It is always pleasing and interesting to listen to the statements of
any of the servants of God who may be in possession of his Spirit, and
to watch the motion and direction of that Spirit as it operates upon
the human mind.
There are many things associated with the Church and kingdom of God
that are very peculiar: it differs from all other churches, and is
dissimilar to all other kingdoms. There is a spirit and wisdom
associated with it that the world knows nothing of, and there is a
power accompanying it to which mankind are entire strangers without
that spirit. There is generally a great amount of obloquy and reproach
associated with it; people are apt to treat the servants of God with
contempt; yet there is a spirit, and power, and intelligence imparted
by the gift of the Holy Ghost, that sustains his people under all
circumstances, in all places, and among all nations; and hence Paul in
his day said, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the
power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; For therein
is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith."
Ordinarily speaking, Paul would have been considered a mean,
contemptible fool by the world. He was whipped, persecuted,
imprisoned, stoned, and had to escape from mobs, being let down in a
basket over a wall, like some mean, crawling scamp that had to get out
of the way of civilized society: he was despised and hated among men,
together with his associates. Yet says he, "I am not ashamed of the
Gospel of Christ." Why was he not? Because there was a spirit and
power in it that was in nothing else. Wherever he preached that
Gospel—wherever it was believed in and obeyed, there was a power and
spirit accompanied it that no earthly power could impart; and those
persons who received it received the gift of the Holy Ghost; and that
Holy Ghost took of the things of God and showed them unto them: they
partook of the same spirit that he did, were enlightened by the same
intelligence, and blessed in the same manner, and, consequently, were
united together in the bonds of the everlasting Gospel, and associated
by the gift of the Holy Ghost, having a hope that bloomed with
immortality and eternal life.
I have seen, in my wanderings over the earth, hundreds of such cases
as the one we have listened to this morning. I have heard men speak in
different nations—in Germany, France, England, Scotland, Wales, the
United States, in the Canadas—no matter where, go where you will, and
let a man receive the truth, and his heart is filled with joy and
rejoicing. I see people around me here from all these parts
that I have heard testify the same things as our brother this morning.
It is this spirit, intelligence, and the gift of the Holy Ghost and
its operations on our minds, that has made us one. It is on that
account that we speak alike, think alike, write alike, testify alike,
because we are baptized into one baptism, and have all partaken of the
same Spirit, and we all feel the same thing and rejoice in the same
hope. Wherever the Spirit of God operates upon the human mind in any
part of the earth, it is productive of the same results; and hence you
see people coming in from the east, the west, the north, and the south
to this place, led and impelled by the same Spirit.
Why did you leave your homes, break up your establishments, bid adieu
to your friends and associates, and traverse oceans, seas, deserts,
and plains, in order to come here? Because you were inspired by that
same Spirit. And why were you inspired by it? How did it originate?
And where did it come from? Why, the Lord has set his hand to
accomplish his designs in these last days; he has opened the heavens
and revealed his purposes to his servants the Prophets, and has called
his people from the ends of the earth to gather together, that he
might establish his Zion upon the earth, and bring to pass these
things which have been spoken of by all the holy Prophets since the
world was.
We have listened to the voice of the charmer—participated in all the
blessings of the Gospel; and this has been the means of our gathering
together in this place. Why did we come here? For the same reason this
brother said he came—to serve God and work righteousness, gain
intelligence, and bring salvation to ourselves, to our wives and our
children, and obtain it for our progenitors. We came here to learn the
principles of eternal life, and be enabled to fulfil our destiny upon
the earth, and prepare ourselves and our posterity for a celestial
inheritance in the eternal worlds.
It seems strange to many, perhaps, that a people like us—a people as
innocent as this people are—a people who have desired to serve God as
sincerely as this people have—a people who are living up to the
principles of truth as near as we do—I say, it seems strange to them
that we should have to meet with any difficulty, be persecuted, that
our names should be cast out as evil, and we be treated with contumely
and bitter reproach, as the offscouring of all things; and that even a
nation like that of the United States should array itself against us.
