| Show DIS dig DISCOURSE hse nse by eld eit ell win 0 i tau tay q r ered inq ins tiia ilia Z pierr ck reaf reat 1 t att watt 1 alt jakc aty alered manh rc 3 4 it 1 1867 7 00 m V ibl JIL r REPORTED ED BY DAVID W EVAN evah evango brother cannon stated this morning that we were the most independent peoples on the earth that I 1 presume is a correct statement although the majority of the people the earth think we are the most dependent they consider that we are dependent on them for their good or bad opinion that we are dependent upon the united states for peace and tranquility and that we are dependent li eident upon popular feeling for the existence of our institutions whether political religious or social hence men come among us u from time to time anad atad setting themselves tip up aa as standards of perfection they wish to mea measure siire us ly by their ideas of politics and morality whereas if they only understood the truth they would know that we are very independent on these points an and d that we care no more about their notions and opinions in regard to us than we care for the motion of a passing bird we have no tremor in relation to the action of this or any other government they do not know the true sentiments and feelings of the latter day saints hence they are not capable of judging us we feel that we are dependent upon god only for our existence whether it be socially oclair politically or morally we do not look upon things as they exist in n the world as being correct and in animadverting anim adverting upon their acts we couldwell could tell a great many things that we believe are essentially wrong whether relating to their morals politics religion philosophy or anything else and bopae some of us s are pretty well acquainted with the ideas they entertain and the morals morais that prevail amongst them we did not come awre to copy after anything that exists in the world we had noy nop no sueh such ch idea or intention and if this fact faccia is not understood by all the latter day saints it ought to be when men come among us we should be very sorry indeed if they found us like the world we are not like them neither do we wish to be we did not come here to set up a government to be separate and distinct from other governments and to seek to possess a certain power and influence over our own members borover or over other people this never entered entered into our minds we do not to day try to imitate any of the governments of tiao the earth we do not admire ther their policy we welo hot believe that their systems are correct we believe that they have the seeds of dissolution within themselves and annd through the lack of correct principle principles iby by which to regulate themselves th that t they will eventually crumble crumbie tp pieces merthen neither nel Tel ther then do we believe in their religion and we should be sorry if it any of our people were like them or ebell even attempted to be like them in a religious point of view most of us have been associated with their varied systems of rell reli religion ion lon before we capie came here we have been ban mixed up with them in the united states england france germany switzerland norway sweden denmark and other parts of the earth and have long ago renounced their rell religion lon lou because we considered it false we ve do not consider it any more true today to day and of co course lirse men who think they are right and measuring us by their standard must necessarily con clude that we are wrong that is the only conclusion at wh which eh t they ey can arrive having been associated with the various churches roman oman catholic greek episcopalian or english presbyterian baptist methodist quaker and other churches and denominations of the day we know what their ideas are religiously and we did not leave them because we thought they were right but because we believed them to be in error and that the whole of them had departed frum from the principles laid down in the scriptures of truth we left them because we conceived that they lacked the p principles ri n epi es of life vitality intelligence and reve revelation 1 at ion lon possessed by the religion ahat that jesus christ introduced upon the earth that I 1 confess was the tilo reason why I 1 left them I 1 remember once calling at a mans house who was a presbyterian after talking to him a litte little about his religion on sa said sald d he you entertain curious I 1 notions said I 1 1 I believe I 1 got my notions from the bible afterwards an infidel came in with whom I 1 had a tryl trying n 0 to prove to him that the bible an and d the Christi christian ah religion we were true or at least that taught sy Y the B bible bibie fb le I 1 01 well weli V ell j said sald saidi if this agent gentleman leman ieman to im 17 e am edsul thought you weg we re e an infidel 1 said 1 I be because eh use she replied heili heill 1 a I thought you d did id not believe in the bible said 1 I you are laboring under a great mistake I 1 do believe in the bible but not in principles contrary to the bible and consequently as the religion of the present day does not agree with the bible tado not agree with yelth it I 1 suppose these have been the feelings more or less with the majority of the saints at least with those who reasoned upon and