ENPages
page_0001
W. Woodruff called the att[entio]n of our friends while I r[ea]d a few of the words from ##John 15|15 ch[apter] of St John## "ye r [are] my friends &c w[ith] [me] from the beginning" the words which struck me were "ye r my friends (so I made known unto [yo]u" it affords me no small consol[atio]n & realize that I do that I stand in the midst of the friends of the L[or]d Ive my reasons for bel[ieving] this, as that the S[ain]ts of God av [have] lived in the da[y]s of Noah &c bec[ause] they held the commands of God – says the Sav[io]r ye r my friends if u do what I command u. The Sa[i]nts no not what the L[or]d doeth & Jes[us] s[ai]d what my Fa[the]r hath told me even av I told u – one thing is clear in the cha[racte]r of the S[ain]ts in their labor work &c in a God of rev[elatio]n however diff[icult] or great that work mi[gh]t be, that God was powerful enough to sust[ai]n them in it rev[elatio]n apirs [appears] to have been the foundat[io]n – if any man [h]as a command to do work & is not able to complete it he can go to his Mas[te]r & ask to know [h]ow to complete it rev[elatio]n appears to be a thing which the world generally opposes – the L[or]d co[ul]d raise up a riteous man in the da[y]s of Abel Noah &c
page_0002
& men gen[e]rly rise up & sa[y] that rev[elatio]n was done awa[y] for it ap[pea]rs to be an offence by the sai[n]ts in the da[y]s of Christ we find the Jews very zealous in the rev[elatio]n that was written but when I began to present any li[gh]t or [k]no[w]ledg[e] that was not previously ritten they s[ai]d he is a false teacher why need we any more from this new messiah – Jesus s[ai]d if you only bel[ieve]d it they wrote the very things belonging to me the very money that I must [bes] sold for – the beast to ride into Jerusa[lem] – & he had power to ask of his Fa[the]r & to obt[ai]n it notwithstanding all his reason he co[ul]d not convince the Jews that his prin[ciples] were true – the messiah altho[ugh] he bro[ugh]t forth the P[riesthood] & the fruits, & the gifts & the graces & the teach[in]gs were manifest among them but bec[ause] he did not come accord[in]g to the desire of the Jews – ^they did not bel[ieve] him^ but he placed that gen[eratio]n that ^they^ co[ul]d not sit in judgm[en]t upon it – they loved d[a]rkness ra[the]r than li[gh]t the world at large profess to love the Bible &c but there was no harder words co[ul]d be heaped upon him than were – he was called a wine bibber &c so I say with reg[ar]d to the present age of the world there r no prin[ciples] that give greater offence to the world than rev[elatio]n – do not ass[ume] Sp[irit] came from an Et[erna]l source – if so – I ask d[oe]s not the same Sp[irit] require teach[in]g & feed[in]g from the same source in ages gone by – if it req[uire]d rev[elatio]n to sust[ai]n Abel Noah &c do we not need teach[in]g & feed[in]g from the same source in order to accomplish the work ass[ig]nd us – we need the same or else the gospel of J[esus] C[hrist] [h]as ceased – if they had need of rev[elatio]n in those da[y]s w[h]y did they need [t]hes[e] to unlock the truth – it is a prin[ciple] that dwells with God from Et[ernity] to Et[ernity] – a rev[elatio]n that [h]as not that connect[io]n with the God of heaven it will not ans[we]r my purpose – a[s] that immortal sp[irit] that fills our bodies – we need teaching in order to no what our Fa[the]r wills concerning us – the gospel of Christ was preached unto Adam Abel Enos, &c w[hic]h Gospel did they teach unto Adam it was the same Gospel that Moroni carr[ie]d in the midst of heaven – they required rev[elatio]n to guide them in their temporal sal[vatio]n – it req[uire]d Noah to build an ark to save himself – if Lot [h]ad built an ark it mi[gh]t [h]av[e] been burnt up – but fled to Zion – & when Jerusalem was encompassed flee to the mountains