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Babylon
Brigham Young
The President [Brigham Young] stopped with us. He
sat at the head of the table and had me sit down at
his right. The President, when everything was ready,
asked a blessing, then all began to eat. He asked for
some buttermilk, then crumbled some bread in it and
began to eat. He conversed freely on the situation of
the Saints in the mountains, and said that he dreaded
the time when the Saints would become popular with the
world; for he had seen in sorrow, in a dream, or in
dreams, this people clothed in the fashions of
Babylon, and drinking in the spirit of Babylon until
one could hardly tell a Saint from [22] a black-leg.
And he felt like shouting, `To your tents, Oh Israel!'
because it was the only thing that could keep this
people pure.
Many of this people for the sake of riches and
popularity, will sell themselves for that which will
canker their souls and lead them down to misery and
despair. It would be better for them to dwell in
wigwams among the Indians than to dwell with the
gentiles and miss the glories which God wishes them to
obtain. I wish my families would see the point and
come forth before it is too late. For oh, I can see
the tendency in my families to hug the moth eaten
customs of Babylon to their bosoms. This is far more
hurtful to them than the deadly viper; for the poisons
of the viper can be healed by the power of God. but
the customs of Babylon will be hard to get rid of.
(Mosiah Hancock Journal, p. 47-48)