Show DISCOURSE by EZ eider elder ar joejr joan ar me t n oaty dec dea nth 18 1871 71 REPORTED BY DAVID W EVANS I 1 Is IN rising to address yon you yon this thia afternoon I 1 feel ps as I 1 always do on like occasions 4 the necessity of the influence and direction of the spirit ribe fihe lord we as a people dand gand I 1 I 1 believe emphatically in the sustaining su sta bana band of the toe almighty and in IA our speaking and in our oun hearing in the assemblies of the saints we wd always feel that it is a matter b bathe the greatest importance to us we wenoa realize that god is near mear to us that we are acting under his guidance and direction that we are his children childr qu and require his bis aldard ald aid and that while we seek unto him hila for fok guidance and direction we shaw shau ha 11 li 11 alina altna always a nie cie have his bis holy Spi ritto lead us id the bags paths of fruth in this thia 8 as well wen ad many maily others we differ from the people peo le of the generation in which we yie ilie live live we came out from among them geam foam years feam ago because we wet believed uncertain in certain revelations that god had made to theli the human uman famil family Y and these j principles we have ha ve assembled together as we are found in ih these then valleys of the mountains in ia tee iee the wil wel alfo mah mab we v edt dair here ostensibly 1 and in iea lea reality lity not to do our conr own will but the will of our heavenly eather father hernot eat Fat bernot hornot not to follow our own onn own pursuits but to try and pursue that path which he be hould should 3 dictate in all things temporal and spiritual pertaining to this woric and tho the world to come and hence we as a people tie the le feel and realize our dependence depend anoe ance upon the almighty we conceive as hs the old apostle did in generations past that in him we lire and ana move and from him we havo have our being and wo conceive that we denive derive all the enjoyments enjoy ments of af lido from him oar religion amanat emanated ed fri from din hi him ua if it did not we e nave have none for it certainly is not founded funded upon any principles that were ex the world when it was revealed 1 rae farhad fAe had not revea revealed fed his hla will and we ha had in that revelation we should d been here bere but believing believingly belle belie ln that weare E assembled aa as we are to day here and as we are through the valleys valleys ot these those mountains we did not ob tain our religion from anybody pise plse w we did not learn it in the colleges 0 the da day nor from any system of theology nor any religious religions academy neither in iq a otheolo i aleal school we are not trained oe orf brought brough tup up or educated educate lor or Id 16 formed by byi any intelligence thad that they y havo have hapep thae the reli relli have we rece reco received kved kyed not of mani man neither by man lint but by 0 of lav lord jeus jesu christ this is js te he posia pos 1 I tion mat we occupy to dy n regard to oua our oui tons foni feeling 4 and ind if this ilis Is 13 A a fiction then our religion ligion rb Is a fiction altogether i for we have nona nono none we claim nal nai no relationship 0 o association ak with any ane sect sect any party any religionists that exist elii on the lace luce of the widd earth therefore they mhd eay ezy as so some I 1 me profess tolda to do tilst filst wo haye have borrowed certain arts of our religion from fro others mothers neither nelpher adopted the opinions of socrates mahomed lb ormed orned paine lut luh lu ther pr or the Hin doos nor are we indebted to roman catholicism the greek church or to knox calvin whit field sesley vesley campbell miller or any other sects our religion in its entirety came from god and we glye give to him and not to any man or any set of men the glory in ln relation to our political position it is precisely the same bame there is an inherent principle of right planted in the human bosom which god has placed there and which man never neter could can not now downor non nor ever will uproot principles of inherent night right which all intelligent men when they have sought for the truth with sed mind and desired sincerely to know have invariably found governed by the principles principles of right and ed by y party power or lor wealth there have always been men inspired by an infallible divine afflatus who have I 1 recognized an innate inalienable principle ol 01 justice and equity in every age and among all nations and the records ot of the babylonians the modo mode persians the greeks romans and more modern nations bear ample testimony to td this fact tho the principle of right is implanted in the human bosom and inherent in lid tle tie the human family among all governments that have ever existed and men of virtue honor and truth have always arrived at the same bame conclusions that we have the founders of our government under the inspiration of the almighty and goaded by an oppressive es power discovered the same element the bame hame principles the same ideas that we have and enunciated those eternal principles caples and made them known to the world that all men are born free and equal and have a j ight right to life liberty and th thy pursuit happiness of 11 founders of tue french