THE
DESERET WEEKLY.
PIONEER PUBLICATION OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION.
ESTABLISHED JUNE, 1850.
TRUTH AND LIBERTY.
NO. 8. SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 1889. VOL. XXXIX.
REMARKS
By President Wilford Woodruff, at
Grantsville, (Tooele Stake Con-
ference), Monday Morning, .
REPORTED BY A. WINTER.
I am very much pleased at the re-
port whch we have heard from the
President and Bishops of this Stake
of Zion. I do not know of any
Stake that we have visited that has
given as good a report, considering
all things, as has this Stake of Zion.
I rejoice that you are united, for
union is what the Lord requires
of the Latter-day Saints; and if we
are not one, we cannot be counted
as the Lord's.
Among other things, I am very
much gratified at the report con-
cerning our young people. I have,
I may say, peculiar feelings with re-
gard to the rising generation in
these mountains. I reflect a great
deal concerning them and what lies
before them. The organizations
among the young people are of vast
importance, and the Lord has great-
ly blessed these organizations, in rais-
ing up men who have been inspired
to labor in connection therewith.
These Associations have proved a
blessing in years that are past, and
they are a blessing today. Here
are the Primaries. Our sisters or-
ganize the children together in
these Societies. This is the first
step after they leave, as it were, the
instruction and teaching of the
mother. The fathers sometimes
teach them, I suppose; but, as a
rule, we regard the mother as the
one who gives shape to the charac-
ter of the child. I consider that
the mother has a greater influence
over her posterity than any other
person can have. And the question
has arisen sometimes, "When does
this education begin?" Our proph-
ets have said, "When the spirit life
from God enters into the taber-
nacle." The condition of the
mother at that time will have its
effect upon the fruit of her womb;
and from the birth of the child, and
all through life, the teachings and
the example of the mother govern
and control, in a great measure,
that child, and her influence is felt
by it through time and eternity.
Our children go to the Primaries.
There they are taught the first prin-
ciples of the Gospel and about the
birth of Christ. This lays a founda-
tion for them to build upon. From
the Primaries they go to the Sab-
bath Schools. We have a very
large number of children—over
sixty thousand—enrolled in
Sabbath Schools. President George
Q. Cannon has taken an active part
in the organization and conducting
of these schools. He was inspired
to do this, and they have been a
great blessing to this people. From
the Sabbath Schools these children
go to the Young Ladies' and Young
Men's Improvement Associations,
there to continue improving them-
selves. When we call for Elders to
go abroad on missions we almost in-
variably choose those who have
graduated in this manner.
Well, I will tell you some of my
thoughts and feelings with regard
to our young men and maidens.
Of course, I know and you know
that this is the Kingdom of God.
I know that this is the great and
last dispensation, which the God of
heaven ordained before this world
was created; for I believe that the
Almighty knew what He was going
to do with this world before He
made it. He knew what kind of
spirits were going to occupy it, and
what kind of work would have to
be performed in order to save His
sons and daughters who should
come upon the earth. And in read-
ing the history of the dealings of
God with men, from the creation of
the world to this dispensation, we
see the Father has labored to bless
His sons and daughters. He gave
His only begotten Son to die to re-
deem the world—a sacrifice such as
only God himself could give. And
in these last days He has com-
menced the organization of the great
and last dispensation—the great-
est of all dispensations. Adam,
Enoch, Moses, and the prophets saw
our day. They had before them the
vision and revelation of this work,
and they prophesied concerning it.
Now, the Lord has labored with us
for nearly sixty years since the
organization of this Church. It has
grown like a little child from its
mother's breast. It has grown like a
mustard seed, until it is becoming as
a tree, for the fowls of the air to
lodge in the branches thereof. [Luke 13:19] Its
history has been very peculiar in
some respects; but it has laid the
foundation for a great deal of faith
in the minds of the honest and
meek of the earth. We have had a
warfare right from the time when
Moroni first visited Joseph Smith,
before the latter received the plates. [Joseph Smith-History 1:49-54]
Lucifer and all his evil spirits have
labored for the destruction of this
work. They labored to defeat, if
possible, the going forth of the Book
of Mormon—the stick of Joseph in
the hands of Ephraim. [Ezekiel 37:15-20] Joseph
Smith himself, only fourteen years
after the Church was organiz[e]d, was
martyred. He had his blood shed,
as a testimony of the truth of his
mission. I have traveled with
Joseph Smith many hundred miles.
I have also traveled with Brigham
Young and the Apostles, and I have
never had any doubts with regard
to the truth and final triumph of
this work. I have none today. I
have no doubts about Zion becom-
ing all that the prophets saw it, in
its glory, its power, its dominion
and strength, with the power of
God resting upon it.
In view of all these things, the
question which has arisen in my
mind, and which has caused me a
good deal of thought, is, who is
going to take this kingdom and
bear it off? Unto whom is the
Lord going to look to take this
kingdom in its final triumph and
prepare it in its perfection and glory
for the coming of the Son of Man?
