Discourse 1889-07-22
PRESIDENT WILFORD WOODRUFF
addressed the congregation. He said:
There is an item I would like to speak
of. I was asked by a president of a
relief society in regard to keeping of
minutes, some one had said that it
was unnecessary. My feeliegs are
that every organization in this church
should keep a record of their labors
and meetings. I have told the mis-
sionaries to keep their journals of the
hand dealings of God with them, their
visions, their revelations, their labors,
their baptisms and confirmations.
There will be a great library in the
kingdom of God.
Three years before his death, Adam,
who according to Joseph Smith, was
the oldest man who has ever lived on
the earth in the flesh, called his sons
together and blessed them, prophe-
sying of the future generations. His
prophecies are written, it is said, in
the book of Enoch, and it would be a
pleasure to peruse them. [Doctrine and Covenants 107:53-57] It is proper
of every society to keep a record.
Now I have called myself the dull
scholar, but I was moved on to write.
I have kept a history and an account
of my travels, my daily work. I
never heard Joseph Smith preach but
what I wrote his sermon in my jour-
nal the best I could. I have seventy-
five sermons of Brigham Young,
taken while traveling with him. The
accounts are meagre, but of value to
the historians who have had access to
them. It is important and every or-
ganization in the church should keep
a record
This is the last dispensation, the last
call, and the elders have gone forth to
preach the gospel of this dispensation.
All who have ever lived on the earth
and labored for the work of God have
as much anxiety over our labors, our
ordinances and our faithfulness as we
have, and more so, for they sense the
importance of them better than we
do. There are men who have lived in
this dispensation who are now in the
spirit world preaching the gospel and
offering redemption to the dead.
Thousands will accept their testimony.
We enter the temples and finish their
labors by baptising, being endowed
and blessed. Records are kept of
these labors. We go on the other side
and meet our relatives for whom we
have performed these ordinances, and
we stand to them in a measure
as their saviors, or saviors on Mount
Zion.
Adam was the first man who held
the keys of the presidency, Moses was
the second. There have been but few
men who have held these keys. In
this age Joseph Smith held them,
Brigham Young held them after him,
John Taylor followed, and I am for a
short time being permitted to hold
them. Whatever good I have done
while holding these keys, or Brother
John, or Brother Brigham, we will be
rewarded for, but Joseph Smith will
hold the keys of this dispensation
throughout the endless days of eter-
nity.
I think much of a dream of Bishop
Hunter, in which it seemed to him he
was unable to meet in the spirit world
with those of his relatives for whom
he had not performed the work he
could have done. There are many
revelations given to us not published
in books, and I think that one of
them.
This noble work of redemption of
the dead awakened the anger of the
devil and his angels, who are in the
world. The Latter-day Saints hold
the keys of the salvation of the whole
world. Brother Joseph said: "The
moment you go into those temples you
will stir up the powers of darkness
and the inmates of hell against you."
What is there in this world that can
compare with the blessings of eternal
life? There is nothing. Such labors
as those we have been called upon to
perform have cost the lives of many.
It has cost some in this dispensation.
I believe it was ordained of God that
Joseph and Hyrum should lay down
their lives to seal this dispensation,
and the revelations of God in the lat-
ter days, and the nation that put them
to death will bear the consequences. I
do not think the Lord will require
the elders to go to war. Those who
shed blood cannot enter into the tem-
ples of God and perform the or-
dinances of the priesthood. It costs
something to shed blood, to shed the
blood of the Lord's annointed. The
Jews have not yet got over the result
of shedding the blood of the Savior,
and will not until the time of the
Gentiles is fulfilled, when they will be
gathered and forgiven. When they
gather and take their riches from
among the Gentiles, the Gentiles will
keenly feel the loss. They will rise
up and Gog and Magog will prey upon
the Jews and Jerusalem, but the judg-
ment of God will overtake them. The
Rothschilds are even now stretching
out their arms to build up Jerusa-
salem.
The Lord is gathering and will
gather the wheat before the angels
who are waiting in the temple in
heaven are permitted to reap down
the earth. The Saints must gather.
They cannot be saved if they remain
in Babylon. Zion is the safest place
on the whole earth. God will give
His people riches, but in His own
time and His own way. Build up the
Kingdom of God instead of seeking for
riches. You will not be sorry for any
work you have done for the Kingdom
of God. All you will have cause to be
sorry for is your sins.
I rejoice that I can meet you again,
among the Saints in Ogden. We have
been withdrawn from you for a time,
but I feel that every man who is able
should devote his time to labor
among the Saints. I have lived to see
apostles and prophets, to see the
Saints of God and mingle with them,
and I rejoice in it.
It has been asked, "why is it that
with our Heavenly Father, Jesus
Christ, the patriarchs, Joseph, Hy-
rum, Brigham, and others in council on
the other side, they do not help us?"
Because God never did in any age
under our conditions. How would we
feel going there on a bed of roses and
mingle with them—with Peter and
others who have laid down their lives
for the cause? We are not prepared
for it, and will not be delivered until
we are.
