Brigham Young Page #2

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not the ones that were doing them.

Sure, we finally got around

trying to protect ourselves.

You push even a coyote up in a corner,

and he'll snap back atyou.

That's the first time

I everheard it called treason though.

I n other words,

the whole point is...

whetherJoseph Smith or

any other American citizen...

has a right to worship God

as he chooses.

So that's why I figured

I'd like to tell you

a little bit aboutJoseph Smith.

Now, me,

I'mjust an ordinaryeverydayfellow.

I used to farm a little,

do a little carpentrywork...

painting-- anything

to make a living.

But all that time, I was trying

to find the right church...

for me and for my family, and I was

willing to give them all a try.

But somehow none ofthem

hit mejust right.

I'm not saying, gentlemen,

therewas anything wrong

with them for other people.

I'm just saying

they didn't suit me.

One day I picked up

The Book of Mormon...

and Isaid to myfriend

HeberKimball...

""Heber, let's go out to Ohio

and see this prophet.

Let's see what he's got

to say for himself."

I remember it was about noon

we came up to Joseph Smith's house...

and his wife Emma

came to the door.

and his wife Emma

came to the door.

Excuse me, ma'am, is this

whereJoseph Smith lives?.

- Yes.

- We'd like to talk to him, please.

You'll find him outyonder,

the other side ofthe lake,

chopping wood.

Thankyou, ma'am.

That sounds kind offunny

for a prophet to be out swinging an ax.

- Don't seem just right.

- Prophet ought to act like a prophet.

Can't expect to build a church

ifhe acts like a farmhand.

Good morning.

How doyou do, sir?.

I'm Brigham Young.

- This is my friend Heber Kimball.

- I'm glad to meetyou.

We've come

a long ways to seeyou.

Wewant to askyou some questions

aboutyour church.

Gladly. I'd like to tell you about it.

Won'tyou sit down?.

What's this aboutyou folks

calling yourselves saints?.

Well, we believe

that any man, dead or alive...

who keeps

the Ten Commandments is a saint.

You don't pretend to be

the Lord himself, doyou?.

No. I'm just a mortal man,

same as you oryour friend here.

Well, this plan ofyours

you call the United Order,

what's that?.

It's not my plan.

It's the Lord's.

Well, whose ever it is,

what is it?.

Well, I-- I suppose

you'd call it the law of nature.

You see, it's his idea

that the land ofzion will

be sort oflike a beehive...

or like that anthill

overthere...

with everybody doing

his share ofthe work...

and getting his part

ofthe profits.

A place where everybody

will have everything

he can eat and use.

There'll be great storehouses

to keep food and things in...

There'll be great storehouses

to keep food and things in...

for the sick and the poor,

the old folks.

You see, under

a brotherhood plan I i ke that...

it'll be impossible for any one man

to pile up a lot of goods...

or have power

over his neighbors.

That'll mean there'll be

no social distinctions...

no caste,

no special privileges.

any more than, I take it,

there is in that anthill over there.

We had it once, but somehow

we've all but lost it.

We've got to get back

to it again.

Well, that--

That sounds all right.

But then there'll

always be lazy people,

ambitious people.

There'll be some honest ones

and some dishonest ones.

What I'm telling you,

Brother Brigham, is

a revelation from the Lord.

It's up to us

to work it out.

This isn't an easy religion.

Well, I'm not looking

for an easy religion.

I'm looking for one

I can bring myfamily up decent in.

Joseph.

Dinneris ready.

Won'tyou stay

and have dinnerwith us?.

( Young )

Well, thankyou. We'd be glad to.

All right.

Come on.

Now, gentlemen,

I'm not asking you to believe...

a single thing

Joseph Smith said...

but I do askyou--

let him believe it.

Let me believe it

ifwewant to.

Yourforefathers and mine

came to this country

in the first place...

for one great reason--

to escape persecution

for their beliefs...

and to build a free country

where everybody might

worship God as he pleased.

That's what brought

the Puritans to Massachusetts...

the Quakers

to Pennsylvania...

the Huguenots to South Carolina,

the Catholics to Maryland.

And when they found

what theywere after...

they fought a great war

to hold on to it...

and they drew up one

ofthe noblest documents everwritten--

the Constitution

ofthe United States--

to govern free men.

And the very first words

they put on that piece of paper...

guarantees to every man...

the right to worship God

as he pleases...

and prohibits Congress

or anybody else...

from ever doing anything

to take away that right.

You can't convict

Joseph Smith just because...

he happens to believe

something you don't believe.

You can't go against

everything your ancestors

fought and died for.

And ifyou do, your names--

notJoseph Smith's--

will go down in history

as traitors.

They'll stink

in the records...

and be a shameful thing

on the tongues ofyour children.

Thankyou, sir.

Thejury can go out now

and decide.

( Whispering )

( Man, Shouting )

Hey,Joe!

Hey,Joe!

Give it to 'im!

- What areya waitin' for?.

- (People Chattering)

We don't have to go out,

Your Honor. He's guilty.

- ( All Cheering, Clamoring )

- ( No Audible Dialogue )

- (Clamoring Continues )

- ( Gavel Banging)

(Judge )

Order! Order!

- (Banging Continues )

- ( Clamoring Continues )

Order!

Sheriff, take charge

of the prisoner.

- Have him here tomorrow morning

at 1 1 :
00 for sentence.

- Yes, sir.

-Joseph, ifyou'll say the word--

- You'll do nothing ofthe sort.

- I'm going with you,Joseph.

- So am I.

Come on.

Joseph, I'm going too.

This is the end.

I wantyou to stay and

take care ofmy people.

Don't look so solemn,

Brigham.

Onlythe Lord God

oflsrael can whip us...

and I don't think

he's in cahoots with the sheriff.

(Man )

There he is!Here comes HolyJoe!

( Crowd Laughing,Jeering )

(Man )

How about a couple

ofmiracles,Joe?

( Shouting,Jeering )

( Shouting,

I ndistinct )

- (Man ) There goes HolyJoe!

- (Man #2 ) String him up!

(Shouts,Jeers Continue )

- ( Singing Hymn, I ndistinct )

- (Mob Shouting)

- ( Singing Hymn, I ndistinct )

- (Mob Shouting)

- Shh.

- (Stops Singing)

( Shouting, Indistinct )

They're coming.

Ask the Lord

to save you,Joseph.

(Shouts Continue )

The Lord God of Israel

has spoken.

Verily I say unto you

that one will be raised up

to take my place...

endowed with courage,

farsightedness, common sense--

( Glass Shatters )

He will lead my people...

even as Moses led

the children of Israel

across the wilderness.

(Pounding)

- (Pounding Continues )

- (Shouting Continues )

(Pounding)

( Groans )

O Lord, my God!

( All Shouting, I ndistinct )

(Knocking On Door)

We thought we'd

just come over and see

how you were getting along.

Won't you come in?.

- I'm going away.

- Where to?.

You see, I have an aunt

back in New York-- not really

my aunt, but just by marriage--

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