To our sons and daughters. It is
these young men and maidens who
dwell in these valleys of the moun-
tains that have got to asume this re-
sponsibility. Upon their shoulders
this kingdom has got to rest, when
their fathers and elders have passed
to the other side of the vail. This
is before me just as plain as the
light of the sun in the firmament of
heaven. And when I consider this,
I ask myself, what condition are
our young men and women in?
Are we, as parents, doing our duty
towards them? Are they trying to
qualify themselves and preparing
for the great destiny and work
which lie before them? I think
they are, to a certain extent. But
when I see any of these young men
going astray and going to these
saloons, drinking and smoking,
instead of going to Sabbath School
and to meeting to qualify them-
selves, I feel sorry. I would regret
to see any son or daughter of mine
or of my neighbors going astray,
because they would be losing great
glory, and depriving themselves of
the privilege of stepping forth and
taking the place of their fathers and
of the prophets and apostles of God,
and filling the different quorums of
the Church. They would be losing
that which they do not comprehend.
When, however, I hear a testimony
like that given here today concern-
ing our young people, it gives me
joy and consolation.
I feel that it is our duty to do all
that we can in behalf of these insti-
tutions in our midst. It is the duty
of the presidents, the superintend-
ents and the teachers to do all they
can to influence our sons and
daughters to unite together and to
qualify themselves by learning out
of good books. They should be
taught to seek for the Spirit of God
and to treasure up wisdom, and to
obtain those principles of power
which they will need in the day
when the judgments of God shall
descend upon the earth. I rejoice
when I see our young men and
maidens trying to do their duty.
The Lord is raising up young men
who are being clothed upon with the
Spirit and power of God. I rejoice
in this. I am satisfied that they
will increase; but I feel that they
should be taught and encouraged to
qualify themselves to take the
Kingdom of God and bear it off.
There is a great destiny awaiting
our young men. Therefore, they
ought to be temperate; not drink
whisky, not chew or smoke tobacco,
and not mingle with the drunken.
And it is the duty of those who are
not married to take these daughters
of Zion to wife, when they arrive at
a proper age. There are no better
women on the face of the earth than
those that dwell in these mountains
of Israel. If there is any virtue
anywhere, it exists among the
women that live in Zion. The same
with the men. Our young ladies
are virtuous; their mothers are
virtuous; and their fathers are
virtuous. There may be exceptions;
but the Lord has gathered together
a people who are virtuous. My feel-
ings are that every young man in
Israel should get married when he
arrives at a proper age. It does not
cost any man more to provide these
girls with food and clothing after they
are married than it does before. It
does not cost any more for your-
selves. But you are then prepared
to begin to gather some means
around you. Do not wait until you
have about ten thousand dollars and
have fine horses and carriages. You
will get them just as quickly after you
are married, and possibly quicker,
than you will before.
It is our duty to get married at
the proper time. It is the law of
God. Therefore, I would like to see
you young men take these daugh-
ters of Zion to wife. Look at the
posterity of Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob, and see how they spread
throughout the whole world. The
tribe of Judah has remained until
this day; but had they not been of
the seed of Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob, and had they not been
blessed by father Jacob, they would
doubtless have been destroyed long
before this. The Jews put to death
the Savior and His Apostles, and
had they not been of the chosen
seed they would never have been al-
lowed to remain on the earth; but
they have remained almost undi-
minished, in the midst of all the
persecution and tribulation which
they have had to suffer.
These are some of my feelings,
brethren and sisters, with regard to
our young men and maidens.
They occupy a position, as
I have often said, that
no previous generation ever occu-
pied. Many of these young men
and maidens that are here today
will, in my opinion, if they are
faithful, stand in the flesh when
Christ comes in the clouds of
heaven. These young people from
the Sabbath Schools and from the
Mutual Improvement Associations,
will stand in the flesh while the
judgments of the Almighty sweep
the nations of the earth as with a
besom of destruction, in fulfillment
of the revelations of God, and they
will be the very people whom God
will bless and sustain. Therefore, I
say, our young men cannot begin
too quickly to qualify themselves by
treasuring up wisdom and calling
upon God and getting the Holy
Priesthood; for they have got to
stand in holy places while these
judgments are poured out upon the
earth. The nations of the earth are
rejecting the testimony which we
bear; they are rejecting the Gospel
of Christ; and these judgments of
God, like a few drops of rain before
the shower, are beginning to de-
scend upon the earth. We hear of
floods, of fires, of earthquakes. These
are only the beginning of sorrows.
These judgments will increase, and
they will continue to increase until
all that has been predicted by the
prophets of God will come to pass
upon the earth.
Now, brethren and sisters, we are
trying to prepare ourselves for ex-
altation and eternal life. We have
received the Holy Priesthood.
