of the capacity of man. Many Elders pray that they may
may have confidence in God. But I pray that I may live so
that God may have confidence in me I think it folly to pray
that I may have confidence in God for He is right all the
time and if we will live so that he may have confidence
in us we will do well. It is our duty to make all the
improvement we can while we live. All that we see here
on the Earth is a similitude of what is in heaven. we
have the Elements all around us to beautify & adorn zion
but we should not set our hearts upon Go[l]d or silver or
any thing upon Earth But sanctify the Lord in our Hearts
then we shall partake of Eternal life. I say to the 14 ward
if you occupy this House in the fear of God it will prove a Blessing to you. In the time of the persecution in Missouri
we had to walk up & sign a Deed of trust to pay the
Expenses of the mob in driving out the saints they said Jo Smith could not make the saints consecrate but we can
make them consecrate. The saints here complained of
paying a little tax and a little tithing money I dont know
but the Lord will let us pay a little money tax to the Devil the Government requires a direct tax of some $27,000 dollars
When you have parties in this House dont admit drunken
men into it. another principle I wish to speak of if the Bishop wishes to invite a Gentile in dont let the people complain
about it for when a Gentile comes in here and the priesthood
rules the Gentiles can do no hurt, But Let an Elder or
any latter Day Saints go & attend a party among the Gentiles
whare they reign and it is vary different that would be
rong. we should never bow down to the wicked we should never
descend but asscend & try to Elevate others to our standard
Men come here from the States & profess to be asstonished at
our History and improvements, and they come here Expecting
to accomplish that which they will not do. Most of the officers
which the Government have sent here are a Hiss and a By word
and a stink in the nostralls of all good men and there
never was a wickeder man than the President of the United States
of the capacity of man. Many Elders pray that they may
may have confidence in God. But I pray that I may live so
that God may have confidence in me I think it folly to pray
that I may have confidence in God for He is right all the
time and if we will live so that he may have confidence
in us we will do well. It is our duty to make all the
improvement we can while we live. All that we see here
on the Earth is a similitude of what is in heaven. we
have the Elements all around us to beautify & adorn zion
but we should not set our hearts upon Gold or silver or
any thing upon Earth But sanctify the Lord in our Hearts
then we shall partake of Eternal life. I say to the 14 ward
if you occupy this House in the fear of God it will prove a
Blessing to you. In the time of the persecution in Missouri
we had to walk up & sign a Deed of trust to pay the
Expenses of the mob in driving out the saints they said
Jo Smith could not make the saints consecrate but we can
make them consecrate. The saints here complained of
paying a little tax and a little tithing money I dont know
but the Lord will let us pay a little money tax to the Devil the
Government requires a direct tax of some $27,000 dollars
When you have parties in this House dont admit drunken
men into it. another principle I wish to speak of if the
Bishop wishes to invite a Gentile in dont let the people complain
about it for when a Gentile comes in here and the priesthood
rules the Gentiles can do no hurt, But Let an Elder or
any latter Day Saints go & attend a party among the Gentiles
whare they reign and it is vary different that would be
rong. we should never bow down to the wicked we should never
descend but asscend & try to Elevate others to our standard
Men come here from the States & profess to be asstonished at
our History and improvements, and they come here Expecting
to accomplish that which they will not do. Most of the officers
which the Government have sent here are a Hiss and a By word
and a stink in the nostralls of all good men and there
never was a wickeder man than the President of the United States
"Journal (January 1, 1860 – October 22, 1865)," December 24, 1861, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed April 25, 2024, https://wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/GZqK