| 298 Glory, honor, and dominion be to him who ruleth on high, for ever, and for ever. . . .
But, in some localities, many of them, these same Josephite elders, are in danger of their lives being taken; their reputations are blackened, their liberty of speech denied to them; threats are made and overt acts of violence offered,-the alleged reason for which is, that they are of the same faith and practices as are the Brighamites, by reason of which the "way of truth is evil spoken of." Let these Brighamite elders throw down their weapons of rebellion, cease to teach and to practice that which the Josephites war against as improper and evil in the children of Zion, return to the religion and holy practice of the church in its early prosperity; and they too may go "here and there" preaching where they will, making friends for themselves and the Master's cause everywhere they go. Let them do this, and like doves to their windows, shall the weary and worn "come to Zion with songs of rejoicing upon their heads;" and in their hearts the peace that passeth understanding.
The places where the Latter Day Saints of the Reorganization dwell, as a rule, accord to them the meed of fearless, unflinching steadfastness in the declaration of their views and doctrines. Their religious cotemporaries [contemporaries] give place to them only as they win their right to recognition and consideration. Many of the clergymen of the popular denominations regard them as heretics, of a bad type, whose influence and teaching are destructive of the interests of the Christian church, so called; and so only tolerate them with a sneer, or a frown. But the people, the thinking and investigating, liberty loving people, the "common people" give place and a hearing to them; and in spite of ostracism, in spite of the opprobrium wrong-doers and unfaithful shepherds have brought upon the flock of God, these ("Josephite elders") elders of the Reorganization, ministers for Christ are pushing the cross victoriously forward. They will continue to do so, we trust, in honor; for, while they shall do so, the bulwarks of truth are round about them, and they shall continue to prosper; but, if they shall be lured from the standard and ensign of Peace, by the spirit of war, "that which maketh desolate," the enticements of the flesh, or the love of self-aggrandizement, the history of the past warns them that they, too, shall be driven from the land where they now hope to receive their inheritances, and be "scourged from city to city and from synagogue to synagogue."
Brethren, Saints of the Reorganization, stand firmly in this peaceful spirit of purchase and redemption; and the sweet songs of Zion's messengers with her redeemed children, shall soon resound from the "rivers" that traverse the centers of "Joseph's land," unto the "ends of the earth." And he who carries in his hands the "law" that is to "go forth from Zion," shall find that to be a talisman before whose touch the walls of spiritual Babylon shall crumble to dust; and they who will not flee from out those crumbling ruins shall be overwhelmed in the fall thereof. We stand in striking contrast to our contemporaries in the salt land; for
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