[Brigham Young Sermon] I can say to the brothers and sisters that I am rejoiced to see you together and the comforting circumstances that we are under - it is a matter of great rejoicing to me that this people are in this valley - I have not yet been called on to preach a funeral sermon or follow an adult person to the grave - we have been brought here by the hand of the Lord and we have the privilege of shewing to God and angels what is in us - whose hands we are bound or whose feet in fetters - are we not free to act on the principle that best suits us - who deprive us of praying or fasting or acting in a religious capacity - is there any portion of this community in bondage, those fetters can all be unloosed if they apply to a righteous course - they can obtain the key that will unlock them - is it needful to call this people day to day or week to week to harangue them concerning their duties - if so - after the school we have been through - I should begin to conclude that the spotted leopard would return his spots to all eternity - if it were necessary to preach to them - I would say if there are any who choose evil or darkness - let them hasten to full up their cup of iniquity that they may be removed out of the way - it is necessary to meet together that a remembrance may be kept before the Lord that they assemble themselves together - but at this inclement season of the year while we are yet out of doors and the struggles they are making to obtain shelter - it is said there are Elders of Israel who have never prayed - I know of no such one myself - if there is one who has never called on the Lord - their priesthood is the seal of the cause of God to them that they may go to perdition. I may well believe that a babe two days old in its mothers lap has the strength of its mother as to believe that an Elder of Israel is magnifying his calling if he never prays - that would be a mystery to me - we see the fruits of righteousness and of unrighteousness, if this people are not a good people or saints in deed there are not any on the face of the earth - there may be bickerings in the salt but the salt in this church may be pure - yet there may be arsenic - at the appointed time we may be chemists enough to extract the salt and throw away the arsenic - Men who have salt within them may lose their savor and become wicked - there are sayings that if we have done evil we can forsake that evil - to this people I say do the best you can and you will not sin - it is not prudent to sit on this ground - many complain of getting sick - we have to build houses - I have to practice the religion that serves me to day and if I continue from day to day - I have no doubts of receiving a resurrection - and immortal salvation - if I do the things that I ought to do - tomorrow I will be ready to do the same - I say to this congregation I want some men and means - I'm for the pure gold without any alloy - After I get thirty men with mules and provisions to last them six months I'm for the gold that will never fade - and I want the brethren who are willing - I want them to step forward - and I will tell them what I want - I shall not call for volunteers - the twelve will select men for certain measures - we shall appoint men and give them their missions - I want the best mules and horses in the valley - for if they go for the gold dust they go to destruction - I have a mission now - I want sixty of the best mules in this valley and let my gold mission be attended to first - it is the duty of the people to support this mission - no more than I do to pay clerks for their writing - and if the High Council cant sustain themselves we must dismiss them - What did we get for our mission as pioneers last year - nothing - yet, I would not take what is in this world in its present state for my mission to this place last year'- Are you on hand to go on this mission - it is to explore these mountains and preach the gospel to each other and standing by each other even until death. Brethren, what say you for the Council House - are the individual houses out of the way - we shall want to commence laying the doors in a few days and I don't want ten such days as this, to pass before all the adobies are laid - I believe in a few days many men will be at liberty - if this is the call - well vote for ourselves - if we will actually turn out at the call of Brother Wells signify it (up) - if regard to highways - they are working a road to the farm - I say to the brethren who are interested in a single street - build the bridges and let it apply on their tax - I have been almost sorry that I did not sanction Brother Parley Pratt to more - I have not heard of any quarreling in regard to city lots - and I could have done all the quarreling in regard to the farm land in 1/10 the time, there is a good foundation for litigation for years - some sow on another mans land - some are resigning to certain individuals - I told them I would dispose of the lots myself most changing among themselves - I've told them lately to enter a complaint and I want to be there myself - my decision on the church farm - I suggested to the High Council - that as the general conference had sanctioned the church farm - I proposed we would apply their plowing on their tithing - just as quick as they had done it - they went to sowing - I did not like it - and my suggestion was that we sustain the general conference - this conference said when men drew land they must take it - and if there was plow land - to plow for them - brethren what better are you than me - the brethren who are come this season have done as much as you to bring the poor here - the difference is not because they want to have a great crop - it is the 5.00 a bushel for wheat and 1 1/4 for corn - its that that induces them to hold on to their lands - they want to sell the grain to get the money this people know by common sense they do know better, say nothing of natural [-] - common sense teaches you better - every person can feel it in business - if a man has a handful of goods it will require a two horse wagon to carry? it for pay - it is easier to pay a debt with what you can carry in your hands than to harness up your mules - If I had a 100,000 worth of truck I should have nothing to sell, or buy - If it was 5.00 a bushel I have nothing to sell - I calculate to wash one hand with the other - its one of the worst principles in economy - and to call them saints driven in the wilderness - we are a set of poor miserable creatures devouring one another - when the poor oppress the poor its like a sweeping rain - a man wants to swap a fat steer for a yoke of cattle - who paid for the grass showed a comparison on trades, its gods? truth - to gouge an honest man - hear them complaining about everything - butter .25 - corn ought to be worth .20 a bushel - blow up this principle and you blow up the community - the mechanics meant to come down to a certain price - I am for going in for a equilibrium - the one just as well as the other - but I'll drop that. A many elders have prayed to be among the Lamanites and now they want to kill them - they are the children of Abraham, the descendants of Israel - there is the remnants of Israel - there is a reckless band [S] - the mountaineers want us to kill them - some are desperadoes - if this community knew how to treat the natives they never would meet with difficulties - treat them kindly - let every act and deal and move show we are their friends, if they abuse our friends treat them with decision - I don't much believe in killing them - I would not kill them half as quick as a white man - we have been taught all the days of our life not to steal but they have been taught to steal - if the men who had gone up had shot every dog, then every horse - and when elk shot in the camp - you should have shot him dead - old Wanship has done it - my council is - walk into their camp kill their dogs and then kill their horses - until they come to terms - the natives we are obliged to sustain. -- SLC Bowery [Thomas Bullock Minutes, LJA; Thomas Bullock—LDS Church Reporter, 1844-56.C, Archives, Church History Library,
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.; GCM, Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah..; Leonard J. Arrington Papers, Special Collections, Merrill-Cazier Library, Utah State University, Logan.. (A reference reading LJA 12-55-5, 10, means LJA Series 12, Box 55, Folder 5, page 10.) 9-13-3, 23-26; General Church Minutes. Selected Collections from the Archives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints DVD 1 (2002)]
[source: The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
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