A DISCOURSE DELIVERED BY PRESIDENT BRIGHAM YOUNG, IN THETABERNACLE, GREAT SALT LAKE CITY, APRIL 8TH, 1852.
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It does not exactly please me at this time to make the remarks I wishupon the subject of education, as the greater part of the morning has beendevoted to laying before the congregation, the necessity of improving ourselvesin the knowledge of the sciences. The subject which has been aimed at bythe speakers this morning, bearing particularly upon the necessity of instructingthe human family, had been laid before us in the light in which it is generallyheld by the world. When we speak upon education, it is not to be understoodthat it alone consists in a man's learning the letters of the alphabet,in being trained in every branch of scholastic lore, in becoming a proficientin the knowledge of sciences, and a classical scholar, but also in learningto classify himself and others. It has been hinted that education commenceswith the first dawn of knowledge upon the mental faculties of the child,and continues with it till death. But I will trace it a little further backstill, and say that education commences with the mother, and the child inconnection. I will state the facts in the case, as you will find them tobe hereafter, in the education of your children. It depends in a great degreeupon the mother, as to what children receive, in early age, of principleof every description, pertaining to all that can be learned by the humanfamily. When will mothers understand this? Knowing that this is the case,I am perplexed with grief when I see such a wanton diversion from the realdesign of life, it causes me to mourn for my poor, ignorant, fellow mortals,and sometimes almost goads me to anger. I can see mothers pay attentionto everything under heaven, but the training up of their children in theway they should go, and they will even make it appear obligatory on thefather to take care of the child at a year old. How often is it the casethat mothers will say-"Why, Pa, this child is growing up in ignorance,he is going to ruin. Really, dear husband, what shall we do with him?"I will tell you the truth as you will find it in eternity. If your childrendo not receive impressions of true piety, virtue, tenderness, and everyprinciple of the holy Gospel, you may be assured that their sins will notbe required at the hands of the father, but of the mother. Lay it to heart,ye mothers, for it will unavoidably be so. The duty of the mother is towatch over her children, and give them their early education, for impressionsreceived in infancy are lasting. You know, yourselves, by experience, thatthe impressions you have received in the dawn of your mortal existence,bear, to this day, with the greatest weight upon your mind. It is the experienceof people generally, that what they imbibe from their mothers in infancy,is the most lasting upon the mind through life. This is natural, it is reasonable,it is right. I do not suppose you can find one person among five hundred,who does not think his mother to be the best woman that ever lived. Thisis right, it is planted in the human heart. The child reposes implicit confidencein the mother, you behold in him a natural attachment, no matter what herappearance may be, that makes him think his mother is the best and handsomestmother in the world. I speak for myself. Children have all confidence intheir mothers; and if mothers would take proper pains, they can instil intothe heart of their children what they please. You will, no doubt, recollectreading, in the Book of Mormon, of two thousand young men, who were broughtup to believe that, if they put their whole trust in God, and served Him,no power would overcome them. You also recollect reading of them going outto fight, and so bold were they, and so mighty their faith, that it wasimpossible for their enemies to slay them. This power and faith they obtainedthrough the teachings of their mothers.
The character of a person is formed through life, to a greater or lessdegree, by the teachings of the mother. The traits of early impressionsthat she gives the child, will be characteristic points in his characterthrough every avenue of his mortal existence.
This is the education I wish you to establish in this Church, that mothersmay not suppose they are not required to watch over the early educationand impressions of their children, but over their husbands to know wherethey are every moment of their lives, taking special care to order themthus and so, so as to keep them advised and properly instructed all thetime, instead of doing that which they ought in their houses with theirchildren. I am not quite so strenuous as some of the ancients were, whotaught that if the women wanted to learn anything, to learn it at home fromtheir husbands. I am willing they should come to the meetings and learn,but some of the ancients proscribed them in this privilege, and would confinethem at home to learn through their husbands. I am a little more liberalthan they were, but this is not liberal enough for many of the women, theymust also be watching their husbands, while at the same time their childrenare running abroad in the streets, naked and barefooted, cursing and swearing.What time have I got to watch my children to-day? Does not my duty demandmy presence here? Where are my children? Some are here. Where are the restof them? Perhaps in the streets, with other children, playing, or doingthat which is wrong, entirely unnoticed by their mothers. This applies tothe community. And then their mother will say- "Husband, our childrenwill certainly be ruined." Mothers, what do you want? Do you wish yourhusband to sit all the time in the parlor with you? Yes, and I should suppose,by the conduct of some, you want to be seated over the head of God Almighty,to rule over Him, and all His kingdoms. If I mention my own family, anduse them as an example, I do it that other people cannot complain. Do yousuppose that I cannot see faults in my own family, as well as in my neighbors'?I am not so prejudiced in their favour, as not to discover faults in them,neither can I close my eyes upon the faults of my neighbors'.
