| Show REMARKS 1 if uy eider elder wilford woodruff tabernacle sunday january 2 1857 U REPORTED BY J V MG egg I 1 am to gt got tip up and address vou a hort time I 1 do rid nid ria enow know that I 1 will be able t to 0 nake mate this large as embly of people hean hear me this borning nor ning but bat I 1 will do the best I 1 can to accod lish it I 1 feel that it is 13 a vry good sign to see 10 50 many people out to meeting it seems seen as though bey hey felt interested interred it in meeting mee tinz together to receive instructions to see as crowded a house as this is his morning is a proof that there is is arr arf increasing interest resting upon the people to bear beer the word of the he lord ara and receive instructions from the tile servants f god goil arlid and I 1 do hope brethren and sisters that instructions yau do receive you will prize ay it up and practice it whether it be much muth or I 1 realize that the salvation of this people does lot not depend upon the great amount of teachie tea teaching chir chit instruction or 01 revelation that hat is given unto them blit nit their salvation depp depends rids more upon their obey ing ng the commandments of god which are given glyen anto them their becoming a doer of the word and ol lowing tile the consel counsel of those who are set to ead end them we certainly have a great amount tf teaching caching of instruction of principle of revelation tion ihl and of the word of god which has bus been ivun ivun iven iven unto this people not only that which is recorded in the bible the book of mormon book of doctrine and covenants the church Ili lii story but aut we have day by day and night by night in instructions given unto u we have a little littfe here heere and a littia lit ie here there a discourse today to day and another tonight and we are continua continually continually ll receiving instruct eions ons from the fire servants of gr god we receive receive it instructions inductions duct ions lons in our ward meef meeting ings and almost every time ime a few of us meet together we do so for the purpose of receiving the word of the lord it a appears ears to me then hen that bat we are cert certainly aidy aldy a favo favored beope and that we are having a great deal of important instruction such as is is calculated to lead us unto salvation inasmuch then as WP we called upon to reform or to advance and to grow in the he principles of eternal life and to become holy in in our I 1 lives ilves ilesi I 1 hotel hogel hope there is is none of us but that wk wih take hold wit with our whole soil and carry out the instruction and try to practice 1 it in word and deed we frequently bear hear remarks made about the he reformation being over and arid about then them having got through with it in this place or in that place but the amount of it 11 if there nev orwill be any end to the reformat reformation lon ion or in tit other words ohve here never will be beany alty arty end to our advancement there will be no end to our out improve improvement nor to our increase neither in time nor norm in all ati eternity it if we act up to our privileges as a people wo we have no more time airn to lose iose lose iose or to spend in an unprofitable manner marner we should not act indifferent indifferently 1 I with regard to the tiie blessings which the lord is s ci faring unto us u and winch we ave are the privilege of obtaining WP we should labor with all our might to build up the tire kingdom of god that thal chauve we may so e cure unto ourselves every every evers blessing necessary for our salvation we live I 1 in an important day it is a day of merry mercy and a day of creat great blessings unto us as ape ope and we should appreciate it as sich I 1 have reflected a good deal within the last st few months and especially while sitting and listening to the teachings of the first presidency the tire twelve and the elders of israel in in their various spheres and callings in in which they are called to act in my mv prayers and reflections I 1 have thought much of dur our our present position ami am I 1 have concluded that if we do not enjoy the holy spirit and it if the v ision vision of our mind is not open to compre hend liend the things of god and the power which is is seira made manifest for our benefit and good that we are in in great danger of suffering los we should should see more fully of taking hold with our might and then as br kimball says the holy of god would be diffused through thir ough our whole bodies and through the whole body and chur church c h of christ I 1 feel and see the he importance import acce of this work and I 1 see the necessity of our walking up to the line of our duty that WP we may live and walk daily in the light of the lord I 1 realize that the presidency of this church stand between this people and the tile lord for they are the head and I 1 realize i that god reveals to them his will and ard therefore we should look unto them for light and for information the head maybe may be full of light of inspiration revelation and of the he mind and will of god but it if those officers who wilo stand net next ne t to them and it if we ourselves are asleep in relation to our duties and prid are not in a fit state to receive that light do do you ou not see that the river is dammed