I rejoice in the privilege of meeting with the brethren and sisters—of
meeting, I may say, with Saints—with those who have gathered out from
the midst of the nations of the earth for the purpose of building up
the kingdom of God upon the earth with persons from almost every
nation, kin dred, tongue, and people. Actuated by a single motive, and
that motive and that object the building up of the Church and kingdom
of God, have this people gathered from among the nations and from the
islands of the sea. Should it not rejoice our hearts to meet such
characters? Should it not be a matter of pleasure to be
associated with such a community, and to have a part and lot in the
establishment of truth and righteousness upon the earth?
I feel to rejoice continually in connection with my brethren in this
work in which we are all engaged. No matter what order of occupation
we are in, it is all for this sole object—to establish righteousness
and peace, and put down every species of wickedness. Our object is to
establish a nucleus of power to protect and preserve righteous
principles upon the earth, and the kingdom and government of the
Almighty that shall never be thrown down. This is the motive, and it
is a great and glorious and a noble enterprise, and its results will
be pleasing, affording joy and peace in the Holy Ghost, and eventually
exaltation and eternal lives.
Our minds have been touched with the light of truth—the law of
heaven—the Spirit of the living God, and we have been enabled to see a
few things, and we have now come together that we may learn of those
principles. This work and cause which we have espoused is no idle
tale, but a living, stern, and glorious reality. It was said by our
Savior to the multitude, "What have ye come out to see? A reed shaken
with the wind?"
We can answer that question in the negative. No; we have come for a
great, grand, and glorious purpose. We have many things in connection
with this purpose to perform to unite our lives, resources, and powers
in the spreading abroad the truths of high Heaven, the gathering of
Israel, the redemption of Zion, and the establishment of the
principles of righteousness and peace upon the earth.
We have to train up our children in the nurture and admonition of the
Lord—to seek to establish the principles of righteousness among men—to
put down iniquity, stop the floods of wickedness and corruption that
almost overflow the earth.
It is a strong current we have to stem; it is a warfare. We have to
wage war against the powers of darkness; and sometimes it seems as
though the floods were so great that it would overwhelm the Saints. It
frequently appears as if there were no possibility of rising above it.
But our past experience has shown us that the Church and kingdom of
God has risen above these things, and that it has continually
increased and extended abroad, and it is still progressing, and will
continue to prosper from this time forth and forever. From its
commencement it has known no stopping place, neither will it ever.
We live in the generation of the world in which the set time to gather
Israel has come, to bring about and accomplish the purposes of God,
which must be brought about in the last days. The Lord has commenced
to gather and organize his people, that they may be more fully taught
in the principles of eternal life. It is now too late for the people
of the wicked nations to think that they can overcome it, as did the
wicked in days gone by; for this never can be done. The work of God
will roll forth in power, in might and strength, sweeping sin and
wickedness from the earth, and the Lord will rule King of nations as
he does now King of Saints.
This, brethren and sisters, is the work for which we are assembled
together, and we have the pleasure and satisfaction of knowing that we
can travel hundreds of miles here without meeting with scarcely any,
except these who have embraced the Gospel, and gathered to this
Territory for the selfsame purpose that we ourselves have. The
majority of the people in this extensive Territory have come for this
cause, and with a desire to do right and live the lives of Saints.
Is there wickedness here? Yes, there are those who have been
born in this kingdom, that have dishonored themselves—some of them,
too, that bear the names of those who were witnesses to the coming
forth of the Book of Mormon, as well as others who bear the name of
Prophets who are mentioned in that book. It pains my heart to see
it—to hear children profaning the name of the Deity. How will we feel,
if we train up our children to permit them to live in this way—in a
way that they will become a disgrace to their parents? Is it an honor
to be born in Zion? Is it a blessed privilege to be trained up under
the genial influences of that Spirit that leads to life and to an
understanding of the principles thereof? Is it not a blessing to be
enabled to discover and put far from us the false traditions of our
forefathers? If so, how much more the disgrace of that person who
dishonors his parentage, and the Church and kingdom of God, and that
will also dishonor himself? Men do this to themselves—to the kingdom
of God—the cause of truth and righteousness. But thanks be to our
Father that the cause of truth and righteousness cannot suffer at the
hands of the wicked, but Zion will rise and shine, and her greatness
and glory will be seen, and in her strength, power, and might she will
tread down every opposing foe. How should we feel in regard to our
children, and to training them up that they may not depart from the
ways of righteousness and truth? Does it meet with the approbation of
the Almighty when we neglect them? The Lord said to Abraham when he
blessed him—"I know that he will command his children after
him."
If this was a reason for giving blessing to Abraham, why should not
every man who will live for it get a similar blessing in this
generation? And in this way man can become great and mighty in the
kingdom of God, and be useful in the Church of Christ.
Then let us pursue this course, that our children may honor us in
their day and generation, that they may be an honor and an ornament
in the Church and kingdom of God, instead of being a disgrace to those
they associate with.
Mothers have a great deal to do with this; their duties and
responsibilities are great towards their children; and none need be
idle in this kingdom, for all can make themselves useful, no matter
what their calling is.
There is everything needed in the kingdom of God that is required for
the establishment of any other kingdom, save wickedness, and that I
suppose must abide until a righteous influence shall be raised broad
enough and deep enough to wither and dry it up. Then let us labor to
root up wickedness, and let righteousness prevail in the minds of the
Saints.
These are my feelings and my desires; and I pray God to bless all with
the light of his Holy Spirit to guide us in the path of virtue and
rectitude, that we may be enabled to do right, walk humbly and
obediently before our God, and continually do those things that shall
be pleasing in his sight, that we may at all times have his smiles and
approbation. This is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
- Daniel H. Wells