I wish to bring before your minds what brother Hyde began to state in
a portion of his remarks, that he was sorry to see certain conduct,
and yet he does see it; that if a person is overtaken in a fault, he
is very much inclined to hide it, if he can. I think this trait to be
very natural. Brother Hyde is sorry for the same things that I am. If
I have injured any person, I ought to confess to that person and make
right what I did wrong. But suppose that I have sinned against God,
and no being on earth but myself knows anything about it, should I
conceal that sin, or reveal it to the public?
It is just as natural for us to dissemble as it is for us to breathe.
This is what brother Hyde had on his mind. Where brethren, though they
be in high standing or low, are in fault and have injured their
brethren, they should make full restitution. There are a few who will
frankly acknowledge their faults, though only a few will do so. Is not
this our experience? It is mine. If I am faulty towards my God, I will
keep my faults from the people as long as I can. Is there any good
reason for this? There is. Were I to relate here to you my private
faults from day to day, it would not only do you no good, but it would
injure you. If you were to relate your private faults to one another,
it would tend to injure you; it would weaken and not strengthen either
the speaker or the hearer, and would give the enemy more power. Thus
far, I would say, we are justified in what some call dissembling. I
will also say, so far as I am concerned, that I pray the Lord Almighty
to so preserve me that you cannot find fault with me righteously. Do
you not desire the same?
I have my weakness, and you have yours; but if I am inclined to do
that which is wrong, I will not make my wrong a means of leading
others astray. Many of the brethren chew tobacco, and I have advised
them to be modest about it. Do not take out a whole plug of tobacco in
meeting before the eyes of the congregation, and cut off a long slice
and put it in your mouth, to the annoyance of everybody around. Do not
glory in this disgraceful practice. If you must use tobacco, put a
small portion in your mouth when no person sees you, and be careful
that no one sees you chew it. I do not charge you with sin. You have
the "Word of Wisdom." Read it. Some say, "Oh, as I do in private, so
I
do in public, and I am not ashamed of it." It is, at least,
disgraceful to you to expose your absurdities. Some men will go into a
clean and beautifully furnished parlor with tobacco in their mouths,
and feel, "I ask no odds." I would advise such men to be more modest,
and not spit upon the carpets and furniture, but step to the door, and
be careful not to let any person see you spit; or, what is
better, omit chewing until you have an opportunity to do so without
offending.
But if you have stolen your neighbor's cattle, own it, and restore
the property, with fourfold if it is requested. If you have taken your
neighbor's spade, own it, and return it, with fourfold if he requires
it. I believe in coming out and being plain and honest with that which
should be made public, and in keeping to yourselves that which should
be kept. If you have your weaknesses, keep them hid from your brethren
as much as you can. You never hear me ask the people to tell their
follies. But when we ask the brethren, as we frequently do, to speak
in sacrament meetings, we wish them, if they have injured their
neighbors, to confess their wrongs; but do not tell about your
nonsensical conduct that nobody knows of but yourselves. Tell to the
public that which belongs to the public. If you have sinned against
the people, confess to them. If you have sinned against a family or a
neighborhood, go to them and confess. If you have sinned against your
Ward, confess to your Ward. If you have sinned against one individual,
take that person by yourselves and make your confession to him. And if
you have sinned against your God, or against yourselves, confess to
God, and keep the matter to yourselves, for I do not want to know
anything about it.
It has been the doctrine of some Elders in this Church (whence they
got it I do not know, without they got it from the Devil), that all
the sin you can hide from your brethren and sisters, no matter what
its nature and magnitude, will not be brought against you in the day
of judgment. Such persons are greatly mistaken. For the sins you
commit against yourselves and your God, unless repented of and
forgiven, the Lord will hold his private council and judge you
according to the degree of guilt that is upon you; and if you sin
against others, he will make that public, and you will have to hear
it. You need not think that you can hide your sins. Confess your
secret sins to your God, and forsake them, and he will forgive them;
confess to your brethren your sins against them, and make all right,
and they will forgive, and all will be right. The doctrine of hiding
sin is a false doctrine. If such doctrine be true, how will any be
brought into judgment? And how is it that their secret words and
thoughts and idle words will be brought into judgment? The Scripture
saith—"But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak,
they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy
words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be
condemned." Be careful not to have evil words and evil thoughts, "For
the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged
sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and
of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart."
Keep your follies that do not concern others to yourselves, and keep
your private wickedness as still as possible; hide it from the eyes of
the public gaze as far as you can, and make the people believe that
you are filled with the wisdom of God. I wish to say this upon this
particular point in regard to people's confessing. We wish to see
people honestly confess as they should and what they should.
I can say, as far as my knowledge extends, that there is a decided
improvement among this people. When the Elders go forth and preach to
the world, they see the weaknesses of the people and the improvement
that is required at their hands. Though we see many weaknesses
in this people, yet we can see that the kingdom of God is rolling and
increasing; and it is no matter what becomes of the world, if they
will not repent of their wickedness.
Brother Hyde has remarked that State after State is leaving the Union,
but there is no Union to leave; it is all disunion. Our Government is
shivered to pieces—it is in fragments, as will still more be made
manifest. But the kingdom of God will increase. Then let every person
that desires truth and righteousness increase in all the wisdom and
knowledge they can gather from every source in the heavens and on the
earth, from one another, from the angels, and also from the wicked.
Gather the wisdom they have, and treasure it up in good and honest
hearts, and increase continually. And let us righteously guide our own
minds and feelings, and guide the people in the ways of all
righteousness. Take people in every capacity of life, and their wills
are first and foremost. You can gain and lead the affections of the
people, but you cannot scare them, nor whip them, nor burn them to do
right against their wills. The human family will die to gratify their
wills. Then learn to rightly direct those wills, and you can direct
the influence and power of the people.
I have frequently thought, looking at the inhabitants of the earth,
matters would be different, were it not fashionable to be sinful—were
it, as it was in the beginning, a disgrace for a man to be sinful, and
a credit to do good. I expect to see the time when the inhabitants of
the earth will pride themselves in doing good. But now goodness,
truth, and virtue are publicly frowned upon. The time will come when
we shall be proud to have it said of us that we are good persons. Even
now the wicked world, in their sober reflective moments, honor a
just, righteous, and truthful person a great deal more than they do a
person who falsifies his word; but they generally keep that secret.
The time will come when the people will be proud to be Saints; it will
be an honor to them. Will that be their feeling in regard to this
Church? Yes. But the Lord will suffer this people to be afflicted
until they are made pure and holy, so that when people feel a pride in
being virtuous, truthful, and Godlike, it will be a holy pride, an
angelic pride, a delightful, heavenly pride, to exalt and praise the
name of our God and acknowledge him wherever they are.
Suppose the eyes of the inhabitants of the earth were opened to see
the heavenly things and the earthly—to understand the evil that is
attached to the earth and to the children of men—which do you think
they would choose? Do you not think the whole world would choose the
good? Yes, as readily as a hungry person would choose to go into a
dining room and eat a good dinner. Would he not rather do this than go
naked on the ice in the dark and wander hungry all night? Every person
would delight in doing good, if his eyes were opened to see. This
people are increasing in knowledge and heavenly wisdom; they are
willing to do whatever we require of them. Only let them know what is
required of them, and they will perform it with alacrity.
May the Lord bless you! Amen.