Discourse 1858-04-05
Elder Woodruff made a few remarks, he said that the
scripture doctrine was now reversed, where it said that a prophet
was not without honor save in own country, for the whole nation
with the world to back them had risen up for the destruction of our
leaders and to break up this Church and Kingdom. He felt that
he would like to have some Angels or personages sent to occupy
this Hall and the buildings in this City and throughout this
Territory dedicated to the Lord, so that if our enemies came here
to desecrate our habitations and our public buildings the Angels
of the Almighty might be here to trouble them. He believed in the
principle of dedicating this Hall to God. He felt that he wanted
to dedicate his house and to pray that he might get the Holy
Ghost upon him to such a degree that every ungodly man who
should enter might be troubled. We have built and planted
and occupied our possessions a considerable time in peace in these
Valleys and his prayer was that the Lord might bless us and
give continually his Holy Spirit, that we may learn to appreciate
our blessings and privileges, and that we may so close to God
as to realize that we are his friends, and though this people may
be called to pass through straight places he was satisfied that it
it was for the purpose of becoming more acquainted with the
laws of God; to secure our salvation and exaltation; to open
the way for the spread of the Gospel and the extension of the King
and he felt that it was all right. This is a good room and is
built with taste and at considerable expense, and if we do
not occupy it we shall get a reward, and somebody has got
to pay for these things; he believed it will cost a greater bill
before we get through with it, and he felt satisfied that this
very room will be one means of ripening the world for the harves[t]
We have heretofore had towns, hamlets, cities counties and
states to rise up against us, but never before had to stem thi[s]
tide of the persecution of a whole nation, but our course is
onward and we shall prevail over the combined powers of
earth and hell, he was satisfied of this and he prayed that
we might take hold of it like good soldiers.