Men, you know, all profess to be honest, more or less; and if they
are, this certainly has a very strange appearance.
Yet, when we come to reflect, and look back upon men who lived in
other ages, whom we have been taught to believe were honest and good,
as we profess to be, and see their names cast out as evil too, and
that some of the best of men had to wander in sheepskins and
goatskins, and dwell in deserts, and dens, and caves of the
earth—that they were destitute, afflicted, tormented, whipped,
stoned, imprisoned, and put to death—we see that it is only now as it
has been heretofore. This has been the state of things generally in
the world, so far as the servants of God are concerned in this world.
With all its boasted magnanimity, with all its intelligence, with all
its erudition, with all its talent, with all its pomp and glory, and
professed intelligence and philosophy, there has never been a time,
since the world began, but men of the most elevated character, of the
most exalted natures, of the best and most moral habits—virtuous men
that feared God and worked righteousness, have been
persecuted, cast out, and trodden under foot.
And there has never been a time, with but few exceptions, in some
isolated cases, that they had even equal rights among men, either
civil, religious, or political—I say, with very few exceptions, there
has never been a time that the representatives of God on the earth,
his servants, his Priesthood, his people—those that carried out the
principles of righteousness, and were obedient to his law, observed
his statutes, and kept his commandments—that such a people possessed
either their civil, religious, or political rights among men.
It is true that, on the continent of Asia, the Jews might be
considered an exception in this respect. They had a government which
lasted for a certain period of time; they made their own laws, and
governed themselves; and yet even among this people, who professed to
be God's people, those men who really did fear God, tell the truth,
and dared work righteousness, were generally trodden under foot. So
far even were they fallen, that when Jesus came among them he said,
"Which of the prophets have not your fathers slain—even you who
profess to observe his laws—you who boast of having Abraham for your
father, and have more knowledge of God than any other people?" He
could ask that with impunity to a whole nation, and they could not
answer him. If that was the case among them, what is the position of
others?
There was a certain time on this continent, from the accounts given in
the Book of Mormon, that a few people observed the laws of Jesus and
his Gospel, and kept his commandments without persecution; but it only
lasted for a short time: they soon departed from every principle of
righteousness, and were cut off in consequence.
What has been the position of others, if this has been the case among
good men? They began to persecute the Prophets and reject the word of
the Lord on this continent as on the other. You read of Sodom and
Gomorrah, and of the antediluvians, that every imagination of their
hearts was only evil, and that continually. You read again of the
abominations of Nineveh, of Babylon, of ancient Rome, and of the
bestiality that was practiced among them: they were sunk in an awful
state of degradation and corruption. They still are under the
influence of the god of this world, who rules in the hearts of the
children of disobedience, and leads them captive at his will.
Look at the world, and what does it present? Anyone familiar with the
history of the nations must know that it has been nation against
nation, kingdom against kingdom, power against power, dominion against
dominion. The history of the world from the time of its commencement
to the present is a scene of war, carnage, and desolation; and if you
travel on the continent of Asia, where their history is more
familiarly known than that of the inhabitants of this country, their
monuments, their picture galleries, and everything represent the very
thing of which I have been speaking.
You may go, for instance, into some of the galleries in France, and
you may read on the canvas the history of that nation from the third
century to this time, and it is a history of battles and combats,
blood and destruction, wherein the fiercest passions of the human mind
are developed. Here is portrayed massacres that took place at a
certain time, and there the desolation and overthrow of a city at
another period; the fierce struggle, the falling heroes, and the
lifeless corpses are all portrayed on the canvas on the walls, showing
that the shedding of human blood—that car nage and desolation
have prevailed everywhere since that nation commenced; and this is
called their glory, their pride, their boast: they will point it out
as the glory of their nation; and this thing has existed everywhere
else, among all nations.
