Sunday Jan 4th 1852
President addressed the assembly & took for his
subject sin & the forgiveness of sin I speak upon this subject
because we are in the midst of it, it has been among all classes
it has been in our houses in our families & in our hearts and
although it has been a constant companion their is but
few that understand the Nature of sin. Many have made them-
selves miserable thinking they had sined against the Holy
Ghost. others that they had sined a great sin. But what
have the Revelations of the Lord said upon these subjects we learn
that Jesus Christ came & took a body & redeemed the world
but rebelled was cast down without any body and
He has sought to vex & destroy the children of men. He seeks
diligently to draw all from the right path esspecially if a Saint
tries to follow the track & get whare Jesus was then the devil would
try hard to over throw them. Many have thought they have committed
much sin when they have not understood the nature & work
of sin. we must understand many principles & arive at much
knowledge before we can fully understand the Nature of Sin. The
veil of Darkness is over the Earth so that the inhabitants of the
Earth are so overwhelmed in tradition & darkness they do not
know light from darkness truth from Error wright from wrong
or the difference between the dictation of the Holy Spirit or that
conscienc which has been framed for them by the dictation
of their mothers & priests. many think far more of the
traditions of their youth than of any principle that God
could reveal from Heaven unto them. their Mothers must
not do any thing on Sunday ^to^ darn a stocking would be a great
sin, sin is one thing & tradition is another. The word of God
revealed will tell what sin is while tradition will not
The Education of the world is good as far as they have any
truth found in any science which they possess but they do not
understand truth as connected with the plan of Salvation. I
want the saints here to understand that they cannot sin against
God, & Jesus Christ & the priesthood, against his family
& the Saints then come & ask forgiveness of the church
then pass on smoothly & ^think they will^ go to Heaven this is to cheap a way
to get to Heaven I want this subject riveted on your hearts
if it is not you will not remember it. You must remember your
covenants & the Law of the Lord that is given to us. It is written
that sin is a transgression of the Law whare is it, in the Books
that is given us in the main yet this does not go into all the me-
anderings of life. whare do you find a law that you shall
not drive a team across your Neighbor lot nor go to his hay
stack or suffer your families to take liberties that you are not
willing should be done to you yet you know it to be wrong. But
do unto others as you wish others to do unto you is the Law & the
prophets. Some men who have been ordained unto the priesthood
& are vary high in Authority will take the Name of God in
vain & swear by this & that does such persons suppose that
that the Church can forgive that sin if you do your hope is vain
they can never forgive that sin. No man can do it none
