October 1890
Cannon, George Q. "Discourse." The Deseret Weekly, November 8, 1890: pg. 648-652.
Lyman, Francis M. "Remarks." The Deseret Weekly, October 25, 1890: pg. 586-588.
The Deseret Weekly. "General Conference." October 11, 1890: pg. 515-528.
Woodruff, George Q. Cannon and Wilford. "Remarks." The Deseret Weekly, October 18, 1890: pg. 550-553.
GENERAL CONFERENCE
President Wilford Woodruff
Elder John Morgan
Elder B. H. Roberts
President Woodruff
President Lorenzo Snow
Apostle Anton H. Lund
Afternoon Session
Apostle Franklin D. Richards
Apostle Moses Thatcher
Apostle F. M. Lyman
Remarks
Elder John D. T. McAllister
Second Day. Sunday, Oct. 5th, 10 a. m.
President George Q. Cannon
Discourse
Afternoon Session
President Wilford Woodruff
Apostle John Henry Smith
Overflow Meeting
Elder Jacob Gates
Elder Charles W. Penrose
Apostle Anton H. Lund
President Lorenzo Snow
Apostle Moses Thatcher
Priesthood Meeting
Bishop William B. Preston
Apostle Heber J. Grant
Apostle John W. Taylor
Apostle Mariner W. Merrill
President George Q. Cannon
Third Day. Monday, Oct. 6th, 10 a.m.
The Authorities
President Woodruff
Articles of Faith
Apostle Franklin D. Richards
President George Q. Cannon
Official Declaration
President George Q. Cannon
Remarks
President Woodruff
Remarks
Afternoon Session, 2 p. m.
Apostle Heber J. Grant
Apostle John W. Taylor
Apostle Mariner W. Merrill
Apostle Abraham H. Cannon
President W. Woodruff
Lyman, Francis M. "Remarks." The Deseret Weekly, October 25, 1890: pg. 586-588.
The Deseret Weekly. "General Conference." October 11, 1890: pg. 515-528.
Woodruff, George Q. Cannon and Wilford. "Remarks." The Deseret Weekly, October 18, 1890: pg. 550-553.
GENERAL CONFERENCE
President Wilford Woodruff
Elder John Morgan
Elder B. H. Roberts
President Woodruff
President Lorenzo Snow
Apostle Anton H. Lund
Afternoon Session
Apostle Franklin D. Richards
Apostle Moses Thatcher
Apostle F. M. Lyman
Remarks
Elder John D. T. McAllister
Second Day. Sunday, Oct. 5th, 10 a. m.
President George Q. Cannon
Discourse
Afternoon Session
President Wilford Woodruff
Apostle John Henry Smith
Overflow Meeting
Elder Jacob Gates
Elder Charles W. Penrose
Apostle Anton H. Lund
President Lorenzo Snow
Apostle Moses Thatcher
Priesthood Meeting
Bishop William B. Preston
Apostle Heber J. Grant
Apostle John W. Taylor
Apostle Mariner W. Merrill
President George Q. Cannon
Third Day. Monday, Oct. 6th, 10 a.m.
The Authorities
President Woodruff
Articles of Faith
Apostle Franklin D. Richards
President George Q. Cannon
Official Declaration
President George Q. Cannon
Remarks
President Woodruff
Remarks
Afternoon Session, 2 p. m.
Apostle Heber J. Grant
Apostle John W. Taylor
Apostle Mariner W. Merrill
Apostle Abraham H. Cannon
President W. Woodruff
GENERAL CONFERENCE
The sixty-first semi-Annual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, convened at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4th, 1890, in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, President Wilford Woodruff presiding.
There were on the stand: Of the First Presidency, Wilford Woodruff and George Q. Cannon; of the council of the Twelve Apostles: Lorenzo Snow, Franklin D. Richards, Moses Thatcher, Francis M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, Heber J. Grant, John W. Taylor, Mariner W. Merrill, Anton H. Lund and Abraham H. Cannon; Patriarch, John Smith; of the Presiding Council of the Seventies: Seymour B. Young, John Morgan and B. H. Roberts; of the Presiding Bishopric: William B. Preston and John R. Winder.
There were also present a large number of Presidents of Stakes and other prominent brethren from various parts of Utah and surrounding States and Territories.
Conference was called to order by President George Q. Cannon.
The choir sang:
Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God!
He, whose word cannot be broken,
Chose thee for His own abode.
The opening prayer was offered by President Lorenzo Snow.
Singing by the choir:
How pleasant ‘tis to see
Kindred and friends agree,
Each in his proper station move,
And each fulfill his part,
With sympathizing heart,
In all the cares of life and love.
The sixty-first semi-Annual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, convened at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4th, 1890, in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, President Wilford Woodruff presiding.
There were on the stand: Of the First Presidency, Wilford Woodruff and George Q. Cannon; of the council of the Twelve Apostles: Lorenzo Snow, Franklin D. Richards, Moses Thatcher, Francis M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, Heber J. Grant, John W. Taylor, Mariner W. Merrill, Anton H. Lund and Abraham H. Cannon; Patriarch, John Smith; of the Presiding Council of the Seventies: Seymour B. Young, John Morgan and B. H. Roberts; of the Presiding Bishopric: William B. Preston and John R. Winder.
There were also present a large number of Presidents of Stakes and other prominent brethren from various parts of Utah and surrounding States and Territories.
Conference was called to order by President George Q. Cannon.
The choir sang:
Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God!
He, whose word cannot be broken,
Chose thee for His own abode.
The opening prayer was offered by President Lorenzo Snow.
Singing by the choir:
How pleasant ‘tis to see
Kindred and friends agree,
Each in his proper station move,
And each fulfill his part,
With sympathizing heart,
In all the cares of life and love.
President Wilford Woodruff
addressed the Conference. He said: I feel this morning to offer up the gratitude of my heart to God, my Heavenly Father, that my life has been preserved to again meet in a semi-annual Conference with the Saints. I feel thankful that I have the privilege of meeting with so many of the Apostles, Elders and Saints who have assembled here on this occasion.
Our Heavenly Father revealed from heaven, over sixty years ago, to the inhabitants of the earth, through the mouth of the Prophet of God, whom He raised up, that He had set His hand once more, for the last time, to prune His vineyard and to prepare the people of the earth for the coming of the Son of Man. Over sixty years have passed away since those revelations were given. The Lord called upon the children of men, to take upon themselves the name of Christ—those who were willing to enter in the vineyard of the Lord and preach the Gospel of Christ to them. He gave us to understand that we should be called to go forth and preach the message of the Son of God in this last dispensation of the fulness of times. Many of those who engaged to carry out and fulfill these promises of God to mankind are today in the spirit world. They have closed their mission, they have borne their testimony, they have fulfilled the object of their creation, they have magnified the high and holy Priesthood which the God of heaven has sealed upon their heads, to go forth and administer in the ordinances of life and salvation. A few of us are left; some of us still remain here in the flesh, and we are still called upon to labor. We are still called to officiate in the Holy Priesthood, and to administer in the ordinances of salvation to the children of men.
It has been a very important dispensation, a very interesting generation in which we live as Latter-day Saints. The history of this Church is before the world, and we are still passing through many interesting portions of the experience of the work of God in the last days.
I will say to the Latter-day Saints, the Lord has fulfilled, so far, all that He has promised unto us. The Lord has called many men—hundreds of them—from the nations of the earth, who have received the Holy Priesthood, the authority by which the God of Israel has always administered in heaven and on the earth the ordinances of life and salvation. They have labored faithfully until the present day; they have warned the inhabitants of the earth. All nations under heaven have been visited by the Elders of Israel as far as the doors were open to receive them. The Lord, so far, has warned the world; He has, so far, carried out the object of the calling of the sons of men. The Gospel has been preached, and the children of men have heard it in every nation, including our own. They have heard the testimony of these Elders of Israel. And what was the mission given to the Elders? To go forth and deliver the Gospel message to all the world. The people were called upon to repent of their sins, to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and when they had faith in God, in the Gospel, faith to believe and receive those testimonies given to them, they were called upon to go forth and be baptized for the remission of their sins. Then they had the privilege of receiving the laying on of hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost.
These are some of the principles that have been taught from the time of Father Adam down to that of every Patriarch, Prophet, Apostle—and even the Savior himself—in their day and generation, as the only Gospel ever revealed to the human family in any age of the world. There has never been but one Gospel; that Gospel is “the same today, yesterday and forever.” That Gospel is the same that was taught by Adam to his children; which Elijah, Methuselah, and all the ancient prophets and patriarchs taught to their posterity, and the inhabitants of the earth. Jesus Christ taught the same when He came in the meridian of time; He never deviated from it in any instance. Paul the Apostle, born in due time, received the Gospel at the hands of the Lord, who said, though he or an angel from heaven preached any other Gospel, let him be accursed. That Gospel was revealed to Joseph Smith in all its fulness, power and glory, with all its graces, gifts and principles. He taught it to those around him; he organized this Church on the 6th day of April, 1830; and through all the tribulations, persecutions and troubles of the Latter-day Saints, that same Gospel has been among us.
I feel thankful that I have lived so long, connected with this Church and Kingdom, and that I live now in the midst of the Latter-day Saints. As the Lord has set His hand to warn the world, to warn this generation, to prune the vineyard. He will leave every nation under heaven without excuse, in these days of judgments, calamities and tribulations, which are about to be poured out upon the earth.
I feel thankful that I have been associated with this people up to the present day. How long I shall remain among the Latter-day Saints I do not know. It matters not with me; but I have the same testimony to bear today that I have had from the commencement of this Church—that it is the work of God—as promised and prophesied of through the mouths of inspired men for 6000 years. I bear my testimony to these things this morning.
I hope and trust that while we are assembled in this conference our hearts may be united in faith and prayer, that we may enjoy the Holy Spirit of God. Without the inspiration of that Spirit, Utah would be as barren a desert, as far as we are concerned, today as we found it on the 24th of July, 1847. When you heard the gospel of Christ preached by those humble men who had been called from their various occupations, to go forth in the Lord’s cause, inspired by the Holy Ghost, without purse or scrip, taking no thought what they should eat or what they should drink, you knew that what they taught was true. You heard and believed their testimony, and that same testimony is here with this entire people today. When you received the testimony you were baptized for the remission of your sins, you had hands laid upon you for the reception of the Holy Ghost. Without all this you would have remained at home.
I know that this is the work of God, and so do you; therefore let our hearts be thankful to God; let us unite together in our prayers to Him; let us do our duty faithfully while we dwell here in the flesh, and carry out those principles in which we have been taught. Let us continue to preach the Gospel, to warn the nations, to build up Zion, and establish righteousness; so that when we get through and go on the other side of the vail we will be satisfied with our labors here. We should try, therefore, to live our religion, to be true and faithful to our covenants, and to all those principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ which will save all men both in time and eternity.
I pray to God my Heavenly Father that His blessing may rest upon us—upon these Elders of Israel, upon these Apostles of the Lamb of God, that they may be inspired to declare the words of salvation during this conference to their brethren and sisters, which may God grant, for Christ’s sake. Amen.
addressed the Conference. He said: I feel this morning to offer up the gratitude of my heart to God, my Heavenly Father, that my life has been preserved to again meet in a semi-annual Conference with the Saints. I feel thankful that I have the privilege of meeting with so many of the Apostles, Elders and Saints who have assembled here on this occasion.
Our Heavenly Father revealed from heaven, over sixty years ago, to the inhabitants of the earth, through the mouth of the Prophet of God, whom He raised up, that He had set His hand once more, for the last time, to prune His vineyard and to prepare the people of the earth for the coming of the Son of Man. Over sixty years have passed away since those revelations were given. The Lord called upon the children of men, to take upon themselves the name of Christ—those who were willing to enter in the vineyard of the Lord and preach the Gospel of Christ to them. He gave us to understand that we should be called to go forth and preach the message of the Son of God in this last dispensation of the fulness of times. Many of those who engaged to carry out and fulfill these promises of God to mankind are today in the spirit world. They have closed their mission, they have borne their testimony, they have fulfilled the object of their creation, they have magnified the high and holy Priesthood which the God of heaven has sealed upon their heads, to go forth and administer in the ordinances of life and salvation. A few of us are left; some of us still remain here in the flesh, and we are still called upon to labor. We are still called to officiate in the Holy Priesthood, and to administer in the ordinances of salvation to the children of men.
It has been a very important dispensation, a very interesting generation in which we live as Latter-day Saints. The history of this Church is before the world, and we are still passing through many interesting portions of the experience of the work of God in the last days.
I will say to the Latter-day Saints, the Lord has fulfilled, so far, all that He has promised unto us. The Lord has called many men—hundreds of them—from the nations of the earth, who have received the Holy Priesthood, the authority by which the God of Israel has always administered in heaven and on the earth the ordinances of life and salvation. They have labored faithfully until the present day; they have warned the inhabitants of the earth. All nations under heaven have been visited by the Elders of Israel as far as the doors were open to receive them. The Lord, so far, has warned the world; He has, so far, carried out the object of the calling of the sons of men. The Gospel has been preached, and the children of men have heard it in every nation, including our own. They have heard the testimony of these Elders of Israel. And what was the mission given to the Elders? To go forth and deliver the Gospel message to all the world. The people were called upon to repent of their sins, to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and when they had faith in God, in the Gospel, faith to believe and receive those testimonies given to them, they were called upon to go forth and be baptized for the remission of their sins. Then they had the privilege of receiving the laying on of hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost.
These are some of the principles that have been taught from the time of Father Adam down to that of every Patriarch, Prophet, Apostle—and even the Savior himself—in their day and generation, as the only Gospel ever revealed to the human family in any age of the world. There has never been but one Gospel; that Gospel is “the same today, yesterday and forever.” That Gospel is the same that was taught by Adam to his children; which Elijah, Methuselah, and all the ancient prophets and patriarchs taught to their posterity, and the inhabitants of the earth. Jesus Christ taught the same when He came in the meridian of time; He never deviated from it in any instance. Paul the Apostle, born in due time, received the Gospel at the hands of the Lord, who said, though he or an angel from heaven preached any other Gospel, let him be accursed. That Gospel was revealed to Joseph Smith in all its fulness, power and glory, with all its graces, gifts and principles. He taught it to those around him; he organized this Church on the 6th day of April, 1830; and through all the tribulations, persecutions and troubles of the Latter-day Saints, that same Gospel has been among us.
I feel thankful that I have lived so long, connected with this Church and Kingdom, and that I live now in the midst of the Latter-day Saints. As the Lord has set His hand to warn the world, to warn this generation, to prune the vineyard. He will leave every nation under heaven without excuse, in these days of judgments, calamities and tribulations, which are about to be poured out upon the earth.
I feel thankful that I have been associated with this people up to the present day. How long I shall remain among the Latter-day Saints I do not know. It matters not with me; but I have the same testimony to bear today that I have had from the commencement of this Church—that it is the work of God—as promised and prophesied of through the mouths of inspired men for 6000 years. I bear my testimony to these things this morning.
I hope and trust that while we are assembled in this conference our hearts may be united in faith and prayer, that we may enjoy the Holy Spirit of God. Without the inspiration of that Spirit, Utah would be as barren a desert, as far as we are concerned, today as we found it on the 24th of July, 1847. When you heard the gospel of Christ preached by those humble men who had been called from their various occupations, to go forth in the Lord’s cause, inspired by the Holy Ghost, without purse or scrip, taking no thought what they should eat or what they should drink, you knew that what they taught was true. You heard and believed their testimony, and that same testimony is here with this entire people today. When you received the testimony you were baptized for the remission of your sins, you had hands laid upon you for the reception of the Holy Ghost. Without all this you would have remained at home.
I know that this is the work of God, and so do you; therefore let our hearts be thankful to God; let us unite together in our prayers to Him; let us do our duty faithfully while we dwell here in the flesh, and carry out those principles in which we have been taught. Let us continue to preach the Gospel, to warn the nations, to build up Zion, and establish righteousness; so that when we get through and go on the other side of the vail we will be satisfied with our labors here. We should try, therefore, to live our religion, to be true and faithful to our covenants, and to all those principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ which will save all men both in time and eternity.
I pray to God my Heavenly Father that His blessing may rest upon us—upon these Elders of Israel, upon these Apostles of the Lamb of God, that they may be inspired to declare the words of salvation during this conference to their brethren and sisters, which may God grant, for Christ’s sake. Amen.
Elder John Morgan,
Of the Presidency of the Seventies,
was the next speaker. Following is the substance of his remarks: There is peace in the midst of the Latter-day Saints. For this blessing we should be grateful, in view of the efforts that are being made to harass the community. I bear testimony to the truth of Brother Woodruff’s remarks. These principles will remain. They are the everlasting Gospel that has always existed and will continue. They unite the children of men together. In the end all men will know that God has spoken these things. It behooves the Elders and Saints to be true and faithful and warn the inhabitants of the earth of judgments soon to come. If we do this our reward is sure. There is a great work to be performed in the nations; also among the Saints at home. The labors of a teacher are very important. They should built up the Saints. Some of the people complain that they are neglected by the teachers, because they are devoted to temporal matters of a personal nature. It will be well for the Teacher in the ward or Sunday school to attend to his duties. If he do them he shall reap joy and rejoicing. So with the missionaries to foreign lands. They have received freely, freely should they give, testifying that God has again revealed the true Gospel. This active work creates in the hearts of those who engage in it an abiding love for the souls of men. There should be no division among the Saints. They should see eye to eye, and not be narrowed down in their feelings, reaching out after the honest in heart and seeking after those who grope in the dark, that they may be brought into the light of truth. All malice and evil-speaking should be eschewed. We should sustain and uphold, in their labors among the people, those who have been called of God to preside over his Church. If we are faithful to our trusts all will be well with us.
Of the Presidency of the Seventies,
was the next speaker. Following is the substance of his remarks: There is peace in the midst of the Latter-day Saints. For this blessing we should be grateful, in view of the efforts that are being made to harass the community. I bear testimony to the truth of Brother Woodruff’s remarks. These principles will remain. They are the everlasting Gospel that has always existed and will continue. They unite the children of men together. In the end all men will know that God has spoken these things. It behooves the Elders and Saints to be true and faithful and warn the inhabitants of the earth of judgments soon to come. If we do this our reward is sure. There is a great work to be performed in the nations; also among the Saints at home. The labors of a teacher are very important. They should built up the Saints. Some of the people complain that they are neglected by the teachers, because they are devoted to temporal matters of a personal nature. It will be well for the Teacher in the ward or Sunday school to attend to his duties. If he do them he shall reap joy and rejoicing. So with the missionaries to foreign lands. They have received freely, freely should they give, testifying that God has again revealed the true Gospel. This active work creates in the hearts of those who engage in it an abiding love for the souls of men. There should be no division among the Saints. They should see eye to eye, and not be narrowed down in their feelings, reaching out after the honest in heart and seeking after those who grope in the dark, that they may be brought into the light of truth. All malice and evil-speaking should be eschewed. We should sustain and uphold, in their labors among the people, those who have been called of God to preside over his Church. If we are faithful to our trusts all will be well with us.
Elder B. H. Roberts,
Of the Presidency of the Seventies,
said in substance: I have always accounted myself blessed to be associated with the work of God in this dispensation, and have greatly rejoiced that I have been brought in contact with the Gospel, called by the world, “Mormonism.” I can understand the feelings of gratitude that pervade the hearts of the Saints regarding this work, but it is no wonder that the world regard it with astonishment. The initial announcements connected with it were calculated to startle the religious world. In the first vision of Joseph Smith, the Prophet was informed by Christ that there were none of the sects right, but all had gone out of the way. So bold a declaration by the youthful Prophet was calculated to astonish the world. But this does not argue that there are not thousands of people in the world whom God loves. The significance of the opening announcement in this dispensation was merely that men had departed from the right way, and that they should informed of the fact, that the way might be prepared for the re-establishment of the true Church of Christ. What Joseph declared is predicted in the scriptures, in which the Christians profess to believe. John, while on the Isle of Patmos, predicted the restoration of the Gospel in its fulness in the latter days, through the medium of an angel. This was to occur in “the hour of God’s judgment.” Had the inhabitants of the earth been in possession of the Gospel as it is in Christ, this predicted restoration would have been superogatory. Connected with this prophecy of John it is clearly stated that the inhabitants of the earth should be called upon to worship the true God, indicating that their worship at that time would not be directed toward that Great Being. A portion of the fulfilment of that prediction was the bringing forth of the record called the Book of Mormon, adding for Christ, the testimony of the Prophets who existed on this continent, they being thus united with that of those one the eastern hemisphere. Gradually the rich treasures of heaven have been developed, and the work of God has progressed, preparing the way for the coming of Christ, who shall establish a reign of righteousness and peace. He shall take the government into His own hands, and we have the glorious privilege and increasing faith on the earth, that a people may be ready to receive the Lord when he shall come. Before another General Conference shall be reached we shall have entered upon the year 1891. The speaker here read from Sec. 130 of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, which relates to the coming of the Son of Man, and referred to some remarks made by the prophet February 14th, 1835, at a meeting wherein certain Elders were told that they were called to go forth and prune the vineyard for the time, before the coming of Christ, even 56 years should wind up the scene. Continuing, Elder Roberts said, that these circumstances have called the Saints to believe that some great epoch will open at that time—the year following the present. My faith in the matter is that whatever the Lord has in mind to accomplish in that year will be performed. It may be something, however, that would scarcely create a ripple. The organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was one of the greatest events of the history of the world. It was organized with six members, and but little was known concerning it even in the neighborhood where it occurred, at the time. Yet behold to what proportions the work then begun has grown. It may be that the greatness of what shall occur in 1891 will not be comprehended until succeeding years.
Of the Presidency of the Seventies,
said in substance: I have always accounted myself blessed to be associated with the work of God in this dispensation, and have greatly rejoiced that I have been brought in contact with the Gospel, called by the world, “Mormonism.” I can understand the feelings of gratitude that pervade the hearts of the Saints regarding this work, but it is no wonder that the world regard it with astonishment. The initial announcements connected with it were calculated to startle the religious world. In the first vision of Joseph Smith, the Prophet was informed by Christ that there were none of the sects right, but all had gone out of the way. So bold a declaration by the youthful Prophet was calculated to astonish the world. But this does not argue that there are not thousands of people in the world whom God loves. The significance of the opening announcement in this dispensation was merely that men had departed from the right way, and that they should informed of the fact, that the way might be prepared for the re-establishment of the true Church of Christ. What Joseph declared is predicted in the scriptures, in which the Christians profess to believe. John, while on the Isle of Patmos, predicted the restoration of the Gospel in its fulness in the latter days, through the medium of an angel. This was to occur in “the hour of God’s judgment.” Had the inhabitants of the earth been in possession of the Gospel as it is in Christ, this predicted restoration would have been superogatory. Connected with this prophecy of John it is clearly stated that the inhabitants of the earth should be called upon to worship the true God, indicating that their worship at that time would not be directed toward that Great Being. A portion of the fulfilment of that prediction was the bringing forth of the record called the Book of Mormon, adding for Christ, the testimony of the Prophets who existed on this continent, they being thus united with that of those one the eastern hemisphere. Gradually the rich treasures of heaven have been developed, and the work of God has progressed, preparing the way for the coming of Christ, who shall establish a reign of righteousness and peace. He shall take the government into His own hands, and we have the glorious privilege and increasing faith on the earth, that a people may be ready to receive the Lord when he shall come. Before another General Conference shall be reached we shall have entered upon the year 1891. The speaker here read from Sec. 130 of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, which relates to the coming of the Son of Man, and referred to some remarks made by the prophet February 14th, 1835, at a meeting wherein certain Elders were told that they were called to go forth and prune the vineyard for the time, before the coming of Christ, even 56 years should wind up the scene. Continuing, Elder Roberts said, that these circumstances have called the Saints to believe that some great epoch will open at that time—the year following the present. My faith in the matter is that whatever the Lord has in mind to accomplish in that year will be performed. It may be something, however, that would scarcely create a ripple. The organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was one of the greatest events of the history of the world. It was organized with six members, and but little was known concerning it even in the neighborhood where it occurred, at the time. Yet behold to what proportions the work then begun has grown. It may be that the greatness of what shall occur in 1891 will not be comprehended until succeeding years.
President Woodruff
Said: I do not think anyone can tell the hour of the coming of the Son of Man. I think those things have been sufficiently revealed to us; so that we need not look for the time of that event to be made known. I will say here that in my dreams I have had a great many visits from the Prophet Joseph since his death. The last time I met him was in the spirit world. I met him at the Temple. He spoke to me. Calling me by name, he said, “I cannot stop to talk to you, for I am in a hurry.” I met Father Smith. He, too, said to me, “I am in a hurry,” I met a great many of the Apostles and others who are in the spirit world, and they all seemed to be in a hurry. I marveled at this, and wondered very greatly in my mind why anybody should be in a hurry in the Paradise of God.
I had an interview with the Prophet Joseph afterwards and asked him the question, “Why are you all in such a hurry here?” I said, “I have always been in a hurry in the world since I was born, but I thought there would be no occasion for it when I died and entered the spirit world.” He replied, “Well. I will tell you: The Prophets and Apostles in this dispensation have had no time nor opportunity to prepare themselves to go to the earth with the great bridegroom when He goes to meet the bride, the Lamb’s wife. We in this dispensation have not had time. We have first as much work to perform, to prepare ourselves as in other dispensations.” He said the time was at hand for the coming of the Son of Man, for Christ to go forth in fulfilment of revelation and prophecy, to meet the bride, the Lamb’s wife, the Church and Kingdom of God upon the earth. Says He, “That is not revealed to us, nor never will be until the hour comes; but we have much work to do to prepare ourselves for the event.”
I have always believed from the revelations that we never would know the exact time of the coming of the Son of man; and I am more convinced of this from what the Prophet said to me in my dreams.
I have had a many interviews with President Young since he died, a great many teachings from him, and from others who held important positions here in the flesh, but who have gone into the spirit world, and seem, in a measure, to have an interest and watch-care over the Church and Kingdom of God though they have passed to the other side of the veil.
Said: I do not think anyone can tell the hour of the coming of the Son of Man. I think those things have been sufficiently revealed to us; so that we need not look for the time of that event to be made known. I will say here that in my dreams I have had a great many visits from the Prophet Joseph since his death. The last time I met him was in the spirit world. I met him at the Temple. He spoke to me. Calling me by name, he said, “I cannot stop to talk to you, for I am in a hurry.” I met Father Smith. He, too, said to me, “I am in a hurry,” I met a great many of the Apostles and others who are in the spirit world, and they all seemed to be in a hurry. I marveled at this, and wondered very greatly in my mind why anybody should be in a hurry in the Paradise of God.
I had an interview with the Prophet Joseph afterwards and asked him the question, “Why are you all in such a hurry here?” I said, “I have always been in a hurry in the world since I was born, but I thought there would be no occasion for it when I died and entered the spirit world.” He replied, “Well. I will tell you: The Prophets and Apostles in this dispensation have had no time nor opportunity to prepare themselves to go to the earth with the great bridegroom when He goes to meet the bride, the Lamb’s wife. We in this dispensation have not had time. We have first as much work to perform, to prepare ourselves as in other dispensations.” He said the time was at hand for the coming of the Son of Man, for Christ to go forth in fulfilment of revelation and prophecy, to meet the bride, the Lamb’s wife, the Church and Kingdom of God upon the earth. Says He, “That is not revealed to us, nor never will be until the hour comes; but we have much work to do to prepare ourselves for the event.”
I have always believed from the revelations that we never would know the exact time of the coming of the Son of man; and I am more convinced of this from what the Prophet said to me in my dreams.
I have had a many interviews with President Young since he died, a great many teachings from him, and from others who held important positions here in the flesh, but who have gone into the spirit world, and seem, in a measure, to have an interest and watch-care over the Church and Kingdom of God though they have passed to the other side of the veil.
President Lorenzo Snow
quoted from I Samuel, 12 chap. 22 verse:
“For the Lord will not forsake His people for His great name’s sakes; because it has pleased the Lord to make you His people.”
Also from the 37th chapter of Matthew, beginning at the 38th verse, which relates the incidents of the crucifixion of our Lord. Brother Snow then said in substance: The Lord has called us from the world to be His people and to sustain and support us as such. In the quotation read from Samuel, the statement it embodies was made to the Jewish people. What may be said in that connection in reference to a community may be said regarding individuals whom God approves. In the history of a people of God. It is always a matter of experience that the Lord will seem at times as if He had forsaken them as a community and as individuals. I declare that God has not, and will never forsake the Latter-day Saints. Abraham was placed in peculiar circumstances. It required the utmost faith for him to believe that God was with him. So with Job, who had, until apparently left to himself, been greatly blessed. There were times in his life that were very distressing, and it seemed as if God had forsaken him. It was a dark day, but the Lord had not departed from him. After he had passed through affliction the countenance of the Almighty shone upon him, and he was delivered. Consider also the experience of the Savior in Gethsemane, when he endured incalculable mental torture. When on the cross, His sufferings and sense of loneliness were so intense that he called out “My God, my God! why hast thou forsaken me?” When we pass through ordeals as a people, His face finally beams upon us and He delivers us. The past teaches this plainly. The sun of glory will arise upon the Saints and deliverance will appear. If we have lived as we ought we know that God has accepted us.
In such gatherings as this there are people from nearly all the nations of the earth. We came together because we received something that caused us to believe God had accepted us. We heard a testimony from the servants of the Lord that He had raised up a prophet, and had laid down an order of things by obedience to which individuals could receive intelligence from the celestial world. When the obedience was rendered, those who were baptized for the remission of sins and received the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands rejoiced in a living witness of divine acceptance. We received a testimony that these things were true. This is what brought the tens of thousands of people called Latter-day Saints to this region. We are the people of God; He has not and will not forsake us, although we may have to pass through experiences that will, to the natural man, make it appear as if he had. Brother Snow further continued his theme, imparting comfort, instruction and encouragement to the Saints.
quoted from I Samuel, 12 chap. 22 verse:
“For the Lord will not forsake His people for His great name’s sakes; because it has pleased the Lord to make you His people.”
Also from the 37th chapter of Matthew, beginning at the 38th verse, which relates the incidents of the crucifixion of our Lord. Brother Snow then said in substance: The Lord has called us from the world to be His people and to sustain and support us as such. In the quotation read from Samuel, the statement it embodies was made to the Jewish people. What may be said in that connection in reference to a community may be said regarding individuals whom God approves. In the history of a people of God. It is always a matter of experience that the Lord will seem at times as if He had forsaken them as a community and as individuals. I declare that God has not, and will never forsake the Latter-day Saints. Abraham was placed in peculiar circumstances. It required the utmost faith for him to believe that God was with him. So with Job, who had, until apparently left to himself, been greatly blessed. There were times in his life that were very distressing, and it seemed as if God had forsaken him. It was a dark day, but the Lord had not departed from him. After he had passed through affliction the countenance of the Almighty shone upon him, and he was delivered. Consider also the experience of the Savior in Gethsemane, when he endured incalculable mental torture. When on the cross, His sufferings and sense of loneliness were so intense that he called out “My God, my God! why hast thou forsaken me?” When we pass through ordeals as a people, His face finally beams upon us and He delivers us. The past teaches this plainly. The sun of glory will arise upon the Saints and deliverance will appear. If we have lived as we ought we know that God has accepted us.
In such gatherings as this there are people from nearly all the nations of the earth. We came together because we received something that caused us to believe God had accepted us. We heard a testimony from the servants of the Lord that He had raised up a prophet, and had laid down an order of things by obedience to which individuals could receive intelligence from the celestial world. When the obedience was rendered, those who were baptized for the remission of sins and received the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands rejoiced in a living witness of divine acceptance. We received a testimony that these things were true. This is what brought the tens of thousands of people called Latter-day Saints to this region. We are the people of God; He has not and will not forsake us, although we may have to pass through experiences that will, to the natural man, make it appear as if he had. Brother Snow further continued his theme, imparting comfort, instruction and encouragement to the Saints.
Apostle Anton H. Lund
Next briefly addressed the Conference. Following is the substance of his remarks: I rejoice in the blessings of the Lord. We should be grateful that we live when the Gospel has been revealed and that we have received a testimony of its divine origin. In having this testimony we should not stand still, but seek to carry out what God has revealed to us. It is not only needful for us to know that we have begun to walk in the path pointed out by the finger of revelation, but we must pass on in fulfilling the duties incumbent upon us. We should not leave our first love which we received and enjoyed when we entered the church. If we have become lukewarm the fault is in us. If we have been faithful we will be full of life and love, and show our gratitude to God by our course of life. Persecution should not retard our progress, as it gives up experience and enables us to show our fidelity. Those who will live godly in Christ will suffer persecution; it gives them experience and increases their faith.
The anthem “Sing unto the Lord,” was sung by the choir.
Adjourned till 2 p. m.
Benediction by Apostle Mariner W. Merrill.
Next briefly addressed the Conference. Following is the substance of his remarks: I rejoice in the blessings of the Lord. We should be grateful that we live when the Gospel has been revealed and that we have received a testimony of its divine origin. In having this testimony we should not stand still, but seek to carry out what God has revealed to us. It is not only needful for us to know that we have begun to walk in the path pointed out by the finger of revelation, but we must pass on in fulfilling the duties incumbent upon us. We should not leave our first love which we received and enjoyed when we entered the church. If we have become lukewarm the fault is in us. If we have been faithful we will be full of life and love, and show our gratitude to God by our course of life. Persecution should not retard our progress, as it gives up experience and enables us to show our fidelity. Those who will live godly in Christ will suffer persecution; it gives them experience and increases their faith.
The anthem “Sing unto the Lord,” was sung by the choir.
