Discourse 1889-07-29 [D-149]

ReadAboutContentsHelp

Pages

1
Indexed

1

THE DESERET WEEKLY.

PIONEER PUBLICATION OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION. ESTABLISHED JUNE, 1850.

TRUTH AND LIBERTY.

NO. 8. SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 1889. VOL. XXXIX.

REMARKS

By President Wilford Woodruff, at Grantsville, (Tooele Stake Conference), Monday Morning, .

REPORTED BY A. WINTER.

I am very much pleased at the report whch we have heard from the President and Bishops of this Stake of Zion. I do not know of any Stake that we have visited that has given as good a report, considering all things, as has this Stake of Zion. I rejoice that you are united, for union is what the Lord requires of the Latter-day Saints; and if we are not one, we cannot be counted as the Lord's.

Among other things, I am very much gratified at the report concerning our young people. I have, I may say, peculiar feelings with regard to the rising generation in these mountains. I reflect a great deal concerning them and what lies before them. The organizations among the young people are of vast importance, and the Lord has greatly blessed these organizations, in raising up men who have been inspired to labor in connection therewith. These Associations have proved a blessing in years that are past, and they are a blessing today. Here are the Primaries. Our sisters organize the children together in these Societies. This is the first step after they leave, as it were, the instruction and teaching of the mother. The fathers sometimes teach them, I suppose; but, as a rule, we regard the mother as the one who gives shape to the character of the child. I consider that the mother has a greater influence over her posterity than any other person can have. And the question has arisen sometimes, "When does this education begin?" Our prophets have said, "When the spirit life from God enters into the tabernacle." The condition of the mother at that time will have its effect upon the fruit of her womb; and from the birth of the child, and all through life, the teachings and the example of the mother govern and control, in a great measure, that child, and her influence is felt by it through time and eternity.

Our children go to the Primaries. There they are taught the first principles of the Gospel and about the birth of Christ. This lays a foundation for them to build upon. From the Primaries they go to the Sabbath Schools. We have a very large number of children—over sixty thousand—enrolled in Sabbath Schools. President George Q. Cannon has taken an active part in the organization and conducting of these schools. He was inspired to do this, and they have been a great blessing to this people. From the Sabbath Schools these children go to the Young Ladies' and Young Men's Improvement Associations, there to continue improving themselves. When we call for Elders to go abroad on missions we almost invariably choose those who have graduated in this manner.

Well, I will tell you some of my thoughts and feelings with regard to our young men and maidens. Of course, I know and you know that this is the Kingdom of God. I know that this is the great and last dispensation, which the God of heaven ordained before this world was created; for I believe that the Almighty knew what He was going to do with this world before He made it. He knew what kind of spirits were going to occupy it, and what kind of work would have to be performed in order to save His sons and daughters who should come upon the earth. And in reading the history of the dealings of God with men, from the creation of the world to this dispensation, we see the Father has labored to bless His sons and daughters. He gave His only begotten Son to die to redeem the world—a sacrifice such as only God himself could give. And in these last days He has commenced the organization of the great and last dispensation—the greatest of all dispensations. Adam, Enoch, Moses, and the prophets saw our day. They had before them the vision and revelation of this work, and they prophesied concerning it. Now, the Lord has labored with us for nearly sixty years since the organization of this Church. It has grown like a little child from its mother's breast. It has grown like a mustard seed, until it is becoming as a tree, for the fowls of the air to lodge in the branches thereof. [##Luke 13:19##] Its history has been very peculiar in some respects; but it has laid the foundation for a great deal of faith in the minds of the honest and meek of the earth. We have had a warfare right from the time when Moroni first visited Joseph Smith, before the latter received the plates. [##Joseph Smith-History 1:49-54##] Lucifer and all his evil spirits have labored for the destruction of this work. They labored to defeat, if possible, the going forth of the Book of Mormon—the stick of Joseph in the hands of Ephraim. [##Ezekiel 37:15-20##] Joseph Smith himself, only fourteen years after the Church was organiz[e]d, was martyred. He had his blood shed, as a testimony of the truth of his mission. I have traveled with Joseph Smith many hundred miles. I have also traveled with Brigham Young and the Apostles, and I have never had any doubts with regard to the truth and final triumph of this work. I have none today. I have no doubts about Zion becoming all that the prophets saw it, in its glory, its power, its dominion and strength, with the power of God resting upon it.

