"On June 4, 1864, Young blamed human beings for the 'savage and destructive nature' of animals, but also argued that humans, with the help of divine powers and through the 'law of the Holy Priesthood,' had the capacity to 'remove the curse and its consequences from earth,' to 'say to the raging and contending elements, ‘peace, be still’ and extract the poison from the reptile’s tooth.' Young described this effort as 'the great work of sanctifying [humankind] and the earth for final glorification in its paradisiacal state.' (Journal of Discourses 10:301–2.) He thus shifted the rhetorical (if not theological) focus of Joseph Smith’s Tenth Article of Faith ('We believe . . . that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory'), placing the emphasis as much on human effort as on Christ’s return and other forms of divine intervention."