The same spirit ran through all the resolutions adopted.
CHAPTER XLI.
"A STORM IS COMING"—"TURN UP YOUR COLLARS"—POLICY OF THE CHURCH OUTLINED—CONTEST UNDER THE LAW EVERY ENCROACHMENT ON THE DOMINION OF LIBERTY—WARNINGS AND PROPHECIES—HOSANNA—NO NEW SHOUT—ITS IMPRESSIONS ON A STRANGER.
The morning of the second day's conference in April, 1882, was stormy and cold. The wind blew in fitful gusts, pelting the Saints with sleet as with bowed heads and turned up collars they hurried along to attend the conference. President Taylor made an impressive allusion to this storm in the course of his remarks that day.
Referring to the late enactment of Congress—the Edmunds Bill—and the bitter prejudice aroused against the Saints, he warned them that a storm was coming; and that it would break in its fury upon them. "Let us treat it," said he, half humorously "the same as we did this morning in coming through the snow-storm—put up our coat collars (suiting the action to the word) and wait till the storm subsides. After the storm comes sunshine. While the storm lasts it is useless to reason with the world; when it subsides we can talk to them."
In the afternoon he again referred to this matter: "I stated this morning that there was a storm coming—in fact it is raging at present and has been for some little time, and that it would be well for us to keep up our coat collars and protect ourselves as best we could until the storm passed over. There will be a storm in the United States after awhile; and I want our brethren to prepare themselves for it. At the last conference, I think, I advised all who were in debt to take advantage of the prosperous times and pay their debts; so that they might not be in bondage to anyone, and when the storm came they might be prepared to meet it. There will be one of that kind very soon; and I thought I would give you this warning again, and repeat this piece of advice—the wise will understand."
On the last day of the conference—the 9th of April—President Taylor preached one of the most remarkable and powerful sermons of his life. He occupied more than two hours in delivering it; and throughout, the immense congregation which filled the great Tabernacle to its utmost capacity listened with rapt attention.
In addition to sketching the rise and progress of the work of the Lord in these last days, he refuted by the most positive testimony the base slanders on which the late agitation against the work was founded. Referring to the assault made upon the Saints under the pretext of suppressing polygamy, he thus defined the position and policy of the Church:
"We covet no man's possessions. But we expect to maintain our own rights. If we are crowded upon by unprincipled men or inimical legislation, we shall not take the course pursued by the lawless, the dissolute and unprincipled. We shall not have recourse to the dynamite of the Russian Nihilists, the secret plans and machinations of the communists, the boycotting and threats of the Fenians, the force and disorder of the Jayhawkers, the regulators or the Molly Maguires, nor any other secret or illegal combination; but we still expect to possess and maintain our rights; but to obtain them in a legal, peaceful and constitutional manner. As American citizens, we shall contend for all our liberties, rights and immunities, guaranteed to us by the Constitution; and no matter what action may be taken by mobocratic influence, by excited and unreasonable men, or by inimical legislation, we shall contend inch by inch for our freedom and rights, as well as the freedom and rights of all American citizens and of all mankind.