John Taylor

“ We believe that God is going to revolutionize the earth, to purge it from iniquity of every kind and to introduce righteousness of every kind, until the great millennium is fully introduced. We believe, moreover, that God, having commenced his Work, will continue to reveal and make manifest his will to his Priesthood, to his Church and kingdom on the earth, and that among this people there will be an embodiment of virtue, of truth, of holiness, of integrity, of fidelity, of wisdom and of the knowledge of God. ”

“ Taking this view of the matter, have we joined this great interest and come to this country to build up ourselves, to seek our own will and pursue our own plans, and let our children grow up in the same way we have grown up, in the same ignorance and darkness, folly, weakness and imbecility, or shall we try to lead out in another path, seek the guidance and direction of the Most High God, lead out in the paths of righteousness ourselves, and let our wives and children follow our example and learn to be better and more intelligent and wise than we are. ”

“ But when our minds are carried away with the things of this world, when we lose sight of the kingdom of God and its interests, its glory, the happiness and well-being of the human family, and the events that we are expecting to transpire on the earth, and the part that we are to take in them; when we lose sight of our various duties as fathers, mothers, husbands, wives and children, and get carried away with our own notions, ideas and selfishness, and we become involved in evil, it is then that it is difficult for us to comprehend the things of God. ”

“ I do not know of any way whereby we can be taught, instructed and be made to comprehend our true position, only by being under the influence of the Spirit of the living God. A man may speak by the Spirit of God, but it requires a portion of that Spirit also in those who hear, to enable them to comprehend correctly the importance of the things that are delivered to them and hence the difficulty the Lord and his Saints have always had in making the people comprehend the things that are especially for their interests. ”

“ If ever the latter-day glory, which we have so often spoken of, sang of, prayed about, and about which the ancient Prophets have prophesied, is brought about, it will be done by this people, for there is not another people under the heavens that will listen to it. Then it is a matter that attaches itself to every one of us, from the President down. We are bound to the Lord by a covenant to help to build up his kingdom upon the earth. ”

“ We all pray for President Young continually, that God would inspire his heart and the hearts of his counsel, that he may be able to lead Israel in the path they should go. Let us add another prayer to that, that the Lord our God would inspire our hearts to receive their teachings when they come through them from the Lord of Hosts; then all things will move on well and no power under the heavens will be enabled to injure the Saints, but they will go on increasing from strength to strength, until the kingdom of God shall be established and all nations bow to its scepter. ”

“ In fact, if there is anything great, noble, dignified, exalted, anything pure, or holy, or virtuous, or lovely, anything that is calculated to exalt or ennoble the human mind, to dignify and elevate the people, it will be found among the people of the Saints of the Most High God. This is only a faint outline of some of our views in relation to these things, and hence we talk of returning to Jackson county to build the most magnificent temple that ever was formed on the earth and the most splendid city that was ever erected ”

“ Hence all the wisdom, all the intelligence, all the reasoning, all the philosophy and all the arguments that could be brought to bear on the human mind would be of no avail unless the mind of man is prepared to receive this teaching—prepared by the Spirit of the Lord, the same Spirit which conveys the intelligence. ”

“ The people will be so perfected and purified, ennobled, exalted, and dignified in their feelings and so truly humble and most worthy, virtuous and intelligent that they will be fit, when caught up, to associate with that Zion that shall come down from God out of heaven. This is the idea, in brief, that we have entertained in relation to many of these things. ”

“ This is the greatest honor that could be conferred on us—to build a Temple to the name of the Most High God, and your children after you will be proud that their fathers were engaged in such a work, in building a Temple wherein thousands can receive their endowments. The adverse circumstances in which this work was done will not be thought of. The young man takes his ox goad in his hand, and becomes a Missionary to redeem the poor from bondage and bring them here to participate with us in the blessings of Zion ”

“ It is easy for us to talk about heaven, and about going to Jackson county, and about building up the kingdom of God, &c.; it is easy to sing about it and pray about it, but it is another thing to do it; and hence the difficulty the servants of God labor under all the day long is in consequence of the ignorance, weakness and infirmities of those they have to do with, and yet we are more enlightened in regard to these things than any other people and have made more progress ”

“ If we can learn to accomplish a little thing the Lord will probably tell us to do a greater, because we are prepared to do it. If we were to build a very nice house nobody would be troubled about it, or if we were to make a pretty garden and cultivate good taste; or if we could educate ourselves and our children in the arts and sciences and in everything that is calculated to extend our search after intelligence. ”

“ We suppose that the honest-in-heart from different nations will be gathered together for the accomplishment of these purposes, but we do not believe the other nations will do it. In fact, it is as much as a bargain to get them to believe some of the first principles of the doctrines of Christ; then, when they have made out to do that and have arrived here, it is a little more than a bargain to get them to believe other things as they are revealed, not withstanding we all believe somebody has got to do this Work, that it has to be done somehow and somewhere. ”

“ It is generally fools that break wagons. And suppose you do not get everything you want while you are building this Temple. You would like to have better clothing and better food; do the best you can and let everybody do the same, and when you have done that thank God for it, and thank God that you have the privilege to help to build up a Temple unto the Most High. By and bye you will go into that Temple, and when you have received your endowments in it and the spiritual blessings that you can get, you will learn more about building another Temple, and then will come temporal things again. ”

“ But if we had the Spirit of God, and walked in the light of revelation, and were guided by the principles of truth, and were in possession ourselves of the same Spirit by which the truths of God are communicated, then it would be plain and comprehensive to our understanding, and everything we try to accomplish would be easy, pleasant, comfortable and joyous, and we should all of us feel that ”

“ One plain matter of fact connected with that Temple is, somebody will have to go to quarrying rock, to breaking up rock, others have got to take Buck and Bright and hitch them on to a wagon, and feed and take care of the cattle, and drive them, and bring the rock safely, without breaking things, where it can be prepared for the wall. It does not show a man smart because he can break a wagon, for any fool can do that. ”

“ If we do this, every labor we engage in will be joyous and pleasant to us, peace will reign in our bosoms and the peace of God will abide in our habitations, the Spirit of the Lord will brood over us, and we shall be full of joy and rejoicing all the day long, and so it will be to the end of the chapter. ”

“ This morning we have heard a number of things, in which we are individually and collectively interested as a people. It is difficult, however, for us to comprehend our true interests and the things that that would be for our best good ”

“ There is a general desire to turn out teams, and they are not backward in going themselves or in sending. I think this is much to the praise of the Saints of God in the mountains. There may be a few who will not aid in this Work; those who do will receive the blessing, and there are plenty who have the means and the disposition. ”

“ Here, then, is a Temple to be built, the foundation of which is laid, and considerable rock has been hauled for the walls, and large amounts of hewing done. This work must be consummated, and in doing that, we are learning to listen to the word of the Lord to us and becoming used to the harness. It is a nice thing to get our endowments, and there is something yet to be got which we have not yet received. ”