| Show REMARKS bf liis president brigham young bowery june as by BY G D WATT I 1 arise to ex express press some of my feelings in relation to the brethren who may address the saints from this stand from time to time lime I 1 wish you to understand that when you are called upon to speak to t us here we wish you to speak upon the same principle that br chislett has out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speak eth br chislett has spoken s ohen upon that principle we do not riot expect te the brethren to rise up here to in fruct the people with regard to the special duties devolving upon them or to give the revelations reve 1 a of jesus christ to lead the people let me ine ask his this congregation what does strengthen 81 your minds your faith and andybur jour your confidence in your religion Is it not the spirit of the lord it is Is not that what you require day by day do you not receive as much milc h of the spirit of intelligence of the spirit of knowledge and the consoling influences of tile the holy ghost to have people rise and testify of the things of god which they do know of those things which they have experienced themselves does not that vividly bring to your minds the goodness of the lord in reve revealing alink to the truths of the gospel does D oes not that strengthen your faith give you an increase increase of confidence and witness to you that you are a child of god most assuredly it loes does therefore when any testify of the things thins of god it strengthens 11 their brethren precisely as it did in days of old when they observed the counsel to speak of often ten one to another strengthen th the tiie brethren J and so on A mutual interchange of feelings one with the other increases confidence iu in our own hear hearts 9 a as well as in the hearts of our friends we ve are made M ade sensible by gilr our own experience that in changing and aad interchanging our views we 1 reveal P our hea heffta 1 19 feelings sentiments and confidence tia twe haab I 1 lave in each eich other consequently it is a natural result that we increase conf confidence idenie in each etli oilier ver ter by our mutual conversation this is proved to us day by day perhaps all have not the opportunity to prove this in so public a manner but some few have mii wil my experience I 1 ilava bave learned that thai the greatest difficulty that exists in tile the little bicke rings 19 and strafes of ma roar 4 with man inan woman with woman an 1 children rith with children parents with children c ii ren brothers br others othera with sisters and sisters with br brothers ers arises from the want of rightly understanding each other it is not that this man or that woman wishes to do wrong but if they do wrong with their connections or with their neighbors il it is in consequence of a misunderstanding let us learn then to give to each other our true sentiments it is a great tault fault f in the elders of israel wh n D th they 17 talk to a congregation that they speak a great while about something but you cannot always easily emily tell what it may be more or less natural for some to do this buit bunt it is is a habit babit which can be overcome persons can to express their feelings by their words do not hesitate to ti tell ell your feelings many have a foreboding f ore boding in their hearts a tearfulness f ear f fil ful ness hess a tremor comes over them thim when they abey or arise prise ise lse to address a con COD congregation re gation gatlon they think that it will not riot do to tell the people just what they understand but talk about it and talk about it in this way they darken counsel do not darben darken counsel by your words 1 I do not dot now refer iu in the ilia least to what has been bean said this morning for I 1 really believe belleve that the feelings of br chislett were portrayed frankly fra akly honestly and childlike child like that is the way I 1 like to have the elders talk and I 1 wish to have them testify to to what they know that will help and enco encourage u rage others to get the same spirit for in the t of all that we hear bear from this stand with regard to counsel and implicit obedience to counsel vou you and I 1 must have the testimony of jesus within in us or it is of but little use forus for us to pretend to be servants of god we must have that living witness within us we need the light of th the holy spirit continually day by day as you have been told hundreds of times how easy it would be for your leaders to lead you to destruction unless you actually know the th p mind and will of the spirit yourselves that is your privilege and when you testify in this ibis public congregation or in in your prayer meetings testifying of the things obidos of god that you know and understand you are 11 at liberty to speak freely upon those things which you believe instead of getting up to instruct t to lead guide and direct the kingdom of gol goj we want the brethren to tell fell what they know what they understand und estand tand the joy that they feel fee and their experience day by daj day ay wado wt do not expect the tiie brethren to rise here to instruct pertaining to the leading of the church but do they instruct when taking the course I 1 have suggested yes they instruct me they cheer and comfort my heart they increase confidence