Discourse 1891-04-06 [D-122]

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DISCOURSE

Delivered by President Wilford Woodruff at the General Conference, in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Monday Morning, .

I have a few thoughts and reflections I would like to present to my friends, the Latter-day Saints. Fifty-two years ago the twenty-sixth day of this month I stood upon the Temple Block in Far West. Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, Parley P Pratt and others were in prison. The Lord had given a revelation and commanded us, as the Apostles, to go there upon that occasion to lay the foundation of that Temple. He appointed a day and a date on which we were commanded to perform this work. Then all was peace in Caldwell County, where we dwelt. The Lord perfectly understood what would take place before that time came. When the time came to fulfil this revelation the Latter-day Saints were in Illinois, they having been driven out of Missouri. The spirit of opposition was so great that our lives were in jeopardy in returning there to perform the revelation. When the day came for us to go there our Prophet was in prison for the Word of God and testimony of Jesus. When we conversed with our patriarch and leading men, they said the Lord would take the will for the deed. They did not think it was wisdom for us to go; for Missourians had sworn by all the gods in existence that if all the other revelations and prophecies of "Joe Smith" had been fulfilled, that this one should not be, because there was a day and date to it. After hearing the views of Father Smith and others of the brethren, Brother Brigham Young asked the Twelve what their feelings were with regard to this. We told Brother Brigham that the Lord God had spoken and we were ready to obey, and leave the event in His hands. We did. We went there. We arrived at that place, according to that revelation and commandment, on the 26th day of April, 1839. We laid the corner stone of that Temple, with Father Cutler, who had been appointed to oversee that building. After that stone was laid we knelt upon it, and Brother Geo. A. Smith and myself, who had been called by revelation to fill the places of some who had fallen, were ordained Apostles under the hands of Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Pratt, John Taylor and John E. Page. There was a number present. But they are all today in the spirit world, excepting myself, so far as I know. I name this, because I wish to say here to this congregation that during these fifty-two years that are past and gone I have had the opportunity of bearing my testimony to many of the nations of the earth and islands of the seas and to the Latter-day Saints. And as I know not how long I may still have this privilege in the flesh, I feel it my duty to bear my testimony today to this people upon a few principles, and one is the subject upon which I treated a little yesterday.

There are a few people who profess to believe that the Church has not had the living principle of revelation from heaven and the blessings of God with it since the death of the Prophet Joseph as it had while he lived. I want to say to these Latter-day Saints that I traveled with Joseph Smith a thousand miles in 1834 for the redemption of our brethren in Missouri. There are perhaps half a dozen men in this congregation today who were in that camp -[Zion's camp.]- We were with that Prophet of God. We heard his testimonies. We saw his revelations fulfilled. I was with him when he received that revelation given on Fishing River. Of course, we know that he was a Prophet of God, and that he held the keys of the kingdom of God. We knew the inspiration of Almighty God was with him, and that when he prophesied it came to pass. Those who are here today, Brother Gates, Brother Noble, and perhaps others, who were present on that occasion, will remember the day that Joseph Smith called the camp together. We were all well. There was no disease nor sickness in our camp. But he told us what awaited us. He gave us to understand that there was to be a chastisement visit our camp. He told us the reason. He had given counsel to the brethren with regard to many things, and a number of them had disobeyed that counsel. They did not understand and appreciate fully his position and standing as a Prophet of God. "Yes," says he, "you think of me as a boy, like the rest of you, but you will understand soon that I occupy a position where God governs and controls me." Those who were present know the feelings that we had. There was not a dry eye in camp. He stood upon a wagon and told us the judgments of God would visit our camp and we would be chastised. These things came to pass. The day that we landed the destroying angel visited our camp, and, of course, there was sorrow. I do not know the number that went to the grave, but somewhere about fourteen, I think. Then we understood that we had a Prophet in our midst. We knew very well that what he said would come to pass. Well, everything that was done in that camp, going and returning, a record of it, in a measure, has been kept. During that thousand miles journey the word of the Lord was given unto us, and we fully understood we were being led by a Prophet of God. We realized that all the way through that mission.

Now, I want to say that I have traveled with Joseph Smith a good deal in my day. I was associated with him more or less from the spring of 1834 to the day of his death. I know, as do my brethren who were associated with him, that he was a Prophet of God— one of the greatest prophets God ever raised upon the earth. As I said yesterday, he received revelations upon every subject necessary for the organization of the Church—the organization of the Twelve Apostles; of the Seventies, of the High Councils, of the Bishops, etc. The Lord gave revelations upon all these things, until we had the pattern set before us. He laid the foundation of a great work in this the greatest dispensation God ever gave to man. So much in testimony of Brother Joseph Smith.

