| 36 it; as a reading of his discourse delivered in the tabernacle on that day, as published in the Journal of Discourses, volume 1, pages 53-66 will show. He said:
"It is quite unexpected to me, brethren and sisters, to be called upon to address you this forenoon; and still more so, to address you upon the principle which has been named; namely, a plurality of wives.
"It is rather new ground for me; that is, I have not been in the habit of publicly speaking upon this subject; and it is rather new ground to the inhabitants of the United States; and not only to them, but to a portion of Europe; a portion of them have not been in the habit of preaching a doctrine of this description; consequently we shall have to break up new ground."
Further on in his argument upon that occasion, he said:
"The Latter Day Saints have embraced the doctrine of plurality of wives as a part of their religious faith. . . . Before we get through, we will endeavor to show why we consider it an essential doctrine to glory and exaltation, to a fullness of happiness in the world to come."
Hence, in taking the stand for the doctrines taught for thirteen years and more during the Martyr's lifetime, as affording a fullness of salvation to man in the fullness of the gospel; and which doctrines were apparently taught for some eight years (or from June, 1844, to August, 1852), after the Martyr's death; we have, seemingly to us necessarily, taken the stand against polygamy; and by so doing have possibly been "tearing down" and "destroying" the crop of doctrines raised upon the "new ground broken up" by Elder Pratt and others. And if we may credit what we hear, that crop has not been roses, lilies, nor fruit pleasant to the taste; but rather thorns, thistles, and apples of discord.
The church prospered when the elders taught the gospel, and the salvation offered in Christ to men; hundreds of doors opened to them, as the Lord said there should. The time came when the ears of the people were closed to the word of life in Christ; but when the men of the Reorganization began to sound the gospel trump, the way began to open up before them; the Lord again began to bless their labors with hearers and believers; until now the doors are opening almost everywhere.
We preach the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of men; the gospel, the way and means of coming unto him. We do not preach polygamy, nor do we believe it of saving efficacy, neither for salvation nor exaltation.
As an individual, we want no one, whether he be friend or foe, believer or unbeliever, to misunderstand or mistake us.
If to preach the "righteousness which is by faith" is to "tear down" and "destroy" the work which Joseph and Hyrum Smith built up, we are so tearing down.
If to be in favor of free thought, inquiry, education, the liberty to hold and express opinion, and that all men shall alike be amenable to the laws of God and of man, is to be "opposed" to the work those men began, we are so in opposition.
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