I am happy in discerning from brother Calkin's remarks that he is
really expanding and improving. He could not have talked to this
people before he went on his mission as he can today. I now know that
he has been prompt and fervent in the discharge of his duty, and has
enjoyed the Spirit of the Lord. And so far as I have learned
concerning his labors, I do not know but that I am perfectly
satisfied with his course during his absence. He reported himself
immediately upon his arrival, before he went home, saying, "I am here,
and all I have is here; now what is wanted of me?" Go home, rest, and
make yourself happy and comfortable, and by-and-by we will have a long
talk. I am pleased with his remarks today. He is ready to leave again
tomorrow, to go here or there, east or west, north or south. This is
a satisfaction to me. He feels to bless the people, and to pray for
them. He has had no doubt in regard to the results of the afflictions
or seeming trials that our enemies strove to bring upon us. Every
heart that believes in the fulness of the Gospel of life and
salvation, as it is revealed in this our day, has never had a doubt as
to the good results: there is no doubt in the case. We may fail, if we
are not faithful; but God will not fail in accomplishing his work,
whether we abide in it or not.
I will now express a wish in relation to all who may rise here to ask
a blessing on the bread and water of the sacrament, or to speak to
such large congregations as assemble here. When a blessing is asked
upon the bread and water by some persons, you cannot hear them ten
feet from the stand, and only a few persons in this vast congregation
can hear one word. I want brother Hunter to let his voice partially
correspond with his body; and when brother Hardy opens his mouth, or
any of the rest of the Bishops, I want their voices to correspond with
the occasion; I want them to so lift up their voices that all may
hear, that all may say "Amen." When the Elders rise here to speak, I
want them to so raise their voices that the people can hear them, that
the audience may be able to say "Amen" to all the good; and if there
is evil, refuse it. Naturally, I speak low, and use but few words; but
here I see thousands of people who wish to hear what is said; and how
can they hear, unless the speaker uses sufficient voice? I am often
obliged to so raise my voice beyond my natural strength that it hurts
my lungs and my whole frame; but I do this for the satisfaction of the
people. I want my brethren to do the same, that the hearts and faith
of the congregation may have an opportunity to join in the worship of
God. When anyone rises to preach, pray, sing, exhort, or bless the
sacramental emblems, let him do so with voice sufficient for all to
hear.
I am highly gratified with brother Calkin's report in relation
to the Foreign Missions. We understand the situation of the brethren
in those Missions, and one fact we wish the Saints at the
gathering place to understand. How many hearts are now ready to
receive what I am going to say? How many of you can receive the
sentiments I will now advance, and treasure them up—make them more
choice in your feelings than the pure gold? They are worth everything
to us and to the people abroad. Do you know that here is the standard,
the nucleus, the fountain, the head for all the exercises of the
kingdom of God upon the face of the whole earth? Now, let the Saints
in this congregation droop in their faith, and that spirit will spread
before tomorrow morning throughout the vast domain of this creation.
Every Elder that goes abroad is a witness of this fact. This spirit
spreads through a telegraphic influence or force that is independent
of wires. Let this people at the gathering place wake out of their
slumbers, gird on their armor, and go forth like men of war against
wickedness, and every Branch throughout the Church feels the influence
in a very short time—it is speedily imparted to all creation. The
wires, as it were, are set, the lightnings flash over them, and all
feel the influence, when we are doing our duty here. It all depends
upon us here. "Are we not obliged to send forth Elders?" Yes, for
helps and governments, which are all necessary to God's work.
Here is the kingdom, the Priesthood, and the power. Here are the eyes,
and here is the sense; the head and the body are here, and every
component part that comprises the kingdom of God upon the earth. The
small Branches abroad feel the impulse of the spirit here, whether it
is for good or for bad, whether it is for information, for
forgiveness, for life, for faith, for light, or for power, or
apostasy; the whole Church throughout the world feels the spirit that
predominates here. Hear it, O ye Saints, and profit by it. We are
sending forth our Elders, and do you think it is in our power to tie
their hands? If the head that has sent them forth into the world to
preach the everlasting Gospel goes to sleep in its armor, wallows in
wealth, or in anything that is this side of the power of God, our
Elders are at once tied; they feel the oppression, are trammeled and
weakened, and will totter and fall, unless the head is wide awake for
them.
