Recreation And The Proper Use Of It.
delivered at a legislative festival at the Territorial House, Salt Lake, March 4, 1852 pg 28-34
"...with all the talent bestowed upon me, I feel to serve, praise, adore, and acknowledge the Lord our God." pg 28-29
"If there is a heart here this evening that does not chime with every sentiment of righteousness, that heart has no power in this assembly." pg 29
"Now we are met in the capacity of a social community - for what? That our minds may rest, and our bodies receive that recreation which is proper and necessary to keep up an equilibrium, to promote healthy action to the whole system." pg 29
"...as well as the correctness of these principles, all men and women must be their own judge." pg 29
"I am in the best place I ever was during my life, and with the best society. I never saw a community that enjoyed the tranquility and peace that are enjoyed by this people in theses vallies of the mountains." pg 29
-it's good to relax and have fun, if we keep at the grind day after day, it wouldn't take us long to forget the Lord.
"When we have had sufficient recreation for our good, let that suffice. It is all right; then let our minds labor instead of our bodies; and in all our exercised of body and mind, it is good to remember the Lord." pg 30
"From this time, never let us permit ourselves to go one step beyond that which the Lord will own and bless." pg 30
"...and this is the reason why I am fond of these pastimes - they give me a privilege to throw everything off, and shake myself, that my body may exercise and my mind rest. What for? To get strength and be renewed and quickened, and enlivened, and animated, so that my mind may not wear out." pg 30-31
"But when men are brought to labor entirely in the field of intelligence, there are few minds to be found possessing strength enough to bear all things; the mind becomes overcharged, and when this is the case, it begins to wear upon the body, which will sink for the want of proper exercises." pg 31
"What is the use of it, when mercy and kindness are lavished upon the people of God, and to see them falter in their faith, see them grow cold towards the Lord their God, see them slacken their pace?" pg 31
"For heaven's sake, for your own sake, and for the sake of Him who died for us, never let us falter in our duty. While we live, it is our duty to love the Lord with our might, and with all our strength, and with all our souls. This is our duty first and foremost...: pg 32
"And what is the next duty? Love your neighbor as yourself, do unto others as you would that others should do unto you, cease your contention and bad feelings, your evil speaking and doing." pg 32
-we shouldn't worry about petty arguments, we should live in such a way that after we are dead, we won't be mortified to look back at our actions in this life
"Do you not know that spirits beget spirits, and likeness begets likeness." pg 33
"When you see all the powers of the evil one combine against a community, you may know that is Christ's kingdom. Everything has proved that this is God's kingdom, and I need not say anything more about these two powers." pg 33
"I would be satisfied to live with the saints and angels from this time henceforth." pg 34