| 971 best. But we shall not be under the necessity of buying but few things from the Gentiles.
Is there any woman in this congregation, from any part of this State, or from Massachusetts, or from New Hampshire, or from Vermont, or from New York, or from any State in the Union, that can make good bonnets of straw, for I want as good a bonnet as ever was put upon a female's head, for my wife, and for my daughter, and I will pay them for it. I want a very good thing, for the ladies of the city of Joseph are very dressy, and desire good things. There are many of them that have said, and have thrown out the proclamation, that if they cannot have good bonnets and caps, and ribbons, and shoes, and stockings, they will go to St. Louis, and to Boston, and to Salem to get them; and some to Pittsburgh, with Sidney Rigdon, for some of his apples, and peaches. These things are true. I have heard these observations myself; and if the females cannot make their own bonnets, they can be employed in making something else that will buy as good a bonnet, in the city of Joseph, as you can buy from Boston, or from Salem or any of these places; or any thing else that is manufactured, in this city. And we can make the ribbons of cotton wood, it will make a substantial article. Those posies you wear round your faces, are only made of paper, some are made of cloth covered with paint or dyed. Well we can make a more substantial ribbon of cotton wood, and there are thousands of it in this county.
And we want to see every lot in the city of of Joseph fenced up and cultivated, and let every street that is not used, be fenced up, and planted with corn, and with potatoes, and with cabbage, and every good thing we want to eat.
And if the brethren who live in the country, upon the prairies, have more land than they want themselves, let them let their brethren have it, that they may cultivate the earth, and raise what grain they want for their consolation and comfort. This is essential and necessary, more so this season than it has been before. The reason is we want to finish the Temple, and attend to our washings and anointings, so that a good deal of our time will be taken up next winter, to prepare ourselves for the time of its dedication. For it is necessary that this people should have these things, both male and female, young and old.
Brethren and sisters, you see the necessity of being diligent and not to stay your hands for a moment, from working upon the Temple, and taking stock in the Nauvoo House. I will do all that I can for both. I have not got much at present, but I shall have an abundance by and by. If I had it now, I have no time to take care of it; therefore I do not want it. It is enough for me, and my brethren to take care of you.
With regard to the Temple and Nauvoo House, these are our feelings, and we want this people to hear and understand, and universally, to pay their tithing. Let all go and labor, and do all that lies in their power to build up these houses; and in the remaining time they can cultivate the earth, and attend to their mechanic shops. And you that are mechanics and work in you [your] shops, there is one tenth of that belongs to the Temple, and you can do as much good in your shops, as you can by working at the Temple, so go ahead and stick to your shops and do all you can.
I have another thing to lay before this congregation; it is that every man and every woman stay in this county, and not go out of it, to work for the Gentiles at all; but let them harvest their own wheat, and plough [plow] their own ground, and dig their own potatoes, and we intend not to preach to them this summer;-therefore let not any man, from this time henceforth, come to us and ask, 'shall I go to preaching? I want to go down country, shall I go?" No; you must not go, unless it is on business necessary to be done for the church, or to save some-body's life. We all go for that, but upon any other business, it is not necessary. This counsel is good for us to observe, that we stay in the city or somewhere else, in this country.
What is the object do you suppose of making the proclamation for all the saints to gather in, from all the United States, if we want to send them back again? We want them here, that they may help us to build the Temple, and the Nauvoo House; and want them to bring their firelocks, and learn to use them, and keep them well cleaned and loaded, and primed, so that they will go off the first shot, that every man may be in readiness, and prepared, that is, every man shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (holding up his cane as a sample;) that is the way. We want the brethren to stay in the City of Joseph, as much as possible, and those who cannot stay in the city, to remain in the county, where they can, to urge on the work of raising grain.; &c., that the saints may have a plenty to eat, while we are attending to the ordinances of the House of God.
After the endowment we want the brethren to go to the nations of the earth, before that satan tears you asunder; for he will be heavy upon you when you get this. I would not advise any man, or any woman, to go the east, after money or any thing else, until they get their endowment; then they may go, if they please,
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