The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-03-11
AT THE TABERNACLE.
An Interesting Discourse by Elder
B. II. Roberts.


day afternoon were commenced with
the choir singing the hymn:
Mortsls awskel with angels Join,
And chant the solemn lay.
Elder A. H. Raleigh offered the open
ing prayer and the choir sang another
hymn:
know that my Redeemer lives.
what comfort this swee. sentence gives.
The Sacrament was administered by
the priesthood of the Thirteenth Ward
ELDER B. H. ROBERTS addressed the
congregation and said: In one of the
revelations (printed in the Book of the
Doctrine and Covenants) given TO the
prophet Joseph emith, on December
18th, 1898, are found the following words
of the Lord: And for this purpose have
established the constitution of this
land, by the hands of wise men whom l
raised up unto this very purpose. and
redeemed the land by the shedding of
blood" This language We accept as
authority. But suppose we did not
believe in revelation, individually / am
OF the opinion that no reasonable person
can study the history of the American
nation without becoming convinced that
God was with the patriots who founded
our government. Consider the position
of the opponents in the Revolutionary
War-one trained army of the British
nation, who was considered the mistress
of the seas. with all her power, disci-
| and no nfh or
hand, the thirteen colonies represented
by the patriots who were inexperienced
i'll warfare. and munitions of defence.
And yet victory perched on the banners
OF those VINO were struggling for right.
| Who can question. but that Divine
providence was with the leaders of those
who were fighting tor liberty. And
after the Revolution had ceased and
when the emergencies OF government
| developed to the colonies their own
weakness when convention was called
and confederation formed, the instan-
ces of Divine guidance were further
manifested. A contract was formed, a
union made. the like of which had not
been before witnessed on this earth
| The constitution granting unto the gov
eminent supreme power over all the
states, in making laws for the general
good, bears the impress of Divinity upon
it, in organizing the best form of gov
erDment known among men. An i'm
preston has gone abroad, a SANDER has
been circulated throughout the world
that the Latter Day Saints are opposed
to this glorious form of government.
The contrary is shown by the revelation
have referred to. The whole line of
conduct of the Latter Day Saints, since
the first organization of the church,
refute this calumny. When our leaders
| left their homes in Missouri and came
| to Utah Territory, it was then part of
the Mexican country or government
| Our church leaders brought with them
the "Old flag" which they had learned
years before to love and respect. Had
they desired to rebel against the United
States Government, they had ample
opportunity after coming here and be-
| fore this territory was coded by treaty
with the Mexican Government, to b :
long to these United States. No, they
did not have any such desires; on the
contrary, they declared that Utah was
part of the United States government. 1t
has been falsely asserted by the present
executive representative of Utah that
the Saints did not contribute to subju-
eating this part of the country TO the
assertions have been made, tending to
rob our respected pioneers of that need
of praise due to them. History record
ing the doings of the Mormon Battal
ion" amply refutes these falsehoods.
The fact Is that the representatives of
the United States government, sent 10
us. have considered it their business to
misrepresent, misronstrue and falsify
our actions and lives. The result is that
embittered feelings of unfriendliness
have been engendered towards US, the
Latter Day Saints. Special legislation
has been secured by the efforts of our
enemies, until now we are experiencing
the prosecutions daily being practiced
upon US. nd it is contemplated to
take from us every vestige of liberty
unless we will subscribe to an oath that
we are not connected with the Mormon
Church" etc., etc. And again our oppo
nents are endeavoring to procure the
passage of of a law, placing the govern
ment of our local and territorial affairs
in the hands of commission of thirteen
men. 1t is proposed to take possession
of all the property belonging to the Lat
ter Day Saints Church, a preliminary to
robbing and despoiling them of all that
belongs to them. Only recently we
nave DeeQ Cdl16Q lO WlIucSS the SIedLeSC
outrage upon the rules of jurisprudence,
in compelling a legal wife to testify
against her husband. No matter how
we protest. it seems that the United |
States government is determined to en-
force its usurpation of right. They |
have the power and apparently are
determined to prosecute US. Here we
are, situated with the law of God on one
hand, and the law of man on the other.
The Bible tells US to render unto Caesar
the things that are Caesars, and to pay
homage to and acknowledge the princi-
palities and powers of this world. The
apostles of the Savior were punished
and imprisoned because they persisted
in preaching in the name of Jesus. Peter
when threatened with punishment for so
doing answered and declared unto them
whether it be rightin the sight Of God
to hearken unto you more than unto
God, Judge ye. We ought to obey God
rather than man." These words are re-
corded in the Acts of the Apostles 4th
chap. 10Th YER and 5th chap, 18th yer.
This declaration holds good to-day for
the Saints have been commanded in the
revelation OF December 18th, 1888, that
they should conduct themselves "Ac-
cording to the laws and constitution Of
A. ,-oo.ya 7 havo fforad tn he