in me towards them when the they rise to speak here hey they cannot hide bide their feelings the sentiments of their hearts and when they exhibit an hone honess sr childlike child like lile spirit it increases my confidence iu in them and so it doas does the confidence people and we are all encouraged and aad strengthened we are edified and benefited and we increase in our religion allusions were made to our situation and the situation of the world no tongue can ful fui fully 1 portray that subject to you it is impossible im possible for aay man to rise here hero and exhibit the true state 0 this people of the blessings bles bies singa of tile tiie favor of god towards them that is not to bo ba known or realized except by the revelations cf ef the spirit S cirit of the lord this is the tile kingdom of or god and no man can understand it except by the spirit of god we are enjoying the blessings of our father in heaven no person call can understand thes blessings except by the spirit of revelation when that spirit hs h s gone from the tim hearts of individuals these valleys casaga to be the valleys of peace to hem them cease to be beathe jlia ilia valleys of comfort and aud joy to 0 them and they seek for other climes tile gile ghey they first wander from the saints and from their religion in their feelings and fitl fiti finally ally aily they wander in III person this people are blessed and are a blessed people when I 1 meditate upon our present circumstances and view the situation of the people I 1 can feel nothing III sil my heart only to say god bless them themi they are a god blessed people they do manifest to god angels and rn men n that they are willing to sacrifice if wa we may use the exp eap expression r assion alt all that they have or expect to have in t his this world in its pre present ent situation that they may be the children of light and walk in the favor of god and secure ther inheritance in the celestial kingdom of our god all else is in the shade to them they prove by their works thit that they area arel are a blessed people alid you will be blessed you need have no fear but the fear to off offard nd G god 07 if f you have any ings ill in your hearts or timid feelings with regard to fur present situation let iet et me tell you one tiling thing which is as true as that the he sun now shines that whatever transpires with us with our enemies with the world here or there will still more promote the kingdom of god on orthe bithe the eai eal eaith th and bang to a final end the kingdoms of this world but bat the people of or the most high god must be je tried it is written that they will bo be tried in all things evea as abraham was tried 7 if we are cille to g gi upon mount boruh to sac sae effice a few of our isaacs it is no matter we may muy just as well do that as anything es ese I 1 think there is a prospect for the saints to have all the trials they wish for arcan or can desire do not be discouraged cou cpa raged when you hear of or wars and rumors of wars ways and tumults and contentions and fighting and bloodshed for hahold behold they are at the thresh holds of our doors now do nut not let your hearts faint for all this will promote tiia the kingdom 0 of f god aud and it will in increase arease upon the earth why vily because ule the world will ivill decrease we will be strengthened strength enad while willie they will be weakened righteous principles will be multiplied and spread abroad while wickedness will diminish and become limited in its the of the most high will increase gods kingdom wil wn in increase creage apon upon the tiie earth and aad all we have llave to do in order to increase is toba to ba sure eure that weare are aro the children of god inheritors of the promises and faith of abraham of old thai thal then whatever transpires jt it is no matter the world ard are determined to d destroy stroy the kingdom kinz ing inz of god upon earth they wish to obliterate it the king hing kingdoms kin hin gloms of darkness are determined to destro this kingdom in III their feelings they are fighting you and me and do not know that th eyare contending against J they have not the least idea of of f atiat but think they are aro contending contend tend hig aad against list the Al they are not contending against you on and me they are contending against the god of heaven do you think lie he can manage his own affairs yes if he only will dousay you yo say gay do you yon think heydu lead leab this people to victory vic tory and glory 10 0 yes ever every y heart responds if he lie has a mind to io do you think wo wa are ara aare in trust trusting liv ill in god yes ye if the lord will actually preserve us I 1 if how ow I 1 are you going tobe to be assured of all this and a great man many Smora more things there is but one way live so that vou you yon have ilava the abiding witness within you yoa that if all the rest g ga to nui nul alia 3 devil I 1 am aser vant vaut of god and will go into his ills presence let every man and woman take that course and then the lord take care of the tile whole of them there is a great deal said by our enemies with regard to destroying us I 1 will tell you how I 1 feel about that I 1 have heretofore used a comparison and it is a very plain one when I 1 see a number of little boys by tile the