The teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith to President John Taylor and the rest of us was to obtain the Holy Spirit, get acquainted with it and its operations, and listen to the whisperings of that Spirit and obey its voice, and it soon will become a principle of revelation unto us. We have found this true in our experience, and in order to prove whether a revelation is from God or not we follow out the principles revealed to us, and if we find that which was manifested to us prove true, we know it is from God; for truth is one of His attributes, and the Holy Ghost deceiveth no man. When a man becomes acquainted with the whisper- ings of the Holy Ghost, which is revelation, he should be very careful to obey it, for his life may depend upon it. Revelation is one of the gifts of the Holy Ghost

While returning to Utah in 1850 with a large company of Saints from Boston and the east, on my arrival at Pittsburg I engaged a passage for myself and company on a steamer to St. Louis. But no sooner had I engaged the passage than the Spirit said to me, "Go not on board of that steamer, neither you nor your company.'' I obeyed the revelation to me, and I did not go on board, but took another steamer. The first steamer started at dark, with two hundred passen- gers on board. When five miles down the Ohio river it took fire, burned the tiller ropes so that the vessel could not reach shore, and the lives of nearly all on board were lost either by fire or water. We arrived in safety at our destination, by obeying the revelation of the Spirit of God to us.

As I have received the good and the evil, the fruits of obedience and disobedience, I think I am justified in exhorting all my young friends to always obey the whisperings of the Spirit of God, and they will always be safe. The Spirit of God will rule over and guide all men who will permit it and seek for it, and this is especially necessary for young Elders who are laboring in the vineyard of the Lord. For the Lord knows where the righteous, honest and meek of the earth are, and will lead the Elders to them

"Though I speak with the tongues of men &c"; & said dont be limited in your views with regard to your neighbors virtues, but be limited towards your own virtues, & not think your selves more righte- ous than others, you must enlarge your souls to- wards others, if you would do like Jesus, & carry your fellow creatures to Abrahams bosom.

As you increase in innocence & virtue as you increase in goodness let your hearts expand, let them be enlarged towards others you must be long suffering & bear with the faults & errors of mankind How precious are the souls of men! The female part of community are apt to be contracted in their views. You must not be contracted,

Let this Society teach now to act towards husbands to treat them with mildness & affect- ion. When men is borne down with trouble when he is perplexed, if he can meet a smile, an argument, if he can meet with mildness it will calm down his soul & soothe his feel- ings, when the mind is going to despair it needs a solace.

When you go home never give a cross word, but let kindness charity & love, crown your works hence forward. dont envy sinners, have mercy on them, God will destroy them Let your labors be mostly confined to those around you in your own circle; as far as knowledge is concerned, it may extend to all the world, but your administrations should be confined to the circle of your immediate accquaintance, & more especially to the members of the Society.

What is the sign of the healing of the sick? the laying on of hands, is the sign or way marked out by James & the custom of the ancient saints as ordered by the Lord & we should not obtain the blessing by persuing any other course except the way which God has marked out.

What if we should attempt to get the Holy Ghost through any other means except the sign or way which God hath appointed, should we obtain it certainly not all other means would fail. The Lord says do so & so & I will bless so & so their is certain key words & signs belonging to the priesthood which must be observed in order to obtaine the blessings

The sign of Peter was, to repent & be baptized for the remission of sins, with the promise of the gift of the Holy Ghost & in no other way is the gift of the Holy Ghost obtained. Their is a difference between the Holy Ghost & the gift of the Holy Ghost. Cornelius received the Holy Ghost before he was baptized which was the convincing power of God unto him of the truth of the gospel, but he could not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost untill after he was baptized, & had he not taken this sign or [or]dinances upon him the Holy Ghost which convinced him of the truth of God would have left him, untill he obeyed these ordin- ances & received the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands according to the order of God he could not have healed the sick or command an evil spirit to come out of a man & it obey him for the spirit might say to him as he did to the sons of Seava & Peter I know & Christ I know but who are ye