Go into Asia, and you will find the same thing. Histories of the
Crusades furnish another example, together with the power, prowess,
and bloodshed introduced by Mahomet in his day. The history of the
whole world from that time to this presents a scene of war, tyranny,
cruelty, and oppression—man struggling with his fellow man, trying to
raise himself upon the ruin of others. The thrones of many kings have
been supported by a pyramid of human carcasses slain to gratify their
thirst for power and influence. There are heroes and great
men—statesmen, to whom we are to look upon as examples of power, of
dignity, and glory on the earth. Has right had anything to do with it?
No. Talk about God and his Prophets! They never thought about any such
thing; but, as the Scripture says, "God was not in all their
thoughts:" that was out of the question entirely.
Now, what has to be done in such a state of things? Will they forever
continue? Must the wicked always triumph? If a man dare to rise as a
man of God, cut off his head and trample him under foot! What chance
has the principle of truth to obtain a hearing on the earth under such
circumstances? There is none. So far as national power has existed to
protect right on the earth, we cannot find it anywhere. I presume the
nearest approach to it was on this land a few years ago, because a
number of oppressed men that struck out against oppression fled to
this country to find an asylum. They maintained the principles of
liberty and freedom, which they started with for some time: they had
suffered the evils of religious oppression, and appreciated freedom
therefrom, and were enabled to make laws to protect themselves and
their principles for some time.
By-and-by the same evil began to predominate here: religious
intolerance was practiced, professed witches and wizards killed,
Quakers were outraged and abused, law and order began to be trampled
under foot, and evil principles prevailed and began to be tolerated,
instead of righteous ones.
People affect to be astonished at the present time that we should feel
reluctance at having the appointees of so great and august a personage
as the President of the United States to rule over us; and they have
made this a cause for the cry of "Treason, rebellion," &c. We are
American citizens, and have at least some rights. Our fathers
professed to have, a few years ago, when they said that all mankind
had a right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
How was it that ten thousand armed men could come against us in the
State of Missouri? And what for? Because we dared worship God
according to the dictates of our conscience. Did the State know
anything about it? Yes. A memorial was presented to them, and
afterwards another to the President of the United States; and Martin
Van Buren, the then President, acknowledged to the justness of our
cause in the following words—"Your cause is just, but we can do
nothing for you." And so fifteen or twenty thousand American citizens
were disfranchised, robbed of their inheritances, and many of them
murdered in prison, many put to death, and hundreds perished in
consequence of privations they had to endure; and the chief magistrate
of the U.S. Government and people could do nothing for them. There is
no justice for the servants of God: you must not ask for it or
look for it. If it had been anybody else, they could have had it.
With these facts before us, how can any people think it odd that we
should mistrust their proceedings, and not have implicit confidence in
everything they do. How was it in Illinois? Under the pledge of the
Governor of that State, when he pledged himself most solemnly to
myself and Dr. Bernhisel, he gave us his most sacred word, if we would
go there unarmed, we should be protected. He pledged his honor and
the honor of the State. How was it done? Joseph and Hyrum, with
myself and Dr. Richards, were cooped up in Carthage jail by mere mob
violence under the immediate eye of the Governor. We made a strong
protest against the proceedings at that time. Yet he left the
prisoners there to be butchered by a mob, and he knew they were coming
upon them to kill them. Yet we must believe every word they say, and
must rely implicitly upon their word as if it was the oracles of God.
They are surprised we cannot do this and feel as they do.
Those holy men were put to death and butchered in a manner that would
have disgraced the Algerian pirates. What are you doing here,
gentlemen? Why did you come here? Because they would not let you stop
in Illinois. Who was the foremost in these things—in counseling your
departure? Two United States Senators. Stephen A. Douglas was one; the
name of the other I forget. And it was also recommended by Henry Clay.
They recommended us to leave our homes, our possessions, and to let a
beautiful city then inhabited become desolate, our gardens and fields
laid waste, and 30,000 American citizens to be disfranchised. What
for? Because they could not find protection in the United States; and
I told them of it at that time to their face. There is no law for
"Mormonism;" but yet we must have implicit confidence in them. Then,
after negotiations had been made and we came away, they were so
damnable, mean, and cowardly as to make war on the sick and infirm
that could not leave. The poor, miserable, cursed, damned scoundrels,
I pray that they may go to hell. [The whole congregation shouted
"Amen."] They now put on a smooth face: they have, perhaps, been at a
class meeting, some of them, and wonder why we won't let these
officers come in here—why we won't let the judges come here, such as
they shall appoint—why we won't let kind, gentlemanly men come here
and rule over us? You know such as we have had before in our midst.