In 1847 I likewise traveled one thousand miles with Brother Brigham Young, the man who was called to lead Israel after the Prophet Joseph's death. There is a number in this house who came in the pioneer com-

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pany. We had in Zion's Camp two hundred and five souls. We had in the Pioneer Camp one hundred and fortyfive, I believe. And I can testify before God, angels and men that the same power, and the same spirit of revelation were manifest in his work up to the day of his death as were manifest in the work of the Prophet Joseph. It is true, Joseph Smith's life was short. The Savior labored only three and a half years, after He entered into the ministry, before He was crucified. The Prophet Joseph labored fourteen years before He was martyred. President Brigham Young lived longer. He led this Church quite a number of years. I was with him when he came into this valley. I was in the same carriage with him. He was taken sick on the Weber. A number of the camp were taken sick, caused, no doubt, by the change in coming to these mountains from the region we had left. He began to recover from the hour that he entered into this valley. He came here, and what did he do? I will name a few circumstances. He pitched camp some distance southeast of here. The next morning he and the Twelve who came with him took a walk. He had been quite feeble, but he was then able to walk with the assistance of his staff. We walked along until we came to this Temple Block. It was covered with sagebrush. There was no mark to indicate that God ever intended to place anything there. But while walking along Brother Brigham stopped very suddenly. He stuck his cane in the ground and said, "Right here will stand the great Temple of our God." We drove a stake in the place indicated by him, and that particular spot is situated in the middle of the Temple site. One of the first things President Young did after he got here was to order the preparing of a block down here, called the Old Fort, where the camp could gather to. This country then was very desolate, covered with wild sage, and that pretty near dead, too. There was hardly anything here with life, owing to the excessive dryness. We went to work and surrounded this ten acre block to preserve ourselves; put adobie walls on three sides and log cabins on the east side. This was the wisdom displayed by President Brigham Young all his life—care and caution, and safety for the people. He then went to work and laid out this city. There was not a living soul in this valley excepting a few Indians who would eat roasted crickets for their dinner. He laid out these streets, these sidewalks, these blocks. He laid out this Temple block here. A number of councils were had with regard to it. Brother George A. Smith was very anxious that we should have forty acres instead of ten; so much so that there was a vote taken to lay forty acres out. Afterwards President Young thought ten acres in a city of this kind was all that should be devoted to an interest of this character. So Brother George A. Smith surrendered his views, and we all voted for ten acres. When the city was laid out and these other arrangements made we returned to Winter Quarters, where President Young got his family and returned with them and some of the Saints; and two or three companies followed the same season.

I name these things for the benefit of those who consider that there has been no growth in the Church and Kingdom of God since the death of the Prophet Joseph. President Young laid the foundation of four Temples in this Territory. Three of these Temples are now in operation, and the other is being built right here. The Latter-day Saints have gone to work and labored in these Temples by the commandment of God, for the blessing of the living and redemption of their dead, and a million of men and women, whose bodies are returned to dust, and whose spirits are in the spirit world, have received the benefits of the Gospel by the power of God and the work of the Elders, under the direction of President Young. Is this a loss of prestige? Is there no hand of God in this? Is there no progress in this? These things certainly were not accomplished in the life of Joseph Smith, although Joseph Smith received revelations with regard to Temples, and the ordinances and endowments afterwards administered in the Temple at Nauvoo. He also built the first Temple, in Kirtland, and many blessings were revealed in that Temple, and this work was continued while he lived, as far as he had the power. I remember well the first time I read the revelation given through the Prophet Joseph concerning the redemption of the dead—one of the most glorious principles I had ever become acquainted with on earth. To think that I and these Latter-day Saints could go forth into the waters of baptism and redeem our fathers, our mothers, and those that have gone before us, in the lineage of our father's house, and they come forth and receive a part in the first resurrection! Well might the Prophet say God has fulfilled His promise that in the last days He would raise up saviors upon Mount Zion, and the kingdom should be the Lord's. Never did I read a revelation with greater joy than I did that revelation. I have often referred to the course we pursued in connection with that. Joseph Smith himself (many of you may recollect the time) went into the Mississippi river one Sunday night after meeting, and baptized a hundred. I baptized another hundred. The next man, a few rods from me, baptized another hundred. We were strung up and down the Mississippi, baptizing for our dead. But there was no recorder; we attended to this ordinance without waiting to have a proper record made. But the Lord told Joseph that he must have recorders present at these baptisms— men who could see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and record these things. Of course, we had to do the work over again. Nevertheless, that does not say the work was not of God.