contemplated these matters for instance the scriptures speak about there being one lord one faith one baptism and one god who is above all through all and in you all and when men of bf reflection look around and see sy systems of xe religion ligion as numerous as gods used to be among the old heathens athens he how could they suppose or belleve believe that these were all inspired of god it was imp impossible possible for a man of reflection and intelligence to entertain such an idea we are in fit pursuit of principles that emanate from god and we believe that god has spoken and therefore we are here we believe that he has revealed to us his will that he has restored the ancient gospel with all its fullness bless biess blessings ingi richness power and glory we believe that this gospel will redeem all au men who believe in it and that it will elevate them to a knowledge of the true gol god whom to know is life eternal we believe filat that god has restored to the earth again apostles and prophets evangelists pastors and teach ra s the same as existed in his church in former days and we believe that if men of their sins and be baptized in bt the name of jesus christ for the their remission that they will receive the holy ghost through the laying on of bands we believe that that spirit leads them into all truth that it brings things past to their remembrance and shows them things to come and in this respect we differ from the religions of the world for they have no such idea as this they do not believe I 1 in ll 11 it we ve believe that the lord has commenced to establish his kingdom on the earth and we look to him for wisdom and intelligence in regard to all matters whether they be of a political social or moral nature hence in these respects we differ very materially from the rest of the world in the various religious loui ioui denominations their thein ministers are set apart by the will and dictum of men their religions too are established by men god had bad nothing to do with the matter he never thought of them I 1 it is no uncommon thing in the church of england with which I 1 was associated in my early days for a man who has three or four sons konsto to educate one to be a doctor another for a lawyer another perhaps is assigned to the army or navy as the case may be and if there is one a little duller than the rest he is generally educated for the ministry and i is s called a doctor of divinity and it is expected that that dull man without common sense and without instruction from god but simply because he is a fool will point out the way to the kingdom of heaven among the methodists with whom I 1 was afterwards associated because I 1 thought the church of eng engi 4 land laud was not good enough they tell us that god chooses the base things of the world to bring to nought the things that are t that is true enough but they come to wrong conclusions from these premises that is they suppose because god can choose a man and endow him with wisdom that therefore they can pick the biggest fools they have got and set them to work to preach there is a wide difference between god chrosin cho choosing osin a man and endowing him with the spirit split of intelligence wisdom and revelation and sending him forth to preach the truths of heaven to the nations of the earth and men picking up their weakest members and setting them to do the same thing because god can inspire men with wisdom and intelligence from above while men are incapable of so doing hence I 1 do not wo wonder n er that men who are accustomed to listen to and who believe such teachings should should consider that we are a strange people for our religious notions evidently do not agree with theirs y if they did as I 1 said before we should not have been here for it was principally on rell reli religious hous rous grounds that we left them to comte come here one of our judges after leaving here informed the administration that the inhabitants of utah were mostly mormons cormons Mor mons and were a very peculiar people he thought he be had made quite a discovery and that he lie was he W worlden worl rl din ain lin possession 1 i w on olm aim in J port n we wb llave left the ach ches and ana ana nna agats of the day andy andl infidel ass a eions of all kinds and have hav 6 hinted ourselves r with the mormons cormons Mor mons and have gathered together here simply because we believed they were all wrong hence A man must be a fool to suppose that we are like them for we have a faith that is entirely diverse from theirs our ideas socially and morally are entirely different from theirs because ours come from Go gound dand they get theirs from the notions that exist among me men who that is actual acquainted rite with the moral state of christendom at the present time does not shudder when reflecting flee ting upon the depravity corruption licentiousness and debauch debauchery bry try that everywhere stalk around we have lift eft this state of things and the lord has introduced trod a new order amongst us for we profess to baunder be under aing lils guidance and direction and consequently our ideas and practices must be be very dif dlf different Terent from those which obtain in the world we have more wives than one why because god goa ordained it and we maintain our wives and children but