Transcript

Transcript for Young, Brigham, "Remarks," Deseret News, 15 October 1856, 252

I wish the most strict attention of the entire congregation, for if there is walking and talking within and around this bowery, a great many will not be able to hear. . . . 

To-morrow our semi-annual conference commences, and I notice that many have come in from a distance.  We shall have large congregations during the conference, and we wish perfect order maintained.

I will now give this people the subject and the text for the Elders who may speak to-day and during the conference, it is this, on the 5th day of October, 1856, many of our brethren and sisters are on the Plains with hand-carts, and probably many are now 700 hundred miles from this place, and they must be brought here, we must send assistance to them.  The text will be, 'to get them here.'  I want the brethren who may speak to understand that their text is the people on the plains, and the subject matter for this community is to send for them and bring them in before the winter sets in.

That is my religion; that is the dictation of the Holy Ghost that I possess, it is to save the people.  We must bring them in from the plains, and when we get them here we will try to keep the same spirit that we have had, and teach them the way of life and salvation; tell them how they can be saved, and how they can save their friends.  This is the salvation I am now seeking for, to save our brethren that would be apt to perish, or suffer extremely, if we do not send them assistance.

I shall call upon the Bishops this day, I shall not wait until to-morrow, nor until next day, for 60 good mule teams and 12 or 15 wagons.  I do not want to send oxen, I want good horses and mules.  They are in this Territory, and we must have them; also 12 tons of flour and 40 good teamsters, besides those that drive the teams.  This is dividing my text into heads; first, 40 good young men who know how to drive teams, to take charge of the teams that are now managed by men, women, and children, who know nothing about driving them; second, 60 or 65 good spans of mules, or horses, with harness, whipple-trees, neck-yokes, stretchers, load chains, &c., and, thirdly, 24 thousand pounds of flour, which we have on hand.

I will repeat the division; 40 extra teamsters is number one; 60 spans of mules or horses is part of number two; 12 tons of flour, and wagons to take it, is number three; and, fourthly, I will allow the brethren to tell something about their missions, by way of exhortation to wind up with.

I will tell you all that your faith, religion, and profession of religion, will never save one soul of you in the celestial kingdom of our God, unless you carry out just such principles as I am now teaching you.  Go and bring in those people now on the plains, and attend strictly to those things which we call temporal, or temporal duties, otherwise your faith will be in vain; the preaching you have heard will be in vain to you, and you will sink to hell, unless you attend to the things we tell you.  Any man or woman can reason this out in their own minds, without trouble.  The gospel has been already preached to those brethren and sisters now on the plains; they have believed and obeyed it, and are willing to do anything for salvation; they are doing all they can do, and the Lord has done all that is required of him to do, and has given us power to bring them in from the plains, and teach them the further things of the kingdom of God, and prepare them to enter into the celestial kingdom of their Father.  First and foremost is to secure our own salvation and do right pertaining to ourselves, and then extend the hand of right to save others.

I have given you my text and the subject, and shall give way to the brethren, and request close attention, and that there be no noise; for I realize that men who go forth to preach are in the habit of speaking to small congregations, in small halls, where all can hear without much elevation of the voice.  This cannot be done here, for we have to shout, and exercise our lungs to the utmost, to make so many people hear.