Suppose we should ask a question or two about this, and reflect a
little about some of the proceedings that have taken place here. Here
was your Judge Drummond you had here. I was not here at the time, but
I heard all about it. He was one of the appointees of the Pierce
administration, that preceded this one. He came here and seemed
determined to get up a fuss, if he could: that seemed to be his sole
object from the time he came until he went away. He called upon a
corps of men here to go out and act as a posse comitatus to take up
Indians which he wanted to destroy. He was determined to hang
somebody. And if he could not get hold of the guilty, he wanted the
innocent: he had a thirst for blood in his bosom. He called upon the
Marshal of the Territory to summons heaps of men and capture those
Indians; and he sent them out in a season of the year that men would
rather give anything than go. But he called upon his official powers
as U.S. Judge, and threatened them with the pains and penalties of the
law. They go; and after wandering the deserts, canyons, and
plains, exposing their lives in the frost and snows, wearing
themselves and animals, after enduring every kind of privation, and
inconvenience—what next? This judge, after he had been so anxious
they should go, when their bills were presented at Washington,
repudiated all he had done, and says the people ought not to have a
penny for what they have done, after forcing them into it by the power
which he held in his hands. Thousands and thousands of dollars in
labor had been expended by this people at the instance of that Judge,
which, remains unpaid. Such men are infernal scoundrels, and ought to
be damned; and they will be. Yet they are the representatives here of
Uncle Sam, and everybody must take off their hats and bow to such mean
reptiles. He is Judge so-and-so; he is such a humble gentleman! And we
must be subject to such a state of things as this again! I will say,
"We will be damned if we will." That is about my feelings, gentlemen.
Besides that he was such an honorable representative of the U.S., and
wanted to introduce such beautiful principles among us, this very same
individual was so pure, so religious and holy, so virtuous and
righteous, his soul was pained in consequence of the doctrine of
polygamy: at the same time, he must bring an eastern whore to sit on
the bench with him, and thus insult the people of this Territory, and
left his poor wife desolate and forsaken in Oquaka, Illinois. This is
one of these immaculate characters they sent out here to ameliorate
your condition.
We need not say anything of their squaw operations. With that matter
you are familiar.
On the back of these things, the Legislature last year petitioned
Congress that they would not send such men here, but send men that had
some claim to decency and propriety. But this is one of the greatest
insults considered to be, to petition Congress. What right have
American citizens to petition? If this is a crime, you will have to
blame your Legislature for it. Because they do not want such wicked
scoundrels as these to govern them, they have actually sent out an
armed force here, with another posse of the same kind of characters to
cram them down our throats, and are determined you shall swallow them;
and if you are not willing to take them, they are determined you shall
have them forced upon you by the point of the bayonet.
These are some of the reasons why we act as we do. Would you like the
prospect of having such a set of scamps as those to rule over you—to
have them crammed down your throat, whether or not, and be obliged to
swallow them and everything associated with them, and allow them to
carry on their abominations here, to corrupt your wives and daughters,
and spread desolation around? Do you like the picture? The great
difficulty in the matter is that we are the people of God, and they
are not.
God has set his hand to accomplish his purposes, and they see more
intelligence, wisdom, union, righteousness, and correct principles
manifested by this people than by any other; and they are afraid it
will grow into a great kingdom, and they will not be able to put it
down; and they want to nip it in the bud, and pull down righteousness
on the earth, that the Devil may triumph. Will they accomplish it? In
the name of the Lord God of hosts, they will not. The hand of God is
over them, and it will continue to be until they shall be wasted away
and destroyed, and every power that is raised against Zion shall
perish and be brought to naught.
