Show V DISCOURSE I 1 ry T esra ra T benson tabernacle oct ath 1 1854 BRETHREN BRE TimEN AND SISTERS Ide I 1 deem emita it a 9 great reat privilege this morning to stand before y you ou to occupy a few ino moments ments and express my feelings iu ili that way and manner I 1 maybe may be dictated by the holy spirit I 1 feel pretty comfortable I 1 am just as comfort uble able as an I 1 know how to bo be and I 1 would be more more so I 1 suppose if I 1 had more experience more ore knowledge and had cultivated more of tile the holy spirit I 1 have hastened licile ned ened with much pleasure and satisfaction to the remarks of br phineas this morning inga tile exhortation is good and palatable to me a and 11 what I 1 prize above all things whether in ili life or death at home or abroad it is for us as a people to live us as we are commanded even to live by every word that edeth from tile mouth of god it has not hot been my lot for those these last few months to preach to congregations of the saints concerning the great and glorious cause of god on the ear eartle li but according to my instructions I 1 have been on oil tile plains where the souls of men and ad women woman ire i re tried to the center my mir soul has J been tiled so much so that I 1 have not had time even to shave off my beard since I 1 have been gone I 1 have been out on tho the plains and I 1 believe belaev e I 1 bave hav done edone the best beat I 1 could I 1 started with that intention when I 1 left home with the counsels aud and blessings of my brethren I 1 have tried to do tile hest best I 1 could for myself and for my brethren I 1 do not say but what I 1 may have erred in many point I 1 concluded however I 1 would take my religion priesthood and authority along with me believing I 1 should have use for it before I 1 returned and I 1 found it so I 1 had use for all tile the priest hood judgment and wisdom 1 I 1 was in in possession of and had received from my heavenly father and from the counsel and instructions instruction is of my brethren and I 1 have arrived I 1 home e again I 1 as sate safe and as sound as I 1 went awa away and T feel to rejoice ey before you this morning I 1 lam am again in tile the house of my friends for if they are not liere here I 1 know not where to find them on oil tile the face of this earth and I 1 pray coutino cout continually inu illy by night and by day that the blessings of god may nay still co continue 1 dinue tj to abide with this people and that the ki kingdom I 1 g d m of god may roll forth in ili great Po power and that the time may speedily come when the knowledge of god shall cover the earth as the waters do the mighty deep when wickedness and abomination shall cease from amongst this people and they become a righteous people from one end of the kingdom of god to the other when all animosity malice and back backbiting biting shall cease and tile the power of god rest upon every individual I 1 expect to live to see sec time we have to encounter many things on this earth that are not altogether pleasing to human nature and we may expect to be required to do many things contrary to our own private feelings but what is this compared to the things of tile holy spirit and tand the alie goodness of god which lie he is pour i ing upon his people 4 where is there any real I 1 atis satisfaction a faction happiness glory and peace outside tile the kingdom of god they are not to be found on earth many have sought for them and have never obtained them until they embraced the ful n ness ess of the everlasting gospel here we find them liere here we find the afie true oracles of god we find men here who have borne the heat and burden of the day who lie have been fAlli ful and true from 1 the commencement of this kingdom whose hearts 1 have never or knees trembled in ili danger I 1 whether in ill mobs poverty adversity imprisonment death or whatever situation they have been placed in ili for ta s ike of the alie kingdom of god under all cincu rs they have always been faithful and true well then shall we be tired this while listening to their words slid and con counsels asels no their words are peace to our souls they ar are like ik a stream of living water u upon poll thirsty grout ground le d ea we are not at all times limes in ili possession of wisdom enough to appreciate these blessings th this I 1 s is one tiling which is necessary for us to cultivate continually til lually if we have not already received it eliat 11 t by our own faith and diligence and by bv tile the light 0 of f lie file holy spirit we may increase knowledge aled e and isdor is dom so as to always appreciate tile the blessings conferred upon pi us ua from day to day it is ig V time WIS we iffa chude add e A a coffi commencement ame ne eff I 1 am going on to tell my expert zice how I 1 have fared upon tile plains and what I 1 lave love had to encounter but as to what I 1 have had to encounter it is sail all nothing no Lhing HW if w we have lived part or of the time on oil nothing but bread aud and water and half eaten aate u UP with I 1 called them the in ili habitants of nebraska but it is all in ili tile the work of tile the lord SO eo that it is is all right br brigham calls them tile alie squatters of nebraska there are alenty plenty of them they ore are innumerable and