August 19, 1860 ~ Sunday

19 [FIGURE] Sunday I met with my Quorum in the morning Brother Pugmire prayed. J. M. Moodyd was mouth. I attended meeting at the Tabernacle Andrew Moffitt spoke first in the morning upon the state of the feelings of the people in the States they were not willing to acknowledge the hand of God in anything but believed a great Revolution is at the door of the Nation. Hon Wm H. Hooper followed and gave an account of his mission to Washington the state of the Nation, & public Feeling, his own feelings in mormonism, his trusting in God. He was followed by H. S. Eldridge He spoke of his mission, was blessed in his business &c He was followed by President Young who said He was satisfied with the missions of the Brethren they had done their duty, He bore testimony that what they said was true. He spoke of what was approaching this generation. In the afternoon George Q Cannon spoke lengthy gave an account of his Journey the dealings of the Lord with him, the state of society, the spirit of the Lord is withdrawing from the Nation & they are walking in thick darkness President Young followed and expressed his feelings upon a variety of things [FIGURE] Presidents Young & Kimball, with O. Pratt W. Woodruff J. Taylor G. A. Smith E. Snow F. D. Richards & G. Q. Cannon of the Twelve met for Prayer when the following conversation took place President Young said the people of the United States had sought our destruction and they had used every Exertion to perfect it they have worked through the Masonic institution to perfect it Joseph & Hyrum Smith were Master Masons and they were put to death by masons or through their instigation and he gave the sign of distress & he was shot by masons while in the act, and there were delegates from the various lodges in the Union to see that he was put to death {{[and/he?] damns them}} I hope to live to see the day when I can have power to make them do right they have got the blood of the prophets upon their heads & they have got to meet it. When President Buchannan & the U.S. Government sent Col Johnson & the U.S. Army to Utah it was with the Express purpose to destroy the Church & kingdom from off the Earth to put to death this people but the Lord sustained us & put them to shame & confusion & to his name be the honor & glory. There are other Masons sent to this territory for the same purpose to Establish a lodge here & try to get an influence with some here to lay a plan to try to murder me & the leaders of the Church but they will not accomplish it, now Brother L. N. Scovill thinks so much of masonry that he might Join in with them, G. A. Smith, said He does not wish to mix hair & wool but he would like to Go to England & obtain five charters for lodges which would give us a grand lodge which would make us independent of all other Grand lodges in the world, this is what Brother Scovill would like to do and this could be done but I do not think he would be willing to mingle with our Enemies to the injury of this people President Young said I have no doubt but that thing could be done & we could take our young men into the lodge but then I would ask what Good could it do, what good could result from it I think no good at all the truth is we have got to look to Lord God of Israel to sustain us & not to any institution or kingdom or people upon the Earth Except the kingdom of God, and I ask no odds of any man or set of men beneath the heavens Except the Lord and his saints G. Q. Cannon said he was astonished to come back & see how cheerful & youthful the people looked & Especially the presidency after passing through so much trouble He said he had heard Numbers say of the world that there was some overruling providence that had sustained this people through the war and they could not understand it. W. Woodruff said Brother Cannon should have seen President Young in the midst of the excitement when it was Expected every hour that a message would arrive with the tidings from the mountains that the blow was struck & blood had begun to flow then President Young was calm & serene happy and cheerful the spirit & power of God surrounded him like a Halo of Glory and it would comfort a man's heart to go into his presence. Many other remarks were made President Young Prayed and asked the Lord for every needful blessing upon the whole Church & kingdom of God in all their families & organizations He prayed that God would overthrow our Enemies President Kimball was Mouth at the Altar & had much of the spirit & power of God in prayer. President Young said in speaking of getting a grand lodge Established in Utah that if we accomplished it It would have a tendency to bring down all hell upon us as far as they had the power.