very elegant and fragrant, because it is in
a healthy position. But then it would be very foolish for that little
twig to say it knew all about it, when you could not cut it from the
tree a single day but it would wither and die, and all its beauty and
fragrance would depart.
Have we any light, any intelligence, any knowledge? Have we advanced
in the principles of truth communicated to us? Yes. How did we get our
intelligence? Tell me, ye wise men of the world—you that have mixed
with the world and have studied their laws, principles of government,
usages, habits, and customs, and have made yourselves familiar with
their erudition. What do you know of the relation and fitness of
things, of the position man occupies to his Maker? What do you know in
relation to yourselves as individuals? What do you know in relation to
the purposes and designs of God? What do you know about the first
principles of the Gospel of Christ? I do not think you know anything
about them. If you do, you are wiser than men I have come across in my
travels through the world. Just as that little twig is indebted for
its life and vigor to the tree, so are you indebted entirely to the
Lord for the light and intelligence you have received on every
subject. You are indebted to the Spirit of God for your wisdom and
intelligence, as much as the little twig is indebted to the tree for
its vitality, leaves, buds, and fragrance.
If that is the case so far, how much more will it be so in the future?
Who is there that can contemplate the mind of God and unravel the
designs of Jehovah? Who can foretell the destiny of the human family?
Who can point out the path that we as a people shall walk in? Who
shall say, in regard to any of the dealings of God with us, that this
is right and that is wrong—that such a thing is for our benefit, and
another thing is for our injury? Who can mend, alter, or change these
events, and make them better than they are? If we cannot tell all
these things, let us be reminded of another thing—never to find fault
with things as they transpire—with things that we cannot improve.
Some of us may say, "Well, it is a little hard that we should
be placed as we are at the present time; and if we had been in Egypt,
it might have been better with us. However, if we were now in Egypt,
we could not say we were eating the leeks and onions, for we are now
eating them. Our enemies are on the outside. But we might say we are
thrown into awkward circumstances. We have had to go out in the
inclement season of the year to face a foe, because of our religion;
and if we had been somewhere else we might have avoided it." You
might, and you might have not: that would altogether depend on
circumstances.
If you had been among those fellows out eastward, you would have been
worse off a great deal. I would rather be in our position than be in
theirs. "But the future!" say you: "How do we know but next spring
they will come in here and swallow us completely up?" Brother Brigham
says, "We shall have to be greased first." And there is no grease on
their cattle to do it at present. What do we know about these things?
I speak so that we may reflect upon them. "We would a little rather
those men were away somewhere else." I do not know that I would. I
feel, notwithstanding our inexperience, and the many blunders we make,
and the various evils many of us fall into, that we are the best
people under the face of the heavens, and that God has called us, and
set us apart, and placed his name among us, and given unto us the
oracles of God to reveal unto us his mind and will, that by us he may
establish his kingdom on the earth.
In relation to anything that has or may transpire, I feel that we are
in the hands of God, and all is right. "But we would like to have
whipped those fellows out" —so say some of us. "We would like to see
them turn tail too and go off their own way." But I would not, because
the Lord would not. I feel perfectly easy that I am in the hands of
God, and everything I have; and so are you. We are his people, and he
is our God, and his Spirit dictates, rules, controls, and governs; and
while we do right, and keep the commandments of God, and live up to
our privileges, we have a right to claim the Spirit of God and live in
the enjoyment of it every moment of our life.
As it regards his kingdom and purposes, I would rather risk his
judgment and plan than my own. I feel myself so incompetent, and I
believe you are the same, and know so little about the future designs
of God and his purposes pertaining to the human family, and what will
most conduce to our individual welfare and to our welfare as a people,
that I do not want to put my hand to steady the ark.
I will say, "It is the Lord, and let him do what seemeth him good." If
he has a mind to let the Devil send up one thousand, ten thousand, or
five hundred thousand men against us, all right. I was going to say,
Who the devil cares? We are in the hands of God. And while we are
willing to do his work and fulfil the duties that devolve upon us, it
is his business to take care of his Saints. He has said it is, and I
feel like saying amen to it.
I want to learn what my duty is, not only for one day, but every day,
and then to try to do it. This is a feeling we ought all to have, as I
understand it. A great work has to be established on the earth.
