A SPEECH DELIVERED BY PRESIDENT BRIGHAM YOUNG IN THE TABERNACLE,GREAT SALT LAKE CITY, 1852, AT THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE 24TH OF JULY, 1847.
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I wish to make a few remarks only, to this congregation, as the timeallotted to us this morning, is far spent. The remarks which have been madeprevious to my rising are very good, as they are also true. They are thingsnot fresh to the majority of this assembly, though there may be some presentwho are perhaps ignorant of them.
Suffice it to say, that five years ago this day, the Pioneers approachedthis valley, with their implements of husbandry, &c., which were representedby them in the procession to-day. We came for the purpose of finding a placeto set our feet, where we could dwell in peace. That place we have found.If the Saints cannot enjoy that peace which is so dear to them here, I wouldsay that I am ignorant of the spot on the earth where they can. Where coulda place have been found where we might enjoy freedom of thought, freedomof speech, and freedom of worship? If not in these mountains, I am ignorantof the place.
We have enjoyed perfect peace here for five years; and I trust we shallfor many fives to come. If the Saints are persecuted, it is for their good;if they are driven, it is for their good; consequently, when I reflect,I have nothing to fear in all the persecutions or hardships I may pass throughin connection with this people, but the one thing, and that is, to strayfrom the religion I have embraced, and be forsaken of my God. If you orI should see that day, we shall see at once that the world will love itsown; and affliction, persecutions, death, fire, and the sword, will ceaseto follow us.
If the Latter-day Saints magnify their calling, walk humbly before theirGod, do the things that are pleasing to their Father in heaven, and walkup to their duty in every respect, I am bold to say that not five yearsonly, but scores of years, will pass away without the Saints ever beinginterrupted, or driven again from their possessions: thus far it is forour good.
I did not rise for the purpose of delivering an oration on this occasion,but to remind you of the blessings we now are privileged to enjoy. Whenwe first approached this valley, there was not a man upon the face of theearth who ever had beheld these valleys of the mountains, or knew anythingof the Great Basin, who knew that corn, or any other kind of grain couldbe raised here. Can you find the man who had any knowledge of the GreatBasin, as it is called, that believed there could be an ear of corn ripenedin it? There is not that man on the earth, when you have excepted the peoplecalled the Latter-day Saints. We came here and planted our garden-seedsof various kinds, five years ago this day; they grew, but they did not ripen,though the buck-wheat would have ripened, perhaps, had it been properlytaken care of; some other grains also would have come to maturity, so asto have assisted a small colony to live here; they, however, lived; how?Shall I say by faith? Yes, partially so; for had they not had faith, theycertainly never would have come to this place: it is the faith of the Latter-daySaints that brought them here.
There is a very mysterious principle that abides with this people; itis a mystery, and one of the greatest mysteries to the inhabitants of theearth that have been made acquainted by history, or by personal knowledge,with this people. And what makes it more singular, say they, by all ourcalculations we cannot conceive of it; it is so mysterious that it absolutelyamounts to a miracle. What is this great mystery? It is that these Latter-daySaints are of one heart, and of one mind.
To Saint and sinner, believer and unbeliever, I wish here to offer oneword of advice and counsel, by revealing the mystery that abides with thispeople called Latter-day Saints; it is the Spirit of the living God thatleads them; it is the Spirit of the Almighty that binds them together; itis the influence of the Holy Ghost that makes them love each other likelittle children; it is the spirit of Jesus Christ that makes them willingto lay down their lives for the cause of Truth; and it was that same Spiritthat caused Joseph our martyred Prophet to lay down his life for the testimonyof what the Lord revealed to him. This mystery, the great mystery of "Mormonism,"is, that the Spirit of the Lord binds the hearts of the people together.Let the world look at it. This I say by way of exhortation, if you please.Let the inhabitants of the earth gaze upon this people, this wondrous people,for a magic power attends them; something mysterious hangs around them.What is it? It is not magnetism; it is something more wonderful; those thatare present this day may truly say it is wonderful in the extreme. Who givesme power, that "at the pointing of my finger," the hosts of Israelmove, and at my request the inhabitants of this great Territory are displaced;at my command they are here? Who gives me that power? Let the world inquire.It is the God of heaven; it is the Spirit of the Holy Gospel; it is notof myself; it is the Lord Jesus Christ, trying to save the inhabitants ofthe earth.
The people are here; they endure. Did they bring their bread with them?No. Did they bring their meat with them? No. Did they bring that that sustainedthem until they raised it from the earth? They could not do it, for theywere obliged to bring tools, ploughs, drag-chains, &c.; they were obligedto bring their wives and children in their wagons; five, and six, and eight,and in some wagons ten, people would get huddled together, to drive a thousandmiles from all sustenance, and there plant themselves in the wilderness,where nothing met the eye but snowy peaks, and parched vales; and trustin the God of Israel to sustain them. Let the world ask the question-wouldthe Methodists thus run the hazard of losing their lives for their religion?Would the Presbyterians, the Baptists, the Quakers, or their old mother,the Roman Catholic church, run the same risk? Would she venture thus inthe wilderness? No. It is not very common to find a whole people on theearth, as in the case of the Latter-day Saints, who would do it; thoughsingle individuals might be found so enthusiastic as to sacrifice theirlives, and run into a lion's den, in proof of their faith in their religion.But where are the tens of thousands, and the scores of thousands, and thehundreds of thousands, who would lay down every principle of life and happiness,and everything that is desirable, pertaining to this world, for the principlesof eternal life; and would go forth into the wilderness, having no otherstay but the hand of God to lead them? They are not to be found!
We meet here and celebrate the day; five years we have been in thisvalley; and I will say to the new comers, our brethren, or those who arenot our brethren, three years ago last October, the first house was rearedin this place. There was not a rod of fence, nor a house, except the oldfort, and a little log cabin. Here we are now, spread out from the eastto the west, measurably so, but more extensively to the north and south.Travel through the valleys, and scan the houses, and the farms, and seethe improvements that have been made; take the back track of the "Mormons;"follow them from here to Nauvoo: from Nauvoo to Far West; then to Kirtland;and back to Missouri again to Jackson county; and all people will acknowledgethat the "Mormons" have had enough to do to mind their own business,and make the improvements that have been performed by them! they have donenothing but mind their own business. Look at the improvements that havefollowed this people, in all their travels up to this place, for a testimonyof their endurance, and unflinching industry.
I say to this community, be humble, be faithful to your God, true toHis Church, benevolent to the strangers that may pass through our territory,and kind to all people; serving the Lord with all your might, trusting inhim; but never fear the frowns of an enemy, nor be moved by the flatteriesof friends or of enemies from the path of right. Serve your God; believein Him, and never be ashamed of Him, and sustain your character before Him,for very soon we will meet in a larger congregation than this, and havea celebration far superior; we will celebrate our perfect and absolute deliverancefrom the power of the devil; we only celebrate now our deliverance fromthe good brick houses we have left, from our farms and lands, and from thegraves of our fathers; we celebrate our perfect deliverance from these.
Our lives have been spared, and we are yet upon this planet; and byand by we will celebrate a perfect deliverance from all the powers of earth;and we will keep our eyes set upon the mark, and go forward to victory.
I say to the aged, to the middle-aged, and to the young-all be trueto your God, true to your brethren, and kind to all, serving God with allyour heart. And may He bless you for Jesus' sake. Amen.