republic about tho the same time made a declara declaration almost verbatim jt A is the violation of the natural rights of man that has deluged the earth with blood in all ages these principles were enunciated also by joseph emith smith he believed in them so do we in the right to think in the right to speak in the right to act in the right to do all things that are right and good and proper but not in the right to interfere with an any other othen mans rights any other mans religion any other mans principles these are our views god has planted them in our bosom they will remain theme eternally por for br they are principles that i dwell in the bosom of god he lie Is not hof pir ir or sectarian in his views he causes hits hla sun to shine on the e eyll evil 11 and the good and sends hs his rain on ane just lust and ana unjust we certainly are not ot indebted for oon these principles to those wig wip come among us here but god has im implanted ap lit them in our bosoms and they will grow there and tabb root and anz spread and prevail pr evall and the worst wish we have to the human family Is s that the principles a ted tin P n our con constitution 1 may xe rever berate OT e wide ear ean iland ilana liand spread from shore to sadre until all mankind ihan rhan kiad klad shall be free these are the things that we arg are straggling for these are the things for which we stand 8 t a n d condemned at it the present pres ent day by the wa would be republicans and democracy of this corrupt generation with which we are associated nevertheless we hate have clung to them and ancl shall cling to them do any eny men come among us with religions roli reli giona that we consider false 7 all ali right let the them in worship as they please leb let them rant and roar and pray and halloo to their god who seems to be deaf and cant hear bear them and let them take what coursel course cour sEi sel they please but levas levus let iet Us alone we will let iet tham alone they may halloo until they crack their thein throats ats als it will make no difference ty to us we di are care nothing about their lons lona and dogmas wa have ienn left weid weir th elz and m nn an bense sense and cant ind hypocrisy yeara years ago i wa da dof with it ft if they want it they thoy cam can take it they thoy ean can diug it aitto to themselves as a A sweet morsel and jake fake their own 0 wn course but let us alone aloo e W are indebted to god for the blessings we enjoy and this nation whether they know it or not are indebted to the same source for all tho those pure pare patr patriotic lotto liberal exalted notions that the wise enlightened and honest statesmen inducted into our government yearn years ago and which those who are not dis franchised among us uz experience today to day 13 bu god has noth nothing irig todo to do with the corruption tion fraud hypocrisy and cant that exist ext i whether among religionists or politicians ho no Is s not the author of 14 it it proceeds from beneath from the father of 0 lies lles no good man will seek beek to oppress the good the pure the virtuous nor lend himself aa as a tool for that purpose we are seeking for fos those things that tend to exalt ennoble and purify the human family we say tooth ers get out of our way let us alone e hug your creedel hug your youn our oun tyran hyran nyi hug your corruptions corrupt ions and ies les coyour bosoms but iet jet us alone is all we wel ask and we mean to have it for ue the right and the might ht and virtue and truth will prevail 11 oppression viti niu by and by bo be laid low and afon wilt will ils jis rise d and triumph while the wicked and corrupt are writhing and weltering fai i ri the results of their own acts They with useve we dont arit ask aak their sympathy reserve it for yourselves they would purify us I 1 what by byr by thear their whore doms here ri right 1 in our oun midst MI I 1 f B by I 1 th heln helz heir ir d drunkenness by their gamb a abling r r th their thein ein helio hells of infamy which th they 6 y wave have introduced and sud which are sustained by legal kegal authority here what that is the course they are taking my soul enter ilot althou boa bou hoa into their secret MT toy honor lionor with them be not thou uni united tedI talk about our ladies hera here associating with such wretches as they I 1 I 1 io no never neter I 1 no never 11 I 1 I 1 no never I 1 ill I 1 I 1 they will not cot in mingle mingie insle ingle with harlots they have come of another stock they are inspired by other othen feelings motives and views they can cant t bow to it let lot them take their rottenness to their own dens and wallow in it we want nothing to do with it I 1 the ther they can car take their pity alla arid everything else eise they have got and stuff themselves wita it and I 1 hope that our sister bister sisters FL here both bandaged and aged have enough respect for themselves to keep out of the company and society of such corrupt wretches I 1 dont think it is necessary to say but these anelay are ane my feelings and I 1 tell them the uhe lord lora bai his given us a work to do and by his help we shall do it he fie has placed the gospel of life and salvation in in our handstand hands hand sand and we have carried it from the rivers to the ends of the earth without begging lil all