Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-11-14

be done.
Now, brethren aud sisters. / know
there are great many who feel that,
this being principle OF eIaltation,
they may be In danger Of losing their
exaltatlon, because u their inability 10
obey this. ] want 10 say 10 all such
that the Lord Judges our hoarts; He
looks nj our motives. There, were
great many men Ia past times who
never had the privilege Of obeying this
doctrine, because the law was not
given 10 them. DO you think that
they are excluded from eNnltation2 Do
you think that they win be deprived Of
celestial glory9 DO not. Eternity IL
n long period, and we cannot conceive
Of ils duration. The Nephiles, accord
ing 10 all that has come down 10 ua,
were monogamists. This law was not
given TO them, ~ far ~ we have any
account. Yet they were n great aud n
mighty people before the Lo''l. They
had Prophets aud mighty men among
them.
fbelieve there IA not faithful man
or woman In this Church that has no
had testimony for himself and herself
that this Il right. was greatly
pleased Mt our Conference when this
manifesto was presented, 10 see the
unanlmity that prevailed. There were
great many people who shed tears,
understand, over Il; but tho faithful
felt that II was right, and they voted
for II. Now, the Lord will accept our
Offering. He knows that which we
have done. We have striven TO the
utmost extent Of our ability 10 convince
this nation that this IL true principle
OF religion. | myself have testified
before Presidents u the United states,
before Cabinet officers, before Judges
OF the supreme Court, before membcrs
VI the United Stntes Senate und House
OF Representatives, aud before commit
tees OF Congress, thnt knew that doc.
trine was from God. told them
lclt that " had not obeyed II | would
have bccy damned, because the Lord
gave To me n direct command 10 obey
that principle. lie WIS kind enough
TO reveal this doctflnc 10 me before
ever heard that Brother Joseph hal
received a revelation OF that kind. lie
manlielcd 10 mo that that principle
would 10 revealed 10 this Church and
he practlced by the Church. | have
testified 10 this, aud have cndeavofed
with my brethren, who also have
lalorcd In this direction, TO tonvlnce
the nation that we wor. not over.
stepping the bounds Of the constitution
by BELIEVING and oboylng doctrine
that had been revealed 10 M. Overa
thousand have gone 10 prison 10 show
our sincerity. A promincnt official Of
this Territory said ~ gentleman the
other day; "rhey say 10 me that
these people are not sincere" "Why,n
says he, 81 know thuy are sincere.
went myself 10 the pcnltonliary and
labored with all the ROVER / had 10
convince LOtepko Snow that lie should
express his Willingness 10 obey the
law; but Notwithstanding all my Dor.
suaslons, aud Notwithstanding he had
a year and half sentence upon him,
| could not move him. | believe he
would have gone out and been shot
rather than 10 have said he would cot
out u prison ON such terms. And
here Is Lorenzo Snow going on the
stand now before tho Master In
Chancory and testifying a. lac does;
aud | know that man il sincere Ia
giving that testimony, for II he had
said one'tcnth 10 me what he said 10
the Master Ia Chapcery, ho could
have been n frea man" We have
done everything that We could
10 persuade the nation that they were
doing US injustice Ia prosecuting u for
this, and that the law was an uncon.
rlitutional one. Now some say,
"Why, look ut these Mormon people,
how quickly they viii do the thing
that the President Of tho Church tells
them To do" and they bring that up
NJ nn argument against ua, a. though
we would continue 10 defy tile law
until tho President said, stop. The
reason for this u very simple one. We
have been acting In this Ia the fear OF
God. We believed that II was right 10
carry this principle out; aud N we had
been sentenced 10 be killed, 1 SUPPOSE
some would have felt that II was right
for Us 10 submit 10 that rather than
Yield tho principle. God gave the
command and II required the com
mand OF God TO cause Us 90 change our
attitude. President Woodruff holds
the same authority that the man did
through whom the revelation came
10 theTthurch. IL required that same
authority 20 say 10 ~, sit IL enough.
God has accepted your sacrifice. He
has looked down upon you and seen
what you have passed .thTOugh, and
how determined you have been 10 hep
his commandments, aud now he say-,
IL IL enough" tits the same authority
that gave us the principle. II Ia not
the word Of man.
Now, II IN for us 10 obey the law. II
II for Us 10 DO consistent In nll these
things. We always have been, and We
VIII bc In this Instance. / am willing
TO leave this matter In the hands OF the
Lord. He knows what u hest, and He
will govern and control all things for
our good. some have accused Us OF
deiying the law. 10 has not been from
tue spirit Of defiance; II has been 10
contend for those God.given rights that
We have Inherited. Lelieye the day
VIII come when tho course we hnVe
taken In this will b. applauded. The
true feeling that has animated The
Lat,er-day Saints viii be recognlzed:
that II has not been spirit Of defiance,
nor because we 10 not honor the gov.
ernment. but because there was prln.
clple OF human liberty involved, and
We felt II our duty 10 see that the min.
clple was vindicatcd 10 the very utter.
most. Then when every means wa,
exhausted, We submitted aud ack nowl.
edged the supremacy Of the law, aud
bowed 10 II.
But, brethren and sisters, We have
len TO US all the principles Of the
Gospel. We have the Holy Ghost TO
he our companion. We have the gifts
thereof 10 he and abide with us, N we
VIII live for them. We have, ms Presi.
dcnt woodruff says, the voice Of reve.
latlon In our midst, and 0od will not
take II away from this Church. He
has restored His everlasting Priest.