"The spirit that is upon me this morning is the Spirit of the Lord, that is, the Holy Ghost,--though some of you may think that the Holy Ghost is never cheerful. Well, let me tell you, the Holy Ghost is a man; he is one of the sons of our Father and our God, and he is that man that stood next to Jesus Christ,--just as I stand by brother Brigham. . . . You think our Father and our God is not a lively, sociable, and cheerful man; he is one of the most lively men that ever lived. . . . Brother Brigham is my leader, he is my Prophet and my Seer, my Revelator; and whatever he says, that is for me to do, and it is not for me to question him one word, nor to question God a minute."[49:A] Many sermons were delivered, composed, throughout, of such material as the foregoing extracts. The genius of Mormonism is here fully displayed,--implicit obedience to their leaders, and especially to the teachings of Brigham Young. The people were commanded to be ready to leave their homes at an hour's notice, and flee to the mountains,--and this too, as the snows of winter were falling around them. They were commanded to have the torch ready to set fire to their dwellings, and the axe to cut down all their fruit-trees; and they were ready to obey! The question naturally presents itself, Can blind faith and fanaticism thus lead and control a whole community? That some should be thus blindly infatuated, is not strange; but that a whole community should thus lose their reason, and be willing to beggar themselves and families, in obedience to the call of their leader, is almost beyond belief. It is safe to say, had the Mormons been left free to choose, at least one half would have remained at home, and even welcomed the troops into the city. But the fiat of despotism had gone forth. "When the time comes to burn and lay waste our improvements, if any man undertakes to shield his, he will be sheared down; for 'judgment will be laid to the line, and righteousness to the plummet.'" This means, in plain English, that any man who refused to obey Young should be put to death; and the people well understood it. As it was certain death to resist his will, they vied with each other in seeming to render a willing obedience to a tyrant whom many hated, and all feared. They fortified Echo Canyon, a narrow pass, about eighteen miles in length, eastward from the city. Piles of huge stones were heaped up along the borders of the precipices, ready to be dashed against the troops, as they should essay to pass the gorge. Intrenchments were thrown up, and such other warlike preparations made as their facilities afforded. The United States troops had entered the Territory of Utah, and were encamped in Green River County, near Fort Bridger, a distance of 118 miles from Salt Lake City. From this place Governor Cumming issued the following proclamation:--