What faults do I discover in my neighbors' families? I can see theirwomen go off visiting, riding on horseback, attending parties, while theirlittle ones are neglected, and left to run at large in the streets, exposedto the pernicious examples of vile company. Hear it again! The blood ofthese wicked children will be required at the hands of their mothers! Shouldyour husbands be called out to fight the Indians, or go to the islands ofthe sea to gather the poor, it is none of your business, when it is theircalling to be away from home.
I want education to commence here. I wish you strictly to follow outthis principle, and when children are old enough to labor in the field,then the father will take them in charge. If children are not taught bytheir mothers, in the days of their youth, to revere and follow the counselsof their fathers, it will be hard indeed for the father ever to controlthem. I know it is so, for it is too true. Mothers will let their childrengo to the Devil in their childhood, and when they are old enough to comeunder the immediate guidance of their fathers, to be sent out to preachthe Gospel in the world, or to learn some kind of mechanism, they are asuncontrollable as the winds that now revel in the mountains.
It is not for the mother to rise up and encourage her children to fightagainst their father. You know my feelings on this point-they are pointedresolute, and strong. And when I undertake to conquer a child who wantsto conquer me, it shall be death to him before I yield. I would rather seeevery child I have, go into the grave this day, than suffer them to riseup and have control over me.
Mothers, if you suffer your children to grow up wild, and uncorrected,when they come into the hands of their fathers, and will not follow theircounsels, let them be disowned, and have no portion in the inheritance;let them be disfranchised, be banished from Israel, and not be numberedin the books of the offspring of Abraham. This shall be the fate of my disobedientchildren, if I have any; and if there are any of my children here today,let them hear it! for if they will not keep my commandments, they shallhave no part or lot in the household of faith.
Let education commence at this point, you mothers! and then with brotherSpencer and the board of Regents. Let mothers commence to teach their childrenwhile in their laps, there do you learn them to love the Lord, and keepHis commandments. Teach them to keep your commandments, and you will learnthem to keep the commandments of your husbands. It is not the prerogativeof a child to dictate to his mother, or his father; and it is not the prerogativeof the father to rise up and dictate to his God whom he serves. Is it rightthat my wife should dictate to me? It is just as reasonable, and as right,as it is for your children to rise up and dictate to their mother. It isnot their business to dictate to you, their duty is to obey, and not todictate.
The Lecture which you have heard from Chancellor Spencer, is so farin advance of us, that it does not touch the case of this people, at present,with regard to education, until they have learned the rudiments, that is,according to my view of the subject.
It is true the Lord has revealed great and precious revelations to usthrough our language, and I believe it is as good a language as any nowin use; but when we scan it narrowly, we find it to be fraught with imperfectionsand ridiculous vagaries. I am as far from believing that it is meet forus to adopt it in preference to any other tongue, as I am that it is toadopt Presbyterianism, or the Baptist's religion, in preference to any otherof the same order of antichristian churches, for they are all imperfect.The Lord can reveal Himself to these Indians, He can talk to any nation,it makes no difference to Him, as He can connect the ideas He wishes toconvey by means of their language, as imperfect as it is.
I wish to impress my lecture more particularly upon the minds of mothers.Am I not continually exhorting the brethren to be kind to their families,and never to ill use a human being on the earth? I exhort you, masters,fathers, and husbands, to be affectionate and kind to those you presideover. And let them be obedient, let the wife be subject to the husband,and the children to their parents. Mothers, let your minds be sanctifiedbefore the Lord, for this is the commencement, the true foundation of aproper education in your children, the beginning point to form a dispositionin your offspring, that will bring honor, glory, comfort, and satisfactionto you all your life time. To the mothers who may be here today, who havenot the experience they will have, and young women who are perhaps justentering upon the stage of life, let me say, (and I wish you always to keepit in remembrance, even you younger females who have newly entered intothe sacred state of matrimony,) fulfil the commandments of Eloheim, fillup the measure of your creation, that the joy of your hearts may be fullin the day of the resurrection, in that you have done all you could to fulfilHis law, and bring to pass the purposes of the Lord. Always keep your mindspure before the Lord. You may say it is impossible, because of your temptations,but let me inquire, Do you pray? Did you pray this morning, before you leftyour houses? Did you pray last evening, before you laid your bodies downto rest? Did you pray that the Holy Spirit might rest upon you, so thatyour sleep might be sweet and refreshing? Some of you may reply, that youhave children, and have not time to pay attention to this duty in the morning.Some of you may have sick families, and others of you may be afflicted inother ways, and you will offer these facts as reasons for similar neglect.In these circumstances the mind must be centred upon the Lord, and uponHis work, continually. When you embark to fill up the end of your creation,never cease to seek to have the Spirit of the Lord rest upon you, that ourminds may be peaceable, and as smooth as the summer breezes of heaven. Nevercease a day of your life to have the Holy Ghost resting upon you. Fathers,never cease to pray that our wives may enjoy this blessing, that their infantsmay be endowed with the Holy Ghost, from their mother's womb. If you wantto see a nation rise up full of the Holy Ghost, and of power, this is theway to bring it about. Every other duty that is obligatory upon man, woman,or child, will come in its place, and in its time and season. Remember it,brethren. Let your hearts be pure before the Lord, and never cease to doanything you can for the satisfaction and comfort of your family, that allmay enjoy the comforts of the Spirit of the Lord continually. If you donot come to this, your literary attainments will not exceed those of theworld.
