Show GOV YOUNGS SPEECH AT THE legislative FESTIVAL with joy and delight I 1 look upon yon brethren I 1 ris nl sisters I 1 iveel feel to t 0 O render ender r all praise thanks and a f io ordmon aton to our fa father t her and god that my heart is r c ip p ne ible of rendering and with all the affections affection to L I 1 ier with all the he talent bestowed upon me I 1 fe feel el 1111 I 1 i i to serve praise adored adore and acknowledge the lord I 1 our god let me ask a question finding in our I 1 present position posit ionin in the world of sin aud aad darkness of i ignorance unbelief sit superstition and tradition which has been woven anil and interwoven with ebur ur lives thrown around us like a mantle which is used to t shield the body from the cold and from the storm confide con side ing ourselves as we are then ask ourselves the question if on earth we have any idea of anything like a kingdom or community of people being celestial then ask ourselves again if we have does azes not the presentation this event evening ng border very nigh to it I 1 can say for one as far as we do know and understand as far as our capacities can expand a and d grasp T ica life and hap happiness M e ss just fust so far this comm a w which i is present t this api 9 e evening v e in ng are advanced in the celestial path W th if there is a heart here this evening that does not chime in with every sentiment of righteousness that heart ear has as no power er in in this s ass assembly Y this company y are c trolas like the ship by t the e rudder in a gentle gentie br breeze ze that can be turned hither and thi thither er at the will and pleasure of him who commands so s with all here present at the sound of the voice all is hushed and every heair beai t throbs in unison unison in in response to the words of praise and thank thanksgiving V iving to our father and our god od this proves that the majority at least are right and I 1 have fiade no reason to believe that there is a heart in this house hoase but chimes in with my own eve every r countenance is cheerful every face is ii lit up w with it h a lively glow 4 of jy joy peace and tranquility we are now enjoying enjoying our pastimes we often meet tog ather and worship the lord by singing pray preaching fasting and communing with each other in the sacrament of the lords supper now i we are met in the capacity of a a social community for what that our minds may rest and our bodi bodies es receive that recreation which is proper and necessary to keep up an equilibrium to promote healthy action to the whole system let our minds sing for joy joy and let life diffuse itself into every avenue or 1 the body for the object of our meeting is for its exercise I 1 for its good this party was gotten up by the members of the legislature to rest their minds to convene in a social capacity and enjoy the society of each otter with their families and and t to 0 give i renewed I 1 activity and ener gyi rp which hi ae h will invigorate and strengthen them in the discharge of the arduous duties devolving upon them with it h regard to these feelings prevailing in our midst this evening as well as the me correctness of these principles every man ani woman must be their own judge I 1 judge tor for myself and not tor for another although alth I 1 have th that t privilege i 11 e ge and can do it with safety and propriety agy why is this ty 1 is because when I 1 look apon the faces of my brethren 1 I 1 know their hearts let the roots of bitterness be there and their coulten ances meet mine and I 1 know it in a moment do you not know it also can you not feel it can you not see it you can this is is why I 1 say that I 1 have the privilege of judging others you have the same privilege hagim having this privilege to judge for others as well as mys myself ad I 1 feel to say that eve evry ry heart of the company present this his afternoon and evening nii feels to sing praises to 0 o the lord and shout hallelujah to his hoty holy name I 1 am in th tho best place I 1 ever was during my life and with the best society I 1 never savi saw a community that enjoyed the tranquility and peace that is enjoyed by this people in these adl lies of the mountains Is it not so judge jud ge for yourselves ye are my witnesses it nesses A few words perhaps will suffice the company I 1 was requested to make a few remarks at the opening of the meeting but to delay speaking until a more suitable time jr r when any of my brethren or myself speak to the oaple I 1 wish all to hear that conveniently can because when we are in this capacity and call our minds together it is to reflect for I 1 a few moments and look at each other an and thi think of the lord view over the past times of our lives and d contrast its history with the present restive festive moments it is good to look upon each other because the f faces aces of our ou r friends and the gladness of their countenance countenances sneers our hearts furnishing food for future reflection under all circumstances in every situation of our past lives in every transaction of business busine gs and of social enjoyment remember it is good to reflect and consider upon it now in the days ti of peace and pros while we have the privilege our present situation and the enjoyments enjoy ments of this evenin evening will become subjects