PREST. B. YOUNG—As the people have now begun to assemble, I take the liberty of making a few remarks. I request those who profess to be Saints to exercise faith, and to endeavor to realize that the worship of God is sacred, and beneficial to His people. It is true that we have much to do of a temporal nature, as it is termed; many duties pertaining to daily business and the affairs of this life devolve upon us.
This is necessarily the case, for if we are to build up the kingdom of God, or establish Zion upon the earth, we have to labor with our hands, plan with our minds, and devise ways and means to accomplish that object.
There is a time for all these duties, and there is also a time to serve the Lord by praying, preaching, singing, meditating, watching, and fasting. Inasmuch as there is a time for all things, and as this is the time that we have unitedly set apart for the express purpose of worshipping the Lord, and of enjoying His Holy Spirit by calling in our reflections pertaining to earthly things and objects, that we may attend more immediately to a deep reflection and contemplation of heavenly things, it is necessary for these my brethren, who have accompanied me, to this place, to bring their thoughts to bear upon the things that are present, and while we are here, to let Great Salt Lake City remain where it is—don't bring it here.
Those who have left their families at home, and are away from their houses, cattle, fields, flocks, herds, and other possessions, and also all who have assembled from the different settlements in this county, one and all, let all your affairs, those that you were obliged to leave at home stay where they are, and you stay here and worship the Lord.
In this way every person who has assembled here can feel to leave their affairs and effects where they belong, and bring their minds to bear upon the spiritual things of the kingdom of God. Then they can have their minds enlightened by the Holy Spirit, and understand that which will make them rejoice.
If those are our feelings and determinations, the candle of the Lord will be lighted within our hearts, but if we keep our minds constantly upon our families and effects, we shall be but little benefitted by coming here; this is true in regard to each one of us.
Where our hearts are, there our thoughts will be: and if our thoughts are bound up in our earthly possessions, we had better remain at home and attend to what we have most set our affections upon, and not pretend to try to obtain happiness from any other source.
There is a time for all things, and this is the time for meeting according to appointment. I am frequently requested to come out and hold meetings among the brethren, but I do not recollect that we have at any time appointed a three days' meeting here, though we have previously been here and held one during two days. Much instruction has to be given to enable us to overcome our passions, and to govern and control our feelings and disposition.
Those Elders of Israel who have travelled and preached much have had a good opportunity for experience, and have learned that they cannot, figuratively speaking, take their families, friends, and goods with them, or if they did, they accomplished but little good.
Those who go out to preach the Gospel and at the same time say, "My poor wife and my poor children; and I shall be glad when my mission is out," seldom do much good.
I think that the help mate was designed to take care of the children, house, and gardens, and see, as far as possible, that all is cared for and preserved, as they anciently did. Some went out to war, but they must always leave a few at home to stay with the goods, or whatever they had to be taken care of.
Elders who have had an experience in this matter know whether they carried their families in their feelings, or not; but it is our privilege to train our feelings and dispositions, and to bring all into subjection to the dictates of wisdom, even that wisdom which proceedeth from our God.
When an Elder goes out to preach he ought not to let his mind be filled with care for his family, only when he is praying about them; and if they have lived by faith, all right; and if they have died during his absence, all right; they are the Lord's; and say, "that He gave them to me, it is all right; at the same time I would like to have them, but blessed be the name of the Lord."