Brother W. C. Staines, in his remarks, wished the Saints here to
remember him in their prayers. Thousands here will hold him up in
their faith and prayers. I wanted to add to his life on the earth,
which going on his mission will do, even many years, if he does his
duty. Such will be the case with brother John Needham. They are
merchants, and have heard that they are sent on this mission because
they are speculators. I do not know anything about that, but I feel
that it is time that William C. Staines went on a mission: his life is
worth more than the gold which he gathers from the sale of the goods
he deals in. He is going on a mission, and is going just right.
Brother Needham has been a merchant from his youth, and brother
Staines has been a tiller of the soil. I have not the least fault to
find with either of them; but brother Needham would probably die in a
short time, were he to stay here. If he goes on this mission, he will
probably live many years to do good, and be richer than if he stayed
here and followed merchandising. We have called them because we want
them to go, and we wish them to go their way rejoicing.
We have promised the Missionaries, if they will live according
to the manifestations of the Spirit, and preach the Gospel by the
power of God sent down from heaven, that they will feel more of the
Spirit and power of their calling than they have ever felt before. Do
you think that we are always going to remain the same size? I am not a
stereotyped Latter-day Saint, and do not believe in the doctrine.
Every year the Elders of Israel are improving and learning, and have
more power, more influence with the Heavens, more power over the
elements, and over diseases, and over the power of Satan, who has
ruled this earth from the days of the fall until now. We have to gain
power until we break the chain of the Enemy. Are we going to stand
still? Away with stereotyped "Mormons." I have more power than I had
last year. I feel much stronger than ever before, and that too in the
power of God; and I feel as though I could take the people and bring
them into the presence of God, if they only hearken to counsel. Do you
think that I am improving? "Yes." Keep up, then; keep your places, and
follow in the track.
The kingdom of God is all that is of real worth. All else is not worth
possessing, either here or hereafter. Without it, all else would be
like a dry tree prepared for the burning—it is all consumed, and the
ashes are driven to the four winds. Let the brethren who go upon
missions go with the power of God upon them, and shun every appearance
of evil. Love the Gospel and cling to the Lord. Seek unto him by day
and by night, that you may have his Holy Spirit to be with you to
guide your feet and your affections, and give you wisdom to ask and
answer questions; then you will not be apt to fall into temptation and
be caught away in the snares of the Devil.
So far as I have learned, the brethren and sisters have most liberally
responded to the call made on them last Sunday for sending forth the
Elders. I have not a full list of the contributions, or I would report
it to you today. A few of the Bishops have reported to me what their
Wards have done, but I have not learned the full amount that has been
collected. So far as I can learn, the Saints have felt the
responsibility that is upon them. It belongs to us to send the Gospel
to the uttermost parts of the earth, and it belongs to the Elders to
preach it. Some may say that the Elders ought to start from here
without anything, and go into the world and get their support. You who
have never given anything, since you have been in the Church, for the
spread of the Gospel, have an opportunity to begin now; and those who
have always been on hand to help will help more; and between the two
classes, we will receive enough to send the Elders abroad, and sustain
their families during their absence, so far as their families need
assistance.
I wish the Elders to go forth as I have taught them. If you have a
clean shirt and one to be washed, then be satisfied. If you are
clothed so as to be comfortable, be satisfied, and do not let your
minds reach out after anything, only to preach the Gospel and gather
the souls of men. That is all the business you have upon your hands—it
is your whole mission; and trust in God to get home—trust in the Lord
to go from place to place, and the way will be opened for you. And
when you start to come home, if you have more than you need to bring
you home, without bringing a dress pattern for your wife or children,
and though, when you reach home, your own clothes will be worn to
strings and tatters, if you have five dollars more than you need to defray your expenses on your return, help the poor Saints
with it, and I will warrant you more food to eat, more clothing to
wear, and more friends in heaven and on earth, more houses, lands, and
possessions, than you would have, were you to bring home rich dresses
for your wives and expensive clothes for yourselves, with your minds
shrunk with covetousness and love of the world.