acts of pleasant and agreeable re reflection Z action when we shall be separated from each other some of thes my brethren may be absent in foreign lands our sisters may be separated from this community and go to the right and to the left then these moments of festive joy will be remembered with pleasing emotions and cherished cherL shed in fond memory in after years Ag again gain when we meet in this capacity it is good for our minds to be ref refreshed reshAd on wise a little tor for the reason as you are all aware that we are naturally forgetful and it is according to the frailties of human haman nature to decline and falter in in our feelings at the varied besetting enticing and almost overwhelming temptations that are abroad in the world and with which the be people especially those of the household or of faith have to contend our former life its acx letes leter and enjoyments enjoy ments are apt to be f forgotten otten this is our experience it if we shou should orld suffer ourselves to spend or time day after day and week after ter week as we are today to day how ion long would it be before we would for forget t the lord ft A would not be ion long if we continued in in the exercising of the body without reflection this company would soon think it is no matter about praying g or asking the lord about anything we have enjo enjoyed ourselves heretofore and all Ls has been peace quie quietness trim and good cordei but how long would t remain so how long would it be before we would become careless if we remembered not the loi loid d for this reason I 1 say on every such occasion it is right reasonable and necessary that every heart be directed to the lord whet when we have sufficient recreation for our good let that suffice it is all right then let our minds labor instead of our bodies and in all our exercises of body and mind it is good to i eizember eia ein ember the avd L rd it if it cannot bp bi so 0 o but biu otherwise 1 I do not to see another party while I 1 live if I 1 could not enjoy he be spirit of the lord in this capacity with ou this evening and feel the power of god to reser me I 1 should cease from all such indulgence wim this time never let us its permit ourselves to zo so one step beyond thu which the lord wm owai own and bless but I 1 pause here and for this his reason I 1 want it distinctly under lunder sto stA that addlin fiddling and dancing is is sol bo part of our worship the question questin on may be asked what is is it for then I 1 answer that my body may keep pace with my mind my mind labors like a man logging all the time and this is the reason why I 1 am fond of these pas pastime times they give me a privilege lige to throw off and shake myself that my body may exercise exercised and my mind rest what fot for to get strength and be renewed and quickened and enlivened and animated so that my m annd nd may not wear out experience tells tella us that the most of the inhabitants of the earth wear out their heir bodies without wearing their minds at all through the sufferings they endure from hard labor with dis distress treis poverty and want while on the other hand a great coition of mankind wear out their bodies without laba laban gitig ng only in anxiety but when men are brought to labor entirely tarel ibi in the field of antell i wence there are few at aids to be round found possessing strength 11 enough to boar bar all things the mind becomes overcharged over charged and when this is the case it begins to wear upon ze the body which will sink for want of the proper exercises tais is the reason why I 1 believe in and practice what I 1 do the question might be asked why not go into the and get out wood which would be good ex excise eti enough ough if you would know come up to 0 o my house you will soon find out were I 1 to go to the kenyons kan yoni the whole camp of israel would follow nie me there and they would not be there long before the they i would say come bro brigham I 1 want to talk w ath YOU owe I 1 I 1 will chop this wood how many scores M I 1 E I 1 have undertaken to work since I 1 came tat 0 ministry scares mid hundreds hundred of times when ny my calling in ih the kingdom was less than it is now BOW have I 1 endeavored to set myself to work but seldom could have a chance to do so more than five minutes some one would come along give me the hoe bro brigham I 1 want to talk wn with you and so stop me and no sooner stops me than he be stops also I 1 have given it up I 1 do no not in intend tie to work any more at manual labor I 1 do not wrestle or play the ball all the fie exercised exer cisel doget do get is to dance torance a while my counsel room is ia from my office to this room and from this room to my house again into my sitting room dining room ac you will wil I 1 see the time you yon will know ww what my labor is I 1 w wish i sh this community to consider that bat 1 I have ree linss or a very acute lauire tire there mere 13 not a man or a domang woman saint or sinner it mattere matt ereth tb not that feels injured and lays lay their complaints before me but what it rests upon my feelings but bat my fat faith is unyielding and I 1 intend to keep it s so as much as I 1 car cap my feelings sympathise so ao with the injured I 1 that I 1 am grieved and distressed and my head bead a aches and large t drops