I want to say to my breth- ren and sisters that we are placed upon the earth to build up Zion, to build up the kingdom of God. The greater proportion of the male mem- bers of Zion, who have arrived at the years of early manhood, bear some portion of the Holy Priest- hood. Here is a kingdom of Priests raised up by the power of God to take hold and build up the kingdom of God. The same Priesthood exists on the other side of the vail. Every man who is faithful in his quorum here will join his quorum there.

When a man dies and his body is laid in the tomb, he does not lose his position. The Prophet Joseph Smith held the keys of this dispensation on this side of the vail, and he will hold them throughout the countless ages of eternity. He went into the spirit world to unlock the prison doors and to preach the gospel to the millions of spirits who are in darkness, and every Apostle, every Seventy, every Elder, etc., that has died in the faith as soon as he passes to the other side of the vail, enters into the work of the ministry, and there is a thousand times more to preach there than there is here.

I have felt of late as if our brethren on the other side of the vail had held a council, and that they had said to this one, and that one, "Cease thy work on earth, come hence, we need help," and they have called this man and that man. It has appeared so to me in seeing the many men that have been called from our midst lately.

We ought to understand the respon- sibility that rests upon us. We should gird up our loins and put on the whole armor of God. We should rear temples to the name of the Most High God, that we may redeem the dead.

The Lord Almighty has set his hand to establish His kingdom never more to be thrown down or given to another people, and, therefore, all the pow- ers of earth and hell combined will never be able to stay the progress of this work. The Lord has said he will break in pieces every weapon that is raised against Zion, and the nations of the earth, the Kings and Emperors, Presidents and Gover- nors have got to learn this fact. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Lord. It is a fearful thing to shed the blood of the Lord's anointed. It has cost the Jews 1800 years of persecution, and this gene- ration have also a bill to pay in this respect.