There is no change to that Priest-
hood. It belongs to the Celestial
Kingdom of our God. It does not
belong to the terrestrial nor to the
telestial kingdom. If you and I
ever get into the celestial kingdom,
we have got to keep the law of that
kingdom. Show me the law that a
man keeps and I will tell you where
he is going. We, as Latter-day
Saints, have everything to encour-
age us. We have received the Gos-
pel of Christ and the blessings
thereof. What did we know in re-
gard to God and salvation until the
Lord revealed Himself? Who ever
knew, before the Lord revealed it
to us, that a man could have his
wives and his children with him in
the morning of the resurrection, in
the family organization, with him-
self at the head, to dwell together
for ever and ever? I have thought
many a time that if I labored until
I was as old as Methusaleh and by
that means could have my family
dwell with me in glory in the eter-
nal worlds, it would pay me for all
the pain and suffering I could en-
dure in this world. And this is
only one of the blessings that are
promised unto us.
Our young people should labor to
qualify themselves by reading the
revelations of God. There is no
time to waste in reading novels.
Read the Bible, the Book of Mor-
mon, the Doctrine and Covenants
and the records which the Lord has
given unto us, and treasure up these
revelations and see what the Lord
has promised unto us. We then
treasure up something of worth to
us. At one of our meetings a short
time ago President Cannon read the
revelation contained in the Doctrine
and Covenants with regard to what
the Lord said to Orson Hyde, Wm.
E. McLellin and other Elders going
out to preach. The Lord said, speak-
ing through Joseph Smith:
"And whatsoever they shall speak
when moved upon by the Holy
Ghost, shall be scripture, shall be
the will of the Lord, shall be the
mind of the Lord, shall be the word
of the Lord, shall be the voice of
the Lord, and the power of God un-
to salvation." [Doctrine and Covenants 68:4]
Why is this? Because the Holy
Ghost is one of the Godhead, and
consequently when a man speaks
by the Holy Ghost, it is the word
of the Lord. We should seek to ob-
tain this Spirit that it may be with
us all the time and become a princi-
ple of revelation to us. It is the
right of every man in the Church
to enjoy the presence of the Holy
Ghost.
Brethren and sisters, we are liv-
ing in a fast age, and we have no
time to waste. This is a time when
the Lord is going to cut His work
short in righteousness. I have a
desire that we, as a people, shall un-
derstand the position that we occu-
py before the Lord. In the 121st
section of the Doctrine and Cove-
nants, the Lord, in speaking to
Joseph Smith while in Liberty
Jail, says:
"Behold, there are many called,
but few are chosen. And why are
they not chosen?
"Because their hearts are set so
much upon the things of this world,
and aspire to the honors of men, that
they do not learn this one lesson—
"That the rights of the Priesthood
are inseparably connected with the
powers of heaven, and that the
powers of heaven cannot be con-
trolled nor handled only upon the
principles of righteousness." [Doctrine and Covenants 121:34-36]
In Kirtland, a number of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
apostatized. Why did they aposta-
tize? Because they forsook the Lord,
they stopped praying, they wanted
to get rich, they sought for the
honors of men and for the riches of
the world; and notwithstanding
they were Apostles their power fell
from them. If a man wishes to keep
faithful, he has got to live near unto
the Lord, remember his prayers,
and realize that he is at work for
the Lord and for His Kingdom.
I thank God that you are united
here. I hope you will continue to
be so. Do not quarrel over any-
thing. It makes me sorrowful when
I hear of men holding the Priest-
hood wanting to go to law because
they have not got sufficient water.
This is wrong. It is against the law
of God. When we are united we
have power with God and with each
other. I hope and pray that we
may so live in these valleys of the
mountains that every operation
against us may come to naught, and
it will if we do our duty. I do not
pretend to know how many tribula-
tions or how much suffering we
shall yet have to endure before Zion
is established in her beauty and
glory; but I do know that Zion is
not going to be moved out of her
place. The Lord, however, will
chastise us until we become purified
before Him. He will plead with
His strong ones, and what He has
said concerning Zion will come to
pass. [Doctrine and Covenants 90:36] I hope that we may exercise
wisdom in all things, that we may
escape these afflictions.
Let us try to live our religion and
to do right the few days we have to
spend on the earth. Some of us
have not got a great deal of time to
spend here. We shall soon pass
away. Therefore, let us be united
together and all will be well. Then
when we get through here we may
associate on the other side of the
veil with those that we have asso-
ciated with here on the earth and
with the Patriarchs and Prophets
that have gone before. The bless-
ings of God will attend Zion, and
His judgments will rest upon the
wicked.
I pray God that the union you
have here may increase, and
that our young men will rise up and
magnify their callings before
the Lord, and treasure up wisdom,
knowledge and understanding, and
learn those things that will assist
them in their duties; for, as I said
before, this Kingdom has got to rest
upon the shoulders of the rising
generation of the Latter-day Saints.
This is the destiny to which they
are approaching. I feel thankful
that I have had this privilege of
meeting with you and of listening
to what has been said. I pray God
to bless you, and those who preside
over you, that you may be of one
heart and one mind, and be prepared
to inherit eternal life. Amen.