[Brigham Young Sermon] President Brigham Young assembled at the Council House to take in consideration the next best policy relative to our move in the spring. As usual the Lord having proposed the better plan first for the promotion of the good of his people which they refused to comply with by withholding their substance, and of necessity the second was introduced which was to send the Pioneers on to the spot with sufficient provision to last them two years and locate. Leave all the families back until the Pioneers should raise substance for them to come with the exception of small families that could fit with two years provisions. Such may go on this season, also bring on fresh supplies for the pioneers. President Young said that he was not going to ask any man whether he might leave his family or not for he intended to leave his women and some of the men and was going to take care of himself and family and let others do as they pleased with their selfishness, keep their old wagons and spavin horses and mules and worship them if they choose, and if the twelve did not rise up and exert themselves so as to bear their part he would cut them off and put in men that would and not be snubbed round by women to withhold their horses to draw their carriages. I have turned out every horse and mule that I have that is fit to go and would do it again if my wife had to ride on a bob sled. I have tried to get Brother Pratt's horses to go in the Pioneers, but in vain. If we leave our wives here probably his horses can go. This Kingdom I am determined to bear off in spite of devils or wicked men. -- Winter Quarters, Nebraska [Journals of John D. Lee 1846-47 and 1859. Charles Kelly, ed. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1984. 130]
[The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009)]
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