Show int tnt I 1 A IS in ic I 1 S by 2 president prudent YOUNG fot oot at provo saturday feb ath 0 D I 1 am happy lappy in the thi e privilege of oi ii meeting with you we have come here to lay before you matters pertaining to the building up of the kingdom of god clod upon the earth the remarks which you have just beard from brother george asmith arcao the point As far as I 1 am acquainted ato with the inhabitants of provo I 1 think they are as good a people as those vvhs wh 0 dwell in salt bait lake city or in any other settlement in utah territory I 1 think much of provo it is a very fa bored locality we have established a school of the prophets in salt bait lake city it is written in a revelation given to the prophet joseph smith august 1833 behold I 1 say eay unto you concerning the school in zion I 1 the lord am well pleased leased that there should be a school in zion ion lon and when speaking of the president resident of that school it is written hand and I 1 will bless blesa him with a multitude of blessings in expound ingall scriptures and mysteries to the edification of the school and of or the church in zion when the school of the prophets was inaugurated one of the first revelations given by tb tho the e lord to his servant joseph was the wisdom The members K of af that school were but few at first and the prophet commenced to teach them in doctrine to prepare them to go out into the world to preach the gospel bato mito all people and gather the elect from the four quarters of the earth as the prophets anciently have bave spoken while this instruction prepared the elders to administer in word and doctrine it did not supply the teachings necessary to govern their private or temporal lives it did not say whether they should be merchants farmers mechanics or money meney changers the prophet began to instruct str iet let them how to live that they might be the better prepared to perform the great work they were called to accod eliab I 1 think I 1 am as well acquainted with the circumstances which led to the giving of or the word vord of wisdom as any bihn hihn man in the church although I 1 was not present at the time to witness them the first school of the prophets was held iria in small room situated over the prophet josephs kitchen in a house hoube which belonge belonged d to bishop whitney and which was attached to his store which store probably ly might be about fifteen feet square tn in the iho rear of this building was a kitchen probably ten by fourteen feet containing rooms and pantries over this kitchen was situated the room in which the prophet received revelations and in which he instructed his brethren the brethren came to that place for foi hundreds of miles to attend school in a little room bro probably bably babiy no larger than elfed eleven by fourteen when they assembled together in this room after break fait fas tithe the first they did was to light their pipes and while smoking talk about the thin great things of the kingdom and spit it all over the room and as soon boon as SO the pipe was waa out of their mouths a large ch chew ew of tobacco would then be taken often when the prophet entered the room to give the school instructions he would find himself in a cloud of to bacab smoke this and the complaints of his wife at having to clean so filthy a fidor floor made the prophet think upon the matter and he inquired of the theford lord reli relating ting to the conduct conductor of ot the elders in using tobacco and the revelation known as the word of wisdom was the result of his inquiry you know what it is and can read it at your leisl leisure ure so we see that almost the very first teachings the first elders of this church received were as to what to et ext what to drink and how to order their natural lives that they might be united temporally as well as spiritually this is the great purpose which god has in view in sending bending to the world by his servants theaopel the gopel gospel of life and alad salvation it will tea teach us how to deal how to act in all things hudlow and how to live with each other to become one in the lord there is ho question but that the waste places of zion will be built up that temples of god wili will be re kared reared and the elders of israel will enter into them and perform ordinances for the redemption of their dead friends back to adam but do you know keow the method of operation by which this will be brought about do you understand the workings of this great machinery of salvation to accomplish acco malish the great end for which we are looking with all of our experience we have but a very scanty or partial knowledge of this great work we say that we will enter into this business or that business to suit buit our own tastes and ont thinking whether proceedings our oun will God and when stran strangers gers come into our midst weare too apt to strengthen their hands to destroy the very zion which we are trying to build up it may be that those who do this are not aware 04 0 the evil which they cammi commit foffi fa taking laking this course for while we encourage and strengthen those who are not of us at the same time we firmly believe that scripture of the revelator respecting the separation of the saints from the wicked and I 1 heard ai lother another voice from heaven saying come out of her my people that ye be not partakers par takers of h bersins hel her V sins ins and that ye receive not of her bi c ues aes 11 we have met in these valleys of the mountains with an eye to the perfection of the latter day saints as individuals and as a community that instead of every man turning to his own way all should be willing to be controlled by the god of heaven behave we have established a school in sait bait lake city for the instruction of the elders of israel in the doctrines which are contained in the bible book of mormon and book of doctrine and covenants etc and that is also the place where questions may be asked and instructions given touching all doctrines and principles that may be entertained by them that