as the lie kingdom of god increases I 1 e can ail see their influence also for the traders tr iders on oil the road told me tile they never saw them so r thick the lands of nebraska it is expected that as the kingdom of god increases in ili knowledge wisdom power ane and righteousness hil the devils will increase ir if they coma in the shape of tile the mosquitoes toes or in wl whatever I 1 at shape we expect they hey will increase if we do not increase inc roase also we shall be overcome by them aliis is certain if we standstill and do not live so before god as to increase iu in our faith and righteousness before hin him we shall be trod den under foot by them it Is for us to keep the commandments of god so as to keep our leads heads above water and see our way out of every difficulty and overcome and withstand every temptation we are arc called to pass t anro to pass ovir over the plains is a matter is particularly I 1 ticul arly annoying to my feeling tile the last time I 1 passed over tile plains I 1 felt us as though I 1 lie never var wanted to cross them again and I 1 felia felt so wl when I 1 was sent out last july by tile the presidency if I 1 had my own feelings feeling I 1 should have suid said send bend me anywhere else and may god ged help thi the companies but I 1 said I 1 will go slid aud will not complain murmur or find fault with my appoint lut but I 1 will ga because god requires it by thus humbling myself and reeling feeling willing to go and craving the spirit of god to rest upon me I 1 found I 1 could enjoy myself and my reli religion cioll i upon poll the plains among the inhabitants of nebraska I 1 I 1 found god was there his holy spirit was there and the light of revelation was there lie re and all I 1 lied had to do was to speak and the he thing was accomplished to say the word and it was done and all the power the devil could rally against me was in ili vain when I 1 found that hat would not to bring about my purposes gut poses I then began to try the small wedges fud cud kept tapping a little to today day a and fid a little ia tomorrow to morrow and so kept worl working it at it stunt unta the work was accomplished and I 1 feel to rejoice and give all tile the glory to G god od rpy my heavenly father none of it belongs bel angs to me the work of god is rolling on oil and let us be engaged in ili it let us ns persevere let us na be faithful and try how to know that god is our friend that the servants of god are our friends and that this people are our friends what can we desire more it is one of the greatest blessings and consolations that can call be conferred upon any man mail upon the face of the earth that cojo eoles me if I 1 did not have that consolation and assurance what could I 1 accomplish what could conid I 1 do in ili the great work of the last lays days if I 1 did not know I 1 lied had found favor in ili the eyes of god and his servants if I 1 did not know they backed up my doings IT I 1 should wither and die a aud be tossed to and fro and carried about wit with levery every wind of doctrine it is consoling to our souls to know we are brethren and in the priesthood priest nood of the living god ilive if we abide by our covena covenants lits while upon the plains I 1 have seen the debret news from time to time containing some first rate discourses by the first presidency the twelve aid others jt it is first ra rate is good god and cheering to read them can call we abide the teachings contained in in those sermons sermons and stand the purification of the church of jesus christ of lotter latter pay day saints it has hag been proclaimed from this stand that the time is approaching when the tr church of god will be sanctified how is it with us today to day are we ready to be sanctified before god I 1 tell yon yo it 0 god od can ca n see us there Is s noth nothing ing he does not know it is out of date jn ili these times for a man to hide himself to get out of the sight of god to do something that he will not see and 1 I 1 i know voice in the stand to do this he be must I 1 go 90 into empty space yes but we do not be bc I 1 I 1 i lieve there is any empty spate it is all filled ailed up with particles of matter so refined that we cannot see them if our eyes were opened to pee fee the I 1 spiritual world no doubt we should see that abis room is filled with the spirits of just men man made perfect p who knows some of these NJ S irit iriti ial al a agencies I 1 ancien or spirit knockers give us to understand e estan d afat that br josephs and br hyrams spirit is about and they profess to call up any spirit they please we believe just as lucli anuel of this as we please we believe when these things are for the people of god they will come chrol the proper channel of the I 1 holy priesthood and nd if tile the spirits of jupt men malde made perfect have got aai anything thi ing t to reveal they will reveal it the channel god lies has orda ordained hid that we may not be imposed upon by tom dick I 1 harry and the devil no I 1 orn am going to sail in the old mormon boat that 1 lias 18 carried me m I 1 safe to the present time br brigham told us in ili the tiple temple in ill nauvoo we had bad to sail in snag harbor and we have got a boat that will sail there tile the old mormon boat lias has been kicked and knocked