One person is a cannibal, and will kill and eat his fellow-man, because he is ignorant; another person is a God, and can organize worlds and give laws to a universe of intelligent beings, and rule over them for their good, because he possesses knowledge and has the art and power to use it.

The pa- triarchs and prophets looked upon their posterity as the greatest blessing which God could bestow upon them, as laying the foundation for their exaltation and glory, and an increase of their seeds to all eternity; while the millions consider children a curse, and when born wish them dead, because they have come into the world naked, since they will have them to clothe.

One looks upon man as the noblest work of God, wonderfully made, containing thousands of arteries, veins, muscles, bones, and joints, with flesh and skin, with its thousand strings, kept in tune by the great Architect, while he is gazed upon by others only as a block of wood.

Thus are the starry heavens to the astronomer; but to the prophets of God, in every age of the world, they are an innumerable company of worlds, each containing a God enthroned in light, intelligence, glory, and dominion, surrounded with an innumerable company of intelligent, immortal, and glorified beings, who have kept the same celestial law given them by their Creator, as the planet has upon which they dwell, who are filled with joy and happiness, with a sure hope that their glory will increase to all eternity; but to the millions the starry heavens are only clouds, skies, stars, and the milky way.

For what purpose is man placed here, and what is his life upon the earth? One class of men verily believe and assuredly know that they existed before they came here, and were sent here by their Father in heaven, that they might prove themselves true in a second estate, that they might search out the laws of God, and obtain a knowledge of the true and only plan of salvation, whereby man can be saved and have part in the first resurrection, and be exalted to a fulness of celestial glory in the presence of that God whose name th[e]y have honored upon the earth, by keeping his laws and obeying his will. When that class of men have obtained a knowledge of the laws of God and the gospel of Jesus Christs, they have laid hold of it with all their hearts, and practised it in their lives, and have ever been ready to seal their testimony with their blood in its defence.

The mysteries and wonders which hang over the laws and works of nature, and the arts of men, all vanish away when we possess a know- ledge of the laws by which they are governed, and the principles by which they are constructed. The resurrec- tion of the dead, the formation of worlds, and the laws by which they are governed, would be as easily comprehended and understood by man, if he was now in possession of that knowledge which he is destined to obtain, as he can now comprehend the construction of a steamboat or the organization of a state.

there is a fountain of talent shut up in these chambers of the mountains, which we wish to call into requisition. We would be glad to see all Israel unite in joining this Universal Scientific Society, or branches of the same, and unlock their trunks, and bring forth their useful books, and form a universal library, with its branches, that the whole people may have the privilege of obtaining out of the best books, by study and by faith, a knowledge of the arts and sciences, and of kingdoms and countries, and the laws of nations.

An interest should be created in the minds of our young men sufficiently great to inspire them to improve well their time, and use their talents in a manner that their minds may be stored with useful knowledge, that they may be armed with intelligence and power to act well their part upon the stage of life as husbandmen, mechanics, soldiers, parents, statesmen, and prophets of God.

There are no people who exist upon earth that have greater resources and facilities from which to form an interesting and useful library and museum, than the inhabitants of Deseret.

Our represen- tatives, in the capacity of travelers, statesmen, and mis- sionaries, will plough every ocean, tread every soil, visit every clime, mingle with every people, of all languages, tongues, and dialects upon the face of the whole earth: they will thereby be enabled to obtain a specimen of every man and chart, of every art and science, the productions of every press, a specimen from every mountain, land, and sea; every beast, fowl, fish, and insect, and every plant and herb, and instruments for the practical illustration of every art and science.

If our theologians, astronomers, geographers, philosophers, mathematicians, chemists, geologists, mineralogists, botanists, agriculturists, horticulturists, phonographers, teachers of the Deseret alphabet, anatomists, surgeons, jurists, political econo- mists, professors of music, logicians, tacticians, gram- marians, poets, journalists, historians, linguists, and those acquainted with any subject which is useful and beneficial, will come forward and deliver lectures before the Society, that we may have an exchange of the views and senti- ments of each other, upon the various subjects with which men are acquainted, then our time may be spent in a pro- fitable and interesting manner.