| 284 love your property more than God, hold on to it-enjoy it as long as possible in those places that you find the most pleasantly situated to your own minds; and never charge the servants of God with the crime of leading you away from your pleasant homes, contrary to your own wishes.
Some complain that I am not smooth enough. If you wish to have smooth things, you must not place me to preside; for I shall say whatever the Lord puts in my heart: for that which pleases Him, that shall I speak.-The reason I did not teach you any more last fall concerning the gathering, is that the time had not then come. I wish also to give to all a portion in due season. The season has now arrived that you should be instructed more perfectly. I then told you not to leave this place until you were instructed by revelation; but you knew not that I had the revelation with me: but you may depend on hearing it before I leave. And I have no doubt you are all well satisfied concerning the object that lies before us, which is to devise means to effect a removal of the church from this place to the city of Nauvoo. I shall, therefore, call on all, to know who are willing to go, and are desirous so to do; that we may know what farther arrangements to make for that purpose. Some have had fears that they would go in haste or by flight. Brethren here need have no fears on this point respecting the past, but as it regards the future. One of you might break this commandment as well in a year from this time by going in haste or by flight, as to do it this day. If being expeditious is breaking the commandment, to be driven by a mob would cause a man to break the commandment, for he surely would be under the necessity of moving quite sprightly. Therefore, if any one is afraid of breaking this law by going in haste, I would advise them to go while they have a chance to go in peace, unless they think by stoping [stopping] a few years longer they can be better prepared: but my opinion is, they will be altogether better prepared to stay where they are after that length of time. I wish those who say they are not able, would be honest, and say they are not willing, until they can have enough to make them popular when they get among the brethren. Oh! what a set of disciples! Who would not be a Mormon, if we could all get rich? Yet some will step up and say, I am going to build up Zion. But where are your widows? Oh! we have left them behind; I suppose the angels will attend them! But I shall inform you that the servants of God will do it themselves: for as I have said, so say I again. It is presumptuous to require the Lord to do a thing we are not willing to do ourselves. Let me inform you that no man can ever be admitted into the kingdom of heaven who loves his earthly treasure more than he loves the cause of the poor and the needy, the widow and the fatherless, and the commandments of Jesus Christ: for it is vain for men to flatter themselves with a hope of salvation while bidding defiance to the most sacred ties which have and always will bind the Saints to each other in the bonds of charity stronger than the bonds of death; for "he that seeth his brother stand in need," &c., how dwelleth the love of God in him?
If I speak to plain on these points, you must call on some one who understands your wishes better than myself; for I have made no enquiry [inquiry] concerning the things which would be most pleasing to you. Neither shall I; but shall endeavor to fulfil [fulfill] the commandment given to me, that I should CONTINUE to labor for Zion. I therefore pursue the same course which I have the twelve years that are past, and have no position to change my course until the Lord shall tell me what to do. My object is, and has been ever since our first settling in Jackson county Missouri, to devise means for our present and eternal good; even as men who have lived in past ages, who were called and inspired of God: and with me it is a matter of the highest importance and concern, to prepare a place of residence for this tabernacle-a habitation of safety in a time to come-by obeying the commandment which now lies before us, and gather to the place which has been appointed of God. A motion was then made by Alexander Badlam and seconded by Orange L. Wight, that all who are present who are of the same mind with the President of this conference, and are perfectly willing and determined to comply with this commandment and do all they can for the promotion of so good an object, will manifest the same by standing on their feet; whereupon a unanimous vote was taken to that effect.
The idea was then suggested that a vote be taken in order to ascertain who had teams, and who had not. It was found that twenty persons had no teams. It was recommended by elder Wight, that such means be taken as will be the most conducive to the general good of the church, the interest of one man being the interest of the whole body, and whether the church go up either by land or by water, there should be a concert of effort. It was unanimously agreed upon that such a course be pursued as had been recommended at the close of the first day of conference. Four persons were appointed to baptize during the same, viz: John Young, Alexander Badlam, Reuben McBride
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