--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Smith, Joseph F. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 15 number: 2 published: 1911-12 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Smith, Joseph F., "Reasons for Opposition. II," *Improvement Era* 15, no. 2 (December 1911): 137–142.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1502unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera1502unse start_page: 137 end_page: 142 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1911-12) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1502unse publication_year: 1911 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1911, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Reasons for Opposition. II Reasons for Opposition to the Latter-day Saints.* BY PRESIDENT JOSEPH F. SMITH. (Concluded.) Then what, was that all? No; the Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith that having been washed clean, having been cleansed from sin by baptism for the remission of sin, by one, having authority from God to do it, that thereafter they were to live pure, chaste, holy, upright lives, and sin no more, if they would live without sin, or at least to do as nearly that as it is possible for human creatures to do, who are possessed of the weakensses that beset human nature. That was the doctrine of Joseph Smith, to live righteous lives, inasmuch as you have been purified, inasmuch as you have been cleansed from sin, inasmuch as God has remi tted your sins through obedience to the ordinances of the gospel, thai you shall thereafter keep yourself pure and unspotted from the world. Anything wrong in that? Is the world injured by that? Any man injured by that procedure, or by that counsel and re- quirement? No! Well, then, what? Then the Lord revealed the great principle of organization by which his Church is to be. governed, which the Lord himself established in the Church. The authority of the Holy Priesthood, that of the High Priesthood, the Apostleship, the Seventies, and the Elders, and then the organizations of the Lesser Priesthood — the Bishops, the Priests, the Teachers and the Deacons — God established these organizations in the Church for the government of the people. What for? To oppress them? No. To injure them? No, a thousand times, no. What for? That they and their children might have the benefits of these organizations for instruction, for admonition, for guidance, for revelation, and for inspiration to do that which the Lord requires at their hands, that they may become perfect in their lives, and that they may perfect the organization to which they belong in the Church, as the Lord God has revealed those things to us; that ♦Opening sermon at the General Conference, Oct. 6, toil. 138 IMPROVEMENT ERA thereby we may become stronger, more intelligent, possessed of greater faith, of broader understanding of the truth, and of a higher conception of God's principles and purposes for the exist- ence of the children of men in the earth, and for a broader and more perfect comprehension of the ultimate result of obedience to the laws of God. Is there anything wrong about it? Has anybody been in- jured? Some people think that we are wonderfully injured, terribly wronged, in consequence of these organizations. I am accused of being tyrannical and unjust. I am accused of robbing and wronging the Latter-day Saints. Well, you know about that. If there is a Latter-day Saint, or a latter-day sinner, beneath the sun, anywhere on earth, in hell, or anywhere else, who can point the finger to an act of mine, wherein they have sustained injury and wrong, God knows I will go farther than they could ask me to go, to make it right; and I have never wronged any man, woman or child, to my knowledge; and I defy wicked men, or good men or women, or anybody else, to point to an act of mine wherein I have violated God's law of chastity. Well, why do you say it? Because no man on earth knows it better than I do my- self, and yet my companions, my associates, those who have dwelt with me in secret and in public, those who know me, can bear testimony to the same thing. I never used a dollar belonging to the Churoh of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that I did not have a legitimate right to use, and that, too, by the consent and approval of my brethren, who have the right to say how the funds of the Church shall be expended. I pay my tithing and offerings pre- cisely the same as you do, who are as faithful about it as I am. We do not all do our full duty with reference to this. Many of us shirk our responsibilities in regard to that, to some extent. That is, we feel a lack of faith in the principle and in the promise of the Lord, and we do not always come up to the full standard of the law. Now, the Prophet Joseph Smith has also revealed to the world a principle that has been practically kept hidden from the founda- tion of the world. What is it? The union of husband and wife for time and for all eternity. Who knew anything about it? Who comprehended the principle? Who understood the responsibility that dwells with the union of husband and wife, till Joseph Smith revealed it in the simplicity and plainness with which he has