The following are excerpts from:
"Brigham
Young, 1866 August 19," transcribed by LaJean Purcell Carruth, Church
History Department Pitman Shorthand transcriptions, 2013-2022
now
we as Christians desire to be saved] in the kingdom of God we desire to attain
all the blessings there is for the most faithful that ever lived on the earth
even him that is said to be the father of the faithful Abraham obtained I want
to say to the elders of Israel to members of this church and kingdom it is in
the hearts of many to wish that this doctrine was not taught it may be cruel
and hard for many and especially for the ladies but no harder for them than for
the gentleman it is the word of the Lord and I want to say to you and all the
world if you desire wish with all your hearts to obtain the blessings that
Abraham obtained you will be a polygamist in practice if you have the privilege
or you will come short of it as God lives you that wish] there is no such thing
in existence I am not a polygamist here is Brother John D Caine not a
polygamist [fdr/thdr/Theodore?] is not his[--?] wife doesn’t belong to the
church she is a lady a fine woman I esteem her as a sister if any of you have
it in your heart to say I pass along I don’t know what community be bothered[?]
yet and offices be placed on our head I will not be a polygamist lest I should
fail to obtain some earthly honor character and office etc. with the children
of men that man that has that in his heart and proceed in doing so he will come
short of celestial glory
the
only man and woman that becomes God and sons of God is those enter into polygamy
and they may enter into the presence of Father and Son and they will have their
servants around them but they will never reign and be kings as those that have
the privilege of the blessings and refuse to accept them
. . . .
they must be wrong about this item the Lord says in the last days 7 women shall take hold of skirts of one man
and ask to have this name and it is all the requirement they make upon him for
him to counsel and advise them they spin their own wool and cloth and do every
thing to live if we can only have a name with him what is this for it is for
the resurrection not for this world I would not go across the bowery for
polygamy pertaining to this world and I never saw the day IG et off my feet for
it it is for the resurrection and the Spirit of the Lord come upon the people
and the ladies especially those have been deceived so long and trodden under
foot of men on the earth there is a spirit comes on them I want to place a name
there that I may have a home in the celestial kingdom of our Father and God]
many and many go from this territory and said there is more peace joy and union
and fellowship in the midst of families in Utah than in our own neighbourhoods
and city they say it and it is a fact and there is not and the trouble in this
city with men that have more than one wife than those that have but one I have
more trouble with those that have but one companion than those that have more
than one to counsel them and advise them and coax them and persuade them to
live their religion and do as they ought to do it is hard I have proved to my
Father and my God that I am willing to forsake wives and children and labor my
life time to build up the kingdom of God and never enjoy a companion while I
live and that I have done in my young days . . .
I recollect in 31 one of the elders preaching he began to speak of reformers
and finally Father Wesley came up says he Father Wesley went to hell the man
didn’t understand matters this was referred to Joseph Father Wesley could not
possess that he would have possessed had the priesthood been on the earth and
all the glory and keys and power of that priesthood been in possession of John
Wesley and lived up to it then he can be crowned as God even the Son of God
will he be saved yes in a kingdom in a good kingdom full of glory light joy
more than ever entered into the heart of the man to conceive Father Wesley
never conceived of the glory he enjoyed probably to day and so it is with all
hell most of the people they ain’t going to be made angels to the devil if they
have committed error and weakness and repented of it here is the blood of the
Savior to wipe it out and cleanse them against all sin except they have sinned
against the Holy Ghost which is unto death] as an apostle says I don’t command
you to pray for all sinner etc. they don’t want to be prayed for but they just
desire to destroy the kingdom of God