In view of all these things, the question which has arisen in my mind, and which has caused me a good deal of thought, is, who is going to take this kingdom and bear it off? Unto whom is the Lord going to look to take this kingdom in its final triumph and prepare it in its perfection and glory for the coming of the Son of Man? To our sons and daughters. It is these young men and maidens who dwell in these valleys of the mountains that have got to asume this responsibility. Upon their shoulders this kingdom has got to rest, when their fathers and elders have passed to the other side of the vail. This is before me just as plain as the light of the sun in the firmament of heaven. And when I consider this, I ask myself, what condition are our young men and women in?

Last edit 5 months ago by Wilford Woodruff Papers
2
Indexed

2

Are we, as parents, doing our duty towards them? Are they trying to qualify themselves and preparing for the great destiny and work which lie before them? I think they are, to a certain extent. But when I see any of these young men going astray and going to these saloons, drinking and smoking, instead of going to Sabbath School and to meeting to qualify themselves, I feel sorry. I would regret to see any son or daughter of mine or of my neighbors going astray, because they would be losing great glory, and depriving themselves of the privilege of stepping forth and taking the place of their fathers and of the prophets and apostles of God, and filling the different quorums of the Church. They would be losing that which they do not comprehend. When, however, I hear a testimony like that given here today concerning our young people, it gives me joy and consolation.

I feel that it is our duty to do all that we can in behalf of these institutions in our midst. It is the duty of the presidents, the superintendents and the teachers to do all they can to influence our sons and daughters to unite together and to qualify themselves by learning out of good books. They should be taught to seek for the Spirit of God and to treasure up wisdom, and to obtain those principles of power which they will need in the day when the judgments of God shall descend upon the earth. I rejoice when I see our young men and maidens trying to do their duty. The Lord is raising up young men who are being clothed upon with the Spirit and power of God. I rejoice in this. I am satisfied that they will increase; but I feel that they should be taught and encouraged to qualify themselves to take the Kingdom of God and bear it off.

There is a great destiny awaiting our young men. Therefore, they ought to be temperate; not drink whisky, not chew or smoke tobacco, and not mingle with the drunken. And it is the duty of those who are not married to take these daughters of Zion to wife, when they arrive at a proper age. There are no better women on the face of the earth than those that dwell in these mountains of Israel. If there is any virtue anywhere, it exists among the women that live in Zion. The same with the men. Our young ladies are virtuous; their mothers are virtuous; and their fathers are virtuous. There may be exceptions; but the Lord has gathered together a people who are virtuous. My feelings are that every young man in Israel should get married when he arrives at a proper age. It does not cost any man more to provide these girls with food and clothing after they are married than it does before. It does not cost any more for yourselves. But you are then prepared to begin to gather some means around you. Do not wait until you have about ten thousand dollars and have fine horses and carriages. You will get them just as quickly after you are married, and possibly quicker, than you will before.

It is our duty to get married at the proper time. It is the law of God. Therefore, I would like to see you young men take these daughters of Zion to wife. Look at the posterity of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and see how they spread throughout the whole world. The tribe of Judah has remained until this day; but had they not been of the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and had they not been blessed by father Jacob, they would doubtless have been destroyed long before this. The Jews put to death the Savior and His Apostles, and had they not been of the chosen seed they would never have been allowed to remain on the earth; but they have remained almost undiminished, in the midst of all the persecution and tribulation which they have had to suffer.

These are some of my feelings, brethren and sisters, with regard to our young men and maidens. They occupy a position, as I have often said, that no previous generation ever occupied. Many of these young men and maidens that are here today will, in my opinion, if they are faithful, stand in the flesh when Christ comes in the clouds of heaven. These young people from the Sabbath Schools and from the Mutual Improvement Associations, will stand in the flesh while the judgments of the Almighty sweep the nations of the earth as with a besom of destruction, in fulfillment of the revelations of God, and they will be the very people whom God will bless and sustain. Therefore, I say, our young men cannot begin too quickly to qualify themselves by treasuring up wisdom and calling upon God and getting the Holy Priesthood; for they have got to stand in holy places while these judgments are poured out upon the earth. The nations of the earth are rejecting the testimony which we bear; they are rejecting the Gospel of Christ; and these judgments of God, like a few drops of rain before the shower, are beginning to descend upon the earth. We hear of floods, of fires, of earthquakes. These are only the beginning of sorrows. These judgments will increase, and they will continue to increase until all that has been predicted by the prophets of God will come to pass upon the earth.