is also the place where correction may be given and explanations be made upon all matters which pertain to the tem temporal oral orai and spiritual lives of the saints W it is about two wo months since that school was established there have been petitions presented to the legislature and much said concerning the division of this tills county while cogitating upon this matter in our class it came to me very forcibly to make a proposition for a few men to go to provo and comfort the hearts of the brethren here to show them the necessity of becoming one of kayin aside all individual bicke rings of overlooking and forgiving the weakness of one another and of uniting our faith to ether to make this one of the most fether tether 6 beautiful and lovely cities of zion why not do this brethren I 1 believe I 1 made the motion myself before the class for prest B young and prest H 0 kimball to gd goto to provo and make homes there and live there a portion of the time others were also named to do the same if the brethren of the city of provo are willing for asto 13 to dictate and guide them and make male our homes with them we will try to do them good and teach them the ways of life and salvation and show them how to overcome the darkness so natural to the human mind and give them extended ideas on the building up of the tho kingdom of god on the earth I 1 have been informed by your presiding bishop that mat this day was set apart for the people to make nominations for their municipal elect election lou iod at the meeting for this purpose the people will have an opportunity of expressing their views and of making malting their nom nominations nations if jf we would live ilva according to the laws of god be contented to live according to the rules and regulations of the holy priesthood we should have but little use for probate courts district courts or supreme courts in our territory their existence here would only bo be in a name and form for the tho people would live above the laws of man we should have very little use for fer anything else eise in the shape of government buethe priesthood which is after the order of the son of god the jews and gentiles have of late brought some of their difficulties before the high council in salt lake city for adjudication in preference to going before the district court and the high council I 1 believe has invariably given satisfaction when such cases have been brought before it iti this is ds a tep step in the right direction to settle all matters without having recourse to law which would do away with the necessity of employing and paying lawyers court fees etc if we could ever see the time when we will live according to the laws of the lord ag as given to us and never suffer ourselves to transgress the wholesome just and righteous principles kincl les ies an and rules which they inculcate for our guidance ul we e could live wit within inn bursee ourselves ves sustain ourselves and ma make e ourselves rich rich in the knowledge of god and in the possessions of this life if we could learn to tb sustain one another and the interests of the kingdom of god we would advance in the wealth of this world much faster than to sustain those who have no interest whatever with us I 1 would delight much to see a people who would actually live the principles of the holy gospel in every respect but we are careless and thoughtless we are not ignorant of the fact that we are continually making ourselves poorer by our unwise proceedings this ia Is ous to behold if every man in this church would consent to be guided by A I 1 I 1 the dictations of the holy priesthood in all their business transactions dealing honestly with one another giving to every man his due instead of making a few rich and a great many poor we would all become rich ta gether together and have every convenience and appliance which is calculated to give comfort and happiness to man we have got now about ten thousand dollars for the gathering of ol the poor and a number of cattle of various kinds and aest a nest ages est which we shall sell as soon as possible for money if we had the money which the people e ople opie i have squandered by their injudicious c lous ious trading and alid by y wrongly applied la labor 0 we e should have means sufficient to 0 gather ther every poor saint in the old world worl I 1 can see tilo the foolishness of the elders of israel in wandering here and there with their produce to make gain and trying to undersell each other they have always lost by b this proceeding roce eding whereas if they hat hay had stayed at rit home they would have made money every man who has property and means should live so as to obtain wisdom to know how to us use them ethem int in the hebest best possible way to produce the greatest amount of good for himself for his lils family and for the kingdom of god but instead of taking this course it does appear that the great majority of the elders of israel are crazy to run here and there to get rid of what they tiley possess at any price what for do they do this to build up the kit k kingdom it adom of god have you built a good house 11 nto no 11 what have you got folly folly weakness and poverty when we can get the people to say slay at home and observe the law of god we have the things of god for them and the things of the tho world too as soon as they are prepared tore to receive them and make a good uso use of them it grieves me to see seo the people take such special pains to mak themselves foolish coolis and mise miserable hable table I 1 am speaking spearing S breaking tie tRe aking aring of the community bom and it is the e one man the one woman and the tho one ono child multiplied that makes the great nation or people let us leam learn wisdom and govern ourselves accordingly Uin gly meshall hold hoid meeting among you today and tomorrow to morrow and I 1 hope the people of will e benen cited by our visit and I 1 pray that they will apply their hearts to understand receive and treasure up and bring forth truth to the glory of god amen |