Adjourned till 2 p. m.
Benediction by Apostle Mariner W. Merrill.
Afternoon Session.
Singing by the choir:
Behold, the mountain of the Lord
In latter days shall rise,
On mountain tops, above the hills,
And draw the wond’ring eyes.
Prayer by Elder Cyrus H. Wheelock.
The choir sang:
How swift the months have passed away, ‘tis Conference again
And Zion’s untold thousands come to swell the joyous strain.
Singing by the choir:
Behold, the mountain of the Lord
In latter days shall rise,
On mountain tops, above the hills,
And draw the wond’ring eyes.
Prayer by Elder Cyrus H. Wheelock.
The choir sang:
How swift the months have passed away, ‘tis Conference again
And Zion’s untold thousands come to swell the joyous strain.
Apostle Franklin D. Richards
addressed the assemblage. The following is the substance of what he said:
He rejoiced in the contemplation of the work in which the Lord had called upon the Latter-day Saints to engage, and the longer he himself labored in God’s cause the more intense became the pleasure of his soul. To say that he knew this to be the work of the Lord was simply to repeat that which had been so often uttered by the brethren when bearing their testimony to the truth of the Gospel. He learnt it many years ago, and since then this work had gone on increasing abundantly.
It mattered not how much the powers of darkness raged against the Latter-day Saints, this fact did not alter their line of duty, but rather strengthened their faith and spurred them on to further effort. At all times they should seek to be “diligent in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.”
He desired most earnestly to testify to the truth of this work, which was making such rapid progress; indeed if they looked at it carefully and in the critical light of the spirit, it would be found that it was going forward about as fast as the Saints were prepared to receive it. He urged that the strong among us should help the weaker ones, while the weak should hold on to the strong, thereby sustaining them in the trials and temptations which beset the people on every hand.
Many interesting questions were arising in the present day, among others the coming of the Son of Man, reference to which was made this morning. While this was a speculative matter, the signs of His coming were now abundantly manifest. While we could not obtain from the revelations of any definite statement of the time of Christ’s coming in His power and majesty, to take to Himself the Kingdom, we could learn from them a great many things which had to transpire before that great event would come to pass. It had been declared to us from on high that the hour of God’s judgment had come. We had seen those judgments, more or less, poured out upon the world, manifested sometimes by terrible fatalities. But we were told that before Christ again came the sun should be darkened and the moon turned into blood, Jerusalem should be rebuilt, and many other things be performed in the land of Israel. We need not deceive ourselves, however, for God had given us a great deal of prophecy and revelation relating to the restitution of this dispensation.
After citing several of these from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, the speaker said we were blessed with many revelations, doctrines, commandments, and principles that should be a guide to us in our everyday life. He counseled the Saints to think more of holy things and less of the affairs of this world. By some persons, death had been regarded as the “king of terrors,” but such was not the case with those who were filled with the Holy Ghost. Many of the righteous fell asleep in death as peacefully and calmly as did some fall into a natural sleep when they laid their heads upon the pillow at night. The terror of death lay in sin, when the conscience was burdened with guilt and a knowledge of evil deeds.
There was much to do in these last days; therefore, said Apostle Richards, in conclusion, let us be on the watch, keep diligently the commandments of God, walk before Him in all righteousness, and so train up our children that they may fear Him and serve Him faithfully all the days of their lives.
addressed the assemblage. The following is the substance of what he said:
He rejoiced in the contemplation of the work in which the Lord had called upon the Latter-day Saints to engage, and the longer he himself labored in God’s cause the more intense became the pleasure of his soul. To say that he knew this to be the work of the Lord was simply to repeat that which had been so often uttered by the brethren when bearing their testimony to the truth of the Gospel. He learnt it many years ago, and since then this work had gone on increasing abundantly.
It mattered not how much the powers of darkness raged against the Latter-day Saints, this fact did not alter their line of duty, but rather strengthened their faith and spurred them on to further effort. At all times they should seek to be “diligent in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.”
He desired most earnestly to testify to the truth of this work, which was making such rapid progress; indeed if they looked at it carefully and in the critical light of the spirit, it would be found that it was going forward about as fast as the Saints were prepared to receive it. He urged that the strong among us should help the weaker ones, while the weak should hold on to the strong, thereby sustaining them in the trials and temptations which beset the people on every hand.
Many interesting questions were arising in the present day, among others the coming of the Son of Man, reference to which was made this morning. While this was a speculative matter, the signs of His coming were now abundantly manifest. While we could not obtain from the revelations of any definite statement of the time of Christ’s coming in His power and majesty, to take to Himself the Kingdom, we could learn from them a great many things which had to transpire before that great event would come to pass. It had been declared to us from on high that the hour of God’s judgment had come. We had seen those judgments, more or less, poured out upon the world, manifested sometimes by terrible fatalities. But we were told that before Christ again came the sun should be darkened and the moon turned into blood, Jerusalem should be rebuilt, and many other things be performed in the land of Israel. We need not deceive ourselves, however, for God had given us a great deal of prophecy and revelation relating to the restitution of this dispensation.
After citing several of these from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, the speaker said we were blessed with many revelations, doctrines, commandments, and principles that should be a guide to us in our everyday life. He counseled the Saints to think more of holy things and less of the affairs of this world. By some persons, death had been regarded as the “king of terrors,” but such was not the case with those who were filled with the Holy Ghost. Many of the righteous fell asleep in death as peacefully and calmly as did some fall into a natural sleep when they laid their heads upon the pillow at night. The terror of death lay in sin, when the conscience was burdened with guilt and a knowledge of evil deeds.
There was much to do in these last days; therefore, said Apostle Richards, in conclusion, let us be on the watch, keep diligently the commandments of God, walk before Him in all righteousness, and so train up our children that they may fear Him and serve Him faithfully all the days of their lives.
Apostle Moses Thatcher
addressed the Conference. Following is a brief synopsis of his remarks: I hope to be able to speak under the influence of the same Spirit as that which animated those who have preceded me. These gatherings result in much good to the Saints who desire to serve the Lord. We should be grounded in the truth. Those who have the Holy Ghost need not err. They walk in the light which comes from our Heavenly Father. We should be more concerned about being prepared for coming events than filled with a desire to hasten them. There are many seductive spirits enticing us into dark and devious ways. The seed of the gospel has been cast abroad, and there will be various yields. Where it has fallen among rocks it will be destroyed by the heat of the sun. The Book of Doctrine and Covenants tells the manner in which many have fallen—they have loved the things of the world and the honors of men. These allurements endanger our hopes of salvation? It is important that we know the Spirit we are following, and manifest the fruits of the Gospel. Notwithstanding the efforts of the enemies of truth, it must be apparent to every observer that the saints are being prospered in the things of the world. In this fact there is danger. I have always considered persecution as necessary. Blessings accrue to us through sacrifice. Happiness comes through being consistent and seeking to do good to the world.
I have never known a time when the authorities of the Church were more united than now. The Presidency are one; so are the Twelve. They have sought to lay aside any feeling of jealousy or envy that may have existed, and become united in Christ. I have never known a time when their union was more perfect than it is to-day.
Reference has been made to the coming of the Son of Man. Brother Franklin D. Richards has cited events that must precede that great occurrence. The Book of Doctrine and Covenants says that the Lamanites must be established before the Lord shall come in History. There are 12,000,000 of Lamanites in Mexico and Central America. This shows the magnitude of the work to be done among that race alone. But the Lord can appear on the mountain and in the Temple. He appeared to Joseph in the Kirtland Temple. President Woodruff testified that he had met and communed with Joseph at various times. This is not surprising. I look for a time to come when communications between the visible Church and the Church behind the vail will be common.
Speaking of the year 1891 being eventful, has not 1890 shown many eventful features. Accidents and other catastrophes are multiplying, convulsions of nature are increasing. What causes produce the terrible accidents that are of such frequent occurrence? This is a sermon of nature. Men are becoming more and more reckless of human life, being devoid of natural affection.
Our position as a people is peculiar. But we are seeking to pray for our enemies, and not return evil for evil upon their heads. It is remarkable to what lengths some men will go in their opposition to the Saints, and to attain their own ulterior purposes. There is for instance a man in the north who, when an executive officer, said he had obtained a jury who would convict Jesus Christ if he were placed on trial. That man now asks the suffrages of the people to enable him to obtain a seat in the national legislature. The treatment of the people of Utah is perfectly startling, being subversive of all the grand principles that underlie the institutions of this government. A few years ago a person who believed that the object of the crusade was the robbing of the Saints would have been called a fanatic, yet it is now an accomplished fact. The time will come when our brothers in this nation will understand us better than they do now. When the opportunity presents itself as it shall in the future, for the people of Utah to show their loyalty to the government, they will, I believe, not be found to be behind any of their fellow-countrymen. We shall occupy to our nation the position that Joseph, who was sold into Egypt, stood in towards his brethren. The Lord will not let the labors of the revolutionary fathers fall to the ground. A class of young men will arise in these mountains who will help to rescue the nation in the day of its calamity. They are good and true citizens, although their first allegiance is to God. If we are true to ourselves, our country and our God we shall arise above everything that stands in the way of our development. The day of our calamity is approaching. It is at the doors. Society will soon be convulsed, and those who will not take up the sword against their neighbors will flee to these mountains for safety, and we will receive them, afford them relief, and not treat them as they have treated us. The speaker closed with a testimony to the divine character of the work founded by Joseph Smith, and predicting the final triumph of truth.
addressed the Conference. Following is a brief synopsis of his remarks: I hope to be able to speak under the influence of the same Spirit as that which animated those who have preceded me. These gatherings result in much good to the Saints who desire to serve the Lord. We should be grounded in the truth. Those who have the Holy Ghost need not err. They walk in the light which comes from our Heavenly Father. We should be more concerned about being prepared for coming events than filled with a desire to hasten them. There are many seductive spirits enticing us into dark and devious ways. The seed of the gospel has been cast abroad, and there will be various yields. Where it has fallen among rocks it will be destroyed by the heat of the sun. The Book of Doctrine and Covenants tells the manner in which many have fallen—they have loved the things of the world and the honors of men. These allurements endanger our hopes of salvation? It is important that we know the Spirit we are following, and manifest the fruits of the Gospel. Notwithstanding the efforts of the enemies of truth, it must be apparent to every observer that the saints are being prospered in the things of the world. In this fact there is danger. I have always considered persecution as necessary. Blessings accrue to us through sacrifice. Happiness comes through being consistent and seeking to do good to the world.
I have never known a time when the authorities of the Church were more united than now. The Presidency are one; so are the Twelve. They have sought to lay aside any feeling of jealousy or envy that may have existed, and become united in Christ. I have never known a time when their union was more perfect than it is to-day.
Reference has been made to the coming of the Son of Man. Brother Franklin D. Richards has cited events that must precede that great occurrence. The Book of Doctrine and Covenants says that the Lamanites must be established before the Lord shall come in History. There are 12,000,000 of Lamanites in Mexico and Central America. This shows the magnitude of the work to be done among that race alone. But the Lord can appear on the mountain and in the Temple. He appeared to Joseph in the Kirtland Temple. President Woodruff testified that he had met and communed with Joseph at various times. This is not surprising. I look for a time to come when communications between the visible Church and the Church behind the vail will be common.
Speaking of the year 1891 being eventful, has not 1890 shown many eventful features. Accidents and other catastrophes are multiplying, convulsions of nature are increasing. What causes produce the terrible accidents that are of such frequent occurrence? This is a sermon of nature. Men are becoming more and more reckless of human life, being devoid of natural affection.
Our position as a people is peculiar. But we are seeking to pray for our enemies, and not return evil for evil upon their heads. It is remarkable to what lengths some men will go in their opposition to the Saints, and to attain their own ulterior purposes. There is for instance a man in the north who, when an executive officer, said he had obtained a jury who would convict Jesus Christ if he were placed on trial. That man now asks the suffrages of the people to enable him to obtain a seat in the national legislature. The treatment of the people of Utah is perfectly startling, being subversive of all the grand principles that underlie the institutions of this government. A few years ago a person who believed that the object of the crusade was the robbing of the Saints would have been called a fanatic, yet it is now an accomplished fact. The time will come when our brothers in this nation will understand us better than they do now. When the opportunity presents itself as it shall in the future, for the people of Utah to show their loyalty to the government, they will, I believe, not be found to be behind any of their fellow-countrymen. We shall occupy to our nation the position that Joseph, who was sold into Egypt, stood in towards his brethren. The Lord will not let the labors of the revolutionary fathers fall to the ground. A class of young men will arise in these mountains who will help to rescue the nation in the day of its calamity. They are good and true citizens, although their first allegiance is to God. If we are true to ourselves, our country and our God we shall arise above everything that stands in the way of our development. The day of our calamity is approaching. It is at the doors. Society will soon be convulsed, and those who will not take up the sword against their neighbors will flee to these mountains for safety, and we will receive them, afford them relief, and not treat them as they have treated us. The speaker closed with a testimony to the divine character of the work founded by Joseph Smith, and predicting the final triumph of truth.
Apostle F. M. Lyman
Next addressed the Conference. He remarked that the Lord was upon the side of this people, and would sustain and preserve them. The work in which the Latter-day Saints were engaged was the word of God and not of man. The Father cared for and sustained His faithful servants. It was not the judgment, skill, understanding, or cunning of man that had converted this people. The Lord Himself had done this; He had given them faith, repentance, and also baptism, by which they had received a remission of their sins. The good that the Saints had done God had enabled them to accomplish. The Latter-day Saints were not divided, but stood as one, and God was pleased with their labors. This people were rapidly becoming numerically stronger, and their faith increased in proportion. God had planted in their hearts a knowledge of the truth, and given them His spirit and communication had been opened between us and the heavens.
Apostle Lyman spoke of the importance of prayer, and strongly exhorted the Saints to be more earnest in this respect than in the past. They should pray to the Lord often, and their supplications would be abundantly answered. Let them be prepared for the coming of the Savior in His power and glory, for the summons might reach us when least expected.
Let there be more faithfulness in Israel. Let the people cease backbitings, quarrels, contentions, envyings, strife, and all vanities should be put away. Intemperance and other sins which beset their paths should likewise be carefully guarded against. In our associations and societies as well as in the family circle a spirit of unity and harmony should ever prevail, and nothing be allowed to enter in any way calculated to cause a feeling of jealousy or bitterness. Every man and woman in Zion should be as a light set upon a hill, that cannot be hid. No Latter-day Saint should be ashamed of his actions, but should live a life above the slightest suspicion.
He prayed God to bless this people and the testimony borne by the speakers during Conference—that the instructions imparted might find a place in their hearts, and that every word spoken would bring forth good fruit in due season.
Next addressed the Conference. He remarked that the Lord was upon the side of this people, and would sustain and preserve them. The work in which the Latter-day Saints were engaged was the word of God and not of man. The Father cared for and sustained His faithful servants. It was not the judgment, skill, understanding, or cunning of man that had converted this people. The Lord Himself had done this; He had given them faith, repentance, and also baptism, by which they had received a remission of their sins. The good that the Saints had done God had enabled them to accomplish. The Latter-day Saints were not divided, but stood as one, and God was pleased with their labors. This people were rapidly becoming numerically stronger, and their faith increased in proportion. God had planted in their hearts a knowledge of the truth, and given them His spirit and communication had been opened between us and the heavens.
Apostle Lyman spoke of the importance of prayer, and strongly exhorted the Saints to be more earnest in this respect than in the past. They should pray to the Lord often, and their supplications would be abundantly answered. Let them be prepared for the coming of the Savior in His power and glory, for the summons might reach us when least expected.
Let there be more faithfulness in Israel. Let the people cease backbitings, quarrels, contentions, envyings, strife, and all vanities should be put away. Intemperance and other sins which beset their paths should likewise be carefully guarded against. In our associations and societies as well as in the family circle a spirit of unity and harmony should ever prevail, and nothing be allowed to enter in any way calculated to cause a feeling of jealousy or bitterness. Every man and woman in Zion should be as a light set upon a hill, that cannot be hid. No Latter-day Saint should be ashamed of his actions, but should live a life above the slightest suspicion.
He prayed God to bless this people and the testimony borne by the speakers during Conference—that the instructions imparted might find a place in their hearts, and that every word spoken would bring forth good fruit in due season.
Remarks
by Elder Francis M. Lyman
It is important, my brethren and sisters, that the Elders who stand before a conference like this should receive the support of the faith and prayers of the Latter-day Saints, because it is a very great undertaking to represent the Lord and to speak in His name and by His authority, and the brethren feel their weakness in doing it. They do not stand here as men who are learned, men who are qualified to teach after the manner of the world; but they stand before the people to speak as they shall have utterance from the Lord. They have been remarkably blessed today, and their testimonies and exhortations have been edifying to those who have listened. They have spoken to us the truth, and the Lord has been with them, and I feel to testify to the truth of their remarks, as well as to the truth of the doctrines that we have received from the Lord through the Prophet Joseph Smith, to record that he translated by the gift and power of God (the Book of Mormon) and to the principles that have been laid down for the salvation of the human family. The Lord is on the side of the Latter-day Saints, and He will sustain them and preserve them. Our confidence today is not greater, though we are so much more numerous and widespread, than it was in the beginning of the work. The confidence and faith of the Prophet Joseph and his brethren in the commencement—when the Priesthood of Melchisedec was conferred, when the various quorums of the Priesthood were organized, when the Bishopric was established, when the Apostleship was conferred, and when the Twelve Apostles were chosen—was just as great as it is to-day. It is not because of numbers, but it is because of the testimony of Jesus. We know that the Lord has revealed to us the Gospel. He has made plain to us its truth, its power, its value. He has labored with His servants. He preserved them when they were few. When He had but one—Joseph Smith—He preserved him; and it was no more difficult to preserve the Prophet alone than it is today to preserve two hundred and fifty thousand Latter-day Saints. The work is not secure because of the great number of its devotees. It is secure because it is God’s work, not the work of man. It is the founder of the work who cares for it. He sustains His servants and His people. It has not been the wisdom of man, or the judgment, skill and understanding of man that has converted you. The Lord has done it. The Lord has given you faith. The Lord has given you baptism, by which you have received the remission of your sins. The good that you have done, the Lord has enabled you to do. The missions that you have performed and that which you have accomplished in these valleys, you have done by the aid of the Lord. The Lord has given fertility to the soil. The Lord has provided the earth. He has given to us the seasons, and the fruitfulness of the earth; and he has given to us the barrenness as well, and the drouth; and all the good things that we have around us the Lord has provided.
The Lord has made His servants one. The testimony of Brother Moses Thatcher is true. The Lord is with President Woodruff. The Lord is with his Counselors. The Lord is with the Apostles. He will sustain and preserve them, if they keep His commandments. If they transgress the laws of God, they will fall, one and all; but if they are faithful and devoted to God, they will be honored, loved and respected, as they are today. Israel loves the servants of the Lord. The Latter-day Saints know the voice of the true Shepherd. They hear the Apostles, they hear the Elders, and they are my witnesses that the Lord is with these Apostles; that He sustains them, that He speaks through them, and that He gives them judgment, and counsel, and wisdom, and faith, and He preserves them from sin. The Lord is doing this. He has made them one. Unlike the disciples of olden times, they are not seeking occasion against one another. But they magnify, and love, and respect, and are lifting one another up, and trying to come nearer to our Father who dwells in heaven. That is what these Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ are doing. They are not divided. They are one. And God is pleased with them and with their labors.
Now, this is the good word that we speak for ourselves; and the Lord speaketh through us, for it is true. Sustain the servants of the lord. Sustain the organization of the Church. Honor the Priesthood that you have received, and that labors among you; and thus honor God. For no man can honor our Father who disregards the Priesthood that he bears.
We live in important times. Anything very remarkable? Yes. The Saints are increasing rapidly. They are spreading abroad. They are increasing in faith, in union, and in a knowledge of the principles of eternal life. And the Lord has not wrought with us as a whole alone; He has wrought with us individually, as His servants, as His handmaidens. He has labored with us in our families. He has labored with us in our Wards, in our Stakes, in our quorums, in our associations. He has planted in the breasts of the Latter-day Saints individually, a knowledge of the truth. He has given to us His Spirit, and communication has been opened between us and the Lord. The Prophet Joseph has conversed with President Woodruff. Others have done the same. We have all talked with these brethren, and with other brethren. The revelations of the Lord have been with us. We have known the mind and will of the Lord, and the counsels of the Almighty are dwelling in the midst of the people. And we are expecting something in the near future. We expect the Saints to triumph over sin. We expect them to become more righteous, and sin and corruption to be less among them in the future than it has been in the past, and very much less than it is among other people. If this be not the case, then are we disappointed. During 1891 we ought, individually, to seek to come just as near to the Lord as we possibly can, by extra fidelity, humility, obedience, and keeping the laws of the Lord. We should remember our prayers more faithfully than we have ever done before. A great many in Zion pray before. A great many in Zion pray once a day. I learn, as I travel throughout the Church, that some of the brethren think once a day is enough to pray in their families. I want to advise you, if you would be prepared for what is to come in 1891, to pray twice a day, and remember the Lord at noon. We find in the Book of Mormon that the servant of the Lord urged the people in that day to pray morning, noon and night—three times a day. I say, let the Latter-day Saints offer their prayers in due season, and never neglect them. Remember the Lord, and His commandments in regard to your tithings. Pay them in their kind, and pay them fully. For a man who lacketh in his prayers, and in his tithing, and in his good conduct in his family, will not be prepared for that which is coming in 1891. It may not be anything that the world may be able to take notice of, or even all the Latter-day Saints; but what wonderful things have happened that the world knew nothing about at the time. I thought, when Elder Roberts was speaking this morning that he was going to refer not only to the organization of the Church in 1830, as a matter that did not disturb the neighborhood for a little while, nor the county, nor the State, but also to another important event that took place before then. What disturbance was made in the world when the Father and the Son came and visited the Prophet Joseph, and the Father said to him: “This is my beloved Son; hear Him?” How numerous were those who heard of that? No other person saw the light, or the Father and the Son; no other person could bear that testimony, until Joseph had spoken of it.
Now, to be prepared for the coming of the Savior in glory and in power, we find that a marvelous work is yet to be done. What is it? Why, the Gospel is to be preached. We are but a handful of people. We have only a few hundreds of Elders in the missionary field all the time—less than five hundred, probably. How long will it take five hundred men to preach the Gospel to the whole world, as a witness, before the end shall come? We are laboring and doing what we can, and the Lord will prompt His servants when more shall be done, and we will gain strength and power, until we are prepared to accomplish what the Lord designs should be accomplished. But it is important for us as Latter-day Saints to know individually that we stand in the favor of the Lord, and to know that our prayers are heard by the Lord and answered upon our heads. We ought to become so well acquainted with the Spirit of the Lord that we could not be deceived. We should understand it, and it should dwell with us. When we hear the words of counsel that come from those who have the right to give counsel to the Church, every Latter-day Saint ought to know it in a moment, and ought to recognize the voice and counsel of the Lord through His servants.
I feel to exhort all Israel—those gathered here and those not here—to be more faithful in the future. Cease backbiting, cease quarreling, cease your envyings and strife, and vanity, and folly, and intemperance, and every sin that doth so easily beset the people. Let all men, everywhere, repent. Let us all try to refrain from the follies of the past, and in the future of our lives let us be able to go before the Lord and say that we love one another. Oh! what a joyful time it will be when all Israel can say, We love one another. Can it be said in all the quorums as it can be said by the First Presidency and the Twelve and the First Seven Presidents of Seventies, that we love another, that we feel to bless, encourage and strengthen one another, and that unselfishly we bow before the Lord and ask upon our brethren the same blessings that we would that the Lord should bestow upon us? Do the sisters in Zion—that important part and body of the Church of Christ—feel that way toward each other? Are families living together in that close communion and fellowship, and dwelling together without jealousy, without heart-burnings, and without suspicion? If they are not, they have need to repent. The union, the love and the confidence of the brethren in these quorums that I have mentioned ought to permeate all parts of the Church. It ought to be with every President of a Stake, with every Bishop of a Ward, and with every quorum in the Church; and it ought to be in all the societies and associations that are organized in Zion. You know that the Lord has been with these leaders of Israel when they have traveled and labored in your midst. You know that His Spirit dwells with them today. The Apostles are not numerous. You do not see them very frequently; but when you do see them, and when you do hear them, you know that the Holy Ghost dwells in them. You know they are honest men. You know they are pure men. You know that they are men that refrain from corruption and sin, and that bridle their passions, and are laboring for the salvation of men. The tens of thousands in this Territory who are personally acquainted with these men are my witnesses in this respect. Now, this same faith and confidence ought to dwell in the hearts of the people. That which we find good with us we recommend to you. I say that the High Councils in Zion ought to dwell together in fidelity and faithfulness, and they ought to be as exemplary men in the Church as the Apostles can possibly be. The quorums of the Seventies, upon whose shoulders particularly rests the labor of preaching the Gospel to the world, ought to be honest and industrious, faithful and temperate, full of faith and power; they ought to be energetic, and labor as faithfully as the Apostles can do. If they are doing so, God is pleased with them; and if not, God is not pleased with them. The Apostles are no better than Seventies ought to be. And what I say in regard to Seventies, I say concerning High Priests and Elders. There is not a High Priest or an Elder in Zion but ought to be just as good as an Apostle or as the Presidency of the Church. They have not the same care and burden resting upon them; but God has placed the requirement upon them that they should be just as faithful as men can be. They must not be corrupt. They must not be wicked. They must not be lascivious. They must not be dishonest, nor untruthful. But they must square their lives according to the truths of the Gospel. In these quorums, men who stand representing God, or who are at the head of families, they should be the mouthpieces of the Lord to those quorums and to those families, and to every organizations over which they preside. The Lord requires this, and anything less than this does not give complete satisfaction to Him. He requires of us nothing that is impossible. But He does require of us all that is possible in our lives and actions, for the support of His Church and for the accomplishment of His purposes in the earth. We should be as a light set upon a hill. No Latter-day Saint ought to be required to hide his head and to be ashamed of his course. He ought to live above suspicion. If the world look upon us, they should be compelled to say, though they may consider us fanatical and deceived, that we are conscientious, and that we live according to our profession. If every Latter-day Saint were to be judged by the world, they should be compelled to say that we have been honest, truthful, virtuous, temperate and sober.
This is the work of the Lord. You are the servants of the Lord. You bear the Priesthood. The Lord has graciously given it to almost every man in the Church; and the Priesthood that you bear is just as sacred as that which we bear. Greater responsibility rests upon us because we have been called to these certain positions; but every man who has received one particle of the Priesthood, even that of a Deacon, is required of the Lord to keep His commandments perfectly and entirely, and he is not in full favor with the Lord until he does this as he is able.
I pray that God may bless you, my brethren and sisters, and that the testimonies which have been borne by the Elders of Israel, and the instruction that we shall yet receive during this Conference, shall find place in our hearts and that every word shall bring forth its fruit in our lives; that God shall be pleased to honor us as His servants and His Saints, and that He will be pleased to own us as His people, and save us from the destruction that the wicked seek to bring upon us. His arm is not shortened. He has established His work in the earth to remain, and it will remain. We who are here today may pass away; but others will arise in our place; for intelligences and chosen spirits that have been preserved for this time and labor, are following us and treading right upon our heels. I pray that we may do our work well, that the Lord will be pleased with us, and maintain and sustain us in the future as He has done in the past. Amen.
by Elder Francis M. Lyman
It is important, my brethren and sisters, that the Elders who stand before a conference like this should receive the support of the faith and prayers of the Latter-day Saints, because it is a very great undertaking to represent the Lord and to speak in His name and by His authority, and the brethren feel their weakness in doing it. They do not stand here as men who are learned, men who are qualified to teach after the manner of the world; but they stand before the people to speak as they shall have utterance from the Lord. They have been remarkably blessed today, and their testimonies and exhortations have been edifying to those who have listened. They have spoken to us the truth, and the Lord has been with them, and I feel to testify to the truth of their remarks, as well as to the truth of the doctrines that we have received from the Lord through the Prophet Joseph Smith, to record that he translated by the gift and power of God (the Book of Mormon) and to the principles that have been laid down for the salvation of the human family. The Lord is on the side of the Latter-day Saints, and He will sustain them and preserve them. Our confidence today is not greater, though we are so much more numerous and widespread, than it was in the beginning of the work. The confidence and faith of the Prophet Joseph and his brethren in the commencement—when the Priesthood of Melchisedec was conferred, when the various quorums of the Priesthood were organized, when the Bishopric was established, when the Apostleship was conferred, and when the Twelve Apostles were chosen—was just as great as it is to-day. It is not because of numbers, but it is because of the testimony of Jesus. We know that the Lord has revealed to us the Gospel. He has made plain to us its truth, its power, its value. He has labored with His servants. He preserved them when they were few. When He had but one—Joseph Smith—He preserved him; and it was no more difficult to preserve the Prophet alone than it is today to preserve two hundred and fifty thousand Latter-day Saints. The work is not secure because of the great number of its devotees. It is secure because it is God’s work, not the work of man. It is the founder of the work who cares for it. He sustains His servants and His people. It has not been the wisdom of man, or the judgment, skill and understanding of man that has converted you. The Lord has done it. The Lord has given you faith. The Lord has given you baptism, by which you have received the remission of your sins. The good that you have done, the Lord has enabled you to do. The missions that you have performed and that which you have accomplished in these valleys, you have done by the aid of the Lord. The Lord has given fertility to the soil. The Lord has provided the earth. He has given to us the seasons, and the fruitfulness of the earth; and he has given to us the barrenness as well, and the drouth; and all the good things that we have around us the Lord has provided.
The Lord has made His servants one. The testimony of Brother Moses Thatcher is true. The Lord is with President Woodruff. The Lord is with his Counselors. The Lord is with the Apostles. He will sustain and preserve them, if they keep His commandments. If they transgress the laws of God, they will fall, one and all; but if they are faithful and devoted to God, they will be honored, loved and respected, as they are today. Israel loves the servants of the Lord. The Latter-day Saints know the voice of the true Shepherd. They hear the Apostles, they hear the Elders, and they are my witnesses that the Lord is with these Apostles; that He sustains them, that He speaks through them, and that He gives them judgment, and counsel, and wisdom, and faith, and He preserves them from sin. The Lord is doing this. He has made them one. Unlike the disciples of olden times, they are not seeking occasion against one another. But they magnify, and love, and respect, and are lifting one another up, and trying to come nearer to our Father who dwells in heaven. That is what these Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ are doing. They are not divided. They are one. And God is pleased with them and with their labors.
Now, this is the good word that we speak for ourselves; and the Lord speaketh through us, for it is true. Sustain the servants of the lord. Sustain the organization of the Church. Honor the Priesthood that you have received, and that labors among you; and thus honor God. For no man can honor our Father who disregards the Priesthood that he bears.
We live in important times. Anything very remarkable? Yes. The Saints are increasing rapidly. They are spreading abroad. They are increasing in faith, in union, and in a knowledge of the principles of eternal life. And the Lord has not wrought with us as a whole alone; He has wrought with us individually, as His servants, as His handmaidens. He has labored with us in our families. He has labored with us in our Wards, in our Stakes, in our quorums, in our associations. He has planted in the breasts of the Latter-day Saints individually, a knowledge of the truth. He has given to us His Spirit, and communication has been opened between us and the Lord. The Prophet Joseph has conversed with President Woodruff. Others have done the same. We have all talked with these brethren, and with other brethren. The revelations of the Lord have been with us. We have known the mind and will of the Lord, and the counsels of the Almighty are dwelling in the midst of the people. And we are expecting something in the near future. We expect the Saints to triumph over sin. We expect them to become more righteous, and sin and corruption to be less among them in the future than it has been in the past, and very much less than it is among other people. If this be not the case, then are we disappointed. During 1891 we ought, individually, to seek to come just as near to the Lord as we possibly can, by extra fidelity, humility, obedience, and keeping the laws of the Lord. We should remember our prayers more faithfully than we have ever done before. A great many in Zion pray before. A great many in Zion pray once a day. I learn, as I travel throughout the Church, that some of the brethren think once a day is enough to pray in their families. I want to advise you, if you would be prepared for what is to come in 1891, to pray twice a day, and remember the Lord at noon. We find in the Book of Mormon that the servant of the Lord urged the people in that day to pray morning, noon and night—three times a day. I say, let the Latter-day Saints offer their prayers in due season, and never neglect them. Remember the Lord, and His commandments in regard to your tithings. Pay them in their kind, and pay them fully. For a man who lacketh in his prayers, and in his tithing, and in his good conduct in his family, will not be prepared for that which is coming in 1891. It may not be anything that the world may be able to take notice of, or even all the Latter-day Saints; but what wonderful things have happened that the world knew nothing about at the time. I thought, when Elder Roberts was speaking this morning that he was going to refer not only to the organization of the Church in 1830, as a matter that did not disturb the neighborhood for a little while, nor the county, nor the State, but also to another important event that took place before then. What disturbance was made in the world when the Father and the Son came and visited the Prophet Joseph, and the Father said to him: “This is my beloved Son; hear Him?” How numerous were those who heard of that? No other person saw the light, or the Father and the Son; no other person could bear that testimony, until Joseph had spoken of it.
Now, to be prepared for the coming of the Savior in glory and in power, we find that a marvelous work is yet to be done. What is it? Why, the Gospel is to be preached. We are but a handful of people. We have only a few hundreds of Elders in the missionary field all the time—less than five hundred, probably. How long will it take five hundred men to preach the Gospel to the whole world, as a witness, before the end shall come? We are laboring and doing what we can, and the Lord will prompt His servants when more shall be done, and we will gain strength and power, until we are prepared to accomplish what the Lord designs should be accomplished. But it is important for us as Latter-day Saints to know individually that we stand in the favor of the Lord, and to know that our prayers are heard by the Lord and answered upon our heads. We ought to become so well acquainted with the Spirit of the Lord that we could not be deceived. We should understand it, and it should dwell with us. When we hear the words of counsel that come from those who have the right to give counsel to the Church, every Latter-day Saint ought to know it in a moment, and ought to recognize the voice and counsel of the Lord through His servants.