over the a little help and charity god the tho eiders elders of this church whom I 1 see around me have iu wandered I 1 red over aver this wide world trusting inthe in g thear support and he hes his bee been them and they dont need to cringe and boland lie lle and ana lads rals represent boget somebody some bome fiodi to give ulim them a little money 0 to o help them on with theirry their religion W e believe in the great truths which god has revealed for the salvation orthe brinan JA nilly we are engaged in id building tip up and establishing the kingdom df of god on the tho earth the great elvheim is is our father friend and benefactor we lean upon his arm and we know that he will guide and direct influence and control the tho affairs of his people therefore wo we rely upon him we havo have engaged in nothing but what wo we have been directed by the in except some of us taho have sot pot aside into transgression we are ara married to our wives and dont want any other association we respect and honor them we cleave unto them and we wi will 11 d do r so in time me and bind throughout all eternity congregation sald said amen some of our miserable apostates may shake and tremble in their boots when somebody at the east tells them what is going to come they may break their covenants with god and ands their wives and forsake them we are not afraid af pf these things we have learned a lesson not in hi their schooL school we cant for sake those whom god goa has riven given to Ps us but we we will cleave cleavo to them for ever anh ana and for ever wor won worlds ids without end that is our view that is mine I 1 hate have no covenants to ate nobody to forsake this peoples god goa is my god their religion is my may religion where they go I 1 hope to be found round where they live I 1 swish wf to live where they biej want to be buried want to be associated sob bob socia ted fed with them in n time and in a eternity dont believe in mhd god of the religions of otiis his bis world nor in itt their heaven nor la in anything pertaining ton tor it I 1 dont want wani to go to a heaven 11 beyond th the e bounds of time and space I 1 dont want to worship a god I 1 without body parts and passions I 1 have no reverence for him hima I 1 dont want anything to do with him they can woj worship arsu him and an d go to their own heaven and andret let iet us alone I 1 will tell you yon what we have bare to do as na latter day saints sainta live our religion keep the commandments of god and be virtuous do not mingle with these abot abor abominations nina that have baye been imported into your midst keep away from them and let them alone and let the wicked and corrupt wal low in their wickedness and corruption oon con option have nothing to do with it dont go to their balls assemblies or associations keep apart from them and leathem let iet them alone they arb arg not worth worthy y of ybur association tion weslye we lite tes ies lna purer atmosphere we vre breathe I 1 a purer ain aln air we worship another gad we w h v an religion onela atis very wil wll lingard lin gand gana and liberal enough to extend dlo llo il all ail ithe rights that all men want bui but we will inot inoh associate with them in thein thelt corruptions corrupt ions and infamy they ina lna may wallow ca pil dil whiskey stand shand have theitis whore whorehouses who houses J i teo tio they thes luke jUke and be sustained if they 8 so 0 g choose by py judicial author authority ityl but god deliver liver ua us from them I 1 wo we want nothing to th do them I 1 am ashamed of such suell 1 things and did think once there was li A ome some decency among men buti but I 1 am chank chang 0 ing my opinion laet let us cleave to our religion and humble ourselves before benora god pray to him keep hip hio hi commandments anid anil i anay aray be e virtuous and pure and holy I 1 remember barour be cour conr your prayers be tru and faithful to ec each other th r and to your covenants keep the commandments of the almighty and a the blessings of israels god will rest upon you and no power this side of hell or the other side either elther shall harm you it is our duty to serve sarve god atlis gods duty to 0 take care of his saints ana nud and sud he will say to that may rhay be arrayed against you as he did to the mighty swelling fl flood ocil hitherto shall thou go and no further farther and libre here shall thy proud waves be stayed I 1 adire we are in the hands of god eng ene mies mie sare sarg are arg in the hands of god we are all in i the hands handa of the Almighty antt antl lie lle will sustain i tha right and israel is hallbe victorious vict orlou 3 therefore you need not trouble about what this man or the other manog manor this the other othen combination can pau do they can reau do nothing but what god dilill lii ill lot them for the goda god wa bente serve is not be he livas yet anil and he hi tha prayers of ol lils his servants and he will ili iland bland hrand by and ind kaye gaye saye gave and deliver them ana and israel hhall lap jolce joice and truth shall preva prova ilande initha kingdon of god I 1 will roll toll onward 5 uw arc II 11 and of god will accomplished aed taft rhee potsherds pots rots herds berds orthe ortho earth may strive with the tho pot pots sherda hek cleof of the earth but |