our fathers who had inherited vanity,
lies, and things in which there was
no profit. Things are different now,
we know for ourselves, we understand
the things of God, then let us obey
for ourselves that we may prosper.
I feel an anxiety for the welfare of
this people, and I pray that we may
not neglect the blessings that are
given to us, for this is an important
time. While we are in this proba-
tion we should make the best possible
use of our time, for this is the time
to receive life and knowledge and to
lay up treasures in heaven, that where
our heart is, there our treasures may
be also. There are many things in
my mind to speak upon for the
benefit of this people, but I do not
feel to occupy your time longer. I
do feel though that the subject before
us is of all importance to the house of
Israel, and I believe that the Lord
does intend that we should speak to
them, and bring them to understand
the light of truth. They are in
darkness, because their fathers had
the truth and turned away and forsook
the Lord their God. The Prophets
among them wrote records, and in
those records they promised blessings
to their children who should live in
the last days. They promised that
after the cursing and afflictions should
come the blessings, and if the Lord
has taken us from the midst of the
Gentiles and has enlightened our
minds so that we can comprehend
life and death in a great measure,
and the principles of truth that are
being revealed, we should feel satis-
fied with the blessings God has given,
and we should be as ready to preach
to these Lamanites as we are to the
Gentiles. Are they not of the seed
of Israel? Are they not all our
brethren and of the house of ?
Then, brethren, let us take heed, and
when we look upon them and see
their conditions deal with them
wisely, and the Lord will acknowledge
our labours. I will tell you what
I believe about this matter—the
redemption of these natives—had this
people come here under the same
impressions that they had in , in , in , or in
, or in any other State, had they
come when they first received the
Gospel and the Spirit of it, for then
their hearts were touched with the
Spirit of the Gospel of salvation, and
they felt well, and had they have
come here under those impressions
and continued to live under those
impressions which they first received
in relation to these scattered tribes;
I say long before this, had the people
who first settled in lived
up to the first impressions first made
upon their minds, these would
have felt to be our brethren and
sisters. They would have been one
with us, and they would have been
in this Church long ago, and their
children would have been reading
and writing, and you would have seen
some of the young men busily engaged
preaching to the tribes the fulness of
the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If the
Latter-day Saints had come here
when they first received the impres
sion, and the Book of Mormon from
, this wild degraded
race of men might have been, to a
great extent, civilized and acquainted
with the Gospel. What do you say
brethren, is not that correct? (Loud
cries of "Yes.") I know it is. I
have heard the brethren and sisters
speak in tongues and give interpre-
tations about this very people, and
they would say that they would teach
the Lamanites to spin and sew, and
also to be clean; do they feel so
now? No; I tell you they are back-
sliders from that faith which they
then imbibed; they are lukewarm
and cold to those things which God
has taught us respecting this people
with whom we now live. Well, now,
again, if you will reflect and look
PREACHING THE GOSPEL, ETC. 225
our fathers who had inherited vanity,
lies, and things in which there was
no profit. Things are different now,
we know for ourselves, we understand
the things of God, then let us obey
for ourselves that we may prosper.
I feel an anxiety for the welfare of
this people, and I pray that we may
not neglect the blessings that are
given to us, for this is an important
time. While we are in this probation we should make the best possible
use of our time, for this is the time
to receive life and knowledge and to
lay up treasures in heaven, that where
our heart is, there our treasures may
be also. There are many things in
my mind to speak upon for the
benefit of this people, but I do not
feel to occupy your time longer. I
do feel though that the subject before
us is of all importance to the house of
Israel, and I believe that the Lord
does intend that we should speak to
them, and bring them to understand
the light of truth. They are in
darkness, because their fathers had
the truth and turned away and forsook
the Lord their God. The Prophets
among them wrote records, and in
those records they promised blessings
to their children who should live in
the last days. They promised that
after the cursing and afflictions should
come the blessings, and if the Lord
has taken us from the midst of the
Gentiles and has enlightened our
mind so that we can comprehend
life and death in a great measure,
and the principles of truth that are
being revealed, we should feel satisfied with the blessings God has given,
and we should be as ready to preach
to these Lamanites as we are to the
Gentiles. Are they not of the seed
of Israel? Are they not all our
brethren and of the house of ?
Then, brethren, let us take heed, and
when we look upon them and see
their conditions deal with them
wisely, and the Lord will acknowledge
our labours. I will tell you what
I believe about this matter—the
redemption of these natives—had this
people come here under the same
impressions that they had in , in , in , or in
, or in any other State, had they
come when they first received the
Gospel and the Spirit of it, for then
their hearts were touched with the
Spirit of the Gospel of salvation, and
they felt well, and had they have
come here under those impressions
and continued to live under those
impressions which they first received
in relation to these scattered tribes;
I say long before this, had the people
who first settled in Utah Valley lived
up to the first impressions first made
upon their minds, these Utes would
have felt to be our brethren and
sisters. They would have been one
with us, and they would have been
in this Church long ago, and their
children would have been reading
and writing, and you would have seen
some of the young men busily engaged
preaching to the tribes the fulness of
the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If the
Latter-day Saints had come here
when they first received the impres
sion, and the Book of Mormon from
, this wild degraded
race of men might have been, to a
great extent, civilized and acquainted
with the Gospel. What do you say
brethren, is not that correct? (Loud
cries of "Yes.") I know it is. I
have heard the brethren and sisters
speak in tongues and give interpretations about this very people, and
they would say that they would teach
the Lamanites to spin and sew, and
also to be clean; do they feel so
now? No; I tell you they are backsliders from that faith which they
then imbibed; they are lukewarm
and cold to those things which God
has taught us respecting this people
with whom we now live. Well, now,
again, if you will reflect and look
No. 15. Vol. IX.