Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-08-04
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COulu not nave stayed Wnefe iNeF we're
and probably done Just as well Or better
than they have done by leaving their
old homes and coming out 10 live with
the Latter'day SAINTS.
There Is a purpose IN all this and God
revealed that purpose m an early day.
Through the revelations that lie gave
to His church and through the ouipuur.
ing Of HIS Holy Spirit lie impressed
upon the people the great importance
Ut gathering together. Our first gather
ing place was On Kirkland, Ohio. From
there we were compelled to move into
Missouri. A settlement, however. had
been made iu Jackson county. Missouri,
directly after the settlement IN Kirkland.
And from county to county iu Missouri
we moved until we were compelled TO
leave the state aud 20 to Illinois. That
feature Of our religion. together with
the union Of the people, created fear.
We were too united. Ii was a new lea
tutc to see q people as united as the
lalter.day SANS we're. On this account
we were obnoxious. We came to these
valleys aud we are living here in a gath
cred condition. Wherever the Mormon
people live, however remote, they have
an intense desire TO gather TO the noun.
tains 10 be with their cO.Tcligionists. la
the rymutcst paris OF the eIrtn this
spirit takes possession Of them when
they receive the Gospel II Is one ui the
most remarkable features OF this age. 10
Is something that should attract the at
teniion OF everybody that Is fond OF ex-
aiming into the motives that prompt
people TO do strange or uncommon
things. No matter where men and
women receive the testimony Oi the
Elders aud become members of the
Church, immediately they are filled with
an irtepfessble and an unconqurra1lc
desire to gather with their co.rc.igiouist
TINS Is not done by the power cot men.
There Is a peculiar influence that flsIs
upon the people, and under tlit in.lu.
gucc they leave their homes and gather
To these mountains. The result b. that
throughout tl these valleys these pyo-
pie are living, enduring puvauuns and
suffering hardship. Tor 10 subduug and
making the land habitablc the lives OF
the people are worn out with toll. We
talk about Il beng a blessed land. Il is
q blessed land Hut Il isa land that has
been aud Is being redeemed by immense
labor and at great sacrifice. In some OF
/ our distant settlements the poop suffer
great prvatious. but they are firmly
welded to the soil They would not
, move TO "a better place. because they
| believe that this is ZION. They believe
that God has appoiuted these mountain
/ valleys as q gathering place, and the
/ same spirit that rested upon those who
first settled this valley aud endured all
l the htrdships incident thereto rests
/ upon the people wherever they settled
/ throughout these Mountains. The gold
/ mines OF California and the inviting
l prospects connected with them had no
/ alluremeuts for the homeless people
/ who settled these valleys In the early
days and who lived IN almost ahiect
| poverty. Their religion caused the Lat
ter day Saints 10 live here. They be-
| licved ID was Gods will they should
come here, and that this country should
be their abiding place. The character
of their buildings bears testimony 20
this faith. They did not build as Others
/ did who settled afterwards On surround
ing territories; but they built in q solid
manner, as though they expected to
live, and their children and pfandchild.
rem after them, in the homes they were
then creating.
We believe God had purpose IN
pouring on, upon the people this spiut
Of gathering We believe that 600, as
/ have read Ia your hearing, has re
veaed His everlasting Gospel from the
heavens. The truth having been with
drawn from the earth through the
wickedness Of men, the power aud an.
thorlty 10 administer the ordinances OF
the Gospel having been taken away be.
cause the men holding that authority
we're slain, TINS truth and authority have
|fHH
messengers, In order that the Church OF
God might be established again upon
the earth In is primitive purity with all
the authority that accompanies The Cos
pei. This IS the light 10 which the
Savior refers in the words that ! have
read, and through the preaching OF that
Gospel the spirit Of gathering has rested
upon the nations OF the earth aud has
brought people from the four quarters
OF the earth together. that a people
might be prepared Tor the coming OF the
Son OF Man, and that they might escape
the judgments and the c1lamlues winch
. should come upon the inhabitants OF IN,
earth ia the last days. Jesus predicted
that mems hearts would ilil them 90
. looking forward 10 the things that wer,
about TO take place, and We can see TINS
today fulfilled The spirit OF fear rest
& upon the people, aud they do NOT kno"
. what Is going to happen.
want to bring home TO the attention
Of the Latter day SAINTS % can, I'm
. truth, that God has sent 10 them q mes
sage. This wa, glad udrngs OF saliva
. ton, being the Gospel 900 l' primitive
D purity and power, the message D. oN
y warning to prepare them. against Ia,
Z awful Judgments and tiahllne' WIZ
I which le was about TO visit the earth
\ While the earth today is 100 state O
r ,ommotlon and agitation, there Is
4. cllmness and q serenity resting upol
/. the Latter day Saints that we cannot dc
X. scribe. Il prevails throughout our set
p tiements. There is nothing unexpected
q 10 us In these events that are creating 81
, much agitation. We have been prepared
n Tor them from the organization OF tht
r. Church, We have been prepared 10
4 calamity, for earthquakes. Tor cyclones
p. for prstilruCrs aud trouble OF NaIlou
Il kinds 10 come upon the inhabitants
!. the earth. In mnlmgut Of the words ,
D. God Andin the midst OF all TINS, Co
h has Given us power TO be united to
- petber Governments may tau, throne
"A may tumble, dyulslles may be over
! thrown, but there Is q people ~ ines
=. mountains that are bound together b
n bnnd, mat cannot Doe broken by an
- such events as these. They are ooun
IS together by the ties of new ana ever
Is lasting covenant, and the same love ina
y filled tue hearts Oi the disciples oil lesu