about and still she sits true and stately upon the water with a sound bottom mid and the she sails when it is necessary necess esstry nry and when it is necessary she rides at anchor and we can call take in ili i sail or br let it out according to the urgency of the i case and to suit the necessities of the passengers aboard I 1 I 1 frel fei hoarse boarde tills this morti morning lug in ili consequence ol of biallo ling to lo the men to ta yoke up in the mornings aku but t I 1 feel like hallowing hallooing hallo as loud as I 1 can glory to god and the he lamb hallelujah to the latter day saints and pur our heavenly pother Fat lier I 1 feilso frel so odthe on alie plains and wherever where vrr I 1 sin am when I 1 cultivate the good spirit of god it is to my mv soul and I 1 know how flow to express my feelings to you this morning I 1 I 1 desired with all my heart to get in to the conference ever everybody T a said a I 1 d I 1 should not be able I 1 told them I 1 would talk t k 0 to o the lord about it for I 1 wanted to he be in ili the circle of my friends that I 1 have proved from the beginning and I 1 will be there and not kill the cattle neither they said 0 10 you will kill all the cattle and play destruction on oil tile the train ac I 1 br brigham pronounced if we would davd do right when we started to conduct tile the catch train in ili we should have leave good weather lier it lies has been fulfilled we weare are here and the church train is here notwithstanding the he devil got inta thecae tie and half of them ran away neither are the go goods oda deposited at fort laramie as it was expected they would be the goods are all here except what were consumed on the way aud and what have gone to meet expenses it is not necessary for me to tell liow how it could bave been bettered I 1 do not know liow low it could as far as I 1 am concerned I 1 must have more wisdom and power bower to better it I 1 felt that god was by my side and good friends were round about me and I 1 had no desire to do anything I 1 would not be willing billing for god to scan who was with me by his power and wisdom I 1 felt willing he should walk with me as far as a my acts were concerned even as lie walked with enoch of old I 1 feel determined to magnify my covenants with god and strive every time I 1 am sent out to do better and better belter and more of it until iare we can call control tile the elements and cast out devils and do many mighty works in ili the name of the lord jesus and see this kingdom redeemed it is the business of the elders of israel to see this his gospel preached in ili all nations of the earth until israel is redeemed and take a course to build up tip and not tear down there is a great deal more lionor in ili building buil diug up ap than there is in tearing down we are tile servants of god and I 1 must say I 1 am ashe ashamed nied of some of them especially those boys the bishops sent out they sent out some god men but the rest were tag and bobtail we had to threaten to knock their teeth down their throats threats before they would do 6 right I 1 I 1 1 t they would play ca cards ads and alid do un unless e m a penciled clenched fist ws held continually before them teem 1 the th le boys bos that came out from england and wales and from other countries stood hack in amazement at them what is tile the matter wickedness is as well wel 1 as righteousness are increasing in these mountains mount dins how do I 1 know if it it because I 1 form part of a quorum with those who are ti trying to build up this kingdom I 1 kab know that they J not only try but actually do the things I 1 tell e ly I 1 you on captain brown blown I 1 do not mean you y you h have done dolle the thing which I 1 is s rif right flit und and lotsi rim yn ut am lil anre 11 fi V 1 1110 say when vb be n I 1 went to them for cattle cattler I 1 said to them tile the church train stands on oil the alah plains what have you to say about if it they said we have nothing to say what have you got to jo say tell the number of cattle you wint want and the ilie bill shall be rod filled did I 1 not feel like blessing such men I 1 did all tile the days of my life and there is nothing viga too t 0 0 good for them I 1 would i d go to another man and say what is goerg to be donea adone the church cattle have run adiv away and ikid the train stands on the he plains 1 I dont know we have got just as much as I 1 we ve can call do if you take away one yoke of cattle or a yoke of cows we can roll isaid I 1 said brother that is not loot the right spirit if you do not know where where the cattle are to corne come from I 1 will show r you drive your cattle post past here I 1 want to teach you to look the same magnifying glass that I 1 do and when you see by the same spirit it I 1 do you will then see where the cattle are to come i from 1 I want to do all things right lie said bul I 1 I 1 do not lint see where there is a yoke to come from well said 1 I theres a yoke voke take out that middle yoke of y your our own aud and take out these wheel cattle from another wagon ac this was hie file way we had to tie do with those who were not willing to spare any of their cattle or the train would have been at independence rock this day w whereas it is here and I 1 feel to bless the brethren bretl bret bren iren |