Show r A ra remal hy by eider elder IF lder ider david lavid Davidr rail full ullmer mer men bowery jidy jray 19 esst PORTED SY BY J IV T LONG brethren and sisters it ia is with timidity that I 1 aniseto address this congregation I 1 have often asked myself the question why should I 1 be afraid of ip speaking to my brethren I 1 could only answer the tile question by saying that I 1 cannot see any good reason should be afraid to speak to my friends I 1 iam lam am in the house bouse of my friends and in the midst of those whom I 1 loye love but have been diffident fron from the days of my youth notwithstanding this apparently natural embarrassment I 1 always try to do the best I 1 can and I 1 feel glad today to day that I 1 have a part and lot amol among i g thia thih people aid and in q this kingdom I 1 would not give my experience in the gospel for all the gold andrichen and riches of the world for it is worth mu much ch more to me I 1 could not consider the riches of the world in its present state to be worth much to me peace happiness rit ss and high anticipations of the f future are in this kingdom kirg dom out of it I 1 have no hopes HO 40 expectations whatever I 1 i I 1 do know now that I 1 have received many blessings through this medium and I 1 have no desire tornow to know g outside of that which is comprised by the kingdom of god I 1 feel happy n being associated with brethren and sisters whom I 1 lov lod fyall expect to remain with them upon unon the earth arth and if chev leave here I 1 expect to them yonder thi this is my joy and these are my hopes hope 8 and anticipations the instructions we ve receive from sabbath to sabbath and on all occasions when we meet for that purpose are calculated to build us up in our most huly holy faith we do not appreciate those blessings bles bies singe as we wight might o ight we should endeavor to practice strictly apon what we hear from the serva servants lits tits of god goa I 1 am satisfied sati sHed that the instructions we receive from time to time are calculated in their nature to set us right and to sanctify us before our father in heaven he aven to qualify us for every emergency and to prepare us for great and exalted stations in his kingdom this should be our object it is i s mine yet I 1 am faulty cowand them but though I 1 should fail a thousand times to do thai that which is required of me still I 1 will not suffer the adversary karyto to break me os off I 1 will wui not give up the he struggle I 1 feel precisely as wag was observed thi s morning in relation thour position here that we are blest to an extent that we do not realize our field fields are loaded down with grain and everything we put our hands unto has been ble blest st I 1 have come to the conclusion that all these blessings are of the lord and I 1 wish I 1 could realize this principle even a little moore fully than I 1 do and I 1 also wish this people could this is a time of great preat prosperity with this community it is just as br wells has observed we are prospered at home in ali all things we put our hands unto and the pres present ekit elit is the best time tinge that we ever had and 1 I 1 do not anticipate any better betten time in this side of the vail we are at peace with every body and there is no difficult difficulty ml amongst us only what we choose to make ourse curse ourselves I 1 ve s and 1 I thank my heavenly father that th v at even that is dying I 1 have never witnessed so much peace as I 1 have for the last twelve months we do not appear to have any difficulties amongst ourselves I 1 do not learn of many maby Bishop s courts nor high councils and consequently I 1 believe that the people live more according to the principle of their religion and thereby do away these hese petty difficulties this gives m me 1 e great peace joy I 1 and com comfort rort fe t looks to me as if the people were all moving one way and as if they were ivere all of one mind and this is pleasing to every servant of god when we had plenty of money and could feel that we were prospered we were made to feel bad by other circumstances standing the troublesome times we have had and the pinching times for food yet we always felt pretty welli we went and dug due u roots and all hands were united and felt fira first rate tate at it ii we were so much united that our union drove gut put all kinda linda of distress and disease and health and strength prevailed prevail ede edi we vve lived enjoyed life increased in strength and enjoyed ourselves ours elies elyes first rate together t we have recen recently liy lly had a reformation amongst ua us and we have had the inestimable privilege of ren ran renewing ewing our covenants covenant a before ar the lord and if we will do that which is required of us we will wiil vi if ac accomplish com a first rate work worl I 1 b believe that if we can dan purchase a seat m the celestial kingdom V at it the expense of ever everything y thing ive ire we have got we shall obtain it very cl cheap pa P i i L have no idea that tha we will obtain it short of this if I 1 feel gel that what whatever eviT evir we do to establish righteousness upon the earth we will be rewarded for there ia is a great deal of stir in the world worl about this people and it seem seems the great gleat difficulty isthan there is a community of person berson they dont know what to do with there is a people here in the mountains that they cannot get along with ut f fear ear gar not let come whatever may only let us its be prepared for it and let iet et us observe the law of the lord regardless of what the wicked cari can do I 1 am willing I 1 and ready to go and cast in my lot ot with this people I 1 dant care if it is to retire into the mountains the wicked will to a us no harm according to the understanding I 1 lave upon the subject only let ns us carry out the counsel of those that bat are set to counsel us in te thia king kingdom doo of god and to their I 1 word A 1 and thereby reve reverence i e those of hib his servants whoa who are ard placed inoda in our midst I 1 just do know that if we continue to put our trust in the lord and in his servants we shall succeed but if we put our interest against th ra we shall be cursed and wasted away I 1 would that all the world knew it but they are blind and cannot see but come what will I 1 am resolved to cast in my lot with this people and to carry out the ins instructions tt ructions of those who have a right to lead us we are in the he valleys valley st of the mountains in the best place that we can be in in the world and if there are any uttermost parts of the earth these are certainly those parts we came away from our enemies desiring to live here in peace but they now want to drive us but I 1 feel to say let them drive and be damned J voice and damned they shall be bei I 1 have a degree of respect for forthe the honorable men of the world ao so long on as they are tire willing 11 to be peaceable and to let me enjoy my religion but in rf lation to our enemies those who are constantly seeking our overthrow and destruction I 1 dot da not care a groat for them I 1 feel to thank god that I 1 have part in this kingdom and that I 1 am numbered with this people I 1 am pleased to say that I 1 know of no lio difficulty between any of the brethren neither do I 1 want to know any and I 1 can cart truly say that all ther them trouble I 1 have is to get along with myself and to keep myself night right 1 I have to look after br david and keep him P in in order and that occupies most roost of my attention I 1 desire to live where I 1 can be in in the midst of my brethren who ho hold the priesthood and I 1 do not want to live unless I 1 can look upon them and have them look upon me with complacency P ency and thereby feel that I 1 am perfectly at ai berty liberty this is the way I 1 want to live and this is the way I 1 awant want to die much more might be said upon this thia subject and I 1 think a great deal upon 1 it at and upon other things connected with our religion but I 1 will briefly say I 1 will endeavor to appreciate the privileges I 1 enjoy and I 1 wish to keep on the armor of mormonism my heart is to run with my brethren the race that is before ua us for I 1 think what they can stand I 1 can and if perseverance and diligence in lh this calse caise wont wone land me ine safe on zions shore I 1 dont know what will I 1 feel to say brethren and sisters let us not go 90 contrary to the instructions 1 of our brethren who preside over us the idea that some have that they can serve their god and set at naught the counsel of his servants is as great an 1 insult insult as can be given to god our father rather we have the privilege of seeing those men all the time and for that reason peradventure cerad venture we do dd not appreciate their words as highly as we should if they were absent from us tie part of the time iffe if we want to get to heaven we have got to have favor with the servants of god and I 1 would not give much for all the salvation any man would obtain without that favor I 1 feel to exhort my brethren with all humility to carry out the admonitions of the tho serva berwa servants fits of the bordin lord in every respect may god add his blessing to what hasteen has been said and assist us to be faithful to the erid end of our probation which I 1 ask in the name of jesus christ amen |