Joseph Young

“ All my substance and every faculty which God has given me are subject to the word of brother Brigham.
When a man thus surrenders himself, his family, his means, and everything he controls to the servants of God, what will he have in return? We have left all and have come off into these valleys, in the midst of the Rocky Mountains; and what shall we have as a reward? Jesus said, "There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting." ”

“ When a man gets the power of God and the Spirit of the Lord, he is right.
I would not be afraid to warrant everything that I possess upon the earth, if this people will be faithful and live so as to enjoy the fulness of the Spirit of God, that no enemy can successfully invade us.
We want to be happy. This is our ultimate and eternal boon—happiness. You may point me to an individual that is not seeking for happiness, but I tell you the ultimate design of each and every one is happiness. I tell you a man's mind is susceptible of feelings that cannot be satisfied with out happiness. ”

“ I never felt so in my life; and it is not I alone, but it is the whole people of the Saints. I believe that in this thing we all feel pretty much in the same spirit. I know that as long as we dwell in mortality, it is impossible for us to obtain that happiness which is in store for the sanctified. It is impossible for me, at the present, to obtain and retain the fulness of that pure spirit that I wish to obtain.
We dwell in impure elements—in an atmosphere that is and has been corroding from the beginning, for it is controlled by the Devil, the "prince and power of the air." ”

“ I arise, brethren and sisters, to make a very few remarks, particularly upon one point, that is the subject of the Lamanites. I am aware that in all the teaching that the brightest intelligence can receive upon any subject, that there is a balance wheel in the inside of man—the heart—that should be consulted in carrying out any or every instruction that we hear. The Lord has put into every man a portion of instruction that he is required to use, independent of any oral instruction that he may receive. This natural intelligence is given to balance things in the human mind. ”

“ But if this people will retain the Spirit of God, and keep fanning the flame of the reformation that is in them, our enemies will not come to distress us—we shall not be molested; for no power can disturb us so long as we are faithful.
May God bless us all and preserve us upon the earth, and continue our usefulness, until we have redeemed our families and friends—till we all are brought up and fitted for his presence; which is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ. ”

“ Many good men made great blunders upon the subject of "redeeming Israel;" it was a great mystery, and perhaps I made as great mistakes as others in forming my opinions, but I had the caution not to utter my views to any one. I knew that faith and the Holy Ghost brought the designs of Providence close by, and by that means we were enabled to scan them, and find out what they would produce when carried into effect, but we had not knowledge enough to digest and fully comprehend those things, and therefore it was a mark of wisdom for any man to keep his spirit and feelings to himself. ”

“ Well, home is our paradise—home is our heaven. We can make a heaven in our own bosom—we can make it at home. I never can be joyful or happy without a heaven at home; but when I have it there, I feel well, let winds blow high or low—let adversity come, or prosperity. ”

“ Brother Brigham told me to get up here and say something. I have done so, and will now tell you that my all is invested in this kingdom: it is all for the establishment of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Not gold, nor silver, nor the perishable things of this world are invaluable to me,—such articles will perish and moulder away,—but those imperishable treasures that can never be destroyed—the inestimable riches that God has put into my possession ”

“ I have heard men prophecy in the early part of this Church, that in 25 years Jesus would come to reign upon the earth, and that in that time all would be wound up, and hence they were going to redeem Israel in the mountains and wind all up in a short time, but I have desired to have our Lamanite brethren brought to understanding, and come and be united with us in the covenant of peace and salvation—to see them learn the arts of civilization and quit their habits of blood and murder; I wish to see them learn the truth, come and be a white and delightsome people. ”

“ It is because the Holy Spirit of God aids us and sanctifies us, and it consecrates and devotes us to his service, and that is the safety of this people.
I tell you now, this is a good place; but without the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit to amalgamate the Saints and make them of one heart and one mind, could they live here? No, they could not. But by living their religion, they can live here or anywhere else where the Lord has a mind to put them. It is the conduct of the people that must determine this. ”

“ I know that some preach the everlasting Gospel, and that is a good thing; but I believe that a man can preach it in five minutes.
I love short sermons, and when I am in the country at Conference and other meetings, I feel that they are particularly good, and I rejoice so long as the Elders feed the people. But when the Spirit ceases to operate through a man, I want him to sit down. ”

“ I cannot see, for my part that it is the privilege of people to abuse them. I believe that we have to treat them with respect and the spirit of uprightness. We will examine the law which our Father, the Great Spirit, and Great Chief, has delivered to us to obey. Teach them the law of God, do it mildly and kindly, and it will take an effect upon them, but harsh measures will not. These are my views with regard to the Lamanites, and I believe in being good-tempered with those men ”

“ We are (all who magnify their calling and Priesthood) trying to prepare a people for his coming, to purge out those that are filthy, and to put away every evil and wrong from us, and to prepare for the greater weight of glory that is to come. ”

