| 316 man can murmur against her authority, as did Korah and his company; or find fault, as did Miriam. They could curse their priests, and their priests could curse the people; or bless the wicked, and it was all one. There was no manifestation of wrath or of blessing. She administered the ordinances of adoption, though in a different manner. She laid on her hands, on the pure, or on the impure, alike in vain.-There was no spirit of adoption, no unction of the Holy One, go guide her sons into the truth: but war and confusion ensued, instead of peace and unity-the works of the flesh, instead of the fruits of the spirit.
In process of time, some who could not sanction her wickedness, left her pale, and endeavored to build up a fabric of their own; but with no other authority than what they had received from her, under the broken covenant; thus have many done, but as they rose to influence, they have trod in the steps of their mother-thus "the laws are transgressed, the ordinances changed, and the covenant broken:" and thus from the days of our fathers we have gone away from his ordinances, and have not kept them, saying, what profit is it to keep them? But the Lord is about to return, and there must be a bride prepared; and he has therefore renewed the covenant-he is taking to himself a new spouse-is adorning her with all the beauty and glory of the former covenant, or his first spouse-wisdom, knowledge, and all, according to the former manner. The new bride is shining forth in the dress and ornaments of the first: and no sooner does the old mother behold her, than she is provoked at the sight. She tries to make good her claim to the house and property of her first love. She would fain have it that she has not broken the covenant; but she fails in the attempt. The more pure the new spouse, and the more she demonstrates her claim to the house and the honors of her lord, so much the more is the old lady alarmed and vexed-and thus will she continue to be, until by surprise she is taken, as was ancient Babylon, and a mighty angel shall cast a mill-stone into the sea, and say: "Thus shall Babylon fall, and rise no more at all!"
JOSEPH FEILDING.
OBITUARY.
DIED-In Kirtland, Ohio, on the twenty-ninth of June last, ANNA KELLOGG, consort of elder Hiram Kellogg, aged forty-nine years. Sister Kellogg was a strong believer in the work of the last days.
Also-on the twenty-fifth of August, CASSANDANA, eldest daughter of Hiram Kellogg, aged eighteen years.
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS.
CONFERENCE MINUTES AND REORGANIZATION.
(Continued from page 303.)
The president then made some very useful remarks with regard to appointing and selecting the high council, and said that they should be men of wisdom, and those who would observe the laws of God, and the Word of Wisdom, for unless a man would be wise for himself, perhaps he would not be wise for his brethren in an hour of danger. It was then
Resolved, That Wm. Woodland, Solomon Hancock, James C. Snow, James Israel, Edmond Durfee, Daniel Stanton, Moses Clauson, Joseph S. Allen, Philip Jarner, Henry Ettleman, Reuben Daniels, and Horace Rawson, compose the high council. Elder Kimball, during the appointing of the high council made some general remarks upon the Word of Wisdom. He commenced by saying that he always despised a penurious principle in any man, and that God despised it also, for he was liberal, and did not look at every little thing as we do; he looked at the integrity of the heart of man, he said some would strain, nip and tuck at the Word of Wisdom, and at the same time they would turn away a poor brother from their door, when he would ask for a little meal for his breakfast. He compared it to the man that was stretched upon the iron bedstead, if he was too long they would cut him off, if he was too short they would stretch him out; and again he said it made him think of the old Indian, who stood so straight that he leaned a little the other way, and the best way was to stand just erect.
In the after part of the day, he renewed the subject by saying, that he did not wish to have any one take any advantage of what he had said, for he spoke on general terms, but said that he had always obeyed the Word of Wisdom, and wanted every saint to observe the same; he said when he was in England he only taught it once or twice in public, and the saints saw his example and followed it; so likewise when the elders go and preach, if they will observe the Word of Wisdom, all of those will whom they bring into the kingdom, but if they do not, they cannot expect their children will, but they will be just like themselves, for every spirit begets its own; neither will such elders be able to do much good, for the Holy Ghost will not dwell in them, neither will the Father nor the Son, for they will not dwell where the Holy Ghost will not dwell, and neither of them will dwell in unholy temples. He said that he wanted wise and honorable men to fill responsible
(page 316) |