they do not maintain their mistresses distresses mi stresses and children yet they will prate to us about their beautiful systems there is a great r eat difre difference rence between their system an and gd ours they think theirs is best but we who look look at things from an entirely different point of view prefer our system if we have div wives es and children we are not afraid to acknowledge them as such we do not have the children of one woman riding with us in a carriage while those of another are sweeping the streets and asking us for a half haip penny nor are they paupers haupers on the community we do not believe in any such morality as that we discard it altogether al many of those who do believe in ln and sustain it are ashamed of many of their own deeds and act the hypocrite by trying to cover them up and keep them in the dark and presenting the thoo theo right bright side only for us to copy after but we want to take things as a whole and we will receive no system but tha thai that which will bear the scrutiny of th the world and that is just equitable and honorable before god angels and men I 1 am not surprised at men coming orom from the midst of scenes and practices forming such incorrect notions in relation to us but dare they acknowledge their acts as we dare acknowledge ours no they dare not their own laws woula would punish them if their acts were brought to light in relation to our political affairs airs we are gathered ath ered to together ether as a community and being eing so numerous it is it impossible but that we should form a apart part and parcel of the body politic we have a city here for instance and numerous other ther then cities throughout this Terr territory Atory we must have an organization in these cities we want our mayors and city councilors councillors Counci lors and aldermen and muni munir cipal laws to protect the weak the virtuous the pure and holi holy and restrain the wicked the riotous the he thief and debauchee and to maintain order in the community we have a number of towns and cities extending foursome nive five hundred miles and it is necessary that we should have a government to regulate and manage affairs in our midst we are forced into this position we cannot help ourselves and hence we become a territory and have our governor judges marshal and secretary of state sent us by the united states and our representative in the congress of the united states then we have our local legislature as other territories have to enact laws for the protection of the good and virtuous for punishment of crime the execution of justice and the preservation of peace and good order throughout the territory Is Ts there anything wrong in all this not that I 1 am aware of whose rights havene have we interfered with who cannot obtain justice here who are deprived of their rights here Is there here childs child stranger or citizen deprived of his or her rights or who cannot obtain obtain a hearing fon fer grievances rell real or imaginary who is there throughout the length and breadth of the territory who cannot obtain the full benefit of law equity and justice no one well we are here ili in this capacity and there are other things that underlie these if you please the republicans public ans you know in the states have been very fond for a long time of talking in g about a higher law of some kind we e too have bave a higher law nota not a negro law a w particularly but a law that einen ates from god a law that is calculated to promote prokofe tm the besil interests tsia nd nd the 1 hap happiness ines of life line his people ank and of teb tee dwor j world d when t aney y w will listen to it then i do you profess I 1 8 tt to 0 0 ignore the laws of thi the land N no 0 n not unless niesi they are unconstitutional then I 1 would do it all the time whenever the congress of the united states for instance pass a law interfering with my religion or with my religious rights I 1 will read a small portion of that instrument called the constitution of the united states now almost obsolete which says congress shall shail pass no law interfering with religion or the free exercise thereof and I 1 would say gentlemen you may go to gibralter with your law and I 1 will live my religion when you become viola tors of the constitution you have sworn before high heaven to uphold and perl jure yourselves be before fa re god then I 1 will maintain the right t and leave you to take the wrong J just as you please dibase there are other things too that I 1 as an individual would do there have been attempts made here to interfere with the trial by jury a right guaranteed by the constitution of the united states as well as by the magna charta of ifeng eng 1 land and we have had cases right in ill our midst where a judge has told the tile jury that if they did not bring in such a verdict as he had instructed them I 1 to he would set it aside of what use then is a jury why not let the judge act without them if they are to be dictated by him what becomes of our freedom if my servi esada juryman were required I 1 would give my opinion frankly and bo honestly nestly and no judge should control me but I 1 would try yo to be a man and would not be cowed by any man sent among us trying to per I 1 vert justice no man should make a scapegoat goat |
