Show remarks Or george GRORGE A SOUTH tabernacle october 6 1560 I 1 reported BY 0 D WATT it is about thirteen months since I 1 had bad the privilege oe of rising and speaking in midst it is therefore with a heart filled with thankfulness to our heavenly father that I 1 now enjoy the privilege of bearing 0 my testimony on the present occasion of the things which pertain to the kingdom of the most high in his kind provi dences we are enjoying a a great multitude of blessings the testimony which has been given giyen to us this morning of the power and manifestation of the S spirit p irit at of god in the midst of irael is calculated to to make us rejoice the lord speaks unto us in his own way and after his bis own manner and in our language and after our understanding and the light of his spirit which chineth in our minds inasmuch arwe as we will buffer suffer it to do so but if our hearts are clogged with the things of this world if our nouis coula are suffered to become enamoured ena of the earth and the objects that are sought after by the wicked world we lose the spirit of the lord and by that means do not understand when we are taught and instructed in in the way of lite le denire llie the object of 0 obtaining wealth and the desire to handle or control a considerable portion of this worlds goods gooda has blinded the eyes of many elders and caused them to go astray in the ways of extravagance and folly it has de coyed them the mirom from the path of or virtue and by that means they become totally est rayed from the path of truth if we can keep in in view the one great principle to build up the kingdom of god proclaim of orthe tile everlasting gospel to labor for the sustenance of zion mike make that our pur first our great our only object ani and and fear not for the earthly things we inay may licea need we will have te spirit of the almighty to vo Ah enlighten lighten our M and guide our fe feet et in the true path the presidency bear their testimony to us our dur spirits will then meet with the theirs te 1 and we will feel and enjoy the truth of the principles to us but while our oun minds become concentrated upon earthly objects we are ire dark 1 and we begin to think we know better than other people we begin to feet feel thab that we can do something independently of god and hip his servants I 1 will relate an instance istance if that occurred in 1849 1 was talking with one of the brethren who ad n nirl niri iri etl been many years in the church he told in ahe e wanted to situate himself so that he cou bleave ills his family and be prepared to go preaching I 1 said slid are you not pretty well clele I 1 now you have a large farm plenty of cattle and other property and your family are abi abl abutto to take gae cae of themselves lie he said he didiot feel as though he had bad ready means enough to 60 gp 0 1 I want to get myself in condition F can sive live leave home and in order to dolt 10 lo UI I 1 have determined to go to california and nd r I 1 think in the course of five or six months f ican lean ican there raise ten thousand dollars and on that means I 1 can go to the southern part of california buy 1000 bead of horses and ani bring them to salt lake and next year sell them for one or two hun Lun hundred tired dollars each with mith that means in my hands I 1 shall be able to leave my family and aud go preaching that was tile the he le laid out I 1 I 1 inay may say ay the plan was very tempting he went to california but the tremendous results anticipated were ever never realized there are a great many men in the midst of zion that have lost their power and ability to perform those works they seem to wish to perform by endeavoring to take a wild goose goote chase to place themselves in possession of wealth on their own responsibility tife the circumstances which abich have transpired in our midst for the last few years have been calculated to try many men in review revie ii ig the history of ourselves out our selves as a people we have encountered many things t which have been calculated to try some men they have been compelled many times to submit to the most cruel exactions scein seeing their friends murdered their families drivel driven from their possessions and all this bobear to bear up under it itt splendidly they have had to pioneer into the th midst of a barren and hitherto unknown desert make settlements rear their families in in the them midst of want and toil and bear it patie patiently itly yet after a few years of prosper prosperity tys tyl eme y you ou will see those very men when they become better situated surrounded with the blessings blessing s and comforts of life they begin to fe feel e as though bough they were not doing quite well friou enough gli and their thoughts begin to 10 wander like the tile fools eye to the ends of the earth in some instances the scenes of the we last few years has caused them to turn again as president kimball expressed it like the hog to the mine mire after he had been cleanly wa washed shed it puts me in mind of a compliment paid to queen elizabeth by an englina farmer her majesty was out on a ride and was caught in a storm the farmer farreras far M as very much rejoiced that the queen had called upon him and she was pleased with his rough hospitality being B elg eig just after the defeat of tile the spanish armada tle tie complimented her on the success of her arms by saying the king of spain got the wron wrong sow by the ear when he lie made war with your majesty the queen was much amused at this vulgar comparison though really the dream related by br kimball describing the multitude of hogs that were in the city was so perfectly illustrated at the time the town was so tremendously full of soldiers teamsters gamblers and camp followers and they floated off so suddenly that it could almost be said it was dreamed dreame of awake that is the best way to dream a mail man can many times dream wide awake straighter than when asleep I 1 remember once when ihen in zions camp I 1 was very thirsty hungry bunfry and tired that I 1 dreamed when I 1 was walking on the road I 1 c could ouid see a loaf of bread a bottle of milk and a spring of water it was one of the plea dreams dr earris in the world and I 1 dreamed it while walking along the road at the same time a great many dreams as men consider are no more nor less than open vision and a great many dreams are the result perhaps of fatigue of over exercise of ivr eating before retiring to rest or some other cause when a mans roans mind is illuminated by a dream it leaves a vivid and pleasant impression when it may be guided by the spirit it leaves the mind happy and comfortable and the understanding clear dear I 1 have regret the past year that I 1 have not been permitted to speak to you that my testimony in the midst of israel and in this city particularly it was owing B imply simply to an accident which lamed me in such a manner i that I 1 could not walk about could not stand up though after awhile I 1 got so much better that I 1 could ride I 1 have rode tode about the ter and talked to the brethren in the settlements tle ments gere gete generally rally raily and many of them heard my roy testimony which is the same as it has been for the them last 28 years yeara a mony to the truth of the revelation of the falness of the gospel to the saints in these last days it is the work ork of the lord and the hand of god is visible in ever every thin thing that is passing before us his hand and power has been over on r us ile he has shielded us its from the political machinations of evil designing men and preserved us from the wrath of our enemies ile he has haa given wisdom to our president derit to guide gulde i e to counsel to direct us and if ever re revelation elat n guided a people on the face of this earth this people has bag been guided by special revelation ever since we came into these valleys athe power of the almighty has been IV with ith Us his hand has been over us here his wisdom i has directed us his inspiring inspirit spirit rit tit has been on our presidency bi his s revealed revealed revea ild fed hed fed w will ill lii has been given from the lips of himrod had given to lead us fear not to do right ourselves and let us be fully aware of our own follies and weaknesses and corruptions corrupt ions and listen to the watchmen of zion and we will overcome and inherit the blessings of glory we willrose will rise above our enemies light and truth will shine upon us peace will be on our path and the lamp of life that will guide us to toi eternal glory this is my testimony you have it as I 1 feel and realize it and know it for these things are of god and may his big bles bies blessings singsi attend us is my prayer in the name ef jesus christ amen |