“ And, I feel that we do not appreciate our privileges, we let the spirit that is in us lie dormant, and hence it is that our treatment to the Lamanites has been so different in the various parts and settlements of this Territory. There is a splitting of hairs about this important matter, and if the Latter-day Saints cannot split hairs I do not know who can, yes, this people can split hairs if any body in the world can about anything. I am aware that we are a peculiar people, that our circumstances have been trying and vexatious all the way through ”

“ I felt glad yesterday to hear what was said by brother Brigham and also by others who addressed us, and I felt so well that I could have danced, This is the way I feel a great deal of the time. As I observed, my father checked the stream of diversion in us, and would not allow his boys to dance at all; and probably that is the reason why I feel so much like it now.
It is natural for our children to love the Gospel, for religion, is a natural thing—it is perfectly natural. ”

“ In order to do this, we are under the necessity of chastising; and the greatest proof to me that there is a man standing at the head who holds communion with God is, to see men receive chastisement in the spirit of humility, without a murmur, and be satisfied that it is for their good. ”

“ There is a good deal to be done, notwithstanding we have advanced considerably. The history of our past experience shows we have made great advances, and now a period in our history has arrived that is more eventful—one that is more absorbing to the Saints than any past period of our history. ”

“ I thought I would say so much in favour of the red men, and here let me advise you to mark your feelings from this time, and see if you do not feel better when you feed them, than when you take up the sword to fight them. ”

“ I do believe that it is the design of the Almighty to bless this people with prosperity. But I tell you, brethren, I should be afraid of myself, if I had this world's goods. I tell you the pathway through adversity is the safest way to heaven. ”

“ It is the most peculiar place—the most delicate situation that a man can be placed in; and hence I say that the simpler a man is the better. On this very account it is that I am contending with myself all the time and endeavouring to be pointed in my sayings; for I do not want to go round about, but to say things just as they are. ”

“ They are a poor miserable set of people, and they have been abused and trampled upon by their enemies, and when I talk about them I think of the vision I had some time ago, when I saw them in their redeemed state, and they looked so bright, and clean, and glorious, and this people are the individuals who have to bring this about, and as I said, just because God's ways are not as ours. ”

“ I once knew a little boy who was in the habit of being whipped by his mother when he went to bed, in order to make him go to sleep, and he became so habituated to the whipping that he could not go sleep without it, and he would say, "Mother, come and whip me." ”

“ We have many advantages here, and yet God has seen fit to manifest and reveal the necessity of union, and of this people being of one heart and one mind. He has located us here in these mountains to give us an opportunity of taking advantage of these blessings which we enjoy, that we might receive benefits from the advantages of these high mountains. ”

“ Some are afraid to plant and to build, for fear we should not stay here long enough to eat and inhabit: Will I plant an orchard? Yes sir, I will. To what extent will I improve? To as great an extent as I should, if I knew that I were to be a citizen of this, Territory' through all generations. ”

“ Our enemies are not sane. They are no more sane after they set their hands against this people. The administrators of the Government that we live under are just as insane as they can be. They do not comprehend that those men who stand at our head hold the keys of salvation ”

“ According to our faith, there is a right way and one only, and if any people can split hairs this people can, and do most assuredly about the right way to deal with these poor loathsome creatures. Oh, says one family, "we do not want them in here, we cannot do with them in our houses, upon our beds, or on our floors which have been cleaned." ”

“ But it is no matter, if it takes twenty-five years to do that which might be accomplished in one,—it is all right—it is all through faith. If there is faith enough in this people to do in one hour what is the ordinary work of years, it would be brought about by the simple act of faith. ”

“ That is true: a portion of the endowments are going on, but there are other things that never will until the Temple is built,—of which are the baptism for the dead and our endowments by proxy for our dead friends. Are they going on? No. Will they, before that house is built? No, not that I know of. That is one sermon.
There is another thing. Who is there that feels generous towards that man who has gone beyond the vail—who is gone where he cannot do anything for himself? I tell you I want to see that spirit among the brethren. ”

“ These things used to be talked of years ago, and now we are here right amongst them, the Lord has thrown us into their society, and they are a dark, loathsome and forbidding people, and they live around us in a wild uncultivated state, in these mountains and valleys, and I have proved them, some of them to have partaken of the proper spirit, and many of them begin to feel well. ”

“ I praise God and thank him for it, that we are placed in a position where we dare to declare the truth to the world and to the nation to which we have been connected, and where our brethren now have the independence to declare the truths of God and say what steps we will take in defence of our wives and children. ”

“ It is not necessary that you should dance the whole of this spirit out of you at once; for if you do, you will have none left, and consequently, no disposition to dance any more. I thought last winter that the people would tire themselves dancing. ”