ithstanding, the
tempter was ever on the alert, and contested every inch of ground
with me.

Often, while I was in the most solemn reflections, the tempter
would place before me some lovely female, possessing all the
allurements of her sex, to draw my mind from the contemplation of
holy things. For a moment humanity would claim the victory; but
quick as thought I would banish the vision from my mind and plead
with God for strength and power to resist the temptations that
were besetting me and enable me to cast aside the love of sinful
pleasures. The words of the Apostle Paul were appropriate for me
at that and in future time, when he declared that he died daily
to crucify the deeds of the flesh. So it was with me. I was
convinced that I could not serve two masters, God and Mammon.
When I tried to please the one I was certain to displease the
other. I found that I must give myself up wholly to God and His
ministry and conduct myself as a man of God, if I would be worthy
of the name of a messenger of salvation. I must have the Spirit
of God accompany my words and carry conviction to the honest in
heart. In this way I grew in grace from day to day, and I have
never seen the hour that I regretted taking up my cross and
giving up all other things to follow and obey Christ, my Redeemer
and Friend. I do most sincerely regret that I ever suffered
myself to be captivated by the wiles of the devil, contrary to my
better judgment.

Brigham teaches that the will and acts of the people must all be
dictated by him, and delights in hearing the apostles and elders
declare to the people that he, Brigham, is God. He claims that
the people are answerable to him as to their God, that they must
obey his every beck and call. It matters not what he commands or
requests the people to do, it is their duty to hear and obey. To
disobey the will of Brigham is a sin against the Holy Ghost, and
an unpardonable sin to be wiped out only by blood atonement. I
must now resume my narrative, but I will hereafter speak of
Brigham more at length.

We left the Fasting Hotel, as I called it, and traveled to
Hamilton, Ohio, then a neat little town. As we arrived in the
center of the town I felt impressed to call at a restaurant, kept
by a foreigner. It was then noon. This was the first house we had
called at since morning.

As we entered the proprietor requested us to unstrap our valises
and sit down and rest, saying we looked very tired. He asked
whe