| 694 that we should give it to you and you cannot be saved without it. You cannot obtain these things until that house is built. I and my brethren are willing to do all that lays in our power to finish that house for your benefit, that you may go where Joseph is gone.-We have got to carry out Joseph's measures and you have got to assist us. When Jesus was upon the earth his time was spent in endowing the twelve apostles that they might do the things he had left undone and carry out his measures, and upon the same principle we carry out Joseph's measures. We have no rest-don't sleep half as much as you do. We need your prayers. It is necessary to put away all wickedness from our midst, all grog shops and bad houses. Drunkenness and such things will be our overthrow if we are ever overthrown. The best way to put these things away is to never frequent such places. It is necessary for us to put away all this frolicking and dancing over the blood of the prophet, where it was drenched in the blood from the coffin. When the prophet had a dance at his house he said every thing against it he could, and now men go and practice the same things. Shall we put these things away? I say yea. We have got an ungodly race here among us who are leading our young people away.-They will open their doors and let men go in and say every thing against the Twelve and the church they are capable of. I never frequent such places; I cast them far from me. Are you not under the same obligations and responsibility, ye elders, high priests, teachers, deacons, and members?
He then went on to show that the saints could not obtain the blessings they want until the temple is finished. We want all to pay their tithing that they may receive the blessings.
President Young arose and said that it had been moved and seconded that Asahel Smith should be ordained to the office of Patriarch.-He went on to show that the right to the office of Patriarch to the whole church belonged to William Smith as a legal right by descent.-Uncle Asahel ought to receive the office of Patriarch in the church.
The motion was put and carried unanimously.
President Young wanted to say a few words on the principles of tithing. There has been so much inquiry it becomes irksome: the law is for a man to pay one tenth of all he possesses for the erecting of the house of God, the spread of the gospel, and the support of the priesthood. When a man comes into the church he wants to know if he must reckon his clothing, bad debts, lands, &c. It is the law to give one tenth of what he has got, and then one tenth of his increase or one tenth of his time. A man comes and says he was sick six months and what is required of me? Why go and pay your tithing for the time you are able to work. Some say they have been preaching and want to know if that dont [don't] pay their tithing? Well, it will if you want to have it so. He then went on to recommend the brethren not to sell their grain but to bring it into the city and store it, and not take it to Warsaw. He next referred to L. Wight's going away because he was a coward, but he will come back and his company, and James Emmett and his company will come back.-How easy would it be for the Lord if an army of mobs was to come within one mile of this place, to turn the north-west winds upon them and with snow, hail and rain, make them so that they would be glad to take care of themselves and leave us alone. He then referred to the Missourians when Joseph and others went to jail, snapping their guns at the brethren but they would not go off, &c. The Lord never let a prophet fall on the earth until he had accomplished his work; and the Lord did not take Joseph until he had finished his work, and it is the greatest blessing to Joseph and Hyrum, God could bestow to take them away, for they had suffered enough. They are not the only martyrs that will have to die for the truth. There are men before me to-day who will be martyrs, and who will have to seal their testimony with their blood. I believe this people is the best people of their age that ever lived on the earth, the church of Enoch not excepted. We want you to come on with your tithes and offerings to build this temple, and when it is finished we want you to spend a year in it and we will tell you things you never thought of.
The Twelve then proceeded to ordain Asahel Smith as follows:
Brother Asahel Smith in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, we lay our hands upon your head to ordain you to the office of Patriarch in this last church of Jesus Christ,-and we bestow upon you the keys and power, and the right and authority of blessing as a Patriarch in the church of Jesus Christ and we say unto thee, thou shalt be a father to many. Thou shalt feel the spirit of the Lord more than thou hast ever done heretofore.-Thy heart shall be enlarged, and it shall be thy delight to bless thy family, and thy posterity, and the fatherless and widow; and the spirit of the Lord will rest upon you to predict
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