I feel to exhort all Israel—those gathered here and those not here—to be more faithful in the future. Cease backbiting, cease quarreling, cease your envyings and strife, and vanity, and folly, and intemperance, and every sin that doth so easily beset the people. Let all men, everywhere, repent. Let us all try to refrain from the follies of the past, and in the future of our lives let us be able to go before the Lord and say that we love one another. Oh! what a joyful time it will be when all Israel can say, We love one another. Can it be said in all the quorums as it can be said by the First Presidency and the Twelve and the First Seven Presidents of Seventies, that we love another, that we feel to bless, encourage and strengthen one another, and that unselfishly we bow before the Lord and ask upon our brethren the same blessings that we would that the Lord should bestow upon us? Do the sisters in Zion—that important part and body of the Church of Christ—feel that way toward each other? Are families living together in that close communion and fellowship, and dwelling together without jealousy, without heart-burnings, and without suspicion? If they are not, they have need to repent. The union, the love and the confidence of the brethren in these quorums that I have mentioned ought to permeate all parts of the Church. It ought to be with every President of a Stake, with every Bishop of a Ward, and with every quorum in the Church; and it ought to be in all the societies and associations that are organized in Zion. You know that the Lord has been with these leaders of Israel when they have traveled and labored in your midst. You know that His Spirit dwells with them today. The Apostles are not numerous. You do not see them very frequently; but when you do see them, and when you do hear them, you know that the Holy Ghost dwells in them. You know they are honest men. You know they are pure men. You know that they are men that refrain from corruption and sin, and that bridle their passions, and are laboring for the salvation of men. The tens of thousands in this Territory who are personally acquainted with these men are my witnesses in this respect. Now, this same faith and confidence ought to dwell in the hearts of the people. That which we find good with us we recommend to you. I say that the High Councils in Zion ought to dwell together in fidelity and faithfulness, and they ought to be as exemplary men in the Church as the Apostles can possibly be. The quorums of the Seventies, upon whose shoulders particularly rests the labor of preaching the Gospel to the world, ought to be honest and industrious, faithful and temperate, full of faith and power; they ought to be energetic, and labor as faithfully as the Apostles can do. If they are doing so, God is pleased with them; and if not, God is not pleased with them. The Apostles are no better than Seventies ought to be. And what I say in regard to Seventies, I say concerning High Priests and Elders. There is not a High Priest or an Elder in Zion but ought to be just as good as an Apostle or as the Presidency of the Church. They have not the same care and burden resting upon them; but God has placed the requirement upon them that they should be just as faithful as men can be. They must not be corrupt. They must not be wicked. They must not be lascivious. They must not be dishonest, nor untruthful. But they must square their lives according to the truths of the Gospel. In these quorums, men who stand representing God, or who are at the head of families, they should be the mouthpieces of the Lord to those quorums and to those families, and to every organizations over which they preside. The Lord requires this, and anything less than this does not give complete satisfaction to Him. He requires of us nothing that is impossible. But He does require of us all that is possible in our lives and actions, for the support of His Church and for the accomplishment of His purposes in the earth. We should be as a light set upon a hill. No Latter-day Saint ought to be required to hide his head and to be ashamed of his course. He ought to live above suspicion. If the world look upon us, they should be compelled to say, though they may consider us fanatical and deceived, that we are conscientious, and that we live according to our profession. If every Latter-day Saint were to be judged by the world, they should be compelled to say that we have been honest, truthful, virtuous, temperate and sober.
This is the work of the Lord. You are the servants of the Lord. You bear the Priesthood. The Lord has graciously given it to almost every man in the Church; and the Priesthood that you bear is just as sacred as that which we bear. Greater responsibility rests upon us because we have been called to these certain positions; but every man who has received one particle of the Priesthood, even that of a Deacon, is required of the Lord to keep His commandments perfectly and entirely, and he is not in full favor with the Lord until he does this as he is able.
I pray that God may bless you, my brethren and sisters, and that the testimonies which have been borne by the Elders of Israel, and the instruction that we shall yet receive during this Conference, shall find place in our hearts and that every word shall bring forth its fruit in our lives; that God shall be pleased to honor us as His servants and His Saints, and that He will be pleased to own us as His people, and save us from the destruction that the wicked seek to bring upon us. His arm is not shortened. He has established His work in the earth to remain, and it will remain. We who are here today may pass away; but others will arise in our place; for intelligences and chosen spirits that have been preserved for this time and labor, are following us and treading right upon our heels. I pray that we may do our work well, that the Lord will be pleased with us, and maintain and sustain us in the future as He has done in the past. Amen.
Elder John D. T. McAllister
addressed the conference briefly. He spoke of his pleasure in meeting with the Saints, their early experiences in the settlement of this part of the country, from the time he arrived here, 39 years ago. He also dwelt for some time upon the importance of performing Gospel work for the dead, and asked God to bless the people.
The choir sang a selected hymn Come Spirit come.
Benediction by President George Q. Cannon.
addressed the conference briefly. He spoke of his pleasure in meeting with the Saints, their early experiences in the settlement of this part of the country, from the time he arrived here, 39 years ago. He also dwelt for some time upon the importance of performing Gospel work for the dead, and asked God to bless the people.
The choir sang a selected hymn Come Spirit come.
Benediction by President George Q. Cannon.
Second Day. Sunday, Oct. 5th, 10 a. m.
The choir sang:
The morning breaks the shadows flee;
Lo! Zion’s standard is unfurled!
The dawning of a brighter day
Majestic rises on the world.
Prayer was offered by Elder Jos. E. Taylor.
Singing by the choir:
Sons of Michael, He approaches!
Rise! the Eternal Father greet;
Minister before His face;
Hail the Patriarch’s glad reign,
‘Stablished now o’er sea and main!
The choir sang:
The morning breaks the shadows flee;
Lo! Zion’s standard is unfurled!
The dawning of a brighter day
Majestic rises on the world.
Prayer was offered by Elder Jos. E. Taylor.
Singing by the choir:
Sons of Michael, He approaches!
Rise! the Eternal Father greet;
Minister before His face;
Hail the Patriarch’s glad reign,
‘Stablished now o’er sea and main!
President George Q. Cannon
was the speaker. After beseeching the faith and prayers of the large congregation attending conference for those who might be called upon to address them, he remarked that such an occasion as a general conference was full of interest to the officers and members of the Church, who naturally expected to receive counsel and instructions concerning their duties, and information of the progress of the work in which the Latter-day Saints were engaged.
We were living in peculiar times. The work of God was being assailed in various directions. However, this was no new thing. It had been the lot of the Saints from the beginning to contend with difficulties and overcome obstacles. They had to pass through scenes which had tested their faith, integrity, and fidelity. The Elders, who had been faithful in preaching the Gospel, had not neglected to tell the people whom they baptized the character of the difficulties which they would have to encounter when they espoused the cause of God. They were warned to expect the same fate which attended the ancient disciples of Jesus Christ, how their names would be cast out as evil.
The Elders had no desire to draw people into the Church merely for the sake of increasing its numbers, but were filled with the hope every time they baptized a soul, that he or she would be faithful all the rest of their life. Others might be content with a certain degree of happiness, a glory with a certain amount of salvation; but there were no people upon the face of this earth—and he doubted whether there ever had been since the creation—who possessed higher conceptions and loftier views regarding their future than the Latter-day Saints. That which would satisfy ordinary persons would not, with the views they entertained, satisfy the Saints. Others might court ease and seek for worldly profit; but not so with this people; they could not turn aside from the path which God had marked out for them in order to promote any worldly end or to gratify any worldly ambition. The promises of God to His faithful people were illimitable, as boundless as eternity itself. They were made to every one who entered into a covenant with the Lord in the way that He Himself had pointed out. Should they therefore not bear patiently with meekness and humility all the trials and difficulties which beset them? He thought he could answer yes for the Latter-day Saints.
There was a living testimony of the truth in the hearts of this people, and it was this which constituted the great strength of their work. But for this they would be a very weak people, and could be easily broken up; for it was not the President of the Church or his Counselors, the first Presidency; it was not the Twelve Apostles, Presidents of Stakes, nor any other body in the Church upon whom the people depended or unto whom they looked solely for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. The Saints could go to God themselves, if they had doubts upon any question or point—pray to Him in their secret places and ask Him to reveal to them whether or not what was taught unto them was in accordance with His mind and will.
Many things in this Church had come in contact with the traditions and preconceived ideas of men. There were many things today which perhaps conflicted with the previous views of the Latter-day Saints. There was scarcely a thinking man or woman in the Church of Christ who had not indulged in reflections concerning the future of this work, and some of those views had been rudely upset by subsequent events. God was the author of this work and He would conduct it to suit His purposes, and not those of man.
Let them think of how many doctrines had been taught that were new to the world which God had revealed in our day. How would they understand these unless the Spirit of God bore testimony to them? Who on earth believed them? They were not sanctioned by tradition, they were not upheld by the common belief of men. They were new to this generation, and yet, though they shook the prejudices of mankind and perhaps startled the Latter-day Saints, when they sought of God for a testimony concerning them, He never failed to give unto them His Holy Spirit which gave the assurance that they were of God and not of man. And so it will be to the end. The Presidency of this Church have to walk just as the Saints walk; they have to depend upon the revelations of God as they come to them. They had their faith tested as the Saints have and so with the Twelve Apostles. All that they could do was to seek the mind and will of God.
If there were any who had joined the Church with the expectation of enjoying ease and worldly profit, they were laboring under a wrong impression; yet he did not believe that there was another people on the face of the earth so blessed as the Latter-day Saints, notwithstanding their trials and persecutions. he believed—and he did not say this with any disposition to exaggerate—that a happier and more prosperous people did not exist. Look at the results of the lives of those who have been faithful as compared with those who have left the Church and been unable to endure. He was sure that those who did so would be perfectly satisfied with the course they had followed. God did not forget the sacrifices of this people. When he thought of the hundreds who had gone to prison willingly to show to the world that they were conscientious, true and faithful men and not cowards, covenant breakers and recreants, he felt thankful to God that he lived among such a people. However much the world might think the Latter-day Saints had been mistaken in their views, the time would come when their conduct during the last five years would stand out as the brightest page in the history of humanity, in modern times at least. He believed that this people were capable of undergoing any sacrifices that they may be called upon to make. They could bow with submission when it was necessary and right as easily as they could stand erect and resist that which they esteemed to be wrong. They would yet show mankind more abundantly that the Latter-day Saints were a people of truth and uprightness, who were loyal to God, to the country of which they were citizens or ought to be citizens, to the institutions which He had permitted in His providence to be established; loyal in all the relations of life; strong in their fidelity, and, above all things, pure and virtuous.
He would lose all hope for humanity but for the Latter-day Saints. It filled him with horror when he saw the course which men and women were taking outside of this Church and witnessed the fate which was coming upon the people of this and other nations, and felt thankful to our Heavenly Father that He had established a Church whose standard of purity was unequalled, and in which all impurity was denounced and dealt with. Virtue among the people was of a low standard outside of this Church. The Latter-day Saint who indulged in sexual sin would be damned if he did not repent. There was no greater cause of apostacy and there never had been in this Church than the want of virtue. God would have a virtuous people, for His Spirit would not dwell in unholy tabernacles. They must be pure not only in deed but in thought, in order to retain the Spirit of God.
The Elders, when they went abroad, wondered why the people did not gather as numerously as was the case formerly from the various nations of the earth. It was due to the abominable wickedness which prevailed. Luxury was indulged in to such an extent that young men found themselves unable to marry, and, consequently, some of the oldest blood in America was disappearing. Those who practiced unblushingly one of the besetting sins of the age, foeticide, would stand before the bar of God as murderers and murderesses and would be damned. Hear it, all ye Latter-day Saints! This was the curse which was coming upon our race today in portions of this country. In the Southern States it did not prevail to so great an extend as in the north, but it would creep in there after a time if care be not taken. The speaker regretted to learn that that sin had made its appearance, somewhat among the Latter-day Saints. The curse of God would rest upon those guilty of such abominations.
God had chosen the Saints to institute a new condition of things on earth, to arrest the tide of evil. He had selected men and women who had the courage to carry out what he told them and they tried to do it. But the nation interposed and said stop, and they would bow in submission, leaving the consequences with God. They would do the best they could; but when their actions came in conflict with the constituted authorities, and the highest tribunal in the land cried “stop,” there was no other course for the Latter-day Saints to pursue, than to be in accordance with the revelations which God had given to them, telling them to respect constituted authority and yield submissively thereto. Nevertheless they could stand as a living protest against the evils of the age, cry out against them and by their lives proclaim that they were determined with the help of God to effect a change in affairs and redeem the world from its wickedness as far as possible.
Brother Cannon rejoiced that God in His providence had permitted the Saints to remain in the land to which He had led them, and trusted that He would give them courage and patience to bear all trials uncomplainingly. Those who fought against this cause might be prominent for a time, but when they ceased to occupy the positions which they filled and which gave their voices some importance, they would drop out of sight as hundreds before them have done in this land. Let not the Saints disturb themselves about the utterances of those men who inflated themselves with the idea for a time that they are important personages and were going to do some great things against them. We have seen many of those creatures pass away and sink into oblivion.
President Cannon then took up another theme, on which he spoke as follows:
Before I sit down there is one subject that I have felt I wanted to speak about. I think it of some importance to us as Latter-day Saints. It was referred to yesterday by two or three of the brethren. It is in relation to the events of 1891, and connection with the coming of the Lord. It was intimated by Brother Roberts that some people thought that such an event might perhaps happen, and he was anxious that the Saints should not be disappointed if nothing did occur during that year that would fulfill expectation, because a great many anticipations have been indulged in connected with that year, and I believe there has been altogether too much agitation upon this subject. I have seen a great many times in our history when sanguine men have attached a great deal of importance to certain dates. I remember when 1888 was coming in, I heard on all sides that there was something remarkable connected with that year. I fully endorse what Elder Thatcher said yesterday upon this point—that 1890 has been as important a year as we have ever witnessed. And I believe it will be so with every year. I do not think it is wise for us to fix our minds too much upon any year as bringing to pass some very wonderful things. Perhaps it will be so. I do not question that; for every year comes to us freighted with great and wonderful changes. It is not one year alone; but all the years between us and the coming of our Lord will be big with events. They will be crowded with stupendous occurrences. God has thus spoken. Judgments will be poured out upon the inhabitants of the earth, and will increase until the Lord Himself shall come.
I took occasion to have the sermon that Brother Joseph preached hunted up, and I will read a little from it to show you what he said upon this very subject, and to show you also that we need not expect that 1891 will bring any such thing as the coming of the Lord. It was said yesterday that no man knoweth the day nor the hour. This is true. But I will tell you what men can know. They can know that such and such a time is not the time. Men can prophesy that 1891 is not the year. Although they cannot tell you the day nor the hour, they can tell you that He will not come this year or next year, according to the words of God already given. There are several revelations which speak plainly upon this point, allusion to which was made yesterday by the brethren who spoke. There are a great many events to take place that have not yet occurred; and the Savior will not come until they do take place. Be assured of this, and be not concerned in your minds and agitated on these matters, because it is easy to understand that there are many things yet to be fulfilled before that grand and glorious event will come. Yet, as He has told us, He will come as a thief in the night. He will come when the inhabitants of the earth are unprepared for him.
Joseph said:
“I was once praying earnestly upon this subject [that is, concerning the coming of the Son of man] and a voice said unto me, ‘My son, if thou livest until thou are 85 years of age, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man.’”
This was what the voice said to Joseph:
“If thou livest until thou are 85 years of age, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man.”
He continues:
“I was left to draw my own conclusions concerning this, and I took the liberty of concluding that if I did live to that time He would make His appearance. But I do not say whether He will make His appearance, or I shall go where He is. I prophesy in the name of the Lord God, and let it be written, the Son of Man will not come in the clouds of heaven till I am 85 years old.”
Now, at the time Joseph made this prophecy, Miller, of the Millerites, was making predictions about the coming of the Son of Man—about the years 1842-3,4. In these years, as you who have been kept informed will doubtless know, there was great excitement throughout the United States about the coming of the Son of Man, and Joseph prophesied that He would not come for the next forty years.
He goes on and says:
“The coming of the Son of Man never will be, never can be, till the judgments spoken of for this hour are poured out, which judgments are commenced. It is not the design of the Almighty to come upon the earth and crush it and grind it to powder; but He will reveal it to His servants, the Prophets. Judah must return. Jerusalem must be rebuilt, and the Temple, and the waters of the Dead Sea be healed. It will take some time to build the walls of the city and temple, etc., and all this must be done before the Son of Man will make His appearance. There will be wars and rumor of wars, signs in the heavens above and on the earth beneath, and the sun turned into darkness, and the moon to blood; earthquakes in divers places, the seas heaving themselves beyond their bounds. Then will appear the grand sign of the Son of Man in heaven. But what will the world say? They will say it is a planet, a comet, etc. But the Son of Man will come at the sign of the coming of the Son of Man, which will be as the light of the morning coming out of the east.”
Now, the Prophet explains this in connection with his statement as to what the voice had said to him. He did not assert that Jesus would come in the clouds of heaven even if he lived to be eighty-five; but he was told that he should see Him, and he qualified it, so that there need be no misapprehension upon this subject.
I might read to you many revelations in this Book of Doctrine and Covenants (having the book in his hand) upon this same subject, in which the Lord plainly says that certain things shall take place. Allusion was made yesterday to some of them.
“And again, verily I say unto you, that the Son of Man cometh not in the form of a woman, neither a man traveling on the earth. Wherefore be not deceived, but continue in steadfastness, looking forth for the heavens to be shaken and the earth to tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man, and for the valleys to be exalted, and for the mountains to be made low, and for the rough places to become smooth; and all this when the angel shall sound his trumpet. But before the great day of the Lord shall come, Jacob shall flourish in the wilderness, and the Lamanites shall blossom as the rose; Zion shall flourish upon the hills and rejoice upon the mountains, and shall be assembled unto the place which I have appointed.
These are the words of God concerning the coming of the Son of Man. These revelations give unto us with great clearness the signs that shall precede His coming. Therefore, do not let us get ourselves unsettled in our minds. I feel it important that this Conference should not separate without having it clearly stated to them that you need not look for the coming of the Son of Man either this year or next. Though we cannot prophesy some things concerning His coming, that is, that will take place before His coming. God has not left us in doubt upon these points. If you have time, read the 29th section of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and the 45th section, and the 88th section. Therefore, Latter-day Saints, go ahead and perform your duties carefully, consistently, and with a determination to do that which God requires at your hands. Do not look for some great cataclysm to occur, which will show all the world that this is the Kingdom of God. That has been one of our great thoughts. Perhaps such a things will occur; but I will tell you what I have observed during my life that God works in natural ways. His purposes come around seemingly perfectly natural—so natural that the world cannot see the hand of God in them. It requires faith and the Spirit of God to show these things.
I remember my thoughts and ideas when in my boyhood. Being familiar with the revelation which God had given concerning the Civil War, I thought to myself, now when that occurs, this nation will be convinced that Joseph is a prophet, because the revelation was so plain. It stated where the war should commence and other particulars concerning it, and at the time the whole nation was congratulating itself upon its peace, and the probability of war was entertained by no one. The idea that there would be a war was rediculed. How wonderfully that revelation was fulfilled! But how many persons have been converted by the strict fulfillment of that prophecy? I do not know of one. My conclusion is that God works in this way among the children of men, and they will continue to harden their hearts against all the evidences of the divinity of this work, notwithstanding the continued fulfilment of the prophecies of the Elders of this Church.
was the speaker. After beseeching the faith and prayers of the large congregation attending conference for those who might be called upon to address them, he remarked that such an occasion as a general conference was full of interest to the officers and members of the Church, who naturally expected to receive counsel and instructions concerning their duties, and information of the progress of the work in which the Latter-day Saints were engaged.
We were living in peculiar times. The work of God was being assailed in various directions. However, this was no new thing. It had been the lot of the Saints from the beginning to contend with difficulties and overcome obstacles. They had to pass through scenes which had tested their faith, integrity, and fidelity. The Elders, who had been faithful in preaching the Gospel, had not neglected to tell the people whom they baptized the character of the difficulties which they would have to encounter when they espoused the cause of God. They were warned to expect the same fate which attended the ancient disciples of Jesus Christ, how their names would be cast out as evil.
The Elders had no desire to draw people into the Church merely for the sake of increasing its numbers, but were filled with the hope every time they baptized a soul, that he or she would be faithful all the rest of their life. Others might be content with a certain degree of happiness, a glory with a certain amount of salvation; but there were no people upon the face of this earth—and he doubted whether there ever had been since the creation—who possessed higher conceptions and loftier views regarding their future than the Latter-day Saints. That which would satisfy ordinary persons would not, with the views they entertained, satisfy the Saints. Others might court ease and seek for worldly profit; but not so with this people; they could not turn aside from the path which God had marked out for them in order to promote any worldly end or to gratify any worldly ambition. The promises of God to His faithful people were illimitable, as boundless as eternity itself. They were made to every one who entered into a covenant with the Lord in the way that He Himself had pointed out. Should they therefore not bear patiently with meekness and humility all the trials and difficulties which beset them? He thought he could answer yes for the Latter-day Saints.
There was a living testimony of the truth in the hearts of this people, and it was this which constituted the great strength of their work. But for this they would be a very weak people, and could be easily broken up; for it was not the President of the Church or his Counselors, the first Presidency; it was not the Twelve Apostles, Presidents of Stakes, nor any other body in the Church upon whom the people depended or unto whom they looked solely for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. The Saints could go to God themselves, if they had doubts upon any question or point—pray to Him in their secret places and ask Him to reveal to them whether or not what was taught unto them was in accordance with His mind and will.
Many things in this Church had come in contact with the traditions and preconceived ideas of men. There were many things today which perhaps conflicted with the previous views of the Latter-day Saints. There was scarcely a thinking man or woman in the Church of Christ who had not indulged in reflections concerning the future of this work, and some of those views had been rudely upset by subsequent events. God was the author of this work and He would conduct it to suit His purposes, and not those of man.
Let them think of how many doctrines had been taught that were new to the world which God had revealed in our day. How would they understand these unless the Spirit of God bore testimony to them? Who on earth believed them? They were not sanctioned by tradition, they were not upheld by the common belief of men. They were new to this generation, and yet, though they shook the prejudices of mankind and perhaps startled the Latter-day Saints, when they sought of God for a testimony concerning them, He never failed to give unto them His Holy Spirit which gave the assurance that they were of God and not of man. And so it will be to the end. The Presidency of this Church have to walk just as the Saints walk; they have to depend upon the revelations of God as they come to them. They had their faith tested as the Saints have and so with the Twelve Apostles. All that they could do was to seek the mind and will of God.
If there were any who had joined the Church with the expectation of enjoying ease and worldly profit, they were laboring under a wrong impression; yet he did not believe that there was another people on the face of the earth so blessed as the Latter-day Saints, notwithstanding their trials and persecutions. he believed—and he did not say this with any disposition to exaggerate—that a happier and more prosperous people did not exist. Look at the results of the lives of those who have been faithful as compared with those who have left the Church and been unable to endure. He was sure that those who did so would be perfectly satisfied with the course they had followed. God did not forget the sacrifices of this people. When he thought of the hundreds who had gone to prison willingly to show to the world that they were conscientious, true and faithful men and not cowards, covenant breakers and recreants, he felt thankful to God that he lived among such a people. However much the world might think the Latter-day Saints had been mistaken in their views, the time would come when their conduct during the last five years would stand out as the brightest page in the history of humanity, in modern times at least. He believed that this people were capable of undergoing any sacrifices that they may be called upon to make. They could bow with submission when it was necessary and right as easily as they could stand erect and resist that which they esteemed to be wrong. They would yet show mankind more abundantly that the Latter-day Saints were a people of truth and uprightness, who were loyal to God, to the country of which they were citizens or ought to be citizens, to the institutions which He had permitted in His providence to be established; loyal in all the relations of life; strong in their fidelity, and, above all things, pure and virtuous.
He would lose all hope for humanity but for the Latter-day Saints. It filled him with horror when he saw the course which men and women were taking outside of this Church and witnessed the fate which was coming upon the people of this and other nations, and felt thankful to our Heavenly Father that He had established a Church whose standard of purity was unequalled, and in which all impurity was denounced and dealt with. Virtue among the people was of a low standard outside of this Church. The Latter-day Saint who indulged in sexual sin would be damned if he did not repent. There was no greater cause of apostacy and there never had been in this Church than the want of virtue. God would have a virtuous people, for His Spirit would not dwell in unholy tabernacles. They must be pure not only in deed but in thought, in order to retain the Spirit of God.
The Elders, when they went abroad, wondered why the people did not gather as numerously as was the case formerly from the various nations of the earth. It was due to the abominable wickedness which prevailed. Luxury was indulged in to such an extent that young men found themselves unable to marry, and, consequently, some of the oldest blood in America was disappearing. Those who practiced unblushingly one of the besetting sins of the age, foeticide, would stand before the bar of God as murderers and murderesses and would be damned. Hear it, all ye Latter-day Saints! This was the curse which was coming upon our race today in portions of this country. In the Southern States it did not prevail to so great an extend as in the north, but it would creep in there after a time if care be not taken. The speaker regretted to learn that that sin had made its appearance, somewhat among the Latter-day Saints. The curse of God would rest upon those guilty of such abominations.
God had chosen the Saints to institute a new condition of things on earth, to arrest the tide of evil. He had selected men and women who had the courage to carry out what he told them and they tried to do it. But the nation interposed and said stop, and they would bow in submission, leaving the consequences with God. They would do the best they could; but when their actions came in conflict with the constituted authorities, and the highest tribunal in the land cried “stop,” there was no other course for the Latter-day Saints to pursue, than to be in accordance with the revelations which God had given to them, telling them to respect constituted authority and yield submissively thereto. Nevertheless they could stand as a living protest against the evils of the age, cry out against them and by their lives proclaim that they were determined with the help of God to effect a change in affairs and redeem the world from its wickedness as far as possible.
Brother Cannon rejoiced that God in His providence had permitted the Saints to remain in the land to which He had led them, and trusted that He would give them courage and patience to bear all trials uncomplainingly. Those who fought against this cause might be prominent for a time, but when they ceased to occupy the positions which they filled and which gave their voices some importance, they would drop out of sight as hundreds before them have done in this land. Let not the Saints disturb themselves about the utterances of those men who inflated themselves with the idea for a time that they are important personages and were going to do some great things against them. We have seen many of those creatures pass away and sink into oblivion.
President Cannon then took up another theme, on which he spoke as follows:
Before I sit down there is one subject that I have felt I wanted to speak about. I think it of some importance to us as Latter-day Saints. It was referred to yesterday by two or three of the brethren. It is in relation to the events of 1891, and connection with the coming of the Lord. It was intimated by Brother Roberts that some people thought that such an event might perhaps happen, and he was anxious that the Saints should not be disappointed if nothing did occur during that year that would fulfill expectation, because a great many anticipations have been indulged in connected with that year, and I believe there has been altogether too much agitation upon this subject. I have seen a great many times in our history when sanguine men have attached a great deal of importance to certain dates. I remember when 1888 was coming in, I heard on all sides that there was something remarkable connected with that year. I fully endorse what Elder Thatcher said yesterday upon this point—that 1890 has been as important a year as we have ever witnessed. And I believe it will be so with every year. I do not think it is wise for us to fix our minds too much upon any year as bringing to pass some very wonderful things. Perhaps it will be so. I do not question that; for every year comes to us freighted with great and wonderful changes. It is not one year alone; but all the years between us and the coming of our Lord will be big with events. They will be crowded with stupendous occurrences. God has thus spoken. Judgments will be poured out upon the inhabitants of the earth, and will increase until the Lord Himself shall come.
I took occasion to have the sermon that Brother Joseph preached hunted up, and I will read a little from it to show you what he said upon this very subject, and to show you also that we need not expect that 1891 will bring any such thing as the coming of the Lord. It was said yesterday that no man knoweth the day nor the hour. This is true. But I will tell you what men can know. They can know that such and such a time is not the time. Men can prophesy that 1891 is not the year. Although they cannot tell you the day nor the hour, they can tell you that He will not come this year or next year, according to the words of God already given. There are several revelations which speak plainly upon this point, allusion to which was made yesterday by the brethren who spoke. There are a great many events to take place that have not yet occurred; and the Savior will not come until they do take place. Be assured of this, and be not concerned in your minds and agitated on these matters, because it is easy to understand that there are many things yet to be fulfilled before that grand and glorious event will come. Yet, as He has told us, He will come as a thief in the night. He will come when the inhabitants of the earth are unprepared for him.
Joseph said:
“I was once praying earnestly upon this subject [that is, concerning the coming of the Son of man] and a voice said unto me, ‘My son, if thou livest until thou are 85 years of age, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man.’”
This was what the voice said to Joseph:
“If thou livest until thou are 85 years of age, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man.”
He continues:
“I was left to draw my own conclusions concerning this, and I took the liberty of concluding that if I did live to that time He would make His appearance. But I do not say whether He will make His appearance, or I shall go where He is. I prophesy in the name of the Lord God, and let it be written, the Son of Man will not come in the clouds of heaven till I am 85 years old.”
Now, at the time Joseph made this prophecy, Miller, of the Millerites, was making predictions about the coming of the Son of Man—about the years 1842-3,4. In these years, as you who have been kept informed will doubtless know, there was great excitement throughout the United States about the coming of the Son of Man, and Joseph prophesied that He would not come for the next forty years.
He goes on and says:
“The coming of the Son of Man never will be, never can be, till the judgments spoken of for this hour are poured out, which judgments are commenced. It is not the design of the Almighty to come upon the earth and crush it and grind it to powder; but He will reveal it to His servants, the Prophets. Judah must return. Jerusalem must be rebuilt, and the Temple, and the waters of the Dead Sea be healed. It will take some time to build the walls of the city and temple, etc., and all this must be done before the Son of Man will make His appearance. There will be wars and rumor of wars, signs in the heavens above and on the earth beneath, and the sun turned into darkness, and the moon to blood; earthquakes in divers places, the seas heaving themselves beyond their bounds. Then will appear the grand sign of the Son of Man in heaven. But what will the world say? They will say it is a planet, a comet, etc. But the Son of Man will come at the sign of the coming of the Son of Man, which will be as the light of the morning coming out of the east.”
Now, the Prophet explains this in connection with his statement as to what the voice had said to him. He did not assert that Jesus would come in the clouds of heaven even if he lived to be eighty-five; but he was told that he should see Him, and he qualified it, so that there need be no misapprehension upon this subject.
I might read to you many revelations in this Book of Doctrine and Covenants (having the book in his hand) upon this same subject, in which the Lord plainly says that certain things shall take place. Allusion was made yesterday to some of them.
“And again, verily I say unto you, that the Son of Man cometh not in the form of a woman, neither a man traveling on the earth. Wherefore be not deceived, but continue in steadfastness, looking forth for the heavens to be shaken and the earth to tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man, and for the valleys to be exalted, and for the mountains to be made low, and for the rough places to become smooth; and all this when the angel shall sound his trumpet. But before the great day of the Lord shall come, Jacob shall flourish in the wilderness, and the Lamanites shall blossom as the rose; Zion shall flourish upon the hills and rejoice upon the mountains, and shall be assembled unto the place which I have appointed.
These are the words of God concerning the coming of the Son of Man. These revelations give unto us with great clearness the signs that shall precede His coming. Therefore, do not let us get ourselves unsettled in our minds. I feel it important that this Conference should not separate without having it clearly stated to them that you need not look for the coming of the Son of Man either this year or next. Though we cannot prophesy some things concerning His coming, that is, that will take place before His coming. God has not left us in doubt upon these points. If you have time, read the 29th section of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and the 45th section, and the 88th section. Therefore, Latter-day Saints, go ahead and perform your duties carefully, consistently, and with a determination to do that which God requires at your hands. Do not look for some great cataclysm to occur, which will show all the world that this is the Kingdom of God. That has been one of our great thoughts. Perhaps such a things will occur; but I will tell you what I have observed during my life that God works in natural ways. His purposes come around seemingly perfectly natural—so natural that the world cannot see the hand of God in them. It requires faith and the Spirit of God to show these things.
I remember my thoughts and ideas when in my boyhood. Being familiar with the revelation which God had given concerning the Civil War, I thought to myself, now when that occurs, this nation will be convinced that Joseph is a prophet, because the revelation was so plain. It stated where the war should commence and other particulars concerning it, and at the time the whole nation was congratulating itself upon its peace, and the probability of war was entertained by no one. The idea that there would be a war was rediculed. How wonderfully that revelation was fulfilled! But how many persons have been converted by the strict fulfillment of that prophecy? I do not know of one. My conclusion is that God works in this way among the children of men, and they will continue to harden their hearts against all the evidences of the divinity of this work, notwithstanding the continued fulfilment of the prophecies of the Elders of this Church.
Discourse
by President George Q. Cannon
I trust that all who arise here to speak to this large congregations will have the faith and the prayers of those who are assembled; for it is awe-inspiring to see such a vast body of people listening to the words that are spoken; and I would not attempt to speak unless I was sure that I would be assisted by the Spirit of God.
