Brigham Young

“ Why are your wives unable to card a little wool into rolls to spin and knit you and your children some stockings? Because they have no cards. Suppose there was not a carding machine in this Territory or a single pair of hand cards, and they were not to be had, how could we make ourselves comfortable without them? We might possibly manage to make cloth in a rude way, but the demand would be far beyond the supply—it could not possibly keep pace with the wants of our growing community. ”

“ We are permitted to do such things because of our ignorance, and the sin that is in the world; because of the want of the knowledge possessed by heavenly beings; the want of true knowledge concerning the earth and the inhabitants thereon. Were it not for this ignorance and darkness we should not be pardoned as we are now. When we become weaned from the love of the world, become humble, penitent, contrite in spirit, and begin to love the Lord a little, it almost distracts us—some almost go crazy. ”

“ I look forward to the time when this people will possess what is called the wealth of the earth, that is, those articles which are accounted very valuable, but many of which are in reality of very little worth. ”

“ Last season I think there were rising of sixty teams went from this city. I shall propose that we make the dividend as we did last year, and let this city take the lead; and if we are not over one quarter in number, we ought to be in faith and good works. We know that the people in this city and in the regions round about are wealthy in cattle, and you know very well that it is against my doctrine and feelings for men to scrape together the wealth of the world and let it waste and do no good. We have more stock than we well take care of. ”

“ We expect to have earthen ware, it is true, when we get men here that know how to put the material together to make it, but if you accidentally let a piece of fine expensive earthenware drop, it breaks and that is the end of it; should a child or a grown person make a misstep and fall, when carrying a gold or silver cup or vessel, it cannot be broken. But this will be hereafter, it is not yet. When we see the time that the people will possess the true riches of the earth and the heavens, we can preserve that which we have, it will not be stolen by thieves. ”

“ They will fill the whole country with stock of every kind, but can see no way how it should be put to proper use. The merchant calculates that he will make fifty or a hundred thousand dollars in so many years, but if you ask him what he is going to do with it he is astonished at the question, for he never thought of that. All he thought of was piling up the riches. Did you ever think it was your privilege to place those riches out to usury in building up the kingdom of God? ”

“ The diamond is considered of the most value, still its intrinsic value is but trifling; by heat it can be burned like other coal; I esteem gold as more valuable, for it cannot be consumed by fire. We would like to have a little of this metal, for how much better would it be to drink out of a gold cup than out of an old rusty tin basin. ”

“ Women and children can deal out pins, and needles, and ribbons; this is too trifling a business for men. Their business, is to organize the elements and draw from them the raw material in abundance, and then manufacture it into those things which are calculated to make comfortable, beautiful, lovely, healthy, and happy God's people. Our brethren calculate on the increase of their stock, and are keen to gather around them the riches of this life, but they do not make judicious calculations how to dispose of those riches to the best advantage. ”

“ We now need twenty times more carding machines in this Territory than we have. Wool now lies in the mill month after month before it can be carded, which injures it. Will our capitalists send and bring in carding machines and other machinery? I want to see fifty or one hundred cotton spinning-jennies, introduced into the country, they will cost about one hundred dollars each, and with one of them a child twelve or fifteen years old can in a day gin, card, and spin cotton enough to make twelve yards of cloth. ”

“ Such buying is no part of the duty of any man in this community; neither is it the duty of any man to be a merchant in this community, in the manner that many are and have been. I frequently tell the people that it is no part of my religion or duty to dance, but it is as much a part of my religious duty to dance as it is to buy ribbons and other useless articles of clothing. ”

“ Apparently the merchandizing interest in this community is coming to a close, and I feel like urging upon the people the necessity of preparing to grow and manufacture that which they consume. It is my indispensable duty to urge this important item upon them and to warn them of coming evil to themselves, unless they attend to it. We want, in view of this, a liberal turn out of teams to bring machinery from the East this coming summer. ”

“ This people have embraced the philosophy of eternal lives, and in view of this we should cease to be children and become philosophers, understanding our own existence, its purpose and ultimate design, then our days will not become a blank through ignorance, but every day will bring with it its useful and profitable employment. ”

“ They want to pray and have faith just sufficient to keep in the path of the angel that is going round to gather up the righteous, and the rest of the time their minds are upon a gold mine, or upon going to the States to buy goods, and they see themselves behind a counter, "Ah," think they, "Won't I look a gentlemanly looking man when I am dealing out the calico?" ”

“ We have not in our society an aristocratic circle. Whether a brother wears a coon skin cap or a fine beaver hat is all the same to us. If a person is a faithful servant of God we do not object to his coming to meeting, though he has only but a piece of buffalo skin to wear on his head. ”

“ If, instead of our wives and daughters passing their hours in idleness, folding their hands, and rocking themselves in their easy chairs, they would spin a little wool, and a little cotton from our Dixie, or that grown in their own gardens and fields, and make some good warm clothing for the men and boys, and some linsey frocks for the women and girls, they could with propriety be called wise women in Israel. ”

“ And then I want to see the brethren join together their teams and money and send for machinery, besides sending teams for the poor; and thus we will fill the Territory with the necessary articles of machinery for a self-sustaining people. It is necessary for us to sustain ourselves, or we will be left in poverty, nakedness, and distress, as a consequence of war and the breaking up of the general government. We now meet men who seemingly have very little clothing—they wear patch upon patch. ”

“ There is great credit due the female portion of our community for the things they try to teach their children; still I would like to see a closer application in giving their daughters a good sound practical moral education. I feel gratified when I look around upon the congregation and see many of the mothers wearing dresses they have made themselves of wool grown in this Territory ”

“ Human beings are expected by their Creator to be actively employed in doing good every day of their lives, either in improving their own mental and physical condition or that of their neighbours. But there are thousands whose days, months, and years are nothing more than a blank ”

“ Teach them to lay away their clothing neatly, and where it can be found; and when they tear their frocks and aprons teach them how to mend the rent so neatly that the place cannot be seen at a short distance; and instead of asking your husbands to buy them ribbons and frills, learn them to make them of the material we can produce. Teach the little boys to lay away the garden hoe, the spade, &c., where they will not be destroyed by rust; and let them have access to tools that they may learn their use, and develop their mechanical skill while young ”

“ We want to send some twelve hundred yoke of cattle to the States for freight and people, and we want to send some cattle to sell and purchase things that are needed for families when crossing the Plains, for we wish to bring all the poor that can get to the Frontiers in time to come on this season. ”

“ I would not by this remark have it understood that clothing ought not to be neatly and somewhat extensively mended, but I have seen men wear pantaloons so patched that it would puzzle you to place your finger upon a piece of the original. They have wives and daughters, but they do not spin. ”

“ Let this education begin early. Teach little children the principles of order; the little girl to put the broom in its right place, to arrange the stove furniture in the nearest possible way, and everything in its own place. ”

“ These are matters that pertain to our present life, to us at this time and in our present circumstances. I am anxious that the people should fully understand the vital importance of maintaining their present ”

“ It is good for their health to rise early in the morning and work in the soil an hour or two before breakfast; this practice is especially beneficial to those who have weak lungs. And while you delight in raising flowers, &c., do not neglect to learn how to take care of the cream, and how to make of it good wholesome butter, and of the milk good healthy nutritious cheese ”