I have been striving with my brethren, all the day long, to build up
the kingdom of God. As long as Joseph lived, I labored with all my
might with my brethren. In the days of the Prophet it was proven to a
demonstration that he could not bear off this kingdom without temporal
means. If this was absolutely necessary in his day, why not now?
Elders of Israel have taken a course—those who have been to Australia,
to the East Indies, to California, San Bernardino, the State of New
York, Philadelphia, and other places in the United States, and those
who have had charge of the European Missions, to keep every dime out
of my hands. I will not suffer this any longer. They require me to
bear off the kingdom of God, and they would keep every dollar from me,
if they could. I am satisfied with the brethren, for they seem to have
supposed that this kingdom was a kingdom of merchandise. I do not say
that the brethren have done as they have with their eyes open, for
they are as good men as ever walked on this footstool; but they have
been mistaken. This is the kingdom of God, to gather the poor, for the
poor are the people of God, and they shall inherit the earth; and if
you make merchandise of anything, buy the souls of the children of
men, and bring them into the kingdom of God, and lay them at the feet
of Jesus.
Every person who knows anything about life must know that it requires
means to carry on this work; and that means I shall require, from this
day forth, to be at my control, and not at the beck and call of every
Elder; and at the same time they make me gather the poor and pay all
the debts of the Church. We want to build the Temple walls on this
block. We now support thousands of people, and wish to support
thousands more. They want hats, coats, shirts, dresses, tea, coffee,
and sugar. The wife wants the comforts of life to give to her husband
while he is laboring hard, and for herself while she is knitting
stockings, etc., for the hands. The Elders abroad are wallowing in
their riches, and there are women here before me in their silks and
satins that have been bought with money that belongs to my purse. They
shall not do this any longer. I wrote to brother Calkin to give me a
history of matters abroad: he has done so. In the emigration
operations of one season Church funds were kept out of my hands by
Elders, and they rolled seventy-six thousand dollars of Church
indebtedness on me to pay, and that too without the least
notification, until it was all transacted and done. While the Elders
were buying the best silks and satins for their wives, and the most
expensive clothes for themselves, with the money that I ought to have
controlled (going out preachers and coming home merchants, with their
pockets full of money and drafts), I have had to take the old worn-out
horses, and the old toothless cows, and the potatoes, and wheat, when
they would not bring money, and make a shift of a shirt, and a shirt
of a shift, and a pair of breeches of a shirt, and then make another
shift to get hold of money to keep the work in motion. If I were not
one of the best financiers on the earth, we should have been in
trouble today; and all I know, God has taught me. I have been obliged
to ask brother Wells to work like a slave, to deal for me here
and there, and change property, and to keep him running until he was
almost run out; and now the people are teasing him all the time, for
they want dresses, shirts, boots, pantaloons, etc.; and he has nothing
to give them, while some are rolling in wealth.
I am going to make the Elders of Israel help to bear off this kingdom,
or I will scourge them until they do. "How is it with yourself,
brother Brigham?" I would rather wear gray homespun than your fine
broadcloth. I have it made up; but, to please my family and the
people, I wear such as I do. I would as soon wear a good homemade
coat as a coat of the finest cloth in the world. As to food, my
greatest luxury is roasted potatoes and a little good, clean, sour
buttermilk. Such fare is good enough for Brigham.
Now, let me say to you all, and hear it, O Israel, you have either to
give me the control of the Church funds, and pay your Tithing
promptly, or take the responsibility of bearing off this kingdom. If
the Twelve Apostles and the Presidents of Seventies and the High
Priests will take the responsibility of bearing off this kingdom and
sending the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth, of gathering
the poor, building up Zion, and doing all that is necessary
preparatory to the coming of the Son of Man, Brigham is with you to
labor with you all his days, and support himself. I have fed and
clothed myself from the beginning, and I am willing to do it now, and
to spend all my time in the work of God, no matter in what department.
If you take the responsibility, you shall have the means; but if you
roll the responsibility upon me, I must have the means. If you wish me
to bear off the kingdom, will you give me the means to do it with? If
you will, raise your right hands. [All hands were raised. To the
contrary vote, not a hand was raised.]
We all should follow our leader; and when we are perfectly united in
one, we produce the best results for Israel.
God bless you! Amen.