We have but few collegians among us, but I know that a thoroughly educatedman knows no more than you do, when his literature is displayed, thoughhe spreads himself like the green bay tree. Brother Spencer has given usa display of the learning of the day, he has erected a beautiful building,but where is the foundation? In his discourse, he referred to Joseph. Josephbuilt on the sure foundation, and, when I build up my superstructure, itshall be upon the same foundation. Brother Spencer has used language quitebeyond your reach. Well, I have the foundation, and he can make the building.When he commences the building, I have asked the Board of Regents to castout from their system of education, the present orthography and writtenform of our language; that when my children are taught the graphic signfor A, it may always represent that individual sound only. But as it nowis, the child is perplexed that the sign A should have one sound in mate,a second sound in father, a third sound in fall, a fourth sound in man,and a fifth sound in many, and, in other combinations, soundings differentfrom these, while, in others, A is not sounded at all. I say, let it haveone sound all the time. And when P is introduced into a word, let it notbe silent as in Phthisic, or sound like F in Physic, and let two not beplaced instead of one in apple.
I ask, have the great and learned men completed their education? No,they are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.Let the Board of Regents commence on the proper foundation, that when wehave learned a great while, we may find to our satisfaction, we have atlast come to the knowledge of the truth.
The English language, in its written and printed form, is one of themost prominent now in use for absurdity, yet as a vehicle in which to conveyour ideas verbally, it is one of the best, for extent and variety it goesbefore, and far beyond, any other. Its variety is what I dislike. The schoolsin the Southern, New England, and Eastern States, all teach the Englishlanguage, yet the same ideas are conveyed with entirely different classesof words, by these separate communities. If there were one set of wordsto convey one set of ideas, it would put an end to the ambiguity which oftenmystifies the ideas given in the languages now spoken. Then when a greatman delivered a learned lecture upon any subject, we could understand hiswords, for there would be only one word with the same meaning, instead ofa multiplicity of words all meaning the same thing, as is the case now.For instance, there are men in this house so technical in their feelingswith regard to their choice of words, that when their ideas are formed,and they commence to convey them, they will stop in the middle of a sentence,and introduce another set of words to convey the same idea. If I can speakso that you can get my meaning, I care not so much what words I use to conveythat meaning.
I long for the time that a point of the finger, or motion of the hand,will express every idea without utterance. When a man is full of the lightof eternity, then the eye is not the only medium through which he sees,his ear is not the only medium by which he hears, nor the brain the onlymeans by which he understands. When the whole body is full of the Holy Ghost,he can see behind him with as much ease, without turning his head, as hecan see before him. If you have not that experience, you ought to have.It is not the optic nerve alone that gives the knowledge of surroundingobjects to the mind, but it is that which God has placed in man-a systemof intelligence that attracts knowledge, as light cleaves to light, intelligenceto intelligence, and truth to truth. It is this which lays in man a properfoundation for all education. I shall yet see the time that I can conversewith this people, and not speak to them, but the expression of my countenancewill tell the congregation what I wish to convey, without opening my mouth.We are at present low, weak, and grovelling in the dark, but we are plantedhere in weakness for the purpose of exaltation. It is at the time of theformation of the tabernacle of flesh, that the education of human life commences.Now, mothers, train up your children in the way they should go. Fathersand husbands, instruct your wives and children in the ways of the Lord,and love, joy, and prosperity will attend you from this time, henceforthand forever, which may God grant for Jesus' sake. Amen.