Now, brethren and sisters, we are trying to prepare ourselves for exaltation and eternal life. We have received the Holy Priesthood. There is no change to that Priesthood. It belongs to the Celestial Kingdom of our God. It does not belong to the terrestrial nor to the telestial kingdom. If you and I ever get into the celestial kingdom, we have got to keep the law of that kingdom. Show me the law that a man keeps and I will tell you where he is going. We, as Latter-day Saints, have everything to encourage us. We have received the Gospel of Christ and the blessings thereof. What did we know in regard to God and salvation until the Lord revealed Himself? Who ever knew, before the Lord revealed it to us, that a man could have his wives and his children with him in the morning of the resurrection, in the family organization, with himself at the head, to dwell together for ever and ever? I have thought many a time that if I labored until I was as old as Methusaleh and by that means could have my family dwell with me in glory in the eternal worlds, it would pay me for all the pain and suffering I could endure in this world. And this is only one of the blessings that are promised unto us.

Our young people should labor to qualify themselves by reading the revelations of God. There is no time to waste in reading novels. Read the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the records which the Lord has given unto us, and treasure up these revelations and see what the Lord has promised unto us. We then treasure up something of worth to us. At one of our meetings a short time ago President Cannon read the revelation contained in the Doctrine and Covenants with regard to what the Lord said to Orson Hyde, Wm. E. McLellin and other Elders going out to preach. The Lord said, speaking through Joseph Smith:

"And whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost, shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation." [##Doctrine and Covenants 68:4##]

Why is this? Because the Holy Ghost is one of the Godhead, and consequently when a man speaks by the Holy Ghost, it is the word of the Lord. We should seek to obtain this Spirit that it may be with us all the time and become a principle of revelation to us. It is the right of every man in the Church to enjoy the presence of the Holy Ghost.

Brethren and sisters, we are living in a fast age, and we have no time to waste. This is a time when the Lord is going to cut His work short in righteousness. I have a desire that we, as a people, shall understand the position that we occupy before the Lord. In the ##Doctrine & Covenants 121|121st section of the Doctrine and Covenants##, the Lord, in speaking to Joseph Smith while in Liberty Jail, says:

"Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen?

"Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson—

"That the rights of the Priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness." [##Doctrine and Covenants 121:34-36##]

In Kirtland, a number of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles apostatized. Why did they apostatize? Because they forsook the Lord, they stopped praying, they wanted to get rich, they sought for the honors of men and for the riches of the world; and notwithstanding

Last edit 5 months ago by AMalc36
3
Indexed

3

they were Apostles their power fell from them. If a man wishes to keep faithful, he has got to live near unto the Lord, remember his prayers, and realize that he is at work for the Lord and for His Kingdom.

I thank God that you are united here. I hope you will continue to be so. Do not quarrel over anything. It makes me sorrowful when I hear of men holding the Priesthood wanting to go to law because they have not got sufficient water. This is wrong. It is against the law of God. When we are united we have power with God and with each other. I hope and pray that we may so live in these valleys of the mountains that every operation against us may come to naught, and it will if we do our duty. I do not pretend to know how many tribulations or how much suffering we shall yet have to endure before Zion is established in her beauty and glory; but I do know that Zion is not going to be moved out of her place. The Lord, however, will chastise us until we become purified before Him. He will plead with His strong ones, and what He has said concerning Zion will come to pass. [##Doctrine and Covenants 90:36##] I hope that we may exercise wisdom in all things, that we may escape these afflictions.

Let us try to live our religion and to do right the few days we have to spend on the earth. Some of us have not got a great deal of time to spend here. We shall soon pass away. Therefore, let us be united together and all will be well. Then when we get through here we may associate on the other side of the veil with those that we have associated with here on the earth and with the Patriarchs and Prophets that have gone before. The blessings of God will attend Zion, and His judgments will rest upon the wicked.

I pray God that the union you have here may increase, and that our young men will rise up and magnify their callings before the Lord, and treasure up wisdom, knowledge and understanding, and learn those things that will assist them in their duties; for, as I said before, this Kingdom has got to rest upon the shoulders of the rising generation of the Latter-day Saints. This is the destiny to which they are approaching. I feel thankful that I have had this privilege of meeting with you and of listening to what has been said. I pray God to bless you, and those who preside over you, that you may be of one heart and one mind, and be prepared to inherit eternal life. Amen.

Last edit 5 months ago by AMalc36
Displaying all 3 pages