Now the kingdom of God is as suming another phase to what it
has done. The Lord has set his hand to work to accomplish his
purposes, and establish his kingdom, and the reign of right on the
earth. Is any man that fears God and works righteousness in torment,
trouble, and anxiety here? No. But if a man works iniquity, he is
afraid all the time that his head is going to be taken off; and many
of those mean scamps that fled from your midst went there with their
eyes staring wide open: they had just escaped with their lives. It was
very remarkable, but they did escape.
The sinners in Zion are afraid, and fearfulness shall surprise the
hypocrite. And I will tell you upon what principle you can see it
developed and made manifest, in a portion of the Book of Doctrine and
Covenants. It says, "When you shall go forth and deliver your
testimony, men shall rage against you and tremble because of you." How
many of you Elders, when you have borne your testimony, have seen
priests tremble like an aspen leaf! What makes men tremble here?
Because there is a concentration of the same power, which is the power
of God in opposition to the power of darkness. One thing I feel—I feel
like singing Hosanna—Glory to God forever, that we have found a place
where a righteous man can live and be protected in his rights. You
cannot find it anywhere else.
Is there a Methodist here, a Baptist, a Presbyterian, a Jumper, a
Shaker, a Spiritualist, or any other kind of religious person? They
can be protected here. Who injures them? They profess in the States to
protect everybody in their religious rights; but they are infernal
hypocrites: they do not do it.
There is not a country in the world where there is more religious
intolerance than in this boasted republic. Where is there a people
that have suffered as we have, in any country, for a number of
centuries back? And yet we have lived in this model republic, where
they proclaim liberty to every man—where they have declared that all
men shall worship God according to the dictates of their conscience.
The Lord has introduced a people, at last, among the human family that
will protect the people in their rights; that is, they can have a
right to do good, but not evil; and if they do evil, they will
tremble. Where you see a man shaking—his nerves unstrung, if you could
open his heart, you will see something black, unholy, and contrary to
the principles of righteousness. But there is nothing here that will
make men fear that work righteousness. But woe to the rebellious, to
the adulterer, the fornicator, the thief, and the ungodly man; for the
hand of God will be over such for evil, if they do not repent. They
will be rooted out of Zion.
God has set his hand to work to accomplish his purposes, to gather
together his people, to establish the principles of righteousness
among men, and overthrow the kingdom of darkness, and establish his
kingdom, and afford protection to the honest in heart among all
nations, to introduce a reign of righteousness that shall ultimately
prevail over the world. The Devil has had rule and dominion, and
brought men into bondage, and subjected the righteous to be overthrown
and trampled underfoot by evil men in every age; and they want to do
it now. But Brigham Young has said, Stop, and they have stopped. Why?
Because Brigham said so. When they go back, it will be said, "Well
gentlemen, why did you not go into Utah?" "Because Brigham Young
pointed his finger and said, Stop, and we stopped." "Were any of you
fired on?" "No." "Their men were told not to fire on us, and they
did
not; but Brigham only said, Stop, and we stopped."
It is the first time for a long while that the principles of
righteousness and truth have withstood the powers of darkness, yet it
has here so far. Upon what principle? Upon the principle of union,
faith, purity—upon the principles of obedience to the laws of the
Priesthood, which are the laws of God; and because we have honored
God thus far, he has honored us. And what shall we do, to continue
his protection with us? Continue to improve, progress in doing right,
obey counsel, live our religion, and seek to carry out the designs of
the Almighty and his representatives upon the earth. And if we do
these things, in the name of Israel's God we shall arise and flourish,
and Zion will become a terror to all nations.
Do you not feel a little of it in your bones—of that spirit growing
and increasing? And you feel as easy as can be. I was thinking the
other night, there are those poor devils out yonder shivering and
shaking in the cold, and we are acting as though there were no armies,
and as though there were no United States; and we, but a little
handful of people, are dancing, and rejoicing, and praising God, in
security. There is a spirit of peace here, and all is right and well.
How will that be maintained? By virtue, righteousness, purity, and
obedience to the laws of God, and carrying out his designs.
I pray that God may bless you, and guide you on in peace, that we may
be saved in his kingdom, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.