These gatherings of ours in General Conference are filled with interest to the officers and members of the Church, who naturally expect to receive counsel and instruction concerning their duties, and to obtain information respecting the progress of the work. We come together and we receive renewed strength by meeting our friends and our brethren and being inspired with the hopes that the Spirit of God gives. On these accounts these conferences are looked forward to with great interest by all the people, and I am sure that this conference is as full of interest as any that has preceded it, in many respects.
We are living in peculiar times. The work of God is being assailed in various directions. This, however, is not a new thing. It has been our lot from the beginning to have difficulties to contend with, to have obstacles to overcome, and to have scenes to pass through which have tested the faith, the integrity and the fidelity of the Latter-day Saints. The Elders, in preaching the Gospel, have not neglected to tell the people unto whom they preached, and whom they baptized, the character of the difficulties that they would have to meet when they espoused the work of God. They warned them that they might expect the fate of the ancient disciples of Jesus Christ. They quoted to them the scriptures, which told them how they would be opposed, how their names would be cast out as evil, and that men would think they were doing God’s service in killing them; that if they embraced the Gospel they should be prepared to encounter all these things, and perhaps it might be necessary, in the providence of God, for them to lay down their lives for the truth. I do not think there is a faithful Elder that has ever gone forth to preach the Gospel who has not told this to those who manifested an interest in the truth and a desire to espouse it. Many of them knew by experience how much the people would have to contend with, and they felt it to be their duty to prepare them for these things, so that their baptisms, their confirmations and their entrance into the Church would not be useless. The Elders have not desired to draw people into the Church for the sake of numbers; but every time they have baptized a soul they have hoped that he or she would be faithful while life should last; and they wanted all persons, in entering into the Church, to enter into it understandingly, and with as full a realization of all that they would have to meet with as it would be possible for persons in their condition to comprehend. Those warnings have not been in vain. They have not been unnecessary. For notwithstanding the years that have passed since the organization of the Church the trials of the faith of the people have not lessened. There are as many causes to test their faith today as there ever were; not exactly in the same form, perhaps, as those which the Saints had to meet in earlier days; but still they have been of a sufficiently trying character to test the faith of the people. The words of God will be fulfilled concerning us that everything that can be shaken will be shaken. We shall have to pass through the furnace of affliction and be tried as gold that is seven times purified, until all the dross of our natures is cleansed, and nothing but pure gold remains. Why should it not be so? Other people may be content with a certain degree of happiness and glory, and with a certain amount of salvation. But there is no people upon the face of the earth who have higher conceptions and loftier views concerning their future than the Latter-day Saints entertain; in fact, our conceptions and our anticipations are incomparably greater than those of any other people who now live, of whom we know anything. That which would satisfy ordinary people would not, with our views, satisfy us. Indeed, our aspirations, to the ordinary mind, seem almost to be sacrilegious. Our views of the equality of man, our belief concerning his relationship to Deity and respecting our future, are so immeasurably beyond the views of mankind generally that when they attempt to follow us they become lost, they cannot conceive of that which we picture to ourselves, and that which the revelations of God sustain us in entertaining and believing. Therefore, it is quite proper and consistent, having such anticipations as we indulge in, that we should have all these things to contend with that are necessary to test us and to prove us to the very uttermost. We would not possess the qualifications necessary for the career of glory that we have entered upon, if we were not tried to the very uttermost, if our integrity were not completely proved, or if there was anything left in us like doubt or unbelief or a want of courage to meet with and overcome all the persecutions that could be brought to bear upon us. Other men may court ease; other men may seek for worldly profit; other men may constantly be looking out for self-interest. But not so with us. We cannot turn aside from the path that God has marked out for us to pursue, to promote any worldly interest or to gratify any worldly ambition. We must pursue that path undeviatingly, following the example of our Lord and Master. He has pointed out the path that we should walk in; and in asking us to tread in His footsteps, to do as He did, He has given unto us the same promises that He Himself has received. He has promised us that we shall be co-heirs with Him, and joint heirs in whatever glory He receives. Whatever exaltation He attains unto we shall in like manner receive, if we follow His precepts and His example. Can any people on the earth desire more than this? Is there anything that is left out? It comprehends all; it embraces all glory, all exaltation, all power, all dominion. The promises are illimitable—as boundless as eternity itself. And these are made to you who are here today. They are made to everyone who has entered into covenant with the Lord in the way that He has appointed. Shall we not then hear patiently all that we have to contend with? Shall we grow tired and weary, and after going so far, give up and say we cannot proceed any farther? Or shall we, by putting our trust in God and relying upon Him who has always been at our right hand and at our left, pursue uncomplainingly the path that our Savior has trod, bearing with meekness, with humility and with patience and all the trials, the persecutions and the evils that we have to meet? I think I can answer for this congregation this morning. We do not walk in the dark. We do not rely upon that which men tell us. I thank God this morning, as I do all the time, that He has not left His servants without a witness. All who have joined this church and been sincere in their espousal of the truth have a living testimony in their hearts concerning all that the Elders say to them and all the counsel that is given. It is this that constitutes the great strength of the work of God. Every faithful member of the Church is a witness to the truth of the work. If it were not for this, we should be a very weak people and could easily be broken up. It is not the President of the Church, or his Counselors; it is not the Twelve Apostles; it is not the Presidents of Stakes, nor any other officer in the Church, upon whom the people depend, or unto whom they look solely for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. They have the privilege given unto them by the Lord to know for themselves concerning all these matters; and there is no counsel given by the Presidency of the Church, no step taken, nor no policy pursued that they have to depend upon their personal influence to have the people believe, because the people can go to God themselves, if they have doubts upon any point, and call upon Him, in the name of Jesus, to reveal to them whether that which is done or taught is from Him or not. They need not be in doubt. They need not run around asking questions about matters which may appear mysterious to them; but they can go to the Lord in their secret places, and He will remove their doubts and answer their questions, and He will throw light upon their minds respecting the matters about which they may be disturbed.
There have been many things in this Church which have come in contact with the traditions and the pre-conceived ideas of men. There are many things today which, perhaps, come in contact with views which we have entertained. There is scarcely any thinking man or woman in the Church who has not indulged in views and ideas concerning the future of this work—the manner in which it would go forth, etc., and some of these views have been rudely opposed by events. We have been shown that God’s ways are not our ways, and that our thoughts are not God’s thoughts. We have been made to see that He is the author of this work, and that He will conduct it to suit His purposes, and not the purposes of man. I have no doubt that all of us who have had any experience in the Church have seen this. We have seen many of our anticipations disappointed in the manner in which the work has gone forth. It has required the Spirit of God poured out upon us to reconcile us to many things, perhaps, that have been taught and done in this Church from the beginning. But this is our refute, this is our tower of strength, that we can go unto the Lord, without the mediumship or intercession of man, and in secret we can ask Him for, and obtain from Him, the light, the intelligence and the knowledge necessary to enable us to pursue our course as Latter-day Saints. Think of how many doctrines have been taught that have been new to the world, but that God has revealed in our day! How could we understand them unless the Spirit of God bore testimony to them? Who on earth believed them? They were not sanctioned by tradition. They were not upheld by the common belief of man. They were new to this generation. Yet, though they shocked the prejudices of mankind, and perhaps startled us as Latter-day Saints, when we sought God for a testimony concerning them, He never failed to give unto us His Holy Spirit, which witnessed unto our spirits that they were from God, and not of man. So it will be to the end. The Presidency of the Church have to walk just as you walk. They have to take steps just as you take steps. They have to depend upon the revelations of God as they come to them. They cannot see the end from the beginning, as the Lord does. They have their faith tested as you have your faith tested. So with the Twelve Apostles. All that we can do is to seek the mind and will of God, and when that comes to us, though it may come in contact with every feeling that we have previously entertained, we have no option but to take the step that God points out, and to trust to Him, as we were often told by President Young, for the results. That is the way this Church is led. There is no being, save the Lord himself, who knows the end from the beginning. Who of us would be tested if we were in that condition? It is just as necessary that the Presidency and the Apostles should be tried as it is that you should be tried. It is as necessary that our faith should be called into exercise as that your faith should be called into exercise. We can see a certain distance in the light of the Spirit of God as it reveals to us His mind and His will, and we can take these steps with perfect security, knowing that they are the right steps to be taken. But as to what the result will be, that is for the God of Israel to control. That is the way in which the Church of God has always been led, and it will always be led in that way until He comes who is our King, our Lawgiver and our President, even Jesus Christ.
It is your privilege, my brethren and sisters, in all these matters, to know also whether the steps that you take are acceptable unto God; and when you receive this testimony you will know for yourselves; you will know it all over. Though your mortal eyes and your mortal ears may neither have seen nor heard, you will know it by the testimony that comes from God. The convincing power of the Spirit of God is greater than the evidence of the outer senses.
God is with His people, and He will continue to be with them; and if we will do that which He tells us, He will never desert us, nor turn His face from us; He will never close His ears to our cries, but He will be quick to hear our supplications and to respond to them in blessings upon us.
If there are any who have joined this Church with the expectation of having ease, worldly profit and advantage from their espousal of the Gospel, probably they will learn, if they have not already, that this is a wrong motive, and that they have been mistaken in their ideas. Yet I want to say to the Latter-day Saints that I do not believe there is another people upon the face of the earth who are blessed as we are, notwithstanding our trials. I believe—and I do not say this with any disposition to exaggerate—that a happier or a more prosperous people does not live upon the earth than the Latter-day Saints. For God has blessed us in the midst of our trials and has given us prosperity. You look at those who have been faithful and compare the results of their lives with the results of the lives of those who have left the Church, and I am sure that in making the comparison you will be perfectly satisfied that the course of the former class has been the most profitable in every sense of the word. So it will be to the end, notwithstanding our afflictions, our imprisonments, and everything of this character. I said on one occasion, and probably more than once, to the brethren who were in the penitentiary, that I was willing to prophesy that they would be more blessed and prospered in that which they put their hands to do than if they had not gone there; and I am sure it will be so. God does not forget the sacrifices of His people, and I am thankful this day for the integrity of the Latter-day Saints. When I think of the hundreds who have gone to prison willingly, so that the world might know that they were conscientious and not cowards or covenant breakers. I thank God that I live among people who can do such things as these without shaking of the knees or of the arms, and without being afraid to face all the consequences of that which they have done. I am thankful for it, not only because we are Latter-day Saints, but because we belong to humanity. It is a glorious thing, however mistaken men may be in the estimation of others, to see them valorous and courageous and not afraid to meet all the consequences of their conduct. When my children do wrong, I say to them, “Tell me of it; show me that you have courage, and that you are not afraid to meet the consequences of what you have done.” When they do this and are ready to receive whatever the punishment may be, should I be disposed to inflict any, I feel like embracing them. There is that in us which makes us admire courage, even if it be in a mistaken cause. So it is with the Latter-day Saints. However much the world may think we have been mistaken in our views, the time will come when the conduct of the Latter-day Saints during the last five years will stand out as the brightest page in the history of humanity,--in modern times, at least,--and men will dwell upon it and say that such exhibitions of courage and integrity are a credit to our race. I am looking for that—I believe most firmly it will come. We have given the best evidence of our sincerity that it is possible for men and women to give, and whether the world accepts these testimonies and evidences or not, we are sure that God and angels will accept them, and that they will be recorded in our favor.
It may be necessary for us to do other things that come in contact with our feelings. But I believe that this people are capable of any sacrifice that they shall be called upon to make; and they can bow in submission, when it is necessary and right, as easily as they can stand erect and resist that which they esteem to be wrong. We will show mankind—we have shown them, and we will show them more abundantly—that the Latter-day Saints are a people of truth, a people of integrity, a people who are loyal to God, loyal to the country of which they are citizens or of which they ought to be citizens, loyal to the institutions which God has permitted, in His providence, to be established, and loyal in all the relations of life; a people strong in fidelity, and above all things, pure and virtuous. I tell you I would lose all hope myself for humanity if it were not for our people. It has been my lot to travel and mingle with men, and, without prying into affairs, things have come to my knowledge that have filled me with—well, I cannot describe the feelings that I have had. When I see the course that men and women are taking outside of this Church, and witness the fate that is coming upon the people, I feel thankful to God that He has established this Church, and that the standard of purity is raised among the Latter-day Saints, and that all impurity is denounced and dealt with; that there is a people upon the face of the earth who say that the virtue of men and the virtue of women ought to be equal to the angels’. If you were to see the faces of men as I have seen them when they have been told that we look upon the sin of adultery as the greatest crime next to the shedding of blood, it would be a picture to you; for I tell you that virtue among men is almost unknown outside of this Church; and, of course, when men’s virtue has fallen so low, you can depend upon it the virtue of the other six is not beyond question. The testimony that we bear is that the Latter-day Saint who indulges in sexual sin will be damned, if he do not repent. There has been no greater cause of apostacy in the Church than the want of virtue. You can predict the future of a man who is guilty of sins of this kind, unless he repents, as sure as you can predict that darkness will follow the setting of the sun. God will have a virtuous people, and those of you who are not virtuous will go the way that others have gone, unless you repent; you will lose the faith; for the Spirit of God will not dwell in an unholy tabernacle. The man or the woman that is unvirtuous cannot retain the Spirit of God. They may be members of the Church today, in full fellowship, unsuspected by their fellows; but if they do not repent, their wickedness will produce its fruits and the result which God has said would attend it. Think of what the word of God is. In two revelations that He has given to the Church, He has said that “he that looketh upon a woman to lust after her, shall deny the faith...unless he repents.” He that “looketh” upon a woman, remember—not lay his hands upon her—but “he that looketh upon a woman to lust after her, shall deny the faith.” Therefore, we must not only be pure in deed, but be pure in thought, in order to retain the Spirit of God and to have it dwell in our tabernacles. It will not dwell in those who are lustful.
This is the standard that God has raised for His people. He wants us to come up to this standard—be pure as angels are pure. And why should not we be? If we are going to dwell with God and Christ and with the holy angels, why should not we emulate on the earth the purity that they possess, which makes heaven the blest abode that it is? I am thankful that this standard has been raised among us. It gives hope for the future of humanity. Otherwise, the fate of this generation is sure. They are going the downward road, and nothing can save them except thorough repentance. The Elders wonder why it is that they do not gather out more from the nations of the earth than they did formerly. The reason is obvious. The people are corrupt. They are full of lust and abominable evils. Abortion and feoticide and kindred sins are practiced almost universally. An intelligent man with whom I was traveling a few weeks ago told me that when he re-visited his home in Massachusetts about twelve years ago, to see his mother, he went to the school houses where he had gone to school in his boyhood. In the first school that he visited, out of all the scholars that were there he found only four who were of native American families, and two of them were colored boys. The rest of the children were all of foreign extraction. In the other school that he visited there were ten out of the entire school that were of native American families. He went back to his mother’s house, and there was a lot of old maids there. He said to them: “The Yankees are dying out. You women are not having children, you are old maids; and those who are married do not have children. What is to become of us?” That was his comment. And you can mingle among the better class of this nation—I mean those who are in good circumstances, and of old American families—and you will find that very few of the young men marry. Luxury prevails to such an extent that they think they cannot marry. They do not want to marry and take their wives into a lower condition than they have occupied in their parents’ houses; and as young men they have the entree to society, and they go wherever they please and are welcome; therefore, they do not marry. The result is, the best blood in America is not being perpetuated. The old families are not being kept up, and their places are being filled with foreigners. When they do marry, they do not have children; or, if they do, they have only one or two. What will God do with a people of this kind? He will let them be blotted out, if they do not repent. They will bring upon themselves, by their sins, the very condemnation that God has said would follow, because they destroy the life that God gives to them, and they do not perpetuate their race. The result is, an inferior class of people is growing up, because the foreigners, when they come here, are not contaminated with that dreadful sin—the murder of the innocents, the murder of unborn children, as well as those that are born—and they are not likely to be for one generation, at least. These are sad truths, but they are true nevertheless.
I have been told, though it seems incredible to me, that among those who call themselves Latter-day Saints the same evils are growing up. I tell you, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that any woman who commits this horrible sin will be damned, just as sure as God lives; and any husband who will suffer his wife to take means to prevent the natural increase of the race as God has designed it, that man will be cursed of God. I want to lift my voice against these dreadful evils that exist in the world; and if they are coming into our midst, I say to you, Woe unto those who practice them; for they will stand before the bar of God as murderers, and they will be damned. Hear it, all ye people! This is the curse that is coming upon our race today upon this continent, especially through the Northern States. It is not so in the South. It will creep in there, however, after awhile, if care be no taken. But the Southern people have not yielded to this crime to the extent that those have in the North.
God has chosen us to institute a new condition of things on the earth, to arrest the tide of evil. He has selected men and women from the world who have the courage to carry out whatever He tells them. And we have tried to do it. But the nation has interposed and said, “Stop,” and we shall bow in submission, leaving the consequences with God. We shall do the best we can; but when it comes in contact with constituted authorities, and the highest tribunals in the land say “Stop,” there is no other course for Latter-day Saints, in accordance with the revelations that God has given to us telling us to respect constituted authority, than to bow in submission thereto and leave the consequences with the Lord. Nevertheless, we can stand as a living protest against the evils of the age, and cry out against them, and by our lives proclaim that we are determined, with the help of God, to do all in our power to redeem the race, if it be possible to do so. God has chosen us expressly for this mission. It required people of courage, of integrity and of virtue, and I believe the great bulk of the Latter-day Saints are a people of this character. Because of this virtue they were prepared to receive the truth when it was proclaimed to them. They were not corrupted, and the Spirit of God had an abiding place in them. It is a remarkable fact that those who are unvirtuous very rarely join the Church. They seem to have become corrupted so that the Spirit of God has left them, and they have lost the strength necessary to enable them to endure.
Brethren and sisters, let us remember the mission that God has given unto us, and let us put our trust in Him. He has been our savior and our deliverer out of the many trials that we have had to pass through. Notwithstanding we have gone through considerable during the past six years, when I look at the condition of the people as I travel through the settlements, I feel to thank God for the prosperity that he has given to us. I go into the houses of the brethren in our settlements, and I see great comfort. I contrast it with the times of old, when we had scarcely any food, no habitations and very little clothing, and I thank God that the trials we now have to contend with have assumed a new form, and that God, in his providences, has permitted us to dwell in the land to which He has led us. I trust he will continue to do so. I hope He will give us patience to bear all things uncomplainingly, and to go to with our faith undisturbed, knowing that He comprehends all things, and that after the trials there cometh the blessing. We have never yet passed through severe afflictions without their being compensated in the shape of great blessings bestowed upon us. And so it will be. Trial will follow trial; but blessing will follow blessing; and the cause of truth will spread, the honest in heart will be gathered out, and the great work of God will go forth, notwithstanding every effort to oppose it and to thwart it. And you may notice this: Those who fight against this cause may be prominent for awhile. Sometimes prominence is give them because of their opposition to this work, and their names being linked with ours is all that gives them prominence frequently. But after a while, when they have ceased to fill the positions occupied by them, and which gave their voices some weight, they will drop out of sight and be forgotten, as hundreds have been who have figured more or less conspicuously in their opposition against us. We need not be disturbed, therefore at the utterance of this man or the other who occupies official position, and who for a while inflates himself with the idea that he is an important personage and that he is going to do some great thing against the Latter-day Saints. I have seen so many of these men pass away and sink into oblivion. They step on the stage and figure for a while but soon they pass away. Therefore, do not let us be worried over them; but let us pursue the course that God has pointed out, and putting our trust in Him, know that all things will be overruled for our good.
Before I sit down there is one subject that I have felt I wanted to speak about. I think it of some importance to us as Latter-day Saints. It was referred to yesterday by two or three of the brethren. It is in relation to the events of 1891, and connected with the coming of the Lord. It was intimated by Brother Roberts that some people thought that such an event might perhaps happen, and he was anxious that the Saints should not be disappointed if nothing did occur during that year that would fulfil expectation, because a great many anticipations have been indulged in connected with that year, and I believe there has been altogether too much agitation upon this subject. I have seen a great many times in our history when sanguine men have attached a great deal of importance to certain dates. I remember when 1883 was coming in, I heard on all sides that there was something remarkable connected with that year. I fully endorse what Elder Thatcher said yesterday upon this point—that 1890 has been as important a year as we have ever witnessed. And I believe it will be so with every year. I do not think it is wise for us to fix our minds too much upon any year as bringing to pass some very wonderful things. Perhaps it will be so. I do not question that; for every year comes to us freighted with great and wonderful changes. It is not one year alone; but all the years between us and the coming of our Lord will be big with events. They will be crowded with stupendous occurrences. God has thus spoken. Judgments will be poured out upon the inhabitants of the earth, and will increase until the Lord Himself shall come.
I took occasion to have the sermon that Brother Joseph preached hunted up, and I will read a little from it to show you what he said upon this very subject, and to show you also that we need not expect that 1891 will bring any such thing as the coming of the Lord. It was said yesterday that no man knoweth the day nor the hour. This is true. But I will tell you what men can know. They can know that such and such a time is not the time. Men can prophesy that 1891 is not the year. Although they cannot tell you the day nor the hour, they can tell you that He will not come this year or next year, according to the words of God already given. There are several revelations which speak plainly upon this point, allusion to some of which was made yesterday by the brethren who spoke. There are a great many events to take place that have not yet occurred; and the Savior will not come until they do take place. Be assured of this, and be not concerned in your minds and agitated on these matters, because it is easy to understand that there are many things yet to be fulfilled before that grand and glorious event will come. Yet, as he has told us, He will come as a thief in the night. He will come when the inhabitants of the earth are unprepared for him.
Joseph said:
“I was once praying earnestly upon this subject [that is, concerning the coming of the Son of Man] and a voice said unto me, ‘My son, if thou livest until thou are 85 years of age, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man.’”
This was what the voice said to Joseph.
“If thou livest until thou art 85 years of age thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man.”
He continues:
“I was left to draw my own conclusions concerning this, and I took the liberty of concluding that if I did live to that time He would make His appearance. But I do not say whether He will make His appearance, or I shall go where He is. I prophesy in the name of the Lord God, and let it be written, the Son of Man will not come in the clouds of heaven till I am 85 years old.”
Now, at the time Joseph made this prophecy, Miller, of the Millerites, was making predictions about the coming of the Son of Man—about the years 1842-3-4. In these years, as you who have been kept informed will doubtless know, there was great excitement throughout the United States about the coming of the Son of Man, and Joseph prophesied that He would not come for the next forty years.
He goes on and says:
“The coming of the Son of Man never will be, never can be, till the judgments spoken of for this hour are poured out, which judgments are commenced. It is not the design of the Almighty to come upon the earth and crush it and grind it to powder; but He will reveal it to His servants, the Prophets. Judah must return. Jerusalem must be rebuilt, and the Temple, and water come out from under the Temple, and the waters of the Dead Sea be healed. It will take some time to build the walls of the city and Temple, etc., and all this must be done before the Son of Man will make His appearance. There will be wars and rumor of wars, signs in the heavens above and on the earth beneath, and the sun turned into darkness, and the moon to blood; earthquakes in divers places, the seas heaving themselves beyond their bounds. Then will appear the grand sign of the Son of Man in heaven. But what will the world say? They will say it is a planet, a comet, etc. But the Son of Man will come at the sign of the coming of the Son of Man, which will be as the light of the morning coming out of the east.”
Now, the Prophet explains this in connection with his statement as to what the voice had said to him. He did not assert that Jesus would come in the clouds of heaven even if he lived to be eighty-five; but he was told that he should see Him, and he qualified it, so that there need be no misapprehension upon this subject.
I might read to you many revelations in this Book of Doctrine and Covenants (having the book in his hand) upon the same subject, in which the Lord plainly says that certain things shall take place. Allusion was made yesterday to some of them.
“And again, verily I say unto you that the Son of Man cometh not in the form of a woman, neither of a man traveling on the earth. Wherefore be not deceived, but continue in steadfastness, looking forth for the heavens to be shaken and the earth to tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man, and for the valleys to be exalted, and for the mountains to be made low, and for the rough places to become smooth; and all this when the angel shall sound his trumpet. But before the great day of the Lord shall come, Jacob shall flourish in the wilderness, and the Lamanites shall blossom as the rose; Zion shall flourish upon the hills and rejoice upon the mountains, and shall be assembled unto the place which I have appointed.”
These are the words of God concerning the coming of the Son of Man. These revelations give unto us with great clearness the signs that shall precede His coming. Therefore, do not let us get unsettled in our minds. I feel it important that this Conference should not separate without having it clearly stated to you that you need not look for the coming of the Son of Man either this year or next. Though we cannot prophesy the day or the hour, we can prophesy some things concerning His coming, that is, that will take place before His coming. God has not left us in doubt upon these points. If you have time, read the 29th section of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and the 45th section, and the 88th section. Therefore, Latter-day Saints, go ahead and perform your duties carefully, consistently, and with a determination to do that which God requires at your hands. Do not look for some great cataclysm to occur, which will show all the world that this is the Kingdom of God. Perhaps such a things will occur; but I will tell you what I have observed during my life—that God works in natural ways. His purposes come around seemingly perfectly natural—so natural that the world cannot see the hand of God in them. It requires faith and the Spirit of God to show these things.
I remember my thoughts and ideas when in my boyhood. Being familiar with the revelation which God had given concerning the Civil War, I thought to myself, now when that occurs this nation will be convinced that Joseph is a prophet, because the revelation was so plain. It stated where the war should commence and other particulars concerning it, and at the time the whole nation was congratulating itself upon its peace, and the probability itself upon its peace, and the probability of war was entertained by no one. The idea that there would be a war was ridiculed. How wonderfully that revelation was fulfilled! But how many persons have been converted by the strict fulfilment of that prophecy? I do not know of one. My conclusion is that God works in this way among the children of men, and they will continue to harden their hearts against all the evidences of the divinity of this work, notwithstanding the continued fulfilment of the prophecies of the Elders of this Church. The inhabitants of the earth are not converted by the fulfilment of the prophecies, because they come along so naturally. Here we have cyclones, and all these things that are evidences of the last days, and who trouble themselves about it? Why they tell us that it is by means of the telegraph and the facility with which news travels that we learn more of these things. They always were and always will be, they say, and this is no evidence that these are the last days; for when was there a time when there were no wars, or accidents, or when we did not have whirlwinds, and tempests, and earthquakes? This is the way in which the Elders are met when they speak about these things. Therefore, Latter-day Saints, let us put our trust in God and, waiting the fulfilment of His promises, look forward with the eye of faith to their fulfilment, that we may rejoice in them when they are fulfilled. Amen.
The choir sang an anthem: I will lift up mine eyes.
Benediction by Apostle Abraham H. Cannon.
by President George Q. Cannon
I trust that all who arise here to speak to this large congregations will have the faith and the prayers of those who are assembled; for it is awe-inspiring to see such a vast body of people listening to the words that are spoken; and I would not attempt to speak unless I was sure that I would be assisted by the Spirit of God.
These gatherings of ours in General Conference are filled with interest to the officers and members of the Church, who naturally expect to receive counsel and instruction concerning their duties, and to obtain information respecting the progress of the work. We come together and we receive renewed strength by meeting our friends and our brethren and being inspired with the hopes that the Spirit of God gives. On these accounts these conferences are looked forward to with great interest by all the people, and I am sure that this conference is as full of interest as any that has preceded it, in many respects.
We are living in peculiar times. The work of God is being assailed in various directions. This, however, is not a new thing. It has been our lot from the beginning to have difficulties to contend with, to have obstacles to overcome, and to have scenes to pass through which have tested the faith, the integrity and the fidelity of the Latter-day Saints. The Elders, in preaching the Gospel, have not neglected to tell the people unto whom they preached, and whom they baptized, the character of the difficulties that they would have to meet when they espoused the work of God. They warned them that they might expect the fate of the ancient disciples of Jesus Christ. They quoted to them the scriptures, which told them how they would be opposed, how their names would be cast out as evil, and that men would think they were doing God’s service in killing them; that if they embraced the Gospel they should be prepared to encounter all these things, and perhaps it might be necessary, in the providence of God, for them to lay down their lives for the truth. I do not think there is a faithful Elder that has ever gone forth to preach the Gospel who has not told this to those who manifested an interest in the truth and a desire to espouse it. Many of them knew by experience how much the people would have to contend with, and they felt it to be their duty to prepare them for these things, so that their baptisms, their confirmations and their entrance into the Church would not be useless. The Elders have not desired to draw people into the Church for the sake of numbers; but every time they have baptized a soul they have hoped that he or she would be faithful while life should last; and they wanted all persons, in entering into the Church, to enter into it understandingly, and with as full a realization of all that they would have to meet with as it would be possible for persons in their condition to comprehend. Those warnings have not been in vain. They have not been unnecessary. For notwithstanding the years that have passed since the organization of the Church the trials of the faith of the people have not lessened. There are as many causes to test their faith today as there ever were; not exactly in the same form, perhaps, as those which the Saints had to meet in earlier days; but still they have been of a sufficiently trying character to test the faith of the people. The words of God will be fulfilled concerning us that everything that can be shaken will be shaken. We shall have to pass through the furnace of affliction and be tried as gold that is seven times purified, until all the dross of our natures is cleansed, and nothing but pure gold remains. Why should it not be so? Other people may be content with a certain degree of happiness and glory, and with a certain amount of salvation. But there is no people upon the face of the earth who have higher conceptions and loftier views concerning their future than the Latter-day Saints entertain; in fact, our conceptions and our anticipations are incomparably greater than those of any other people who now live, of whom we know anything. That which would satisfy ordinary people would not, with our views, satisfy us. Indeed, our aspirations, to the ordinary mind, seem almost to be sacrilegious. Our views of the equality of man, our belief concerning his relationship to Deity and respecting our future, are so immeasurably beyond the views of mankind generally that when they attempt to follow us they become lost, they cannot conceive of that which we picture to ourselves, and that which the revelations of God sustain us in entertaining and believing. Therefore, it is quite proper and consistent, having such anticipations as we indulge in, that we should have all these things to contend with that are necessary to test us and to prove us to the very uttermost. We would not possess the qualifications necessary for the career of glory that we have entered upon, if we were not tried to the very uttermost, if our integrity were not completely proved, or if there was anything left in us like doubt or unbelief or a want of courage to meet with and overcome all the persecutions that could be brought to bear upon us. Other men may court ease; other men may seek for worldly profit; other men may constantly be looking out for self-interest. But not so with us. We cannot turn aside from the path that God has marked out for us to pursue, to promote any worldly interest or to gratify any worldly ambition. We must pursue that path undeviatingly, following the example of our Lord and Master. He has pointed out the path that we should walk in; and in asking us to tread in His footsteps, to do as He did, He has given unto us the same promises that He Himself has received. He has promised us that we shall be co-heirs with Him, and joint heirs in whatever glory He receives. Whatever exaltation He attains unto we shall in like manner receive, if we follow His precepts and His example. Can any people on the earth desire more than this? Is there anything that is left out? It comprehends all; it embraces all glory, all exaltation, all power, all dominion. The promises are illimitable—as boundless as eternity itself. And these are made to you who are here today. They are made to everyone who has entered into covenant with the Lord in the way that He has appointed. Shall we not then hear patiently all that we have to contend with? Shall we grow tired and weary, and after going so far, give up and say we cannot proceed any farther? Or shall we, by putting our trust in God and relying upon Him who has always been at our right hand and at our left, pursue uncomplainingly the path that our Savior has trod, bearing with meekness, with humility and with patience and all the trials, the persecutions and the evils that we have to meet? I think I can answer for this congregation this morning. We do not walk in the dark. We do not rely upon that which men tell us. I thank God this morning, as I do all the time, that He has not left His servants without a witness. All who have joined this church and been sincere in their espousal of the truth have a living testimony in their hearts concerning all that the Elders say to them and all the counsel that is given. It is this that constitutes the great strength of the work of God. Every faithful member of the Church is a witness to the truth of the work. If it were not for this, we should be a very weak people and could easily be broken up. It is not the President of the Church, or his Counselors; it is not the Twelve Apostles; it is not the Presidents of Stakes, nor any other officer in the Church, upon whom the people depend, or unto whom they look solely for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. They have the privilege given unto them by the Lord to know for themselves concerning all these matters; and there is no counsel given by the Presidency of the Church, no step taken, nor no policy pursued that they have to depend upon their personal influence to have the people believe, because the people can go to God themselves, if they have doubts upon any point, and call upon Him, in the name of Jesus, to reveal to them whether that which is done or taught is from Him or not. They need not be in doubt. They need not run around asking questions about matters which may appear mysterious to them; but they can go to the Lord in their secret places, and He will remove their doubts and answer their questions, and He will throw light upon their minds respecting the matters about which they may be disturbed.