tithing office where we shell tha the corn building a cob house order to pluck the sun from the heavens and bring it down to the tile earth I 1 bet bel they will a accomplish com their thein design just as readily as I 1 believe that the tiie devil and and ind all his imps will accomplish the destruct destruction ion ian of this people there are very many here who have been brought into tight places into what we used to call running the gauntlet and aud I 1 want to know whether there is a faithful heart in this congregation one who has been in this church for twenty five years but what the spirit of the lord llis liis ilas lias witnessed essed to him in every dm culty cully that he enlarged ilis his kingdom more and more and ned lied our enemies has not that been the testimony of every heart many voices yes it has been so llen ilen when lien the brethren were driven from jackson bounty county joseph gathered gi up men and went to missouri to hee see wheler he could not bring about a reconciliation that the llie saints might live there in peace at that time hosts of Missour missourians ians lans were gd gathered iii ki dlf dif Terent different places true trub there were a few tew in the camp who apostatised because they could not have the privilege of fighting so far as I 1 was concerned I 1 did not wih to fight perhaps you will think that I 1 was very enthusiastic should I 1 tell you the llie elings feelings fa that I 1 had at that time but they were true and have remained so with me nia to this tills day inasmuch as we were called to go there by the prophet of the lord though I 1 knew and had a witness of this fact that we were in the midst of our enemies and surrounded by them on every side yet my faith then was and it has lias continued with me that they tiley might array their sharp shooters with their best rifles and cannon and shoot at me and every other man that felt as I 1 did and do and they would see mo me a little to one side aul and could never make a ball take effect on me that Is the way I 1 isriel feel foel ilow now unless the lord wishes to deliver this people into the hands of their enemies they may shoot at me or any ady other man they may fight dight and howl bowl and bark until they wear out their lungs and aud exhaust all their means and they will sink down and rot rotin in beir gieir own corruption and we well live and spread abroad that ie is my fuith faith Br brethren ethren ethrea and sisters my nay L heart wail wall is ail all tho the time god bless you god bless you yoa you xou are blessed no tongue can tell tile the blessings that eliat this people bijoy if they have the spirit to understand their blessings where is there peace besides in ill the valleys of these mountains where is the place that people can serve god but in the valleys of these mountains br chislett just told you no where where is the continent the people nation or king Ling kingdom dom in which and among whom the book of mormon could have deen geen translated angels have visited the servants of god to restore the priesthood hud had esti estl establish blish the ilia hing king kingdom doin of god and that have haie risen grown and spread abroad but in the government of the united states slates I 1 no where else as you was told here a few sundays aeo ago ago how is it now with the present feelings of thy thi th i 3 could that work now be done dona in the tha states it could not the very duties performed by joseph oliver david hyrum and others could not now bedone bedona III in tiie the united states for the people would rise in mass and put them to death deith or drive them from their borders bor dars the kingdom 0 m rise rises increases and spreads out to the ig right int ani and d I 1 left eft it goes to the east to the west to tile the north and to the south and when the gentiles are faitha faithfully tilly warned var neil by y the words of life freely given to them and they utterly reject them you will then find that the blood of 0 abraham that is scattered upon the islands of the tiie sea and on this continent will come like doves to the windows and like clouds before a mighty torrent of wind they will come and acknowledge the truth though not at once and they will greatly increase in the knowledge of their fathers we cm can say to the praise of gods name and to the praise of the industry of the saints that this will commence and hundreds addi arid thousands of them begin to turn f from rom their wickedness forsake their folly and their loath loathsome degradation wash themselves and begin to live more as men and women should and arld to learn at the hands of the servants of god they will go into nto the waters of baptism confessing concessin 11 their sins and taking lakin upon them the new and everlasting covenant covenant b by thousands lou iou sands and it will increase and many generations will not pas ass away before tho the thy y become a white while and delightsome people I 1 the nation that gave me and many of you birth is very nigh to the tile hours of sorrow their cup Is is vel vei Y nigh filled to the brim they reject the servants of god they reject the gospel of sa salvacion salvation they turn away from tile tiie principles of truth and righteousness and they are sinking in their own sins and corruptions corrupt ions I 1 would |