of Judea & so it is in every age of the world the L[or]d gives rev[elatio]n to suit their course – we as a p[eo]ple bel[ieve] in rev[elatio]n – bel[ieve] the L[or]d [h]as raised up a prophet Seer & revelator – we bel[ieve] the L[or]d [h]as ag[ai]n began to reveal matters to the chil[dren] of men – he [h]as commanded us to build a house in Kirtland we obad we went to the m[ountain]s there were commands given – they were driven from it & they were informed that if they did they duty it sho[ul]d be accepted & he also give a command to build a house in this place there is an object in completing this house it [h]as tried our faith & he has seen whe[the]r we will build the house or else we shall be rejected with our de[a]d saith the L[or]d where is the ind[ividual] who [h]as any faith in rev[elatio]n
page_0003
but wh[a]t must feel stimulated – I ask [h]as not this p[eo]pl[e] done better in the eyes of the L[or]d than if they [h]ad caused rivers of the blood of goats to run &c – they [h]av[e] [h]ad many persecutions trials & privations & sacrifices – they build a [h]ous[e] & complete it in the name of the L[or]d – certainly I stand in the midst of a p[eo]pl[e] who [a]r[e] the friends of God – I have the [caisan] this day & of speaking my mind we [a]r[e] equally will[in]g that every p[er]son sho[ul]d enjoy their priv[ilege] we only ask the same bless[in]g & un[derstand] he commands us to rise up & build a [h]ous[e] to him we do it – I am thankful that [yo]u [h]av[e] been sustained – that these walls [a]r[e] completed that the power points to heaven & if we leave tomorrow & never enjoy it ag[ai]n we [a]r[e] accepted of God & that is reward enough & tho we [a]r[e] passing thro one stage of existence – it is of great consequence that we [h]av[e] been sust[aine]d & so save ourselves & our de[a]d – Jesus s[ai]d inasmuch as we do the will of God the L[or]d J[esus] Christ reveals himself – we [a]r[e] not accountable to any man for it – one pure & immortal prin[ciple] emanating from God [yo]u cannot be deceived in this world or in the world to come if [yo]u do one prin[ciple] that promise sustains us – he [h]as power to plow the ocean & do all things even if he [h]as to lay down his life – they [h]av[e] been insp[ire]d by the H.[oly] G[host] to carry the truths to the 4 Qua[rte]rs of the Earth – they [h]av[e] gone to carry their napsack with[ou]t purse or scrip [k]no[w]ing that the L[or]d will sustain him & that [h]as given yo[u] a view of this temple over your heads this day – if the LDS [h]ad not done works that an o[the]r p[eo]ple [h]ad done – condemnat[io]n wo[ul]d not [h]ave been in the world & they will continue to do so until all things [a]r[e] fulfilled which God [h]as fulpromised by the mouth of the prophets of the L[or]d – the hand of God [h]as preserved us as a p[eo]pl[e] & ma[y] the L[or]d God bless that man who has lab[ore]d on this house as he that has sustained this p[eo]pl[e] – & that has willingly put means into their hands to remove this p[eo]pl[e] Jesus passed thro[ugh] a narrow street & ma[y] the L[or]d bless on that p[eo]pl[e] who stretch forth their hands to assist us – & also those who go with this p[eo]pl[e] that they ma[y] escape the wrath of their enemies – rev[elatio]ns [a]r[e] prin[ciples] of truth we [h]av[e] understood them for ourselves & not for ano[the]r – we [a]r[e] still very limited in the know[ledge] – & instead of rev[elatio]ns being doubt I sa[y] let li[gh]t rule from our Fa[the]r – can it be a sin that we aspire after the highest
page_0004