There have been many things in this Church which have come in contact with the traditions and the pre-conceived ideas of men. There are many things today which, perhaps, come in contact with views which we have entertained. There is scarcely any thinking man or woman in the Church who has not indulged in views and ideas concerning the future of this work—the manner in which it would go forth, etc., and some of these views have been rudely opposed by events. We have been shown that God’s ways are not our ways, and that our thoughts are not God’s thoughts. We have been made to see that He is the author of this work, and that He will conduct it to suit His purposes, and not the purposes of man. I have no doubt that all of us who have had any experience in the Church have seen this. We have seen many of our anticipations disappointed in the manner in which the work has gone forth. It has required the Spirit of God poured out upon us to reconcile us to many things, perhaps, that have been taught and done in this Church from the beginning. But this is our refute, this is our tower of strength, that we can go unto the Lord, without the mediumship or intercession of man, and in secret we can ask Him for, and obtain from Him, the light, the intelligence and the knowledge necessary to enable us to pursue our course as Latter-day Saints. Think of how many doctrines have been taught that have been new to the world, but that God has revealed in our day! How could we understand them unless the Spirit of God bore testimony to them? Who on earth believed them? They were not sanctioned by tradition. They were not upheld by the common belief of man. They were new to this generation. Yet, though they shocked the prejudices of mankind, and perhaps startled us as Latter-day Saints, when we sought God for a testimony concerning them, He never failed to give unto us His Holy Spirit, which witnessed unto our spirits that they were from God, and not of man. So it will be to the end. The Presidency of the Church have to walk just as you walk. They have to take steps just as you take steps. They have to depend upon the revelations of God as they come to them. They cannot see the end from the beginning, as the Lord does. They have their faith tested as you have your faith tested. So with the Twelve Apostles. All that we can do is to seek the mind and will of God, and when that comes to us, though it may come in contact with every feeling that we have previously entertained, we have no option but to take the step that God points out, and to trust to Him, as we were often told by President Young, for the results. That is the way this Church is led. There is no being, save the Lord himself, who knows the end from the beginning. Who of us would be tested if we were in that condition? It is just as necessary that the Presidency and the Apostles should be tried as it is that you should be tried. It is as necessary that our faith should be called into exercise as that your faith should be called into exercise. We can see a certain distance in the light of the Spirit of God as it reveals to us His mind and His will, and we can take these steps with perfect security, knowing that they are the right steps to be taken. But as to what the result will be, that is for the God of Israel to control. That is the way in which the Church of God has always been led, and it will always be led in that way until He comes who is our King, our Lawgiver and our President, even Jesus Christ.
It is your privilege, my brethren and sisters, in all these matters, to know also whether the steps that you take are acceptable unto God; and when you receive this testimony you will know for yourselves; you will know it all over. Though your mortal eyes and your mortal ears may neither have seen nor heard, you will know it by the testimony that comes from God. The convincing power of the Spirit of God is greater than the evidence of the outer senses.
God is with His people, and He will continue to be with them; and if we will do that which He tells us, He will never desert us, nor turn His face from us; He will never close His ears to our cries, but He will be quick to hear our supplications and to respond to them in blessings upon us.
If there are any who have joined this Church with the expectation of having ease, worldly profit and advantage from their espousal of the Gospel, probably they will learn, if they have not already, that this is a wrong motive, and that they have been mistaken in their ideas. Yet I want to say to the Latter-day Saints that I do not believe there is another people upon the face of the earth who are blessed as we are, notwithstanding our trials. I believe—and I do not say this with any disposition to exaggerate—that a happier or a more prosperous people does not live upon the earth than the Latter-day Saints. For God has blessed us in the midst of our trials and has given us prosperity. You look at those who have been faithful and compare the results of their lives with the results of the lives of those who have left the Church, and I am sure that in making the comparison you will be perfectly satisfied that the course of the former class has been the most profitable in every sense of the word. So it will be to the end, notwithstanding our afflictions, our imprisonments, and everything of this character. I said on one occasion, and probably more than once, to the brethren who were in the penitentiary, that I was willing to prophesy that they would be more blessed and prospered in that which they put their hands to do than if they had not gone there; and I am sure it will be so. God does not forget the sacrifices of His people, and I am thankful this day for the integrity of the Latter-day Saints. When I think of the hundreds who have gone to prison willingly, so that the world might know that they were conscientious and not cowards or covenant breakers. I thank God that I live among people who can do such things as these without shaking of the knees or of the arms, and without being afraid to face all the consequences of that which they have done. I am thankful for it, not only because we are Latter-day Saints, but because we belong to humanity. It is a glorious thing, however mistaken men may be in the estimation of others, to see them valorous and courageous and not afraid to meet all the consequences of their conduct. When my children do wrong, I say to them, “Tell me of it; show me that you have courage, and that you are not afraid to meet the consequences of what you have done.” When they do this and are ready to receive whatever the punishment may be, should I be disposed to inflict any, I feel like embracing them. There is that in us which makes us admire courage, even if it be in a mistaken cause. So it is with the Latter-day Saints. However much the world may think we have been mistaken in our views, the time will come when the conduct of the Latter-day Saints during the last five years will stand out as the brightest page in the history of humanity,--in modern times, at least,--and men will dwell upon it and say that such exhibitions of courage and integrity are a credit to our race. I am looking for that—I believe most firmly it will come. We have given the best evidence of our sincerity that it is possible for men and women to give, and whether the world accepts these testimonies and evidences or not, we are sure that God and angels will accept them, and that they will be recorded in our favor.
It may be necessary for us to do other things that come in contact with our feelings. But I believe that this people are capable of any sacrifice that they shall be called upon to make; and they can bow in submission, when it is necessary and right, as easily as they can stand erect and resist that which they esteem to be wrong. We will show mankind—we have shown them, and we will show them more abundantly—that the Latter-day Saints are a people of truth, a people of integrity, a people who are loyal to God, loyal to the country of which they are citizens or of which they ought to be citizens, loyal to the institutions which God has permitted, in His providence, to be established, and loyal in all the relations of life; a people strong in fidelity, and above all things, pure and virtuous. I tell you I would lose all hope myself for humanity if it were not for our people. It has been my lot to travel and mingle with men, and, without prying into affairs, things have come to my knowledge that have filled me with—well, I cannot describe the feelings that I have had. When I see the course that men and women are taking outside of this Church, and witness the fate that is coming upon the people, I feel thankful to God that He has established this Church, and that the standard of purity is raised among the Latter-day Saints, and that all impurity is denounced and dealt with; that there is a people upon the face of the earth who say that the virtue of men and the virtue of women ought to be equal to the angels’. If you were to see the faces of men as I have seen them when they have been told that we look upon the sin of adultery as the greatest crime next to the shedding of blood, it would be a picture to you; for I tell you that virtue among men is almost unknown outside of this Church; and, of course, when men’s virtue has fallen so low, you can depend upon it the virtue of the other six is not beyond question. The testimony that we bear is that the Latter-day Saint who indulges in sexual sin will be damned, if he do not repent. There has been no greater cause of apostacy in the Church than the want of virtue. You can predict the future of a man who is guilty of sins of this kind, unless he repents, as sure as you can predict that darkness will follow the setting of the sun. God will have a virtuous people, and those of you who are not virtuous will go the way that others have gone, unless you repent; you will lose the faith; for the Spirit of God will not dwell in an unholy tabernacle. The man or the woman that is unvirtuous cannot retain the Spirit of God. They may be members of the Church today, in full fellowship, unsuspected by their fellows; but if they do not repent, their wickedness will produce its fruits and the result which God has said would attend it. Think of what the word of God is. In two revelations that He has given to the Church, He has said that “he that looketh upon a woman to lust after her, shall deny the faith...unless he repents.” He that “looketh” upon a woman, remember—not lay his hands upon her—but “he that looketh upon a woman to lust after her, shall deny the faith.” Therefore, we must not only be pure in deed, but be pure in thought, in order to retain the Spirit of God and to have it dwell in our tabernacles. It will not dwell in those who are lustful.
This is the standard that God has raised for His people. He wants us to come up to this standard—be pure as angels are pure. And why should not we be? If we are going to dwell with God and Christ and with the holy angels, why should not we emulate on the earth the purity that they possess, which makes heaven the blest abode that it is? I am thankful that this standard has been raised among us. It gives hope for the future of humanity. Otherwise, the fate of this generation is sure. They are going the downward road, and nothing can save them except thorough repentance. The Elders wonder why it is that they do not gather out more from the nations of the earth than they did formerly. The reason is obvious. The people are corrupt. They are full of lust and abominable evils. Abortion and feoticide and kindred sins are practiced almost universally. An intelligent man with whom I was traveling a few weeks ago told me that when he re-visited his home in Massachusetts about twelve years ago, to see his mother, he went to the school houses where he had gone to school in his boyhood. In the first school that he visited, out of all the scholars that were there he found only four who were of native American families, and two of them were colored boys. The rest of the children were all of foreign extraction. In the other school that he visited there were ten out of the entire school that were of native American families. He went back to his mother’s house, and there was a lot of old maids there. He said to them: “The Yankees are dying out. You women are not having children, you are old maids; and those who are married do not have children. What is to become of us?” That was his comment. And you can mingle among the better class of this nation—I mean those who are in good circumstances, and of old American families—and you will find that very few of the young men marry. Luxury prevails to such an extent that they think they cannot marry. They do not want to marry and take their wives into a lower condition than they have occupied in their parents’ houses; and as young men they have the entree to society, and they go wherever they please and are welcome; therefore, they do not marry. The result is, the best blood in America is not being perpetuated. The old families are not being kept up, and their places are being filled with foreigners. When they do marry, they do not have children; or, if they do, they have only one or two. What will God do with a people of this kind? He will let them be blotted out, if they do not repent. They will bring upon themselves, by their sins, the very condemnation that God has said would follow, because they destroy the life that God gives to them, and they do not perpetuate their race. The result is, an inferior class of people is growing up, because the foreigners, when they come here, are not contaminated with that dreadful sin—the murder of the innocents, the murder of unborn children, as well as those that are born—and they are not likely to be for one generation, at least. These are sad truths, but they are true nevertheless.
I have been told, though it seems incredible to me, that among those who call themselves Latter-day Saints the same evils are growing up. I tell you, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that any woman who commits this horrible sin will be damned, just as sure as God lives; and any husband who will suffer his wife to take means to prevent the natural increase of the race as God has designed it, that man will be cursed of God. I want to lift my voice against these dreadful evils that exist in the world; and if they are coming into our midst, I say to you, Woe unto those who practice them; for they will stand before the bar of God as murderers, and they will be damned. Hear it, all ye people! This is the curse that is coming upon our race today upon this continent, especially through the Northern States. It is not so in the South. It will creep in there, however, after awhile, if care be no taken. But the Southern people have not yielded to this crime to the extent that those have in the North.
God has chosen us to institute a new condition of things on the earth, to arrest the tide of evil. He has selected men and women from the world who have the courage to carry out whatever He tells them. And we have tried to do it. But the nation has interposed and said, “Stop,” and we shall bow in submission, leaving the consequences with God. We shall do the best we can; but when it comes in contact with constituted authorities, and the highest tribunals in the land say “Stop,” there is no other course for Latter-day Saints, in accordance with the revelations that God has given to us telling us to respect constituted authority, than to bow in submission thereto and leave the consequences with the Lord. Nevertheless, we can stand as a living protest against the evils of the age, and cry out against them, and by our lives proclaim that we are determined, with the help of God, to do all in our power to redeem the race, if it be possible to do so. God has chosen us expressly for this mission. It required people of courage, of integrity and of virtue, and I believe the great bulk of the Latter-day Saints are a people of this character. Because of this virtue they were prepared to receive the truth when it was proclaimed to them. They were not corrupted, and the Spirit of God had an abiding place in them. It is a remarkable fact that those who are unvirtuous very rarely join the Church. They seem to have become corrupted so that the Spirit of God has left them, and they have lost the strength necessary to enable them to endure.
Brethren and sisters, let us remember the mission that God has given unto us, and let us put our trust in Him. He has been our savior and our deliverer out of the many trials that we have had to pass through. Notwithstanding we have gone through considerable during the past six years, when I look at the condition of the people as I travel through the settlements, I feel to thank God for the prosperity that he has given to us. I go into the houses of the brethren in our settlements, and I see great comfort. I contrast it with the times of old, when we had scarcely any food, no habitations and very little clothing, and I thank God that the trials we now have to contend with have assumed a new form, and that God, in his providences, has permitted us to dwell in the land to which He has led us. I trust he will continue to do so. I hope He will give us patience to bear all things uncomplainingly, and to go to with our faith undisturbed, knowing that He comprehends all things, and that after the trials there cometh the blessing. We have never yet passed through severe afflictions without their being compensated in the shape of great blessings bestowed upon us. And so it will be. Trial will follow trial; but blessing will follow blessing; and the cause of truth will spread, the honest in heart will be gathered out, and the great work of God will go forth, notwithstanding every effort to oppose it and to thwart it. And you may notice this: Those who fight against this cause may be prominent for awhile. Sometimes prominence is give them because of their opposition to this work, and their names being linked with ours is all that gives them prominence frequently. But after a while, when they have ceased to fill the positions occupied by them, and which gave their voices some weight, they will drop out of sight and be forgotten, as hundreds have been who have figured more or less conspicuously in their opposition against us. We need not be disturbed, therefore at the utterance of this man or the other who occupies official position, and who for a while inflates himself with the idea that he is an important personage and that he is going to do some great thing against the Latter-day Saints. I have seen so many of these men pass away and sink into oblivion. They step on the stage and figure for a while but soon they pass away. Therefore, do not let us be worried over them; but let us pursue the course that God has pointed out, and putting our trust in Him, know that all things will be overruled for our good.
Before I sit down there is one subject that I have felt I wanted to speak about. I think it of some importance to us as Latter-day Saints. It was referred to yesterday by two or three of the brethren. It is in relation to the events of 1891, and connected with the coming of the Lord. It was intimated by Brother Roberts that some people thought that such an event might perhaps happen, and he was anxious that the Saints should not be disappointed if nothing did occur during that year that would fulfil expectation, because a great many anticipations have been indulged in connected with that year, and I believe there has been altogether too much agitation upon this subject. I have seen a great many times in our history when sanguine men have attached a great deal of importance to certain dates. I remember when 1883 was coming in, I heard on all sides that there was something remarkable connected with that year. I fully endorse what Elder Thatcher said yesterday upon this point—that 1890 has been as important a year as we have ever witnessed. And I believe it will be so with every year. I do not think it is wise for us to fix our minds too much upon any year as bringing to pass some very wonderful things. Perhaps it will be so. I do not question that; for every year comes to us freighted with great and wonderful changes. It is not one year alone; but all the years between us and the coming of our Lord will be big with events. They will be crowded with stupendous occurrences. God has thus spoken. Judgments will be poured out upon the inhabitants of the earth, and will increase until the Lord Himself shall come.
I took occasion to have the sermon that Brother Joseph preached hunted up, and I will read a little from it to show you what he said upon this very subject, and to show you also that we need not expect that 1891 will bring any such thing as the coming of the Lord. It was said yesterday that no man knoweth the day nor the hour. This is true. But I will tell you what men can know. They can know that such and such a time is not the time. Men can prophesy that 1891 is not the year. Although they cannot tell you the day nor the hour, they can tell you that He will not come this year or next year, according to the words of God already given. There are several revelations which speak plainly upon this point, allusion to some of which was made yesterday by the brethren who spoke. There are a great many events to take place that have not yet occurred; and the Savior will not come until they do take place. Be assured of this, and be not concerned in your minds and agitated on these matters, because it is easy to understand that there are many things yet to be fulfilled before that grand and glorious event will come. Yet, as he has told us, He will come as a thief in the night. He will come when the inhabitants of the earth are unprepared for him.
Joseph said:
“I was once praying earnestly upon this subject [that is, concerning the coming of the Son of Man] and a voice said unto me, ‘My son, if thou livest until thou are 85 years of age, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man.’”
This was what the voice said to Joseph.
“If thou livest until thou art 85 years of age thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man.”
He continues:
“I was left to draw my own conclusions concerning this, and I took the liberty of concluding that if I did live to that time He would make His appearance. But I do not say whether He will make His appearance, or I shall go where He is. I prophesy in the name of the Lord God, and let it be written, the Son of Man will not come in the clouds of heaven till I am 85 years old.”
Now, at the time Joseph made this prophecy, Miller, of the Millerites, was making predictions about the coming of the Son of Man—about the years 1842-3-4. In these years, as you who have been kept informed will doubtless know, there was great excitement throughout the United States about the coming of the Son of Man, and Joseph prophesied that He would not come for the next forty years.
He goes on and says:
“The coming of the Son of Man never will be, never can be, till the judgments spoken of for this hour are poured out, which judgments are commenced. It is not the design of the Almighty to come upon the earth and crush it and grind it to powder; but He will reveal it to His servants, the Prophets. Judah must return. Jerusalem must be rebuilt, and the Temple, and water come out from under the Temple, and the waters of the Dead Sea be healed. It will take some time to build the walls of the city and Temple, etc., and all this must be done before the Son of Man will make His appearance. There will be wars and rumor of wars, signs in the heavens above and on the earth beneath, and the sun turned into darkness, and the moon to blood; earthquakes in divers places, the seas heaving themselves beyond their bounds. Then will appear the grand sign of the Son of Man in heaven. But what will the world say? They will say it is a planet, a comet, etc. But the Son of Man will come at the sign of the coming of the Son of Man, which will be as the light of the morning coming out of the east.”
Now, the Prophet explains this in connection with his statement as to what the voice had said to him. He did not assert that Jesus would come in the clouds of heaven even if he lived to be eighty-five; but he was told that he should see Him, and he qualified it, so that there need be no misapprehension upon this subject.
I might read to you many revelations in this Book of Doctrine and Covenants (having the book in his hand) upon the same subject, in which the Lord plainly says that certain things shall take place. Allusion was made yesterday to some of them.
“And again, verily I say unto you that the Son of Man cometh not in the form of a woman, neither of a man traveling on the earth. Wherefore be not deceived, but continue in steadfastness, looking forth for the heavens to be shaken and the earth to tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man, and for the valleys to be exalted, and for the mountains to be made low, and for the rough places to become smooth; and all this when the angel shall sound his trumpet. But before the great day of the Lord shall come, Jacob shall flourish in the wilderness, and the Lamanites shall blossom as the rose; Zion shall flourish upon the hills and rejoice upon the mountains, and shall be assembled unto the place which I have appointed.”
These are the words of God concerning the coming of the Son of Man. These revelations give unto us with great clearness the signs that shall precede His coming. Therefore, do not let us get unsettled in our minds. I feel it important that this Conference should not separate without having it clearly stated to you that you need not look for the coming of the Son of Man either this year or next. Though we cannot prophesy the day or the hour, we can prophesy some things concerning His coming, that is, that will take place before His coming. God has not left us in doubt upon these points. If you have time, read the 29th section of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and the 45th section, and the 88th section. Therefore, Latter-day Saints, go ahead and perform your duties carefully, consistently, and with a determination to do that which God requires at your hands. Do not look for some great cataclysm to occur, which will show all the world that this is the Kingdom of God. Perhaps such a things will occur; but I will tell you what I have observed during my life—that God works in natural ways. His purposes come around seemingly perfectly natural—so natural that the world cannot see the hand of God in them. It requires faith and the Spirit of God to show these things.
I remember my thoughts and ideas when in my boyhood. Being familiar with the revelation which God had given concerning the Civil War, I thought to myself, now when that occurs this nation will be convinced that Joseph is a prophet, because the revelation was so plain. It stated where the war should commence and other particulars concerning it, and at the time the whole nation was congratulating itself upon its peace, and the probability itself upon its peace, and the probability of war was entertained by no one. The idea that there would be a war was ridiculed. How wonderfully that revelation was fulfilled! But how many persons have been converted by the strict fulfilment of that prophecy? I do not know of one. My conclusion is that God works in this way among the children of men, and they will continue to harden their hearts against all the evidences of the divinity of this work, notwithstanding the continued fulfilment of the prophecies of the Elders of this Church. The inhabitants of the earth are not converted by the fulfilment of the prophecies, because they come along so naturally. Here we have cyclones, and all these things that are evidences of the last days, and who trouble themselves about it? Why they tell us that it is by means of the telegraph and the facility with which news travels that we learn more of these things. They always were and always will be, they say, and this is no evidence that these are the last days; for when was there a time when there were no wars, or accidents, or when we did not have whirlwinds, and tempests, and earthquakes? This is the way in which the Elders are met when they speak about these things. Therefore, Latter-day Saints, let us put our trust in God and, waiting the fulfilment of His promises, look forward with the eye of faith to their fulfilment, that we may rejoice in them when they are fulfilled. Amen.
The choir sang an anthem: I will lift up mine eyes.
Benediction by Apostle Abraham H. Cannon.
Afternoon Session.
Singing by the choir.
Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah,
Jesus anointed “that Prophet and Seer,”
Blessed to open the last dispensation,
Kings shall extol him and nations revere.
Prayer by Bishop O. F. Whitney.
The choir sang:
Ye children of our God,
Ye Saints of latter days
Surround the table of our Lord
And join to sing His praise.
The Sacrament of the Lord’s supper was administered, the Priesthood of the Twentieth Ward officiating.
Singing by the choir.
Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah,
Jesus anointed “that Prophet and Seer,”
Blessed to open the last dispensation,
Kings shall extol him and nations revere.
Prayer by Bishop O. F. Whitney.
The choir sang:
Ye children of our God,
Ye Saints of latter days
Surround the table of our Lord
And join to sing His praise.
The Sacrament of the Lord’s supper was administered, the Priesthood of the Twentieth Ward officiating.
President Wilford Woodruff
addressed the Conference. Following is a synopsis of his remarks:
I know not how long I may be able to talk, but while I do I want the attention of the congregation. The Saints have often heard me testify concerning the power by which this Church has been established. I have no power nor have these Apostles, to preach the Gospel and build up the Kingdom of God, except by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Whatever testimony we hear to be productive of good, must be by the Spirit of God. We live in the greatest of all dispensations, and there are many things which the Lord has withheld from the foundation of the world, and which have never before been revealed to the Saints of this dispensation. Things will be revealed to us which our fore-fathers looked anxiously forward to.
Every dispensation of the Gospel has had its work, and at no time has God ever set His hand to do a work among men, without having an element prepared to work with. This is true of this dispensation. God has raised up a Prophet in this age, and to him sent messengers who once lived in the flesh. The Lord understands if man does not, that all His works must be performed according to the laws of salvation, the laws of the Holy Priesthood. The Lord raised up Joseph who was sold into Egypt, and who did the work appointed to him. So the Lord raised up Joseph Smith, at the time set for him to appear and perform His work, and to him He revealed the same Gospel which was revealed to Abraham and Moses and to the prophets. It is the only Gospel God ever revealed to man. In fulfilment of the revelations of St. John, and other scriptures, this Gospel was revealed to Joseph Smith.
Many here in this congregation have seen and heard Joseph Smith, and knew him and his teachings. It cost him his life to proclaim those teachings. It cost Jesus and the Apostles their lives also. Jesus was a Jew, through the loins of Judah, yet he incurred the hatred of the Jewish nation. Is it not strange that a righteous man cannot stand up among the people and not incur their hatred? Yet it is true that he cannot.
There was a war in heaven. Lucifer and one-third of the hosts of heaven rebelled and were cast out. That warfare has never ceased, but has been manifested in every dispensation of the Gospel committed to man. Did Jesus undertake to please the Jews? No. He was faithful to the mission He had received from his Father, without regard to whether the Jews were pleased with Him or not. The Lord revealed to Moses and all the prophets of every age that a Savior would be born to redeem mankind. In the meridian of time He appeared, and organized His Church. The Apostles whom He chose, faithfully labored to spread the work which He introduced. But it cost a great sacrifice to belong to the church of Christ in those days. The persecution of the saints was so great that at length the last man bearing the priesthood disappeared from the earth and the Church went into the wilderness. This opposition to the truth will continue until He comes to reign whose right it is to reign and cast Satan into the place prepared for him, where he can no more deceive the nations. Jesus is with His father and His apostles are mingling with just and holy beings in the heavens where they can plead for their brethren. There are different degrees of glory to which men will attain. The number of men who will reach the highest is few, for there are not many who are willing to make in the flesh the sacrifice necessary to entitle them to it.
The Prophet Joseph Smith lived some fourteen years after he organized this Church and then he laid down his life for it. But did his death disorganize the Church? No. It continued to grow and flourish. Need we think we can please the world? No. We cannot please the wicked. In order to do so, every Latter-day Saint would have to deny every principle God has revealed to us. I have been with this Church more than fifty years. I can testify that whatever the world may say, Joseph Smith was one of the greatest prophets that God ever raised up, save Jesus only.
The Savior said on the cross, of those who were the cause of His death, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” They did not know what they did. They did not comprehend what they would have to pass through in consequence of having shed the blood of the Son of God any more than did the mob who slew Joseph Smith. The yoke remains on the neck of the Jewish nation today. Our business is to honor God and serve Him. Our aim is eternal life. It will pay any man that ever breathed to keep the commandments of God and be virtuous and upright. We have labored faithfully in warning the nations because the day of God’s judgment has come. We have now been doing this work for sixty years, and have suffered much affliction, and God has preserved His work. I say to the Saints, “fear not, little children; it is your Father’s good will and pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
Brother Cannon this morning delivered one of the most solemn discourses ever uttered by any man. What he said was true. I am pained to see the increase of crime in all its various and most hideous shapes in my own and other nations. These things are noticed by heaven. If you want to know what is going to come to pass read the Revelations of St. John. They will be fulfilled. Who will believe them? After two-thirds of the inhabitants are destroyed the other third will continue in wickedness and unbelief. There is no power on earth can govern the Almighty. No nation committing sin can escape the judgment of God. It is mournful to think of the wickedness of this and other nations. I want to say to the Saints as a servant of God, attend to your prayers and perform every duty and all will be well.
If you are curtailed in any of our privileges you may know that God will hold responsible those who cause the curtailment. Joseph Smith said if he had power he would sustain every man and woman on earth in their religious liberty. All are responsible to God alone for the exercise of their religious rights. God is in earnest in His labors and work. I know this is the Gospel of Christ, the Zion spoken of by the prophets, and God will sustain it to the end of time. The world will find before the Lord gets through with them that He has all power in heaven and on earth. I have never seen any reason since I became identified with the work of God to desert it. I bear my testimony to the Latter-day Saints concerning these things. I pray that you all may be faithful. If you are you will be satisfied when you get behind the vail. There are many today who would lay down their lives for the work of God, if it were necessary.
All classes of men will have to go into the spirit world, and will finally learn whether or not “Mormonism” is true. I testify that it is.
addressed the Conference. Following is a synopsis of his remarks:
I know not how long I may be able to talk, but while I do I want the attention of the congregation. The Saints have often heard me testify concerning the power by which this Church has been established. I have no power nor have these Apostles, to preach the Gospel and build up the Kingdom of God, except by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Whatever testimony we hear to be productive of good, must be by the Spirit of God. We live in the greatest of all dispensations, and there are many things which the Lord has withheld from the foundation of the world, and which have never before been revealed to the Saints of this dispensation. Things will be revealed to us which our fore-fathers looked anxiously forward to.
Every dispensation of the Gospel has had its work, and at no time has God ever set His hand to do a work among men, without having an element prepared to work with. This is true of this dispensation. God has raised up a Prophet in this age, and to him sent messengers who once lived in the flesh. The Lord understands if man does not, that all His works must be performed according to the laws of salvation, the laws of the Holy Priesthood. The Lord raised up Joseph who was sold into Egypt, and who did the work appointed to him. So the Lord raised up Joseph Smith, at the time set for him to appear and perform His work, and to him He revealed the same Gospel which was revealed to Abraham and Moses and to the prophets. It is the only Gospel God ever revealed to man. In fulfilment of the revelations of St. John, and other scriptures, this Gospel was revealed to Joseph Smith.
Many here in this congregation have seen and heard Joseph Smith, and knew him and his teachings. It cost him his life to proclaim those teachings. It cost Jesus and the Apostles their lives also. Jesus was a Jew, through the loins of Judah, yet he incurred the hatred of the Jewish nation. Is it not strange that a righteous man cannot stand up among the people and not incur their hatred? Yet it is true that he cannot.
There was a war in heaven. Lucifer and one-third of the hosts of heaven rebelled and were cast out. That warfare has never ceased, but has been manifested in every dispensation of the Gospel committed to man. Did Jesus undertake to please the Jews? No. He was faithful to the mission He had received from his Father, without regard to whether the Jews were pleased with Him or not. The Lord revealed to Moses and all the prophets of every age that a Savior would be born to redeem mankind. In the meridian of time He appeared, and organized His Church. The Apostles whom He chose, faithfully labored to spread the work which He introduced. But it cost a great sacrifice to belong to the church of Christ in those days. The persecution of the saints was so great that at length the last man bearing the priesthood disappeared from the earth and the Church went into the wilderness. This opposition to the truth will continue until He comes to reign whose right it is to reign and cast Satan into the place prepared for him, where he can no more deceive the nations. Jesus is with His father and His apostles are mingling with just and holy beings in the heavens where they can plead for their brethren. There are different degrees of glory to which men will attain. The number of men who will reach the highest is few, for there are not many who are willing to make in the flesh the sacrifice necessary to entitle them to it.
The Prophet Joseph Smith lived some fourteen years after he organized this Church and then he laid down his life for it. But did his death disorganize the Church? No. It continued to grow and flourish. Need we think we can please the world? No. We cannot please the wicked. In order to do so, every Latter-day Saint would have to deny every principle God has revealed to us. I have been with this Church more than fifty years. I can testify that whatever the world may say, Joseph Smith was one of the greatest prophets that God ever raised up, save Jesus only.
The Savior said on the cross, of those who were the cause of His death, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” They did not know what they did. They did not comprehend what they would have to pass through in consequence of having shed the blood of the Son of God any more than did the mob who slew Joseph Smith. The yoke remains on the neck of the Jewish nation today. Our business is to honor God and serve Him. Our aim is eternal life. It will pay any man that ever breathed to keep the commandments of God and be virtuous and upright. We have labored faithfully in warning the nations because the day of God’s judgment has come. We have now been doing this work for sixty years, and have suffered much affliction, and God has preserved His work. I say to the Saints, “fear not, little children; it is your Father’s good will and pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
Brother Cannon this morning delivered one of the most solemn discourses ever uttered by any man. What he said was true. I am pained to see the increase of crime in all its various and most hideous shapes in my own and other nations. These things are noticed by heaven. If you want to know what is going to come to pass read the Revelations of St. John. They will be fulfilled. Who will believe them? After two-thirds of the inhabitants are destroyed the other third will continue in wickedness and unbelief. There is no power on earth can govern the Almighty. No nation committing sin can escape the judgment of God. It is mournful to think of the wickedness of this and other nations. I want to say to the Saints as a servant of God, attend to your prayers and perform every duty and all will be well.
If you are curtailed in any of our privileges you may know that God will hold responsible those who cause the curtailment. Joseph Smith said if he had power he would sustain every man and woman on earth in their religious liberty. All are responsible to God alone for the exercise of their religious rights. God is in earnest in His labors and work. I know this is the Gospel of Christ, the Zion spoken of by the prophets, and God will sustain it to the end of time. The world will find before the Lord gets through with them that He has all power in heaven and on earth. I have never seen any reason since I became identified with the work of God to desert it. I bear my testimony to the Latter-day Saints concerning these things. I pray that you all may be faithful. If you are you will be satisfied when you get behind the vail. There are many today who would lay down their lives for the work of God, if it were necessary.
All classes of men will have to go into the spirit world, and will finally learn whether or not “Mormonism” is true. I testify that it is.
Apostle John Henry Smith
was the next speaker. The substance of his discourse was as follows:
The Spirit of the Lord has rested in great power upon the brethren who have spoken to us yesterday and today. Each of them has given to us words of counsel, and testimony, or of reproof. The remarks of our President to us this afternoon are words of life unto us. If we, having received the Gospel and started in the way of life, can receive in our hearts the admonitions and testimonies that have been borne this day we will not be far from the line of our duty.
It is probably that if three-fourths of those here today were asked: “Have you received the witness of the Son of God to the truth of this work?” the answer would be: “Yes; hundreds of evidences of its truth have been given me.”
And yet with this testimony from God, we discover that the weaknesses of the flesh, and the false traditions under which we were reared, frequently bar us from living up to the obligations and requirements that we feel resting upon our shoulders. It is not to be wondered at that we make many failures when we sense the conditions that exist; the immorality, and lack of faith that prevail so widely among men, many of whom profess belief in Christ. Skepticism on the right hand and on the left exists, because men have departed from the truth, and have violated the law of God. I have discovered that when a man schools himself in a disbelief in a Supreme Being, or in the truths of revealed religion, such a course is often due to the wrong acts of the individual himself, in violating some law of virtue or right. One of the prophets, speaking of the time when the world should be in an apostate condition, pointed out those states that would exist among men in regard to those relations that concern the perpetuation of life. The prediction that men would be adulterous and cease to multiply is being fulfilled, as well as that prediction which foretold a restoration of the Gospel of repentance that would tend to lead man back to the presence of his Maker.
The world is in the condition foretold by the prophets in respect to chastity. Men seek to gratify their animal passions, and are drifting further and further away from the true plan of life. Our mode of dress and living tend to increase in men and women animal desires. Their natures are perverted and they destroy themselves, walking in the path of crime and evil. I have seen in New England hundreds of women who are invalids because of their sins in this regard. They claim that childbearing deprives them of social and other pleasures, and hence seek to avoid the cares of maternity. As certain as the sun shines the curse of God will follow the people who will commit these crimes, for their hands are stained in blood.
It has been intimated that these sins are making their way to some extent among the people of Utah. I had hoped that the influence of the Gospel would prevent the spread of such practices, for they lead down to hell. The warning cry should go forth. We should not mince the matter in speaking to the people. The Saints should be taught to avoid such violation of sacred laws, and a love of chastity and purity should be instilled in our sons and daughters. They should be taught to turn away from companionship which is evil. More care and prudence is necessary in the homes of the Saints now than ever before. Upon every hand are met the courtesan and the debauche. We must keep our eyes upon our sons and daughters or the wicked and corrupt will poison their lives and we will find them wanderers from the fold.
A young man should hold that his honor and the virtue of a woman are above all price, and are to be held sacred in the eyes of every man. By remembering the promises that have been made us, and understanding what we lose by breaking those laws of chastity which have been revealed to us, our children will love them. Look upon the debauche! The finger of God has marked him for the damnation of hell. Conformity with the laws of life assures us of a reunion in heaven, as parents and children, while violation of them lead to every evil, to skepticism and utter spiritual darkness.
