Discourse 1869-06-23
Elder W. Woodruff expressed the
hope that the Saints would be profited
by this Conference. We have had
preaching enough to build up a dozen
Zions, if the Saints only remembered
and practiced what they heard. What
joy and consolation it would have been
to Joseph Smith, if he could have had a
vision of the condition of the church
to-day. President Young is simply
carrying on the work the foundation
of which was laid by the Prophet Jo-
seph. He spoke of the desire of new
revelation, but said we had not yet
obeyed and carried out those revelations
which the Lord gave in the rise of the
Church; had wasted money enough in
tea, coffee, tobacco, liquor, etc., to have
built up a big Zion in these mountains.
We must learn to obey what the Lord
has told us before we can expect him to
impart more to us. We must learn to
co-operate in our mercantile, manufac-
turing, farming and mechanical pur-
suits, before we can be prepared to re-
ceive all the Lord has in store for us.
He said the Lord has determined to
have Zion built up on earth, and
no power can can prevent it, and if He could
not find men and women now on the
earth to carry out his purposes, He
would send them from the spirit world.
He dwelt upon the blessings of the
sealing power, contrasting our position
as Latter-day Saints, with that of the
millions who have lived without the
Priesthood during the last 1,700 years,
having no claim upon their husbands,
wives, or children in the eternal worlds.
He spoke very interestingly on a va-
riety of subjects, such as public and pri-
vate prayer, kindness to our families,
wives, children, friends and even the
brute creation; to be just, merciful and
kind in our government, showing the
folly of men quarreling with their wives
or with each other; and concluded by
urging the Saints to prayerfulness and
integrity, not to be ashamed of their
religion, or any of the revelations of the
Lord; but to study them and seek to
understand them.