happiness but there ma[y] the glory of the Sun & of the moon & stars – was it any Sin to aspire after the greatest? No – altho[ugh] it ma[y] bring him to trouble. I fully realize ye LLS that ye [h]av[e] been called to pass thro[ugh] trials & that ye well [h]av[e] to pass thro[ugh] more – no man [h]as descended lower than J.[esus] C[hrist] did – for to la[y] down his life for yo[u] & me – I sa[y] will ye LDS be weary by the way let us round up our shoulders if we [h]av[e] to be driven from our Temple let us offer a good sac[rifice] bef[ore] the name of the most Hi[gh] God – I consider the sac[rifice] to be a sac[rifice] from the poor I sa[y] then ye [a]r[e] the friends of God & as we shall come forth in the morn of res[surrectio]n & [h]av[e] an introduction to God & the Lamb will not amply reward us – I sa[y] it will – then I sa[y] let patience have its perfect work & if we get into rain, & wind ^or hungry^ let us round up our Shold Shoulders & great shall be your glory – even if we sho[ul]d commit as great a crime as go forth in the dance – yet the L[or]d our God mi[gh]t forgive us – I sa[y] Sin ais a transgression of the law & if man does not oba[y] that law he then sins - tho[ugh] we ma[y] leave our cities & our houses they rejoice in the knowledge of the truth – the more they have power to bear what is put on our shoulders – we [h]av[e] that to uphold us & bear us off in all the trials of life – we [a]r[e] depending upon him for all the bless[in]gs that we enjoy – inasmuch as we [h]av[e] labored & off[ere]d our sac[rifice] the L[or]d God accepts our sac[rifice] & yo[u] have kept the law of God the cel[estial] law unto this time & I [h]av[e] a conscience void of offence towards God & man & I can go bef[ore] God & ask him for those bless[in]gs that we need & he will ans[we]r our pra[ye]r – we sometimes express our feelings freely – but Isaiah had to go forth & declare the things & the L[or]d says if [yo]u do not warn that p[eo]pl[e] & that blood is on you but if thou warn them then thou [a]rt free & their blood is on them – we [a]r[e] not our own masters but speak words what we [a]r[e] told – the bless[in]g will rest on the chil[dren] of men who feed the chil[dren] of God & when a man extends the hand of charity it is more acceptable than to have a long face – keep yourselves unspotted from the world – w[he]n I was in prison [yo]u visited me &c the L[or]d J[esus] C[hrist] died to redeem the world & we ought also to love another – I bless those who have bought our prop[ert]y & assisted them in this time of need & it will be more for their good w[he]n they [a]r[e] weighed in the scales – when I see the Cit[izens] of Nauvoo
page_0005
try to ward off the blow let their rel[igio]n be what they may – I sa[y] L[or]d bless the p[eo]pl[e] altho[ugh] they ma[y] differ from us in some p[ar]ts of our rel[igio]n – I hope that the cit[izens] who [h]av[e] come in will still buy their property & let them go that they ma[y] have their rew[ar]d this ma[y] be the last time that I ma[y] meet with you here, [yo]u have had trials & the L[or]d God [h]as poured out blessings on [yo]u & whe[the]r yo[u] live or whe[the]r yo[u] die there will be many who will never forget [yo]u – Id ra[the]r [h]av[e] tribulat[io]n in time than hereafter I can then [h]av[e] rest & enjoy society & enjoy truth & knowledge – I am willing to risk my dest[in]y with [yo]u – I sa[y] like ruth "where [yo]u go &c" there were prin[ciples] in the record of Judah & the moment a man rises up to advocate them men will rise up to oppose them but those who hunger & thirst after the truths – if the world tak[e] no consolations in the prin[ciples] that sust[ai]n me I will not oppose or oppress them or trample on their ri[gh]ts I want to go with a p[eo]pl[e] who bel[ieve] in rev[elatio]n & in that int[erest] which sustains him I sa[y] for the present farewell in the midst of your sac[rifice] – burst the band of your enemies & if one oppose [yo]u sa[y] get thee behind me Satan – & if ye [h]av[e] to bury your bodies by the way side ye will be looked up to – you will again find yourselves among the former & latter day Saints – &c.