up tip at the kead head there is iq no fio current or medium whereby the tipi light nd 1 t may flow to the limbs arid and branches of the body y I 1 realize that it is the duty not rot only of us who hold the priesthood but of this people generally to present ourselves in humility and faith before the lord that we mav mas may obtain the blessings which are in in readiness for ua us and we can caa obtain aji the ilg light bt the knowledge the ahe faith the ibe intelligence and ani power lower which is necessary for our oun salvation by humility obedience and submission to the will of god we should attend to this in order that our minds may be prepared and our bodies become fit subjects for the he reception of the holy ghost so that the spirit of god mav may may flow freely through the whole body from the hear heal head to the foot then when this is is tile the case we will all see alike feel alike and be alike and become one on as far as the gospel and kingdom of god is concerned as the he father and arid son are one and arif then this people will begin to see tha the t ap p bitin qi tin and arid rca rea which we hear har toddi tow nd k each other and arid towards god and we shall feel fed the of attending to our duties an alli I 1 we vill will willingly step forward and improve our time make good use of our talents and obtain tile the blessings that the lord has for us to brov but do vou you not see that if the people are sl sleep deep leep and ami awl not living up to their eriv il apap lare eq a aa aid A tile ilie SI ant rit of god bag als ais to flow from te oe head to 0 o the body that it soon becomes ob tinted tin ted and dammed up we may trace this his I 1 principle through the church and kingdom of god and yon may carry it info ino iao lao the family government and you will find it as br kimb kimbill ili lil has aire alre already aday adiv pre entel it to us it is like the vii vil vinc with is its li limb ilba inba its branches and its twigs this I 1 is a very verv good figure fiaui e io 0 o teach us the principle of nes in order for us its to be prepare I 1 to do the will of god and be in in a position to build up tip his kingdom upon the earth and to carry out his purposes vs we must not only become united and act as the heart bf one man but we must obtain the holy spirit of god and the mind and will of god concerning us and be governed and controlled by it in adlof all ail tf our movements and acts in in order to be safe and secure unto ourselves salvation fi m I 1 do not enjoy the holy spirit there is something the matter and I 1 should labor until that is removed for I 1 consider that to be the first turning icey rey cey try and we should do this to prove that we are honest before the loni lord and aid th that tt we desire to do right in our minds and arhl in our hearts yet as I 1 have said before unless hat that spirit is with us we do rot not know whether we are doing right or wrong prest kemball eina Kica balb shut that door and let UP it remain so for I 1 tell you there is no one can enjoy the peaceful influence of the holy spirit where there is confusion and I 1 am sure his this congregation cannot while hat that door is going clack dack As I 1 was remar remarking kinc kinz unless we do oo obtain the holy spirit we are in danger every step we take we are no mot not t safe neither are we in a save able condition to build up the kingdom of nf god or do his mk work I 1 consider cons cong loler ioler that the lord requires thi this at tle tib the lie hand land of every man and woman in in israel every latter latten day saint that we birst first obtain the hol hoi holy y spirit then bring forth the fruits fru s of it unto salvation then you ou will see this pope keep lleen their the i r covena cavena covenants nV and obey the commandments of god this ibis is the duty of all ail allot of u and ve N e should live our religion and follow its dictates when this is 13 done you yoa will see this people awake and brins brinz bun forth works of righteousness then they will have faith and they vill will have power and rise rue tip up and the thib power anti and glory of god will be made matte mani manifest fe st through such instruments as the tie tle lord haq ln chosen chogen aisen in this dispensation upon t th earth irto into whose hands handa I 1 lio iio has committed the holy priesthood ask ash any people nations kin kingdom dorn or generations enera enora of men the clestion qi estion and they will tell teli t el son yon y 0 that they are seeking for chappine hap bap nire s but how are they for it take the ai cica gica calest test portion of mankind as an aft en ample ampie and how are pre they seeking for hap happiness chappine pine by serving the devil as fast last as they can and antl almost the lat being 11 or thing that the children of men worship and the last being whose laws they want to keep are the laws of the god goo of or heaven they will not worship god nor honor hi hip name nor keep his faw taws s but blaspheme his name from hy div to day and nearly marly all the corli world are seeking f for or mp h by committing sins breaking the law of god aid and ald blaspheming hidi hldi hi name and rejecting the ony on y source whence happiness flows if we really understood that WP we co ild iid not rot obtain happiness by