We read and talk about things and reflect upon what the Lord is going
to do. He is going to build up his kingdom, and all kingdoms, powers,
and dominions will be brought into subjection to the kingdom of our
God; and "every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and
under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are
in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be
unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and
ever."
These are very nice words, and the prospect is very pleasing indeed.
But, the question is, Can we acknowledge the hand of God? Can I
acknowledge his dealings with my family? If you reflect back, some of
you were in better circumstances than you are now: you were better
clad and provided for in many respects. While you reflect on this, and
find that you have many hard things to cope with, can you say, "It is
the hand of God; let him do as seemeth him good?" If you have to go
out into the cold storms and snow, and if your wives are troubled
about it, you sisters, can you say, "It is the hand of God, and let
him do as seemeth him good?"
Can you feel that you are the children of God, associated with his
kingdom, and that it is one thing to talk about a thing, and another
to do it? Can you feel that you are willing to do your duties, magnify
your callings, submit to whatever the Lord places upon your shoulders,
and say, "It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good?" If we,
who profess to be Latter-day Saints—we, who have taken upon us the
name of Christ—we, who have been baptized in his name for the
remission of sins and had the laying on of hands for the gift of the
Holy Ghost—who have received our washings, and anointings, and
teachings from the mouthpiece of Jehovah—we, who have lived under the
sunshine of the light and intelligence that flowed from the mouth of
God—if we, who have partaken of so great and precious privileges and
blessings, cannot do these things, how long will it be before every
creature in heaven, on the earth, and under the earth will be heard to
say, "Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him,"
&c.? It
is necessary for us to reflect upon these duties and responsibilities,
and try, each one of us, so to live, act, move, and obey, and so to
fulfil the laws, commandments, and ordinances of God, that in every
position we occupy we shall move along like a well-organized piece of
machinery, or like a tree whereon every branch, stem, leaf, twig, and
blossom will be found to flourish, that we may all magnify our God and
flourish before him.
Do you not think the Lord will take care of his own tree or people?
And do you not think he will do just what is right? Some of us would
have liked to have killed a lot of those soldiers. I would, if the
Lord had said so; and if he did not want it, I did not. It is rather a
dirty business anyhow; and if he has a mind to use some other means
and let them wiggle themselves out their own way, I have no objections
to it. I would rather go out in the canyon and live on bread and beef
than go to work at killing men. If the Lord can make use of us in that
way, it is all right.
I do not remember having read in any history, or had related to me any
circumstance where an army has been subjugated so easily, and their
power wasted away so effectually without bloodshed, as this in our
borders. If this is not the manifestation of the power of God to us, I
do not know what is. Has any man's life been lost in it? No—not one.
It is true our brethren have been fired upon; but their balls failed
of doing the injury that was expected. Our brethren were told not to
retaliate, and they did not do it. Where is there such a manifestation
of the power of God?
Suppose you or I had had the dictation of this matter, we should have
been firing clear away on the Sweetwater, and killed a lot of them
before they got here. It was not we, then, that directed this
matter. No. Who was it? Why, it was those who are placed over us; and
those very things that seemed hard for us to do at that time have
really accomplished one of the greatest things that history has yet
developed. The power of God never was made more manifest.
Where did it take place, and how? Out of the fountainhead. It flowed
through the stem of the tree: it came from City Creek Canyon, to go to
one of our former figures, and through the proper channels. My
judgment would have said, "Go and kill them off," long ago. I should
have said, "Holloa, here!—150 men drive those teams in here that are
on Ham's Fork before the soldiers arrive, and then we will kill off
the scoundrels by piecemeal." And that would have been the judgment of
most men: it would have been according to natural reasoning. But God
does not see as men; he reasons not as man. Although we may partially
comprehend our individual duties, we do not understand how to
regulate the Church of God. It needs the regular organization and the
Spirit to direct through the proper channels; and hence the result of
these events that are manifest now before our eyes.
Would you like the soldiers away? I do not know that I would; I do not
care anything about it. Perhaps the Lord may have hung them up there,
like the mother hangs up the rod and points to it. Does the mother
want to hurt the child? No. Neither does she want to be continually
scolding. The Lord may not be angry at us, but he does not want us to
be continually disobeying his authority and going contrary to his law.
