George Q. Cannon

“ I have many times thought that the labours of the Elders were not so productive of good as they might be. We ought to labour more earnestly to prepare the people for the day of calamity that is coming. I believe that we, so far as our relatives are concerned, have no cause of sorrow, if they are honest, though they may not have received the influence of truth; yet the day may come when they will receive the Spirit of God; and if they do not come to these valleys to obey the Gospel, they may come here as to a place of refuge! ”

“ I have had men admit to me that the advance of the age demanded a new revelation—that the old fogyism of the past age was not suited to the wants of this generation—that the people required a new revelation, a new influence,—that there was nothing to bind the people together or cause them to believe in their leaders. ”

“ It does not matter what we are doing or where we are labouring—in the adobie yard, in the kanyons, preaching the Gospel, or doing anything else that God through his servants directs us to perform,—if we labour faithfully, we are contributing to the accomplishment of a great and good work, and are really doing much more than we think, and labouring to bring to pass all those predictions that have been delivered respecting the generation in which we live. ”

“ There is a contrary feeling and influence that will destroy and pull down and completely break up everything that is pleasing in the sight of God. It is a spirit and influence that will break down and destroy every gift that is calculated to bind man to man, and that would enable them to live in union and peace. ”

“ We can read in the newspapers, if we cannot ascertain it any other way, that they are filled with these influences, and that these feelings of fear pervade the mind. You know the feelings that now prevail, and that instead of dread and sorrow controlling the minds of the Saints, there is on the contrary a feeling of thanksgiving and joy that our lot has been cast in this day and age of the world. Where calamity and sorrow were, there are thanksgiving and joy ”

“ There is nothing but the Spirit of God—the comforting and sustaining influences of that Spirit which is promised to be given unto the Elders, that would enable a man to absent himself from society that is so pleasing, to go out into the world and labour to proclaim the Gospel unto the children of men. ”

“ Remember the saying—"We cannot do anything against the kingdom of God, but for it;" for God himself will control the result. It is not only true so far as we are concerned, but the nations that undertake to send their armies to fight against Zion will find everything trained in favour of the Saints, give them success, and enable them to overcome the difficulties with which they are surrounded; and they will continue to overcome until they attain that position which our Heavenly Father intends all his faithful people shall occupy. ”

“ If the nations of the earth could realize that there were such feelings prevailing here, there would be hundreds and thousands that would associate themselves with us, especially, if they could believe it possible for them to attain to the same privileges. But lies have prevailed to such an extent, and have been so industriously circulated, that thousands of men and women now believe us to be the worst people upon the face of the earth. ”

“ I feel this to be a glorious privilege that we enjoy, and I do not think that the people generally appreciate it although there may be some exceptions.
If an Elder should go forth after residing here, and have for years to come to mingle among the inhabitants of the earth, if he be animated and led by that Spirit which prevails here, he will realize that holy influence to a very great extent. He will realize that God has gathered out a people whom he has filled with union and love, such as he does not witness or experience among other people or nations abroad. ”

“ I have no doubt but there are hundreds in the United States that are honest, but their eyes are now blinded by the influences that are around them. Among editors and public men generally there is not this feeling that you find among the poor and middle classes. They have said that we are wicked, and they are determined to wipe us out.
During my last mission I have had many opportunities of conversing with the leading editors of the most popular journals in the States, and I have frequently had the evidence in my hands to disprove the lying stories in circulation about us. ”

“ If there is anything in newspapers about the "Mormons," it is very apt to be read with avidity. There is something which I do not suppose they can account for. We have gone forth from the time of the inception of this Gospel, and so signally triumphed over our enemies, that in the minds of many men who are posted in regard to the events of the age, there is an anxiety to form some idea of the features of the system: they are anxious to know whether it is going to be a permanent power in the United States, or whether it is going to crumble to pieces as has been talked of by our enemies. ”

“ We are now established, and we have become a fixed power; we are growing here in the mountains, and are beginning to be acknowledged and called a nation in the midst of the earth, and everything that the wicked have done and will do will be a source of regret to them, because they will see, as they have already seen, that they have worked into our hands. ”

“ I have sometimes heard the brethren indulge in harsh expressions when they have been tried; but when we consider the condition of the inhabitants of the earth as it really is—view them from the standing-point which we occupy, instead of having these feelings of vengeance towards them, we should feel that their punishment has already commenced, and that that which they suffer while they tabernacle in the flesh would be sufficient for many things that they have done. ”

“ I believe that an Elder who goes forth can to some extent realize the deplorable condition of fallen men, and it fills him with compassion; and instead of killing them off and destroying them, he feels willing to lay down his own life, if, by so doing, he could bring them to the knowledge of the truth. ”

“ The people themselves, though filled with this spirit and surrounded by this influence, do not seem to be aware of the dangers that threaten their peace and the perpetuity of their institutions, or that threaten the blessings that they have received from their fathers, and that they hope to hand down to their children. ”

“ There is one thing they will give us credit for—namely, that we are united, that we will give heed to authority, and that we are in possession of some of the best modes of getting along that are known in the world. ”