Well, the Lord manifested a great work in the labor of Brigham Young. He filled these mountains here for a thousand miles, under His direction, with cities, towns and villages. He gave counsel in all these things. Brigham Young was the architect of this building (the Tabernacle). He was the architect of the Temple that we are building here. I say to the Latter-day Saints that God was with him. He was with John Taylor. He has been with Wilford Woodruff. He will be with those that follow me; for the Lord will never permit this people to be led only by the revelations of Jesus Christ. He will be with these Apostles of the Lord, and will continue with them until the coming of the Son of Man. These things are true. Zion will arise, and grow, and flourish; the glory of God will rest upon her, and the Lord Almighty will fulfil all the promises that He has made concerning His work in the last dispensation and fullness of times. The spirit of inspiration was with Brigham Young from the day that he entered into this work till he laid down his life here upon his bed. I bear my testimony to these things. There never has been a time, either in these Temples or anywhere else, but the Lord has made manifest His will on any point on which light was desired. To my certain knowledge the Lord gave revelations in St. George Temple to His servants there, upon points of doctrine we did not understand. President Young was there. I was there. Brother McAllister and others labored there; and we knew these things. So I say there is no man that goes into these Temples to labor, or goes into the vineyard of the Lord to labor, who, if he will live his religion and do his duty, will fail in receiving the mind and will of God. Yes, the Lord has raised up saviors upon Mount Zion, and the kingdom is the Lord's. It is His work. And we have the great power as Latter-day Saints to go into these temples and redeem our dead, and attend to ordinances for them that they never heard of in their day and generation. What will be the condition of these saviors upon Mount Zion? These Saints of the Lord will hold the keys of salvation to their Father's house to the endless ages of eternity. There never will be a time when that power will be taken from them. We ought to realize these things, and we ought to prize the blessings which God has put in our hands. I had a great desire, when that revelation was given, for the redemption of my Father's house. Father Smith was the first patriarch to the Church. He was a literal descendant of Joseph who was sold into Egypt. When he laid his hands upon men's heads the spirit of blessing and of prophecy rested upon him. He told me that I should bring all of my father's house into the Church. I dwelt upon that with a great deal of interest; and the first time I visited my father's house, although it was several years after this, I baptized him into this Church, and my stepmother, and my sisters, and everybody that was in my father's house, even a Methodist class-leader who was boarding there. I organized a branch of the Church in Farmington, Connecticut, and almost all of the members were my relatives. I afterwards brought my father up here, where he died, and his body lies in the cemetery.

There are a great many things connected with these matters that I feel to rejoice in. The more light we have, the more revelations of God we have, the more we shall prize these privileges. It is a great blessing that we stand in the flesh in this last dispensation and fulness of times; and where we can open our hearts to understand these blessings, all of us will labor, as far as we have opportunity, to attend to this duty for our dead. I do not

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want to go into the spirit world and meet with my progenitors and have them say to me, "You held the keys of my redemption and my salvation and you neglected to do this work, and I am not redeemed." I have labored, with the assistance of my friends, in the St. George Temple, for three thousand of my dead friends of my father's house and my mother's house, and have done all that I could for them. This is the greatest joy of my life, when I look upon these things and realize that I have had this privilege here on the earth. And when I lay my body in the tomb and my spirit goes into the spirit world, I shall rejoice and have glory with them in the morning of the resurrection, inasmuch as they receive these principles. "Well," perhaps you may say, "what if these people whom you have been baptized for do not receive the Gospel?" That will be their fault, not mine. This is a duty that rests upon all Israel, that they shall attend to this work, as far as they have the opportunity here on the earth.

Brethren and sisters, I felt as though I wanted to bear this testimony to the Latter-day Saints. The Lord has manifested this work from the day that Joseph Smith received the records of the stick of Joseph in the hands of Ephraim—the Book of Mormon. From that day until this there has been no time that the Lord has forsaken His Church. We have been persecuted, we have been afflicted, and we have passed through serious trials in our day; but the Lord has carried us through all these things. And we are here in the midst of the everlasting hills, given by revelation to old father Jacob, who laid his hands upon the head of his son Joseph and said that he was "a fruitful bough by a well, whose branches run over the wall," [##Genesis 49:22##] and that his blessings prevailed above those of his progenitors "unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills;" [##Genesis 49:26##] and these blessings were to rest upon him and his posterity. These things have come to pass. The majority of the Latter-day Saints are through the loins of Ephraim, the son of Joseph. Ephraim is "a mixed cake." He is mixed among the nations of the earth, and it is those who have the blood of Ephraim in them who, when they hear the word of the Lord, receive it; and all that God has promised through these Patriarchs and their posterity will come to pass. So with regard to Judah. Moses told the Jews what would befall them. He told them what would take place in their Temples and in their cities. They built altars to Baal and broke their covenants, and he told them they would be scattered and peeled, and destroyed by pestilence, by famine, and by the sword; women would eat their own children, and a remnant of them would be taken from Jerusalem and scattered among the whole Gentile world, and be trampled under the feet of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles were fulfilled. Those words have been fulfilled to the very letter as fast as time would admit.

We are in the hands of God. Our responsibilities are great, and we should try to magnify our calling, and not set our hearts so much on the things of this world that we neglect any of the oracles of God or the work of God for the living and the dead. God bless you all. Amen.

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