revealed it to the world? The world hates that principle, that is, REASONS FOR OPPOSITION 139 some do, not all of them, because a great many now are beginning to be leavened with the leaven that Joseph Smith has put into the lump of meal, and now you will hear both ministers and laity say, "Oh, we hope to have the privilege of seeing and knowing and embracing our wives and our children in the world to come." But the Lord revealed that principle to Joseph Smith, and he taught it to the world, and I thank God for that principle. It has opened my eyes. If anything in the world could have made me a better man, or a better husband, if such a thing is possible for me to be a good husband at all, it is that principle that the Lord has revealed, which shows me the obligations that I am under to the mothers of my children. He has taught to us the principle and the ordinance of the everlasting covenant, the union of parents and children for time and all eternity. What did the world know about it? Noth- ing. And yet the world is vexed about these things, that is, the majority. I modify it, because I believe that there are thousands and tens of thousands' of men in the world that are not identified with the Latter-day Saints, who actually believe those principles, and would accept them if their financial and social conditions in the world, and their good name or reputation, would only permit them to become members of the Church in good standing, and not lose their favor with the world, — -they would be glad to do it. They believe the doctrine. And not only that, but the Lord revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith the necessity of the children turning their hearts towards their fathers, and revealed to the world the fact that the hearts of the fathers were already turned towards their children in the dispensation of the fulness of times, and that there was a work most sacred and most important that the children must perform, if they have the opportunity to do it, for the redemption of their dead, that have died without the knowl- edge of the gospel. God has revealed these things, through the Prophet Joseph Smith, to the world, and the world does not like these things. Why? Because they are in advance of anything the world are willing to accept. These things go beyond the mere belief that a man wdl be saved and exalted into the highest glory of God, simply by saying on the gallows that he believes in the Lord Jesus Christ. That is a fallacy. Every man will be judged according to his works, whether they be good or whether they be evil, and that is a dor- trine that was advanced and taught by the Prophet Joseph Smith 143 IMPROVEMENT ERA hi plainness that cannot be ignored; every man will be .judged according to his works, whether they be good or whether they be evil. Anything short of that would not and could not be of God, if God is just, if God is righteous, if God is impartial; then this principle of justice is a righteous principle, and it certainly has emanated from God, and not from Joseph Smith, nor from man. It would be unfair in me to occupy much more of your time this morning. I thank my God for what is called "Mormonism." • I thank the Lord that he has permitted me to come into the world in this dispensation. I am full of gratitude to my Heavenly Father that he has honored me with the Holy Priesthood; that he has called me to be a witness of him, and a witness of his Son Jesus Christ to the children of men. I thank God my Heavenly Father that he has honored me in the midst of my brethren, that he has given to me their confidence and their love, and that I am sustained and upheld by them in my ministry. I feel grateful and thankful for all these things, for these are better to me by far, than any favors, praise, or honors the world could bestow, and I have no fear of the evil that is said of me by wicked and corrupt men. I believe in the gospel in its fulness. I believe in the Holy Priesthood, in its power, in its rightfulness to administer in the temples, and in the waters of baptism, and in the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, and for the healing of the sick, and for ordinations, and for all other purposes for which the Priesthood is rightfully used. I believe in the gathering of Israel, and I believe that the day will come when the valleys of the mountains will become too strait for the people of God. I believe that the time will come when we shall have to colonize abroad, when we shall have to spread abroad in the earth, for I believe that the Lord designs that eventually the people that will name his name in righteousness, and that will believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, together with his works, will spread over the earth, and especially spread over this land of Joseph, which the Lord has preserved in which to establish his kingdom and his Church in the latter days. I believe that as much as can be, but I do not believe that the time has yet come when our people can scatter abroad here and there, singly or by two's or three's, or by little companies, away off in Central America, away off into Southern Mexico, away off into the northern limits, and away down to the western sea, or over onto the