[Brigham Young Sermon] President Young counseled the brethren not to leave the camp twenty rods without orders from their captains. He stated that this camp had traveled to this place with the best of feelings and told them all they had to do was to find out what was right and then do it. No man feels for his brethren as for himself. We are all stewards over the property committed to us and I am to see that my property does not go to waste, but convert it to a good use. We are not to indulge a man in idleness, for there are some men who would not lift a finger or do a chore between this place and the Rocky Mountains if other men would do their work for them. Have a prudent, industrious spirit and you will do well. I see the hand of providence in our journey to this place, that no man has been hurt. Mind my word for it, if the brethren will combine to straggle away from the camp, some of you, if not killed, will be striped and robbed and come naked to the camp, or be kept prisoners by the Indians. You are sure to be ill used if not killed. Let every man have his gun and pistols in perfect order and the tens all keep together. Is this right? (all said right.) The historians and clerks have been so busy that I have not yet seen a copy of the rules of the camp. Have them read at least on Sundays. Now I want you all to recollect, don't leave the camp without instructions from your Captains. The Pawnees would steel all our horses and use us up if they could. I want the cannon to go without the box, put the box on another wagon and divide the load in other wagons. -- Elm Creek, Nebraska [Pioneer Camp of the Saints, Journals of Thomas Bullock. Will Bagley, ed. Logan: Utah State University Press, 2007. 145]
[source: The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009)]
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