The responsibility rests upon us to relieve the needy, and live lives of purity. We should remember that a day of reckoning awaits us, in which every man will be judged according to the deeds done in the flesh.
My testimony is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been committed to this people, and that our mission is to warn the world of the consequences of violating the laws of God, and to preach the truth to every land warning them of the judgments that will stalk abroad; for death, misery and woe will be the consequences of the crimes men are committing. My testimony is that this work will spread, and that there will be found in Zion thousands who are innocent, and who will not commit the crimes that are the condemnation of the world.
The choir sang the anthem: How beautiful upon the mountains.
Benediction by Elder John Nicholson, who by request, offered a special petition to the Lord in behalf of the sick among the Saints.
was the next speaker. The substance of his discourse was as follows:
The Spirit of the Lord has rested in great power upon the brethren who have spoken to us yesterday and today. Each of them has given to us words of counsel, and testimony, or of reproof. The remarks of our President to us this afternoon are words of life unto us. If we, having received the Gospel and started in the way of life, can receive in our hearts the admonitions and testimonies that have been borne this day we will not be far from the line of our duty.
It is probably that if three-fourths of those here today were asked: “Have you received the witness of the Son of God to the truth of this work?” the answer would be: “Yes; hundreds of evidences of its truth have been given me.”
And yet with this testimony from God, we discover that the weaknesses of the flesh, and the false traditions under which we were reared, frequently bar us from living up to the obligations and requirements that we feel resting upon our shoulders. It is not to be wondered at that we make many failures when we sense the conditions that exist; the immorality, and lack of faith that prevail so widely among men, many of whom profess belief in Christ. Skepticism on the right hand and on the left exists, because men have departed from the truth, and have violated the law of God. I have discovered that when a man schools himself in a disbelief in a Supreme Being, or in the truths of revealed religion, such a course is often due to the wrong acts of the individual himself, in violating some law of virtue or right. One of the prophets, speaking of the time when the world should be in an apostate condition, pointed out those states that would exist among men in regard to those relations that concern the perpetuation of life. The prediction that men would be adulterous and cease to multiply is being fulfilled, as well as that prediction which foretold a restoration of the Gospel of repentance that would tend to lead man back to the presence of his Maker.
The world is in the condition foretold by the prophets in respect to chastity. Men seek to gratify their animal passions, and are drifting further and further away from the true plan of life. Our mode of dress and living tend to increase in men and women animal desires. Their natures are perverted and they destroy themselves, walking in the path of crime and evil. I have seen in New England hundreds of women who are invalids because of their sins in this regard. They claim that childbearing deprives them of social and other pleasures, and hence seek to avoid the cares of maternity. As certain as the sun shines the curse of God will follow the people who will commit these crimes, for their hands are stained in blood.
It has been intimated that these sins are making their way to some extent among the people of Utah. I had hoped that the influence of the Gospel would prevent the spread of such practices, for they lead down to hell. The warning cry should go forth. We should not mince the matter in speaking to the people. The Saints should be taught to avoid such violation of sacred laws, and a love of chastity and purity should be instilled in our sons and daughters. They should be taught to turn away from companionship which is evil. More care and prudence is necessary in the homes of the Saints now than ever before. Upon every hand are met the courtesan and the debauche. We must keep our eyes upon our sons and daughters or the wicked and corrupt will poison their lives and we will find them wanderers from the fold.
A young man should hold that his honor and the virtue of a woman are above all price, and are to be held sacred in the eyes of every man. By remembering the promises that have been made us, and understanding what we lose by breaking those laws of chastity which have been revealed to us, our children will love them. Look upon the debauche! The finger of God has marked him for the damnation of hell. Conformity with the laws of life assures us of a reunion in heaven, as parents and children, while violation of them lead to every evil, to skepticism and utter spiritual darkness.
The responsibility rests upon us to relieve the needy, and live lives of purity. We should remember that a day of reckoning awaits us, in which every man will be judged according to the deeds done in the flesh.
My testimony is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been committed to this people, and that our mission is to warn the world of the consequences of violating the laws of God, and to preach the truth to every land warning them of the judgments that will stalk abroad; for death, misery and woe will be the consequences of the crimes men are committing. My testimony is that this work will spread, and that there will be found in Zion thousands who are innocent, and who will not commit the crimes that are the condemnation of the world.
The choir sang the anthem: How beautiful upon the mountains.
Benediction by Elder John Nicholson, who by request, offered a special petition to the Lord in behalf of the sick among the Saints.
Overflow Meeting.
Held in the Assembly Hall, Sunday, October 5, 1890, commencing at 2 o’clock p.m., President Lorenzo Snow presiding.
The choir sang: Praise ye the Lord, etc.
Prayer was offered by Bishop R. T. Burton.
The choir sang: Behold the great Redeemer dies, etc.
The Sacrament was administered by the Bishopric and Teachers of the Twenty-first Ward.
Held in the Assembly Hall, Sunday, October 5, 1890, commencing at 2 o’clock p.m., President Lorenzo Snow presiding.
The choir sang: Praise ye the Lord, etc.
Prayer was offered by Bishop R. T. Burton.
The choir sang: Behold the great Redeemer dies, etc.
The Sacrament was administered by the Bishopric and Teachers of the Twenty-first Ward.
Elder Jacob Gates
said he rejoiced in the fact that the Lord had restored the fulness of the Gospel in this the nineteenth century, and in contemplating its prosperity at the present time. Though the world calls Joseph Smith an imposter, every honest man and woman must acknowledge that there is something extraordinary connected with the work he established. The speaker had been personally acquainted with the Prophet, and for the benefit of the young and middle-aged people present he would bear testimony to the goodness and worth of that man, to whom he was first introduced in the year 1884, in Ohio; and immediately afterwards he traveled with him to Missouri, in Zion’s Camp. On this long and eventful journey he had a good opportunity of studying the general character and prophetic endowment of the young Seer. When starting from Ohio, Joseph promised the brethren of the camp that if they would keep the counsel and commandments of God they should return in safety; but if they rebelled against the leaders of the camp a scourge would come upon them. The speaker then related how cholera broke out among the brethren in consequence of disobeying counsel and murmuring. Since that time he had associated with the Prophet during the mobbings and persecutions in Missouri and Illinois, and saw him lying cold in death’s embrace after the cruel tragedy in Carthage. He knew he was a Prophet of the living God and that the revelations given through him were true, and if the Saints will live according to these revelations, they will be saved in the Kingdom of God.
said he rejoiced in the fact that the Lord had restored the fulness of the Gospel in this the nineteenth century, and in contemplating its prosperity at the present time. Though the world calls Joseph Smith an imposter, every honest man and woman must acknowledge that there is something extraordinary connected with the work he established. The speaker had been personally acquainted with the Prophet, and for the benefit of the young and middle-aged people present he would bear testimony to the goodness and worth of that man, to whom he was first introduced in the year 1884, in Ohio; and immediately afterwards he traveled with him to Missouri, in Zion’s Camp. On this long and eventful journey he had a good opportunity of studying the general character and prophetic endowment of the young Seer. When starting from Ohio, Joseph promised the brethren of the camp that if they would keep the counsel and commandments of God they should return in safety; but if they rebelled against the leaders of the camp a scourge would come upon them. The speaker then related how cholera broke out among the brethren in consequence of disobeying counsel and murmuring. Since that time he had associated with the Prophet during the mobbings and persecutions in Missouri and Illinois, and saw him lying cold in death’s embrace after the cruel tragedy in Carthage. He knew he was a Prophet of the living God and that the revelations given through him were true, and if the Saints will live according to these revelations, they will be saved in the Kingdom of God.
Elder Charles W. Penrose
Said he felt pleased to see the interest manifested by the Saints in attending conference. This afternoon both the Tabernacle and the Assembly Hall are crowded with Saints anxious to hear the word of the Lord, and thousands cannot gain admission. As the Saints get experience they learn also to be wise and understand the prophecies uttered by the Servants of God in the various dispensations. The Saints belonging to the early Christian Church expected that Christ would return to the earth again almost immediately after His ascension, and it became necessary for Paul and others of the Apostles to explain to the people that the great apostacy and other events must first take place, and that the second coming of the Savior belong to a future period. So also in these last days. When the Church of Christ was first established some of the Saints believed that the great work of the dispensation of the fulness of times would be accomplished in a few years, and that the Savior would make His appearance very shortly. But Joseph the Prophet, in speaking concerning this, told the Saints of certain things which must be done before that event could take place; and, as some of these events have not yet transpired, we have no reason to expect that the Lord will come to dwell on the earth in 1891, as some of the Elders seem to have anticipated. The speaker then referred to the wickedness and abominations existing in the midst of mankind, and the temptations placed upon the Saints to participate in them also. The Saints should remember their covenants and keep them, live lives of virtue and purity, and stand aloof of the follies and sins of the world. We should also keep the promises and agreements entered into with one another, pay our honest debts, return that which we borrow, and in all respects act fair and true to each other, for unless we do this we cannot expect that the Lord will prosper us, or that we will have a real Zion—which consist of the pure in heart—established in our midst. The young should respect old age and obey their parents, that they may prosper and live long in the land. Parents should be careful in training their children and plant in their young hearts, so far as it is within their power to do so, a love for the principles of the Gospel and good morals. This can only be accomplished by good examples, coupled with wise and consistent precepts, on the part of the parents.
Said he felt pleased to see the interest manifested by the Saints in attending conference. This afternoon both the Tabernacle and the Assembly Hall are crowded with Saints anxious to hear the word of the Lord, and thousands cannot gain admission. As the Saints get experience they learn also to be wise and understand the prophecies uttered by the Servants of God in the various dispensations. The Saints belonging to the early Christian Church expected that Christ would return to the earth again almost immediately after His ascension, and it became necessary for Paul and others of the Apostles to explain to the people that the great apostacy and other events must first take place, and that the second coming of the Savior belong to a future period. So also in these last days. When the Church of Christ was first established some of the Saints believed that the great work of the dispensation of the fulness of times would be accomplished in a few years, and that the Savior would make His appearance very shortly. But Joseph the Prophet, in speaking concerning this, told the Saints of certain things which must be done before that event could take place; and, as some of these events have not yet transpired, we have no reason to expect that the Lord will come to dwell on the earth in 1891, as some of the Elders seem to have anticipated. The speaker then referred to the wickedness and abominations existing in the midst of mankind, and the temptations placed upon the Saints to participate in them also. The Saints should remember their covenants and keep them, live lives of virtue and purity, and stand aloof of the follies and sins of the world. We should also keep the promises and agreements entered into with one another, pay our honest debts, return that which we borrow, and in all respects act fair and true to each other, for unless we do this we cannot expect that the Lord will prosper us, or that we will have a real Zion—which consist of the pure in heart—established in our midst. The young should respect old age and obey their parents, that they may prosper and live long in the land. Parents should be careful in training their children and plant in their young hearts, so far as it is within their power to do so, a love for the principles of the Gospel and good morals. This can only be accomplished by good examples, coupled with wise and consistent precepts, on the part of the parents.
Apostle Anton H. Lund
was the next speaker. He explained that the prophecies uttered by the Lord or His inspired servants very seldom had dates attached to them. Those that had, had all been literally fulfilled, although sometimes in such a natural and quiet way that many people have not perceived of their fulfilment. A number of the Saints have been somewhat exercised regarding the Indians. When the Lord desires to fulfil His promises regarding the Lamanites He will undoubtedly work through the legitimate channel of the priesthood and appoint His servants to visit them and organize His Church in their midst, which has been done in several instances already.
The Saints should avoid going into debt and live within their means, for without this it is no easy task for them to be true and honest to each other, nor will they be apt to enjoy that peace of mind which should characterize all who have covenanted with God to serve Him and keep His commandments.
was the next speaker. He explained that the prophecies uttered by the Lord or His inspired servants very seldom had dates attached to them. Those that had, had all been literally fulfilled, although sometimes in such a natural and quiet way that many people have not perceived of their fulfilment. A number of the Saints have been somewhat exercised regarding the Indians. When the Lord desires to fulfil His promises regarding the Lamanites He will undoubtedly work through the legitimate channel of the priesthood and appoint His servants to visit them and organize His Church in their midst, which has been done in several instances already.
The Saints should avoid going into debt and live within their means, for without this it is no easy task for them to be true and honest to each other, nor will they be apt to enjoy that peace of mind which should characterize all who have covenanted with God to serve Him and keep His commandments.
President Lorenzo Snow
spoke of the many blessings which had followed the Latter-day Saints in past years, and their prosperity even in the midst of the greatest opposition and persecution. For all this we should feel grateful to our Heavenly Father. A number of men, who once held high positions in this Church, apostatized because of their ingratitude for the blessings and gifts with which they had been endowed; among them were several of the first Apostles in this dispensation. The Saints should feel thankful for the blessings they enjoy, instead of murmuring and complaining of things which they do not possess, for the Lord knows better than we what is good for every one of His sons and daughters, and will give to us all according to His great wisdom and pleasure.
spoke of the many blessings which had followed the Latter-day Saints in past years, and their prosperity even in the midst of the greatest opposition and persecution. For all this we should feel grateful to our Heavenly Father. A number of men, who once held high positions in this Church, apostatized because of their ingratitude for the blessings and gifts with which they had been endowed; among them were several of the first Apostles in this dispensation. The Saints should feel thankful for the blessings they enjoy, instead of murmuring and complaining of things which they do not possess, for the Lord knows better than we what is good for every one of His sons and daughters, and will give to us all according to His great wisdom and pleasure.
Apostle Moses Thatcher
said that a careful reading of the predictions made in regard to the second coming of the Savior would enable the Saints to understand their meaning. Christ had already appeared—first to the Prophet boy Joseph Smith in the woods of New York and afterwards in the Kirtland Temple, but the time when He shall appear in His glory and come to reign upon the earth has not been revealed. Others of the Saints cannot be reconciled to the fact that their sons and daughters are taken away from them by death in the prime of youth, and yet those same parents will, in some instances, not hesitate to give their daughters and sons in marriage to those who are infidels and wicked at heart—an act which places them in a most deplorable condition, compared with death is but a small calamity. The Saints should be wise and act consistently in this as well as in other matters, and not cut themselves or their children off from the blessings of the Temples by being unequally yoked with unbelievers.
The choir sang the anthem, “Daughter of Zion.”
Benediction by Apostle Heber J. Grant.
said that a careful reading of the predictions made in regard to the second coming of the Savior would enable the Saints to understand their meaning. Christ had already appeared—first to the Prophet boy Joseph Smith in the woods of New York and afterwards in the Kirtland Temple, but the time when He shall appear in His glory and come to reign upon the earth has not been revealed. Others of the Saints cannot be reconciled to the fact that their sons and daughters are taken away from them by death in the prime of youth, and yet those same parents will, in some instances, not hesitate to give their daughters and sons in marriage to those who are infidels and wicked at heart—an act which places them in a most deplorable condition, compared with death is but a small calamity. The Saints should be wise and act consistently in this as well as in other matters, and not cut themselves or their children off from the blessings of the Temples by being unequally yoked with unbelievers.
The choir sang the anthem, “Daughter of Zion.”
Benediction by Apostle Heber J. Grant.
Priesthood Meeting.
A meeting of the Priesthood was held in the Tabernacle at 7:30 o’clock, on Sunday evening. It was the largest assemblage of the kind ever held. Annexed is a brief synopsis of the remarks made, merely sufficient to indicate the nature of the subjects treated:
A meeting of the Priesthood was held in the Tabernacle at 7:30 o’clock, on Sunday evening. It was the largest assemblage of the kind ever held. Annexed is a brief synopsis of the remarks made, merely sufficient to indicate the nature of the subjects treated:
Bishop William B. Preston
spoke upon the duties of those who are called to officiate in the Lesser Priesthood. He defined the functions of the offices of Priest and Teacher, whose quorums should be fully organized. Bishops complain sometimes that it is difficult to obtain experienced men to operate in these offices, as they are called to labor in so many other directions. The young men who are active in the Sunday Schools and Mutual Improvement Associations should be selected and trained in the duties of the Lesser Priesthood, that they may be prepared to go forward by a process of gradation for advancement. If this is done and the time comes when they want to get married, they will be in a proper condition to receive the Melchisedek Priesthood. The support of the poor was a matter of much importance. In some wards not more was donated for this object than ought to be contributed by one family. The record proves this to be the case.
spoke upon the duties of those who are called to officiate in the Lesser Priesthood. He defined the functions of the offices of Priest and Teacher, whose quorums should be fully organized. Bishops complain sometimes that it is difficult to obtain experienced men to operate in these offices, as they are called to labor in so many other directions. The young men who are active in the Sunday Schools and Mutual Improvement Associations should be selected and trained in the duties of the Lesser Priesthood, that they may be prepared to go forward by a process of gradation for advancement. If this is done and the time comes when they want to get married, they will be in a proper condition to receive the Melchisedek Priesthood. The support of the poor was a matter of much importance. In some wards not more was donated for this object than ought to be contributed by one family. The record proves this to be the case.
Apostle Heber J. Grant
said we have much to contend with in the opposition of the world, but this is not nearly so discouraging as the opposition which is occasionally met with within our own ranks. Our duties belong to us as individuals. Those who contribute their fast offerings to support the poor will receive the blessings associated with that act of obedience. So with every other obligation. Blessings are predicated upon obedience to law. This is the largest Priesthood meeting I ever attended in my life. I expect the one held next April will be larger than this. This is the way the predictions of those who have asserted that “Mormonism” was soon coming to an end are fulfilled. It simply keeps extending. The First Presidency and Twelve are united, and this union is increasing among the people. I have no fears of any man or set of men having power to impede the progress of this work. No such power exists.
said we have much to contend with in the opposition of the world, but this is not nearly so discouraging as the opposition which is occasionally met with within our own ranks. Our duties belong to us as individuals. Those who contribute their fast offerings to support the poor will receive the blessings associated with that act of obedience. So with every other obligation. Blessings are predicated upon obedience to law. This is the largest Priesthood meeting I ever attended in my life. I expect the one held next April will be larger than this. This is the way the predictions of those who have asserted that “Mormonism” was soon coming to an end are fulfilled. It simply keeps extending. The First Presidency and Twelve are united, and this union is increasing among the people. I have no fears of any man or set of men having power to impede the progress of this work. No such power exists.
Apostle John W. Taylor
Brother Grant in his remarks has referred to the growth of the Latter-day Saints, and has shown that “Mormonism,” instead of coming to an end, as has often been predicted, has grown and that the Saints have increased. In nearly all the older settlements, old meeting houses have been replaced by larger ones.
It has been said that not more than one-fourth of the Latter-day Saints pay a full tithing. If this is true, it is very unfortunate. When the Saints first settled here, they made a solemn covenant that, if the Lord would bless the land and make it productive, they would pay a tenth of their increase to the Lord. The promise is that if they will pay their tithing this shall be a land of Zion unto them. I admonish you, brethren, to pay your tithing. You will be blessed according to your faithfulness in doing so. When presiding officers do not themselves pay tithing, they cannot preach tithing to the Saints, effectively—their mouths are closed on the subject.
Brother Grant in his remarks has referred to the growth of the Latter-day Saints, and has shown that “Mormonism,” instead of coming to an end, as has often been predicted, has grown and that the Saints have increased. In nearly all the older settlements, old meeting houses have been replaced by larger ones.
It has been said that not more than one-fourth of the Latter-day Saints pay a full tithing. If this is true, it is very unfortunate. When the Saints first settled here, they made a solemn covenant that, if the Lord would bless the land and make it productive, they would pay a tenth of their increase to the Lord. The promise is that if they will pay their tithing this shall be a land of Zion unto them. I admonish you, brethren, to pay your tithing. You will be blessed according to your faithfulness in doing so. When presiding officers do not themselves pay tithing, they cannot preach tithing to the Saints, effectively—their mouths are closed on the subject.
Apostle Mariner W. Merrill
I look upon this meeting as the presiding authority of the Church; that is, it embraces the local presiding authorities of the various wards and stakes. Reference has been made to the union of feeling that exists among the Twelve and First Presidency. I testify that this is true, and it is an example that should be followed by all the organizations of the Church. Where there is not union among the local presiding authorities, the people are affected. Such a condition tends to keep them away from meeting, and has a bad influence.
The speaker dwelt at length upon the necessity of union and harmony among the members of Stake Presidencies, the Bishops under them, and the presiding officers of the various organizations in the Church. He spoke of the necessity of restoring good feeling where it did not exist, and of the necessity of taking such steps as might be required to secure that end, and continued:
I have always thought, in respect to Bishops’ and High Councils’ courts, that it was wrong for me to have a case in them. I ought to remove the cause of trouble before it reaches either of these courts. I have thought it was in vain for us to ask the Lord for favors until we have removed hard feelings and differences from among us.
When the presiding authorities of a Stake are united, a power can be exercised by them among the Saints.
I never enjoyed myself in any calling better than when I was laboring as a teacher and went forth in a spirit of humility. The teachers should not be in a hurry. They should take plenty of time in visiting the people. It is often the case that they delay making their visits till the last day before report meeting, and then make hasty calls so as to be able to say they have visited all the families in their district. This is wrong. It is not performing the duties of a teacher according to the spirit of the calling.
We should be patient with our children, and not deal too harshly with them because they are a little wayward. We should exercise a constant watch-care over them, and seek to prevent them from going astray, for we cannot tell what temptations may beset them.
I look upon this meeting as the presiding authority of the Church; that is, it embraces the local presiding authorities of the various wards and stakes. Reference has been made to the union of feeling that exists among the Twelve and First Presidency. I testify that this is true, and it is an example that should be followed by all the organizations of the Church. Where there is not union among the local presiding authorities, the people are affected. Such a condition tends to keep them away from meeting, and has a bad influence.
The speaker dwelt at length upon the necessity of union and harmony among the members of Stake Presidencies, the Bishops under them, and the presiding officers of the various organizations in the Church. He spoke of the necessity of restoring good feeling where it did not exist, and of the necessity of taking such steps as might be required to secure that end, and continued:
I have always thought, in respect to Bishops’ and High Councils’ courts, that it was wrong for me to have a case in them. I ought to remove the cause of trouble before it reaches either of these courts. I have thought it was in vain for us to ask the Lord for favors until we have removed hard feelings and differences from among us.
When the presiding authorities of a Stake are united, a power can be exercised by them among the Saints.
I never enjoyed myself in any calling better than when I was laboring as a teacher and went forth in a spirit of humility. The teachers should not be in a hurry. They should take plenty of time in visiting the people. It is often the case that they delay making their visits till the last day before report meeting, and then make hasty calls so as to be able to say they have visited all the families in their district. This is wrong. It is not performing the duties of a teacher according to the spirit of the calling.
We should be patient with our children, and not deal too harshly with them because they are a little wayward. We should exercise a constant watch-care over them, and seek to prevent them from going astray, for we cannot tell what temptations may beset them.
President George Q. Cannon
spoke upon the importance of union. Where there were differences among brethren they should get together, and fast and pray and thus bring about a reconciliation. When men possess the Holy Spirit they are softened and are tender in their feelings, and good results follow. One subject treated upon by Bishop Preston—the support of the poor—is frequently mentioned and enjoined in the revelations. One of the objects of the Gospel is the elevation of the poor. It is no matter that a man has brought destitution upon himself by his own acts, the obligation to extend help to him still exists. By extending aid it is not necessary that we should pauperize the indigent. While aiding them we should also seek to put them in the way of supporting themselves.
It is a false idea that Latter-day Saints cannot compete in business live according to the light of the Holy Spirit that the Lord may favor us. Make all things right with each other, and make restitution to each other where you have wronged any one. There was a time in our history when we did this and when we confessed our sins. When this is done, let us set our quorums and houses in order, and the peace of the Lord will be with us.
We should fulfil our obligations and covenants with each other. Some of the people are living beyond their means and fail to meet their engagements at the proper time with others because their religious duty requires them to contribute a tenth of their increase. We should judge such things by the light of heaven, then we will see that when we are liberal in supporting the work of God we are prospered much more than when we are contracted in our feelings. Men who go on missions and perform their labors in the ministry are not distinguishable because of their poverty. As a rule the contrary is the case. There should not be a disposition to burden the Church, which is hampered on every hand by calls for assistance. Men can pay their tithing and donations and yet prosper. I believe that the leaders of the Church contribute as liberally for the support of the Church as any other class of the community. There is no community in the United States that has prospered to such an extent as the Latter-day Saints. This will continue if we are liberal in our ways. God has given us privileges. Let us be diligent in exercising them, and seek to preserve our rights.
Adjourned.
spoke upon the importance of union. Where there were differences among brethren they should get together, and fast and pray and thus bring about a reconciliation. When men possess the Holy Spirit they are softened and are tender in their feelings, and good results follow. One subject treated upon by Bishop Preston—the support of the poor—is frequently mentioned and enjoined in the revelations. One of the objects of the Gospel is the elevation of the poor. It is no matter that a man has brought destitution upon himself by his own acts, the obligation to extend help to him still exists. By extending aid it is not necessary that we should pauperize the indigent. While aiding them we should also seek to put them in the way of supporting themselves.
It is a false idea that Latter-day Saints cannot compete in business live according to the light of the Holy Spirit that the Lord may favor us. Make all things right with each other, and make restitution to each other where you have wronged any one. There was a time in our history when we did this and when we confessed our sins. When this is done, let us set our quorums and houses in order, and the peace of the Lord will be with us.
We should fulfil our obligations and covenants with each other. Some of the people are living beyond their means and fail to meet their engagements at the proper time with others because their religious duty requires them to contribute a tenth of their increase. We should judge such things by the light of heaven, then we will see that when we are liberal in supporting the work of God we are prospered much more than when we are contracted in our feelings. Men who go on missions and perform their labors in the ministry are not distinguishable because of their poverty. As a rule the contrary is the case. There should not be a disposition to burden the Church, which is hampered on every hand by calls for assistance. Men can pay their tithing and donations and yet prosper. I believe that the leaders of the Church contribute as liberally for the support of the Church as any other class of the community. There is no community in the United States that has prospered to such an extent as the Latter-day Saints. This will continue if we are liberal in our ways. God has given us privileges. Let us be diligent in exercising them, and seek to preserve our rights.
Adjourned.
Third Day. Monday, Oct. 6th, 10 a.m.
Singing:
Come all ye sons of Zion,
And let us praise the Lord,
His ransomed are returning,
According to his word.
Prayer was offered by President A. O. Smoot, of Utah Stake.
The choir sang the hymn:
Though deep’ning trials throng your way,
Press on, press on, ye Saints of God!
Ere long the resurrection day
Will spread its light and truth abroad.
Singing:
Come all ye sons of Zion,
And let us praise the Lord,
His ransomed are returning,
According to his word.
Prayer was offered by President A. O. Smoot, of Utah Stake.
The choir sang the hymn:
Though deep’ning trials throng your way,
Press on, press on, ye Saints of God!
Ere long the resurrection day
Will spread its light and truth abroad.
The Authorities of the Church were presented by President George Q. Cannon for the votes of the assembly, as follows:
Wilford Woodruff, as Prophet, Seer and Revelator and President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in all the world.
George Q. Cannon as First Counselor in the First Presidency.
Joseph F. Smith as Second Counselor in the First Presidency.
Lorenzo Snow as President of the Twelve Apostles.
As members of the Council of the Twelve Apostles—Lorenzo Snow, Franklin D. Richards, Brigham Young, Moses Thatcher, Francis M. Lyman, John H. Smith, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, John W. Taylor, Mariner W. Merrill, Anton H. Lund and Abraham H. Cannon.
Counselors to the Twelve Apostles—John W. Young and Daniel H. Wells.
The Counselors in the First Presidency and the twelve Apostles, with their Counselors, as Prophets, Seers and revelators.
Patriarch to the Church: John Smith.
First Seven Presidents of the Seventies: Henry Herriman, Jacob Gates, Seymour B. Young, C. D. Fjeldsted, John Morgan, B. H. Roberts and George Reynolds.
Wm. B. Preston as Presiding Bishop, with Robert T. Burton as his First and John R. Winder as his Second Counselor.
Franklin D. Richards as Church Historian and General Church Recorder.
Joseph Don Carlos Young as General Church Architect.
John Nicholson as Clerk of the Conference.
As the Church Board of Education: Wilford Woodruff, Lorenzo Snow, George Q. Cannon, Karl G. Maeser, Willard Young, George W. Thatcher, Amos Howe, Anton H. Lund, James Sharp.
The voting in every instance was unanimous.
Wilford Woodruff, as Prophet, Seer and Revelator and President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in all the world.
George Q. Cannon as First Counselor in the First Presidency.
Joseph F. Smith as Second Counselor in the First Presidency.
Lorenzo Snow as President of the Twelve Apostles.
As members of the Council of the Twelve Apostles—Lorenzo Snow, Franklin D. Richards, Brigham Young, Moses Thatcher, Francis M. Lyman, John H. Smith, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, John W. Taylor, Mariner W. Merrill, Anton H. Lund and Abraham H. Cannon.
Counselors to the Twelve Apostles—John W. Young and Daniel H. Wells.
The Counselors in the First Presidency and the twelve Apostles, with their Counselors, as Prophets, Seers and revelators.
Patriarch to the Church: John Smith.
First Seven Presidents of the Seventies: Henry Herriman, Jacob Gates, Seymour B. Young, C. D. Fjeldsted, John Morgan, B. H. Roberts and George Reynolds.
Wm. B. Preston as Presiding Bishop, with Robert T. Burton as his First and John R. Winder as his Second Counselor.
Franklin D. Richards as Church Historian and General Church Recorder.
Joseph Don Carlos Young as General Church Architect.
John Nicholson as Clerk of the Conference.
As the Church Board of Education: Wilford Woodruff, Lorenzo Snow, George Q. Cannon, Karl G. Maeser, Willard Young, George W. Thatcher, Amos Howe, Anton H. Lund, James Sharp.
The voting in every instance was unanimous.
President Woodruff
said: I will say, as the question is often asked, “What do the Latter-day Saints believe in?” we feel disposed to read the Articles of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and should there be any strangers present, they may understand our faith in this respect. The question is often asked, “Do the Mormon people believe in the Bible?” so the principles that are read will show our faith and belief appertaining to the Gospel of Christ.
The articles were then read by Bishop Orson F. Whitney. They are here introduced:
Articles of Faith
Of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
said: I will say, as the question is often asked, “What do the Latter-day Saints believe in?” we feel disposed to read the Articles of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and should there be any strangers present, they may understand our faith in this respect. The question is often asked, “Do the Mormon people believe in the Bible?” so the principles that are read will show our faith and belief appertaining to the Gospel of Christ.
The articles were then read by Bishop Orson F. Whitney. They are here introduced:
Articles of Faith
Of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
- We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
- We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.
- We believe that through the atonement of Christ all men may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
- We believe that the ordinances are: First, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, repentance; third, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
- We believe that a man must be called of God by “prophecy, and by the laying on of hands,” by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
- We believe in the same organization that existed in the primitive church, viz.: apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, etc.
- We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, etc.
- We believe the Bible to be the word of God, as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
- We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
- We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes. That Zion will be built upon this continent. That Christ will reign personally upon the earth, and that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisaic glory.
- We claim the privilege of worshiping the Almighty God according to the dictates of our conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where or what they may.
- We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers and magistrates, in obeying, honoring and sustaining the law.
- We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent virtuous, and in doing good to all men: indeed we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul, “We believe all things, we hope all things,” we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.
Apostle Franklin D. Richards
said: Beloved brethren and sisters, I move that we, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in General Conference assembled, do accept and adopt these Articles of Faith which Bishop Whitney has now read as the rule of our faith and of our conduct during our mortal lives.
It may be thought that it is superfluous to offer it; but it must be borne in mind that we have a rising generation since this was last presented to us, that are coming to years of judgment and understanding; and we wish to have all old and young, rich and poor, bond and free, that have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in these articles to have a chance to express it by their vote, if they wish.
The vote to sustain Brother Richards’ motion was unanimous.
said: Beloved brethren and sisters, I move that we, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in General Conference assembled, do accept and adopt these Articles of Faith which Bishop Whitney has now read as the rule of our faith and of our conduct during our mortal lives.
It may be thought that it is superfluous to offer it; but it must be borne in mind that we have a rising generation since this was last presented to us, that are coming to years of judgment and understanding; and we wish to have all old and young, rich and poor, bond and free, that have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in these articles to have a chance to express it by their vote, if they wish.
The vote to sustain Brother Richards’ motion was unanimous.
President George Q. Cannon
said: President Woodruff, as doubtless the members of the Conference are aware, has felt himself called upon to issue a manifesto concerning certain things connected with our affairs in this Territory, and he is desirous to have this submitted to this conference: to have their views or their expressions concerning it, and Bishop Whitney will read this document now in your hearing.
Following is the manifesto as read:
Official Declaration.
To Whom it May Concern:
Press dispatches having been sent for political purposes, from Salt Lake City, which have been widely published, to the effect that the Utah Commission, in their recent report to the Secretary of the Interior, allege that plural marriages are still being solemnized and that forty or more such marriages have been contracted in Utah since last June or during the past year; also that in public discourses the leaders of the Church have taught, encouraged and urged the continuance of the practice of polygamy.
I, therefore, as President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints do hereby, in the most solemn manner, declare that these charges are false. We are not teaching polygamy, or plural marriage, nor permitting any person to enter into its practice, and I deny that either forty or any other number of plural marriages have during that period been solemnized in our temples or in any other place in the Territory.
One case has been reported, in which the parties alleged that the marriage was performed in the Endowment House, in Salt Lake City, in the spring of 1889, but I have not been able to learn who performed the ceremony; whatever was done in this matter was without my knowledge. In consequence of the alleged occurrence the Endowment House was, by my instructions, taken down without delay.
