_Sunday, 10th_.--Preached twice to an attentive and somewhat numerous audience in a large and commodious hall. Visited and wrote history the four following days, and instructed such as sought me. _Friday, 15th_.--Repaired again to San Francisco in company with some five of my friends, and at evening attended the discussion. The place was crowded, and God gave me His Spirit, and truth triumphed. CHAPTER LI. ------------------------ REPLY TO THE REV. MR. BRIGGS ON THE SUBJECT OF THE EXPEDIENCY OF THE REAPPOINTMENT OF HIS EXCELLENCY GOVERNOR YOUNG, OF UTAH. My friend, Mr. Briggs, in the fullness of his charity as a "peacemaker," the other evening kindly, gently, and in a Christian-like manner merely suggested a few pious ideas concerning myself such as theft, robbery, murder, etc., being considered no crime by me and the "Mormons," provided these crimes were committed on the Gentiles, and in favor of the Church treasury, etc. This puts me in mind of the good, peaceable Quaker who said to a poor dog which he wanted killed, "I will not kill thee, but I will give thee a bad name." So he cried, "Mad dog! Mad dog!" And on hearing this cry the people soon despatched the poor animal. Perhaps my friend thinks to get the Mormons killed off in the same pious and Christian-like manner. Even should he succeed in his peaceful, pious purposes, it would not be the first time that the blood of martyrs has stained our soil through the influence of such Christian benevolence. I am truly sorry to see so worthy a fellow citizen--so pious a man--one so full of charity and benevolence--so uninformed, so utterly at fault on the most familiar subjects of Bible history and morality, or of right and wrong, as to insinuate that there is no difference between Polygamy and adultery; between a house full of wives and children and a house full of harlots. He takes Polygamy, adultery, theft and murder, and compounds them all together as crime! And then seems to infer that a man would steal, commit adultery, etc., simply from the fact that he has a house full of wives and children! And even my good friend the learned and candid Mr. Hittell, although very just in the main drift of his argument, the other evening seemed to recognize no very clear distinction between Polygamy and adultery, or between a man having his own wife, or robbing a neighbor of his wife. Sir, in justice to myself and the cause I represent, and in charity to those whose judgments are so warped by tradition and custom; whose otherwise keen perceptions are so blunted by Roman superstitions and Puritan littleness, I must call the attention of these gentlemen to the recognized standard of all Christian nations--"The law and Testimony"--and give them a lesson on the first principles of right and wrong, or of virtues and vices, according to the laws of God and nature.