I fully understand that all Saints constantly, so to speak, pray for
each other. And when I find a person who does not pray for the welfare
of the kingdom of God on the earth, and for the honest in heart, I am
skeptical in regard to believing that person's religion to be genuine,
and his faith I should consider not the faith of Jesus. Those who have
the mind of Christ are anxious that it should spread extensively among
the people, to bring them to a correct understanding of things as they
are, that they may be able to prepare themselves to dwell eternally in
the heavens. This is your desire, and is what we continually pray for.
Brother J. V. Long's discourse this morning was sweet to my taste; and
the remarks of brother T. B. H. Stenhouse were very congenial to my
feelings and understanding. Brother Long has good command of language,
and can readily choose such words as best suit him to convey his
ideas.
Brother Stenhouse remarked that the Gospel of salvation is the great
foundation of this kingdom—that we have not built up this kingdom, nor
established this organization—we have merely embraced it in our faith;
that God has established this kingdom, and has bestowed the Priesthood
upon the children of men, and has called upon the inhabitants of the
earth to receive it, to repent of their sins, and return to him with
all their hearts. This portion of his remarks I wish you
particularly to treasure up.
If the angel Gabriel were to descend and stand before you, though he
said not a word, the influence and power that would proceed from him,
were he to look upon you in the power he possesses, would melt this
congregation. His eyes would be like flaming fire, and his countenance
would be like the sun at midday. The countenance of a holy angel
would tell more than all the language in the world. If men who are
called to speak before a congregation rise full of the Holy Spirit and
power of God, their countenances are sermons to the people. But if
their affections, feelings, and desires are like the fool's eyes, to
the ends of the earth, looking for this, that, and the other, and the
kingdom of God is far from them, and not in all their affections, they
may rise here and talk what they please, and it is but like sounding
brass or a tinkling cymbal—mere empty, unmeaning sounds to the ears of
the people. I cannot say this of what I have heard today.
Those faithful Elders who have testified of this work to thousands of
people on the continents and islands of the seas will see the fruits
of their labors, whether they have said five words or thousands. They
may not see these fruits immediately, and perhaps, in many cases, not
until the millennium; but the savor of their testimony will pass down
from father to son. Children will say, "The words of life were spoken
to my grandfather and grandmother: they told me of them, and I wish to
become a member of the Church. I also wish to be baptized for my
father and mother and grandparents;" and they will come and keep
coming—the living and the dead; and you will be satisfied with your
labors, whether they have been much or little, if you continue
faithful.
Brother Long remarked that before he gathered to Zion he had imbibed
an idea that the people were all pure here. This is a day of trial for
you. If there is anything that should give us sorrow and pain, it is
that any of the brethren and sisters come here and neglect to live
their religion. Some are greedy, covetous, and selfish, and give way
to temptation; they are wicked and dishonest in their dealings one
with another, and look at and magnify the faults of everybody, on the
right and on the left. "Such a sister is guilty of pilfering; such a
brother is guilty of swearing," &c., "And we have come a long distance
to be joined with such a set: we do not care a dime for 'Mormonism,'
nor for anything else." The enemy takes the advantage of such persons,
and leads them to do that for which they are afterwards sorry. This is
a matter of great regret to those who wish to be faithful. But no
matter how many give themselves up to merchandising, and love it
better than their God, how many go to the gold mines, how many go back
on the road to trade with the wicked, or how many take their
neighbors' wood after it is cut and piled up in the canyons, or steal
their neighbors' axes, or anything that is their neighbors. You
live your religion, and we shall see the day when we shall tread
iniquity under foot. But if you listen to those who practice iniquity,
you will be carried away by it, as it has carried away thousands. Let
everyone get a knowledge for himself that this work is true. We do
not want you to say that it is true until you know that it is; and if
you know it, that knowledge is as good to you as though the Lord came
down and told you. Then let every person say, "I will live my
religion, though every other person goes to hell. I will walk humbly
before God, and deal honestly with my fellow beings." There are
now scores of thousands in this Territory who will do this, and who
feel as I do on this subject, and we will overcome the wicked. Ten
filthy, dirty sheep in a thousand cause the whole flock to appear
defiled, and a stranger would pronounce them all filthy; but wash
them, and you will find nine hundred and ninety pure and clean. It is
so with this people: half-a-dozen horse thieves tend to cause the
whole community to appear corrupt in the eyes of a casual observer.