Atlantic seaboard. I do not believe the time REASONS FOR OPPOSITION 1 1 1 has come that we can diffuse our strength and scatter ourselves abroad in the world, or colonize to such an extent and carry out the purposes of the Lord. I don't think that time has come. When it comes, the Lord will make it manifest, and we will be able to do it, too, when that time comes. I believe that an ■ over-ruling Providence compelled us to establish settlements in Canada, when they were established there, and I believe that the same Providence overruled and compelled us to establish settlements in northern Mexico, at the time that they were established there. I believe that President Young was moved by a correct principle, and by prophecy and inspiration, when he determined that we should settle in Arizona and New Mexico, in the south. I think that he was moved by the spirit of wisdom when he determined that we should settle at and in the vicinity of St. George, and we should build a temple and establish a colony there. I. believe this. Why? Because he directed those movements by the inspiration of the Almighty, and therefore it was right, and when the Spirit of the Lord moves upon his servants who preside over the Church, to build colonies in distant lands, it will be time enough for you to go, and we will call you to go, some of you ; but not till then. Now, my brethren and sisters, in conclusion I want to say this; you may think perhaps that I have devoted too much time in criticising, making illustrations between the doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the doctrines of the world. You may think I have been too generous in my use or reference, at least, to those who despitefully use you, and who perse- cute you, and who say all manner of evil against you, falsely. You may think so, but I have done it merely with a view to showing the contrast between the spirit of the Evil One, and the spirit of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our spirit is a spirit of peace, of good will to all mankind. We are seeking to build up and to establish righteousness in the hearts of the people, and I want to see you, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, male and female, so industrious, so active in the discharge of your duties as Latter-day Saints, so humble, so submissive to the will of the Lord, that you will not have time to spend in magnifying the weaknesses, the follies and the faults of your neighbors, andof your fellow members of the Church. The Lord knows_ there is evil enough said in the world thoughtlessly, and without any particular 142 IMPROVEMENT ERA intent to do wrong, but merely through the weakness of men to talk, talk, talk, and say nothing — let us work and not talk. Let us at least try to say no evil of our fellow members in the Church. Let us cease to magnify the follies and the weaknesses of members in the Church. Let us cease to find fault with those who preside over us, the bishop and his counselors, the presidency of the stake, and the members of the high council. Let us cease to find fault with industries which are instituted in our midst for the purpose of giving to the people prosperity and advancement, a means where- with to build themselves up, and with which to build up, or help to build up Zion. Let us not find fault with these things. I have a letter in my pocket today from a member, at least a former mem- ber, of the Church, who is now ready to leave the Church, and wants his name taken from the records, because the sugar factories run on Sunday, and I am president of the Utah-Idaho Sugar Company. My friends who are largely interested in this industry, have hon- ored me by making me the president of that organization. This man writes to me and demands that I shall stop the making of sugar on Sunday, and if I do not, he wants his name1 taken from the rolls of the Church. Well, now, you can't reason with a man of that kind. You can argue with him, it is true, but you can't reason with him, for a man of that description has no reason. He is not capable of reason, and the fact is that our sugar factories have brought more prosperity, more wealth into our country, than any other single industry that has ever been established among us ; and for nine months, at least nine months, in the year, those sugar factories not only keep every Sabbath day holy, and do no work in it, but they keep every other day in the year or in those months, sacred, too, for they do not do anything; they just lay idle for nine months in the year. But when they start, the juice from those beets has to run through miles and miles of piping, of tubes that are heated at a certain temperature, that is necessary to evaporate the water from the juice, condense the juice into a condition to make sugar out of it; and if you stop that one day, you ruin the whole run for at least twenty-four hours, and perhaps a great deal more. And what else? Why, every stockholder, and every man who raises beets in the country, would be ruined, for the beet factories would have to shut up; they could not succeed, if they did not, when they opened, run night and day, Sundays included, through to the end. It is the fool that saith in his heart, "No one has wisdom but me."