Mormon History, Dec 3, 1847 (Afternoon)

[Brigham Young Sermon] It will be advisable to organize a quorum of High Priests, elders and seventy and have them writed up we have talked the matter among ourselves - try and have the high priest, elders and seventy here on the Sabbath - right up a regular the quorum appoint presidents - there is considerable business to be done one item of business pertains to our moving to the west - let the brethren think of it - it is to form a company who can bear the fatigues of traveling to carry goods and families from here to the valley - we have calculated that property can be carried from here to the valley at 10.00 per 100. I have my own plans to make it profitable - there is quite a risk to be sure of the Indians stealing horses and driving off the cattle - my plans would be - I should want 20 teams 5 men to make up a 100 teams they could come and go in perfect safety. I would make my teams principally of young cattle and cows, bring back one yoke to a wagon - on return advertise to carry loads propose to carry young men to the valley for the sake of driving - and if I had strength of teams I would load up with Saleratus - if this scheme should meet with enterprising men - if it does not go through - I am going to ask the company to do it for nothing - when I have got the Twelve helped over I shall want more helped when we made the first crossing over the mountain a great many were well off to go through - as many as we can get over we intend to take next season - we have sent to England there are 1000 of brethren who are ready to come to New Orleans from there to this place if we are blessed in our labors next season as we are now - the next season we recommend them to take enough so as to last them until they can raise - when the people emigrate there will be 100s of families who will be dropped here who may have props? 100 or 200 of clothing if they have 2 or 500 they will want to be set right over - we are not all going next season - there will be more the next season and next season more still - Mormonism is increasing its not going to be done in five years - we expect soon we may have to send back loading so that teams will return loaded - we want the brethren to think of the mills that are on the other side of the river - it can be taken down - rolled down and set up here at a trifle, any Mormon mechanic can take it to pieces and set it up again - and you will want the ox mills also - you will find the brethren increasing faster than you can help yourself - we offered 50 a month in cash and he refused, wanting 100 a month - it is good property - we want the brethren to make property and put the money in the big boiler - the Lord don't care how rich a people can get but if all his riches are put to usury he don't care if we have millions - but don't let it canker and rust - the brethren are worth more here than they were in Hancock County - there the titles were proved - but here we have possession - and that is first rate - I have been looking at how nice it looks at the idea at warning the Mormons to leave - and if they do, I've been thinking how nice it would be to go and serve notices to the men on the earth to leave - are you afraid of mobs, on the N. No - on the west - No on the east no - on the south there is only a small number and its a good step to come over those prairies - if they do right they will be blessed and build up the kingdom of God its better to tarry here than to let the saints on the west side leave - we covenanted in the temple of the Lord to carry out all the saints and I mean by the help of the Lord God to carry out that covenant. I have 16 teams in that valley but being so late they could not come back and I want to go next spring - when I get there all the teams and wagons shall come back again and I don't want to stop until the devil is tied and that's the thing another thing, about tithing, we want to know the feeling of the brethren here about helping the poor in Winter Quarters and the police and we are going to ask the brethren if they have anything to help them - what will you say - some say I have not enough to last me till next season - but I don't care if you have to take you load from Mo. I mean to live as long as I can get any thing by promise. Mormonism is not dead yet - I tell you what I would do - if I had five dollars in my pocket I would hand it over - I mean to be as rich as old Job was yet, upon the principle of handing it out. If us one wants to preach we will continue to chat and so find out what the object and aim will be and feel each others feelings'- What do you think of making an almighty big house so as to hold a conference next spring. I also want to mention you will want to build a house in a town the people will want a place to ferry - and build a large house - I don't know if we can work into your hearts if we can send out word that we have a house that will hold 1500 or 2000 we could be comfortable. in Winter Quarters we support more now than all in Iowa - one bishop supports 300 mouths every day - don't find fault about our building up a city there and then going to forsake it - if we cant get corn we'll live on buffalo bull beef and if we cant get that, we will live on crickets - I want to see men who have got souls in them and will pour it out - suppose we had said last spring shall we go - why we should have arguments by the cart load build a large house 100 by 50 - large enough to have a meeting - I say you can do it - you can pay tithing build bridges - support the poor - go to the mountains and go to the nations and preach - some want to argue but I say if you mean to do it, do it - and if you don't mean to do it, say so - (told the anecdote of B. L. Clap, and a man who rose up against him) - never produce an argument that you cant pay over 10 acres of corn - I say you can do it - and pay over your horses, and coats, and in your shirt tails - and people will run after you from all quarters - get a tremendous big house built right away - and I want you to say we will pay our tithing every one of us - and then I want you to send all of us on the other side to the mountains - send us some corn and pork - here's my brethren the Twelve and others who have gone to the mountain - I have spent rising 2,000 this season in looking out a location for you and you have as much right to be at the expense as I am but the property comes to me and I will use it - I can put an almighty sight to usury - Uncle Sid has it about right its no use my fighting against God - if I am the saw shall I abuse the hand who uses me - no - all I want to know is that I am doing my duty and that is all I want when I can find out what the Lord has for me to do and then go and do it. -- Winter Quarters, Nebraska [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.) 9-12-3, 147-152]

[source: The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
[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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