Inasmuch as laws have been enacted by Congress forbidding plural marriages, which laws have been pronounced constitutional by the court of last resort, I hereby declare my intention to submit to those laws, and to use my influence with the members of the Church over which I preside to have them do likewise.
There is nothing in my teachings to the Church or in those of my associates, during the time specified, which can be reasonably construed to inculcate or encourage polygamy, and when any Elder of the Church has used language which appeared to convey any such teaching, he has been promptly reproved. And I now publicly declare that my advice to the Latter-day Saints is to refrain from contracting any marriage forbidden by the law of the land.
Wilford Woodruff,
President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
President Lorenzo Snow offered the following:
“I move that recognizing Wilford Woodruff as the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the only man on the earth at the present time who holds the keys of the sealing ordinances, we consider him fully authorized by virtue of his position to issue the manifesto which has been read in our hearing and which is dated September 24th, 1890, and that as a Church in General Conference assembled, we accept his declaration concerning plural marriages as authoritative and binding.”
The vote to sustain the foregoing motion was unanimous.
said: President Woodruff, as doubtless the members of the Conference are aware, has felt himself called upon to issue a manifesto concerning certain things connected with our affairs in this Territory, and he is desirous to have this submitted to this conference: to have their views or their expressions concerning it, and Bishop Whitney will read this document now in your hearing.
Following is the manifesto as read:
Official Declaration.
To Whom it May Concern:
Press dispatches having been sent for political purposes, from Salt Lake City, which have been widely published, to the effect that the Utah Commission, in their recent report to the Secretary of the Interior, allege that plural marriages are still being solemnized and that forty or more such marriages have been contracted in Utah since last June or during the past year; also that in public discourses the leaders of the Church have taught, encouraged and urged the continuance of the practice of polygamy.
I, therefore, as President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints do hereby, in the most solemn manner, declare that these charges are false. We are not teaching polygamy, or plural marriage, nor permitting any person to enter into its practice, and I deny that either forty or any other number of plural marriages have during that period been solemnized in our temples or in any other place in the Territory.
One case has been reported, in which the parties alleged that the marriage was performed in the Endowment House, in Salt Lake City, in the spring of 1889, but I have not been able to learn who performed the ceremony; whatever was done in this matter was without my knowledge. In consequence of the alleged occurrence the Endowment House was, by my instructions, taken down without delay.
Inasmuch as laws have been enacted by Congress forbidding plural marriages, which laws have been pronounced constitutional by the court of last resort, I hereby declare my intention to submit to those laws, and to use my influence with the members of the Church over which I preside to have them do likewise.
There is nothing in my teachings to the Church or in those of my associates, during the time specified, which can be reasonably construed to inculcate or encourage polygamy, and when any Elder of the Church has used language which appeared to convey any such teaching, he has been promptly reproved. And I now publicly declare that my advice to the Latter-day Saints is to refrain from contracting any marriage forbidden by the law of the land.
Wilford Woodruff,
President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
President Lorenzo Snow offered the following:
“I move that recognizing Wilford Woodruff as the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the only man on the earth at the present time who holds the keys of the sealing ordinances, we consider him fully authorized by virtue of his position to issue the manifesto which has been read in our hearing and which is dated September 24th, 1890, and that as a Church in General Conference assembled, we accept his declaration concerning plural marriages as authoritative and binding.”
The vote to sustain the foregoing motion was unanimous.
President George Q. Cannon
spoke in reference to the manifesto, giving the reasons for its having been issued by President Woodruff. A synopsis of his discourse could not give an adequate idea of it. His remarks were of such vital importance that it is deemed better to await a full report of them, which will shortly be published.
spoke in reference to the manifesto, giving the reasons for its having been issued by President Woodruff. A synopsis of his discourse could not give an adequate idea of it. His remarks were of such vital importance that it is deemed better to await a full report of them, which will shortly be published.
Remarks
by President George Q. Cannon
On the 19th of January, 1841, the Lord gave His servant Joseph Smith a revelation, the 49th paragraph of which I will read:
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, that when I give a commandment to any of the sons of men, to do a work unto my name, and those sons of men go with all their might, and with all they have, to perform that work, and cease not their diligence, and their enemies come upon them, and hinder them from performing that work; behold, it behoveth me to require that work no more at the hands of those sons of men, but to accept of their offerings.”
The Lord says other things connected with this, which I do not think it necessary to read, but the whole revelation is profitable, and can be read by those who desire to do so.
It is on this basis that President Woodruff has felt himself justified in issuing this manifesto.
I suppose it would not be justice to this Conference not to say something upon this subject; and yet everyone knows how delicate a subject it is, and how difficult it is to approach it without saying something that may offend somebody. So far as I am concerned, I can say that of the men in this Church who have endeavored to maintain this principle of plural marriage, I am one. In public and in private I have avowed any belief in it. I have defended it everywhere and under all circumstances, and when it was necessary have said that I considered the command was binding and imperative upon me.
But a change has taken place. We have, in the first place, endeavored to show that the law which affected this feature of our religion was unconstitutional. We believed for years that the law of July 1, 1862, was in direct conflict with the first amendment to the Constitution, which says that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” We rested upon that, and for years continued the practice of plural marriage, believing the law against it to be an unconstitutional one, and that we had the right, under the Constitution, to carry out this principle practically in our lives. So confident was I in relation to this view that in conversations with President Grant, and with his Attorney General, ex-Senator Williams, of Oregon, I said to them that if my case were not barred by the statute of limitations I would be willing to have it made a test case, in order that the law might be tested. We were sustained in this view not only by our own interpretation of the amendment to the Constitution, but also by some of the best legal minds in the country, who took exactly the same view that we did—that this law was an interference with religious rights, and that so long as our practices did not interfere with the happiness and peace of society, or of others, we had the right to carry out this principle. In fact, it is within six or eight months that, in conversation with two United States Senators, each conversation being separate from the other, both of them expressed themselves, though not in the same language, to this effect: “Mr. Cannon, if this feature that you practice had not been associated with religion, it might have been tolerated; but you have associated it with religion and it has aroused the religious sentiment of the nation, and that sentiment cannot be resisted. So far as the practice itself is concerned, if you had not made it a part of your faith and an institution sanctioned by religion, it might have gone along unnoticed.” I do not give the exact language; but these are the ideas that they conveyed to me. Now, we were very confident that this law was an unconstitutional one. President Daniel H. Wells will remember how he and I tried to get a case to test the constitutionality of the law during the lifetime of President Brigham Young. We wanted to get Brother Erastus Snow. It is the last thing that we should have thought of to put a man like he was in the gap if we had not been firmly convinced that the law was unconstitutional and would be declared so by the United States Supreme Court. We telegraphed to Brother Erastus in the south, thinking that his case would not be barred by the statute of limitations. He replied to us concerning it, and we found that it was barred. Brother A. M. Musser proposed himself, if I remember aright, to be a test case; but there was a defect in his case. We wanted this case, whenever it was presented, to be presented fairly, that there should be no evasion about it, but that it should be a case that could be tested fairly before the courts of the country. Finally, Brother George Reynolds was selected. I said to myself, when I learned the result, “it is the last time that I will ever have anything to do with a test case again which will involve the liberty of anybody.” I was promised when he was sentenced, by one high in authority and who had the right to make the promise, that he should be released, when the circumstances were told to him; for they were laid fairly before him, and he was told that the evidence had been furnished by Brother Reynolds himself, and that everything had been done to make it a test case; the government had been aided in the securing of witnesses, and no difficulty thrown in the way. Afterwards, on the second trial, I believe Brother Reynolds’ lawyers got frightened, and there was something occurred then that gave it a different appearance But when the facts were related, as I stated, to one high in authority, he promised me that George Reynolds should be pardoned. There were those, however, in this city who were determined that he should not escape imprisonment, and the prosecuting attorney wrote a letter which changed the mind of this high official, as he afterward told me, and he declined to carry out that which I had received as a promise. But even then there were circumstances connected with this decision that made us reluctant to accept it.
Since that time the history of proceedings is before you and before the world. We have felt as though this command of God was of such importance to us, involving so many serious consequences, that we should do all in our power to have the world know the position that we occupied. There may be men among us who believed that they would be damned if they did not obey this, accepting it as a direct command from God. Therefore, you can understand how tenaciously we have protested, and how vigorously we have endeavored, as far as we could, to make public our views upon this subject.
I suppose there are two classes here today in this congregation—one class who feel to sorrow to the bottom of their hearts because of the necessity of this action that we have now taken; another class who will say: “Did I not tell you so?” “Did I not tell you it would come to this?” “Did I not say to you that you ought to take advantage of and comply with this years ago, instead of enduring that which you have suffered since that time?” There may be men here today who pride themselves on their foresight, and who take credit to themselves because they foresaw, as they allege, that which we have done today, and would lead others to believe that if their counsel had been adopted, if the views that they presented had been accepted by the people, it might have saved very serious consequences to us all and left us in a better position than that which we occupy today. But I, for one, differ entirely with this view. I believe that it was necessary that we should witness unto God, the Eternal Father, unto the heavens and unto the earth, that this was really a principle dear to us—dearer, it might be said, in some respects, than life itself. We could not have done this had we submitted at the time that those of whom I speak suggested submission. We could not have left our own nation without excuse. It might have said. “Had we known all that you tell us now concerning this, we should have had very different views about this feature of your religion than we did have.” But now, after the occurrences of the past six years have been witnessed by this entire nation and by the world, and by God the Eternal Father and the heavenly hosts, no one can plead as an excuse that they have been ignorant of our belief and the dearness of this principle to us. Upwards of thirteen hundred men have been incarcerated in prison, going there for various terms from one or three months up to years. They have gone there willingly, as martyrs to this principle, making a protest that the heavens and the earth should bear record of, that they were conscientious in espousing this principle, and that it was not for sensual indulgence had been the object we could have obtained it without such sacrifices as were involved in obedience to this law—without going to prison, without sustaining wives and children, without the obloquy that has been heaped upon us because of this action of ours. If licentious motives had prompted us, we could have secured the results in a cheaper way and in a way more inconsonance with universal custom throughout our own land and all Christendom. But the sacrifices that we have made in this respect bear testimony to the heavens and to the earth that we have been sincere and conscientious in all that we have done, and that we have not been prompted by a desire to use women for lustful purposes, but to save them, to make them honorable, and to leave no margin of women in our society to become a prey to lust, so that every woman in our land should have the opportunity of becoming a virtuous wife and an honored mother, loved and respected by her offspring and by all her associates.
If no other result has attended what may be termed our obstinacy, these results are, at least, upon record, and they never can be blotted out. The imprisonment of these men, the sufferings—the untold, unwritten, yea, the unmentionable, it may be said, sufferings—of wives and children, they are recorded in heaven and are known to men upon the earth, and they form a chapter that will never be blotted out.
Latter-day Saints, there has been nothing lost in the five years that have just passed. We have lost no credit. There has been no honor sacrificed. We can look God in the face—that is, if we are permitted to do so, so far as this is concerned, we can; we can look the holy angels in the face; we can look mankind in the face, without a blush, or without feeling that we have done anything unworthy of our manhood or of our professions and the faith that God has given unto us. This all of us can do; and if no other result has followed what may be called our obstinacy, than these which I now describe they are grand enough to pay us for all that we have gone through.
But the time has come when, in the providence of God, it seemed necessary that something should be done to meet the requirements of the country, to meet the demands that have been made upon us, and to save the people. President Woodruff and others of us have been appealed to hundreds of times, I might say;--I can say for myself, that I have been appealed to many scores of times to get out something, and to announce something. Some of our leading brethren have said: “Inasmuch as we have ceased to give permission for plural marriages to be solemnized, why cannot we have the benefit of that? Why cannot we tell the world it, so as to have the benefit of it? Our enemies are alleging constantly that we still practise this in secret, and that we are dishonest and guilty of evasion. Now, if we have really put a stop to granting permissions to men to take more wives than one, why should not the world know it and we have the advantage of it?” These remarks have been made to us repeatedly. But at no time has the Spirit seemed to indicate that this should be done. We have waited for the Lord to move in the matter; and on the 24th of September, President Woodruff made up his mind that he would write something, and he had the spirit of it. He had prayed about it and had besought God repeatedly to show him what to do. At that time the Spirit came upon him, and the document that has been read in your hearing was the result. I know that it was right, much as it has gone against the grain with me in many respects, because many of you know the contest we have had upon this point. But when God speaks and when God makes known His mind and will, I hope that I and all Latter-day Saints will bow in submission to it. When that document was prepared it was submitted. But, as is said in this motion that has been made, President Woodruff is the only man upon the earth who holds the keys of the sealing power. These Apostles all around me have all the same authority that he has. We are all ordained with the same ordination. We all have had the same keys and the same powers bestowed upon us. But there is an order in the Church of God, and that order is that there is only one man at a time on the earth who holds the keys of sealing, and that man is the President of the Church, now Wilford Woodruff. Therefore, he signed that document himself. Some have wondered and said, “Why didn’t others sign?” Well, I give you the reason—because he is the only man on the earth that has this right, and he exercised it, and he did this with the approval of all of us to whom the matter was submitted, after he had made up his mind, and we sustained it; for we had made it a subject of prayer also, that God would direct us.
There never was a time in this Church when I believe the leading men of this Church have endeavored to live nearer to God, because they have seen the path in which we walked environed with difficulties, beset with all manner of snares, and we have had the responsibility resting upon us of your salvation, to a certain extent. God has chosen us, not we ourselves, to be the shepherds of His flock. We have not sought this responsibility. You know Wilford Woodruff too well to believe that he would seek such an office as he now fills. I trust you know the rest of us sufficiently to believe the same concerning us. I have shrunk from the Apostleship. I have shrunk from being a member of the First Presidency. I felt that if I could get my salvation in any other way, I prayed God that He would give it to me, after He revealed to me that I would be an Apostle, when I was comparatively a child; and I have had that feeling ever since. These Apostles, all of them, feel the responsibility which rests upon them as leaders of the people, God having made us, in His providence, your shepherds. We feel that the flock is in our charge, and if any harm befall this flock through us, we will have to answer for it in the day of the Lord Jesus; we shall have to stand and render an account of that which has been entrusted to us; and if we are faithless, and careless, and do not live so as to have the word of God continually with us and know His mind and will, then our condemnation will be sure and certain, and we cannot escape it. But you are our witnesses as to whether God is with us or not, as well as the Holy Ghost. You have received, and it is your privilege to receive, the testimony of Jesus Christ as to whether these men who stand at your head are the servants of God, whom God has chosen and through whom God gives instructions to His people. You know it, because the testimony of the Spirit is with you, and the Spirit of God burns in your bosoms when you hear the word of God declared by these servants and there is a testimony living in your hearts concerning it.
Now, realizing the full responsibility of this, this action has been taken. Will it try many of the Saints? Perhaps it will; and perhaps it will try those who have not obeyed this law as much as any others in the Church. But all that we can say to you is that which we repeatedly say to you—go unto God yourselves, if you are tried over this and cannot see its purpose; go to your secret chambers and ask God and plead with Him, in the name of Jesus, to give you a testimony as He has given it to us, and I promise you that you will not come away empty, nor dissatisfied; you will have a testimony, and light will be poured out upon you, and you will see things that perhaps you cannot see and understand at the present time.
I pray God to bless all of you, my brethren and sisters; to fill you with His Holy Spirit; to keep you in the path of exaltation which He has marked out for us; to be with us on the right hand and on the left in our future as He has been in the past.
Before I sit down I wish to call attention to one remarkable thing, and it may be an evidence to you that the devil is not pleased with what we have done. It is seldom I have seen so many lies, and such flagrant, outrageous lies told about the Latter-day Saints as I have quite recently. I have not time to read the papers, but I have happened to pick up two or three papers and glance at them, and the most infernal (pardon me for using that expression) lies ever framed are told. It seems as though the devil is mad every way. “Now,” says he, “they are going to take advantage of this, and I am determined they shall have no benefit of it; I will fill the earth with lies concerning them, and neutralize this declaration of President Woodruff’s” And you will see in all the papers everything that can be said to neutralize the effect of this. To me it is pretty good evidence that the devil is not pleased with what we are doing. When we kept silence concerning this, then we are a very mean and bad people; and now that we have broken the silence and made public our position, why, we are wicked in other directions, and no credence can be attached to anything that we say. You may know by this that his satanic majesty is not pleased with our action. I hope he never will be.
by President George Q. Cannon
On the 19th of January, 1841, the Lord gave His servant Joseph Smith a revelation, the 49th paragraph of which I will read:
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, that when I give a commandment to any of the sons of men, to do a work unto my name, and those sons of men go with all their might, and with all they have, to perform that work, and cease not their diligence, and their enemies come upon them, and hinder them from performing that work; behold, it behoveth me to require that work no more at the hands of those sons of men, but to accept of their offerings.”
The Lord says other things connected with this, which I do not think it necessary to read, but the whole revelation is profitable, and can be read by those who desire to do so.
It is on this basis that President Woodruff has felt himself justified in issuing this manifesto.
I suppose it would not be justice to this Conference not to say something upon this subject; and yet everyone knows how delicate a subject it is, and how difficult it is to approach it without saying something that may offend somebody. So far as I am concerned, I can say that of the men in this Church who have endeavored to maintain this principle of plural marriage, I am one. In public and in private I have avowed any belief in it. I have defended it everywhere and under all circumstances, and when it was necessary have said that I considered the command was binding and imperative upon me.
But a change has taken place. We have, in the first place, endeavored to show that the law which affected this feature of our religion was unconstitutional. We believed for years that the law of July 1, 1862, was in direct conflict with the first amendment to the Constitution, which says that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” We rested upon that, and for years continued the practice of plural marriage, believing the law against it to be an unconstitutional one, and that we had the right, under the Constitution, to carry out this principle practically in our lives. So confident was I in relation to this view that in conversations with President Grant, and with his Attorney General, ex-Senator Williams, of Oregon, I said to them that if my case were not barred by the statute of limitations I would be willing to have it made a test case, in order that the law might be tested. We were sustained in this view not only by our own interpretation of the amendment to the Constitution, but also by some of the best legal minds in the country, who took exactly the same view that we did—that this law was an interference with religious rights, and that so long as our practices did not interfere with the happiness and peace of society, or of others, we had the right to carry out this principle. In fact, it is within six or eight months that, in conversation with two United States Senators, each conversation being separate from the other, both of them expressed themselves, though not in the same language, to this effect: “Mr. Cannon, if this feature that you practice had not been associated with religion, it might have been tolerated; but you have associated it with religion and it has aroused the religious sentiment of the nation, and that sentiment cannot be resisted. So far as the practice itself is concerned, if you had not made it a part of your faith and an institution sanctioned by religion, it might have gone along unnoticed.” I do not give the exact language; but these are the ideas that they conveyed to me. Now, we were very confident that this law was an unconstitutional one. President Daniel H. Wells will remember how he and I tried to get a case to test the constitutionality of the law during the lifetime of President Brigham Young. We wanted to get Brother Erastus Snow. It is the last thing that we should have thought of to put a man like he was in the gap if we had not been firmly convinced that the law was unconstitutional and would be declared so by the United States Supreme Court. We telegraphed to Brother Erastus in the south, thinking that his case would not be barred by the statute of limitations. He replied to us concerning it, and we found that it was barred. Brother A. M. Musser proposed himself, if I remember aright, to be a test case; but there was a defect in his case. We wanted this case, whenever it was presented, to be presented fairly, that there should be no evasion about it, but that it should be a case that could be tested fairly before the courts of the country. Finally, Brother George Reynolds was selected. I said to myself, when I learned the result, “it is the last time that I will ever have anything to do with a test case again which will involve the liberty of anybody.” I was promised when he was sentenced, by one high in authority and who had the right to make the promise, that he should be released, when the circumstances were told to him; for they were laid fairly before him, and he was told that the evidence had been furnished by Brother Reynolds himself, and that everything had been done to make it a test case; the government had been aided in the securing of witnesses, and no difficulty thrown in the way. Afterwards, on the second trial, I believe Brother Reynolds’ lawyers got frightened, and there was something occurred then that gave it a different appearance But when the facts were related, as I stated, to one high in authority, he promised me that George Reynolds should be pardoned. There were those, however, in this city who were determined that he should not escape imprisonment, and the prosecuting attorney wrote a letter which changed the mind of this high official, as he afterward told me, and he declined to carry out that which I had received as a promise. But even then there were circumstances connected with this decision that made us reluctant to accept it.
Since that time the history of proceedings is before you and before the world. We have felt as though this command of God was of such importance to us, involving so many serious consequences, that we should do all in our power to have the world know the position that we occupied. There may be men among us who believed that they would be damned if they did not obey this, accepting it as a direct command from God. Therefore, you can understand how tenaciously we have protested, and how vigorously we have endeavored, as far as we could, to make public our views upon this subject.
I suppose there are two classes here today in this congregation—one class who feel to sorrow to the bottom of their hearts because of the necessity of this action that we have now taken; another class who will say: “Did I not tell you so?” “Did I not tell you it would come to this?” “Did I not say to you that you ought to take advantage of and comply with this years ago, instead of enduring that which you have suffered since that time?” There may be men here today who pride themselves on their foresight, and who take credit to themselves because they foresaw, as they allege, that which we have done today, and would lead others to believe that if their counsel had been adopted, if the views that they presented had been accepted by the people, it might have saved very serious consequences to us all and left us in a better position than that which we occupy today. But I, for one, differ entirely with this view. I believe that it was necessary that we should witness unto God, the Eternal Father, unto the heavens and unto the earth, that this was really a principle dear to us—dearer, it might be said, in some respects, than life itself. We could not have done this had we submitted at the time that those of whom I speak suggested submission. We could not have left our own nation without excuse. It might have said. “Had we known all that you tell us now concerning this, we should have had very different views about this feature of your religion than we did have.” But now, after the occurrences of the past six years have been witnessed by this entire nation and by the world, and by God the Eternal Father and the heavenly hosts, no one can plead as an excuse that they have been ignorant of our belief and the dearness of this principle to us. Upwards of thirteen hundred men have been incarcerated in prison, going there for various terms from one or three months up to years. They have gone there willingly, as martyrs to this principle, making a protest that the heavens and the earth should bear record of, that they were conscientious in espousing this principle, and that it was not for sensual indulgence had been the object we could have obtained it without such sacrifices as were involved in obedience to this law—without going to prison, without sustaining wives and children, without the obloquy that has been heaped upon us because of this action of ours. If licentious motives had prompted us, we could have secured the results in a cheaper way and in a way more inconsonance with universal custom throughout our own land and all Christendom. But the sacrifices that we have made in this respect bear testimony to the heavens and to the earth that we have been sincere and conscientious in all that we have done, and that we have not been prompted by a desire to use women for lustful purposes, but to save them, to make them honorable, and to leave no margin of women in our society to become a prey to lust, so that every woman in our land should have the opportunity of becoming a virtuous wife and an honored mother, loved and respected by her offspring and by all her associates.
If no other result has attended what may be termed our obstinacy, these results are, at least, upon record, and they never can be blotted out. The imprisonment of these men, the sufferings—the untold, unwritten, yea, the unmentionable, it may be said, sufferings—of wives and children, they are recorded in heaven and are known to men upon the earth, and they form a chapter that will never be blotted out.
Latter-day Saints, there has been nothing lost in the five years that have just passed. We have lost no credit. There has been no honor sacrificed. We can look God in the face—that is, if we are permitted to do so, so far as this is concerned, we can; we can look the holy angels in the face; we can look mankind in the face, without a blush, or without feeling that we have done anything unworthy of our manhood or of our professions and the faith that God has given unto us. This all of us can do; and if no other result has followed what may be called our obstinacy, than these which I now describe they are grand enough to pay us for all that we have gone through.
But the time has come when, in the providence of God, it seemed necessary that something should be done to meet the requirements of the country, to meet the demands that have been made upon us, and to save the people. President Woodruff and others of us have been appealed to hundreds of times, I might say;--I can say for myself, that I have been appealed to many scores of times to get out something, and to announce something. Some of our leading brethren have said: “Inasmuch as we have ceased to give permission for plural marriages to be solemnized, why cannot we have the benefit of that? Why cannot we tell the world it, so as to have the benefit of it? Our enemies are alleging constantly that we still practise this in secret, and that we are dishonest and guilty of evasion. Now, if we have really put a stop to granting permissions to men to take more wives than one, why should not the world know it and we have the advantage of it?” These remarks have been made to us repeatedly. But at no time has the Spirit seemed to indicate that this should be done. We have waited for the Lord to move in the matter; and on the 24th of September, President Woodruff made up his mind that he would write something, and he had the spirit of it. He had prayed about it and had besought God repeatedly to show him what to do. At that time the Spirit came upon him, and the document that has been read in your hearing was the result. I know that it was right, much as it has gone against the grain with me in many respects, because many of you know the contest we have had upon this point. But when God speaks and when God makes known His mind and will, I hope that I and all Latter-day Saints will bow in submission to it. When that document was prepared it was submitted. But, as is said in this motion that has been made, President Woodruff is the only man upon the earth who holds the keys of the sealing power. These Apostles all around me have all the same authority that he has. We are all ordained with the same ordination. We all have had the same keys and the same powers bestowed upon us. But there is an order in the Church of God, and that order is that there is only one man at a time on the earth who holds the keys of sealing, and that man is the President of the Church, now Wilford Woodruff. Therefore, he signed that document himself. Some have wondered and said, “Why didn’t others sign?” Well, I give you the reason—because he is the only man on the earth that has this right, and he exercised it, and he did this with the approval of all of us to whom the matter was submitted, after he had made up his mind, and we sustained it; for we had made it a subject of prayer also, that God would direct us.
There never was a time in this Church when I believe the leading men of this Church have endeavored to live nearer to God, because they have seen the path in which we walked environed with difficulties, beset with all manner of snares, and we have had the responsibility resting upon us of your salvation, to a certain extent. God has chosen us, not we ourselves, to be the shepherds of His flock. We have not sought this responsibility. You know Wilford Woodruff too well to believe that he would seek such an office as he now fills. I trust you know the rest of us sufficiently to believe the same concerning us. I have shrunk from the Apostleship. I have shrunk from being a member of the First Presidency. I felt that if I could get my salvation in any other way, I prayed God that He would give it to me, after He revealed to me that I would be an Apostle, when I was comparatively a child; and I have had that feeling ever since. These Apostles, all of them, feel the responsibility which rests upon them as leaders of the people, God having made us, in His providence, your shepherds. We feel that the flock is in our charge, and if any harm befall this flock through us, we will have to answer for it in the day of the Lord Jesus; we shall have to stand and render an account of that which has been entrusted to us; and if we are faithless, and careless, and do not live so as to have the word of God continually with us and know His mind and will, then our condemnation will be sure and certain, and we cannot escape it. But you are our witnesses as to whether God is with us or not, as well as the Holy Ghost. You have received, and it is your privilege to receive, the testimony of Jesus Christ as to whether these men who stand at your head are the servants of God, whom God has chosen and through whom God gives instructions to His people. You know it, because the testimony of the Spirit is with you, and the Spirit of God burns in your bosoms when you hear the word of God declared by these servants and there is a testimony living in your hearts concerning it.
Now, realizing the full responsibility of this, this action has been taken. Will it try many of the Saints? Perhaps it will; and perhaps it will try those who have not obeyed this law as much as any others in the Church. But all that we can say to you is that which we repeatedly say to you—go unto God yourselves, if you are tried over this and cannot see its purpose; go to your secret chambers and ask God and plead with Him, in the name of Jesus, to give you a testimony as He has given it to us, and I promise you that you will not come away empty, nor dissatisfied; you will have a testimony, and light will be poured out upon you, and you will see things that perhaps you cannot see and understand at the present time.
I pray God to bless all of you, my brethren and sisters; to fill you with His Holy Spirit; to keep you in the path of exaltation which He has marked out for us; to be with us on the right hand and on the left in our future as He has been in the past.
Before I sit down I wish to call attention to one remarkable thing, and it may be an evidence to you that the devil is not pleased with what we have done. It is seldom I have seen so many lies, and such flagrant, outrageous lies told about the Latter-day Saints as I have quite recently. I have not time to read the papers, but I have happened to pick up two or three papers and glance at them, and the most infernal (pardon me for using that expression) lies ever framed are told. It seems as though the devil is mad every way. “Now,” says he, “they are going to take advantage of this, and I am determined they shall have no benefit of it; I will fill the earth with lies concerning them, and neutralize this declaration of President Woodruff’s” And you will see in all the papers everything that can be said to neutralize the effect of this. To me it is pretty good evidence that the devil is not pleased with what we are doing. When we kept silence concerning this, then we are a very mean and bad people; and now that we have broken the silence and made public our position, why, we are wicked in other directions, and no credence can be attached to anything that we say. You may know by this that his satanic majesty is not pleased with our action. I hope he never will be.
President Woodruff,
who had been deeply affected during the presentation of, and action upon the official declaration, also expressed himself on the same subject. His remarks will soon appear in full, the same reason for not giving a synopsis applying to his discourse, as well as to President Cannon’s.
who had been deeply affected during the presentation of, and action upon the official declaration, also expressed himself on the same subject. His remarks will soon appear in full, the same reason for not giving a synopsis applying to his discourse, as well as to President Cannon’s.
Remarks
by President Wilford Woodruff
I want to say to all Israel that the step which I have taken in issuing this manifesto has not been done without earnest prayer before the Lord. I am about to go into the spirit world, like other men of my age. I expect to meet the face of my Heavenly Father—the Father of my spirit; I expect to meet the face of Joseph Smith, of Brigham Young, of John Taylor, and of the Apostles, and for me to have taken a stand in anything which is not pleasing in the sight of God, or before the heavens, I would rather have gone out and been shot. My life is no better than other men’s. I am not ignorant of the feelings that have been engendered through the course I have pursued. But I have done my duty, and the nation of which we form a part must be responsible for that which has been done in relation to this principle.
The Lord has required at our hands many things that we have not done, many things that we were prevented from doing. The Lord required us to build a Temple in Jackson County. We were prevented by violence from doing it. He required us to build a Temple in Far West, which we have not been able to do. A great many things have been required of us, and we have not been able to do them, because of those that surrounded us in the world. This people are in the hands of God. This work is in the hands of God, and He will take care of it. Brother George Q. Cannon told us about the lies that are abroad. It is a time when there have been more lies told about Mormonism than almost any other subject ever presented to the human family. I often think of what Lorenzo Dow said with regard to the doctrine of election. Says he: “It is like this: You can, and you can’t; you will, and you won’t; you shall, and you shan’t; you’ll be damned if you do, and you’ll be damned if you don’t.” That is about the condition we as Latter-day Saints are in. If we were to undertake to please the world, and that was our object, we might as well give up the ship; we might have given it up in the beginning. But the Lord has called us to labor in the vineyard; and when our nation passes laws, as they have done, in regard to this principle which we have presented to the Conference, it is not wisdom for us to make war upon sixty-five millions of people. It is not wisdom for us to go forth and carry out this principle against the laws of the nation and receive the consequences. That is in the hands of God, and He will govern and control it. The Church of Christ is here; the Zion of God is here, in fulfilment of these revelations of God that are contained in these holy records in which the whole Christian world profess to believe. The Bible could never have been fulfilled had it not been for the raising up of a prophet in the last days. The revelations of St. John could never have been fulfilled if the angel of God had not flown through the midst of heaven, “having the everlasting Gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come.” Was that angel going to visit New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and the world, and call the people together and preach to them? Not at all. But the Lord raised up a Prophet. The angel of God delivered that Gospel to that Prophet. That Prophet organized a Church; and all that He has promised in this code of revelations (the Book of Doctrine and Covenants) has been fulfilled as fast as time would admit. That which is not yet fulfilled will be.
Brethren and sisters, it is our duty to be true to God and to be faithful. Make your prayers known unto the Lord. The Lord has told us what He will do concerning many things. He will fulfill His word. Let us be careful and wise, and let us be satisfied with the dealings of God with us. If we do our duty to one another, to our country and to the Church of Christ, we will be justified when we go into the spirit world. It is not the first time that the world has sought to hinder the fulfillment of revelation and prophecy. The Jewish nation and other nations rose up and slew the Son of God and every Apostle but one that bore the Priesthood in that day and generation. They could not establish the kingdom; the world was against them. When the Apostles asked Jesus whether He would at that time restore again the kingdom to Israel, He replied: “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.” He did not say it would be established then; but He taught them to pray: “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” It is a long time since that prayer was offered, and it has not been fulfilled until the present generation. The Lord is preparing a people to receive His kingdom and His Church, and to build up His work. That, brethren and sisters, is our labor.
I want the prayers of the Latter-day Saints. I thank God that I have seen with my eyes this day that this people have been ready to vote to sustain me in an action that I know, in one sense, has pained their hearts. Brother George Q. Cannon has laid before you our position. The Lord has given us commandments concerning many things, and we have carried them out as far as we could; but when we cannot do it, we are justified. The Lord does not require at our hands things that we cannot do.