“ My prayer is that we may be faithful, humble, and obedient to that Priesthood and those living oracles which God has placed in our midst, and ever labour for the upbuilding of that kingdom which he has set up, never more to be thrown down. ”

“ If we suppose that the future is peaceful, it is a delusion: the efforts of our enemies will be continued. They are encouraging their hatred and increasing their determination to bring destruction upon us, and they do know themselves that they are wicked in this respect ”

“ Then, to use a familiar expression we will say, Let it blow hot or cold—let them do just as they please, persecute us, send armies here or keep them at home, it will make no difference as to the final result. It may enable us to progress the faster in the good work in which we are engaged; but all that our enemies do, with a design to thwart the operations of the people of God, will be unsuccessful. ”

“ I know, however, that this is a difficult lesson for us to learn—that it is difficult to get the idea into our hearts. It is so natural for a man to be desirous to do something—to have the name, to have the credit of having done something upon the earth. ”

“ This spirit has caused editors and other men who have laboured in this manner to bring about our destruction, to lay the foundation for their own damnation.
Fear is taking hold of the hearts of men, and it will doubtless increase until that will be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet—"Let us not go up against Zion, for the people thereof are terrible." Men do not realize that they are fulfilling the words of the Prophet of God. No: they labour diligently and assiduously, as they think, to prevent that. ”

“ This truth is plainly set forth in the doctrines of Christ, that every man shall reap the reward of his works, whether they be good or evil. If a man has not merited an eternity of punishment, there will not be such a punishment awarded to him. ”

“ I have seen men who knew when they were writing that they were writing statements that were not true. Some of these were men that have been associated with us in the bonds of fellowship, and the spirit which they sought to infuse into others they had received by transgression. ”

“ They began in the first organization of this Church to tell so many falsehoods, and they have told them so long and circulated them so widely and so very rapidly, with a design to destroy our character, and with a design to make the world believe that we were a bloodthirsty people—a people guilty of every species of crime, that they think credence must still be given to all they do and say. ”

“ It is so with the wicked in one sense—with the enemies of truth. All that they do contributes to the rolling forth of this great and mighty work. In our expulsion from Illinois, our journeyings across the Plains, our settlement in this Valley, all has contributed to make us what we now are. ”

“ But let me say unto you, my brethren and sisters, that all their efforts and all the moves that they have made have produced a contrary effect to what they intended, and all they do in future will be far more striking in its effects than anything that has previously transpired. ”

“ Therefore not only are the good brethren and sisters and the pure and holy labouring for the fulfilment of the word of God and the spreading abroad of the truths of heaven, but the wicked who are labouring for the overthrow of the kingdom of God have all their efforts turned to good account, and the fruits thereof are beginning to be apparent. ”

“ Some suppose that the power that is exercised by the leaders of this people will be short-lived; and many of them supposed, when the army came in here, that that would be the time when the system of fanaticism would be crushed. They hoped that the long-expected period had arrived when we should be obliged to succumb, and no longer have an existence as a distinct people upon the earth. ”

“ Editors were troubled, and all men who made any pretence whatever to a knowledge of the signs of the times, were at a loss to comprehend what the future of the United States would be, if these difficulties continued. ”

“ Our enemies, by the course they are taking, are bound to remove the stigmas they have tried heretofore to place upon us; for they have slandered us, told lie after lie about us, and predicted what would become of us; and many who believe in the stories published in newspapers will ere long be convinced that we are an injured people. ”

“ There has been an attempt during the last session to remove this feeling, and to some extent it has been done. Men are so ready and willing to be deceived in regard to that which will produce their destruction, that they put far off the day of dread. ”

“ The warning of the nations of the earth and the labours of all the faithful Elders among the nations all contribute to the accomplishment of this work and the preparing of the Saints for a high and exalted position in the kingdom of God, to reign as kings and Priests of the Most High, according to the promises of the Father. ”

“ Our enemies see this, and they regret that they did not leave us to be mixed up with the world, so that civilization might have surrounded us, and its surges eventually have destroyed our organization. ”

“ On the other hand, there is not a case comes under our observation of trouble, of suffering, or misfortune, but in the doctrine of Christ there is something to stimulate us, and to encourage our further exertions. ”

“ Some attribute it to a wonderful power which the President exercises over the whole people, and which the Elders exercise when they go forth into the world to preach the Gospel: others say there are inducements held out by which the people are completely blinded, and this grows so strong that the people become willing to be led by the Elders ”

“ This is not to be found in the religions of the world, and the consequence is that infidelity is getting a strong hold upon the minds of men. This is being felt at the present time by many of the more enlightened. ”

“ Although Joseph Smith and the Elders of this Church have proclaimed, both by their own voice and by publications, the downfall of this Government, and set forth things so plainly to those that would look at them, yet the people have closed their eyes and have pressed forward in their own way ”

“ This he will realize, if filled with the Spirit that prevails here; for, wherever you go throughout the length and breadth of the earth, you find that there is a spirit of hatred, envy, malice, and everything that is in opposition to the Spirit of God. Spirits of this kind and feelings of this character prevail throughout the length and breadth of the land. There are exceptions to this: there are men and women who are animated with a good spirit and influence ”