walking in the pith of sin and breaking the laws of god we should then see the tile folly of bf it every man and every woman would see that to obtain it happiness ia iness we hould should go to wol wot ic and perform their the works s of ness and do the will of our father in heaven foi we shall r ceide at his hand all the chappin hap pin 3 blessing glora 1 salvation exaltation and eternal lives that we eve ever do receive either in time or elern eternity ity ye we should tand tanA that we sl not d ceide ceide ourselves in this his matter for if we deceive bur ourselves selves we shall suffer the loss we may just I as well search our own he hearts irros and at once revive that we will do the works of honor our father in heaven do our obi duty duts fyfo to god and maii mali man take hold and build up tip tile the kingdom of god and we will then understand that in order to tio obtain happiness and satisfy the immortal soul in in a falness of glory that man must abide a celestial law and be quickened by a portion of the celestial spirit of god goj and we will also aiso und understand ersland that to commit sin break the law of god arid and blaspheme his name will bring sorrow and misery and it will bring death both temporally and spiritually if we walk in in he ahe paths of tt unrighteousness we grieve the holy spirit and grieve our brethren and injure ourselves again I 1 wish to say a few words upon the blessings to be obtained by what we do the labors we perform the work we ive aie ire called upon to 6 do in in paying our tithing in building temples and in doln doin doing those things that are arc required of us these are bilings s that are for our own benefit and good these with other subjects have been impressed upon my mi for some weeks past and it does appear to mathat hat the people have llave not understood thee things in their proper light some som e of the people have looked upon the law of tithing as a kind of tax and burthen laid upon them but who is it for our tithing g our labor and all that we do in the kingdom of god goj who is 13 it all ail for tb the e tit hing is not to exalt the lord lordon or feed feel or clothe him lie he has las had hal his ion lon iong long age it is ii thousands and million 4 of years since he received his blessings and if he had not received them we could not give lve ive them to him for he is far in advance of us I 1 I 1 want the brethren to understand under stand this one thing that our tithing our labor our works are not forthe for the exaltation of the almighty but they are for u us not but what the lord is pleased to see ree us obey his commandments because by doieg this it will place us in a position that will fulfill fulfil and accomplish the object of our creaton creation and bring about the end besim designed ei by our coming to take tabernacles here in the alesh flesh b agam again when we do wrong the lord km knows va we shall shail in inherit rit sorrow and ald misery if we continue in that wrong then I 1 sav brethren let us understand this as it is and wi we shall do well ivell in paying our tithing lhing ti in obeying every law that is given to exalt us and 0 to o do us ils good it is all for our individual benefit and the benefit of our children and it is not of any particular benefit to the lord only ashe is pleased in tile the faithfulness of 0 his children and desires to see them walk in the path which leads to salvation and eternal life if wt look upon things in this light we shall do zer xer everything athing cheerfully and whatever calls are made ad e 11 upon pei per us we shall shail gladly re spend respond and then the channels will be opened there will be no obstruction st in the theeda gica edification fica tion tiou of the body of christ and light and intelligence will flow from fountain the head unto the people then when a man speaks the people will by their prayers and faith draw forth the word of olf the lord from him and they will vill have their minds upon lipon the things of god and ana not upon everything else ao it has been heretofore it if this people would rise up and do their duty when men rise before them in this stand to point 04 buthe the way of life the spirit of the lord would reveal repeal the he things necessary for the people to understand der stand for the faith orthe of the people would draw them out all that is required is for the people to aroue adoue themselves and get the light of god within them brethren I 1 iao 0 o not feel to speak much longer I 1 have done what iwas I was required to do to occupy a few moments in opening the meeting thia this morn mornine morning inc inz and there are two of tae te presidency here who will speak to the people and we wish to hett from them I 1 will say let us awake to righteousness and in doing this we will see that there is no time to go to sleep this we ire shall all know when we come to the end of the race if not before we are tire now in our alphabet we are yet engaged in doing our first works and there are many leaorn and principles which we have vet yet to learn before we get to those who are arp gone far fan tan tar in the advance of us and received their reward with the just add and therefore I 1 say siy there is no I 1 ime lime to be lost let us make tile the best use of our jime time and in doing so I 1 |