of cold sweat sit upon my brov and I 1 no man or woman knows anything about abou my I 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 and I 1 do not want them to know for I 1 calculate to kick off all from my heels that I 1 cannot carry 1 will carry all I 1 should but there is not a person in in this community that can bring brine to mind or mention the time when ever I 1 exhibited one particle of sorrow or trouble to them I 1 calculate to carry my own sorrows just as long as I 1 live upon this eart earth and when I 1 go to the grave I 1 expect them all to go there and sleep with me in eternal silence but to return to our party I 1 would just sa sy 2 I 1 it t was gotten up by the legislature to en enjoy jo ourselves av ves I 1 have hae enjoyed myself first rate my heart is cheerful a and nd f full ull ot of g gladness badness lad ness I 1 am in the he midst of the saints of the most high and my desire is and I 1 will say with all my heart may god grant that the blessings favors and mercies and kindness of our father in heaven may bring us to a sanse aase of the obligations we owe to him and cheer and cause joy and to reign in this community that every heart may be e bound up in in the gospel of the lord je jesus us christ arist without baving abing to feri the rod again what at is the use of itchen it when n mercy and kindness kind is lavished upon the people of god and see them falter in their faith see them grow cold towards the lord their god to see them slacken their pace pac e is it not g grievous just look at tt it suppose you had all the good gifts to bestow upon your children that heart cou bouw wish and you lavish them out but the more you give the more slothful they become how bow would you yon fe fed n just apply this to yourselves I 1 know how I 1 shot should feet feel when I 1 brin my mind to bear upon this subject and see what the lord has done for me and for this keople people and think that I 1 should become remiss in my duty I 1 uty r so that the lord should have need to chasten me again it seems on the first reflection that I 1 ought to be damned when I 1 look at myself before the lord and see what he has called me to and what he has da called lied my brethren and sisters to zw it how he has bestowed blessings upon us and heaped them aup p until there was not room to receive them and I 1 should want to go to the gold id anines an and d return again here to speculate upon t the e saints and should be guilty of complaining all the time it seems it if I 1 were to do this the lord would damn me I 1 know you feel as I 1 do upon this subject when you take this into consideration your senous serious reflections having place in in your heart you feel as I 1 do for heavens sake sake for your own astle sake and for the sake of him who died for us never let us faller faher in our dut duty while we live it is our duty ditty to love the lord wig with all our might and with all ofir our strength and with all our souls this is our duty first and foremost we ought to love him better than our wives children and brethren and sisters and all things besides 1 Is this our duty ditty verily yes let the heart love god and serve him without any division of feeling never suffer it to wander to the right or to the left for one moment if these were the feelings of this people the lord would lift up our hands exalt our hearts and cause us to walk in his almighty strength so that the devil and his imps would never have bave power to bring another affliction u upon n us never conever no never therefore love the lord jre keep ep his commandments cleave to the israel of god this is my exhortation all the time and what is the next duty love your neighbor as yourself do unto others as you would that others should do unto you cease your contention and bad feelings your evil speaking and evil doing As I 1 observed here not long since I 1 consider it is a disgrace to the communel comm community unil y and in the eyes of the lord loal and of angels and in the eyes of all the prophets and revelators revelatory that have ever lived upon the earth when a community will descend to the low degraded state of contention with each other this little bickering jarring faultfinding fault finding abused me why do you not say if you have a mind to abuse abuse away suppose every heart should sa say iain if my neighbor does does wi ong to me I 1 will not complain comp complain the lord will take care of him let every heart be firm and every one say I 1 will never contend any more with a man for property property perty I 1 will not be cruet cruel to my fellow creature but Ero ut I 1 will wili do all the good I 1 caland as little 1 evil as possible now where would be the w wrong rong of taking this course ans is the way to approximate toward a celestial state A commini com community muni cannot be produced upon all the face of the eart earth that presents a celestial aspect like this if we continue to be faithful faitha it and prayerful and strive continually to resist every evil evi 1 we shall approximate more and more towards that celestial kingdom where there is ia an eternal inheritance and an unsullied glory and if we should look back upon ourselves when we were doing evil to each other should we not do so with regret and shame should we not look upon OUT our past mortal |