This is all I want to say to the Latter-day Saints upon this subject. But go before the Lord and ask Him for light and truth, and to give us such blessings as we stand in need of. Let your prayers ascend into the ears of the God of Sabaoth, and they will be heard and answered upon your heads, and upon the heads of the world. Our nation is in the hands of God. He holds their destiny. He holds the destinies of all men. I will say to the Latter-day Saints, as an Elder in Israel and as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are approaching some of the most tremendous judgments God ever poured out upon the world. You watch the signs of the times, the signs of the coming of the Son of Man. They are beginning to be made manifest both in heaven and on earth. As has been told you by the Apostles, Christ will not come until these things come to pass. Jerusalem has got to be rebuilt. The Temple has got to be built. Judah has got to be gathered, and the House of Israel. And the gentiles will go forth to battle against Judah and Jerusalem before the coming of the Son of Man. These things have been revealed by the prophets; they will have their fulfilment. We are approaching these things. All that the Latter-day Saints have to do is to be quiet, careful and wise before the Lord, watch the signs of the times, and be true and faithful; and when you get through you will understand many things that you do not today. This work has been raised up by the power of Almighty God. These Elders of Israel were called from the various occupations of life to preach as they were moved upon by the Holy Ghost. They were not learned men; they were weak things of this world, whom God chose to confound the wise, “and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are.” We are here on that principle. Others will be gathered on that principle. Zion will be redeemed, Zion will arise, and the glory of God will rest upon her, and all that Isaiah and the other prophets have spoken concerning her will come to pass. We are in the last dispensation and fulness of time. It is a great day, and the eyes of all the heavens are over us, and the eyes of God Himself and all the patriarchs and prophets. They are watching over you with feelings of deep interest, for your welfare; and our prophets who were slain and sealed their testimony with their blood, are mingling with the Gods, pleading for their brethren. Therefore, let us be faithful, and leave events in the hands of God, and He will take care of us if we do our duty.
I pray God that He will bless these Apostles, Prophets and Patriarchs, these Seventies, High Priests and Elders of Israel, and these Latter-day Saints, who have entered into covenant with our God. You have a great future before you. You have kept the commandments of God, so far as you have had the opportunity, and by receiving the Gospel of Christ and being faithful your reward is before you. Your history is written and is before you. I will say that this nation, and all nations, together with presidents, kings, emperors, judges, and all men, righteous and wicked, have got to go into the spirit world and stand before the bar of God. They have got to give an account of the deeds done in the body. Therefore, we are safe as long as we do our duty. No matter what trials or tribulations we may be called to pass through, the hand of God will be with us and will sustain us. I ask my Heavenly Father to pour out His Spirit upon me, as His servant, that in my advanced age, and during the few days I have to spend here in the flesh, I may be led by the inspiration of the Almighty. I say to Israel, the Lord will never permit me nor any other man who stands as the President of this Church, lead you astray. It is not in the program. It is not in the mind of God. If I were to attempt that, the Lord would remove me out of my place, and so He will any other man who attempts to lead the children of men astray from the oracles of God and from their duty. God bless you. Amen.
The choir sang:
How beauteous are their feet
Who stand on Zion’s Hill.
Who bring salvation on their tongues,
And words of peace reveal.
Benediction by Apostle Heber J. Grant.
Adjourned until 2 p.m.
by President Wilford Woodruff
I want to say to all Israel that the step which I have taken in issuing this manifesto has not been done without earnest prayer before the Lord. I am about to go into the spirit world, like other men of my age. I expect to meet the face of my Heavenly Father—the Father of my spirit; I expect to meet the face of Joseph Smith, of Brigham Young, of John Taylor, and of the Apostles, and for me to have taken a stand in anything which is not pleasing in the sight of God, or before the heavens, I would rather have gone out and been shot. My life is no better than other men’s. I am not ignorant of the feelings that have been engendered through the course I have pursued. But I have done my duty, and the nation of which we form a part must be responsible for that which has been done in relation to this principle.
The Lord has required at our hands many things that we have not done, many things that we were prevented from doing. The Lord required us to build a Temple in Jackson County. We were prevented by violence from doing it. He required us to build a Temple in Far West, which we have not been able to do. A great many things have been required of us, and we have not been able to do them, because of those that surrounded us in the world. This people are in the hands of God. This work is in the hands of God, and He will take care of it. Brother George Q. Cannon told us about the lies that are abroad. It is a time when there have been more lies told about Mormonism than almost any other subject ever presented to the human family. I often think of what Lorenzo Dow said with regard to the doctrine of election. Says he: “It is like this: You can, and you can’t; you will, and you won’t; you shall, and you shan’t; you’ll be damned if you do, and you’ll be damned if you don’t.” That is about the condition we as Latter-day Saints are in. If we were to undertake to please the world, and that was our object, we might as well give up the ship; we might have given it up in the beginning. But the Lord has called us to labor in the vineyard; and when our nation passes laws, as they have done, in regard to this principle which we have presented to the Conference, it is not wisdom for us to make war upon sixty-five millions of people. It is not wisdom for us to go forth and carry out this principle against the laws of the nation and receive the consequences. That is in the hands of God, and He will govern and control it. The Church of Christ is here; the Zion of God is here, in fulfilment of these revelations of God that are contained in these holy records in which the whole Christian world profess to believe. The Bible could never have been fulfilled had it not been for the raising up of a prophet in the last days. The revelations of St. John could never have been fulfilled if the angel of God had not flown through the midst of heaven, “having the everlasting Gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come.” Was that angel going to visit New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and the world, and call the people together and preach to them? Not at all. But the Lord raised up a Prophet. The angel of God delivered that Gospel to that Prophet. That Prophet organized a Church; and all that He has promised in this code of revelations (the Book of Doctrine and Covenants) has been fulfilled as fast as time would admit. That which is not yet fulfilled will be.
Brethren and sisters, it is our duty to be true to God and to be faithful. Make your prayers known unto the Lord. The Lord has told us what He will do concerning many things. He will fulfill His word. Let us be careful and wise, and let us be satisfied with the dealings of God with us. If we do our duty to one another, to our country and to the Church of Christ, we will be justified when we go into the spirit world. It is not the first time that the world has sought to hinder the fulfillment of revelation and prophecy. The Jewish nation and other nations rose up and slew the Son of God and every Apostle but one that bore the Priesthood in that day and generation. They could not establish the kingdom; the world was against them. When the Apostles asked Jesus whether He would at that time restore again the kingdom to Israel, He replied: “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.” He did not say it would be established then; but He taught them to pray: “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” It is a long time since that prayer was offered, and it has not been fulfilled until the present generation. The Lord is preparing a people to receive His kingdom and His Church, and to build up His work. That, brethren and sisters, is our labor.
I want the prayers of the Latter-day Saints. I thank God that I have seen with my eyes this day that this people have been ready to vote to sustain me in an action that I know, in one sense, has pained their hearts. Brother George Q. Cannon has laid before you our position. The Lord has given us commandments concerning many things, and we have carried them out as far as we could; but when we cannot do it, we are justified. The Lord does not require at our hands things that we cannot do.
This is all I want to say to the Latter-day Saints upon this subject. But go before the Lord and ask Him for light and truth, and to give us such blessings as we stand in need of. Let your prayers ascend into the ears of the God of Sabaoth, and they will be heard and answered upon your heads, and upon the heads of the world. Our nation is in the hands of God. He holds their destiny. He holds the destinies of all men. I will say to the Latter-day Saints, as an Elder in Israel and as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are approaching some of the most tremendous judgments God ever poured out upon the world. You watch the signs of the times, the signs of the coming of the Son of Man. They are beginning to be made manifest both in heaven and on earth. As has been told you by the Apostles, Christ will not come until these things come to pass. Jerusalem has got to be rebuilt. The Temple has got to be built. Judah has got to be gathered, and the House of Israel. And the gentiles will go forth to battle against Judah and Jerusalem before the coming of the Son of Man. These things have been revealed by the prophets; they will have their fulfilment. We are approaching these things. All that the Latter-day Saints have to do is to be quiet, careful and wise before the Lord, watch the signs of the times, and be true and faithful; and when you get through you will understand many things that you do not today. This work has been raised up by the power of Almighty God. These Elders of Israel were called from the various occupations of life to preach as they were moved upon by the Holy Ghost. They were not learned men; they were weak things of this world, whom God chose to confound the wise, “and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are.” We are here on that principle. Others will be gathered on that principle. Zion will be redeemed, Zion will arise, and the glory of God will rest upon her, and all that Isaiah and the other prophets have spoken concerning her will come to pass. We are in the last dispensation and fulness of time. It is a great day, and the eyes of all the heavens are over us, and the eyes of God Himself and all the patriarchs and prophets. They are watching over you with feelings of deep interest, for your welfare; and our prophets who were slain and sealed their testimony with their blood, are mingling with the Gods, pleading for their brethren. Therefore, let us be faithful, and leave events in the hands of God, and He will take care of us if we do our duty.
I pray God that He will bless these Apostles, Prophets and Patriarchs, these Seventies, High Priests and Elders of Israel, and these Latter-day Saints, who have entered into covenant with our God. You have a great future before you. You have kept the commandments of God, so far as you have had the opportunity, and by receiving the Gospel of Christ and being faithful your reward is before you. Your history is written and is before you. I will say that this nation, and all nations, together with presidents, kings, emperors, judges, and all men, righteous and wicked, have got to go into the spirit world and stand before the bar of God. They have got to give an account of the deeds done in the body. Therefore, we are safe as long as we do our duty. No matter what trials or tribulations we may be called to pass through, the hand of God will be with us and will sustain us. I ask my Heavenly Father to pour out His Spirit upon me, as His servant, that in my advanced age, and during the few days I have to spend here in the flesh, I may be led by the inspiration of the Almighty. I say to Israel, the Lord will never permit me nor any other man who stands as the President of this Church, lead you astray. It is not in the program. It is not in the mind of God. If I were to attempt that, the Lord would remove me out of my place, and so He will any other man who attempts to lead the children of men astray from the oracles of God and from their duty. God bless you. Amen.
The choir sang:
How beauteous are their feet
Who stand on Zion’s Hill.
Who bring salvation on their tongues,
And words of peace reveal.
Benediction by Apostle Heber J. Grant.
Adjourned until 2 p.m.
Afternoon Session, 2 p. m.
The choir sang:
With joy we own Thy servants,
Lord, Thy ministers below.
Ordained to speak Thy truth abroad,
That all Thy name may know.
Prayer by Elder C. W. Penrose.
A special hymn entitled “Zion will be free,” was sung by the choir.
The choir sang:
With joy we own Thy servants,
Lord, Thy ministers below.
Ordained to speak Thy truth abroad,
That all Thy name may know.
Prayer by Elder C. W. Penrose.
A special hymn entitled “Zion will be free,” was sung by the choir.
Apostle Heber J. Grant
briefly addressed the conference. He said in substance: I have great satisfaction in seeing so large a congregation present. I have never attended a conference at which more of the Spirit of the Lord was manifest. We have been united and the speakers have been inspired by the Spirit of truth. May I be able to contribute something of the same character as that already given for the benefit of all present. I rejoiced in the large Priesthood meeting held here last night, at which the Spirit of God was present. I sustain a testimony borne at that gathering to the effect that the man who contributes to the support of God’s work will be rewarded both temporarily and spiritually. I have been gratified with the remarks that have been made about events, which some have imagined will take place in 1891. Some spend nearly the whole of their time in hunting mysteries, while neglecting important duties as they come along. The best course to pursue is to fulfil daily the duties required as they present themselves. In this way a man is rewarded as he goes along, and walks in the path that leads to salvation.
briefly addressed the conference. He said in substance: I have great satisfaction in seeing so large a congregation present. I have never attended a conference at which more of the Spirit of the Lord was manifest. We have been united and the speakers have been inspired by the Spirit of truth. May I be able to contribute something of the same character as that already given for the benefit of all present. I rejoiced in the large Priesthood meeting held here last night, at which the Spirit of God was present. I sustain a testimony borne at that gathering to the effect that the man who contributes to the support of God’s work will be rewarded both temporarily and spiritually. I have been gratified with the remarks that have been made about events, which some have imagined will take place in 1891. Some spend nearly the whole of their time in hunting mysteries, while neglecting important duties as they come along. The best course to pursue is to fulfil daily the duties required as they present themselves. In this way a man is rewarded as he goes along, and walks in the path that leads to salvation.
Apostle John W. Taylor
was the next speaker. He said substantially: I feel thankful to my Heavenly Father for the privilege of attending this Conference. It is the best II ever attended in my life. I am in the habit of saying this every half year. I am like a hungry man who when he eats declares that this is the best meal he has ever partaken of. God has fulfilled His promise to His people and provided for them pastors and teachers after His own heart.
I was glad to be confirmed in my impressions regarding what some have expected would transpire in 1891.
I invite you all to pay your tithes and offerings, that this may be a land of Zion to us all. I am fully in accord with the views of Elder Grant in relation to the temporal duties of the Saints. When we engage to serve the Lord we do so that we might reap salvation. All that you will find yourselves possessed of as a foundation when before the bar of God will be your wives and children. If you train not your children you are blind indeed. There is a spirit working among the Saints to educate their own offspring. If our children will be all we will have for a foundation of glory in eternity, how needful that they be properly trained. The Church schools are the greatest institutions among this people and will be one of the greatest power for good as one of the helps in the work of God. About two years ago an eastern paper published what purported to be a correct report of mission schools. He asserted that 5000 children of the Latter-day Saints in Utah attended them. If this be true it shows quite a percentage of parents who are inconsistent with regard to their religious duty. The ordinances of the Gospel have been taught to us and we are responsible for our children being instructed in these things.
The speaker here read from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants regarding the responsibility of parents regarding the proper instruction of their children. If I were a Catholic I would wish my children to be of that faith. So with any other religion. Being a Latter-day Saint I desire my children to be of that faith. Otherwise I would be a hypocrite. There are among us wolves in sheep’s clothing ready to lead astray our little ones. The cry has gone forth “Let Zion be defiled.” Wolves do not devour old sheep when there are any young ones. I have herded sheep long enough to know that. Look after your children. If you are faithful over a few of them God will make you ruler over many. May God bless you all. Amen.
was the next speaker. He said substantially: I feel thankful to my Heavenly Father for the privilege of attending this Conference. It is the best II ever attended in my life. I am in the habit of saying this every half year. I am like a hungry man who when he eats declares that this is the best meal he has ever partaken of. God has fulfilled His promise to His people and provided for them pastors and teachers after His own heart.
I was glad to be confirmed in my impressions regarding what some have expected would transpire in 1891.
I invite you all to pay your tithes and offerings, that this may be a land of Zion to us all. I am fully in accord with the views of Elder Grant in relation to the temporal duties of the Saints. When we engage to serve the Lord we do so that we might reap salvation. All that you will find yourselves possessed of as a foundation when before the bar of God will be your wives and children. If you train not your children you are blind indeed. There is a spirit working among the Saints to educate their own offspring. If our children will be all we will have for a foundation of glory in eternity, how needful that they be properly trained. The Church schools are the greatest institutions among this people and will be one of the greatest power for good as one of the helps in the work of God. About two years ago an eastern paper published what purported to be a correct report of mission schools. He asserted that 5000 children of the Latter-day Saints in Utah attended them. If this be true it shows quite a percentage of parents who are inconsistent with regard to their religious duty. The ordinances of the Gospel have been taught to us and we are responsible for our children being instructed in these things.
The speaker here read from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants regarding the responsibility of parents regarding the proper instruction of their children. If I were a Catholic I would wish my children to be of that faith. So with any other religion. Being a Latter-day Saint I desire my children to be of that faith. Otherwise I would be a hypocrite. There are among us wolves in sheep’s clothing ready to lead astray our little ones. The cry has gone forth “Let Zion be defiled.” Wolves do not devour old sheep when there are any young ones. I have herded sheep long enough to know that. Look after your children. If you are faithful over a few of them God will make you ruler over many. May God bless you all. Amen.
Apostle Mariner W. Merrill
was the next speaker. The substance of what he said was as follows: I hope to have your attention that you may hear what I have to say. This position is not to me a desirable one. I am not here of my own choice. May the Lord favor me with His good spirit that what I may say may be of profit. I have felt that if ever there was a time when Saints needed the testimony of Jesus it is now. The Saints need that witness for themselves that they may understand the revelations as given from time to time. There was one given to President Taylor in 1882. It directed that all the quorums should be fully organized and the families of the Saints set in order. This was that the Priesthood and people might be preserved. We could hardly realize the importance of the word of the Lord in that relation at that time. We can see it now. Events since then require the Saints to know for themselves of the divinity of this great work. There is more or less fault-finding and complaining against each other among the people. When this is the case we should consider this matter, for the Lord has spoken on this subject and said we must forgive one another. It is written concerning the disciples of old, that there were envyings and strifes among them and they forgave not each other in their hearts, and were severely chastened in consequence. There may have been an outward form of reconciliation, but they forgave not one another inwardly and were in consequence afflicted and sorely chastened. He who will not forgive his brother stands condemned and there remains in him the greater sin. The speaker related an incident wherein one man refused to forgive another, although the brother against whom he entertained feelings asked for forgiveness and requested to know what he could do to regain his good will. Resuming his comments, Brother Merrill said: Is there anybody here who feels thus? if so he stands under condemnation, and lies under the greater sin. We ought to cease our fault-finding, and seek the Lord in fervent prayer morning, noon and evening. There is no other proper course for Saints. We must carry our religion into the actions of our lives. We must forgive one another as we desire to be forgiven. If we do not, God will not hear our prayers. He will be slow to answer our supplications. This evil is more or less prevalent. It keeps people away from their meetings. The time is now when we should live according to the light of the Holy Spirit that the Lord may favor us. When this is done, let us set our quorums and houses in order, and the peace of the Lord will be with us.
We should fulfil our obligations and covenants with each other. Some of the people are living beyond their means and fail to meet their engagements at a proper time. This is a cause of much ill-feeling. My policy has always been to pay as I go. Do not incur financial obligations: do not mortgage your homes, unless some circumstances exist that demand that you should do so. Pay day always comes around. It is easy to sign a note, but, when it matures, the one who gives it is sometimes unable to redeem it. It is contemptible for a man to take advantage of the laws of limitations and hide behind that statute by refusing to redeem a not or pay a book account when they are outlawed. If you can’t pay for what you want do without it. We have all seen the evils of mortgaging homes. Thousands of farmers in the east have done so and have lost their property. It will not do for the Saints to thus bring themselves into bondage.
Many of our young people think they cannot get married because they cannot provide a fashionable home. This not only applies to the people of Salt Lake City, but largely to those throughout the Church. The tendency toward extravagance is increasing and is wrong. The Saints have good credit. When engaged on railroad construction contracts in the past I have been asked by business men who have been asked to let wagons and supplies go on credit, whether the persons desiring the accommodation were “Mormons.” Said they, “If they are it will be all right, as they will pay their debts.” We are more ready to pay others than our brethren. We should pay without distinction everybody. But the better way is not to purchase until we have ability to pay down. It is good to be a free people financially. This status can be maintained by our living within our means. The policy of extravagance is all wrong. This country will be a land of Zion to all those who live within their means, pay their tithing, and offer their prayers morning, noon and night. That class will always be impressed with the will of the Lord when it comes through His servants. I was recently in the east, and I know that what Brother Cannon stated about the moral condition of the people there is strictly correct. Brother Merrill bore testimony to the truth of the Gospel, concluding by saying: God bless you. Look after your dead, and live your religion.
was the next speaker. The substance of what he said was as follows: I hope to have your attention that you may hear what I have to say. This position is not to me a desirable one. I am not here of my own choice. May the Lord favor me with His good spirit that what I may say may be of profit. I have felt that if ever there was a time when Saints needed the testimony of Jesus it is now. The Saints need that witness for themselves that they may understand the revelations as given from time to time. There was one given to President Taylor in 1882. It directed that all the quorums should be fully organized and the families of the Saints set in order. This was that the Priesthood and people might be preserved. We could hardly realize the importance of the word of the Lord in that relation at that time. We can see it now. Events since then require the Saints to know for themselves of the divinity of this great work. There is more or less fault-finding and complaining against each other among the people. When this is the case we should consider this matter, for the Lord has spoken on this subject and said we must forgive one another. It is written concerning the disciples of old, that there were envyings and strifes among them and they forgave not each other in their hearts, and were severely chastened in consequence. There may have been an outward form of reconciliation, but they forgave not one another inwardly and were in consequence afflicted and sorely chastened. He who will not forgive his brother stands condemned and there remains in him the greater sin. The speaker related an incident wherein one man refused to forgive another, although the brother against whom he entertained feelings asked for forgiveness and requested to know what he could do to regain his good will. Resuming his comments, Brother Merrill said: Is there anybody here who feels thus? if so he stands under condemnation, and lies under the greater sin. We ought to cease our fault-finding, and seek the Lord in fervent prayer morning, noon and evening. There is no other proper course for Saints. We must carry our religion into the actions of our lives. We must forgive one another as we desire to be forgiven. If we do not, God will not hear our prayers. He will be slow to answer our supplications. This evil is more or less prevalent. It keeps people away from their meetings. The time is now when we should live according to the light of the Holy Spirit that the Lord may favor us. When this is done, let us set our quorums and houses in order, and the peace of the Lord will be with us.
We should fulfil our obligations and covenants with each other. Some of the people are living beyond their means and fail to meet their engagements at a proper time. This is a cause of much ill-feeling. My policy has always been to pay as I go. Do not incur financial obligations: do not mortgage your homes, unless some circumstances exist that demand that you should do so. Pay day always comes around. It is easy to sign a note, but, when it matures, the one who gives it is sometimes unable to redeem it. It is contemptible for a man to take advantage of the laws of limitations and hide behind that statute by refusing to redeem a not or pay a book account when they are outlawed. If you can’t pay for what you want do without it. We have all seen the evils of mortgaging homes. Thousands of farmers in the east have done so and have lost their property. It will not do for the Saints to thus bring themselves into bondage.
Many of our young people think they cannot get married because they cannot provide a fashionable home. This not only applies to the people of Salt Lake City, but largely to those throughout the Church. The tendency toward extravagance is increasing and is wrong. The Saints have good credit. When engaged on railroad construction contracts in the past I have been asked by business men who have been asked to let wagons and supplies go on credit, whether the persons desiring the accommodation were “Mormons.” Said they, “If they are it will be all right, as they will pay their debts.” We are more ready to pay others than our brethren. We should pay without distinction everybody. But the better way is not to purchase until we have ability to pay down. It is good to be a free people financially. This status can be maintained by our living within our means. The policy of extravagance is all wrong. This country will be a land of Zion to all those who live within their means, pay their tithing, and offer their prayers morning, noon and night. That class will always be impressed with the will of the Lord when it comes through His servants. I was recently in the east, and I know that what Brother Cannon stated about the moral condition of the people there is strictly correct. Brother Merrill bore testimony to the truth of the Gospel, concluding by saying: God bless you. Look after your dead, and live your religion.
Apostle Abraham H. Cannon
spoke briefly. He said: If any had imagined that God had withdrawn His Spirit from His Church, such ideas must have been dispelled during this Conference. Every heart must have been touched by the inspired instructions that have been given. When the servants of God are not bodily present with the people and their voices are not heard in their congregations, they begin to murmur and complain. But when the Prophets are with them the sheep soon recognize the voices of the shepherds and they are again established. This has been exemplified in other ages. Instances illustrative of this truth occurred in the history of ancient Israel, when Moses was their leader. So in the days of Jesus. His disciples had heard his teachings and understood them to be of God. They beheld the miracles he wrought. Yet when Jesus was hung upon the cross His followers imagined their hopes were blasted. Hence it is no new thing for the people to be mistaken when separated for a time from the servants of the Lord. If the instructions given during this conference are carried out, none will be without light and none need be led blindly. If this spirit of intelligence does prevail, Zion will indeed be the pure in heart. The condition of the saints will grow brighter and better, while the course of the world will be retrogressive. Since the restoration of the Gospel and its proclamation the world lies under condemnation, because they have, in many instances, rejected the light. God is being ruled out of everything. The voice of the people is accepted by the people as the voice of God, when the legitimate order is the reverse. The voice of God should be the voice of the people. God will give no revelation through His prophets but what can be tested by the faithful among the people, to whom the channel of communication with the heavens is open. God’s ways are not as the ways of man, and in the midst of our trials He has never deserted His Saints. The speaker predicted the spread and triumph of the work of the Lord, to the divine origin of which he bore testimony.
The choir sang an anthem: Lord what is man?
spoke briefly. He said: If any had imagined that God had withdrawn His Spirit from His Church, such ideas must have been dispelled during this Conference. Every heart must have been touched by the inspired instructions that have been given. When the servants of God are not bodily present with the people and their voices are not heard in their congregations, they begin to murmur and complain. But when the Prophets are with them the sheep soon recognize the voices of the shepherds and they are again established. This has been exemplified in other ages. Instances illustrative of this truth occurred in the history of ancient Israel, when Moses was their leader. So in the days of Jesus. His disciples had heard his teachings and understood them to be of God. They beheld the miracles he wrought. Yet when Jesus was hung upon the cross His followers imagined their hopes were blasted. Hence it is no new thing for the people to be mistaken when separated for a time from the servants of the Lord. If the instructions given during this conference are carried out, none will be without light and none need be led blindly. If this spirit of intelligence does prevail, Zion will indeed be the pure in heart. The condition of the saints will grow brighter and better, while the course of the world will be retrogressive. Since the restoration of the Gospel and its proclamation the world lies under condemnation, because they have, in many instances, rejected the light. God is being ruled out of everything. The voice of the people is accepted by the people as the voice of God, when the legitimate order is the reverse. The voice of God should be the voice of the people. God will give no revelation through His prophets but what can be tested by the faithful among the people, to whom the channel of communication with the heavens is open. God’s ways are not as the ways of man, and in the midst of our trials He has never deserted His Saints. The speaker predicted the spread and triumph of the work of the Lord, to the divine origin of which he bore testimony.
The choir sang an anthem: Lord what is man?
President W. Woodruff
stepped forward to the breastwork of the stand and said: Before dismissing this Conference I want to say a few words to the Latter-day Saints. The Lord has said, by revelation, to those who hold the keys of the Kingdom of God: “Whomsoever thou shalt bless I will bless and whomsoever thou shalt curse I will curse.”
I have traveled something like a hundred and seventy-five thousand miles in my day and time, and I have preached the Gospel to the nations, to the islands of the sea and to my own country. I have met, in some instances, men who professed to have faith in God and to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, who have stood up before me and cursed the Prophet of God, Joseph Smith, and blasphemed the name of God. But in the midst of all these things, I have never seen a moment of my life when I felt to curse anybody. I hope I never shall. But I have told these men, under these circumstances, that the curse of God would overtake them; and in no instance, when I have been moved upon to say that, has it ever fallen unfulfilled; for they have been marked cases of the judgments of God overtaking them. But with regard to blessing, I will say, if there was ever an hour in my life that I felt to bless the Latter-day Saints, it is at the present time. My heart is drawn out with love and gratitude towards God and my brethren with whom I am surrounded. I have been sustained as a weak instrument in the hands of God as the President of this Church. Since I have been called to this office I have been sustained by the Latter-day Saints, and for over fifty years of my life as an Apostle. Why should not my heart be drawn out in love towards such a people? The world know not the love of the Latter-day Saints. They do not comprehend it. It never entered into their souls. I am surrounded here with Prophets, Apostles, Elders and Saints of the living God; and in the morning of the resurrection, when they come out of their graves, they will pass by the Gods and the angels who are set there to watch the interests of the celestial world; they will go to those thrones, kingdoms, principalities and powers which have been ordained of God for them to occupy—those who dwell in this dispensation as well as in other ages of the world. If I am faithful, I shall meet you there; I shall meet this people there; I shall meet these Saints of the Living God there. Therefore, I feel it is my privilege to bless the Latter-day Saints. I cannot go abroad, as a man, and spread this Gospel to the world and administer to them the ordinances thereof, to have any effect, without the Holy Priesthood; and I, as a man, cannot bless the inhabitants of the earth, so that the Lord is bound to acknowledge it, only by the power of the Holy Priesthood; and that power I feel to exercise at the present time in blessing my brethren and sisters.
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I feel to bless my Counselors—Presidents Geo. Q. Cannon and Jos. F. Smith. They have stood by me in all the labors of life, as far as we have been associated, since we have entered into the new and everlasting covenant. On the same principle, I feel to bless these Apostles who surround me. We have been united. We are united in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and they have the gratitude of my heart for the labors of love and life which they have carried out in their day and time. I feel to bless the Presidents of the Seventies, with all their quorums in this Church, with every blessing that I have power to bestow upon them, as a servant of the Living God. I feel to bless the High Priests, who bear the high and Holy Priesthood after the order of Melchisedec—their Presidents and all who belong to the quorums. I also feel to bless the thousands of the Elders of Israel who have entered into covenant with the lord, who have received a portion of the Melchisedec—their Presidents and all who belong to the quorums. I also feel to bless the thousands of the Elders of Israel who have entered into covenant with the Lord, who have received a portion of the Melchisedec Priesthood, and who have gone forth and been faithful in the ordinances of the House of God. I feel to bless the Bishopric and the Lesser Priesthood, which is after the order of Aaron—the first Priesthood sealed upon the heads of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery by John the Baptist, who held it, and who laid down his own life for the word of God and testimony of Jesus Christ. I feel to bless these Latter-day Saints, as fathers and mothers, as brothers and sisters, in all the ordinances of the House of God. I feel to bless them in their families, in their flocks, and in their herds, and in all they put their hands unto. As far as I have the power to bless, they have the blessings of my heart and my spirit, in every sense of the word. And I say to all Israel, God bless you.
Let us live, brethren and sisters, that when we have finished our work and our testimony, as other generations have done, we will receive the same exaltation and glory. The world do not know you. The world do not know this work. They do not understand it. They have not entered into the spirit of it; they never will, except they obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the law of the celestial kingdom.
The vast audience then arose to their feet and President Woodruff pronounced the final benediction.
Conference adjourned till the 6th day of April 1891.
John Nicholson,
Clerk of Conference.
stepped forward to the breastwork of the stand and said: Before dismissing this Conference I want to say a few words to the Latter-day Saints. The Lord has said, by revelation, to those who hold the keys of the Kingdom of God: “Whomsoever thou shalt bless I will bless and whomsoever thou shalt curse I will curse.”
I have traveled something like a hundred and seventy-five thousand miles in my day and time, and I have preached the Gospel to the nations, to the islands of the sea and to my own country. I have met, in some instances, men who professed to have faith in God and to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, who have stood up before me and cursed the Prophet of God, Joseph Smith, and blasphemed the name of God. But in the midst of all these things, I have never seen a moment of my life when I felt to curse anybody. I hope I never shall. But I have told these men, under these circumstances, that the curse of God would overtake them; and in no instance, when I have been moved upon to say that, has it ever fallen unfulfilled; for they have been marked cases of the judgments of God overtaking them. But with regard to blessing, I will say, if there was ever an hour in my life that I felt to bless the Latter-day Saints, it is at the present time. My heart is drawn out with love and gratitude towards God and my brethren with whom I am surrounded. I have been sustained as a weak instrument in the hands of God as the President of this Church. Since I have been called to this office I have been sustained by the Latter-day Saints, and for over fifty years of my life as an Apostle. Why should not my heart be drawn out in love towards such a people? The world know not the love of the Latter-day Saints. They do not comprehend it. It never entered into their souls. I am surrounded here with Prophets, Apostles, Elders and Saints of the living God; and in the morning of the resurrection, when they come out of their graves, they will pass by the Gods and the angels who are set there to watch the interests of the celestial world; they will go to those thrones, kingdoms, principalities and powers which have been ordained of God for them to occupy—those who dwell in this dispensation as well as in other ages of the world. If I am faithful, I shall meet you there; I shall meet this people there; I shall meet these Saints of the Living God there. Therefore, I feel it is my privilege to bless the Latter-day Saints. I cannot go abroad, as a man, and spread this Gospel to the world and administer to them the ordinances thereof, to have any effect, without the Holy Priesthood; and I, as a man, cannot bless the inhabitants of the earth, so that the Lord is bound to acknowledge it, only by the power of the Holy Priesthood; and that power I feel to exercise at the present time in blessing my brethren and sisters.
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I feel to bless my Counselors—Presidents Geo. Q. Cannon and Jos. F. Smith. They have stood by me in all the labors of life, as far as we have been associated, since we have entered into the new and everlasting covenant. On the same principle, I feel to bless these Apostles who surround me. We have been united. We are united in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and they have the gratitude of my heart for the labors of love and life which they have carried out in their day and time. I feel to bless the Presidents of the Seventies, with all their quorums in this Church, with every blessing that I have power to bestow upon them, as a servant of the Living God. I feel to bless the High Priests, who bear the high and Holy Priesthood after the order of Melchisedec—their Presidents and all who belong to the quorums. I also feel to bless the thousands of the Elders of Israel who have entered into covenant with the lord, who have received a portion of the Melchisedec—their Presidents and all who belong to the quorums. I also feel to bless the thousands of the Elders of Israel who have entered into covenant with the Lord, who have received a portion of the Melchisedec Priesthood, and who have gone forth and been faithful in the ordinances of the House of God. I feel to bless the Bishopric and the Lesser Priesthood, which is after the order of Aaron—the first Priesthood sealed upon the heads of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery by John the Baptist, who held it, and who laid down his own life for the word of God and testimony of Jesus Christ. I feel to bless these Latter-day Saints, as fathers and mothers, as brothers and sisters, in all the ordinances of the House of God. I feel to bless them in their families, in their flocks, and in their herds, and in all they put their hands unto. As far as I have the power to bless, they have the blessings of my heart and my spirit, in every sense of the word. And I say to all Israel, God bless you.
Let us live, brethren and sisters, that when we have finished our work and our testimony, as other generations have done, we will receive the same exaltation and glory. The world do not know you. The world do not know this work. They do not understand it. They have not entered into the spirit of it; they never will, except they obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the law of the celestial kingdom.
The vast audience then arose to their feet and President Woodruff pronounced the final benediction.
Conference adjourned till the 6th day of April 1891.
John Nicholson,
Clerk of Conference.