Suppose Uncle Sam should rise up in his red hot wrath, and send 50,000
men here—[President Brigham Young says his own fire would burn him
out]—who of us can tell the result? I speak of these things that we
may reflect. Who can tell what will come next? Who knows about the
future? You see the position we are placed in—that we are dependent
on the Lord and on his counsel, and all that we can do or say will be
according to that from this time henceforth and forever. Zion begins
to rise, her light being come. The glory of the Lord is rising upon
us.
Will the law of God go from Zion, and his word from Jerusalem? Will he
rebuke strong nations afar off and manifest his power through his
Priesthood? How, when, and in what manner will these things be brought
about? Who can say? Do you not see that we are just as ignorant today
in regard to many of the events that pertain to the kingdom of God as
we were on the day we were baptized? At the same time, we were then
ignorant in relation to many principles that are now plain and
familiar to us. And so it will be from this time forward. It needs a
guiding hand—a man filled with the Spirit of God, and not only that,
but the Lord to communicate with, that he may comprehend the designs
of God and lead forth Israel in the paths they should go.
What shall we do, then? Shall we begin to fret, and whine, and grunt,
and groan about this and that, and because we think things are in a
very bad fix? We ought to feel that we are in the Church and kingdom
of God, and that God is at the helm, and that all is right and will
continue to be. I feel as easy as an old shoe.
What if we should be driven to the mountains? Let us be driven. What
if we have to burn our houses? Why, set fire to them with a good
grace, and dance a jig round them while they are burning. What do I
care about these things? We are in the hands of God, and all is right,
Brother Brigham says we are used to it, and we shall not feel it hard.
Brethren, we are eternal beings and are associated with
eternal principles: we are in the Church and kingdom of God upon the
earth, and that kingdom is an eternal kingdom, and we are bound by and
associated with eternal principles: we are beginning to live forever,
and are acting not only for time, but for eternity. And as our minds
expand and the things of God unfold themselves unto us from time to
time, we shall see the fitness of things and the wisdom, guidance, and
protection of Jehovah, just as much as it has been manifest unto us in
the events that have lately transpired. And if we go to sleep or die,
it is only the starting point to live forever.
We have got within us the principles of eternal life. If our bodies
shall crumble into the dust, we shall move in another sphere and
associate with other intelligences that are connected with the same
kingdom and government, and continue to live and roll forth the
purposes of God. And if we should have a war and a few things like
this, never mind: who cares? Just grin and bear it. Do right and
cleave to God, and all will go off well.
These ideas lead us to reflection and to consider the designs of God;
and if we are faithful, they will tend to purify us. No trouble for
the present is joyous, but grievous; yet it yields the peaceable
fruits of righteousness to those who are exercised therewith; while we
look not at the things that are seen, but things that are not seen;
for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are
unseen are eternal.
How many evil propensities yet remain in our bosoms! How prone are
we to depart from the right path! How liable are our spirits to rebel
against the order and government of God! How many feelings are in us
that do not accord with those principles that dwell in the bosom of
Jehovah and cannot associate with those intelligences that are
associated with him in the eternal world! How necessary it is that we
should have faith, teaching, instruction, and a whole train of events
to keep our minds awake to the subject of our existence as eternal
beings, that we may honor our calling on the earth, honor our God,
fulfil our destiny, to prepare us for a celestial exaltation in the
eternal world! Do you not see the necessity of these trials and
afflictions and scenes we have to pass through? It is the Lord who
puts us in positions that are the most calculated to promote the best
interests of his people. My opinion is, that, far from these things
that now surround us being an injury to us and the kingdom of God,
they will give it one of the greatest hoists that it has ever had yet;
and all is right and all will be right, if we keep the commandments of
God. What is the position, then, that we ought to occupy—every man,
woman, and child? Do our duty before God—honor him, and all is right.
And concerning events yet to transpire, we must trust them in the
hands of God, and feel that "whatever is is right," and that God will
control all things for our best good and the interest of his Church
and kingdom on the earth. If we live here and prosper, all right; if
we leave here, all right; and if we have to pass through affliction,
all right. By-and-by, when we come to gaze on the fitness of things
that are now obscure to us, we shall find that God, although he has
moved in a mysterious way to accomplish his purposes on the earth and
his purposes relative to us as individuals and as families, all things
are governed by that wisdom which flows from God, and all things are
right and calculated to promote every person's eternal welfare before
God. May God bless you and guide you in the way of truth continually.
Amen.