[Brigham Young Sermon] B. Young spoke on the subject of right and wrong and it has got from priest to people - it will be found they receive a rebuke for every wrong they do - and spoke of Lyman Johnson - if he had been careful to keep the still small voice, he would not have apostatized what do I care if it gives me power light wisdom knowledge and understanding, and make me feel glorious this world is a poor miserable hole with a devil reigning at its head - I'm after glory, happiness and light and that will make me happy in time and eternity - in the world he shall have tribulation but Jesus ye have peace - is there a person that does not know what is right - the doctrine of the holy gospel - let me tell you, suppose I come here, want to go to a place and there are two roads - what odds does it make which road we take - but great many don't know the path to walk in - just take either road - if you know what is right do it - and if you don't know it - do just as near right as you can and I'll warrant you there is no sin charged to your account - but there are difficulties - they have eyes and see not - ears and hear not - because they are taught they don't know and for a man to rise up and said he knows right from wrong - and light from darkness it would be presumption in a Christian world - the whole world are in heathen darkness - they are fools - I can give you a key they don't acknowledge the truth when it come, or facts - whether it comes by dreams, visions, or naturally when light is presented to me I say light - a truth or righteousness - that is truth or righteousness - that's the key - the world are just as ignorant as this - who gives light God or the devil - they don't know - but we can sever truth from error - light from darkness etc. - not that Joseph or I or you are better than other flesh - only on account of the firmness on your recognizing it - and God called on one of the descendants of Joseph that was sold into Egypt - the Lord knew all about it - he have keys that can sever all - and an ignorant man can unlock to the learned divine and a child of two years old knows more than the priest of the day - godliness is from a good source - if this people have not the oracles, they are not on the earth - but they are and they make us happy - we have got our eye on things beyond this world and know that the sun, moon, stars are good and the Father said he would put his sons on the earth and see if they would kick and yell - he gave the spirit tabernacles and let the devil step it - he is the accuser of the brethren just to see what they will do - if you do not experience what I have, you cant inherit what I inherit the man who delights in wickedness and evil doing are in total depravity but keys come in the latter days - every truth that a man had - that I had - that is my property and I shall not contend against it - if a man contends against Mormonism he contends against all truth in time and eternity - and I would give ten errors for one truth any time - all good, light, truth, good feelings, love, virtue, humility, flows right from our Father in eternity to his children - he has laid out machinery and can keep it in order - he has not more business on hand than he can attend to - do you ever feel to murmur and complain who does will go to the devil - as did Sidney Rigdon the Lord is more merciful than we can be - I pay atten- tion to my own business and let the Lord attend to his let each ward try and attend to getting some bread stuff for their wards - and appoint ward butchers - I see men traveling across lots - and take wagons over it - people are driving across fields - does it do you any good? No it does you an injury - brethren, drive along the roads and travel in the streets - why wont you do so too - if I was to do it I would not complain of them - follow my good councils - and let your bowels of compassion be over your brethren - don't let your neighbors suffer and if there is a poor woman with a cruse of oil feed it to Elijah and live through the famine - if you can find Elijah - it is the actual suffering - and if you turn them away the spirit of Elijah goes from your house - where they are full of fears, that is torment - Uncle John Young told you about it last Sunday - the flood wood is gone and nothing but we apples left - bishops be fathers always hearts of compassion - never let your hearts be contracted - but do all you can - priests of quorums, be fathers to your quorums, do as I say to do - but if I have been a father and companion and friend to the needy and destitute - bishops and priests do as I do - resist the devil and he will flee from you - do you ever recollect Joseph speaking of the Lamanites - we shall see the time that we shall have to kill them to save them from killing us - the Lord knew I had difficulty to covert the gentiles - and the Lamanites who of them have been converted to the gospel? I told the brethren I would lead them to a good healthy country - and I've done it. I will not pledge this people that they are safe from the gentiles or Lamanites unless they abide my council - have faith, good works before the Lord and be ready with their guns and swords - the devils would have killed us long ago if they had not been afraid of going to hell - if we lay down and sleep our throats will be cut by Jews or gentiles - but I've faith in the Lord and I am ready to go we have tried to get a military organization but have failed - take care of all sides - I want to see next Saturday spent in it - let every man appear here and have his sword trimmed and pistols ready and I'll warrant you safety - G. D. Grant has been appointed to pick fifty men to be ready at a moments warning for any difficulty - we have got to fight until the kingdoms of this world and rent from the devil. Called on the brethren to herd their cattle - if they are herded now it will keep them off the plow ground and wheat - and have them on the bench land. Be faithful humble and prayerful - suppose we have the sacrament once and a while - and fast and pray and those who attend half a day in the week, will have more grain and garden truck at the end of the year - 99 out of 100 who have the priesthood and don't magnify it, they will come to an untimely end - they will feel his wrath and become vagabonds on the earth - unless a man is a perfect minuteman to the Lord he has got to walk to the line all the days of his life - and if he will be a servant. I am not my own, it belongs to him that has purchased me - the hand of the Lord will be against that man that labors on Sundays - let us live like saints. -- 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, 51-53; 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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