Brother Long said that the Lord will deal out correction to the
evildoer, but that he would have nothing to do with it. I do not know
whether I shall or not; but I shall not ask the Lord to do what I am
not willing to do; and I do not think that brother Long is any more or
less ready to do so than I am. Ask any earthly king to do a work that
you would not do, and he would be insulted. Were I to ask the Lord to
free us from ungodly wretches, and not lend my influence and
assistance, he would look upon me differently to what he now does.
You have read that I have had an agent in China to mix poison in the
tea, to kill all the nations; that I was at the head of the Vigilance
Committee in California; that I managed the troubles in Kansas from
the beginning to the end; that there is not a liquor shop or
distillery but what Brigham Young dictates it: so state the
newspapers. In these and all other accusations of evildoing, I defy
them to produce the first show of evidence against me. It is also
asserted that President Buchanan and myself concocted the plan for the
army to come here, with a view to make money. By-and-by the poor
wretches will come bending, and say, "I wish I was a
'Mormon.'" All
the army, with its teamsters, hangers-on, and followers, with the
judges, and nearly all the rest of the civil officers, amounting to
some seventeen thousand men, have been searching diligently for three
years to bring one act to light that would criminate me; but they have
not been able to trace out one thread or one particle of evidence that
would criminate me. Do you know why? Because I walk humbly with my God
and do right, so far as I know how. I do no evil to anyone; and as
long as I can have faith in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to
hinder the wolves from tearing the sheep and devouring them, without
putting forth my hand, I shall do so.
I can say honestly and truly, before God, and the holy angels, and all
men, that not one act of murder or disorder has occurred in this city
or territory that I had any knowledge of, any more than a babe a week
old, until after the event has transpired. That is the reason they
cannot trace any crime to me. If I have faith enough to cause the
devils to eat up the devils, like the Kilkenny cats, I shall certainly
exercise it. Joseph Smith said that they would eat each other up, as
did those cats. They will do so here, and throughout the world. The
nations will consume each other, and the Lord will suffer them to
bring it about. It does not require much talent or tact to get up
opposition in these days. You see it rife in communities, in meetings,
in neighborhoods, and in cities. That is the knife that will cut down
this Government. The axe is laid at the root of the tree, and every
tree that bringeth not forth good fruit will be hewn down.
Out of this Church will grow the kingdom which Daniel saw. This is the
very people that Daniel saw would continue to grow and spread and
prosper; and if we are not faithful, others will take our places; for
this is the Church and people that will possess the kingdom
forever and ever. Shall we do this in our present condition as a
people? No; for we must be pure and holy, and be prepared for the
presence of our Savior and God, in order to possess the kingdom.
Selfishness, wickedness, bickering, tattling, lying, and dishonesty
must depart from the people before they are prepared for the Savior.
We must sanctify ourselves before our God.
I wanted to ask brother Long a question this morning—what he had
learned in regard to the original sin. Let the Elders who like
speculation, find out what it is, if they can, and inform us next
Sabbath. Or if you have anything else that is good, bring it along. I
wish to impress upon your minds to live your religion, and, when you
come to this stand to speak—not to care whether you say five words or
five thousand, but to come with the power of God upon you, and you
will comfort the hearts of the Saints. All the sophistry in the world
will do no good. If you live your religion, you will live with the
spirit of Zion within you, and will try by every lawful means to
induce your neighbors to live their religion. In this way we will
redeem Zion, and cleanse it from sin.
God bless you! Amen.